Smiling in the Morning

Baby CP usually wakes up in a good mood...

Swinging in the Park

Baby CP arrived back from Tahoe with his first cold - nothing serious, just a bit of a runny noise and general malaise. Even still, he wanted to go to the park and swing with his nanny. Tired little trooper.

Adventures in Tahoe

Baby CP enjoyed his first Christmas in South Lake Tahoe with one of his lady friends. They had fun chasing each other around...well, Baby CP only crawls so it was mostly one-way chasing.

Baby CP got a bit dry though over the weekend because of the dry mountain climate. We've been moisturizing vigorously ever since our return.

Thanksgiving Means Holiday Jumping Time

Baby CP spent Thanksgiving with his grandparents at his Uncle and Aunt's house, along with his cousin. He was extra jumpy, probably because he wasn't sleepy from eating any turkey.

Sideways-Big-Toe-Balance

Baby CP has now perfected a sideways balance using his big-toe as part of a tripod position. It's reminiscent of a drunken kungfu move. Here is a video of his early training days...

Longer Video of Baby CP Eating Avocado

Getting Better at Falling Asleep

Last week, we were lazy about the whole sleep training thing because mommy was tired and daddy was preparing for final projects, though I worried that the inconsistency would confuse Baby CP and cause us to have to start all over again.  Luckily, that didn't happen and on the past three nights, Baby CP cried for only about 1 minute before falling asleep.  (I just walked into the room to fix his blankets and woke him up by accident, but instead of taking him out of his crib, I let him cry and he fell back asleep after about 2 minutes.)  Unfortunately, this doesn't mean he's been waking up any less at night.  Eventually, we will have to wean him from his night feedings, but I think he has seemed genuinely hungry the past few nights.  We are hoping that after he learns to swallow his solids, he'll get less hungry at night...my fingers are crossed. 

6 Months Old

Baby CP is now 6 months old. He weighs in at 19 lbs 3 oz and measures 27 inches tall.  A few days after his first tooth came in, the neighboring tooth also sprouted.

He enjoyed his first Thanksgiving down at Cousin BY's house.

While at Cousin BY's house, I felt like Baby CP needed a helmet. He would try to reach up and over and then his body would sort of flip over and his head would hurtle towards the floor quickly. We had to keep catching him. That only lasted a little while thankfully because a few days later, he learned to balance on his side by exerting pressure through his big toe. Now he lounges around in such fashion regularly. 

 

Baby CP can drag himself into any direction and can move a few feet on the ground if he feels like it.  He can also get his knees under his hips sometimes and can put weight on his arms...the pieces are all there for crawling.  He just needs to put them all together.

We tried to feed him solids for the first time three days ago...mushy avocados mixed with milk. He might have swallowed a little bit on the first day, but after that it was just pretty messy without much progress. I think I'm going to try something sweet like apples next.

Today we took a walk at Chrissy Field...Baby CP got fussy in the stroller and when carried, insisted on staring at the ground the whole time even though there were interesting things to see like birds, doggies and water. Oh well...we think he either liked the crunchy sound of the sand and rocks or he wanted to walk on it himself. Then we stopped by the farmer's market at Fort Mason.

OMG

Mr. CP put Baby CP down tonight...2-3 minutes of crying (more like whining) tops. UNFAIR! I guess it just means that Baby CP loves mommy best and can't bear to have her leave him alone...

Still Sleep Training

It's been another 5 nights of sleep training...Baby CP still needs to cry for about 7-8 minutes before falling asleep at bedtime.  When he wakes up for his middle of the night feeding, he can sometimes fall back asleep on his own in his crib with the seahorse after about 3 minutes (though once it took more like 15 min).  I was really hoping there would be more progress within a week, but I guess we'll keep trying for at least another week.

Today was the first time I had to put him down for a daytime nap, which I already knew would be harder because of the light.  Somehow, the nanny is able to get him to sleep in his crib during the week without crying.  Other times, we used to rely on things like planning walks with his stroller or the ergo or holding him at naptime.  I will have to have Mr. CP learn the nanny's secrets because Baby CP clearly will not let mommy leave him in his crib without sad eyes, outreaching arms asking to be taken out and eventual crying and screaming.  Today when I went into the room to turn on the seahorse music again he got even louder and angrier, so I ended up turning on our Logitech Squeezebox which plays lullabies through Pandora.

