We haven’t been able to keep Theo in his baby tub for a month or so now, he just wants to climb out and explore the whole tub. Grandma and Grandpa said they tried using the whole tub and Theo swam in it, so we had to give it a shot. Sure enough, he swims like crazy!

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Theo turns ONE this Sunday and it’s just amazing what has happened over the last year. From a littleworm to a little boy. Yesterday evening he was pretending to be Shilo, scurrying around under the dining table panting with a scrunched up little face (he doesn’t quite understand why he should stick his tongue out). One year ago today I was being walked by my sister through the streets of Seattle trying to get him out of me! In a few weeks I will likely be returning the favor for Carlin and her two babies.

The first three-four months whirled by and I have hardly a memory from them. Hungry baby. Crying baby. Sleeping baby. Repeat. At four months he began to smile consistently and everything changed. And when I say everything changed, I mean on a daily basis.

It has been a fantastic year seeing the world through his newly opened eyes. Remembering when a light switch was the coolest thing ever. And a ceiling fan is a mind altering experience. Dirt is remarkable and rocks are still delicious. Clothing is frustrating and diaper changes are h*ll on earth. The vacuum cleaner is seriously the ultimate toy and distraction to Theo.

Yesterday, Steve was holding Theo while I had Shilo perform her tricks. When she spun around his mouth opened and he looked flabbergasted. At that moment he had never seen anything more impressive or delightful. When he becomes a sullen teen I will try to remember that glee. When I’m not busy grounding him, no doubt.

On Sunday, when he’s not finding hidden eggs but rather focusing on eating dead leaves in the backyard, Theo will be nine months old. Today he and his daycare buddy Walter chased each other around the bedroom using an old jungle gym play mat for base. How can this have happened so quickly? The first month crawled. Months two through four hobbled. And then we all time-traveled together to this place where Steve and I have a toddler who loves bananas and hates eggs (oh the horror). Tiny T knows how to pet his furry older sisters gently but is sneaky enough to sense when I’m not looking and ears and tails are easy targets again. He cuddles in the evening and sings his blanket, Lambbeary, to bed each night. He loves shouting “Da Da” when he is happy, but he invariably sobs “mamama” when he falls down.

So he crawls, he stands (on everything), he walks pushing his train around the house, but can he solve the meaning of life? So far he’s definitely given us extra meaning. Perhaps that is the meaning? Perhaps I’m sleep-deprived and reading too much into this procreation business.

More hi-larious videos and photos on the way. It’s hard to beat a speedy baby obsessed with a vacuum cleaner. Or his first unassisted steps behind his giant toy train. Next week I had better hide the car keys.

Apologies for the delays in writing about the tiny terror! It’s been a really busy month+ in the Mackible household. A lot of that is due to his little highness, Theo. Who, on January 24, turned SIX months old! Where has the time gone?
Some major improvements to the little guy. So many it’s tough to recall them all, but I will list a couple:
- Theo is sitting on his own! He sits for as long as he wants before lunging forward onto some unsuspecting toy or pet.
- Theo has a very hard head. He has taken a couple tumbles and seems to have recovered. At times it seems as though he purposefully throws himself on his noggen in preps for his future career as a linebacker (not!).
- While he is almost crawling, he is definitely swimming. His stroke is definitely the frog stroke. Theo also loves to get on his hands and knees and rock back and forth before flopping forward and repeating. Sort of an inchworm locomotion. Steve will be uploading some video footage for your amusement.
- He says “ma ma ma ma ma” continuously but we are not convinced he knows what he is saying. Although he does know his own name and is approaching the self awareness of a cat, he still has a long way to go before he overtakes Shilo.
- Oh – he eats! Anything and everything! Mushed and mixed with rice cereal. He loves his pears and butternut squash. I’m still not convinced he likes bananas (maybe I am trying to sway his opinion against my least favorite fruit). And he’s not a huge pea fan (quel disappointment). Theo sits in his little high chair and opens up wide before making a frantic grab at the spoon.
- A new nickname is Bam Bam since he loves beating toys on anything hard and noisy.
- His old nickname, The Professor, is still appropriate since he is so serious and thoughful. Not quick to smile, but quite the charmer when he does.
- And his singing may not approach his daddy’s, but he gets an A for effort. Every night I hear his shrill wails and shrieks providing a jarring background to Steve’s Elton John classics.
The reality is that the poor little guy has been sick for over two weeks, following at the tail of another sickness, which followed the flu. It’s been pretty sad watching the little guy struggle with a respiratory virus and full-body rash. I guess babies are just sick for the first year. This is not something I had prepared for.
Some exciting news is that the family will be making a trek to Kauai for a 10-day vacation in 17 days. Steve is counting it down. Theo loves his baths, does not mind water splashed on his face, so we are expecting him to become a Jacques Cousteau. Or maybe a scientist. Or a world traveller. A teacher. Whatever he does, we wish for him what everyone wishes. To be happy.
P.S. Twinkle Twinkle is still his nightcap.

Dance Baby Dance!

Thanksgiving was a blast thanks to auntie Carlin and funcle Rob. Mazzy was an accommodating cousin too. Theo got to hang with his gramps and grans, Ron and Ginger, go shopping for new duds, sleep while the gr’ups devoured a splendid feast, and take part in his first official photo shoot (more to come from that). Overall, even though he had a tooth bustin’ to come out, he was a happy little buddy.

Now it’s already December and he’s getting ready for Christmas with his grandma Cheri, amigo Neil, grandma Margaret, and greats Harry and Ruby. Oh and his auntie and funcle will be in town. He’s already after seconds with a second tooth peeking out, a second cold (oh the first virus was not pleasant, poor little tyke), and a second major holiday season.

Here’s a photo of the little guy dancing with his robot Bob while Daddy shows him some funky moves. We can already tell that Theo is going to love the dance parties!