Mister Personality

Many parents had told me that were able to see their child’s personality “from the beginning”. So ever since Gabe was born I’ve been watching him and trying to put my finger on that essential “Gabeness”. But is wasn’t until month four, when he became social, and daycare, when I had the chance to compare him to other infants, that I could really see what was unique to Gabe.

For comparison, there is a little girl named Emma at the daycare who has a sweet sweet smile when happy, but who has an icy glare otherwise. When she wants something, she lets the world know. And don’t try to stop her from getting her hands on that toy on the other side of the room! Little Emma has a warrior’s spirit. She is going to be a lawyer or a politician someday.

Another kid at the daycare, Logan, is a passive and fussy sort. He hasn’t got the hang of entertaining himself, and when left for very little time unattended he will quietly cry. Once he has the attention he wants, he has got a delightful smile. I imagine he will be a gentle and soft-spoken adult someday.

Gabe. . . is a charmer. He is the one who still beams when all the other babies are bawling. He is the one that the other daycare teachers come to visit when they want to smile.

In the words of his teacher, Miss Kathy, written on one of Gabe’s daily reports:

Gabe “had belly/play time on the mat, lounged on the boppy, flirted with all the girls, and played with toys on the bouncy toy bar.

Watch out ladies, here comes Gabe!

Anger Management

Growing up I never quite understood how my dad could get quite so upset when we woke him up at night by being too loud. Having Gabe around has clarified that for me, as I've found in the wee hours of the night that my temper flares to anger without warning and I have to tamp it down after the fact instead of working with it before it happens.

When I tell people at work that I have a horrible temper it usually gets a confused look or even a laugh. The reason is I work incredibly hard to keep my temper in check and have a full suite of behaviors to diffuse it before it becomes a problem. For instance getting up and walking out of meetings is me diffusing my temper, and is seen as someone getting pissy instead of enraged. This is damage that is much easier to repair and keeps the myth that I don't actually have a bad temper alive. I've had a decade to master these work coping skills, but only four months of being a father to call on.

Last night my temper flared to anger twice, and twice I had to tamp it back down. I was trying to get Gabe to go back to sleep and failing miserably. I didn't do anything to Gabe, but it scares me every time I get angry around him. Even if its only for a few seconds before I squelch it, it is a state of being that I don't enjoy being in. Emotions are a tricky thing, you can't control them so much as you can acknowledge them and then move on. I hope to get to the point that when I'm tired and cranky I have an opportunity to acknowledge that I'm becoming angry and move on before I actually get angry. It is something to work on.

In the light of day it is hard to imagine I could ever get angry at sweet little Gabe, I do love him so.

Bright Light

Holiday Party

Michelle and I braved the Turbine Holiday party with Gabe in tow on Saturday evening. We we're quite sure what to expect from Gabe, but overall he acted like he was on his best behavior. It reminded me that it won't be long before we'll have to find a sitter if we want to attend a function like the Holiday party. The age of immobility is coming to an end, and I can see its harbingers emerging day by day.

Gabe is doing much better at sitting up with a little help from cushions or some other support. During the holiday party he was in the baby bjorn on my tummy facing forward, and he had enough head and neck strength to let me fill up my own plate at the buffet. Though I would have dropped my plate of food in a heartbeat if I needed to catch and support him for any reason.

Gabe and I have taken a bunch of baths together lately and I have to say it is something I look forward too. He's long enough at this point that it is really awkward to wash him in the baby tub, but I can support him in the water with my long thighs. His head sits between my knees and he delights in kicking my tummy with his feet. Tonight he laughed delightedly at my response to his kicking my tummy.

He's been much more fussy the last couple days. When he doesn't want to be on his back he will really turn red and fuss if you set him down. If he decides he isn't happy he'll just let fly with the cry. I look forward to the point when he'll be happy to crawl in and snuggle with with his daddy. I truly enjoy that few chances I've had to just curl up in a ball around a sleeping Gabe.

I had a funny thought this evening. Is it worse to have no stories to tell, or to have no will to tell the stories you have inside you? Until next time take care.

Blurry Baby

Pre-Chewed

Gabe must be ready for solid food. He hasn’t got a tooth yet, but anything that he can get his hands on gets pulled towards his mouth. This includes toys, his clothes, blankets, and other peoples’ hands. If his sleeves aren't kept rolled back, they become soaked with drool. When nothing else is available, he sucks on the fingers of both hands, all shoved into his mouth like a sandwich.

When I let him suck on my finger, he chews and chews. When nursing, he tries to cram a hand in his mouth.

What to Expect has not mentioned that long before the days of canned baby food, forks, and sanitary dish-washing, that that the way to give a baby his first solids was to chew it for him. Gabe has surprised me by instinctually opening his mouth when I lean close to kiss him. He’s just like a baby bird saying, “Mama, put worms in my mouth please!”

Solid foods coming soon!

Mutant Baby

Last night I put Gabe to bed swaddled, with his head pointed south. This morning, he had one arm out of the swaddling, a big grin, and his head pointed north. Our baby can teleport!