#41 And he is up!

10 months old:
So I have a walking baby! Now that he has taken his first steps it's not as though he is suddenly all over the place, though. He still mostly couch-surfs or crawls, but I've noticed that he stands alone more often and then shakes his hands or pats something without even realizing that he isn't holding on to anything. Of course, he does practice, but he can only do about 3 steps at once before he falls over. It's a start, though, and nice to know he'll definitely be sturdy on his feet by the time the new baby gets here.

It happened for the first time on Sunday night while we were watching a movie. That morning Greg had gone to buy some more formula and you always get these awesome gifts for free when you do. Greg chose this really nice wooden wagon with wooden blocks that you can stack in it because he knew that Jay loves anything with wheels and loves pushing his walker and his big truck around. They also gave us this boardgame which is really nice, too, but only suitable for when he is older. Anyway, we had him set up in the living room and he was playing with the blocks. Next minute he used the wagon's handle and pulled himself up (it's not that strong, though, so I think he mostly used his legs and used the handle for balance). Then he was only holding on with one hand, but the wagon was to the side a bit. I looked up and he was just beaming. He let go of the handle and looked right at me and gave this huge smile. Greg was watching, too. It was like we just knew something special was about to happen. Next minute he lifted his right leg and took a step and then lifted his left and took another before plopping down onto the floor. It was so precious and I'm so glad that we were there to see it and didn't get to hear about it from Stella. He tried again another 3 times that night and took about 3 steps each time before falling down.

I've noticed now that when he crawls he wants to go over, under or between things and is no longer content with simple, straightforward crawling. He can also pull himself onto the couch now and as soon as you give him his truck, his wagon or put the walker near him, he is up like a shot pushing it all around. Of course he wipes out on occasion, especially when he goes too fast. He had a nasty fall just the other night. He was standing and holding onto Greg’s pants leg, but he wanted to walk to the coffee table. He took a step forward, but he didn't want to let go of the pants which caused him to wobble and as he tried the next step he fell forward and hit his head on the big coffee table, right on the side. It left a bruise that is in the shape of a line on his forehead. He didn't cry that much, though. He had another bad knock the following day, though, again. He was holding onto Greg’s jeans again and decided to sit down. He was holding onto the pants and I guess the angle was wrong because the next minute he let go and fell backwards and conked his head on the hard floor. I hate that sound! I guess it's part of the whole "learning to walk" process. That being said, I hate that babies are such risk-takers. I guess they have to be if they ever want to walk and can't let fear get the best of them, but I hate that Jay wants to start climbing on things before he is even fully stable on his feet. He loves his new wagon and pushes it all over, but now the latest is that he'll turn it around so the handle is on the opposite side and the whole thing is facing him and then climb onto the part where the blocks would usually go and then he stands there and starts bouncing up and down. It makes me so nervous.

He still adores Rocco just as much and when Rocco is lying on the floor in the living room, he heads straight for him. Then he sits down as close to Roc as possible and starts patting him all along his body and it's really quite cute. Sometimes he'll even climb from one side of Rocco to the other or lie down right next to him like he is sleeping. Rocco is so placid that he just takes it and doesn't complain at all, but I do watch everything carefully in case Rocco gives a sign that it's too much for him. Stella knows to watch him with the dogs, too.

Greg and I jokingly refer to Jay as the "Keeper of the Railings". He is so funny because when he is on our bed he refuses to have any clothes or towels hanging on the railings or even on the bed. He immediately sets to work pulling them off and dropping them on floor. If they are on the bed, he picks them up then makes his way to the railing, stands up and puts the clothing item on the railing and then starts working at it until it falls over the edge. It's so cute to watch, but if you try and put them back he actually gets a little bit upset about it and starts crying. He has actually been a little fussy this week. He cries a lot and for no good reason. Now that he is so active when it's just the two of us at home and I need to do something like pee, I don't like to leave him alone even for such a short time so I usually put him in his room so I know he is safe. I mean I can actually leave the bathroom door open and see him. I try and interest him in a toy first, but as soon as he realizes I'm gone, he makes his way to the baby gate and sobs his heart out. I'll be looking right at him, telling him I'm coming, but to no avail. He is only soothed when I'm back in the room again. I think it must be a stage. He just doesn't want to be left alone. He cries when Greg leaves for work, when I leave for work and when Stella says goodbye. He even cries when Greg goes off to walk the dogs!

He seems to be going to sleep a little easier, although he still wakes up to cry sometimes or he cries when he is very tired and is fighting sleep. Then he rolls all around trying out various positions until suddenly he stops wriggling and I know he has fallen asleep at last. Greg and I have a a routine. I'll shower first and get ready for bed and then while Greg showers and finishes up with whatever, I have Jay with me on the bed. He plays a bit and has a bottle and then either falls asleep before Greg gets there or is in the process and doing his rolling. Just this week he also started playing peek-a-boo for real. I mean, he always laughed when I played it with him before, but he'd never initiate it. Now if I have my sweater with me, he'll pick it up and put it over his face and I'll say "Where's Jay?" and then he'll bring it down and I'll say "Peek-a-boo!" and he'll laugh and keep doing it over and over again. Then when I put it on my face, he grabs it and pulls it away.

One of the parents at school made me mad the other day. I was just about to leave and go home and she saw my big stomach. She started saying something to me in Chinese which I could partly understand and then Katy helped translate. I could see from the look on her face, though, that it wasn't nice whatever she was saying. She was basically saying that it was way too soon for me to be pregnant and that my son was still too young. I just felt so irritated because it's one thing referring to it or making a joke. I mean, it's true. This was quick, and often people will say, "Oh, so quick" or something like that and I'll agree, but how is saying something so negative now 6 months down the line going to help? If I didn't love this baby by now we'd be in trouble! I love her and she feels like part of the family already. So I was annoyed because she kept going on and on and shaking her head and saying that it was too soon and my poor son and all this crap. I just gave her this fake smile and said that my husband and I were utterly delighted with the timing and they were going to be best of friends. Grrr!

This week the morning sickness has pretty much been the same. I haven't vomited (just gagging), but I have been nauseas in the morning and a few times at night. It helps if I eat, so I should just keep eating until I'm as round as a circle. The baby also wakes me up a lot in the mornings with all the kicking. It's reassuring, but a little annoying at times because it feels so strange and I struggle to fall back to sleep until she calms down. I've actually also felt quite a bit of discomfort this week - aches, pulls, pokes and it can make you worry. I'm so glad I kept a daily diary during my pregnancy with Jay so I can go back and look and see exactly how I felt then and compare it because it makes me feel way more relaxed about everything.

Lots of love

Em x

(snippets from May 2010)