For Valentine's Day, I took Charlie out to eat. I still have a little birthday/Christmas money hoarded, so I decided we'd have a date. We went to Texas Roadhouse because I figured out how we could both get stuffed there for $20. Appetizers are half-priced during weekday Happy Hour, so we got a humongous plate of the best-ever cheese fries for $2.50 and shared a double-chop pork chop dinner (for the two sides, we each got a salad) for $10.99! With two drinks, free rolls with cinnamon butter, and tip, it was $22.

Caspian was up for half an hour tonight, screaming and straining. His BFing is going downhill, too. He 100% refuses eating on the right now, even when asleep. And for the last two days, he won't go a long period on the left, reliably, without either breaking off to cry or sticking his fingers in to massage his gums. He'll eat for a while, then do one of those things, then latch back, then break off, then latch... I don't know what to do.
We tried getting some Hyland's when we were out last night, but Wal-Mart was out.

His eyes were open first this morning, so he reached a hand over to touch my face. Bliss.

Caspian's been having a weird mix of constipation and loose stools recently.

Caspian was laying on the bed next to Charlie, so I walked up and started doing something my mom always did to us kids: schnuffling in his neck. Basically, I buried my mouth into the side of his neck and breathed really fast, tickling him. It'd be really easy to hyperventilate doing it, let me tell you. He belly laughed harder than I've ever heard him do! It was so great! The whole thing is ironic, because we kids always hated it when mom tickled us that way (although she says we loved it when we were Caspian's age).

These were taken within mere moments of each other today. The difference in his hands alone cracks me up!



I finally did my nails today, for the first time since Caspian was born (Golden Ruby, if you're curious). His reaction was hilarious! He grabbed my fingers to put them in his mouth, but stopped with them halfway in...pulled them out, turned them over to stare at my nails...moved them toward his mouth again, stopped, pulled them back out, scrutinized...then decided they were okay to chew on. My only fear is that he'll chew off a flake of polish and swallow it, despite the topcoat.

Before we got out of bed today, too, I pulled Caspian onto my lap, facing me. Then I pulled the sheet up over us both. He was enthralled! There was a whole new blue world he'd never imagined! He grabbed at wrinkles and cackled when I'd fling the sheet off with a "peekaboo!" then pull it back over us again.

I dreamt last night that Caspian could crawl.

Speaking of last night, Caspian woke up at 4am (and cried/stirred repeatedly before and afterwards) because his little throat was so dry, he was having coughing fits! We run a humidifier day and night in the bedroom, so I don't know how he could be so dry. Charlie and I have been waking up dry, too, though. Anyway, I ended up sitting up with him to sleep, since that was the only way he didn't cough. He didn't want to lay on me on his tummy or back, so I had to hold him on his side against my chest. Whenever my arms went lax, he slipped a little, so I didn't sleep for a very long time. Ow, my back.

After Charlie left, we laid down cuddled face-to-face like normal. When Caspian woke up an two hours later, I rolled him over onto his back to play next to me while I dozed a little longer. My snooze alarm sounded in the form of a few good whacks in the face. He'd look at me, give me a full-arm smack, then look into my eyes again. He was startled, though, when I finally said, "Good morning."

ETA: The new swing batteries have worn down, so the birds don't spin and the music is warbly. I turned on Gershwin instead. He's leaning forward, away from the seat back, looking out the window.

ETA: Out of the crib, fussing in the swing until I turned on the music. double

ETA: Socks are now off, and he's still fussing.

ETA: For once, his socks are staying on. He started getting fussy, so I had to go loosen them off his heels.

My poor baby was so constipated yesterday. When he ate around 9pm, his face would turn bright red and he'd cry as he sucked, trying to push something out.

Tried to put a sleeping Caspian in his crib for his late morning nap, and he promptly woke up. I'm letting him play in there with his feet while I eat lunch. The socks aren't even off yet, so I should have some time.

Poor Caspian was playing in his swing and hit himself in the face! I didn't see it happen, but I assume he either hit himself with a toy or his fist slipped off a toy and rebounded against his face. He wailed immediately...and it didn't help that he already needed a nap. Poor guy. He's asleep on his side on our bed, propped by the Boppy. Since his side was all warm from laying on mommy, I didn't dare turn him over, so I laid him down in the warm spot where I'd been sitting. He stirred after about an hour, so I put in a paci long enough for me to get settled and nurse. He went back to sleep afterwards, so I'm hoping he's in for the long haul since he skipped his first morning nap.

Caspian is 27". The carseat directions only warn about head height in relation to the edge, not feet...but if his feet stick out too far, they could be compacted in a crash! Carseats are expensive, but he's going to need another one soon. It's gotta be one that will last him for a long time and be extremely safe. Many leads are pointing to the Britax Marathon, but it is really freakin' expensive -- even for a convertible carseat! pray pray pray...

Caspian slept again! 11-8, then 9-10! I think it must be the fact that we're using a comforter on the bed now that it's cold -- he must've been waking up chilly before.

