How I Love Thee Ball

Ball
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

This is Nathaniel's absolute favorite toy right now. We actually had to replace it already, when Doug and I popped his other ball batting it around the living room (our first lesson in why you don't play around with the kid's toys). He was elated when ball made its reappearance and even happier that the weather was warm enough to go and play with it in the garden.
Among Nathaniel's other favorite toys and objects right now-a maraca, a large empty coke bottle, his stuffed puma from the zoo, the recycling can, the string to the light in the bathroom, the blocks with spinners on them, and his peek-a-boo book. He is still steadfastedly refusing to play on his stomach, and is actually attempting to learn how to move while on his back. He sort of contorts his body, half rolls, and swings his legs around till he can get to the toy he wants. But what he does want to do all the time is stand up. Now when he is sitting down he starts whimpering and throwing his arms up to me and give me this pleading look. Then he pulls himself up on my hands and makes these very pleased chortling and raspberry noises.

No More Male Pattern Baldness

No More Male Pattern Baldness
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Yes Nathaniel is finally growing some hair. Within a week or so of making it home Nathaniel managed to rub off all of the hair on the back of his head. He was on his back all the time (sleeping, eating, playing) and he liked to move his head back and forth as he fell asleep. But in the past month he has finally started to sprout some new hair. The top is thicker, the sides a little longer, and finally, that big bald patch in the back is almost gone.

New Sleeping Style

New Sleeping Style
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Nathaniel is way more active in his crib now. We finally stopped even attempting to swaddle him (it just seemed to make him mad and he so easily got out it didn't really stop him itching his eczema anyway.) Now when we go to pick him up in the mornings, half the time he has ended up turning 180 degrees. He likes to dangle his legs through the slats and turn and and push himself that way. He has actually fallen asleep with his legs still stuck through the crib.

The Most Destructive Animal

The Most Destructive Animal
Originally uploaded by dyrlac.

After a pretty awful month or so, I've had a reasonably relaxed week (not to last for long though). Last weekend, the three of us braved the rain to take Nat's first trip to the zoo. I could only feel sorry for the mostly tropical animals who were stuck in a typical English "spring". On the other hand, there are fewer poachers in Regent's Park. All in all, a wash.

Anyway, one of the features of the primates section is an open cage captioned "the most destructive animal", which is of course mankind. Or in this case, Nathaniel Smith. Note the hoodie that he's wearing. With that outfit, he is certainly not welcome in Bluewater Centre.

Snacks

Snacks
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Now that he has added solid foods to his diet, Nathaniel is looking to start with something called the snack. Doug learned this the hard way when he laid out on the floor with Nathaniel to watch some footie highlights and feast on string cheese and pistachios. It was only when Nathaniel started flinging himself headfirst at the nut bowl did Doug realize that if you are eating in front of our child you better be prepared to share. So he set up Nathaniel with his own bowl of grated cheddar and the two were happy as clams.

Cheerios

Cheerios
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Ahh a very special time in every boy's life-the day he eats his first Cheerio. My health visitor has been riding me to get more texture in this boy's diet. So he's moved onto whole pasta shapes (very small and overcooked), Cheerios, grated cheese, and toast. Attempts to eat a peach led to disaster ... the slippery little fruit proved to difficult to get in his grasp.
Adding solids has meant we have watched his transformation into a fully functioning human able to start benefiting from that wonder tool, the opposable thumb. When we first put the Cheerios on his tray, Nathaniel would sort of throw his whole hand on the tray and try and smooth things into his hands or fingers. Then three days later he brought out the pincer grip. Since then he has mastered many other complicated handwork moves, such as bringing an item in the pincer grip directly to the mouth and not the chin, and releasing items once they have reached the mouth rather than attempting to chew on both fingers and food item at the same time.

In the Park

In the Park
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Granny is in town visiting and we all went to Holland Park this weekend- a first time for all of us. We enjoyed the wildflowers and the Kyoto Garden and Nathaniel saw his first waterfall and squirrel. Doug is trying to train him to hold on so he can ride on his shoulders. So far Nathaniel has only seemed interested in eating his hair.

You Talking to Me?

You Talking to Me?
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Nathaniel is actually a skinny long child. I don't know whose genes he's getting, but that certainly isn't my body type. He's still pretty up there in height, but he only gained about 7 ounces last month. The health visitor blamed breastfeeding and said I had to put more solid food into him. After several attempts and some days of misery I have learned cutting out Nathaniel's midmorning feed does not make him eat any more food and makes him a very unhappy boy. So he is now happily eating three full meals and nursing four times a day. And sleeping through the night. So I say his feeding schedule is fine. Besides one of my NCT friends went to the health visitor who blamed her son's slow weight gain on not breastfeeding enough. It's all a plan to make moms feel guilty no matter what we're doing.

Practice Practice

Practice Practice
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Yes this boy is going to walk before anything else.

Swinger

Swinger
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

While Daddy was away at workville, Nathaniel and I went on a bunch of outings to stay entertained. I took him to a kid's part in London, where he saw his first live goose, duck, rabbit, and goat. He also has his first swing. The swing was a bit big for him but he seemed to like it. Plus there was a three year old little girl swinging next to us and Nathaniel enjoyed watching her almost as much as being in the swing himself.

Daddy Time

Daddy Time
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Ahh the lawyers life. Last week Doug billed 103 hours. He left the house at 7 a.m. Tuesday morning and didn't walk back through the door until 7 p.m. Thursday. I don't think he actually saw Nathaniel awake the entire week. So this weekend the two boys got to enjoy some short sleeves weather and each other.

Happy Happy Joy Joy

Happy Happy Joy Joy
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Nathaniel now has two bottom teeth that are almost fully in. We named them Ethelred and Canut. Teething wasn't as bad as it could have been. It didn't really keep him awake at night. It just made him really cranky during the day. The top ones are slowly working themselves down but haven't made an appearance yet.
We're starting to try some finger foods now that he's got some chompers. He is hesitant so far. He has gummed up some rice cakes and shredded cheese.
Now that he's seven months old he does more and more every day. His favorite toys are balls. He loves this large inflatable ball that he wraps his arms around and puts his mouth on and makes sounds into. He loves to yell. He lets out these long loud yells of identity. They are baby speak for "I am Nathaniel. Hear me roar." He has started making b sounds. In the morning in his crib he makes these b-sounding words, like buh and buf. When he cries he makes a distinctly maaaa sound. He grabs hair and sometimes holds on when you carry him around. He worships the cats. When Max walks into the room Nathaniel's whole face lights up and he starts cackling.

Can I Crawl Like This?

Can I Crawl Like This?
Originally uploaded by deirdred75.

Nathaniel is a great sitter. We've moved his once beloved arch mat to the outdated toys closet and instead he spends most of his day sitting up. He doesn't need any propping anymore, but that means that when he does lunge for something and fall over, there's less cushioning around to catch him. I usually set him up with a ring of toys around him so he can pick up and discard things at will.

As for crawling, he's not that interested yet. I kept wanting him to roll over for months, and he has learned that lesson well. Whenever I put him on his belly, he'll spend two minutes admiring the carpet then promptly roll right onto his back. I think he's going to end up crawling from a sitting position. When sitting he can do a nearly 360 degree lunge pivot, keeping his butt on the floor but then throwing his upper body in the direction of whatever he wants. He has actually thrown himself flat on his belly several times from this position. Eventually he'll figure out that he can move from there.