Camden Meets Nature Headfirst

Camden really enjoys being outside and Dan often takes him on walks around the yard. Yesterday Dan gave Camden a closer look at nature. And he mostly liked it.

This little frog was just hanging out on the rosebushes.

See, baby girls get lacy headbands with cute flowers and bows and other girly things, so that it's obvious their infant is feminine. I think a frog on the head states pretty firmly that we have a boy. (Maybe it also shows he has deranged parents, too.)

Don't worry; he was even angrier when we washed his head after the frog hopped off. I suspect the next time he communes so closely with an amphibian, it will be because he picked it up himself.

I've never been so covered in Body Fluids

This post could also be entitled Camden's Revenge!

Today was Camden's 2 month well child visit, which included innoculations. The apointment interrupted his nap, so he was rather fussy before the doctor ever came in. His current stats are:
Weight: 9 lbs, 13.5 oz, which puts him in the 10th percentile
Height: 23in, 50th percentile
Head circumfrence: 39cm, 25th percentile

Camden bore the indignities of being weighed and measured moderately well, but he demonstrated a pretty good range of his vocal technique while the doctor checked him over. We discovered he has a very tiny hernia in his belly button - it sticks out a bit more when he is screaming. I have to say though, because he was already crying before they jabbed him, it wasn't so horrible for me when he got the shots. Although he did reach a pitch I haven't heard before and that was rather heart-rending. But as soon as I picked him up, he snuffled a bit and snuggled my neck and was quiet. Probably too traumatized to cry.

I decided I should apply myself to soothing his lacerated feelings, so I fed him in the exam room (the nurse suggested it). I thought I was so clever to burp him on my leg where any possible eruptions would project harmlessly on the floor. Unfortunately, his bubbles came out the other end and he completely and forcefully blew out his diaper. I hadn't put his clothes back on yet. But, goody for me, my very cute blanket (that I just made for him last week! don't be too impressed, I just hemmed an edge of a cute print) was in the right place at the right time and, well, the blanket took the hit for the team. Then as I was hoisting the boy to my shoulder, to free a hand to reach the necessary items, Camden gushed his most copious and chunky urp yet. All over both of us.

I've never been prouder of my son.

I'm Enchanted

I'm enchanted with Camden!! He's eight weeks old today and he is starting to be so much fun!

I mean, he was fun before, but mostly because he's ours. He was really more like a human slug before (you know, very floppy and droopy in your arms), but now he has just about graduated to the tree frog stage. He clasps onto me when I hold him now and he holds his head up pretty well. He'll wrap his arm around mine and grasp my shirt, or, if I'm unlucky, he'll grab onto my underarm flab (er, I mean, relaxed muscle!) in a rather firm pinch.

Camden has just started doing all sorts of fun things. He coos a lot and squeals in a delighted fashion. He smiles! He interacts so much more and makes even cuter faces than before - which I didn't even imagine possible!

Oh, and I finally started giving him floor time last Sunday (which I probably should have started before, but he used to start crying as soon as you laid him down). Anyway, I gave him floor time and he rolled over from his belly to his back! I was so surprised. So here's a blurry picture of his first success (and first attempt!).... .

Yes, he was kind of angry.

This is his adorable sad face as he is winding up his crying (or just getting started again). Although he does look more like a monkey here....

Here he is chillin' in the bathtub. Dan felt that we needed to preserve his modesty and this item was handy. Camden has decided that baths aren't so bad. Until we get to the rinsing and drying off part - he still thinks that part is rather miserable.

Dan is so great! Even though Camden is usually crying when he gets home from work, Dan immediately comes in and takes him. Dan has some really amazing soothing techniques too.

The Post-Pregnancy Pseudo-Coup

or

Never Get between a Pregnant Lady and Your Blog

by Dan M

This is the first subversive effort to regain a foothold back in the blogging world. Sure the name of the blog is “Dan Quijote” the url has my name in it too. Yes, I was devoted to my blogees…blogsters…devoted fans…adoring worshippers (whatever you choose to call yourselves). None of that mattered to the pregnant lady who felt that she could just come in here and take over the danoflamancha blogging world. (I thought at times, that for you, my affectionate readers, I should hurl her out of my blogging chair and take back control, but she was pregnant and all…)

Well, although I have been usurped, overthrown, ousted, deposed, thrust out, and appropriated; I have not forgotten my valiant and loyal followers. (Ignore the fact that you read her posts more than mine and made more comments than before, I will be willing to take you back…for a small fee: your first born, the older and the richer the better.)

For your info here are some blogs you missed during my exile:

• How not to change a diaper (as demonstrated by Miranda…she has to clean the blinds after some of her attempts).
• 101 things you CAN do with a dirty diaper (it boiled down to the one thing you SHOULD do with a dirty diaper… 101. Have someone else change it).
• Maintaining sanity when life is crazy (I was going to post this entry, but it turns out that I reread it and found that half of it was written backwards and another part was just one random phrase repeated over and over…so the title was a misnomer.

In case you were wondering how to survive a hostile takeover and what to do for the months you’re deposed (in no real order):

Spend the night with your wife in a tree house to celebrate 10 years. (This is the inside of said tree house, posh...Tom and Sandy we have a lot to change for the next one wee build.)

Double your work load at work, with little extra remuneration (Sorry, no good picture for this so you get an eyeball. If you're confused, see the missed blog entry #3 above for further explanation.)

