10 months

I feel like so much has happened with my little guy in the last month, it's hard to know where to start.  He has grown so much in personality and mobility, and he's finally gotten his first tooth!  He is just so fun to be around.  He waves at all sorts of sounds and almost any person.  He waves out the front window when I drive away, or when I open the garage or front door. He apparently waved like crazy at the UPS guy this week, and random people at a restaurant, too. He also enjoys clapping, giving "five," making raspberry sounds, and sometimes seems to blow kisses. He laughs at others laughing, and cries when they cry. He says lots of baby words, and some of them sound like real words, though he doesn't attach meaning to them.  Most often he has said "baby" here lately.  Perhaps that's because we call him "Baby (his name)" all the time.  I'm trying to just use his name now so he'll learn what it really is.  I have joked that he may be called "Baby ___" when he's grown and it will sound like a mafia name then. Of course with all the fun sounds and gestures, NB has also gotten a little cranky here and there.  Lately that seems to be from a combination of separation anxiety and/or teething.  He even has cried some and been reluctant to go to Nanny K who sees him some weeks more than DH does. He is also quite unhappy riding in the car unless I'm beside him.  Sometimes the movement of the car helps, but as soon as the car stops he lets us know exactly how he feels.  Sometimes he just cries while I'm driving until we arrive as our destination, then he is fine as soon as I show my face. We will all be happy once that little phase passes.

NB's first tooth popped through on the lower right around January 27th.  I announced to DH that I finally felt something there and doubted me for a full week.  He said he would not believe me until he had "visual confirmation."  It has not been until the last few days that I could begin to see it at a glance, and it still isn't in enough to really see in pictures.

If you use your imagination and look at a larger version, you might see his first tooth.

  Of course I'll post a better one when it is.  His second tooth is actually coming in right next to the first as of 2 days ago. LO has been worried that NB getting a tooth will threaten his food supply.  I have told him NB can't eat "like a big boy" because he isn't old enough and doesn't have any teeth.  I guess it wasn't too far of a leap then to assume NB's diet would change once a tooth came in.  Of course it's old news now that we were told to fatten NB up after his last check up, and fatten him up we've tried.  No real changes in his diet then as the partial appearance of his first tooth doesn't actually warrant it and there's no room for new foods when your trying to put on the pounds.  Looks like LO's food is safe for a little while longer at least.

The day I started NB's new diet, the boy finally decided to try some finger food.  For at least a month he would put everything in his mouth except food.  Food he would pick up, look at it being stuck to his fingers, then play with it a little, but never put it in his mouth.  It was almost as if he'd heard Dr H say he needed more calories so he decided to do his part by putting a few in his mouth himself. He has also done a bit better with a cup this month, but it still seems he puts more into his water cup than he takes out.

Those few extra calories are helping fuel a few new motor skills for NB.  He still does "the worm" commando crawl, but he's also added a wobbly cruise to his repertoire. Just yesterday he cruised from his ottoman to his glider then his book slings before landing on his fluffy bum. He pulls up pretty easily on LO's play kitchen, the coffee table, the lower rungs on the dining room chairs, LO's work bench, and a few other places. Once up, he often just holds on with one hand, but hasn't gotten the courage or the stability to stand on his own yet.  He is definitely interested in trying though.  He has also gotten up on all fours and crawled just a bit before he slides back down on his belly.

It still seems pretty feasible for him to walk before he really crawls and it's anybody's guess when he'll do either.  Just yesterday he climbed up all the stairs, so he's definitely getting a workout no matter how he's getting around.

Checking out LO's books

 Of course life can' t be all about busting out new skills.  When NB isn't cruising or socializing, he loves to play.  He seems especially interested in books.  More so than I remember LO being.  That's exciting for me, but I do feel a little guilty that I have less time to read to just him.  LO prefers books with paper pages which NB would tear up.  Drama would ensue. As a result NB sees me read to LO regularly, but he's getting the short end of the stick.  I'm trying to squeeze in some regular book time for NB, but LO makes it his mission to be in the middle of that.  (Ahhh, the green-eyed monster just drives me nuts!)  I would love it if NB ironically ended up loving books because he watched LO and me with them.  In any case, NB seems to enjoy them when we can read them together.  He seems to play peek-a-boo with the pages opening and closing the book or turning back and forth between the pages.  I don't recall LO doing that either, and I find it really cute. Other favorite things are going outside, any type of ball (especially the beach ball), "chasing" LO or sharing my lap with him, checking out LO's potty, and splashing in the big bathtub. This last affinity I just experience myself.  Fortunately even when DH is working late, he often makes it home to help give LO his bath.  When he does, NB and I are usually nursing or getting pjs. Two nights ago I had to handle bath and bed solo for the first time in a long while.  NB's ability to pull-up made that a little hairy.  Fortunately I benefitted from DH's experience flying solo earlier in the week.  Still, NB pulled right up and hung himself right over the edge of the tub to splash in LO's bathwater and try to get his toys.  I had to bathe LO quickly and use my body to keep NB's lower half anchored else he would have gone head first into the bath.  Once I figured out how to keep him safe; however, he easily entertained himself.  It's yet another instance of NB being fascinated with whatever LO has or does.  I can't tell yet if he really wants to be in the big tub or he's just lured there by LO and his toys.  It probably won't be too long before he makes the move there himself, so we'll find out then.

Our little guy was so much more animated this month.

Where's LO?

There he is!

Let's go LO!

Our usual monthly photo session in the white onesie wasn't in the cards today.  LO had a fever, the camera battery was dead, and DH is working.  Not. Happening. Look forward to those in the next few days (I hope!)