BA BA BA BALL

Last night Connor legitimately was saying his first word. Now in the past he's definitely said mama but it wasn't clear if he knew what he was doing.

It was about 10pm and we were laying down on the kitchen floor, for some weird reason, and playing with his ball. He just started saying it over and over, probably 50 times. He'd then throw it really far. We played catch. Becca and I couldn't believe it. It made him SOOOOO much more of a little person and not just a helpless baby. Really cool.

Tonight we have Catan scheduled again w Sarah and Josh and tomorrow the family arrives from Florida. First thing on the list after we pick them up at the airport is McMercy Family! Get excited!

Big Thoughts, Big Questions, Big Boy, Big Love

Life has returned to normal. Back at work, went swimming during lunch (my new daily ritual as I prepare for my first triathlon... how can you beat that?), Catan with some friends this evening. Connor and Becca are at home this week, as she's just on-call for little Addie. I think this officially her last week unless she goes to Ohio to watch Addie up there for a couple weeks.

Connor is growing up lightning fast. At the children's museum he was 27 inches. That's six inches since he was born. He weighed 20 pounds yesterday. 13 more since birth. See the picture below and you'll see what I mean!

I'm not a math major (my mom is though...), but I'm thinking that means he grows one inch a month and gains 2 pounds a month. Give or take a bit on both of those figures. Geez.

Now for the last seven months I've operated under the good advice I got from good parents--you can't spoil a baby. But now, things are changing. He's becoming a boy. And boys need parenting. So of course now Becca and I have new conversations. Where once we talked about how many times we can kiss him in one day we now talk about how to raise him. How to discipline. How to show him right from wrong. How to invest into this little living person who we've created, are utterly responsible for, and balance all those things. How to transform all the love and hope we have for a perfect little being into the right upbringing...

Those are BIG questions, ones one can wrestle with for many hours a day. No easy answers. But we are both committed to doing our best and giving him the best and doing what's right for him, even if it's not always easy. Even if it means he hears no more than yes. Hmmm.... Lots to think about. But it's good to start thinking early.

Luckily we are surrounded and have access to wonderful people who will have good advice. And luckily we are starting out with a wonderful kiddo.

Convalesence

Well we've had a good day and I'm almost back to 100 percent. Connor and becca and I went to the children's museum downtown and to a few other favorite spots.

Back before this crazy sick thing started, on Friday night, we went downtown to the Moody Theatre and saw some music and had crepes. Maybe it was the French dessert that made me sick!!!

Uh oh

Typing w left hand on iPhone at ER. Looks like appendicitis! But I've got my awesome becca and Connor in the waiting room... I feel lucky to have healthcare and best family!!

Well let's see how this turns out :)

Ooops

Tonight I'm babysitting, hanging out w my best buddy in the world. Things were great- we played, watched some sesame street, walk in the wagon around the block - until Connor grew wings and grabbed my smoothie off the end table.

Our first big accident! Well I still love him and all I could do is laugh. Check it out--

Mommy's Turn

Michael said it was my turn to write a blog. Only I'm feeling uninteresting right now. But you know what is interesting, or at least entertaining? These two videos. Does a mother ever get over how cute their child is? I don't think so!!

High chair nonsense

Video Here

Wiggler jiggler take two

Video Two Here

10pm...

Well it's 10pm. The question is not if Connor is still up or not... We all know he stays up late plying every night. The question is what has he been doing? We just got back from the park! 10 pm and he's out going down slides and crawling around!!

What a life this kid leads :)

Sleeping...

Baby sleeping this morning. Best thing in the world!

A Star is Born

(Connor loves throwing one hand up in the air and pointing to the sky... this is the picture-pose that will be on his biography cover one day. The biography will be called A Star is Born.)

Sunday we got to hang out with the grandparents all day who spent the night on Saturday. We went to this crazy and bizarre kid show at a hippie coffee shop that was not quite appropriate. We improvised from there and headed to the Driskill downtown for smoothies, then to the capital for pictures and history lessons, and then Becca and I got to go to a movie. The first one in a long time!

