SUPERBABY!

As you may have noticed in the previous post, a certain little boy got a certain Halloween costume for one of his baby shower gifts (thanks Mike and Trish). So, what's a boy to do but to try out those new duds on this most hallowed of eves.

We celebrated at Mike and Trish's place in Marin. The hosts really did up the yard and the kids LOVED every fright! Again, photos by Mike (many thanks camera dude).

It's My Party and I'll Cry If I Want To!

Actually, the little guy did quite well at his shower. Nary a cranky patch all day (except for the one captured here). In fact, he was so good, those in attendance repeatedly asked me what I did all day (assuming our little angel is always in good spirits). Honestly I couldn't answer...aside from feedings, diaper changes, trying to get him to take a decent nap, and laundry; I just don't know where the day goes.

Nearly everyone got to hold the little guy. For the most part, he seemed to REALLY enjoy all of the attention (hmmm...is that a sign of things to come?). While Olin dined on his beverage of choice, the guests dined on 'harem sandwiches' and sushi (mmmmm, sushi). The cake was 'Lemon Chiffon,' a special treat from a local bakery.

Special thanks go out to our gracious hosts and dear friends, Michael and Pamela for the lovely event at their beautiful home. The weather was unseasonably awesome. We had a view from the Oakland hills all the way to San Francisco!

And another special thanks to Mike and Trish for being the event photographers. You can see their photos published here.

THE GRANDPARENTS ARE HERE!

Grandpa Root finally got to meet Olin this weekend. The grandparents flew in on the 12th for a birthday weekend (Dad's and mine) celebration. Okay, truth be told, it was all about the little guy. The weather cooperated beautifully. We enjoyed sunny and somewhat warm weather in which to stroller around town and enjoy what little fall color we get here in Northern California.

Grandma went a little crazy with the baby clothes (that's just fine with us) and Grandpa helped Ray squeeze in some home improvement work in between baby feedings and giggles/coos. We found time to grab some serious dinner at the Lark Creek Inn (see previous posting). Olin was a perfect gentleman during his second visit to a nice restaurant! All in all, a successful and fun visit!

Olin Narrowly Escapes Shots

This week we expected Olin to receive his first round of shots during his Well Baby check up. Dr. Tessie must have been in a good mood because she let Olin off the hook for another three weeks. We are both breathing sighs of relief - as neither of us was ready for the needle. Of note, he weighed in at 10 lbs 14 oz and has grown to 22.5" long. He's a happy, healthy (if not yawny) baby boy.

The Curious Incident of the Poopy Diaper

Those of you who've been following along with the Adventures of Olin will know that we have him (most of the time) in g diapers which are these amazing flushable diapers (READ: NO MORE DIAPER PAIL). It is about time somebody rethought the way we diaper our children. It doesn't make sense to put all that plastic into a landfill (and anyone who knows me understands that I refuse to wash cloth diapers). These clever gizmo's work great and really do flush all the mess away, they just take a bit of getting used to.

Aside from learning to *assemble* the diaper, another challenge is tearing the sides of the pad for disposal in the bowl while holding a baby (difficult). More for convenience than as a safety precaution, I have been placing the soiled disposable pads next to the toilet for disposal when one of us hears the call of nature (saving water). Ok, probably too much information, but it's going to get a bit more graphic before it gets funny.

Today Olin had a rather voluminous #2 in his little g. So we changed him into a new little g set up and placed the soiled one on the counter next to the toilet. I closed the door to the bathroom so as to contain the smell, and then spent the next 30 or so minutes soothing Olin into a nap. When placing Olin down in his crib, I heard our dog's collar jewelry (aka license tags) jingling in the distance. He is usually right next to me throughout the day, so for him to be conducting business in a room other than the one I'm in is a bit odd. I went to investigate.

Much to my horror/mirth/surprise, Bongo had jumped up onto the bathroom counter, STOLEN the messy diaper, and had (there is no delicate way to put this) licked it clean. He was mid munch on the actual cotton pad when I busted him (yes, he got sent to the kennel while I cleaned up the mess).

All is well that ends well, I suppose. Bongo survived eating baby poo, and now regards Olin as the snackmaker. He's right beside me at each diaper change...like a dog begging at the dinner table. I have learned to make certain the door to the bathroom really is closed when I leave a potential treat out on the counter for later disposal. And Olin? He napped through the entire incident.