Mama's too funny

Nothing like a baby's laugh to make your day...

 

Six Months

Dear JW,

Six months old?  How can it be?  (And for over a week now...if I don't get this letter done tonight, you're going to hurry up and turn seven months old on me.)

It seems like yesterday I was googling "how to take a shower while caring for a newborn." Now we're about to set up baby gates and child-proof the house.  Here are some of the happenings in our world over the past month:


- You had quite the growth spurt since your last check-up.  You're 17 pounds, 12 ounces (50th percentile) and 28.25 inches long (95th percentile).  You've grown 8 inches in 6 months- good God, child!   I think you're taking after your Poppy.

- You're sitting up all by yourself.  We still don't trust ourselves to go very far because sometimes you reach for something a little too far away and topple over.

(You could do this even if you weren't in the chair.)

- You can roll back to tummy now.

- It seems like you're thinking about crawling- we like to taunt you by placing your toys out of your reach to see what you'll do.  Mostly you get frustrated, but sometimes you move your chunky legs around like you're trying to get them to do something.  The other day you did the worm when you were trying to reach an empty Starbucks cup (AKA, one of your favorite toys). 

- You are laughing, like, really laughing out loud.  We don't always know what it will take to get you to do so- usually an exaggerated nibble on your neck or your toes or your thighs will work- other times it's a visit from your good pal Mike.  (See video from the other day...)  A few days ago it was my hair (See video that will be posted shortly after this...).

- Separation anxiety has set in a bit, so we play peek-a-boo to let you know we're not gone for good.

- You eat oatmeal for breakfast and love every bite.  You'd probably eat three times as much as we give you if we tried. 

- You make a noise that's a cross between shock, excitement, and choking.  It stops me in my tracks and I hate it!

- You continue to be fascinated with Amelia and Tar.  You're a little hesitant to pet them, but you love watching their every move. 

- As much as I dreaded sleep training, (thinking you would cry for hours and hours and vomit and hate me forever) rocking and nursing you to sleep for no less than an hour each night, then attempting ninja-like moves to get you into your crib without waking you was becoming an impossible task.  You took it like a champ- hardly any crying at all- and we're all sleeping a little bit sounder. 

-  We celebrated our first Christmas as a family of three.  Nearly every present under the tree was for you and you could have cared less.  "Give me wrapping paper or nothing at all!"

(You were not a fan of the owl hat...)

Jack Wyatt/ Little Man/ Bud/ Little Boy/ Buddy/ Baby Boy/ Sweet Boy/ My Sunshine/ Baby Love/ Snuggle Muffin/ Son/"The Boy"...we simply couldn't love you more.  You are everything we ever dreamed of when we imagined having a baby, and then some.  You have brought more love and joy to our lives in these last six months than I ever thought possible.  You make us laugh, you make us smile, and there's nothing we wouldn't do for you.  We can't wait to see what the next six months bring...

 

Love,

Your Mama

Hiccups, Shrieks, and Giggles

I caught someone at a very good moment this morning...

I wish I could have recorded him watching himself, too.  Even cuter. 

Christmas with J and L

Baby J and Baby L's First Christmas

(outfits sponsored by Gramma/ Great-Aunt Toni) 

Baby J and Baby L are second cousins and were born within three hours of one another.  Hooray for birthday twins!  Therefore, they will be subjected to years of wearing coordinating outfits and taking pictures in the same chair. 

J and L: "Okay, let's get this over with."

L: "I'm ready for my close up."

J: "Wait, what are we doing?"

L: "Cheese!"
J: "I didn't sign up for this."

L: "Come on, J, just go with it. And look to the right this time."

J: "Fine.  But this is the best I've got."

L: "Are we taking another one?"

J: "Are we done?"

L: "Hold up! What's this?"

J: "Who is she again?"

L: "OMG-You have pants with built-in shoes?"
J: "Can somebody get me out of here?"

L: "These are SO cute."

J: "How much longer do I have to scowl before someone will take me away?"

L: "And your Brian Boitano vest is so classy."

J: "She's getting closer..."

L: "Oh, did you need us for another one?"

