Category: 0 to 3 months

Reminder Pad

Leave a comment

reminderpad28329

Congratulations! If you’re following my baby activity log, then your child has reached three months old, a big milestone for babies. Likely you’re finding that sleep cycles (for you and your child both!) are more predictable and longer than in the very early days.

More sleep means more memory, so you might be feeling less forgetful than in the very beginning… But now’s not the time to grow overly confident. You still have a very little child and things can get unpredictable and sleepless again quickly (i.e. during wonder weeks).

To head things off, I invested in a magnetic dry-erase pad for the fridge. Any magnetic pad would work fine, but I love the dry-erase aspect because I’m tired of seeing messy notes to myself like this:

reminderpad28429

Now, I can write notes about the things that need to get done, and simply swipe away when done. This is fantastic when I remember something in the middle of a nighttime nursing session, or while juggling a million details by day.

reminderpad28129

I love that I can also color-coordinate schedules by family member, so I can see everyone’s day in one place.

reminderpad28229

In sum, this is another great tool in my ongoing quest to be as organized as possible. So get your own system up on the fridge, and jot away! Need to buy more diapers? Now you’ll remember. The baby last nursed at 6 o’clock? Now you’ll remember. The family has 3 engagements next Tuesday? Now you’ll remember.

What’s your favorite trick for remembering all the details in the sleepy infant days? Do share in the comments!

reminderpad28529

Sleepy Baby

Leave a comment

sleepy baby (2)

Now that we’ve started to figure out Veronika’s daily routine, it’s time to set up a proper nighttime routine for her, too.

As mentioned, I don’t bother with routines for my kids when still in their “fourth trimester.” But starting about 10 days ago, we noticed a big change; Veronika stopped her evening cluster feed (which had been going pretty-much non-stop from 7 to 10 p.m.!), and instead, well, she found her thumb. And with that, she’s capable of self-soothing and falls asleep between 6.30 and 7.

So now we needed to make bedtime special. The key to aby routine is consistency. I’m still working out how to do this best with two kids, but here’s what I’ve come up with so far.

Step 1: Bath (or cradle cap)

I don’t do baths nightly yet (too much washing can make a newborn’s skin dry), but if it’s a bath night, we start with that. If not, one night a week I comb through her cradle cap; try adding a little edible oil, like olive oil, to the scalp. Let sit for about 10 minutes, then brush through and shampoo out.

If there’s no cradle cap or bath, I still make it cozy and special to get into pajamas, with lotion and everything all laid out.

sleepy baby (4)

Step 2: Storytime

Because I’m juggling two kids, Veronika’s storytime has to be while big brother has his bath!

sleepy baby (6)

Yours might look a little less chaotic and a lot cozier, but I think she’s already come to associate her little bathroom chair with books, and anticipates that sleep is next – which is exactly what you want.

sleepy baby (5)

Step 3: Lullabies. We do a final nurse and I sing her a special song or two.

sleepy baby (7)

Then it’s lights out – and don’t forget a big kiss goodnight!

One additional item that we’ll add to her bedtime routine now that she’s old enough? A quick baby signing song. What does bedtime look like in your house? Please share in the comments!

 

Baby Sign

Leave a comment

Baby Sign (6).JPG

I’m a firm believer in no screen time for babies until they reach two years old, with one exception… Baby Signing Time.

These DVDs, from Two Little Hands media, are a fantastic intro for parents and their kids to baby signing, a simplified version of American Sign Language. I started the videos with Travis when he was five months old, and I’m getting an even earlier jump with Veronika. Now that she’s three months old, we broke out the old DVDs.

What are the benefits of signing? Baby’s can use their hands more competently before they can use their vocal chords, which means “words” come earlier. That means less frustration for kids and for the parents who are trying to understand him.

