Indian Summer

After a brief flirtation with fall-like weather, we are back to warmer days. And after a two-month stint with sleep regression, we are back to good old-fashioned, 12 straight hours, through-the-night sleeping. It started on Monday night with 13 straight hours. Scott actually went an woke him up at 7:30 so we could keep on schedule for his morning nap. I woke with my breasts as hard and swollen as when they first made milk, dripping everywhere until I could nurse for relief.

Surely this was a fluke? Then, naptime at 9:00, he finished nursing and looked at me, murmured a few babymumbles, and he rolled over with his thumb and blankie the moment he hit the crib. He napped for 3 hours that morning, then again in the afternoon. And though his naps are not always that long, he has regained his record of sleeping all night long without needing a snack. From 8 months until 10 months, almost to the day, I was afraid that this wasn't just a phase, but then it was. Everything is.

He can say "mom," and "yum." He makes music with a rattle I made of a yogurt tub filled with dry beans. He shrieks with delight when we play peek-a-boo. He has discovered his penis. He eats dirt if we let him.

He is a perfect little boy.

He Has Hives

Plus he's (still, oh god! still) teething. Poor baby. He's had a fever, constant sleepiness (with lousy napping), night waking, itching-to-bleeding. We just give him lots of hugs right now, but it never seems like enough.

Duck Duck Goose

We took Zephyr for a little stroll at the rhododendron gardens last weekend. It was a brisk-yet-beautiful late summer day, just cool enough in the late morning to warrant a light jacket. The garden has free admission until March, but some of the rhodies are still blooming (and the anemones are gorgeous this time of year). The ducks still mesmerize the boy - maybe he'll take after his mother and ride his childhood bike down here to study and sketch, to fantasize about being the next best ornithologist since John Audubon.


It didn't take long at all before Zephyr was starting to wind down. In fact, he was nearly immediately ready for his afternoon nap.

Not a lot new this week. He's still cruising around in an upright fashion, and I've had to start putting things away. First, the collection of seashell souvenirs from our honeymoon. Next will likely be the large cow skull on the coffee table. My favorite aspect of his still-unfolding personality is his new growling, but his joyful squeals are still pretty good.

Prince Charmling

These top two photos were taken one day apart, but he looks so much older to me in the second one. Blows my mind. They really do grow up so fast!

I don't even know where to begin. I guess first, with an apology for not updating last week. There was so much happening (and yet, not), and I guess I got a little behind. The main update from last week is that the results of his 9 month checkup were that he is awesome and amazing, and though he is leaning out (coming in at the 85% centile for weight), he is still growing longer and taller (97% centile for height).

He's eating three solid meals a day now and smacks his lips and says "mmm", which is very reassuring to me. He is obsessed with Scott, and says "dada" (but not necessarily intentionally). The closest he's come to calling for me is saying "muh." Coupled with a newfound penchant for growling like an actual little monster, we have quite the little charmling on our hands.

But all of that is really neither here nor there. This, THIS is the real trouble we're in:


Oh dear god, help us all.