Notes from the month of December
The Christmas season brings to a wrap our first full year of Orson-having.
Although one is tempted to say "how time flies" it really hasn't.
It just seems shorter when you look back.
Words
Orson's become very much the commentator,
with something to say in almost every situation.
Recognisably,
"ay-ah-dah" seems to mean "I like that" or "I want that". There's
a lot of "d-d-d"ing and now "muh-mah" is definitely "mommee". His
favorite fruit is "nah-nuh", which is banana, grapefruit and mango.
He also sometimes calls cherries and nectarines "nah-nuh" too, but
it's mostly yellow fruit. "Bah" is "bath" and we get subtle hints
with repeated submissions of book images if he feels it's really
time for his bath now.
Mobility
Orson eeked closer and closer to walking this month.
In early January he's walking for longer spells just for the heck of it,
but before now he's been pretty cautious. Not that he hasn't been very
mobile in other ways.
He's mastered climbing onto a number of chairs, including those that
are a little too high for him, so he's had to pull himself up by grabbing
onto chair arms.
Opening and closing doors has also been a way to practise staying
balanced, with Diane's low cupboards in her study and his new baby gate
being his favorites to practice on.
Eating
For Christmas, Orson ate everything. Enough said.
He's also been introduced to his fork but it holds little interest at present.
Behavior
Orson continues to be a real charmer, attracting
older girls in the park. He's very keen on the park now, wanting to
swing on Judy's lap, and slide, and bounce... and watch what everyone
else is doing.
He's been spending a little time with other babies but really isn't
too interested in being near them yet. He's perhaps a little frightened
of them and their unpredictable ways. We gave him a baby doll for
Christmas and his first thoughts were to steal its pacifier, then to
stick his fingers in its eyes (which open and close).
He's becoming even clingier with Judy, if that were possible.
Sometimes only a Mommee-read book will do.
For those following the great sleep improvement saga, he's sleeping
in his sidecar cot when it suits him, and padding across to our bed when
he feels like it. Some day soon we're going to have to re-attach the fourth
side of the crib. I'm imagining it won't be a happy time.
Growth
Sometime in November Orson's other three front molars
came in, bringing him to twelve teeth. He's since pushed through a canine
tooth along the top, with another to follow shortly, and two ominous bulges
on his mouth bottom.
His little self is maturing. His hands are getting really adept and he
can now gently touch things he before would more likely smack at. His feet
are forming nice arches. He's a pretty skinny baby, with ribs showing when
he stretches up just before hopping in the bath.
Background
Judy worked a little just before Christmas and
Orson proved he could nap without her... if he was tired enough. Judy
didn't really help with anything this Christmas except Leckerle, but
everyone coped nicely without her.
Christmas was full of neat food and pretty crinkly paper, but Orson
didn't grab at the tree as we had feared. Judy's parents gave him a big
see-through box for his toys and he's loving taking the lid off and
putting things in and out. |
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