Karston's Grammy called this evening, so I tickled him to make him giggle into the phone. I know his tickle spots now! When we went back to the sunroom to play some more before bed, he started to climb off my lap, but for some reason he took a detour to suck and bite my knee (both simultaneously, and no, he didn't each much for dinner even after this!). As you can guess, that feels weird on a knee, so I twiched, squeaked, and laughed. Then Karston started giggling about it! He went back to suck my knee again, so I made the same sounds again, and oh was that funny! And again and again and again, until I went for the camcorder and he wouldn't do it again.
I think he just learned that tickling works on other people, not just him!
Sunday, July 30, 2006
Wednesday, July 19, 2006
He Ate The Whole Jar!
Last night before bed, Karston ate an entire 6 ounce jar of sweet potatoes! The whole jar, empty! He's never eaten that much in one sitting before! Now it makes sense to have jars of baby food that size. (He strongly prefers fruits for breakfast, but otherwise sweet potatoes seem to be his favorite food.) He usually doesn't eat that much, but he seems to eat more when we travel, after he gets used to it. And he nurses more too.
Daddy offered him some sweet potatoes for lunch today, but Karston made a cute face Get real Daddy, shook his head, and pushed the spoon away until it came back with different food.
Daddy offered him some sweet potatoes for lunch today, but Karston made a cute face Get real Daddy, shook his head, and pushed the spoon away until it came back with different food.
Tuesday, July 18, 2006
Crawling
Karston can crawl! We thought he was going to skip crawling, especially since he's been cruising the furniture and walking when you hold his hands for a while now. Sunday when we arrived in Madison, Daddy set Karston on the hotel bed next to me, and he crawled the rest of the way to me! I had to see if he could duplicate this feat, and the answer is that he will crawl on the bed, but not on the floor. I guess the floor is too hard on his knees; I know I feel that way about crawling! He didn't crawl any more on Sunday, but he did it again today! For short distances on a bed, Karston crawls. Especially if he knows he gets to nurse when he gets there! He prefers butt skooching and cruising, but he can crawl now.
Sunday, July 16, 2006
Frat Boy in Training
While I was juggling Karston to keep him fairly quiet and amused on an interminable flight today, I looked in his open mouth. Tooth #8 is just starting to peek through! For a child with a new tooth on boring flights, he's doing really well! He's not napping today, but he's not that fussy either.
Update: This evening I discovered another angle to that story. I thought he seemed to like being upside down a lot, but he was quiet on a plane that sat on the tarmac for forty-five minutes, so I considered quiet to be lucky. I thought he was looking at Daddy in the seat behind us, in the very last row. Ah, but no! Daddy told me he was looking up the flight attendant's dress. She was in the rumble seat between the two back rows, right next to Daddy. If I had known, I would have tried another game other than upside-down child juggling. So, let me get this straight ... Karston loves beer, and has a fit if you drink from a beer bottle that you don't share with him. He puts his hand down my shirt, or lifts up my shirt, and giggles fairly often. And he looks up skirts when he gets the chance. He only looks like a baby: he's really a frat boy in training!
Update: This evening I discovered another angle to that story. I thought he seemed to like being upside down a lot, but he was quiet on a plane that sat on the tarmac for forty-five minutes, so I considered quiet to be lucky. I thought he was looking at Daddy in the seat behind us, in the very last row. Ah, but no! Daddy told me he was looking up the flight attendant's dress. She was in the rumble seat between the two back rows, right next to Daddy. If I had known, I would have tried another game other than upside-down child juggling. So, let me get this straight ... Karston loves beer, and has a fit if you drink from a beer bottle that you don't share with him. He puts his hand down my shirt, or lifts up my shirt, and giggles fairly often. And he looks up skirts when he gets the chance. He only looks like a baby: he's really a frat boy in training!
Saturday, July 15, 2006
Star Wars: The Baby Edition
Karston has added "butt walking" to his locomotion repertoire. He cruises, he walks if can hold on to two of your fingers, and now he butt walks to skooch from one place to another. When he skooches, I call him Luke Buttwalker, and his father says Gravity is strong with this one when he drops toys from his high chair.
Wednesday, July 12, 2006
Kitty Cat
Lately Karston has been making sounds awfully close to "kitty cat" when he sees our cat Linus. We encourage this, and tell him, Yes, Linus is a kitty cat. This evening, Karston walked into his room holding Daddy's hand of course where he has two old pictures from his father's childhood, one of a cat and one of a rabbit. Karston distinctly said Kitty cat (well, as distinctly as a one-year-old can!). To clinch the deal, he then walked up to the old picture, and started patting the felt cat on it. Yes, he said what he meant! So now it starts ...
