Julian Ridley: Month 7 - Special Daddy Edition
Holy smokes babe, do you want to accomplish anything else right now?? I normally think about these letters throughout the month and I was starting to wonder if I'd have anything new to report. You pulled it all out in the end. First a tooth shows up. Then you are actually doing a full fledged crawl. Then another tooth shows up and you can sit up from being on your stomach. Who needs a boppy for support these days! And? As soon as you could crawl you immediately began standing up. You instantly crawl over to anything that could remotely support you and pull yourself up. You then proceed to let go but unfortunately your strength and balance aren't quite as strong as your determination. View this clip on Vimeo
All of this flipped my world upside down. One day I'm able to set you down and leave the room and come back to find you generally in the same area. But now not only do I have to worry about you crawling to your death but running behind you with my arms outstretched since you insist on constantly standing using the most unstable objects. I don't know what to do with you if I need to lets say, go to the bathroom! All of the "baby containers" I used to rely on for a few worry free minutes like a swing or bouncy chair are out of the question. You got places to go, no seatbelt is gonna hold you back. I thought I could still cook dinner with you safely in your bouncy behind me until I looked back to find you swinging from the toy bar after you managed to shimmy your way out of the safety strap. You know how many mini-heart attacks you've given me in this past week alone? I don't know where to put you down for a nap anymore! I hear you wake up on the monitor then you become suspiciously quiet. I run up to the room to find you standing on the bed after you used the bedrails as a hoist which you are leaning over helping yourself to anything within reach. The crib is the same way, not that you would sleep in it but so much for putting you in there while I do a load of laundry. Not until we move the mattress down at least.
I've since tried to get you to take your naps on the floor but that doesn't seem to last very long even when you are out like a light.
You no longer have interest in your toys. No, your new play things of choice are dog bones, electrical wires and outlets. Nothing is safe from your mouth.
Please promise me we'll make it to your first birthday. I'm already planning it. The dogs are pretty upset they can no longer escape your reach. While Jolie can be rough and a big pain in the butt, I gotta give it to her. She is extremely gentle and patient with you allowing you to rip chunks of hair out with only a soft glance to you as if to say "please don't do that" when she really could turn and bite your arm off.
She even lets you play tug of war with her and she hardly pulls but with us she'll not only pull us off the couch but she'll chomp down on our hands. She must know one false move with you and she's homeless.
You seem to be a lot less sensitive to foods these days which makes for a very happy Mama. I can eat somewhat normally again and even out of the house. You probably forgot what it was like going to restaurants until recently. With the proper play things to keep you entertained you are great in restaurants. You've even learned to drink from a straw. Speaking of foods you've also started solids this month to which your reception has not been too pleasant. So far it looks like avocado might be your favorite.
And I use the term favorite very loosely. Honestly I think your favorite is the rice cereal after your initial attempt. Of all the great flavors you've had like apple, banana, avocado, pear and sweet potato, plain old rice cereal is what you want. You must have a sensitive palate like your Mama. We're working on broadening your taste buds but that gag reflex you've got makes this pretty difficult yet very entertaining.
Most babies this age start to say ma-ma, ba-ba, ga-ga and so on. I think ba-ba came first but when I would try to get you to say ma-ma it would come out like goo-blah-ah-uh-mumbo-jumbo. Daddy turns to you and asks you to say pa-pa and as clear as day pa-pa comes out on your first try. But that's OK if you want to skip over mama. It's not like this is a competition or anything. It's totally fine if you rather not say the name of the person that changes almost all of your diapers, wakes up with you 600 times a night, calms all of your tantrums and gives her complete heart and soul to you. Pa-pa is A.O.K with me, like I said no competition here. Nope! FINE BY ME! (but so help me God Mama isn't your first word you will see just how important I am when suddenly mama isn't gonna come when you call and I'll just turn to you and say "Oh I'm sorry are you talking to me? I wouldn't know since you didn't say my name.") Get working on it boy. (But no pressure.)
