Into the hangar

Foreshadowing


The WHO recommends exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months of life before the introduction of compli- mentary foods. We made it to 12 days before Micah's 6 month birthday before giving him a little brown rice cereal. So close! We were desperate to try to find a remedy for Micah's poor sleeping patterns of late and his near constant feeding through the night. We were testing the hypothesis that he wasn't having his caloric needs met mama's milk alone and perhaps he was indeed ready for "solid" foods--though I can't say the tablespoon's worth of cereal he has ingested over three days has added significantly to his dietary needs.

I followed the advice in my Super Baby Foods book to a T, mixing the cereal with my milk so it would be sort of familiar, having a towel handy for spills, measuring out 1 teaspoon of dry cereal to 2 tablespoons of milk...but alas Micah ate at most four or five pea sized bites. He seemed to be thinking, " You've done something different with your milk, haven't you?" Despite my best efforts to, "keep my facial expression pleasant" his gagging on the thick grainy liquid, quickly made that impossible. Four more days an dthen we'll introduce something exciting...like enchiladas con mole negro...or sweet potato.

Shrooming with Baby

So Sunday we spent a lovely day mushrooming in West Marin...we figured it is never too early to start Micah on expanding his horizons, man (his culinary horizons, geez people! Not psychedelic -- what kind of parents do you think we are anyway?). We were not two minutes in the car before the "Micah the Mycologist" puns starting flowing. It was a beautiful day and lest I give up the coordinates of our super- chanterelle trove we found, let's just say we were somewhere northwest of Olema. We were out trekking for close to 5 hours, Micah bopping on his daddy's back in his Kelty pack for the first time. I stuck to the trail most of the day, my skin crawling from the mere sight of all the poison oak. That is until we came across the aforementioned treasure trove. My exuberance got the better of me and I bounded into the woods in keen pursuit of the great fungus prize. Upon arriving home I vigorously washed with my old friend Tech-nu, not once, but three, count 'em, three times, being careful to get all my exposed areas. Amazingly I didn't get poison oak on my feet--the very feet that had been exposed all day while wearing my chacos. If you know me at all you would understand what a miraculous feat that is (this from the girl who contracts poison oak from the immune Zack like it was the airborne ebola virus). Of course, I'll repeat, if you know me at all, and my personal history with poison oak, you know this story can't end happily.

I had washed everywhere with Tech-nu EXCEPT my trunk, thinking it had been covered up all day by my shirt and vest. WRONG. You see, I nursed Micah several times during the day, and well...I think you know where this is going. I thought poison oak (twice) on my pregnant belly was bad, but poison oak on your boobs while nursing is infinitely worse. Feel sorry for me. Very sorry for me.

p.s. Micah is fine.
p.p.s Since writing this I have now sprained my foot. So now you also have to feel sorry for Zack, who must carry Micah in the Bjorn in front and me on his back.

Damn, I'm cute

Who would have ever thought...

The things you never thought you would own:
1) a breast pump with a kitchy name like, "Pump in Style" (because whipping your boobs out and placing hard plastic shields against them while a motor rhythmically sucks away at your nipples is always haute couture, darling)
2) a product named "Boudreaux's Butt Paste"
and finally,
3) a garish plastic multicolored monstrosity that takes up 4 square feet of valuable floor space, but buys you enough time to make dinner, post a blog entry and catch up on some needed personal hygiene tasks, while entertaining your wee babe. Oh St. Exersaucer where have you been these 5 months?

Budding Narcissist

So I recently discovered that Micah can amuse himself for HOURS with, well, himself. A mini-Narcissus in the making. It really frees a girl's time up, ya know. Just prop the boy up in front of the mirror, go grab a latte at Peet's and come back from your errands and there he sits, conversing with his reflection. "Hello gorgeous!" I mean this is seriously great folks...I don't think I'll ever have to spring for a babysitter.



You can see more mirror-play action at YouTube.

Micah is five months old today!

As part of his five month paternity review, we've posted a picture of five-month-old Micah alongside a picture of five-month-old Zack (ummm, not the small boy with the large hair) taken in November 1977 (our birthdays are six days apart). Judge for yourself: did Amy give birth to her husband?












































Next, we share with you some recent pictures. We call the first one: "How YOU doin'?"

Micah Savages Chew Toy

Here are two short videos (with sound this time!) of Micah acting aggressively toward hard plastic. Durations: 0:46 and 1:38. Notice how well he is sitting up.