He just fell asleep...it took 6 minutes of whining and another 18 minutes of crying and screaming to get there...sigh...

25 Weeks Old

Today, Baby CP is 25 weeks old.  I had just spoken to Grandpa CP on Sunday and told him that no teeth had yet erupted only to find a bottom front tooth had poked through on Monday morning!  I felt it by sticking my finger in his mouth but it was hard to get a good look, because Baby CP will stick his tongue out if you put things in his mouth.  Mr. CP had the camera ready though and this distracted Baby CP long enough to get a shot, albeit a blurry one.  It looks like the second bottom front tooth will be coming in within the next couple days.  No wonder he's been EXTRA drooly the past few days.

I know it's impossible to see in this photo, but trust me, it's there (his bottom front left)

Ever since Baby CP was little, he's basically been nursed to sleep except when he went through a few short phases where other things would work:  pacifier, holding him, and singing to him.  He will fall asleep in the carseat and the ergo, but that's not something you want to be relying on regularly.  Also, since Baby CP hit 4 months old, he started waking up twice a night instead of once, which is tough to deal with now that I've gone back to work.  So, I decided that Mr. CP should sleep train him come mid-December. 

Despite those plans, Mr. CP decided that two nights ago at 5am was the right time to start training with a little cry it out.  I was not mentally prepared, and we didn't do it "by the book" as Baby CP was in our bed at the time.  Mr. CP wouldn't let me shush him or pat him or anything!  But since he was in our bed, at least he knew we were there and had not totally abandoned him.  I felt bad because Baby CP looked so sad.  He was crying and would reach for me and tried to touch my face and would roll over to me, but after about 15 minutes, he seemed to have tired himself out and fell asleep.

Last night, I put him in his crib and turned on the musical seahorse.  Baby CP cried for about 7 or 8 minutes and then got quiet.  I peeked in through a little crack that I left in the doorway and saw him watching the belly of the growing seahorse (though he did look sad) and when the light faded, he closed his eyes and fell asleep.

Poor guy doesn't look comfortable here.

In order to stay consistent, I placed Baby CP in his crib again tonight and turned on the seahorse.  He cried for about 6 or 7 minutes, then it got quiet and when I peeked in, he was asleep.

He rolled around a bit more tonight and ended up at the foot of his crib.

Although it took about the same amount of time for him to fall asleep two nights in a row, I think it's working.  I'm grateful that he isn't one of those babies that carries on for hours and I suspect that the fact that the nanny has been able to get him take his naps during the day have eased him into sleeping without me around to feed him.  I hope within a couple more nights, Baby CP can learn to fall asleep on his own so that the tears will be worth it.

5 Months Old

Today Baby CP got his second round of vaccines - 3 shots....I was expecting the worst since he cries much louder nowadays, but he really surprised me.  He didn't make a peep during the first shot though he whimpered a little afterwards.  He did start crying for the second and third, but not too loud and he stopped once the band-aids were put on.  He fell asleep on the way home like last time...I wonder how much discomfort he'll feel later.  Last time he was a bit needy for 2 days.

Baby CP weighed in at 18 lbs 3 oz and measured 26.5 inches.  A couple weeks ago, when we weighed him at home, he was over 19lbs, so there must be some scale inconsistency and maybe he's been more active yet eating less - the Baby CP diet.  The doctor tells us that he's in the 70s as far as percentiles go and that Baby CP seems to be doing very well developmentally from the few minutes that the doctor spent with him.  He said baby CP is a very active guy and that active babies are more likely to be lean and have lower risk of heart disease when they grow up, but the cons are that they tend to get into trouble and nurse injuries more often...haha.  We gotta keep an eye on this little guy!

This week Baby CP  will officially started hanging out with his new nanny.  She starts today so that mommy can show her the ropes before returning to work.  It's good to get him acquainted with his caretakers around now before the separation anxiety phase starts at around the 7th or 8th month mark.

