Look at Me, Mommy!

From time to time, I will attempt a new, exciting and sometimes dangerous feat. This morning it was standing in the crib. Did I get to the standing position on my own? No. Will I in the future? Yes. I did not hold the position very long as you can see by the length of the video. When it comes time to escape from the crib then I will certainly stand for as long as it takes. Better lower that crib mattress, Daddy.

By the way, check out my new robe. I think I look rather dapper. Mommy made me wear this last night after my bath. I have to admit that it felt quite relaxing once I got used to it.

Matthew as the Six Dwarfs

Good morning. How are you today? I am doing well. Mommy just left for work and now it's just Daddy, Onyx and I. I believe I waved my hand properly to Mommy this morning as she was leaving. For some reason Mommy and Daddy have been teaching me to flap my hand and arm up and down to the command, "goodbye." I have no idea why this is appropriate, but I'll play their little game.

Mommy wakes up first in the morning typically by her little baby boy alarm clock. We eat breakfast, talk and play, all while Mommy attempts to get ready for work. Then Horizontal Daddy crawls out of the woodwork an hour or so later to join the rest of the world (I've learned these terms through Daddy who learned them through Pop-Pop). Daddy puts me in my jumper while he eats his cereal. At this point I'm a little sleepy, happy, bashful, and grumpy. In a full day, I could play at least 6 of the 7 dwarfs.

After this I've earned my nap. Daddy will either put me right in my crib where I'll whine for a little bit and then fall asleep or I'll fall asleep in his arms as we watch SportsCenter together.

When I wake up from this nap today we are taking a trip to see Ge and Pop-Pop. They are Daddy's grandparents and my great-grandparents. The last time I saw them Daddy forgot my food. Needless to say, I was a little grumpy that day and didn't perform to par. I'll show them some of my new tricks to make up for Daddy's mistake. I hope to learn some new terms from them both such as the following to answering Daddy's question of whether I'm ready for a nap. I would respond, "Is the Pope Catholic?" Good-nap.

Have a great weekend!

Y yumn kh,l86u89 m

67l nnbn shsyjoiosa3e..km kiuuiucrdcfrdxrcelkj ...okay, that's enough. After reading the motivating Mr. Brown Can Moo! Can You?, Dr. Seuss's Book of Wonderful Noises, I felt like I would be able to type this post. I guess not. Daddy says it's a little too early for me to start typing. So now it's back to the speech recognition software. I am impressed, if you'll notice, at how I was able to start the title with a capital 'Y'. What does the title actually say? It reads, Mr. Matthew Can Type! Can You?

Speaking of what I can do, I can sit and watch Television unassisted (without a restraining device). I did this for a couple of minutes this morning. I also started eating barley the other day. Last night I ate purred carrots for the first time. It took Mommy 2 hours to make them but they were good. I'm not sure what 2 hours baby-time converts to. I'll let you figure that out. This morning Daddy made me a combination of oatmeal, barley and carrot cereal. I'm not sure if I was supposed to eat this all at once but it was tasty and I ate the whole thing. I should probably warn my diaper as to what's headed his way. Mommy read that I should start drinking from a cup. Supposedly, this will help me learn easier how to handle the cup properly when I'm a little older. Daddy doesn't mind trying this. He figures that the process will help develop my pitching arm when I decide to throw the cup across the room. Learning is fun.

Today we're not doing anything too exciting. I'm just hanging out in my monkey-on-the-butt outfit. I bet all of you out there in Blog Land wish you had a monkey on the butt of your pants. I bet this will never get old for me. The mobile is still fun to watch and I'm also trying to put a plan together of how to break out of this crib. I'm sure to think of something. The climbing monkey is my inspiration.

Matthew Returns

Where do I begin? So much has happened since the blog was fully operational. We're back in action now, though. I hope the camera crew and the IT department enjoyed their little vacation. Anyway, a few highlights. I moved into my very own new room the other day. I like it. It still needs some work and if Mommy ever gets some free time then maybe she can decorate and add all the baby touches she's been talking about. Hmmm...what else is going on? I graduated to size 3 diapers. The quantity of blowouts made this necessary. And as you know, I giggled the other day. I'm playing hard-to-giggle so we still can't get it on video. You'll have to bring your 'A' game if you're going to get me to laugh. I'm also sitting fairly regularly. Yes, I fall sometimes while reaching for something but I'll soon learn to get back up on my own.

