Say what? ....6 months?
Easily the fastest 6 months of our lives. I'm afraid to blink and he will be in kindergarten and I'll blink again and he will be walking down the aisle with some lucky lady.
I changed up the format a little for this post. Adding a few more things. I think I'm finally happy with this format...only took me 6 months to find my groove.
Likes:
to be talked to, he echos in loud squeals and screams
rocking back and forth
bumbo (he could sit in it for hours if we let him)
peas, sweet potatoes, squash
bath time
going sockless (loving his feet)
tickles
swing at the park
Dislikes:
Biggest Achievement of the Month:
Biggest Challenge of the Month:
Sleep: Ugh. We don't get much of it. He's usually up 1-2 per night, I would say closer to 2 is the reality. First wake up is about 12 and the second wake up is 3 or 4am. Just in the last few days I have noticed that he used to wake up just starving, but now at the first wake-up we can usually put in a plug (aka pacifier) and he is easily lulled back to sleep. The second wake up always for food. Working on a routine the second time around seems like such a challenge. We didn't really have any sleep issues with Harrison until after the age of one. Since then it's become a roller coaster of sleep patterns. From what I have read and heard, this is pretty typical. However from what I also have read there seems to be a lot more people with kids that don't sleep even at ten/eleven months old. Knowing this, makes me a little nervous! Seriously this streak of sleeplessness might continue for several more months. YIKES, say this isn't so!
Naps are still all over the place. Morning naps are more easily predicted. He likes to take his long nap around 9/10 am for up to 2 hours. Afternoons---cat naps here and there and in the evening he takes a 30 minute snooze about 6/6:30. This evening snooze gives me a solid 30 minutes to devote to Harrison, which he totally needs/wants, especially on night when it's just the 3 of us. I dream of the day when both kids nap at the same time.
Temperament/Personality: He wants nothing to do with laying on his back other than playing with his toes. After about 10 minutes, he'll let you know, he's done and moving forward with bigger and better things! This kid loves his bumbo more than anything. He can be quite content in there for more than hour. He so desperately wants to sit by himself. We were almost there last month until he discovered he likes to rock back and fourth and ends up throwing himself backwards or stands up (which I remember Harrison doing a lot of this). I'm pretty crushed about him not sitting alone at 6 months or holding his head up high while on his belly. Partly this is due to his prematurity and shoulder strength takes longer to develop, but I also blame us for not working with him as much as we could have. I think with Harrison we were drilled with everyday something we had to do that we have just been so relaxed with our Miles. However I started him on what I call "baby boot camp" a couple of weeks ago. "Baby boot camp," is 15-20 minutes we devote to practice sitting, tummy time and rolling over. This is usually done after bath time each night. Since enrolling him in "Mom's home made program" he learned to roll over (tummy to back) within those first two weeks and does it continuously.
He's least happy:
He doesn't like long car rides (and neither did his brother). Ask me about our Wisconsin Dells trip last weekend? He cried 1.5 hours of the 2 hour drive home. Not enjoyable for his parents or his sibling trying to nap in the back seat next to him.
Food Service- He knows when he is hungry and he'll let you know that no matter what you do, your not moving fast enough.
He's most happy:
Generally he is a happy baby if he got his toes to grab on to, a full belly, a fist full of mom's hair (ouch), in the tub, being carried or sitting in his bumbo.
Baby Talk/Communication: He's a talker (gets that from his Momma). Not to keep comparing Harrison and Miles, but this is so different from his big brother who didn't talk until he was three. Miles found out he can screech most recently and apparently he likes it because he does it all the time :).
He knows his name. He calms down when I enter the room and start talking to him. He uses his voice (loud & clear) when he's the least bit hungry I'd say he has pretty effective communication for a 6 month old.
Eating: Loves food. He'll eat practically anything you put in front of him. I got the camera all ready when I prepping to give him peas last week for the first time. I remember Harrison's disgusted, "What did you just feed me look," (and then spit out) of his first green veggie (which I think was green beans). To my dismay, Miles ate the whole container without a "what are you feeding me?" expression. The only thing you can't really get past his lips is rice cereal and sweet fruits like peaches and apples. He just started liking bananas this week.
I've started him on second (solid) foods---which is pretty much the same as first foods, but just comes in a little larger amount. I'm thinking of trying to start him on oatmeal verses the rice cereal. If I remember correctly (and the blog helps with memory we had better luck with Harrison on oatmeal verses the rice cereal. We are keeping solids to one time per day for now and haven't started solids at daycare. I'm thinking in a couple of weeks we'll increase the frequency.
He nurses one time a day, usually in the morning and he has become partial to one side (which from what I read can be pretty typical). I am continuing to pump 3-4 times a day. I keep getting the question, "So how long are you going to keep doing this?" I honestly can't believe I made it 6 months already. I stopped at 16 weeks with Harrison. I can't say I'll make it a whole year, but my hope since I made it to 6 months is to make it to 9 months. I am clinging to the hope that continue to breast feed will promote better health. Bottles are every 3 hours or so. We bumped him up to 5 ounces last week for feedings. Sometimes he can eat as much as 6 ounces, but that doesn't make him go any longer between feedings. He's definitely not starving that is for sure! He has his six month well check appointment April 18. I am guessing he weighs no less than 16lbs. He's our chunk. I jokingly say... "You know some women produce skim milk, some 2 percent, some whole, I'm pretty sure I produce cream."
Sizing him up: He's a big boy. Remember at 35 weeks he weighed 6 lbs 4 oz., yes...5 weeks early. I grow big babies. He's true to size for most clothing with the exception I think Gap runs a little bigger as he can still get his buns into 0-3 month jeans. He'll be getting a whole new summer wardrobe as Harrison only wore sizes 0-3 and 3-6 during his first year. I don't mind going shopping for new clothes (since most of his stuff is hand me down), but with two in childcare, I am beyond broke. Thank goodness for Once Upon a Child (second hand clothing store)---they have some pretty cute stuff.
Teeth: Not yet, but he chews on everything. However, if I'm nursing, they can take their time debuting their first appearance. They say the later the teeth come in the better! Glad Harrison's first one didn't pop up until he as at least 14 months old.
Motor Skills: Rolling over! Yes finally can roll tummy to back! His first roll was a few days shy of 6 months. He's more of the "take my time" kind of guy. These later skills used to bother me, but I kind of got over that the first time around. This especially is true as I photograph so many infants at so many different ages. Everyone master's skills at their own pace.
He's a grabber. Nothings safe within reach of him. Last night he spilled my can of pop and knocked everything off of where it was within his reach. If you remove something within in reach, he will continue to look for whatever you took away. He's a smart boy!
Out and About: Miles likes to be part of everything and sitting in a car seat just doesn't happen. I guess I can't blame him---I mean besides chewing on his own hand (or gagging himself), throwing toys out the other other thing he gets ti do is stare at me. We are almost ready to ditch the car seat for shopping carts. When we are out he is quite the ladies man...ladies just can't get enough of those chubby legs and dimple smiles.
Firsts: Rolling over, grabbing his feet and trying lots of new foods.
Fave Baby Gear: Bumbo---this thing travels everywhere with us (the pool, the bath tub, stroller, wagon, etc) and the baby Bjorn is pretty much an everyday used item.
I can't believe how fast these months go by. I haven't taken official 6 month photos, but I plan to soon. For now, this adorable photo will have to do!
I'll have more to post later and he had his 6 month well check today, but I can't promise you when I'll actually get to posting it since I am finally hitting publish on this entry and I started writing this 6 days ago.
