Happy Birthday Cutie Pie!

Testing the limits of the carpet cleaner

Cutie Pie has started a new battle of wills. It's anybodies guess when he will abruptly end a meal by throwing his tray across the room.

As you can see, Cutie Pie has discovered an interesting quirk of our otherwise perfect highchair. It has a clear plastic tray that nests on top of the pretty wooden tray. This way the baby eats off the plastic, washable part but the chair still looks nice and matches the dining room furniture. This feature was important to me when we bought the chair because our house is small and there was no where to store a high chair. The baby's chair was going to be right out there 24/7 and I wanted it to blend in with the rest of the decor. I have since given up on such illusions, as you can probably tell if you look back at the pictures of my living room covered with a garish baby mat and littered with toys.

I am open to suggestions on how to manage this messy dilemma. We bought one of those booster seats that pull right up to the table but he throws his little baby plates and bowls around the room with reckless abandon so I prefer to use the highchair where he can eat off the tray. At least the tray is big and easy to catch before it hits the floor.

This whole thing started as a protest by Cutie Pie when we didn't feed him fast enough. Cutie Pie prefers to scoop all his food up in one handful and shove it in his mouth, often choking in the process. To avoid having to use CPR at every meal, we had to be more careful about giving him small bites and pacing him through the meal. However, sometimes Cutie Pie eats those bites in a matter of seconds. If you mistakenly turn your attention to your own plate, you are in trouble. I've had to learn to eat with one hand holding down Cutie Pie's tray and the other hand cutting up Cutie Pie sized bites. If only I had three hands so I could feed myself!

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Another Abandoned Blog

Blogging has fallen to the bottom of the priority list lately as I try to juggle being the mother of an active, walking, falling, whining, running, babbling, nose running, coughing, door opening toddler and managing the "busy season" at work. Life has become a never ending exercise in organization. That pile of paperwork never seems to get any smaller. And since they pay me to work, it must come before blogging.

I have really missed the creative outlet blogging gives me. Each day, when Cutie Pie does something unbelievably cute, I think to myself, "That would make a great blog."

For instance, when Cutie Pie and Da Da invented the "I'm going to get you!" game. I have never heard a sound so beautiful as the giggles and laughs coming from my husband and son playing together. It makes tears come to my eyes just thinking about it.

Cutie Pie has also been discovering new and exciting things around the house. No matter where he is and what he is doing, he keeps one eye on the bathroom door. And if someone should absent mindedly leave it open, Cutie Pie makes a beeline for the toilet, which he thinks is the Best Toy Ever! The best part is that Mommy immediately picks him up when he touches the toilet and washes his hands, another treat. Cutie Pie has begun to associate the toilet with water play. Lucky me!

The most exciting thing to happen lately was when Cutie Pie learned how to open the screen door to the backyard. He loves swinging that door wide open and walking out into the yard all by himself. He's such a big boy now. Unfortunately, he's not always sure on his feet and the other day he tumbled head first into a pile of dirt one of the dogs had just created. Cutie Pie was covered, he even had dirt in his eyes. I resisted the urge to immediately wash him off because it was the first time my baby boy had ever really gotten dirty! Not to worry though, he got a bath soon enough. Which of course, just made his day. Let's hope he doesn't realize that getting filthy gets him a trip to the bathtub or he'll be getting 8 baths a day!

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10 Months and Counting

Cutie Pie reached the all-important milestone of double digits: 10 months. Since I have been breastfeeding him this whole time, I now consider myself an expert breastfeeder.

We had our share of problems in the beginning. I remember reading about different personality traits babies have that can contribute to difficulty feeding. Cutie Pie had all of them. Excited Ineffective: when he sees that it's time to eat, he gets so excited that he can't eat correctly. The Rester: likes to eat a little, then sleep a little, then eat a little more, then sleep a little more... The Gourmet: likes to taste the milk first and will not be rushed into eating. The Baracuda: digs right in and eats enthusiastically, sometimes painfully. And finally, The Procrastinator: gets upset if the milk is not there NOW!

Somehow we made it through those painful and emotional early days and got to the point where nursing part of our routine. We love to cuddle in our rocking chair at feeding time. Cutie Pie is just as much an expert as I am.

As Cutie Pie approaches his first birthday, I know my breastfeeding time is coming to a close. It really makes me sad that my baby is growing up so fast. The kid is eating solid food like a line backer. He's going to have no use for milk very soon. This next phase in our lives is going to be a hard one for Mommy.

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Is This How You Catch A Cold?

Well, Cutie Pie did it again. He caught another cold.

This time Cutie Pie got his germs from me. I was absolutely miserable over the weekend. We were supposed to go meet a friend's new baby but the evil cold put a halt to our plans. We know all too well that new babies shouldn't be around sick people. When Cutie Pie was born, our Doctor all but drilled that into our heads. I had to do the responsible thing. I stayed home and sniffled. I was devastated that day, not because I felt sick, but because I couldn't stand to be trapped in the house for another day. I love spending more time at home with Cutie Pie but I also love going out. Unfortunately, there are only so many places I can take a nine month old. I get excited every time I get to leave the house.

I was quite proud of myself for keeping Cutie Pie germ free during my cold. I kept my hands washed and avoided sneezing and coughing when I held him. I did everything those Swine Flu people have been telling us to do. I guess I didn't do as good a job as I thought, Cutie Pie woke up this morning with a drippy nose and no appetite. It's amazing to me that Cutie Pie can be so sick but keep smiling. I wish I could be more like him.

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Ouch! Teething hurts everyone.

More teeth! Cutie Pie thinks he is a dinosaur. His new favorite game is to screech, grab my neck in a bear hug and bite my shoulder as hard as he can.

It makes me so sad that he bites when he hugs me. I love hugging my baby boy. I don't love it when he sharpens his new chompers on my shoulder blade. Now, when he hugs me, I have to play defense. I can only relax when his mouth is already full.

It is becoming increasingly difficult to not scream and scare him to death. I have been passing out teething rings for so long now that I don't know where they are anymore. It doesn't matter anyway. He doesn't want to bite those boring, tasteless teething rings. He wants to bite Mommy. I've got black and blue spots on my shoulders as proof.

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These Shoes are Made for Walking

We have a walker! Cutie Pie is getting to be quite good at walking. I am so excited that he is moving around. He is growing up so fast. He's pretty pleased with himself too. Now he can reach all kinds of new things. I even saw him standing on his tippy toes trying to reach the door handle. Who taught him how to open a door?

So after we finished jumping for joy at seeing Cutie Pie take his first steps, we got down to the very important business of buying Cutie Pie his first shoes. He had a couple of pairs in size five that I picked up a month ago. I figured he would grow into them. I crammed them onto his feet a couple of times over the past month. I had a hard time getting them on but I figured it was because Cutie Pie is always curling his toes. The shoe seemed a little big so I guessed that Cutie Pie was a size four. So I went out and bought my Cutie Pie the cutest little size four Reebok you ever did see. I couldn't even get them past his toes.

