Interactive Alex

Alex is getting to be more and more fun to be around. Of course he already was the cutest baby in the world, but now he's in a good position to become the world's most fun baby as well. Rob and Cindy, as is by now widely known, are very impartial in this matter.

Alex is very smiley lately. It's great fun for his parents to wake him up in the morning and be greeted with a smile (the movie page features a movie of Alex smiling in the morning). But also during the rest of the day Alex likes to greet us with a smile!

Currently, one of his favorite activity is looking around, especially when he sees something he has not seen before. Being taken for a walk in the stroller is wonderful, all these new things, such as clouds, trees, shrubs, birds, cars and houses to look at. Another looking around highlight was a visit to Walmart, because of all the colorful adds, the many products, and the people to look at. Alex also greatly enjoyed the Early Easter Family Get-Together at Dan and Kathy's. Many new faces to look at, and so many people that want to play with him.

Another of his favorite activities is drooling. There seems to be no end to the vast supply of saliva that he is leaking all over the place. And body part within reach of his mouth, whether it is his own fist, or the arm of whoever is holding him, or even a cheek, a chin, or a shoulder (preferably with a recently washed sweater) are fair game for sucking and drooling. To be able to react swiftly to any leakage, we have placed bibs, burp cloths and Kleenexes strategically throughout the apartment.

Lying on his back is among his least favorite activities. Daytime is for exploring, and there is very little to explore on ceilings. Even his Gymini, with all its little toys dangling from it, is only interesting for a minute or two. Fortunately, Alex does not mind lying on his back at night and in the mornings. Often when he wakes up, he is first looking around his room, checking out the wall-hanging, his mobile, or the interesting moving reflections of sunlight on the walls.

Alex keeps growing fast, as you can see on growth charts. At the moment, he is about as tall as 10 month old baby! Consequently, Alex is also eating more and more, and to keep up with his demands we have started to give him formula, one bottle a day. Last Saturday, March 23, we tried to give him a little bit of mashed banana, but he was not very interested yet. He did not spit it out, nor was he eager for more. He just quietly endured Rob's torture, who tried to get some banana into his mouth with a small spoon.

Alex at daycare

Alex has been at daycare for over six weeks now, and he still likes it. When Rob or sometimes Cindy leaves after dropping him off, he is unaffected and he continues his usual activities of looking around and drooling.

Alex at daycare in a comfy recliner. Mar 22, 2002	Alex and his partners in crying. Mar 22, 2002	Just as relaxed as at home... Mar 22, 2002

Alex's four month check-up

Rob took Alex to see the doctor on March 29, for his four month check-up, and to get four shots. It was a very smooth visit. Not only were Alex and Rob helped immediately after they arrived, Alex was very cute and cooperative. He especially liked the paper on the doctor's examination table: he was rubbing it between his feet all the time! The doctor examined him and found that he was in excellent health! Also, she discovered that Alex' first teeth have appeared! We had checked a couple of days before, because Alex' excessive drooling might have been a sign of his teeth appearing, but nothing was there. Just a fews days later, the first tooth had appeared (by the time of the picture, two days after the doctors visit his second had appeared as well). After the examination, the time for the horrible inocculations had come... But it turned out not to be horrible at all. Alex had to get four shots. During the first two, his face turned bright red, but he did not make a sound at all. The second two shots were in his other leg, and he was not very happy to get those. His face turned red again, and he uttered one loud scream. But when Rob was holding him and talking to him after this dreaded event, he was smiling and cooing happily again, and seemed to have forgotten all about his ordeal already! Back at home Alex dealt well with the aftermath of the shots. He was smiley and happy, and did not get a fever, nor was he very sleepy. Rob was very happy with this -- it was the first time he took care of Alex by himself for an entire day, and he appreciated it was spent with a very happy baby.

Changes to this Website in the Past Month

Mar 31Added Alex' first teeth to the home page, and added two new pictures.
Mar 30Added Alex' doctor visit to the home page, added A tooth under first things, and updated Alex' measurements and weight.
Mar 25Added new pictures, new movies, new sounds, new closeups, and this new home page.
Mar 8Added a paragraph to this homepage about Alex's mild bronchitis.
Mar 4 Added 3 new pictures, added Reach out and Touch under first things, added Alex's head circumference chart, and added a closeup.
Feb 25 Added 4 new pictures, added Sucking on his Thumb under first things, updated his length, added a closeup.

Do you think you may have missed something? Check our list of previous homepages. If you want to be informed when this website has been updated, send an email to webmaster@robandcindy.net.