14 Weeks Already?!

First of all, I'd just like to say R.I.P. Steve! I was sooo sad when I heard that the Crocodile Hunter had been killed. I hadn't watched his show in at least a couple years, but I really liked him. Dragged my husband to see his movie when it was in the theater even. Not many people saw that movie, I don't think :o) He was a little reckless and crazy, but his heart was in the right place. He loved wildlife and, more importantly, he loved his family. I feel so badly for his wife and 2 children. How difficult to lose your husband or father in such an abrupt and brutal manner. My heart goes out to them.

Now that I have that out of my system...Matthew is 14 weeks old today. And here's what the newletter says:

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 14 weeks (Approximately 3.3 months) old now.
Many studies have shown that a stimulating environment accustoms children to change and helps their senses develop more quickly. Playing developmental games with your baby - even at this age - can provide just such an environment. These activities also provide a unique opportunity to interact with your baby and encourage a love of learning. Try sewing a small bell onto a band and put it on his or her wrist or ankle. He or she will begin to understand that it makes a sound when he or she moves, helping him or her develop body awareness and hand-eye coordination. However, be sensitive to signs that he or she is over stimulated and needs a break. As they say, everything in moderation.
Your baby may be able to push up on his or her arms by now, but don't get too excited, this is only half of the equation needed to start crawling. He or she also needs to develop his or her balance and leg coordination. However, if your baby can move his or her upper body with his or her arms, he or she might soon figure out how to drag themselves around.
Your little one will continue experimenting with his or her voice and is probably developing quite the "vocabulary" lately. He or she may be making vowel sounds like "ooh" and "aah" and has learned that he or she can change the sound simply by changing the shape of his or her mouth.
Your baby is probably opening his or her hands more and may start bringing them together in clapping motions as his or her hand-eye coordination improves. He or she has probably started batting at objects in an attempt to reach out for them. Help him or her develop this coordination by holding out a toy to see if he or she will grasp it.

Matthew is quite the little talker these days. Mostly vowel sounds - he does occasionally make an "m" or hard "g" sound, although I suspect it's still totally by accident. I left him with his daddy for a couple minutes while I went to the bathroom yesterday, and he started crying. He was crying away and all of a sudden he goes, "maaaaaaa!" 'Bout broke my heart! Sounded just like he was crying for his mommy - glad it was just a coincidence. I don't know how I'm going to bear it when he actually does cry for me! Probably jump off the potty with my pants around my ankles :o) hehe OK, probably not. He is also getting better and better at grasping. He still can't really grab things that he reaches for, but if you put something small enough for him to grasp right up to his hand, more often than not he'll open up his fingers and take hold. Just a few weeks ago you still had to pry open his fingers and place an object in his hand before he could grasp it. So he's improving :o) For every milestone, though, there's a throwback to days of "old." Yesterday I was feeding him and he pooped. Not an unusual occurence, but the diaper just didn't hold like it's supposed to - poop ran all down his leg, onto me and onto the chair. Used to happen all the time when he was smaller (diapers just don't fit the way they're supposed to until baby thighs fill out a bit), but it hadn't happend for a few weeks. So while he's getting bigger everyday, I still very much have a little baby on my hands. For better or for worse :o) Well, better get going. Talk to you all later!