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)