Working on standing and crawling

Joshi pulls himself to standing position at 7 1/2 Months!


Dear Joshi,

We are all noticing that you are really going through a major developmental spurt. You are 7 1/2 months old and on the verge of crawling/standing/walking. You push yourself around, usually backwards....you go from sitting to all fours position, or from stomach to push-up position or you get up on one knee, but forward motion still alludes you. You creep backwards and can go quite a distance. You get very frustrated though too, that it isn't working yet the way you want and you start yelling. I try to give you encouragement, you grin at me and cry at me simultaneously. It is quite endearing actually!

You also pulled yourself to a standing position on Saturday! It was with great effort and all your muscle power. You were in your crib and playing with your activity center when you grabbed on to the top of it and with all of your might pulled yourself up! You were so incredibly proud of yourself. You beamed with accomplishment. I couldn't believe my eyes....I didn't expect that to go so fast. Especially since you are not even crawling yet. You are also not sleeping in your crib yet. You still sleep either in your bassinet in mommy and papa's room, or starting in the middle of the night in bed with us. We have to move you soon to your crib and we will already have to lower the mattress in your crib before you sleep in it for the first time to make sure you don't pull yourself up and over the side!

As for other new things about you, you love to play with the wooden spoons in the kitchen, while either mommy or papa is cooking. If nothing else interests you and your are cranky, wanting attention or to be held, we just need to give you a wooden spoon and you are totally in to it and forget everything else. You hold in up in the air, chew on it, swing it around, etc.

You also love to read books, but mostly by yourself! If I try to read with you look and listen shortly, but soon get impatient, you want to turn the pages yourself and put the book in your mouth. But if I sit you down with one of your books you hold it up, examine it, put it in your mouth, place in on your lap and turn the pages, the whole while cooing at it. It is sooo cute.

Music is still one of your favorite things on the planet...you love to listen and watch me play guitar - you are also totally fascinated when papa plays his saxophone. The rest of the world is on pause in these moments.

You have also taken a major interest in fabric patterns, since ever and always you have loved when I wear polka dots. If I need to entertain you while I am getting dressed or whatever, I give you one of my polka dot shirts and you examine it like a scientist.

You also understand the sign for milk/nursing, as well as diaper change, eat and....you also already do the sign for milk yourself, however you have been using the sign mostly indiscriminantly, as a general "I want" sign since you were about five months old. When I ask you if you want to nurse with the sign for milk and you are hungry you indisputably show your understanding and affirmation with your body language...like Yes mommy, you get it! That is what I want!!! You do ask to nurse with the sign as well, but it is always combined with whining and an urgent look in your eyes, so that it is mostly unmistakable.

Other news is that as of one month you have been spitting up only very occasionally, much to our relief and the relief of the washing machine! Mommy can now wear her clothes more than once between launderings again!

Well, that is all for now my little Joshi-Bockers.

More next time!

Love, your adoring Mommy