8 Months Old Today!

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 35 weeks (Approximately 8.2 months) old now.

At eight months old, babies usually range from 25.25 inches long and 15.25 pounds (10th percentile) to 28.5 inches long and 20.5 pounds (90th percentile).

Once your baby starts pulling themselves up on furniture, it's time to inspect your home for rocking chairs, recliners, and anything else on wheels or that's unstable. If your baby tries to pull themselves up on an item that moves, shifts, or falls over, he or she can go tumbling (and the item can fall on top of him or her). Block his or her access to these unstable items as much as possible using baby gates or simply move the item to a room that is inaccessible to him or her.

If you are still nursing your baby, there may come a time when he or she just doesn't seem interested anymore. This is common in babies around this age. They are so interested in the world around them that they don't want to take time out to eat anymore - but it is generally just a phase and passes with time. When it's time to nurse, try moving into another room that is quiet and free of toys that could distract your baby. Turn off the TV and any other noises that might pique his or her curiosity. Also try nursing him or her when he or she is sleepy - a tired baby might be more apt to stop playing so that he or she can eat.

Your baby understands more of what you say and he or she may comprehend common words like "ball" and "bottle." Satisfy his or her thirst for knowledge by reading him or her lots of baby books and telling him or her the name for everything. He or she's taking in every word!

To comment on the newsletter...my husband said that yesterday Matthew started using his (my husband's) hands to pull himself up from a sitting to a standing position. He wouldn't do it for me, though. I have also noticed Matthew being less interested in breastfeeding lately, although I think that has more to do with not wanting to wait than being distracted, since I only breastfeed at night and before work. So he's sleepy every time he eats. But, he DOES get frustrated with waiting for the milk...it takes longer for let down now than it used to. And the bottles have spoiled him with instant gratification :o) He loves being read to, some things more than others. Mr. Brown Can Moo, Can You (or, Can Matthew!) is one of his favorites, along with the Happy Man and His Dumptruck and Goodnight Moon. Everytime you talk about the cow jumping over the moon he squeals. Not sure why, but it's awfully cute :o)

In other news, Matthew went out in the snow for the very 1st time last Sunday, as evidenced in the picture up above. He also ate 2 whole jars of Stage 3 foods yesterday! Pears for lunch and then turkey w/rice & garden vegetables for dinner. It was a lot less lumpy than the chicken noodle dinner (which he gagged on a lot) so he got it down pretty fast. He also tried yogurt for the first time over the weekend. He didn't hate it, but I don't think it's his favorite either.

Well, that's about it I guess. Happy 8 month Birthday, Matthew! Such a big boy :o)

Week 34 - Check!

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 34 weeks (Approximately 7.9 months) old now.

Try not to get upset when your baby throws things - it's just a stage in his or her muscular development. It's important for him or her to experiment with hand-arm movements and to see the results of his or her actions. It will take a while for your baby to actually be able to let go at the proper moment to propel an object across the room. But who knows? You could have a star pitcher on your hands in a few years! Give your little slugger soft toys that won't damage your home or hurt a sibling if hurled from a distance. Damage control is sometimes the name of the game.

Encourage your baby to stand by placing one of his or her favorite toys on the seat of a sturdy chair. Show him or her that the toy is there, and cheer him or her on to get up and grab it.

Have you noticed your baby displaying a fear of strangers yet? Your once-outgoing baby who would allow anyone and everyone to pick him or her up may appear anxious when a stranger enters the room and decide to hide his or her head in your shoulder or cling to your legs. Your baby may also be increasingly afraid when you are not around and may continue to cry when you drop him or her off at day care or leave for the evening. Help your baby adjust by staying nearby as he or she learns to accept a new person and give him or her extra attention and one-on-one time before you leave and when you return. Playing games like peek-a-boo will help reinforce the idea that you're not gone forever and that you will return soon.

Matthew is just starting to throw things, and my husband and I actually encourage it :o) It would be different if he were throwing them across the room and breaking things, but he never gets them very far yet. He's starting to rock back and forth on his knees if we put him up in the position (he can get up on his hands or knees on his own, but still not both at once yet) so that's a good sign! But pulling himself up into a standing position is still obviously a ways off yet. As for stranger anxiety - he's always been a little (OK, sometimes a lot) leery of strangers, so it's hard to tell the difference. He's fine with people if they don't just come in and start talking loud at him and/or grab him. If they do then chances are he will cry, but he's been that way since he was very little. New developments in the past week - he is now an accomplished snorter, and he has tried his 1st Stage 3 food! Broccoli, carrots & cheese. He likes it, but the chunks of carrot make him gag. We'll be going slow with the Stage 3, it appears!

Here are a couple pictures from Christmas - enjoy :o)

He's So Big!

