Cocaine Princess here.
Even though The Boys of Summer are back in their native state of Texas I still would like to share a few more stories.
One Sunday morning Baby Butterball was not his usual self. Take for example:
When given his milk bottle he would throw it to the ground.
When trying to feed him he would turn his face away and make a high pitched shrieking sound.
When given his milk bottle he would throw it to the ground.
When trying to feed him he would turn his face away and make a high pitched shrieking sound.
He wouldn’t let anyone come near him and if anyone did he would cry and scream.
It was safe to say he was moody, irritable and extremely cranky. No one could understand the root of his behavior although The Houston brothers had their own theories:
It was safe to say he was moody, irritable and extremely cranky. No one could understand the root of his behavior although The Houston brothers had their own theories:
1. “Maybe he's gassy?”
Sister rubbed his little tummy and then his back in case that was the reason. It wasn't as he continued to be moody, irritable and extremely cranky. One of the twins leaned in and sniffed him.
2. “I think he released the kracken and needs a diaper change.”
Believe me that’s the first thing sister checked right after feeling his forehead. His diaper was clean and his temperature was normal.
3. “Maybe he’s upset because he hasn’t grown any hair yet?”
His brother replied:
“If he takes after Pop he'll hardly have any hair at all.”
4. “Maybe he has irritable bowel syndrome?”
Each one of us took turns picking him up. We rocked him. We cradled and kissed him. We embraced him. We sang to him. Every baby needs love and they need patience and we of course were showering him with our love while being patient with him but nothing we did would calm the poor little fellow down. Even the 3 year old tried helping out by making funny faces in hopes he would smile. Instead the baby just arched his back, stiffened his legs and cried at an unholy and high volume. One of the twins inserted his pacifier in his mouth. Butterball spit it out and it landed right in the middle of the rug.
Freckled Twin: Nice aim little buddy.
Compliments didn’t seem to calm his crabby mood either.
Sister then relied on scientific methods to calm him down: She strapped the baby in the carrier and placed him on top of the washing machine where HK was doing several loads of laundry. Sister said the motion and vibration might help. Hey it was worth a shot......His mood didn’t improve. Instead he began sucking on his sausage like thumb and continued with his crying.
Non Freckled Twin: He didn’t cry this much when he first came home from the hospital.
Next, sister wrapped butterball in a blanket. She called it the “swaddling method” and held him very close. Just like the “washing machine” method failed so did the swaddling method.
12 Year Old: He likes the peak-a-boo game.
Oh yeah? That Sunday he didn’t. His high pitched shriek and angry face gave us all a clear indication he was not in the mood to play the peak-a-boo game.
Sister eventually was able to get him to finish his bottle but he was still painstakingly fussy and crying. After, he went down for a nap and then when he woke up he picked up right where he left off.
Sister eventually was able to get him to finish his bottle but he was still painstakingly fussy and crying. After, he went down for a nap and then when he woke up he picked up right where he left off.
Butterball what’s the matter? Why you are so upset? Tell us, tell us why the tears?......Poor little thing, if only he could talk and tell us what was bothering him? His only form of communication was tears and cries.
That evening we were getting ready to go out for a big Sunday family dinner at a lovely restaurant. It was bad enough having a cranky baby, now there were 3 more cranky individuals: teens no less who began to fuss and complain about having to get dressed up for dinner. Unfortunately for them they had no choice. It was a requirement.
As we stood in the foyer getting ready to leave housekeeper came down the stairs holding a diaper bag in one hand and a little something else in her other hand. Something that didn't just almost make Butterball bolt out of my arms at the sight of it but it also made his frown disappear and immediately stopped his crying.
As we stood in the foyer getting ready to leave housekeeper came down the stairs holding a diaper bag in one hand and a little something else in her other hand. Something that didn't just almost make Butterball bolt out of my arms at the sight of it but it also made his frown disappear and immediately stopped his crying.
“Oh my God!” exclaimed the 12 year old. “That’s it!”
When we all realized why the baby was so cranky we all did the Homer Simpson D’oh!
During their stay the gang had taken a day trip to the African Safari park. At the souvenir shop they picked up several items including a small, plush baby hippo {approx. the size of a beanie baby}. From the moment it was given to Butterball it was always with him. He ate with it, he slept with it, in other words it didn’t leave his chubby fingers until that Sunday morning. Housekeeper managed to pry it out of his fingers while he was asleep so she could run the hippo through the wash. It didn’t clue in to any of us that this was the cause of the baby's irritable mood and not irritable bowel syndrome as it was suggested earlier by the non-freckled twin. The gloomy, cloud that had surrounded the baby all day at last had been lifted.
As we drove to dinner I turned around in my seat. Baby Butterball was in the car seat cheerfully gurgling and babbling while he had a tight grip on his plush Hippo. He was holding on to it for dear life. As I blew him kisses I remembered his loud cries and asked myself, "My God, how can something so loud come out of something so small?"
As we drove to dinner I turned around in my seat. Baby Butterball was in the car seat cheerfully gurgling and babbling while he had a tight grip on his plush Hippo. He was holding on to it for dear life. As I blew him kisses I remembered his loud cries and asked myself, "My God, how can something so loud come out of something so small?"
*****
My loyal and dear readers it's finally Friday.
Whatever your plans are have a phenomenal weekend.~x
Whatever your plans are have a phenomenal weekend.~x
XOXOXOXO,
Cocaine Princess
