Is it me? . . .

I think I've said before that he best feeling I get during my day is when I come home and Mr. Bo Jangles sees me for the first time that day. He squeals and bounces up and down (or just kicks his legs if he's laying down). He's like a group of 12-year-old boys who have just been given a bag of illegal fireworks. I don't think I've ever been that excited in my life (while clothed). That excitement is all directed at me. . . It's a nice feeling.

Then I wonder if the excitement is hurting him.

All day long my wife tells me how the little guy is crawling around. She'll leave the room and when she comes back 1 minute later, he's on the other side of the room getting into something he shouldn't.

Then I arrive home and he sits or lays and grunts while watching me. I'm not trying to be cocky, but I think he's so excited to see me that he can't move. Either that or he thinks I'm a big sucker and if he whines I'll go pick him up or hand him what he wants. . . I don't think I do that.

On another crawling note. We got new carpet last week. It's thicker and less worn than our old (of course) which means he's getting carpet burn on his little knees.

It's hard out there for a baby.

Instamatic. . .

I have finally posted a whole crap ton of photos on Parker's photo page.

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday Daddy!

Love,

Your little monkey.

Takeoff. . .

I will post video in a few days when he gets better, but as of last night our little man is officially crawling. It's only a couple lunges forward, but it's forward motion and I'm counting it. God help us, he's mobile.

I'm not number 1. . .

Photographic proof I am not the worst father in the world. W00t!

First cold. . .

My baby has the sniffles. Actually this morning he sounded better, but for the past few days his nose has been really drippy and he's been coughing like crazy. His nose is the worst of it, no snot bubbles or anything just drippy and crusty. YAY babies! Sunday night was the worst of it. He woke up several times during the night coughing.

He was a little trooper though. He sounded awful, but he's been smiley and happy and moving around a lot. In fact the bright side is he's been sleeping more. I guess just his body trying to make itself better. . . the human body is amazing.

Boats, Aunts, and Automobiles. . .

July forth we loaded up the car (with EVERYTHING from our house) and took a trip to my wife's cousin's lake house. It was a good chance to see how the silly little man would do on a longish car ride, sleeping someplace strange, and being around so many people. He did good.

Good is relative. He didn't nap much, he whined a little, and the next day he was pretty cranky. He loved being around everybody! He's a people person. It's nice to be able to walk up to one of my wife's aunts and say "here, have a baby" so I can go do something. He was a hit.

Towards the end of the evening we suited him up and went for a boat ride. After 7pm and before 10am is reserved for fishing so boats can't go fast and disturb the fish. So we thought it would be fun. We fed him his bottle on the boat and the 3 of us huddled under a towel for warmth (never thought I'd say that about July). Part way through, I was bad and took his life vest off. He as so miserable and refused to be in any other position but standing while wearing it.

Anyway, it was a good little trip. The little guy was up way past his bedtime, but he slept well with Grandma and Grandpa in the back seat on the way home. We're now embarking on day 3 of family gatherings and then we're off until next weekend.

Stop, drop, and roll. . .

Sorry it's been so long. I feel bad about it, but there isn't much lately that I've wanted to talk about. We've fallen into a routine. Every night I come home from work the little man is excited to see me (which is the best feeling in the world), I make dinner, we eat, we keep the kid as happy as we can until it's time to eat, bathe, and go to bed.

Same thing every night.

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice grind. I love the grind, it's a grind I can see myself staying in for years (BTW as I type this he is falling asleep while drinking a bottle). The grind is great. . . for my wife and I.

For Rumplecrabbypants it's a grind ladened with the worst frustration of all. . . the inability to crawl. He knows he could do it if it weren't for the fact that he can't. He can roll, he can spin on his belly, he can gets on his hands and knees and rock. . . he's so close to crawling and it pisses him off!

The only shitty part for us is there is nothing we can do to help him learn. He just looks at us as if to say "you can work the diaper stuff and that magical spoon thing, why can't you help me move?" So we all wait, some of us more patiently than others.

Everybody we talk to tells us to watch out once he moves, that he'll get into everything and we won't get a moments peace. I'm sure it'll be tough to keep up with him, but I think he'll be much happier once he can move to get the toys he wants. . . or the remote, the phone, his mommy's hair, daddy's bottle of tequila, or anything else he sees.

Soon, my baby boy, soon.