The A-Team

Yes, I know this post is VERY late. But as they say, better late than never!

Where do I begin? This little boy has changed so much. I can’t believe he is nearly 1! Abraham is definitely his own little person. He will let you know what is okay and what is not okay. He has definite likes and dislikes. He absolutely loves to play. He doesn’t really care with what. I have recently completed a toy clean-out since he is older and just ignores several of the “baby” toys. He loves balls, musical toys and his blocks! He is really getting into books too. He likes to turn the pages for me (board books only of course!). He now has 4 teeth and 2 more are emerging as we speak…that is causing some loss of sleep in the wee hours of the morning, but making up for it during the day. He is alsmost 24 pounds and I didn’t get his length measured. He doesn’t sit still for that anymore, well, actually for that matter, he doesn’t sit still for ANYTHING anymore. My easy going little boy has now developed a sense of happy and unhappy – as in anything Mommy needs him to do is unhappy and anything he wants to do is happy. He is learning the word NO but doesn’t always heed it. I have had to make some minor adjustments to the house since the little bugger can crawl away faster than I can blink…so, I have removed some of the “pretties” (frames, knickknacks and what not) from the plant table upstairs. He knows NOT to pull on the plants, so we are good so far. He does love the table for pulling himself up. He is starting to pull himself to a standing position more often, once or twice a day. Otherwise it is just to his knees. His balance is getting very good. He can actually stay up on his knees without hanging on to anything. He has even started pushing toys around. We have a motorized 4-wheeler toy thing (of course the batteries are dead – garage sale item!) and we have another little leap frog push toy that once again we got from a neighbor who was selling it and he has just started pushing it today! It is a bit cumbersome but he is getting the hang of it. But I must say, his absolutely FAVORITE toy that he would genuinely miss if I were to take it away would be his stacking/nesting blocks/boxes.

You can see the blocks/boxes scattered across the floor. It is too cute to watch him take them apart and put them back together. You can even point to the boxes (show him to put one in another) and he will do what you have pointed. He doesn’t care much for stacking them but he does get a kick out of knocking down my towers!

Speaking of pointing, that is another new trick of his. He will point and point and point. Sometimes I think he is pointing at “ghosts” and other times it is a real object like your nose, hair, tongue, box, car, goldfish crackers…

Let me tell you about goldfish crackers… our child has become an absolute fiend for goldfish. If he sees them, he HAS to have them! I will give him a couple but if he still sees the dish that contains the rest – he will grunt for more! I think he thinks he can live strictly on goldfish. My word. It is adorable to know that he really likes something because for the most part he is indifferent. As far as food goes, he eats anything. He doesn’t really have a preference as I mentioned. He is now also getting warmed up food and really seems to enjoy that too!

Well, we have been battling constipation with this poor guy forever. I have tried all the tricks in the book and even some not so known. I have asked the doctor over and over again what can we do – it is really bad because it does actually cause bleeding (sorry if that is gross). Anyway, I really do not want to put him on a medication for something that should be a “normal” function. He should not need medication and I don’t want his little body to have to deal with processing it. But I did break down and buy Mira-lax. That only works if we stay on it and you aren’t supposed to give it to your child every day for the rest of their life! AARRRGGGGHHH! Talk about frustrating. I have long been a believer, due to Abraham’s larger size, that unnecessary calories are something he should avoid. The doctor agreed with me. So, Abraham has never really had juice (other than prune early on). He would kinda drink it but not really care much one way or the other and since I did not want him to “drink” his calories (other than formula) we opted for no juice. That has been fine because he has been drinking water fine. He will sometimes drink an entire sippy cup full in one day but typically only about half a cup. Well today, I tried something new. I thought, hmmm, fluids might help him “go” more easily (why didn’t I think of this sooner). So, I gave him grape juice mixed at a ratio of 1 part juice 2 parts water. He SUCKED it down in about an hour! An entire 10 oz sippy of juice! So, I made him another one later in the day and he drank that too! I was completely stunned! He has had his milk/formula and he had the opportunity for water, but LOVED the grape juice and you know what…he had pretty soft stool later on in the evening! Woohoo!

Back to the sippy cup deal. Abraham drinks like a champ from a strawed sippy cup. But if you give him a spouted sippy cup, he will give you the dirtiest look. He does NOT like them. I did notice that he did have the 2 teeth next to his 2 front teeth starting to poke through…so maybe that is why I got the dirty look? Anyway, straw cups it shall be. I will eventually get him on a regular spouted sippy and then hopefully to a cup! He will just be doing this on his time schedule, not mine.

I had to share this picture. Yes, this is of just Abraham’s feet but it is to illustrate the quickness in which he crawls. I had the camera in hand already on and had been using it when I went to snap a quick shot of him and he was GONE! Just like that. Turkey. Aaron and I both do not believe in fully baby-proofing our house. We didn’t grow up in homes that were fully baby-proofed and we lived. So, we believe the same for our children. They will learn what is okay and what is not. One slight concession I do believe I will be making is the gate at the top of our stairs. I do my best to watch his every move but sometimes (as the picture shows) he is just gone lickety split! I would never forgive myself if something happened to him where I could have prevented. So, like I said, I think I will be getting that gate very soon…

Reading…I have mentioned that Abraham is FINALLY getting into reading. He gets a story every night before bed and he sometimes has me read him his board books while we are playing. It is so sweet because he will bring the book to me. He does have favorites. He has a car book and a dog book that Grandma D got him and they are by far his favorites. He will even want me to read the same book over and over! It is so cute. I love having him help with turning the pages. Be sure to watch the video!

Speaking of dogs, Abraham said his first word! He says mom, mom, mom when he crys or is told no and cries and he will say dada just about whenever and he does like ba ba…not sure what that is because we do not use the term bottle – we use milk or water or juice etc…Anyway, I was reading his favorite dog book and he said “gog”. I was shocked and Aaron was sitting right there and I would say “dog” and Abraham would say “gog”. It was awesome! I was so excited! I will point to our dogs and say “dog” but since that day he really hasn’t repeated this new word. I am working on it. He does know it but just refuses to say it.

Some other fun games we play are parts of the face or head. He knows nose and tongue – he will actually stick out his tongue for you to touch! Hilarious! He will get my nose but typically only when I am strapping him in the car seat. I am guessing because he has nothing else to do. Funny kid. He knows hair but hasn’t quite figured out that it hurts when yanked on. I am working with him on that too.

I don’t think I have mentioned this but Abraham has become quick the snuggle bug. He has NEVER been a snuggler. At 4-weeks-old he made it very clear to us that he did not want to be snuggled or held a bunch. So, we have honored that request. Now, if we are near him and he wants to be held, loved on or snuggled he will crawl over and either get in your lap if you are on the floor or climb up your leg to get your attention. It is the sweetest thing. The picture shows just how hard he plays…he just passes out!

This was a great treat for Abraham. He got to have Daddy give him a bath. It had been quite awhile since Daddy had been able to do so. They both had tons of fun! It has become a small challenge as of late to get him to enjoy his bath. He has been getting so fussy he just doesn’t like it so we don’t stay long. I decided to bring out some new bath toys that I have been keeping in reserve and I try not to let him get too tired and that has done the trick! He is back to loving bath time again:)

Anyway, Abraham is just growing and growing and we love every minute. He is absolutely precious and truly God’s gift to us. He most certainly has made it very difficult for any siblings that he may have…they will have very tall shoes to fill!