Wednesday, May 9, 2007

Dawson's Post

Warning: This is a long post. More like a journal entry. Read at your own risk!


(Flashback picture of Daws at 6 weeks)
I thought I would dedicate a post to my little cutie Dawson. He is developing such a cute personality, we're falling more in love with him every day.

Dawson was an easy baby to carry in my pregnancy. He never kicked or moved around too much.(Carrying Isaac on the other hand was like being pregnant with an angry octopus). His delivery was easy, and BOY was he an easy baby. A typical newborn, he slept all the time. (I always chuckle at the new parents who brag about how easy their newborns are. But I never tell them that colic doesn't usually hit until a few weeks after birth. No sense bursting their bubble.) He only woke up 1-2 times a night, and he ate and went right back to sleep. Around 4-5 weeks he started becoming more uncomfortable, and by 6 weeks he was in FULL blown colic. Grumpy all the time, with a nightly screaming fit lasting from 1-2 hours, he made his discomfort known! From 6 weeks to about 10 weeks it was pretty bad, and then for a few weeks afterward he occasionally relapsed once a week. By 5 months he was a dream baby. He was very happy and very easy..... until he started teething.


Ahh, teething was quite an experience. He got 5 teeth- each one at a time- over about a 2-3 month period. I DON'T look forward to the molars. I will probably have to check myself into the psych ward when he cuts his molars.

After teething for months, he spent the whole month of April sick. Actually, our whole family did. Daws had 2 ear infections that month, several fevers, and a runny nose and cough the whole month.

With Dawson's difficult nature, I haven't left him very much. He still takes 3 naps a day, so that's when I get my relief from him. I have left him a couple of times with Dave's Mom so we could go to the temple, but really no babysitters. Dave will of course watch him for me too whenever I need him to. He's a very capable Dad. The other people who have really dealt with Dawson through thick and thin are my Mom and sisters. They have tended him for me even in the midst of his colic. My tiny sister Kate has been known to hold him for an hour, even while he was screaming. Jessica, even as she has been on her death bed, has held him through countless dinners (since she doesn't eat), and I have watched Aimee go from swing to bouncer to rocking chair just trying to find SOMETHING that would make him happy. And Grandma- well Grandma tells me she knows what she's doing (I was a TERRIBLE colicky baby) and she loves holding him even when he screams. Oops, I left out Lauren, but honestly, she's a busy teenager. I generally don't even know where she is most of the time, but she is really cute! On the tending note, it's great having parents with young children because you can trade babysitting. We're tending Josh and Kate in June, and when we go on our cruise in August, we are leaving Isaac and Dawson for 10 days! Woohoo! I can't wait!

The last couple of weeks, Dawson finally decided to venture off of our laps, and learn how to crawl. It's still kind of a funny crawl, but it gets him around. The other day I left him in the living room and went back to my bathroom to get ready. Now let me tell you he has never crawled out of the living room before. Within just a few minutes he had crawled into my bathroom. I don't even know how he found me. Now I know I'm really in trouble. I've really enjoyed having him immobile.

Dawson is a very picky eater. He doesn't want to be fed, so he will only eat the things he chooses to put in his mouth. He really likes eating paper, but I've been supplementing his paper diet with cooked spinach. It has a similar texture!

At home Dawson smiles ALL the time! Every time I say his name he throws his head back and grins. Away from home Dawson closes up, and rarely smiles for strangers. Heaven help me if that means he's shy. I have no patience for that!

Dawson loves his big brother, but does get a little impatient with all the squishy hugs he gives him. Isaac's classic line that originated back when Dawson was first born is, "It's Oooookay, it's nooooooo monsters." Isaac was going through a monster phase at that point and couldn't imagine why else Dawson would cry except being scared of the monsters. We still say it to Dawson daily.

Dawson is what I call, "Daddy's boy." He was named appropriately because Dawson means "Son of David." He loves his mommy, but always when given the choice between Mom and Dad, he reaches for Daddy and clings on to him. When his Dad is around he wants him to HOLD HIM! He loves Daddy, and it is a very sweet relationship. I've watched Dave become more attached to him since he learned Dawson's preference. He does a lot more kisses, games, and tickling with Daws then he used to, and I think it has something to do with learning that he's "Daddy's boy."

Well, I think that was plenty long. I just thought I owed a post to my little Daws. We sure think he is a cutie. And at least for this week, I'm not sending him to boot camp!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a fun retrospective of Dawson! I sure do love that boy!

Trisha said...

That was really fun to read, especially since I don't really know Dawson very well. I will soon though:) I loved the visual of Dave being so sweet with Dawson, that's awesome! I'll see you so soon!!!!!! Naomi going to be in heaven with her little cousins to play with!