Lesson #17 "It's Fall, Y'All"

Fall has always been my favorite season.  My family would probably say it's because my birthday is in October and let's face it, I love a good party.  Or maybe my love for all things autumn has something to do with the fact that our house looks best this time of year- the oranges and reds and yellows just fit, you know?  Perhaps these used to be the reason for the love of the season, but not anymore.  

It's official.  I love fall because there is so much fun to be had with Liam! Some of the many reasons are..

.

Pumpkin patches with cousins, aunts, uncles, Grandma and fun Aunt Marcia makes for good times and fantastic photo opps. 

Fall is the best time ever for hats.  And while I can still control his clothing options, I am going to accessorize the heck out of the little guy.

It's cool enough to take him out on walks and adventures without us all melting into a puddle, but not cold enough to freeze. We have been enjoying lots of time outside in parks, in our backyard, and even in our front yard by our new tree that Daddy planted.

It's also a great time to head to the Farmer's Market with cousin Jeremiah!



Fun time of year for weenie roasts at Grandma's house!

S'mores (minus the chocolate and marshmallows)!

And it the best time to dress up like a goofy cow and visit Mommy and her students at the annual Writer's Walk.  Liam was there for 3 hours, had a bottle, took a nap in my (and Jenny's) arms, and still managed to charm the pants off of fellow teachers and even our principal, Dr. McLean.  Benjamin and Dominic came too to enjoy the fun!

Yes, it's fall, y'all!  Lesson well learned.

Lesson #16 'It's Fun to be a Goofball"

Not a ton to write about these days- just that in general, my son is a giant goofball!  Apparently it is a term I use frequently.  Just the other night, I was babysitting my gorgeous nephews, Dominic and Benjamin, and I looked at Dom and said, "You're a goofball."

He got very quiet, came up and sat in my lap on the futon and whispered, "No, you're a goofball."  Then he giggled hysterically. 

"No, Dominic, you're a goofball." I would say to him in a whisper (apparently it is funnier when you say it that way).

"No, Annie, you're a goofball," he responded.  This went on for a full 5 minutes until I realized it was past their bedtime.  As I turned off the light later that night, I said, "Goodnight sweethearts."

Dominic replied, "Goodnight goofball."

Okay, so maybe I overuse the word, but in terms of my son, there is no other way to describe him some days.  Cases in point...

At Vivienne Scarlett Lillian Lukas' 2nd birthday party the other day, Liam was far more interested in making everyone laugh than he was in the bubble machine outside.  My favorite is the 3rd one where he is demonstrating his dance moves.

Ryan and I took him to the Plaza Art Fair, and he was an angel, even feigning interest in the art work with his Daddy.

But then the comic came out and he decided that he wanted to show us his "hippy" side- a real "tree hugger"!

I think a lot of it is for attention (shocker) and more specifically, the attention of the ladies.  Just the other day, Becky said that while he should have gone to sleep while in Babies R Us and instead he spent the whole time flirting with the various women he would encounter.  Didn't sleep until alone in the back seat on the way home, exhausted from all of the flirting I assume.  It must be those baby blues.

Mimi brought him to school the other day, which I loved.  And he was hysterical!  He flirted with the girls in my class (like Skylar below), but even got the angst-ridden boys to laugh with him.

Liam's silliness has seeped into his picture taking as well.  He has stopped really smiling for the camera.  Instead, every time he see one, he just opens his mouth and makes a funny face.

I don't know where he gets it.

Life is just better when you are a goofball, right Liam?  Lesson well learned.

Lesson #15 "7 Is a Very Lucky Number"

Liam is 7 months old and I have no idea where the time has gone.  It seems like just yesterday that he was born and we were looking at him with amazement, not believing he was finally here.  And today we still look at him with amazement, not quite believing how much he has changed.

Liam used to have to be swaddled in order to really sleep well.  Now we just put him down at night, wide awake.  He rolls to his side and he's out. 

Liam used to sleep from about 11pm- 3:00am and those 4 hours felt like a gift.  Now he sleeps from 7:30pm-6:30am and somehow I still wake up tired :)

Liam used to be kind of a skinny baby, with long thin legs and arms.  Now, he is a chub.  He has more rolls than a bakery- I swear he could keep coins in some of his thigh dents!

Liam used to only nurse.  Now the guy can't get enough of bottles, cereal, green beans, peas, garden vegetables, sweet potatoes, squash, applesauce, pears and his favorite- mangos!  Still, those are all canned.  The homemade carrots I made for him make him frown.  I'm trying not to take it personally.

Liam used to love to gently rock on the porch.  Now he is happiest, swinging high in the air in the backyard in his new swing.

