Month 9

Dear Corbin,

You are nine months old today. Marc and Becky Chapman just had their little girl, Sofia, and it's hard to believe that you were ever that small and peaceful. You are so big and active now. You crawl fast, now, and you discover new noises to make all the time. Your consonant sounds are increasing. You say, "ra ra ra," or, "da da da," or, "ja ja ja," instead of just, "ah ah ah." I haven't heard a, "ma ma ma," yet, but that's okay for now.

You are in one of the stranger wariness stages that they talk about. You smile at people that you know, but if someone else tries to hold you or talk to you, you just stare at them or even cry. You don't seem to have that problem with most places, though. Your grandma Lam took you to the zoo the other day, and you seemed to enjoy it. (Although, to hear her talk about it, there's wasn't much to enjoy. I think this is one area where Minneapolis definitely loses out to Madison.) You also started swimming lessons three weeks ago, and you were definitely a little wary about that, but you also spent a day at a daycare near my office and you had a fun time there.

This month seemed to start and end with sickness. Grandpa Lam is still getting over his pneumonia, and I've had a terribly sore throat for the past week. You had a little fever a week ago, too, which was probably due to a little ear infection. I thought that we might see one of your teeth come in this month, but nope. You're still gumming the world to pieces.

You've become much better at eating finger foods. It's practically impossible to just feed you from a spoon anymore, because you demand to do something with your hands, and if it's not stuff Cheerios into your mouth, it's play Tug-of-Spoon with us. So the tray of your high chair is usually littered with Cheerios, Craisins, and little pieces of cheese, apple, banana, toast, pear, or whatever else we have in the house. And anytime your mouth isn't full of your latest fistful off your tray, we spoon in our latest pureed creation. We've got homemade chicken soup in the freezer for you next, and that might be the last puree for a while. Pity, because the blender's gotten more use in the past four months than it has in the past four years.

Next week is your first Thanksgiving! We'll be having Cornish Hens instead of turkey this year, and both sweet potato and pecan pie. At least, I hope I get some pie. I'll have to fight your grandpa Lam for the sweet potato and your father for the pecan, and they can get pretty fierce. Wish me luck.

Love,
Mom

Month 8

Dear Corbin,

You are eight months old today. To celebrate, we took you to the clinic and got your first flu shot. It's actually kind of a frightening flu season for parents this year, since the H1N1 virus seems to hit children and pregnant mothers so hard. It makes me glad that you're not in school yet.

This month started off with another Barker-side-of-the-family wedding. My cousin Brian got married in Lower MI, and instead of driving through Chicago to get there, we took the ferry across Lake Michigan from Milwaukee. It made for a much nicer trip, since you had several hours out of your car seat. At the wedding reception, we sat with my Uncle Mark's family. His daughter-in-law and I were trying to figure out what relation you were to her son. It turns out that Wyatt Barker is your second cousin, but he's my first cousin, once removed. Second cousins share great-grandparents, so any of my cousins' children are your second cousins. First cousins, once removed are of different generations. Got it?

Your father and Grandpa Lam spent two cold days putting a new railing on the mudroom roof, which may have been how Grandpa Lam ended up in the ER with pneumonia last weekend. You got to visit a hospital for the first time since you were born, which didn't seem to impress you very much. You now have my permission to avoid ERs for a very long time, thank you.

Your father also built another pair of speakers, which are meant to be the party speakers. They'll get their trial run this weekend at his birthday party, but you'll miss it since you'll be spending your first night away from us. I should say you'll be spending your first night away from me, since your dad didn't go to MI with us. I'm pretty sure that you'll be okay away from me, but I don't know if I'll be okay away from you. It has been a surprise to me how much I miss feeding you at night, just because that was my time to cuddle with you. Although, that might just be the sleep deprivation talking. The past couple of nights you've slept through from 8pm to 5:30 or 6am, but I still wake up two or three times, wondering how you're doing. My newest effort in your sleep training has been to set your alarm clock for 6am, so that your little biological clock can start to have a more consistent wake up time. Of course, pretty soon we'll hit daylight savings time or you'll start really teething and then everything will get crazy again.

You are entirely proficient now at pulling yourself up to standing, and you've even gotten better at being able to sit down again. You have started crawling over to us and using our legs to pull up, which is endearing until I can't move to keep doing whatever it was I was doing. You also like to hold our hands and walk around, which has made me realize that it really isn't going to be long before you're walking on your own. It'll probably be right around the time that everything here gets icy. We might as well buy you skates instead of shoes. Speaking of winter, I went on an outdoor gear gathering kick and you now have two snowsuits, four hats, and about a hundred pairs of mittens. Not to mention the bunches of sweaters and hoodies that you have. And the dozen fleece pajamas. And the several pairs of slippers. And the space heater in your room. Basically, if you're ever cold, it's because we're in another ice age and we just haven't killed a mammoth yet.