It became apparant to me that my baby was one of the unlucky children with extra wide feet. I was going to have to buy his shoes from a specialty store. And not just his first shoes. Every shoe I buy him. Forever. Great.

We made a trip to Stride Rite, where they quickly fitted Cutie Pie with size 5 1/2 Wide. After spending more money that I would on my own shoes, Cutie Pie walked out of the store officially a big boy. He cried a little on the way home because he didn't know what those giant things on his feet were. But Cutie Pie has gotten used to wearing shoes over the past few days and now they don't seem to slow him down one bit.

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Three Scary Words: Working From Home

In this month's American Baby Magazine, there was an article about how hard it is to work from home. Yeah, no kidding. I work part time at the office and part time at home to keep my full time job. While I'm at the office, I feel overwhelmingly guilty about leaving my child with other people. He loves it. When I'm at home, I put Cutie Pie and playtime first but I'm always thinking in the back of my mind about what files I need to finish next. I can never snap out of my work mode. It's hard to relax and just enjoy being a Mommy when there's a soul-crushing pile of paperwork sitting in the next room.

The article gave tips for carving out time to work but it basically recommended that you find someone else to watch your kid because you can't work and be Mommy at the same time. Thanks for the tip. I make time for work when Cutie Pie is sleeping. The problem is that I bring home about 20 hours of work a week but Cutie Pie does not quite sleep enough for me to complete my work, housework and sleep myself. This is how I end up like I was last week: an exhausted mess, buried under mounds of paperwork. I might actually be happier if I worked from WORK!

But no matter how I look at it, I just can't give up my extra time with Cutie Pie. Working from home is hard but missing Cutie Pie all day is harder.

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Let's Play!

"Yeah! Da! Ba! Da!" Cutie Pie loves to play.

It is so cool to watch him play and discover new things. Cutie Pie seems to learn something new every day. Yesterday he learned how to climb on top of a box and fall off. It's enough to make a mother beam with pride!

I've been trying to keep the house stocked with educational toys. This isn't exactly an easy thing to do. When you walk down the aisles at Target, everything has a sound chip in it. This is great for capturing Cutie Pie's attention for the first few seconds of play but he honestly prefers to discover new things without lights flashing and annoying nursery rhymes blaring. I am so glad because I enjoy every quiet moment I can get.

Recently, I noticed that Target is carrying a new line of Circo wooden toys. I picked up an inexpensive hammer and peg set for Cutie Pie to try. The hammer went straight to his mouth, of course. Within minutes, his new little teeth scraped the paint off the handle on the hammer. So much for that

Cutie Pie plays longer and more intently with wooden toys and just objects from around the house. Lately I have noticed that Cutie Pie seems to have a preference for round objects. He likes to put balls inside rings and fit cups together. It's absolutely fascinating to watch him. He looks at everything very closely and his breathing gets faster. He finally fits his circles together then tosses them aside and crawls away laughing. Next!

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A New 'Do

My baby is a real boy.

Da Da took one look at Cutie Pie's wavy locks in his nine month pictures and said Cutie Pie is getting a hair cut. And he wasn't kidding. Before I knew what was going on, Da Da was checking the guard on his clippers and bribing Cutie Pie with Gerber Graduate lil' crunchies to keep him happy in his high chair.

I hid in the other room because I just couldn't stand to see the tears I knew would be coming. But, surprisingly Cutie Pie's haircut went fairly well. He was all smiles after a few reassuring kisses. He hardly noticed his missing hair. Even more surprising, I didn't cry one bit.

He looks like a real little boy now, without his little baby curls. I think his new 'do makes his teeth look bigger. How about you?

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Whine about Whining

I can handle teething, gas, cold and flu, but separation anxiety drives me nuts.

Cutie Pie is going through another stage. He must be touching Mommy, or Da Da, but preferably Mommy, at all times. This means I can't go anywhere or do anything in the house if he is awake. Want to clean up Cutie Pie's highchair after breakfast? Cutie Pie clings to my leg and whines until I pick him up. Cutie Pie actually prefers to help do dishes instead of playing with his toys. I've got to remember to tell Cutie Pie this interesting fact in say, ten years.

I've gotten very good at multitasking with Cutie Pie balanced on my hip. My only problem is when Cutie Pie decides he wants to touch a dirty pan in the sink or a boiling pot of water on the stove and he unexpectedly throws all his body weight to the side. So far I've been very lucky to catch him.

Cutie Pie used to like to practice walking and play with his toys. Now he just wants to be held most of the time. He also prefers to be walked around the house or danced with, thank you very much.

The most difficult aspect of Cutie Pie's fear is that he cries every time he realizes that I am not with him. This means that his naps do not last long and nights last forever. As long as I'm holding him, he sleeps. But when I put him down, he screams the second he wakes up. Poor Cutie Pie gets lonely sleeping in his crib. Never fear, Mommy is here!

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Let's Eat!

Yum Yum Yum! Cutie Pie loves to eat. He's making the transition from baby food to big boy food. Today he stole my sandwich right off the table. I'm not kidding. I put my plate in the middle of the coffee table thinking I could nibble on it in between building giant block towers for Cutie Pie to knock down. The next thing I knew, his little paws were pulling the bread up to his mouth. I laughed so loudly it made him jump. But it didn't slow him down from shoving the whole piece of bread into his mouth.

I think Cutie Pie might be part chipmunk. At mealtime, I hand him his little bite sized soft foods a few bites at a time. He puts them in his mouth and makes chewing motions. Everything appears normal. Next thing I know, he's coughing and choking, he opens his mouth and spits out a huge glob of food that he had been hoarding in his cheeks. Da Da is on to him. He started squeezing Cutie Pie's cheeks to make sure they were empty before dispensing Cutie Pie's next bite. That Da Da is so smart.

Meals have become adventures lately. Sometimes they are great. Sometimes they end in disaster. Cutie Pie is teaching us that he has difficulty eating chunky foods. No matter how thin the baby food is. If there is any type of solid mixed in, even if it's just rice, he will choke on it and make himself sick. Cutie Pie has been trying to teach us this lesson for several weeks now but Mommy has been very slow to catch on!

Sometimes, especially after a particularly horrifying coughing episode, I think that Cutie Pie is just not yet ready to eat big boy food. Then I go his school and see him eating chicken or green beans with no problem at all. Maybe Cutie Pie just chokes on MY food; already a critic.

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Big Baby

Cutie Pie is a big baby. No, really. He is huge. He weighed in at 10 lbs 6 oz when he was born and he hasn't stopped growing. He is nine months old and today he is wearing 24 month clothes! We go through clothes faster than we go through baby wipes!

