Move aside fancy toys. The mail has arrived.
Tuesday, July 23, 2013
Junk Mail
Most toys and activities hold Max's attention from about 30 seconds to five minutes (with the exception of his beloved Jumperoo, of course, which he would stay in all day if we let him!). Today, Max happily separated, pushed, pulled, shook, ripped, and crinkled today's junk mail for a solid 45 minutes. No exaggeration!
Move aside fancy toys. The mail has arrived.
Move aside fancy toys. The mail has arrived.
On the Move
Max takes his first assisted steps!! Watch for the dance break. :-)
Why take a nap when you can cruise around your crib? :-)
FYI about this video--
1. There is no sound, so you don't need to adjust your speakers. :-)
2. Sorry it's so shaky! I was holding the monitor in one hand and the camera in the other.
3. The white thing in the foreground is an aquarium that lights up and plays music. He just touches it in this video, but he does like to turn it on occasionally.
Friday, July 19, 2013
Our Puppy (not a real one)
Apparently Max is part boy and part puppy dog. His teachers at daycare said he likes to sit underneath the highchairs when other babies are eating in case they drop Cheerios (no, they don't let him eat food off the floor). Also, if you shake something, Max will follow. :-)
This video is actually an attempt at re-creating the first time Max followed me.
This video is actually an attempt at re-creating the first time Max followed me.
Other fun stuff....
Adorable baby giggles.... this is another attempt to re-create a fun time. I was putting away laundry in the closet and Max crawled from the bedroom, through the bathroom, and was heading to the closet (he couldn't see me but knew where I was). I walked out an startled him (by accident) and he laughed hysterically. I kept hiding and popping back out and he'd laugh and laugh. This video is an attempt to re-create.... not as good as the real thing, but still cute. Get a good listen of his first giggle in this video... it was more like that over and over . :-)
Monday, July 15, 2013
Dear Max: Ten Months Old
Dear Max,
Whoa, baby! We're into the double digits and somehow I am already starting to think about plans for your first birthday party. Impossible! Time is flying way too fast, and Dad and I are doing our very best to really soak in these last few months of your babyhood. Before we know it your soft body and chubby hands and cheeks will make way for toddler looks and a full set of teeth. Bittersweet, for sure!
Dad put you in your toy basket one day and pulled you around the living room as though it was a train picking up "passengers" (a.k.a., your toys). Fun!
You started crawling in the past few weeks! That skill alone has made it seem like you have become an older baby overnight. It is so cute to see you explore our house and discover all sorts of new things you never knew existed. Miss Lysondra, one of your teachers at day care, calls your crawl the "Saturday Night Fever" crawl because you sort of sway your hips side to side when you crawl. haha It's so cute! There are a few things you have tried to get in to that are not baby-proofed yet, so we'll pick you up and move you to a new area to try and distract you. Before we've had a chance to return to whatever we are doing, you're already on your way back and look over at us with a mischievous smile. Sometimes you even giggle when we scoop you up again and say with a smile, "That's not for babies!". Silly boy...
I took some pictures of you leaning against the couch, and we cracked up laughing when we downloaded this picture off the camera. It looks like you are getting ready to start doing some martial arts!
This photo is from the same series of standing pictures. You look like you're modeling with the way you are raising your eyebrows, pursing your lips, and looking directly in to the camera. haha
About two weeks after you learned how to crawl you started figuring out how to pull up. Imagine my surprise when I look at the baby monitor to see if you are still napping and I find you are on your knees dangling from the edge!
It wasn't long before you were fully standing and bouncing around at the end of naptime!
Unrelated-- sometimes you have some pretty crazy looking bed-head after naps and in the morning!
There is a mirror on the wall opposite your crib. One night your Dad and I were cracking up because you'd pulled to standing in your crib and were "calling" for us to come get you (we were watching on the video baby monitor). Then, you suddenly got quiet and started waving at the "other baby" in the mirror. It was so funny and cute! I have to say, that "other baby" is your new best friend. Anytime you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror you gasp and get a huge smile on your face like, "Look! He's here again!". You'll often wave, pat the mirror, giggle, etc. Adorable for sure (oh, and having a video baby monitor is really, really fun!).
