Mason Shoma

I’m still really into my new sea otter friend!

I showed up for my second round of vaccinations in a good mood again. I was a very good baby boy and did not fuss at all. There was a bit of sympathy crying when I heard the other babies crying, but other than that I was calm and patient. When it was my turn to get my shots, I took them like a champ again. I cried out briefly and there were a few tears, but then they stopped just as quickly as they had started. I calmed down in less than half a minute and was eager to drink up my oral vaccination. So far, I don’t like these vaccinations but I can handle them.

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I had to get another round of vaccinations today, and so did a lot of other babies. I was in quite a good mood until I heard the crying, nay, screaming coming from the back rooms! To Mommy and Daddy’s surprise I got upset and started crying. I felt for those babies who were in pain and felt like crying myself. Mommy and Daddy calmed and soothed me, and were touched by my sympathy crying.

Daddy released his newest single, Daddy’s Home Today, early this morning. It is about his 100th original song that he released to a select few fans, namely me. Daddy is constantly making up songs. They are very random and sometimes are simply about what he is doing or thinking at that exact moment. Sometimes he puts a little more thought into the songs. If you want to know that they are like, check out How I Met Your Mother‘s Marshal Eriksen’s songs. Daddy’s songs are not nearly at that level, but possibly at that amount.

Daddy’s Home Today was about Daddy being home today. I often give him the biggest smiles when Mommy is carrying me and I see him emerge from the bedroom. Daddy interpreted that smile as me being happy to see that he didn’t have work that day. And of course, when that happens, you have to sing about it. Even Mommy joined in!

After all the excitement of realizing that Daddy has a day off and we have all day to play together, I am quite exhausted and fall into a deep sleep.

As you know, I love playing peekaboo. As you can see here:

I recently mentioned that I like when Daddy makes my butt bounce like in a dance. As you can see here:

So, these two activities have become a daily standard around our house. I just thought that you should be made aware of that, just in case someone asks. That is all.

Don’t ask me why I’m smiling at 2:36 in the morning. I should be sleeping, crying, or cranky. But I’m smiling and happy to have my diaper changed. Maybe I remembered that today is Daddy’s day off from work and I wanted to get a head start on all the fun we’re going to have together. Daddy looked less thrilled than I did, but he was happy to see my smile, even at 2 a.m..

Mommy snapped a few pics of me with her good camera, which is a proper DSLR. Instead of all smiles, I went for quiet poses with far off looks.

All my tummy time exercises have been paying off. I am able to stay on my tummy longer and hold my head up higher. I sometimes get fancy with one hand off the ground or two legs at the same time. I found that I can kind balance on my belly. I’m still working on moving forward, but I think I’ve got tummy time down.

I’m gain more and more control over my hands and my movements are becoming less random. I can actually reach out for something I want.

And I can bring something that I grabbed to my mouth.

I don’t normally like lying on my back for naps, usually preferring to nap on Mommy or Daddy. But sometimes I’m too tired to be picky about where I nap.

The title pretty much says it. More laughter-filled inai inai ba with Mommy while on my play mat, but this time with an open shirt.

I take a stroll with Mommy every day, weather permitting, and really enjoy being outside. I like the open space and the fresh air. Now that I’m bigger, I’m sitting up and awake more, so I also enjoy the sights. I can’t wait until I’m big enough to walk to the park on my own! You can see that I’m eager to get out and run around.

By the way, don’t I look good in a hat?

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While I try to take in all the sights during my stroll, I often fall asleep in my stroller. Something about the fresh air and rumble of the stroller over the pavement that lulls me to sleep.

Every so often Daddy joins me on my play mat. We look at each other in the mirror and I show Daddy how to bat all the hanging things with our hands. He is a good learner, but rather just stare at me and talk to me. I thought I was getting big for my playmat, but Daddy can barely fit his top half on it. I think we have to get him his own playmat. I want to share, but there is just not enough room.

If you have been frequenting this blog for some time, you will have noticed that I have many different faces. Not only do I have a wide range of expressions, but my facial features actually seem to change depending on my position and angle. If I’m sitting on my Daddy chair I have a double chin. If I’m on my back my cheeks fall sideways making me look like a musubi. When I do tummy time I look slimmer. I discovered a new position and angle that enhances my adorable side. Have a look.

Tummy time has been going so well that I actually enjoy it! Tummy time is no longer just an exercise that I have to do. I actually look forward to it, as you can see on my face.

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Mommy made me a baby toy when she was pregnant with me and it has become part of my play time. It is a crinkly toy that makes noise when you grab it and it has these loops around the edges to make it easy for me to hold. It kind of looks like a sun with a face, and it is because of the face that it has become my peekaboo pal. It peeks up over the top of my play pen the same way Mommy and Daddy do.

My dexterity is improving a lot. I tend to grab things quite frequently. If there is something within my reach and I feel my hand touch it, I grab it. From time to time and grabbed the ears or tails of my stuffed doggies.

My gripping reflex is really good, so when Daddy put the little puppy that Mommy made for me in my hand I grabbed it right away. Then Mommy and Daddy felt sorry for the little doggy when I proceeded to “play” with it.

Recently, my grabbing sometimes is more intentional. I have a musical sea otter hanging from my playmat and I like to grab him and “kiss” him. Sure, it looks like I’m trying to eat him, but I’m not. They are kisses, I swear.

Just so that you know, no animals were harmed in the making of this blog post.

Daddy tries all kinds of different things when playing with me and he accidentally found my laughter switch. He’s been doing this for a while and it still works nearly every time. When I’m laying down he puts his hands under my butt and bounces it while singing bouncing songs. It always gets a smile and almost always gets a laugh! I don’t know why I find it so funny, but it cracks me up!

Check out that smirk. Yep, that’s a baby in the know. What I good life. I got this folks wrapped around my little finger. Speaking of fingers, I don’t have to lift a finger at home. Mommy and Daddy see to my every need. I’ve got them so well trained that I don’t have to cry wildly and endlessly anymore. I just kind of caw at them. “Wah” for “I’m uncomfortable and need to be burped or changed”, “Aeh, Aeh, Aeh” for “I’m hungry”, and “Augh-ah” for “Someone pick me up!” My language changes from time to time but Mommy and Daddy still seem to get it. They can read my moods and needs really well. The result us that I have far fewer crying fits. Very few in fact. I even sleep pretty well at night in my crib in 3-hour intervals. I’ve got a nice routine going. Like I said, I’ve got them wrapped around my little finger.

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I’m not quite there yet, but I’ll get there. I’m working on rolling over from my back to my belly. It’s weird. It feels like my body could get there, but this darn head is to heavy and is holding me back. I’m not giving up! I’ll get there soon! Stay tuned.