I liked having a big baby when he was first born. Big babies just seem less fragile. The risk of SIDS decreases. It made him special. He was the enormous baby that people talked about with amazement in their voice. Everywhere I went, I heard "Oh! You're the one with the big baby! I can't believe he was so big!" Then I could say, with pride in my voice "Yes, he was very big. He is amazing."

So here he is at nine months old. He outgrew his infant carrier months ago. Trying to change his diaper is like wrestling a real bear. He is trying to walk and has taken as many as four steps at a time. His teachers at school said he walked across the room but I don't believe it. He wouldn't dare do something so momentous at school where Mommy and Daddy couldn't videotape him so it doesn't count. My Cutie Pie is trying to walk but just hasn't mastered it yet. This means that anywhere we go, he gets carried. Have I mentioned that my baby is HUGE?

My left arm is becoming ridiculously muscular. I'm starting to resemble one of those crabs with one big claw and one tiny one. My lopsided arms are the least of my problems. Cutie Pie is a typical nine month old. He doesn't stay still while you hold him. Cutie Pie loves to wriggle around, challenging whoever is holding him to a battle of wills and balance.

We practice walking every chance we get. I just can't wait to put him down. Just for a minute.

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Cutie Pie Bites

It's official, my child is a biter. Ever since he got his top teeth, he loves to bite everything he can put in his mouth. This includes Mommy's arms, face, fingers and just about anything he can get.

The mosquitos can get pretty bad in the summer so the other day, I was not surprised to find little red marks on my arm. I thought they were just mosquito bites but they didn't itch. They felt a little sore. Upon closer inspection, they were Cutie Pie Bites.

A few months ago, he started giving kisses. It was the sweetest thing when he'd wrap his little arms around my neck and put his open slobbery mouth on my cheek, covering my face with baby goo. When he gave me a kiss the other day, I thought nothing of it until "CHOMP!" his teeth closed in on my cheek.

He's still a little person and doesn't understand "No biting." His teacher at school told me to keep plenty of alternative teething rings nearby. She said that every time he bites someone, I should give him a teething toy to redirect his need to bite. Her instructions made perfect sense but have proven to be difficult to follow. When a child is biting you on the face and will not let go, you're just not thinking about where you left that darn teething ring. When you are trying to nurse your child to sleep and he bites you like he's sinking his teeth into a Big Mac, you don't care about any teething rings. When your arms are full of bags and you're trying to load up the car and you're worried about being late to an appointment and your little Vampire suddenly tries to suck the blood out of your arm, teething rings are the last thing you're going to think of. Just in case though, I've got an arsenal of teething rings hidden all over the house and the car.

I love my baby's new, shiny, little white teeth. I just wish Cutie Pie could keep them to himself.

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Taking It To A Whole New Level

I am taking this motherhood thing to a whole new level... of exhaustion. Cutie Pie hasn't slept through the night in two weeks. Every night while I stumble around in the dark with my wiggly little nine month old, I reach for that silver lining and think about how grateful I am for the opportunity to spend extra time with my Cutie Pie.

I used to be one of those people who needed nine hours of sleep each night to function. Heaven help the person who kept me from my sleep! When I'm tired, I fall behind on my work and the Neverending To-Do List spirals out of control. For the past week, in between midnight visits from Mr. Crankypants, I have been in grown-up-time-out in front of my desk full of paperwork.

It's amazing though. No matter how much sleep I lose, when Cutie Pie wakes up in the morning, I am right there with him. Somehow I manage to find this amazing mothering energy that keeps me up and moving all day. My husband says there must be some sort of caffeinated Mom Hormone that is released when I see Cutie Pie that allows me to chase my wild, crawling little Cutie Pie despite a lack of sleep. I don't know where I find the energy, but I'm glad to have it. Heaven help ME if I were to doze off, leaving him unsupervised.

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The Party is Over

"Ehh!" Cutie Pie rubs his eyes.

"Just try to keep him up another hour."

"Ehh! Ehh!" More eye rubbing.

Cutie Pie is giving us all the classic signs that he is exhausted. If we ignore him, he is sure to let us know his displeasure. He obviously needs to go to bed. The only problem is that this scene played out at a wedding, shortly after dinner was served. I never got to dance with my husband. I didn't even get to see the cake. My night was over. The boss said so.

Da Da and I had to leave our friends and family. While they celebrated, we slowly trudged back to our room with Cutie Pie. When people tell you having a baby is like being grounded 24/7, they aren't kidding.

Cutie Pie was asleep within minutes. The only high point of the evening was when Cutie Pie's Uncle took pity on us and delivered a slice of wedding cake.

I felt incredible guilt for leaving early with little Cutie Pie. I am one of those people who always stays to the end of the reception, sending off my loved ones in a shower of birdseed or rose petals or bubbles or whatever. I didn't want to be perceived as rude for leaving so early but I didn't want anyone to get upset with me for ruining the reception with my screaming baby. Cutie Pie didn't care if Mommy felt guilty, he was sleepy and making sure he got to bed was all that mattered. Being a responsible parent is no fun.

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Nine Months!?

Cutie Pie reached another milestone yesterday. He is nine months old. I don't know how it is possible to love him any more than I did on the day he was born but I do.

Da Da and I are reminded all the time just how lucky we are to have such an easy baby. I like to hold my Cutie Pie and think about how "easy" he is at one in the morning when I am sitting in the rocking chair, pretending to be patient and trying not to fall asleep.

Happy 9 months Cutie Pie!

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RV to the Rescue!

Last weekend, we traveled to a destination wedding in the beautiful mountains of North Carolina. As we prepared for our trip, Cutie Pie tried to sabotage our plans by developing yet another nasty cold. The night before we were set to leave on our marathon car ride, Cutie was stayed up coughing and crying. It soon became apparent that traveling was not in the cards.

At eight months of age it is not developmentally appropriate to take an eight hour car trip. Any parent who disagrees with me is crazy. That's right, I said it. Cutie Pie is an active little guy. He wants to be crawling and practicing his walking skills at every waking moment. He can hardly sit still to eat! We knew that trying to strap him in a car seat for a long period of time was going to be hell on wheels. When Cutie Pie added the illness to the equation, we decided the trip just wasn't meant to be.

Then Cutie Pie's Papa offered to let us use his RV for the trip. Sure gas would be expensive, but seeing our friend get married in the mountains would be priceless. Taking the RV was the perfect solution. Cutie Pie was able to interact with everyone during the trip, which meant he stayed entertained and happy, mostly.

Cutie Pie seemed to enjoy his first big road trip. It was really neat to watch him stare out at the mountains for the first time and play in the creek where I once played as a child. The wedding was great and the bride was beautiful. What a great weekend!

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All Done!

"Alright Cutie Pie are you ready to eat? "

"All Done!"

"What? You're all done?"

"All Done!"

"OK. If you say so." I put the spoon and bowl away.