He isn't rolling over, but he pushes up to balance on his head a lot. Whenever he's on the changing table, the bed, or the floor, as long as he's on his back he'll push up and lean his head back so he can almost see behind himself, balancing on his butt and his noggin. He can also rotate like nobody's business.

We put Caspian in a laundry basket last Saturday to see what he would do. He thought it was awesome! I put my fingers through the holes and wiggled them, then pulled them out before he grabbed them. Once I let him get them, and he tried to get them up to his mouth -- boy, that hurt the skin between my fingers! I had to hold the basket upright, too, since he was sitting in one corner and would have tipped over otherwise. The shirt he's wearing says "If you think I'm handsome, you should see my Daddy."


What the heck, Daddy?!

Wow, the basket grew fingers!


He also loves having things "airplaned" at him: fingers, toys, pacis, whatever. Any time I start flying something around in the air while making motor noises and bring it closer and closer to his face, he reaches for it and just grins and giggles until it bops his nose.

Be careful, anyone who has snow/ice outside! We were walking slowly down the sidewalk when my feet flew out from under me -- then Charlie slipped and fell on top of me! I'm a little bruised and twisted my back a little, but we were okay. I was so grateful we weren't carrying the baby at the time.

Caspian slept all night! He went from 11:30-8:00, ate, then slept from 9-11 (only doing the fuss-so-mommy-wakes-up-and-covers-me-better thing about 3 or 4 times)! It was very, very nice. (sigh)

Caspian got on his hands and knees in the middle of the bed yesterday, but he didn't know what to do besides rock a little. He had no traction on the bedspread, so his feet went out.

Shockingly, our son is obsessed with electronics. He is especially devoted to the remote control, but telephones are a very close second. DH and I just got new cell phones, so Caspian gets DH's old one to knaw. He loves tags, too -- especially chewing the one on the Boppy.

We took the infant headrest thing out of Caspian's carseat yesterday. He's just getting so tall! His little feet already stick off the end partway.

After getting on his hands and knees this morning and rocking once, Caspian lifted himself into push-up position! He held it for a second before his legs slid out from underneath him. I think he was as surprised as I was, judging by the look on his face.

We were planning on signing "mommy" and "daddy" next, but I think now we'll toss "bath" in, too. Caspian almost flings himself at me with quivering excitement when we do "boo" (milk) and he's hungry. We started using the sign for "paci" too, but he knows the word already, so I don't know if he's responding to the sign.

Keep checking Caspian's video link on the right, too. Charlie posts new ones every chance he gets.

Click here to make yourself into an M&M! They give you funny name options when you save them, too. Here are mine and Caspian's.

He grabs our faces and hair all the time and pulls our heads to his-- we think he's trying to kiss us. I love Caspian's kisses...open mouth, tongue, and all. There are so many things moms tolerate/love that normal people wouldn't in general society.

Caspian's first experience with snow was on Monday, when it was blowing but not sticking. It blew in his face as I carried him to the car -- he did not appreciate it.

He is turning into a major chatterbox. If he knew real words, he'd be talking up a storm...as it is, he's "ya ya ya"ing and "wuh bah"ing and "ah gah yuh"ing and "heh yeh"ing his head off! Sometimes he just moves his mouth without makingany noise. His newest thing is talking with his mouth full -- yep, he talks, growls, and blows raspberries while his mouth is full of bbs. But if he hums with his mouth full, watch out -- it means he's pushing something out. He's also getting adept at putting the breast back in his own mouth if he pulls off. Of course, it's done by grabbing a large handful of flesh and pulling it toward the ceiling so he can latch onto the right spot. If you think that's nothing, you have no idea how strong the grip of a 6 month-old is...

6 month check-up yesterday: 18lbs, 4oz (I think that was the ounceage), 27 inches, and a "perfect" diagnosis. When we brought him back from being weighed and he was standing (still naked) on the table facing me, he decided to urinate all up and down my front. He got me from shirt to shoes, then stopped...then went again! It's the first time I've been christened since his first tub bath!

He's really responding to the signs we've started with him. We do "boo" (as in "-bies" ) and "diaper" before we plan to do either activity. Now if he wants that particular thing, he'll grin and grab at the hand making the sign (or twitch his whole body, if he really wants it)! It's so exciting.

Caspian sat up for about 10 minutes yesterday! I was so shocked. Whenever he started to teeter from leaning over, he caught himself! I feel like he's such a grown-up, now. It's so liberating to be able to sit on the bed with Charlie and watch a movie, with Caspian sitting by himself in my lap. It's the same kind of liberation we felt when he could reliably hold up his head.

Did my first BFing in front of customers yesterday, too! I must admit, that was not a milestone I was anticipating. I took Caspian with me to drop off some product to a customer, and she asked me to stay to discuss MK with some of her friends (all Korean seminary students' wives). He'd refused to eat before we left, so he got hungry after about an hour there. I said he needed to eat and made motions to leave, but she said "No, just do it here. It's okay!" They had all breastfed their own kids, so they didn't even bat an eye. I don't think I'll try it around any of my American customers anytime soon, though.