Biophilliac Mommy: 8 Month Old (Part 1)

It feels like it has been a while since I've updated. I don't even think I've turned on my computer for two weeks in fact! The main reason for this is that Robbie went to California on a business trip for a week, and I was obviously very busy taking on both parenting roles. Here is my attempt to catch up. Part 1 of this post is to enlighten you on a few goings on. Part 2 will be about are day to day life and new developments.

Fever

First Fever

On Tuesday night, April 27th, after having his usual night time bath with Daddy, our sweet baby Meo was covered in goosebumps but felt hot to the touch. He got his first fever. Our poor little Meosaur. Fortunately it was just a low-grade fever (below 101), so we just tried to make him as comfortable as possible (lots and lots of nursing) and kept an eye on him to make sure the fever didn't spike. The fever continued through the next day, and we spent all day in our pajamas nursing and napping for the most part. He didn't really want to eat anything, but I tried to offer him solid foods nonetheless in case that he did. Sometimes he would get a bit of energy and be okay to play or read a book with me or grandma. But for the most part he did not want to be put down, so I carried him around everywhere. We missed our last Seedlings class at Birth Roots (a postnatal class for Mama's and babies aged 6-9 months), which I was bummed about, but I think we are going to take the series again this month because I'm not quite ready to be done with Birth Roots yet. It was good we stayed home though. By night his fever was gone, and he just had a runny nose and was a bit fussy.

First Fever

Two weeks later he still had a runny nose and hadn't quite gotten his appetite back. His boogers turned a pale yellow instead of clear and thin. This was a pain because he HATES having his nose wiped, no matter how gently I do it. We also put some saline in his nose when he was really stuffed up (he has a hard time nursing because he gets so stuffed up he can't breath out of his nose), and he hates that just as much. It seemed to help though, that and we turn on a humidifier at night. He would eat finger foods (like slices of melon, cucumbers, bananas, apples, broccoli, etc.) but for the most part wouldn't take anything from a spoon. Before he got sick he was all for taking the spoon and feeding mouthfuls of pureed or soft foods into his mouth. While he was sick he wouldn't hold the spoon, nor would he let me put it into his mouth. I had just been going with the flow, and offering him lots of different finger foods. I still would offer him a lot of foods that require spoons too just in case he would eat some. I feel like he wasn't getting nearly as much food into his belly. Mostly he just liked to gnaw at the food and rub it on his gums. But he was at least getting some of it and besides, he gets almost all the nourishment he needs from breastmilk. Fortunately today he started accepting soft foods again and was using his spoon like a champ. He ate a whole bowl of goat's milk yogurt mixed with strawberry apples sauce this morning and at a bunch of mashed potatoes tonight.

My theory is that he is teething. I know there is no scientific evidence showing an association with fevers and teething, but I think teething weakens baby's immune systems making them more prone to getting sick. Plus we have had such strange weather: back in March we had a few days of wearing shorts and sun hats in 80 degree weather, now its in the low 50s and we even got a bit of snow. I think that must be hard for everyone's body to adjust too, especially a baby who is experiencing changes in season for the first time. The other reasons why I think he is teething is because he would not let anyone touch his bottom gums for a while. He would thrust his tongue out and arches his back whenever we tried. Plus he puts everything in his mouth and slides it along his gums. I don't see anything there yet, but I feel bumps and I wouldn't be surprised if a couple teeth popped out sometime soon.

Daddy-less and Meo's first slumber party

Last week, Robbie had an incredible opportunity to fly to the west coast for a business trip, all expenses covered. Mattimeo and I were invited to come along, but would have been required to purchase our plane tickets. I really wanted to go. I have never been to the west coast, and I was excited at the prospect at seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and the magical Redwoods. However, after much debate, we came to the difficult decision that Meo and I should stay home so that we could use that money towards a down payment on a house instead. It was a good decision, but I was still sad. Hopefully I will have another opportunity to fly to San Fransisco in the future.

Daddy, don't go!

So with Robbie gone to the west coast, sweet Meo and I were Daddy-less from early Saturday morning through Thursday evening. I was a bit nervous; Robbie is a huge help in the evening and I really appreciate having a little time to myself once in a while. But I rolled up my sleeves and hiked up my skirts and decided to go at the week with energy and humor. We did great, and in the end the time went by pretty quickly.

