The other day we drove past his baby sitter’s house, Ms N. He always remembers her house and always asks if we could go to her house some day. He likes to proclaim that “It’s been a really long time!” This particular time he actually told me that I could drop him off. “I can play by myself mom. I don’t need you.” I didn’t know if I should laugh or cry My boy is getting to be so big and independent. It’s a preview of future grown up Oden who won’t need Mama anymore. It kills me and I couldn’t imagine my daily life w/o him. I love him to death!!

My little man has perfected the pincer grasp. He can pick up the smallest bit of garbage off the floor – great!! He can also transfer things (even small itty bitty things) from one hand to the other. Very cool!! Well, it’s certainly coming in handy for him during meals. He LOVES LOVES LOVES puffs. The stuff is totally like crack for babies. I also recently started giving him toasted bread square bits and today we’re going to try avocado squares. More good stuff!!

My baby boy is 9 mths old, tomorrow!! He is growing and changing and moving and grooving!!

He’s STILL NOT sleeping thru the nite. BUT he has been fighting a nasty cold (cough and congestion) that he got from his big bro so it’s totally setting us back. He’s nursing to sleep and thru the nite again. I’m only OK w/ this b/c he needs his fluids right now. As soon as he’s better, we’re BACK to sleep training and MAYBE he’ll be sleeping thru the nite for me. Just prior to this he was doing really well and sleeping thru the nite every other nite. Wish me luck!!

His cold has also set back his eating capabilities. He vomited a couple of times and has no interest in solids much anymore. Hopefully he’ll be an eating champ again once he’s all better!

My little man is creeping but not yet crawling. He’s getting on all 4’s and rocking but not actually crawling. He is able to get across the room but it’s more from sliding and shifting. He will be MUCH happier when he is mobile and I will be that much CRAZIER trying to keep him out of trouble!! I guess that means I have to clean more often, ugh!!

Shai is a fan of reading books. He loves to turn the pages of the book for me. The board books are great for this b/c the page pops up by itself so he can grab it and turn it. Of course, he almost always tries to eat the page 1st, but it’s great to see his interest in books never the less!

Shai is starting to make the mmmmm sound. He does it alot when I’m getting ready to nurse and he’s trying to express that he REALLY wants it!!  Next up, MAMA!!

I’ve also recently checked out the “Signing Time” DVDs (firsts signs, and baby signs vol 1 & 2). I need to polish up on my baby signs so I can start using them w/ Shai. Oden’s been watching the DVDs too so he’ll also be able to communicate w/ his baby brother. Good Stuff!!

Oden experienced his foot falling asleep for the 1st time today: “Mom, I have an owie on my foot.” Then he gets up and limps across the room. “Mom, my foot is REAL heavy.” I COULDN’T STOP LAUGHING

This month has welcomed some new milestones for Shai. Nothing obvious, well, only to me

He is eating like a pro. He closes his mouth on the spoon to scrape off the food. He audibly gulps his mush and opens wide for another bite. When he swallows, he only loses a little bit of food, most goes down his throat. He uses his fingers much less for sucking down his food. One thing he likes to do is play w/ his food if any falls on his high chair tray. He loves to smear it around and then he’ll bang his hand down in it. He’s very inquisitive.

He’s still eating some of the earlier foods… avocado, peach, sweet potato. We’ve added a few others… papaya, pear, carrot. I tried to make him green beans, but it’s too gritty to give him. Not smooth enuf to swallow. This wk I’ll introduce acorn squash. We recently revisited banana and he gaged on it. He’s def no longer a fan of it. In fact, he puked it all up along w/ any milk he drank a few hrs later. We’ll avoid bananas for the time being!!

He is able to stay awake for longer stretches. 3 hrs, sometimes 4 hrs. It’s great. He’s getting into more of a routine and a little more flexible for naps. Rather than becoming incredibly fussy after 1.5-2 hrs, he just chills out and starts to get fussy after 2.5+ hrs. It makes it easier to get out and about. He’s also now down to 2 naps a day rather than 3. He takes his 1st nap about 2 hrs after he wakes in the morning (anytime b/w 6 and 8 am). He usually sleeps an hr, sometimes 1.5 hrs if he woke up too early that morning. Then he’s up for 3 hrs before he goes down for his 2nd nap. I’ve been able to take advantage of this timing to coincide w/ Oden’s nap and it works 70% of the time. His afternoon nap goes from 1.5 to 3 hrs. It’s nice, b/c then I can nap too AND get some chores done around the house. I’m a fan of this new sleep schedule. Altho it’s still not “perfect”, we’re getting there!!

