I'm finding it quite amazing to watch this transformation from knowing and doing nothing. The little things amaze me, like how Nate now puts his arms through the straps when I unbuckle him from his car seat or stroller and lifts his arms so I can grab under his pits. It seems like such a short time ago that I was wondering when he was going to find the moving pieces on his Tri-Angle toy and now he's moving all of them. Several doctors visits ago we had to see a different doctor in the practice and she commented on how smart Nate is. She said that throughout the exam he was looking at her but would check back to make sure I was still there. I told her that Grandma says he's smart all the time and she said something like, "Well, she's a little partial. You know it's true if I'm saying it." I joke that he's got to be smart because he has my genes but I also really attribute it to daycare, observing the older kids. Nate has also realized how to get our attention - by yelling. We call it the Pterodactyl scream. He hasn't taken advantage of it yet but we'll see... He mainly uses it when he's stuck, if he's playing on the floor and tips over into an awkward position, or when he's in his high chair and is ready to get out.
He's doing all kinds of funny things with his mouth. He likes to suck his lip in and then blow it out over and over again. Or he will put his forearm up to his mouth over and over again while he's babbling to change the sound that comes out of his mouth. He also likes to dribble water (or drool) out of his mouth and nibble on my shoulder but I think that has to do with the FOUR teeth that are coming in on top. There are two that are already poking through, one is very close, and the other is just an outline in the gums. On the teeth front, we may be nearing the end of our breastfeeding days. He's drinking less as he begins to eat more so I don't really nurse him all that much (it feels like I pump more than I nurse, but that's actually not true). I'm going to feel things out this weekend and decide what to do. I still enjoy nursing but pumping has just become so cumbersome. But Nate has started running his fingers through my hair when he's nursing and it's so cute! It's really been a difficult decision that I've struggled with for several months now. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends breastfeeding for the first year. My initial goal was six months but once I got there, I started thinking I might make it to the year mark. I'm really taking it a day at a time at this point.
Speaking of hair, he has a lot more of it and it's starting to get long. One day I will post some more pictures here. I feel like I will have more time to do those kinds of things because I was forced to get caught up at work at the end of the semester. Missing the first five weeks had me coming into the year very far behind and I was never able to catch up; I felt like I was just trying to keep my head above water for those first four months. On the appearance front, I have a note to mention that he's looking leaner however this morning I just noticed that his shirt barely buttoned around his belly. He has been eating a ton for the last several days and I think he was having a bit of a growth spurt... in both directions!
He is sounding a lot better, not wheezing or coughing as much, so I think we are going to slowly cut out the breathing treatments and see how he does. That will be such a huge relief for all of us!
I'm excited to be trying some new recipes for him. I have carrots steaming right now and I'm going to try adding a tiny bit of ginger to them. (He's had carrots before, just not with ginger.) I also found a recipe for peas, edamame, and apple that I'm going to throw in the steamer later after we go to Trader Joe's. (He's had peas and apples, but never together and never with edamame.) I bought him some new jars of food, also, and he really liked corn with butternut squash (he's had butternut squash before). We have three other options: potato and spinach, a summer vegetable medley, and apples with plums. I wanted to buy jars of the new foods to test them out before I made a big batch.
I'm also really excited to cook for Dan and me. With all of the sickness and busyness at work, I haven't done anything besides throw prepackaged food from Trader Joe's in the over since maybe early January. I have Monday off and I'm looking forward to prepping a bunch of stuff so that I can cook this week. When a) we move into a house where Nate's room doesn't open to the kitchen or b) Nate starts going to bed later after Daylight Savings, I hope to be able to cook even more. Right now, I'm limited to things that I can prep ahead and then throw in the oven after he's gone to bed or cook in the slow cooker. I've actually found some really good slow cooker recipes!
Alright, well the luxury of writing needs to end so that I can feed Nate and puree his carrots!
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