I heard that a lot today when my husband brought Matthew in to visit me at work. Nobody had seen him since he was about 4.5 months old, so they couldn't believe how much he had grown! I also heard that he looked like me...makes a mother proud :o)

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 33 weeks (Approximately 7.7 months) old now.
For his or her next trick, your baby may soon attempt a furniture-assisted standing position! Pulling themselves up on a cupboard door or sofa may be the exciting part of the trick for your baby, but the second half of the trick is sitting back down. It may seem obvious to you that he or she need only to bend his or her knees, but it's not that simple for your baby. He or she may get stuck standing up and become upset. He or she may also take a few tumbles as he or she simply falls over to sit down. Don't worry, he or she'll get the hang of it soon.
As your baby becomes more active and mobile, and develops more opinions (and the ability to make them known) you have probably been repeating the word "no" more and more. As a result, your baby is starting to learn the word and knows that he or she isn't supposed to do whatever he or she is doing when you say it. However, that doesn't mean he or she will always obey. He or she has his or her own opinions now and he or she will be sure to let you know what he or she does and doesn't like. Although it might be unnerving, to say the least, bear in mind that he or she's experimenting with his or her emotions and learning how to control his or her environment.
Playtime may take on a whole new meaning as your little explorer learns the joys of "in" and "out." He or she will figure out that small cups fit inside larger ones and will enjoy placing small items inside containers. Try showing him or her how to fill a cup with water while in the bath tub and watch his or her joy as he or she learns to dump it back out.
Your baby is starting to combine syllables and soon you'll hear that adorable little voice address you by name. Your baby may utter "mama" and "dada" soon - although it may take some more time before he or she addresses you by the correct word. Be sure to record these first words on the day they're first spoken. You'll treasure these memories for life.

Mama is almost there! It's so frustrating at times...Matthew says "mmmmm" all the time and my husband and I just about wear ourselves out saying "mmmaaa mmmaaa mmmaaa MMMAAA." Nothing. Matthew just smiles like we're playing some sort of game with him :o) He also refuses to make any sounds that sound remotely like other words, wave bye bye, become mobile, get teeth, etc. But I'm not concerned. There is such a wide age range that is considered "normal" for these types of milestones. He did some things relatively early, like smile (around 3.5 weeks) and sit unassisted (about 5.5 months). I am just trying to enjoy my baby while I still have him. He'll be 8 months old in just a couple of weeks - in a few months we'll be staring his first birthday right in the eye. I keep wanting time to slow down and yet speed up all at the same time :o) You just gotta love being a mommy!

Feisty Little Guy...

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 32 weeks (Approximately 7.5 months) old now.
You may notice that your baby increasingly tries to repeat the sounds he or she hears - including those made by people, animals, and inanimate objects. If there are two languages spoken in your home, he or she will try to make sounds from both languages. If you think you know what your baby is trying to say, repeat it back to him or her. Listening to you pronounce words will help your baby understand words and talk earlier.
Your baby's vocabulary will grow steadily as he or she adds gestures to the mix. For example, he or she may have learned to hold his or her arms above his or her head when he or she wants to be picked up. He or she will also probably point to indicate the majority of his or her wishes. Help limit frustrations by interpreting the more cryptic gestures for other caregivers who may not spend the same amount of time with your baby.
Your baby also is gaining a new understanding of how to grasp and hold objects. He or she can probably hold two objects at once (one in each hand) and use both hands cooperatively to accomplish one task. He or she is also learning to use his or her hands in more complex ways. The way he or she shapes his or her hand to grasp a round object will be different than the way he or she grasps a flat object, such as a piece of paper. He or she will also start to understand cause and effect and will learn to pull a string or cord to move an object closer. A fun game right now may be tug-of-war. Let your baby grasp the end of a towel and gently pull towards you. He or she may pull back in response. This will also strengthen his or her muscles and coordination.

Matthew does NOT lift his arms when he wants to be picked up. But he WILL scream :o) And he doesn't point yet, but he does realize that when you're pointing at something you mean for him to look beyond your finger to what you you're pointing at - not your finger. Which the cats never seemed to get the hang of :oP He's developing his pincer grip more and more, and also still repeating sounds and, now, motions. He has this little plastic baseball bat that I sometimes will (very gently) tap him on top of the head with when I'm playing with him. So then if I give it to him to play with, he'll smack himself in the head and face with it. Thank goodness it doesn't hurt unless you really give yourself a good whack! He still isn't crawling yet, but he can push himself across the bed if he's on his stomach. He just lays his head down and then brings his legs up and pushes off with his feet and/or knees. It's a start!

I called this post "feisty little guy" because probably the most obvious thing that he is doing these days is hurting people! Not on purpose, I'm sure, but he really is fascinated with touching faces and hair. He doesn't know the difference between rough and gentle, so he touches by smacking, pinching, pulling, etc. He's always got a strand or two of my hair in his hand from where he yanked it out, and I've had scratches on my face from him grabbing me. That will teach me to let his nails get too long! He really is a sweet boy, though. Most of the time :o)

31 Weeks Old :o)

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 31 weeks (Approximately 7.2 months) old now.

At seven months old, babies usually range from 25 inches long and 14.25 pounds (10th percentile) to 28 inches long and 19.5 pounds (90th percentile).