You have so much fun dumping out containers, and you also love to open and close books and doors.
With your new found mobility, diaper changes and getting you dressed has become really challenging. As your Dad says, we're at a Level 3 on the difficulty scale. The worst is when we are changing your diaper and you start trying to roll and flip while we're trying to get you cleaned up and get a new diaper on your body. We keep a little rubber ducky on your changing table to try and distract you (and you only get to play with it up there so it's a "special treat"), but then you'll throw it across the room and try and flip to see where it went! To get you dressed we'll often chase you around the room and try and get your clothes on while you're upside down and backwards (basically). I'll be honest and admit that once I worked up a bit of a sweat trying to get your pajamas on one night. So. Many. SNAPS!
Time to baby proof! The kitchen and living room outlets now have covers!
Another fun change is that you have become really ticklish! If we rub our fingertips over your ribs and at your neck you squeal, squeeze your eyes shut, and try to roll away; but if we stop you get still and look at us with a big smile as though you are saying, "Do it again!" One of my favorite things to do is start to flex my fingers and slowly move my hands toward you. Sometimes you'll start to curl up and giggle with just the anticipation of getting tickled!
Painting with your buddies at daycare! You guys sure do have fun!
This has been a particularly rainy summer, but there have been plenty of hot and humid summer days that are typical here in the South. We've taken a number of opportunities to get you in the water. Maybe you'll take after your Dad and become part-fish one of these days.
Since we found out your weight percentile dropped so significantly at your nine month pediatrician appointment, we have been working hard to stuff you full of food. We've added an extra ounce of breastmilk to your bottles at daycare which you drink up without a problem (when we're together you still nurse like a champ); and we give you full fat yogurt or cottage cheese mixed with fruit at least once a day. Sometimes I'll add a bit of butter or olive oil to your food, too, to try and amp up the fat. We also try and do one food you can pick up and one food that is spoon fed at all your meals. You are getting better at putting food in your mouth (versus just poking it or throwing it all on the floor), but you definitely are not at a point where you can get all your food intake met through finger foods.
Who knew that watching Dad mow the lawn was so exciting?!
Recently, you also started working on using a sippy cup. I can't figure out how to teach you to use the kind with a straw or with two handles (you just lick the straw sippy cups and sling around the two handled sippy cups). I ended up buying some inexpensive, simple cups that look similar to the cups they use at daycare, and we'll often give you a little water with your meals to help clear your mouth (we also found this makes you more likely to eat more solids). The cups we have at home are a little big for you to tip back far enough on your own (I couldn't find the little half sized cups like daycare), but we can usually help you figure it out. You look so cute holding your cup and putting it to your mouth. It's another step toward becoming a big boy!
Some things never change... you still hang on to everything! Dad and I have decided that you have inherited my cautious nature.
When you have finished eating we always get you cleaned up then we unclip the tray from your high chair. You are so funny because you'll start patting the buckles on the waist strap as if you're reminding us what step is next to get you out. When we pick you up you smile and pump your legs like, "I'm FREE!!!".
Nicknames: M.J., Baby Boy, Tiny Baby, Sweet Baby, Little Man, Little Guy, Sugar Plum, My Love (usually said as, "Good night, my love" for which your Dad makes fun of me for being so over the top. haha)
Loves: Crawling and exploring, talking to the "other baby" in the mirror, opening and closing books and doors
Dislikes: Being away from Mom (hello, separation anxiety!), getting dressed (sometimes), having your nails clipped
Height, weight, and head circumference: Not sure! No pediatrician visit this month.
Clothing Size: 6 months, 6-9 months, 9 months, size 3 diapers
New Foods: Spinach, kale, blueberries, apricots, beans (black, white, pinto), cinnamon (you LOVE cinnamon oatmeal or cinnamon on sweet potato), yogurt, cottage cheese, butter, olive oil, Italian seasoning (the dried herb blend mixed with veggies), noodles, cheddar cheese, plain waffle, water, plums
Dad and I love you so much! Thanks for bringing so much fun and joy to our lives. We think you're pretty amazing, little boy!
