Avocado and Chew Toys

Zain's menu is still expanding.  We've added apple, avocado, and barley cereal.  He's decided he doesn't like banana after all, so it's out of the rotation for now.  Avocado is currently his favourite treat.  We've brought out the high chair, despite the fact that he looks like a little peanut sitting in it.  The high chair has been a real game-changer.  It's much easier to feed him in it.  He's less distracted and less "helpful" with his hands.

 

Avocado - all done

Last week, Zain was all about practicing his rolling-over skills.  He's gotten pretty good at rolling from his back to his tummy, but he's only gone tummy to back a couple times.  This week, he seems to have abandoned rolling practice and is more interested in trying to sit.
  

Distraction helps balance

You'll notice in the picture above that the high chair hasn't solved all messiness issues.  Apparently, spoon goes in mouth, fingers go in mouth, and then fingers go to pants!

Binda decided to join in the Jolly Jumping, and got a boot in the side

Playing with Mummy

Have we mentioned he's 90th percentile for height?

Future career in dentistry?

 

 

We took a walk in High Park with some of the mommies and babies from our prenatal class.  Zain was hanging out with his friend Madeleine afterward and proved he needs some work on his social skills.  :-)

Looks like he's going in for a hug, yes?

Think again! Anything is a chew toy.

Outtakes from an Impromptu Valentines Photo Shoot

We decided to make a little valentine for Mommy while she was at work.  This is an example of what ensued:

 

Miscellaneous Monday

Shif's concert band gave him this toy trumpet.  He's a jazzman.

The photographer finally gets photographed

Starting to twist and turn, and occasionally roll over

A big chair for a little boy

Zain and Binda

Action!

Zain is a man of action.  He has his occasional still and reflective moments, but he's usually either in motion or actively observing something.  He has rolled over exactly three times, over a period of a couple weeks.  We keep laying the baby traps we mentioned below, but we can't get him to do it again.  He is starting to enjoy tummy time a little more.  He's just starting to figure out that hands-to-the-front is the best way to get anything done, instead of his usual "swimming" move:

Not effective

Better

Of course, the biggest action is still happening on the Jolly Jumper.  His Riverdance phase only lasted a few days, before he figured out that pushing off with both feet at the same time was the key to success.  But he still wasn't really going crazy.  Well, now we have crazy.  A week or so ago, he suddenly started flying.  We'll get you some video soon, but here are some pics:

That is not a look of terror.  He's squealing with delight.

Kicking up his heels

He loves the Jolly Jumper so much, he frequently tries to turn us into his human Jolly Jumpers. 

Stu's turn!

Boy in flight

Some Touching Pictures

Zain has entered a very touchy phase.  In other words, he wants to touch everything.  Usually it's a very light touch, just feeling things out.  Occasionally, it's a little more vigorous (just ask our dog).  

Common targets are our mouths or my glasses

This is a baby trap.  We were trying to get him to roll.  He didn't fall for it.

What does a dog paw feel like?

You have to be careful what you put near the Bumbo.  Especially water glasses!

He's an overachiever

This is okay; assisting with solid food is less helpful

Reading his first library books

Restaurant Review - Mommy's Kitchen

Zain has tried a few of the menu offerings at Mommy's Kitchen.  He waits four days after trying something new just to make sure he isn't allergic, and then moves on to a new item.  As you've seen previously, boxed brown rice cereal was his first meal and it was a big hit.  We've tried homemade brown rice cereal recently and it was slightly less well-received.  But he still ate it.  His other new foods include sweet potato and banana.  Sweet potato is a favorite.

Zain is a serious eater

Banana, on the other hand, received very negative reviews at first.

Despite the faces, he ate all of it!  The boy loves to eat.  He's had banana a few times since then and he seems less appalled by it, but it's still no sweet potato.  

A few other scenes from the restaurant:

Living out his dreams of drinking from a cup

Let it be noted... that is banana

Did we mention the boy likes to eat?