2 Months with Crime Fighter

2 months tomorrow.

I'm looking over at my pudgy son as he sleeps, wedged in the boppy on my new rocker glider, one hand up- both hands out of the covers. He still startles in his sleep, but it's minimal and less emphatic than the first month.  I have been sorting through the videos I've taken because even though I've been here the whole time and it's only been 2 months, I'm having a hard time imagining him as the externalized fetus he was for the first several weeks. My notion is that this time was a re-calibration: including full sound and this "sight" thing. And I can see him ramping up. Global domination? Possibly. He certainly has a loyal fan club. 

Accomplishments:

• Early morning vocalizations and exercises- (video proof). Both show smiles, and more complex babbling as well as excellent kicking
• Bottle feeding- getting there.  I actually - gasp- took a whole night off, was gone for about 7 hours once this week. The evening was determined to be a success, as nobody: parents or child, imploded from sadness or frustration, and the boy did not starve to death.
• Routine- he is sorting himself out, sleeping and eating in something that looks like a schedule
• Muscles!- His neck is remarkably strong, but he's not 100% yet, so he does his best impression of a soccer hooligan and head butts from time to time. 
• How tall is he?- I go in for a well child visit this week and will find out the height/weight. He seems quite tall to me and needs 3 month old clothes, but they're sort of baggy on him. I might call him Short Round (No time for love Dr. Jones!) but it's relative- he is not really a fat-fat baby. Just crazy-tall. He dwarfs his future playmate, Roo, and is remarkably bigger than a lot of the other babies we've seen at moms' groups. Except Superfly. Superfly is the Brute Squad of babies- in a good way, of course :) 
• What the photos and videos often don't capture the quirks of kicking off the blankets. He's fought with most swaddles from the beginning. He's always wanted to have his hands up by his face, and this really hasn't changed so it's no surprise
• Thumb sucker. Totally a thumb sucker. Like both his parents. This  means he's getting better at self-soothing and putting himself back to sleep.

I'm still flat out astonished that I am a mom. I have a baby. Really? I still can't figure out how the universe conspired to alter my life so thoroughly (no-- not the mechanics, oh pedantic ones- the notion as a whole). 

OK, I've taken way too long to write this up. Time to get on working. I have a Occupy Boston post in the wings that needs posting, too.

Occupy Boston and Union Stuff.

I looked back and realize that my last post was me heading to the Occupy Boston rally last Thursday, which feels like yesterday and a million years ago already. It was a fantastic experience. I'm glad I went. Everyone was polite and peaceful. The police were watchful but very hands off. I got to meet the head cheese of the New England Carpenter's (etc)., as well as one of QE's primary mentors, the head of the apprentices program (Tom). Crime Fighter was a camera magnet. I didn't see anyone quite so young in attendance. I happened to run into my UU, also from Ohio, friend Ethan, which was lovely.

We got to be the focus of a trolling on FB with the themes of unplanned pregnancy, poorness, and child endangerment. Never mind the bits where all 3 points of contention were 100% false. It was gratifying to have everyone else in the thread jump to our defense. The more important part to take away from it is getting to go down there with him, as it's for Crime Fighter and his generation. We have a hard time now, but without a fight, his future will be dramatically harder.

 quiet_elegance and a crew of apprentices drove down in time to participate in the AFL-CIO rally. I could not have been more proud to see him all kitted out in hard hat with all its stickers on it. And I was able to see him in his element, with his guys and his mentor and while Crime Fighter is too young to remember, we'll have photographic evidence to show him later:


Our Christmas card picture? Probably.

I have the notion of taking Dad down there when he's here next/following week.  We are the 99%. 

Right. So, my dad will be here from 10/24-11/4. Why? Seemed a good notion, as Matt will be in Vegas for training until the 5th- that's about 2 weeks. I don't recall if I've mentioned this already, or a few times, but this is really important. The ultimate goal is to get QE to full time instructor asap. Lots of good reasons to get this rolling. Specifically:( Exposition )

It does mean a year+ of leading a very complicated life. I don't love the idea of him traveling so much, but it will be worth it. And with that... I think I may have convinced myself. How about you?

Assets Friday: Panic-ed! Timewarp!

I failed to get my head shaved for my 3 months off. I worked too hard to get the initial haircut just so. I saw primal_pastry and rintrahroars with their colorful hair and I had to jump back on that bandwagon. 

Not too many remember I used to do this all the time ....


( I need to get a scanner)

But now it's not 1997.

And I'm really OK with that.

also, hat trick day!