Isn't Motherhood Great?

I actively seek for a poopy bum, keep track of when his last big bowel movement was - and manage to dress Tuck in white onesies just about every time. My bathroom sink has had almost nonstop clothes soaking from diaper blow-outs, just to make sure they'll be usable for the next kid.

For the better part of the week, Tucker has hated life. He'll feed every half hour we're sitting at home. If I'm lucky and can distract him, we go two hours - tops. Tucker used to only be awake four to six hours a day, napping or sleeping the rest of the time. Even though he's cranky all day, he still gets a full, undisturbed twelve hours of sleep a night, from 7 pm to 7 am. Sometimes we'll even put him to sleep a bit earlier and he'll wake up a bit later, but that's the general estimate. That was up until Tuesday, the 26th. Now he'll nap less than an hour at a time and wake up cranky. I think I feel a bump on his bottom gum, right where teeth are supposed to come in, but we'll see! He's five months old and still doesn't have a tooth to his name. My estimate is he'll have two of them by the time he's six months old.

Tucker sits up for over a minute on his own, now. I've adjusted his stroller seat so that he isn't just laying down, but at more of an angle and can see some more of the world. In the last entry, I touched lightly on this baby's love of travel. Even when Tucker's extra feisty and the day is filled with naught but screaming, he'll mellow out the moment we start walking with the stroller. This week alone, we've easily surpassed trekking ten miles.

Tucker is less than enthused, but that's how he's been feeling for the past couple of days.

Zeeke loves all the walks we've been taking. He gets to swim in the canal when we go to the park. 

Tucker is smiling up at me, thrilled to be outside. Everyone comments on how pale he is and they insist I keep him inside all the time. Nope. He's just a ginger. 

He sits up! He's on my ottoman right in front of my chair, so I'm there to catch him if he starts to fall.

His exer-saucer is right beside my chair too. He'll spend a lot of his time in here, pawing at all the funny sounding items and discovering more and more hand eye coordination each day. He's at the level now where he'll pick up his binky and successfully put it in his mouth. Sometimes, he'll put his thumb in the crevice of the binky, to make sure it won't go anywhere. 

Zeeke is doing great. He will go up to Tucker on his own and start smothering him with kisses. Tucker is incredibly smitten with his dog and will always calm down if Zeeke's within arm's reach. 

Tuck's Traits

Even though he hasn't fully developed his personality, here are some traits I've noticed in Tucker.

He's easily frustrated, but persistent. Sadly, this baby has developed the "Simpson gene" where stubbornness abides in every fiber of his being. I placed a toy at the very edge of his arm's reach so that he had to roll over to get it. Though he was kicking and screeching the entire time, he HAD to have that toy. Tucker got it after ten minutes of effort. Whether feeling vengeful or curious, he shoved that toy in his mouth and began to gum at its head.

A mama's boy. Tucker does best when I'm in the room. I left him at my mom's house so I could go out and ride horses with my friend. We were just in the back yard, but Tucker didn't know that. My silly child screamed and cried the entire time. My mom informed me that he was inconsolable without his mommy. He's seen my mom before and has played well with her before, but he didn't care. He wanted me. Whenever I'm around, he's comfortable with strangers and likes to smile at them. Sometimes, he won't laugh at my faces or antics to make him happy, but he'll burst out in laughter at a stranger's attempts to simply make him giggle.
 He'll stare so intently at me when we're alone.

My little 'homie'. My child will adamantly refuse to sleep or nap anywhere but home, unless he's pampered to dreamland. One has to walk him around, rock him and hold him just right before he'll slip into unconsciousness. Even then, it never lasts loner than an hour. When we took him to Priest Lake, he slept best when he was in bed with me.

 This was the only way my mom could get him to sleep. 

 Tucker loves his exer-saucer. 

Noise sensitive. Unless there's a steady stream of white nose (like a fan) going on for nap or bedtime, he will fight adamantly before going to bed, if he falls asleep at all. Our apartment is generally a quiet, relaxed place. The only time that changes is when Zeeke barks. Every time Zeeke barks and Tucker's awake to hear it, Tucker's face will scrunch up and he'll promptly begin to sob intensely, up until he's presented with a new form of distraction.

Activity is a must! Sure, Tucker will sleep the morning away, but before or at 5:30 every day, he simply needs an adventure. Whether it's wandering the apartment complex, heading to the store or walking the neighborhoods, Tucker hates being home around this time, up until his 7:00 bath and bed.

 I blame the activity trait on David. This picture was taken right before he went to hike the Tetons. 

 He's in the car seat, ready to go see Baba (my mom). 

Tucker in his stroller for the four mile walk to see David at McDonald's.

A true fish. There's no place where he's more inquisitive than in a body of water. When I took him to Priest Lake with me, I put his life jacket on him the very first day and jumped in the lake with him. He loved it, but was so tired he almost put himself to sleep. Tucker never cries in his bath, because he's always having too much fun.

 Check out how buff he is! Baby body builder.