Veronika was rapt with attention right away, since the DVDs put each word to catchy music, and show other children making the signs.

baby sign (1)

If you don’t want to invest in the DVDs, you can always learn a few of the most common words you use in your day. Try learning the sign for milk, which is just your fist squeezing (like you’re milking a cow!).

baby sign (3)

Water, which you can also sign at bath time, is your fingers in a W that bounces on your chin.

baby sign (2)

You can even make up your own signs, as long as your consistent with it! The key is to use the sign every time you say the word out loud.

baby sign (4)

I’m also hoping that signs will alleviate Travis’s frustration that his baby sister can’t talk yet. Older sibs can sign to and with baby, and open up the lines of communication earlier.

Baby Sign alt.JPG

We can’t wait to see which one is Veronika’s first sign!

baby sign (5)

 

Tactile Rhyme

Leave a comment

Tactile Rhyme (3).jpg

Veronika and I found ourselves with three hours to kill at the car dealer today… So it was the perfect time for lots of fingerplays and rhymes. My favorite rhymes with babies are those that involve touches or motions; it helps them associate between the sounds they are hearing and the concrete noun or verb that goes along with it.

tactile rhyme (1)

So here’s a simple one, lest you, too, find yourself stuck with an infant in need of entertainment! Touch each body part as its named, and emphasize the counting, too.

Ten little fingers, ten little toes,

Two little ears and one little nose.

Two little eyes that shine so bright,

And one little mouth to kiss me goodnight!

End with a big kiss, of course! The ending means that this would also be a sweet one to add to a bedtime routine.

tactile rhyme (2)

How do you entertain baby when you’re stuck some place? Please share in the comments!

Get Physical

Leave a comment

get physical (7)

Veronika and I have played games to verbally enhance her self-awareness, and today we concentrated more on physical awareness of her body parts. There are so many ways to talk to and play with a baby about the body, so today that was the focus of our interactions.

First, I sang classic songs like “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes.” During each diaper change, I took the time to sing the song through, touching each adorable part, from the head…

get physical (1)

…to the toes.

get physical (3)

While we played in the living room, her big brother got in on the action!

get physical (5)

Big sibs will be so proud that they can show baby where each part is.

get physical (6)

I also emphasized body parts at today’s storytime. Where is Baby’s Belly Button, by Karen Katz, is a great example, with fun flaps and big pictures. Veronika loved our several reads of it!

get physical (4)

Finally, don’t forget to sit with your child by a mirror, and point out parts.

get physical (8)

What fun ways do you help your infant learn about the body? Please share in the comments!

 

 

 

Baby’s Daily Routine

2 Comments

Daily Routine (5).JPG

Veronika turns three months old tomorrow, which means her “fourth trimester” is at an end. I love the idea that in the first three months, a baby is like a fetus… but outside the womb. Indeed, I found this concept enormously helpful with both my children. It helped me to understand their needs, their lack of a schedule, their reliance on comfort, and so much more.

But by three months of age, it’s normal to see a routine developing. Sussing out that routine now can be super beneficial in the months to come. It might seem like your baby is still all over the place, but I would suggest that if you track feeding and sleeping cycles for about three or four days, you’ll notice patterns.

I’ve always been a spreadsheet person, tracking numbers and collecting hard data.

daily routine (4)

But for an interesting experiment, I decided to try a more visual approach to Veronika’s schedule on the eve of her three month birthday.

I don’t do bullet journaling (or “bujo” for short), but loved this exercise. For four days, I tracked her wake and sleep intervals in bright bold colors. T

daily routine (1)

Turns out, she reliably does four short naps, interspersed with wake intervals, and the naps are roughly at the same time of day – more so than I would have thought!

daily routine (2)

Your baby’s schedule might look similar (especially if he or she is also being dragged along according to an older sibling’s schedule), or it might look nothing like this at all. What counts is tracking down the patterns in your child’s day.

daily routine (3)

Seeing these patterns can help you decide what your baby needs when, and can also help you organize your day as an adult – you’ll know roughly when to schedule appointments, meetings, or other “grown-up” things that need to get done.

