Developmental Updates

I have to get some new pictures up - this one's old, but it's still one of my favorites!

I can't believe how much he's changing, and so fast! It's so funny how it happens, too - it's like overnight he develops two or three new skills, and then for another few days or weeks, nothing. And just when I start to get worried that he's not "on track", he surprises me with a sudden surge of development! I think it's wonderful how babies develop all on their own time, instead of following a book. AJ is always telling me that the baby hasn't read the book, so it's not fair to hold him to it!

And Jeremiah's doing so good with everything!! He hold his head up like a champ, and during tummy time he can support his upper body weight on his arms for a good two minutes (probably longer if he didn't get bored!).

Yesterday I went to dinner with my husband. He had Jeremiah sitting on the table, kind of leaning back against him, and I just noticed how big my kid is getting! Not physically big (which he is!), but growing-up big. He was just sitting there, all on his own - okay, leaning on AJ and all squished down around the middle, but still! - looking around at everything. He was babbling, and moving his hands around, and just entertaining himself. When he caught sight of me, he smiled. He could bring his hands up to his mouth and gum at them. He really is growing up!!

I think back to when he was little (you know, a whole eight weeks ago when he was born), and all of his movements were reflexive. It's a big deal that he's able to choose to move his own arms now, and not only that, but his coordination has gotten better, so instead of hitting himself repeatedly upside the head (like he was doing last week - so cute!), he's able to actually find his mouth with them. And he's almost sitting with support - he's so, so, so close - I guess you could say he is sitting with support, he's just not very good at it yet!

His communication has gotten so much better, too. He coos and grunts, and the other day he actually said a consonant sound ("MMmma"), which was amazing! Okay, I know it was by accident, but still! He also has this fake cry now when he wants to be picked up. Nothing in the world is wrong with him - he just knows what he wants and knows how to communicate it so that he'll get it! Mommy thinks it's cute and isn't swayed in the least - Daddy, on the other hand, just hears crying and thinks it's an emergency. Jeremiah has you right where he wants you, AJ! :-)

I also love how he's anticipating certain actions now. When we lay down at night, he knows it's time for bed, and goes to sleep. When we get up in the morning, we always go to the living room and put on some kid music and he just lays there completely naked (he LOVES it!!), and then once I've let the dogs out and made coffee and all of that, I come back and give him a baby massage. The other day when I was laying out the waterproof pad on the floor, he started to get so excited! He was smiling and almost shaking, he was so happy, because he knew what was coming. I love that he's putting all of that together in his little brain.

One last thing - an update on his smiles. I figured out why everyone else got so many more smiles than I did. It was because I always scared him when he smiled at me! I'd get so excited that I'd overreact, and squeal or cry or hug him or something. So I've worked really hard not to do those things, and wouldn't you know, he smiles at me all the time now!! Don't tell him this, but it still makes my heart skip a beat or two. I never knew I could be so happy, or feel so much!