Mocking or Learning

We can't deny the fact that we have been parents to furbabies for 11 years, therefore many of our reactions as well a daily activities are pretty much on autopilot. Like not leaving food out on the counters or having towels by the back door to clean dirty paws or always closing the bathroom doors.

One of those things that has become second nature is how we discipline the dogs. Instead of saying "no" when they are about to get into something they aren't supposed to, we say a high pitch nasal sound that goes "agh agh". So one day I was caught off guard when I, not even realizing it, disciplined Benjamin in the same way. I was floored when he reacted like this:

And just to proof that it wasn't a fluke, I caught him another day doing the same thing. The funniest part is the hand: 

I like to think that he is learning - and not making fun of me... As a matter of fact, after a couple of times of trying to mess with whatever it is he is messing with that he's not supposed to be messing with, he moves on. Of course 10 minutes go by and he is back into messing with whatever he is not supposed to be messing with - again. But I am determined to teaching boundaries, we can't 100% baby proof the world, and he has to learn how to live in the world.

New Feet - New Shoes

Today the newest set of feet in this house got his very first shoes! He has been standing up and taking little steps all over the place while holding on. Yes, he is also crawling and we have been focusing on crawling because it is good for him. But the fact is that he stands up everywhere and takes steps to everywhere. Actually, the other day at school they mentioned that we should start sending him with shoes – not just the grippy socks – because there too he stands up everywhere.  Finally today we got around to taking him to the Stride Rite store down the street from us. 

We used the umbrella stroller for the first time! He was a bit uneasy about this new mode of transportation… 

As soon as we walked in the store a very nice lady, and a young guy who she was training, offered to help us. Maybe the fact that we were walking in with a baby in a stroller wearing socks gave it away that we were there to shop for his first shoes. They measured his feet and determined that we should get a 3.5 wide size (our chunkster has wide feet…). 

We went over to the wall of shoes and tried on different ones. The time was bordering nap time so he was not very cooperative. I don’t know if you can tell very well from the pictures, but his bottom lip stuck out the entire time and he did not crack a single smile - I have no idea where he gets that kind of temperament.

At first we were going to get him a pair of nice brown shoes and the blue tennis shoe looking ones that he is trying on in the pictures. Then Mama Fern had the amazing idea that if we get a neutral color, such as gray, it would match all the outfits. He wore his shoes for the rest of the afternoon while we ran errands. He finally got his nap - it is tiring buying shoes. 

He kept them on when we got home while he got around. He is getting used to them, but at least doesn’t try to take them off (for now). 

We’ll be back in 2 months or so to buy new ones – and to use the coupon they gave us.

Itty Bitty

Earlier this afternoon I was sorting through Benjamin's clothes because we were at the point where his closet and drawers had more clothes that don't fit him than clothes that actually do fit.

So I pulled out everything that doesn't fit anymore and brought down the container with the next stage of clothes - we have hand-me-downs that have been around since the 70's! Like this:

My mom actually made that shirt along with a couple of others! Can't wait for him to wear them!

So in the process of getting out big-boy clothes and putting away tiny clothes, I came across his very first sleep and play pajamas. Well, back then it was more like sleep and sleep pajamas because that's all he did, besides drink milk.

I had to get a comparison picture to really take in how tiny he was. So I laid Benjamin (who was crawling about the floor) down on his back and put the tiny pajama over him - yea that lasted a total of half a second, certainly not long enough to get a picture. So I then came up with plan B, which was much better because then I could put his very first pajama next to his current one:

It took 40 weeks inside my belly for him to grow from the size of a poppy seed to be able to fit in the pajamas on the right. Then it took 41 more weeks for him to almost triple in weight and fit in the pajamas on the left. Life is amazing.

Buggy Ride

We went to Sam's the other day. When we got there, Benjamin was sleeping, so we brought him down to the store still in his car seat on the stroller. When he woke up, it was time for his afternoon milk. So I sat at one of the display couches - because now they sell leather sectionals at Sam's - and gave him his bottle.

By then he was fully awake and would not go back in the car seat, so because we had shopping to do and because neither of us wanted to walk around the store carrying a 20 lbs. baby, we sat him in the buggy to see what would happen.

This happened:

He held on with both hands - on different handle bars - and was quite apprehensive.

Here he is in the meat department - still unsure about whatever was going on.

Finally he started to turn the corner, maybe it was kisses from Dada or maybe it was fruit aisle...

Or maybe it was when the bag of sweet potatoes made it to his side that he finally started smiling and having a good time!

He Looks Like Who?

Some say he looks just like Norm. Others say he looks just like me. I still say he looks like neither.

This weekend I realized that he actually looks like my older brother, Beto.

One day I hope to go through Beto's baby album and catch other shots... in the meantime, I was able to get these over the weekend:

Beto,
I am flattered that your nephew inherited your good looks and we'll continue to catch glimpses of you as we watch him grow up. I hope he also inherited your smart brains. But do, please, spare us from your mischievous crazies and all those headaches you gave mom and dad... we could do with out those. 

Thanks, 

Your Little Sister Down Here

Month 9

Three more and it will be one year since the little one joined us!

This last month he has taken off - literally. Although he is still doing his military crawl/drag thing, he does not hold back on going places. Once he gets to wherever he is going, he stands up in a split second. He likes to stand - wherever it is. In the crib, next to the changing table, by your leg, on his jumperoo, wherever.

He has gotten so good at eating with his little fingers, we are constantly trying out new textures - he had toast and butter over Christmas - earlier this week he had peas and last night he had STEAK!

Diaper changing has become a little bit of a production. He has started hollering whenever it is time to change the diaper - so we have to call down one of the stuffed animals that live in the balloons over the changing table to come hang out with him. Once diaper changing is over, the little animal goes back to his balloon and Benjamin says "tau tau" - which translated into Spanish means "chau chau" - which translated into English means "bye bye"

He dances to any kind of music - he rocks back and forth! And because he hasn't figured out clapping just yet, he just flings his arms in the air in every kind of direction.

He loves drinking his morning "te te" - which translated into Spanish means "milk" - which transltated into English means "bottle" with "Dada" every day. And he calls for "Mama" only when he is in despair - like he's over whatever activity he is doing, or he is getting his diaper changed in public.

With the cold weather we have discovered that he can't wear fleece... so there went those cute Christmas pajamas and along with the the fleece vests that are so cozy. We are sticking strictly to cotton, otherwise his cheeks turn red and get chapped when the fleece rubs on them.

For Fun

Here are a couple of videos that we've taken over the last days... he loves the phone, so the minute he realizes he is being filmed, he usually stops whatever he's doing... Thankfully we've been able to capture these!