It's hot.

I feel like a big wussy complaining about the heat, because relatively, it's not really that hot. Diddy in Vegas has no sympathy for me, I'm sure. But my year in Vermont has allowed me to become accustomed to a certain chill, and when the heat rolls in, my new hardy disposition begins to melt.

Sleep, which I have already stated is shotty at best, is no fun in the hotness. And The Ding Dong, currently fending off attacks from killer incisors, is not tolerating the sweaty stick with much grace. Our nights have gone something like this:

Sam wakes up in pain and begins to cry.

The effort of crying causes him to sweat.

I pick him up and the compounded body heat causes the flood gates of our pores to open.

Sam's cries escalate.

I hug and bounce and pat causing me to sweat even more.

Which, in turn, causes Sam to sweat even more.

I put Sam back down to provide relief from all the hotness.

Sam goes completely ape shit.

The fever he has only compounded the ugh of it all. I have been gathering up the sticky tacky, slimy little one and carrying him into the bedroom where the AC unit is humming and cooling. I feel so selfish having set it up in there instead of Sam's room. Of course when we set it up, our room was Sam's room so I guess I can ease off the mama guilt a little bit. And honestly, it's only needed a total of perhaps 8 days a year. But having it makes those 8 days way more tolerable.

Another side effect of the heat besides all the sweating, or rather, a side effect of all the sweating, is my lack of slinging. Sam enjoys being in the sling. I enjoy having him in it. It has been my "comfort crying baby" weapon since the beginning, and has proven indespensible during teething. Sling and stoller...rarely is there ever a crying baby in either. But when it's hot? Baby pressed snuggly against the torso? Yuck. And add a fever to the mix? It's like having a hot water bottle strapped to your belly. I think he still enjoys the closeness, but after a few minutes, we're both a big slimy mess. And the fact that he cries while in it is a signal that it's not providing the comfort is usually does. So there is a lack of baby wearing going on. A state of affairs I do not like.

So in the meantime, we're laying low, avoiding the sun and taking periodic trips to the bedroom for relief...



and going sans pants.

The saga continues...

Sam's teeth have begun another onslaught on his gentle and sensitive gums. This time, however, they aren't pulling any punches. Along with an unprecidented amount of discomfort, we are also dealing with a fever. Nothing crazy, but the poor kid is obviously miserable. We have stepped up our defenses, adding ibuprofen to our arsenal of frozen wet baby socks tied in knots and the array of rings and toys. Needless to say, sleep has become even more fleeting. Sam doesn't seem to be able to get through more than an hour or so without waking in pain. What little head way that was made in the sleep department has been thworted. All bets are off when the kids in pain. Pick him up, nurse him to sleep, walk him around the house...whatever it takes. I just wonder what our nighttime routine will be on the other side of this.

Luckily, the worst of it waited until Jay's sister Amy, her husband Kyle and little Henry finished their visit. We had a great weekend. J's folks were here too, through Sunday morning, and it was nice to have everyone around. We lucked out with the weather. Monday morning we headed out for breakfast and then on to ECHO, a small science museum on the waterfront.

Here's Amy and Henry patiently awaiting the feeding of the turtles...




It was more than just giving the creatures some lettuce. Here Henry is raising his hand for a chance to explain why he thinks this particular turtle is called a "Stink Pot!"


I'm glad we finally made it to ECHO. They have a good deal going for a season pass. Something we will definitely take advantage of once Sam is a little older. I'm sure it will prove to be indispensible during long cold winters. Ugh, I hate to even think about it. The amount of time it takes to get out of the house with a little one in sub arctic temperatures is ridiculous. It's enough to make you hunker down and hibernate until Spring. But as Vermonters say, "The key is to get out in it." Luckily, Sam should be sturdy enough to be dragged around on a sled. The stroller isn't really made for chunky, icy sidewalks.

So Sam is enjoying the strolling while he can.

