Monday, April 29, 2013

Six Months!

Dear Jack,

You are six months old today!

My my, where have the last six months gone?  I've said this before, and I'll keep saying it, but I wish I could freeze time.  You are just so stinkin' cute!!!  Six months looks good on you, kid ;)  

You are still just as sweet as ever, always smiling and laughing.  You'll smile at just about anything, but there are a few certain things that will make you laugh and giggle.  One, I've noticed, is you laugh when I wipe your hands off . . . not sure, but I guess your hands are ticklish?!?  You'll laugh when Mommy makes a fake sneezing sound - so cute.  You love to be tickled on your belly and also cradled in our arms and kind of brought down towards the ground really quickly upside down . . . sounds too adventurous to be my child!  Must have gotten that from Dad.  The other day you had a giggle fit from Daddy and Uncle Josh hitting each other (and you at times) with a balloon.  It was hilarious and just melted Mommy's heart.

You are still playing on your activity mat pretty well but seem to get bored with it at times.  You still seem interested in your toys, Baby Einstein videos, and books, at times, but Mommy and Daddy are by far your favorite form of entertainment.  One of my favorite things is to watch you while you are watching me do something.  Something as simple as filling a cup with ice and water is mesmerizing to you!  You are like a little sponge, and it is such a joy to watch you take in the world around you.  

You are very good at rolling from your back to your tummy but sometimes have trouble going from your tummy to your back.  On your tummy is pretty much how you prefer to be these days, but then you'll get upset when you can't flip back over.  I've noticed you on the monitor "crawling" (more like sliding/scooting) backwards in your crib.  Possibly the beginning of your crawling phase perhaps? Everything is still going into your mouth, but still no sign of teeth yet.

We don't go back to the doctor until next month, but I just know you're at least 16 lbs.   You are still in size 2 diapers and 9 and 12 month size clothes.  You can still fit into a lot of your 6 month jammies, but they are snug.  Your hair has got to be the funniest thing I've ever seen.  It just continues to get longer and thicker but will not lay down for anything!  Everyone comments on how cute is, and it really is.  You look like you have a little strawberry-blonde baby mohawk!  Daddy says that he's jealous of it - he just wished that his hair was as cool as yours ;)

You are still waking up at least once, sometimes twice in the night. I'll nurse you, and you'll go right back to sleep.  You have started sleeping on your tummy, which I thought might help you to sleep longer, but it didn't.  Now that you are six months old, Mommy is going to start giving you a little solid food during the day.  She thinks that, coupled with a little more milk at bedtime will possibly help you to sleep a little better at night.  She hopes it will anyway!  Since you are teething, or at least exhibiting all the signs, you basically are napping off and on all day, where you were just taking a short nap in the morning and one or two in the afternoon.  You are now going to bed around 7:30 or so.  We sure do miss you when you're not around, but it is nice to have a bit of down time at night.

Well, I can't believe that you're six months old already.  One minute your my sweet, little newborn and the next you're my sweet, bubbly, curious little six month old.  You bring an immeasurable amount of joy to our lives, baby boy, and we love you very much!

Tuesday, April 16, 2013

Five Months!

Dear Jack,

You were five months old two weeks ago!  Better late than never, I guess.

What a joy this fourth month has been!  Of course, you know they've all been wonderful! You have developed such a cute personality and such a sweet disposition.  I think I say that every month, but you just continue to get cuter and sweeter. When you aren't either tired or hungry, you have got to be the most laid-back baby I've ever seen.  You basically just smile all the time, and when you aren't smiling, you have a very concerned, one eyebrow up look on your face.  It's hilarious, because your dad makes that same face!  You are very content to be by yourself, but when you see Mommy or Daddy you get so excited and start kicking your little legs - it's just precious, and we just eat it up.  

We recently had your four month check-up, and you weighed 15 lbs. 7 oz., were 27" long, and had a head circumference of 17"!  That puts you in the 75th percentile for weight, 97th for height, and 90th for head.  Mom cleaned out your closet yesterday and officially put away all of your newborn and 0-3 month size clothes, because they definitely don't fit anymore.  You are wearing 6 month size jammies but a lot of 9 and 12 month size clothes.  Mom was so excited to put you in your new little smocked summer outfits, which are mostly 9 and 12 months, that she decided to go ahead put 'em in the rotation!  You are so long they all pretty much fit already.  Yay!  And you're still wearing size 2 diapers :)

Our days together are pretty predictable, which Mommy appreciates, although you do throw her a curve ball every now again.  You are still loving your activity mat, baby einstein videos and basically anything that can go in your mouth.  EVERYTHING goes in your mouth - your shirt, my shirt, toys, whatever.  You have starting to drool a good bit, so I'm thinking that you may be teething.  I haven't seen an actual tooth yet, so we'll just have to wait and see. 

As far as sleep goes, you went through a brief phase that lasted about two weeks where you did not - I REPEAT - DID NOT want to go to sleep or stay asleep.  You would cry when got put down and wake up about every hour and a half - insert minor freak out - Mommy did a bit of Googling and found out that this was somewhat of a common thing among four month olds . . . geeze.  The Four Month Sleep Regression, as they call it, ain't no joke.  Needless to say, we were glad that phase came to an end.  You still only take little cat-naps throughout the day, one in the morning and a couple in the afternoon.  I have noticed that you are wanting to be put to bed for the night a little earlier these days.  It was around 9, now it's around 8:30 or so.

You are still on a milk only diet, nursing every three hours, although soon we'll start you on some solid foods.  You did have oatmeal one time at Uncle Josh and Aunt Bonnie's (pics to come), but haven't had any since.  You seemed to like it a lot, so I'm thinking and hoping it goes well.  Mommy did go back to feeding you once in the night . . . She was just so excited that you were actually sleeping for longer than your recent hour-and-a-half stretches, that she didn't mind AT ALL getting up for a feeding!

Well, I guess that's it!  I really can't describe how wonderful it is being your Mommy.  And I know Daddy feels the same way.  To be able to see you grow and learn and take in all the new things around you truly is a joy.  Everyday, it just gets better and better.  And while it can be challenging at times, it doesn't come close to the joy that you bring to our lives.  We love you, Little Man!

*On a side note, I recently spilled water on Jonathan's computer, so we had to send it to the Apple store to get fixed.  Oh, that was a bad day.  I am now using my trusty, old HP and for some reason am having trouble uploading pics to the blog.  SO, anything I post for a while will be pictureless - I'll have to add them later. Just so ya know!*