Night time sleep is still a work in progress. He is semi-nursing to sleep at nite (630-7 pm). At least I try real hard to keep him awake while I nurse and by the time I’m done, he’s not gonna do anything but sleep. Then he wakes after ~3 hrs to nurse again (930-10 pm). This is good b/c then I get in a feeding right before I go to bed myself. He then typically sleeps for a long stretch of ~4 hrs til about 2 am. I then have to tend to his crying. This is the hard part b/c I refuse to feed him and nurse back to sleep. He is old enuf to sleep thru the nite w/o a feeding. He typically screams and cries for boob until I am able to calm him down. I am working on trying to let him fall asleep by himself w/o rocking him to sleep (another sleep crutch). I am successful 30% of the time. He has been crying for 1-2 hrs before I finally give in from exhaustion and rock him to sleep. It sucks. But I’ve had a cple good nites in the last 2 wks, so it gives me hope. Then he wakes b/w 5-6am for another feeding. This is when I usually bring him into bed w/ me and we fall asleep together while he’s nursing. I love this part, except for the occasions when he decides to play after he’s done nursing. Mama is tired, but still in love w/ my baby boy

We’re getting closer to crawling but not quite there yet. Shai is moving from sitting to leaning forward onto his hands, but not getting on all 4’s. He’s also going from laying on his belly to all 4’s, but more in child’s pose than all 4’s. I give it 2 more wks!!

Today Oden says to me: “You can be a Princess and I will marry you.” He then pulled me over to the couch where he said we could get married. He wasn’t sure how to do that, so I held his hand and said “I love you and you love me. Forever we will married be.” He repeated it and gave me a big hug and a kiss. It was super sweet

The other day he asked me if his friend Zachary W was the same age as him. I told him no, that Zach was 6 yrs old. I told him to count on his fingers, so he did. When he got to six he exclaimed, “that’s a lot of cake!!”

Less than 2wks since my last post and SO much has happened w/ my little man!!

He is officially sitting up on his own. No more back flop head bonk.

He has cut his 2 bottom front teeth! On the same day!! Fri 09/11/09 I noticed them 1st thing in the morning That following nite he slept thru the nite for me. I was hoping there’d be a connection, but NO. He’s been both good and bad since!!

He likes to wrap his little arms around me when I’m holding/carrying him. He’ll either loop his arm around my arm or around my neck or shoulder. I LOVE how it feels

Lastly, I think he’s experiencing separation anxiety. A tad bit early since it usually kicks in at around 9 mths. He totally freaks out when I leave his sight and he refuses to let anyone else hold him. Not good since I was hoping to take advantage of Gma P’s visit!! Ughhhh… the double edged sword!!

And did I ever mention what a slobber monster he has been from the get go. Seriously. I change his clothes several times a day and the use of bibs doesn’t help me keep up. There’s no stopping the drool!!!  Again, SO diff than my Oden.

But I sure do love him to death!!

My baby is just under 7 mths old now and he’s sitting on his own!! No more weeble wobble. BUT when he tires he’ll fall straight back and bonk his head on the floor.  This usually results in a crying and screaming fit, but he’s improving. He is def sitting on his own now. I do have to stick close by tho to catch the inevitable back flop!!

He’s also starting to push up on all 4’s from belly lying position. He’s not totally off the floor, but his belly is off the ground. He’s strengthening those muscles, and before we know it, he’ll be crawling!! Yay!!

My little man is also the expert thumb sucker now. He can find it when he needs and will use it to self soothe often. He also LOVES the paci. However, I try to limit the use of it. We def won’t use it for bed. But I’m happy to use it while we’re out and about, driving in the car, or when he’s extra fussy in the house (ie. like during our dinner time!).

He also seems to be the type to have a lovey or blankey. He has taken to the afghan that Liz knit for him. I use it to cover him up when I’m nursing him in the rocker. He’ll grab the blanket and bring it up to his face and rub his cheek w/ it. It is SO super sweet to see. He’ll do this w/ any blanket really, but I can see this evolve into a habit once he learns to demand it. And I’m TOTALLY fine w/ that!! I always hoped Oden would have a comfy but he never took to ANYTHING but ME!!

I LOVE MY BOYS!!!

Shai is 6.5 mths now and still not sitting up on his own. He still flops over to one side or another. A cple more wks!!

He’s DEF teething! He’s drooling like crazy and I’m having to put a bib on him to keep him semi-dry! And this wk he’s started chewing on his lower lip. He reminds me of an old lady/man smiling w/o teeth. It’s super funny but way cute on a baby And I hope he cuts those teeth soon! It will make for a MUCH happier baby!!

Sleeping is still a challenge. We’ve been doing a mild version of cry-it-out… we let him cry for 5 mins, then 6 mins, then etc. We’re currently at 11 mins and he’s usually done crying by then. So he’s crying himself to sleep most of the time, but not all of the time. There are def times when he’ll cry HARD for too long and we have to rock him to sleep. Jon’s been great about helping w/ this when he can, mostly at nite before bed. That’s when I’m most tired and drained. But it’s improving. He gives me a long stretch every now and then, which is better than nothing!!