Two Months

Alexander was two months old this past weekend. For someone who's just been on this planet two months, he's doing pretty darn good. (This is a list mainly for my future reference since I haven't had time to write down all his activities in the baby book.)

He's got very good head control, and can even sit up if his back is supported for him, although he doesn't have a sense of balance to try to catch himself if he does start falling. He's very good at tracking objects, and loves watching the world around him, especially bright colors and moving objects and people. He laughs and smiles and coos and gurgles and makes all sorts of interesting baby noises. He's already showing some preteething signs - nice and drooly, and some bumps along his lower gumline.

He can flap his wings and flail his legs around, although he doesn't have much control over where they go, but he can manage to hit the toys in his play gym. He doesn't seem to be targeting the toys yet. He loves watching the baby in the mirror in his play gym. He's getting pretty good at getting his fist to his mouth when he wants something to chew or suck on, although it often still escapes him before too long. He loves his swing and will often hang out there for 10 or 20 minutes at a time if he's awake, and will nap in there occasionally.

He's finally stopped screaming every time he's in the back seat of the car alone, and will ride quietly or fall asleep about half the time. We've had to adjust the carseat to the second set of straps - I think that made it more comfortable. He can hold his head up for short periods of time while laying on his tummy, but it's obviously still hard work - I need to remember to get him tummy time more often. He can somewhat roll from his back onto his side on certain surfaces, but hasn't achieved a full roll either back to front or front to back.

When he's fussy, he likes having Dad carry him around facing outwards. Mom makes a more substitue for carrying - he likes Dad better for that. But he'll let Mom rock him to settle him down more often than he'll let Dad do that. The rule seems to be that Mom rocks, Dad walks. He likes facing out so he can see the world in his moby wrap, or being in the mai tei with his head away from my chest so he can look to the sides. He's only happy having his head against my chest in the carrier if he's sleepy.

Many of these things aren't things that I can put a true date on - for instance, I don't know when he first had a "real" smile or laugh, because it's been a gradual transition from "sleep grins" and smiles of contentment to something he obviously has full control over. But for two months on this planet, he's done a pretty good job of figuring out how to make his body work and how to get mom and dad to cater to his every whim. :)