Pirate in Training
I can already tell Edmund is going to be a big fan of birthdays. Logan's birthday was little more than playgroup with a theme, yet som
ehow Edmund knew the party was quite the event. I must add that the pirate theme Logan's mom Nan put together was quite impressive. She made the most adorable invitations, t-shirts, picture frames, goody bags, and more all in keeping with the pirate theme. Nan also did a great job of making the drop-in party enjoyable for Logan, his friends, and the parents. No over the top party here. Everyone truly enjoyed themselves.
During the party Edmund enjoyed spending time with his buddies and playing with Logan's toys. Several of the dads built block towers which were promptly knocked down by the babyzillas. The kids all loved the red and black pirate balloons. Edmund hadn't seen a balloon since Valentine's Day, but he certainly hadn't forgotten how to play with one. Then there was Logan's little metal shopping cart. Once Edmund had a taste of playing with the cart, he couldn't 
let it go. At one point Edmund was sitting hanging onto the bottom rung of the cart. Logan came over and began pushing the handle while standing up. Edmund began moving along the floor. It somewhat reminded me of a dog being dragged along by a mop. Both boys thought this was quite amusing, as did the parents. This little scenario played out for about a minute. Logan got bored and moved on. Edmund clung to the shopping cart. Then we showed Edmund how to stand while holding the cart. Perhaps not the best idea, as Edmund refused to move from this new found position. This meant his mother had to stand behind him holding him up for what seemed like and eternity. Eventually another child wanted to play with the cart. This called for an early lesson in sharing, as up until this point Edmund really could care less if another child took his toy.
After an hour at the party Edmund showed signs of tiredness. Having witnessed Logan and his friends devour the pirate cupcakes, a sight to behold, we decided to make our exit. I hope we were able to express to Nan and her husband Scott how much fun we had at the party. Edmund certainly partied hard, as within a minute into our car ride home we looked back into the rear view mirror to see our little guy passed out in the backseat. And so the countdown to Edmund's big day has begun. Less than 2 months to go!
Edmund Sets Sail
I have pushed tummy time since the day we brought Edmund home from the hospital. He has tummy time toys galore, but shuns them in favor of toys of the upright or dangling variety. Edmund has also rolled from his tummy to back since he was 8 days old. I used to think this meant my baby would excel at gross motor activities. Now I know it was his way of foiling his parents best attempts at tummy time.
We have a wonderful substitute at the preschool who fills in when my co-teacher is out. She has made it her mission to give Edmund plenty of tummy time on the days she enters the classroom. Edmund also refuses her efforts. When the sub is in the room she will ask if I have tried this or tried that to make sure Edmund strengthens his muscles. I have tried it all, as I could write a book on tummy time activities. My director has asked me if the sub's interest in pushing tummy time gets to me. Last week I said it didn't, but as Edmund approaches 10 months of age with no signs of crawling, the sub's constant "reminders" that Edmund has yet to crawl are starting to wear on my nerves. I know she means well, but unfortunately she has hit my "hot button" issue. I have come to the realization that most parents have these "hot buttons". One of my mom friends was jealous that Edmund could clap his hands and give high fives, while I was coveting the fact that her baby could crawl. We all must deal with this in life. There is always someone out there with the "better job, bigger house," etc. You know where I'm going with this. My hope is that I try to model for Edmund how to graciously accept this fact of life. I know I'm still working on it.
Deep down I know Edmund is just fine. I know the average ranges of development and have been reassured by doctors and new and old mothers alike. It just so happens that this year all of Edmund's playmates seem to be advanced in the gross motor area. If I transported him back to last year's infant class he would be right on par with the rest of them. I simply felt it was time to express my normal mom frustrations. I find it amazing that this is my only big frustration this year. Edmund really is a wonderful baby. I have to remember that he is trying out new sounds everyday, has made several attempts at waving, can feed himself, is an expert at pushing buttons to play annoying electronic music, can play a simple game of catch and throw...the list goes on and on. Crawling will come. For now I'll marvel at all my little boy CAN do.
