No Teeth Yet

My baby will be 9 months this week and still there is no sign of baby teeth. Compared to my little girls, who got their teeth at about 6 to 7 months, this little guy is late. The doctor assured me that baby teeth teeth can come between 6 months to a year. I will keep waiting.

Non-stop Crawler

Exactly two weeks ago my baby finally learned how to crawl forward. He is now unstoppable. He loves following us all around the house. It is so exciting for him to be mobile. He feels more independent and only wants to be on the floor exploring.

Since my house is too big, I have to be extra careful with him. I have closed off parts of the house for him by using a plastic divider. This way he can only be in an enclosed and safe area close to us.

Crawling Backwards

My baby is sitting up on his own and also trying to crawl. Although he hasn't mastered this yet, it's cute to see him getting on all fours and crawling backwards, not forward yet. He runs into the sofa and other furniture pieces. When he wants to go somewhere, he simply rolls and goes backwards. Can't wait to see if he's going to be a crawler. Some babies just don't master the skill of crawling. So, I'll just have to wait and see.

First Word

The most exciting thing happened today. My baby actually waved bye bye as he said 'aba'. He did this many times so it wasn't a coincidence. I had been teaching him to wave bye bye for a few weeks now and he was able to do it. Today, he surprised us with the actual word. What a great feeling!

Six Months Old

My baby just got his six-months vaccinations. Everything went well at his check up. He is finally able to sit up on his own. He turns on his back and is able to travel across the room by turning on either side. He's also eating solids twice a day.

It's amazing how active he has become. He grabs everything in sight and inevitably ends up in his mouth. I am enjoying every minute I spend with him. Time seems to be flying by.

Baby Play Mat

Today I made a baby-play-mat all by myself. Now that baby can roll over and is beginning to move around more, I thought he needed more room than his tiny, store-bought play mat. So I went to the fabric store and purchased 2 yards of a cute quilted fabric with puppies on it. The other two yards was a simple green color. I also purchased some padding for the middle.

It was simple to make. I just sewed up three sides of the two pieces of fabric with the right side up facing each other. Then I turned the fabric right side up and inserted the padding. Finally I stitched up the last of the sides. And that's it. It is beautiful, comfortable and the baby loves turning over to touch the puppy.

Sign with your Baby

My baby is almost six months old and is very, very active. He can now roll over, and also wants to sit up but is still not able to do it on his own. I have to hold him up or prop him up using a boppy pillow.

He's also beginning to wave bye-bye by closing and opening his hand. He understands when we say 'bye-bye' and tries to wave. It's amazing how much he retains.

I am trying to teach him sign language using the 'Sign with your Baby' program by Dr. Joseph Garcia. A friend of mine let me borrow the DVD and book. The purpose of this is to teach your baby to communicate before he is able to speak. This way it is easier to know what he wants and there are less temper tantrums. Dr. Garcia suggests to start using sign language as early as 6 months, even though they might not be able to act out the hand signs until about 9 months.

I will be posting the outcome of this as time goes by.

Sassy Baby Safe Feeder

This week I started introducing fresh fruit to my baby. I found a safe feeder that makes the whole feeding very safe. It is the Sassy Baby Safe Feeder. I peel pieces of fruit and place one inside the mesh bag of the feeder. Then I lock the feeder handle. The baby holds on the handle and starts sucking on the juices of the fruit. That's it. It eliminates the fear of choking on big pieces. My baby loves it. He has a good time trying out new flavors and I am worry-free about any choking. It is such a great idea.

Boon Squirt - Baby Food Dispensing Spoon

This week I found the most amazing invention ever. It's called the Boon Squirt-Baby Food Dispensing Spoon. Squirt is a baby food dispensing spoon that allows for convenient feeding, one bite at a time. No more messy feedings. The easy-to-fill container holds up to 3 ounces of baby food and attaches firmly to the spoon end. I squeeze the container to dispense just the right amount of food. It is so easy for those of us who travel a lot. We don't need to pack a bowl and a spoon anymore. All you have to do is insert the baby food in the container and attach the spoon. That is it. When baby is ready to eat, just remove the orange spoon cover and start feeding. What a great idea!

My Favorite Baby Quotes

• A new baby is like the beginning of all things, hope, a dream of possibilities. ~ Anonymous

• It is the nature of babies to be in bliss. ~ Deepak Chopra

• What feeling is so nice as a child's hand in yours? So small, so soft and warm, like a kitten huddling in the shelter of your clasp.~ Marjorie Holmes

• A baby is born with a need to be loved - and never outgrows it. ~ Frank A. Clark

• Every baby born into the world is a finer one of the last. ~ Charles Dickens

• There are two lasting bequests we can give our children. One is roots. The other is wings. ~ Hodding Carter, Jr.

• Of all the joys that lighten suffering earth, what joy is welcomed like a newborn child? ~ Dorothy Nolte

• A baby will make love stronger, days shorter, nights longer, bankroll smaller, home happier, clothes shabbier, the past forgotten, and the future worth living for. ~ Anonymous

• A baby changes your dinner party conversation from politics to poops. ~ Maurice Johnston

• People who say they sleep like a baby usually don't have one. ~ Leo J. Burke

• There is only one pretty child in the world, and every mother has it. ~ Chinese Proverb

• Always end the name of your child with a vowel, so that when you yell, the name will carry. ~ Bill Cosby

• Babies are such a nice way to start people. ~ Don Herold