Blake - Week 16

I think I have started to enter the 3-4 month "shedding" period. My hair seems to be falling out in handfuls. If I were a normal person I'd be concerned about this, but I'd welcome a little less hair to keep up with. Dealing with the shedding part isn't very fun though since it gets everywhere (although this was pretty much par for the course before getting pregnant). It has been nice to not have as much hair falling out everywhere the past year.


This week, Blake:

• has gained a lot of body control. I use a regular pillow to breastfeed him now (and have for over a month) since the Boppy isn't long enough, and when I set him flat to get set up he rolls toward me, onto his side. He still won't let us put him on his belly for very long without going nuts, but I wish he would so we could see how strong he is.
• has been using his ab muscles quite a bit. When he gets in position to eat from the bottle he'll support himself with his abs a little and if you get him too upright he will make himself fall over forward.
• started showing us a new thing when he's hungry. He'll basically start acting like he's eating from a bottle without having one in his mouth. He'll add a little cough crying in to get our attention too.
• increased his attention span even more on his Gymini. He seems to have a little routine he goes through for the duration. At first he just looks around at the toys and smiles, then he starts reaching slowly for them, then if he gets excited enough will start swinging his arms at them. I haven't seen him just start batting at the toys as soon as he gets on there though.
• found his reflection in the mirror on his swing. He was smiling SO BIG at his reflection the other day but couldn't get a picture of it since he knew I was trying and he's camera shy sometimes. I finally got one while he wasn't looking.
• was getting so close to laughing. I was nursing him and heard the poop sound so I quickly closed up shop and just picked him up but his armpits (instead of the normal one hand on the butt and one under his head) so I could run him over to the changing table and he thought it was the funniest thing ever!
• had another moment where he was super close to laughing (I'm going to just declare it an official laugh) when I was dancing with his arms on the changing table. I just love that big open mouth smile! He really loves people singing to him.
• has been talking in addition to his typical other baby noises. He likes to make a lot of noises on his own and also when we sing to him he will sometimes join in. I like to get my face up to his and talk to him and he moves his mouth while I talk... its a fun mirror game I suppose. =)
• took a trip over to Mimi's condo on Clearwater Beach and hung out with Mimi while Mommy and Daddy took a walk on the beach and had a lunch date for the first time since he was born. He enjoyed all the new things there were to look at and study. He also decided it was a good time to eat his biggest serving of food ever... 10oz! 
• continues to be a drool monster. He goes through a lot of burp cloths these days as we wipe wipe wipe to try and keep his face dry.

Week 16 Pics:

Smiling at his reflection in the mirror on the swing mobile.

Working on his "chill" pose. This is what happens when I leave him alone with Daddy. <3

Focusing for the double arm swing (you can see that ornery look in his eyes... we're going to have our hands full when he gets mobile). First he raises his hands up above his head...

Then BOOM the big follow through which normally gets all the toys swinging.

He has been bringing his feet up a lot more, like he's going to use them to grab onto something with.

"I really want this parrot in my mouth."

Oh look another bright color!

Working on moving his head around while in the Bumbo.

He looks so silly sitting in this seat but its good for making his neck stronger. =)

Blake gets such a kick out of it when I help him stand, he is so proud of himself. His legs are strong enough to hold his weight, I just am there to keep him from wobbling and from falling once he gets too tired to continue.

Of course he stopped smiling once Daddy got the camera.

He is really starting to like story time. I'm not sure if he enjoys looking at the bright colors or if he's trying to figure out how he can get the book in his mouth.

Blake loves when his Mimi sings to him. =)

The gorgeous view of Clearwater Beach from the balcony of Mimi's condo, 12 floors up!

And a video of the panoramic view from the balcony.