Baby On the Go

等呀等，等到决定不去等，才看到靖恺开始用手和膝盖爬，可是他还是常常趴在地上蠕动。做父母的也真是矛盾，不怎么能爬时担心他有什么问题，现在比较会爬了又开始头痛不能放心走开做家务事了。现在怕他拉桌子或其他家具站起来时会站不稳跌个窟窿，开抽屉会夹到手，乱翻里面的东西。还有就是靖恒，也被比较能动的靖恺威胁到，常常发出尖叫声，怕靖恺爬去破坏他的玩具。他甚至用身体挡住靖恺的去路，或是抓住他，弄得一个在叫喊，一个在叫救命，惹来我的骂声，成天鸡犬不宁。几次告诉并示范给靖恒，让他知道我们不会让靖恺乱摸他的玩具和画画后，他开始比较没那么紧张，有时会跑过来跟我说靖恺快动他的东西了，让我出面阻止，而不是只顾大声嚷嚷或自个儿向靖恺动粗。
靖恺最近学会喷口水。每次吃东西，吃到不喜欢的就拼命喷口水，喷到饭粒菜肉四溅，我的衣服，地毯，玩具等都遭殃，气死我也。还有舌头常常伸出来, 加上他仍然肚子贴在地板上行动，真象条蛇！
靖恒也较常自己一个人玩。他从豆豆班回来后，知我忙着照顾靖恺，也比较少烦我，虽然有时还是会哀叫。我一个下午就忙着跟靖恺换尿布，擦屁股清洗粪便，喂他吃晚餐，煮晚餐，跟靖恺冲凉，洗衣等，直到建明回来开饭。
5月天气不错，出了几次远门。5月尾气温达摄氏21度，太阳好强。大伙儿一起去海边，靖恺被晒得脸红彤彤的。隔天赶紧买了防晒油，真是亡羊补牢，希望不会太晚也。

To and fro Farmers' Market


To fully use both hands...


Or one hand


"Sometimes we are good":


The big ship sails on the ally ally-o:


Posing for camera:


Trip to Leith Links, event organised by 'Parents Like Us':


Photos of sunny days - that's how the weather's mostly been like this month:


His achievement (the tower thing):


'Day Out with Thomas' at Bo'ness and Kinneil Railway Station:

A ride on the steam engine:

The driver of Percy talking to an unresponsive Ethan:



Glasgow museums - Kelvingrove and the Museum of Transport:




Ethan's Robots:


Happy times:


Had wanted to make Siew Mai for the International Lunch at the Women's club in March, but wasn't up to it. Since the wanton skins have been bought, I couldn't possibly waste them:


The rare 'bathroom scene' (in the past, it was 'into the bathtub and out in two shakes', but now that weather has gotten warmer, I thought he should at last have the standard bathing photos):


Cheeky baby (to use Mz's word):


Ethan's train station (does look like Waverley Station! Jianming said 'did not bring him out in vain' - I suppose he was referring to the Thomas day out, but it could have been anytime we need to take a train, to Linlithgow, to Glasgow, to North Berwick...):


Ethan's perpetual problem - sleeping during mealtime:


Farmyard:


Choo-choo! (It's not clear from the photo, but Ethan had arranged boxes, chairs and the tractor in a row behind his car and Jethro was sitting in one of the boxes. Ethan was, of course, the driver.)


Cramond again. This time we went across the causeway to Cramond Island, where there is a small ruin of a Roman fort. (And where Jethro got his sunburnt.)
At the start of the causeway:

Getting nearer to the island:

And nearer:

Lunch on the island:

View of Arthur's Seat and Edinburgh Castle:

View of bridge over the Firth of Forth, where we once crossed over to go to Deep Sea World in North Queensferry:

Strolling along the beach back to the causeway and back to Cramond mainland:

Ethan wanted to go into the Roman Fort, so we made a short climb up before making our way back, despite legs aching from the long walk:

On the bus back to central Edinburgh:


Chilling out (or rather, heating up) at the greens (Bruntsfield):


I had decided not to wait for the day Jethro would crawl on his limbs. Maybe he'll get there eventually. Maybe he'll never really bother to. Then, one day, I saw him get on his fours. Slowly, he is making efforts to crawl on all fours. But it still is hard for him and he still sticks to slithering like a snake most of the time. He has also learned to get onto his fours and into a sitting position, and this he uses alot for changing direction. To see Jethro trying to accomplish these physical feats, one cannot help thinking that life is a series of of struggles from the moment you are born.
Ethan can generally play on his own nowadays. After he's back from the nursery, he knows I am usually occupied with Jethro (changing nappies, cleaning up his poo, feeding him dinner, cook dinner, bathe and washing), and he will play with the blocks, the 'fire engines' etc. quite happily on his own. Of course, he still gets into that irritating whine whenever he wants your attention, and I have to control myself not to use the rod. And he is almost always threatened by Jethro crawling, because he says Jethro is touching his toys (when in fact, he has just started to move and Ethan's toys may or may not be his destination). I still remember the earlier days when he would actually encourage Jethro to crawl when Jethro could only move half an inch.
Jethro, for his part, is feeling less frustrated with being on his tummy, and cries less for help now. But he's onto a different reliance - now he wants your help to stand, and he usually cries as he crawls towards me and stretches out his hands for me, knowing I will lift him up to stand. Then he would turn round and round in my arms, or stretch upwards and bend downwards, challenging my dexterity at holding him.
Another dreadful behaviour he has acquired is spitting out saliva, especially when he's having his solid meals. So my shorts, my t-shirt, the carpet floor and any unfortunate objects nearby are usually splattered with his un-swallowed food during feeding times. Which really drives me crazy, and he has the cheek to smile back at you!
Humans are full of dilemmas. Before Jethro learnt to crawl (or slither), I was worried if his slower development signified something more serious and watched anxiously for signs of his increased mobility (that was before I decided to stop waiting). Now that he's getting there, I am finding it more difficult to do my chores as I have to keep an eye on him more and more often. I am still worried, for his development is rather slow. But that is another matter.
Oh, but summer is here and certainly I am going to get a little more exercise by venturing out more. This month is a sunny one and we went out during the weekends whenever weather and energy permit. As a result of an extremely sunny May day, Jethro has a sunburnt. Poor red-faced bairn!