Millennium Park with the boys

I'm exhausted

And it's only noon. Ouch. My son, my lovely son Brice, is taking me precariously close to the edge. Have I mentioned he is strong-willed? We have yet to feed him without him throwing his food on the floor. And he waits for us to look at him, then he smiles, and throws it. We say, "Brice, do NOT throw your food." Pick it up, wipe the floor, give him the benefit of the doubt. Then, he's angry because we said no to him. So he opens his mouth, pulls the chewed but not swallowed food out, and tosses it. Then he looks at me and smiles. So I say "no" again and give him a flick on the hand. Which REALLY ticks him off, so he starts screaming and banging his head back against the high chair and THROWS his sippy cup across the kitchen. Nice. He also hits and pinches Harry when i'm trying to feed him among a myriad other minor and major infractions. And nothing, NOTHING will deter him. I'm reading every discipline book I can get my hands on and they're so helpful--flick his hand, don't flick his hand because that is how he explores his world, spank him, don't spank him--you'll teach him violence is okay; give him a time-out, don't bother with time-outs, etc. Do you get the picture? 

I keep reminding myself that he is one. Not even one and half. I will not be beaten by a little midget who can't even control his bladder. It's like I used to tell my first-graders, "There are sitcoms that have been around longer than you. You don't run anything but your mouth and that's going to stop, too." Not that Brice can even talk yet. Oh, infant is now screaming, must attend to infant. 

Recall

I take it back. He's still colicky. Going on 4 hours now. What's it like to have calm children??

Brice and his Blue Bunny

Brice now sleeps with a stuffed animal, his little Blue Bunny. It kills me. I love that he sleeps with him. Lately we've been having major battles with our increasingly strong-willed child. He drains the energy from my bones and by the end of the day, i'm done. Put a fork in me. But the fact that my little tantrum-throwing, face-pinching, arm-biting, leg-kicking, foot-stomping, screaming baby goes to bed with his little Blue Bunny gives me hope that his heart isn't entirely black. Perhaps there's hope for him yet. 

Colic? What colic???

Okay, I say this with some hesitation. It does appear, after a week of probiotics, that the colic has waned. He still has his fussy times, usually between 5 and 7pm, but he's mostly fussy. He can be soothed with a pacifier and a bounce. Sometimes being picked up and carried around is required, but he really has improved. He rages a bit before he falls off to sleep, but he really is much better. Seth made a comment yesterday that perhaps we shouldn't call him colicky anymore (we like to label our children) and we both kinda looked at each other nervously. Dare we hope?? So, i'll just say, he's doing better. Sleeping better--8.5 hours last night! and napping two or three times during the day. Amazing. He even sleeps through Brice. Now that is a feat.

Visit to the grandparents (and great grandmother!)

Harry and great grandma Ruth 

Splashing around with dad

First ride on the merry go round

Zonked out in the car (didn't last long, though!)

Not bad, baby!

Lest you think my child does nothing but scream, here's an update--he sleeps too!! Eight hours!! Yes, for two nights in a row, he's been sleeping for eight hours, from 11:00 to 7:00. Hallelujah! This could be because he spends the previous 3 or 4 hours raging. Not crying. Raging. Each night I go to sleep in tears, nerves ripped apart and I wake up...rested. Incredible. We've given  him two doses of probiotics so far, and we'll see if it helps at all. 

Brice remains very interested in this new intruder, though still not at all sure what to do with him. The past weekend he tried to pick him up. Squatted down and shoved his little paws underneath him and when that didn't work, he grabbed his arm and pulled him (he was being closely supervised whilst doing this, in case you're cursing my parenting skills). He also likes to try and shove the pacifier in his mouth when he's crying. It's sort of sweet. I look forward to the day when they can actually interact and play.