Three Unassisted Steps

Well, that didn't take long. It was only a few days ago I was pondering whether '08 would bring Bud's first steps and, about sixteen hours into the new year, it turned out to be true. Bud took three unassisted steps from her toy kitchen to me.

I'm recovering from last night, so I am a little short on witty remarks. I'm sure I'll think of something as soon as I hit 'publish.'

Happy New Year everyone!!

Taking the World By Land and Sea

Wait...did I just quote "The Breakup?" Yeah, it's a chick flick, but it's got some funny bits- so BACK OFF!!

I think it's amazing that in the course of four days, Bud began learning to both walk and swim.

First, walking. Over the weekend she, for the first time, allowed us to hold her hands while she walked with our support. When they say in the various credit card commercials "Your Baby's First Step," do they mean assisted or unassisted? In any event, I can hear Five for Fighting in the background..."I'm fifteen for a moment..."

Second, swimming. We began lessons on Sunday. Technically, it's a "Mommy and Me", but there were no mommys in the pool...this is definitely a daddy thing. She seemed to like it...I'm not sure if she was kicking because she was swimming, or because she kicks all the time. Again, I'm not sure what the Official Child Milestone book considers swimming, so I'm going to score it as a "yes."

Next week, I'm going to teach her how to convert a 7-10 split.

That's about as likely as me playing by someone else's rules besides my own. Which I would never do. I play by my own rules..

"...nobody else's...not even my own."

When I started this blog, I had a couple of guidelines for myself. First, I wouldn't turn this into a mushy, lovey-dovey, "look-my-kid-spit-up" minute-by-minute update on Bud's life.

Second, I was only going to post when I had something to write about. I wasn't going to do this every day, every other day, etc...I was only going to speak when I had something to say.

And that's why your humble narrator has been MIA this month...aside from the vacation situation and the thanksgiving stuff, the only thing I have to report is a laundry list of really cute things that my daughter has done. But you probably don't want to hear that...

Well, too bad...I'm breaking my rules today. I'm a rebel, my friends:

• Every morning, the first thing she says to Newmommy and me is "Binky." But, with one in her mouth so it sounds more like "Biikii." And, aside from the one in her mouth, she's got one in each hand. Multitasking at such a young age...
• She knows what animals say: pig, horse, dog, sheep, cow, cat, and my favorite...monkey. See tickles herself and goes "ooo, ooo."
  
• She hasn't quite gotten "rooster": cock-a-doo-loo.
• She's not counting, nor does she know the alphabet yet, but she's started in the middle: she knows the number three and the letter "P." One, two....three!!
• Ask her a "who is the .... in the world ?" question and she's say, "MEEE!" (In fact, I sang her the "Wally World National Anthem," and when I got to "Who's the star of our favorite show?" she replied, "MEEE!!"
• She rocks out...when she hears a song she likes, she'll get on her knees, throw her hands in the air, and bounce up and down. Rock on.
• She brushes her teeth. It's never too early to begin good oral hygiene habits, folks.
  

That's enough for now. Sorry for the lame month of posting, everyone. Hopefully, in December, I'll be able to b-ring it. (It's already been b-rought-ed).

I.O.L. in Every Room

Bud has mastered a skill: turning lights on and off. We hold her up to a light switch and she flicks on the light, proudly declaring, in an almost biblical way "liiiight!" And, then she turns the light off. And, in true fourteen-month-old fashion, she repeats the exercise about ten times until we pull her away.

(And, yes, I quoted "Arthur II: On the Rocks" for this post. For those of you who did not have HBO throughout the nineties...IOL stands for "Instant On Lighting.")

I will forgo the "enjoy your turkey sandwich/leftovers" jokes, but will relay a funny story from last night's dinner. Grandma brought Bud an Elmo cupcake for dessert, which she managed to get all over her clothing, hair, face, the floor, etc. We all watched and laughed. (Far be it from us to focus on anything other than Bud during a family function!) Newaunt says, "this is the best entertainment ever!" Bud looks up, pats herself on the chest with both hands and yells "MEEEEEE!!!!" Exactly.