Just don’t forget: babies have a habit of changing things on you, as soon as you think you have it figured out! In which case, pull out the bujo and jot down a few more days to suss out what’s new.

Hand Control

Leave a comment

hand control (1)

It’s a delight watching Veronika use her hands these days. She was an early grasper, at only about two months, but now she can control an object as she holds it. To enhance her experience, today I set out a variety of toys with a variety of textures (hard, soft, crinkly) so she could fully enjoy the use of those little hands!

hand control (7)

By variety I mean not just multiple toys, but also that some contained multiple textures in one toy; items like these are great for babies who are exploring with their hands.

hand control (5)

Veronika loves that she can hold the wooden ring on this giraffe, while feeling plastic or soft parts of it elsewhere.

hand control (4)

Meanwhile she tested out holding a crinkly banana…

hand control (2)

…and a hard musical rattle.

hand control (6)

Baby books with soft pages are great for little grasping hands too. Some have built in handles or teethers…

hand control (3)

…and others are sized just right for tiny fingers.

hand control (8)

And of course all those dangling toys on the playgym are perfect for encouraging a grasp. I make sure the toys hang low enough that Veronika can bat at them or grab on. She always seems delighted when her efforts are rewarded!

hand control (9)

First Giggles

Leave a comment

first giggles (7)

We’re on a mission around here… To get Veronika to make her first true giggle, that is!

Social smiles abound these days, including the best gummy smile when I first greet her in the morning. But the giggle is more elusive, and you are probably equally excited for the first time your little one truly makes that sound. It’s a milestone that will happen right around three month’s old – i.e. right now for us.

So here’s a round up of some fun ways we’ve been eliciting smiles from Veronika. She goes wild for peekaboo…

first giggles

…loves when I make silly faces, like a puckered fish face or bubbly lips…

first giggles (6)

…and grins when I say nonsense words like “scootchie tootchie!”

first giggles (2)

And then there are her near-laughs for big brother!

first giggles (5)

We’ll get there soon, and we’ll have fun trying in the meantime. How did you get your baby to laugh for the first time? Please share in the comments!

 

Connect with Classical

Leave a comment

bond with bach (1)

Travis has pulled out his old violin this morning (from a brief foray into Suzuki last year), which was a nice reminder to put on some classical music for the whole family to enjoy!

bond with bach (2)

Classical is fantastic for babies (not just Bach, although that’s what we started with). I put on concerto music and held Veronika in my arms, and I could instantly feel her whole body relax. Mine, too!

Bond with Bach (3).JPG

We listened to the music at various volumes – first loud, then softer, then loud again. She was practically dancing to the music!

bond with bach (4)

I also whispered to her what we were listening to: string instruments like cellos, bold brass instruments, winds like clarinets, and more.

Although the jury is still out on whether or not the “Mozart effect” actually helps babies’ intelligence, there’s no reason not to listen to classical music. It certainly calmed us all down on a chaotic Saturday morning! A nice reminder to leave my Mozart and Bach on repeat in the background.

Ready, Action

Leave a comment

ready action (1)

Veronika is familiar now with some of our favorite fingerplays, like Itsy Bitsy Spider and Wheels on the Bus. Today, it was her turn to get in on the hand motions!

Sit your child in a comfortable position facing you; the Boppy or a similar nursing pillow is a great option for little ones who can’t sit up on their own yet.

I knelt in front of Veronika with a big smile, and held her hands as we went through the rhyme. She seemed so excited that her fingers were making the spider go up, too!

ready action (3)

Down came the rain…

ready action (2)

…and out came the sun.

ready action (4)

Next we tried Wheels on the Bus, which consists of fun movements for your infant to join in on. Her little arms went round and around, up and down, open and shut, you name it.

ready action (5)

This game made for an adorable morning of play, and we’ll be sure to try it again soon.

ready action (6)