"Aaah!" Cutie Pie reaches for the food. "All Done!"

I'm starting to think that Cutie Pie doesn't know what "All Done" means. We were so proud of him when he started signing. "All Done" isn't a real sign but the kids in our family are taught to put their arms in the air to express that they are through eating. It seemed like a good idea to me so we began teaching Cutie Pie this easy sign.

After just a few weeks, he seemed to show us his sign for "All Done" at the end of his meals. I was so proud when I told his Teachers at school about my super intelligent baby and I asked them to please reinforce his signing when he eats in the classroom. We really thought we were getting somewhere. But in the last few days, Cutie Pie has been signing "All Done" and saying "Ah Duh!" right away when he sits down to eat. Then when we stop feeding him, he gets upset! Oh well. At least he knows to say "All Done" at meals.

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Not so fast, Mommy!

Every now and then I feel a glimmer of hope that I just might be OK at this whole Mom thing. Just when I start to gain a little confidence and walk a little straighter, Cutie Pie says "Not so fast, Mommy!" BAM! He reminds me who is really in charge of our household.

This morning, Cutie Pie woke up earlier than usual. No worries. That just gave me more time to spend with him before school. He played while I got ready for work and I enjoyed playing peek a boo in between brushing my teeth and looking for my shoes. It was so easy, I felt like I had conquered motherhood.

In my blissfully confident state, I left Cutie Pie to play with his toys in the living room while I quickly ran to the other room to pack my files into my bag. I heard some banging but I figured he was just playing with his favorite stacking toys again. I walked back into the living room after leaving him alone for maybe thirty seconds. In that short time, he had made a bee-line for the dog bowls. In my unrealistic and downright cocky state, I had neglected to remove them from reach. Cutie Pie had poured water all over the kitchen and was in the process of sprinkling dog food into the puddle he had created. I grabbed the broom and swept up the soggy dog food while Cutie Pie splashed on the kitchen floor. When he saw me pick up the food in the dust pan, he cried like I had ruined his day.

Cutie Pie became Mr. Crankypants when I changed him into dry clothes and I realized that my early riser was already in need of a nap. He fell asleep five minutes before it was time to walk out the door. I decided it was better to be a little late than to awaken the Master of the House so I let him rest for a bit while I enjoyed the great luxury of packing the car in peace.

Just when I thought I was getting control over my life again, Cutie Pie let me know who's boss.

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Avocados and Bananas?!

I keep seeing articles that say babies love avocados. So when I saw them on sale, I bought one and gave it a try. It was hard to resist the urge to dump a bunch of garlic in there and eat it myself. A friend of mine told me she knew a baby that likes avocados and bananas mashed together. I had half a banana to use up, so I threw it in there too.

Sounds disgusting right? It was delicious and Cutie Pie loved it. I could totally see myself sitting next to the pool and dipping plantain chips into my baby's food. If you want to try Cutie Pie's new favorite food, it's simple:

Half an avocado, mashed
Quarter of a banana, mashed

Mix it all up and serve!

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Where are all these bugs coming from?

Just when I thought my biggest problem was the swine flu vaccine. Cutie Pie caught the real flu and gave me something real to worry about. Well, I don't know if it's really the FLU, since it's July and all. But it's making him miserable and it has created a horrible mess in my house. Cutie Pie wore every shirt he owns today. I've also washed every crib sheet and blanket in the house. Sometimes it is such fun to be a Mom.

Da Da caught the bug too. I don't know how he manages to get everything Cutie Pie gets. I'm starting to wonder if the boys are purposely getting sick together to gang up on me and drive me crazy. I saw the dog outside eating grass and told her, "OH no you don't! I've got enough sickness to clean up without you too!"

Cutie Pie has been asleep for twenty minutes, which makes it officially his longest nap of the day. Finally, I have some time to tackle that laundry.

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More Pandemic

Just when you thought it was safe to leave the house, the pandemic is back. The news seemed to forget all about the swine flu for a while there but this week H1N1 is all over the place. I heard that all children are going to be required to get the swine flu vaccines this year and as the mommy of a little person, I am very concerned.

Cutie Pie already has to get a million shots this year. When I go to read about the shots, I am bombarded with negative information. Many of the books I have read recommend finding a doctor who will let you pick and choose your shots. I can't imagine telling Cutie Pie's doctor, "Yes, I'd like a little more Hib, hold the MMR." Reading these books and articles makes me feel like I am being an irresponsible mother by vaccinating my child. But I really don't have a choice because Cutie Pie has to keep up with his shots or his doctor won't see him and he won't be able to go to school.

So now Cutie Pie has to get more shots. The only thing worse than getting more shots, is actually getting the swine flu. Thanks a lot, swine flu, for giving me a whole new reason to worry.

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A Snowball in July

A new baby started at Cutie Pie's school yesterday. I watched as his Mommy dropped him off and gave her last minute instructions to the Teachers. It brought back all the memories of anxiety and panic that I felt on Cutie Pie's first day. I've grown up a lot since then and Cutie Pie has too.

Cutie Pie has changed so much. I keep one of those memory calendars where you write in all his milestones. Now that he is older, there is something to record every day. Just last week, Cutie Pie took his first steps, got his first black eye, learned to like peas, ate pancakes, hid his face behind a blanket to play peek a boo, made clicking sounds with his tongue, started signing for "more" and "all done" and said hi and waved to another little baby. He seemed to make one small advance and it just snowballed. It is so exciting to the the Mommy of an eight month old.

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The Danger Zone!

Cutie Pie's house is a (mostly) baby-proof safe zone. We don't have bumpers on the furniture but he can pretty much go wherever he wants in the house without encountering anything too dangerous. Cutie Pie quickly taught us how to baby-proof and what areas of the house we should just make off-limits. We followed his instructions and the family has been very happy in our baby-proof home.

Unfortunately, the rest of the world is not baby-proof. On our recent whirlwind trip to visit relatives, I realized that my baby-proof house has given me a false sense of security. When put into a new environment, particularly one with lots of expensive knick knacks, Cutie Pie's curiosity cannot be stopped. Everything outside our door is the "danger zone." Low shelving, floor lamps and houseplants, OH MY!

I always thought I wouldn't have to worry about Cutie Pie discovering stairs because we live in a one story house. Wrong! Other people have two story houses. Cutie Pie saw the stairs and up he went! We put the safety latches on our cabinets to keep Cutie Pie from getting into them. He has learned that when he opens the cabinet the latch will stop him and he enjoys swinging on it. He was completely caught off guard at his Grandparent's house when he leaned into the cabinet and it swung all the way open, knocking him down in the process. But he was not phased. When he saw the treasures available to him inside that cabinet he made a bee-line right for it.

