Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Baby sign
As of this week Ronan makes the sign for milk unprompted when he wants his morning bottle. His versions of signs are very sweet. For "more" he points one finger at the opposite palm. For "food" (which he just started doing but probably just in imitation of our signing it) he points one finger into his mouth. Every now and then he will point at something in the room too. I think his versions are actually better than the official ASL from the perspective of someone with a little less hand coordination and a predilection towards using his index finger. He is clearly starting to understand more and more too. Language is cool.
Saturday, October 23, 2010
11th monthday!
Ronan is 11 months old! People said the first year would fly by, but that must be in retrospect. There was that blurry early period I can hardly recall except that there was no sleep and constant nursing and too much moving prep (that lasted forever). Then from when Ronan learned to laugh at 3 months until about 9 or 10 months there was a long period of steady but slow change. Sure, being able to grab things was a really big deal. And sitting up, discovering the joy of emptying containers, feeding himself cheerios. Somewhere around 8 months he developed strong opinions. But Ronan kept on being slowly advancing baby Ronan.
In the last month Ro has started to seem more like a boy than an infant. He clearly understands things now, and interacts so much more. Today I watched him pull up to standing two or three times completely on his own. It's like the baby is vanishing before our eyes, and suddenly, finally, time is slipping by faster than I can say "wait".
Features of month Ten
Ro said mama for a few days, then dada, then mostly abandoned both for the first word he says with clear meaning attached: “uh-oh.” He likes to say it first…and then drop something. He says it tonally too -- with rising, then falling pitch (almost the way seat two in a racing canoe calls the side change). Ro also makes two signs – the fist flexing sign that means milk, and his version of “more” (he points one finger at his opposite palm). But it’s not really clear that he understands what they mean yet.
He is obsessed with buttons, to the point that it’s hard to video him anymore because there’s a big red button on the back of the Flip videocamera and he can’t stand to see the device (even the front!) and not get to push it. He’s an equal opportunity button pusher: if it turns on a light or plays a sound that’s cool, but thermostat buttons, car key fob buttons, and buttons for electronic devices powered off are basically as interesting. He had his first encounter with our new Roomba the other day (Ro, meet Roo) and predictably activated and deactivated it continuously.
Finally, just two days ago, he crawled on all fours. He’s been scooting on his butt, spinning and sitting, and even doing this undulating wormy thing to creep across a floor. Now he is starting pulling up on things too. The end of an era.
We have given up on trying to baby proof this place beyond obvious hazards because we will move again so soon (either in 2 weeks or in 6) so soon this will mean much more chasing!
Ro said mama for a few days, then dada, then mostly abandoned both for the first word he says with clear meaning attached: “uh-oh.” He likes to say it first…and then drop something. He says it tonally too -- with rising, then falling pitch (almost the way seat two in a racing canoe calls the side change). Ro also makes two signs – the fist flexing sign that means milk, and his version of “more” (he points one finger at his opposite palm). But it’s not really clear that he understands what they mean yet.
He is obsessed with buttons, to the point that it’s hard to video him anymore because there’s a big red button on the back of the Flip videocamera and he can’t stand to see the device (even the front!) and not get to push it. He’s an equal opportunity button pusher: if it turns on a light or plays a sound that’s cool, but thermostat buttons, car key fob buttons, and buttons for electronic devices powered off are basically as interesting. He had his first encounter with our new Roomba the other day (Ro, meet Roo) and predictably activated and deactivated it continuously.
Finally, just two days ago, he crawled on all fours. He’s been scooting on his butt, spinning and sitting, and even doing this undulating wormy thing to creep across a floor. Now he is starting pulling up on things too. The end of an era.
We have given up on trying to baby proof this place beyond obvious hazards because we will move again so soon (either in 2 weeks or in 6) so soon this will mean much more chasing!
Fall is in full swing and it's been lovely to have family here for most of the month (it made it seem much homier here). It's eerily quiet now, as if it were already winter and getting dark early.
We miss you all, and send many virtual Ronan snuggles your way!
Love,
A+D+R
P.S. Coolest unexpected baby quirk? Ronan deliberately holds still for the snot-sucker bulb. He understands that it helps him when he's stuffy, and remarkably doesn't fight it.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Oh No!
