Life of Wilder: Week Thirty-Seven

Totally still not satisfied with this picture

format but I really don't have the time or

energy to care so it is what it is for now.

Wilder has been quite a character this week. He's still such a good baby and really laid back for the most part but we're definitely seeing more of an opinionated, stubborn side of him these days. Ever since he started scooting, he's got this idea that he's the big boss man and he has really let that part of his personality shine this week, let me tell you. I don't know if I can reiterate it enough: He is IN TO EVERYthing...

He laughs at and/or ignores the word "no." He insists on slouching way down in his highchair at meals and if you try to sit him up he emphatically pushes back down into it. When you're holding him he is constantly scanning the room to find anything interesting that he needs to go check out. He gets busier and busier every day. I feel like it's not nice to call your baby a little turd, so I won't but... yeah. Let's just say I'm pretty sure I'm getting a mild preview of his teenage years right now and I think we're going to be in trouble. 

Now you listen here, I'm going to need

you to stop taking pictures and give me

another bite like now.

Now that Mr. Man can move himself, he thinks nothing can stand in his way. He refuses to be shut in or out of anywhere and will find a way over, through, or around any obstacle. 

Case in point: Since our morning playtimes have begun to consist of him just scooting from room to room all over the house and because Rider sheds like no other dog on earth, the first thing I do now in the mornings is go around and vacuum the hard surfaces to minimize the amount of hair and dirt that is stuck to his front when I pick him up. Wow, this makes it sound like my house is totally filthy. I promise it's not, but I challenge you to scoot on your belly through about three rooms of your house and discover how much dirt you would never have noticed otherwise, especially if you have pets. Anyway, I had been setting him on the floor of his room and starting in his bathroom because that's where he scoots first. From there I would move into the dogs' room, then into the kitchen, and then the living room with him following behind me. After a couple of days though he got too fast for me and I couldn't get his bathroom vacuumed before he barged in there so I started closing the bathroom door so he couldn't come in before I finished. Well, he was not happy about being shut out so yesterday, after a minute of him banging insistently but in vain at the bathroom door, he turned and went out the other door of his room through the living room, through the kitchen, and met me in the dogs' room which I was still trying to get vacuumed. He was indignant that I was "playing" with that fun vacuum without him and was determined to get to it one way or another. It was so hilarious to hear him huffing and puffing as fast as he could through the living room and then see him peek around the corner at me totally delighted that he'd outsmarted me. 

The newfound sense of power that came with his scooting abilities definitely has a lot to do with his new little attitude but also I think he may be getting back at me for the whole one hour total he's spent in childcare at the Y over the last five days. We joined the YMCA on Monday and, since Wilder's only ever been left with someone else a handful of times, the whole childcare thing has been a big adjustment. I left him in there the first day and came back after 10 minutes to check on him. He had been crying his eyes out the whole time and his face was all red and blotchy. It absolutely broke my heart and I left crying myself that day. 

I'm determined to get him used to staying in the kids' center though because I think it will be really beneficial to him in a number of ways. Plus, this girl needs to get her workout on and lose these last 5 pounds of prego-weight! The next day I left him for 10 minutes again and then went and got him and took him swimming in the indoor pool. There were a lot of other people in the pool and he had the time of his life kicking and splashing and watching everyone else around him. I think that went a long way to making up for "abandoning" him at childcare. He's done a little bit better each day and I even left him for 15 whole minutes today, ha! It's definitely just going to take some time. Luckily, the endorphins I'll get from working out will help me deal with whatever kind of attitude he gives me for leaving him. 

He's definitely getting too big for his britches and he's totally wearing me out (hence the lateness and probable incoherence of this post) but I'm really so proud of how much he's changing and growing. He got his first top tooth this week and he's eating so much more finger foods now. We're still doing purees about half the time, but I've been having a great time experimenting with different foods and seeing his reactions to them. We've tried an egg yolk omelet with spinach and cheese, garbanzo beans seasoned with garlic, soft-cooked carrot slices seasoned with garlic and basil, tofu cubes coated with crushed multigrain Cheerios (which was the surprise winner of the food trials this week -- he will gobble up as much of this as I'll give him), and poached tilapia seasoned with garlic and dill and sprinkled with lemon juice. I'm determined that he is not going to be a picky eater like I always was and it's fun to introduce him to new flavors. 

The garbanzo beans weren't an

immediate favorite. We may have

to try those again later on.

The tofu wasn't looking promising at

first either...

 But it quickly won him over.

 I'm still not sure if he liked the fish

or not. He kept eating it...

 And then making this face...

 And then eating it...

And making this face...

 But still eating it. 

 Seemed like a bit of a love/hate thing going on there.

Hmm what else? Really, I'm sorry, but his crazy little attitude has been such a big part of this week that I feel a couple more examples are in order...

Exhibit A: I've started having to put the dogs in their room for mealtimes because they pretty much stalk Wilder while he eats and Posey has taken a nibble off his tray on more than one occasion. Although they come in very handy when it's time to clean up...

Anyway, they sit behind the gate at the other end of the kitchen and look so dejected while Wilder eats.

And Wilder sits in his highchair totally gloating at them because they can't get to him. Now if that's not a little stinker I don't know what is!

Exhibit B: Please look at my child's behavior at Target the other day.

Grabbing...

 Trying to grab...

 And chewing on everything within reach.

He is such a mess! But a cute mess. He 

was totally thrilled to find his mirror friend

in the dressing room.

Oh, and I didn't get a high-fiving video this week because babies do not like to perform on demand, especially babies with an attitude like this guy's.

In non-attitude-related news, we went to the zoo on Thursday with Ashley and Lorelai (yep, I'm using the heck out of that zoo pass!) and saw one of the coolest things I've seen there yet. The SD Zoo uses a companion system with some of their big cats where they'll pair a cheetah, wolf, etc. with a domestic dog as a buddy from the time they're both little. The dogs keep their wild friends company and help keep them calm. So calm, in fact, that the zookeepers are regularly able to walk a cheetah or wolf around the open zoo on a leash with their dog pals by their side. I've been wanting to see that ever since I first heard of it but still have yet to witness it. But we did see the next best thing, which was one of the cheetahs and his dog companion together in one of the enclosures. It was so cool to see them together and know that the cheetah wasn't looking at the dog as "dinner" but as a friend.

Speaking of doggie friends, Wilder got a new one this week thanks to Grana and Granddaddy...

Who is this delightfully bright-red fellow?

OMG, it's Clifford!

Tonight we took Wilder to eat with us at a restaurant down the street. He simmered down a bit in the attitude department and sat there nicely entertaining himself (and us) the whole time. 

And I'll leave you with this: I've seen a lot of weird stuff since moving to California but this is one of the weirdest. I passed this truck parked on the street in front of a house the other day and thought the driver was sitting strangely still. Then I realized it wasn't a man, it was... a mannequin! What? Why? I have so many questions for the owner of that truck.

Alright guys, I hope y'all have a terrific weekend!