Weirdling Files: Week 16- Spring Break

By Dad

I got to be home this week because it is Spring Break , so I spent the whole week hanging out with the Cannonball. It was pretty nice. His mom gets up with him for the early morning feeding and changing, and by the time I roll out of bed he's been awake for a while and is ready to eat again.
I like being home in the morning, because that is when he's the most awake and happy. Little boy is full on smiles and wiggles before lunch time. It was cool to be able to play with him a whole bunch. I read to him just about every day, a lot of Where the Sidewalk Ends (thanks Mike and Terra) this week.
Roland is rolling over nearly every time we put him on his back now. He goes right over. Then he hangs out on his stomach for a while. He's even gotten good at getting his arms out from underneath him so he can prop himself up. I think, as a proud dad, that he's already getting really strong. It's impressive. He can hang out on his tummy for a while now, too. I've seen him wiggle his way forward a few inches, and he dances all over the place when he's lying down so he never ends up oriented the same way after a few minutes. It's really gotten to the point where we put him down, turn around, and he's moved. I'm sure this will only get worse. The only problem with the rolling is he's not so keen on coming back from his tummy to his back quite yet. He'll do it, but not as often. So a lot of the time he gets over, then gets tired, then gets stuck, so we let him struggle for a few minutes (because how else will he learn and get strong), and then help him back on to his back. At which point he flips himself right back over, this time hitting frustrated and tired much quicker. It is our new game.
He's very chatty, talking all the time to his mom and I. And to his stuffed bear. And the elephant on his play mat. And his reflection. And the air. We talk back when we hear him, so sometimes there is a little conversation going on. He already knows an awful lot about things. He's not sure if The Daily Show or Top Gear is his favorite show right now. But he's only seen the Christmas episode of Doctor Who, so who knows when that will change.
It was Angela and my three year anniversary this Wednesday. I asked Tracy to watch him for a few hours so we could go out to dinner. Angela didn't want to do dinner and a movie, that was too long for her right now, so we just did dinner. Tracy was more than happy to help out, and volunteered to do it again any time. Which is great, considering the second we handed him off to her he started crying. They say he stopped about fifteen minutes before we got back. He's a little punker sometimes.
I think tomorrow I'm going to take him to his first baseball game. It'll be UH, and I really want his first game to be a Dodger game, but I also want to go see some baseball. So expect baseball pictures unless something happens and he's a grumper. *EDIT* Nope, weather sucks. maybe next weekend we'll get some baseball.
He loves his swing and his blanket. Right now I don't think it is a specific blanket so much as it is blankets. He sits down in the swing and I hand him the blanket and he gets very kicky and excited with big toothless smiles. Then the blanket goes straight into his mouth. So we are there too, with the into the mouth phase. He also likes his B.O.B. stroller. We've taken him out for a few walks now around the area and the only time he fusses is when I stop for too long. Other than that he's a champ. I don't know what he's thinking about while we're walking, but he's thinking hard.

By Mom
This week was fun, having Doug around to play with Roland too. With two parents at home the kid barely had any time to himself. But we have started some experimenting with him. When he wakes up and he's talking to himself but happy and content, we give him a few minutes to himself before rushing to pick him up. I've also started lying him down when he's tired but still awake. Sometimes it works - he'll take his pacifier, hug his blanket to his face, roll on his side, and fall asleep. Other times it doesn't work at all, and we have an angry baby hollering from the bedroom. Past experience has taught us he can holler for a long time, so we try to get it to stop after just a few minutes. If he's fussy and tired while being held then into the swing he goes. He used to HATE the swing, but now he loves it. He can be screaming at us that he's tired, but as soon as he's in the swing with a blanket he can chew on he quiets down and falls asleep. When he wakes up again he is all smiles, and starts kicking and cooing once someone comes into his line of sight, and stares expectantly until he's picked up.

Watching him improve his rolling skills has be fun and impressive. He's also figuring out how to spin around and how to move in a line. While on his back he's found if he arches his back and kicks at the same time he'll scoot a couple of inches. And a couple of times this week we saw him low crawl - he rolled onto his belly, pulled his arms in front of himself, and then pulled his body to be on top of his arms again. Fascinating and worrisome. Is he even big/old enough to start becoming mobile?! If he keeps it up I'll have to start packing our household goods for the mainland early.

Now- PITCHURES!!!