Love,
Mom
Whoa, baby! We're into the double digits and somehow I am already starting to think about plans for your first birthday party. Impossible! Time is flying way too fast, and Dad and I are doing our very best to really soak in these last few months of your babyhood. Before we know it your soft body and chubby hands and cheeks will make way for toddler looks and a full set of teeth. Bittersweet, for sure!
Dad put you in your toy basket one day and pulled you around the living room as though it was a train picking up "passengers" (a.k.a., your toys). Fun!
You started crawling in the past few weeks! That skill alone has made it seem like you have become an older baby overnight. It is so cute to see you explore our house and discover all sorts of new things you never knew existed. Miss Lysondra, one of your teachers at day care, calls your crawl the "Saturday Night Fever" crawl because you sort of sway your hips side to side when you crawl. haha It's so cute! There are a few things you have tried to get in to that are not baby-proofed yet, so we'll pick you up and move you to a new area to try and distract you. Before we've had a chance to return to whatever we are doing, you're already on your way back and look over at us with a mischievous smile. Sometimes you even giggle when we scoop you up again and say with a smile, "That's not for babies!". Silly boy...
I took some pictures of you leaning against the couch, and we cracked up laughing when we downloaded this picture off the camera. It looks like you are getting ready to start doing some martial arts!
This photo is from the same series of standing pictures. You look like you're modeling with the way you are raising your eyebrows, pursing your lips, and looking directly in to the camera. haha
About two weeks after you learned how to crawl you started figuring out how to pull up. Imagine my surprise when I look at the baby monitor to see if you are still napping and I find you are on your knees dangling from the edge!
It wasn't long before you were fully standing and bouncing around at the end of naptime!
Unrelated-- sometimes you have some pretty crazy looking bed-head after naps and in the morning!
There is a mirror on the wall opposite your crib. One night your Dad and I were cracking up because you'd pulled to standing in your crib and were "calling" for us to come get you (we were watching on the video baby monitor). Then, you suddenly got quiet and started waving at the "other baby" in the mirror. It was so funny and cute! I have to say, that "other baby" is your new best friend. Anytime you catch a glimpse of yourself in the mirror you gasp and get a huge smile on your face like, "Look! He's here again!". You'll often wave, pat the mirror, giggle, etc. Adorable for sure (oh, and having a video baby monitor is really, really fun!).
You have so much fun dumping out containers, and you also love to open and close books and doors.
With your new found mobility, diaper changes and getting you dressed has become really challenging. As your Dad says, we're at a Level 3 on the difficulty scale. The worst is when we are changing your diaper and you start trying to roll and flip while we're trying to get you cleaned up and get a new diaper on your body. We keep a little rubber ducky on your changing table to try and distract you (and you only get to play with it up there so it's a "special treat"), but then you'll throw it across the room and try and flip to see where it went! To get you dressed we'll often chase you around the room and try and get your clothes on while you're upside down and backwards (basically). I'll be honest and admit that once I worked up a bit of a sweat trying to get your pajamas on one night. So. Many. SNAPS!
Time to baby proof! The kitchen and living room outlets now have covers!
Another fun change is that you have become really ticklish! If we rub our fingertips over your ribs and at your neck you squeal, squeeze your eyes shut, and try to roll away; but if we stop you get still and look at us with a big smile as though you are saying, "Do it again!" One of my favorite things to do is start to flex my fingers and slowly move my hands toward you. Sometimes you'll start to curl up and giggle with just the anticipation of getting tickled!
Painting with your buddies at daycare! You guys sure do have fun!
This has been a particularly rainy summer, but there have been plenty of hot and humid summer days that are typical here in the South. We've taken a number of opportunities to get you in the water. Maybe you'll take after your Dad and become part-fish one of these days.
Since we found out your weight percentile dropped so significantly at your nine month pediatrician appointment, we have been working hard to stuff you full of food. We've added an extra ounce of breastmilk to your bottles at daycare which you drink up without a problem (when we're together you still nurse like a champ); and we give you full fat yogurt or cottage cheese mixed with fruit at least once a day. Sometimes I'll add a bit of butter or olive oil to your food, too, to try and amp up the fat. We also try and do one food you can pick up and one food that is spoon fed at all your meals. You are getting better at putting food in your mouth (versus just poking it or throwing it all on the floor), but you definitely are not at a point where you can get all your food intake met through finger foods.