Technical Difficulties

Due to an extra long weekend and hanging out with a bunch of babies I decided to take the day off. Besides, the Internet has not been installed yet in our new house. Please try again tomorrow and thank you for your patience.

Weekend In Review

What a weekend! It began with hanging out with my new buddy, Kai. Unfortunately, I did not check with him beforehand as to what he was going to wear. I guess we're cute, but it's still embarrassing when you're out and wearing the same outfit as someone else.

Even though Kai is still too little to play with (I can't pull and tug on his hair, arms and legs), his toys are not too small for me. He let me test drive his Corvette. It's a sweet ride. I now know what to ask this Santa character for.

Then I met and hung out with another new buddy, Deacon. He's practically the same exact age as I am but I think he's been taking hair growing performance drugs. I guess my next task is to start growing some more hair of my own. Deacon also has some trick that keeps him sleeping for 10 hours straight at night. But what's the fun in that? I like hanging out with Mommy in the middle of the night.

And what else did I do this weekend? Oh yeah, I giggled for the first time. It was right in front of Mommy and Daddy. I had no idea that my laugh and giggle would create such excitement. You would have thought that Mommy and Daddy had just won the lottery with the way they reacted. The moment they truly realized what was going on they grabbed the video camera, but it was too late. I got a little tired. Besides, I want to keep laughing but really make them work for it. Stay tuned to the premiere of my giggle.

Got Crabs?

Moving is an exhausting process. When I wasn't watching Mommy and Daddy pack and move I was entertained by the comic routine of Cousin Kyle. This kept me busy for hours. Thank goodness, because Mommy and Daddy weren't exactly in entertaining moods.

We don't have anything that unusual or busy for the rest of the day and this weekend. Just the typical stuff. We have to finish moving, drive to Pennsylvania to see a new baby, drive to Maryland to see another baby who is less than 48 hours younger than me, drive to another town in Maryland to eat crabs and hang out with more babies, then back to Pennsylvania for a day, and finally home to unpack and get my room organized. I do have a question: what the heck is a crab? Daddy says they're good. I have a hat with crabs on it and I can't imagine eating those. I'll let you know what I find out.

Have a great weekend!

Moving Day

Today is moving day so I have to keep this short. Mommy took the day off and Cousin Kyle is also here to help. Okay, so we may be a little short on muscle but we are not lacking in heart. Cousin Kyle put my teething ring, Nuby, on my head. It's not a flattering picture and as you can see I'm a little confused as to what's going on. He called me a little angel but I think he's just having fun at my expense.

I'm ready to flex my muscles and get this show on the road. However, I think I'll nap first.

Do You Believe In Miracles?

There I am at 38 weeks. I know you can't really see me, so I've attempted to reenact how I was positioned and what I looked like. Believe it or not, I was there. I'm only a few inches deep to the surface of Mommy's tummy. Let's put this in perspective. I was .005 inches long and .00033 pounds in June of 2008. I kept dividing and dividing but somehow kept it together enough until 40 weeks later when I was 20.5 inches long and 7 pounds, 11 ounces. Yes, there's a lot of stuff that happened in between but we can get into that some other time. After looking at my Mommy you really have to wonder how I fit in there. I fondly remember my time in Mommy's tummy. But what's cool is that I decided when it was time to come out. It was my first major decision. Do I stay or do I go? At first, leaving Mommy's tummy seemed like a really bad idea. Then I saw and heard who was carrying me that whole time. It was my beautiful Mommy, holding me close and speaking to me so softly and sweetly. As far as I'm concerned that moment was the only reason that I started to like this so called "outside the womb" thing.

So how did all of this amazing and miraculous stuff happen? I have no clue.

Independent Play

Boy, it's hot! Last night I slept wearing only my diaper-briefs. It felt good to get away from the onesies for at least one night. I can't wait to learn how to take my diaper off and go commando. Yesterday, I was not quite myself. I slept most of the day and rubbed my gums with my fingers when awake. Sleeping helped me ignore the heat. I think the heat got to Mommy and Daddy last night too, prompting our little adventure this morning. Daddy, Onyx and I had to rescue Onyx's food from Mommy's car. Mommy and Daddy forgot to get it out of the car last night after we went to the pet store. Onyx does not like being hungry and I completely understand this. As soon as we left the driveway this morning I let one rip: a forceful, bubbling-up-my-side blowout that turned back to look at my diaper and laugh. My car seat was an innocent bystander to the whole mess. We eventually got the food, cleaned up, ate, and now everyone is happy.

