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August 24, 2007
Movie: RiverDance
We were very impressed by a documentary on the making of Riverdance we saw some months ago, back when FM was still a fetus. Apparently, thanks to the worldwide craze for this show, anyone who can Irish step dance has a job, guaranteed. We've decided to start training early rather than investing in a college fund. He'll thank us later.
We bought this device some time ago, but had some trouble hanging it, being unable to find studs above the ceiling (they must be there somewhere). Finally put it here in the doorway to the patio. Thank goodness: one of the difficult things about Felix right now is that he wants to be standing up almost constantly. He is now able to pull himself upright and can walk along sideways if his handholds hold out, but unless he’s in his crib at some point he will come to the end of the couch or whatever it is he’s using to hold himself up and then he will fall, if not sooner. His patience for the crib is limited (and besides, it has other, more important functions), the number of times we want him to bang his head is likewise limited, so we either need something to let him stand or we have to spend a lot of time lending him our hands. This device is that something: it doesn’t let him walk around, but it does let him lift his feet which is apparently what he is after (if he actually wants to get someplace he’ll crawl there). And, of course, he will occasionally do a jig, which is extremely entertaining.
Posted by talia at 5:15 AM
August 22, 2007
Feeding Felix
We are very eager for Felix to learn to eat solid foods, not only because we are big eaters ourselves, but also because we hope that with solid food will come solid sleep. The mess he makes is spectacular, of course, and we don’t even picture the worst of it (the worst was yesterday when I put in too big a spoonful whereupon he cheerfully threw up, creating a large pool on his high chair tray, and then raised his hands to try his splashing routine, learned in the tub just the other day…I grabbed him just in time). He strikes me as very patient with us as we suddenly start pushing these outré flavors into his sensitive little mouth. Rice pap is perhaps not such a shock, but think about eating a banana for the first time, or how sour even a sweet apple is if you’ve never tasted anything sour at all. Still, he adjusts quickly: apple today didn’t produce anything like the amount of grimacing as apple did yesterday.
He has shown a lot of interest in our eating motions. I wonder if he realizes that what he is now doing is the equivalent.
Posted by talia at 4:41 AM
August 19, 2007
Month Six (July 19 – August 19)
You've turned five month, and it's been a month of many firsts. A long plane trip, while not your first, brought you for the first time the the US. First walk through the forest to pick blackberries, first time to the Ocean, first dip in a pond, first nap on the beach. First lobster roll, oh no wait, that was me. You met all of your grandparents, nine of your uncles and aunts, and a handful of cousins. You've even completely charmed other kids' grandparents. One dear friend of my parents returned two days after meeting you desperate to see you again, "I just love him," she said.
This month you have spent much of your waking hours grabbing things and shoving them into your mouth. It seems you think everything belongs there. Go directly to mouth, do not pass go. You grab hair (thus I have spent all of this month with mine in a pony tail aka, Princess Hair). You grab your feet, pull off your socks and suck on your big toe. You grab paper, gum it all up and wave it around. Reading the New Yorker while feeding you is a thing of the past, you are, it seems at times, as interested in the Cartoon Challenge as I am. Basically, if you can reach it, you will get to it and shove it in your mouth.
And reaching things has become increasingly easy for. You no longer lay on your stomach flapping your limbs trying to will this or that to you. Rather, you lift your bum and crawl over to just about anything that catches your eye. It’s particularly charming when what you’ve set your eye on is me.
You’ve become quite conversationalist. Story telling really since you don’t pause much like the books say you would. Ba ba ba’s and dddddddd’s where you are happy and mmmmm and nnnnnnnn when blue.
You can sit unsupported for a couple of minutes. But that ain’t nothing since just in the nick of time, to be including in this months accomplishments you stood up in your crib. It’s been nothing but standing since. My little Hercules.
We read somewhere that around this time you should start recognizing your name. As is toggling between Felix and Milo wasn’t confusing enough, referring to you mostly as Baby, Booberino, Boob Zorino, Lil’ Leash or Mr. Cadifje hasn’t made Name Recognition one of your accomplishments. My fault.
You are so very lovely Felix Milo. You have made the days intense, crazy, exhausting, and sweet. Quite a complex accomplishment!
Watch out, next month we introduce you to formula and to solid foods. Grab that!
Love, Mama
Posted by talia at 9:36 AM
August 15, 2007
Movie: Stop Crawl and Roll
Here's a not particularly coordinated crawl session. He's somewhere between military man crawl (or what the Dutch call "tijgeren," which means to move like a tiger) and real crawling, and his climbing skills are rapidly advancing. A good roll there too, but unfazed he gets back to business.
I believe we took this footage fairly late in the day so he wasn’t in his best form, but did take the fall quite well. What you are seeing is his early attempts to pull himself up a more challenging surface than the easily graspable bars of his crib. You are also seeing his willingness to do anything for his mother. Finally, note his occasional useless flailing of his legs. That is a throwback to earlier days when he, like many babies, would alternate productive crawling with unproductive balancing-on-the-tummy-and-making-flying-motions. Now, a month on, he has abandoned any motion that doesn’t get him closer to his goal.
Posted by talia at 4:02 PM
Coming to America
It was a long trip, and an unsettled one. Mostly we did not have a separate bedroom, which is problematic, and of course he was experiencing so much novelty. Both led to lack of sleep for us all, which made it hard to really enjoy things a lot of the time. We both long for a true vacation (i.e., sans child).
But he certainly did encounter a lot of firsts, quite in addition to all of the new people. First swim in water other than the bathtub. First taste of salt air. First encounter with silverware. First serious air conditioning. First sand. First long car ride. First dog. First mosquito bites. First fall. He took the bad with the good. He’s a fine baby.
Posted by talia at 3:15 PM
August 5, 2007
Movie: Baby Jail
His new babyprison, from which he attempts to lick his way out. I was against buying this thing, but this footage alone was worth the price.
The theory: a safe place for baby to play. The reality: once he discovered its unsatisfying texture he soon lost patience with the confinement. Sigh.
Posted by talia at 8:43 PM