In the meantime, I took lots of pictures while we were out. Outings with Connor are a blast!

Goodnight Sweet Prince

He might look like a little tucked away angel when he's sleeping... But don't be fooled, he's super tuff when he wakes up!

We had an awesome day with the grandparents running around all I've town... Pics tomorrow. For now it's bed time for our little monster!

Super Cool Connor

We've had a super cool day. Plans for the Children's Museum got cancelled due to some aching teeth, but a nap fixed that. So then we headed to Book People for a story time pizza party. Connor loved hearing the stories but would try and attack other babies when they weren't looking--jumping on them, rolling on them, anything to get the other babies!

Next up was the record shop where he tried on some cool sunglasses, then REI where we crawled into some tents that were on display, and finally lunch at Whole Foods. He tried some kiwi, mango, all sorts of new foods.

It was then high-time for another nap. Grandparents arrived after that and we all went swimming and then out to eat. Connor got to try edamame for the first time and I tried a tuna steak for the first time. We both liked our new treats.

Now we're just playing at the house. It's 930pm and Connor is going strong showing off for his grandparents who are spending the night.

Oh, and we took a lot of pictures. Look!

My Little Bane

Last night we were hanging out on the porch. I noticed that Connor has an eery resemblance to the villian Bane from the latest Batman movie. This cracks me up...

Later that night Connor crawled from outside into the house. Once inside, he then decided to dive out of the house and crash onto the porch. The video makes it look a lot worse than it was... he stopped crying within a few seconds. But yes, that dive was as crazy as anything Bane did in Batman.

Here's the vid: Connor Diving Out of the House

One Way or Another

Becca has been talking a lot about writing Connor's birthstory. I say, yes I think I've beat you to that--it's called Connor and Co and has a couple hundred stories. But she's right and I'd love to hear her recollections of that wonderful day. And by day I mean three days!

I'm slowly starting to get to the point when I want to do it again. A girl would be lots of fun, but it's hard to imagine anything better than another little boy. Hmmm.... I'll have to think about this one.

If we got pregnant again, we could do another hidden camera video telling our parents. Kind of like this one, which still makes me so happy:

Suprise... You will soon be Grandparents!

A few days ago Becca found out the family she babysits for is moving. To Washington DC! Yikes... This is sort of good and sort of bad. While the extra money is good, it might be even more good for her to take some time to spend JUST with Connor. Or just find a even more part-part-time job that gives her more time with little buddy.

The other night she said she would never trade the time she's been able to spend with Connor for anything. Not even a million bucks. And I have to agree. I'd make even more sacrifices to keep them together all day. It's the most important thing right now.

We'll figure it out. Our family and friends have been so awesome I know we will keep making it work. One way or another.

Wild Child

Just got done taking a bath w Connor.... This picture seems like a different person. We had a fun night laying low. Connor got in this cuh-Razy mood and was acting like a velociraptor a la Jurassic park for like 30 minutes. We were cracking up but also considering calling the mental farm.

We heart our little buddy.

Lucky

I think today we set a new swimming record. We were in the pool for almost two hours straight, just playing and splashing. I'd throw Connor into the air and at this point I'm probably getting him well over ten feet. He screams out laughing and doesn't have an ounce of fear in him.

We also like to sit him on the edge and he just dives and crashes into the pool laughing. He's getting pretty good at going under water too. There are lots of swim teachers there that give us things we can do to him and of course he's good at all of them. Water. Baby.

Becca just told me as we were eating dinner, the two of us and Connor, that he's eight months old. Where has the time gone? Man these eight months have been so good and he's filled my heart with so much joy and love for him.

Speaking of the whole 'where does the time go?' thing, my brothers turned 14 today. It's truly amazing how they've become such great people. I remember when they were born premature and about three pounds each and living in an oxygen tent. Smaller than my hand.

Now...... Well, they are all about six feet, 160 pounds, wearing size 13, 14 shoes. Another year they'll be bigger than me! My mom says it's the hormones in the milk and meat. Well who knows but it's something! They are also straight A students, smarter than most adults, and the coolest most respectful and loving young men anyone could ever ask for.

