Cruising....

I hope that your Thanksgiving was a wonderful one!
i find watching a little one learning to walk very very interesting and something that parents and grandparents cannot make happen any faster. It happens when baby is ready usually around the age of 1 year. There are those that walk earlier and those that walk later.
Do not get impatient if baby is in the later category. Baby has been preparing for these first steps since she was born believe it or not. She has been exercising even in utero while she was developing. Watching those first milestones happen was all in preparation for those steps. Sitting, rolling over, crawling and cruising all happen in their own time as babies muscles develop and strengthen during that awesome first year of life.
Cruising around the furniture gets baby ready to go off on her own....and then watch out!!! Here she comes!
Baby proofing is now a necessity!
Stay tuned!
Lorette

Toddler Safety

When you just have to get something done it used to be acceptable to have a "playpen" in your house for just those times. But they simply don't exist anymore for various reasons. Television has never been a good "babysitter". So what do you do when you have to make a phone call or have to send an e-mail to someone?

Here is a great article that just hit the spot and works for me when I want to make sure baby is safe.
Hope you find it helpful.

Happy Thanksgiving!!!
:-) Lorette

Toddler Development in Weeks 65 and 66: Why TV Is a Bad Babysitter - Your Clever Toddler

"This is a great suggestion of how to avoid television when we have to just get something done!"

It's a surefire way to keep your toddler occupied while you finish up dinner, send one last email, and call back your daycare provider. But studies show that too much time spent viewing TV and DVDs may lead to attention problems down the ro

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Swine Flu Symptoms and Treatments for Families

"This is good information concerning the swine flu and children."

It's no ordinary flu season: Swine flu is here. But how much havoc will the H1N1 virus actually wreak? And what do you need to do to stay healthy?

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Music for Toddlers

It seems that as a grandma I am not as familiar with the music CDs that are available for toddlers these days. But I did come across this article about music that is fun to listen to for a long time to come.
I hope you all enjoy this one. Have a nice weekend.
Lorette

An Offbeat Guide to Kids' Music - Choosing Music for Babies and Kids

Certain musicianship and production characteristics can help you build a library of music that both kids and adults will appreciate. A mom and music buff helps us select kids' songs that withstand the test of time.

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Baby Signing...

It is believed that signing may improve language and vocabulary. We teach our little ones to wave good bye which is actually signing. It is very nice when a baby can sign instead of resorting to screaming for what they want out of frustration. Screaming seems to be a frustrated means of communication for babies. We know this because some of us resort to screaming ourselves.

Signing is not hard to teach to babies but it does take a certain amount of patience. It actually is an enhancement to baby's developing language skills. It is used alongside the spoken work and when baby is looking at you. So it also takes a certain amount of concentration for baby to look at you and take in what you are saying both at the same time.

Babies love to imitate so signing almost comes naturally to them at about 9 months when they begin to really babble and are trying to get your attention.

One of my favorite books for early signing is "My First Signs" published by Child's Play which is illustrated beautifully by Annie Kubler.

So try this with your little ones and enjoy this wonderful time together.

: ) Lorette

Interactive Baby

Toddlers are developing their language skills quickly. Babies pick up the emotions behind the words that we use especially words like "No". The little ones can sense our feelings from the tone in our voices. So if we are arguing or yelling they do get a message...which is why they sometimes cry when they hear tones in our voices that evoke fear in them.

Between 12 and 18 months babies are really sponges with regard to vocabulary. It is really fun to begin to label things for him...not really labels but actually talking to him about the common objects he sees in his surroundings. I like to play a game while I am unloading the dishwasher...naming all the utensils and baby's dishes. So I get some thing done while baby is learning and sitting in the highchair safe and sound playing with some spoons and making delightful music.

As baby gets closer to 24 mos. he can understand simple questions... you can ask him if he wants more milk or crackers. He will be able to point out "doggy" or "ducky" in his favorite book. Although he may only be using about 50 words his understanding may include up to 200 words.

