Grumpy 4 mo - activity ideas?

[jumblebox]

Our DS has been spirited since birth, but now some grumpiness is starting to show through during A time. Not really GRUMPY so much as quiet and serious. He doesn't laugh or cackle or get excited about much. I know it isn't something medical or being slow developmentally... it's pure temperament. It's like he's just too "grown up" to have a good time.

Any parents of grumpies with suggestions for A time? The mobile used to get him excited, but... not anymore. Trying to find a jumperoo we can afford. Tossing him in the air gets a blank stare. Activity songs, same thing. The only laugh we've seen lately was when, out of desperation, I jumped up and down on the bed while his dad held him in a standing position. (Bouncing on the exercise ball got no reaction.)

He has really long A times (spirited) and I'm beginning to run out of ideas. The weather's too hot to be out, or go anywhere. (no a/c in car) Aaargh!

[newmommyl]

My dd gets like that a lot...she'll get very serious and i feel like i'm not entertaining or stimulating her enough.  But, i think--and this may or may not be like your son-- she's just concentrating on her environment.  At this age they are so much more aware of things...people coming and going for example.  So when my dd gets like this i just give her some time, then wait for her to look at me and engage her again.  I get a newsletter from Huggies (diapers) and it said that it's ok for our little ones to have independent play time where they are just observing and discovering, like their own fingers, the refrigerator door...it all looks so new to them!  If you're baby has long A times you're probably feeling the pressure more than most moms to keep you lo occupied.  Maybe let him play on his own for awhile and see what happens. Give yourself some you time too.  I don't know if this is right or wrong but my daughter loves to sit on the porch in her bouncy seat so we'll spend 30 min (i like to work in 20-30 min segments) on the porch, i'll read a magazine and she'll kick her legs and cooo at the wind blowing the trees. but i'll alternate it w/  30 min on the floor w/ her singing, playing etc, if she giggles i keep going, if she doesn't i stop and give her some "alone time"... Like you said he may not be grumpy, just serious taking in all the new-ness around him.  How is he when you put him down on his own?  content or crying?  as long as he's not crying, he may be content just hanging out.  Hope this helps some. Good luck   

[jumblebox]

His A times are definitely loooong! I had to extend his 1st A time to at least 2h 15m (sometimes 3h!), to break the 45 min nap problem. And if we're having a "bad nap day", he's sometimes awake as much as 10.5h! (He seems to prefer a 14 hour day, from AM wake to bedtime.) Considering it only takes about 10 min to feed & burp him... 

We do try to give him plenty of independent play. Sometimes he just seems so bored, I think he'd shrug his shoulders if he could! I think we're just ALL getting burnt out on the toys/activities, since he's had some of them since birth. We're getting a used exersaucer and doorway jumper, so hopefully those will tide us over until he can sit unassisted. And we've discovered, the past couple days, that he likes playing with his crib mirror with his feet! He has really long toes and has been trying to use his feet as a 2nd pair of hands, so if we turn him diagonally in his crib he can play with his mirror and see his mobile from a new angle.

It just seems like, by the end of the day, we've done EVERYTHING at least 4 times each. Bouncy chair, floor on back, floor on belly, stroller (for propped sitting), swing, mobile, books, interactive play time on bed, couch, chair, floor, dancing to music, bubbles, PBS TV w/mom. Maybe I'm just not cut out for this SAHM stuff.

[newmommyl]

I totally know what you mean...i'm going back to work at the end of Aug. and although i know i'll be sad and will miss spending my day w/ her...it's a very LONG day!  My dd is short napper too so it makes the days that much longer.  You are doing a great job and are so lucky to be home w/ him all day, but i know how you feel about the boredom look.  I think you're doing the right thing getting the exersaucer  and jumper, i'm thinking along the same lines.  mix things up for her a bit. she loves her feet too. i attached this little thing to her bouncy seat that has balls and buttons and stuff and she loves to kick at it.   I think what you and i are both feeling is normal, it's a long day esp w/ short nappers and they are at a crossroads at this age too, where they're ready for more but they're still trying to figure it all out.  hang in there and i'm glad to know there's someone out there who feels like me 

[newmommyl]

how old is your son?  how old was he when you put him in it? i'm wondering if she's ready for it.  her head is still a little wobbly.

