11 Months

The Muffin Man turned 11 months old today.  I can't believe we're so close to 1 year.  Poor little guy didn't sleep soundly last night and he seemed so tired all day.  There were times when he just sat still and stared at the TV.  His eyes looks red and he just seemed so sleepy.  Poor guy.  When Daddy got him up out of bed this morning Declan simply snuggled into him like he'd have been happy just to be held. 

Declan has a new 'face' that he makes.  He lowers his brow and then looks up at you with a stern face.  I swear he's judging me.  I kept trying to get a photo of it but when he saw the phone/camera he would smile and get excited so the face was gone.  His Auntie T snapped a picture of the 'face' as he was making it for his cousin Madison.

During a short visit with his Aunt, Uncle and cousins Declan finally made Uncle Scott happy by recipricating the 'fist bump'.  Then I watched while Declan giggled and laughed because Uncle Scott kept 'pretending' to drop Declan.  He was loving it.

1 more month bud.  Can't even remember life before you.

Fun with Cars

Made sure the muffin man got in some good tummy time.  Put him down in a nice open area and got out his two new cars that zoom forward when you power them by pulling back on them.  Declan was kicking his legs like crazy.  Looked like he thought he was swimming.  He had lots of energy and was a smiley pants.  He reached for the cars when they got close to him and there were some giggles.  The biggest laugh when one of the cars zoomed right into his armpit.  He wiggled and pushed back enough that he'd moved about 2 feet from where I'd put him down. 

Decided perhaps I should try getting him to stand at the furniture.  Put his hands up on the chair and held him in a standing position and whoops he lifts up his feet.  Put him down and then held him in the standing position again and whoops, there he goes, lifts his feet up again.  He's so stubborn.  I was persistant and finally got him to stand on his own for about...hmmm...3 seconds before he sat down.

Just going to make certain to keep getting him on his tummy and encouraging him to stand and perhaps eventually the little guy will find the motivation.

Oh...and we read one of his new books from Christmas.  The one he received from his Auntie T and Uncle Scott.  The Monster at the End of this Book.  There is just no way he 'gets' the idea of the story or understand the humour but he sure makes you believe that he does.  Declan smiles at me and laughs in all the right places.  He's an actor.

Velociraptor

I got Declan up out of bed at 7:30 so I could hang out with him for an hour before Gramma arrived and I had to head off to work. He was so much fun. I laid down on the floor and Hunter cuddled up to me then Declan turned toward us and was patting Hunter gently and then he'd grab Hunter furs and pull. I'd take his hand away and say "gently" which he would then do again. Gentle kitty pats and then he'd grab fur and pull. Poor Hunter. He's such a good kitty for simply taking it.
It is sweet how happy Declan is to see Hunter and technically "Kitty kitty" is Declan's first deliberate word as he will say to Hunter when he sees him.

Gramma got to spend two hours with Declan and she says he was great. Muffin man got a 2nd treat container. Now he has Oscar the Grouch to go with his Elmo container.

Daddy was home from work just after 10:30am. The two boys had plans to visit Daddy's friend (and coworker) Mike in the afternoon so they tackled lunch first before hitting the road. Declan fell asleep in the car so Daddy parked and let him finish his nap on his own terms before heading into Mikes. Yes the monkey on the face is weird but its how he prefers to sleep (see picture...'nuf said).

Declan was great at Mike's. He played with some if Mike's children's toys and was good when Mike held him for a bit. They were checking out a Transformers poster together. The new weird thing though is this high pitch squeal of a sound he makes that Daddy says sounds like a velociraptor. I think he get that one from me.

Little man was good in the evening at home. Ate his dinner and was very interactive with Daddy. I got the big happy boy when I got home from work. Hug out with the muffin man until it was bedtime.
Glad he had a great day.

My Fishie

Declan and I joined Owen and Hayley at the Milton Leisure Centre today for open family swim.  We were super prepared.  Declan has his little swimmer and swim shorts on under his sweat pants and fleece.  I had my swim suit on under my clothes.  We got there, whiped off our clothes and heading to the pool!

