Crying & A New Trick!

     It's never easy to hear your child cry.  For the first few weeks of Marcus' life, I CRIED, when he cried.  I had no idea that it would have such a profound impact on me to hear this little guy in distress or pain.  Well, now that we hear some type of crying on a daily basis (hello...he's a baby), you get a little more used to it...or so I thought.  Last night, putting Marcus to bed, he cried, inconsolably for almost an hour straight.  The only time he wasn't crying was when he was in my arms and I was rocking or singing to him.  We don't usually give him a pacifier at night, but then again, he usually is in the swaddle-me, so it's the beginnings of a different process, I realize.  He typically gets a pacifier when we put him down for a nap, but last night, every time I laid him down, he opened his mouth wide, like a little birdie, waiting for his pacifier.  This might be sending him mixed signals, so Mark and I discussed it and thought it'd be best to not give him a pacifier for naps OR bedtime.  We'll only use it, sparingly, during the day when he gets fussy or is gnawing excessively on his fist, etc.  He usually takes 3 naps during the day, two shorter ones, and one longer one.  Both his morning naps were around an hour.  He's played with his daddy and I all day, so I know he's tired.  I put him down for a nap, covered him up to his waist, and the put his love bunny in his arms.  I kissed him and said, "night night" and here came the most pitiful squalls you've ever heard.  This is his new, "sad" cry, vs the "mad," "tired," or "in pain" cries, all of which have a different sound, pitch, and rhythm.  He's definitely getting to the age where he recognizes Mark and I, so we can't go into his room while he's sleeping like we used to, in fear that he'll open up his eyes and see us.  Before, he could do that and go right back to sleep, but once he sees us, it's ON!  He's wide awake in full "pick-me-up" mode.  Ok, so back to today's nap.  Marcus continued his pitiful wail for almost 10 minutes.  I set our kitchen timer so I wouldn't go back in there before it went off.  And what do you know?  He stopped crying and fell fast asleep before the timer went off!  It seems like an ETERNITY when he's crying, but if I step back and think logically about it, it makes a lot more sense for him to learn to go to sleep without it.  What if we lost it?  What if we forgot it at home?  What if he gets attached and wants this thing 24/7?  I know these are all neurotic thoughts, but in the end, the pacifier is just that...a tool that temporarily pacifier it's occupier.  We just don't want it to be a crutch that he uses to fall asleep, that's all.  Then again, we don't want him to be a thumb-sucker but that's a WHOLE other story.....


     Oh yeah, I forgot!  Amongst telling you all about my guilt-stained emotions of hearing him cry, I forgot to tell you that he ROLLED OVER for the first time this week.  On Monday night, Mark had Marcus in the floor on his stomach.  He was showing him how to tip over and roll onto his back.  They went through this a few times, Mark right there beside him, me watching from the kitchen table.  Then all of a sudden, Mark put him back on his belly to where he was head up, looking around, and he slowly tipped over and rolled onto his back!  It was awesome!  Watching this little boy do new things is better than tv!  It's the only time he's done it so far, but man, it was great to see.  And great that Mark and I both were here to witness it together. 

     Sorry for being so wordy today.  I have lots of pent-up information just BURSTING out to tell you when I blog.  :)

Even though it had snowed outside, we had a photoshoot before taking a warm bath.

"Oh, hello Mommy!"

He makes holding his head up look easy nowadays.

Here's his sheepish grin.

We woke up to 6 inches of snow Monday morning.  That didn't stop Mark from going to work, though!

Winter Wonderland

Mark shoveled 3 driveways and Marcus watched with great intensity.

There's a song by Phillips, Craig, and Dean that says, "I (Mark) want to be just like You (God) because he (Marcus) wants to be like me."  Mark is working to be more like our Lord because Marcus is watching, and will hopefully grow up to be like Mark.  Following in his footsteps, just like Mark followed his dad's.

Monday night Mark was working in the floor with Marcus.

Here he is, holding his head up, ready to tilt.

And here he is once he rolled over.  This wasn't the actual roll, but I took this picture after Mark, "tipped" him over and showed him how to do it again.  When he actually DID roll over, he smiled with delight as we cheered.

I used the tripod I got for Christmas to set up & take this picture of Marcus and I while Mark was at work.  Marcus got this great snow suit from his Canadian grandparents and it kept him nice and warm for the picture.

Sitting up like a big boy in his bumbo chair...still loves that glow worm.

Here's a picture of how Marcus is starting to swing his hips back and forth, trying to roll ONTO his belly.  He gets pretty far, but can't quite figure out what to do with his arms.  It gets stuck every time he almost does it (so far, that is.)