Food, sleep, and other new stuff

So after last night it's become quite clear that I can't take Bumpus to singing gigs with me anymore. He's developed enough now that he gets all riled up by the attention and noise and can't just conk out like he used to, with resultant screaming when he gets over tired an hour later. It's just as well. I stress out over him when he's with me out at night, and am in constant terror of people's judgment. I've already heard of one person I know pointing at me and the baby at some dance and saying "now that right there is bad parenting," but he's so nuts that I just laughed. However it would really hurt me if someone I cared about said that.

I've heard enough people talk about the "over tired" phenomenon that I am starting to think that's what's going on around here - he does get cranky in the evenings again after about 7 or 8, and wakes up a lot during the night. It's like having a newborn again! I've read online this is a sign your baby is ready for a bed time - that they really should be put to bed around when the sun goes down and then they will magically sleep through the night, as counterintuitive as this sounds. So I will try it. Part of me was kind of bummed thinking about not playing with him at night - but I had to remember he's not here to entertain me!

I have no freakin' idea how to get him to just go to sleep in his crib on his own when so far he's always gone to bed with me when I go to bed...but if he's truly tired it might not be too hard. Last night when I got home from the gig I nursed him and put him down to sleep in the crib - in about 20 minutes he was asleep, and slept about 4-5 hours. I may have to get a monitor now!

I also tentatively started him on food. I gave him a little piece of avocado in a silicone mesh feeder. He seemed curious about it, much like he was about the pool at first - not thrilled, exactly, just quiet and contemplative. He did keep going for it, though, which I guess means he didn't hate it. He did love banging the metal tray of his vintage high chair, however. That was a big hit!

He is babbling like crazy now, loves to practice moving his jaw up and down like he's chewing, and almost sounds like he's talking.

Last night a friend of mine brought her seven-year-old boy to the dance and he was a pain in the ass all night. Based on what school teachers have told me, seven is a really bad age for boys. So maybe my friend with the sullen kid and this friend from last night are actually just experiencing a normal phase for boys! It's hard to imagine my sweet baby being like that but I guess I'd better get used to it - it's going to happen one day. Agh!

On the home front, I am all excited about this sun tea jug I bought on Etsy. I want to plant an herb garden and make lovely herbal teas all winter. This is something I think I'll actually follow through with, because I just love tea, and in this climate it's doable. Lemon verbena, lavender, mint, pineapple sage, yum!