Update on the Kids - part 2 - Theo

Somehow, my little man has been around for 10 months now. It's pretty amazing how much he has grown and how much his personality is starting to develop.
Some highlights:

• After months of backing into things, he has learned his own "creative" method of crawling forward. He is now fully mobile and getting into everything, including Sophia's toys. Should be a really interesting next 6 months. 
• He has 1.5 teeth (going on 4!) the bottom left tooth came through earlier this month, with the right one about to break any day now (poor guy). He is handling it like a trooper though. 
• Food - there isn't anything he won't eat. While he's not great at actually feeding himself (he'll pick things up but generally just flings it) he has yet to refuse anything we've offered - from his packets of food through stuff off our plate. Avocado is one his favorites as well as Grandma's applesauce, yogurt, turkey, cheese, sweet potato, scrambled eggs, tzatki sauce and bread. 
• Sounds - he makes lots of Dadada & mamamama and lights up when we come into the room. He also has quite a lot to "say" when he's in the mood. So very cute. 
• Personality - he is coming into such a little personality. He makes eye contact very well and will smile at new people, then duck his head shyly when they start to talk to him. But he just bats those big blue eyes...He also is fully into playing - with his toys or Sophia's. He can sit and play by himself for quite some time. But he makes it known that he's unhappy if we leave him for a few moments to go to another room. At least now, with his mobility, he's able to follow along. 
• He's pulling up on tables & chairs, though not able to get to standing just yet. 
• Anything Sophia does is entertaining - the crazier, the better. He'll just laugh his butt off at her shenanigans...I'm in for it! 

Theo is by far the happiest, snuggliest little guy. He's easy going and still a great sleeper & eater. We're so lucky to get to see his smiling face every day!

Seven Months of Theo

I'm averaging about one post a month of real topic. I actually bought Theo a baby book at the end of the summer and am making an attempt to fill in the really important stuff, but I still find logging most everything here works even better.

Summer has ended which results in us being around Somerville a bit more than usual, though we seem to always be on the move. As Theo is still napping 2x each day (one morning, for about 90 minutes and one afternoon for 2-3 hours) coupled with Sophia's afternoon nap, we have limited get out time on the weekends. Often, we'll divide and conquer between Dave & I with one taking one child out while the other is home cleaning/napping. And I am much more relaxed about Theo missing a morning nap or catching it in the car then I was with Sophia. Ahh, the second child.

Theo is growing leaps and bounds. He is loving his solid foods, eating a whole variety of things. I've also thrown in the towel on making all his food for him. I just don't have the time and frankly, he is getting far better variety with the yummy Happy baby pouches I'm getting. I can't wait for the "Gobble Gobble" pouch at Thanksgiving!

His new acquisition this month was a helmet to help reshape his flat head. Being such a great sleeper, he managed to squish the back of his head flat. So, for the next 4-6 months, he'll be done a dapper, green, animal looking helmet!

I have to say, the transition has been fairly painless. He accommodated to it in no time. Occasionally, I'll hear him play with the velcro on the side at night, but it hasn't affected any of his sleep or growth. And it merely directs his growing head painlessly, rather than the concept of orthodontics (which is all I could relate to) by moving bones already in place. 

We have a great therapist who we see for checkups every 10 days or so. She's confident he'll do great and go from 102% (where he started - think shaped like a football, longer side to side) to around 92% (meaning front to back is longer than side to side.) As of our 1 month check-in, he was at 99%. 

Other excitement - he sits up on his like a champ now. The helmet is great for those occasional times he topples over, though the sound might be a bit more disturbing...

He is also quite comfy standing while holding on to his Zany Zoo and even let his hands go this week briefly. He definitely is not pulling up yet. 

On the crawling front, he is motoring around doing 360's and backing himself into corners. He's definitely working on putting it all together to go forward. It's really great to watch. I'm not sure if Sophia will know what hit her when it does happen! For now, she's happy to help him with Tummy time (whether he wants it or not :) 

For now, the two of them are good buddies, with him laughing at her shenanigans. I'm so screwed when they're teenagers!

Sleep is still good - he goes down like a champ around 7:15p and sleeps (generally) till at least 5:30a. The days he sleeps till 6a are godsends and 6:30a is a dream that happens every week-10days. I really have no complaints though. My little man is getting so big!