6 Weeks and Counting

I've been a bit lax of late in keeping this updated, so here's a bit of a photo dump and an "update" on our adventures. "Update" because I talk to everyone who reads this blog on a regular basis, but for us to look back on later, I'll rehash it all anyway! :) Before having Angus, I would have been a bit doubtful of the validity of the claim that I've been too busy and too tired to update the blog lately. After all, Angus is an infant - he eats, sleeps, and poops himself...how can that possibly keep me busy? As anyone with baby experience, as anyone who has stayed home alone with a newborn ever knows (i.e. everyone who reads this blog), it is both exhausting and all-consuming. It's hard to find more than 5 minutes during the course of the day to have use of both hands to type. When I have some time, I'm usually trying to make coffee, eat something, take a shower, clean, do laundry, all of the wonderful joys of adult life. Or, as a friend of mine calls it, the adult life = the "we've got a big Saturday planned...Bed, Bath & Beyond and Target if we have time, but I don't know if we'll have time!!" life. "Old School", anyone?

It probably goes without saying that I'm writing this after he's gone to bed :).

Angus was 6 weeks as of two days ago, and he is growing like a weed. He's not exactly what I would call heavy, and he's certainly not fat (eh-hmm...DAD), but he's gaining some heft and becoming more and more like a little dude. He's also (knock on wood) gotten pretty used to a sleep routine, going to sleep between 8 and 9pm and only waking up once or twice during the night to eat. He has his rougher nights, such as last night, but overall, we've been very very lucky with his sleep patterns. He's also started to smile (as in smiles NOT associated with gas). It's true that your baby's smiles absolutely melt your heart. I don't think there's anything in the world that makes me as purely happy as him smiling at me. Of course, that means that I instantly forget about him blowing out his diaper while in my lap, a convenient out for him, but those smiles are worth it!

Our outdoor adventures continue as fall weather arrives. My favorite season, and this kid is turning out to be the best excuse for going to parks (Potomac Overlook Park, hello?? I'd never even thought about it before!) and just wandering the great outdoors. We also went on his first play date today with my boss and several coworkers. Well, as the youngest attendee, Angus didn't do too much playing, but it was good for him to be around other kids and, of course, good for mom to have some regular, adult conversation.

Anyway, it's now closing in on 9pm and I'm pooped! Yes, I lead a rock star life!

After dropping Christopher off at the airport on Friday (he's in Denver), we went for a jog along the Potomac. Daingerfield Island, toward Alexandria.

Sideburns rock.

He's getting better after chilling in this rocker without spazzing out. Note the increasingly fair hair.

Goofball in one of the many cheesy outfits mommy is dressing him in while he's too young to know better.

Looking back toward National Airport right around when Christopher's plane took off - have a good trip, daddy!

His usual sleeping pose.

Adventures with (Crazy) Mommy

As I've expressed before, I (evidently) don't believe in sheltering babies from the outside world for the first 6 weeks of their lives. I say evidently only because this wasn't a conscious choice, but a natural development in how I'm spending my time with Angus. In addition to such shopping meccas as Loew's, Macy's, Best Buy, and numerous grocery stores, the little man has accompanied us to an Indian restaurant and Molly's school (where he was quite the popular man). Anyway, given that the weather is taking a decidedly fall-ish turn - my favorite season for weather - and given that there have been painters taking over the house all week - I decided to take Angus with me to Roosevelt Island yesterday. I've always enjoyed the "nature-oriented" walking/jogging opportunities offered by the island (and, for those in the know - i.e. all of you - the main character of my unpublished book, Natasha, was attacked on Roosevelt Island and subsequently died. NOT that I've ever felt remotely threatened there, of course. But I digress...) but haven't gotten back there as often as I'd like. So Angus and I went yesterday with his regular stroller. I'm sure it was quite comical to watch me and my chicken arms pushing that thing through the rocks. We parked it in the area by the statue for an hour or so, and I read while Angus slept. Today we went back, and I wisely brought the jogging stroller instead, which enabled us to complete a lap of the island before settling down for our reading/naptime.

