So I read several articles monthly about baby development to try and keep Jack on track and get ideas for activities and such. Well, I just figured out that I should also be reading about a month ahead too since I think that because he was a week late he seems to be hitting most stages earlier then typical. I think they are related! (duh, right?) Not to say he is advanced, just that a couple weeks to a month ahead on most behavioral development is more accurate then going by his birth age or the average. Like recently, he has been up a lot at night sleeping badly, and crying during the day when I leave the room. This has been happening for weeks (and I kept thinking, teething again?) but today I read to 7.5 months of age and it describes how babies start to get separation anxiety and it describes him to a T. He has even been having little baby nightmares for weeks now and this explains it.

He is showing zero interest in crawling though. Anyone have any suggestions for that to get him interested in moving his whole body? He also rarely rolls over (but he is good at sitting up and standing). One more question, when they say baby can sit from a laying down position, do they mean from laying on their back or tummy or both?

Oh and another question Recently when Jack looks to the side, one eye will go a bit too far into the corner. Not creepy far, but just a little bit too far. He had this happen when he was younger too when most babies have eyes that cross, but they have been straight on for a long while now. I am wondering why this is back?? I was going to call me pedi tomorrow, but was wondering if you all have experienced this. His eyes are fine when he looks straight on.

Might as well mention it here since this is so long already - Jack is now sleeping in his crib in his own room. Not 100% of the time as we just started doing this 2 days ago, but I think he will be comfy with sleeping in there by himself within a day or so. Also, he has been eating regular oatmeal morning and night (just a half an ounce to start each time, but I am increasing it to offering almost an ounce each time tonight), and he had peas for the second time last night as well. He likes peas! He doesn't much like banana, but I will try it again. So I am encouraging my baby to grow up *sigh*. I hope you are happy baby solids police!

[ShannonMVT]

I think to get from a laying down to a sitting up position, they go from tummy to sitting up. Matthew hasn't actually done that yet so I dunno. He just recently started pulling up a little on a few things so maybe that's next.

Okay seriously I think what made Matthew crawl...I cleaned up the house. I would just leave his toys kinda strewn around the room so he could have plenty to play with. Well finally it dawned on me that he's never going to crawl if he doesn't have to, he's got toys everywhere he could reach just by scooting a teensy bit. So I put him in the living room and put toys many feet away from him, lo and behold he started crawling. I'm sure part of it was just that he was ready to do it anyway. He'd been up on his hands and knees rocking for some time.

Did you give him whole peas or smushed ones? So far Matthew has had bananas and avocados. He can now hold a piece of banana in his hand and suck/nom on it. Everything gets banana slime on it, it's great! He didn't like either food the first time I gave it to him, but he's warming up to it. That's okay because you're only supposed to give a little bit the first time you give them a new food.

So funny you mention the cleaning Shan (do you have a nickname? lol) because I cleaned our living room yesterday and put him down on this new living room rug we got for him, and he actually for the first time I have seen, got up a little on his knees and rocked. He was naked though so I wonder if he will do it again with a CD on. I think I do put his toys too close, kind of surrounding him I am making him lazy I think. I will try keeping the toys further away.

I gave him whole peas and some smushed. I was going to purred some today too and see what happens. He liked picking the peas up, but it was hard for him to stuff them in his mouth b/c they would roll out of his hand by the time he got his hand up to his mouth. I seem to be doing a combo of finger foods and some purred or spoon fed foods (like the oatmeal). I got him his own spoon and am thinking maybe he could feed himself. Well, I know most likely won't be able to, but it should be funny to watch!

I would like to give him some cheese, but I don't know how to cut it so he can eat it. Cubed? Rectangular? Strips or tiny pieces? I have no idea.

oh and avocado, ewwwww! lol. I can't stand the stuff, I don't want to touch it. Did Matthew like it?

All I have to say on the physical things is that he will do it when he is ready and to try not to compare him with other babies in your PR. I fell into that trap! Kirsty could roll back to tummy quite early but tummy to back was much later. She only crawled at christmastime, so she was approx 10.5 months.

Don't worry Fi, I don't even go into my PR anymore I am fine with him not crawling and then walking until he is good and ready. But I do want to make sure I encourage him to move his body. Sometimes I don't think I do that enough b/c I get caught up in running errands or something. Also, we just a got a rug and we have been rolling over it together all morning and he is having great fun. I think that has a lot to do with why he hated rolling! Our floors were probably too hard, even with blankets.

[ShannonMVT]

Oh yeah good point we have carpet so I think that makes a difference. I know a woman with 4 kids and the first 3 walked after they were a year old. The last one walked at like 10 months (and only spent like 1-2 months crawling). The first 3 kids they had a house with carpet and the last they had wood floors and the mom said she thinks the baby walked early to get off those hard floors. Who knows though. Matthew likes to lick the ceramic tile in our entryway.

Either way it's fun to roll around on the floor. Matthew loves to crawl up onto my legs. Sometimes I feel bad too that all I do is run around and he spends too much time in the car. But a lot of it is necessary stuff b/c Dh's car has been having problems so we have to keep taking it places. And some of it is just so I can get out of the house and not go crazy.

