Free at last!

On Friday, Brex had his first 'graduation' ceremony, complete with a cheesy certificate (sorry, kid, I already trashed it...): he finished with his helmet! 

As you may remember, we had trouble deciding to do the helmet [story here]. Since the insurance covered 75 percent of the cost, we went ahead with our first official baby torture. Of course, Mr. Mellow was fine with the helmet. In fact, it made me fairly casual about him learning to sit up. 

One evening soon after he was starting to sit up, but was still teetery, I was working in the kitchen and Jrex had just come home from work. All of a sudden, we heard a big THUNK, a pause and then Brex started crying. I kept working and Jrex ran into the living room where our startled son was on his back in the classic 'dead bug' position.

Jrex tenderly picked him up and called to me, "Why did you leave him alone?"

I called back, "What's the big deal, he's got a helmet and won't fall far enough to hurt himself!"

Jrex jokingly shook his head and looked solemnly at Brex who'd stopped crying as soon as he was picked up, "Somehow, son, you WILL survive your childhood. Despite your mother."

Just starting to sit up at 6-months

Well, he's sitting up with confidence now and starting to squirm around on the floor. Our doom approaches... Everyone says your life changes with a baby and there's some truth to that, but I suspect that life will really be different once he can walk and assert his will. Thus far, we just drag him along and live our lives fairly similarly to what they were before.

Well, now that summer is truly here (the temperature is usually in the high 90's), I'm SO glad he doesn't have the extra heat/sweat source. The irony is that I think he's had a harder time with the helmet going away than he did when we added it to his life. He cries whenever I lay him on his back (changing table!) unless I give him something to distract him.

For our part though, we are ecstatic to be done with daily baths and a stinky head. It's so fun to be able to play with his downy little head. Plus, I can now sign up for the parent & child swim class at the neighborhood pool! (gotta find a swim suit for me this weekend...the next two-week session starts Monday.)

Only three weeks ago. He's getting ready to MOVE.

Of course, to make it feel like we got our money's worth, we get to see his before and after pictures. I'm still not convinced it wouldn't have resolved itself once he started sleeping on his stomach, but his head is definitely a better shape now. The left column is his before, the right is after.

 

We've been fairly good about doing his neck stretches so that his head doesn't pull to the right anymore. His shoulders look better, too. 

So, phew! First significant parenting hurdle accomplished. Now let's see what learning to walk without the helmet is like!