We have to move *again*. I need a "dripping blood" font for that word to really emphasize how that makes us feel. The picture above appears to be Ronan channeling that sentiment, but actually he was trying to play peek-a-boo and missed.
This week he started following instructions in an obvious way for the first time. I asked him to clap and he clapped! We say wave bye-bye and he waves. He also understands "peek-a-boo." In the past he has done some of these things but often only when we do it first, or haphazardly enough I couldn't be really sure what he did and didn't understand. But it's starting to be pretty unambiguous!
The moving thing is because our fancy dancy certified child-safe de-leaded house is actually completely full of exposed lead paint. Oops! Not sure exactly when said move will take place but we are currently investigating options.
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Baby data!
Ever the scientists, D and I have taken to keeping certain records related to Ronan's patterns. For the first three months of his life I logged every nursing (!), ostensibly because it was hard to remember when he last ate and if he might be fussing because he was hungry vs. something else. But after a while this had a lot more to do with the fact that I was in the habit, having started it in the hospital with iBaby or whatever that iphone app was called that allowed us to actually answer the nurses when they came by every so often and asked us when our unnamed baby last ate/slept/peed/pooped.
One consequence of those records is that I can't really forget that Ronan nursed every 2-3 hrs around the clock for a total of 6 HOURS a day for a very long time. Another is that he's going to have the weirdest "baby book" ever.
The sleep records below were started in attempt to understand when Ro was taking his naps which seemed totally chaotic, and when to put him to bed. Two months later we have a much nicer custom data sheet on his bedroom door, he has transitioned fully from three naps to two, he's started going to bed a full hour earlier without getting up earlier, and generally has become a quite regular baby. Except when he's not. (He still fights going to sleep, and he still wakes up 0-5 times a night with 0 being rare.)
One consequence of those records is that I can't really forget that Ronan nursed every 2-3 hrs around the clock for a total of 6 HOURS a day for a very long time. Another is that he's going to have the weirdest "baby book" ever.
The sleep records below were started in attempt to understand when Ro was taking his naps which seemed totally chaotic, and when to put him to bed. Two months later we have a much nicer custom data sheet on his bedroom door, he has transitioned fully from three naps to two, he's started going to bed a full hour earlier without getting up earlier, and generally has become a quite regular baby. Except when he's not. (He still fights going to sleep, and he still wakes up 0-5 times a night with 0 being rare.)
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
His own person
We had a “parent-teacher conference” at Ronan’s daycare last week. We had a general check-in, and then I was curious about what traits they perceive in Ronan. Since he’s the only baby I regularly interact with, I see him develop but I have a less good sense of which parts of what he does are generic “baby” and which parts are his unique developing character. His teacher’s reply?
Ronan is…
Very deliberate
He has a long attention span and will focus on particular toys or activities for quite a while
He seems generally content but he lets you know when he needs something
Happy but also serious
He observes other children intently
I’m probably forgetting some of it because this was an entire sleep-deprived week ago, but basically it made us both laugh. No surprises there – a serious, focused baby, eh? I guess he takes after his parents already. His attention span actually outlasts mine quite a bit these days, though.
But honestly, how funny would it have been if he had been “life of the party” baby? Or “physically super-active” baby. Or “most likely to sing opera as an adult.” They need a yearbook for the infant room.
Ronan is…
Very deliberate
He has a long attention span and will focus on particular toys or activities for quite a while
He seems generally content but he lets you know when he needs something
Happy but also serious
He observes other children intently
I’m probably forgetting some of it because this was an entire sleep-deprived week ago, but basically it made us both laugh. No surprises there – a serious, focused baby, eh? I guess he takes after his parents already. His attention span actually outlasts mine quite a bit these days, though.
But honestly, how funny would it have been if he had been “life of the party” baby? Or “physically super-active” baby. Or “most likely to sing opera as an adult.” They need a yearbook for the infant room.
Monday, September 27, 2010
10th Monthday!
10 months! So much has changed and so little. Ro is working on movement...he's starting to pull up to standing but isn't quite independent in the matter. He scoots backwards and spins in circles and can push forward on his belly on his tippy toes if something really good is at stake.
