Movin' On Up

Alex is movin' on up off his butt. Randi was watching him all day on Friday as he worked to get into a sitting position. He would do his backwards wiggle, but keep one leg planted. He'd wind up with his leg wedged under his belly, and then stay there, stuck. But as Randi got ready to go home that evening, we all gathered in the lviing room, chatting and watching Alex try one more time. And with that last push, Alex was upright! He was so proud of himself and we all gave him a round of applause. Jonathan immediately ran over, plopped onto the floor, then pushed up. He seemed disappointed not to meet with similar accolades.

Our older boy's got reasons of his own to be proud, however. He started preschool just after Labor Day, and was initially placed in the 18 month - three years classroom. He enjoyed it but it became clear he was a little bored. He spent one morning methodically finding and sitting on all his younger classmates. So, after some success going diaper-free, he was transitioned last Thursday and Friday, and come tomorrow, will be in the three - five years class full time. He's already made friends with a little French girl there and I think he's going to really start to love preschool now that he's with the big kids.

Alex likes to eat!

We've introduced Alex to solids over the last few weeks. They're as big a hit with him as they were with his brother. The first few meals, we actually had difficulty getting the food into his mouth, because he would lean so far forward that his face was only an inch or so above the tray. But, by tightening the straps so he sits bolt upright, we've made it possible for him to get good-sized helpings of rice, squash, prunes and peas. The first bite of every meal is always a bit of a surprise - Alex makes a face and squishes up his nose. But after that he settles in and tucks it away. Heaven forbid we try to eat an evening meal with him in the exersaucer - he yowls indignantly until he's in his high chair.

He also likes to move! He's been scooting backwards and spinning around on his belly for a month. He's been so frustrated that he can't move forwards - but no longer! He plants his toes firmly in the carpet, then extends his ankles. That moves him forwards an inch or two. Then he replants the toes and does it again. Jonathan has had his first taste of Alex going after the cool toys, and he's going to have to learn some better strategy. It was pretty funny this evening to watch Jonathan try to keep his sticker book out of Alex's hands. Used to a stationary baby brother, Jonathan would say "Aaaah! No, Alex!" and move away an inch or two. A plant and a flex later and there was Alex's hand on the stickers again! Jonathan retreated and Alex pursued, an inch at a time, around the coffee table.

And he likes to laugh, as of tonight. I was especially happy to hear it because my return to work has been hard on the baby. He weeps any time I walk out of the room in the evening, and clings to my hair every chance he gets. So it was nice to hear him guffaw as Jonathan jingled the coins in his piggy bank. Like everything Alex does, the laugh was LOUD!