12.09.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

This just in!  A Video of Clark laughing for the first time!  Oh sure, he's chuckled now and again and of course has big smiles and spurts of GLEE and hilarity, but here is a video of Clark Laughing!

12.09.2013

A good Monday!  of course, there was no time for him to forget just exactly who I am and what our routines are.  I left mid morning on Saturday because my CAR wouldn't start (for some reason, the battery was dead!  I think it might have to do with the remote start) and I returned on Sunday, mid afternoon because the weather was supposed to be nasty and I wanted to get here before it did.

He was a cutie pie today - 3 short naps - long enough for me to get some stuff done but not long enough for me to sneak a nap myself.  We spent a lot of time rolling around on the floor today. Here are the pictures!

evidently he finds me quite amusing

on the tummy!

stuff to look at

12.06.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.06.2013

Today is a cold and chilly day; we did NOT go out for a walk but we did waltz around the back porch a few minutes.  Normally I go home as soon as the kids get home from school, but today?  Nope, I'm staying over - there's a big snow/sleet/ice storm in the Indy area scurrying around right now and tomorrow morning?  sunshine and zero snow.  so i'm heading home early tomorrow.

And it works out - Tim has an Ad Liberation show tonight and I've not seen one for months.  So Mary and I will go to the show and Clark Davis will have a babysitter!  Two in fact!  Mary knows these girls from school - how great to have a pool of babysitters to pick and choose from.  This will be the first time he'll be with unrelated people.  Sadly (or luckily, it's all how one looks at it - he's very particular about his bedtime rituals) he'll probably be asleep before they show up and with any luck, he'll stay asleep until at least after I get home (Tim and Mary will go to a party afterwards.)

So today a medley of Clark pictures, taken within seconds of each other.  He was vocalizing and finding himself fairly amusing!

12.05.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.05.2013  Omigosh!  Twenty days until Christmas! How can that be?  I've got a Christmas Letter to write and send out and about; this year was quite a year, good AND bad.  Presents?  Not so much to worry about these days, but I need to make a list, check it twice and get with the program!

I've only got 11 days more until my Nine Weeks with Clark is over.  And that makes me sad!  But I feel good about my involvement with his little life these past weeks.

Today was a big day for Clark.  He finished what he started days ago - he can now roll over by himself!  oh sure, sometimes his arms get stuck and sometimes he doesn't QUITE make it all the way over but he's now a mobile little guy and we have to be careful where we put him down - he might not be there when we go back!  he's a Man on the Move!

He has a good time on his tummy - things look different from that position!  I should know, I've spent a lot of time rolling around on the floor with him the last few weeks.

12.04.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.04.2013

It was such a fun day - Clark was in a fine mood and we're back in the swing of things after a few days of getting used to each other again.  He took 2 short naps this morning (each only 20 minutes long!) but stayed upbeat and cheerful while he was awake!

He's easier to put down for naps now - he was adamant that I was NOT doing it right for so long, but today?  Once he fell asleep bundled up and cuddled on my shoulder and twice he fell asleep in my arms, watching me as I paced around the house, singing silly songs to him, his head in the crook of my left arm and his legs slung over my right arm.  Nice, eh?

And then Tim came home at lunchtime and that made Clark very happy...

A few minutes after Tim left, Clark fell asleep and slept until 3:30...I was bottle ready!  and when I heard him muttering to himself, I snatched him up, plopped him in the bouncer and when he opened his mouth to let me know how DISPLEASED he was to be in that location, I plopped a nicely warmed bottle into his mouth.!

He was finishing that off just as his Mom got home.  Perfect timing!

He practiced all day long the art of the Roll Over but he's not quite doing it yet on his own.  Since babies are not supposed to be sleeping on their tummies anymore, he's not quite sure what to do when he gets there.  He FINALLY allows himself to put his head down, but usually it's STRAIGHT down, face into the blanket.  sigh.

OH OH, what do i do NOW?

Days like this make me realize anew how lucky I am to be able to stay with Clark for these weeks.  Of course, days like this also make me realize how creaky my back and knees are!

He's either trying to get OUT of that chair OR
he's practicing a bad 80's dance move

12.03.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.03.2013

Today was a Good day albeit a tiring one.  Clark took three naps, but they each were ONLY about 30 minutes long.

We walked over to Walgreens and perused the aisles; he stayed awake the whole time.

We walked home admiring the sky and the naked trees; he stayed awake the whole time.

We played on the floor and read books until I was groggy; he stayed awake the whole time.

We kicked the ball around the back yard until his Mother got home; he stayed awake the whole time.

The three of us walked down to investigate a day care at the Methodist church; he stayed awake the whole time.

Not quite sure if it's a growth spurt OR mebbe it's just the fact that it's another No Go as of Yet day.  But here it is, 5:16 pm and the kid is still awake!

But you know, he's such a cutie pie and has such sweet smiles; oh sure, the SHRIEKING is fierce, but he does make up with it with his smiles.

on the way to Walgreen's...I'm not sure what is causing him such consternation!

Clark sat up for a while in one of those wheeled seats with a tray.
The boys had one when they were little - we called it a Moon Coupe

12.02.2013 Nine Weeks with Clark

12.02.2013  I can't believe it's already December 2.  It means only 3 weeks left to hang out with Clark on a daily basis!

We flew back from Idaho on Saturday - I think I'm still recovering from the long travel day and the time change adjustment because today I'm really tired.  Luckily the work emails were few and I was able to focus pretty much only on Clark today.

Mondays are hard for both of us (especially after a 10 day break for me and a long Thanksgiving weekend for him with his Mom and Dad!)  I'm pretty sure he recognized me - which made me happy.  He missed his OTHER routine and he had intermittent grouchy grousing but he finally took a nice long 2 hour nap ... which let me nap on the couch for a bit.

It's amazing how much a baby progresses in 10 days.  I'm pretty sure he's longer and he is chubbier overall.  He's also vocalizing more and I got a brief chuckle out of him now and again.  He holds himself better and just is so much more of a PERSON.

Mom is reading Romeo and Juliet to Clark!

Back together again at the end of the day

12.02, 2013 Thanks for a great Thanksgiving Week!

12.02.2013  My traveling companion Scott and I flew west to spend a week in Coeur d'Alene Idaho with my favorite 1st son Josh and his wife Megan.  We had a great week of family, games and of course, turkey, pumpkin pie, and one night excellent salmon at a floating restaurant.

I miss seeing my son Josh whenever I want - they've been out in Idaho about 2 years and I really don't like it.  :)  But Megan is from the area, her family is close by, and they are making Coeur d'Alene their home.

At least they moved somewhere with great scenery and vacation opportunities.  The current thought is to go back this next summer when the lake is NOT 40 degrees.