Speaking of Papa there are a few things I want to make sure you are aware of. As you know I write your monthly letters and in between updates so everything has my skewed perspective. I try to keep it mostly about what you are up to but I need you to know you are your Papa's pride and joy. He is such a great father to you and I know you feel it. He initiated your nighttime routine which consists of play and story time as well as bath time. He looks forward to these evening hours all day long. And by this time of the day you are starting to breakdown so it's not always your most pleasant time. But Papa loves every minute of it. You don't like any substitution either. I had to fill in on bath duty one night and I made the horrible mistake of setting you down while I got your water ready. You exploded into the most horrendous fit I've ever seen and to make matters worse, as you SAW ME COMING BACK to get you, you whipped yourself backward hitting your head on the ground so you could not only say I emotionally scarred you from this abandonment but physically as well. I didn't know Papa would never dare do such a thing as you two are inseparable every step of the way. I won't make that same mistake twice; from now on you come get your bath water ready with me.
Papa also wants a play by play of every minute of every day. He wishes he could spend it all with you but he's out working hard for the family. I call and tell him about something you did and if I happened to get pictures he demands for them to be emailed to him immediately. He doesn't want to wait until he gets home. He also takes great care of you in the mornings before work. We all started getting up together to have family time before he heads off but there have been many days he knew I needed a break and would take care of you before leaving for a full work day.
I know you love him as much as he loves you too. There is no replacement for Papa he is the only one who can make you laugh the way you do.
He knows just how to roughhouse with you too. When I "throw" you up in the air your little body never leaves my hands and I hardly get a smirk out of you. When Papa throws you up, he really throws you up and you erupt with laughter. He's constantly working on new tricks with you which you just love. One of your latest is the in-air 360. While I just sit by and hold my breath you two squeal and giggle with delight.
I have previously mentioned that Papa likes to play his guitar for you playing either his version of a nursery rhyme or a Papa original written just for you. You are in heaven when he plays for you.
You were facing me once while he was tuning his guitar and as soon as he started really playing you couldn't turn around fast enough to rush to your front row seat. You smile and look as though you want to clap along. But lately you don't want to just be a spectator, you want in on the action. You climb up Papa and take over the guitar.
I hope the love of music and playing guitar is something you both can share forever. You know have your very own guitar that was your Papa's first guitar. While you aren't quite ready for lessons, this one is more your size and you can play along side Papa.
I don't think you will ever doubt how much your Papa loves you; I just wanted to make sure you knew about these times that will eventually fade from your memory.
to 
All of this flipped my world upside down. One day I'm able to set you down and leave the room and come back to find you generally in the same area. But now not only do I have to worry about you crawling to your death but running behind you with my arms outstretched since you insist on constantly standing using the most unstable objects. I don't know what to do with you if I need to lets say, go to the bathroom! All of the "baby containers" I used to rely on for a few worry free minutes like a swing or bouncy chair are out of the question. You got places to go, no seatbelt is gonna hold you back. I thought I could still cook dinner with you safely in your bouncy behind me until I looked back to find you swinging from the toy bar after you managed to shimmy your way out of the safety strap. You know how many mini-heart attacks you've given me in this past week alone? I don't know where to put you down for a nap anymore! I hear you wake up on the monitor then you become suspiciously quiet. I run up to the room to find you standing on the bed after you used the bedrails as a hoist which you are leaning over helping yourself to anything within reach. The crib is the same way, not that you would sleep in it but so much for putting you in there while I do a load of laundry. Not until we move the mattress down at least.
I've since tried to get you to take your naps on the floor but that doesn't seem to last very long even when you are out like a light.
You no longer have interest in your toys. No, your new play things of choice are dog bones, electrical wires and outlets. Nothing is safe from your mouth.
Please promise me we'll make it to your first birthday. I'm already planning it. The dogs are pretty upset they can no longer escape your reach. While Jolie can be rough and a big pain in the butt, I gotta give it to her. She is extremely gentle and patient with you allowing you to rip chunks of hair out with only a soft glance to you as if to say "please don't do that" when she really could turn and bite your arm off.
She even lets you play tug of war with her and she hardly pulls but with us she'll not only pull us off the couch but she'll chomp down on our hands. She must know one false move with you and she's homeless.
