A Ray of Hope

I don't want to be overly optimistic...I don't want to jinx myself after all! But I feel like we've made it past a important hurdle in Elijah's development.  All of a sudden something clicked internally and he is able to do so much more and as a result seems so much happier and independent than he was at 9-11 months.

 Here's a few things that I notice he's been doing lately:

- Organizing/moving things -  I first noticed this when he was taking a bath and rather than just splashing with the bath toys, he intentionally lined them all up on the rim of the tub.  He loves to now take any group of things (socks, napkins, etc) that are out and put them all into something they "belong" in such as on a chair or in a box.  I made him this toy from a milk jug so he can practice with these links (major low budget toy!)

 - He also now goes intentionally over to his walker to get around and he can turn it!  This means he now uses it as a mode of transportation, rather than just a game...makes life nice of everyone!

- Exploring.  Lately he's been checking everything and everywhere in a much more thorough and interested way.  

- A lot less clinging!  Wohoo!

- Making sounds such as "da" or "duk" and no more endless and eternal "ehhhhhh"  like he used to make 24/7

-Clapping

- Signing all done without us suggesting it first

- Obeying (more often anyway!)

- Talking into phone-like objects...not just holding them up to his ear/back of head but actually saying something into it

- Mimicking things we do such as blowing on food or making noise through a tube

- Laughing at things that are funny

- Keeping busy on his own

Poor guy has a yeast infection so the dr says he has to air out hahaha!

To sum it up, it's just been so encouraging to see that there IS someone in there after all haha!  He's sweet and fun and ready to learn and play.  Hi Elijah, so nice to meet you at long last!

11 Months

Happy 11 months Elijah!!

This month I can't get over how much he is doing things that kids do, rather than babies.  Like getting his face painted when we went to an apple festival...

 And moving around between furniture...

 Eating off bowls/plates (though he doesn't do it all the time, only when I have the energy to monitor that he's not trying to tip it!)

 Wagon riding

 Cat petting

 And cat attacking...see the progression below

 Marshmallow roasting

 And tickle/snuggling with daddy (Elijah's had a horrible diaper rash so we've been letting him air out a little every day)

New: Starting to be able to turn the walker (by shoving it back and forth until it starts to turn...not sure if it's intentional or just frustration :), spending more and more time standing up and moving between furniture, walking holding onto our legs, walking (though not very well) holding our hands, clapping, eating off plates/bowls, playing games like peek-a-boo, and dropping things in a bucket, banging pots, etc.  Literally just as I was typing this post, for the first time he did the whole pretending to talk on the phone thing!  SO FUN!  (He then followed it up by pretending to talk on the tube of diaper cream, and a washcloth :)  Also new is eating whole pieces of fruit without cutting. including soft pears and even apples!  (I discovered this when we were at a friend's house and he was several bits into eating an apple he found in their kitchen.  He went on to eat the whole thing!)

Personality:  I could be totally wrong on Elijah's long term personality, but what I see peeking through right now is a smiley and happy, but often reserved and somewhat shy boy.  He likes to test the waters and check things out for a good while before joining in a new situation.  He loves to play with other kids but is more of a follower than a leader...he kind of seems right now that he should be a little brother sidekick.  But it could just be the age so only time will tell.

Struggles: Separation anxiety is a huge one right now (cries for a few minutes when we drop him off in the nursery, screams during independent play).  Basically we've been calling him Saran Wrap because of how clingy he is!  He will literally hold on to my leg as I cook or work out!  I really hope we move past this and have been starting blanket time as of today to work on it since independent play (aka independent scream is not getting us anywhere)

Elijah also just seems frustrated lately in his limitations.  As he gets more aware he wants to play and move around like older kids, but he can't walk yet so it confines him in a lot of settings.  He also can't express himself yet (doesn't say a single word or even try to yet!)  So he just is easily frustrated!

One struggle that has improved is nursing and I'm so glad!  Last month it looked like Elijah was going to quit, but after persistence and patience he stuck it out and is nursing 3 or so times out of the 4 nursing times per day.  Sometimes he still refuses, in which case I just offer him water.

Routine: No changes

Loves:  Any and all food (he has not rejected a single food...even pad thai and curry chicken!), playing with other kids, animals, touch and feel books, and dad.