Finding new things to do with an almost seven month old can be tricky, which is why I'm glad I have a monthly subscription the Today's Parent magazine!
This months magazine had a great article called "How to Play with your Baby". The article finds fun in simplicity. Really, babies don't need hundreds of toys surrounding them, because a large wooden spoon from your kitchen drawer will be much more entertaining to them anyways.
A baby will learn just as much from play and parental interaction as they will from an expensive "learning" toy. A couple suggestions from the article are:
Splish Splash! Supervised messy play time with water! The article suggests spreading a plastic table cloth out on your floor and letting your baby play with various sponges, spoons, cups and water safe toys. It suggests a shallow pan that isn't easily tipped. Maybe not the best suggestion for clean freaks or the busy parent who don't have time to supervise.
Shake, Rattle and Roll! Fill empty clear plastic eater bottles with fun unusual items! Rice, buttons, jello, or soapy water! Just make sure the lids are tightly secured with packing tape to prevent crafty chewers!
Finally, the most fun especially before bath time! High (chair) Art! My suggestion would be to strip your little one down to their diap, feed them their supper and then let them play! Homemade finger paint, play dough, thick pudding or jello -- things that are safe to ingest if they put their fingers in their mouth.
Those are my favorite ideas, which Monster and I shall be trying soon! Click HERE for the whole Today's Parent article!
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Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Oh My Crawling!
Just when I gave up on the idea of Monster starting to crawl....
Ok, I hadn't given up on it ever happening but I had given up on thinking he might hit that milestone earlier then average babies. I don't want to gloat but he's hit most of his milestones early or exactly on time... He is a genius. :)
Today Monster and I were diligently practicing his crawling by lying on the floor playing with his toys on our tummies. My evil mommy plan was to lie facing him with his toys just out of his reach. My plan failed because Monster didn't pay any attention to his toys, he was totally entranced by our pug pet LOLA.
That's when my plan changed. I decided to just put him on his hands and knees and see how'd he do. Well, all our practicing paid off because it worked!!
No, Monster didn't take his first crawling "steps" but he did balance on his hands and knees for a couple minutes! He balanced long enough for me to let go of him, run for the camera, and snap a few pictures of his glory!
Once he lost interest he pushed forward with his legs and ultimately fell onto his tummy again. It's his first step to independence, maybe crawling isn't that far off!
I better get serious about this baby proofing business!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Ok, I hadn't given up on it ever happening but I had given up on thinking he might hit that milestone earlier then average babies. I don't want to gloat but he's hit most of his milestones early or exactly on time... He is a genius. :)
Today Monster and I were diligently practicing his crawling by lying on the floor playing with his toys on our tummies. My evil mommy plan was to lie facing him with his toys just out of his reach. My plan failed because Monster didn't pay any attention to his toys, he was totally entranced by our pug pet LOLA.
That's when my plan changed. I decided to just put him on his hands and knees and see how'd he do. Well, all our practicing paid off because it worked!!
No, Monster didn't take his first crawling "steps" but he did balance on his hands and knees for a couple minutes! He balanced long enough for me to let go of him, run for the camera, and snap a few pictures of his glory!
Once he lost interest he pushed forward with his legs and ultimately fell onto his tummy again. It's his first step to independence, maybe crawling isn't that far off!
I better get serious about this baby proofing business!
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Halloween Fun!
I am ecstatic that Halloween, my favorite holiday, is just around the corner! Add to that the fact that it's Monsters first!
We decided a couple if months ago (yes, I plan that far in advance) that I'd be going as Cruella and Monster would be my Dalmatian but that hasn't stopped us from trying on other costumes!
That is Monster as a Polar Bear! He looks concerned because there is a scary decoration in front of him. Poor little man!
Auntie TG got Monster to model some devil horns!
Finally these are just some awesome glasses our old waitress brought for him at a restaurant.
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We decided a couple if months ago (yes, I plan that far in advance) that I'd be going as Cruella and Monster would be my Dalmatian but that hasn't stopped us from trying on other costumes!
That is Monster as a Polar Bear! He looks concerned because there is a scary decoration in front of him. Poor little man!
Auntie TG got Monster to model some devil horns!
Finally these are just some awesome glasses our old waitress brought for him at a restaurant.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Feeding Schedule
Over the last week we've been trailing a new infant feeding schedule.
Monster has been less and less interested in his bottles during the day so were letting him lead the way in an increase of solids. (Note: I am aware that it is recommended by health care professionals all over North America and likely the whole world that an infants nutritional needs until their first Birthday should be met mainly by breast milk or infant formula and solids should come secondary.)
Monster has been less and less interested in his bottles during the day so were letting him lead the way in an increase of solids. (Note: I am aware that it is recommended by health care professionals all over North America and likely the whole world that an infants nutritional needs until their first Birthday should be met mainly by breast milk or infant formula and solids should come secondary.)
