Seven Months (And Then Some)

Time seems to be slipping away from us. As we prepare for Wyatt to turn 8 months, we realized that we haven't posted for his 7 months. 

Seven months has seen this guy trying to be more independent. He can sit on his own fairly well (with one heartwarming tipping-over that got Owen very cutely flustered).

He gets up on all fours but has yet to figure out the whole arm-leg coordination in order to move. He can turn in circles and has the back scoot down, though he usually ends up stuck under furniture. 

Food is interesting (and fun to play with). We feed him solids daily now. We always overestimate how much we're feeding him because when we pull him out of his chair there's usually at least half of what we thought he had eaten sitting in his lap.

And holy moly, this guy loves being outside. We don't know if it's a December birthday thing and the novelty of a nice day or what, but going outside is this guy's favorite thing to do. We have daily sit-downs in the front yard. One thing we need to be mindful of: this guy will eat any leaf in his vicinity. Even after he chokes on one, he'll try to jam another one right back in. What can we say? He loves leaves.

Best of all, we're starting to see a little personality. The laughs keep coming, but the engagement is adorable. He says hi to everyone. "Hi Dada" was his first sentence, but he's cranking out "Hi Mama" and "Hi dog" these days too. There's no Hi Owen yet (despite Owen being possibly Wyatt's favorite person on Earth), we're thinking because he's got no long "o"s. I'm sure that's around the corner.

Sleep Style

Man, having babies sure is like having different flavors of ice cream. The little details are the best and they're even more interesting when you have something to contrast them to. 

Sleeping for Wyatt is one of those differences from Owen. Owen loved to cuddle and mold himself to the situation. (Big surprise for our little bag of Jell-O.) 

Wyatt, on the other hand, flips himself onto his stomach, scooches himself to a corner and once he's comfortable sticks his little butt up in the air for the long haul. He's a mover, so many times throughout the night he's crinkling the waterproof sheet or generally making tossing and turning sounds. But when he's quiet, in a deep sleep, you can count on him being in his happy place here with his head in the corner and his bottom up.

When he's napping in his crib he doesn't have his corner. We suspect this is why he rarely sleeps for longer than a half hour when he's napping. Our tell-tale sign that our half-hour of reprieve is up is when we hear happy little coos emanating from the nursery. Nine times out of ten, though, when we go to get him after a nap, we're greeted with this sight:

Yeah, that'll work.

Six Months: What A Weird Strange Trip It's Been

This time last year we were still in shock at the idea that our family was growing. We've now reached the point where we can't imagine our life without Wyatt. Team Wilhelme prior to Wyatt was solid. Team Wilhelme after Wyatt seems to be even stronger. 

At 18 pounds and 27 inches long, Wyatt is healthy and hitting all the six month milestones. He rolls like a champ from back to front but does get stuck in what Owen calls "The Turtle". He's starting to show interest in crawling but still just wiggling around slowly on his belly. 

He's starting to sit-up on his own with little support. We're debating if "hi" is his first word since it's the word/sound he seems to have put together that gets a reaction when you see someone. He'll look directly at someone (or the dog) and say "hi". Dada gets yelled a lot. Mom (or moo) and nanana are sounds filling our home more and more as well. 

He's a really chill baby. He's easy to read. When he's tired, he rubs his eyes. When he's about to fall asleep, he starts to moan. When he's hungry, he coughs. When he's impatient, he yells "dadadada"(Ed loves this). He loves to laugh which fits perfectly with having an older brother that loves to make people laugh. 

COVID made it so everyone had to stay home, but for us, it gave us an opportunity to strengthen our family. We would never have wished this to happen, but as Homer Simpson says, we've turned this into a "crisitunity."

Clam Digging

Carrie's parents bought a cabin on Harstene Island last fall, and it's become a nice place to escape to when the house starts to feel very small.

The cabin is on the smaller side. So when Wyatt wakes up at 6:00 AM, everyone wakes up at 6:00 AM. 

Carrie's parents wanted to take Owen clam digging for the first time. After a few failed attempts at finding a good spot, we stumbled across a fantastic deserted beach great for clam digging. 

It was a gorgeous day in the 80s. The beach had plenty of shade which was good since Wyatt can't wear sunscreen just yet. 

It was nice to relax outside. We're excited for the day Wyatt can toddle around exploring. Until then, he watches everyone while we make sure he doesn't eat sand. 

After going through the whole clam process from digging to cleaning to cooking, I'm pretty sure Owen wants to just stick to the digging part. But now he can check one item off his PNW bucket list. 

Five Months and a Rolling Machine

The past month went by in a blur. Life being slow somehow created a month that went by very quickly.

Wyatt has officially hit the five month mark and with it has come the milestone of rolling from back to tummy. He can't get enough, and his tummy time game is strong.

We celebrated Ed's 41st birthday on Wyatt's 5th month day. Wyatt got a taste of the goofy birthday fun heading his way.

Wyatt's still a little unsure how he feels about the birthday song and cheering that follows. We were a little too loud when singing for Owen's birthday, and that caused Wyatt to get a little freaked out. The enthusiasm level this time around was something he could get behind.

