milestones

August continues to meet growth and development milestones at an amazing pace. At least, it's amazing to me. I consciously avoid any websites and books that tell me when and how my baby should develop. I think that most of that will happen naturally, and if we're missing any big pieces, we'll find out at his medical checkups. I also plan to ignore all talk of percentiles, just for sanity's sake.

Most of my knowledge, therefore, comes from growing up helping my mom in her daycare (although I admit we read The Baby Book by Dr. Sears before the babe was born). Things like when he should roll over, when he should crawl, when he should teethe - those are just loose estimates in my head. He surprised me by rolling over almost a month ago - from back to belly, and he surprised me again this morning when he finally made that next leap - front to back. He was laying on a blanket in the kitchen while Dave and I were reading the paper, getting ready for the day. I peripherally knew he was on his belly (as per usual these days) and I heard a bump. I glanced down, and he was back on his back, looking confused as all get out. After a little fussing - he may have bumped his head a bit - he was pleased to roll back to his belly and chew on the blanket, content as he is on most mornings.

He gets his knees up under him, and he can scoot just a little forward. He can't coordinate knees and arms yet, so he scoots with his head against the ground. That seems like pre-crawling to me, and I'm excited that he's doing it already.

He drools more than the dog, often soaking the front of his romper. Gail, my lovely midwife, told me yesterday that he could easily be teething, and that he just won't cut that first one for awhile. Some babies are apparently born with teeth, so that thing about babies not getting them until 6 months, well that's just not always true. Her firstborn cut his first tooth in his 4th month, and she guesses that August may do the same.

And oh - my favorite milestone. He sleeps. He sleeps so well. It's been a full week now, and he has consistently gone to bed at the same time, and stayed there through the night. If he wakes up, he doesn't fuss or cry, and doesn't need to be fed. He sucks his fingers and goes back to sleep, with no help from Mom and Pop. He stays put in the morning, content to watch the shadows on the wall and the sheep mobile above him. I'm trying to keep to a 7am wake up, giving myself enough time to shower, get dressed, pump if I'm going to work, and have a little time with Dave before we get the little guy. Frequently he's up when we go to him, but he's not upset at all, just delighted to see us again.

I think that's the most surprising thing, how peaceful he is in the morning. I don't think most 3 month olds are happy to go 12 hours between meals, sleeping or waking, but happy just to be. My mother in law used to tell me that when Dave was a baby, he wouldn't cry in the crib -he just waited happily until someone came get him. She found it eerie, worrying that something was wrong with the baby who didn't cry. But there wasn't, he was just happy to entertain himself, the same then as he is now. I feel like that August is much like Dave in so many ways, and I hope this one carries him through life as it has his poppa.