Heavier than the cat

Danny had his four-month check-up this week. He weighed in at 12 pounds 15 ounces, slightly heavier than Pudgy Smudgy, the cat, and he's 25 inches long. When do you stop saying a baby is 25 inches long and start saying he's 25 inches tall? I guess when he can stand up? He's been "standing" on our laps since he was two months old. The doctor again commented on how good his muscle tone is. He said that babies don't usually start sitting up, even for a second, until they're six months old. He's been trying to and succeeding at sitting for a few seconds at a time unsupported.

Danny had three shots and an oral vaccine. He howled, of course, but quickly forgave Dr. Greene and gave him a big smile and coo. What a guy! He did have a slight fever last night and we gave him some baby Tylenol. This was his first fever and I was pretty nervous. I didn't get much sleep last night because I just laid down next to him on the bed and listened to him breath.

At four months, he's ready to start trying solid foods. At first, I was eager to start him on solids so that he would sleep better. Most doctors will tell you that there's no proof that babies start sleeping better when they start eating solid food. But most mothers will swear otherwise. Now that he is sleeping through the night (yes, that's right ... he's been sleeping up to seven, blissful hours), I feel free to just take it slow and not expect much.

On Monday, I put some plain yogurt on my finger and put it his mouth. He was more interested in chewing on my finger and probably didn't realize there was food on it. On Tuesday, I gave him a spoon to play with. He promptly put it in his mouth, gagged on it, and started to cry. Fearing I had traumatized him so much he would never eat normally, I picked him up and comforted him. I then put some yogurt on the spoon and put it in his mouth. He chewed on the spoon, got yogurt up his nose and down his chin and maybe some in his mouth. No reaction, but he really liked the spoon. Today, we tried it again. We gave him the spoon with the yogurt on it and he put it right in his mouth. The boy is a genius!