That Saturday, Robbie's Dad brought Robbie to the airport because they had to be there at around 6:00 (an hour away) and we didn't think it was wise to wake our sleeping baby for the journey. Thank you Grandpa! Instead, Meo and I woke up at 9 am and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast before heading out to Itsy Bitsy Yoga. That week class was centered around sleep, so the emphasis was on low-key poses and massage. Mattimeo was not having it. He did not want to lay down, he did not wanted to be massaged. He wanted to sit up and play and he wanted to talk and talk and talk. So we didn't really get much out of that class, but it was still nice to have gone. After that we went to visit our good friend Lindsay. Lindsay hadn't seen Meo in person since New Years Eve so that was pretty exciting. She treated me for lunch at a yummy sandwich shop that specialized in a variety of grilled cheeses. I enjoyed on with sharp cheddar and granny smith apples, yum! Then we visited a local bookshop that she had been going to throughout her childhood. We also took a lovely long walk, during which we were able to catch up on everything that has been going on in our lives. I really enjoyed seeing her again. I don't get to see my friends as much as I would like and it was so nice to have that time together.

From Sunday to Tuesday, we went to visit our good friends Kasia and Henry. Unfortunately Kasia had to move and is now two hours away from us so we won't be seeing them as often as we had been. So it was a real treat to be able to spend a few days with them! While we were there we made lots of yummy meals, for both us and the babies. It was fun eating all together. We watched the boys play together on the floor a lot. Henry (age 10 months) is super mobile now. He is a champion crawler and is everywhere at once. He also liikes to pull himself up to standing against everything and explore. Meo liked watching him, but did not like when Henry tried to climb him or paw his face hehe. We also went for some really nice walks. They live in a great, peaceful neighborhood, with lovely trails in the forest. We took their Australasian Shepard, Munji, for walks with us which he loved. Meo loves animals and was loving Munji to bits. Those three days were full of an excited Meo saying "Dog! Dog! Dog!" (although it sounds more like "Doug, Doug, Doug"), and trying to pat Munji (he got a few good handfuls of fur). There were a couple times when Munji scared Meo and barked really loudly and unexpectedly behind him; that made Meo cry. But besides that, Munji and Meo were good friends. Meo and Henry were also cute during bed time. Kasia has two beds in her room, both are mattresses on the floor so it is safe for our cosleeping babes. She also has a video monitor, which is something I had never used, and I thought it was so cool to see Meo sleeping on it in the other room. It was kind of like looking at an ultrasound all over again. I also thought it was so sweet that they were both sleeping happily in the other room. We have such sweet, happy boys and I am excited to watch them grow and play together this summer.

Meo and Henry

Meo and Munji

Henry

Kasia and Henry

Meo and Henry

Kasia and Henry

Munji

Kasia and Henry

Meo sleeping on the baby monitor

Meo eating breakfast

Kasia and Henry cooking

Meo and Munji

Henry eating one of the pears Meo dropped

On Wednesday we had another busy day. First we went to a play date at our Mommy friend, Sharon's house. This play date was Easter themed and I enjoyed snacking on cute, homemade Easter themed treats and chatting with other mommies. Meo enjoyed chewing on lots of toys and playing with Neve's (another little baby who is quite mobile) skirt as she crawled by. We also participated in a Easter egg hunt and got a cute whale bath toy. It was only a short visit, but it was still nice. After that we took a walk with my mom and her dogs, Sammy and Socks at Fuller Farm. It was a bit muddy in the fields, but walking in the woods was fantastic, and Meo giggled at the little dogs as they ran around.