What's good to a baby? His favorite toys are wooden kitchen spatulas, stacked blocks, an egg shaker, and especially anything with a button. He loves his musical toy cube, my car key fob, and the red button on the flip videocamera. Any of it merits the tippy toe push. He's recorded several vignettes with the video camera facing the inside of his hands. And he set off the car panic button exactly once (because after that he only got to play with a non-active key fob). A Fisher rep. came by to talk the other day about my lab startup and left a couple credit-card sized promotional giveaways with buttons that turn on LED lights. Baby heaven!
Last week Ro started saying "mama" for the first times, and he woke up on his 10 monthday saying "dada." He now uses both pretty indiscriminately but both sounds sweet to our ears. He tries to make funny noises with his fingers in his mouth, and loves it when we do that with ours.
A day in the life:
Ro starts his weekdays with one or the other of his grownups getting ready in the morning, then off to daycare. He hangs out with his infant posse and their three teachers until 3 when one of us picks him up while the other works later. This is a great time for walks, grocery shopping, and toppling towers of stacked blocks unless he only napped once at daycare in which case zzzzzz. We usually trade places around 5:30 and eventually start to make dinner, feed Ro another meal (he loves solid foods of all kinds), and wind down towards bedtime just after 7.
This weekend we had the neighbors over for dinner, went to a daycare picnic, worked a bunch, cleaned the house, and went for a walk along the river. It's impossible to stay caught up with everything that has to happen, so it almost makes it easier to take a few breaks for fun (if that mountain isn't going away anyway...).
There is Ro poised to go for our river wander (the jogging stroller makes even pretty rough trails passable). It turned cold so we bundled him up (practice for winter!).
Two weekends ago some friends from Boston came to stay with their 7 week old baby. Baby B&B!!! It was amazing to see such a young baby and remember all we went through to get here. You've come a long way, Baby! They took a picture of the three of us since Ro's daycare is making a families poster for his room. We've all come a long way.
P.S. Want more pictures? The best of the ones I took this week are on picasa.
Friday, September 24, 2010
A walk in the woods
(Yesterday was Ronan's 10th monthday, so there will be another update soon. In the meantime here are some photos I took a week ago on my walk to and from work.)
I walk to work every day I don't drop off/pick up Ro from daycare, and it's definitely one of the highlights of my days. It's gotten to be a really important time for spacing out, planning, mental conversations, rehearsing talks, etc. and I thought I'd share what of it I can!
It starts at the end of our block with a slightly steep connector trail. Here is a shot looking back at the entrance:
The connector is where I take Ronan for a walk in the evenings when I want something quick. The trail is definitely not stroller friendly between the pitch and the roots, so I just carry him (that's where his sitting log is too).
At the bottom it joins a much wider trail along the water. Here you can see the view down.
I would never find the connector trail (on the return trip) without my landmark: a rock engraved with BBC, and a tree growing out into the river.
The main trail is broad, and peppered with chipmunks! It took me a while to figure out that they weren't chirping birds, but if I hear one call I can almost always find a second one. You could also imagine the sounds of birds and insects to go with these pictures. It's not quiet!
Around this point I often remember that study that showed even a short walk in the woods improves mood (vs. a city stroll), and another that exposure to soil bacteria relieves depression in mice. The sheer beauty and calm (in the chaos of life as a new parent and faculty member) often makes me a little euphoric.
When I get to the campus pond there is a lean-to "japanese tea hut" with a lovely view. You can sort of see the boat-house in this shot (I'm looking forward to taking Ro in a canoe some day).
Along the trail I spend some time being mystified why not everyone flocks here they way they do to CA. The town has nearly everything we need (the rest is a 20 minute drive) and is the local mecca for restaurants and music, although we take in less of both now that the squidlet has arrived. I surmise that either people hate winter (maybe it really is that bad?), or it's because so many people live in cities. If I had to choose a city I'm pretty sure I'd go with one in the West (or the Rockies).
Rounding the pond you can see the building with my lab (on the 4th floor, overlooking the pond).
By this point in the trail I may have worked up plans for my classes (beyond the one day of advance prep I have set to go). I love that I get to think about new topics all the time, be creative, organize concepts and ideas (a favorite activity), and find anecdotes that illustrate them. When a class goes well it’s like the thrill of a fascinating late night conversation. (Except that these days it would have to be a late afternoon conversation because I’m toast by 11, even if I’m up till 1.) And then I can't wait to get home to the other fantastic parts of my life. Less good days are, well, less good. They remind me how exhausting academia is, and heading home to an infant and ever more sleep deprivation is little reprieve.
