Baby Swim Class

Yea! The day has come. I have been looking forward to this day ever since TJ was born: baby swim class day. Okay, I know. . . why does a 9 month old baby really need a swim class? But, this was the one activity I really wanted to do with my son. I really have a strong desire to have my son develop a love for the water at an early age. I want him to love the water, to feel comfortable in the water, to be “one” with the water. I guess you can say that I see baby swim class as being the first step to shaping my son to develop the same level of passion I feel for the sea, sailing, and practically every water sport out there.

The YWCA of Cortland offers a “water babies” class that fills up fast. Apparently other parents also want to get their kids swimming early too. My original hope was to have TJ start going to water babies when he was six months old. But, I was not aware at the time how cut-throat enrollment can be for this class. I called the Y on the day that open enrollment started and they told me that the class was already full. After expressing my extreme frustration to the receptionist, I begrudgingly accepted the fact that TJ and I would just have to wait a few more months for the next session to start.

So, a few months later, I was able to successfully enroll TJ in the upcoming class. Hot dog. We had a spot! You ready for some swimming time fun, sport? I donned TJ in his cute little hibiscus patterned swim trunks and matching water shirt, put on my swim suit, packed our bags, and away we went.

TJ was a little hesitant to get into the water. We walked down the ramp and into the pool. The majority of the time in the pool, I could sense that TJ was a little unsure of what was going on. First of all, this was the first time that he had been surrounded by so many other children his age and his size. I think we has soaking in the fact that there were also little, itty, bitty people his size too. I guess this is the challenge of on-on-one day care. He was very curious as to what all these other beings were. But, I also noticed that TJ was not his usual social self. No waving, no smiling, no cute little giggles. He was out of his element and trying something new. As a result, he was a bit more reserved and focused on the new experience. BUT, he did not cry. Instead, he looked at me as if to say, “who are these people and why are we sharing bath time with them all?”

The class was somewhat comical: a whole bunch of grown adults singing to their child as they walked around in a circle. Really? We are paying for this? Really? There is a waiting list for this? Okay. . .that is the cynical side in me. The mommy side thought it was a hoot. And yes, I am excited to go again next week.

Early Riser

TJ is up early this morning. He's way off of his usual routine. Lisa is out of town and TJ misses her. Nursing him back to sleep is not an option and since TJ is going through a phase where he does not want a bottle or sippy cup, it is harder to soothe him.

The 3:30am waking lasted 45 minutes and then he slept for only a couple of more hours.

So here we are at 7:something in the morning. TJ is practicing feeding himself. My coffee is fresh. The sun is just coming into the dining room.

Happy Sunday morning.

Samantha and TJ

Sam and TJ spent a lot of time together this weekend. It's always amazing how much he lights up when she is in the house. What a great big sister. What a great little boy.

TJ Eats A Biscuit

WARNING: What you are about to view is messy. Viewer discretion is advised.

Easter and March Madness

Happy Easter! For TJ's first Easter we made it easy and didn't hide any Easter eggs. Since Mommy won't let him have any chocolate yet I wonder where all of those Kisses, foil wrapped eggs, and pastel M&Ms are going?

Church was packed and TJ came out from the nursery at the end so that all of the little grandmothers could see him. He is popular everywhere.

TJ's present for Easter is in keeping with Lisa's other holiday at this time of the year, college basketball finals. Yes, March Madness has descended upon the Brown household again. Lisa loves the finals, maybe its the last second pressure she can relate to. (I found it hard to watch Cornell get crushed by Stanford - kind of like watching a friend get broken up with, only in public, and with millions of people watching).

We got TJ his own basketball net that cheers every time he scores. We're still working on his three pointers but we're hopeful that by starting early he can get a scholarship for college.

Happy Easter to all.

"You Left The Baby's Sippy Cup At The Bar"

Okay - that is not a line you hear in daily conversation yet it is one I heard Sunday morning.

Rewind to Saturday.

