Stinky!

Daddy and Mommy learned this weekend just how stinky veggies make a baby's poop. They thought the poop from the rice and oatmeal cereal was bad. Ha!! Then I showed them what I thought about the squash I ate. Momma said it smelled like rotten cream cheese! Ewwww.

STTN!

Not only am I a big boy who sleeps in his own room, but for about the last week or so I am also a big boy who sleeps through the night! Daddy and Momma think it is some sort of miracle. I go to sleep around 6:30 or 7:00, daddy gives me a "dreamfeed" around 10:00pm, and then I wake up around 6:30am. When I wake up during the night I fuss for a minute, then put myself back to sleep (for the most part). Today, I even let daddy put me down for a nap after I had my bottle but was still awake!

Squash!

I had my first veggie yesterday (4-24-10). It was butternut squash. I liked it ok, I guess. I had a better reaction to it than my first bite of rice cereal. I am sure I will get used to it, but at this point I like my oatmeal much better.

I can help, too!

For the last week and a half or so, I have been really enjoying grabbing onto my feet when I get changed. Every time Mommy or Daddy changes me, they pull my legs up really high, so now I like to try and help them. I grab onto my feet, and if my tummy isn't too full I like to put my toes in my mouth.

Solid foods

On April 4, 2010 I ate my first bites of rice cereal. I did not enjoy it at all, but I was a trooper and tried my best. Mommy and Daddy caught it all on video, they thought it was pretty funny. Mommy and Daddy made 2 tablespoons of dry cereal mixed with milk, but I only got a few spoonfuls of it - and most of it I spit out. But, everyday I took to the cereal a little more, and after about a week I think I almost enjoyed it.

Just a few days ago I tried oatmeal cereal which I like a lot better. Now, when Mommy gets a spoonful of it I open up my mouth eagerly. The doctor told us that after I get up 2 tablespoons twice a day I can try yellow veggies. Yummy!

Hooray! I slept in my own crib, in my own room!

On my 5-month birthday I spent my first night in my own crib and room. I took to it with no problem. Mommy and Daddy say next milestone is to sleep through the night.

I hate to sleep!

For the last week or so, I have been having the hardest time staying asleep at night. I used to just wake up once (around 4am or so) to eat. Mommy would bring me into the bed and feed me and nurse me, then let me sleep next to her and I would stay asleep sometimes as late as 7am. This made Mommy and Daddy very happy.

But then I started to wake up around 2 also. But last night I decided to wake up at 12am, 1am, 2:30am, 5am, 6am, and 7am. Ha! Mommy and Daddy are so tired.

Mommy read about something called "4 month old sleep regression" and it says that I am probably going through some big developmental changes right now which are affecting my sleeping. The article said that things will most likely go back to normal soon enough. Darn it!

What a weekend!

Well, in the last 24 hours, I have had some pretty exciting firsts:

1) I found my feet! So those things down there attached to my legs are pretty funny. I can reach them now. I like to pull my legs up and look at them. If Daddy or Mommy help me, I can grab on to them and stare away.

2) I like to punch things! I have a devastating overhand punch. I think I am trying to touch things gently, but I am just so excited and I am just getting the hang of things that I often just slam my hands down on things. Whether it is Daddy's computer keyboard, a toy, someone's chest, I just like to slam my hands down hard and look excited about it. Today I had my Mr. Lion toy and was bashing him into my own lap pretty hard. Mommy stopped me before I did any damage

3) I have 2 teeth coming in! All of a sudden this morning a little white spot started poking through my gum line (bottom front left), and then aftenoon Mommy discovered a SECOND white spot (bottom front right). I have been handling it pretty well, just pretty drooly. Not too terribly fussy. We will see how things progress.

What I have been up to

This week I have really, really been enjoying:

• standing up! One of my slaves has to hold on to me for balance, but otherwise I can support my weight for a pretty long period of time. If I could only work on my balance, I could definitely stand up without any help.
• Chewing on EVERYTHING. Whether it is a cloth diaper, your knuckle, my friend Sophie the rubber giraffe, or my own hands and fingers. It sooths my gums, which I am pretty sure are hiding some teeth that will make an appearance soon enough!
• Talking. I have lots to say these days and I can make all different kinds of consonant sounds now. I also can make an ear piercing squeal when I am excited.
• Watching TV. I don't know what I am watching, but I see the glowing box and all the moving shapes on it and I think it is pretty fun.
• Laying around on the floor. Who knew it was so fun down here?! Mommy and Daddy look absolutely ridiculous form this angle.
• Watching musicians in concert. Daddy puts on the Palladia channel and I coo and try and sing along while the rock stars play music.

Let's Roll!

Weeee! On March 2, 2010 I rolled from my tummy to my back for the first time. Only Mommy was home at the time, and she was so surprised she wasn't even sure it happened. The next day I did it twice, and this time Daddy caught me on camera. He posted my video to Facebook, and it was a smash hit with all of my fans.

Yo Gabba Gabba and all things musical

This weekend was so awesome! Daddy AND Mommy were here all day, all the time! I got to hang out with Daddy in the middle of the night when it was time to eat. I got to watch this cool show called Yo Gabba Gabba, and I think that DJ Lance Rock is super cool! I can't really make much of the show out, but I do see a lot of bright colors and hear some pretty simple little songs.

Speaking of songs, there is this other thing Daddy showed me today called Palladia - it is a TV station full of concert footage. IT IS AMAZING! I sit staring wide eyed with my little mouth hanging slightly open and I try really hard to sing along to the songs, but mostly I just say "goooo" and I smile a lot. I like the songs on Yo Gabba Gabba too, but they are nothing compared to the Palladia stuff.

Maybe some day when I grow up, me and my cousin Joel can be in a rock band together!!

Gooooooo

Mommy and Daddy think that I have been extra talkative this week. I have been saying "Goo" and "Ah-goo" a lot. They think that these noises have been extra sweet sounding and they just love it when I try and talk to them. Daddy thinks I sound like a little morning dove when I coo away sweetly. I like to amuse them.

First Word (well, not really)

This morning I was laying in my bassinet doing my usual morning routine of "snuffling around" before I actually got picked up, and I wanted to see how loud I could shout. Plus I was curious to try out a new consonant sound, so I yelled out, "Da-Ee!" really nice and loud.

This shocked Momma and Daddy, as it sounded like I very clearly said "Daddy". They know I am too young to actually know what I am saying, so it doesn't really count as a first word. But they enjoyed hearing what it sounded like anyway. I have made sounds that kind of sound like "Momma" but it is when I am screaming my head off.

My hands are becoming so useful

I have recently discovered that my hands taste fabulous. I especially like to ball my fist up and chew/suck/lick my tiny hand. I am sometimes interested in sucking individual fingers, or maybe my thumb, but generally I enjoy the whole fist.

Also, just today I learned how to grab things and hold on to them. The toy that helped me realize this was Mr. Lion, who is a stuffed lion hanging on a big circle shaped rattle. I grabbed Mr. Lions legs, tail, and the rattle and swung him all around. I also put him in my mouth to see how he tasted, but I am not so sure that I like the feeling of his fuzziness in my mouth.

Week in review

My hands!

I have recently discovered that I have the tastiest hands of just about anyone on earth. I like to shove them in my mouth whenever I can. A few fingers, my thumb, or my whole fist, it is all so delicious.

New noises

Mommy says that this week I started to make sounds just like my cousin Joel when his name used to be "M.C. Hock-a-lugi". It sounds like I am trying to speak French and I want to roll my r's extra good. When you make the same noises back to me, it just cracks me up!

I have also started squealing pretty loudly.

Coordination

I am getting very good at swatting the toys that hang down from my Fischer Price Rain forest Activity Gym. I like the elephant and the birdie on his perch the best.

Recognition

Daddy showed me my own reflection in a little toy mirror the other day, and I smiled and smiled. Now when you show me my own face, I actually focus on it, and boy do I like what see!

Adventures

This weekend the Hocter Family went to the Griffith Park Observatory. We just had a week of terrible storms (tornado warnings were issued right here in LA county) and the sun was finally out, so it was pretty crowded and we had to park far away down a hill. We had lots of fun walking around. Daddy took pictures of everything, even snapping some portraits of me and Mommy. Mommy also took a picture of Daddy giving me my bottle.

The funniest part of the trip was the group of Japanese tourists who all crowded around me and were oohing and ahhing over how handsome I am. It was the weirdest thing. Now that I get out of the house more, strangers always stop us and comment on how good lookin' I am.

Sleepy time

Well, last night I went to bed around 11pm and didn't wake up to eat again until almost 4am! Mommy and Daddy were besides themselves. Mommy said she felt so well rested. The night before last I slept a little over 4 hours in one stretch.

To make up for the fact that I had given everyone such a nice night of sleep, I tossed and grunted (the parents call it "snuffling around") for about 30 minutes, then went to sleep, woke up another hour or so later and made Mommy take me out to the couch, where I snuffled around a little while longer, then slept another hour. I figure that threw their schedules off well enough...I like to keep them on their toes.

Daddy and I had a nice talk about him having to go back to work today. Mommy is taking me to have lunch with Daddy and meet all of his work people. I will try and look extra cute for this adventure. Momma says I smell like a foot again, so I have to have another bath today.

Goo mmm baba!

Sam emphatically stated "goo mmm baba!" while sitting on my lap watching TV today. He has made more and more sounds every day for the last few weeks but this is the loudest and most confident one yet.

New Sounds

Today I learned how to make a "ba" noise. Daddy heard me do it really loud. He says I sound like a sheep!

Sam Holiday

I declare a holiday today!

Today is Poop And Pee On Mommy Day! I celebrated by finally pooping after holding onto it for almost 4 days. I was sitting on Mommy's lap when the festivities began. She took me right away and put me onto my changing station. She waited a few minutes until she thought the coast was clear and started to change me...that is when the festivities really got under way!

