We went to Zeke's pedia yesterday for his measles vaccine and we learned that our little Potsy is now almost 10kg (22lbs!) and 74cm long, He's in the higher portion of the boys chart for both weight and height but thankfully, not over (because we all know that no matter how cute a baby is, if he's obese, he'll have complications growing up).
He's rapidly developing and believe it or not, he's now walking (assisted). I can't believe how fast time goes. Sooner or later, I'll have a binata *gasps*. Here a chronological timeline of Zeke's development:
02.14.12 - plays with his first drum, loves to bounce
02.15.12 - does acrobatics like tumbling and walks in his playpen while being supported
02.18.12 - can do his close-open antic on both hands, sucks thumbs and fingers to soothe himself
02.19.12 - first trip to McDonald's and first full haircut by mommy :D
02.23.12 - sat by himself :D, clasps his hands together
03.01.12 - recognizes his own name
03.03.12 - first out of town
03.04.12 - first mall and play date
03.05.12 - first complete crawl using his knees!
03.11.12 - first hotel overnight :D, leans head on my shoulder when sleepy, first swim
03.12.12 - first wedding anniversary, drops/picks up toys, mimics words and expressions, tries to stand up using playpen or people
02.19.12 - first trip to McDonald's and first full haircut by mommy :D
02.23.12 - sat by himself :D, clasps his hands together
03.01.12 - recognizes his own name
03.03.12 - first out of town
03.04.12 - first mall and play date
03.05.12 - first complete crawl using his knees!
03.11.12 - first hotel overnight :D, leans head on my shoulder when sleepy, first swim
03.12.12 - first wedding anniversary, drops/picks up toys, mimics words and expressions, tries to stand up using playpen or people
He's a very mobile and curious baby now. Thank goodness Graco cribs can be converted to play pens. See, this is the reason why I recommend products like them.
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| tries to taste his way around new things LOL |
Anyway, we celebrated Zeke's 8th month in my parents' place and guess what? We've discovered yesterday that he's now "nangingilala". This is a Pinoy term which means he favors the people whom he sees often over strangers.
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| loves pictures |
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| has so many facial expressions |
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| wow, 8 months and still counting :) |
Since I now have a very mobile and very active little bugger, here is a list of a few tips on how to childproof your house, especially the area where your baby usually plays:
1. Scope out the territory
The most effective way to ensure your baby's safety is to take a
baby's-eye view of your home. Get down on your hands and knees and see
how things look from down there.
What's within reach? What looks tempting? Where would you go if you could crawl, toddle, or walk?
This will help you figure out which cupboards, drawers, and other spaces your child might get into. As he starts walking and climbing, you'll have to reevaluate again, looking higher each time.
Carefully lock up or stow away every potential poison or other hazard, including cleaning products, medicines, vitamins, and knives. Use gates to limit your child's access to areas of your home that might contain dangerous items.
Keep an eye out for tiny objects that your baby could choke on. Pick up any coins, marbles, beads, paper clips, and other small objects you find on low tables or the floor or in low drawers or cupboards.
Be watchful when you have visitors, too. No matter how carefully you've childproofed the house, Great-Aunt Jane probably hasn't applied your standards to her purse. Aspirin, lipstick, medications, and other items that people typically carry with them are dangerous to small children.
What's within reach? What looks tempting? Where would you go if you could crawl, toddle, or walk?
This will help you figure out which cupboards, drawers, and other spaces your child might get into. As he starts walking and climbing, you'll have to reevaluate again, looking higher each time.
Carefully lock up or stow away every potential poison or other hazard, including cleaning products, medicines, vitamins, and knives. Use gates to limit your child's access to areas of your home that might contain dangerous items.
Keep an eye out for tiny objects that your baby could choke on. Pick up any coins, marbles, beads, paper clips, and other small objects you find on low tables or the floor or in low drawers or cupboards.
Be watchful when you have visitors, too. No matter how carefully you've childproofed the house, Great-Aunt Jane probably hasn't applied your standards to her purse. Aspirin, lipstick, medications, and other items that people typically carry with them are dangerous to small children.
2. Protect outlets
It's a good idea to protect electrical
outlets with outlet covers. Unfortunately, the removable little plug-in
caps can easily end up in your baby's mouth. Instead, replace the outlet
covers themselves – at least those that are accessible – with ones that
include a sliding safety latch. If you're using extension cords in your home, cover any exposed outlets with electrical tape.
3. Use caution with furniture and fixtures
Large or heavy bookcases, dressers, and appliances are real hazards:
Bolt whatever you can to the wall. Push items like televisions back
from the edge of the furniture they're on or move them out of reach, and
then secure them, too. Always put heavier items on bottom shelves and
in bottom drawers to make furniture less top-heavy.
Babies start pulling up on furniture shortly after they start crawling. And when they learn how to climb, watch out! Some children scale counters, bookcases, and anything else they can grab on to. Place floor lamps behind other furniture so that their base is out of your child's reach.
Keep dresser drawers closed when you're not using them – they make perfect ladders. And be particularly careful to fully close file cabinet drawers, because pulling out one drawer could cause the cabinet to fall over.
