Eight months down, four more to go until my baby turns ONE whole year old! Unbelievable! This month, Nolan has been one big ball of energy! Although he is still not crawling, he has started to cruise on furniture! And because this new activity is just super exciting and oh-so-cool, that is all.we.do... all.day.long! Gone are the days of sitting still on the couch, bed, or the floor, playing contently with his toys. This little man is on the move and always wants to go! I couldn't believe how quickly he went from wanting to stand with assistance, to standing against furniture, to wanting to move along furniture. Once he started, he instantly picked it up and can get around decently well with help. He loves walking around the ottoman and couch by himself, and even thinks it's funny when he falls down. If we sit down for a minute to play with toys, the distraction doesn't last long and he is instantly grabbing at my hands to "walk" around the house some more. He has found a love for new toys that require standing (such as his activity table and dancing bear sit-to-stand) and old toys that also double as standing aids (such as his exersaucer, but only on the outside... it's like a whole new toy from a different angle)! He still needs practice pulling himself up from sitting positions, and we will also start working on standing alone. I know he will be mastering these soon enough, though! As for crawling.... he can make his way around in a circle from the strength of his arms, but hasn't figured out how to go back and forward! We will continue to practice, but needless to say this little guy is just too smart. He knows crawling is for babies and walking is what all the cool kids do!
Because of Nolan's new found independence and activity level, his temperament has started becoming that of a typical 8-month old. Although he is still my happy, giggly baby boy, some days I wonder... "Who are you and what did you do with my Nolan?!" Tantrums rear their ugly heads here and there, and Nolan has learned the art of manipulation. He also is going through his Mommy-obsessed stage, and some days, has a hard time entertaining himself while I am cleaning up the house, eating lunch, or preparing dinner. Although we try not to give in and try to let him cry it out, sometimes it is just hard!
Contrary to his cranky moments, Nolan is usually found smiling and laughing, and is starting to develop more of his sense of humor. He has come far in his vocabulary and can say a ton of consonants, like his M's, B's, R's, Y's, and L's. He says Mama and Baba, but babbles these words, so we haven't considered them his first words quite yet, although I'm confident he will say Mama, first! He has learned how to make himself laugh (usually by throwing things or hitting toys together), as well as finding Harley absolutely hilarious! He has become super obsessed with the puppy, and constantly wants to follow him around, touch him, talk to him, and sometimes scream at him. Harley usually finds an area just far enough away, flops down and watches with a keen eye to make sure he isn't disturbed. When asked, Harley will give Nolan kisses, but usually runs away right after to ensure he won't be tugged on.
As of last month, Nolan wore his helmet for ten days and then started having some movement issues. He started developing a head shake side to side, as well as a spastic arm movement and overall "zoned out" look at random times with no consistent cause, both with the helmet on and with it off. We were concerned that the helmet was causing some spastic movements or even worse, something more was going on since he continued to do this with the helmet off. I filmed different video clips of our concerns and initially took Nolan to our pediatrician (who was out, so we saw another doctor at our office). We ruled out any type of infection, but the doctor we saw was stumped. He put in a referral to a neurologist, just in case, and said he was coding our visit as "a movement disorder." Since we didn't have any answers still, I decided to contact his cranial band doctor. Our orthotist was so amazing at being available after hours and the weekends, and I emailed her the video and she also agreed that a neurology consult would be beneficial, just to feel safe and rule anything strange out. We had to wait two weeks to get in to the specialist, and in the meantime, kept the helmet off. After lots of wondering and stress, the neurologist was not concerned at all with Nolan's movement and explained it as normal behavioral development. Most likely, he is uncomfortable (due to the helmet, gas, fighting to go to sleep, etc). and the side to side, consistent movement is soothing for him and how he deals with this so-called "stress". We felt good that she wasn't concerned at all and grateful for a healthy baby.
As to not waste any more time with his head development, we had a rescan with his orthotist the day after being cleared. Although his head had great change in the ten days that he wore it, he still needs a little more reshaping. Before the issues started, we were impressed to see how quickly his head had rounded out, and won't be expected to be in the band for very long as a full-time status. Because he did go two weeks without wearing it, his skull has changed a bit, so he required a new scan for a new fitted cranial band. We should be getting that any day, and will be starting back up on his helmet journey!
Here are some other details into Nolan's life:
Height, Weight, and Sizes:
Again, no well-check this month, but during our neurologist appointment, Nolan weighed in a little over 19 pounds (they had an old-school scale... no digital accuracy this time). He seems to be lengthening out and losing a little bit of his chunk, mostly because of his activity level! His face, arms and legs are still chunky monkey, but his little waist and belly have slimmed down. He has outgrown most of his 9 month clothing (a few here and there) and is in 12-month onesies, t-shirts and pajamas. He is still in 6-9 month bottoms due to that skinny waist of his! Mommy is excited for Nolan to wear all of his new fall clothes she has been shopping for.... if only our weather would cool down! He also is still in size 3 diapers, but we may try to move up to 4's once we go through our huge stash we've had for months! We are on the last box, so it shouldn't take long.
Again, no well-check this month, but during our neurologist appointment, Nolan weighed in a little over 19 pounds (they had an old-school scale... no digital accuracy this time). He seems to be lengthening out and losing a little bit of his chunk, mostly because of his activity level! His face, arms and legs are still chunky monkey, but his little waist and belly have slimmed down. He has outgrown most of his 9 month clothing (a few here and there) and is in 12-month onesies, t-shirts and pajamas. He is still in 6-9 month bottoms due to that skinny waist of his! Mommy is excited for Nolan to wear all of his new fall clothes she has been shopping for.... if only our weather would cool down! He also is still in size 3 diapers, but we may try to move up to 4's once we go through our huge stash we've had for months! We are on the last box, so it shouldn't take long.
