A Detailed Day in the Life of 8-Month-Old Ben

• wake up (crying out) between 6-7am
• breastfeed (the best one of the day)
• play rolly-polly in Mom and Dad's bed while Mom and Dad doze
• breastfeed, again, because the last one was so good, I want more
• eat cereal with fruit (e.g., today it was rice cereal with prunes)
• play in my exersaucer and "work on a project"
• get a new diaper
• play with Mommy and my toys on the floor
• have a 1-hr nap (starting anywhere between 9:30-11)
• wake up (playing)
• breastfeed
• eat a snack (e.g., today there wasn't one)
• play
• eat lunch (e.g., today it was spinach, "vegetables and chicken" from a Heinz jar, 2 whole wheat premium plus crackers, cut-up pieces of very ripe pear, and some plain Activia yoghurt)
• play in my exersaucer and "work on a project"
• get a new diaper
• play with Mommy and/or my toys on the floor
• have a 1-hr nap (starting anywhere between 1-3pm)
• wake up (playing)
• breastfeed and snack (today it was mozzarella pieces and crackers)
• snuggle and play with Mommy and/or Daddy
• play unhappily while Mommy makes dinner
• eat dinner at the table with Mommy and Daddy (today it was spinach, "vegetables and chicken" from a Heinz jar, hard boiled egg yolk with spinach water, cheerios and banana)
• play on the floor until I get crusty
• at 7pm, go for a walk around the neighbourhood, sometimes stopping at the playground for the swings
• play and splash in the bath
• take vitamin D, brush my teeth
• protest loudly while I'm dressed
• breastfeed to sleep
• wake between 1:30 and 4:30 am for another feed

This schedule only applies when we stay home all day. Usually we're out at least once per day, either at Healthy Beginnings (Tuesdays), hike around Westwood Lake (Wednesdays), Mother Goose/Baby Time (Thursdays), childminding while Mommy is at step class (Fridays), or shopping (weekends).

Porch Photo Catch-up

Ben will soon have his 3/4ths birthday, so we'd better post the porch shots from his third quarter.

I'm 6 months old today.

I'm 7 months old today.

I'm 8 months old today.

Mobility? Not Quite

Yikes, two months since the last posting. Mom nearly gave up on the blog, thinking a) no one really reads it anymore, so why bother, and b) Ben has been having a severe case of attached-at-the-hip syndrome the past two months, whereby Mom not only can't leave the room, but she must sit with or hold him ALL the time. The only reprieves come when Ben is napping or pooping (for which he needs privacy). During those times, inevitably it is laundry or cleaning the kitchen or fixing the next meal or taking a shower that takes priority over computer time. All this complaining and we have only ONE child. Makes us in awe of people with multiples, single Moms, big families, etc. Anyhow, Mom has been wishing lately that she were writing down all of Ben's milestones and quirks so that, like the photos, she could go back and look at the memories. So, regardless of whether others are reading this or not, the blog is worth updating from time-to-time just for us.

Some of Ben's recent fun:

• an eating champion. Loves cheerios, which he's getting better at picking up with his thumb and forefinger. Also likes toast, crackers, yoghurt (which he's not supposed to have for another month or so), and most fruit if it is pureed. He'll also eat pretty much anything else that comes his way.
• a teething champion. He now has six teeth. 4 have come in since Oct 1st. It wasn't a great last couple of weeks for him.
• metamorphosis of his party trick (you gotta hear it to know what I'm talking about). He went from us helping him make the sound, to him making the sound with his hands, to him banging his head on any surface to make the sound, to now just using his entire body to get his voice to simulate the sound. It has also reinforced "ba ba ba" and, as of Thanksgiving Monday, "ma ma ma."
• mobility - not really. He has no real desire just yet to move (i.e., crawl). Perhaps that is because we hold him and move him ourselves. Or perhaps not. In the meantime, it is somewhat nice to put him down in one spot and expect to still find him closeby later. Not that I can leave him...He is *finally* rolling from his stomach to his back, both directions, and he can turn 365 degrees around the floor on his stomach.
• giggle monster. He and Daddy have giggle-fests each evening, which usually involves horsey rides, tickling, and vocal stimulation.

Out of time. More later. And photos too - must catch up on posting the all-important porch shots.

Pearly White

Ben's first swimming adventure. Loves it! July 21st.

Ben and 2nd-cousin-once-removed Chris at lunch in Victoria. July 23rd.

Mom (and Ben) killing time while in the car line-up for the ferry. These backseat mirrors come highly recommended. July 24th.

On the little Mill Bay car ferry, on our way home from Victoria. July 24th.