Buying you clothing is something I have always enjoyed, even before you were born. I used to feel like it was one of the only ways that we could really be prepared for you, because even though we couldn't prepare for who you are as a person, we could certainly prepare a wardrobe for you. These days, I feel like it's the only way I really need to spend money on you. You're pretty well stocked with toys, and if you really need something new, well, there's always some other kitchen utensil that you haven't played with yet.

This month we made you pumpkin, zucchini, cauliflower, and cantaloupe, and you like all of them okay. We also tried a blend of avacado and banana, and you love that almost more than you love applesauce, which is saying a lot. I'm glad that we were able to start you on solids during the summer--I've been trying hard to make sure you eat as wide of a variety of food as possible, and it's been helpful that so many different foods were in season. It makes me feel like less of an over-privileged American when I can at least follow the farm calendar a little bit.

Overall, it hasn't been a very exciting or momentous month, except maybe in my head. I think that I've done a pretty good job of so far of not being terribly sappy, but this month there's just no avoiding it. I just can't help but say that I love you more every day. Every morning when I pick you up out of your crib, I feel so lucky to be able to hold you and watch your little face scrunch up when I turn the light on. And every afternoon when I come home from work, and you give me a big smile, I feel like there is no place else I would ever rather be. Being your mom can be busy, tiring, frustrating and stinky (for both of us), and it also makes me very, very happy.

Love,
Mom

Month 7

Dear Corbin,

You were seven months old yesterday. Your father and I were looking at you a couple of weeks ago, and we realized that you just don't have your baby face any more. Your little kid face grew in, and you lost your baby face. Soon, your baby teeth will grow in, and then eventually you'll lose them. And then you'll lose your baby legs, and your adult legs will grow in.

You are a baby on the go these days. You love to crawl all over the house and the yard. When I come home from work, you give me a big smile and crawl right over to me. I know you really just want to play with my shoes, but it makes me feel loved anyway. You are also much better at sitting up, and it's fun to watch you crawl over to something and then sit and play with it. Yes, you do sit still sometimes. We've spent some weekend mornings sitting on the front steps watching the birds and the squirrels and the airplanes. It's a blessing, I think, because now that I don't nurse you at night, I just don't get to cuddle you much any more. So I'm thankful that you'll sit with me sometimes. I was telling your father that someday you'll figure out that to get what you want, all you have to do is snuggle up to me with a big hug and the next thing I know I'll be saying, "Of course I'll buy you [whatever you're asking for]!"

I'm glad that you're able to crawl now because you were getting very frustrated at not being able to go where you wanted to go. But you are not satisfied. You are already starting to pull yourself up to standing, and it makes me wonder just how soon you'll be walking. In some ways I hope it's sooner, because I want you to be able to practice out in the yard before it gets cold. But other times I hope you wait a little bit longer, until we've done a much better job of baby proofing the house. You know, by doing anything at all to baby proof the house.

You are also eating solid foods like a pro. At least, the ones that you think taste good. You have liked every fruit we've given you so far, except the avacado. That made your father kind of sad, but I've never liked avacado, either. You're not immediately keen on the vegetables, but you seem to have gotten used to all of them except potatoes. Your potato face is pretty darn funny, but we'll probably wait a while to try them again.

It's my intention to watch our baby sign language DVD and start using some signs with you. I figure I should teach you more than waving good-bye and rudely gesturing at other drivers. Those may end up being the signs that you use the most, but really, you should have other options. After all, flipping me the bird might make me laugh, but it won't get you more milk.

Love,
Mom

6 Month Pix

Because you couldn't possibly be happy unless you saw actual half-birthday photos.

Month 6

Dear Corbin,

Happy Half Birthday! You are now six months old. You are playing on the floor next to me while I type this, and you are staring at Arrow with a big grin on your face, and trying your hardest to figure out how to crawl over to him. You get up on your hands and knees, and then you rock back and forth because you haven’t quite gotten the notion that your hands have to move before the rest of you will move. I know that once you’re truly mobile our lives will become a constant game of chase the baby, but you obviously want it so badly that I can’t help wanting it for you. Hopefully you’ll use your powers for good and not for evil.

