Ups and Downs and Ups

V-Train feels like we haven't been taking enough photos, and I suppose it's true.  I recently returned from a four-day trip to Florida, and MVP looked different when I returned.  He changes day by day now.  When you consider that, at a hair over 9 lbs he has increased his body weight by over 50% in the last five weeks, you start to get an appreciation for the scale of what's happening to him.  If that trend continues, by the time he is one year old he'll weigh 346 lbs.  It's true - I did the math.

HULK SMASH!

The MVP has been giving his mom a hard time lately.  He recently started to act very colicky - staying awake fussing at night, crying unless someone was holding him, and spitting up hours after eating.  To make matters worse, V-Train was assaulted on the street in our neighborhood. While we were out taking the MVP for a walk, a crazy old vagrant lady came up and spit in V-Train's face for no apparent reason.  Luckily I had the baby and she didn't come near him.  We called the cops but ultimately decided not to push forward with charges.  V's a lot less comfortable going out for walks alone with the MVP now, though this was clearly a freak incident.  Between the colic and the crazy incident, she was pushed to the edge of her sanity.

The MVP knows that Mom needs a hug.

So anyway, last week we started treating the MVP for reflux - limiting quantity at each feedings, holding him more upright for longer after, and eliminating dairy from V-Train's diet.  Things have vastly improved since then, knock on wood, and he's back to sleeping most of the time.

There will be plenty of time to catch up with Moochie later - like after this nap.

Now that he's not constantly fussing, he's starting to do more baby stuff.  He does look at faces a little bit, but mostly he looks over my shoulder at patterns on the wall - he likes the contrast between light and dark.

Just don't question *my* authority, and we'll be fine.

After a bath, The MVP likes to dress up as a dog.  It's just this thing he does.

We've been fairly diligent at giving The MVP time on his belly.  This is very important because ever since they started putting babies to sleep on their backs to prevent SIDS, many babies are slow learning to crawl or skipping crawling entirely.  Because crawling requires a lot of right-brain, left-brain coordination, it's supposed to be one of the most important developmental steps.  Our therapist said that they've identified correlations between kids who skip crawling and learning disabilities that manifest years later.  And to make extra sure she got her point through to us, she said "Let me put it this way.  Do you want your kid to be the last one chosen for the soccer team?"  Anyway, he seems to enjoy his "tummy time" and is exercising a much greater level of head control than we'd expect, lifting it and looking around.

There's a whole new perspective from down here.

Here are some other bonus MVP pics because V-train can't narrow down her favorites list.  She thinks he's "just yummy" and she's fully aware that she could be wearing Mom-goggles.