Too big for his bouncy chair

Upon meeting Soren for the first time yesterday, a family friend said, "What an unusually thoughtful baby." Well, the above face might make you think so. But the corresponding smiles reveal a very social personality -- and he gives them away freely.

On another topic, the vibrating bouncy chair is soon to be a relic of Soren's infant past and soon to be passed on to another PT Baby in the cosmic hand-me-round game.

This is how we knew Soren had outgrown the chair!

Yes, the vibrating frame feels good to gum...

Happy Valentine's!

"Aww, Mom, no kissing in public!" Sheesh, it IS Valentine's weekend, I just can't help it.
Thanks to Auntie Nora for mailing us this cute "LoveBug" shirt for the holiday. Alas, it's already so small I don't think he'll be wearing it again.
As you can see, Soren is now sitting up well enough on his own that we feel confident perching him on the edge of the picnic table and stepping away (although hovering close by!).
Love to all from Soren, and check out the video to see our little man in action this past week. Can anyone elucidate us as to why he's champing his mouth the way he is?

A slingin' update from The Roost

A quick status report from The Roost: Soren is feeling all better after his bout with diarrhea last week. He was under the weather for maybe four days. Jeff overlapped this with getting the bad cold that's going around town. I stayed healthy -- I'm attributing it to my mommy-boosted immune system.

But speaking of the boys, Jeff has been wearing Soren in a ring sling -- mostly in the mornings when I'm catching my last shut-eye and he has care of Soren to himself. Don't they make a sweet pair?

We recently purchased an Ergo carrier to supplement our stash of baby carriers, and I appreciate the hip strap that keeps most weight off my shoulders. Soren now weighs 17 pounds, 10 ounces, and that's hefty! The Ergo is supposed to be great for carrying baby on your back after six months of age -- we haven't tried that yet, but I'm getting anxious to.

I am taking a small-group class on "Mindful Parenting" and enjoying the discussions about how to take care of yourself (always a challenge for a new parent) and to be emotionally present for your child. Today we talked about children forming secure attachments with their caregivers, and I am confident we are providing that for Soren, helping him to view the world as a safe, trustworthy place that will soon be his to explore. The only drawback is that the class is that it is held from 4-6 p.m., a really rotten time for a breast-feeding infant who has to be without his mom right before bedtime (currently 7 p.m.). And I have fallen behind on pumping milk and today there was none stockpiled and he wailed with hunger as Jeff tried to soothe him. It was a rough transition for me to return from the feel-good class to a frazzled husband and frantic infant.

We are looking forward to visits from both sets of grandparents this month. Will report on those visits as they occur.

Soren's new favorite "chew toy" is a wooden spoon from the kitchen. The handle is just the right diameter for gumming. No teeth yet! He also has a sippy cup with double handles that he is learning to drink a little water from. To his credit, Jeff did think of giving Soren water this evening when he cried for milk, and it helped a little, he reported.

I'll sign off with this photo that caught a funny expression on Soren's face. You know how babies can make fleeting faces that give you a glimpse of what they will look like when they're older? Note also that his hair is coming in, although it's so white-blond it's hard to see. Isn't he a cutie, though? He makes us laugh. In fact, Jeff likes to get him all giggly and then come wake me up in the mornings with Soren chuckles. Hee, hee!

Tasty toes and torso torsion -- check!

OK, here's the proof that Soren can do what most of us have to practice a lot of yoga to accomplish...
Ah, the flexibility of a five-month-old!
The "sitting up" pictures below were taken on Soren's five-month birthday (Jan. 27), as the official baby book portrait for that month's page. About a week before this milestone, he just "got it." His torso muscles figured out how to make minute adjustments for balance, and that was that. We can sit him down and leave him, and he's quite happy--for at least a few minutes, until he tires. But his stamina for sitting up is growing more and more each day.

Also noted in last month's "accomplishments" were A) going a whole night without a diaper change thanks to Huggies Overnight Diapers, B) starting to enjoy the game "peek-a-boo," C) entertaining himself with his carseat toybar on the floor of the bathroom so that Mom can shower without another adult at home to mind the baby (!), D) getting a drool rash on his chin, and E) going 72 hours without pooping.

Speaking of (E), this past weekend Soren experienced the opposite extreme: diarrhea, which is defined more by frequency than by liquidity in infants. Poor little guy, it was just squirting out of him, and still is, although he's getting better. He doesn't have a fever, nor is he vomiting, and his appetite is if anything increased. We are watching for signs of dehydration, but so far so that seems stable. He's just fussy and tired.

This is the first time he's been "sick," which of course is of concern to his parents, and not much fun for any of us. All this just might be a symptom of teething, so we are watching to see if a tooth erupts. We'll let you know when it does!