Moving

A little over a week ago today Hollis started scooting.  He was really motivated to reach a clear plastic container full of bingo chips, and he made it and the family rejoiced.  I am proud of our little mover.

And now a must admit a little scared.  It seems as though no matter how clean the floor is, how baby-proof the room seems... Hollis finds something terrible to put in his mouth.  Just 5 minutes ago I pulled a long pine needle from his hand? Yesterday it was a twist tie.  The day before...a piece of a post card.   

He loves the washing machine, which like every family with new child, is always going, always agitating always rinsing and extra rinsing all the pee, poop, baby food, and returns from all of our belongings.  Today I sat in a poop on my chair that I somehow didn't notice he had made while I held him on my chair with his diaper on? 


Everyday he grows and moves a little more, it is exciting and frightful this world of parenting.

Distracted

As Hollis (distracted for a couple minutes perusing blogger blogs Orangette and Saipua) munches on my leg and rolls about diaper free on our de-sheeted bed I am making myself focus on a blog post about my now 6 month old boy.  I keep telling myself don't make it about you make it about him but somehow I know we are one of the same right now.
He is my constant companion, my teacher, my inspiration.  Every morning starts with a gaze in his eyes and is usually followed by a shared smile.  Hollis is not smiling right (distracted took Hollis to go pee but he did not have to go) now, he is a fussbutt because I wont let him type too.  My favorite two things to do with (distracted start one-handed typing while breast feeding) Hollis right now are 1: take him to infant story time on Wednesdays and 2: get out into nature, real nature, open and dense nature.

Pottytime

I started potty-ing Hollis without the expectation that communication would take place.  I simply put him on a tiny pink potty a couple of times a day and if he peed... great, if he pooped... awesome.  I started potty time in early December when Hollis was just 4 months.  Today Hollis is almost 6 months and our journey with "elimination communication" has been amazing.  Like I said I never thought that I would be here, just two months later whispering a "Psssssssssss" sound in Hollis's ear and watching him go potty on the toilet almost 20 times a day!  Today when we both woke up we went to the bathroom and Hollis even pooped on the grown up toilet?  What? Amazing. That being said I just spent the last 15 minutes cleaning poop out of his Bumbo seat.   Who poops three times before 3:30?

Adventure had.

On Thursday Jan 19th, Hollis and I decided we weren't going to let a little flood warning keep us from our midwife's monthly potluck.  We hadn't seen our midwife since Hollis graduated from here care at his 6 week check-up.  We missed her and wanted to be in her presence together.  I left the house cautiously in the car I promised not to drive ever again. 
We drove all through South Corvallis gauging our risk of crossing the bridge.  I got a gut feeling that I should go home but I ignored it, this is adventure time. 
We bypassed the Millrace taking the Bridgeway detour and had no problems making it the potluck.  We had a great time with the midwife, and left the potluck full of good eats. 
On the way home we got stopped in very slow moving traffic crossing the bridge.  There was no standing water so I was surprised to be moving irregularly at 1mph.  I started to worry that it would take me hours to get home from this point (1 1/4 mile from home).  After slowly creeping across the bridge I could see that traffic was stopped. They were operating a Crystal Lake to Alexander detour to bypass the Millrace flooding and they had just closed that.  They only way to drive home would be to turn around and go out 34 to Peoria to Junction City and take 99N home.  We decided to park the car and walk home. 

I parked the car at Fireworks, put Hollis in the front carrier and started walking home South on 99.  It was a lovely night, the rain had stopped and it was pleasantly warm for a January evening.  The water was so deep at the Crystal Lake intersection that pedestrians were not able to safely cross.  We walked back to the co-op and crossed through a field near Evanite and proceeded to walk up Crystal Lake.  I sang songs to Hollis and we enjoyed this late evening adventure together.  Exhausted we arrived home around 9:30pm, two and half hours after we left the potluck.  Momma bliss. 

Infant Pottytime

Ever since the day Hollis's Aunt Nena left on December 27th, Hollis has been pooping on his little pink potty.  Sure we caught pees every now and then, but catching his first poo was one of the most rewarding mommy experiences.   I thought when I started this whole infant pottying it would be such a pain.  I wondered if I would be a slave to the pink potty.  I learned pretty quickly his elimination schedule.  He peed first thing upon waking and then usually 10-20 minutes after a feeding and then randomly after that.  But the pooping, at this time Hollis only delivers a number 2 every 5 days with occasional unpredictable poos in between.  Well like I said shortly after Nena left Hollis pooped on the potty.  I was very surprised and continued to be surprised with each poop we caught.  I only used the potty once or twice a day and it was becoming very rewarding.  I am not very committal so I don't plan to hold Hollis diaper free all day, but I listen to his cues and it is all intuitive. 

Happy New Year 2o12 - Rebecka and Hollis

More Milestones

I am not sure what happened to an earlier post.  About three weeks ago Hollis flipped over from his belly to his back.  He did it again a week later at a Momma-Baby group.  Two days ago, while hanging out with his Daddy in the kitchen he flipped over from back to belly.  Today I am eager to report that I watched him inch forward on his tummy to grab a toy.  I think he managed to push himself forward a foot!  Everyday there is something new.  Just a few weeks ago he started to mimic shaking his toys.  Today we caught our first pee in the bathroom sink, and then watched the next one spray the lamb blanket.  These days little Hollis loves playing with grown up toys and the Christmas tree.  He is sitting in front of the Christmas tree right now.  There are a few branches/twigs with no needles thanks to him, but right now he is banging on the laptop.  My guess he is jealous that it takes so much of my time.