Christmas is Coming, and Mommy's Getting Fat...

Hehe, I'm actually not gaining any weight, but I just thought that sounded funny. And I could stand to tone up :oP Anyway, time keeps on ticking away...

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 29 weeks (Approximately 6.8 months) old now.
Your baby is eager for some more sophisticated ways of socializing these days. He or she loves to play peek-a-boo and trying to find an object that you've hidden under a blanket. A potentially messy, but ultimately fun and interesting, activity for your baby is playing with cooked spaghetti. The slippery, sticky, mushy consistency may provide oodles of noodle fun!
Encourage your baby's language skills by speaking slowly and clearly and imitating what he or she is trying to say. When he or she says "ba ba ba," say it back to him or her in a different tone of voice. Listen as he or she tries to imitate your inflection. He or she will probably start "talking" when everyone else in the room is talking - a sign he or she is getting the idea of conversation.
If your baby has been looking at the same toys or crib mobile for several months, now is a good time to change the scenery. Choose items with bright colors and big shapes, or one that makes noise. And now that your baby is starting to pull themselves into a sitting position, be sure to remove any low-hanging mobiles or wall hangings that he or she may be able to reach.

Matthew is still working on language skills - he vocalizes quite a bit and has started squealing again. He had lost interest in that for a while, but seemed to discover it again when I was tickling him last night :o) He has also started laughing at Mommy and Daddys' crazy antics a little more. Yesterday he found my half-empty container of Tums (left over from pregnancy!) to be particularly hilarious. He would shake it to make noise, I would look shocked and say "oh geez!" and he would laugh his head off. It's so funny what babies find amusing sometimes! Over the past weekend, he also finally perfected the back to tummy roll. And now you just can't stop him! I actually found him asleep in his crib on his stomach (and sideways) for the first time Monday morning. He can also move himself in a circle - won't be long before he figures out how to get across a room! He started eating baby food containing meat 2 days ago. Last night he had carrots and beef, which he absolutely loved! I couldn't seem to shovel the food in fast enough. Are you going to be a meat and potatoes boy, buddy? :o) Anyway, he's getting bigger and smarter every day. And smoochier! His kisses actually hurt, since to kiss he grabs ahold of either your cheeks or hair (either one can be quite painful) pulls you down to his wide open mouth, and proceeds to slobber all over your cheek! I don't mind, though, to be honest. I'm a sucker for Matthew kisses! I'll take them while I can get them :o)

Well, in case I don't post again this week (which is entirely possible), I just wanted to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! I know that my husband and I certainly have a lot to be thankful for this Christmas. And we are going to have a wonderful time helping Matthew to open his presents. Even if he will like the wrapping paper better than what's inside!

Big News!

Matthew is 28 weeks old! And there has been a (wonderful) new development with him over the past few days. But I'll get to that after the newsletter:

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 28 weeks (Approximately 6.5 months) old now.
Your baby is gaining strength and mobility and is able to sit unassisted for longer periods. Her or his horizons are expanding and he or she wants to experience everything within reach, so just about everything that he or she picks up will go straight into his or her mouth. Just be sure that the items your baby puts in his or her mouth are clean and don't pose a choking hazard.
Your baby now has enough coordination to be able to pass a toy from one hand to the other. This also means he or she may be ready to start feeding themselves, so try giving him or her soft finger foods such as ripe fruit or Cheerios to practice (be sure the pieces are small and always stay close in case he or she starts choking).
Your baby will continue to babble as he or she learns how to use his or her tongue, as well as how to shape his or her mouth to create and change sounds. Some of his or her loud outbursts are nothing more than an experiment to see how far he or she can project his or her voice.
Help your baby develop the gross motor skills he or she'll need for walking, climbing, riding a bike, and playing ball by providing a safe place to play. Change his or her position regularly (from tummy to back to sitting, etc.) and take him or her to new locations to encourage his or her curiosity and desire to explore. Provide interactive toys such as a soft foam ball and encourage him or her to try to roll it back and forth.

