Loverboy Austin

I haven't really written much about Austin recently, sadly. It's all going by too fast- we're 9 1/2 mths into his first year. 10 weeks from today is his FIRST birthday. (I only know that b/c he's exactly10 weeks younger than his friend Luke, who turns #1 today.)

What has happened to his infancy?! He's going to be a toddler before I know it. While I welcome the "self sufficiency" on one level... and I COMPLETELY welcome the end of b-feeding/nursing come his 1st birthday (fhew, yeah! me) .. I'm not going to ever have my littlest of babies back. Ah, who are kidding- neither boy was a little baby. I have the achey muscles to prove it. But you know what I'm saying.

Below is a little "get to know Austin" synopsis:

1. Nicknames: MANY... we come up with tons. Aus, Aussers, Sauce, Saucepan, Saustin, etc. We rarely call him Austin, really.


2. He loves to lick faces and give huge open mouth kisses all over your face. He grabs my hair and ears and pulls me close with his lingering little wide open mouth. Its hysterical, once I get over the hair pull and pry what I can from his grasp. Which is a very strong grasp.


3. He's quick- he'll pull plates, cups, paper off a table in no time. He'll lurch his body back and nail you in the nose fast, too. Been on the receiving end of that a few times. Not happy.


4. Favorite food: It just doesn't matter. Just bring it to him in great volume and help to shovel it in that cute mouth FAST. He can easily consume 2 containers of baby food per night (at least 6 oz) and large handful of cheerios. If I have to leave my chair and finish cooking something, slowing his meal- LOOK OUT. Unbridled rage. Daycare providers tell me he eats with the babies and then again with the toddlers. He can't get enough.


5. Luckily, despite #4 above, his weight gain is slowing down and he's even come out of the 90%+ range for weight, which he's held since birth. He's between 80-85%, but out of the 90s. WHOOHOO! He continues on 60% ish for length. Maybe one day the two percents will be closer.


6. He really only gets ticked off if I, Chris, or Logan leave the room and he remains by himself. Or, have to put him down when he wants to be held. Or, as mentioned above, his meal stops or slows down. That is pretty much the extent of his upsets.


7. He ADORES his big brother and all of Logan's antics. They are starting to get tubs together. Logan will pour water over himself, or some on Austin's belly and Austin shrieks in delight. He lights up when Logan comes into a room and likes to laugh with him, even if he doesn't understand what Logan is laughing about. Lo eats that up, of course. A built-in audience. Sometimes, they laugh together about something we're not aware. That's trouble for another day.


8. Contrary to what I thought about 2nd kids, Austin isn't "quicker" to catch onto physical milestones than Logan was at same age. I really thought that the modeling by 1st child would give advantage to 2nd child. Not the case in our house. Examples: holding own bottle, drinking from cup, rolling over, sitting by himself, & now, crawling. Everything has been later than what Logan did. I think much of that was because Logan did it fast- he's a control freak. He wanted to do it quickly so that he could do it for himself. Austin likes to be served.


9. All in all, with few exceptions, this is the good-natured and easy-going baby one hopes and pray for. We thought Logan was a pretty easy infant (not an easy toddler, though)- Aus has far surpassed our first go-round with this stage. Is easy to excuse the flare-up times (#4, 6 above) because it's really a slim minority of the time. And I'd be seriously worried about the child who didn't show that he at least possessed that range of emotion.
10. Here's a pic of relaxing Austin on Fathers Day on a ride in the wagon while visiting Graham grandparents. I love this one- making Logan sweat it out pulling him around. Arm slung over the side, one foot up. "Where's my drink, gosh darnit?"