Language Lessons

Monique: "...instead he uses it as a chance to put his testicles all over me."
Lane Meyer: "TENTACLES...N, T....there's a big difference."

- From "Better Off Dead"

Bud has quite the vocabulary, with such new words as "ball," "open," and "car." (Not to mention "Laurie", as in Laurie Berkner.) Bud's words generally come in two categories: words that are clearly the word she's trying to say (like "key" and "dada"), and those which are close and consistent (such as "pa-peh" for pancake and "ba-bay-bee" for strawberry). Her newest one, however, is DVD, which she loving calls a "VD." It's going to be a while before she appreciates the difference, and I wonder if, by the time she learns what VD actually means, DVDs will even be around. "VD!" "VD!" No, really, you don't want that.

When is a Baby not a Baby? When she's a Toddler

Yesterday I asked, "at what point is [Bud] no longer "Baby Bud" and "Little Girl Bud?" (In retrospect, I realize that the grammar is incorrect, but how many English teachers out there are reading this?) The question is: when does a baby become a not-baby?

Today, I got my answer from my weekly e-mail from Babycenter, which was titled, for the first time "Your Toddler This Week." Previously, it was "Your Baby This Week."

And, as we know, the internets is never wrong.

So, there you have it. Bud is a toddler. And I am old.

When is a Baby not a Baby?

As I watched my almost-thirteen-month-old climb up a set of stairs today (which she did for the first time while I was at work), I was struck by how non-baby like she is. She's got a full head of hair with curls in the back, she was wearing jeans, she is really communicating with us...at what point is she no longer "Baby Bud" and "Little Girl Bud?"

Some thoughts, none of which I really like:

• When she walks
• When she speaks sentences. (Or, when she asks a question)
• When she says 'no'
• When she releases her first album
• When she is 1 (or 2, or some other chronological milestone)
• When she starts school

Any thoughts? (And, if she is no longer "Baby Bud", is it fair for me to still be "Newdaddy"?)

Oh, and when is a Yankee Fan not a Yankee Fan? Tonight? Here's my question: who do you root for in the Red Sox - Angels series? With the terrible track record (not to mention post-season track record) the Yankees have against the Angels, we'd probably rather see Boston next week than L.A. Also, if the Yankees and Red Sox meet up in the ALCS, we can avenge the tragic events of 2004.

On the other hand, what self-respecting Yankee Fan roots for the Red Sox under any circumstances? Plus, and I hate myself for saying this, what if the ALCS is New York/Boston, and it turns into a trainwreck-a-la-'04? Yikes.

Finally, and I'll write more about this in the coming weeks, the Newfamily is moving! The move is going to be in a few weeks. Don't worry Garden State, we're staying within the Jersey borders...however, Bud and her accessories take up a tremendous amount of space...and we need space.

Not-So Newdaddy

[Note: my posts typically follow a logical line of reasoning in order to establish or discuss a single theme. In honor of my surviving my first year of fatherhood, I have decided to waive that rule for tonite. Thanks for indulging me.]

Today marks the last day of my first year as a father. The question that keeps running through my head is the same question that has been haunting me since one-year-ago tomorrow: am I a good father? It's a really tough question to answer; especially because the real tests probably have not hit me yet.

Fatherhood is a unique experience for which no one can prepare you. Sure, everyone can give you the same "warnings" (lack of sleep, diaper changes, etc.), and the typical "advice" (buy this stroller, use this magical product), but what nobody tells you is that none of that really matters. When I think back about the previous year; the sleepless nights, diaper changes, feedings, burpings, etc. are secondary to the major events: the first babble, the first crawl, the first word...even the time the little stinker broke my glasses. I doubt I will remember any one dirty diaper; but I remember hundreds of specific smiles.

(That's not exactly true, we were at the diner once and Bud decided it would be a good time to take a dump. She pushed and pushed, her face turned bright red and her eyes were tearing. It was as if she was passing a Toyota through her digestive system. I was terrified to change that diaper. When we opened it up; the poop was the size of a pea. I will never understand the physics of baby poop, but will always remember the "Princess and the Pea Poop.")