As a result of being in the danger zone this weekend, Cutie Pie spent a lot of time being held and cuddled, which is one of the great things about visiting family. Unfortunately, he didn't get his energy out the way he usually does and by the time I was able to sit down and play with him in a safe place, he was so wound up he couldn't play. He was like a hyperactive moose knocking into all his toys and trying to make up for lost time. I guess Mommy's next lesson is Cutie Pie needs his play time.

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One Small Step for Cutie Pie, One Giant Leap for Cutie Pie's Mom

With all the drama surrounding Cutie Pie's eyes the last few days, a major milestone has been overlooked. Cutie Pie took his first step on Tuesday!

Cutie Pie was hanging out in the kitchen, doing his best to get in the way and distract Mommy from gathering her things to leave for work. He loves to hang on to the cabinet handles and swing his body weight back until the safety latch catches him. It's not the safest game for a baby to play but when you're just trying to open the freezer drawer without two baby hands rushing to grab the ice, a little cabinet swinging seems like no big deal. Once I had what I needed, I bent down to pick Cutie Pie up. I held out my arms for him, expecting him to grab one of my hands like he usually does. Instead, he let go of the cabinet and took a step toward me. I was in total shock. My first thought was Oh my gosh! Is this really happening? Then I thought: Oh no! Not on the tile floor! Don't fall! Don't fall! Don't fall! He caught his balance and tried to take another step when he fell. My heart leaped! I caught him in mid-air and scooped him up into a big hug! I couldn't believe it! Cutie Pie probably didn't even realize what had just happened.

When I dropped Cutie Pie off at school today, his teacher told me that yesterday he took two steps. She said he was standing and watching another baby when he suddenly let go and took two steps. She said he seemed to suddenly realize that he wasn't holding on and fell to the floor.

Her story made me feel a little sad that I had missed his second steps. I know I won't be there for every one of his milestones. While my back was turned at dinner today, he signed for "more" food. Thank goodness his dad saw it so we knew he was still hungry! Maybe I can set him up with a Twitter account so he can tell me each time he's about to do something new.

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Black Eye, Pink Eye

In a THUD heard all the way on the other side of the house, Cutie Pie's head crashed against the side of the bathtub the other night. He ended up with a small bruise just under his eyebrow that makes him look like he's wearing dark eyeshadow.

When I saw what had happened, I quickly wrapped him in a towel and ran over to my husband, telling him to get Cutie Pie some clothes because we were going to the hospital. Luckily, Da Da was unruffled. He looked carefully at Cutie Pie's eye and told me all he needed was an ice pack. Unfortunately, Cutie Pie didn't like the ice pack. This led to a whole new set of worries for his over-anxious Mommy. If I let Cutie Pie push the ice pack away, am I being a good mother for letting him assert his independence or being a bad mother for not making sure the ice keeps down any swelling? What if his eye swells shut? What if the swelling damages the eye? Can you get a brain injury from a hit to the eye? Should I keep the ice on him when he falls asleep? What about those scary stories you hear about children that fall, seem fine and then a few hours later they have to be rushed to the hospital? I just couldn't stop myself. I checked with my favorite Baby-Bible, Baby 411. The author reassured me that Cutie Pie was fine. I must have checked on him a million times that night, though, just in case.

The next morning, Da Da woke up with pink eye. Positive that Cutie Pie gave it to his Dad, I braced myself for the worst; a baby with a black eye and pink eye! But when Cutie Pie woke up, his eyes were clear. Thank goodness! I can only take so much!

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Peas? No Thank You!

Yesterday, Cutie Pie's Teacher informed me that he didn't eat his peas. I laughed and told her about the time I tried to give him peas and he rejected them. Cutie Pie likes babyfood peas. He eats them all the time. Peas have the most fiber of all the vegetables so anytime Cutie Pie gets stopped up, he gets a meal of peas. I thought he'd like to try the real thing so I put a few on his plate one day. He looked at me like I was crazy.

Apparantly she had been pretty surprised because she had never seen Cutie Pie turn down any kind of food. I've watched Cutie Pie eat lunch at school with his friends. The teachers have to feed Cutie Pie two spoonfulls of baby food then hurry and give all the other babies one spoonfull as fast as they can before Cutie Pie notices that he's not being fed. At home, Cutie Pie loudly complains if I dare to take a bite of my own dinner in between Cutie Pie's spoonfuls of baby food.

So last night, we just happened to have peas with dinner. What are the chances? I decided to try again to instill a love for green vegetables in my child. I picked a couple of peas out of my meal and put them on his tray. Cutie Pie just stared at me. I smashed one. Cutie Pie whined for more baby food. Then I had a genius idea. I put a pea on the spoon and fed it to Cutie Pie with a little bit of baby food. I thought that if Cutie Pie could just get used to eating peas, maybe he'd like them. No such luck. Cutie Pie ate the baby food, swallowed, then spit out a pea. I tried again but this time I smashed the pea first. Out came the smashed pea. After four or five tries, Cutie Pie finally ate a pea, I think.

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New and Exciting

I love to watch Cutie Pie discover new things. He seems to be growing up so fast. Just a few short months ago, he was fascinated by the little toys that hung from his bouncer. Now, I'm lucky if anything captures his attention long enough for me to make the bed.

Unfortunately, not all of Cutie Pie's discoveries are good ones. Currently, Cutie Pie is discovering the blinds. No matter how many times I redirect his attention, he always crawls back to the window. The boy is fast! I've tried to block off the area with toys and furniture. He just regards this as his own personal obstacle course that must be conquered. Cutie Pie is determined to get those blinds no matter what!

Whenever I meet another Mommy, I always ask what toys their babies love to play with. I'm always looking for something that will entertain Cutie Pie for more than ten seconds. If the toys helps him develop motor skills or language that's a bonus!

So, I took Cutie Pie to our local consignment shop and let him play with the gently used toys to see what he went for. They frown on such things at Target, you know. Cutie Pie must have known I was watching. He didn't show particular interest in anything but the book shelves, which he used to stand up and cruise around the play area. Maybe I should stop worrying about toys and just buy a few more bookshelves!

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Over and Out

It has been a long week. All that coughing and crying has finally worn Cutie Pie out. Last night he hit the wall. He passed out while still eating his dinner. Usually Cutie Pie is a huge fan of dinner. You can see him reaching for the food on his tray but he just couldn't stay awake long enough to eat it.

This cold has officially ended. Hooray for me! I finally got some sleep, too!

I've got to celebrate while I can. I know those two top teeth are just around the corner.

Here We Go Again

The drama continues. Cutie Pie appeared to be better today. He woke up smiling from ear to ear. He played with his toys and chased the dogs. I took him to the park and he had a blast. Then he came home and took a blissfully long nap. We had the perfect morning. I dropped him off at school this afternoon a happy and well-rested baby. Then a few hours later, I got a call that Cutie Pie's nose was bleeding. The next thing I knew, I had an emergency appointment with the pediatrician and I was flying down the street to get my precious baby.


