In a day

It seems that things can change in a day... I noticed the other day that Truman woke up different in some way.. 
He played with more drive to learn an activity not just do it... 
His eyes seem to say more as he looked at my face as I spoke, like he was soaking it all in.  As I noticed this I waited with such anticipation for him to truly speak his first words.  He didn't but I know it's coming soon..  He crawled faster and cruised furniture and cabinets with ease, barley holding on... 

I love every second seeing him change and grow..  becoming his own little self with his big personality....  but I'm sad that things change so fast, scared I'm going to miss something or I will forget...
I hope I never forget
-the feeling of is warm cheek on mine as we rock before bed or in the mornings when I lift him out of his crib.
-the wrinkled nose snorting laugh that makes him look like a wild child
-the infectious belly laugh when we smell his feet and say "shewy shew shew"
- the smile that melts you from toothless to his little front teeth
- the way he loves to watch us brush our teeth..
- the way he speed crawls into my lap when he hears a sound that frightens him like the dogs barking or the carpet cleaner..
- the way he can always find that perfect fit in my lap to snuggle even as he has grown taller.
- the way he would say "mmmm" after every bite when he finally got the real stuff
- the way he claps after almost every bite as he feeds himself
- the way he adores Travis in a way different from me
- the way he crawls after the dogs to play
- the big smile, giggle, and wave as Nana holds him in the kitchen and I come through the door from work.
- the way his hands will pat our back while we pat his
- the way he pulls on your pants to let you know he wants you to pick him up
- the smell of lavender baby bath and the feel of cotton night close as we rock and sing before bed
We try so hard to take in the sights, sounds, and smells that are Truman for things change so fast and at times it seems in just a day..

Bumps & Bruises

Truman is  very determined and has a strong will, traits I hope will help him succeed in life..  He hates no (like most children and well adults for that matter), regardless if it's from our mouth or an inanimate object that will not succumb to his will...  As Nana tells it..  he tried soo very hard to open the kitchen cabinet door (the hinged side) and as he pulled and pulled he got mad and determined..  so he moved to the other side and with all his frustration and will, still fresh in his mind, yanked that side (unhinged) and well it flew open and BONK right in the head... to leave a nice little bruise... 
Lesson : when things don't go your way in one situation don't react in the next situation as if it were the same as the one before, it could be completely different.. 
Thus you might be able to avoid some bumps and bruises...
Not too sure Truman really learned that lesson but he did open the cabinet doors slower the rest of the day..  lol

The hardest part and the Best

so today I am WAY OVERTIRED and feel completely nuts..  which brings me to the worst part of being a mom...  Truman doesn't sleep..  bless his heart he can wake up 3-4 times a night and still wake up with a smile, although much after 4 he is a bear the next day :)   I'm a bear all the time, or at least that is what I feel like, these days and it's really sooo not me...  I keep telling myself this too shall pass and as I do I look at all the things that are the best..  The morning sleepy face and half smile as I walk in the room, the feel of his warm face and heavy head as he lays it on my shoulder..  The way he crinkles up his nose and snorts a laugh..  watching him chase the dogs and try to get in the middle of the wrestling (he thinks he is one of them I fear)..  the pull on the bottom of my pants as he pulls up to stand  or to get me to pick him up...  The way he laughs at random things we do and look at us like we are stupid when we try to make him laugh... watch him figure out how things work and how he always picks up the same books for me to read..  REALLY I COULD GO ON...  but all you mommy's and daddy's know these things..  so I will leave you with a picture of our weekend mall outing..  nothing like a few puffs and some water to make a happy baby and a wild lil man..

First July 4th

Sorry to announce but there were no first fireworks for Tru, although it sounded like a war zone for a week but he slept right through it all.. Truman had been fighting a stomach issue and we felt it was better if we followed schedule so he went on to bed.  We were planning on going to Uncle Shane and Aunt Ta's but uncle Shane was sick too..  so We ventured out for a trip to the Mall.  He was great..  He loves to people watch (get's it from his mama).  After that he went to visit Aunt Steffie while Trav and I went to get a bite to eat, it was the day before our Anniversary..  we look forward to next July 4th because I know he will love the fireworks... with that said I don't want to rush this next year because he is growing too fast now....

