Q: My child is biting me. What do I do?Hopefully this will work! He has some sharp chompers!
A: Don't bite back. And whatever you do, don't scream.
When babies are teething, they often start to gnaw on whatever is available. This may be a parent's shoulder or Mom's nipple (OUCH!). It's not malicious. But, if you respond dramatically, it will encourage your baby to bite again.
Your response: Take your baby off of your body and place him on the floor. Calmly and sternly say, "No biting." Do not pay attention to your baby for one minute. Your baby yearns for your attention so this is a good punishment. Lick your wounds later, out of sight of your baby.
It may take 20-30 times before your baby gets the message, but he will.
Monday, March 14, 2011
CAUTION: Baby will bite!
For the last week or so, Greg has been biting us on the shoulders and arms, to the point of breaking skin and bruising me! I consulted Baby 411 to see if they had any answers. Lo and behold they had great advice (in my opinion) [page 279].
Webchatting, sweet potatoes, walk after dinner, brushing teeth
Greg is very familiar with the concept of video webchatting with family. He has been doing it since he was a few days old. Now he smiles in anticipation before anyone is even on the screen. This morning he got excited as I was still starting up my computer.
I made a huge batch of sweet potatoes for Greg this afternoon. The process started at ~2:00 PM and wasn't finished until 6:00 PM. There were many interruptions - diaper changes, dog potty break, nursing, putting laundry in the dryer, making dinner, preventing Greg from knocking over the speaker. The life of a mama!
We took advantage of the sunlight later in the day and went for a walk with the dogs after dinner. The adjustment is a little difficult, but in general I really like daylight saving time! Soon it will be time to start rollerblading again.
We "brushed" Greg's teeth for the first time tonight. I didn't use any toothpaste yet, I'd like for him to get used to the toothbrush first. We have a ways to go on that! He was not too pleased.
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| "I can't wait to see who will talk with me on the computer this time!" |
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| Done with webchatting, Greg moves on to inspect the electrical outlet |
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| The dogs are not fazed by the webchatting or the mini electrician |
I made a huge batch of sweet potatoes for Greg this afternoon. The process started at ~2:00 PM and wasn't finished until 6:00 PM. There were many interruptions - diaper changes, dog potty break, nursing, putting laundry in the dryer, making dinner, preventing Greg from knocking over the speaker. The life of a mama!
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| "Mom, today is a day that ends in 'Y,' so it must be time to do more laundry." |
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| Action shot |
We took advantage of the sunlight later in the day and went for a walk with the dogs after dinner. The adjustment is a little difficult, but in general I really like daylight saving time! Soon it will be time to start rollerblading again.
We "brushed" Greg's teeth for the first time tonight. I didn't use any toothpaste yet, I'd like for him to get used to the toothbrush first. We have a ways to go on that! He was not too pleased.
Time change, mini strawberry patch, Hank sunning, birth class reunion
Yesterday the entire family disregarded the time change and woke up at 8:20 AM new time. My mind felt like it was sleeping in, but my body knew better. Greg's schedule for the day was still on old time, so everything seemed to be bumped up an hour. I had to be aware of when he normally ate and slept and transpose the time.
Andrew made a mini strawberry patch. He filled egg cartons with soil and planted the seeds. They're going to reside in the kitchen window until they are big enough to replant outside. I look forward to watching them grow!
The weather was a lot warmer yesterday, so we had the back door open for the dogs to lounge on the deck. Hank did his usual rotation. He spends time on his towel in the sun until he gets too hot. Then he goes inside to cool off for a bit and shortly returns back to his post in the sun.
Greg continues to find new things to explore now that he's mobile. He enjoys pulling up on Hank's crate. He has also discovered the speaker that sits on the TV stand. We hope to mount it on the wall this weekend.
Yesterday afternoon we got together with three other families from our birth class. The babies' ages span a little over a month. The funny thing is that the oldest is the smallest (~15 pounds) and the youngest is the biggest (23.5 pounds = Greg)! We have had get-togethers at 3 months, 6 months, and now 9 months. It is amazing to watch them grow. Now they're really starting to interact with each other. Greg especially enjoyed grabbing for a girl's long hair. We always try to get a group picture of the babies. This task is becoming increasingly difficult!
Andrew made a mini strawberry patch. He filled egg cartons with soil and planted the seeds. They're going to reside in the kitchen window until they are big enough to replant outside. I look forward to watching them grow!
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| Tiny strawberry seeds |
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| Mini strawberry patch |
The weather was a lot warmer yesterday, so we had the back door open for the dogs to lounge on the deck. Hank did his usual rotation. He spends time on his towel in the sun until he gets too hot. Then he goes inside to cool off for a bit and shortly returns back to his post in the sun.
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| "Man, it's getting hot out here!" |
Greg continues to find new things to explore now that he's mobile. He enjoys pulling up on Hank's crate. He has also discovered the speaker that sits on the TV stand. We hope to mount it on the wall this weekend.
