Magnus Is 6 Months Old!

Karen here.

On May 1, Magnus turned 6 months old.

It was a major milestone. All the books and web pages you read all say don't do this and don't do that until baby is 6 months old. Well we have reached it and we are rearing to get on with things! Well, that's not entirely true. Bad mother that I am, I already started Magnus on a few of those 'wait till he is 6 months' things. :)

For one, I've been feeding him finger foods. Well, just one... baby cookies. He won't have a pincer grip until he is 8 months old, so he still grabs everything with a full hand. But that doesn't mean he can't learn to feed himself now. These cookies dissolve immediately in the mouth so he is able to gum quite a bit. But it's incredibly messy. We have to vacuum the chair and floor as soon as he's done!

Mowing down on a cookie

Post cookie snack

For another, I've had Magnus practicing the sippy cup. They [they are so wise, aren't 'they'? :) ] say that water supplementation is not required because a breastfed baby gets all the water required. That's fine, but again, it doesn't mean he can't practice. ;) Plus, because he's eating all kinds of solids, I'd prefer he have something to drink before and after, just like anyone else would (sorry, Peg, for ending this sentence with the word 'would').

Rocking the Sippy Cup

Playtime is another matter. He has lots and lots of play time, both with me or Matt as well as by himself. We switch up toys and location all the time, but I have to admit that I think he is getting used to his toys. I'm looking forward to being back in Toronto where he has '6 months+' toys waiting for him. Something new is always an opportunity to learn. :) When Matt comes home from work, the two of them spend some time together each night. Most of the time they sit on the floor playing with Magnus's toys and watching MASH.

Hanging Out Watching MASH

Matt Trying To Figure Out A Toy

Magnus in Daddy's Lap

While playtime with me also includes sitting with Magnus while he plays with his toys, I also spend A LOT of time playing peekaboo and singing songs. Here's a clip of our playtime that Matt managed to capture.

Playtime with Mommy

I just love to make him giggle! He tends to alternate between deep belly gafaws and shrill shrieks of delight. And he has continued his vocal experimentation. He still raspberries a lot (even when I'm trying to feed him - so messy sometimes!!!) but his new fixation is screaming at will.

Scream Practice

His other new fixation is physical. He is no longer content to just sit still where I place him. Oh no. He has a mind of his own. He will purposefully throw a toy just so he can reach for it. After much grunting and squirming, this inevitably results with him ending up on his stomach. So until we get back to Toronto where we have a playpen, we now have to watch him like a hawk because he can very easily and QUICKLY roll from his stomach to his back. And he seems to do his own version of yoga alternating between downward dog, cat, cow, and upward dog. :) There's just not enough real estate on the chair or couch for him to be so squirmy. Lacking a video of these antics, check out some of his new positions.

All this additional time on his stomach (which, if you recall, he used to hate) has resulted in Magnus finding his preliminary mode of locomotion. Just like his toe sucking, Magnus does things his own way. :)

 

Creeping to a Prize

I'm in trouble.