Today, we're planning on just lying low to stay away from the heat. I'm playing with my toys right now. I like them all but only for limited amounts of time for each because I get bored easily. In the video you'll see me with just a few from my collection. If you notice, there's a quick break in the action in which some guy moves all of my toys away from me. I don't mind, though, as I could use the time to practice figuring stuff out. Watch me think as I hold my finger in my mouth and contemplate my next move. Independent play is fun and educational.

All Fun And No Sleep Make Matthew A Tired Boy

That is me, Matthew, napping in my crib this morning (sorry that it's dark and there's not much to hear). Here are the events that led up to it.

Cousin's Weekend at the Lake was a success. I had a lot fun entertaining and being entertained. Nothing crazy happened. We mostly talked about babies and dogs. I played, danced, and watched as others tried to make me smile, laugh and scream. I guess the presence of Baby Me and Baby Expecting keeps the whole group in check. There were two Onyx dogs there and that got a little confusing. We ate, played games, swam, kayaked, sailed, sat by the fire, and drank various beverages. I only drink what Mommy gives me. However, I did drink a little Lake water while swimming and splashing. Swimming is awesome! Mommy and Daddy would not let me out of their hands, though. If they did I could really show them what I am capable of. Remember, I knew how to swim before I knew how to do all my other tricks.

Yes, the photographers can get a little out of hand. I'll let this one of my backside slide. So where are all of the other pictures of everyone else? Look at the title of the blog, baby. This is about me - Matthew. If you think I'm going to post pictures of Cousin Muscles wearing my hat then think again. By the way, for some reason Cousins Muscles and Expecting love to say the word, "champ." I'm not sure why this is. I'll ask Mommy later. Perhaps "champ" will be my first word. Repetition is good for developing vocabulary and I've already heard this word more than any other.

Amid all the fun and entertainment I did not take many long naps. Nor did I sleep much Friday night. So now I'm exhausted. I just utilized my diaper and boy was it messy. It must have been all the fruit Mommy ate this weekend. There was only a slight blowout. Nevertheless, I needed a new shirt. Daddy had just put a new shirt on me less 5 minutes beforehand. I think that is a new record. All of this fun, cleansing the insides, and taking in a little nourishment will make anyone sleepy. When I wake up, it's back to business. Daddy and I are checking in to our new home this morning.

By the way, and most importantly: Thank you Great and Greatest for letting us have such a great time at the Lake. And if you think about it, you are both a major reason that all of our fun, love and happiness is possible. Thanks again!

Cousin's Weekend

Yesterday afternoon Daddy and I went to the zoo with my "little" cousins. The most fascinating parts of the trip for me were the seat belt strap on my stroller and watching my cousins watch the penguins. Let's face it, I'm not really aware that I should be aware of a big elephant or a lazy sleeping tiger that are 100 yards away from me. I'm sure the zoo will be more fun in the future.

This weekend is Cousin's Weekend at the Lake. I am so excited that I had a hard time sleeping last night. Mommy must be excited too because she was also awake all night. I'm amazed at how she's always awake when I am. It's really quite convenient for me, actually. Back to Cousin's Weekend. I'm not sure what to expect and I'll report on it next week. I'll be spending time with my big (over 21) cousins. At this point in my life I get to fly under the radar with the whole 21 thing. That's why I get to go to bars with Daddy and the hair salon with Mommy. Daddy gave me some small warnings concerning my "big" cousins. I told him not to worry, reminding him that I already have gotten to know and love these people and we share some of the same blood. Yes, type 'O' blood (get it?). I was born with an innate understanding of how the 'O' family, Mommy's family, works. Here's Daddy's "heads up" list: 1. the person insisting that she's my "auntie" is really my cousin. 2. don't pay attention and learn from the 4 guys (including Daddy) once happy hour starts. 3. Mommy, Daddy, and Aunt Bethy are there to help in case I'm presented with any competitive challenges by the others. 4. don't scream in Big Cousin Wade's face again (sorry, Wade, I was just a little overwhelmed that day). 5. most important: have fun.