I arrived at the day care anxious to see my little one but was delayed by an accident report. Apparently, Cutie Pie fell down and bumped his head right after they called me. He added another bruise to the collection on his forehead. I scooped up my little Cutie Pie and whisked him off to the doctor.


I noticed right away that he must have stopped bleeding because I didn't see any evidence of a bloody nose. When we got to the doctor's office the nurse asked why we were there. I explained that Cutie Pie had a cold for the past few days and that today his nose started bleeding at school. She made a face and wrote it down.

Believe me lady, I didn't rush over here on a Wednesday afternoon because I had nothing better to do.

Then she made a comment about the bruises on Cutie Pie's forehead.

Well, I can't leave his helmet on all the time!

Then she said something about how Cutie Pie was trying to stand up on the exam table instead of sit passively while I changed him.

Would you prefer he lay here like a lump?


Feeling like the worst mother in the world, I sat with Cutie Pie in the exam room and waited for the doctor while trying to entertain my half-naked eight month old in a doctor's office with only the toys I could find in the back seat of my car. When the doctor finally arrived he said the bloody nose was caused by a scratch, probably from a bulb syringe and was no big deal. Once again, he pronounced my Cutie Pie perfect, except for a cold.


Hooray! This crisis is over! I could feel the weight lifting from my shoulders. But then he said something that scared me all over again. Those two top teeth are going to come out any day now.

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Cough, cough, SCREAM!

Cutie Pie doesn't like coughing. He's caught another cold. Here we go again. I haven't slept since Sunday afternoon. This cold has been a bad one. He's perfectly happy when he's awake but once he's sleepy, watch out! Cutie Pie doesn't like waking up. He really doesn't like coughing himself awake. That's when the screaming starts.

I feel completely helpless and miserable for him. You would think that in the year 2009, we would have some kind of remedy for the common cold or at least something to relieve a baby's symptoms. But no, they are forced to suffer through their stuffy noses like it's the stone age. No grown up would put up with that kind of congestion without taking something. It is so sad that my baby has to sniffle and cough just because he's little.

I'm trying to do what I can to help the little guy. We propped up his mattress with a pillow to elevate his head. The humidifier is cranking out steam so fast it feels like the Bahamas in his nursery. Unfortunately, it's not so easy for me to do the other things I need to do to help Cutie Pie breathe. He hates those saline drops and the nose aspirator. He fights and squirms as soon as he sees them. I try to smile brightly and trick Cutie Pie into thinking he likes getting things shoved up his nose but he cannot be fooled. He cries and screams. Then I have to fight back my own tears. It would be so much easier to just give in and let him stay stuffy. But in the long run, he is better off getting that mucus out of his nose. Being a good parent is heartbreaking.

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Mommy says MOO!

"That is a cow. What does a COW say?"

Silence

"A Cow says MOO!"

"This is a pig."

Cutie Pie crawls away.

"What does a Pig say? Hey Cutie Pie! What does a pig say?"

BANG BANG BANG! Cutie Pie plays with his blocks.

"Never mind."

Many of the Baby Instruction Manuals I have read stress the importance of teaching your child animal sounds at this age. They say it is a great game for mother and child. They describe an attentive baby gazing adoringly at his mother and answering all the mother's questions with precious baby animal noises that he learned on the first try. Yeah, right.

I've heard Cutie Pie make some animal sounds but I don't think he did it intentionally. I've heard him oink like a pig when he was laughing so hard he couldn't stop. I've heard him gobble like a turkey when he told me about his day. I even heard him bark like a dog once, while looking at the dog. It was probably an accident but it was still pretty cool!

I can understand how teaching your child letters, numbers and colors will benefit him in the future. Even if the kid isn't going to be an athlete, he needs to develop motor skills so it's important to play ball and climb all over the place. But for the life of me I can't figure out how learning animal sounds will benefit him at eight months of age. He likes it when we make funny sounds at him. But I'm worried that I've been saying MOO MOO MOO for so long that he thinks that it's a Mommy sound, not a cow sound!

Why on earth is it so important to teach your child animal sounds? Maybe if Cutie Pie lived on a farm and often came into contact with a variety of animals, learning their sounds would be helpful. Perhaps if Cutie Pie lived a long time ago when the world was a dangerous place full of predator animals, he would need to learn which animals to avoid. Cutie Pie lives in the suburbs. When is he really going to have a chance to have a conversation with a cow or a pig? Are animal sounds going to be on the SAT eighteen years from now? If so, I think we're all in trouble.

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It's A Boy!

I couldn't wait to hear those three little words eight months ago. I painted my baby's nursery blue and stocked up on sports themed onesies. I was so excited to have a boy!

Yesterday was Cutie Pie's eight month birthday. Da Da and I took him to the Butterfly Museum. We arrived with cameras poised, anticipating that special shot of Cutie Pie looking at one of millions of butterflies or better yet, a butterfly actually landing on our Cutie Pie. Cutie Pie enjoyed flirting with the other children in the exhibit. He didn't seem to really notice the butterflies but I'm sure he saw some. Da Da and I weren't giving up. We held Cutie Pie and stood in the sunny spots where the butterflies seemed to congregate. Cutie Pie began to sweat. His head was actually wet from sweat. We moved him to the shade.

Cutie Pie wanted to get down and crawl. Walking around in Mommy and Da Da's arms is just not his idea of a good time anymore. He squirmed and wriggled around making it impossible for a butterfly to get close. I realized that my child is no delicate flower. No butterfly in their right mind was going to fly near him for fear of being accidentally whacked out of the air a la King Kong.

We managed to get some pictures of Cutie Pie then decided to call it a day. On the way home, Cutie Pie reached another special milestone. He learned how to spit. He's been blowing raspberries for a while now but today he took it a step further to full on spitting. He spit and spit and Da Da would turn his head from the driver's seat in the car and he'd make spit noises back at Cutie Pie then they would both laugh and laugh. I felt like a foreigner in my own family.

I guess this is what it means to be the mother of a boy. Cutie Pie is sweaty, active and loves to spit. It's a boy!

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Vacation!

We took Cutie Pie out of town for the fourth. It's now the ninth, a full five days later, and I am just getting back into my routine.

Cutie Pie had a blast playing with his relatives. He loves an audience and is always happy to show off his latest achievements. This weekend he showed off his speed crawling and standing up skills. He even had a five-second-stand-alone moment. Happy Independence Day!

The best thing about visiting family is that everyone wants to take care of Cutie Pie. They want to feed him and play with him. Mommy and Daddy get a break from the daily routine. I should have used my new found free time to catch up on paperwork but instead I foolishly spent my luxurious freedom relaxing. It was a great. I had a real vacation.

The weird thing about visiting relatives is that everyone wants to take care of Cutie Pie. So, since I'm not his primary caregiver every moment of the day, I really start to miss him. My life is completely wrapped around my baby and I feel guilty giving myself a break. I know, I know, he's only eight months old. I'm sure I'll get over it.

