Write or Left?

Looks like he's a leftie!

What's UP With This Pic?

Clark Otis! Cuz he be on a booster seat!

Excuse Me, May I Please Hold Your Baby?

 Argh! He's not even a baby anymore. He's full on toddlin'. He's a toddler! The other night, during our bed-time ritual, I got him in his jammies, activated the mood-lighting, switched on his humidifier, gathered him up in my arms and fed him his bottle. Singing to him, as I usually would, "Wanna Be Like You" from the Jungle Book, or Jason Mraz's "I'm Yours", and kissing his warm little forehead between verses; tonight I intended to continue holding him as he drifted off to sleep. It had been a while since we did that and I wanted to treat us both. Yet, Clark had another idea. After finishing his bottle, he pointed to his crib and said "Night night." A not so subtle indication that a horizontal position, comfy on his pillow is where he wanted to be. And...

"CRITCH"

 Though I couldn't hear it, I'm pretty sure at that moment, a hairline-crack opened just above the top-left portion of my heart. Yeah, the time for passing out on Daddy's chest is now slowly coming to an end. Unless I spike his milk with Benadryl. (NOTE to Activists: Just a joke. Jeeze) My little man is turning into, well, a little man!

As annoying as it was for near EVERY person we came across who told us to "savor every moment, cuz it goes by so fast", it's true. Man, it's true. Though I'm pretty sure if I savored even more than I already do, we might get conjoined. I mean, he might as well be behind a glass, with me staring, fixated with a pad and pen recording his every nuance. I mean I think I did that one day just for fun, but seriously folks, we ARE savoring!

Yet in a way, it kinda makes it hurt more. When he wakes up from a nap and appears significantly longer. When he busts out words like "yellow". When with just a look from one of us, he recognizes that he shouldn't play with that glass jar, instead, knowingly putting it (carefully) back on the shelf where he got it from. Arrgh I say! Perhaps as we're savoring we're subliminally trying to create a suspension of time.

He's just so fuckin' cute! So smart! So mature (well, you know what I mean). Am I biased? Absofuckinlutely. But I'm not waxing here either. We have a true gem on our hands. During our annual Pumpkin Carving Jello Shot Party (which we appropriately changed to Pumpkin Pot-Luck for obvious reasons), Clark totally worked the room as a little host should. He socialized, played, ate, charmed, and nuzzled with everyone. And towards the end, Christy and I discovered him crawling up the stairs and with a wave announced "Night night". The dude was putting himself to bed! Christy and I looked at each other, stunned. We gathered his bottle and jammies, excused ourselves from the party, and up we went.

It's been nearly 21 months since his rocket like emergence into our world and we're, on a daily basis, rendered emotional from SOMEthing, some look, some antic that he creates for us.

Yeah, man. We're totally in savor. We're also completely in love and in awe! 

Another

 

 Don't let the photo fool ya. We are finished with the child birthing. The above pic is for your amusement only! Got it!? No more babies. At least not the old fashioned way. Two weeks ago I underwent the simple yet ghastly procedure of what the laymen refer to as "the ole snip snip". Simple, cuz for me, it was. Ghastly, cuz well, I could show you pictures of the aftermath but we're trying to keep this a family-friendly blog. But if you're more than curious, next time you see me,  I have 'em on my phone. 

 Why stop at one? 

 Well read about Clark's first 90 days and ask yourself, would you want to go through that again? 'Nuff said there. The most surprising (annoying) reaction when I would tell folk that I was about to have a vasectomy was "You know, you can get that reversed." Like, without missing a beat, batting an eyelash, first knee-jerk response. It struck the same chord that vibrated every time someone would ask "So, when are you having another one!?" Yes, I certainly intended to have my balls cut open thinking that maybe a few years down the line I would love to do it again. As Wayne Campbell and his pal Garth would say..."Not"!

"Hmm. Yes. So cute, I am!"

It's Halloween night! He's wearing one of the two costumes I had planned for him. We're at Downtown Burbank with the other costumed kiddies. He's soaking it all in. 

 

Here's Mom and Dad gettin' in on the act. I totally wanted to be Luke Skywalker carrying Yoda on my back. But that costume requires a tank top and I was concerned about freezing my tushie off.  We walked the Promenade, the mall, a few blocks near Yoga Blend, testing out "Trick or Treat" or simply marveling at the spooky decorations and cool costumes. We ended the eve at a pal's party where Clark shed his Yoda persona for...

Superboy! What? Never seen Superboy like this? Well, you must not be a geek. This is actually "Connor Kent", Superman's clone. Seen in comics and on the toon Young Justice!








 Man, he's growing up so rapidly. It seems like every time he wakes up from a nap there is a significant change. His arms look longer. His forehead, thinner. His expression, more dynamic. Yes, I am missing that toothless, helpless, light as a feather, baby that fell asleep on my chest. Now, the dude actually ASKS to be put into his crib. Yeah, the longing is definitely there, but longing is not enough to make us chance another preemie. A preemie that may or may not prevail as Clark has. For now, we love focusing all our love, attention, and energies at Mr. Clark Otis! Nearly 20 + months young. Full on toddler. Perfectly satisfied!

Not to say that I don't have the overwhelming urge to pick up every baby I see.

Most Like to Drive Around the Block...

> Clark likes to take the block around for a drive.
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