287. Weekend update

I wrote a blog yesterday, but the pop blocker blocked the spell check, and when I turned it off, it last my text. I got frustrated and didn't reblog.

William tried out the pool here in New Jersey. He's been in it with Emma in PA. He's going to be spending more time with Emma, her female peer. Diana thinks she will baby sit Harry's kids: Emma, AJ and Venus. When school starts back it will be just Emma. William will have a play mate. Diana says it's actually easier to have more kids because you can do things and just trouble shoot.

Natasia has spending a lot of time with us too with her grandmother's death. My condolences to Aida and the loss of her mother. Today is a prayer thing, tomorrow the wake, and Tuesday the funeral.

William seems to have changed quite a lot to my eyes with my almost 3 days away from him. Of course he's not really done anything specific or said a word twice. He's said things, but at this point, repeating them is my mark of understanding them on a higher level that he can really reuse it.

We took Diana for her lobster birthday dinner last night, she had a 2.5 lb. lobster. William was a good boy and ate in the high chair for a while, but soon he had to be walked around. He charmed a couple that reported they were grandparents. I made a buzzing noise when he went close to the yellow line that was the curb. One time I made it too loud and he cried.

William gets excited by certain noises. The sound of his mother or father coming home. The shower gets him going, last night he insisted on having a family shower. Also the sound of ice gets him going. He likes the start of sesame Street, and he likes to be sung the songs. He pays a kind of attention to singing. The Backyardigans has singing all the time, and he and Emma like that show.

Virginia gave us the gift of sleep two night running, bless her. Diana has been tired, and while I thought my cough and cold were getting better, they seem to be getting worse. We're going to take William to the doctor about his cough, which he still has and has begun to sound worse.

286. Away

Diana says she swears William said, "Open" in front of the refrigerator. He's taking to climbing up on the low TV table, and climbing up on the rolling thing he has, making his mother worried. (Right now he's biting his mother. She bites him back, but lightly.) He's been taking off his diaper, too.

I missed him so much while I was gone. When I went to the airport to return, I saw kids again, and it was wonderful to see. I talked to one woman who had a 16 month old girl. She was going to Jamaica.

Diana thinks William would not go to bed last night, until I came home. Of course I didn't, I had one more day in North Carolina with my grandmother Bell's funeral.

285. Bristol PA

William slept with Virginia last night Friday night. Diana said all she wanted for her birthday was sleep. Strangely, I woke up at 6, and my mind was racing. So I got up to fix some coffee. William and Virginia were crashed out on the sofa in her living room. I turned off the TV in the other room. Diana got up too, to my surprise. So there was the strange circumstance of all 3 of us up and talking, and him sleeping.

Diana and V. took William to a picnic Saturday. I meditated and watched Monk episodes on Virginia's DVR. Then I got the news from my mother that Grandma Bell was dead. So I headed home, and booked a flight and called up my boss to ask off. I wanted to hug my son.

Diana and William are going to stay here while I fly to Atlanta today (Monday). I'm going to miss them, but I didn't think it was the best setting for William, and I think Diana should stay with William, though she got to know my grandmother Bell, and mourns her too.

Sunday we drove to Bristol PA. Diana's aunt Checho lives there, and she happens to have the same birthday as Diana. Diana's birthday wish was to be with her family, and they all drove out there, because Checho had the thyroid removal, or cancer removing surgery that Virginia and her mother have had. I wonder if Diana will need it at some point.

William's range is about 2 hours and the drive takes longer, so he started fussing around the PA border, before we crossed the Delaware. We gave Alba a ride.

Diana and I immediately found beds, with William's many aunts and relatives around to care for him. I took a longer nap than Diana. Abuela and Abuelo bought William (and Emma, et al) a pool, and William got to hang out in the pool. Emma was a little more weary. That reminds me, I'm going to have to send Harry and Angie photos of their children. They don't have a computer, so I can't mail them a link to snapfish.

Alex complained she didn't get the photos, and I've added Veronica to the list too. So if you want the link to snapfish photos, my albums, let me know if I've somehow forgotten you. I don't think either Alex and Veronica read this blog, so it's a bit of howling into the void, but so be it. Howling Into The Void was the name of my first web site.

So we had a BBQ. They cut the cake and there was the obligatory cake fight, which Natasia seems to enjoy.

William started to fuss before the bridge to Staten Island, and we sang him songs. He finally fell asleep in Brooklyn. He slept from 11 to 8, a good night sleep for him. Angie says Emma sleeps 8-8. I'm a little jealous.