Every trip out of town ultimately ends. You pull into the driveway and the Neverending To-Do List starts running through your mind. There's so much to do; unpacking and laundry and cleaning and paperwork that went neglected all weekend. It's taken me five days to get through my list but I can finally say I'm caught up. Just in time for another weekend!

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The Amazing Changes Motherhood Brings

After I had my Cutie Pie people were always asking me what surprised me most about motherhood. I think they were expecting me to talk about the amazing feeling of love and joy that Cutie Pie gives me. I feel an incredible sense of love for my child but it didn't surprise me at all. I have always felt that kind of love from my own mother.

I feel like I was adequately warned about all the typical motherhood changes. You will never sleep again. Your house will be messy and you won't care. The baby will take over your entire world. You will change your mind about wanting to be a working mother. You will change a million diapers. You will do laundry every day. You will sing nursery rhymes until you lose your voice.

But there were a few things that I was not prepared for. There are three things that actually surprised me about motherhood.

1. I am a shameless booger picker. Cutie Pie has had a runny nose since January. Of course he does not know how to blow his nose or wipe his own nose. It is up to me to keep him booger free. I think it is so sad when I see a baby with snot running down his face. I don't want Cutie Pie to be one of those snotty little babies so I take my job as booger remover very seriously. It doesn't matter if we are at home or in public. No boogers left behind!

2. It turns out that I really can get ready in fifteen minutes. For years and years it took me hours to get ready to walk out the door. I never thought it was possible to shorten my leave-the-house-routine. But, as it turns out, not caring what you look like can make a world of difference. As long as the baby has not thrown up on me since the last time I changed my clothes, I am good to go! I usually try to throw on a little make up too. I haven't completely given up.

3. I can pop out of bed wide awake. I really can. For the longest time I thought I was just one of those people that has a hard time waking up. I thought I just needed a few hours to wake up and I couldn't be helped. It turns out that all those years I was hitting the snooze button I was using the wrong kind of alarm clock. The only way to wake me up is to the sound of Cutie Pie noises through a baby monitor. He just makes a peep and off and running across the house to investigate.

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Cutie Pie and Princess

Cutie Pie's cousins came over to play this weekend and oh what fun he had! I learned a lot about my little Cutie Pie from this experience. Usually when we visit with other babies it is only for a short while. Cutie Pie plays with his classmates at school but Mommy does not get to observe their playtime for more than a few minutes when he is dropped off or picked up. It was so neat to see him play with another baby all day.


Cutie Pie's cousin is about two months older than him. We'll call her Princess. They crawled all over the place and patted the dogs together. It was really fun to watch them play with toys together. I heard that kids who go to day care are more aggressive, especially boys. So, I was expecting to have to play referee when I saw them go after the same toys. I was shocked though to see my tough day care boy share his toys easily with his stay at home cousin.

Princess is older and a little more aggressive. Cutie Pie showed Princess around his living room and picked up all the best toys. When Princess saw something she liked, she just held out her hand and Cutie Pie gave it to her. No tug of war, no tears. My baby is nice. I am so proud!


Cutie Pie was quiet most of the morning. He seemed to be taking it all in. I have noticed that when he plays with new people he is not quite himself. After about three hours though, he seemed to come to life. All of a sudden he felt comfortable and the babbling began! He told his Aunt and cousins all about his day. "Blah ba Hey!"

The cutest moment of the day was when we had to put one of our dogs in time out. He was banished to the porch where he barked his head off in protest. The babies were very concerned about their little buddy and crawled over to comfort him. I think they were surprised to find that they were not able to go through the glass on the door. They sat together, babbling at the dog. "Blah, la ba ba, hush doggie!"

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Haircut Fun

Before: Cutie Pie is wondering why he has a towel in his highchair.

After: Cutie Pie announces the haircut is OVER!

As you can see, Cutie Pie does not look much different since having his hair cut. Daddy only removed a tiny bit of hair from around his ears. He still looks like he needs a hair cut! But, it will probably be a long time before he gets one again. That after picture breaks my heart everytime I see it.

Snip Snip: Cutie Pie's First Haircut!

I am the proud owner of a lock of my baby's hair. Cutie Pie got his first hair cut today.

Daddy has been saying for a while that Cutie Pie's hair has been getting too long. It was starting to curl around the ears and down on his neck. We live in a rural area where plenty of kids sport mullets but we just couldn't let that happen to our precious baby. So rather than become a fashion victim, Cutie Pie had to be brave and face the haircut.

You might be wondering which barber would cut a seven month old child's hair. None. Daddy did it at home. Now you are laughing and wondering how much worse Cutie Pie's hair looks than before.

Actually, Daddy did a great job. He used the clippers and a high guard. Cutie Pie thought the buzzing sound of the clippers was interesting. He didn't get upset until Daddy had to hold his head still. He wanted to look at the clippers. He didn't want Daddy to keep them behind his head! Cutie Pie needed a nap after all that excitement!

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Happy at Home

I had to spend two full days at work this week and it was like torture. I don't know how I used to work like that. Working all day means cramming my Cutie Pie quality time into just an hour in the morning and maybe two hours in the evening if he's not too sleepy.

I know that a lot of women work full time and they feel totally satisfied with their situation. I am very happy for them but working in an office full time is just not for me. I was a little excited to go to work on Monday after a long week with a sick baby. But the novelty soon wore off and I found myself thinking about what Cutie Pie was eating for lunch and wondering how long he would nap. These are not the most productive thoughts to have when one is trying to work.

Having a child has made me a much better employee. Anytime I think about slacking off I just imagine how great I will feel when all my tasks are accomplished and I can leave early to pick up my baby from his school. Suddenly, I am full of renewed energy. Cutie Pie is the ultimate carrot.

I'm so glad to be back on my short day schedule. Yes, it means I am much more busy trying to do paper work at home and take care of Cutie Pie. It also means I am exhausted from chasing my little crawler around the house, my skin is dry from excessive use of disinfectant wipes and I spend much of the day with baby food stuck in my hair. But, I love every bit of it.

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Hey, Da Da!

Cutie Pie gave his Dad the best Father's Day gift ever! Sorry Grand dad! All you got was a shirt.

Father's Day seemed like it was going to be a bust. Cutie Pie's Daddy was sick. All he wanted to do was sit on the couch and watch Die Hard while he coughed and hid his throbbing head from the sunlight. Since it was Father's Day, he got his wish. I was disappointed though. I'd have liked to celebrate in a more traditional fashion.

So, Cutie Pie and I were just sitting around and trying to make the best of the situation when he looked at his father and said "Hey, Da Da!" It was amazing but surely this was a mistake. His usual babbling must have randomly put together this pattern of sounds. Cutie Pie didn't mean it. Then, as if to prove us wrong he said it again and again and again. "Hey Da Da!"