Between ages 2 and 3 baby may increase his vocabulary by 10 new ones per day. WOW!!! And this is when we hear some of the words that we say without realizing that baby is just waiting to surprise us by repeating these words oh so appropriately while they are playing. It is then that we realize how much they are listening to us.

Around 3 years old baby will understand adjectives and be able to sort objects into categories showing his understanding of nouns. He will understand verbs like run, walk, sit etc.

Understanding language development makes it easier for us to want to read to baby...it is never too early to read. Read often and interact by asking questions and answering them yourself at first so that baby begins to make connections with what he sees in pictures and words.

Repetitive rhymes and songs, animation in your speech, eye contact, speaking slowly and clearly all help baby turn babble into words.

I never did sign language with my children...but baby's understanding of language and his motor skills develop faster than his ability to speak. So it makes sense that signing would be a great way for baby to communicate at an early age.I am sure that you have noticed how much baby enjoys imitating you. Even as early as three months baby can imitate sticking out his tongue at you. Not to worry! Baby will forget this as he learns other behaviors. But it is fun to see them actually learn this imitated skill. Signing can help baby from becoming frustrated when they want something but as yet cannot verbalize what it is.

More discussion of signing to come....stay tuned.

Have a beautiful day. Lorette

Baby's Interactive Development

Baby sounds are so intriguing! Right from the beginning parents and grandparents seem to be enthralled by all the sounds that baby makes.

The very first challenge is to try and figure out what these various sounds mean. During the 0-3 month period there are definitely different cries for different needs. There are also all those coos and vocalizations as well as smiles and grimaces in response to sounds. Babies at this age recognize familiar voices especially that of the mom who the baby has been listening to while in utero long before his birth.

During the 3-6 month period your baby and grandchild will begin making the consonant sounds such as "dada". You may wake up in the morning to your infant babbling to themselves in their crib...where they should surely be sleeping by now.

Sleep will be something that will deserve at least a week or more of blogs...there never seems to be enough of it to go around in a house with a new baby.

Baby develops a variety of sounds in their repetoire during 6-9 months. They also begin to imitate you in simple play. They recognize people and objects when named...so cute! And at around 9-12 months baby may begin to say "dada" and "mama". They begin to turn to the sound of their own name or nickname.

With all of this going on before our eyes we must keep up by activities that encourage language skills.

Check back tomorrow for suggestions to go along with the interactive milestones of baby's first year.

Enjoy today with your grand baby!--------------Lorette

Toddlerdom

It has always been amazing to watch children develop. In my practice as a nurse and now as a social worker it is so important to acknowledge where a child is on the curve of growth and development.

Now that I am some one's Nana, I am witnessing all over again the miracle of growth and development from the total dependence of the newborn to the early toddler stage.

It so easy to enjoy if we simply provide the early toddler a safe environment to explore, simple toys, baby proofed surroundings and about 3 hours of closely supervised floor time per day. Of course not 3 consecutive hours unless you truly want to exhaust yourself and baby.

Play group activities are not even necessary but help the little toddler see other children the same age.

At this stage they really just parallel play but they are aware of each other and their first concept of sharing will start to emerge here. The toddler is very me oriented and this is normal...it is not selfish at all. First they have to discover themselves and gradually other children come into the equation as playmates...but for now things and themselves are their primary interest.

Thanksgiving and the holidays are coming...I hope you return for some more " noows".

For now.

Nana

P.S. Check www.babycenter.com for some very helpful information.

Nanas Noows

Welcome!

You are reading the very first blog of Nanas Noows. This will be for anyone really, but especially for those of you who are "nanas" and want to keep up with your grandchild as he/she grows and develops. It will also try to help you to help your grandchild's parents by listening to and respecting their ideas of child raising no matter how frustrating that can be!

Did you know that the Maclaren strollers are having problems and many have been recalled. Please go to the Maclaren website to check this out if you own one of these strolllers.

Welcome again and continue to check in with us for more info as our blog develops.