Zack's Blog

The Life & Times of Zack · 2012-2015 · 191 posts

2012

64 posts

July 2012

August 2012

September 2012

October 2012

10<p>14 weeks old (September 19)!</p>
10<p>Visiting with Angel and Chun Hua</p> <p>Our babysitter’s daughter, Angel, was visiting from Hong Kong and came over to play with ZBL for awhile :-)</p>
10<p>September 25, 2012: Making moon cakes</p> <p>ZBL and I volunteered in SPL’s classroom this year to make moon cakes as part of the Moon Festival in Chinese tradition. We are fortunate to be friends with a master moon cake maker, Chun Hua, and she helped us out again this year to make delicious cakes.</p>
10<p>15 weeks old: September 25</p> <p>This week we started working on your sleep with a sleep teacher who came over on Sunday and taught us some healthy sleep strategies. So far, it’s been working well with you: you napped the first time on Sunday for 3 hours!??!?! Unprecedented. And it’s also extending your nighttime sleep as well.</p> <p>You started reliably and repeatedly sucking your thumb and index finger this week. I wonder if that will last? You also are lifting your head up when you are in your carseat or lying against a pillow or a boppy. Rolling over here we come!</p> <p>Your eye hand coordination is improving and on Friday September 28 you had fun figuring out how to spin a toy on your exersaucer. Dad was watching you and called us over to see your accomplishment (what else would we have to do on a Friday night?!?! :-) You were so focused and intent on figuring it out. Loved the look on your face!</p> <p>You also are laughing a lot more and in a more vibrant and hearty way. We were over at our friends Sulu and Zahra’s house, and Sam made you laugh and laugh and laugh. Dad has also developed this idea of the kissing camel (thanks for the camel Nan :-). He moves it to your face and then makes a kissing noise and you laugh, especially when you are on the changing table :-). I joined in with an Ernie laugh and that made you laugh more :-). Good times.</p>
25<p>16 weeks old: October 2, 2012</p>
26<p>17 weeks: October 9, 2012</p>
26<p>Happy boy hangin’ in the stroller on his way to big bro’s soccer practice.</p> <p>ZBL enjoys the stroller we borrowed from our friends the Schroepfers: very comfy and can see out – plus has a good canopy when the sun is shining on his face. We are fortunate that the Great White Sharks team practices 5 mins from our house so we can walk over if Z’s not napping. He loves watching the big boys play and visiting with the siblings and parents on the sidelines.</p>
26<p>Walking to Starbucks wearing dad’s old Georgia Tech hat</p>
26<p>4 months old!</p> <p>I picked out a half-zip for this photo shoot b/c it’s a fave of his dad :-)</p> <p>It’s been a big month for ZBL! His major accomplishment was rolling over on October 4th, from tummy to back. Most of his efforts, however, have been focused on using his hands: to get things to his mouth, to move objects, to grab things. It’s been fun watching him realize he can control them and do things with them. I can see the look on his face, the intensity with which he is focused on his goal. He is definitely moving out of the 4th trimester set of needs into a broader and more interesting set.</p> <p>This month I’ve seen him engage with people more. When we drop SPL @ school, the other kids come to say hi and he smiles at them and their parents. Sometimes he’ll even talk with them. When we go to SPL’s various activities too, the parents and other kids often visit with Z and it’s clear he enjoys the interactions.</p> <p>Talking: ZBL likes to talk with people. I see him talk with our babysitter as she replies in Mandarin (side note: I think many of the initial words that babies learn are easier in Mandarin: big brother vs. gēge (pronounced “guh guh”) and big sister vs. jiě jie (prounounced “jeh jeh”) and little sister mei mei (pronounced “may may”) and little brother vs. di di (pronounced “dee dee”). It’ll be interesting to see how his language develops. SPL didn’t get exposed in earnest to Mandarin until he was 3 years old but spoke his first word in English, “hi”, at 10 months.</p> <p>Z is at his most interactive on the changing table. Often we will have lengthy conversations or laughs while he’s getting his diaper changed or right after. His vocalizations have increased dramatically this month and he clearly has something to say when he’s talking to me/John/SPL/our babysitter. His eyebrows will arch and his lips will change shape along with the rest of his face to express emotion along with the sounds. </p> <p>Our biggest effort this month as a family has been towards getting Z on a better day time sleep pattern. For awhile, he was sleeping 4 20 minute naps a day and even this good natured child was Mr. Crankypants by the end of the day. A friend recommended a sleep coach for us and after working with her, Z and I have found better sleep patterns. He now sleeps in his papasan bouncy seat, which elevates his head above his stomach to help relieve any reflux that he’s been suffering (undiagnosed) from. He struggled so much on his back, even with the swaddle, and was much more peaceful in the bouncy chair (it’s not vibrating though – just used for the elevation). The first nap he got after working with the sleep coach was 3 hours?!?!? Unprecedented. His babysitter and even many parents at SPL’s school noticed the difference in his face and skin. He’s like a new kid! Let’s hope it keeps going.</p>

November 2012

December 2012