(Oh yeah, I probably will remember the dump she took on the way to Puerto Rico. Anyway, now that I've disproved my point....)

Bud turning one blows my mind. A buddy of mine said, "wow, one year old, that's, like, a real person." (I guess we know what his view on abortion is...)

And, while we're on the subject, where's this blog going after one year? I'm not sure, but I've received two comments that the baseball theme has overtaken the fatherhood theme. Here's my response to that: for a blog to be good, it's got to have a topic. Blogs that simply record a random person's thoughts are often times unreadable. However, good blogs are also ones that tell stories, and it's hard to tell interesting stories when you have no color on the characters. I am not "all-daddy." So, I'm going to throw in my other interests from time to time. Just be glad I don't bring up any work-related topics.

I'm going to go to bed now. One year ago tonight, I "slept" on the "cot" on the hospital floor. Tonight promises to be a lot more comfortable. Oh yeah, Newmommy's night will probably be a bit more comfortable, too.

Yodl-aye-EEEE-hoooo!

Bud got her first tooth! Newmommy noticed it by accident on Monday afternoon.

That's parenthood for you...everything's a milestone, and every day is a different celebration. Last week, not only did Bud sit up on her own for the first time, but I also heard her yodel. You're probably laughing at my taking note of this milestone, but do you remember your first yodel? I didn't think so. (Readers from Switzerland excluded, obviously.)

Baby

"You didn't know English that whole first year of your life. You had that made-up, like, goo-goo, gaa-gaa baby language. It was really irritating." - Phil Weston (played by Will Ferrell) in "Kicking and Screaming"

Bud has said her first word: "Baby." She's actually been saying it for a few weeks now, but I hadn't been sure that it was her real first word. The real first word had two tests: first, it had to be a real English word, no baby nonsensical words like "ma-ma," "da-da," or "Red Sox." A few weeks ago, she was babbling something that sounded like baby, but it was only recently that it was full-on "baby." Second, the word couldn't be mumbled accidentally. Bud's said things like "oat bran," "baked potato," and "burlap," but all of it was babble (or a burp). The word had to be associated somehow with something she was looking at. Over the past few weeks, she's said "baby" every time she sees her reflection or sees another baby, in a picture or on the street.

I always thought that Bud's first word was going to just happen one day, and that I wouldn't just realize it in retrospect. I figured one day, I'd be sitting in the kitchen, feeding Bud puffs (or, as I like to call it, "Baby Crack"), when she would turn to me and say "Daddy!" The game-show bells would ring, and we would record the date in Bud's book-o-memories.

It didn't happen that way, but I'll take it.

P.S. I did not find "Kicking and Screaming" that funny, but the quote just worked.

Da-da-da-da-da-da-velopment

A few weeks ago, I (wrongfully) declared Bud's first word to be "hi!" She didn't say her first word today either, but she did- out of nowhere- begin repeating syllables, which I understand is a milestone on the vocal development time line. Apparently, Newmommy and Bud were leaving a friend's house when Bud started giggling. When she was finished, she started repeating "da da da da, ba, ba, ba, ba" and continued until about half an hour ago when I put her to sleep.

At about 5pm, Newmommy calls me, puts Bud on the phone, and all I hear is "da da da." It made my day.

And now, da da da is going to go root-root-root for da-da-da-troit.

Blame it on the Teeth

Bud is not a crier. Yes, we got very, very lucky. When she's upset, she simply moans a lot. So, when she cried throughout tonight's dinner (or, throughout the time when Newmommy and I tried to feed her dinner), we were obviously concerned.

We went through the "upset" checklist:
(1) Hungry? Well, no, we're feeding her, so it can't be that.
(2) Gassy? Nope. We stopped, burped her, she gave us a few, and we continued. Still crying.
(3) Dirty? Nope.
(4) Tired? She is tired, but she's crying way more than usual for just being tired.

