Chatter Box

Daniel seems to have really increased his babbling over the past few days. Just a lot of chatter at different times. Not using proper words, just Daniel language. It's pretty cute to listen to and interact with.

The Howie's gave us Oscar's old swing to put up at our house. On the weekend James got around to putting it up and so Daniel has enjoyed hanging around in it. It is a bit low to the ground but it will do for the moment with his little legs. It is easy to just sit on the grass and push him so quite comfortable for both of us.

 

Baby Steps

We managed to get video of Daniel doing some baby steps. He needs an incentive that is high up (like on a chair) to be encouraged to walk. But he did take the steps eventually. Thanks to Mum for capturing it on video.

We did try to reinact the first steps just after they happened but Daniel wasn't so keen on the idea. The cheeky boy just wanted to crawl.

 

Tentative Walking

Tonight Daniel (tentatively) took his first few steps. James and I have been trying to encourage him to take some steps and each time we let go of his hands he often stands for a bit and then crouches down and crawls. Tonight I was sitting opposite him and James and we were asking him to walk to Mummy. He did it with a little crouch in his legs but he did take about 3 steps. Of course we tried to re-inact it for the camera and got nothing. But yeah, we were very excited for him and he was quite pleased with his efforts.

Gross Motor Skills

It is awesome watching Daniel play now. He has just come along in leaps and bounds with his gross motor skills when playing with his toys.

We have been enjoying this beautiful winter weather by hanging outside after our morning nap. Some days we just go out and crawl around on the grass, other days we take out a ball and play with that. Daniel is getting good at passing the ball - we are trying to develop the correct handball pass, he has a bit of a way to go :-)

He has continued to enjoy going into the draws and pulling out different bowls and containers. His favourite seems to be some bowls for Nan which he enjoys banging together as it makes such a lovely noise.

He has also continued to use his couch to climb on it to get into mischief. This time the couch was infront of the chairs so he decided to climb up onto the chairs and boy oh boy was he very proud of himself!

Playing with his rings has always been a game of trying to balance the rings on his/my head or a game of pulling the rings off. This week he has started to be able to put the rings back on the stick. Again, he is very proud of his efforts! (and so am I!)

Tower building too is something that he has shown no interest in. Normally it involves me building the tower and Daniel knocking it down. However, this week he has started to be able to place the megablocks on top of each other (only one on top of another but still, that's an effort) and also building little towers with his cups.

Unfortunately it's a blurry photo, but he knocked the tower down straight after I took this rushed shot. He built the tower all on his own!

The last thing he has started doing is while reading his story 'I'm a little teapot' he is starting to try spinning the edge which turns around and does an action. He has obviously watched me doing it while reading and now he is having a go.

I'm so proud of his efforts and developments! I think it's the teacher in me, as well as being his mum but it is so wonderful to see and I can't wait to see what will come next!
 

Communication is the key

I am quite enjoying this stage in Daniel's life. He is becoming quite the chatter - babbling lots and lots. While I have no clue what he says, we make it up and repeat what he could be saying. But while I can't understand his verbal cues, I am increasingly understanding what he wants. He is getting good at pointing in the direction of something that he wants - whether that's the door when he should be having a nap at Jenny's house (like yesterday) or his water while he is having a meal. It is pretty awesome to see that he is understanding that he can ask for things - he now needs to learn that the answer won't always be yes. So yes, with increasing his communication we are also increasing the little tantrums (which I must say are very cute and funny! I am trying to get one on video but just haven't had the luck yet).

He is pretty good at waving to say bye now. Kisses are now few and far between though. It was very cute while it lasted.

Bye

He has started to learn that he can open some of the draws in the kitchen - mainly the tupperware draw because it isn't weighted down by plates, pans, etc. 

He loves pulling out the different lids and containers and then putting them back. Again with understanding what I am saying, he is very good at watching that he doesn't jam his fingers in the draw.

He also enjoys having the job of closing the fridge door whenever it has been opened (again, watching his fingers), closing the microwave door after watching whatever has been cooked in it, closing or pushing open the front door when we are going out or coming home. He is very proud of himself too when he pushing these things closed.

Another thing that Daniel understands is when I say 'It's breakfast/lunch/dinner time'. This morning I said 'It's breakfast time Daniel' and he crawled from the kitchen over to his high chair and started to pull his chair out - he knows what he needs to eat. This I thought was very cute and clever!

He does similar when I ask him if he wants some milk. Whether I am sitting in the chair or not, when I ask him he will crawl over to the chair quite excited! I am really not too sure how I am going to be able to wean him off being breastfed... He just enjoys it so much! Last Monday I forgot to leave a bottle with Jens when I went to work. I told Jens we'll just leave it for the day because he it would be too late for him to have the milk when I got home from work. When I got home, I was silly to sit in the chair that I feed him in. Well, the world apparently ended! Daniel crawled over and tried to pull himself up. When I wouldn't feed him he got quite upset. He was very happy when he had his bedtime feed!

So I am quite enjoying this stage of communication. It will be a lot better though when he can speak so it is clear what he would like - but then I know that answering back will start up too so yeah. I will enjoy this stage!

This morning has been quite a nice morning. At breakfast time I decided to try giving Daniel half a banana, not cut up. He was rather curious about it and hesitant to have big bites from it. But he got there in the end. Only problem was toward the end he just shoved in the whole rest of the banana - a bit too much for it to be comfortable, but he worked it and managed to swallow it. 

I'll just pick at it thanks Mummy.

Ok... so I can bite it...

I can do it on my own!

 

Too much in at once. Hahaha!

 He also 'helped' me hang out the washing. He just loves pulling the pegs off (not so helpful) so I give him his own row of pegs to pull off. It takes a lot of concentration to pull them off!

He has also learnt that he can stand on his couch to be able to reach higher shelves. After this photo, I then moved the couch away :-)

Loving hanging out with my little man!