As of today this is his 7 month feeding schedule:
6:30-8am Breakfast Bottle (8oz)
9:30-10:30am Breakfast (Cereal or Yogurt and Fruit 2oz Formula in sippy cup)
12:30-1pm Nap time Bottle (8oz)
3pm Lunch (Fruit and Finger Food Snack, 2nd Formula in sippy cup)
5pm Supper Bottle (8oz)
6:30pm Supper (Veggies, Meat or Table Foods, 2oz Formula in sippy cup)
8-8:30pm Bedtime Bottle (8oz)
Tonight was the first night we had a family meal where all 4 (Uncle Slim was over) of us ate the exact same thing. I made a home made beef stew (so I knew just what was in it and that it wasnt high in sodium, etc) with only veggies Monster has already tried before. I pureed his portion and he gobbled it all up! I think he welcomed the array of new flavors!
It was our first real family meal! I can only look forward to the time when it will always be this way (and feeding my child will be much less work, like say cutting up his portions instead of pureeing it!).
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6:30-8am Breakfast Bottle (8oz)
9:30-10:30am Breakfast (Cereal or Yogurt and Fruit 2oz Formula in sippy cup)
12:30-1pm Nap time Bottle (8oz)
3pm Lunch (Fruit and Finger Food Snack, 2nd Formula in sippy cup)
5pm Supper Bottle (8oz)
6:30pm Supper (Veggies, Meat or Table Foods, 2oz Formula in sippy cup)
8-8:30pm Bedtime Bottle (8oz)
Tonight was the first night we had a family meal where all 4 (Uncle Slim was over) of us ate the exact same thing. I made a home made beef stew (so I knew just what was in it and that it wasnt high in sodium, etc) with only veggies Monster has already tried before. I pureed his portion and he gobbled it all up! I think he welcomed the array of new flavors!
It was our first real family meal! I can only look forward to the time when it will always be this way (and feeding my child will be much less work, like say cutting up his portions instead of pureeing it!).
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
Professional Photo Shoot - 6 Months
Yesterday we got the disc of photos from our September - 6 month photo shoot for Monster. Here are so highlights!
Please check out our photographer Marijanel Knight's website here:
Please check out our photographer Marijanel Knight's website here:
I'd like to point out that I have an incredibly happy, smiley little boy... Except when we're paying to have photos done. The first photo is of my boys! Hubbs and Monster.
An intimate moment between Monster and Mommy
Apparently Monster isn't just a nickname because of his size...
A happy shot! :)
Our happy little family! Hubbs, Monster and I
Thursday, September 23, 2010
Finding the Me in Mommy
Once upon a time there was a girl whose main goal in life was to get married and have a family.
That girl was me. I didn't have ambitions to spend years in school to become a surgeon, or ambitions to travel the world alone, or ambitions to spend all my money on booze at the bar every night.. I wanted to be a wife and mommy.
That sounds very 1950's and I'm sure many women would look down on me for it, but to each there own.
Now that I have everything, and have achieved those goals I have a new dilemma. How do I find the ME in MOMMY? I'm not having an identity crisis, I am very happy devoting my thoughts and time to being the best mommy I can be.
The problem is, who do I become when mommy isn't my number one job anymore? Being a mom will always be my number one priority but I won't always be needed at some point in the future my children will grow up and run off to university or to travel the world, and then what's left for me?
Nope, definitely not a pressing issue now, but something I need to think about.
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That girl was me. I didn't have ambitions to spend years in school to become a surgeon, or ambitions to travel the world alone, or ambitions to spend all my money on booze at the bar every night.. I wanted to be a wife and mommy.
That sounds very 1950's and I'm sure many women would look down on me for it, but to each there own.
Now that I have everything, and have achieved those goals I have a new dilemma. How do I find the ME in MOMMY? I'm not having an identity crisis, I am very happy devoting my thoughts and time to being the best mommy I can be.
The problem is, who do I become when mommy isn't my number one job anymore? Being a mom will always be my number one priority but I won't always be needed at some point in the future my children will grow up and run off to university or to travel the world, and then what's left for me?
Nope, definitely not a pressing issue now, but something I need to think about.
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Tuesday, September 21, 2010
Dear Broccoli,
Dear Broccoli,
You look like a mini tree, and you smell funny! I might have been willing to put you in my mouth to investigate you like I do everything else, but I was horrified by your oddity.
Perhaps I would have been more forgiving had I'd known I would be trying a new food? Perhaps it would have been an easier concept if mommy had pureed you into supreme baby mush?
Maybe I could have tried you if I didn't have an audience of hyenas laughing at my every reaction? Maybe I will eat you a different day strange broccoli. As for today? I can't even look at you!!
Love; Monster.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
You look like a mini tree, and you smell funny! I might have been willing to put you in my mouth to investigate you like I do everything else, but I was horrified by your oddity.
Perhaps I would have been more forgiving had I'd known I would be trying a new food? Perhaps it would have been an easier concept if mommy had pureed you into supreme baby mush?
Maybe I could have tried you if I didn't have an audience of hyenas laughing at my every reaction? Maybe I will eat you a different day strange broccoli. As for today? I can't even look at you!!
Love; Monster.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone
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