9 Months

I feel like I just wrote one of these.  Dang, son.  Double digits next month...  It's weird, because I feel like you've always been here; and yet, I feel like I blinked and suddenly you're no longer my tiny newborn.  You're becoming more independent every day.

I think all of us expected you to beat daddy in the mustache department eventually.
(Even if it's just cucumber juice for now.)

At 9 months you are:

Cruising!  You've taken two steps without holding onto anything or anyone, so you could be walking soon!!!  You want to walk everywhere (with me holding your hands) rather than crawl or be carried.

Army crawling.  (You get up on your knees, but you haven't quite figured out how to move them.)  It's saving both of our sanity now that you can reach your own toys.  

Babbling.  We hear a lot of "dadadadada".




Best friends with Lu.  You guys have so much fun together.  She brings you toys and shares her food with you.  (She also steals your toys and food if it's better than hers.)  She tickles you.  She gives you kisses and hugs in the morning, before and after naps, and at bedtime.  I can hear her playing peek-a-boo with you in the mornings over the baby monitor.  She cracks you up.    

EATING.  I think you eat more than Lucy does...  We do half purees and half Baby Led Weaning with you.  You just loooove food.  (Like your momma!) 




Toothy.  You cut your top two front teeth, and one of your top canines.  Which makes for a grand total of 5 teeth.

Hairy!  Your hair is much thicker and darker than Lucy's was at this age.  You have the funniest bedhead when you wake up from naps.

23 pounds and 29 inches.

Pretty laid back.  We hit a rough patch when you were cutting teeth, but not a lot of separation anxiety outside of that week.  I can generally set you down with some toys or next to Sister, and use the bathroom or make lunch.

Still following the same schedule: two naps a day and sleeping 6:30 pm - 6:30 am.  Your naps are between 1.5 and 2 hours long, and you sleep through the night.

Going on two months without an Eczema break out.  Woot!

There are so many milestones coming up in the next few months...eep!  I can't wait for your first steps and your first birthday.  Spoiler alert: the theme is Pirates.  Love you, sweet boy!      

7 Months

You're turning out to be pretty feisty, boy.  I like it.  You had me convinced that you were Mr. Mellow, but then this month happened.  Suddenly you're grabbing everything, voicing your opinion, and twisting out of my arms... 

At 7 months you are:

Happy!  You always have a HUGE smile on your face.

Grabby.  I can't eat or drink anything while holding you, and I can't set your purees down on your tray.  Feeding you is even a challenge, because you rip the spoon out of my hand.  (You are freakishly strong for an infant.)  And don't get me started on the hair pulling. 

Learning to whine when you don't get your way.  If you grab something you shouldn't, or if I walk away from you, you let out an intentional little whine. 

A professional puff and cheerio eater. You're an excellent eater in general; you haven't met a food you didn't like. 

Sitting up for long periods of time.  Recently started flopping to your belly and pushing up-- you were terrified the first time you did it.

Anxious to move.  You always want to stand, and you've even taken a few steps with us holding your hands.  And as a result, you are impossible to carry.  You want to jump ship as soon as I pick you up - twisting and kicking - it's frustrating for both of us.

Baby's first sleeveless!

Biting.  Constantly.  STOP IT.  You bite my nipples while nursing; you bite my cheek while I burp you; you bite my fingers, shoulders, legs, and anything else that comes close to your mouth.

Distracted.  Nursing you is such a challenge sometimes.  I have to nurse you in a separate room with the door closed and the white noise machine on, otherwise you whip your head around (usually while latched on) to see all the commotion.  There are days that I actually consider exclusively pumping, but, thankfully, it hasn't come to that yet.

Stinky.  Seriously, you have the stinkiest farts.  It didn't help that you were mildly constipated this month.  (Yay, solid food!)

Officially diagnosed with Eczema.  Will save that story for a separate post.

Oatmeal bath, anyone?

Napping and sleeping more consistently.  You generally sleep from 6:30 pm - 7:00 am (give or take a 30 minutes), and wake once to eat between 1-4 am.  Then you take two two-hour naps during the day.  Overall, I am thrilled with your routine.  It is such a tremendous help to be able to rely on a schedule.

Sharing a room with Lu, and doing wonderfully.

A stomach sleeper!  You move ALL OVER the crib.  It is fascinating to watch.  (Wish we had a video monitor, but for now I'm limited to standing in the doorway.)  You army crawl and scoot and roll.  You don't move nearly as much when you're awake, so it really took me by surprise the first time.