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| "This crate is delicious!" - Yes, we stopped him from gnawing on it |
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| Big boy standing up! |
Yesterday afternoon we got together with three other families from our birth class. The babies' ages span a little over a month. The funny thing is that the oldest is the smallest (~15 pounds) and the youngest is the biggest (23.5 pounds = Greg)! We have had get-togethers at 3 months, 6 months, and now 9 months. It is amazing to watch them grow. Now they're really starting to interact with each other. Greg especially enjoyed grabbing for a girl's long hair. We always try to get a group picture of the babies. This task is becoming increasingly difficult!
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| They all enjoyed the music table |
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| "Hey ladies, knock knock!" |
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| Helping out my buddy |
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| Greg was getting fussy, so Andrew entertained him for a while |
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| There were many group shots taken, and in most of them Greg was grabbing her hair |
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| 9 - 10.5 months |
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| 6 - 7 months |
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| 3 - 4.5 months |
Saturday, March 12, 2011
Standing in playpen, backyard fun, brushing teeth, picky eater, DST
We started off our Saturday with Andrew's usual football and I made a batch of broccoli for Greg while he napped.
Greg pulled himself up in his playpen today. It was the first time that I have seen it, but he may have done it before for his daddy.
The weather was a lot warmer than it has been for the past week, so the boys spent some time in the backyard. First they checked out the fish in the pond, then played in the sandbox, and finished with some swinging. I had been trying to stop him from nibbling on the sandbox toys, but I gave up. We keep it covered when not in use, so I don't think there is any contamination concerns.
We ran some errands late this afternoon. Among other things, we picked up a toothbrush and toothpaste for Greg. The pediatrician said that we need to start brushing his teeth right away, which makes sense and I totally agree with it. We'll see how that goes!
Just to keep me on my toes, Greg decided that the mashed bananas were okay today. He still didn't like the egg yolk, but we mixed it with cereal and he ate it right up. Then he wasn't hungry at dinner too. Always keeping me guessing these days!
It is time to "spring forward" for Daylight Saving Time. I think this change will be easier for a baby to deal with than the one in the fall. I didn't pay attention to when the time change was this past fall and made flight reservations that got us home late. In hindsight it may have helped Greg get used to the change faster, but that evening was not fun!
Greg pulled himself up in his playpen today. It was the first time that I have seen it, but he may have done it before for his daddy.
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| "I can stand up in here on my own!" |
The weather was a lot warmer than it has been for the past week, so the boys spent some time in the backyard. First they checked out the fish in the pond, then played in the sandbox, and finished with some swinging. I had been trying to stop him from nibbling on the sandbox toys, but I gave up. We keep it covered when not in use, so I don't think there is any contamination concerns.
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| "There are a lot of goldfish in there, Dad!" |
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| "This starfish is delicious!" |
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| "I'm going to see if this pot is delicious..." |
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| "Swing me higher, Daddy!" |
We ran some errands late this afternoon. Among other things, we picked up a toothbrush and toothpaste for Greg. The pediatrician said that we need to start brushing his teeth right away, which makes sense and I totally agree with it. We'll see how that goes!
Just to keep me on my toes, Greg decided that the mashed bananas were okay today. He still didn't like the egg yolk, but we mixed it with cereal and he ate it right up. Then he wasn't hungry at dinner too. Always keeping me guessing these days!
It is time to "spring forward" for Daylight Saving Time. I think this change will be easier for a baby to deal with than the one in the fall. I didn't pay attention to when the time change was this past fall and made flight reservations that got us home late. In hindsight it may have helped Greg get used to the change faster, but that evening was not fun!
Friday, March 11, 2011
Off day, power strip light, chunky foods, walk, Japan
Our day was a little "off" today. Greg woke up a little early and his naps were shorter than usual, pushing everything earlier. By evening he was getting fussy. We tried to calm him with a bath, but that didn't help. So he went to bed early. Hopefully it won't affect tomorrow's wake-up time!
Greg is fascinated by the power strip under one of our bedroom dressers. It has a bright red light on it. Greg wants it. He will crawl over to the dresser almost every time we're in the room, peer under it, and reach out for the power strip. Unfortunately for him, he won't be able to grab it until his arms are much longer.
Greg is letting me know that he does not like any chunks in his food, thank you very much. He loved the fresh egg yolk yesterday = no chunks. Today I was unable to completely mash up the yolk = chunks = Greg's mouth clamped shut. At the end of his meal, he let me give him one last spoonful of egg yolk. Then he proceeded to hold part of it in his mouth for 5-10 minutes. I tried to tell him that if he would just eat it, the nasty food would go away, but nine-month-olds aren't the best at understanding language yet.
We went on a walk with friends this afternoon and even the dogs came along! We all enjoyed the fresh air. It was probably the longest that I have carried Greg in the backpack, so I bet I'll be sore tomorrow.
