Caution: Locomotion Ahead

We appear to be rapidly approaching the end of our current peaceful, Zen-like existence.  Zain is trying to move.  He's climbing all over us and trying to pull to stand.  He's actually a little obsessed with standing at the moment.  Sometimes when we try to put him down to sit, he'll refuse to bend his knees.  He also gets up on all fours a lot, but he hasn't figured out yet that that position puts him one leg movement away from utter freedom.  And we are thankful for that.  

Zain-sized windows

Trying to pull up (not yet succeeding)

All fours!

Now what??

This happened last weekend... standing almost totally unsupported, thanks to the distraction provided by the best toy ever, Binda:

Peek-a-boy

Zain's becoming a lot more interactive lately.  He recently learned to shake his head side to side (how great is it that the first thing he learns to communicate is the signal for "no"?).  Now he'll look at us and shake his head, wanting us to do it back to him.  It's really fun.  He also will occasionally try to get Binda or characters in books to shake at him.  Every once in awhile I can get him to say "hey" (or something that sounds sort of like it) back and forth with me a few times in a row.  If he's really into it, we'll do it back and forth as many as 10 times each.

Then this happened out of the blue a few days ago.  We made him repeat it about 10 times just to make sure it wasn't an accident!  

From the Vault

We finally got around to downloading the pictures Shif has taken on her new iPhone in the last three months, and there were some great pics of Zain.  So here are a few memories from the last couple months.

Checking out the piano at Larry and Marilyn's

I take requests

In February, this was a novelty - him sleeping on his side.  Today, this would be one of his more boring sleeping positions.

Trying on Michelle's new coonskin cap at the Cannington Sled Dog Races

Swinging for the first time

I think he likes it

Trying on Michelle's sunglasses.  Do I see a theme?

Post-bath frog (notice all the footprints on the mirror)

Kissing the frog

Choosing the perfect sirloin for dinner?  Or asking "where's the tofu?"

Hanging out in Mom's office during our week up north (note sock, see previous post)

Watching the fish go by

Taking a hike in cottage country - yay for spring!

Too much hiking!

Mysterious sock disappearance in car seat

Baby's first drive

Rolling Machine

We've had so many new developments in Zainland.  Since we got back from Ohio, he finally mastered rolling in all directions!  Practically overnight.  He did a few tummy-to-backs over the course of a week, but was still struggling a bit.  But then one day, he just suddenly was a master roller!  Now he is all over the place - on the change table, in the crib, in the bathtub.  He used to move a few inches at night.  Now we regularly tune into the video monitor to find him upside down or completely off the screen.  There was a brief transition period where he would roll onto his stomach in the crib and sleep there for awhile, but then wake up and be incapable of rolling onto his back.  So he would wake us with cries of "Mommy, please help me right myself! I'm freaking out."  Several times a night.  Thankfully, now that he has become a rolling machine, that has passed. 

Last week, we were dealing with Zain's first cold.  It didn't affect him too badly except for a very runny, snotty nose and a little trouble sleeping.  The little guy is usually a very accommodating fellow.  We can pull shirts over his head and cut his nails and bang his head into doorways and he doesn't make a peep.  But he reaches his limit at anything that has to do with his nose.  He hates Kleenex, Q-tips, and especially the evil nasal aspirator.  He saves his big-boy-super-sad-can't-be-consoled cry for that occasion.  Despite it all, he was still pretty happy during the cold.  He is really just a ridiculously happy little guy. 

Other new developments... Zain can sit up really well now - he rarely boofs anymore.   He's starting to try to pull to a stand.  Shif sat him in his crib the other day as she did some bedtime preparations, and she looked over to see him up on his knees peering over the railing.  We did some very quick alterations to lower his crib mattress before bedtime!  He is also a total chunk now - 18 pounds, 15 ounces at his doctor visit last week.  His height is now off the charts - over 95th percentile.  But his weight is still around 50th percentile, so it looks like basketball may be more likely than his former projected career as a linebacker.  :-)

 

Some pics from the last couple weeks:

 

Now capable of destroying toys

Shif and my mom doing some pack 'n play repairs

Out for a walk to celebrate the arrival of spring

We had a big event for our little family this past week.  We went to court to finalize my second-parent adoption of Zain.  The court appearance was short and sweet.   The judge said she had reviewed the application and found it "in the child's best interest" to issue the adoption order.  Feeling thankful to live in this very civilized and accepting country!  Once we receive the court order, we'll be able to get a new birth certificate with both me and Shif listed as Z's parents.  We did a little pre-celebrating in Ohio to officially welcome Zain to the family.  We were lucky to have my mom visiting Toronto last week and she was able to come to the court date, as did Shif's mom and dad.  We had a little dinner celebration afterward. 

 

Newly adopted boy entertaining himself at dinner with Aunty Fem's purse

Zain's first restaurant order - a few slices of avocado

Let's talk about socks... and feet.  And genetics.  Zain has inherited his Mummy Shif's feet, biomechanically mysterious feet on which socks are not meant to stay.  Shif routinely has socks that are twisted, heel to the top.  On Zain, they just slide off, possibly due to his chunky cankles.  He also sometimes "helps" the socks off.

 

Visiting Ohio

We had a great visit to Ohio at the end of March.  It was an action-packed five days.  Zain had his first airplane flight, we got to visit lots of family, and Zain got to hang out with his cousins at a wedding shower for his Aunt Mary and Soon-to-Be Uncle Ryan.  

Zain was a great flyer.  The flight we take to Ohio is on a very tiny plane (19 seats, no flight attendant, the pilots tell you to come up and tap them on the shoulder if you need anything) and rarely has more than 5 or 6 passengers, and it's also very loud.  We figured these were ideal conditions for a baby's first flight - fewer people to give us dirty looks if he flipped out.  Fortunately, dirty looks were not necessary.  He slept, fed, played with the air vent, and otherwise quietly amused himself. 

Some other scenes from the week:

Fun in the ball pit during the shower

Playing with cousins Maya and Beth

Hanging out with Grandpa

Sleepover with Maya

Practicing his rolling at Grammy's house

Practicing weird foot skills at Grammy's house

More fun toys - American light switches!

Grammy loves Mr. Rosy Cheeks

In the airport on the way home. Long weekend, Zain?