Boy oh boy, did I have a lot of "festivities" to share! Mommy kept switching out the diapers from under me until she thought I was finished...and I tricked her again! She just had enough time to put a waterproof pad under me with the plastic side up (side note - I peed through the other 3 she had on my changing mat last night) but she hadn't gotten another diaper under me yet. I passed a little gas and just as she said to Daddy "Boy, I am lucky that wasn't a..." and just then, yup you guessed it! MORE festivities. I had lots more to share with Mommy, and boy was it messy! To add insult to injury, I peed on her! Woo hoo!

Mommy gave me a bath right after the festivities came to a hault. She used my new Aveno baby wash on me, and I no longer smell like a foot. The bath was nice, until I got out of the bath and got really cold. Then I started to cry, so Mommy gave me a few minutes of booby to calm me down - which worked like a charm. Booby was replaced with my paci. Daddy said that I looked pretty tired (which I must admit was true, since I had been up for 2+ hours) and he wrapped me in one of my Anais and Aiden swaddling blankets and I fell right asleep.

So far, a pretty good start to the day!

Oooh, that smell...can't you smell that smell

Momma picked me up from a nap yesterday and got one whiff of my head and said that I smell like a foot! Looks like there is a bath in my future.

Swing Time!

I have two swings that my Autnie Kathryn, Uncle Brian, and Cousin Joel gave me. They sat in my bedroom unassembled until Auntie came and put them together - Mommy and Daddy didn't have the necessary brain power to figure out how to do it without the instructions during those first few weeks that I was here.

I had been pretty much unimpressed with the swings until today. The little one was sometimes okay to sit in, but only for a few minutes at a time before I wanted to be picked up again. But today, I figured something out...

I like my little swing! I fussed a little bit when Momma first put me in it, but she brought me a binkie and talked to me about how great it was, and soon I agreed. I even took a long nap in it, and as a result Mommy and Daddy got to eat dinner together. They were pretty excited about it. I was so comfy in it that I woke up a few times, but put myself back to sleep without much trouble.

And if you don't believe me, here's a video...

Sam Law

The cuter the outfit Mommy and Daddy put me in to leave the house, the higher the chance that I will spit up on it and need to be changed before we leave.

2 month well baby check

Momma and Daddy took me to the doctor today for my 2-month check up. I grew over 3.5 pounds and almost 2 inches in length. I shot right out of that stupid 10th percentile and went up to 50th for weight and 25th for height!! Mommy and Daddy were very excited.

At the end of the appointment I had to get 2 shots. Daddy said that it looked like an electric shock went through me when the nurse gave it to me. I cried so hard that I didn't make any noise for a few seconds. Mommy cried, too. But right after my second shot, Mommy gave me some boobie and everything was instantly better. Thank goodness for the boobie.

The doctor said for Mommy and Daddy to give me some tylenol, since I might get a little fever and not feel all that great today. I have been pretty sleepy today, but otherwise I am holding up pretty well.

Laughing!

Today I laughed for the first time!!

In the last week or so, Momma and Daddy have heard me make noises that sounded almost laugh like. But today, for sure, no questions asked, I laughed!! Daddy was singing me a song called, "I Am Sammy's Dad," that sounds an awful lot like, "Iron Man," by Black Sabbath. It is a pretty funny song, and I just couldn't help myself but laugh out loud. Daddy is really, really silly. He sings me lots of songs with silly words in them. I think my daddy is the funniest thing in the whole world.

I make lots of cooing and grunting noises these days. Daddy is convinced that the noises I make when he sings to me are me trying to sing along with him. I love to lay in Daddy's lap and listen to him tell me stories, sing me songs, and talk to me.

I fell asleep on Mommy's lap today and trapped her on the couch for over two hours. The sun came in through the window and started to hit us and make us hot. But Mommy saved us by holding a big pillow up and keeping the sun off of us.

Ah, the things I get my parents to do for me :)

New Years Day 2010

Age: 7 weeks, 4 days

Well, last night was my first new years eve. We all went to sleep around 10:30pm. Mommy slept through the midnight countdown, but daddy woke up because there were lots of noise outside from people yelling, "Happy New Year!" I started stirring, so daddy warmed me up a bottle thinking I was about to wake up, but I tricked him! By the time he got back to the bedroom to pick me I was already sound asleep and didn't wake up until about an hour and a half later. Momma didn't even stir when the people yelled. She is so lazy!

What's New
I am getting pretty good at sucking on my own fingers these days. Sometimes, I try and get my thumb in my mouth but I end up sucking on the palm of my hand instead.

I've been really hungry lately; sometimes I just eat and eat! Normally, momma and daddy give me 4 ounces at a time, but today I had 6 ounces at dinner! That lead me to a case of the hiccups. Daddy says that my hiccups sound just like an instant message from Facebook.

I haven't had any diaper blowouts today,(which is an improvement from the 3 I had the other day) and mommy and daddy are super excited about that.

Today's excitement
I got to wear my Ohio State onesie today and root for the Buckeye's in the Rose Bowl!