Some Posts About Brogan - #5

Maybe it just seems this way because Ayden was so far behind, but I feel like Brogan is advancing so quickly. Every week, he seems to have acquired a new skill.

I've already mentioned he's starting to roll. He's figured out how to get each of his thumbs in his mouth (and each of his hands, if he's getting hungry). He's started doing baby crunches, meaning he's trying to sit up. If it's small enough, he can hold on to whatever you put in his hand. He's reaching out and grabbing for things, like the toys hanging from his carseat and gym or the ones attached to his swing. We've seen smiles for a long time, but getting laughs out of him only started a couple weeks ago.

Above all, Brogan seems to be a big talker. When he wakes up in the morning, that's the sound you hearing coming from his crib. (He's definitely a morning person. I'm not sure where he got that from, but it certainly wasn't Allison.) If you try, he will have a conversation with you. If you ask him to tell you something, he gladly complies. He seems to especially like talking to Ayden. Actually, it's probably more like talking at him, as Ayden often isn't interested in Brogan's gibberish.

Every now and then, he'll sound like he's actually saying a word. He's shown no interest so far in "Mama" or "Dada," though several times we've sworn he's either attempted to, or succeeded at, saying "hi." In a way, that probably makes sense; Ayden probably says "hi" 50+ times a day, with many of them directed to Brogan.

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Other things of note about Brogan:

-He's a sympathy crier. If Ayden gets upset, Brogan starts to wail. As you'd expect, this has a deleterious effect on our sanity.

-If he gets really worked up, he can let out piercing screams that would wake the dead. He usually busts it out when he's really tired, which happens too frequently because, although he sleeps great at night, he has an annoying tendency to fight sleep during the day. We think he just doesn't want to miss something, especially whatever it is Ayden happens to be doing.

-We've mentioned that he'll put anything in his mouth. That actually isn't entirely true. He'll put anything in his mouth that isn't a pacifier or a bottle. Great, huh?

-That he's noisy is well documented. However, he's even more messy than he is noisy, which is saying something. The kid drools constantly, to the point that you wonder how he doesn't become dehydrated. If you give him five minutes, he'll completely soak his shirt/bib/burp cloth/whatever happens to be near his mouth (which, if you aren't mindful, will be your hand or some part of your shirt). He also spits up with a fair amount of frequency. And, to top it all off, he has a tendency to get his poop outside of his diaper. What does all of this mean for us? Lots of cleaning and load of laundry.

-He is VERY ticklish.

-Even at this age, he loves baths. He doesn't make a peep the entire time. Ayden was not like that at all (see the bottom of this post).

-Like with Ayden when he was smaller, opinions seem to differ as to who he resembles. In our opinion, he has Allison's nose and mouth. Everything else - especially his eyes, head shape, and hairline - are pretty much me. I know, I know, God be with him as he gets older.

-Finally, Brogan's four month pediatrician appointment was on Friday. Dr. H noted that he still appears to be a very efficient eater (a bit of an understatement there, I think). Overall, she continues to be pleased with his progress. She anticipates he'll soon be indicating to us that he's ready to tackle some baby cereal. We get the distinct feeling that Brogan will be eating solids (not purees, but true solids, like cheerios) before Ayden.

8.75 kilos!

Age: four months

Height: 25.5 inches    Percentile: 75%

Weight: 19 pounds, 4 ounces     Percentile: 97%