Edmund Eats/Plays with Avocado
Each day Edmund inches his way closer to toddlerhood. In the past few days he has made leaps and bounds in the area of self help. On Sunday afternoon he held his bottle for an entire feeding. Edmund has been capable of holding his bottle for several months, but has chosen not to. Steven and I have debated as to the reason. While we often joke he is lazy, in actuality he probably just doesn't want a good situation to end. Why should Edmund hold his bottle when his mommy and daddy are so willing? Then a few days ago Edmund took close to a full feeding from his sippy cup, and has done so several times since. Originally I had grand plans of my baby being a sippy cup champion at 6 months. Edmund had other plans. Until this past week he would turn and whine whenever I brought the dreaded cup near his mouth. Suddenly something clicked, and Edmund was able to sip away. Now we have simply to combine the holding skill with the sipping skill and Edmund will be a sippy cup pro.
In the evenings I will often try to mash a little bit of the fruits and vegetables Steven and I are eating for Edmund, so he gets used to the family foods. One of my favorite foods is avocado. Interestingly enough my first taste of avocado was in college when I was asked to feed it to several of the children for which I nannied. Avocado is supposed to be a perfect baby food. Edmund seems to disagree with that statement as my last few attempts at feeding him avocado have failed miserably. A few weeks ago I decided maybe Edmund would at least get some of the avocado in his mouth if I let him "explore" it. None of the avocado you see around his mouth in the picture was actually eaten or swallowed that evening. Last night we had a Cobb salad to which we added avocado. I stole a few bites of avocado from the cutting board and Edmund seemed intrigued. I decided to cut him some small pieces instead of mashing it, and to my surprise he ate several pieces. I couldn't give it to him fast enough. Today at school the older children were eating papaya. I cut some up into minuscule pieces and Edmund had a baby sized bowl. At 9 months Edmund has yet to cut a tooth, but can eat diced food. Go Edmund!
Edmund has also started picking up Cheerios and Gerber Puffs and feeding them to himself in the last few days as well. For those of you who don't know, Gerber has a line of fruit and vegetable flavored finger food shaped like stars. I swore Edmund would never eat them as sugar is a minor ingredient and they aren't all natural. However, since Edmund eats better than most babies I know and probably totals 6 tiny puffs in a week, I have reasoned they won't turn him into a processed food junkie. Puffs explanation aside, Edmund has done remarkably well with self-feeding in a matter of days. I have offered Cheerios to Edmund for the past month, but he merely played with them. Fortunately not all was lost as Edmund perfected his pincer grasp during his play sessions. When I would try to put a Cheerio in his mouth Edmund would whine and turn away. Steven and I didn't push the issue, but kept offering the "play" opportunities. Then on Monday while I was talking to Edmund during his Cheerio playtime, he picked up one and brought it to his mouth. I had to cheer and clap, though according to child development experts this will probably set my child up for a life filled with "food issues." Who cares? My baby actually ate a Cheerio!
On Monday Edmund had a pediatrician's appointment during which we discussed all the self help skills he should be working on at this point. At the time of the appointment I mentioned I was trying the sippy cup and trying the finger foods, but Edmund simply thought I was crazy. The doctor said at this point introduction is all that is important, and that Edmund would get it eventually. At that point I felt the doctor might be crazy. With the lack of interest Edmund was showing I felt he would probably enter elementary school drinking from a bottle. Lo and behold the next day Edmund actually figured it out. Again I am reminded that children have their own time frames despite their parents' best wishes, and Edmund certainly has his own way of doing things.
Here are Edmund's 9 month stats for those of you who requested them. He currently weighs 18 lbs 13 oz and is between the 25th and 50th percentile for weight. He is 27 1/2 inches tall and is between the 25th and 50th percentile for height. His head is 47 cm which puts him in the 90th percentile for head size. His doctor assures me that everything with his head is fine. He also mentioned big heads run in families, so I'm afraid the Mercer side of the family is to blame--you know who you are :)
Tarheel Family
nal opportunity to attend a basketball game in his first year of life.