I'm more blessed than I could ever say to have such people in my life. You can put that in the bank.

Ugh

I was going to blog but becca manipulated uncle Chris and made me lose Catan to tonight. Seriously.

Austin Boy

So what's new with Connor??? Hmmm... I suppose just the usual stuff--swimming, playing, snuggling, crawling, being the best baby in the world. He has begun eating A LOT. He will eat the entire jar of baby food, then a half of another jar, then breast feed. Due to all of his activities like crawling and pulling up on stuff to walk, he's burning lots of calories.

Morning time is the best. He wakes up after sleeping for like 10 hours and it's like he's entering the world for the first time. He'll just gave at you and let you give him lots of kisses. It's like he's re-entered the universe from some far away place and he's totally peaceful.

Tonight we're gonna go visit his aunt and uncle for a birthday dinner in San Marcos. We're exctied about that. Tomorrow we might go for a hike in the morning before it gets too hot. Sunday there's this kids show at Ruta Maya, an ultra hippy Austin place. I hear there are magicians and dancing dogs. Connor would fit right in. We are making a true Austin boy!!!

Video Bonanza

Lots of videos today. Click the links below...

Connor crawling onto the bed and filming himself:
Connor Crawling Around and Making a Video of Himself

Connor and the dog love each other. Macy is super-sweet and will usually let him win tug of war. *usually*
Macy and Connor Playing Tug of War


Becca saving Connor from a trip to the ER after he crawled out of his exer-saucer and jumped out:
A Close Call

In other news we were out at Target last night. Connor and I skateboarded through the entire store. Then I decided to get an iphone4, mostly because it takes good videos. I really don't care about all the other stuff it does. The good news is better qualilty videos are on their way.

We ended up leaving target at 1010pm. This kid has no schedule. But he was happy and we played until late!

Zoo, Fear, ER, Iphone4, Waiting

This weekend Connor got to see his Grandparents and Aunt Lori and Uncle Randy. He also went to the San Antonio Zoo for the first time, a much different experience than the Austin Zoo. The highlight for me was two gigantic hippos who we got to watch swimming underwater. They came right up to the glass and showed Connor their giant teeth--it was awesome!

Connor is going all over the place. He crawls, flips, jumps, lunges, rolls, and dives. There is not an ounce of fear in his body, unless you count being left alone for more than ten seconds. He loves being around people and he's never alone for more than a few seconds... But he's a baby, we're supposed to be with him all the time, right? And that's not a question soliciting advice/opinions. That was actually a statement :)

Today he lunged off of a play scape thing and Becca caught him by the ankle, arresting his head first plunge and saving what was a certain trip to the ER. Not bad a for a girl who never played sports! She actually sent me a video that I'll post tomorrow. Tonight I might pick up a new iphone for $50 (yes, you wait long enough and the price plummets) so we can all say goodbye to low resolution videos. It's about time I know, but I'm all about saving money and being smart with it! Good things come to those who wait. So said my mom.

More Good Connor Stuff

Does anyone remember this little rugrat? I've got some other baby in my home but he's like twice as big and barely fits in his elephant blanket.

Let's see... Tuesday we went swimming at the Y. Before that though, Becca had to stay with Connor in the nursery since he has separation anxiety. Good thing she can be with him all day. Once we made it to the pool we all swam and played. Connor is a total water baby. He jumps in with no fear and will go underwater with no problem. The swim teacher picked him up and said he's all muscle. This kid is super dense and strong. It's crazy!

Last night we all took a long nap on the air matress and then Connor played in the gym while I worked out. Becca would hold him while I hit the heavy bag and he would kick and move his body all around to copy my movements. It was hilarious... We then went on a long walk around sunset.

Tomorrow we are headed to San Antonio to spend the weekend with Grandparents. On the list we have hiking, the zoo, the pool hall, olympics watching since we'll finally have TV access, and the Riverwalk. Who thinks we'll get all that done?