Meo grabbing Neve's dress

Wednesday evening I picked up my sister, Sam. Auntie Sam got to have lots of quality time with sweet Meo which gave this Mama lots of time to fold laundry, wash diapers, and cook. For dinner I made quinoa mixed with vine ripe tomatoes, part skim mozzarella cheese, fresh basil and sea salt. After dinner, Sam and I gave Meo a bath together; he really liked that! Once Meo went to bed, Sam and I watched the most ridiculous movie: Lost in Austin. It was about a modern day British woman who is obsessed with reading Austin's Pride and Prejudice. One day Elizabeth Bennet comes out of a secret door in her bathroom and they end up trading spots. Lost in Austin's world, the British woman muddles up all the relationship pairings that are supposed to occur in the novel. It was pretty ridiculous. At one point the British woman convinces Mr. Darcy to wade into a pool with a white shirt on, and when he comes out (wet shirt plastered to his chest revealing rock hard abs), she comments "I always wondered what that would look like". As huge Austin fans however, Sam and I thought it was amusing and it made us giggle. It was certainly a movie Robbie would never watch with me!

Naked time with Auntie Sam

Pi sitting on Sam's lap during the movie

In the morning I made homemade porridge with juicy cranberries, raisins, walnuts, pumpkin seeds and a little bit of maple cream. I also made a little bit of fresh squeezed orange juice, which Meo found delightful. After Meo's morning nap, we all took a walk then had a picnic with Mac and Cheese, fresh fruits and veggies. Then we went inside and had a fun music session with lots of singing and me playing Disney music on the clarinet. We also did a spot of yoga before it was time to drop Sam off and pick up Robbie at the airport.

Asleep after our walk

I always get unreasonably nervous seeing people that I haven't seen in a while for the first time. Even with my husband, who had only been gone a little less than a week. I remember back to the first year Robbie and I were dating and I used to make the three hour drive every weekend to visit him at his dorm in Orono; I used to be so nervous walking up to his door I was probably shaking. I would know how excited he would be to see me, that he would want to scoop me up and kiss me. I liked that, but I think a little part of me was always nervous that I would be disappointing. I always feel so much anxiety that I am not really worth that much excitement. Fortunately, after a few minutes that nervousness passes and I can enjoy reuniting with my friend and loved one. This time it was easier because I had sweet Meo on my back, and he could take the brunt of the attention. Robbie was so happy to see us, and I was so excited to see him. When we took Meo out of the ERGObaby and Robbie held him in his arms, Meo gave him one sweet smile and allowed his Daddy to snuggle him closely for a few moments before reaching out for Mommy. He was getting tired, and that is a lot of excitement for a little baby!

Picking up Daddy from the airport

Driving Daddy home from the airport

We are both so glad to have Daddy back home. Fortunately, the week went by fairly quickly and it wasn't as hard as I thought it would be thanks to the help of Robbie's parents, my family, friends, and my ability to turn into super-mom as needed. I am still glad that Robbie going away isn't a frequent thing, however; I miss him every second he's not with us.

Grandma helping me out by giving Meo a bath

Easter

Meo's first Easter was simple and fun. We woke up at around 9:00 and gave Meo his Easter basket on the bed. I got him a really nice Ghana Bolgatanga basket (hand woven in Africa, sold to support traditional weavers in a failing economy) that we will use to put his toys (and him) inside. I also got him a cotton tail rabbit puppet to add to our growing collection. Meo loves watching puppet shows! In the basket I also put a couple of Endangered Species brand all natural chocolates for Robbie and I to indulge in.

Checking out his Easter Basket

New puppet

Trying to get Dad's chocolate

Robbie's parents got us an Easter basket too, full of candies and an Easter bib for Meo. They also got Meo some Easter books because we didn't have any. For breakfast, Robbie's parents made some delicious quiche's: one broccoli and cheese and one spinach and cheese, with some juicy grapes on the side. They also hid a bunch of Easter eggs outside for us to look for. Our cats Pi and Theta helped me, while little Meo helped Daddy hunt for eggs. Team Daddy and Meo won the competition finding 23 eggs, while the cats and I only managed to find 21. Everyone shares in the spoils however, and now we have a huge bowl of candy which I try to avoid.

Trying out mango on Easter

Pi and I on the hunt

Meo trying to grab Easter Eggs with mittens on

Mattimeo's first Easter

For dinner we went to my parents house with my sister and my brother's family. They made ham (which we vegetarians don't eat obviously), maple sweet potatoes, macaroni and cheese, steamed green beans, carrot salad, warm rolls, and some wine. For dessert we enjoyed some strawberry shortcake. My parents got Meo some bubbles, and it was so cute watching him try to reach out and touch the bubbles. Meo enjoyed visiting his Memere and Pepere, Aunts and Uncles, and Cousin Bryce. It was a really great day!