[jumblebox]

I was right; he was B-O-R-E-D. Our heat wave finally broke enough that we could take him out on Saturday. (Our "heat index/real feel" temps had been around 115 deg, and my car with no a/c!) Anyway, we went to the thrift store to shop for clothes & stuff. Took him out of his car seat and he went nuts! Every body part that could wiggle, did. I haven't seen him that excited since he started getting bored with his mobile. His dad is mortified... it's bad enough that I point out the pretty flowers on walks, and now his son likes shopping! LOL

[Erin M]

LOL at the flowers/shopping and mortified dad!

Around 5-6 months with my DD, I started trying to find things to do on an almost-daily basis so we would get out of the house and break up the day a little.  A short music class or a mom's group kind of thing really helped us.  I can always tell by the end of the day when we haven't gotten out as she's so much fussier...and just plain old bored too. 

[newmommyl]

i'm glad you guys have all brought up the boredom factor.  Up until about this week my dd has been pretty independent and i originally replied on this thread discussing the importance of independent time (which i still think is important) but all of a sudden my dd has gone from long bouts of indep "play" to not really doing anything.  When i lay her on her back she usually rolls around and is very active but lately she'll just kind of lay there on her back.  Do you think this is boredom?  Like i've been here, done that...  Has anyone else noticed changes like this in the lo's at this age?  (almost 5 mos).  It's as though she wants to be more active but can't really do much yet.  She'll sit on my lap for example and try to hang herself upside down and smiles and giggles.  Yesterday i walked around w/ her in the Bjorn which i don't usually do and she seemed to love it. Do you think she is looking for new things to do, new perspectives???  I'm probably answering my own questions....We're going out today like you all suggested.  Any other ideas to spice things up?!   

[jumblebox]

I think it really depends on what she's used to doing. A change of scenery and a chance to interact - both with other people and with things. Opportunites to look, touch (taste!!).

We don't have any other kids, and none of our friends have kids, so I've been working on getting him around other 'littles'. Our local library has monthly (in some cases weekly) storytimes for all different ages - we went to one for 0-24 mos. He was the youngest, and didn't show much interest in the books or games, but at least he got to see other kids. We're going to try it again next month. Our YMCA has a couple mommy & me type things, also... yoga, can't remember what else. I've also heard that at Gymboree you can try a class for free.

When I'm in Walmart, grocery store, etc if I see a baby/little kid, I'll say it loud enough that the parent hears (i.e. "Look, Rilen! There's a baby!!). The parent usually smiles and we introduce the kids to each other and let them look at each other a few minutes, while we chat about ages, etc.

We live in a city neighborhood, with lots of trees and buildings real close together. With the really bad heat, we were mostly staying inside, but lately we'll go out and touch the trees & leaves. Hang out with neighbors who are out on their porches. Maybe see a dog.

I've also noticed that he's really excited by SHINY, right now. We were in the grocery store and he practically jumped out of my arms when he saw a silverware display. Oh, yeah... when we go shopping, I'll find a safe place to park the cart and then carry him around a bit, so he can see/touch things. He's very interested in textures right now... especially if we haven't clipped his nails and he can make a scratching sound on the fabric.   

Also, you said she isn't quite sitting up on her own, yet. We have an old used stroller someone gave us, that we keep in the living room. We put the seat in the sitting-up-straight position and used rolled blankets to prop him up. Then we give him a couple toys to occupy him and he'll play like that for a good 20 mins... or until he leans over too far and gets stuck. His sitting has really improved since we started doing that. You could also (if you don't already) start putting her in a high chair while you eat your meals.

Maybe some of this will give you ideas...

[newmommyl]

I love the stroller idea!     we have an old one too, collecting dust downstairs but you're right she'd probably like being up high esp since she's in the bouncy seat down low a lot.  and i hear you w/ the heat, makes everything that much harder.  thanks so much