Sunday, April 28, 2013

Yay For Play Dates!

In the past month or so, Calvin has had his first (of what I hope are many) play dates.  Last month, my longtime friend Anabelle and her delightful son Alex came over to play, and just yesterday Kate, a co-worker of Brian's, and her sweet daughter Cora came by for a visit.  
Alex and Calvin
Cora and Calvin
It's so fun to watch Cal enjoy another baby's presence.  Sure, he goes to daycare, where he hangs with several other babies all day, but watching him interact one-on-one with a little friend is awesome.  I can practically see the little gears in his head turning as he touches the other babies' hands, watches them move and play with toys, and looks at their faces.

And, of course play dates are a lot of fun for the mamas too.  Whether we stay at home or work outside of the home, getting together with other moms and chatting about our babies is a fun way to bond and build our friendships.  We exchange tips and advice, ask each other questions, and laugh at all of the silly, hilarious things our babies do.

 
As Calvin continues to grow, I can't wait to have more play dates - it's so exciting to picture him interacting more with his little friends.  It'll be so beneficial for his development as a baby, and just as great for mine as a mommy.

Saturday, April 13, 2013

Must. Save. Everything.

Anyone who knows me well knows that I have a pretty terrible memory (aside from work - I'm some sort of savant there). To be specific, my memory works in a very strange way - I have a pretty fantastic visual memory, but my memory of events is very, very poor. Often times it feels "Swiss-cheesed", like the leaper Sam Beckett in Quantum Leap.


"Oh boy."
Because I'll likely never have my brain/ mind studied by experts, I'll never fully understand how a permanent memory is made in my head. And now that Calvin's here, and everyone keeps telling me how quickly it goes by, how fast they grow, I feel almost desperate to remember it all. Every little moment. I know that's a huge reason why I dutifully (and happily!) fill out his baby book each month, why I have taken close to 2,000 pictures of him in just 4 1/2 months(!!), and why I have already put so many things into Cal's Baby Box™.


Baby Box™ in the background

In it are so many tiny pieces of clothing and outfits from when my baby was brand-new, that I haven't the heart to give away... Outfits he wore for those of his "firsts" that have already come and gone (First Christmas, New Year's, Valentine's Day, St. Patrick's Day, and Easter, so far)... And special keepsakes like all the congratulatory cards we received when Calvin was born, his hospital blanket, hat, bracelet and crib card, and a tiny hand-crocheted blue hat that was in a welcome kit the hospital gave us.










Obviously I have no doubt that I'll continue to add to the Box as more of Calvin's firsts come along. I suppose I realize that I can't save everything, as much as I want to, and that the Box should be reserved for extra-special items and mementos, or else I'd have to rent a storage unit for all of the extra-large teal storage bins I'd fill.

But, I do it to remember. As much as I can. All of the photos I take, the outfits I save, I'll keep because I'm worried if I don't, I'll eventually forget. And all these moments and occasions I experience with this beautiful baby boy deserve to be cataloged, preserved, remembered. They're far, far too precious to me to let slip away.

Saturday, April 6, 2013

Being Wonder Woman For My Son

Lately I have started to really think about my future impact on Calvin, as his mother. What kind of role should I play in his social and emotional development? 

It's really starting to strike me just how massively important this is, and it's weighing on me. Not in a bad way, not at all. More like... in a holy-crap-I'd-really-really-better-get-this-right kind of way. It's heavy.

Marty McFly: Whoa. This is heavy. 
Dr. Emmett Brown: There's that word again. "Heavy."
Why are things so heavy in the future?
Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull? 

Of course I want to raise my son to be a good person. I hope that he'll be thoughtful, compassionate, brave, determined and kind, just to name a few. But, more than that, I want, no, I need him to know how to really, truly respect and appreciate women. And what better way to teach him this than by showing him how strong and capable a woman can be? I want to embody this strength for him. I want to command his respect, not just as his mother but as a woman, and I want him to learn from that to extend respect to all the women in his life. I really hope he'll think his mom kicks ass.  :)


Being that the true meaning of feminism is the promotion of equality between the sexes, I don't hesitate to call myself a feminist. And I sure hope Calvin will be, too.

Thursday, April 4, 2013

Om to the nom

This past weekend, Calvin had his first "solid" food!   At his 4-month appointment, his doctor declared him ready (though I was thinking to wait until he was 6 months).  

So we got some baby oatmeal (which, oddly, resembles instant mashed potato flakes), and on Saturday he got his first taste.  It was a big hit!  After the first spoonful, he seemed to have no problem understanding the mechanics of eating from a spoon, and he definitely seemed to enjoy it.  

It was so adorable watching him open his mouth in anticipation of each bite.  He looked so tiny in his high chair, but I know in no time, it'll fit him much better.  

He's since also had some banana, which he also loved.  I never knew what an awesome adventure eating could be!  Oh wait - yes I did.  haha  But seriously, watching him experience these new tastes for the first time has been unforgettably wonderful.  And I can't wait for so many more to come!