By playing with your baby, you're helping him or her develop some of the social skills that he or she will need when he or she begins to interact with other children. The more you play with him or her, the faster he or she will learn to recognize when someone is interested in playing with him or her and understand how to evaluate non-verbal communication. You're also teaching your baby the value of sharing a game or toy with another person.

You may experience a bit of discomfort while nursing once your baby's teeth start erupting and he or she bites your nipples. Don't let this deter you from continuing to breastfeed. He or she's not biting to hurt you; he or she doesn't yet understand that it hurts. Although it may be difficult, try to remain calm when he or she bites. Any strong reaction may prompt him or her to try again just to see what you'll do. Instead, remain calm and tell him or her "no" in a firm voice. Remove your nipple from his or her mouth and wait a minute or two before trying to resume nursing. He or she will quickly learn that if he or she bites, the food goes away. Be patient, it may take a couple of interrupted feedings before he or she understands this cause and effect, but soon you'll be nursing bite-free again.

You may find yourself wondering why your baby seems to act up when you're around, while other caregivers report that he or she's a joy to care for. He or she may be young, but he or she's already figuring out how to manipulate you. He or she is testing his or her limits and learning how far he or she can go before you give in to his or her requests. Take charge of the situation now by setting limits. Be sure your requests are age appropriate, but remember that it's not too early to learn that we don't hit, we share, and that food goes in our mouth, not on the floor.

I've been nervous about Matthew getting teeth - he has bitten me quite a few times, but I have never shown any reaction because it hasn't hurt. I don't nurse that often anymore, though. Just twice a day and then if he gets up at night and won't go back to sleep without eating. So maybe he will be completely weaned by the time he gets teeth. I'm still having trouble with that, though. I don't want to give it up! Maybe by the time he's 8 months old. Or 9 months...

Matthew's Christmas went very well. We were nervous because he cried pretty much the whole time we were at my husband's family's get-together. There is just so much noise, though...when you get that many people in one house it's bound to get noisy. Poor Matthew just is not used to all the commotion. When we got him to my family's house, he was much better. I feel bad for my inlaws - they usually just see Matthew when he's screaming. It's not that he doesn't like them - it's just that they're usually in a noisy house! Anyway, he can't open presents on his own yet (of course), but he seems to enjoy his presents. He got mainly toys, but also a couple of outfits and books. Something else that he got (although not for Christmas) was a potty chair! Mommy thinks it's a bit early for that, but Daddy wants to get him used to sitting on it. So he has a few times...the second time he sat on it he actually pooped in it! Daddy heard him grunting, put him on the potty, and viola! I was glad that he did it, but I think that it will be quite a few more months before he actually "gets" it. Anyway, here are a couple cute pictures of him on his little commode.

I'm Ba-ack!

Ok, I have a lot to post, so bear with me. I'll do week 30 in this post and week 31 + updates in the next. Here we go! :o)

Your baby boy, Matthew, is 30 weeks (Approximately 7.0 months) old now.
At this age your baby may show a strong preference for your partner over you, or vice versa. Try not to take it personally. Babies generally will go to one parent for a specific need, such as comforting, and the other for play. Remember that parenting isn't a popularity contest, and showing a preference isn't rejection.
Encourage your baby to practice crawling by placing a favorite toy just out of reach or sit on the other side of the room and call to him or her. Give your baby time and space to practice this new-found skill and to strengthen his or her muscles and fine-tune his or her coordination.
Is your baby teething yet? Most babies begin teething between 6 and 12 months of age. Usually, the incisors erupt first (four on top and four on the bottom), and then four molars. These are followed by the four canine (eye) teeth, and the molars will appear when your baby is about 2 years old. Early signs of teething include drooling (which may then cause a rash, cough or diarrhea), fussiness, waking at night, biting, and loss of appetite. To relieve some of the pain associated with teething, give your baby a cool teething ring and, with the consent of your pediatrician, children's acetaminophen.
As your baby starts eating solid foods, he or she will quickly develop preferences for certain foods and a strong dislike for others. If your baby seems to dislike a particular taste or type of food, don't force it on him or her. Try the same food again in a day or two. If he or she still isn't interested, move on to other foods. After a month or so has passed, introduce it to your baby again, perhaps prepared differently this time. Her or his tastes may have changed in the meantime, or he or she may have forgotten that he or she didn't like this food. If he or she still rejects it, take it off his or her menu. Her or his tastes may change as he or she gets older, or he or she may never like this particular food. Forcing it on him or her can turn into a battle of wills, which can in turn lead to eating disorders.

Just a quick couple of notes about week 30 - Matthew doesn't seem to prefer either me or his daddy, although he will take a bottle from his father MUCH better than me. Whether it has more to do with the fact that he is used to being breastfed by me or just that I am more of a pushover, I don't know :oP He has no teeth as of yet. Oh, and he tried Stage 2 chicken noodle dinner last night. He Loved it with a capital L! Gobbled that stuff down. Way to go, Matthew!