We’ve got a monkey on our hands

Most of you will know our ongoing struggle with getting Luke to eat “real food” – though I do accept that the wallpaper-paste-like sludge commonly referred to a baby cereal isn’t exactly the most appealing thing in the world …

But I took my Mum’s advice – apparently bananas were one of my favourite things when I was a baby. So I stopped at the store and picked up bananas. And he ate 1/4 of a banana. I know it doesn’t sound like much but that is HUGE progress. AND he ate 4 spoons of rice cereal with his Grandma today. Maybe he just doesn’t like me …

Anyways – I will take pictures/video tomorrow for proof that he WILL eat! I didn’t today cause I didn’t want to throw him off him food. Now to see what I can mix bananas with that won’t be gross … I think we’ll not mix bananas and carrots – that’s a little weird – and would likely produce a really REALLY funny face. Oh – and he ate a whole Mum Mum cookie today too.

<sigh> too many of the BRAT things – bananas, rice, applesauce, toast – he ate two of four today. And for those who don’t know what BRAT means .. we’ll see how tomorrow goes.

But progress is being made – not in baby steps – but in baby bites

Luke’s 6/7 month check up

Wow – he’s really getting “old”. It was his 6 month check up but he turns 7 months next week, hence the title!

Let me see … he’s 27.8 inches long (I remeasured him when I got home since I could’ve sworn he was longer when I measured him last month), but nope – he is! He’s 19 lbs too. So weight for length he’s exactly right now. He’s dropped from 90th to 75th percentile for height and 75th to less than 70th percentile for weight. And his head is 47.5 cm around! (even more off the charts than before!)

So he’s dropped off his percentile curves, but the doctor says not to worry. He was such a brave little man during his shots! The first one he didn’t like and yelled at the nurse. The second one he REALLY didn’t like and started to cry and yell (poor nurse). But I gave him a quick cuddle and he was all smiles by the time we were heading out the door! Compared to past vaccinations, this was amazing!!

Here’s some Luke pictures doing one of his favourite things (sucking his fingers!):

Baby Milestones

What should your x-month old be able to do? It’s the question lots and lots of parents – especially first timers ask on a regular basis. Luke will be 7 months old next week, so I decided to check out a) What should a 6-month old be able to do? and b) What should a 7-month old be able to do? (a.k.a baby milestones)

6 Month Olds:

Most babies should be able to . . .

• Keep head level when pulled to sitting position – definitely!

• Sit momentarily with minimal support – definitely!

• Roll back in forth in both directions – definitely!

• Imitate sound and facial expressions – he imitates facial expressions like smiles and opening his mouth; sounds? well, yes to zerberts and growls, no to reciting poetry!

• Reach for and grabs objects and toys – definitely!

Some babies will probably be able to . . .

• Sit without support – definitely!

• Feed self a cracker – yes – Mum Mums – it’s quite funny given that they turn to mush and get stuck on his fingers!

• Get upset if you take a toy away – definitely! very very upset!

• Pull up to standing position from sitting – definitely!

• Work at getting a toy that is out of reach – definitely!

• Repeat sounds like ma-ma-ma-ma or da-da-da-da – nope

Some babies could possibly be able to . . .

• Start crawling – not interested – which is more than fine by us!

• Get into a sitting position from stomach – nope

• Say mama or dada – nope

• Pick up small objects with fingers – yes!

• Babble and combine two syllable sounds – nope

• Separation and stranger anxiety may begin – nope – he’s a trooper!

Now for the 7 month old milestones:

Most babies should be able to . . .

• Sit without support – definitely!!

• Make razzing sounds – definitely!! ALL the time!!

• Imitate sound – as above – will imitate zerberts and growls

• Work at getting a toy that is out of reach – definitely!!

• Feed self a cracker or finger food – definitely!!

Some babies will probably be able to . . .

• Start crawling or lunging forward – nope

• Get upset if you take a toy away – definitely!!

• Play peek-a-boo – well he laughs when I play it!

• Distinguish emotions by your tone of voice – yes, he’ll get quite concerned if there’s a serious tone or sad tone; and similarly (and more often) get very excited with happy tones of voice!