Sittin' up & veggin' out

soy SUPER picante

Okay, so isn't Micah just the cutest frickin' chili pepper EVER!
I mean: Micah Forest's red hot, Micah Forest's red hot, Micah Forest's R-E-D, RED! H-O-T, HOT! Once-we-start-we-can-not-stop, RIGHT ON! (clap, clap-clap,clap), RIGHT ON! (clap, clap-clap,clap).--Softball cheers anyone, anyone? His G.G.G made it for him and I just think he may have to dress up everyday like a pepper until he out grows it. As you can see, the boy earned his keep too. He netted us: 1 Kit Kat, 1 Whopper and count 'em, 2 Smarties (the American kind). And yes, we shamelessly fronted our nightshade family garbed kid in front of strangers and asked for candy.

Shout out to lil' cuz JoScoGro from MiFoGro

Micah has a cousin! Little Joseph Scott Grossman was born on October 12th (yeah, I know--a little late) in New York and we simply can not wait to meet him. The boys are almost exactly 4 months apart. He is just cute as can be and Zack and I are a proud zio and tia, respectively. Micah can't wait to roll over Joey and drool all over the toys Joey can't hold yet.

The agony of de-Feet

Micah has discovered his feet. He spent a good half hour one night trying to get his foot in his mouth while we were in Canada visiting his great grandmother and great great aunt and uncle. You wouldn't believe how proud he was of himself once he succeeded in getting his foot in his mouth. I had to share this first with Zack over the phone, who informed me that he doubted it would be the last time Micah would put his foot in his mouth. While in Canada, Micah also discovered this oh-so-delightful high pitched squeal he can make...repeatedly. He was generally spoiled rotten by his g.g.g (great grandma Gwen) who is currently making him adorable curtains for his nursery. Once again, he was an incredibly good traveler...which was lucky for me given I was sans Zack on this trip.

Total fluke

Yeah, well THAT was short lived. To be honest though, we have come along way in the sleep department. Micah doesn't feed nearly as often through the night and typically gives us 4 hour chunks of sleep (believe me, that is an improvement). I have taken matters into my own hands, however (I suppose that's what mother's are meant to do). I took out an incredible book from the library, "Secrets of the Baby Whisperer" and I can only say I wish I had read it before he was born (Melodie-if you're reading this, I already got you covered). I had to laugh at the oh-so-terribly-English author's description of the typical client who seeks her services...it was basically us, right down to the not buying a crib and the time line where co-sleeping lost its allure. We parted company, however, when her typical client went from the Sear's method to the other extreme of the baby sleeping continuum, Ferberizing our baby (though I admit, letting him cry it out was seeming a bit more attractive). After reading her book in a day, I must admit, nap times yesterday worked like a charm--and I didn't have to nurse him to put him down. It was amazing, things progressed just as the author said they would. Bedtime was a little more tricky as Micah is VERY accustomed to his nightly milk fix to knock him out--but he eventually fell asleep. Wish us luck.

p.s. We bought a crib

4 months and miracle of miracles...

Monday marked Micah's 4th month postpartum and that night we received a most special anniversary present. Imagine my shock and surprise when I woke myself up at the usual 2 am feeding time to....the sweet sounds of a sleeping babe. I fell back asleep in contented bewilderment. When Micah finally woke to feed...a full 7 hours and 10 minutes after being put down (lets repeat that folks, OVER 7 hours later) I was almost excited to feed him. Of course he had given me the gift of so much consecutive sleep that when he fell quietly back asleep, I lay awake in bed. Hunger finally got the better of me and there I was scrambling eggs at 5:30 am while everyone else slept merrily along. Don't worry, I managed to enjoy a few more winks.

So was it a fluke? I promised myself I wouldn't get too excited and treat it as the anomaly it probably was. But then Micah slept for 6 straight hours last night! There may be something special about 4 months after all...Of course by writing this all down I have condemn myself to certain disappointment and weeks of hourly feedings around the clock just for merely even suggesting that Micah may be leaning towards sleeping through the night. I'll keep you all posted as I lay my sweet babe down with bated breath.

Get up, stand up

Micah and Isa sittin' in a tree...

D-R-O-O-L-I-N-G!

How cute, no? My college roommate Amy Kitchen (now Trujillo) came up for a visit and brought her adorable 5 month old baby, Isabelle. Micah outweighed her by a bit, but she made up for it in the cheeks department.