This is a post that I've been meaning to make for a long time, but I've been afraid of jinxing myself. However, this "perfect baby" business has been going on for 9 months now, so I think it's safe to say that I have been blessed with a near-perfect baby!
First, his personality is wonderful! He is easy going, laid back, and almost always happy. Even when he is sick with fevers or ear infections, he smiles, laughs, and plays. Tanner is really good at entertaining himself. He will play in the play-pen or in a room by himself while Jeremy and I sleep or get work done. He even sits in the baby bathtub and plays without complaint while I clean the bathroom.
In public, Tanner is also well-behaved. He watches others, tilts his head and smiles, trying to get people's attention. He is also very observant. I guess I've taken for granted that he is always watching and focusing on things cuz I figure all babies do that, but many people have pointed it out as unique. I especially noticed at church yesterday. I was holding him in primary with the 3-year-old class that I teach. Tanner was transfixed on the singing teacher, and then the Bishop who taught the lesson. If the teacher pointed to the board, Tanner's eyes looked at the board. If the Bishop called on a child, Tanner turned to see the child and watched them answer the questions. I was pretty impressed with him. Today, he discovered the laundry machine, and he watched the clothes turning and stopping, turning and stopping.
Tanner is a SUPER eater. He has always been good about drinking either breastmilk or formula, taking bottles or the breast, and being content with a pacifier if food could not be given for the next 30 minutes or even hour. He also was never much of a spit-up baby. Sometimes, he would spit-up, then catch all the curds in his mouth and swallow them back down again, saving me a burp rag! This happened about once a day. Now, he never spits up, except if he is moving around too much right after drinking. He also burps himself. He can feed himself big and tiny pieces of food. His pincer skills are extremely fine tuned. He is even good about spitting out pieces of food if it is too big. Jeremy always worries about him choking, but I continue to gain confidence in Tanner each time that he prevents himself from choking. While Tanner manipulates his food and feeds himself, he also lets me spoon feed him. He only pushes away the spoon when he is full. I let Tanner try as much of our real food as possible (thanks to the suggestions of Chelsea!) And he seems to be digesting everything pretty well.
I love how his toes poke on the tray while he eats.
First taste of real chicken. He loved it!
On that note, Tanner is a great pooper and peer. He hardly has any blow-outs. In fact, he's only had frequent blow-outs while on amoxicillon. He poops at the same times every day (usually), and most of the time it is while he is at daycare. Sometimes, I go a few days without changing a poopy diaper because it all happens while I'm at work. Now if that isn't a perfect baby, then I don't know what is. He is also really good about peeing in his diaper and not on mommy when he is getting a diaper change. I've heard all kinds of horror stories about changing boy diapers. But since Tanner was born, I can literally count on ONE hand the number of times he's peed on me. He doesn't even pee when we take him out of the bath!
Tanner is a pretty good sleeper, too. Tanner has never been the kind of baby to keep us up night after night, crying and crying. Even as a newborn he didn't do this. The only times we've been up with him in the night are when he's sick or when I've been mean and tried skipping his feedings. He goes to bed around 8:30pm, sleeps about 6 solid hours, and then I feed him at 2:30/3:00 am. Then he sleeps until about 6:30am. At his 9 month check, the doctor said he shouldn't need to wake up in the middle of the night for a feeding. I've tried to push him to go without it, but it just doesn't seem right for him yet. Especially since I don't see him much during the day, I feel like breastfeeding in the night is important for us. Even though I have to wake up with him, Tanner is super easy about it. He quickly eats and then goes right back to sleep. He even lets me change his diaper while he's asleep. Tanner can sleep in his crib, the carseat, on our chest or in our bed. His favorite is in his carseat. He takes two naps at daycare, one in the carseat and one in the crib. He also takes an evening nap at home, usually in his crib.
Tanner is super flexible. If we are traveling, he goes with the flow. If food or sleep doesn't come at his normal time, he can wait 1-2 hours before complaining, just sitting and calmly watching everything around him. He is easily entertained when we need to stall for time. Tanner has been on 7 airplane rides, and all of them have gone very well. He has never cried during the flights except when getting his diaper changed, but I would be pretty freaked out, too, if I had to lay on top of an airplane toilet. On the planes, Tanner flirts with the ladies and smiles at the old men. He plays quietly and sleeps longer than usual (thanks to the hum of the engines). He somehow seems to know that drinking during take-off and landing will help his ears equalize. Even though it's not eating time, he still has taken the bottle during take-off and landing.
(Tanner entertaining himself amid family gathering)
Tanner is very good about being held by anyone. We experienced a little separation anxiety while in Colorado a couple weeks ago, but he still was fine being in anyone's arms. Tanner has never cried when I drop him off to daycare, he goes with any babysitter we've had, he sits with complete strangers at church while Jeremy and I teach our classes, and he even falls asleep in other people's arms at church. I was at a wedding in Utah with him a few weeks ago, and Tanner let about 15 different women hold and snuggle and smother him, and he just watched wide-eyed , smiled and was very content. Again Tanner is very observant. He watches a lot in public, mostly quietly. Then, at home or in smaller groups, he talks and talks and plays rough. It is interesting to see the differences between home and public, but both places he is fine to go with others. I LOVE that about him!
Tanner is very good about reading, too. Most of the time, he will sit patiently while we read every page of the book. He waits until it's time to turn the page, and then he turns it for us. Tanner has always been really good about sitting through books. And I think most babies are good about this if you make it a habit early. I started reading to him when I was 6-7 months pregnant. Lately, Tanner will point to something on the page with his little pointer finger, just like we do. He is using his pointer finger all the time now!
Okay, I know I'm biased since he's my first born son. And of course there is one or two things that are challenging about him (he cries every time we wipe his nose or mouth) But seriously! I don't think I deserve such a perfect little baby. Tanner sings while I sing to him, he plays ball with Jeremy, and he laughs at our jokes. Did I mention how completely adorable and cute he is!? I could go on forever- He sits still while I cut his fingernails. He stops crawling once he gets to the edge of the bed or the stairs. Tanner even smiles when we say "smile" every time we bring out the camera. It's amazing! It is such a privilege and joy to have him as our son! I thank the Lord very specifically every day for everything that Tanner is to us.
And I also cross my fingers that it will last!