Out for a hike in the Morell Nature Sanctuary. July 28th.

Mom used to wear this shirt when she was that little. July 28th.

It has been a tough few nights as Ben's first tooth has errupted, and one more is imminent. Just one of many new experiences since the last entry. While he still has yet to figure out how to roll over onto his back from his stomach (a blessing in disguise), he can last about 30 seconds sitting up on his own. He is also much faster at grabbing things, making it difficult now for Dad to hold Ben at the dinner table and be sure to get an unintercepted forkfull of food. This led us to decide to start him on rather liquid solids yesterday, after 5 days of spoon-feeding prep in the form of breastmilk. Grandma Jane is here for a visit for a couple weeks, perhaps permitting a dinner out for *just* Mom and Dad.

Da Da Da

Reading with Mummy. July 16th.

But the book tastes better than it looks. July 16th.

I'm 5 months old today! July 19th.

My backyard neighbours invited me over for a playdate with their Australian grandson, Aiden, who is just 2 weeks older than I am. July 20th.

Go Jays Go!

We should be updating the blog more often now. New skills daily....few days ago it was the consonant "d." Yesterday it was figuring out how to slowly turn head to sip bath water. He is also getting very good at getting his parents to pick him up. Neatest of all to watch lately though is the beginnings of language acquisition. He understands "diaper," "bath," "milk," and "up."

High Chair

This photo does not do justice to how far up I can lift my head now. But it sure shows off my chunky arms :-) July 12th.

Happy highchair. July 13th.

Imitating Daddy eating. July 13th.

Close to discovering the consonant "L". July 13th.

We go out for a walk every evening, just before bed. July 13th.

We now have a third body at the dinner table. Ben has graduated from the bouncy chair to the highchair, where we're sure this setting is just the beginning for many a messy photo over the next year. Perhaps some Pablum will convince Ben that sleeping through the night is indeed possible. Still another month of exclusive breast milk to go though. (Mom does, however, confess that she fed Ben a tiny piece of her apple a few weeks ago).

Summer Travels - Vancouver

After giving Dad a couple weeks of recovery from work, we headed off to Vancouver this past week to visit Auntie Lisl. Despite the Ontario-like summer weather (not too many people on the West Coast have A/C for the 4 days per year that it tends to get above 30oC), we managed to get out a lot. Partly because the car has A/C. Ben's firsts on this trip included sitting in a high chair, 36.4oC, a picnic on the beach in White Rock, watching Mom try out the $8000 carbon fibre cello that was on display at Long and McQuade, a one-sailing wait at Horseshoe Bay, discovery of the consonant "B," and best of all, a HAIRCUT!

A couple Cool Dudes hanging out at Departure Bay ferry terminal, waiting for our ferry to arrive. July 10.

Ben, in the cafeteria on the ferry, gives Daddy a stern talking to about his dietary choices. July 10th.

The ultimate multi-tasker: sleeping, eating, and getting his hair cut. Granville Island, July 11th.


Ben and Daddy hanging out on the floor of Auntie Lisl's steaming condo. July 11th. (See accompanying video on Facebook).

Tasty Toes

Thanks for the fresh diaper, Daddy. June 24th.

This chair, albeit a different colour (orange??) at the time, has been the backdrop for photos of Daddy and Auntie Lisl when they were babies. Photo taken June 25th.

Out to dinner June 28th, in celebration of Daddy's last day of work.

If I keep this practicing up, in a couple of weeks I'll be sitting up on my own. June 29th.

Here I am in my stroller at the park, waiting for Mommy to get me a Canada Day balloon. Auntie Lisl came for a visit last weekend, and we all went out for a walk along the sea wall where we ran into Canada Day celebrations. July 1st.

Mom will put me down on my Floor Jungle mat and 20 mins later, I'll have turned 270 degrees the other way, largely due to my back-arching capabilities. July 4th.

Ben is very much enjoying having Dad at home all the time, now that the school year is over. His new favourite word is "mmm, mmm, mmm." He has found his toes and has managed to get them into his mouth on occassion. He's also beginning to get more and more interested in what it is Mom and Dad are eating or drinking. One more month until solids!