What a great way to remember an otherwise lousy Father's Day!

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Happy Father's Day!

In honor of Father's Day, I wanted to share some pictures of Cutie Pie and his best friend, Daddy.

They are having some "Cheese" for dessert. HaHa!

Cutie Pie loves his Daddy. He is a great Dad. Happy first Father's Day!

Doggone Cute

Uh Oh! Cutie Pie found the dog's bowls. He is a quick little crawler. He was playing quietly with his new stacking toy, so I snuck into the kitchen to get his breakfast ready. Next thing I knew, I heard splash, splash next to my feet. Cutie Pie was playing in the dog's water bowl. He must think I put a little baby pool in the house!

The dogs saw the whole thing and they were horrified! I quickly picked up the water and food and placed them on the counter where Cutie Pie couldn't reach. As I cleaned the dog water off Cutie Pie and the floor, the dogs barked at me like someone had stolen their food.

I'm sure they are thinking, "That rotten kid! First he moves in here and takes all the attention. Then he gets all these cool toys that we're not allowed to chew on. Now he's taking our food too!"

When I put the bowls back down for the dogs, they eyed their food suspiciously like Cutie Pie had ruined it or something. They quickly wolfed down a few bites, probably in case I took it away again. Then they went back to gazing forlornly at the baby.

A little later, I gave Cutie Pie one of those Earth's Best Teething Biscuits so he could chew on something other than my arm. If you've never seen one of these things, you should know they look just like a dog biscuit. When my dogs saw Cutie Pie holding and eating something that looked like a dog treat, they got angry all over again. One of them even tried to steal it from him. I let the other one play with one of Cutie Pie's toys just to keep him away.

I was getting worried that I was about to have a mutiny on my hands when Cutie Pie suddenly grew bored of gnawing and dropped the biscuit on the floor. The dogs quickly scooped it up and all was right with the world again. Cutie Pie was delighted to see the dogs run over to him. He laughed and gurgled, oblivious to the drama between him and the dogs. Cutie Pie loves his doggies and he is always willing to share with them.

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The Next Big Step

Cutie Pie is pulling up and trying to stand. So far walking is not going so well for him but he's a fighter and he's not giving up! I can only imagine that he will take off in another couple of months. The kids he plays with at school seem to all walk around nine months so I'm preparing myself. I'm starting to look for baby shoes.

It is one thing to dress Cutie Pie in the cutest of clothes. Buying him shoes is a whole new ball game. I've looked at shoes online and tried to learn about sizes and the flexible soles that will allow him to still grip the floor with his feet. Of course, I don't want to buy him any old ugly shoe. I've got to find something cute that doesn't cost more than my own shoes.

I visited a few children's shoe stores last week. I didn't bring Cutie Pie because I was hoping to actually concentrate on choosing a shoe, rather than chasing a baby down the aisles of the store and trying to persuade him to not eat the store's merchandise. Unfortunately, it turned out that I needed Cutie Pie with me because I picked out all the wrong sizes. His feet seemed so much bigger in my mind!

I thought that buying shoes was my only big decision for this month. According to my research Mommies can't just write their child's name on their shoes with a Sharpie. Apparently, many Super Mommies also buy shoe labels so they don't get lost or mixed up with their friend's shoes. You can't just make and print your own labels because plain old labels won't last long on a child's shoe. You've got to get a special sticky label made especially for all the wear and tear a toddler can create. So I checked a few websites for labels.

Mabel's Labels is advertised in every parenting magazine I've ever read. They say I need to choose a picture to go with my child's name on the label to help my pre-reader identify his label. Good grief! There are princesses, sports, pirates, bugs, dinosaurs and just about anything you can imagine. But somehow I just can't decide how to label my child. It seems like such a big decision. This is the picture he will identify with himself! I'm leaning toward the dinosaur by the way.

I also checked out Oliver's Labels and Labels4kids.com. Who knew there could be so many choices for a simple name label? Oliver's Labels has more colorful labels and the shoe labels are shaped like feet. They are very cute. Labels4kids has special right foot labels that make a big picture when you put the shoes next to each other. This way, the child can tell which shoe goes on which foot, assuming that Mommy positioned the labels correctly in the first place. I can so see me doing that.

With all the decisions to be made, I'm hoping Cutie Pie takes his time learning to walk. He's getting around quite well crawling for now.

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Cutie Pie is Back!

What a long week it has been! Last Thursday I went to pick up Cutie Pie from school and I heard two of the most horrifying words I have ever heard: Pink-eye. Cutie Pie had been exposed! Now at face value these words don't seem alarming. Pink is a pretty color. Eyes aren't scary. But I soon found out just how terrifying these words can be.

The next morning, I took my puffy, crusty-eyed baby to the doctor. Cutie Pie put on his usual show of flirting with the nurses and trying to snatch the stethoscope out of the doctor's ears. We were given a prescription for fancy eye drops and sent home with instructions to lay low until the illness passed.

Unfortunately for me, Cutie Pie's Daddy was out of town so I had to entertain a mobile seven month old by myself all weekend. Cutie Pie didn't like the eye drops. He cried like his world had ended each time he saw the drops come close to his face. No toy or song could distract him from that medicine bottle. Not even Old McDonald!

When Cutie Pie doesn't feel good, Cutie Pie doesn't sleep. My little boy becomes his alter ego, Mr. Crankypants. He stays up all night, loudly protesting everything Mommy tries to make him happy. No toys! No swing! No blanky! Poor Cutie Pie. Poor Mommy!

Cutie Pie got restless spending all that time at home with no one but a tired Mommy to play with. He grew bored of chasing the dogs and began working on his pulling up skills. He mastered the coffee table and the couch but the dining table is still a little tricky. He fell a few times and earned some new bumps and bruises.

Somehow we made it through the weekend. I was so excited to get back into our routine on Monday. I got all dressed up in grown up clothes and was walking out the door when Cutie Pie threw up all over both of us. Here we go again.

Cutie Pie went back to the doctor. He had a sore throat that caused him to cough each time something touches his throat, including drool and food. So he pretty much coughed all day and night. And when he coughed too hard, he threw up.

So my staycation continued with Cutie Pie. In between baths, I got a crash course in Pedialyte. I discovered that the clear stuff is way better than the flavored stuff. Why would you give a baby, who is already throwing up, a liquid with dye in it? That is just asking for trouble. As if it's not bad enough that you're going to have to do a million loads of laundry, you've got to scrub colorful dye out of all the bibs too!

Thank goodness for Cutie Pie's Grandma. She took pity on us and came to help out today. She spent the day with my coughing, grumpy Cutie Pie so I could take a break and go to the office. She must have the magic touch because he is feeling much better tonight and is actually sleeping! It's been a long week but Cutie Pie is back!

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