"Hi, Da-da!"

Movie #2 of Dex-aroni! Compare to Zachy around the same age.

First Dex movie!

Okay, we're a little slower -- I am a little slower -- with movie-making this time around. And not as sophisticated. But nonetheless, here's our active little man!

Rare moment of filial accord

Zach isn't particularly thrilled that Dexter is becoming more mobile and more opinionated. It's prompting another round of adjustments in the family. But every once in a while, Zach has fun "crashing" Dexter (pulling him over on top of him) and Dexter likes it too.

Dex-aroni

This is what Zach calls Dexy, and I suppose we all do. Sometimes Zach even says, "Dex-aroni-roni."

Dexter is having a tough time, and we along with him. He's on high doses, higher than others in the practice of our pediatric GI.  So, we've scheduled an endoscopy to see what's going on in there.  Meanwhile he's fairly happy during the day, but waking up a lot at night.  Argh.

He's about to crawl, though, and loves bouncing in his bungee jumper.  He babbles most of the time, saying Da-Da and Bla-Bla and things like that.

Zach at this age, in the bath, was pretty mellow.  Dexter gets CUCKOO, like a wild beast, splashing and kicking and wiggling.  Since babysitters have commented that Zach is a pretty mellow guy for a 2.5 year old boy, I'm wondering if Dexter will be a less mellow guy...

On a date

Zachy and I got away from it all, tonight, by going out to La Esquina

Dex outside

Sitting up and enjoying the pile of toys Zach delivered.

On Zach

This guy is cracking us up daily. In sweet ways and in funny ways. A few days ago, in the stroller, we watched a squirrel climbing a tree. Zachy said, "Come here, squirrel! Give you kissy! Squirrel! I love you, squirrel!"

And again tonight, on the subject of squirrels, as he was swinging Zachy wondered what new noise he was hearing. I told him I thought it was a cicada. He wanted to go find it, but I said I didn't know how to find it. "Use the swing to go up there, mama," he said. "On the roof?" I asked? He said, "No, only squirrels go on the roof, mama. Only squirrels can go there."

On Dexter

Dexter got his second tooth a few days after his first. And this week he's sitting up like a pro, playing with toys! He's ten times more engaged with the world than a few weeks ago. Yay, Dex! Welcome!

But... sometime several weeks ago, Dexter got very difficult. It's like his personality changed, and he became fussy and fidgety; actually he has been reminding me of Zachy at this age. But with Dexter I'm also noticing increased spitting up, rigid body, refusing to eat except in certain positions, and most difficult: crying except when carried in a front pack between 6pm and 9pm. He weighs 20 lbs 10 oz, so three hours of that is pretty tough. I have been eating standing up. And I don't blog much.

We've been seeing doctors, experimenting with medication dosing, and getting ultrasounds to see what's going on inside Dexter. I'm a little worried. He's so sweet-tempered that for him to change into a crabby baby -- well, he must really be miserable.

Tonight has been the first in a month that didn't involve inconsolable crying. The extra Prevacid must be helping! It feels like we won a million dollars.

Chocolate cookies and love

Curious, I asked Zach who he liked better: Tillie or Shannon. He said, "Shannon and Tillie both!" and then "and Daddy. Daddy loves me. And Grandma loves me."

Remodel begun!

Zachy has been in heaven this week, from Tuesday when the backhoe was delivered, to today when a firetruck stopped by to check the nearby hydrant. Truck city! He even gets to sit in the backhoe driver seat occasionally, as the workers treat him like a little mascot. This morning we inspected the front half of the house, which is missing, and Zachy photographed the backhoe.