He's so friggin' cute.

We waded into the water and spotted Hayley and Owen.  I love seeing Declan's face when he first spies his friend.  Big smile and bright eyes.  You can tell he is happy to see Owen.  Declan was also very happy to be in the water.  I guess all the time in the pool in the summer paid off because he wasn't afraid at all.  Holding onto him under his arm pits and his legs were out behind him.  Without any encouragement needed Declan had his legs kicking just like a pro swimmer.  I blew in his face and dunked him two times and he didn't cry either time. Held him in the air "Super Baby" and dropped him down to the water with splashes and he giggled. Sat him on the edge of the pool then counted down from 3 before pulling him in.  He loved it.  Held him while he splashed with his arms and then I laid him back in the water so his ears were in and he didn't fuss at all.

Declan and Owen had a little back and forth with a ball in the pool.  Owen would push it toward Declan and then Declan would just wait.  I'd push it back toward Owen for him and Declan would laugh.  After playing with the ball Declan saw a rubber ducky floating by.  He reached out and grabbed it.  Then we found another so we brought it to Owen.  At one point Owen had both so Declan was trying to steal one back.  He's getting braver.  Sure needs to learn sharing and manners.

After quite a while in the pool you start to cool off so we got out and headed to the baby friendly hot tub (bath water temp).  I was holding Declan as we got out and then entered the hot tub.  It was only once I was placing him in the water that I noticed he was still holding onto a rubber ducky.  He's just the cutest.  In the hot tub there are lots of bubbles blowing in the water.  He got so excited and started splashing like mad.  Good times.

So happy that at just shy 11 months my little man has such nice play dates.  Tomorrow he's off on another adventure.  Joining Daddy on a visit to a friends place where there is a 4 yr old and a 2 1/2 yr old.  Hope they have a blast.

Back in 2011

When we were expecting we took Prenatal classes.  Every Wednesday night for weeks we would head to the Ottawa Civic Hospital to meet with about 6 other couples and the instructor.  I was remembering today how each class, just after it would start Declan would be his most active.  The entire time there would be waves of movement.  I used to say that he was excited and want to meet and play with the other babies he could sense were there.  Now he's here and at almost 11 months he is really interested in people and always stars and smiles at other kids.  He is a social bug.

We Have a Mover!

Kind of.

Looking around the room I realize that Declan hangs out most if the time in a small space with his toys around him. What motivation is there to crawl wen you can reach. He does spin around to get different toys or see different things but that was all. So this evening I put him down in a big open area with no toy in reach and he moved! He moved backward. He pushed himself backward until his feet touched the wall then he turned around and tried to get Daddy's CDs. So...reminder...must affix CD shelves to wall ASAP.

Good job Muffin Man!!

Hello 2013

What a great night's sleep.  Declan went to bed at 8pm without any issue at all even though we were staying at a friends place.  I checked on him around 11pm and he looked so cute.  Asleep on his back, both arms up over his head and monkey across his face.  The usual.  Checked again on the little man just after 6am and he hadn't moved one bit.  In the exact same position and still deep in sleep I let him be and got in a few more winks myself.  Then just after 8am I entered the room he was sleeping in and gently got him up.  What a happy little man to welcome in 2013 with.  Brought him into the room we'd slept in and he sat in the bed with Daddy who gave him his morning bottle. 

Next the muffin man headed downstairs to visit with Chelsey.  Got to get in some more playtime with her cool toys.  The adults had Tim Hortons for breakfast while the little peoples had baby cereal and some fruit and some cheerios of course.  I let Declan have a few pieces of my hashbrown and some scrambled egg which he really enjoyed.  Then it was a diaper change before heading home....Declan still in his jammies.  Perfect way to start a new year.  He got in a little nap on the drive home. 

We had lots of fun just hanging out with our little guy today.  Nowhere we had to be.  There was another nap in the PM along with lunch and dinner time.  Fun toys, some books and finally some clean pjs before heading off to bed.  A sweet start to a New Year I'm certain will be filled with milestones, adventures and lots of love.