Giggles

With something this cute, it's impossible not to share!

(I've already watched it about a dozen times - and I live with him!)

A story from Gymboree

Since today is Monday, it means that it was another Gymboree day!  Riley has so much fun at class and is getting excited when he sees his friends now.  

When we got to class, we were one of the first ones there and the teacher had out an inner tube with a lambskin rug inside.  She told us to sit our babies on the outside and let them feel the rug with their toes while we waited for others to show up.  

So there were 5 babies, hanging out on the tube like a day at the beach, when all of a sudden, Riley felt sea sick.  All of a sudden, a wave of blurp made its way out and not only spilled on him, but got his baby friend Nicholas, too.  Nicholas started crying, I started apologizing and we all started cleaning up.  I told Nicholas that this probably wasn't going to be the last time that someone spit-up on him... and in the end, everyone was happy again. 

Class was so much fun and we now know for sure that Riley is ticklish on his neck and chin - you should have heard his giggles and screams!  But having so much fun is also exhausting - so after class I took advantage of the nice weather and walked around the outside mall while Riley took a stroller nap.

Back to the library

When it's 20 degrees outside and you have a young baby, it's a challenge to find afternoon activities that will make everyone happy.  Riley is too young to play at the Science Center, too young to have fun at the museum, too young to go to the movies.  So we decided to go to the library!

I had never been to the kids section of this library but when we walked through the painted archway, we entered a whole new world.  A world that was filled with other young children braving the winter of Chicago.

Riley and I walked down the aisles picking out a stack of books to read together, then found a nice quiet corner where we could snuggle.  We read about buccaneer bunnies, zoo animals waking up in the morning and farm animals singing at the county fair.  We had a great time reading for about 45 minutes before it was time to meet Chris for lunch.  

An exercise in futility

This afternoon we attempted to let Riley try solid food for the first time.  You'll notice that I specifically used the word "attempted" as we were not very successful in our efforts on the first time around.

  

Riley went shopping with us and told us that he (Daddy) wanted the organic kind.  Not sure how much of a difference there is with rice cereal but that's the kind we started with.  At the rate he is eating it, the box may last us till he goes to college.

Riley liked the spoon but thats as far as the exercise went.  We kept trying to encourage him to try to eat the food but all he wanted to do was drool it back out, spit it back out and just let it fall back out.  I don't think he swallowed any of it at all.

We will keep up with the feedings and hopefully he starts to understand what to do soon.   Until then, we will just keep having fun making a mess of the baby!

4 month check-up

This morning, we took Riley to the doctor for his 4 month check-up.  We got there a little early so we had a little time to sit in the waiting room and read a book about Winnie the Pooh's trip to the doctor.

All of Riley's measurements were taken and he is just above average for everything.  He now weighs 15 pounds and is 26 inches long!  The doctor walked in and said that he is looking perfect and round (in a good way).  She answered all of our questions and said that he is great.  Riley had a great time on the table playing with the paper and showing off his head-holding skills.

The last part of the visit was the part we were all dreading.  He had to get 4 shots and drink 1 liquid.  The nurse gave them all quickly so he reacted to them as a batch and was not happy.  He cried and cried but after they were done and we put his clothes back on, he stopped crying and fell asleep in his carseat.  Now, the only evidence of the shots are band-aids on each limb.  Overall, Riley was a very good patient and we don't have to go back until his 6-month check-up!

Baby butt

Riley is flipping to his belly - not just in his bed, but every place we put him.  Diaper time is getting increasingly more challenging as every time I go to do something, there he goes again.  He certainly is roley poley.

The good news is, though, that each time he flips, we get a great view of his cute baby butt!

(Sorry Riley, this is what Mommies are for!)

Fun at Gymboree

It's official - we are members of Gymboree!  We signed up for our monthly membership and will now be taking the Level 1 class every Monday afternoon.  There are a bunch of other babies in our class and Riley has so much fun.  We do tummy time, sing songs, stretch and play for 45 minutes with all our new friends.

We have parachute time, play with different toys and even get to use these really fun bubbles that barely pop.  As you can see, when they land on your face (or anywhere else), they stay.  By the end of bubble time, everyone is covered in these tiny bubbles.

Riley had a great time in class and even met a baby who is just one day older than him.  She was born on September 8th in the same hospital so they may have met in the nursery.  And class isn't just fun for the babies, but it's nice to be able to talk to other mommies, too.  I'm hoping that over time, some of the group members become regulars and we make mom friends too.

Flipadeedoodah

Not only has Riley been flipping from his front to his back during tummy time, but we now find him on his belly in his crib.  The other night, I saw that he had flipped over while he was sleeping so I had Chris go in and put him back on his side for bedtime.  Then last night, I heard him crying for his 2am meal and I found him on his front again.  Same thing happened at 6am.  

Riley is much happier spending time on his tummy now, but after a while he gets tired.  Now he just has to realize that he has the ability to flip back over to his back when he wants so he doesn't have to cry for us to help.