Remember and honor one of the world’s greatest ladies (Thanks for all mom!)

Accumulate lots more food storage

Get kicked out of an Atlanta Braves game

Have an amazing baby

Still on my list: Save the world

Well unfortunately I have to end this now, before I get caught...so until the next time that I can break in, farewell to the teaming masses of adulation.

7 Week Birthday

Camden celebrated his 7 week birthday today by a very impressive new development - he had his first explosive diaper! So now I have to put my seriously impaired thinking skills to the task - how do you remove a significantly soiled gown without smearing it all over the baby? Especially a wiggly baby?

Here is his cute self, after removal of clothing and debris. I just like his He-Man pose here. Plus you can see his cute belly button. He did not used to have any crevasses really. So all those wrinkles on his arm are proof of his excellent snacking abilities.

I celebrated his 7 week mark with ice cream. Of course, I don't know that that is actually significant; it's a pretty regular occurance.

Here is a comparison of Camden 3 days old and Camden at 7 weeks, using the disc for scale (sorry, I didn't have my rock hammer handy at the hospital, that's what a real geologist would use.)

Camden sports this expression quite frequently. He stares intently and focuses for quite some time, and lots of times one can't quite figure out what is holding his interest.

He has also started to stick out his tongue and make even cuter faces. He holds his head up pretty well, although he doesn't seem to enjoy tummy time. Oh, and he does really cute snuffling noises when he is really hungry.

So Camden has been smiling for a while now, usually as he is falling asleep - and he would look like someone just whispered the most delicious secret in his ear. But now he does these adorable open-mouthed grins for me. I love it! This is just a very cute picture - Camden doesn't really smile for anyone else except his dad right now.

In some ways, it's still really surprising that I have a child. That this little boy wants ME (or Dan) to sooth him and help him and hold him. This little boy reserves his cutest faces and expressions for us. It's so odd to drive around with our little boy cooing and chirping and grunting and crying in our back seat. I love it! I love Camden! I wonder if he will still be a snuggler once he has enough muscles to choose.

Something Completely Different

I just wanted to share a little bit about the hightlights of having Kera and Andy and their childrens here. Sorry there aren't any pictures today!

My favorite child quote, provided by Aaron: "Only light can go the speed of light." This said with confidence and superiority to his younger brother. A pause, then, questioning me, "But if you throw a lightbulb, will it go the speed of light?"

My sanity-saving blessing: Camden went 6 hours between feeding at night just about every night we had family here. Not to say he went right back to sleep, but still, it was greatly appreciated!

My most revolting experience: Matthew pooped his pants (because he was having such a good time playing - I'm going to consider this a compliment to my hostess skills at providing adequate child entertainment), but he kindly wanted to clean it up himself. Unfortunately, the mass was quite sticky and refused to remove itself from his underwear, despite vigorous shaking. I know this, because poop chunks were dispersed in a remarkable fashion across the bathroom - in the tub, on the walls, behind the door, and smeared under the door. It was quite impressive. We all suggested to Matthew that next time, he should just ask his parents for help.

My biggest realization: Life with a baby means extra-curricular activities are very different than before. Staying at home with Camden isn't too difficult, but trying to go anywhere or do anything more than that requires a lot of work. One day, we planned to play softball - I fed Camden and then arrived to enjoy the last half an hour or so. We also took the kids to the splash park. Well, everyone else went, I fed Camden and then arrived just as everyone else was finishing. One day we took a trip to Woolaroc - everyone else had lunch and went to the petting zoo. I fed Camden. I did join everyone else in seeing the museum, but I didn't get the full benefit, as I spent most of the time trying to console my tired, fussy boy, and hoping his frequent tornado siren screaming didn't get us kicked out or so alienate my family that they left us there. So I have to wonder if there is any point to getting out. I'm mostly still too tired to feel the lack of social interaction or mental stimulation.

I did really enjoy having family here though! So nice to see my cute nieces and nephews, and chat with Andy and Kera and Dad. We likes them!

Blessed

Years ago, way back when Dan and I first were married and there would be a baby blessing at church, I would anticipate enjoyably when that would happen to us. I just expected it would happen. And then, after a while, I began to wonder if it would happen, if it would ever be our turn. Would we ever have a kid? Would we ever have that experience?

Well, last Sunday Camden received his baby blessing at church. And it was really great! Camden waited until after he was blessed to be fussy - and I was happy he wasn't cranky during. Because no one would have heard anything but his warcry.

This event also made for a great excuse to have a lot of family gather here! Dan's dad and Charles and Heidi and their girls and Kera and Andy and their pack came to visit. Aunt Marianna and Uncle Leon came down from Bartlesville too. It was a little chaotic, but a lot of fun! We have such marvelous family!

However, with the narrow-minded focus of a new mom, I mainly have pictures of Camden, with a gratuitous photo of one or two others. Since, I'm sure you just want pictures, here you go!

This is Camden in his Sunday finery. And he kindly didn't urp all over it until after church. (He thoughtfully projectiled instead.)

Our family!

My favorite men!

Heidi and the three newest members of the whole family - Camille (hers, 4 months old), Camden (1 month old), Charlotte (Kera's, 2 months old). I didn't realize we all picked C names.

Just another cute picture! This is his usual awake face. He just stares intently at me or anything else and crinkles his forehead and appears quite thoughtful.

Here are a few more of my boy!