Video Updates

Because things are just to busy to write long paragraphs....

Evidently, feeding the kitties treats is hysterical.

And we're spinning, and spinning, and spinning.

Take `em off, take `em off, take `em off!

New and improved crawling style...I think he's trying to walk with his left leg.

Spider Man, Spider Man, does whatever a Spider Man can...

Month 8

Age: 8 Months

Look, Mama!  I can reach the chair arms now!

Favorite activity:  Causing trouble!  If it is something you shouldn't have, or somewhere you shouldn't be...guess what you do?  You love standing.  You will pull up on anything and everything.   

What?  Don't climb on this?  I can't hear you, Mama!

Honorable mentions:  Swimming!  You love your floatie and cruising around the pool.

Once more around the pool, Daddy!

Least favorite activity:  Lord, it's like wrestling a rabid wolverine when we change your diaper.  I swear, we're going as fast as we can.  Wiggling just makes it take longer!

Milestones:   Let's see...pulling up, standing, starting to cruise, less falling and bonking your head, waving...you're just racking up the milestones, bud.

Words: We're getting a lot of "ba, ba, ba, ba" lately.  When you're really upset, sometimes it sounds like you're saying "ma ma ma ma" but I'm not sure.

Sleep:  Your sleep has gone completely off the rails.  You go to sleep pretty well, but you wake up at least once a night.  This month, we're going to get you back to putting yourself to sleep and maybe, hopefully we're going to get rid of the bink.  Mama has high hopes for month 9.

One day, Daddy came to get you up from your nap and this is what he found.  Oh dear.

Best Moment:  The grin on your face when you sat on the beach was fantastic.  Honestly, there are daily "best moments".  One of my favorites was the morning you had pulled up and were standing in the pack n play watching me sleep.  When you saw that I was awake, you grinned and waved.  WAVED!  You hadn't done that before.  You made my day.

You've started sliding around the room on your back....weirdo.  

Worst Moment:  Taking our second 10 hour (one way) car trip really stunk.  It was great to see Grandma and Grandpa, but two days in a car stinks.  Luckily, you handled this second trip like a champ.  I think you've gotten the hang of long car rides.  You don't *like* them, but you cope better.  Plus, I'm learning your signs.  When you're hungry, you start pushing and kicking all your toys away from you.  I also have learned that you have about a half hour whining session before you fall sound asleep.

The best part of the driving...when you sleep.

Eating:  You love eating!  We're eating solids for breakfast (oatmeal and fruit) and dinner (fruit, veggies, and puffs).  We're planning to start some lunch solids soon too.  You're a growing boy!

Yum! BEETS!

Teeth: Almost 4!  Your top right tooth has completely cut through and the top left is just starting to cut through.  I can't wait to get a break from this teething.  Poor kiddo, your toofers bother you a lot some days.

Our newest evil grin...shows off the toofers.

Month 7

Age: 7 Months

He looks so grown up!  Where did my baby go?

Weight: No official weight, but you're definitely continuing to gain weight.

Height:  Taller every day.  Though you haven't outgrown your 6-9 month clothes, yet.

Favorite activity:   Swinging with Grandad.  We bought you a swing before our trip North, but we didn't get it put up before we left.  Grandmother and Grandad have a porch swing on their deck and you spent a lot of time out there swinging with Grandad with the biggest grin on your face.  Installing your swing moved up to priority #1 when we returned.

Honorable mentions:  Crawling, exploring, generally causing trouble...

Least favorite activity:  Boy, diaper changes are a fight.  You're constantly turning over and trying to get away.  I'm going as fast as I can!

Milestones:   There have been so many!  It seems that you're learning something new every other day.  You're close to figuring out how to pull up.  You're becoming more and more independent and you enjoy exploring EVERYTHING.  This month brought us your first long road trip (10+ hours), your dedication at church, and lots of first visits with family.

Words: Still no words, though Grandpa taught you raspberries.  I'm still contemplating a proper "thank you" for that.  :o)  Daddy and I are trying to incorporate more sign language into our day so that, when you are old enough, you will be able to pick it up easily.

