Someone always comes in second

It is just a fact that you cannot give the same amount of attention to two children at the same time. Someone has to be sidelined in favor of the other. Sometimes it is the big boy; sometimes it is the baby. It is always Norman. 

Other than poor Norman, let's face it; it has mainly been the baby. James is a very content baby. Content to roll around on his mat, jump in his jumper or sit in his high chair and chew on toys. Last month that started to change. James now makes his presence known. Loudly.

It started at night. After his night feedings when he was 6 months (because he is so skinny he can't stand to go more than 3 hours without eating at night) he would lay there and "talk" to himself. I had to put in ear plugs to get back to sleep. Then it moved to his high chair. While I am cooking/talking to Zach he will start to "talk" while chewing a toy or even while his pacifier is in his mouth.

Then it moved to the car. While Zach was asking me every "why" question he could think of (Why is the street wet? Why did it rain? Do you have my umbrella? Why not? Why is it in the house? Why is our house on Drummond street? etc.) this was happening in the backseat as well. It got louder and louder and louder until we had to stop talking so James could. Only 8 months and already has learned to fight his way into the conversation.

Smells like a Catholic. Again.

I am so glad Blogspot lets me use the same title twice, because I really needed this one. 

James was baptized a few weekends back into the Catholic church, and just like Zach before him, smelled of the oil for DAYS. Not a bad smell, just a spicy, musty smell for a little baby.

James' Godparents are two of Alex's cousins, Emilie and Pat Morris. They are brother and sister and the first of Alex's extended family I met when Alex and I were newly dating. They were also 15 and 16 at the time. They are truly awesome people (as are their parents and 3 other siblings) and we are SO excited they agreed to play such a big role in James' life!

As you can tell from the pictures below - James already loves them both.

 

7 Months

How is it possible that James is 7 months already? And how is it possible I say the same thing every month? And how is it also possible that I am a month BEHIND and this baby is now eight months and I can be found cowering in my closet because he is sliding so fast towards a year.

James is awesome. He learned to really sit up in month 7, found his voice and realized his brother is pretty great. He does NOT want to lay down any longer, but sit up and look around at everyone. He says "Ba, ba, ba, ba" really, really loudly. Sometimes he yells it, sometimes he sighs it, sometimes he growls it. The growling is my favorite. It comes out of no where and does not indicate that he is upset. He just wants to growl at you. Now the yelling "ba, ba, ba"; that tells you he is ticked and you better come figure out why or he is going to start to scream silently at which time you need to run over to where you have been ignoring him he has been playing independently or the bottom lip is coming and the loud wailing will commence.

Everything close to James goes straight into his mouth. I hear all the time from Zach, "Mommy don't let him chew on that, it is wet." But his awesome big brother makes a trade with James so he can chew on something non-important to Zachary.

James follows Zach with his eyes all over the place. In the mornings Zach will get into the crib with James and talk and play with him. I can always tell when James has spotted Zach as his tone changes to one of excitement and joy. It melts my heart and makes me slightly less annoyed that they are both up well before 7am.

My Life

"When my kids become wild and unruly, I use a nice safe playpen (closet). When they're finished, I climb out." 

~ Erma Bombeck