In typical fashion, the little man hit 200 days with nary a peep. It happened a few weeks ago and I was totally unaware until I busted out my solar-powered calculator and did some number crunching. Even with the device I was struggling to pinpoint the exact day, so I dialed up my trusty web browser and found this fancy tool. It assured me that September 14th was Popeye’s 200th day since his birth.
When I shared this momentous information with the little dude he was not overly impressed. Lately, he has been intent on learning what is underneath each and every rug in our house, and I think that I interrupted him while he was cataloguing the mat that sits in front of the kitchen sink. Chronological achievements just don’t stand up well when pitted against a week’s worth of crumbs (Okay, I’m lying… a month’s worth of crumbs).
Since life is now captured via a social media stew, I decided to look over the components to see what makes up our little man. Here are some of the key ingredients via Instagram.
He’s Always in a Hurry
From the very beginning Popeye has been a fast mover. Mama felt the first signs of labor around 9:30 PM, we arrived at the birthing center around 11 and he was born around 2:30 AM. On a side note, I have a working theory that he is awake every night at 2:30 to commemorate the occasion. Hooray!
If You Don’t Like His Nickname, Blame Aunt Pickle
Mama’s sister, Aunt Pickle, arrived pretty much as the little man was making his debut and shortly after meeting him, she dubbed him Popeye. When he was born, his left eye would get tired before the rest of him which caused him to squint in a Popeye-like fashion. He has since outgrown the eye issue, but the Popeye problem persists.
If You Come in Contact With Him, You Will Get Wet
At Disney World, there are some spots where you can stand if you want to get sprayed when the flume makes it’s big drop at the end of the Splash Mountain ride. The areas are well marked and you can steer clear if you want to stay dry. The little dude has no such warning but I can assure you that if you are within his perimeter, you will most definitely get covered in Popeye drool.
He Has Laser Focus
I have always heard that if a baby is doing something that you don’t want them to do, you simply show them something else and they will move on to the new thing. I call bullpoopies on this because any time you put Popeye down in a room, he will lock on to the most dangerous thing in said room and then proceed to try to brutally injure himself. If you try to turn him around or offer him something else to play with, he will humor you for a few seconds and then return to his never ending quest of seeking bodily harm.
He REALLY Wants to Walk
On paper, a baby learning to walk is an amazing thing and it’s one of the biggest moments in a baby’s first year. In reality, it means that your house has just morphed into a gruesome death box hellbent on the total destruction of your offspring. As the little man creeps closer to life on two feet and his unit of measurement switches from length to height, I am edging closer and closer to a minimalist design style with a hefty quantity of cushions.
He Never Stops Surprising
A few hours before, I had left him in his full pajamas (with footies) and in a fairly tight double swaddle. When I returned to get him, this is what I found. Not only had he escaped, but he was positively beaming with pride at what he had accomplished.
If there’s only one thing that I’ve learned with a baby, it’s that the second you think that you have a handle on their developmental state, they are already three steps beyond. It’s a race to keep up with roughly 18 pounds of gumption and it will tire you to the core. It will also fill you with a sense of awe that is unexplainable.
The first 200 days has set the stage for an amazing adventure. Lead the way, Popeye, we will try to keep up.