Just to comment on the newsletter: Matthew has been able to pass objects between hands for quite a while now, and he does it often. At his doctor's appointment a few weeks ago, we were advised to give him Cheerios to help develop his fine motor skills. Matthew can't get them in his mouth on his own, which is good for Mommy's nerves because she is always worried that he's going to choke on one! He is also very vocal these days. Yesteray he was just making constant noise for a while when I got home from work - on every exhale he would make a sound that would sound like humming if he'd had his mouth closed! But since his mouth was open, it just sounded like noise :o) He can't roll a ball yet - he has a small beachball that he gets VERY angry with, because it won't fit in his mouth!

OK, now for the BIG news. Are you ready for this? For the past 3 nights in a row, Matthew has SLEPT THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! Oh my gosh, can life get any better? To be completely honest, last night he woke up about an hour after he was put to bed. I fed him a little because he hadn't eaten very well earlier, but I think he would have fallen back asleep even without me feeding him. And then around 11pm he woke up screaming, but all I had to do was go in and put his pacifier in his mouth and that was the end of it. Then he slept until 5:30am :o) The difference has been his teddy bear. He's finally old enough that I can feel relatively comfortable leaving it in bed with him without worrying about him suffocating. When he wakes up he just holds his bear tight and goes back to sleep on his own, no Mommy required! I felt a little twinge of regret that he no longer needs me to comfort him to get back to sleep, but then it went away. He's SUPPOSED to be able to fall back asleep on his own. Just one of the many steps to independence that he will be taking as he grows up. I'm so proud already :o)

27 Weeks

Another week, another newsletter. Here's what it says:

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 27 weeks (Approximately 6.3 months) old now.

Your baby may start crawling any day, and those displays of frustration at not being able to move around should begin to disappear. Although most babies begin crawling around six months of age, it may still be weeks or even months before your baby is fully mobile. This is very normal and you should not worry if he or she is showing no signs of crawling - remember that some babies never crawl; they skip the step completely and just start walking!

Your baby is bursting with energy right now and may not want to be held as much as before. In fact, he or she may squirm and arch his or her back in an effort to get down on the floor and start exploring. If your baby is strong enough and sits well unsupported, try giving him or her a ride on your shoulders. He or she will love the new view and it will help strengthen his or her core muscles and develop balance. Just be sure to support him or her with both hands.

As your baby gets used to eating solid food, remember to introduce only one food at a time and wait several days before you give him or her a new food. If he or she has an allergic reaction, this will make it easy to pinpoint which food caused it. Signs of a food allergy may include wheezing, fever, mild rash, anaphylaxis (in rare cases), vomiting, and diarrhea. If you have concerns about certain symptoms and are unsure whether it is a food allergy, contact your pediatrician just to be sure.

Well, Matthew sure isn't crawling yet, but he can sit very well unsupported. I've actually been brave enough to step away for a few seconds to grab another toy, etc. while he's sitting playing. But only a few seconds! He still topples over once and a while without warning, so you have to watch him. Especially in the bathtub - he loves to sit and splash with his hands! It's so funny - he splashes and splashes and you think that he's having a good time, but there isn't normally a smile on his face. He doesn't make a sound, just very seriously goes about his business of splashing. Such a funny boy :o) He tried Stage 2 foods yesterday - just some carrots. He couldn't finish the whole jar, but he did a good job. His new food for the week is peaches, which his Daddy says he thinks are "OK," and we're going to try peas later this week! I don't anticipate him liking them, but he liked the green beans he got last week so who knows? He also got to do something exciting yesterday...he sat on Santa's lap! Plus we all went out shopping last weekend and bought him a stocking and "Baby's First Christmas" ornament. He may not realize that it is a very special time of year, but Mom and Dad are making a big deal out of it anyway. Of course :o)