Don't let the sad face fool you; Owen thoroughly enjoyed eating the cake made by Grandma Bug.

It's getting difficult to eat while holding Wyatt because he wants to grab everything and put it in his mouth. He's not sure why other people can put stuff in their mouths, and he can't. Soon enough, buddy. Soon enough.

Food: Not A Fan... Yet

Hey, Wyatt, you want to try something new? It's called food.



Food, huh? Funny name, but sure, why not?



Boy, you're right. This is different.  Hmm.



Ughhh! This is disgusting! What did you...



Oh my God, I think I'm gonna throw up.



Yeah, get that out of my mouth. Thanks.



I don't think I want to do that again.

Four Months Y'all

One surefire way for us to calm Wyatt when he's upset (which, thankfully isn't all that often these days) is for me to march him in circles around our house. Introduce some nice bluetooth headphones to the situation and we have a beautiful nexus of pacification and productivity.

Given the amount of time I spend marching this guy around (we would peg the appropriate metric at days now, not just hours), I thought I had some insight into how much this guy weighs. Carrie and I were making bets as to how chunky our little chunker has gotten. I put the over/under at 20 pounds. Carrie thought maybe 18.

Well, it turns out we may need to retract the chunker moniker from this guy (but those cheeks!). I guess I'm just wimpy (or perhaps exhausted from aforementioned days of marching) because Wyatt came in at a relatively svelte 16.5 pounds. That puts him in the 65th percentile. A chunker, he is not.

He is tall, however. At a little over 26 inches, he's in the 90th percentile for height. These numbers closely resemble Owen's stats. I predict we're going to have a couple of big boys (though, maybe not chunkers).

Biased opinion-based statistic of the day: Wyatt is in the 98th percentile for cuteness. 

Completely fabricated statistic of the day: Those thighs are 63% more rolly than at birth.

Happy 4 months together everyone!

Milk Please.

Umm, excuse me, mother. May I have some more milk?

I am oh so hungry and have not eaten in the past hour. You seem to like the rolls in my legs, and brother finds my double-chin hilarious. You'll also notice I'm starting to cough like I have not had liquid refreshment in days. Please. Milk. Now.

Baby's First Easter...

... was very anti-climatic. A pandemic will do that to a holiday. The day was nice and simple. Owen looked for the eggs the Easter bunny hid. Wyatt, alas, did not get a basket but he seemed very content watching his brother open his. We spent the morning watching Hop and eating candy from Owen's basket.

Pre-pandemic I had bought Wyatt a cute outfit to wear for Easter. Wyatt was not a fan of having it buttoned all the way up; he prefers the David Hasselhoff look.

Eventually the pants came off, as what can happen during a quarantine.  Owen was disappointed his pants had to stay on. Growing old is a bummer sometimes.

Fortunately, Wyatt got a few good naps in. He had been pretty fussy the past couple days, so extra naps were a good thing.

We ended the evening with a long walk and a message of hope.

A Brother's Love

Ahhh... brothers. You can count on them to be there when you need support. And you can count on them to make fun of you when your parents buy you a munch mitt.

Wyatt loves chewing on his hands. He doesn't seem to be seeking his thumb; he just loves having his hands in his mouth. His hands were starting to look a little raw, so we bought him a munch mitt thinking that would help out. Wyatt's not having it, and Owen thinks it's hilarious. A couple of gems from Owen when he was making fun of Wyatt:

"One mitt to rule them all!"

"I am inevitable!"

We do appreciate that Owen's ridicule is tied to literature, and Wyatt might appreciate that this ridicule (along with the clear lack of interest) resulted in the munch mitt being quietly put to the side.

The New Stepping Up

Is it tiring to be a parent during quarantine, you may ask.  Well, between two full time jobs, one full time student and one infant that needs full time daycare (all operating out of the same 1,000 or so square feet), it can be a little draining.

Luckily, the littlest one of us has mastered the power-nap. We get a good hour and a half in the morning from him reliably, but from there on out, it's short little bursts. Now, here's the beautiful part: he naps for much longer if he's in a lap.

So, during quarantine this is actually taking one for the team:

Carrie has a 3:00 conference call? Boom! Hero.

Ed's got a lesson plan to submit by by 11:00? On it!

These are strange times. You have to find what works. We're getting there.

Routine, Interupted

We had just started to get a routine underway. Wyatt was going to bed around 10:00 PM and woke up at 6:00 AM. Ed and I woke up with him. I would feed Wyatt while Ed made coffee.

The set-up of our home makes it so we all share a bathroom even though we do actually have two bathrooms. We're a close family like that (I guess).

Wyatt would hang out while we got ready. I think at one point all of us were hanging out in the bathroom, including the dog. Again, a close family.

We would take turns entertaining him until Robyn or Debby showed up around 7:30. They would take over with baby snuggles, and we would finish getting ready for the day.

But three weeks into it, the routine has changed. COVID-19 has disrupted life as we know it. Schools are closed, and there are mandates to work from home. A new routine will need to form. But before it does, I wanted to document what was started because it was nice. I liked it, and I look forward to when it will start again.

