We're heading out on our first camping trip of the year, so I don't have time to write all the updates and upload all the pictures that I want to.. But I will tomorrow, when we get home! So be sure to check back.
*UPDATE*
So here's what has been going on this past month!
Sleep
Cash has still been waking up pretty much every two hours (and sometimes every hour!) so it's been pretty rough. However, he has been falling asleep on his own at bed time most of the time. A friend recommended giving him a specific stuffy and blanket that he ONLY gets at sleep time, with the idea that he will associate them with sleep, and also find comfort in those items. I also put one of my pajama shirts in his crib, and he seems to find more comfort in that.
When we were on our road trip, we decided not to stress about his sleep. He slept in our bed, he stayed awake until he was fussy, then I nursed him to sleep. 90% of his naps were while we were on the go (in the Ergo or sling), without the option to nurse to sleep. I think this helped with his quest to fall asleep on his own.
Sign Language
He definitely has the ability to sign "milk" and does it a lot while nursing, and randomly at other times. I first noticed him doing it as he was falling asleep in the crib. I'm not sure if he really associates it with hunger, but when I make the sign, as if to ask if he wants to nurse, he gets excited.
I am also trying to teach CAT, POTTY (the sign for diaper is too hard), EAT, ALL DONE, and BATH. But I'm less consistent in remembering to do those.
Verbal Development
Oh boy, is he ever a babbler! Right around our road trip, he began putting consonants and vowels together, making "bababa", "mamama", "wawa" sounds frequently. I've also noticed a particular coo that he makes when he sees an object or food that he wants.
Eating
We began Baby Led Weaning! Or BLW, for short. I had been reading this book, which is just soooo interesting. I love learning about different biological purposes. For example:
- the readiness of a baby's digestive tract for foods other than breastmilk directly correlates with their ability to sit up on their own, as well as to pick up food and bring it to their mouth
- A baby can only pick up (and put in their mouth) a piece of food that is a safe size for them to eat at that developmental phase. In the beginning, baby will pick up food with their entire hand/fist, so food needs to be approx. 2" long, so half can be used as a handle, while they bite pieces off the other end. They won't be able to pick up small foods, such as raisins or peas, until they have developed the "pincer grasp" (picking objects up with thumb and forefinger). At this point, these foods are rarely a choking hazard
- Babies biologically learn to chew and move food around their mouths prior to learning to swallow it. As a safety measure, their gag reflex is in the middle of their tongue (rather than the back of the mouth, as it is for adults) in order to prevent them from swallowing large pieces and potentially choking.
- Because of the location of the gag reflex, babies will gag and spit out a lot of food in the beginning, until they learn to chew properly and bite off appropriate sized pieces
- Babies gums are strong enough to bite into many different foods
Cash's very first food was a piece of cooked broccoli out of our stir fry. We try to give him something from every dinner. He has also tried:
- zucchini
- apple
- pear
- cauliflower
- pulled pork
- roast beef
- red and yellow peppers
- chicken
- cucumber
- cooked carrot
Another observation: If Cash is unable to participate in eating with us, he gets very frustrated. Babies desperately want to partake in whatever their parents are doing and are very interested in copying them!
Physcial Development
On April 1, he finally decided to roll from his back onto his tummy. He now rolls both ways consistently.
He has also begun to sit completely unassisted for very short spurts!
Miscellaneous
When my mom and dad were visiting, mom (Gramz) noticed that Cash gravitates toward the colour yellow a lot.
This past month, Cash also got to spend time with Garrick's mom and Merv!
We've been spending time with a few moms in Vernon, and their babies. It's lots of fun and Cash loves the extra stimulation
Now for the pictures!
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| mini "Melissa & Doug" block set; cuddling with Dad instead of napping; chewing on Dad's glasses; sleep (look at that belly button) |
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| after bath; mama & baby chewing on toes; sleep feet |
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| very first food; Motor & Cash Bonding time for Father & Son; Eating cucumber stick |
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| Oilers sweater from (great) Granny & Gramps; telling stories to Gramz Missing you, Grandad; Easter present from Grammy (Kathi) & Grandpa Mel |
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| Photobooth (me and Cathy); Cash wearing Dad's hat Grandma (Cathy); Photobooth (Merv and Gar) |
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| Looking like a big boy; Cash and mama Tuckered out after our travels to Bellingham; Hanging out in Seattle |
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