All in all, a good way to spend a morning!

After his bath - now that he can be submerged in water, as opposed to having just sponge baths, he seems to tolerate them much better.

Looking very concerned.

Post-jog around the island. Angus and Teddy. I'm sure they would have gotten on fabulously.

For some reason, he looks like he is ENORMOUSLY fat in this picture - like he has just one massive chin. Though he is beefing up, I can assure you that he isn't completely a lardass yet :).

Just relaxing before heading out for the day.

Sleepy boy (again).

The bridge/entrance to the island.



This is an old one that was still on my camera - just thought it was quite cute (Dad's favorite word). Probably 2-3 weeks ago.

Yesterday with the regular stroller.





Note his hair - there seems to be a faint reddish tint. Though I am known to color my hair, erm, interesting hues, I did not color my son's hair (he's lucky he's not a girl).

Angus is starting to smile a lot more in reaction to my silly baby talk. He was smiling before, but primarily in reaction to pooping, so I'm enjoying the interaction with him.

Meet the Lynches

We've had quite the week at the newly-anointed Oakland Street B&B. Christopher's two older brothers were here last week - that's Ralph, who lives in Connecticut, and Philip, who lives in Hong Kong - and his mom (sorry, mum) and stepfather have been here since Sunday. They leave today to continue their US-tour in CT/NY, and it's been a fun, productive visit. Productive because Elizabeth is a master organizer/house planner, so we've been moving and arranging and cleaning like mad all week. Much, MUCH appreciated. There's also been ample "Angus appreciation" time, and the kid continues to woo with these grandparents, as well. I think it goes without saying that the first grandparents he met were fairly smitten.

Anyway, Angus is one-month old today, and he's growing like a weed. As for my mothering abilities/skills, I can only hope they're developing and improving at an appropriate speed. I'm certainly trying, but I'm also finding that (as my more pragmatic friends told me while I was pregnant), it's mostly a matter of finding what works best for you and your baby. So far, Angus is proving to be a relatively unfussy baby - the qualifiers in that statement are a protection against my jinxing myself by making outlandish claims of a nonfussy baby, which will surely be met with a host of "wait until..." statements. BUT so far, so good. Having said that, any and all advice/suggestions are always appreciated :).

Pictures of the rapidly-growing baby boy are attached, along with some pictures from our field trip to the Udvar Hazy Air & Space Museum out by Dulles. I'd never been there, and I was a teeny bit skeptical about the wisdom of making the trip with a one-month old, but Angus was probably the last-fussy of the lot of us. Not a single crying fit or melt down. For the most part, he alternated between sleeping and taking in his surroundings in a very Angus-typical contemplative manner. As part of my "do what works best for you and your baby" lifestyle mantra, we haven't shied away from taking him out in public. Some new parents opt to minimize outside exposure during the first 6 weeks or so - while I do understand there are reasons for this school of thought, I would probably lose the plot if I went that route, and Angus has been quite a trooper in his numerous outings. Now, that's not to suggest that I allow strangers to paw at him, and I'm not taking him to Chuck E Cheese (well, that will NEVER happen), but I do believe it's in everyone's best interest to get him started on the real world as soon as possible.

Past Angus's stellar performance yesterday, I must admit that I was pleasantly surprised with the museum. I'd been, of course, to the Air & Space Museum on the National Mall, but I preferred the Udvar Hazy exhibits. Far less touristy-packed, less shtick (best word I can think of) and more actual information and planes, etc., and overall just a well-organized place. It would have been nice if they'd had a second option for lunch past McDonald's, but nobody's perfect :).

One of his mid-sleep spaz-outs. Usually including a solid punch to his own face.

Angus with his binkie at the museum. Taking it all in.

Molly in front of the space foods and poop-bags exhibit. Quite a combination.

Who knows what he was doing. Pretty standard Angus-face.

Vietnam and Korean War exhibits.

Sleeping.

Just woke up.

I love this picture for some reason.

Back shot of the Discovery.

Sleepy boy.

LOVE this picture, too. I could watch him making faces for hours.