Declan Hercules & Keevah Nyx House: Peace at Last!

This week was momentous in many ways.

First, I got to spend a whole 10 days with my Gran. She is pretty cool and tells me that she's going to take me to Africa soon. I see all the giraffes "Twigas" in my room, but she assures me that the real-life twigas are even bigger...even taller than Daddy! I find that hard to believe, but that's pretty cool if true. Gran played a lot with me and helped Mama and Daddy so they got TWO date nights in this week.


Mama, Gran & Me in my collared dress shirt

Daddy, Gran & me

Gran Twiga and me riding my stuffed twiga

We all went for a hike to Skyline Park in Napa, and I got to ride in my Bob Revolution jogging stroller for the first time. We had been waiting to use it until my head strength was good enough to hold my big strong brain up with the bumping over gravel. Today was the big day! Daddy was so excited to be able to take me out with him. I had to be extra bundled up because it was 34 degrees out this morning...not ideal weather for your first jogging experience, but I'm a tough kid...I'm Hercules, after all! So, with my hat, coat, and blankets, I set out with Daddy up to the peak of the hills overlooking Napa Valley. Mama and Gran took a nice walk and we met up with them a few times.

Gran, Daddy & me on my first jog

Check out Daddy's "invisible shoes". Mama says he's crazy for jogging in them, and I tend to agree!

All bundled up for my jog. I loved every minute of it!

                                       I careened down the mountain....Hercules is fearless!

As if those things weren't big enough, I also got to move into my very own room about a week ago. I have been sleeping in Mama and Daddy's room in a bassinet since I came home from the hospital. This made sense for a lot of reasons. First, I needed to eat a lot in the middle of the night. Second, my nursery is on the second floor, but Mama and Daddy's room is on the first floor. And, Third, because of my feeding difficulties, my parents were a little nervous that I might throw up if I was alone.   Though not verbally admitted, there actually was a fourth reason...Mama wants me to want to be near her!

I officially became too tall for my bassinet, I am sleeping well through the night (and have been for almost 3 months), I have recovered from my gtube surgery...so it was time to move into my own digs upstairs. Mama and Daddy were a bit excited to have their own room back, but I think they were mostly a bit sad that I was moving out. But, they hooked up the Hercules monitor, sucked it up, and let me go upstairs. Mama thought I might have trouble adapting...actually, she wanted me to have trouble adapting to prove how much I need her! But, starting the first night, I slept better than ever before, and have now slept 12 hours a night for the past week. I am an independent little dude who needs his privacy. Though I was polite enough not to say, "Hey Mama, don't let the door hit you on your way out!", I certainly have behaved as if moving into my own room was an idea whose time was long overdue!   I love my room so much that I have even agreed to sleep there for my 2-3 naps a day without a fuss.

sleeping in my own room...all strapped into my Tucker Sling that helps me with my reflux

Also this week, I figured out that I have legs and feet that actually do things! I have historically refused to put pressure on my legs when upright, but I've always liked kicking them when I'm on my back. I skipped the training on this one, and a few days ago when Mama was holding me in a seated position, I just stood up! I was so proud of myself. Now, every time Mama or Daddy pulls me to a standing position, I bear all of my own weight and always have the biggest grin on my face. Watch out world...Declan Hercules will be walking in no time!