Hard to believe we’ve had ZBL in our family for 7 months! He had another developmentally momentous month due in part to being home for 2 weeks with his big bro and dad — lots of tummy time and stimulation :-) Mannerisms — my friend Daesman will appreciate that Z is developing some funny mannerisms (she called me Miss Mannerisms in college :-) — one funny one is looking over his shoulder to see if you’re still there. Another one is flapping and then quickly pulling his hands together in front of his face and putting part of a hand in his mouth. A third funny one is saying “ahem” to get attention. One of his big focal points this month has been learning to go to sleep on his own. We had to transition him from sleeping in his elevated bouncy seat to just sleeping on his back in his crib, which wasn’t an easy process. The first weekend of winter break, we started “cold turkey” by removing the seat for all sleeping and then realized it was too much for Z: he wasn’t sleeping for naps or at night (30-45 min naps and waking at 2:00 am and then again at 5:00 am – yawn!). So we backtracked a bit and gave him his seat for nighttime again. Over the course of the 2 weeks, he made great progress and even had 1 night when he slept in his crib without the seat from 8 pm until 6 am – huzzah! But it was only 1 night. The others weren’t horrible though: 8 pm until 5 am mostly. Some 4:30 am and some 5:30 am. But he would go back to sleep after waking and eating @ 4:30 or 5:30. Until, he stopped. And decided that 4:30 or 5:30 was a good time to start playing. Uncool to say the least. But he made great strides and we are proud of him – not easy to make so many transitions in 2 short weeks. The other big developmental milestone that he accomplished after graduating from sleeping in his bouncy seat was rolling over from back to front (12/29/12). I’d forgotten how much better this milestone makes life: sleeping on his stomach is so much more peaceful and long lasting (hence the 10 hour sleep night :-). Over the course of the month, it was fun to watch Z try reaching for the harder to reach elements of his exersaucer. It took a bunch of tries and concentration, but he finally was able to figure out how to hold the swinging object with one hand and then pin it with the other. Coordination achievement unlocked! Just like his brother, Z figured out quickly that he can see the TV reflection in the windows of our living room. Sneaky little guy. This month he added arching his back so he can see the TV to his strategies. Foods: Butternut squash was not a big fave at first but he learned to like it after gagging his way through the first 3 days of it. Sucking 2 or 3 of his fingers with regularity – usually it’s his left hand but sometimes it’s his right. It often is a sign that he’s sleepy too. Less talk more focus on physical: since he has been focusing on rolling over, scooting and getting up on all 4s, he hasn’t been as talkative as in previous months. I miss his chatter but know it will come back after he gets through this physical series of milestones. Funny finding: Z found his ears! Not sure when exactly this happened but he definitely knows they are there now. And has the scratches to prove it :-( Best change in his overall appearance: Can see his neck now! funniest mannerism: Eating zippers. The boy loves zippers. Thankfully both John and I regularly wear half-zip fleece so Z has many opportunities to figure out how they work. The funny thing is that he too has a half-zip and doesn’t seem to be able to see the zipper on his own sweater. Too close I guess. Windburn look showed up between ½-1/7 and I was thinking he might be getting his first tooth but so far nothin’. And the 2 most most life changing milestones accomplished: Scooting on Christmas Eve 2012 & a lot on John’s birthday (1/9/13). And pushing up to all 4s on 1/9/13— Time to babyproof!

January 24, 2013 · PHOTO

Hard to believe we’ve had ZBL in our family for 7 months! He had another developmentally momentous month due in part to being home for 2 weeks with his big bro and dad — lots of tummy time and stimulation :-)

Mannerisms — my friend Daesman will appreciate that Z is developing some funny mannerisms (she called me Miss Mannerisms in college :-) — one funny one is looking over his shoulder to see if you’re still there. Another one is flapping and then quickly pulling his hands together in front of his face and putting part of a hand in his mouth. A third funny one is saying “ahem” to get attention.

One of his big focal points this month has been learning to go to sleep on his own. We had to transition him from sleeping in his elevated bouncy seat to just sleeping on his back in his crib, which wasn’t an easy process. The first weekend of winter break, we started “cold turkey” by removing the seat for all sleeping and then realized it was too much for Z: he wasn’t sleeping for naps or at night (30-45 min naps and waking at 2:00 am and then again at 5:00 am – yawn!). So we backtracked a bit and gave him his seat for nighttime again. Over the course of the 2 weeks, he made great progress and even had 1 night when he slept in his crib without the seat from 8 pm until 6 am – huzzah! But it was only 1 night. The others weren’t horrible though: 8 pm until 5 am mostly. Some 4:30 am and some 5:30 am. But he would go back to sleep after waking and eating @ 4:30 or 5:30. Until, he stopped. And decided that 4:30 or 5:30 was a good time to start playing. Uncool to say the least. But he made great strides and we are proud of him – not easy to make so many transitions in 2 short weeks. The other big developmental milestone that he accomplished after graduating from sleeping in his bouncy seat was rolling over from back to front (12/29/12). I’d forgotten how much better this milestone makes life: sleeping on his stomach is so much more peaceful and long lasting (hence the 10 hour sleep night :-).

Over the course of the month, it was fun to watch Z try reaching for the harder to reach elements of his exersaucer. It took a bunch of tries and concentration, but he finally was able to figure out how to hold the swinging object with one hand and then pin it with the other. Coordination achievement unlocked!

Just like his brother, Z figured out quickly that he can see the TV reflection in the windows of our living room. Sneaky little guy. This month he added arching his back so he can see the TV to his strategies.

Foods: Butternut squash was not a big fave at first but he learned to like it after gagging his way through the first 3 days of it.

Sucking 2 or 3 of his fingers with regularity – usually it’s his left hand but sometimes it’s his right. It often is a sign that he’s sleepy too.

Less talk more focus on physical: since he has been focusing on rolling over, scooting and getting up on all 4s, he hasn’t been as talkative as in previous months. I miss his chatter but know it will come back after he gets through this physical series of milestones.

Funny finding: Z found his ears! Not sure when exactly this happened but he definitely knows they are there now. And has the scratches to prove it :-(

Best change in his overall appearance: Can see his neck now!

funniest mannerism: Eating zippers. The boy loves zippers. Thankfully both John and I regularly wear half-zip fleece so Z has many opportunities to figure out how they work. The funny thing is that he too has a half-zip and doesn’t seem to be able to see the zipper on his own sweater. Too close I guess.

Windburn look showed up between ½-1/7 and I was thinking he might be getting his first tooth but so far nothin’.

And the 2 most most life changing milestones accomplished: Scooting on Christmas Eve 2012 & a lot on John’s birthday (1/9/13). And pushing up to all 4s on 1/9/13— Time to babyproof!