January 23, 2012
World, meet Raphael
Raphael has started really discovering the world recently, kind of like all that time spent staring at things and crying has coalesced into a sudden epiphany about the nature of reality and the universe. Now the world is a place to be explored, and as he tips over backward trying to reach for something hanging on the wall behind the changing table, I can tell that his relatively limited mobility is starting to become frustrating for him. He is constantly wriggling and kicking and trying to interact with everything, which is so much fun to watch. He is becoming a little person, with his own unique personality, preferences, and ideas about the world!
Six months old, with one tooth
This enthusiasm was very apparent at his six month pediatrician visit, which made it much more satisfying than our last appointment. At Raphael’s four month visit, the pediatrician methodically asked me about some milestones and then tried to get Raphael to demonstrate others. At the time, he was able to hold his head steady while being pulled up to a sitting position by his hands… but refused to do it for the pediatrician. Every time she touched his little hands and pulled up, he would give his body the command to go limp. And all of my protesting that yes HE CAN do that was met with a small, agreeable smile that I’m sure the pediatrician gives to any mother who claims their child can do things that they really can’t.
This appointment, however, he was making up for it. As we waited for the pediatrician to come into the room, I set him up in the tripod sitting position (hands between his legs holding himself up) and gave him a rattle to teethe on. I was stacking the deck a little bit, but I figured we could at least start strong. When she walked into the room, he looked up at her, cooed loudly, squealed, straightened and then started banging his rattle on the table. A few seconds later when I laid him down, he promptly rolled over onto his front, lifted high up on his arms, and looked back at the pediatrician in response to her voice.
“I can see he’s hitting his milestones!” she said. Go, Raphael! Especially for going through the whole list without having to be asked! For the rest of his appointment I made him lay on his back… and he spent the entire time kicking his chubby little legs, swinging his arms, twisting his body, and arching his back to see behind him (he recently discovered there is a whole other part of the world above and behind his head).
Even his (five) vaccines were not enough to dampen his energy at being in such a shiny and colorful place. All it took was a rattle in his face and some funny animal sounds for him to forget all about the fact that he’d just been jabbed with needles multiple times. You’d almost forget that just a few short months ago he was a screaming, crying mess.
So our little guy is blossoming as each day goes by. He’s learned the difference between people he does know and people he doesn’t really know (some stranger anxiety when he’s tired) and for awhile decided that this particular toy was terrifying:
Scary mouse
Luckily, we were able to nip that one in the bud with some extinction training (don’t ask).
As a heads up, my posts might be short for a little while, as I am in the final stretch of finishing my Ph.D. dissertation… but at least there is a lot of baby to enjoy! (see videos below)
And finally, a youtube video a friend of mine shared with me recently that I’ve been watching every few days because I find it so funny:
