Entertainment Beyond Baby Gear

As parents, we invest a lot into obtaining the latest & greatest baby gear that's out there... don't get me wrong, the bouncy seat for us is invaluable- at least for me to be able to cook, shower, or eat :) But as I discovered (and clearly have forgotten) with Kaely, I could (and can) save a ton of money because what they really want to play with are things that belong to us parents or are basic tools around the house. For Kaely, it's always been anything and everything in the kitchen- pots, pans, spoons, etc. Or, more so, my shoes. I catch her in my closet constantly, stealing my shoes and clopping around the house. This has gone on since... just over 1 year old? Maybe 2. Sadly she's starting to actually fit into them- that's just scary.

So, Chase's "Growth Spurt" this week has seemed to be more developmental and strength related. All of a sudden yesterday he was awake all day. I mean, truly, all day. He took two 10 minute naps, but did not sleep until Dad held him around 6 when I went to the store. So about 1 1/2 hours nap between 7 am and 9 pm- I was stumped. That also meant lots of required entertaining of the baby. The burp cloths serve lots of purposes- from his constant spitting up (the child eats a ton- and clearly over-eats), to almost being a "blankie" that he holds and chews on, to playing peek-a-boo. Very effective for a good 15 minutes (LOL). Then we have sitting him on the couch. Sounds random- but he loves this more than his bouncy seat (he hates the swing), more than the entertainment mats, etc because he can see what's going on at our level, and maybe because he feels like a "big boy?" My favorite discovery last night, was how he loves to look at the laptop (ugh!), and is intrigued by faces/people... so I realized, duh! I turned the webcam on (not on record), and voila! He is highly entertained by the baby that interacts with him on the computer. Haha! Side bonus? We work on core strength as he sits up to do it.

I have been shocked this week as he has shown he can sit up (for short periods) on his own, holding just my fingers. He is nearly there working on rolling over (he was so near these milestones months ago- but the heavier he gets, the harder it seems to be), he keeps twisting around checking everything out around him. Already mentioned his backwards scooting transportation methods. Showing real interest in solids now- I'm starting to wonder if I can keep up with his demands, so it's good timing. His curiosity continues to grow. Last night he slept all night, He fell asleep- on his own- around 9pm, then didn't wake up until a bit after 6am to eat. Granted, I was in some pain, but holy crap! :)

So- yes, I'm in another stage of being amazed and awed by our little boy who is growing insanely fast! As my sister mentioned yesterday- it seems he skipped a full month of growing- went from being small and behind, to bigger than his cousin, and now in 6 month size clothes! I am still working on wrapping my mind around it- but I'll just keep grinning and bragging in the meantime :)