22 Weeks Old - The Big Apple!

Baby CP is in NY!  Mommy was a little nervous about Baby CP's first flight, a red-eye (as I am sure our neighbors were as Baby CP cried for a few minutes before takeoff), but luckily after eating a couple ounces, Baby CP passed out and slept for almost the entire flight.  He woke up an hour before landing to poop, but even then was quiet and smiling at people seated nearby.  People commented on what a good baby he was as they were leaving the plane.  I'm hoping for a similar act on the way back to SF on Sunday, but the travel times are a little different, so I might not be so lucky.

Baby CP at Bouchon Bakery at Rockefeller Center

Mommy enjoyed yummy ramen at Menchanko Tei with Aunties L, K and J and then a delicious chocolate tart at Bouchon Bakery with Auntie J and Auntie E.  (Ah, how I miss the delicacies of NYC!) Baby CP was well-behaved all day.  Afterwards, Baby CP had a laugh-fest with Winnie.

21 Weeks Old - Happy Halloween!

Crabby baby refused to smile.  =(

Trick or treat!

Baby CP will board his first flight tonight to make his debut in the Big Apple.  Wish us luck...

Cousin BY

They were the same weight at birth...Will cousin BY be as big and tall by 4 months old?  It's a race!  I like how it looks like Baby CP is reaching out to Cousin BY in the photo.  In reality, I was holding him down so he wouldn't roll over the little guy.

19 Weeks Old

The crankiness of month 4 continues...I don't think it's teething so much as it is his new super awareness.  This makes him tired faster.  It also means that he sees things that he can't get to on his own, so he gets frustrated.  He has come up with a method of "crawling" that is slow, but if he is left unattended could be dangerous.  I will try to capture a video of it soon, but basically his legs go crazy and can go under his hips and his butt can go up in the air, then he wiggles while his face remains on his hands or on the bed so he kind of scoots himself a few inches at a time.

I'm not sure what he is up to here, but it appears he may be trying to escape his changing mat. 

More clowning around with his seahorse buddy

Oh look - he DID escape!

I almost had a heart attack when I walked back into the room and his head was on the floor, but then I realized he didn't bang his head.  He had slowly moved his upper body out of the mat and rested his head on the floor (at least I think, because I didn't hear a bump and he was in a perfectly fine mood) then as I walked in, brought his legs out using his abdominal muscles.



This week, Baby CP likes to touch everything.  He seems to be very interested in texture.  The mirror, the kitchen countertop, metal, sheets, upholstery materials, the list goes on and on.  He's pulled the camera and lamp off of the desk too.

Baby CP also figured out how to prop himself up with his arms while sitting in just a couple days.  He can't do it for long before he starts to fall over thought so I spot him.

Grandma CP will appreciate this piece of news....We finally, we put together Baby CP's crib and moved him out of his bassinet.  His first nap lasted 45 minutes.  We'll see how he takes to it tonight. 

I forgot to mention last week that we made the jump and stopped swaddling Baby CP.  It was starting to be a hazard since he could roll over and he was starting to get a little too tall so his feet were getting close to the bottom of the swaddle sack.  One night, a couple weeks ago, he woke up every 1-2 hours, so I figured if he is going to wake up that often while swaddled, I might as well wean him from the swaddle at the same time so I would only have to suffer once.  It turns out, that is was a short phase and he only went through two nights of the frequent wakings.  Now he is back to sleeping longer stretches and has gone 6-9 hours without the swaddle.  He's seems to have gotten used to his new freedom and he is better able to get comfortable while he is sleeping - often rolling to his side and even onto his belly which he seems to like.

This past weekend, Baby CP visited Cousin BY and attended a baby shower for twins.  Babies are everywhere!

18 Weeks Old

Last week, Baby CP met his cousin BY.  Cousin BY was born at exactly the same weight as Baby CP, but half an inch longer.  Baby CP is now more than twice his birth weight.  We took a side by side comparison, but I don't have a copy of it yet.

Baby CP has a little boo boo from a little accident, but as you can see here, he's all smiles.

