‘Picking’ pumpkins at the Westmoreland Berry Farm

The last time I was home alone with Cameron full time was the last day of June. Cam was not yet four months old but we had figured out a pretty workable daily routine. Most days were spent getting from one nap to the next, changing a few diapers and getting out with our dog Quinn a couple of times. Four weeks ago when Sara started her new job, I was now in the daily charge of a seven month old. He spent the summer growing up. Something I realized at the time, but didn’t fully appreciate until now.

My little four month old is now almost eight months old and filled with energy. Everything is exciting. Sitting in the floor calls for wild swinging of the arms and legs. Put him in his ExerSaucer and you get a gymnastics routine. He grabs everything. And is currently somewhere between slithering and crawling. He’s 95th percentile in weight, and remains off the charts in height. He has outgrown almost everything: His car seat, his stroller, his swing and his rocker.

Cam eats real food now. In the old days I could throw four ozs of formula together to stop a freakout or help aid a nap. Cam loves carrots, and sweet potatoes, and just about any other flavor of food imaginable. Unlike his father, he doesn’t seem all that picky. But like his father, he gets pretty excited when enjoying a good meal. Too excited, sometimes. He learned to clap recently, and LOVES to clap while eating. That’s cute and all, but makes trying to feed him tricky. Trying to sneak a spoonful of rice cereal or apples and apricots into his mouth is sometimes like playing mini golf and trying to putt through the windmill. Timing is everything!

The routine these days is trying to get as much on the calendar as possible. In part to tire him out, but also to get both of us out of the house. Thirty minute dog walks aren’t enough anymore. We have our eyes on some music and swimming classes, but haven’t started those yet. One activity we have hit hard is Storytime.

This stay-at-home experience has led to me to find myself in positions I never imagined I’d be in. Going to the library once or twice a week to sing songs and read fairy tales has to top that list. Every Wednesday, and sometimes Thursdays we go to the Pikesville library and enjoy thirty minutes of storytime/playtime. This is a great program offered all over Baltimore County. Cameron loves it, and since he’s usually the youngest/cutest, he’s always a big hit. I’m almost always the only Dad in attendance. Most kids are with nannies, grandmas or moms. So I get to be the guy who ‘sings’ quietly since I forgot the words (or never learned them) to most of these songs years ago. My goal is to have all the verses of “Open Shut Them” down by December.

As we get better with the daily routine, I hope to get better with posting on this site more often. Back to once a week or so. Happy Halloween!