Sleep:  Sigh.  Sleep has become our nemesis.  One day, you sleep like clockwork.  Two hours up, two hour nap.  The next day, forty-five minute power naps.  I have no idea how to get things more consistent.  A two week vacation did NOTHING to help our cause.

Mama!  I can taste freedom.  It tastes...furry.

Best Moment:  Watching you interact with your grandparents was pretty darn cool.  You're a lucky little man to have so many people love you so much.

Worst Moment:  The three hours of whining/whimpering as we drove stunk pretty royally.  Luckily, the next day, you slept almost the whole trip the following day.

Oooo...hello puppy!

Eating:  You are eating everything!  You love apricots and sweet potato puffs.  I think you may have some kind of reaction to bananas, but I'm not 100% sure yet.  You used your mesh feeder to eat watermelon and you LOVED it.  We're getting ready to start you on solids three times a day.  First, I need to research what a typical day of food for a 7 month old looks like.  You're not ready to just eat what we eat, but I don't want to feed you the same thing day in and day out.  Month 7 will be a month of food experiments!

What's the big deal, Mama?

Teeth: Still just 2.  Though, I am hoping the top two will pop through any day.  You drool like a St. Bernard, baby.  

If you look close, you can see your two teeth!

Wombat and Mama's Summer of Fun!

Hooray, it's finally summer!  We have officially launched Mama and Wombat's Summer of Fun.  Hold on to your diaper, baby!  Mama is going to pack in a school year's amount of fun into one summer.

Month 6

Age: 6 Months

Weight:   18 pounds, 2 ounces

Height: 27.75 inches

Favorite activity:   Right now, you're favorite activity is turning over and crawling.  You are able to move and dag nabbit, you want to be mobile All. The. Time.  Generally this isn't a problem.  At bedtime, however, oh my.  You eventually fall asleep, but sometimes it takes time.

Honorable mentions:  You love your new jumper.  It is lots of fun.  You love chasing and "petting" the kitties.  You love giggling with Daddy.  You love being oogled by ladies in public and you love riding in your car seat - most of the time.

This is TOTALLY WICKED!  (Ignore my tired eyes, 'mkay?)

Least favorite activity:  Still burping and the time where we have to fasten you into your car seat.  You could do without that.  You seem to love the new car seat though.  Much less screaming.

Milestones:   You can crawl!  You're eating solids!  You can almost sit unassisted!  YOU HAVE A TWO TEETH!  This has been a big month for you.

Words:  None, but you still chatter.  You're quite the chatty Cathy.

Sleep:  You sleep very well (knock on wood).  Since you learned to turn over, you sleep on your tummy with your tush up in the air.  It's adorable.  

You go to bed between 6:30 and 7:30 and sleep until around 5:30 or 6.  Some days you get up later, some days earlier but you are always an early riser.  Mama is not...but I'm getting better.  I'll be a morning person yet.

Best Moment:  Crawling!  It was so exciting to watch you wiggle your tush and take off.

Worst Moment:   Crawling!  It's the beginning of the end.  You're growing so fast.  I wish you would slow down.

Eating:  You love sweet potatoes.  You hate peas. (Your dad and grandpas are so proud.)  You weren't fond of avocados, but you tolerated them better than peas.  You also like squash.  Next on the to try list include green beans, carrots, peaches, pears  (Grandma's favorite), and applesauce.

Teeth: You have a tooth!  TEETH!  You have two teeth!  They're your front bottom teeth.  We think they have at least one friend because you're still all drooly and congested and cranky.  We shall see.

First Foods: Apples

Perhaps they were a bit more tart than I remember... It would appear my fears of him not eating vegetables after tasting fruits may have been misguided.

Yum! Apples!

Ack!  Sour apples! Sour apples!

Poor kid happily went back to his squash.

Check out  the Wombat's impression of other foods when tasting them for the first time:

• Sweet Potatoes
• Avocado
• Peas

Training

We finally got you a decent jumper which you LOVE.  You never played as long in the old jumper as you do in this one.  You don't actually jump in it yet, but you can turn yourself all around in it and stand pretty steadily in it.

Look, Mama!  This music keeps playing, but I have no idea why.  And...and...look at this spinning ball...

Soccer season ended this week and I think Daddy already misses it.  He spent most of yesterday teaching you things like this: