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Rolls, flips, and other tricks
In this weekly journal, BabyCenter editorial director JD Lasica describes the joys, challenges, fears, and dreams of first-time parenthood. JD, his wife Mary, and their son Bobby live in the San Francisco Bay Area. Check back each Monday for the latest installment.
It's acrobatics week here at the Lasica homestead. We're playing with Bobby on our bed one day when he rolls over onto his stomach by himself for the first time. One minute he's doing his usual workout stretches on his back, bringing his feet up and touching his toes — then suddenly he lifts his legs, rolls himself onto his side, flattens his legs out, and rolls onto his tummy.
What's up with this? he seems to wonder, bringing his arms out in front and lifting his head up slightly. He tries a couple of baby push-ups but can't get back onto his back. So he grunts and whimpers, halfway between frustrated and mad. We finally pick him up, ending his ordeal.
The same thing happens a few days later: He's playing with his feet when suddenly he's on his side and then on his stomach. He gives us the same lost look and then gets ticked off because he's stranded on his belly. The boy needs to build his upper-body strength. Maybe this week we'll hit a 24-Hour Baby Nautilus.
Babies start rolling over at different ages. How old was your baby when he did a flip for the first time?
Boo hasn't started crawling yet — he moves his legs, but he's not getting anywhere with his chest planted firmly on the mattress. Same results on the carpet.
A day at the beach
Mary and I passionately love the ocean and the beach (Back East we call it the shore). So on Saturday we drive to Capitola — a small coastal city with a historic downtown about an hour's drive away — for Bobby's first day at the beach. We have brunch at Gayle's, a well-known local spot that serves muffins, coffee, and more. Here Boo discovers the joys of putting napkins and newspaper pages into his mouth. It's a mild day, but we cover Bobby with a sun hat and lots of protective clothing because a baby's skin is extremely thin and delicate, and burns easily.
We put the umbrella stroller on its side and cover it with a blanket to create a makeshift windbreak / sun shield for Bobby. We shoot some photos and video, but I'm zoned out with a virus so I mostly sleep through our beach time. Somewhere in there Bobby manages to eat his first sand. Later, at a beachside restaurant called Zelda's for lunch, he makes friends with a 1-year-old from New Zealand, who keeps sticking his fingers in Boo's mouth. Bobby tries to be sociable, letting the kid explore at first, but finally he gives an enough-is-enough cry.
Other developments
• Uh, oh. Bobby's now staring at earrings, so Mary's stashing her dangling earrings away until next year. He also seems to be noticing the little fire engines and other patterns on his outfits for the first time.
• It's settled now: He's got gorgeous hazel green eyes. Mary and I both have hazel green eyes so, yep, looks like he's ours.
• He has started letting Mary hold him over her left shoulder as she lies in bed. Until now, he would always squirm, wanting to be propped up or constantly on the move.
• I fed him again on Saturday and Sunday. Some days he'll take the spoon, other days he's not in the mood for rice cereal or oatmeal and there's no point in forcing the issue because he just ain't swallowing.
• When we set him in front of a full-length mirror, he puts his hand up against it. Then he puts his face against it, leaving a big mouth and cheek imprint.
Milestones
• Twice rolled over from back to stomach
NEXT PAGE | Week 25: First tooth
Share your thoughts with JD at jd@well.com.
• See parents' comments on Bobby: Week 24
