Paul’s Page

On Sunday, I had an extra fun day!

First, I got to meet some firemen. See, Mommy had picked me up, and she and Daddy walked around the house saying “What’s that smell? Where is it?” and then Mommy stood outside with me waiting. After the firemen came and looked in the wall and took out the light switch, one of them gave me a big silver sticker that said “Junior Firefighter.”

But that was only the beginning of the fun! Then we went to Grandma and Grandpa’s house.

Everyone sat around and watched me play with toys. I was the center of the show! These loud people kept talking over me.

Every once in a while there would be a lot of people singing. I liked the singing. I tried to sing, too. But people kept shhh-ing me.

Then we ate a very yummy dinner. Then I was ready for a nap. But Mommy wanted to give me more food and take my picture a lot and then cousin Daniel helped me open some presents. It was very tiring.

Today is fun, too. People keep signing the same song to me. I like this attention!

Tags: Birthday!, day in the life of Paul, eating, playing, singing, talking

I was driving to the library (five minutes away) when I heard a noise from Paul’s car seat. Usually, his noises are screechy or whinny. This was different. This was giggles.

“What’s so funny, Paul?” I asked him.

He stopped for a moment and then started laughing, a deep, is-some-one-tickling-my-knee? laugh. He didn’t stop until we got to the library. He kept laughing as I got him out of the car.

It was the most delightful thing to hear a baby laugh.

Tags: giggles

Paul started drooling a few days ago. I followed him around with a rag and kept whiping his chin dry. Then, yesterday morning, he started spitting up.

Now, Paul spit up constantly for the first six months of life. But he’s been spit-up free since he started solids. This was unusual. He wouldn’t nap, even though he was obviously tired. Then he stopped eating his food at lunch and screamed most of the afternoon.

I figured he was working on the eighth tooth on the bottom, so I began liberally applying Bonjela to his gums. Poor boy! But even after a long afternoon, he’d not stopped crying, and the tooth didn’t feel any closer to the top.

But he has a molar! The top left has already popped through, and the bottom right is very close to the surface. Poor boy; I’ve been putting the Bonjela in the wrong place all this time! I thought molars didn’t come until 18 months, but I was wrong.

Then, last night, Paul wouldn’t sleep again. Baby Tylenol. Lots of crying. Daddy came to the rescue. Daddy cuddled the poor boy close for an hour in the middle of the night. Paul finally slept.

Some day, apparently, we’re going to miss this.

Tags: eleven months old, ill, sleeping, teeth

In some moments of silliness while in New Zealand, we put Paul in the kangaroo pouch on the end of his portacot! He thought it was fun to be a “Joey.”

Tags: ten months old

While Mommy and Daddy took pictures, Paul rode in Daddy’s back pack. He was a great sport.

Tags: ten months old

For weeks now, Paul has been letting go of the furniture while standing. Yesterday, once in the morning, three times in the afternoon, he took one step before falling. This morning, he took five steps without falling!

I’m delighted and yet I know this means my life as I know it is ending. My baby is a toddler!

Paul was happy, smiling, giggling, and walking until I got out the camera. Then he was very fussy. An hour later, I got the last two steps out of the three on video. I’ll try for a better video in the coming days!

As for the talking, Paul now says Mommy, Daddy, More, and Milk. Since Mommy, More, and Milk all start with “MMMM,” they all kind of sound the same. But, in context, I can tell a difference!

Tags: growing up, learning, smiles, video, walking

Paul learned how to undo the seatbelts on the plane ride to New Zealand.

Tags: ten months old

Here are some snapshots from back when Paul had just six teeth, with two cute ones on the bottom.

Tags: ten months old

I’m finding photos I haven’t posted. I’m sure most of you don’t care, but as I’m keeping this as a photo-journal of Paul’s life, I’m going to be posting some of them up here!

Back in June, the family took a train ride downtown to Melbourne. Here he is, a bit sleepy in his pram on the train.

Tags: eight months old

In the past two weeks, Paul’s learned a lot. He was a great sport on the plane, barely crying or complaining. He got a little attached to the Binkie and he dislikes the car seat now, but overall, he’s adapted well. His clock is on a perfect schedule, sleeping from 8 p.m. to 8 a.m. or from 7 to 7.

• Within a day of moving in to our new apartment, he learned to crawl up the stairs. It was a scary Mommy moment, since I thought he was safe in the living room with a safety gate up to block the room off. Apparently, the stairs were too interesting, so he wanted to learn.
• He crawls very fast!
• He’s almost walking. Sometimes he lets go and stands there, then decides he wants to get something and falls over trying to walk there. It’s like he forgets he can’t walk.
• He’s saying “Ma-ma,” “Da-da,” and “More.” When he says “More,” it sounds a lot like “Ma” or “Mo-”, but I can tell what he’s saying.
• He’s very much a little boy now. The babyish-ness is disappearing more every day. That makes me very sad.
• He doesn’t sit and read books with me anymore. He only wants to crawl.
• He is very determined when he wants something. He remembers where it went if I hide it.
• He turned 11 months old this week.

I have a number of pictures from New Zealand and the past months. Now that I have a desk to put my computer on, I may get to post them!

Tags: eleven months old, growing up, learning, playing