Squidgification

I am 4 months old today! (June 19th)

At Ben's regular 4 month checkup yesterday, the doctor was still able to hear the heart murmur. But the EKG he had a couple months ago now - the interpretable part - showed nothing out of the ordinary. And none of the other tell-tale signs are there, e.g., Ben never quickly gets tired from activity, and he never goes blue or extremely pale. Anyway, if the murmur carries on for another 8 months, an echo-cardiogram may be in his future. That would involve a trip to Vancouver, since the Island is lacking that kind of equipment/expertise. Apart from this common condition, everything else checked out just fine. At 14lbs, 2oz, and a head circumference of 42 cm, he is just below the 50th percentiles. Exactly where he was 2 months ago. Developmentally, Ben is on track. Even in the squidgification department:

Aren't cameras supposed to add pounds? This photo does not do justice to the amount of squidge on Ben's feet. June 19th, 2007.

Roll Over, Roll Over

My babysitter in Victoria - first-cousin-twice-removed Chris (June 6th)

Quality Tummy Time with Daddy on Sunday June 10th

Reaching for Mommy's face, just before bath time on June 12th


I've figured out that I can repeatedly dip my hand in the bath and lick the water off (June 12th)

In the past two weeks, Ben survived a trip to Victoria so that Mom could sit on a thesis defense committee at UVic. And he also sat through his first day-long faculty retreat. He had a few serious things to say at the meeting. (Oh, and yes, Mom is still on Mat Leave....)

Yesterday Ben mastered the skill of rolling over onto his stomach. He also has laughing fits about once per day, and for seemingly random reasons. Though there is one thing that makes him giggle every time, and that is to ask him if he has a "poopie diaper." Mom herself has been giggling about that for days now.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

I'm 3 months old today! (May 19th)

Today is Daddy's birthday. We celebrated by going on a hike around Buttertubs Marsh. Like my hat? (May 26th)

Just last week, I learned how to reach for things and bring them to my mouth. (May 28th)

Reading and touching my favourite book

Every kid has one of these photos. I'm so happy to be out of the bath! (May 31st)

Ben has had quite the developmental past couple of weeks. It seems he picks up something new every other day now. On Monday, he laughed for the first time. He is also considerably more mobile now; not able yet to turn over onto his stomach, but it won't be long since he is quite good at arching his back on his (usually right-) side now. He managed to get his leg stuck dangling out of the crib the other night, having turned 90 degrees from where we'd left him. His favourite word is "ah-goo", and he is a champion gurgler. Ben is also becoming more assertive, and this is most evident when he shreeks (a most unpleasant sound), which he does to let us know that he does not want to be in his car seat when we put him in, or he does not want to stop nursing, or he does not want to be putting all his weight on his legs, or, or, or....

Prodigy

Looks like Ben has picked his instrument already. Photo of Ben playing the toy piano (he actually was banging on the keys!) taken May 12th by our neighbour, Chris Boar (www.chrisboar.com), at his house.

Murmurs

Ben has discovered his hands in both sight and taste. He is just now starting to reach out for faces and toys in front of him, and is right on track for head strength. All of these developmental marks were tested at the pediatrician's office this past Wednesday. He was referred to one because last week the family physician detected a faint heart murmur during his regular 2 month checkup. The pediatrician heard it too, but based on that and absent symptoms, he didn't think it was the kind of murmur that is problematic. Just to be sure, yesterday's adventure was to try an EKG (the painless test where they stick electrodes all over you and you have to lie still - yah, right!) The technician wasn't sure we got an interpretable reading....in fact, Ben's high levles of activity lately are a sign that blood is pumping through his system just fine.

What is that funny-looking thing? And, subsequently, why does it taste so good? (May 8th)

Tummy Time - look how strong my head is! (May 10th)

This is Ben's favourite bouncy chair - talking and smiling at his fishies (May 4th)

10 Weeks Already!

Ben is into double digit weeks now and has changed a lot since the last blog entry, so it is time for some more photos. It has been a busy past couple of weeks for Ben. First plane ride, first trip out of the country, first visit with Great Grandma and Great Grandpa, first sleeps in his crib, first set of vaccines (bluch!), and first 4.5 hours without Mom (who took an afternoon outing on a coal mining tour of Nanaimo). We didn't get photos of every one of these, but certainly some telltale ones:

2 months old today

The four generations (Photo courtesy of Uncle Derek's facebook.com page)

Hmmm, checked luggage? (Photo courtesy of Grandma Jane)

About to embark on a baby bjorn walk with Mommy (there was a wind chill that day).


Smiling at Mommy (taken Apr 29)

We will continue to post the better photos to this blog, but there are many more photos on Mom's facebook.com profile (you must register with facebook to view these photos).

Easter Weekend

Ben's first Easter weekend, spent in Ucluelet with Dad's side of the family. Ideally this photo would have Long Beach as a backdrop, but not surprisingly, it was raining fiercly the whole time so all our photos of Ben are indoor shots.