chronicle baby stories

and I can’t believe he’s eleven months already.

SB will be babysat five hours twice a week. He’s eleven months old and eats most solids but only drinks water and breastfeeds. I’m wondering if it will be necessary to send him with milk. And if I send him with milk, what kind? I don’t really want to pump. I tired last week and didn’t pump much. I also froze some and when I thawed it the taste was funky. If thats the case I’ll have to bring it to almost a boil because of some enzyme imbalance. I don’t think it’d be worth the trouble considering I’ll still nurse when I’m home. So do I introduce cow’s milk, rice milk, . . .? This seems to be a hot topic with so many kids developing allergies. SB hasn’t had any allergic reactions to foods including cheese and dairy products but I keep reading about how milk can cause bleeding in his intestines and such. I’m not sure who to take seriously. I’m thinking a couple ounces twice a week wouldn’t be such a big deal. He can go four hours no problem but 5-6 hours he may need more than just water and avocados. This kid burns calories like crazy with all the crawling he does. I don’t want him to wean too much and not have enough nutritious stuff to replace those calories.

was my first day at work and I left SB with a trusted friend. I was only gone for about three hours but I was so worried since this was the first time he’s ever been watched by someone other than Dh and I (or grandma months ago). No worries needed though as he didn’t shed a single tear and had so much fun painting and playing with someone else’s toys. I’m not sure it’s going to go this well every time but it’s good to know SB can adapt pretty easily and his curiosity can keep him so occupied. Thursday will be for five hours with someone not as known but I’m feeling so much better knowing he didn’t cry three hours straight yesterday.

We’ve swung at playgrounds before but today was the first time we really explored one. SB crawled through the tunnel like he’d been doing it all his life. He had so much fun touching, exploring, crawling all over everything, though you wouldn’t know it from the expression on his face as he gets the most serious looks when he’s checking something out. His favorite was the steering wheel.

Sb has been zooming around on his walker. He’s so funny because when he gets stuck he crawls around to the other side and uses it backwards. He walks in tiny steps like he’s had his feet bound. I can’t believe he’s almost walking.

Of course SB’s first sign would be “Milk.” He’s understood it for months but finally tried it out today. Like TEN times. He’s been so shy with waving but out of nowhere he just got the urge and now can’t stop. so cute.

More new skills. SB can now wave, and has been happily throwing balls (and often chases them himself.) He’s using a walker and is constantly attempting to mimic us. The cutest was when he tried to feed me. He’s gotten sneaky and inventive, even using toys to get to prohibited items by standing on them or using them to pull them closer. He also has very strong likes and dislikes. The other day he picked all the bananas off his tray and fed the chicken to the dog. It’s so hard to maintain a straight face anymore when he attempts a known “no thank you” action because he looks right at me with a mischievous look that clearly tells me he’s up to no good. This kid is so freakin silly.

I have a friendship I’ve been nurturing with a fellow mom that I have a lot in common with. The only problem is that her daughter has been bullying my son. She’s 4 and an only child and SB is almost 11 months old. I don’t think she means to be mean but she is constantly taking toys away from him and isn’t very gentle with him. SB isn’t very sturdy and he has fallen over in the past. Yesterday I got really upset when SB was standing against a screen door and her little girl opened it. Out fell poor SB, flat on his tummy. I kept my cool and her mom did address it but very casually and certainly with no follow through. I know the mom wants her daughter to be respectful and nice but I feel like maybe she isn’t sure what approach to take and maybe feels embarrased??

Now the dilemma: I feel like I’m coming to a point where I should say something directly as we’ve had multiple playdates where her daughter has directly been the cause of SB’s crying or falling and though she hasn’t “hurt” him it’s making me very uncomfortable. I brought it up to my DH but he seems to think I should let it be unless something else happens. On the other hand this is really bothering me and I feel if she is a good friend I should be able to talk to her. He says that there is no way to bring it up without questioning her parenting and that could make for a tricky situation. I say I don’t care. I feel I can do my best to be sensitive about it but I feel like I need to “stick up for SB?” Does this sound like I’m being too defensive? I know every parent has a right to parent their own way but if it affects my own child don’t I have a right to say something? And if so what?

For the most part SB now protests being spoon fed and insists on feeding himself. He eats pretty much anything now. Lately though he’s discovered how to feed the dog from his high chair. He drops whatever he no longer wants over the sides and watches the dog feast. I guess it’s better than wasting it but I’ve spent so much time keeping the dog from eating table scraps, between SB and the DH this is no longer possible.

SB has rhythm. I had know idea this came so natural to babies. His favorite thing to dance to are the Gieco caveman commercial. Funny funny stuff. First it was just the hips and booty but now he shakes his head as well.