Weeks 46 and 47 - Puffs, the answer to everything

I took Nathan to the pediatrician at 10 months, 2 weeks for a weight check. He's now 17 lbs 7.5 oz (8th %). His weight gain has improved significantly this past month, and the doctor seemed happy with the progress. He's just a petite baby (although the size of his thighs seems to say otherwise haha). Ever since we introduced puffs to him a couple of weeks ago, we realized that it's a good distraction and can pretty much get him to sit still and be quiet in public in a matter of seconds. This week I decided to try to see if he'll eat it on his own. In the past he would only play with it in his hands but wouldn't put it in his mouth. It's so cute the first few times he tried. It would be in his palm rather than his fingertips so he has to try really hard to get it maneuvered into his mouth - only 1 out of like 5 puffs gets eaten, the rest sticks to his hair or clothes. Sometimes I find random puffs that fall off his clothes as he's crawling around.

Once he's mastered it (pretty quickly I must say), he started demanding and expecting it! When he wakes up at night and Jackson wants him to stop crying, he gets puffs. When he acts up while we're out at dinner, he gets puffs. When he refuses to eat his meal, he gets puffs (then I trick him and stick a spoonful of food in his mouth while he's busy picking up the puff). When he eats well and I want to reward him, he gets puffs. It's a catch 22. Puffs are awesome during those times when we need him to entertain himself and be quiet. But I have to be careful and not allow it become a habit or a way for him to throw tantrums just so he can get what he wants. Just a few days ago, I saw him doing a new hand motion, it looks like the gesture for money or snapping your fingers. I was like, what is he doing? Then I realized! He's telling me that he wants puffs because that's the motion he uses to eat them! SO smart. I love that he's communicating.

After we let him cry it out one night, immediately he started sleeping better at night time. He'll still wake up a couple of times, but doesn't fight it or stand back up after we put him down anymore. Praise God. Now if we can just get him to nap in his crib! It's been a lot of crying during nap time or taking walks to try to get him to fall asleep.

Nathan's getting very good at pulling himself up using pretty much everything. He's usually cautious about sitting back down and does it very slowly. He took a couple of steps recently while holding onto furniture, and even let go once or twice while standing, which I was surprised at and quickly put my hand on his back. Maybe he's ready to try standing on his own soon.

Is it weird that I feel like we treat Nathan as if he's a puppy sometimes? "Come here, Nathan!" while we're trying to get him to follow us into the other room. "Sit down ... good boy! Here's a puff."

Waiting for puffs

Trying to eat puffs for the first time on his own
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ls5VDVGWIkM&feature=youtu.be

Jackson sends me photos / videos like these when he's on baby duty and Nathan refuses to go to bed
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRp64IhnFDY&feature=youtu.be

So sad and cute (when I'm not on baby duty)... He bites the crib paint off sometimes so I used gauze to wrap up the crib 

I come upstairs at 10pm and see this...  How do babies know that electronics are fun at such a young age?! 

Bed hair (or as Jackson calls it, the mad scientist look)

Loving the swing, he can pretty much keep the momentum going himself
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fep4MlvQdw0&feature=youtu.be

peek a boo!

I get more excited when I get packages for his clothes or toys than my own stuff. Imagine my disappointment when he decides to play with the instructions that came with the toy cars than the actual toys. It's so odd that babies like to play with non-toy objects more than the toys. He's happy with a box of tissues and a remote. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMGiIcDpjgQ&feature=youtu.be
Here's one of him cleaning the floor with his pants. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nze4_YUobI8

Really enjoying those puffs. Strangely enough, he refuses to self feed with any other foods. He actually doesn't put anything in his mouth other than puffs, tissues / wipes, and his loveys.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RD6LedxLuZI&feature=youtu.be