Furniture corners are another common hazard, especially those found on coffee tables. Cover all sharp corners and hearth edges with bumpers to soften the impact if your child falls.
Babies start pulling up on furniture shortly after they start crawling. And when they learn how to climb, watch out! Some children scale counters, bookcases, and anything else they can grab on to. Place floor lamps behind other furniture so that their base is out of your child's reach.
Keep dresser drawers closed when you're not using them – they make perfect ladders. And be particularly careful to fully close file cabinet drawers, because pulling out one drawer could cause the cabinet to fall over.
Furniture corners are another common hazard, especially those found on coffee tables. Cover all sharp corners and hearth edges with bumpers to soften the impact if your child falls.
4. Check ties on blinds and curtains
Window blinds pose a particular hazard because a baby's neck could
become trapped in the cords that raise the blinds or run through the
slats. A child can become entangled in a looped window cord and strangle
in a matter of minutes. Use cordless window coverings wherever
possible, and avoid placing your baby's crib near a window.
If you have curtains with pull cords in your home, either cut off the pull cords or use cord shorteners or wind-ups to keep them out of reach. You can also replace a cord loop with a safety tassel. Corded window coverings sold since November 2000 have attachments on the pull cords to prevent a loop from forming between the slats.
If you have curtains with pull cords in your home, either cut off the pull cords or use cord shorteners or wind-ups to keep them out of reach. You can also replace a cord loop with a safety tassel. Corded window coverings sold since November 2000 have attachments on the pull cords to prevent a loop from forming between the slats.
5. Secure your windows and doors
Always open double-hung windows from the top or fit them with locks to prevent small children from opening them.
Low windows shouldn't open more than 4 inches. Window stops are available that can prevent windows from opening more than this. Some newer windows come with window stops already installed.
Window screens are not strong enough to prevent falls. To make windows safe, install window stops or window guards, which screw into the side of a window frame, have bars no more than 4 inches apart, and can be adjusted to fit windows of many different sizes.
Low windows shouldn't open more than 4 inches. Window stops are available that can prevent windows from opening more than this. Some newer windows come with window stops already installed.
Window screens are not strong enough to prevent falls. To make windows safe, install window stops or window guards, which screw into the side of a window frame, have bars no more than 4 inches apart, and can be adjusted to fit windows of many different sizes.
Keep furniture away from windows to prevent children from climbing up
and reaching the windowsill. Tragically, thousands of children fall
from windows every year.
Use doorstops or door holders on doors and door hinges to prevent injuries to hands. Children are prone to getting their small fingers and hands pinched or crushed in closing doors.
Use doorstops or door holders on doors and door hinges to prevent injuries to hands. Children are prone to getting their small fingers and hands pinched or crushed in closing doors.
6. Prevent poisoning
Store poisonous products out of your child's reach. Put
safety locks on all cabinets and drawers that hold bug sprays, cleaning
products, medications, and other potential poisons. Even some
houseplants can be harmful if ingested.
Dispose of old or outdated medications. Most medicines shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain, as they could contaminate the water supply. Check the label on the bottle: If it’s safe to flush leftover medicine, it will say so on the label.
Dispose of old or outdated medications. Most medicines shouldn’t be flushed down the toilet or poured down the drain, as they could contaminate the water supply. Check the label on the bottle: If it’s safe to flush leftover medicine, it will say so on the label.
Watch out for hidden poisons. Not all poisons are easy
to spot. Carbon monoxide is an odorless and colorless gas produced by
malfunctioning fuel-burning appliances such as furnaces, water heaters,
ovens, stoves, gas dryers, and emergency generators. Although you can't
see it, smell it, or taste it, carbon monoxide gas can be deadly.
To protect your family, install a carbon monoxide detector in every sleeping area in your home, including the nursery. Check the batteries every spring and fall when you change your clocks. If the alarm goes off, leave your home immediately and call 911 or the local emergency number.
Look out for lead. If you live in a building constructed before 1978, it may contain lead paint. Lead paint is especially dangerous to your child if it's flaking or peeling. Lead can also be found in tap water from older pipes that are lined or soldered with lead. If your home was built before 1978, or if there's any other risk of lead exposure, talk to the doctor about getting your child’s blood tested for lead.
Breathing lead dust or fumes or swallowing anything with lead in it can give a child lead poisoning, Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, kidney disease, brain damage, delayed growth, and other problems.
To protect your family, install a carbon monoxide detector in every sleeping area in your home, including the nursery. Check the batteries every spring and fall when you change your clocks. If the alarm goes off, leave your home immediately and call 911 or the local emergency number.
Look out for lead. If you live in a building constructed before 1978, it may contain lead paint. Lead paint is especially dangerous to your child if it's flaking or peeling. Lead can also be found in tap water from older pipes that are lined or soldered with lead. If your home was built before 1978, or if there's any other risk of lead exposure, talk to the doctor about getting your child’s blood tested for lead.
Breathing lead dust or fumes or swallowing anything with lead in it can give a child lead poisoning, Lead poisoning can cause learning disabilities, kidney disease, brain damage, delayed growth, and other problems.
Make sure you follow these tips and if you happen to have more, feel free to tell me so that I can update my list.
*UPDATED*
Zeke now knows how to wave goodbye (3/19/12)
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