Lord help us all

The other day when I was hanging out with one of my Mom friends and her little boy, I marveled at how the little guy sat sturdily and played with toys, quiet as a mouse. This little boy is the same age as Sam. I set Sam up and he sat, sorta. Then he toppled over and began to wiggle and squeak. Then he stuck his butt up in the air, flattened back out and looked up with pride because he moved approximately 3 millimeters. Though I'm proud of his hard work and glad to see he is moving forward developmentally, part of me is like WHOA. Let's slow down a bit. See him? He's sitting. Let's try that first. Mama needs to ease into this mobility thing. Let's sit.

Well, that's not really happening. I sit Sam up on his butt, hoping he'll be content to stay in one place and play with toys. Apparently he does not feel this step in the process is worth exploring, becuase he just flops right over. And no more wiggling...crawling. Like fast. This change has occured in the last 3 or 4 days, and he's getting quicker and bolder by the minute.



Usually he makes a bee line for Tubbs. It's as if Tubbs has a tractor beam on the Ding Dong. On the contrary, Tubbs looks very much like he wishes he could raise the shields. But Sam succesfully enters Tubbs' air space and firmly grabs his toes. Then Tubbs will move. And Sam follows. Poor Tubbs.



Anyway, I've taken the last few days to deal with this new development. I realize my life is now changed. There is no going back to blobby baby on the floor. It's ok. It will be a snap. I can handle a crawling baby...

They make cages, right?

(just kidding!)

((kinda))

Then yesterday, when Sam was supposed to be taking a nap, I walk in on this...

What's Shakin?

Sam has gone to bed, and I should probably follow. Even if I'm tired, we tend to stay up until 11 or so, watching TV. And tonight I reallly should take advantage of Sam's first long stretch of sleep...we had a record of 5 hours the other night! But it's from 7 to midnight, so not so helpful in the mama sleep department. But since J is out I have no one to zone out with in front of the tube. And there's nothing to watch anyway since I'm letting our DVR tape Hell's Kitchen. J and I both like that show and it's best I watch it with my hubby, otherwise I may get swept up in the strange sexiness of Gordon Ramsey's profanity and creased forehead.

Where's J? Well, he found some other boys to dork out with and go see Transformers. J was concerned that his new workplace would not have the high incidence of nerdiness that he enjoyed at his former office, but luckily he found others willing to argue the implications of Optimus Prime being a plane (I think?) instead of a gun.

They aren't super dorky or anything. It's long after opening night. Not like they stood in line waiting so they could be one of the first. Or, God forbid, pay someone to stand in line for them...I don't know anyone who would go that far. Oh wait...um, yeah...



That's my Daddy! And you guessed it, that's an iPhone in his hands. He was third in line...or rather, his employee was third in line. Until Dad came to relieve him that is. With all this dorky blood in the family, Sam is doomed to a life of MacWorld and Star Wars conventions.

So Sam is now 7 months old! Crazy. He's sitting up pretty good now and crawling like a madman. I need to really do a once over with the baby proofing. He makes a beeline for anything with wires. He's not real fast yet, so he's easy to head off, but he's getting more proficient every day.

He's loving food. Cheerios are his new babysitter. I just throw a handful on the highchair and he's occupied for 10 minutes. Well, it used to be 10 minutes, now it seems more like 10 seconds. He's getting more proficient at that too.


Tubbs is also enjoying the transition into solid foods. His new favorite spot is next to Sam's high chair. Sam is not so neat. It's actually nice to have Tubbs there to clean up the mess. But I don't let him clean up all the mess, though I'm sure he'd like Sam clean if I let him.


That is the weirdest picture. Funny, but weird.

Sam and I spent the Fourth at a cute little parade in Bristol, VT with Amy and Sam's buddy Lucas.

They were born 3 days apart. It's funny to hang out with another baby Sam's age and see the differences. Lucas is pretty mellow. Sam was pretty good, until the car ride home when he decided he was hungry. And wanted to eat NOW. Luckily we weren't going far, so a short ride later and a few million renditions of Old MacDonald later he was happily nursing.

Last weekend Sam went on his first boat ride!



A group of mom's and I took the ferry across to New York to a cute little town and had lunch.

We walked around looking at the super expensive boutiques, got caught in a crazy rainstorm, ate ice cream and came home. It was fun, but exhausting. I am so tired lately, I didn't realize paying attention to conversation could be so taxing.

Sam was tired too...