I'm heading back to work next week. (SIGH.) Right now the plan is for my mom and Sergio to split part of the week caring for Luca. I'm hoping I can work something out with my work where I can leave early a day or two each week to relieve them early. Childcare is so expensive! I'm really hoping the arrangement works out. I don't even know what I'm going to be like the first day back at work. I also have the added stress of figuring out how to pump at work.
I want to keep breastfeeding until at least six months. If I could, I would like to avoid formula due to cost. He's only four months old but he may be ready for some food soon. He's been watching us eat lately and is making chewing motions with his mouth. I call it "chewing the cud" like what cows do. I think it's regurgitated milk in this mouth he's gumming so...I guess it's exactly like what cows do, huh? He's also drooling so much! And is in love with his Sophie giraffe chew toy. He grabs her by the neck and sticks an ear or nose in his mouth. It's so funny. When he chews, his gums rubbing on the toy makes a little squeaking sound like when you rub you fingers against a clean piece of glass.
Luca was quite the little traveler this month! And he's been such a trooper through all of it. We took our first family road trip to the Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks AND we went to San Diego for my 36th birthday (more detailed post later). We're so thankful for the infant travel tent Martha gave us. It's been perfect and Luca loves it!
He's also been to many meals out, the L.A. Zoo for the first time, the beach for the first time, and to the Yamashiro Farmer's Market!
He's definitely so much more vocal now. So much "talking," especially in the mornings. He's been making raspberries with his lips and getting spit everywhere in the process. It was really intense for about a week but it seems like he's already growing out of that. He likes to do this exaggerated, really loud inhale - over and over again. (So hilarious. But I guess all parents think their kid is hilarious?) He'll laugh so hard if we tickle him just the right way. He cackles sometimes.
He loves to dance! He has crazy legs and needs to move them. We hold him up on his feet and he can bounce so long. It's such an arm workout for us! He especially loves it when you give him a little jiggle that goes along with the music.
He's an expert roller now. And quick too! I've been more conscious about using the safety straps on the changing pad because he can flip over in just a blink! And he can ALMOST scoot forward when he's on his tummy. He tries so hard, kicking his legs in the air behind him but doesn't get anywhere. He gets frustrated and tired so puts his head down, which is when his legs get in this froggy position under him and he kind of slides forward. It's the cutest thing.
He can stay propped up in a sitting position fairly well. He still falls over if left unassisted for too long though. In fact, I accidentally let him bump his head against a chair arm on July 4. I caught him so he didn't hit it full-on, but poor guy. He cried for a little bit. That was early in the month. He's much more steady now and his neck is so strong. I'm still a little wary of his big head falling back. He's nearly there though.
We've been reading to him and showing him a set of illustrated alphabet flash cards. He totally seems interested and looks intently at first us saying the words and then at the illustration. Right now he can sit through one round of the flash cards and one reading of the little caterpillar story. After that he gets bored. He's also began noticing the TV. And computer. And cell phone. I held up my phone to him a couple days ago and I swear he started scrolling through the photos and even did pinch and pull! All by accident obviously. And then he tried to eat it.
He is taking the bottle like a pro now. He's maxed out at 7 ounces in one sitting. But usually it's about 5 or 6. I'm a little worried because we only give him one bottle a day so having to take more than that during the day will be a surprise to him. (I'm thinking we might try more than one bottle tomorrow.) BUT, the one bottle is no longer the big 45 - 60 minute struggle it was in the past. He clearly knows it's milk in the bottle and will take it with no problem when he's hungry. They key is to make sure he's hungry (but not starving obviously). We know he's not hungry when he just plays with or chews on the nipple. So we put the bottle down and try again in 10-15 minutes. We wait and then try again in blocks of increasingly longer increments until he is ready.
Our bedtime routine for him is around 9 and includes a feeding and then Sergio rocks him to sleep in his bouncy chair. Lately though, if he has a hard time going down I've been singing him to sleep. I still only sing the one song: You Are My Sunshine. But I've made up a second stanza to replace some of the original lyrics which I found out to be incredibly sad.
My version:
You are my Luca
my little Luca.
You make me smile
and laugh all day.
I hope the stars dear
are ever shining
As they watch
and light your way.
For more photos, click here.
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