Starting a couple weeks ago, Baby CP has been increasingly willing to sleep on his side for naps during the day.  I guess he finds it comfortable, but for some reason when he wakes up from these naps, he is a little angry and cries more than when he wakes from naps he has taken on his back.  I'm not sure why.  Maybe one of his arms goes numb?  I find that naps on his side are more likely to be successful naps of at least 45 minutes where as naps on his back unswaddled sometimes last only 15-20 minutes.

Here he is with his buddy Fergus.

A happy Baby CP is a standing Baby CP.

4 Months Old

After a cranky week due to teething and a growth spurt, Baby CP returned to his well-behaved self a few days ago.   He is back to waking only once a night (thank goodness!) - sleeping about 8-9 hours in a row the past three nights.  He can now play by himself for 10-15 minutes a couple times during the day.  He is also laughing and smiling a lot now and appears to be somewhat ticklish.  It's pretty amazing how much his temperament has changed over the past 4 days.

It's a bad angle.  His hands are big, but not that big.

Baby CP weighed in at a little more than 17.5 lbs (scary) and he is about 26 inches long.  He can grab toys with much better dexterity now.  He has a couple stuffed animals that he smiles at more than others.  His favorites seem to be the seahorse, Mr. Pineapple and his new elephant pal, who we have named Fergus.  These days, he LOVES to have people hold him up so he can work on his "walking" skills.  He will stop crying almost immediately if you do this, which is good because he's been rejecting the pacifier since he started teething.  He also rejects the bottle some nights.

Just chillin' and planning his escape from the changing mat.

16 Weeks Old

We missed the 15 week old posting because Baby CP has been a handful lately.  As of a few days ago, he's been showing all the signs of teething.  Drool check...sticking fingers in mouth with determination check...green poop check...crying in his sleep during naps check...overnight change from mellow baby to an insanely fussy baby check.  I think I feel a little sharp point on the lower left side of his jaw as well.

Angry little fella'

This week, Baby CP weighs in at 16 lbs.  It seems his weight gain has slowed down, but he looks skinnier so we think he's grown taller.

Baby CP can roll over from back to belly on flat surfaces without batting an eye these days and does it ALL THE TIME.  It often only takes him one attempt and he's over.  His legs are getting really strong and he looks like he is sooo ready to crawl.  Sometimes he will grab at the sheets to try to pull himself while his legs are kicking, so we really think he is trying to get somewhere.  He's very determined.  Maybe he'll be an early crawler if he can get more arm strength.  Baby CP has also started to notice his feet.  Sometimes when he's in my lap, he reaches for and grabs his toes.

I am also happy to report that Baby CP is expressing his happiness more these days.  So far, he's not one of those babies that is always smiling, but he smiles more than he used to when you engage him and for longer periods of the day as long as he takes sufficient naps. The best is the little laugh that he gives when I pretend to munch on his arms and belly.  Two days ago he was obsessed with the word "chubby" - the more I said it, the more he laughed.   =)

Baby CP was awake during mommy baby yoga last week and spent much of the class showing off his rolling over skills and lifting his head up high to look at everyone.  He was smiling with the instructor as she used him to demo the "baby pretzel".

Baby CP Likes Music

Baby gurus recommend singing to babies to calm them down or help them sleep, but up until recently, Baby CP was immune to the charms of Mr. CP's and my singing.  He didn't really take notice of music playing in the background either.  But over the past week or so, we have discovered that he likes music quite a bit.  If he's awake and you make him dance to the music, he smiles and has fun.  He had a meltdown in the carseat last night, but we started to play some Chinese kids' songs and he stopped crying within a minute or two.  Another thing I have noticed is that he likes to in my arms across my lap nowadays, and if he is a little overtired or fussy, my singing to some music really helps him close his eyes.   

14 Weeks Old

This week, Baby CP has had a busy schedule.  He went to a BBQ at Aunt V's house.  He attended 2 mommy/baby yoga classes and a pilates lesson with mommy.  He slept through them all.  He took his first bus ride to attend his first playgroup with some older babies at Mini Burrito's house - he was very well-behaved, quietly watching all the other kids walking around and playing with toys.