I had to go to Mattydale, NY for an important function for the US Army. This was a change of command ceremony which means a day with a lot of dignitaries, high ranking officers, and family members. Because I have already drilled with the unit for the month of March, and because I did not need to be there all day, and because I was spending time with my family, I convinced Lisa to come to the event with TJ and Sam so that afterwards we could split out to the Carousel Mall.

The day went as planned. TJ was a hit with everyone. He was well behaved, smiled a lot, and was quiet through the event. Sam was a rock star, politely answering questions from my boss and my boss's boss.

At lunch time we went to the local VFW for a full on reception of turkey, ham, and all of the sides. The VFW is everything you'd imagine inside the main room, lots of red, white, and blue on old paneling with lots of pictures of old men who were once brave Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen. (Of course the women at the VFW came out of the kitchen to see/hold/squeeze the baby). As we left it was mentioned that their would be a reception after the business day that would include cocktails. Again at the VFW.

The impolite thing to do would have been to go to the mall (already packed with people from the St. Patrick's Day Parade) and then go home. Instead we did the right thing and returned to the VFW.

We pulled into the parking lot at 4:00ish and decided that we'd stay for about 45 minutes. This reception was in the bar - not the meeting hall. The VFW bar is everything you'd imagine too; cheap beer, 365 Christmas lights, curmudgeons, and more "Support the Troops" stickers than Soldiers in last year's "Surge". I had a beer and made it last. Lisa too had a beer and made it last. There were friends there to catch up with, including a long lost college ROTC buddy, as well as new friends, and of course my Soldiers. Again, TJ was great, Sam was a rock star and the 45 minutes disappeared in a flash.

At 4:45 we decided to stay a little longer. Lisa got another beer and the VFW women - now at the bar - continued to faun over the baby. An hour after that we pulled ourselves away from the conversations, the electronic gambling machine (a whole other entry), and the people and drove home.

When we got home Lisa told me that we'd left TJ's cup behind and told me to pick it up the next day.

Sunday morning I entered the Reserve Center and it was as if everyone lined up to tell me that we'd left the cup at the bar. But that wasn't the best. No. The best part of the day was when I went to lunch with my new boss and her boss to the local diner. There in the diner was one of the VFW women. You guessed it, in front of everyone she blurts out in a nice load voice, "You left the baby's sippy cup at the bar!"

Great - dad of the year.

Garlic!?

Last week, Olga (TJ's day care provider) asked me if I was pregnant.

"What?!" I exclaimed. That is a personal question. . . and God help me if I am, I thought.

She told me how TJ had been refusing my breast milk recently and it caught her by surprise. He has always been a healthy eater and eats even when he is not hungry (which means he is good at spiting up what he doesn't want when his tummy is full). She has really had to work with him to take a bottle. Apparently there is an old wives tale out there that says the make up of your breast milk changes when you are pregnant and that you child will know you are pregnant before you do.

I assured Olga that I was not pregnant and suggested that maybe TJ was having an off day.

Well, three days later I discovered what the source of the problem was: Garlic. No joke, there was a small clove of garlic in my breast pump shield. For the past three days, as I have been expressing my breast milk I have also been infusing it with a hint of garlic (at least I hope it has been a hint).

Somehow, when things were piling up in the kitchen over the weekend, a clove of garlic managed to get trapped in the shield. I do routinely rinse and clean the shield, but I reserve the cleaning of all of the smaller pieces to once or twice a week. It was not until the "deep clean" that I discovered the clove.

My poor little TJ. Mommy is sorry. Glad to know that I am not pregnant again. . . yet.

Two Hours of Quiet

It's Saturday at 10:00. I have been home for two hours while Lisa is out with Samantha and TJ at the last Cornell hockey game of the season. I had drill all day and into part of the night. When I got home the house was dark and quiet.

What do you do when you finally have the whole house to yourself? You turn on the TV and fall asleep in front of it. Am I fun or what?

Last night Lisa went out with a group of women and had a good time.

Either way, having some time to yourself is a great boost after a full day of work and a full evening with the children.

Uh-oh, they're home.