When babies are just being babies, you tend to forgive them when they are flailing their arms and legs around and inadvertently hits or knocks something over. You know they are only learning and practising their motor skills, and most times over-exert these motors.
Examples of accidents and over-exertions include smacking the carrier’s face, head-butting the carrier’s nose, smacking the bottle silly, jerking backwards while being carried and giving the carrier a heart attack, shooting little fountains and then innocently glaring up at you when you are cursing the most evil of curses under your breath, pinching your underarm when you are carrying him koala-style, learning to stand by sticking his feet into your chest like he is ready to backflip off you, etc.
But when they start to repeat the exact same thing with their limbs, you know they are starting to have a certain degree of control.
And when they are using their limbs stretching to reach a cup or a pale of water that is precariously perched on the edge of the counter-top, you know you got a trouble maker on your hands.
Mind you, the little man isn’t walking yet. He’s only starting to crawl (yup, towards the edge of the bed too), so he’s still always being carried at present.
But it was this morning that gave me a little insight into our little trouble maker’s cheekiness.
It was my turn to feed him overnight. As with all milk feeds, we use a big cup with a little hot water to stick the bottle into to keep the milk warm in between burps or diaper changes. This morning moreover, our little man has developed (again) a slight cough, and coughed-puked some yuck onto my chest / shirt as well as onto himself. Cursing, I had to go get a pale of water to wipe his chest before putting on fresh pj’s.
So I was carrying him whilst doing all this. I had the pale perched on the counter-top by the kitchen sink, waiting for the filtered water to fill it.
He stuck his foot out toes almost touching it; if successful I reckon he’d be able to knock the pale over. I moved / swung away. He retracted.
I swung back into original position. He stuck his foot out again.
I swung away, he retracted.
I swung back into original position. He stuck his foot out again.
I tell you: This little man is a trouble maker. Other descriptions come to mind but I will spare you the vulgarities.
And then, when you hold him out to look at him eye-to-eye what-the-hell-do-u-think-u-are-doing mano-a-mano giving him the why-you-little death stare, he stares back at you.
Wide eyed, mouth agape, Hmm? Yes?, eyes darting around your face tracing and etching and committing your face into his life-long memory, waiting in anticipation for you to smile at him.
I found myself clucking my tongue at him, which I know makes him smile.
He chuckles instead. All’s well in his 8 month old universe.
Wait till I can start walking, he’s probably already thinking.
I am doomed.
For the next, what, 20 years at least?
9 responses so far ↓
1 Cheong Mei Ling(biuye) // Sep 18, 2008 at 4:52 PM
Hehe, I am first again :-p..Big fan of your kids. I know Caleb is extremely active and does all the stunts as proclaimed by his 2 adoring grand-aunts. He is very mischievious and for an 8 month old “scheming” as what you described AARGH! But funny…I was giggling when I read what he did to you. By the way I love the pic as well. Can you imagine what he is scheming now to prepare for when he learns to walk (walk & destroy mission).
That is before “Dad, can I borrow the car keys” phase. Well, that is the fun part of parenting right? Watch them grow, evolve, meet guys (Caitlin), borrow Dad’s car and date girls (Caleb) I think Caleb is following Hot Mummee’s footsteps when she was a little tike. I remember her MaMa-paternal Grandma (God bless her soul) use to run after her at top speed and comments “Aiya, kom tor sau” and scoops her up before she causes any damage
2 Daddee // Sep 18, 2008 at 5:02 PM
Thank you thank you thank you!
I have a real life testimony from HER SIDE OF THE FAMILY no less, that Caleb did not get this from me!
3 Moomykin // Sep 21, 2008 at 3:25 PM
Ah… He’s definitely the smart and sneaky one.
Shall I say it?… Ok…
“Boys will be boys.”
There. Said it.
Both my boys too have done all kinds if trick, including waking up like at 3 am, wants you to play with him and then will only go back to sleep after 2-3 hours of play.
One such was recorded here:
http://moomykin.blogspot.com/2007/08/max-mania.html
Good luck with yours.
Moomykins last blog post..I Want Daddy
4 Ann // Sep 22, 2008 at 10:38 AM
Caitlin must have been a good baby then!
Your Caleb sounds so much like my little one when he was young.
And yes, when they start walking you will have no peace at end. And the end of the day I pile myself with chocs and then cycle myself to death! Chocs to maintain my sanity, cycling to rid my guilt!
And then other times, I am high on coffee due to my lack of sleep. (like right now!)
So…ummm…..all the best to you.
But they bring such joy nevertheless, no?
Anns last blog post..3rd celebration and more
5 Daddee // Sep 22, 2008 at 11:14 AM
Hi Ann,
Caitlin was an angel baby; well still an angel now, most times now at least!
She was already sleeping through the whole night before she turned 6 months I think, toilet-trained quite early in her life. Only that she puked very easily, from the slightest irritation in her throat.
Moomykin,
Your experience scares me! It’s not going to be a as-patient-as-yours household when we are both working fulltime!
6 hissychick // Sep 22, 2008 at 11:18 AM
Hilarious! Caleb should meet up with E. She could teach him an additional trick or two. There’s a reason that we’ve nicknamed her the firestarter….
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