Third Time for a Whistle
Maybe a month ago, my mother showed Karston a whistle. She blew in the whistle, and then she blew on him. Then she gave it to him to try. Karston put the whistle to his mouth, and growled (he made noise instead of letting the whistle make noise). My mother laughed very hard, and startled him. Later that day, she put the whistle in his stack of toys. He got a disgusted look on his face, picked it up, held it at arm's length, and dropped it behind the couch. Guess he didn't like being laughed at!
Yesterday evening, we tried the whistle again at my mother's house. She blew in the whistle, and on him. I blew in the whistle, and on him. Then we gave it to Karston, and he blew in the whistle! He got so excited, he clapped! So the third time was the charm, when Karston learned how to use a whistle.
This morning, I noticed he was blowing on the square green block that he loves to gnaw. He definitely remembers how to work a whistle.
Yesterday evening, we tried the whistle again at my mother's house. She blew in the whistle, and on him. I blew in the whistle, and on him. Then we gave it to Karston, and he blew in the whistle! He got so excited, he clapped! So the third time was the charm, when Karston learned how to use a whistle.
This morning, I noticed he was blowing on the square green block that he loves to gnaw. He definitely remembers how to work a whistle.
Monday, July 10, 2006
Pediatrician: One Year
We went back to the pediatrician again this morning. Karston's vital statistics are 17 pounds 14.8 ounces, 28.25 inches long, and 18 inch head circumference. He's only gained 1.5 pounds since his 9-month visit! Really, he's hit 18.4 pounds on our scale, but he did poop just before we left for the doctor's office. His weight-to-length ratio is about 10%; as ever, he's around the 25th percentile for head size. His height nudged just above the 5th percentile, but his weight is even farther below the 5th percentile now. But Karston still hasn't been sick yet, so I won't complain that he's a lightweight.
This was the first pediatrician visit where we had to wait a significant time for the doctor. Karston didn't like the waiting; he wanted to pry out the electric outlet covers or walk over to the sick kids. We didn't like playing with electricity, and we weren't too sure about sick kids, but we did wear a path to the nurses' station. Karston would head for the nurses, walk in until one of them acknowledged him whereupon he would get bashful and toddle back to our exam (waiting) room. The worst part was having to lie down for three vaccination shots, because lying down is the farthest from walking.
This was the first pediatrician visit where we had to wait a significant time for the doctor. Karston didn't like the waiting; he wanted to pry out the electric outlet covers or walk over to the sick kids. We didn't like playing with electricity, and we weren't too sure about sick kids, but we did wear a path to the nurses' station. Karston would head for the nurses, walk in until one of them acknowledged him whereupon he would get bashful and toddle back to our exam (waiting) room. The worst part was having to lie down for three vaccination shots, because lying down is the farthest from walking.
Wednesday, July 05, 2006
Mo'!
For background, I knew it was about Karston's lunchtime today since he was up from his morning nap. When he reached for my water cup, I knew it was time. I put him on the kitchen counter and gave him some of my water to drink several times, just like usual. Then I set aside my water so I could fix his lunch. He looked me directly in the eyes and said MO very loudly! Hunh? I offered him more water, even though he had had as much as he usually wants, and sure enough, he wanted more water! And he said so. Whoa.
About 6 months ago, he said Hello and Hungry when he woke up. Although both of those words were appropriate at the time, I don't think he knew what he was saying. This time, he knew what he wanted, he knew what he was saying, and he got more water. That's a win!
About 6 months ago, he said Hello and Hungry when he woke up. Although both of those words were appropriate at the time, I don't think he knew what he was saying. This time, he knew what he wanted, he knew what he was saying, and he got more water. That's a win!
Monday, July 03, 2006
The Birthday Party
We had an impromtu birthday party for Karston this evening. Family called, and we said Sure, come on over. I served pork roast with tomatillos, tossed together a quick red beans and rice, chopped a fresh salad (well, Daddy's the chopper), and an egg-free sugar-free velvet crumb cake with banana glaze (fat-free but not sugar-free and not fed to Karston) and one candle. I can't estimate how much food to prepare for more than about four people, so ten people was out of my league, but the food worked out just right. I noticed something about the people who showed up ... these are the people who came to meet Karston in the hospital when he was born, one year ago! Karston's grandparents, my local grandparents, and Daddy's sister's family. We were touched.
All three of us had a great time! Karston thinks it's wonderful to be allowed to stand on the dining table and have everyone sing to him! He doesn't think I should blow out the candle on his birthday cake, though.
