Sunday, December 28, 2008

353 days and counting...


Sadly, Cash is quickly leaving the "baby" phase and entering the "boy" phase. It is not all bad though because he is learning new things so fast and imitates everything we do. He loves to dance and talk on the phone and can say "hello". He also loves to give things away. He'll pick everything up that is on the coffee table and hand it to me. The cutest thing that he does lately is pick up a toy, hand it to me and then crawl into my lap, spin around and sit down to play with it - i love that! Hugging is also a new thing for Cash who is normally too busy and too curious to stop for one minute but now he'll throw his arms around my neck and lay his head on my shoulder for minutes at a time. If i sing to him he stays there even longer.
What a great little boy we've got on our hands.

Friday, December 26, 2008

walking

Cash is taking more and more steps by himself. today he took 2 steps before he went down to his knees to crawl. it isn't officially walking yet because he doesn't get very far but he's thinking about it. wont be long now. by his birthday maybe?

Update 12-27-08
what constitutes walking? cash is taking 3-4 steps every now and again but doesn't have any sort of consistent balance. I guess once he would rather walk somewhere over crawling i can say he is officially walking.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

December 20 (11mo 2weeks)

Cash loves to clap now and does it every time Chandler and I cheer, "yay!". Also, he has picked up one of Chandler's silly habits. When Chandler is totally satisfied after a great meal he will push his plate out, raise his hands in the air and exclaim, "i'm out!" Now when Cash is eating, he'll take a bite of food, push the plate or cup and raise his hands over his head and laugh. he also likes to reach for the sky after he does something he's proud of.
Cash is going walk any day now. he stands without holding, he walks around and between all the furniture (barely holding on with one hand) and he'll dive into Chandler and/or I if we are sitting within 1 or 2 steps.
We're really excited for Cash's first Christmas although we are fully prepared for him to love the wrapping more than the actual presents.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

stairs and the Boss

Cash loves stairs. Up and Down! Chandler and i decided that we weren't going to the baby gate thing because it is not only annoying for the parents but we want Cash to know about the stairs and how to manuver them. So far, so good. Cash got the going up thing FAST. he was practically running up the stairs before he could stand up. After a few scary moments going down Cash figured it out - he can't go down the stairs facing forward. Somehow he figured out how to stick his leg out, throw it over the edge of the stair and then turn around and go down the stairs backwards, on his belly - just how his mommy wants him to go down!!

Chandler swears that Cash loves Bruce Springstein. He says that they listen to Bruce on the way home at night and each time that "My Home Town" plays, Cash stops talking (or complaining) and either just listens to the song or falls asleep. cute...

more from month 11

Cash is really starting to recognize words. When he is cranky or complaining and i say "do you want a cookie?" he will stop his complaining and look up at me and gesture toward me - as if to say, "duh - of course i want a cookie." I can also ask him "where's Daddy" and he'll make a loud grunt noise (to which Daddy usually answers back from the other room) and then Cash will look at me and smile and laugh.
He is really the happiest baby with the most amazing disposition.
As we approach his first birthday i can say with all confidence that this kid loves routine. He knows what is going to happen each morning before he goes to Sylvia's, he knows what happens when Daddy picks him up and takes him home and he knows when mommy comes home it is time for dinner, playtime, bath and bed time. He'll even lead the routine - crawling upstairs when he's ready for his bath and nighttime routine.
His new favorite toy is the kookaburra that Pop brought him back from Australia. He did not like this toy at first (he was only a few months old) but now when we make the kookaburra laugh, Cash laughs right along with him. He goes crazy when he sees the kookaburra when we go into his room. Its really fun to see Cash recognize things that he likes.
Slider and Cash are also getting along better (not that they ever didn't, but now they are interacting). Cash will grab slider's ball or toy and hold it out for her. Slider will take it and run across the room and back, dropping it in Cash's lap. He thinks this is hysterical and they can repeat this game for a long time.

My only regret is that i don't get to spend more time with Cash. I know i need to work and like to work but i also feel amazing saddness at the fact that i only spend 1 hour a night with him before he is in bed. I try to make the most of the time i do spend with him - not letting anything distract me - but i can't help but think there is so much more i could be doing with him or teaching him with more time togehter...

mommy's home!

every night when i come home Cash is usually standing with his head in his toy drawers. As soon as he sees me come through the door he stops what he is doing, squeals, drops to the ground and races over to me! it is so cute and pretty cool that he knows that i'm home. Chandler says when he hears the garage door open he gets all excited too - one of these nights i'm going to remember to take my video camera to the garage so i can capture the homecoming on tape.