You seem to be a lot less sensitive to foods these days which makes for a very happy Mama. I can eat somewhat normally again and even out of the house. You probably forgot what it was like going to restaurants until recently. With the proper play things to keep you entertained you are great in restaurants. You've even learned to drink from a straw. Speaking of foods you've also started solids this month to which your reception has not been too pleasant. So far it looks like avocado might be your favorite.
And I use the term favorite very loosely. Honestly I think your favorite is the rice cereal after your initial attempt. Of all the great flavors you've had like apple, banana, avocado, pear and sweet potato, plain old rice cereal is what you want. You must have a sensitive palate like your Mama. We're working on broadening your taste buds but that gag reflex you've got makes this pretty difficult yet very entertaining.
Most babies this age start to say ma-ma, ba-ba, ga-ga and so on. I think ba-ba came first but when I would try to get you to say ma-ma it would come out like goo-blah-ah-uh-mumbo-jumbo. Daddy turns to you and asks you to say pa-pa and as clear as day pa-pa comes out on your first try. But that's OK if you want to skip over mama. It's not like this is a competition or anything. It's totally fine if you rather not say the name of the person that changes almost all of your diapers, wakes up with you 600 times a night, calms all of your tantrums and gives her complete heart and soul to you. Pa-pa is A.O.K with me, like I said no competition here. Nope! FINE BY ME! (but so help me God Mama isn't your first word you will see just how important I am when suddenly mama isn't gonna come when you call and I'll just turn to you and say "Oh I'm sorry are you talking to me? I wouldn't know since you didn't say my name.") Get working on it boy. (But no pressure.)
Speaking of Papa there are a few things I want to make sure you are aware of. As you know I write your monthly letters and in between updates so everything has my skewed perspective. I try to keep it mostly about what you are up to but I need you to know you are your Papa's pride and joy. He is such a great father to you and I know you feel it. He initiated your nighttime routine which consists of play and story time as well as bath time. He looks forward to these evening hours all day long. And by this time of the day you are starting to breakdown so it's not always your most pleasant time. But Papa loves every minute of it. You don't like any substitution either. I had to fill in on bath duty one night and I made the horrible mistake of setting you down while I got your water ready. You exploded into the most horrendous fit I've ever seen and to make matters worse, as you SAW ME COMING BACK to get you, you whipped yourself backward hitting your head on the ground so you could not only say I emotionally scarred you from this abandonment but physically as well. I didn't know Papa would never dare do such a thing as you two are inseparable every step of the way. I won't make that same mistake twice; from now on you come get your bath water ready with me.
Papa also wants a play by play of every minute of every day. He wishes he could spend it all with you but he's out working hard for the family. I call and tell him about something you did and if I happened to get pictures he demands for them to be emailed to him immediately. He doesn't want to wait until he gets home. He also takes great care of you in the mornings before work. We all started getting up together to have family time before he heads off but there have been many days he knew I needed a break and would take care of you before leaving for a full work day.
I know you love him as much as he loves you too. There is no replacement for Papa he is the only one who can make you laugh the way you do.
He knows just how to roughhouse with you too. When I "throw" you up in the air your little body never leaves my hands and I hardly get a smirk out of you. When Papa throws you up, he really throws you up and you erupt with laughter. He's constantly working on new tricks with you which you just love. One of your latest is the in-air 360. While I just sit by and hold my breath you two squeal and giggle with delight.
I have previously mentioned that Papa likes to play his guitar for you playing either his version of a nursery rhyme or a Papa original written just for you. You are in heaven when he plays for you.
You were facing me once while he was tuning his guitar and as soon as he started really playing you couldn't turn around fast enough to rush to your front row seat. You smile and look as though you want to clap along. But lately you don't want to just be a spectator, you want in on the action. You climb up Papa and take over the guitar.
I hope the love of music and playing guitar is something you both can share forever. You know have your very own guitar that was your Papa's first guitar. While you aren't quite ready for lessons, this one is more your size and you can play along side Papa.
I don't think you will ever doubt how much your Papa loves you; I just wanted to make sure you knew about these times that will eventually fade from your memory.
to
posted by Julian at 6:02 PM
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