So, we did what every parent of a 4-10 month old would do. Panic, and then blame it on the first possible thing we can think of...she's teething. We've blamed quite a few issues on teething, and, mind you, she has no teeth yet. But, when she starting sucking on Newmommy's finger...and then the teether...like it was the only thing that could prevent her agony...well, I think that's a pretty good indication that a tooth may be on the way. Now, I've mistakenly declared a "milestone" in the past, so let's not jump to conclusion until we actually break out the Crest. It may soon be time to fight those Cavity Creeps...."we make holes in teeth..."

Potpourri

• Bad Parenting?: Are there any other fathers out there who, when reading nursery rhymes, can't help but think of Andrew Dice Clay's renditions from the early nineties? "Hickory, Dickory, Doc...."
  
• New Toy: Apparently, daddy's glasses are more fun than any Leapfrog talking, singing, put-it-together, battery-operated toy. Bud's not hard to please. Grab daddy's glasses from his face, shake, then eat.
  
• Update: Bud's smile seems to be developing into this face-scrunch over-smile, which is very cute. I've seen this from a lot of babies around this age.
  
• Observation: It seems that every time I bad-mouth a Yankee, they end up proving me wrong. (For example...) With that in mind.... man, that Abreu, Damon, Cano, Cabrera, Menkwekwiskch....., can't seem to get a hit lately.
  
• P.S. I do realize that it's Igawa, not Ikawa...but it's transliteration anyway, right?

[Edit (2:10pm), bottom of the third- Doug Mientkiewicz, 3-run HR vs. Tavarez (BOS). It's scary. I sure don't think Wang can strike out every remaining batter...]

Bud's First Solid Food!

Today we reached a milestone in Bud's life: her first solid meal. Of course, it was a rice cereal mixed with formula...one part cereal and a few hundred parts formula, so it was more "soup" than "solid," but, nevertheless, technically, it was her first solids.

The meal went something like this:

We fed her a few ounces of her normal breakfast bottle. Then, we moved the feeding into the kitchen and spoon-fed her the cereal. At first, she tried to suck the spoon, as she doesn't know how else to eat. Then, confusion set in...she looked at us like "what the heck are you doing to me...where's my bottle?" As time went on, it looked like she was getting the hang of it, but not doing too well; most of the food went all over her mouth and bib. Still, she didn't seem angry or frustrated, and she didn't cry. She actually seemed a bit excited between spoonfulls, and I'm not sure if that was excitement for the food, or an expression of something else.

Newmommy told me that "The Book" warned that during a baby's first feeding, the baby may look insulted. (Where's my real food...why are you giving me this?) That's hysterical.

Oh yeah, and as she kicked during her mid-feeding breaks, she managed to kick the bowl out of Newmommy's hands and knock some of the cereal onto the table. So, out of the whole bowl, I would say: 20% landed on the table, 30% got on her bib, 20% made it onto (but not into) her mouth, and the rest was eaten. 30%...not bad. Of course, that's a guess.

So, congratulations to Bud!

P.S. And, if that wasn't enough...Bud confirmed that she has the whole back-to-tummy roll down. We found her face-down at the end of her nap.

Potpourri

• Quote: A buddy of mine after watching Bud examine the front and back of her hand for about ten minutes (open-palm): "Woah, am I on mushrooms or am I five months old?"
• Update: Newmommy and I are going to try a modified "Cry-it-Out" approach to Bud's mid-night wake-ups due to Binky loss. If she wakes up in the middle of the night, we're not going to rush in to give her the pacifier unless the crying is really bad (right now all she does is moan and whine...I don't mean to inject religion into the discussion but the best word I can think of is :"kvetch") or if it lasts for an extended period of time. That period of time is under debate...but it will probably be somewhere between fifteen and thirty minutes.
• Reader Pimpage: An extremely well-padded 3-year old attempts to skate, skate, sk-sk-sk-roller-skate.
• Observation: Has anyone else noticed that during the show "24" Fox tries to inject the show into the trailers for the news? "Coming up at 10...what scares Jack Bower the most about the upcoming season of 24?...and Iraq, only on Fox News at 10."