Monday, December 8, 2008

Sunday, December 7, 2008

"Grace, she passed away thirty years ago"



We had a great day today despite our expectations. We took Cash to see Santa today at a great shopping center called Towne Square. We expected a crazy long line of crying and complaining toddlers. What we got was an awesome experience for our baby's first pictures with Santa. We parked right in front, there was no line, Santa was friendly and believable and they had an electronic option to receive the pictures so we could download them and send them to all our friends (instead of the typical prints). Cash was pretty neutral on the whole experience. He wasn't overly impressed by the Big Guy but he didn't cry like most kids so we called it a success. It was a really fun experience for us as new parents - we're probably never going to have another "Santa experience" like this one.
Merry Christmas

"I dedicate this house to the Griswold Family Christmas"

Chandler put the lights up today and we finally put the ornaments on (the top half of the) tree



Thursday, December 4, 2008

Fall/Thanksgiving/11 month super blog






Cash is just shy of 11 months and he continues to amaze me every day. Our trip to North Carolina for Thanksgiving was super fun and we did a lot. I flew solo with Cash as daddy couldn't leave until later. This was the first flight we had taken after i weaned him so i couldn't nurse him to sleep on the flight and anyone who knows him knows that if he has any slight distractions he will not sleep. So the flight to North Carolina was 4 hours of playing baby. We played with the seatbelt, banged on the windows, put the tray table up and down, ate, drank, squirmed, waved, laughed and sounded the baby alarm (that is the shrill noise Cash makes when he is not being allowed to do what he wants). Luckily, we had a seat in between us and the nice man who shared our row - if not he would have grabbed him and bothered him for sure.
We got to Grammy's house (drove ourselves) and could finally relax (yay right). Cash was so tired but so wired that he couldn't sleep so it was late by the time he finally fell asleep (he cried a lot). Grammy bought a crib for her babies and Cash was lucky enough to be the first user of the new crib in Grammy's play room (he'll have to share soon enough).
Daddy had landed but still had an hour drive to get home - in between the time daddy landed and the time he got home baby Archer decided to start his arrival process. Elizabeth called and mother and I came runnin' (see Eliz blog for details). We spent the night with Wiley and took him to the hospital on Thanksgiving morning to see his bruder. The 3 of us arrived back in greensboro about 11am to begin prep for Thanksgiving dinner.
Honestly, i can't remember much from Thanksgiving day - i don't know if i was too tired or too rushed to slow down and savor anything but i assume it all happened.
Cash had a cold while we were in North Carolina - it got bad one day and Cash was noticeably bothered. He wasn't in a bad mood but he wasn't his jolly self.
If you asked Cash he would definitely tell you that the best part about the trip was Grammy's play room. I love this part to because it was the one place where i could shut the door and pretty much not worry about what Cash gets into. At home we are constantly taking things out of his hand or running interference between Cash and the dog's water, etc. in Grammy's play room, nothing is off limits!
We loved being around our family and got some exciting news about a new cousin on the way. Before we left we got to spend a few hours with Archer and Wiley at their house. Cash is no longer the baby in the family but i think he is ready to grow out of that title.
Cash is almost 11 months now - which is totally strange and enough fodder for a separate blog - and he is making some significant developmental strides. He is ready to walk. He wants to walk. He just forgets to move his feet sometimes. This means that is will stand up, let go and then just dive toward you with his arms wide open. Its actually really cute. He also "talks" more and repeats what you "say". He loves Slider and gets so excited to see her. Slider is also much more laid back around him now - i think she has figured out that he isn't going to hurt her. Cash eats and eats and eats - no problems there. He is an awesome napper and still takes 2 good naps a day - one long and one short.
He is getting more and more cheeky though. he loves to race toward the stairs and scare his mother. he loves to be chased. he loves to climb out of the bathtub.
MOrning is still my favorite time with him because it is like all the bad stuff from the day before was erased with a good night's sleep and he is so happy to see Chandler and I.
Next comes Cash's first Christmas. Larry and Louise are coming for a few days and we will spend Christmas day with Marilyn and the girls - another great playroom! Cash hasn't asked for much, probably just some toys. He'll probably find the rolls of wrapping paper more intriguing anyway.