All three of us had a great time! Karston thinks it's wonderful to be allowed to stand on the dining table and have everyone sing to him! He doesn't think I should blow out the candle on his birthday cake, though.
The Big ONE
Hey, it's Karston's first birthday! Karston was born this time last year right about ... now! All the others have been monthly milestones, but this is the first real birthday! On the one hand, I can't believe it's been a year already because I clearly remember feeling like I would always have the smallest baby when he was so tiny and his hair was so dark!
I saw a small red baby (premature?) at the doctor's ten days ago, and other than the redness, I recognized the newborn fist shaking and the yawn with shut eyes with such clarity! Then we had a fabulous fun year of blur and sunshine, his hair lighted (a whole lot), he gained some weight (not a lot), and he's been happy and healthy. Some time in there we slipped past the delicate newborn stage. So he is officially a toddler now, and not a baby, and certainly not a newborn.
I've reviewed the other months, so I'll review this one too.
Speaking of toddler, Karston thinks nothing could be better than cruising. Yes, C ! R ! U ! I ! S ! I ! N ! G ! Prepare to hand over your fingers until your back is stiff, because this child needs to cruise! He also babbles more (or else he is fluent in Tibetan and we're not), and he definitely understands a lot of what we're saying. Karston waves to people now, and sometimes claps his hands. He also learned to turn all the way around with his butt, just like the Bill Cosby routine about the dentist (we saw Cosby last month, and he was delightful!).
All that cruising requires calories! Karston eats baby food meat now, which he wouldn't do before. He especially likes sweet potatoes and turkey (and still just plain sweet potatoes, but why not nudge up the calories and protein?) as well as meat from his parents' sandwiches (but not his own lunch meat). He's also very serious about nursing, so he's an eating machine in all ways. But with all the cruising, he's not gaining weight. He has a distinctive cry when he's hungry, and a distinctive laugh when he wants to nurse. If only we were doing so well on sleeping (he'd rather cuddle).
The big spot this past month: We went to Key West for a week just before his birthday! Everyone except "I get a darker tan" Daddy got a sunburn, which is not what I wanted for my sweet little almost-one-year-old, but it happens. Now we know that Karston gets his skin tone from his Daddy, because he has a nice dark tan now. I really enjoyed taking a nap with Karston every day in Key West. Yesterday, for the first time in fifteen months, I felt well rested! Of course that means I had trouble falling asleep last night because I'm not used to being in bed when I'm not exhausted. I think I've forgotten how to fall asleep!
Happy one year, Karston! May you enjoy the coming years as much as I've enjoyed this one!
I saw a small red baby (premature?) at the doctor's ten days ago, and other than the redness, I recognized the newborn fist shaking and the yawn with shut eyes with such clarity! Then we had a fabulous fun year of blur and sunshine, his hair lighted (a whole lot), he gained some weight (not a lot), and he's been happy and healthy. Some time in there we slipped past the delicate newborn stage. So he is officially a toddler now, and not a baby, and certainly not a newborn.
I've reviewed the other months, so I'll review this one too.
Speaking of toddler, Karston thinks nothing could be better than cruising. Yes, C ! R ! U ! I ! S ! I ! N ! G ! Prepare to hand over your fingers until your back is stiff, because this child needs to cruise! He also babbles more (or else he is fluent in Tibetan and we're not), and he definitely understands a lot of what we're saying. Karston waves to people now, and sometimes claps his hands. He also learned to turn all the way around with his butt, just like the Bill Cosby routine about the dentist (we saw Cosby last month, and he was delightful!).
All that cruising requires calories! Karston eats baby food meat now, which he wouldn't do before. He especially likes sweet potatoes and turkey (and still just plain sweet potatoes, but why not nudge up the calories and protein?) as well as meat from his parents' sandwiches (but not his own lunch meat). He's also very serious about nursing, so he's an eating machine in all ways. But with all the cruising, he's not gaining weight. He has a distinctive cry when he's hungry, and a distinctive laugh when he wants to nurse. If only we were doing so well on sleeping (he'd rather cuddle).
The big spot this past month: We went to Key West for a week just before his birthday! Everyone except "I get a darker tan" Daddy got a sunburn, which is not what I wanted for my sweet little almost-one-year-old, but it happens. Now we know that Karston gets his skin tone from his Daddy, because he has a nice dark tan now. I really enjoyed taking a nap with Karston every day in Key West. Yesterday, for the first time in fifteen months, I felt well rested! Of course that means I had trouble falling asleep last night because I'm not used to being in bed when I'm not exhausted. I think I've forgotten how to fall asleep!
Happy one year, Karston! May you enjoy the coming years as much as I've enjoyed this one!
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