Three Months (And What A Three Months)

It's hard to believe we're three months into this endeavor already. Though time has been a little funny around here these days. 

It's a little surreal that Carrie and I were able to take maternity/paternity leave off with this guy and after a few weeks, here we are in the limbo that is a quarantine and back to it for another undetermined length of time. This time around I think time is going to get a little funny for everyone else, too.

We still love the blobfish comparison, even if it's a little tough to see the changes at only three months. We sure see it here.

Seeing Wyatt develop mentally and physically is still pretty amazing. The smiles and giggles are becoming consistent and genuine. 

This is the time that I really started to bond with Owen. Seeing his little mind develop into perceiving the world around him, especially in humorous ways, is moving him into the exploration of the human condition. 

I'm really looking forward to seeing the tables turn. We have been trying to get him laugh, but there will be a day when he tries to get us to laugh. We can't wait.

In addition to his mental development, this guy is chugging along in physical development. He's already getting his melon off the ground with surprising endurance. I predict rolling around will be right around the corner.

Aunt Georgia

My aunt Georgia came into town for a couple of weeks. Her trip corresponded with my mom starting to watch Wyatt during the week which meant that Georgia was able to help.

I have so many wonderful memories of time spent with my aunt Georgia. My brother and I would stay with her in Montana over summer breaks, and she would always spoil us rotten. Once Ed and Owen came into the picture, she started to spoil them too. Generous and thoughtful are two of her strongest character traits. 

Without fail, Georgia has sent the kids a card and small gift for every holiday. In between holidays, she writes letters to let them know she's thinking of them. The first card Wyatt received was from Georgia. 

I'm so happy she got to spend time with Wyatt and get to know is developing personality.  

International Women's Day

Breastfeeding is hard. You would think something that is so natural would be easy, but it's not. Moms-to-be are warned, but it's not until you have the tiny screaming human in your arms and you just can't get them to latch, does the reality of the difficulties hit you. 

Breastfeeding never quite worked with Owen. Looking back there were numerous factors that made it so it didn't happen: trauma from an emergency c-section, a hospital that didn't prioritize breastfeeding, and Owen's health problems to name a few. I remember feeling guilty and a little ashamed I couldn't make it work. But in hindsight, it really didn't matter that he was mainly formula fed. Owen is strong, healthy, and knows he is loved. 

Breastfeeding has worked out with Wyatt, kind of. He's a 100% breastmilk baby but not 100% breast fed. It was/is still difficult this time around, but I was more prepared and have more support.

I don't have it in me to exclusively breastfeed. I want Ed's help for the cluster feedings and late nights. I don't like to breastfeed around people or in public. I take the extra time to pump, and I breastfeed when it works for me and Wyatt. I have come to accept that's the kind of mom I am.

So in honor of International Women's Day, I am celebrating the fact that I have provided breastmilk to my little chunk of a child for 12 weeks. If I can keep going, great. If not, I'm proud of what I accomplished, and I know Wyatt will be healthy just like his brother.

Who Needs A Pacifier?

Out of the blue, about a week ago, Wyatt started lookin' around for his thumb. Mind you, he's not exactly coordinated, so searching for his thumb usually entails some combination of fist/fingers in his mouth.

Example:


This is just kind of wild because he's not really that nuts about his pacifier. Usually, if he's fussy it's because he could go for some milk (right now!). This makes it tough to dissuade because when you pull that little fist out and replace it with a pacifier, he just spits it out and gives you a "well, what in the hell did you do that for?" look.

Given that awkwardness, I guess we'll let it roll for a bit; see if he actually gets that thumb in there. I'm sure we can just tape mittens to his hands if things start getting out of control.

Fun fact: 90% of the time, he's sneaking in his left hand. Carrie and I are wondering if we have a southpaw on our hands.

And Then There Was Life

Ten weeks ago Wilhelme life got flipped-turned upside down.



Wyatt got here and life as we knew it stopped. It was wonderful (and insane), but it wasn't real life. It was a temporary adjustment period.

Two weeks ago life got a little more back to normal with Ed's return to work. That was indeed different, but Mom was still going strong in this alternate reality.

Dealing with Mom stuff:

  

And going on adventures with Wyatt:



Yesterday, however, the alternate reality we enjoyed for 10 weeks came to an official end. We are both back at work now and life is the general shape and size of what it will look like for the next couple of years.

We are extremely fortunate to have some amazing support from a couple of amazing people.

Robyn is going to be here with Wyatt two days a week:



Then Debby is going to be here the other two days a week:

Those of you proficient in math may notice that we only have 4 days of coverage for this little guy. That's where this permanent situation really shines. For the next year or two Carrie is going to drop back to 4 day work weeks and have every Friday off. 

So even though our new normal has officially taken effect, it's a pretty sweet normal.  We get to see our moms all the time and our moms get to be an integral part of Wyatt's early childhood. That's a helluva new normal even without the three day weekend every weekend kicker.