Baby CP is rolling over quicker on both sides.  I no longer put him on his belly for tummy time as he is just rolling over onto it himself now.  It looks like he's trying to fnd a way to fall asleep on his belly sometimes too.  I freaked out a little when I woke up this morning and he was on his belly with his nose in the bed.  He was fine though and probably didn't appreciate my waking him up.

He is gaining more and more control of his hands everyday.  Yesterday, he used his hand to grab the edge of his changing mat (and his toes to grab the ledge of the moulding) to help himself rollover.  Today, he grabbed Sophie the Giraffe with both hands.

Why is he wearing that mitten on one hand you ask?  He has learned to scratch the eczema on his left cheek.  He has also figured out how to take that glove off with his right hand sometimes.

We did not weigh or measure Baby CP this week.

Rolling With His Homies

Here is a photo of Baby CP rolling into his seahorse buddy.  That little playpen thing is almost too small for him now.

13 Weeks

Baby CP is now more than 13 weeks old.  Recent milestones include - holding his own hands together in the center and a couple nights of sleeping 8 hours in a row.  8 hours!  It could be a growth spurt or it could just be that he likes sleeping.  =)

Rolling Right

We think Baby CP is right handed, so I thought it was strange that he started trying to roll left first.  He has managed to turn left a couple times, but most of the time he just gets really close and he's usually only trying to turn that way if his stomach hurts, if he's hungry or if he's really sleepy - basically whenever he has a complaint.  Yesterday, I decided to lie down on his right side to see if he'd roll towards me and he tried to do it.  He failed, but he had pretty decent form.  Today, he woke up after a 5 minute nap (it took me 30 minutes to get him to fall asleep by the way!), and he decided he'd try to roll towards me on the right again.  I was impressed that he was sooo close after a couple tries, so I ran to grab my phone to take a video, but by the time I got it he had already rolled over and was lifting his head high and smiling.  I can't believe he mastered it so quickly!  We really need to be careful with him on any elevated surfaces now...

Smiles

Here are some smiles that I was able to capture. 

Around 2 months old

Last week

Goofy smile.  His head looks like a butternut squash.

At first he only smiled at mommy.  It took a little while longer for him to start smiling at daddy.  Nowadays, he smiles at new people new too, but we haven't been able to make him laugh again like he did a couple weeks ago.

Week 12 - Growth Spurt?

I swear he got bigger overnight.  The day after he got his shots he just looked much bigger to me in all dimensions.

Ouch

2 Month Physical (at almost 3 months)

This morning, I was nervous...Baby CP had an appointment for his 2 month physical which I knew would include vaccines.  We arrived on time and Baby CP was a little fussy from the get-go and started whimpering.  Maybe he knew what was coming...

The nurse asked me to remove his clothes for the weight and height measurements, which seemed to calm him down.  He weighed in at 15 lbs 8 oz and around 25 inches, which is around 90th percentile for both...he's a big kid.   

The calm before the storm...

Baby CP was given an oral vaccine and 3 shots.  The first shot caused normal crying...the second caused more elevated screaming...and the third was like a 3 alarm fire.  Luckily the nurse worked fast.  Baby CP was a trooper though...I held him for a couple minutes, fed him a little and he quieted down.  I popped him into the stroller and we were on our way.  Baby CP passed out on the way home. 

When we got home, Baby CP woke up but was strangely quiet - no crying and no fussing and almost smiles.  He went down for a 20 minute nap and then it started...the crying...the fussing...insisting on being held in order to nap for about 10-15 minutes at a time.  He can even cry in his sleep!  My arms felt like they were going to fall off. I had to give in and give him a little Baby Tylenol.  He fell asleep right away...I'm hoping he was just super cranky because of a combo of the pain and lack of sleep.  Maybe if he's well-rested tonight, I can get by without giving another dose. 

Finally...a Successful Session of Tummy Time

I read somewhere there babies are more likely to rollover if they are naked.  Apparently they like to be more active when they feel free from the confines of clothing.  Baby CP has a tiny bit of diaper rash, so today I figured I would kill two birds with one stone and give Baby CP some time for his skin to breathe (you can't see it but he has no pants or diaper on) and a few minutes of exercise.  We've only tried tummy time a handful of times, and each time, Baby CP starts whining or crying immediately.  I considered it a minor success if he raised his head just high enough to get to his hand so he can suck on it and even if he managed to do that, crying would begin within a couple minutes thereafter.  Something must have clicked today, because after I gave Baby CP a tiny amount of assist in turning over, I witnessed Baby CP's first successful tummy time session - he did not cry and in fact seemed to enjoy it.