It was a busy month for us. Your grandparents Lam moved into their apartment down the street, so they’re no longer living in the camper in the garage. That’s much nicer for everyone: they’re more comfortable, we get to park in the garage again, and your father has immediately started building his next pair of speakers.

We drove down to Indianapolis to visit your relatives Thorne. It was a whirlwind trip of new places and new people for you, which you got tired of about halfway through. By the time Friday morning rolled around and you were supposed to be making a good impression on your Uncle Alex and Lena, Fussy Corbin had taken over your body and you simply cried the whole time. If you never have any cousins on the Lam side, it’s your own fault, kiddo.

Your grandparents Thorne were very happy to see you, as were Uncle Scott and Aunt Erin. Your cousin Charlotte showed her love by trying to poke you in the eye. You repaid the favor by enjoying her Exersaucer and making her jealous. Unfortunately, she had the last laugh, since she sent both you and I home with colds.

You managed to sleep well that Friday night and Saturday morning, so you were in a fine mood when we visited Jesse at UIUC. You got your first lesson in microbiology and your first look at a campus bar. Then for the next 10 hours of driving, you expressed in various ways your hatred of your car seat. Luckily that’s passed a little bit, but you’re still more likely to cry than not when you have to be in it.

You’ve gotten quite good at eating rice cereal, and you’d be just as good at eating apples and pears if the taste weren’t still so foreign. We had visions of you loving the fruit, like we’ve seen other kids, but so far not so much. You’ve definitely grown this month, though. Your father put you on the scale at the grocery store, and you weighed 16 pounds. If you had been coffee, you would have cost almost $150.

As it is, you’ll just have to be content being our priceless little boy. Don’t forget to remind me that I said that the next time you want something expensive.

Love,

Mom

Not Corbin

So a number of things have happened that aren't Corbin. Here are some:

We pulled the big, metal, concrete shod clotheslines out of the back yard. I have learned that when you see concrete in your yard - don't touch it. Don't try to remove it. Just accept it. Mel, heedless of my inaction, wanted them gone and her father was on her side. So we tried digging them up. Then we tried pulling them out with a van. Then we tried breaking up the concrete. Then we tried a masonry sawblade in Mel's circ saw. Then we did what we shoulda done all along: we got a cheap angle grinder and cut off the poles, then buried the concrete. Two poles, two holes, two concrete sarcophagi buried in our back yard. De-concreted poles were left in the alley, and promptly snatched by some scrap metal collector (possibly of ill-repute). Finished it up right in time for the 4th of July party.

We also installed a dishwasher. This had been my idea early in our purchase of this house. I had gotten used to the dishwasher from our apartment, so I suggested early that we stash the refrigerator on a different wall, and put a dishwasher in it's place near power and drainage access. This idea was rejected, but now that we have a child we thought that we might tackle a few other jobs with all the free time on our hands. Actually, Mel's father Frank had a large hand in many of the projects accomplished so far this summer. He even wired up an additional circuit for the new refrigerator location. Fantastico! This project was sponsored by Mel's Aunt Irene. Copious thanks to them both.


We've also been working on painting the garage. The siding appears to be made of masonite. I don't know how long it's been there, or when its last paint job was. But it was in serious need of re-sealing against moisture. Some of the lower boards will need to be replaced. At a later date. With something that won't fall apart when it gets wet. Err. I guess we don't have any pictures of this job yet. We've done 3 of the 4 walls... I'll have to document the last one.

And, my friend and former room-mate Joe McMorrow is back from Washington DC, along with his girlfriend of late, now wife. They were married Friday night, we have the photographic evidence. AND! Grant Kjos crashed the party! Who does that guy think he is?


And, some pictures of Corbin. Just 'cause. I don't need a reason.

Month 5

Dear Corbin,

You are five months old today. Every day you are a little bit different. A little bit better at reaching for things. A little bit better at sitting up. A little bit better at eating delicious rice cereal mush. A little bit better at twisting yourself all around while we’re trying to put a clean diaper on you.

You are selective with your smiles these days. We get them when you wake up in the morning, or from your naps, or when we come home from work. But you rarely smile at strangers right now, and the afternoon that we tried to take family pictures, you didn’t smile at all. In fact, any time you see the camera, you instantly become Mr Solemn Face.

We did manage to find you the perfect toy for you right now. We call it your stander bouncer. You sit in a little round chair and there is a bouncy “floor” under your feet, so you feel like you’re standing up. You love the stander bouncer. It might be the best $25 I ever spent on craigslist. You love to stand in it and reach out for the dogs when they walk by. You love to stand in it and watch the fish in the fish tank.