Because we did not sleep much last night we overslept this morning and then had to get Mommy to court on time. I'm not going to explain this. I'd rather everyone fill in the blanks, as it's more fun that way. Go ahead, use your imagination. I can't wait to use mine. Anyway, I slept most of the morning and apologize for getting the blog up rather late. Now I'm helping Daddy pack up. Since there is no S'mores baby formula yet, I had get the real stuff from my new sponsors. Again, go to the store and pick up some of these tasty treats. Tell them Matthew sent you!

Have a great weekend! I know I will.

Focused

Right now I'm focused on Television. Daddy is focused on getting things ready for running a bunch of errands. I'm going to help him. First, however, he needs to make sure that everything is ready for me. The following applies: when did I eat last? Better prepare and pack my bottle - we don't want to face the consequences of a hungry, hurting stomach. When did I utilize my diaper last? Make sure we have the diaper bag and it is packed even though I'll be sure to utilize my diaper as we are heading out the door (it works every time). Another favorite of mine: getting changed or fed in the car in a parking lot. Back to the questions. What am I wearing? Did I wear this to bed? If not, would Mommy want the public to see my like this? How is Daddy going to carry an old computer monitor, Television and me all at the same time? Does he have the grocery list and DVD to return? Don't forget my library books have to be returned today. And what wild card will I play? A timely blowout is always an option but I may decide to cry, or ask to eat before my regularly scheduled feeding. I apologize for going on and on like this but new parents need help sometimes. I learned this the hard way. The very first time Mommy and Daddy took me out for an extended period they forgot to take the diaper bag. Besides, it's just Daddy today and I've noticed he can't multi-task the way Mommy can. Oh well. While I wait, I think I'll just single-task and watch this Television. Wish us luck today.

Santa Gramp

I want to show you just how much I have progressed in stature. Here are a before and after picture, from Day 27 and Day 155 (today):

The first picture was taken on Opening Day, a day filled with hope and excitement. This year those days are over for the Orioles. There's always next year. At least the shirt still fits. Soon I'll start working on my game and maybe I can help the O's out in a few years. Daddy has some "plans" for me so I can develop some lightening-quick motor reflexes.


This past Friday we had an unexpected and pleasant surprise. I was having my diaper changed when suddenly I heard a loud rumbling noise outside:

'When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a GMC Suburban, extra clean and clear,
With a toy and beer-toting driver, limping but quick,
I knew in a moment it must be...my Gramp.'

I delightfully screamed at Gramp and danced due to all the excitement.

I guess Gramp got caught up in anticipation of the excitement because somehow he forgot to bring Nana. There's always next time.

By the way, Gramp mentioned something about Santa and Christmas. I can't imagine who or what they are. I've heard Mommy and Daddy refer to it before when they discussed dressing me up as an elf. I'm sure it will take me a few years to understand the concept, but I'm starting my investigation now. Perhaps Little Cousin Wade can share his thoughts on the subject, among many others.

Five Months

My first 154 days in office have been great. Thank you to all who have made it possible. Let's keep up the good work. Now, let me celebrate by eating this paper.

How I Learn (and Relieve the Pain)

How much did my gums hurt last night? Here, let me show you.

I was up for several hours very early this morning, restless and in pain. Mommy took the brunt of it during the first shift. Daddy took over for the second shift and I ended up falling asleep once the medicine and exhaustion finally kicked in. Last night was the first night in which my teeth really got to me. Here's what I don't understand. The fact is, babies are typically born with a full set of teeth. But instead of making their appearance from the beginning, they stay underneath the gums and slowly push their way through the gum tissue. Why can't I just have them now? Then it dawned on me as to why this might be. If I had teeth right now, poor Mommy would have to think twice before feeding a fussy, squirming, head suddenly turning to see what the dog is doing, baby with "biting" teeth. I guess the evolutionary gods got this one right, but I'll have to check one of my many how-to baby books for verification.

So for the past few months I've done what I can to relieve the pain. Fortunately, novelty is innate, and whatever new comes my way I grab it, look at it, and then put it in my mouth. When in my mouth, the object (such as Daddy's video camera), may serve as a teething device. Hey, whatever works.

