Does anyone else's 5/6 mo. old get tired of every activity very quickly?

[Elvira]

Jadeborn; but that is soooo cute! Trying to pick up things with his feet, I mean...yeah, I know he falls backwards but he is experimenting.  And he will crawl (even if in a sort of modified version) but maybe for a short time, my daughter did it for three months or so only.  She hated it.  I know you spend a lot of time with him, some of it walking him about.  Now you tell me you pick up his clues and know when he is fussing because of overtiredness, which is a very good thing (that you are so well tuned to him).

Still, nine hours wake time is a long time at his age.  I do know if he wont sleep, he wont (had a niece like that, but she also used to move her leg up and down when sitting in the strolling chair in lieu of any other physical activity...she is still an hyperactive young woman nowadays).   So, it will get better with age if he can handle better the "awake but calm time".   One cannot be playing or physically active for 9 hours, even later in life so imagine at 6 months.   He needs to entertain himself quietly, and it is no wonder that he gets bored after a time with that (since the number of quiet actitivites is limited at his age).  Some children will watch the world for quite a long time, but others cannot.  Besides which, he really may have teething pains.

I was sure some of the games I mentioned you know because they are pretty much universal (I,m in Spain) but I wanted to put some emphasis in quiet interaction, not tiring and interesting, at least for a while. Your other solution for those times is the stroller 45 minute walk (always less tiring than walking him about), and perhaps you could do it twice a day.  I feel sure that your boy will be better in a couple of months because of two things: he seems to be sleeping less than he needs but they need less with time, so that will be better adjusted and he will be better prepared for play time with words (their blablabla) and his own body, and will tire less.   At the moment, it does not seem like he is going to stay (whether sitting or lying down) quietly looking around for 20 minutes awake rest.... unless it is "in movement".  Patience and good luck to you. 

[jadeborn]

Thanks so much Elvira.  Your optimism is very helpful.  I think you're right.  I think things will get better in a few months.  What is the weather like in Spain this time of year?  Are you Spanish, then or just living there?  I studied Spanish in college for a little while, but I'm afraid I don't remember most of it. . .Maye you could help me brush up?  I'm in the U.S., BTW, Minneapolis MN.

[Elvira]

I am Spanish, and lived here most of my life but I also lived in the US (Boston) and in London.  Let,s see if you understand this: sí, estoy segura de que las cosas irán mejor pronto para ti y tu hijo.

This time of the year the weather is normally dry, sunny and terribly hot. But this particular year this winter has been mild, and so is the summer. Temperature about 28 degrees during the day, 19 in the night (84/72 Fahrenheit, more or less), with a dry breeze so it is very nice.

Where you live the winters are hard, so take the chance to push that stroller now! 

[jadeborn]

You said, "I am sure things will soon get better for you and your child" as a rough translation, right?

I would love to go to Spain someday!  The weather sounds nice right now.  Ours hasn't been bad the last few days, but we have had some scorchers this year.  It's not fair that we have to have such cold winters and hot summers too! 

What part of Spain are you in?

I should probably PM for this stuff so we don't keep this thread going, huh?!

[Elvira]

Yes, Jadeborn, since this has nothing to do with activities now!  I am in Madrid, though not born or raised here I,ve been living here for a long time.  Your rough translation is fine!  I know of the weather where you live, and we say that in the center of Spain (it is a plateau sorrounded by mountains, 600 meters on average over sea level) we have extreme climate too, harsh and long winters and very hot summers.  We say "nueve meses de invierno y tres de infierno".  But it is nothing, really, compared to American Midwest.  That is because your mountains are "the wrong way".... meaning all over the world they are placed parallel to the Equator and your two big chains are perpendicular to the Equator so the they not stop strong winds from the North Pole.   They are beautiful, though.  Perhaps one day you can come to Spain; because it is a large country (by european standards) it is very varied. Very green and rainy in the North, dry in the middle with long flat surfaces devoted to cereal (like lands in your Midwest) that all of a sudden are interrupted by a range of tall mountains, unexpectedly green,  green and fertile in the South.... and of course many of the cities and small towns are very old and very beautiful.    I enjoyed my stay in your country, and came back pennyless because all money we could spare went into travelling through it.  Nature is particularly beautiful everywhere I went,  but also a bit scary (it seems to me you have tremendous blizzards, the most spectacular electrical storms, hurricanes, tornadoes...no wonder you are faithful watchers of the weather predictions!)

[skatty]

I just wanted to add another suggestion! I just got an ergo carrier and my LO loves it and unlike other carriers you carry the weight on your shoulders and hips so is very comfy. You can wear your LO front or back and it's great for those little terrors that wont sleep more (like mine!) but gives some quiet time and keeps them interested 

[jadeborn]

An ergo carrier?  How much does you LO weigh?  I tried putting my DS in the Baby Bjorn yesterday and it appears he has outgrown it.  Does the ergo accomodate any size?

Thanks for the suggestion!

[We Three]

I had to join this discussion....my 7 mo old dd is my first...and I'm beginning to realize that I have been blessed with a very easy-tempered baby! (First 3 months notwithstanding...pure hell...reflux...so don't think we haven't paid our dues!!) 
 She loves her excersaucer, I can take a shower and even blow out my hair, if I stick my head out and chat with her often....
 Wanted to share that I just got her a toy at Babies r us...it's by V-tech, and it's called the Discovery Nursery Farm....she LOVES it, and when I mentioned it to a girlfriend, she said it saved her life, too! There are colored piano keys, a little wheel, and it sings songs like Old McDonald and such, with lights and animal sounds....I can't say enough about this thing! I felt gulity today that she was in her chair for so long, so I picked her up and she cried!!!!! She wanted to stay there!!
 Go get one!!