Observations from a New Parent and Mother: Year and a Half Mark

Just a few quick observations from being a new parent and mother to an increasingly ever-active Baby Bun.

HE ENJOYS DAYCARE NOW

OK so he hated it the first 2 weeks but when he got used to it, he REALLY got used to it. He transitioned pretty well. He ate and napped by the second day there (half day), I picked him up RIGHT after his nap, and then we did full days for the rest of the week without any eating or sleeping problems. He just cried on and off.

By the second week, on the Friday, he stopped crying being dropped off at daycare. It is only if I drop him off that he sobs. Otherwise, if Daddy does it, no problem.

Go figure.

He enjoys daycare and seems to have a good time there but when I show up, his face lights up, I give a HUGE smile and wave at him, and he comes running towards me.

Very rewarding. Best part of my day is picking him up and seeing him. I give him kisses, a hug and I love it.

HE IS STARTING TO REALLY UNDERSTAND ME

So he’s learning multiple languages all at once, and he is not speaking at all now. He does however, understand things like:

• “Diaper Change” (he runs away and tries to hide or stamps his chubby legs & squeals when he hears this 99% of the time)
• “Let’s put a shirt on / Give me your pants” (he doesn’t fight this one as much)
• “No” (he always protests this one unless it is something he is not used to, then he either stops or keeps trying until you keep repeating “No” in an increasingly louder, firmer voice)
• “How about some lunch / dinner / milk / yummy yummy” (all of which elicit great responses because he runs to his chair and stamps his chubby legs impatiently)
• “You’re going to go to your bed! Is that what you want?” (he understands this and stops immediately because he hates time out in the bed / prison. I also sometimes just raise 1 finger as a warning and stare at him, and he stops acting up.)
• “How about getting ready for bed?” (He runs away and hides behind Daddy for this one.)

We are also playing Patty Cake and other silly nursery rhyme games so he is learning how to clap his hands so that I start Patty Cake with him.

Sometimes he will say: “Papa!?” over and over and over again, and I don’t know what he is using that word for, so I just pretend he means Daddy and I respond in the like.

All in all, no hearing problems from what I can see and he obviously understands me. He just doesn’t know what to say in response because I am speaking one language and Daddy is in another.

HE IS SUPER CUDDLY, PLAYFUL, KISSABLE AND FUN MOST OF THE TIME

He loves being cuddled, held, carried.. all of which has killed my back. He is cuddly, playful, kissable.. I love kissing him, tickling his belly, etc etc.

I can’t get enough of his cute, fat little thighs and his arms. He is such a sweet little bundle of joy.

All the daycare people say: Oh we know Baby Bun! He’s SUCH a good baby boy. He is a really GOOD, GOOD child.

Me: He better be. 

HE STILL LOOKS / FEELS AWKWARD AROUND OTHER CHILDREN

He doesn’t know how to act around other kids in public or in daycare but his shyness level and his fear of strangers is slowly being worked on every time we meet new people and do new things.

It’s hard with an only child to try and socialize them.

HE IS ASSERTING INDEPENDENCE

Over food choices, eating, whether or not he grabs my hand while walking…

He makes all of these noises and protests on occasion when I try to hold his hand while walking with him. He’s started throwing public fits sometimes, and then I just pick him up and carry him to another place so he can calm down.

For food, sometimes he refuses to eat. He refuses to learn how to use a spoon even though he KNOWS HOW TO DO IT when he feels like doing it.

I just let him eat with his fingers. I’ve given up. He’ll learn as he gets older.

SOMETIMES HE CRAWLS LIKE A BABY AND GIGGLES

He knows that when he was younger he crawled, so sometimes I see him crawl like a baby and giggling when he is doing it because he finds it funny (now) to be on his hands and knees.