Month 4 was awesome. We took the baby to the doctor for his 4 month visit and we asked if it was ok to start him on solid foods. He said we could. Man, did that rock Ryder’s world! Rice cereal, then bananas, pears, peaches – even peas and carrots! Baby loves his food just like we suspected. He talks the whole time and grabs at the spoon to force it faster into his mouth.
We hoped that the introduction of something other than milk into Ryder’s tummy would help him sleep through the night and we even moved him out of our bed and into his own crib. It was amazing! He slept reliably for three weeks from 9pm until 4pm, ate once and then slept until 6:30 or 7am. We were sleeping! Real sleep! We were so happy.
Then, last Saturday, I opened my big mouth to brag about my wonderful sleeping baby to some friends. That night, he woke up every 2 hours to eat. And cry. It has been a week of that now. I am back to wearing ear plugs which is really mean but man, I’m so tired and busy at work that I just need to sleep a little.
Ryder has gone from being a very sweet, good natured boy to a whiny baby that is impossible to make happy. He has about 20 minutes a day where he is smiley and calm (it seems like) and the rest of the time, he is whining. Please, dear G-D, be just a phase!
When Ryder was inside (and oh so quiet, sigh), I thought of him as this quiet, sensitive, sorta introvert. That’s how I pictured him. Boy, was I wrong! He’s definitely going to be a talker. He’s aggressive and expressive. He is so bright! Give him a day with a new challenge and he figures it out. We are so impressed with how far he has come in the last couple of months.
For instance, he’s almost sitting up on his own now. He is so strong! He figured out the rolling over thing in no time. He still hates tummy time but he’s starting to understand that being able to move around has its advantages and it will be soon that he starts being able to scoot himself places. He’s great at using those once useless little hands too. He can pick up object and force them into his little drooling mouth and pass objects between his little drooly fists. He can also grab at my hair (youch!) and nose and he hits his sleeping daddy in the face when he’s ready for him to wake up.
He loves to jump – both in his “office” – the Fisher Price Jumperoo we bought used on Craigslist – and just in general when you’re holding him. His legs are so strong now and we think he will skip crawling and go strait to track and field.
Now that my mom is out of the hospital, she’s back to being able to care for Ryder at the office a little which is so nice. Ryder is a full time job now. He naps three times a day (He’s up now, by the way) and when he’s not napping or eating, he needs constant attention and entertainment.
Strangely, we are considering doing this all over again and trying for a second baby soon. Gus and I are both a little puzzled by this. How can something so complicated and time consuming be so brilliant and addicting at the same time?
Bobblegram 