Owen Be Nimble

I love this picture. Owen, with his little sleeves rolled up, stretching for his toes. It's like he knows he needs to stay nimble to keep up with all the changes he is making. It amazes me how quickly he adapts to each leap forward and how eager he is to take on the next. He is content to stand, propped up against a chair, for a few days and then he wants to leave the safety of the chair behind. No longer is it good enough to just stand, he wants to walk and explore and discover. He hardly gives himself a chance to revel in each discovery, he is too curious to see what is next. He is constantly surpassing my expectations.

I wish I so easily felt that same restlessness and eagerness to welcome each new challenge, excited to discover within myself an untapped ability to keep up with him. He has certainly unearthed some strengths I didn't know I had, but some things that I thought were strengths might just be rigidity. It hurts to bend and flex in those places, but he keeps gently (and not so gently) prodding me to do so. So, today I will roll up my sleeves with the little guy and stretch to the point where it hurts so good and see what we can discover together.

Separateness/Togetherness

This is Owen, suited up for a walk, even though it is in the thirties and sleeting (in March?!) Why? Because John knows that Owen and I need some separateness in our togetherness and that is hard to achieve in our tiny match box house where I can hear Owen breathing no matter where he is. I was saying to John last night that I have never spent this kind of intense time with anyone in my life, but John corrected me, "You have with your mom!" So, thank you, mom, and thank you, John.

Exclusive Interview

Since starting our blog, inquiring minds have asked many questions about how Owen is growing and changing. We asked the busy guy to take a few moments to sit down with us and share his thoughts and comments with his viewing public. To facilitate this process, we hooked him up to an EEG to interpret his squeals and shrieks.

Interviewer: Master Owen, thank you so much for joining us.
Owen: My pleasure. I think I'm getting extra apricots tonight for this.

I: Owen, many people are curious to know if you are sleeping through the night?
O: Wow, you really start with the hot button issues. Well, a few weeks ago I was going to bed around 6pm, then I'd wake up around 3:30 or 4 for a snuggle and a snack, and sleep till 6:30 or 7. A few nights in a row, however, I got really wrapped up in some crazy dreams (something about me, my wooden spoon, and crows) and I forgot to wake up. I slept all the way till 5! My folks were on to me and decided I didn't need that late night snack, so they just let me cry and cry until I figured they were serious and went back to sleep. I really missed seeing them in the middle of the night though, so I decided to start going to sleep at 5 pm instead. That way they would still have to feed me at 4. Ha Ha. But daylight savings foiled my plans and I am back to going to sleep later, which means they expect me to stay quiet in the wee hours. They are feeling pretty good about themselves, so sometimes I refuse to take a nap or wake up for no good reason at 11pm just so they don't get too complacent.

I: What are you eating these days, Owen?
O: Apricots, oatmeal, avocados, carrots, sweet potatoes, lentils, chickpeas, applesauce, pears, bananas. Essentially anything that isn't green. My parents sneak in the occasional serving of green beans or peas and I just store it up in my mouth. But those two, oh are they smart! Once my mouth is full, they tempt me with a sip of pear juice. Ah, that intoxicating elixir I cannot resist! I have to slurp it down, thereby swallowing all the green stuff.

I: What new talents do you have, Owen?
O: Let's see, I can roll from my tummy to my back and my back to my tummy, I can sit, I can hold my self up standing with just a little support from my folks, I can do the centipede (ala breakdancing), and give one heck of a wet willy.

I: Owen, any teeth?
O: Nope, no teeth, but I for one will be glad when they come! Then maybe people will stop cramming their fingers in my mouth and shoving freezing cold things in my face every time I cry. I do, however, like those little sweet pellet things they give me, so sometimes I cry like I'm teething just to get some of those.

I:Last questions, Owen. Who do YOU want answering the phone at 3 am?
O: Easy, my mom and dad. They are the ultimate dream ticket.

Beach Picnic

We had a great day with Owen today! This is perhaps the last day without rain for a while so we made sure to get out as much as possible. That meant three trips to the beach for Owen in between naps. He did so well with all the comings and goings. It is hard to not continually filter our expectations of him through the tiny infant he used to be. We forget how quickly he changes and that what he couldn't do last week may be a cinch for him this week. That was what propelled us to have an impromptu pizza picnic at Golden Gardens. Owen has been going to bed so early lately (6 pm) and John and I are a bit tired of having to be inside from then on and leading a somewhat senior citizen lifestyle. So we rounded him up with some of his favorite toys (notice the spoon, the beer is one of John's favorite toys), grabbed a pizza, and headed to the beach for a third time and had a great evening. He actually stayed up until 7 pm, we can't remember the last time that happened. I have to say that John and I are doing a much better job of being spontaneous and seizing opportunities when they present themselves rather than needing everything to be scheduled and planned.

Yesterday was also a great day because we enrolled Owen in a co-op preschool. The enrollment is through a lottery, so I figured there was no way we would get the class we wanted since I have never won a lottery in my life. My luck must be changing with Owen, however. It was a tense half hour, waiting for our number to be called and watching all the other lucky winners go into the registration room. "568!" We got in! He won't start until the fall and only go one day a week to begin, but we can walk there and his buddy Koen is also in his class. Owen and Koen don't know they are buddies but his mom and I are so, by default, they are too!

P.S. This is Owen's Fruit Stripe outfit (remember that gum?) It is actually our friends', Tristan and Kate's, little boy's outfit. I can remember Elliot wearing it when I was barely pregnant and now our own little guy is sporting it.

Spooning

This is my spoon

I love my spoon
I mean REALLY love my spoon
Are you laughing at me?

Owen is 8 months!

Now that John and I are no longer just "surviving", meaning getting more than a few hours of sleep at night, taking showers regularly, not crying as much as Owen, we feel ready to take our family into the 21st century and start our very own blog. Everyone will now be able to share in the gritty details of Owen's everyday life and add phrases like "the poop and roll" to their lexicon, as John and I have.

What, pray tell is the "poop and roll?" That is when, at the precise moment we take off a very dirty diaper, our sweet baby boy is overtaken by the uncontrollable urge to roll over onto his tummy, smearing loveliness everywhere. When he is feeling particularly giving, he will barf at the same time. I have started changing him on the floor so I can practically lay on top of him to restrain him. Boy do we love him.

I have to share with you a special song my Aunt Jill wrote for Owen. It is sung to the tune of Madonna's "Papa Don't Preach."

Owen don’t screech
I’m in trouble now
Owen don’t screech
Cause I ‘ve been losing sleep
But I pay it no mind
Cause I’m keeping my baby
Oooo, I’m gonna keep my baby…

Yes, we are certainly going to keep him.

Here are some pics from Owen's nummy breakfast

Banana Selection

Banana Feeding

Banana Smiles