I have the morning to spend with William before I head down south for my grandma's funeral. I can let Diana sleep late, and hopefully she will get and ask for support while I'm gone. Aida is coming over and she has her mother and father close by. I'll only be gone 2 nights, but I'll miss William.

Thanks to Zane for his previous response. I don't remember Mimi, but I know she was important to him.

284. The life cycle

Whew, it's another weekend, and I have not blogged. William has become particularly assertive regarding getting what he wants, and that includes the company of his father when he is around.

I enjoy going to the park with William. He is getting more dextrous, his vocalizing is more and more like words. He says yes and no with his head. He waves goodbye. Diana says he grabs onto her neck, and swings at Abuela when he doesn't want his mom to go.

It's hard to write right now, I just found out that my grandmother, William's great grandmother Bell died today. I am glad that she got to meet him. I can see the images of her holding him as a wee baby.

283. Weekend update

William slept through the night Fri/Sat. We took William for a haircut on Saturday. His 4th hair cut, really short. He cried because they had to hold his head. Diana and I got hair all over us, as we tried to hold him, and we all went home for a shower.

Vava prefers the before shots, as opposed to the after shots. Bridget and Elizabeth Breland say he looks older, agree with Diana.

We went to Nicole's 1st birthday party later Saturday. She's 3 months younger than William. They sang Happy Birthday in 3 languages: English, Spanish and Hungarian. There was a clown and many people. Diana missed Virginia, Aida and Natasia, who fly home from Dominican Republic tonight. Joseph and Robyn were there, then Brian came, among other kids. William got overwhelmed and we went home.

Sunday, after I saw Le Tour de France, I took William out. We walked to the Barnes and Noble near St. John's University. William fell asleep on the walk over, but woke up fairly quickly. I got him 5 new books, and a Clifford teddy bear. He was into a woman with children, then he chase a little girl around. He pushed a kid, I think to get their attention. He's been pushed a few times recently, so maybe it's a learned behavior.

We had lunch together at a diner. The hostess fell in love with him, thought he was very cute, found his green little single cute. It was hot and when I got home, I was drenched in sweat. He was almost asleep, but came alive when he saw his mother.

Cliff is notified when ever there is a new entry on the blog.

282. Fifteen Months Old

William has a little rash on his bottom. Nothing major, but it's a new development, to be mentioned in the blog.

William pulls you into his room, and makes you read to him. We need to get him some more books, I'm getting tired of the same old ones. He's got books from so many people. It truly takes a village.

Thursday night William walked unassisted around the block.

He was playing at the park and fell. He scratched his forehead. He plays with Steven, the 7 year old from upstairs.

281. Sunday

Every time we go to the park, there are new people. I love the mix. Muslims, Jews, Christians, black, white, Hispanic and Asian, parents, grandparents, all ages shapes and sizes.

William played with Benjamine, a 25 month old boy who had pep in his step. His mother reports he's going to speech therapy. Another skinny woman with her child allowed William to play with a ball. An Asian man allowed William to play with his basketball.

William likes to go under all the equipment, and struggles up and down the big steps. He likes to go out of the park and look at the big tires on a jeep, splash his hands in a puddle.

At the first signs of fussiness, I took him home. I was there over an hour, plenty of time for Diana to take a shower.

I called Rich is Chicago, and Grandma in Newnan Georgia. Grandma Bell had a stroke. Otherwise all is well on that side. Braxton is beginning to walk, a little later than William. Grandma marveled at Alex, Morris' daughter's recent pictures.

William came home and sucked down a bottle of juice, and took a nap. He woke up today and kept pulling me into his room to read. It's hard to resist that, but it's rather tiring after a while. It's been a hard weekend, but Abuela is back in town, and Diana's going to go over there later when she gets back from church. Virginia had parties all weekend, and today she's out in Staten Island with a godchild and friend. Poor Aida is always at the hospital to visit her mother. KayLa is still in Florida. Alex is, who knows where. So it's been a tough weekend, with everyone being sick. I'm not sure if I've gotten it yet, but I definitely feel under the weather some. I'm hoping I'm fighting the bronchitis off.

280. Weekend

William is on the mend, and Diana finally has her antibiotic. I just made her take it. Not sure if she would have otherwise. She seems so overwhelmed. Poor lamb. Her mother is out of town, and they've both got bronchitis. Aida has been here to help, but she keeps going to the hospital to see her ailing mother, leaving Natasia, who is mostly helpful.