Liam used to hate the bathtub (well, at least for the first few times), then he sat calmly in the tub but without much emotion on his face.  Now, he is big enough to sit on the "big boy" side of the tub and has just recently taken to splashing and kicking all of the water out of the tub.  Ryan and I get soaked, but love every minute of it. Liam has even stopped freaking out when Ryan pours the water directly over his little head.

Liam used to fit comfortably in the baby car seat, but now, he is getting to be WAY to big to cart around in that thing.  He has graduated to a big boy car seat, but still hasn't figured out how to go to sleep in it.

Liam used to quietly laugh. But now the kid has found his giggle, and uses it often.  Just last night, in fact, I found a tickle spot on him.  The lower right side of his tummy, just above his diaper, is the magic place.  He laughed so hard, I think he wet himself.

Liam used to be something I would think of as "mine" or "ours."  Now I realize that he is his own unique little person, with likes and dislikes, little habits and quirks.  And I love getting to know him more each day.  7 months down, a future to go.  Lesson well learned.

Lesson #14 Like Father, Like Son

I'd like to talk about Ryan.  When I started dating him in 2006 (the first "cycle"), I knew right away that he was a family man.  The first night I talked to him at length, he mentioned his family.  Told me all about his sisters Shannon and Jodi and how they had just moved back to Kansas City, as he had.  I remember fondly that after he talked about it, he quietly said, "It's nice to all be together again."  He continued on and told me about his mom, Becky, and his dad, Dolph, and how long they had been married.  He even mentioned his grandparents and their influence on him, so I knew right away that Ryan was a family man.

During the time we were apart, which was for over a year, a lot happened.  We both lost our fathers.  Ryan lost two of his grandparents as well.  It was a sad time.  But then, the way it often does, joy filtered in through the sadness.  That joy was Benjamin, and suddenly, as Ryan has described it, there was something wonderful to focus on. 

Born in June, Benjamin was about 7 months old when I first met him as "Cycle 2" began and Ryan couldn't talk enough about him.  He told me how he would watch Benjamin on occasion and how much fun he was.  His eyes lit up when he spoke about his nephew.

And now, he has three nephews and is so proud of each one of them.  They all hold a special little place in his heart.

Right away I could see that this family man I always knew Ryan to be had evolved into something more.  Now I could see that he would not only be a great husband, but a wonderful father as well.

And he is. Every day, he is.

He was the rock I needed throughout my pregnancy, the labor, and the c-section.  He held my hand and told me it was all going to be okay, and he was the one who brought Liam to me, all wrapped and warm and cuddly.  He became a master at diaper changing and "shhhhing" to calm Liam when no one else could.  He burped him over and over and actually seemed to enjoy doing it. 

He held him, and slept with him every day when he came home from work. 

And now, almost 7 months later, he is the one who gets Liam up on Sunday mornings to make breakfast for us- the two of them in the kitchen while I listen to their father/son sounds- one speaking in that strong voice I love so well and the other communicating in little giggles and small screams of agreement from his little highchair.  Still in bed, with a smile on my face, I predict that these Sunday morning sounds will continue but evolve into father/son chats about the farm and school and life in general.

I see Ryan walking with Liam, first in the carrier and then the stroller, and eventually side by side.  He is the one who Liam will continue to go to the hardware store with on Saturday mornings while I am at First Watch with the ladies.  They join us now sometimes, just to check in and grab a bite before they go off to do other manly errands.

I see Ryan swinging with Liam.  When he was a newborn, Liam would be swaddled like a little burrito on top of Ryan's chest.  But just yesterday, Ryan built the first part of a playset in our backyard, complete with a big boy swing.  Liam loved it.

I see Ryan taking Liam to his two different jobs- school administrator and farmer.  He loves both vocations, and I love both sides of him.  I hope Liam is as well-rounded as his Daddy.

I see Ryan dressed up for my niece Jenny's wedding, walking around the Kaufman Gardens and pointing out the different plants to Liam.  My guys- so handsome in their black jackets.

I see Ryan encouraging me to have some time alone or with my girlfriends while he watches Liam.  Nightime bottles just the two of them, my Jewel lullabye cd left on "off" while Ryan's IPod plays his "Jack's Mannequin" music in beautiful rebellion.

And when Liam is sick, I see Ryan holding down his arms with sweet strength while he suctions out Liam's nose- a job I hate to do and have little patience for.  Ryan has always had the patience at times that I don't, and calming an upset Liam is a good example of this.

That is what I love about Ryan the most... he balances me, calms me, makes me feel safe.  This husband, this family man, this Daddy.  I can only hope Liam will grow up to be "like Father, like son."  Lesson well learned.