Steven, Edmund, and I braved the rain and met up with Grandpa Ed at the park and ride. Edmund was taken aback by his first true bus ride. He took a bus ride up a hill when he was six weeks old, but that doesn't count. Edmund loved the close quarters. He smiled and "talked" to anyone and everyone who would pay attention. And who wouldn't pay attention to such an adorable baby?
When we arrived at the Dean Dome, Steven shielded Edmund from the rain. We had to do a bag check for the diaper bag which meant a few extra minutes of wetness. Once Steven mentioned it was a diaper bag, however, they motioned us through. I'm not quite sure what that says about the security at the Dean Dome, but at least it saved me from getting drenched. As we made our way to our seats Edmund turned in all directions trying to gain some understanding of what was going on around him. We had excellent seats. They were up high enough so that we wouldn't have to stand the entire game, but low enough to get an excellent view of the court. Before the game started one of the security guards walked by our seats and rubbed Edmund's hair. He exclaimed, "that baby has more hair than me." For those of you who don't know, Edmund is currently known for his "do." His hair has been referred to as duck fuzz, a rocker do, crazy, wild, you get the picture. Whatever you call it, it definitely gives him personality.
The game began with a nice rendition of the "Star Spangled Banner" accompanied by UNC's current chancellor, Holden Thorp. Finally it was game time. Edmund sat back and enjoyed the game. He was captiva
ted. He watched the court, he watched the giant TVs, he turned to watch the people around us, and then he did it all over again. While sudden cheering caused him to jump, it didn't faze him one bit. Carolina basketball put Edmund in Tarheel Heaven.
It was midway through the second half and Edmund had yet to show signs of growing tired of the game. We thought surely he was going to lose it, but with UNC up by 30 points Edmund decided to doze off. He knew there was no contest and a snooze would do him good. The elderly woman next to us who had been keeping an eye on Edmund the entire game leaned over and asked, "Are you sure you didn't give that baby tranquilizers?" Steven replied "he's just a happy baby." Edmund awoke with about two minutes remaining in the second half. He got to see UNC break 100 (Bojangles biscuits for all). Carolina won 104-74. Look out! In about 17 years we may have another Hansbrough in our midst.
After a week of little internet use due to a defunct modem, I am finally posting this entry.
Last Sunday we decided to try out the new Aquatic Center in Chapel Hill. The center has a lap pool and a warmer pool for splashing and play. Since Edmund is such a fan of the bath we thought he would love kicking about in a larger quantity of water. When we arrived we took Edmund into the family changing room to strip him down and put him in a very fashionable "Nemo" swim diaper. Edmund is a big fan of stripping down to his diaper and found the experience of a family changing session quite amusing. I can only imagine what was going through his head. "My mommy and daddy have brought me to a strange place and now we're all taking our clothes off. How silly!" Edmund quickly discovered that the family changing room echoed and soon he was jabbering away, shaking excitedly each time his voice reverberated off the walls.. Finally we were all decent enough to make our way to the pool.
Steven held Edmund as we walked into the pool. I knew I would need time to adjust to the water. The Aquatic Center's idea of warm is not the same as mine and I didn't want to plunge Edmund into the water in the midst of my adjustment. Edmund took to the pool immediately. He kicked his legs like an Olympian swimmer. Several parents with children greeted him as we helped our little fish glide through the water. Again I had to chuckle as I thought what Edmund must think of this experience. "Not only did we come to this strange place to put on silly clothing, but now we're taking a bath in a giant bathtub with strangers. My mommy and daddy aren't just silly, they are downright crazy." Edmund clearly moved beyond our craziness as he found swimming a blast. Imagine what he'll think of the ocean.
Edmund Ponders His Encounter with Snow
After feeding and dressing Edmund I bundled him in his snowsuit, hat, and mittens to go see the wintry white stuff blanketing our front yard. Edmund was not thrilled with being bundled and was quite a bit fussy when we made our way out the door. His fussiness turned to confusion as he looked at the white world before him and then back at me. I showed him how he could stick his tongue out to catch a snowflake. To my amazement he even tried this childhood rite of passage a few times. I then helped Edmund touch the snow with his mittened hands. At this point he looked at his mommy as if she were crazy. "Why would you think I would want to touch this strange, cold stuff?", he seemed to ask. Thus our first foray into the snow came to an abrupt end.