Who knew that watching Dad mow the lawn was so exciting?!
Recently, you also started working on using a sippy cup. I can't figure out how to teach you to use the kind with a straw or with two handles (you just lick the straw sippy cups and sling around the two handled sippy cups). I ended up buying some inexpensive, simple cups that look similar to the cups they use at daycare, and we'll often give you a little water with your meals to help clear your mouth (we also found this makes you more likely to eat more solids). The cups we have at home are a little big for you to tip back far enough on your own (I couldn't find the little half sized cups like daycare), but we can usually help you figure it out. You look so cute holding your cup and putting it to your mouth. It's another step toward becoming a big boy!
Some things never change... you still hang on to everything! Dad and I have decided that you have inherited my cautious nature.
When you have finished eating we always get you cleaned up then we unclip the tray from your high chair. You are so funny because you'll start patting the buckles on the waist strap as if you're reminding us what step is next to get you out. When we pick you up you smile and pump your legs like, "I'm FREE!!!".
Nicknames: M.J., Baby Boy, Tiny Baby, Sweet Baby, Little Man, Little Guy, Sugar Plum, My Love (usually said as, "Good night, my love" for which your Dad makes fun of me for being so over the top. haha)
Loves: Crawling and exploring, talking to the "other baby" in the mirror, opening and closing books and doors
Dislikes: Being away from Mom (hello, separation anxiety!), getting dressed (sometimes), having your nails clipped
Height, weight, and head circumference: Not sure! No pediatrician visit this month.
Clothing Size: 6 months, 6-9 months, 9 months, size 3 diapers
New Foods: Spinach, kale, blueberries, apricots, beans (black, white, pinto), cinnamon (you LOVE cinnamon oatmeal or cinnamon on sweet potato), yogurt, cottage cheese, butter, olive oil, Italian seasoning (the dried herb blend mixed with veggies), noodles, cheddar cheese, plain waffle, water, plums
Love,
Mom
Friday, July 12, 2013
Buddies
Warning: This post is essentially a "photo bomb". Prepare yourself to be overwhelmed by cute, chubby babies!!
Max (9.5 months old) and Saskia (5 months old) recently had an opportunity to spend lots of quality time together over the Independence Day weekend. Lots of cuteness ensued...
Star Trek Onesies (in case you're "uninformed", Saskia's onesie is blue because she is a medical officer [get it... Steve and Kirsten are both doctors...] and Max's onesie is red because he is either an engineer or a security officer.)
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Max (9.5 months old) and Saskia (5 months old) recently had an opportunity to spend lots of quality time together over the Independence Day weekend. Lots of cuteness ensued...
Star Trek Onesies (in case you're "uninformed", Saskia's onesie is blue because she is a medical officer [get it... Steve and Kirsten are both doctors...] and Max's onesie is red because he is either an engineer or a security officer.)
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Wednesday, July 10, 2013
Stho.... I went to the dentistht...
Stho... I had to go get a filling this morning (second cavity in 31 years!) and talking with half my mouth numbed had both Ben and me in stitches. Enjoy. :-)
Wednesday, July 3, 2013
42 Weeks In, 42 Weeks Out
If you keep up with the weekly photo page you'll notice that this is Max's 42nd week of life. That means he's been on the outside as long as he was on the inside! I thought it might be fun to do a side by side comparison, so I found a photo from a few days after Max was born and got him in the same "outfit" today (the hat from the hospital and a swaddle blanket).
Things sure have changed! haha
Things sure have changed! haha
...and here's a photo with the hat and baby mittens from the hospital 42 weeks later.... he seemed so perplexed when I put the mittens on his hands! haha
Howdy, Partner
One day in June, Max's daycare had pony rides and pictures for the older kids. They took the babies out for pictures, and the results were so cute!
"Happy But Squinty"
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"Happy But Squinty"
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"Cowboy Showdown"
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"Are We Done Yet?"