Dinner

Pepere, Harley, Memere and Meo

Patting Harley

Bubble popping

Seedlings

Two things here. One is that Meo and I graduated from our second seedlings class at Birth Roots that we took in March. However, as this is the last of the postnatal classes offered at Birth Roots and we weren't quite ready to part with the place or the people, we are taking the Seedlings class again. We have some friends in that class who we have been taking classes with all along, so it is very nice for us.

Secondly, we actually planted some seedlings this weekend. It was a gorgeous day outside, and my boys and I collected our pots, soil, water and seeds and set to work to plant some seeds to keep inside until its warm enough to place them in the garden. We planted organic cucumbers, two varieties of tomatoes (vine ripe and bite sized golden orange ones), summer squash, zucchini, and a variety of marigolds which we will plant around the tomatoes to keep pesky bugs away. Meo entertained himself by slobbering all over one of the pots and rolling around in the grass, while Robbie collected filled pots from me and placed them neatly into trays (he doesn't really like getting dirty). We were surrounded by cats through this whole ordeal: our two loverly cats Pi and Theta, and two of the neighborhood cats as well. I enjoyed their company. I am excited to watch these seeds germinate, and even more excited to garden with Meo and teach him all about growing things this summer.

Special Days

April 11th was Robbie's 27th birthday! Mattimeo and I went grocery shopping at Whole Foods after our Seedlings class and bought a bunch of food to make Daddy his favorite meal: curry. Usually I just make enough for the two of us, but this time I made a huge batch so that Robbie's parents could join us for a yummy birthday meal. Turns out, it takes a lot longer to make a meal for for people than it does for two! I was hoping to have everything on the table, hot and ready for when Robbie got home from work so we could eat right away and take our time without worrying about Meo getting sleepy mid-meal. The preparation went just as quickly, but the rice took longer to cook in the rice cooker and the vegetables took longer to cook too. So we weren't able to start eating until about 20 minutes after he got home. I made a homemade sauce with coconut milk, garam masala, curry powder, ground cumin seed, tumeric, a dash of chilli pepper, paprika, sea salt and black pepper. For veggies I cooked some yukon gold potatoes, carrots, broccoli, snap peas, and kale mixed with seitan (a protein made of wheat). I also heated up some garlic naan bread in the oven. Robbie's parents bought Robbie's favorite wine to drink with dinner, and I bought a blueberry pie for dessert and made homemade whipped cream. We were able to get through dinner and opening presents (he got some awesome board games and a book) before sweet Meo got very tired and was ready for a bath and bed. But about an hour later I was able to sneak upstairs after Meo went to sleep and we all shared some dessert. I can't believe we are both 27 now; late 20's! How time flies no matter how you try to tame it.

Daddy and Meo love

The other special day was yesterday. My cousin Chris is marrying his sweetheart, Audrey, and yesterday was her bridal shower. I picked up my step mom and we drove 2 hours with sweet Meo to Massachusetts to partake in the celebration I haven't been able to spend much time with my step mom lately because they have been so busy redoing all the floors in their house and painting the entire upstairs (a HUGE undertaking!), so it was really nice to have that time together. The bridal shower was beautiful; everything was elegantly decorated in lavender and fresh tulips. We got sweet hand shaped cookie cutters and candles for party favors, enjoyed light-hearted games, drank peach balinis and enjoyed some wonderful food. Audrey looked beautiful and radiant. It was really great to see my cousin Nicole and a lot of my Aunts too. Meo was such a good boy throughout. He didn't fuss at all, he nursed wonderfully, played cheerfully, and loved watching and visiting all the people there. He even took a little nap on my back in the ERGObaby and snacked on some fresh blueberries and strawberries for lunch. At the end, I must have gotten over a dozen compliments on how Meo is such a great baby. He was so well-behaved and happy. I am one lucky and proud mommy!