Diana went to see the new Herbie movie last Wednesday. William cried off and on for an hour, and then played for an hour.

Natasia and Aida have been over much of the week. William absolutely loves Natasia and her hijinks.

When they left Saturday, we were all exhausted. Diana took some naps, but gave up because she kept being woken up. I took a long nap. William took a few naps.

William likes to rearrange the refrigerator. He's been bringing us lots of books to read, it's been a reading festival. He likes board books so he can turn the pages. He's insatiable.

I took William to the park Saturday and Diana got to sleep some. William played for an hour, watching the bigger kids running around, and trying his hand at climbing around. A cute little girl gave him some of her snacks. The grandmother gave me a wipey when he spit it out. He sometimes seems to be eating, but then he'll spit it out 5 minutes later. We're trying to have him drink less milk.

He's been sleeping late, waking up at 5 for a feeding instead of 4, and then sleeping till 8 instead of 7.

279. bronchitis

William has bronchitis. He's on antibiotics for 10 days, starting Tuesday. That's why the poor guy was so down the past weekend. Even so I think he had a good time with his grandma and grandpa from Chicago.

I had a break last night, and a good night sleep. Diana woke me, to take the honors at 4am. She's in the city, and she says I'm on night duty tonight too, so I should go to bed early. It will be a good day when he sleeps through the night regularly. Paul calls it zest, his energy.

I sent out a link to photos from last weekend. Many like them.

Turns out Diana has bronchitis too. I'm wondering when I'm going to get it.

278. Glamma

William woke up in the car when his Chicago grandparents came into the car. He fell asleep on the drive over, after some crying, and some bottle, which he used without help from me in the front, except to get it initially.

Glamma, what my mother prefers to be called, and Rich gave William 5 books. My mom cooked dinner, too. We went shopping. Diana got to take a long nap.

Kathy thinks William is adorable and smart. Rich is reading next to him in bed, where he is sleeping.

277. Tooth #8

Touched tooth #8, and he kind of fussed. He's been chewing on ice this morning, I think that's the best relief we've found for his teething.

Diana fell asleep on the couch last night. William didn't like that, but finally joined her. Virginia came home with dinner, and I had dinner with Paquita, Magali and Virginia. Then I went to bed. I woke up at 4 when William began fussing. Diana didn't wake up, so I gave him some milk. He drank some, and then was still awake. So I walked him some to try and get him to sleep. But he wanted his momma. So she woke up when he crawled to her and cried in her face. Once again I could not shield her from her son's sleep depriving demands. Diana is pretty good at sacraficing for others, I have to be on hand for a collapse, or to just help her out.

He woke at 7, and again, would not take any substitutes. He pushed to get off of me, and to his mother. She got up. I couldn't sleep and helped her out some. Virginia woke up, then Magali and Paquita. So we're a team of 4 adults.

When I sat down to write this, I heard him, and ran. He was at the top of the stairs, they had assumed I was there, but I was not. Luckily he waits for assistance.

Time for breakfast. We pick up Grandma and Grandpa at Newark this afternoon.

276. Heart OK

Diana took William to the cardiologist, because when he was first born, he was breathing heavily at one point, and because it's good to rule out problems, it's a way of attacking anxiety. Everything is OK, no problems.

William has been fussy lately. He's had a fever and we think he's teething. He's also had a serious case of the mamites. He wants his mom. The other day, I gave him a bath. Usually he loves a bath, with whoever. But he wanted his mom, the bath was not so important.

Last night we came out here to NJ with Paquita and Magali. I went to work. They're out shopping, that's why I have the opportunity to blog. It's been hard to blog lately.

I'm looking forward to my parents coming this weekend, William grandparents, Kathy and Rich from Chicago. Paul (the godfather) and Ray are coming to to see my parents too, which is nice. The more the merrier.

Aminta gave us another toy, they were going to throw out where she works. We baby sat Steven again. He's a sweet kid. William loves his Natasia though. Natasia and Robyn went to the park, and he cried. We asked Paquita if they could take William. Paquita and Magali have been very helpful with William. They're so kind. Magali is going home next Wednesday. We're going to miss her.

Got an e-mail with amazing photos from Erica Orjuela, Diana and my friend who moved to Florida. Very cute kids. Adorable. Kids are great. William is so wonderful. I'm constantly amazed that his novelty has not worn off, and how deeply I feel love for him.