Cats

The cats are getting used to Ben, although Bob and Dudley are feeling a little cautious. Once he starts crawling for real, all bets are off. Inky spends a great deal of time with Ben. He sleeps on the changing table while Ben naps, and otherwise is happy to be around him. He lets Ben pet him and generally doesn't bat him, even when Ben gets his tail. I think Inky figures that a) if he wants to get petted by us, Ben is often around and b) maybe Ben will get good at petting.

Babylab

On Feb. 1 Ben participated in "solidity violation" research at Harvard's Baby Lab (Andy took him there and sat with him while he did the research). The picture shows Ben looking at the student who was doing the research as her senior thesis. The other student was working in the lab. Ben was a very good subject--he was attentive and allowed the researchers to get some good data. Ben got a cute t-shirt for his trouble.

Weather

The weather keeps shifting back and forth. We've had some very cold spells recently, and a slush storm, and during cold and wet weather Ben doesn't go out much (it's hard to push a stroller through slush), and when he does, he's bundled up in his car seat. But we had a little bit of Spring between the storms, and now it's warmed up too, so we've had a chance to go out with Ben in the stroller, and also to take him grocery shopping, which he loves. In the grocery store he rides in the cart (our neighbors gave us their safe shopper, a padded cloth liner for the baby part of the cart) and looks very hard at everyone and everything and people inevitable talk to him, to his great pleasure.

Eating adventures continue

Ben is still getting used to this eating thing, although it's getting better. On Friday he ate a graham cracker for the first time (he fed it to himself!) and liked it quite a bit. He did it three times Friday, and as the last part of breakfast today. I'm sure he'll have another tonight. Andy thinks he likes being able to use his one tooth for something other than chewing on plastic containers.

Got to be doing

Ben is always working very hard at something. Usually getting across the room, but also experimenting with the sounds things make if you bang them, what things taste like, and moving furniture. He has figured out how to pull his toy basket off the shelf and take toys out of it, which is always great fun. He also likes pulling magazines off the coffee table and scrunching the pages (we try to take them away as soon as he starts chewing on them). For the moment, until he can crawl for real, he also likes hanging out in the kitchen tasting spatulas, measuring cups, and the like, and trying to get hold of cat food (we generally put it up on the counter first thing).

Playgroup

Last Sunday, Ben (with his parents) went to drop-in playgroup at Isis, where he saw his friend Dru, who he hasn't seen since Christmas. They were both feeling a little overwhelmed, but had a very good time. Ben also really liked the mirrors in the room (it's the same room he takes mom and baby yoga in).

Baby B locomotes

Benjamin managed to go forward, rather than backwards, on his tummy for the first time almost 2 weeks ago. He's gotten very good at spinning around too. Just yesterday, he figured out that he can use his feet to help him go forward, rather than just dragging them along (often crossed) as he tummy surfs. The cats are getting worried.

Baby Benjamin, start your engines

Ben has been figuring out all sorts of new noises, including a high-speed raspberry and something more like a hip-hop one.