Baby M at 4months

http://www.flickr.com/photos/walkadog

My, how time flies! Baby M is now 4 months old!

M now sleeps on his tummy all the time. He used to have a slight
reflux problem. To remedy this, we let him sleep on his tummy
during the daytime. It was here that we were able to observe that
M already had neck control.

However, by his 3 months check-up, we were worried that his head
was getting flat. So, with the pedia's thumbs up, we let him sleep
on his tummy all through the night. I think there has been some
improvement in that area.

Before you react... Yes, we too were worried about SIDS! But we
were confident that by this time, he could already move his head
when he wanted. And, the pedia said, so long as there is nothing
on M's bed that could cause suffocation (pillows, blankets, toys,
etc), M would be okay.

2 days ago, M had an "AHA!" moment. Okay, call me crazy but it
was this look that he had. A realization that this is what it means
to roll over! See, he's done it before -> 2x on his first two weeks
and 1x in April. But, it's only now that he's understood that it's
a "skill". Now, he seems to want to do it every time he has tummy
time!

And today, he "shouted" when I was not paying attention.

Sorry if Im gushing all over. I guess I'm just being a proud mama!

Time to move on

http://www.flickr.com/photos/mats_eriksson

First I was in love.
Then I was heartbroken.
Now it's time to move on.
.....

I have a few friends who've been stuck in a relationship. Sometimes
it's this one guy. Sometimes it's this image of a guy (which is why they
always end up with the same type). Year in and year out I would tell
them, "Pleeeaassee, let go! It's time to move on!". Apparently, it's not
that easy to follow one's own advice...

3 random events made me see the light. First, a question from J --
"What's your passion?" -- led me to a pathetic non committal
reply. Second, an email from C, an old officemate, made me wax
poetic about the good old days. Third, a conversation with A on
careers made me realize it's time for a fresh start.

Apparently, I need to let go of my old career! Gotcha!

Will I go back to it? Maybe. Maybe not. What's more important is that
I focus on the opportunities and challenges that I have in the HERE
and NOW.

p.s. please bear with me... anything older than this post is a
SIGNIFICANT post which I brought over from my other site.

More TV Equals School Trouble Later

http://www.flickr.com/photos/treehouse1977

"Toddlers who watch too much TV may struggle in school later,
with measurably lower scores in math, and they may get bullied
more than other children, Canadian and U.S. researchers reported
on Monday.

Less surprisingly, children who watched more TV at age 2 weighed
more by the time they were 10 and ate more snacks and soft drinks,
the researchers reported in the Archives of Pediatric and Adolescent
Medicine.

They said children who spend more time watching TV and less time
playing with other kids may lose valuable chances to learn social
skills.

Every additional weekly hour of television at 29 months corresponded
to a 7 percent drop in classroom attention and a 6 percent drop in
math skills, the researchers found.

"Despite clear, age-specific recommendations from the American
Academy of Pediatrics that discourage any screen media exposure
during infancy and less than two hours per day beyond 2 years of
age..." the researchers wrote." - Yahoo Health


Here's some interesting news. What's more interesting is that this
concept probably applies to other "high tech" kiddie gadgets that
were not yet available at the time that this research was made.

So what's the alternative? Good old-fashioned activities: tummy
time, singing songs, reading books and playing with toys are
just some examples.

Yes, you read that right. As parents, we have to relearn the lost
art of using one's creativity to come up with fun -- and educational
-- activities for our kids.

* This post first appeared here.

We've reached the 3 months old mark!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/robbie73

"Babies under 3 months of age follow internal cycles of sleeping and
eating. By around 3 months old, though, they begin to be influenced
by the combination of this internal wiring and the external world —
the routines you create. Some babies naturally and easily fall into the
rhythms of their household. Other babies have a more irregular
sensibility and are more resistant to the cues you provide.

You can help settle an erratic baby's temperament by building a
daylong schedule of feeding, playtime, bathing, and other activities
that's consistent. Try to work around your baby's natural inclinations.

Finally, let go of ideals of perfection: If you have a baby who resists a
regimented schedule, the best you can hope for is more regularity in
your household — not a complete absence of disorder." - BabyCenter


Stephen Covey was spot on when he said that with people, one needs
to be effective not efficient. As a WAHM with a newborn, my schedule
still follows the baby's. Baby M does have a basic pattern. It's not "on
time" but rather a matter of "phases". He's just a baby --- and he's
just doing what all babies do.

I have learned that: It is I that must adjust. It is I that needs to be
flexible.

As a result, I am less stressed out about getting it all done. And
M and I are simply enjoying our time together.

* This post first appeared here.