Nine months old

Marcus turned nine months old yesterday. It was a pretty important day for us and we were hoping to have a nice day with our lovely son. However, events conspired against us.

On Saturday Marcus was pretty sick, vomiting quite violently. A quick trip to A&E helped determine that he had a sinus infection. Apparently it's common for babies to deal with low-level viruses by vomiting. The doctor said he'd be grizzly for a couple of days but would come right. So Saturday night was hard work - his temperature kept jumping up and mum and dad were up with him all night.

Through the day he slowly got better. By late afternoon the family went on a trip to a barbeque held for my running club. Marcus was fantastic. He was sociable, not too fussed with the stranger anxiety he's been feeling lately. He was munching away on pita breads - the first time he's reached out for food and just chomped away (I had a sausage with a piece of bread wrapped around it and Marcus kept grabbing the bread!).

Sunday night was hard again, with Marcus waking up four times and a bit grizzly today still.

Today he went to Plunket so we have more vital statistics:
Weight: 9.88kg
Height: 75.5cm
Head circumference: 48cm
Loveliness factor: 10 out of 10

Eating

Marcus' eating is progressing really well. In the last week he's moved to small marmite sandwiches. As you can see, he can't get enough of them!

I took him out last Saturday letting mum do something else. Marcus and I went to Clarks' cafe at the library. I took some sandwiches and his water-sipper cup. I sat down to a flat white and sausage roll and Marcus had his sarnies and water. He loved it and it was our best cafe experience so far. For him, he could be part of the action. I suspect it also allowed him to focus on something and not get distracted and/or bored. Later in the day when mum needed a coffee, we went to Maranui surf club cafe in Lyall Bay and did the same. He had a great time.

So our big advance has been that we're now easy and able to take Marcus out and have him eat with us. While it's not a whole meal yet, it's a big advance and frees us up quite a bit. Dad can now take responsibility for Marcus in the weekend, taking him out and giving mum a break.

Marcus develops a sense of humour

Shelley was in the kitchen preparing Marcus' lunch. She had left him to play in the lounge on the rug. She then heard a high-pitched squawking, which she later said sounded like a "Look at me! Look at me". So she came into the lounge. Marcus had wrapped himself up in his play-blankets like a caterpillar in a cocoon. When Shelley came into the lounge, Marcus looked at her and started laughing away! She thought it was so cute she had to take photos!

A couple of days later, Marcus was having some marmite sandwiches for afternoon tea. He started picking up the plastic container the sandwiches were in and started dropping them on his high-chair, watching the container spin. When it spun, he would laugh heartily!

Marcus and mum

Marcus and Mum have spent a lot of time together over the last 8 1/2 months. But most of our photos are of Marcus and Dad so we're trying to fix that. Mum's been doing a fantastic job of raising a beautiful, happy little (well, actually he's pretty big!) boy.

They're such a cute pair!

Marcus sits to attention!