New Baby Smell

Let me set the stage: It’s summer. I begin the day with a bowl of cereal where some of it ends up in my hair, the crevices in my neck, and even some in between my toes. Yes, sometimes I like to stick my toes in my mouth when I eat. I sweat from being trapped in my car seat. I have milk in my hair and under my chin and dog saliva on my feet. My hands feel like fly paper and have pieces of grass between the fingers. An unfortunate blowout or two has occurred. I’m down to only wearing a diaper at this point. What is that sour smell? It’s I, Matthew. And something, I don’t know what, is in my belly button. If Daddy and Onyx were responsible for you the whole day then you would probably be dirty and smelly too. When Mommy comes home and has had a good chance to look at and smell me will say, “Matthew, what did Daddy do to you today? You need a bath tonight.” I know you can hear her screeching voice in your head.

Last night I was tired and didn't do the usual laugh-scream that demonstrates my enjoyment. But after the bath, I emerged once again as the soft, sweet smelling prince that I am. It was quite refreshing. Mommy then puts this nice smelling diaper cream on me. The combination of clean me and the cream is the nector of the gods. Here's a business idea for you (I want 30%): New Baby Smell - Newly Bathed Edition. You can bottle my smell up. Minivan moms would drive even worse just to get some.

This morning, Daddy and I are taking care of my cousins. It's a lot of responsibility and it can be a dirty job. I guarantee that after today a bath will be in order.

Have a great weekend!

Movin' On Up

Today, Daddy and I signed a bunch of big white papers and a small, blue, rectangular paper so we can rent a nice little house that Mommy likes. Daddy likes the house too, but he doesn't like signing the small, blue, rectangular paper. Mommy and Daddy keep telling me that now I can have my own room. I'm assuming this room is for my toys and vast array of restraining devices. I hope Mommy and Daddy don't think that I want my own room to sleep in. Don't worry, Mommy, I'm planning on sleeping in the same room as you, Daddy and Onyx until I'm 25 years old. So I don't really understand why we are moving, especially since it is only a 1/2 mile away. I'm perfectly happy where we are. How are we going to get my crib over there? Does Onyx have his own room too? Is Tiger also making the move? How will Little Cousin Wade find us? Is that why we are moving? Will we put a bed for me to crawl on in the dining room there, too? I think I'm starting to realize that sometimes Mommy's and Daddy's do silly things. Supposedly, during my teenage years, is when I get to tell them how silly they really are. All of this thinking and realizing is exhausting. My crib is calling me. Good-nap.

Up and Down

Mommy took the morning off today so I let Daddy have a little time off of his own. You have to give your employees a break once in a while in order to achieve full productivity. Nana is here, and she and Mommy have been entertaining me. Nana took care of me last night while Mommy and Daddy were at the concert. I had a blast and she let me stay up late, eat fudgesicles and Cheetos, and watch Television. I was happy and bright eyed to see Mommy at 3:30 AM for my pre-breakfast meal, but she didn't feel much like playing. I'm not sure why this is and she was too tired to explain. She made up for it this morning, however.

Sell-Out

I have had quite the response since the release of this blog. I have fans everywhere and it is difficult to go out in public without being surrounded by a flock of screaming chicks. Sponsors are at my door daily just hoping to get in on a piece of the action. Yes, I took some offers. So what if I gave in? Is this not the great American dream? Please watch the following video, get your car keys, and drive to your closest grocery or convenience store. Your taste buds will thank you.

Don't worry. I have not gone "public" with the blog. Daddy is worried about security threats and Mommy would probably be jealous of my groupies. So why the soda and snacks? Mommy and Daddy are going to a concert tonight. Since the baby is not invited, I thought I would take a taste anyway if I could just get this darn bag open.

Straitjacket

I visited my seventh lake this weekend. Seven lakes is a lot for a little boy in less than 5 months. Some lakes were big and some were small, but I've had fun at them all! I'm starting to dabble a bit in poetry. Anyway, I was having fun until we went out on the boat and Mommy and Daddy made me wear another restraining device: a zipper-in-the-mouth-and-cheek life jacket. Talk about cramping my style! I eventually calmed down and enjoyed the ride.

Sometimes, after my fun-filled, action-packed weekends, I'm a little tired on Sunday and Monday. Yesterday, I ate and slept all day. Today, I'm in a much better mood and felt like smiling and laughing. I'm also starting this new nose-scrunching while I stick my toungue out, smile. I must get that from watching Mommy.