Feeding:
Nolan still eats lots of purees, all Stage 2s, and has a variety of finger foods that he regularly dines on. He has gotten so much better at his pincher grasp and can handle lots of different foods. New from last month is the introduction of lunch, so Nolan is now getting his "three meals" a day. Most of the time these all consist of purees, but sometimes our little Mr. Independent will protest being fed and wants to feed himself, so we substitute with some finger foods. A typical day of Nolan's foodie life looks like this: Breakfast (around 8:15AM) is usually some sort of fruit puree (mango and pears are his favorite), and if he's still hungry/refuses the puree, he feeds himself some mango chunks or cut up blueberries (another of his favorites). Lunch (around 12:30PM) is usually a fruit/veggie combo puree, and some finger foods like cheese and avocado. We also tried YoBaby yogurts during lunchtime, and Nolan had a hard time digesting these, so we will wait again to introduce them in another month or so. Nolan gets dinner before our own dinner, and he usually eats around 5:00PM. A veggie puree is dinner of choice, and he usually gobbles all of that down, and sometimes even another half serving. Once I've cooked dinner and we sit down to eat, Nolan again joins us at the table in his highchair and will enjoy some finger foods, too (usually around 6:00PM). I try to serve him something from our plates, as long as it's healthy and he can handle it, but if there is nothing he can eat from ours, he will have cut up pasta, rice, more avocado, or some steamed veggies.
Along with solid food, he continues to take four bottles of milk a day, usually averaging about 24 ounces total daily. He definitely becomes more distracted while drinking his bottles since he has been more active, so it does take a little longer to convince him to finish his milk! He'd much rather be up walking around and playing! The life of an 8-month old....
Sleeping:
Our little babe who loved his sleep has changed his ways, this month! Nolan has always been an AMAZING sleeper, and not to say that he isn't still great, but he finally started a sleep "regression" during nap times. He started with only sleeping for about 30 minutes for both his morning nap and afternoon nap, which frankly is just not enough sleep for such an active little boy! Then, I started leaving him in his crib, hoping he would fall asleep again on his own. Instead of crying to get up or just fall back asleep, Nolan would talk and talk and talk to himself, as well as turn on and off his aquarium crib toy (yep, he learned how to do that this month). Because he wasn't crying and seemed fine, I would leave him some days to see what would happen. After about another 30-40 minutes, he would finally fall back asleep and take another 30 minute nap. After some trial and error with putting him down later, earlier, tiring him out with play, etc., we've finally set up a decent schedule to where Nolan gets an okay nap for both morning and afternoon.
Our little babe who loved his sleep has changed his ways, this month! Nolan has always been an AMAZING sleeper, and not to say that he isn't still great, but he finally started a sleep "regression" during nap times. He started with only sleeping for about 30 minutes for both his morning nap and afternoon nap, which frankly is just not enough sleep for such an active little boy! Then, I started leaving him in his crib, hoping he would fall asleep again on his own. Instead of crying to get up or just fall back asleep, Nolan would talk and talk and talk to himself, as well as turn on and off his aquarium crib toy (yep, he learned how to do that this month). Because he wasn't crying and seemed fine, I would leave him some days to see what would happen. After about another 30-40 minutes, he would finally fall back asleep and take another 30 minute nap. After some trial and error with putting him down later, earlier, tiring him out with play, etc., we've finally set up a decent schedule to where Nolan gets an okay nap for both morning and afternoon.
He still typically wakes around 6:15-6:30AM, and follows with his morning nap anywhere between 9:00-9:30AM. He will sleep for at least an hour, and on a good day, an hour and a half. His next afternoon nap happens around 1:00-1:45PM, depending on what time he wakes up from his morning nap. We've nixed the late afternoon catnap, so I like him to take a later mid-afternoon nap so he's rested enough to last until bedtime... yet that doesn't always happen! (Welcome to a regular baby's nap schedule, right!?)
Firsts & Milestones:
-Started finger foods (avocado first)
-Can smack his lips together and make sound
-Standing and holding himself up alone against furniture
-Learned to turn on and off aquarium toy himself after sleeping
-Crawls in circles
-Makes himself laugh
-Babbling (A's, O's, M's, B's, R's, Y's, L's)
-Rode in Daddy's new GTI!
-Gives high fives (one)
-Sniffs in and out
-Cruising furniture and walking with assistance (September 12th)
-Using his pointer finger to touch and point at things (Mommy's nose, Daddy's mouth, pushing buttons)
-Can look around the room and find Harley when asked, "Where's the dog?"
-Crazy obsessed with Harley
-Opening and closing books (sound)
-Puffs (obsessed with them, like catnip)
-Avocado, blueberries, pasta and cheese (favorite finger foods)
-Standing against furniture and falling over on purpose
-Throwing any and all toys (further, harder than before)
-Stopping on the staircase for the "good luck touch" of the railing post ends
-Looking down at things he drops from highchair
-Sesame Street (Elmo, Super Grover, Abby's Flying Fairy School are favorites)
-Walking with assistance everywhere!
Dislikes:
-Taking long naps
-Taking long naps
-Stranger danger, still
-Bananas (finger foods only, still eats pureed bananas)
-Getting into his carseat
-Being left alone to play independently (Mommy attached, lately)
-Sitting when he wants to be walking!
We love you, little buddy! You are learning so many new things and becoming such a funny, smart, adorable little bugaboo. But seriously... slow your growing... this year is going by too fast!
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