Dear William: April 2011

Dear William

Every month there is a new milestone that stands out above the rest, this month it was your first and second tooth. Unlike some of your other milestones this one was one that I have been waiting for ................. let’s just say a few months or more. The signs were there 2 weeks prior to the first tooth cutting. You went from only eating foods that were laced with apple or apple juice or mixed with yogurt to refusing everything but VitaBrits. You also added lots of screaming in your sleep with one night screaming so much that we both got up in the middle of the night to give you lots of attention and hugs. The week that the tooth finally cut through was also the same week that my little Mr Independent hung off me like a little monkey (you even had a baboon like bum). Okay you weren’t that bad, but you were defiantly clingy and didn’t like me walking out of your sight and wanted to be at arm’s reach from me. When your 2nd tooth cut everything was far less traumatic, your bottom started going red 1-2 days before and you only wanted VitaBrits for one or two meals (other than breakfast).

This month your Dad celebrated his 40th Birthday. As I busily made perpetrations for the big day I discovered, that while you may have looked like my father and grandfather when you were a newborn you are fast turning into a spitting image of your father. Photos revel that as a baby not only do you share your dad’s facial features you also sure your dad’s stocky build. On the day of the party you had so much fun, being passed around and even when you were clearly very tired you still had a great big smile on your face (6hrs without sleep and having to wake you from two day sleeps; what a star).

We had some issues this year with the house being flooded so this month we have had the plumbers over to fix pipes and to improve drainage. You were very interested in what they were up to, not letting them out of your sight and were very content in watching them for ½hour or more.

While there has been no more real development in your language, you do seem to direct your ‘tat’ to the cat. Your baby bubble brings smiles to our faces and has a melting effect on your Dad’s heart when you’re in your cot bubbling away to your dog (your bubble consists mainly of dadadadada). It has also become louder to say the least, which your Dad says you get from me as I’m far from quiet (which I think is a good thing). When I speak to your Dad or Grandparents on the phone I will always put them on load speaker for them to hear you, but most of the time you just stare at the phone; but by the end of the month you started to grunt at the phone which makes your Gran (Dad’s Mum laugh). And by the end of the month you clap your hands when I start to sing Bar Bar Black Sheep (the only song that gets this reaction).

You have started to wave this month, most times it’s not at the correct times but neither the less it’s very cute. You have two waves, one with the whole hand/arm and the other by closing your fingers/hand. By the end of the month you seam favour the finger/hand wave. Your high fiving is back and most times you will do it on queue. And while all of this is cute I have to say the most exciting motor skill development is that you started to pull yourself up onto your feet this month. It started in your cot, the 2nd time that I came into get you out you had pulled yourself up but too far from the cot rails and had ended up in a ‘r’ shape with the top of your head resting on the rails. You were anything but happy but it looked so funny. With the added strength you’re your legs you are getting better and better at walking while I hang onto your hands or underarms. One particular day you had a little more spring in your step as we walked down the hall chasing the cat. There were so much spring that you found enough energy to walk back up the hall when he tried to get away from you.

Once the first tooth cut through your appetite increased and no longer did I have to lace your food with apple or juice. Not only did this make meal time easier for me but I also stopped worrying about you only eating sweet foods. With your teeth coming through you began to be much happier eating foods that weren’t mash, which has also been a concern of mine. Even so I still have to process your food, especially your meats. This month your new foods included
• Vegemite Sandwich
• Whole Grapes
• Oranges (you did try once before only a little, your know eating a whole orange per sitting)
• Toddler Fruit bars
• Rice biscuits
• Toddler Muesli bars
• Prima – not a food but your able to drink through the straw

Below are some things we got up to this month.
• 9mths – started to smile and laugh when you fart at meal time after I say ‘William, not at the dinner table’
• 40.5 weeks – Up half the night; turns out it was due to your first tooth being on its way.
• 41 weeks – Giggling when your being cheeky and crawling away (normally down the hall)
• 41.5 weeks – Pulled up to yourself up to your feet
• 42 weeks – Became clingy, drunk your first prima, cut your 1st tooth.
• 43 weeks – First 13.5 hours sleep over night (the beginning of 12hrs of sleep each night).
• 43.5 weeks – Waving.
• 44 weeks – First Clap (happened as I was changing your nappy; very cute). Cut your 2nd tooth