To My Babies: Volume 1

Written on March 3, 2011...

My Sweet Potato,

One of your favorite things to do is pull off your socks.  It's rare to see you with both socks on.  You've just started to put your toes in your mouth and love to have your legs free from pants or sleepers. 

You don't mind being on your tummy for a short time but you haven't rolled over from tummy to back in a few months.  I think you're just not interested - eh, what's the big deal?  And rolling from back to front?  Forgetaboutit.  You will "move" around the floor though on both your belly and your back a little bit.  If Mommy leaves the room and comes back, you're in a different spot!

You started solid foods at 4 1/2 months and while not a fan of rice cereal, you open your mouth wide for oatmeal.  Your favorite puree is squash and you like carrots and applesauce too.  And don't tell your pediatrician but you really like Cheerios even though Mommy only gives them to you in soft, tiny pieces.  Green veggies are still a challenge and bananas are not your favorite. 

You were a terrific sleeper at two and three months old but once the swaddle was abandoned because you were breaking free, your sleep patterns changed.  You wake up usually three, sometimes four times throughout the night but Mommy got a rare treat a few nights ago when you only woke up once.  While it doesn't happen every day, you make up for it with three hour naps usually in the swing; never napping that long in the crib. 

You just started to really giggle and it's one of Mommy's favorite sounds!  And you seem to always be "talking".  Grandma is sure you will be the talker in the family. 

My Dynamo, 

You are my mover and shaker.  Always straining your head, neck, body to see who's here, who's talking, what am I missing?, you never seem to sit still.  

You didn't sleep well in the beginning and broke out of your swaddle early but now you are a great night time sleeper usually only waking up once and sometimes not at all.  You went through a witching hour phase for a few weeks but once Mommy figured out you needed to go to bed earlier - the moment you start your evening fuss - the witching stopped. 

Just this week, you figured out how to roll from your back to your belly in your crib!  Once Mommy found you sleeping on your belly (and turned you back over) but the rest of the time you were awake and up on your elbows with no idea how to flip back (and not very happy about it!). 

Your favorite thing to play in is the doorway jumper and the musical walker will cause you to squeal with delight!  You love to hear your own voice and shake your arms and hands when you get really excited. 

While you prefer a bottle to solid foods, you'll eat oatmeal but rice cereal causes the worst face ever.  Mommy loves to watch you "chew" your mashed up Cheerio bites and you can hold your bottle all by yourself which is a huge help when you and your brother are hungry at the same time.  You smile and laugh with your mouth wide open and I think childproofing is in Mommy's near future as you are starting to move around the play mat. 

You are more aware of people around you and where you use to greet everyone with a big smile, now you study them for a minute first and make sure they are a worthy recipient of your toothless grin. 

You've started to watch Mommy leave for work in the morning with a perplexed look on your face and when the sitter and Grandma leave at the end of the day, you watch them too.