• Pass object from one hand to the other – yuppers!

• Separation and stranger anxiety may begin – no – fortunately not – though he’s limited on how long he can last in the church nursery – but so long as he gets one-on-one attention he’s fine!

Some babies could possibly be able to . . .

• Stand while holding onto something – definitely!! For a month already!

• Wave goodbye – we’re working on this one

• Clap hands – nope

• Bang objects together – yup – well, he likes to bang his toys on the floor – does that count?

• Say mama or dada – nope – though when he cries it always starts “Maaaaaaaa ….” but it’s just cause his mouth is closed at the start

• Pull up to standing position from sitting – not yet

• Walk holding onto furniture – no – thank goodness!

Mum Mums … mmmm … eeewww

Luke is continuing to make progress with food … here are some pics from one of the times he was eating Mum Mums.

He doesn’t look too impressed – but he’s enjoying them now much more. I suppose it’s no too surprising that he was unsure of them at first. When you’re used to consuming nothing but milk, suddenly eating something that has the consistency of a rice cake must be a weird experience.

Here’s a video of the experience as well:

He really does like them – little baby shudders or not!!

If at first you don’t succeed…

So, some of you have heard that Luke has gone off solids … <sigh> … He was such a trooper at first, but now – not so much. Pursing his little lips like I was trying to feed him poison!! It’s just rice cereal!!

How on earth does one “teach” a 6 month old how to eat? As first time parents we googled what to do and came across sites warning us of the dangers of nutrient loss, the risk of anemia, etc. etc. I spoke with a public health nurse and she gave me a few suggestions:

1. Given he likes putting everything (and I mean everything – lately he’s quite taken with the tag on his boppy – the moon-shaped-baby pillow – in his mouth, hand him the spoon and let him play with it while I’m getting his cereal ready.

2. Make the cereal really thick and cake it on the spoon (she neglected to include the part where I have to wrestle the spoon from him)

3. Let him go nuts – see if it’s a problem with a) the spoon (NOPE – it fits in his mouth – tongue tied or not); b) the rice cereal (NOPE); and c) he’s already become independent (DING DING DING!!)

Yes, it’s true – somehow (and I have no idea how) – the heir of Tim and myself have managed to produce a baby who’s independent. Go figure!! Luke’s already developed a “me do it!” approach to life! Yikes!

Anyways – we’ll continue caking on the cereal – seems like he’s alright with it – here’s the photographic evidence:

1. Giving it a try (missing much of his mouth)

2. Looking unimpressed (but still keeping it in!)

3. Still really looking unimpressed – hardly happy!

So, according to the little guy’s face – he wasn’t thrilled, but he did eat it!

We’re working on it – but it’s a slow process!

Videos of our little mover for Nanny and Grandma

For Luke’s Nanny and Grandma who are not nearby right now, I thought I’d post three videos taken tonight of the little guy on the move! (Well and they’re for anyone else who likes seeing our little guy’s progress!) This is all very exciting as he’s only being doing it since yesterday!!!

Hope you enjoy!

An update

Well things are getting busy. Tim has started work full time and loves his new job. I’m still working full time. My mum’s away so I get Luke full time too! I can’t wait for her to get back!

We were out this evening and guess what?? Our lazy non-mover started moving!! He (until last night) has refused to roll tummy to back. Well last night he fell asleep on his tummy and when I went to respond to the wee one’s cries at 5 this morning, he had rolled onto his back and got himself wedged against the edge of his crib.

Back to the moving … he managed to pivot around 360 degrees through a combination of rolling tummy to back and back to tummy and reaching and stretching … in under five minutes!!! Yikes – I’ve got to keep a much better eye on the little guy now! I’m scared he’ll start crawling soon – then I’ll need to get a leash!

I’ll post more pictures in the next couple days.

Oh – and solids – he’s not so keen on them – but he chewed on the end of a baguette tonight – and loved it – so I think I’ll keep going with the cereal and put cooled cooked stuff in his mesh feeder.

He’s growing up so fast