Happy birthday little guy!
Since this blog has turned into Oscar’s baby book, I thought I might as well engage in the ritual list marking his first birthday:
Motor Development
- Has been using a pincer grasp for three months now and can grab almost anything and manage to get it into his mouth
- Loves to use this ability to pinch on my face
- First rolled over at 7 months, 2 days after our G&R; could pull himself to a standing position on my lap holding my hands the next day; learned to clap the day after that
- First sat up at 8 months
- Started crawling almost immediately after we arrived home from Vietnam in April; at the same time, started pulling himself up on everything he could find and even using our moving boxes as a makeshift walker
- Spent about a week recently leaping up from the floor to stand and then sitting down after about a minute when he tired
- Has taken a step unassisted, but only one
Verbal development
- Jabbers all the time, and is able to say mama in reference to me and refers to his bottle as “bob”
- Has the sweetest laugh and giggle
Physical development
- Still small by American standards, but seems like he’s getting pretty tall
- Still can fit into size 6-12, but also wears a lot of 12-18 month clothes
- 4 teeth on top and 4 on the bottom – has started clenching his jaw very tight and grinding his teeth – awful
Sleeping
- Thankfully, the night terrors have become far less frequent
- Goes to bed between 7 and 8 pm with a bottle. Nanny Norma can get him to fall asleep in his crib, but it’s not happening when I put him down. He’ll awaken at some point between 11 pm and 4 am for bob and then get up around 6 am (if I’m lucky)
- Usually goes down for a nap 3 hours after he wakes up. If put down in his crib, he’ll only sleep about 20 minutes; if he lies down with me, he’s out for 1-2 hours. Same process in the afternoon, though, he balks at sleeping in the crib at all then
Eating
- Usually a great eater. Loves French toast, ricotta cheese with raspberries (or apples), fish, chicken, basmati rice, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, squash, macaroni & cheese, strawberry and banana yogurt (plain or with blueberries, raspberries or cheerios mixed in), bananas, cantaloupe, watermelon, guava, lemons, grapes, bread and chocolate malts (I know – bad mom). Oh, and bob
Fun facts
- HATES his carseat and being in the car generally
- Loves music and dancing – he dances to the dishwasher’s noises
- Is fascinated by the front loading washing machine – has been known to dance to this, too
- Favorite song is “Watermelon Man”
- Big fan of peek-a-boo and itsy bitsy spider
- Will watch “Meet the Robinsons” over and over again from start to finish
- Has a crush on June from “Little Einsteins” – stares at her picture on the disc cover
- If screaming, will stop immediately (like within the first two notes) of hearing the theme song of “Little Einsteins” or “Phineas and Ferb” – this came in handy in VN on several occasions
- Is sort of freakishly strong
- Loves to be in a swimming pool
- Likes to show people how he can put his face into the water and blow bubbles in the tub
- Will now touch sand, although still refuses to touch grass
- Thinks bubbles are amazing
- Is very ticklish
- Loves to have his feet massaged
- Has been in five countries already – Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, Taiwan and the United States
- Favorite chew toy is my iPhone

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