Mad Skillz

MP2 has been perfecting lots of new tricks over the course of the last week and a half -- as evidenced by the nearly 150 pictures I have taken in the same amount of time. Don't worry, not all of them are included here, only about 20%...

Check out these smiles. I can never quite capture them at their apex (not for a lack of trying)!

We've always known MP2 to be a strong baby, we started tummy time nice and early, and he was kind of rocking/rolling over quickly. That said, these days he is more like a rocket launching (if rockets launched sideways and gained zero altitude in their trajectory). Check him out:

Laying on tummy, getting a bit peeved

Then the full on launch

...and finally the stunned wonderment "How did I get here???"

Ending with getting back to playtime.

Another new passtime is shaking the rattle. I have even witnessed it coming in contact with the mouth. Likely accidental, of course...but I am going to claim it's his advanced coordination instead.

Tummy time is still a mainstay, and that head is lifting more and more off the mat.

His range of focus finally started including the mobile above the swing and the pack and play. (Not to mention he now not only tolerates, but will hang out and also sleep in the pack and play.)

He is still a great sleeper (well, most of the time anyways).

...in the bed is still his favorite spot (NOTE: covers pulled up for photo op only, don't call CPS on us!)

but the Maya Wrap isn't too bad either.

the newest development is pack and play (day or night!)

and, of course, on walks as well.

sometimes, MP2 even becomes a thinking man sleeping.

Finally, here are some pictures of MP2 just looking cute over the past couple weeks.

Such a chunk. These days (meaning last Tuesday, actually) MP2 is weighing in at 12lbs 4oz -- which is up from a 8lb 6oz birth weight in only 6 weeks and 5 days!

I must also add that MP and I hosted our first post-MP2 era dinner party, and it was wildly successful. We had four couples (each with one child) come over for BBQ ribs. There were no fiascos involving kids, dogs or food to speak of... It took a little longer than usual, planning started on Wednesday and cooking on Thursday for a Saturday night dinner. Plus, everyone arrived at 6 and left at 8, yet it felt like a marathon dinner of yesterdays. We had so much fun though.

Next up, a car trip home for Labor Day. MP2 is so ready for his Nashville debut. We are so lucky to have so many friends and family to whom we can show him off! See (some of) y'all soon.

He'll Leave You with a Smile

To begin this post - I wanted to show you all that we do still have dogs (realizing there is photographic evidence of only Riley) and we do still love them...see, she's even up on the bed with us!! That said, I would be lying if I didn't tell you that there has been a huge adjustment in our house. When MP2 was first born, the dogs were flat out despondent. MP made a huge effort--and has done a great job, I might add--of making sure that they still get as many (if not more) walks and trips to the dog park. Even still, they realized there'd been a seismic shift. I think it is as simple as the fact that many times when they used to be the focus of attention, now MP2 takes center stage. I will say that I think they are slowly adjusting. In recent days, they don't look quite so sad all the time (except Tipper always looks pretty sad...even at her best). The other night, Riley even remained sleeping at the foot of our bed through the whole night. We like to imagine a time when MP2 will chase and play with the dogs, and they will have forgotten they ever didn't really love him that much.


Here I am attempting to use the Moby wrap (thanks, Whit). I have gotten better at getting it on, and getting MP2 into it. I would say about 75% of the time he seems to really enjoy being in there too. I think it's something that we will continue to use as he gets bigger. It is nice to hold him and have my hands free at the same time. (BTW - just look at that cute wispy hair in the foreground of this picture...so adorable!)

In napping news--until this past week, anytime MP2 felt his little head touch the pack and play mat, it was time to turn on the tears until someone rescued him (save for a few fluke napping occurances during week one). Ever optimistic, MP and I didn't stop trying to see if he'd just decide he liked it in there after all, and what do you know!?!? Suddenly, at some point last week, we put MP2 in there, and he looked up, focused on that mobile, and then just decided to cold chill - at least until it was time to fall asleep. Then came the major pouty lip, followed by some unhappy squeaks and grunts, followed by some serious slient fury, level 3, code red crying. That said, we feel this is still a step in the right direction sleep-wise.

Still MP2's favorite place to sleep? Right here on his daddy's chest:

Last Sunday, we celebrated MP's birthday with what was supposed to be a big birthday surprise trip to Kansas City to watch the Yankees play the Royals. Unfortunately, I did have to spill the beans when MP learned the four game series was on his birthday weekend and wouldn't stop talking about us going! Regardless of his knowing ahead of time, we had a fantastic trip. It's been so hot lately, that we were very worried that MP2 and I would be unable to go and MP would have to take someone else in our place, but the weather broke and we had highs in only the mid-80s. It was a perfect day. Our seats were covered and in the shade for the entire game.

The Yankees couldn't pull it out and lost 0-1, but MP & MP2 had a great time at their first ballgame together. Here we are arriving at the stadium and getting ready for the not so long, but quite treacherous walk across a million lane road from the parking lot to the stadium.

MP2 could barely stand to be torn away from the action to get his photo taken...

...it was so exciting in fact, that he crashed out in my lap for the majority of the game. We would hear squeaks of annoyance anytime the fans cheered, but otherwise he was not to be disturbed.