You like to watch anything, really. You open your eyes wide and stare and stare and stare. If we hold you facing over our shoulders, it’s only a few minutes before you’re twisting yourself around. You turn in our direction when you hear our voices, and you look to see where other noises are coming from. You want to see everything, and its fun to watch you watching things.

It’s also fun to watch you do yoga poses. You’ve mastered up-dog, and obviously you’re a natural at happy baby pose. I’ve even seen you do a locust pose. So we’ll have to see which you prefer: going to kung fu with your dad, or going to yoga with your mom. Although if your energy level is anything like I’ve seen in other little boys, you’d better do both, several times a week.

You’ve had some of your fussiest days this month, and I think it’s because you’re starting to have some teething pain. We’re trying to work out some strategies for helping you sleep more, and it seems to be helped by judicious doses of acetaminophen. I’m sure that later we’ll have to switch to something stronger, like whiskey, but this is working for now.

On the surface, it seems like this was an uneventful month. We didn’t travel anywhere, and we didn’t have anyone visiting. We went to work and did the laundry and did yard work and it would be easy to think it was all very tedious. But then I watch you exploring your toys or making a mess out of learning to eat cereal, and tedious is the word that’s farthest from my mind.

Love,

Mom

We did manage to have our annual 4th of July party, during which you went to sleep at 8:30pm and slept all the way through the usual WWIII assault launched by the neighbors across the street. I don't know which was more amazing: you sleeping through it, or them not getting arrested (again).

Fruits and Trees

We just got this pic from Adam's dad. This is Adam at about a year old. Note the super blonde hair! Corbin sure didn't inherit that, but maybe he'll inherit the two-finger sucking.

Month 4

Dear Corbin,

You are four months old today. I keep trying to avoid writing a pile of cliches in these letters, but you keep being the cutest little baby in the whole wide world. Look at your smooshie little face and your roly-poly little body! Look how you raise your little eyebrows, and how you grab your little toesies! Woochie woochie woochie!

I know, it's hard to believe your father married me of his own free will.

This month, you had your first road trip, up to the UP for my cousin Andy's wedding. You might as well get used to that drive, if my own childhood is any measure. We were watching old 8mm footage of family parties up at the Cottage, and it made me wonder what memories you will eventually have of being there.

Your vocal range has expanded to include some funny screeching that you do when you're happy. It reminds me a little bit of Howard Dean, or maybe his impression of a velociraptor. Now your babbling tends to happen when you are more calm, like when you've just woken up or when you're hanging out with a toy. You are able to roll over from your back to your tummy now, and you do it almost every time we lay you down. Sometimes you flip yourself right over, but sometimes you squirm and roll and twist and curl until you finally make it or get frustrated and cry. Sometimes your hands land in front of you just right, and it seems like you're just about to crawl away. But sometimes your arms get caught under you and you lay on your face and cry until we rescue you. The other day, you had turned yourself over in your crib while your arms were still swaddled down, and between your crying and your drooling, it looked like someone had spilled a whole cup of water on your bed.

Your grasping skills have gotten much better, I think partly because your hands have grown bigger again. Your grip now covers almost my whole thumb, and anything that you are holding goes straight for your mouth. I would say it goes into your mouth, but your aim still isn't quite that accurate. Of course, the time I was trying to wipe off your slimey little hands with a napkin and you grabbed it, you had no trouble shoving that right into your mouth. Your expression would be been much funnier if we wouldn't have been so busy fishing pieces of disintegrating napkin out of your mouth.

You have also been getting better at sitting up by yourself, but you're really happy when you're standing. Helping you stand up never fails to get us a big smile from you. Grandma Lam was telling us all very proudly that you were six weeks early for this milestone. Six weeks early! You're a genius baby! I didn't remind her that the same book told us you were supposed to be sleeping through the night a month ago. If I weren't so sleep deprived, I'd be a genius, too. But some nights you've been waking up only twice, instead of three or four times, so I have hopes that we're slowly passing sleep milestones, too.

Being your mom so far has taught me to live in the moment in a way that I have never truly understood before. I am good at appreciating what I have, and I am good at making the most of my time, but I have never been good at paying more attention to now rather than later. My thoughts are usually taken up with planning for the next thing that I need or want to do. But you have a way of concentrating on what you're doing right now that reminds me that I should do that more often, too. Living with you means being with you where you are, when you are there. You're simply incapable of doing anything else. And I want to be where you are, when you're there, because I don't want to miss any part of your life, ever.

Love,

Mom

Happy first Father's Day, Adam!