A few more pictures:
I just watched some news coverage of the earthquakes and tsunami that hit Japan in the last twenty-four hours. There were horrific images and videos of the earth shaking and the water flooding the land. Japan's people are in my thoughts as they recover from this devastating event.
Greg is fascinated by the power strip under one of our bedroom dressers. It has a bright red light on it. Greg wants it. He will crawl over to the dresser almost every time we're in the room, peer under it, and reach out for the power strip. Unfortunately for him, he won't be able to grab it until his arms are much longer.
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| Greg eyes the elusive red light |
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| "How can I get to the light?" |
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| "I'm going to have to ponder this..." |
Greg is letting me know that he does not like any chunks in his food, thank you very much. He loved the fresh egg yolk yesterday = no chunks. Today I was unable to completely mash up the yolk = chunks = Greg's mouth clamped shut. At the end of his meal, he let me give him one last spoonful of egg yolk. Then he proceeded to hold part of it in his mouth for 5-10 minutes. I tried to tell him that if he would just eat it, the nasty food would go away, but nine-month-olds aren't the best at understanding language yet.
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| "Is there something on my face?" |
We went on a walk with friends this afternoon and even the dogs came along! We all enjoyed the fresh air. It was probably the longest that I have carried Greg in the backpack, so I bet I'll be sore tomorrow.
A few more pictures:
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| "This Duplo is delicious!" |
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| Standing up with help from Daddy |
I just watched some news coverage of the earthquakes and tsunami that hit Japan in the last twenty-four hours. There were horrific images and videos of the earth shaking and the water flooding the land. Japan's people are in my thoughts as they recover from this devastating event.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
Hard boiled eggs, banana strike, time with friends
Seems like about once a year, I can't remember how long it takes to hard boil an egg. So I call up my mom for guidance, but she generally can't remember either. We always have a good laugh about it. Google helped me out on this one and sent me here, which instructed the following:
The eggs turned out super. Why the eggs? Another new food for Greg! I hard boiled them so that I can give him the egg yolk, which is the only part a baby should eat before 12 months. I mixed the egg yolk with some breastmilk to even out the consistency. He loved it!
In other food news, he is not digging bananas anymore. I thought it was that he didn't like the banana chunks, but I mashed it up completely this morning and he still didn't want it. We'll take a break from bananas then and try again later.
Greg figured out how to get the lid off of the Duplo box. The lid was not latched all of the way, but we were still impressed that he was able to do it.
We met with some friends today. It is always nice to get some social interaction to break up an otherwise quiet day. Greg had fun hanging out and cruising on the couch.
- PLACE eggs in saucepan large enough to hold them in single layer. ADD cold water to cover eggs by 1 inch. HEAT over high heat just to boiling. REMOVE from burner. COVER pan.
- LET EGGS STAND in hot water about 15 minutes for large eggs (12 minutes for medium eggs; 18 minutes for extra large).
- DRAIN immediately and serve warm. OR, cool completely under cold running water or in bowl of ice water, then REFRIGERATE.
The eggs turned out super. Why the eggs? Another new food for Greg! I hard boiled them so that I can give him the egg yolk, which is the only part a baby should eat before 12 months. I mixed the egg yolk with some breastmilk to even out the consistency. He loved it!
In other food news, he is not digging bananas anymore. I thought it was that he didn't like the banana chunks, but I mashed it up completely this morning and he still didn't want it. We'll take a break from bananas then and try again later.
Greg figured out how to get the lid off of the Duplo box. The lid was not latched all of the way, but we were still impressed that he was able to do it.
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| "I have a lot of building to do..." |
We met with some friends today. It is always nice to get some social interaction to break up an otherwise quiet day. Greg had fun hanging out and cruising on the couch.
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| Having a good debate |
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| Cruising on the couch |
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| 40 Weeks |
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
Organizing clothes, playgroup
Today I started organizing clothes that Greg has grown out of. Up until now, I've been letting them pile up in his closet. It finally reached the point of total disorganization and I began the task of separating everything by size. It was a trip down memory lane looking at those tiny onesies that he wore last summer. It is hard to imagine that he was ever that small.
We met up with playgroup for some time at a park today. It was breezy and a little chilly, but we were dressed appropriately. I feel like we should make Playgroup Discussion bingo boards. The new mommies (definitely including myself) seem to love to talk about the same topics every time. We always find a new way to discuss baby food, baby poop, and baby sleep! Too fun!
We met up with playgroup for some time at a park today. It was breezy and a little chilly, but we were dressed appropriately. I feel like we should make Playgroup Discussion bingo boards. The new mommies (definitely including myself) seem to love to talk about the same topics every time. We always find a new way to discuss baby food, baby poop, and baby sleep! Too fun!
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| Rocking the camo today - hat, jacket, and shoes |
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