J: "What am I still doing here?"

L: "Um, I think J might lose it".

J: "I'm thisclose to losing it..."

L: "Soooo, this is awkward."

J: "WAAAAH"

L: "What did I do?"
J: "Look what you've done!"

L: "What's up with this kid?"
J: "Oh, the horror!"

L: "Dude, just chill."
J: "I don't wanna."

L: "Let me have a look at those pant-shoes again."
J: "If you must."


Until next Christmas, or perhaps their double-birthday party?

The First Supper

Baby J has been fascinated with our food lately, so we decided to give him something besides the boob.  I went all hippy mom and actually cooked and pureed a sweet potato (and even froze the leftovers in ice cube trays so I wasn't wasteful- who am I?!).  Like with everything new with J, I was nervous.  I don't know what I thought would happen, but D was after me for days to let him try some real food.  I finally agreed.  But then we couldn't agree on what he should wear.  I said, "let's strip him."  D said, "how bad can it get.  He'll be fine with just a bib."  I won.  We compromised with socks.   

(Don't judge the horribly grown out highlights.  I've since gotten my hair did, I promise...)

I showed him the food...

...and that's all it took.  

"What is this stuff?"

"Hmm, not bad..."

"You've been keeping this from me?"

Apparently I thought my five month old could handle heaping spoonfuls...

He didn't like my approach, so he decided to do it himself:

"Nom, nom, nom."

"Delish!"

"Is that all that's left?"

"You're serious?"

"Let me just check the outside to make sure..."

"I wonder if anyone would notice if I licked the extra off my leg. Too much?"

"Until next time, sweet potatoes."

Our boy is an eater!

5 Months

 

Baby J turned five months this past Tuesday- I can't believe it!  I'm sure I'll say that every time the 13th of a month passes...

He does something new each day, I swear. Over the past month, we've seen the following:

- He's able to easily pass things from one hand to another.  Today I swear he threw his small football from one hand to the other (I swear!). 

- He can hold his bottle, though I don't see this very often because he never has one when I'm around. 

- He's finally acknowledged and taken an interest in Tar and Amelia. 

- He gets pissed when toys (and non-toys that he likes to play with- usually paper or chip bags or anything that makes a crinkly noise) are taken from him.

This is the face we typically get:

- He waves good-bye in the morning (with help and encouragement from Grandma) when we leave for work (it simultaneously breaks and melts my heart).

- He would never nap again if we let him.  (This has driven mama to the brink of insanity.  If you ever need a book on baby sleep, come to my library.)

- He continues with his daily workouts that consist of baby crunches, which is why I think...

- ...He's thisclose to rolling from his back to his belly- he just can't figure out how to tuck him arm in close enough.

- He eats SO MUCH when I'm at work in the morning.  The lactation consultant I talked to said it was probably because he's missing me.  That comment really helped with the guilt of returning to work. 

- He seems to be getting interested in food- he usually looks offended that we aren't giving him any of what we're eating.  He'll give us a look like this:

                                       ("Seriously?  You're not even going to give me a bite?")

I don't know if we'll be able to hold out another month with just mama's milk...

-  We think he's been teething since just before his four month appointment, but we've yet to see any chompers. Poor guy.  Until then, our fingers, cold washcloths,  and Sophie will have to do.

                                                              (See, he thinks I'm going to take it away from him.)

                                                                                        (So relieved to keep her!)   


- Though middle of the night feeding are a killer, they've recently become a little more bearable because he's been reaching his arms out for me.  Sweetest. thing. ever.  (He's already learning how to work me.)

-  He gets SO excited to see D when he comes home from work at night- he absolutely lights up.  He's fascinated with Dad now-a-days. 

And quite possibly the best part...

- His eyes are still blue, which means some day, someone might think he's actually my child!  Bonus: his hair is lightening up, too: 

Maybe my Scandanavian genes are winning? 

He's getting to be so much fun and I can't wait to see what this month has in store for us.  First Christmas as a family of three...can't wait!

Stripes

D hates that I put Baby J in these PJs:

I love them.. Thanks, Auntie Avery!