As I have mentioned before, it's really difficult for me to get a photo of Baby CP smiling.  He gets really distracted by the camera, but I think in the case of tummy time, it actually gets his attention in a good way - he lifted his head higher and longer to look at it.  Here are some photos that I took on my cellphone. 

He's getting the hang of it.  Check out the drool on his sleeve.

With mommy's encouragement he can lift his head and semi-smile at the same time.

Look at that height!

Here's a video of Baby CP in action and my silly words of encouragement...though I'm sure he doesn't understand me.  Too bad I don't know how to make the video show vertically.  Don't strain your neck watching.  =)

Tsk Tsk

Last night we were eating dinner and watching shutter island.  I had put Baby CP on his back on this blanket so he could hang out a bit before bedtime.  We were busy eating and watching when I noticed Baby CP had been suspiciously quiet for about 10-15 minutes.  I had seen him moving around before that and turning to his side.  When I looked over I found him balanced on his side and watching tv!  He wasn't trying to go to his back or his front or fidgeting at all...just lying perfectly still.  Tsk Tsk.  I immediately moved him so he couldn't see the screen...then he got bored and just wanted to go to bed.  Who knew 3 month olds want to watch tv already.

ROTFL

Yesterday, we helped Uncle A and Aunt S move into their new digs.  While the guys were packing up the U-Haul, Baby CP was testing out a new skill - Rolling from back to back to front (leading with his left side).  He did it once on the couch first which was soft and slanted, so daddy didn't believe he truly had the skills.  A little while later, he showed daddy up by rolling over on the floor twice!

Then later in the afternoon after lunch, I was walking around with Baby CP in the backyard and I heard what sounded like a chuckle.  I brought him over to daddy to make sure because I couldn't see Baby CP's face and sure enough Baby CP was laughing...laughing at what, we have no idea, but he laughed a few more times while playing with mommy later.  Actually, Mr. CP claimed that he heard Baby CP laugh on Thursday night in the dark while I went to get mango drinks with Aunt S and Uncle M, but I didn't believe him.  I guess daddy wasn't crazy after all...

Bellybutton A-OK

A few weeks ago, Baby CP's bellybutton was still leaking some mucous-like fluid from time to time.  The pediatrician said it was a granuloma and referred us to a pediatric surgeon.  It took us about a month to get that appointment and by the time we did, Baby CP's bellybutton dried up.  The surgeons told us it looks ok for now and no procedures will be necessary unless the oozing comes back.

10 Weeks Old

Somehow I ended up with the same outfit in two different sizes.   What a difference 9 weeks makes!

1 week old, size 0-3 months

9 weeks old, size 3-6 months

The Swing Revisited

Apparently he liked it enough one day to doze off for a while...

Nice Hat

Daddy was having a bit of fun with the little one...

9 Weeks Old

This week Baby CP's path to obesity continues.  He weighed in at close to 15 lbs and measured about 24 inches (getting an exact measurement is kind of difficult).  According to the growth charts, this puts him in the 50th percentile for height and 75-90th percentile for weight.  What a chubbers!  He moved up to size 2 diapers a couple weeks ago.

Baby CP learned a new game this week.  If he is in good spirits, he will look at me and smile.  If I stick out my tongue, sometimes he will mimic me and do the same and smile.  If he sticks out his tongue first and I respond by sticking out my tongue he will smile a big open mouth smile.  It's very cute.  I wish I could capture it on video or camera, but he doesn't seem to like the camera and I can barely even capture a normal smile before he gets distracted and stops. 

As far as Baby CP's social calendar goes, this week, he attended an all you an eat buffet with mommy and daddy and friends and he also made an appearance at a BBQ in Berkeley.  He stayed awake during both events and was pretty well behaved.  He also made a stop at Ikea after the BBQ and that's when he had his meltdown.  Way...too...tired.