Well, I haven't been keeping up with my posts as often as I would like, but here is a summary of what John Geoffrey has been up to this month:
Learned to smile
Yes, John has started smiling actively, and not just because he has gas :) I love it when he wakes up in the morning and I go to his crib and say hello and he gives me a big gummy smile back. He also loves having a clean bottom, and will give us plenty of smiles after we have changed his nappy. Actually he also loves to smile at us before we change his diaper, I think because he knows that we are playing russian roulette with every nappy change (although I am much more adept at placing a washer over him to stop any rogue sprays) and he likes to keep us on his toes!
This cute little one also smiles when he sees his reflection, when he's playing on his playmat and when we sing the Proclaimers 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)' to him (see the 'Olympics' heading below for the significance of the song).
Started Drooling
I wish I could get a good picture of this, but it is so hard. John has started frothing at the mouth when he's hungry and because he hasn't learned to keep his saliva in his mouth yet, it just dribbles all over his clothes. I find it pretty hilarious to be honest. Pretty much anything this kid does is cute.
Discovered his Bouncer, Playmat and Reflection
John and I went shopping to buy some new things for John Geoffrey. While it wasn't the best experience (picture a seriously screaming baby, who would not settle and two frazzled parents) we got some great things for him.
The first thing we got was a bouncer, which is something I had really been wanting to get. It means I don't have to put our baby down on his back when my arms are tired after feeding, and I can move him in his chair from room to room to keep him (and me) company. He really enjoys his special chair and is rarely ever unhappy in it, he even doses off in it from time to time.
At the same time we got the bouncer, we also got a playmat which has arches over the top so that he has some interesting things to look at when he has playtime. The one we picked has a cute little monkey hanging off the middle of the arches, which plays some music when tugged on. I have to admit that was the main draw card for me, because John likes to call our son our little monkey (cute). The other cool thing about the playmat is that it has a mirror on it, and John Geoffrey loves to look at himself in the mirror.
Submitted his Passport Application
It's no secret that we would like to visit the Keaton side of the family for either Thanksgiving or Christmas this year, and so we decided to get John Geoffrey's passport application in asap so we can go whenever we like. We went and got his passport photo done about two weeks ago, but I only finished the application and sent it in last week. He was such a good boy for the photographer, no crying and very alert - made it so easy.
I also applied to get my name changed to Keaton on my passport. Because I managed to squeeze it in within the first year of our marriage (just) I didn't have to pay anything to change it - yipee!
Watched the Olympics
I remember watching the Olympics as a little kid and loving it. I distinctly remember during one Olympics being particularly inspired, so much so that my brother Boyd and I decided to have our own Olympics at home. A broom threaded through cardboard boxes loaded with books became weights so that we could do the clean and jerk. We'd time ourselves running around the perimeter of our house. We stood cushions from the lounge on their ends so we could do hurdles, and pillows and quilts and that trusty broom became the highjump and mats. I think we even did the triple jump in the backyard.
John and I watched our first Olympics (winter) together when he was living in NC and when I was in Australia. We somehow had the same broadcast on our TVs when we were talking one night on Skype and were laughing together at the dancers in the opening ceremony. To this day my impression of the dancers still makes John laugh.
John Geoffrey seemed to love watching this Olympics with us. He got to see weightlifting, fencing, track and field, swimming, diving, gymnastics, syncronised swimming and the list goes on and on. We were lucky enough to have Foxtel which was broadcasting 8 live channels, so we got to pretty much any and every event we wanted.
One day all three of us were watching the end of the race walking event, and of course laughing at how ridiculous guys look when they do the walk properly (I also reminisced how good I was at race walking when I used to do 'Little Athletics'). Anyway after the event finished the channel we were watching decided to do a montage of footage of the event to, you guessed it, the Proclaimers 'I'm Gonna Be (500 Miles)'. I thought it was so funny and so I started singing along and then John sang it too (he did the echo in the chorus) and guess what - John Geoffrey loved it. So much so that we have sung it a couple of times since when he has been a bit sooky and he has cheered right back up. I'd like to say it is his favourite song, but it may just be a coincidence.
Got his first pimple
I know babies skin is prone to this sort of stuff while they are still getting used to life outside the womb, but I'm sincerely hoping and praying that John doesn't inherit my skin - I had seriously bad acne in my teenage years and I don't want him to have to deal with that.
Went on lots of lovely walks with mummy
The weather here has been a bit hit and miss lately while winter does it's final wind up. I'm looking forward to spring and summer and warmer days so that I can take John Geoffrey out a bit more. However, on the days when it has been not raining and not too cold, we have tried to get out and about a little so that I can get some exercise and fresh air and John can get to see a bit more than the inside of our flat. He really likes the walks. Sometimes he looks around and takes it all in, and other times he has a little snooze. Either way it's good for both of us.
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| Not enjoying the fact that I stopped to take a photo |
Perfected His Houdini Skills
It never ceases to amaze me that whilst this kid can't talk, walk, crawl or pick something up of is own volition, he can manage to get out of the best swaddling possible (ok, so it might not be the best swaddling possible, but I'm seriously not that bad at it). Case in point:
I took this picture after I had just put John Geoffrey down for a nap:
And seriously, not more than 5 minutes later (enough time for me to go to the bathroom and get a drink and return to the bedroom):
What a cheeky little monkey!!!
Continued to get cuter every day