Along about the seventh inning stretch, MP2 decided to have a stretch of his own, and woke up to hang out some more.

After the game, we three headed to the Plaza area of KC. We'd heard really great things about the area--and while it was architecturally stunning, we were disappointed to find it severely lacking in independently owned shops and restaurants. We found every chain you could think of as we were walking around.

We had an early dinner at a recommended BBQ restaurant called Jack Stacks. It was really tasty--and understandably, a lot of meat....more than either of us could eat! We didn't know these folks in the next photo (and in my attempt to furtively take a quick photo, I was unable to get the zoom in effect I was looking for), but I couldn't help but notice the art on the wall. I mean, really? At a BBQ place? Even I got kind of sad - and I love beef. :)

We found the art outside to be much more tasteful (ha ha)

MP2 loves to be carried around in the baby bijorn. I haven't even learned how to fold up the stroller and bring it along. I think MP2'll have to gain about 20 more lbs before we bother with bringing it on outings (though we use it 2x daily for long walks around the neighborhood with our so-well-loved dogs, lest you think it's going to waste)

We didn't make it home until nearly 10pm, and we were all beat.

Finally, as the title of this blog post suggests, it looks like we have some non-sleep, non-gas induced smiling going on here! He's not completely reliable, but (especially in the early morning) we can typically coax one or two little grins.

We start out with stretching the mouth out a little...

..and find it difficult to smile and keep that tounge in check.

...sometimes, we're not sure if he's happy or about to cry.

...and then we end up with the real deal.

...albeit fleeting, and like lochness monster sightings, extremely rare to catch on film. Do stay tuned though, because we will sure keep trying!

QT with the Pulles

Well, we last left off with the grandparental visit in progress. As you can see Franma and Grand-Dan took full advantage of their time hanging out with MP2. We hung out around the house...



...and around the 'hood.

All in all, it was an absolutely wonderful visit. We loved having Franma and Grand-Dan here, and MP2 just loved getting to meet and know them over their visit. We can't wait to have them here again later this fall.

A few days before our walk with FM + G-D, MP and I took MP2 out for his very first walk in the stroller. I had been avoiding putting his infant seat in the stroller and going for that long awaited stroll since it has just been so so so H-O-T. I feel like that little head positioner is like a head-heat-trap. We found though, that as long as we go out for shorter periods, and try to go first thing in the morning or last thing in the evening, it is much more bearable (for us and MP2). Other than not wanting to wish away one second of my maternity leave, I am so eager for fall. I can't wait to take MP2 on nice long walks on the MKT trail with a nice cool breeze blowing.

In other big "firsts" news, our little man got his first feeding not fully provided by his mom. MP loved giving him a bottle of breast milk. Did I love pumping??? Not so much...though I realize it will be a necessary evil for several months to come. Especially if I want to be able to get out some over the next few months and worry a little less than I do today.

Just look how sweet that is!

A couple days after the FM + G-D departure, we got to see another round of Pulle (and Chociey) visitors. Theresa and Ed made it down to meet MP2 and spend a long weekend with us. Here's Theresa first meeting MP2. (In case you were wondering, he really was happy to meet her, he had just been napping right before her arrival)

Here's both Ed and Theresa checking out their one and only nephew.

While I was so excited for their trip, I can't say I wasn't a little worried that MP2 would be a terror (which would have been completely out of character for him!) and scare them to death, considering they'll have one of these - only theirs is a sweet girl - come December.

Luckily, MP2 was his delightful self, and didn't put the fear of the end of life as they know it in them (or if he did, they didn't admit that to me). Not only that, but we actually got out and were able to do some fun things.

...including lunch at one of our CoMO staples, followed by another first. A walk downtown (yes, we'd done that before) with MP carrying MP2 in the Baby Bijorn. Talk about a (literal) weight off my shoulders!

We also checked out the A Frame - where Theresa got the cutest ever MP2 foot pic.

It was a warm day, but not too hot to sit in the shade for awhile and enjoy a drink (only water for my sister-in-law...not to worry)!

Once we'd been there for a bit MP2 needed a snack, so we got him out of the chair and took his onesie off to cool him down a little bit. We are nothing if not classy...between nursing the bambino, stripping him down to his diaper, and using a cool wet cloth to cool him down, we were looking f-a-n-c-y!

Theresa is looking fantastic! We are all looking so forward to her Christmas baby and meeting Max's cousin just after the holidays.

Another first (and I guess a last too) was MP2 self soothing with a little thumb suck. He found that puppy all on his own and was just as happy as he could be. Has he done it again? Negative. Has he been happy when we tried to help him do it again? Another big fat negative. I am glad we caught this moment on camera, since it looks like the one and only time it'll happen.

A blog post without a sleepy MP2 picture just wouldn't be a blog post I could feel good about. So, here it is. A milk drunkies MP2. Post feeding, he just becomes a big ol' sack of potatoes (only much, much cuter). Want to know what happens if you put MP2 in the crib or the dreaded pack and play while he's in this state? It is just like dumping a bucket of cold water all over him, within moments he is awake and decidedly unhappy. If not rescued quickly, he goes into full on red-faced, silent-fury mode where MP thinks that he is actually still crying, only at such a high pitch we can no longer hear him.

I prefer for you all to have this angelic picture in your minds instead. :)