Motor mouth

This baby talks about a mile a minute. It is so fun to see how he imitates the way we talk. One day I am going to make a video of it because it is so hilarious. While Gus's verbal skills are off the charts, he is still refusing to do what babies his age are suppose to do. Specifically, he won't roll over. One excuse is he is a product of the anti-SIDS generation. While I give Gus plenty of tummy time, he doesn't spend as much time as I did on my tummy because he sleeps on his back. The books say that it is easier to roll tummy to back then back to tummy. Gus just doesn't roll. The reason I think he won't do it is out of pure laziness. Why roll when his mom will do it for him? Especially if he screams loud enough. Besides, he likes being on his back.

I also encourage Gus to sit. The way babies learn to sit (or as I have read) is by sitting with legs apart and putting his hands in front of him in a sort-of tripod stance. This would of course require Gus to pay attention to sitting rather than going after his toys. As he nose dives for the toy, he face plants and that is the end of the "learning how to sit" lesson!

Let's talk about what Gus excels at. . .eating. And, he is not picky. Remember the Life cereal commercials with Mikey? "Give it to Mikey. He eats anything". That is how Gus is. He will eat anything from bland rice cereal to sweet peaches to gnarly looking green beans. And I can't shovel it in fast enough. He grunts and moans as he waits for his next bite. The grunting is funny. The moaning and whining is the start of a bad habit!

Another good thing is Gus is completely weaned off the burrito wrap when he sleeps. No more mommy worrying about her son turning over in his swaddle wrap and smothering himself. I love to sneak in and watch him sleep. He is so peaceful and sweet. I am still working on his nursery, but by the next post, I will have a picture ready.

We miss our Amy-bean. We miss our friends. But good news! We are coming back for a visit the last week of July. Please let me now if you want to hang out with us! We're coming home, baby.

Aunt Legume's Guest Blog

I arrived on Saturday. I could not wait to see my little man GUS! He turns 5 months tomorrow!

The mission of my trip was to get GUS to nap and poop! He did nap 2 out of the 4 days (I call that success!) Then he finally pooped today after 4 day!!! When Gus poops he looks like a cartoon character! He bears down and then his CHIN and CHEEKS become red, then his forehead becomes red and then his WHOLE HEAD IS RED!!! WOW! SCARY! THEN THE EXPLOSION ALL OVER!

I understand why he didn't poop! My visit was very exciting! We went shopping, hiking, swimming, AND even on a train ride! We spent so much quality time! I can't wait to return in a month or two with Uncle Bri Bri!

Love Aunt Aim - go phillies!

Goodnight Mr Ugg Ugg

As you may already know, Gus hates to sleep. Once he falls asleep at night, he will typically sleep 11-13 hours. One trick to get him to sleep is wrapping him in his swaddle. Last week, I was reading some girl's blog about having a baby Gus's age who still sleeps in her wrap. Then she planted a horrid idea in my head. "What if the baby turns over and suffocated because she can't turn back over?!" After that, I can't place him in a wrap at night anymore. I don't want my baby to turn over and suffocate! Geez I've turned into a neurotic mother. I've had to come up with new routines so that he doesn't cry himself to sleep as much (less than 30 minutes of crying is good).

Around 6 or 6:30, I'll read some books to him in the rocking chair. Then I take him to his room and we say good night to EVERYTHING in his room. "Goodnight hat rack" "Good night changing table" "Good night air conditioner" "Good night pictures". You get the gist. "Good night Mr. Ugg Ugg". Mr. Ugg Ugg is his favorite stuffed animal that Mary Ann gave him.

After we say good night to everything, I put him in his crib and we say good night to all the animals on his mobile. Now, I don't know if I just bore the heck out of the poor kid, or if he understand that now it is his turn to go night night, but it works. At least it works thus far!