He’s not rolling over yet, but he does flip over into his side and hang out there pretty often. I think this is one way he scooches around his crib when he’s “napping.” We often hear surprisingly loud thumps from his crib, too, which must involve his legs somehow.
His favorite toy, which we give him in lieu of a pacifier, is a black-and-white plastic ring. But the happy face scepter Grammy made for Christmas has absorbed more than its share of drool, too. Great toy, really. And finally:
You know how mattress ads sometimes have allusions to the cloud-like qualities of their products? Well, we can do one better: For Christmas, Grammy Deborah actually made Benji a cloud toy.
In this picture he looks asleep but is really resting his head during tummy time. Although he still hasn’t figured out rolling over, tummy time is going well, and now that he can hold his head up enough to look around, he fusses far less than previously.
Also in the neck-strength department, he’s getting the hang of the jumper seat we recently obtained. He sort of slumps forward in it (balance isn’t a forte at this point) and when he gets tired he leans his head on the straps. But he has started figuring out that straightening his legs has an effect – whoa, those lower appendages may be there for more than just random flailing! Crazy!
We got a little jumper thingy for Benji. He’s ready to start using his legs more and this is a good starting point. After a small construction project and using free weights to confirm it could take Benji’s weight, we tried it for the first time.
Jury’s still out. We did, however, get one true laugh with multiple giggles out of it, so I’d deem it a success.
No new tortures to report, but I write today with the greatest, deepest, most unimaginable sense of betrayal.
Since my last report, I have made inroads on undermining the sanity of my captors, primarily through sleep deprivation; at the same time, I freely confess a growing affection for them. I cannot prevent this natural reaction towards those who, for the last four months, have diligently looked after my every need. However, rest assured: That doesn’t mean I will hesitate when given the opportunity to escape, nor does it mean I shirk my duty of making their lives as difficult as possible. I simply must acknowledge that I receive moderately decent care in this detention center.
Now I lay him down to nap
I pray that he won’t take a crap
But if he goes before he wake
I pray that he won’t make a lake.
Okay, it is not fine poetry or anything, but I have to think of something for the hours a day I spend alone, feeding/rocking/soothing him. Another mom might, say, find a way for peace in the Middle East or think of how to avoid the fiscal cliff while satisfying both Republicans and Democrats. Sadly, I am not that mom and the best I got is bad, grammatically incorrect poetry.
The family that tummies together stays together?
Sure, why not? And let’s toss in some stuffed animals for good measure:
Mix it all together and you get…
A big boy ready to start a tough day of napping, eating, and playing.
Day’s Verse:
“Here is a simple rule of thumb for behavior: Ask yourself what you want people to do for you; then grab the initiative and do it for them!”
Luke 6:31
And I’m not talking about Benji sleeping badly all of a sudden, although that’s a reasonable guess. More on that waking nightmare later.
The Seattle Times has an interesting article about cell phone use while walking. Apparently using cell phones, and especially texting, while walking presents a serious risk:
Researchers, observing pedestrians in Seattle, found that nearly one in three people crossing the street at high-risk intersections was distracted by use of a mobile device.