Around 11:00 I settled Edmund down for a nap. It then occurred to me I could watch the inauguration live. I got about as far as former President Carter making his entrance before young Master Edmund awoke. I have been very good about sticking to my "no TV" rule for Edmund at our house, but after realizing that listening to the inauguration on the radio was not the same as watching it, I decided to make an exception. I figured it was important for my baby to see this historic occasion, an occasion he will not remember, but important nonetheless.
We made two more ventures out into the snow that Tuesday. On the second trip my baby again looked at me as if I were crazy. "Why would you bring me out here again, silly lady?" On the final trip Edmund sat in the snow while daddy videotaped the adventure. The below picture about sums up Edmund's thoughts on his first snow day.
Mommy Rescues Edmund After He Topples Over in the Snow
At Least He Was Cushioned
Edmund Receives a Football From Granddad
anted Edmund to open each and every present by himself. Edmund never quite got the hang of unwrapping the presents and had to take breaks in between every few presents to eat or sleep. I have a feeling next year's present opening will go by in no time, as well as commence even earlier. Let me take this time to mention that Edmund's parents did not get their little son anything for his first Christmas (shame on us), but he still raked in the gifts. The day after Christmas Edmund took a week long trip with his parents to make his rounds visiting relatives. His first stop was Harrisonburg,VA where he visited Granddad and Grandma Kay Kay. Upon his arrival, Edmund got to "open" more presents. Next he traveled to Hershey, PA to visit aunts, uncles, great-grandparents, and cousins galore. In Hershey he experienced yet another Christmas with present opening. Finally, Edmund traveled north to State College, PA. There he met his great-grandparents Casida for the first time. Guess what? Edmund got to open more presents. Aside from an exciting first trip to Hershey's Chocolate World, the above is Edmund's first Christmas in a nutshell. Edmund also proved an amazing traveler, reminding me again how blessed we are with our little man.
Since returning from vacation a week ago, Edmund has achieved two new milestones. On Wednesday night Edmund suddenly began saying "da da da da." By Thursday he was saying "da ba da ba." Now on
ce he gets going he won't stop. Unfortunately he has yet to say "ma ma" except when he is upset. Steven likes to brag that "da da" is for happy times and "ma ma" is for sad times. I'm going to root for "ma ma" to soon take its place in the happy time category.
Edmund also recently discovered he can shake his head back and forth. He often does this at random times, smiling as he does so. This particular action is quite adorable. However, Edmund has also learned he can shake his head when being offered peas or avocados, his two least favorite foods. This has made for quite difficult, not to mention messy, mealtimes. Both of these new achievements remind me that Edmund is his own little person. He will soon be talking and asking "why, why, why" as he discovers the world around him. He has also learned that he is no longer an appendage of his parents, but an independent being who can express his displeasure. Fortunately for Steven and I, "no" is not a word that has entered Edmund's vocabulary as of yet. We're hoping "why" comes first!
Pirate in Training
ehow Edmund knew the party was quite the event. I must add that the pirate theme Logan's mom Nan put together was quite impressive. She made the most adorable invitations, t-shirts, picture frames, goody bags, and more all in keeping with the pirate theme. Nan also did a great job of making the drop-in party enjoyable for Logan, his friends, and the parents. No over the top party here. Everyone truly enjoyed themselves.
let it go. At one point Edmund was sitting hanging onto the bottom rung of the cart. Logan came over and began pushing the handle while standing up. Edmund began moving along the floor. It somewhat reminded me of a dog being dragged along by a mop. Both boys thought this was quite amusing, as did the parents. This little scenario played out for about a minute. Logan got bored and moved on. Edmund clung to the shopping cart. Then we showed Edmund how to stand while holding the cart. Perhaps not the best idea, as Edmund refused to move from this new found position. This meant his mother had to stand behind him holding him up for what seemed like and eternity. Eventually another child wanted to play with the cart. This called for an early lesson in sharing, as up until this point Edmund really could care less if another child took his toy.