Truman's Birth to now

Sept 11, 2010 what a special day Truman Lee Conner came into this world and I was overcome with emotions. Grateful, blessed, and oh so scared... Labor was a mess.. I was in labor for 36 hours. Approx 10 hours without an epidural then rest with but it only worked on one side.. No food completely starving pushed and then ended up with a c-section. And Oh was I sick right before and for a whole day after.. I didn't get to hold Truman for a good 1/2 day because I could not stop getting sick and was very drugged up. Travis fed him his first bottle and changed his first two poopy diapers (to which think entitles him to never have to change a poopy diaper again :) ) And somehow Truman never seems to poop on his watch AMAZING....

I was able to stay home with Truman for 3 months and I still would love to be home with him now but I'm blessed that Nana has kept him for the first year... What a wonderful BLESSING... Breast feeding never did work really well at all.. I tried and tried to make it work for a month but then I had to get back on my blood pressure meds for my kidneys and had to stop. We had to switch formulas a couple times to find one that Truman could tolerate without so much spitting up. I won't say Truman was colicky but he was very high maintenance. He only liked being held. He didn't like his baby swing, chairs, swaddles, or a thumb or paci. He has never been a good sleeper. After the first two weeks at home he started fighting being swaddled, and he would only sleep for 30-45 minutes at a time.. After a month I started putting him on his belly during the day and he would sleep so at a 1.5 months he started sleeping on his belly.. This allowed for at least a couple hours in-between waking.. At 3 months he would sleep for 4 hours straight and that was his best until about 9 months when he will have some nights of 6 to 8 hours but those are few.... He ALLWAYS wakes at 4 am and then wakes every sleep cycle 35 to 45 minutes until we go ahead and get him up at 6 or 6:30. He takes good naps and they are pretty predictable (especially if I'm at home with him) 10:00 am and then again at 2 or 3 and goes to bed between 7:45-8:30.... Now at 10 months he is only taking 2 1hour naps during the day and I'm trying to get him to go to sleep later at least 8:30 (not working well). He loves food but we are having a harder time getting him off of the pureed foods.. He just doesn't want to eat solid foods except puffs. He will pick those up and eat away but other things like cubed carrots and fruit he doesn't like to pick up and eat but will eat them if you put them in his mouth. But he hates to be in a highchair. He is still taking 25- 30 oz of formula he will only drink 5-6 oz at a time.. His stomach can't handle more or he will spit-up.. and he is still high maintenance. He pretty much only plays with someone (mostly me at the moment) he wants to crawl around or jump on you. He doesn't like to sit and play with toys much and those times are very short. The best thing he loved was the Einstein Bouncy seat.. He would jump in that thing for hours and hours each day until he started crawling and that is now a thing of the past... So today July 7th Truman is 9 months old soon to be 10 months and he is a mover and a shaker always on the go.. very physical and makes sounds and knows some signs (that he doesn't use often) but he will not say anything no mama or dada or baba yet... and absolute favorite things are to watch the birthday and anniversary names scroll up during the morning news on channel 18 and to watch and try to get involved in the dogs wrestling...  He loves a bath or to be in the baby pool.  oh yes and being a mama hip rider... To date he has never been sick except with a possible stomach bug started @ 3am June 28. This vomiting off and on lasted for a week to week and 1/2 but it only slowed him down for 2 days... We are not convinced it was a stomach bug but think it's more the drainage that always comes with teething.. Last few times it's made him have a stuffy head at night, this time more drainage being swallowed..

Some of his milestones so far:

Started teething at end of 3 months

1st bottom incisors 5 months

1st top incisors 6 months

Eating pureed food 5 months (favorite foods yogurt and peas and carrots)

Sitting up on his own at end of 5 months / 6 months

Standing at 7 months

Cruising furniture at 8 months

Clapping at 8 months

More intentional sounds with pitch and volume at 8 months

1st pair of walking shoes at 9 months (stride rite)

Started sippy cup at 7 months

First time to bite mommy 9 months first part of July as he started teething again


Although these past 10 months have been trying at times and trying to function being completely sleep deprived has been a challenge and made things seem a blur, I wouldn't want anything more than my lil man..  He is my world..  I love him more than life itself and there is nothing that can make me feel more inadequate, make me smile so much, laugh on the stop or make me more proud...
Here are some pictures from the past 9 months.