Matthew didn't like the avocado the first day but he liked it okay the second day. Today is day 3 I'm about to give him some more. I didn't use to like it but now I do! I snack on Matthew's leftovers now. He isn't great at picking up food yet so I have to help him get started getting it to his mouth. I'm not sure about the cheese...?

[~*sierra*~]

sounds like great advice from shannon and fi! i'm sure your little guy is right on track

I'm sure he's doing fine Michelle, I mean, he's so darn handsome, that in itself is hard work! I hope my initial post didn't come across as being "don't be so stupid"... i read it back just now and it sounded a little harsh, I didn't mean it to be

[Trannyfromtheuk]

When we was trying to get Mia to crawl we would waggle our house keys at her... She liked the noise of them she eventually started crawling for them

[Angelaosaurus-rex]

The sitting up thing is from belly up. They kinda make like a little triangle at first if that makes sense.

Does Jack swim at all?? Landen would like hold his legs and arms and head up and like balance on his belly alot before he started crawling. Have you been enjoying you poop time??

I bet he looks so cute eating his little peas!!!

Ooo and how you were saying you need to read a month ahead because he was late is so true!! Landen has always been a bit behind until he was about 10 months he seemed to catch up. I swear when ever I see all these wide eyed new borns it freaks me out because Landen was not alert at all until he was almost 3 weeks old.

[freesiangel]

mmmmmmmm........ avocado.

[niknok]

I also don't go to my PR to avoid all the comparisons. I figure Drake will do what he wants when he's ready. And LOL at the baby solids police! They were on my tail too! Do you have an iphone? I have some apps with animal noises and letters etc, that Drake loves. Kinda like flash cards with audio. Drake became psycho over my phone once I showed them to him!

[Chelnae6]

When Miki 1st started crawling, she crawled backwards for a while lol. Took her a while to figure out forwards. When I'd play with her, I did a lot of crawling to go and get her toys, so I think some of it was mimicking. She normally crawled to get a toy. Or we'd go into another room and then she'd crawl her way on over to us.

[niknok]

Oh, try Baby Games Online - Free Fun Online Computer Games for Infants and Toddlers. Free stuff on the computer!

Originally Posted by *Fiona*

I'm sure he's doing fine Michelle, I mean, he's so darn handsome, that in itself is hard work! I hope my initial post didn't come across as being "don't be so stupid"... i read it back just now and it sounded a little harsh, I didn't mean it to be

No worries Fiona, you didn't seem that way I also didn't want to come across like Jack has to meet milestones at a certain time, b/c I agree with you. But what else am I gonna do as a sahm if not get him to do tricks and stuff?

Originally Posted by Angelaosaurus-rex

The sitting up thing is from belly up. They kinda make like a little triangle at first if that makes sense.

Does Jack swim at all?? Landen would like hold his legs and arms and head up and like balance on his belly alot before he started crawling. Have you been enjoying you poop time??

I bet he looks so cute eating his little peas!!!

Ooo and how you were saying you need to read a month ahead because he was late is so true!! Landen has always been a bit behind until he was about 10 months he seemed to catch up. I swear when ever I see all these wide eyed new borns it freaks me out because Landen was not alert at all until he was almost 3 weeks old.

Yeah Jack does swim like that! And no poop time is gross It is green again. Maybe from the peas? My poop isn't green and I ate the peas.

Originally Posted by niknok

I also don't go to my PR to avoid all the comparisons. I figure Drake will do what he wants when he's ready. And LOL at the baby solids police! They were on my tail too! Do you have an iphone? I have some apps with animal noises and letters etc, that Drake loves. Kinda like flash cards with audio. Drake became psycho over my phone once I showed them to him!

That sounds cool. I don't have a cool phone. I have regular flash cards, but Jack just tries to eat them.

Originally Posted by ~ChelNae6~

When Miki 1st started crawling, she crawled backwards for a while lol. Took her a while to figure out forwards. When I'd play with her, I did a lot of crawling to go and get her toys, so I think some of it was mimicking. She normally crawled to get a toy. Or we'd go into another room and then she'd crawl her way on over to us.

Tonight I tried to show him how to get up on his knees so he could mimic me, but then DH started leering at me b/c it looked like I was humping the floor I tried crawling but dang that hurts!

Originally Posted by niknok

Oh, try Baby Games Online - Free Fun Online Computer Games for Infants and Toddlers. Free stuff on the computer!

cool, thanks!

[Mars]

I can't add anything else but I think Jack's doing awesome. I'm curious about the eye thing though. Do you think you can capture a pic of it?

removed pics

[~*Bethy*~]

looks normal to me? Babies dont have full control over anything on their body, including creepy baby eyes

[*kyle*]

I don't know about the eye except to tell you to ask your pediatrician... something looks a little off to be honest but it could be normal development/lack of muscle control.

We have Sophie the Giraffe too and though my baby is too young to care about toys yet, my dog loves it. Soft rubber and squeaky - it has dog written all over it.

What weirds me out is that his eye(s) didn't do this at all until 4 days ago. I mean, they did this creepy slightly off baby thing when he was much younger, but then they were usually spot on like you have seen in his other pictures. It is like eye muscle regression? That seems like a bad thing. At least it doesn't look as bad in pictures as I thought it did.