Is This New?

Bud's been making this fish-face. I'm not sure what it is, but it's really cute. I saw it for the first time this morning and asked Newmommy, "is this new?" Then I realized how depressing it is that I have to ask her that. But, what am I going to do? I saw Bud (awake) Tuesday morning before I left for work, and then didn't see her again until Thursday night...and then it was only for 40 minutes or so. It's hard, because I know I am doing exactly what I should be doing for Bud...going to work...but it's still tough going long stretches without seeing her, and then having to ask Newmommy if the fish-face is new.

Although, there was a major accomplishment....Bud rolled over tummy-to-back today! Now, Newnana and Newgrampy said that they saw this a few weeks ago, and so did Newmommy, but it doesn't count until I see it.

The Pacifier

...not the Vin Diesel movie.

Thanks to peter for his suggestion to my "Cry It Out" problem...I think we're going to at least try to see if his "multiple pacifier" approach works before we commit to the "cry it out" approach. In fact, I think Bud is learning to manipulate the Binky...I caught her last night with the side of the binky in her mouth, and then upside-down. It shows that's she's (sorta) catching on.

While we're on the subject of multiple binkys (binkies?)....

Cry It Out

We've been very lucky. Bud slept through the night for the first time at about 8 weeks...and when I say "slept through the night," I mean a solid twelve-hour stretch. It hasn't been consistent, there have been a number of nights where Newmommy and I had to wake up a few times to give Bud the pacifier back...but, all in all, she's been a great sleeper.

Over the last few nights it has become apparent that Bud has become "addicted" to the pacifier...she can't sleep without it. And, because she has been losing the pacifier at night...either unintentionally, or actually pulling the thing out...we've been getting up more.

She also just turned five months, so Newmommy and I are attempting to "train" Bud to sleep sans-Binky by having her "Cry it Out." What this means is not giving her the pacifier when she cries for it in the middle of the night, and have her learn to soothe herself to sleep.

What this really means is sitting listing to your child cry and not doing anything about it. This is what the books say to do, and what doctors say to do, and what our friends have told us works...but this can't be right.

As I write this, it's Bud's naptime, but she's not asleep. She's crying, and has been for the last twenty-nine minutes. (Actually, not really crying, sort of a whining...) I am fighting every parental urge I have to go help her to sleep, and I keep telling myself that this is what I am supposed to do; and that by helping her learn to sleep I am being a good parent....but it sure does not feel that way. Baby needs me...I should be there. It feels like I'm being a bad parent.

This sucks.

They Call Them "Fingers," But I've Never Seen Them "Fing"!

What can be more heartwarming to a new father than that bright smile of his little girl as he comes home from a hard day's work. I'll tell you...her flipping him off. That's right folks, Bud has made an advancement in the category of fine motor skills...flipping the bird.

Now, of course she doesn't mean it. It's just a position her hand's been getting into lately (I HOPE!). But, as I sit there feeding her, her fighting over those last two ounces, it's hard not to think that there may be a little bit of intent there.

I should point out that there have been other developments with respect to her hands: she's beginning to hold the bottle as we feed her, she's grabbing just about everything you put in front of her, and she also can type about 50 words per minute on a blackberry.

This development takes the cake, though. And yes, I am proud of her...she has learned an essential means of communicating, and she hasn't even begun to form words yet. Plus, it's really cute. So, when daddy gets home from a long day, seeing you're daughter flip you off...it can be quite heartwarming.

I doubt I'll feel the same way in sixteen years.

Bud's Four-month Birthday

I am amazed at how fast Bud is developing. She seems completely different from even two weeks ago: then, she was just beginning to discover how her hands work, now, she is grabbing things "purposefully." (Apparently, the grab reflex should give way to "purposeful" grabbing.)

Another funny development is that Bud's discovering her voice (and her lungs). She makes these high-pitched squeal/laughs/screams. I do think these are social-laughs, as she does it at the appropriate times (for funny faces, funny sounds and when we play peek-a-boo).

Happy Birthday Bud!