First Haircut
Max was born with a head full of hair that has filled in and grown quite a bit over the past nine months. Ben has been rallying for a haircut for weeks as there were lots of random long hairs in the front, and it hung over his ears at least a good half inch. I was reluctant to cut off his "newborn baby hair" as it meant my tiny little baby was turning in to a boy! Sniff!
I finally came to terms with the fact that Max was starting to look a bit disheveled at times with all his crazy hair, so we decided to give him a little trim on the back porch.
A "before" of the front (we forgot to pull the hair in front of his ears for this shot...)
Max sat in Ben's lap and I started to try and trim the front; however, Max was more interested in the scissors and got really wiggly. I ran in and got some Cheerios to distract Max and Ben did a "sneak attack" of trimming from behind Max while I sang songs and doled out Cheerios. We swapped jobs near the end to finish up some "tapering" behind his ears as his haircut was beginning to look a bit mullet-like.
Here are some of the trimmings. You can see how long this hair was that was clipped from above his ear! I scattered it in to the wind and told Max a bird would use his hair in its nest. :-)
It started raining as we were finishing up the haircut, so the "after" photos were taken after Max's bath.
Left side of his head... "Nice job, Mom and Dad. You're real pros."
Right side of his head.... "Ehh... don't quit your day jobs."
I finally came to terms with the fact that Max was starting to look a bit disheveled at times with all his crazy hair, so we decided to give him a little trim on the back porch.
A "before" of the front (we forgot to pull the hair in front of his ears for this shot...)
Max sat in Ben's lap and I started to try and trim the front; however, Max was more interested in the scissors and got really wiggly. I ran in and got some Cheerios to distract Max and Ben did a "sneak attack" of trimming from behind Max while I sang songs and doled out Cheerios. We swapped jobs near the end to finish up some "tapering" behind his ears as his haircut was beginning to look a bit mullet-like.
Here are some of the trimmings. You can see how long this hair was that was clipped from above his ear! I scattered it in to the wind and told Max a bird would use his hair in its nest. :-)
It started raining as we were finishing up the haircut, so the "after" photos were taken after Max's bath.
Left side of his head... "Nice job, Mom and Dad. You're real pros."
Right side of his head.... "Ehh... don't quit your day jobs."
Monday, July 1, 2013
Adventures in Eating
Now that Max is a little older and has the chewing motion down, we've started working a bit harder on introducing finger foods. For a long time he would only pick up Cherrios and Puffs (a rice-based baby snack) and put them in his mouth, and then he'd just poke at other foods we put on his highchair tray. He seems to be getting more bold and understands that he is supposed to eat whatever we put on his tray.
It's pretty messy, but it's fun to see him learn! Only about a third of what we put on his tray generally ends up in his mouth, so we still feed him purees, yogurt, and oatmeal, too. Here are some photos of the fun!
Blueberries and peaches dusted with dry baby oatmeal (makes it a little easier for little fingers to pick up)
The Great Banana Massacre of 2013 (he had sticky bananas up to his elbows, all over his face, in his hair, everywhere!):
Peas, carrots, and a few Cheerio bribes...
Surveying his handiwork...
He seems kind of "meh" about the peas and carrots (which he usually likes in puree form), so I scattered a few Cheerios on his tray to make it seem more appetizing. Max makes sweeps across his tray and tries to get whatever made it in to his fist in to his mouth. Every once and a while some peas and carrots would get swept up with a Cheerio (which is what I hoped would happen) and he'd make this face- haha!:
Shredded cheddar cheese calls for a dignified pose:
The Great Banana Massacre of 2013 (he had sticky bananas up to his elbows, all over his face, in his hair, everywhere!):
Peas, carrots, and a few Cheerio bribes...
Surveying his handiwork...
He seems kind of "meh" about the peas and carrots (which he usually likes in puree form), so I scattered a few Cheerios on his tray to make it seem more appetizing. Max makes sweeps across his tray and tries to get whatever made it in to his fist in to his mouth. Every once and a while some peas and carrots would get swept up with a Cheerio (which is what I hoped would happen) and he'd make this face- haha!:
Shredded cheddar cheese calls for a dignified pose:
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