Video Time!

I have been absent from Connor's blog for too long now. Little guy has gotten to be quite the handful, so it's hard to find time to update here! I also had some trouble getting my computer to recognize my camera, but finally got it worked out.

I'll get us started off with an always-welcome laughing baby video. I was reading The Very Busy Spider to Connor, and when I got to the part where the rooster says, "Cock-a-doodle-doo," Connor busted out a belly laugh. So we grabbed the camera and mined Connor for giggles.

His laughter is always among my most treasured things.

Up next we have a demonstration of Connor's awareness of the camera, which is one of the reasons it's so hard to ever catch a great moment on video. As soon as he sees the camera, he tends to quit whatever he's doing and go for it.

This one cracks me up when Connor gets up in my face.

Last but not least we have Connor's directorial debut. This is a camera in the hands of a baby, so those prone to motion sickness may want to skip it.

I really like the moment at about 19 seconds when the camera hits the floor.

I hope everyone enjoys these videos. I'll try not to wait so long to make another post. Actually, I have an idea for one that's in the works right now. It's going to be my first montage video, but don't worry... it will be good!

Being a Mom and Connor's Progress

I don't get that many stretches of time to type and it takes even longer to get my words together.  During this last sentence I had to stop twice to sit with Connor on the floor and play with toys and get him to stop trying to get the speakers on top of the TV.  And after I typed that sentence, he made me hold him for 15 minutes until I could distract him again.  And considering that I forget what I was saying mid-sentence while in conversation with Patrick pretty much hourly, I'm sure it can be forgiven that I haven't posted in so long.

At the beginning of the month Connor had his 9 month appointment.  There were no shots so it went really fast.  Connor is in the 75% for weight, but only the 25% for height!  Little fatty!  The doctor was really happy with how he is doing and even recommended continuing to exclusively breastfeed until he's a year old.  I still let him have tastes of things when he wants to (which is really rare) but he hardly swallows anything. 

Connor is now a champion crawler and has gotten bold enough to follow me around the house, even if he whines pitifully for me to pick him up while he's doing it.  He can cruise around furniture and use it to move around the room, most of the time to get to me, or some forbidden object.  Oh does he love to go for the things he can't have.  We tell him "not for Connor!"  he throws little hissy fits that are both hilarious and a little infuriating.   He has been making some of the funniest sounds and babel sentences, but no progress on "mama" or "dada."  He doesn't clap or really wave yet, but he likes it when we do.

He loves his toys, but likes things like my water bottle, the remotes, a hairbrush, and other mundane items better, or at least equally as much.  We have recently had to keep him from playing with our phones when Patrick narrowly missed Connor deleting all his contacts.  He just loves using his little thumbs to press any sort of button he can.

I will post a selection of pictures soon!

Week in Chattanooga

Last week Patrick went on an 8 day business trip.  I wasn't about to try and take care of my child by myself when I could go to my mom's and have the help of all those grandparents and aunts and uncles!

We got to Chattanooga around dinner time last Sunday night and stayed until Saturday at 4:30 when it was time for Connor's second nap.

Monday and Tuesday afternoons I went over to the Jemison's and Tuesday night Sarah came over to Mom's the spend the night and the next day with us.  Thursday I hung out with Will because my mom  went to North Carolina to be with my brother and his family for the weekend.  Friday I spent the afternoon with a Tate friend Katherine and her 5 month old Sawyer.  Saturday I packed to leave and spent an hour with Ed at the aquarium before heading back to Huntsville.

 Connor and Happah

 Connor loves Chauncey.

 Nana reading to Connor.

 Aunt Sarah giving Connor a bath.

 Getting ready to see the fishes!

 The aquarium is great on a weekday afternoon!

 River otters are one of Patrick's favorites.

 Hanging out with Uncle Will!

 Playdate with Sawyer.

The aquarium with Happah.

I'm so, so thankful Patrick is home now.  I feel like a huge weight is off of my shoulders.  I was so tired.  I had to let Connor cry so many times just to get things done like eating and packing and getting ready for bed.  I hated being a "single" parent.  I hope Patrick doesn't have to go on travel again for a long, long time.

Standing Boy!

Connor has now been able to stand since Wednesday, but today was the first day I got some good pictures of it, so I waited to announce just how much my little man is growing!

I love that he's getting bigger and learning more things and I hate how much that means my life has to change.  He can pull up on the couch and get my computer.  He grabs my legs and pulls up on them while I'm trying to eat and follows me into the kitchen crawling while I'm trying to cook.  But it is so fun!

The only time Connor feels confident to stand on his own is with his feet firmly planted, and the body of a parent (or aunt) next to him to pull up on.  He mostly does this with Daddy since he just wants Mommy to hold him.

His sweet baby babbles are getting much more diversified!  Yesterday he started saying something that sounds suspiciously like "baby" but he still just vaguely mumbles "mahmahmah" and pretty much never says anything resembling "dada" despite Patrick's constant prodding. 

First Snow!

Today is Connor's first snow!  We don't usually get much snow down here in Alabama, except for last year, so I was excited that we got some today so I could take pictures of Connor with it.  It came down in frozen pellets during his nap and I thought I was going to miss it, but we managed to take some pictures while a little bit was coming down and before the pellets melted.  It's really cold outside, so maybe it will stick around for a bit.

 

If you look closely, you can see tooth number 3 on the top, just barely poking through the gum, where it's been hanging out for over 2 weeks, and our surprise tooth number 4 on the left that appeared yesterday with no fanfare.

You can see couple flakes on his outfit.

Bedtime

Since getting back from Christmas vacation, I weaned Connor from being swaddled to sleep at night!  Now instead of being a burrito baby, he's just a baby in a sack.  It has been interesting sleeping with him with his arms free.  He waves them around a lot and I think he's waking up, but he's just waving them.  He also sometimes pushes up on my chest in his sleep.  It's hilarious to see his sleeping head bobbing as he tries to get comfortable.  He often pats me, or holds onto my shirt in his sleep.  Very sweet.

Patrick has been trying to read to him as often as he can, and right before bed is a great time.  Connor isn't really interested most of the time, but a couple days ago he actually started touching his touchy-feely books!

He really likes the strawberry.

All done!

Connor on the Move!

Friday night, I was hanging out with Connor, and I was suddenly struck by a feeling that Connor would crawl if I could get him motivated. He had never crawled before, and I'd never gotten this feeling before, but it turned out to be true!

I grabbed the video camera and showed it to him, then asked him to crawl to me. Connor loves little electronic devices (probably because we try to keep him from getting them), so the camera was all the motivation he needed (plus maybe some cheerleading from his dad).

This video shows Connor crawling for the first time ever!

You'll have to forgive him for crying. Learning to crawl is frustrating for a little man.

Once Connor had crawled that first time, he figured out pretty quickly that he can actually go places now. Here's a video we shot less than half an hour later, showing him move faster and without tears!

Time to buy some baby-proofing stuffs for the house!