101 in 1,001 Week 9 Update

Goal #16: Write in journal at least once a week — wrote Wednesday morning

Goal #62: Apply to at least one job every week until I am hired — applied for 1 job on Friday evening (and got a 10-hour-a-week work-from-home contract job!)

Goal #87: Update cooking blog at least once a week — Feeding Baby Solids

22-Week Comparison

101 in 1,001 Week 8 Update

Goal #16: Write in journal at least once a week — wrote Wednesday morning

Goal #62: Apply to at least one job every week until I am hired — applied for 1 job on Thursday evening (and had a job interview Wednesday afternoon)

Goal #87: Update cooking blog at least once a week with a new recipe + photo — Strawberry Macarons with White Chocolate Ganache, Croque Monsieur sandwiches

Goal #95: Complete a “30 Things to Make in my 30’s” List — I made onion rings and macarons

Approaching 5 Months

Liam will be 5 months old this Saturday. Wow, 5 months. Time is flying by; Liam is growing way too fast. 

Liam is still exclusively breastfed. We plan to wait until he is six months to introduce solids. I am still unemployed and home with him all day. Our typical day goes like this: 

4:30 a.m.: Wake up, nurse, go back to bed
6:30 a.m.: Wake up for the day, change diaper, mom eats breakfast while Liam sits in his bouncy seat
7:30 a.m.: Nurse
8:00 a.m.: Floor time (tummy time, play with Oball, floor mirror, name different stuffed animals, etc.)
9:00 a.m.: Nap for about 30 to 45 minutes
9:45 a.m.: Change diaper, then more floor time, encourage Liam to roll over, sing songs, play peek-a-boo, watch the dogs wrestle in the kitchen
10:30 a.m.: Nurse
11:00 a.m.: Jumperoo time while Mommy preps food for dinner (marinate meat, chop veggies, etc.)
11:20 a.m.: Hang out in Liam's crib, looking at the stim mobile, playing with the crib piano, etc. 
12:00 p.m.: Back to the living room for quieter floor time; nurse
12:30 p.m.: Nap; Mommy eats lunch and has a quick shower
1:30 p.m.: Change diaper, take the dogs out for a walk (if weather is nice, we use a baby carrier; if not, we use the City Mini)
2:30 p.m.: Run errands, or hang out in the living room singing songs, playing with the dogs, reading stories, e,tc. 
3:30 p.m.: Nurse, then nap
4:30 p.m.: More jumperoo time while Mommy starts dinner
5:00 p.m.: Daddy comes home and plays with Liam while Mommy finishes dinner
7:00 p.m.: Bath, then lotion massage, then nurse, then bedtime

Developmental milestones we're looking for: passing toys from hand-to-hand; responding when someone says his name; playing with his feet

101 in 1,001 Week 7 Update

Goal #6: Watch 25 of the AFI’s Top 100 movies — watched To Kill a Mockingbird on 4/7

Goal #16: Write in journal at least once a week — wrote Friday night

Goal #62: Apply to at least one job every week until I am hired — applied for 1 job on Friday evening

Goal #87: Update cooking blog at least once a week with a new recipe + photo — Caprese Burgers and Homemade Onion Rings, Gruyere and Sage-Stuffed Chicken Breasts, Tilapia with Honey Scallion Dressing

Milestone: Rolling Over

BabyL rolled from his back to his tummy today! He was laying on a blanket on the floor. His monkey rattle was about two feet away (just out of his reach). You were almost able to see the concentration on his face as he tried to figure out how to move closer to the rattle. 

It's used to be a little unusual for babies to roll from back to tummy first; they usually roll from tummy to back first, but now that babies are being put to sleep on their backs as part of the anti-SIDS campaign, more and more are rolling from back to tummy. 

Of course, we were home by ourselves. I tried to call D, but got his voicemail. I finally got a hold of him and told him I had something to show him. And when he got home, BabyL was tired of rolling over! Oh well. 

Baby Toys

So, what toys does BabyL play with at around 4 months of age? (Please note: I have not received any compensation from any company listed below in exchange for mentioning their product.)

He has a soft monkey rattle that usually elicits a smile. When he was younger, it fit around his wrist, so it would rattle when he waved his arms, but now he is able to grasp the rattle himself. 

He also has a multi-colored sock monkey from D's mother. D was playing with this toy with BabyL when we heard the first giggle. 

BabyL also likes the Topsy Turtle Mirror Rattle by Infantino (pictured at left) It has lots of bright colors, a mirror on its belly, and the legs make noise. 

I recently picked up an Oball by Rhino Toys. It's about 4 inches in diameter, and made of very flexible plastic. All of the openings are perfect fingerholds for little hands. And BabyL loves all the bright colors. 

We also have this Fisher Price piano hanging on the side of his crib (BabyL still sleeps in a play yard in our room; we expect to transition him to his crib around 6 months). So far, BabyL only accidentally hits the keys while waving his arms in his crib. Hitting a key triggers the piano to play a short song. 

We also have an unbreakable mirror from Sassy. This can be propped up on the floor, or tied to the side of a crib. We play with it during tummy time on the living room floor. The bird has a jingle ball in it, and the ball in the center of the turtle up top turns, the sun spins in a circle, and there is a rubber teething ring on the side. 

And finally, I recently purchased the Fisher Price Laugh and Learn Puppy. It's marketed for babies 6 months and up, but BabyL seems to like the songs it plays. The Laugh and Learn puppy teaches parts of the body (ear, heart, tummy, hand, foot), colors, and sings songs like the ABC's, and the Itsy Bitsy Spider. 

BabyL: 4 month update

BabyL went for his 4-month well baby visit on Tuesday. He weighed in at 15 lbs 1.3 ounces (43rd percentile); measured 25.25 inches long (54th percentile) and his head circumference is 16.5 inches (31st percentile). 

He is developing well. He is close to rolling over, he makes "ahh," "ooh," and "goo" sounds. He knows the sounds of my and D's voices, and recognizes our faces. He holds objects in his hands. She said his torso muscles are developing well, though he still needs quite a bit of support to sit upright. 

He got another round of vaccines: one oral, and two injections. He had no reaction to the first round, but this time around, he did have a fever of 100.8 degrees. 

She said that he will soon start passing objects from hand-to-hand. He will increase his "vocabulary." He will roll over. He will start grabbing his own feet. He will learn his name. She said that we could begin 1st stage baby foods whenever we feel comfortable, but I've chosen to wait to closer to 6 months. For now, BabyL is still exclusively breastfed. 

101 in 1,001 Week 6 Update

Goal #16: Write in journal at least once a week — wrote Friday afternoon

Goal #62: Apply to at least one job every week until I am hired — applied for 1 job on Friday evening

Goal #87: Update cooking blog at least once a week with a new recipe + photo — Quick-Brined Pork Chops with Roasted Butternut Squash; Alton Brown's Baked Mac & Cheese; Strawberry Yogurt Scones