22 pounds (90th percentile) and 28 inches (75th percentile).  Your head circumference is over the 100th percentile...  (Can't remember the exact measurement.) 

Drooling and spitting up less.  Thank God.

Best friends with your big seester.

We love you a lot, buddy!  You are becoming more and more fun with each passing day.  We are so excited for all the milestones ahead.

6 Months

Happy Half Birthday, Parker!

I love starting my days with your big smile and gurgles.  I know I can always munch on your big belly or cheekies, and you'll let out that loud, silly laugh.  You brighten this house and every person in it.   

At 6 months you are...

Sitting up independently for 5-10 minutes at a time-- still a little wobbly.

Eating solids!  You are an excellent eater!!!  Seriously, Lucy was so difficult, but you've really enjoyed everything you've tried so far.  Your first food was butternut squash.  We're abiding by the 2-day Wait Rule for introducing new foods.  We haven't had any poop issues yet, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we'll avoid them completely. 

Ehhhh, what is this??

 

No longer tooth-less.  (Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get a good picture of the toofer.)

Grabbing EVERYTHING within reach.  OMG.

Having so much fun with Sissy.  You light up whenever you see her.  When I need to make breakfast or lunch, I can put you two in your high chairs facing each other, and she'll show you every toy on the table.

Still drooling like whoa

A can-can dancer in training.  When you get excited or hear singing, you kick one leg up in the air over and over again.


Lovin' yo feet.

Awake for 1.5-2 hours at time and taking 3 naps a day.  Nap length seems to be improving-- usually 1-1.5 hours long.  (Which is just heavenly after months of 30-45 minute naps.)

Sleeping 6:30 pm - 7:00 am, and waking 1-2 times in between.  There was one week that you slept through the night 7 nights in a row...not sure why that was so short lived.

Officially sharing a room with sissy!  It's been a blessing and a nightmare, which I will elaborate on in a separate post...

Approximately 22 lbs.  (not sure on length...)

Still exclusively breastfed.  (Almost had to bust out the formula due to a pumping fail, but we managed to scrape by.)

Healthy!

We love watching you grow, honey.  We are so excited for the next 6 months!  (Momma and Daddy are already taking bets on when you'll start walking.)  You have been so easy, and I am so thankful for that.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

5 Months

(Sorry this is so late, Buddy!)

You're finally starting to look big to me.  You've always seemed so small - even though you're in the 90 percentile for height and weight - because I'm used to toddler-size everything.  This last month had it's challenges (because naps are pretty much not happening); BUT, when I'm reaching my breaking point, you'll give me a big, gummy smile and I can't help but laugh.  I love you, Car Car.  I have grown so much as a mother because of you.

At 5 months you are:

Happy!  You get the biggest grin whenever someone smiles or says hello to you.  Always cracks me up.

Rolling over.

(Sorry about the girly burpie.)

Sitting up unassisted for a few minutes at a time

Yelling!  Your personality is really starting to develop and we're having so much fun with you.

Still talking, laughing, blowing raspberries, and drooling all the time.

Your legs are so strong.  (Stronger than Lucy's were at this age!)  You LOVE your jumper.  When you're being held, you'll stand and bounce up and down in our arms.

Playing with rattles and other teethers.

Captivated by Sissy.  You crane your neck to watch her, you laugh hysterically when she tickles you, and you jump even harder when she dances next to you in the jumperoo.  She recently started playing peek-a-boo with you; I love watching you two interact.  I know you will be close when you're older.

Napping for 45 minutes at a time, and awake for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes at a time.  It's brutal.

Sleeping wonderfully at night, though!  Which is why I try not to complain about your daytime sleep...  You wake 1-2 times at night, usually at midnight and 4 am.

100% self-soothing.

Being crammed into 3-6 clothes.  (Literally unpacked your 6-9 month stuff today.) 

Exclusively breastfed - usually eat every 3 hours.  You show no interest in our food.  Will start solids next month.  What do you want to eat first?

Still pulling my hair, especially while you eat, and it is no longer cute.  Please stop.

... pounds and ... inches  (Anyone taking bets on whether I'll remember to update?)

Temperamental when it comes to nose picking.  The Booger Ninja (me) is not pleased...

Healthy!

 

 

 

This is what you and I do while Daddy and Lulu play on the playground.

That butt!

 

CHUNK.