While of course I think my babies are adorable angels and absolutely perfect in every way (doesn’t every mum?) there are a few things that I just shake my head at, questioning their motives… so here are my top ten weird things babies do:
*coughcoughcough?*
#10 Coughing On Purpose – This is one of Ryan’s favourites. At first when the little guy would take too big a sip of water and choke on it, coughing, the hubby and I would pat him on the back and say “cough!” to ensure him that he’ll be okay. That got him a little more attention and so he started coughing on purpose, repeatedly, even theatrically, until we would turn around worried, and there he would be, smiling his face off the little faker. Now it’s just a big joke. Oh well, at least he has a sense of humour!
#9 Dropping Things, Again and Again And Again - Both twins love to do this, in almost a maniacal way. I stack their books neatly on the bookshelf once they become bored of them, and before I can place the last book, the babies are rushing over to undo my handy work. Whoo hoo! More neat stuff to make a mess of! For an OCD like me, it’s hard not to get frustrated as I watch them pick a book, or neatly folded clothes, and toss it behind them, or even weirder, over their head (what’s up with that?!) and then grab another item immediately to repeat the action. On the bright side, it occupies them happily for at least 4, maybe even 5 minutes. On the down side, they are starting to do the same with dropping bits of broccoli and cheerios over the side of their high chair. Not so funny.
I Think I’ll Just Hold On To Dad For A While Longer Thank You Very Much
#8 Playing Stranger… With People Whom They Know – Not sure why, but sometimes our little Logie needs a bit of a warm up with mummy or daddy before handing him off to a family member or friend. Even if he is well accustomed to them, before he get reacquainted, we have to hold him first otherwise his turns to face us from the arms of the holder, fear in his eyes and his lower lip turning outward, quivering. Once he starts to turn red, I know it’s too late to stop the full-blown cry. Strangers I wouldn’t mind so much, but grandpa?
#7 Banging Their Legs – Sometimes if I put the boys down to sleep, and they are still a little feisty, they will lift their legs up and then bang them down on the crib mattress. Hard. It’s really weird.
#6 Rubbing His Ears – Logan rubs his ears when he gets tired. It’s cute but weird at the same time. It also is a great signal to let me know he is getting tired, but after a particularly vigorous ear tug, sometimes the back of his ear gets a little cracked and even has dried blood. Poor little pookie! Supposedly not a big deal, the doc said, but disconcerting all the same.
Hiccup. Hiccup… Hiccup Hiccup Hiccup!
#5 Hiccups – I know how much it bugs me when I get a hiccupping-frenzy going and can’t stop. I hold my breath, ask people to scare me, anything in the futile attempt at trying to stop the hiccups. So I do wonder how the boys feel when they have a bout of hiccups, sometimes lasting for a couple of minutes. According to my doctor at a regular check-up, hiccups are perfectly normal, although noisy, sudden contractions of the lil ones’ diaphragm.
#4 Squirming Like A Fish-Out-Of-Water On The Change Table – Why they can’t stay still while we are doing something as important as changing a poopy diaper is beyond me! I understand the discomfort of being in a wet or dirty diaper, but don’t they get it that I’m only trying to help them? Oh that’s right, they are only babies. Now I leave a toy truck or stuffed animal on the change table to distract them, while I hold them down with one arm, changing them with the other.
#3 Why Oh Why Do They Like Plugs So Much – No matter how many new bright and noisy toys the boys have, they are always attracted to the plug sockets. Why oh why is this the case? I pull off a socket cover to plug the vacuum in, and immediately Logan is drawn to it like a moth to a flame… mmmm, what a neat socket… capable of electrocuting me… how fun… I think I’ll stick my finger in it and see what happens! Never fails to give me a quasi heart-attack.
I Like Cat Food And Electrical Sockets
#2 Putting (Every) Things In Their Mouth – Logan is guilty of this more so than Ryan, but wow do they want to take a taste of everything. Called ‘oral exploration’ yes there is a specific name for it, the mouth is very sensitive so a great way to understand their external world. I just don’t understand why they would choose to eat cat food, cardboard, leaves, dirt, stick and stones, and even their toes. Little weirdos.
And the number one weird thing babies do…
#1 Playing… With Themselves - E-hem. ‘Nuff Said. According to DeAnn Davies, the director of child development at Scottsdale Healthcare, in Arizona, “It’s very common to see babies start playing with their genitals around the five-to-seven-month mark,” says. “Babies are driven to touch themselves out of simple curiosity”. Umm, okay?