This morning I'm headed via the botanical garden to my other office. There is a nice surprise growing up today!
Apparently I didn't miss my chance to see naked ladies just because I skipped convocation!
And finally...
I'm at work. My building and office are quite nice, but you can see why they can't compare with the trail to work. (In the last picture you can see my window cushion, open window, and fleece blanket -- the only warm spot in the room on a warm day!
I'm a big fan of "structural solutions" where the things that are good for us but hard to do or find time for are built in requirements that don't require will-power. I can't be tempted to drive because it's faster because we only have one car. My full schedule has excluded far too many things, but this one is safe. At least until first snow.
A house just came on the market in our neighborhood. It's not giant and fancy like most of the houses, but the incredible location still puts the price tag out of reach. It helps me appreciate renting where we do!
I walk to work every day I don't drop off/pick up Ro from daycare, and it's definitely one of the highlights of my days. It's gotten to be a really important time for spacing out, planning, mental conversations, rehearsing talks, etc. and I thought I'd share what of it I can!
It starts at the end of our block with a slightly steep connector trail. Here is a shot looking back at the entrance:
The connector is where I take Ronan for a walk in the evenings when I want something quick. The trail is definitely not stroller friendly between the pitch and the roots, so I just carry him (that's where his sitting log is too).
At the bottom it joins a much wider trail along the water. Here you can see the view down.
I would never find the connector trail (on the return trip) without my landmark: a rock engraved with BBC, and a tree growing out into the river.
The main trail is broad, and peppered with chipmunks! It took me a while to figure out that they weren't chirping birds, but if I hear one call I can almost always find a second one. You could also imagine the sounds of birds and insects to go with these pictures. It's not quiet!
Around this point I often remember that study that showed even a short walk in the woods improves mood (vs. a city stroll), and another that exposure to soil bacteria relieves depression in mice. The sheer beauty and calm (in the chaos of life as a new parent and faculty member) often makes me a little euphoric.
When I get to the campus pond there is a lean-to "japanese tea hut" with a lovely view. You can sort of see the boat-house in this shot (I'm looking forward to taking Ro in a canoe some day).
Along the trail I spend some time being mystified why not everyone flocks here they way they do to CA. The town has nearly everything we need (the rest is a 20 minute drive) and is the local mecca for restaurants and music, although we take in less of both now that the squidlet has arrived. I surmise that either people hate winter (maybe it really is that bad?), or it's because so many people live in cities. If I had to choose a city I'm pretty sure I'd go with one in the West (or the Rockies).
Rounding the pond you can see the building with my lab (on the 4th floor, overlooking the pond).
By this point in the trail I may have worked up plans for my classes (beyond the one day of advance prep I have set to go). I love that I get to think about new topics all the time, be creative, organize concepts and ideas (a favorite activity), and find anecdotes that illustrate them. When a class goes well it’s like the thrill of a fascinating late night conversation. (Except that these days it would have to be a late afternoon conversation because I’m toast by 11, even if I’m up till 1.) And then I can't wait to get home to the other fantastic parts of my life. Less good days are, well, less good. They remind me how exhausting academia is, and heading home to an infant and ever more sleep deprivation is little reprieve.
This morning I'm headed via the botanical garden to my other office. There is a nice surprise growing up today!
Apparently I didn't miss my chance to see naked ladies just because I skipped convocation!
And finally...
I'm at work. My building and office are quite nice, but you can see why they can't compare with the trail to work. (In the last picture you can see my window cushion, open window, and fleece blanket -- the only warm spot in the room on a warm day!
I'm a big fan of "structural solutions" where the things that are good for us but hard to do or find time for are built in requirements that don't require will-power. I can't be tempted to drive because it's faster because we only have one car. My full schedule has excluded far too many things, but this one is safe. At least until first snow.
A house just came on the market in our neighborhood. It's not giant and fancy like most of the houses, but the incredible location still puts the price tag out of reach. It helps me appreciate renting where we do!
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