8 Months!

Here we are with an eight-month-old.  Very exciting :0)

Things we have learned and notables of this month:

Crawling - for real, stomach off the floor!

Teeth - two crooked little teeth in the front on bottom.  

Cruising around quite dangerously on anything that appears may support him in a standing position.  

Toilets are both delicious and entertaining.  Seriously, I have trouble pulling him away.

Turning on the bathtub and playing with the vacuum are delightful pastimes.  (How far we've come that no longer does the sound of the vacuum result in crying, but rather chasing me down to try to climb on when I'm using it!)

First trip to the store riding in the basket.  He loves it - a bird's-eye view and ride all in one!

On to month nine!

Catch Up!

I wanted to share a few pictures from the past couple of weeks (they've been busy!).  

Lena, always so thoughtful, planned a delightful surprise hen-do party for Shaun before her wedding in two weeks.  Kati was a surprise visitor, as well as several of Shaun's college friends.  It was a nice evening of hair, makeup, snacks, and chatting.  

Want to know something funny about taking a picture from behind?  Your instinct is still to smile :0)

Then it was on to Easter festivities.  Our little family made it to church in Orion and then to Aunt Kathy's for a late brunch.  

This past weekend, we were back in Orion for Forrest's baptism (an exhausting event, apparently).  I made his little vest and shorts, and I was quite happy with how they turned out.  I wish the pictures were better :0)  Mom hosted lunch for Grandma, Grandma and Grandpa, Shaun, and Bill afterwards.  

This weekend we are spending some time relaxing, with a possible trip to Springfield.  Hopefully the weather warms up and brightens up a bit.  I'm ready for spring!

Seven Months!

Seven months old, oh my!

                                     

The theme of Forrest's seven month was movement and independence.  Things we learned:

Who needs to crawl when you can creep on your stomach quickly!?  (Thank you, Dad, for installing the gate at the top of the stairs!)

An oscillating space heater is the best toy.  (Joshua and I don't necessarily agree...)

Starting to pull up, not too many injuries yet.  The crib has been lowered :0)

Loves taking drinks of water from a glass.  Too funny.

Loving when someone holds his hands to help him walk.  He's so anxious to be able to get around and into things, and yes, he knows exactly where he wants to go.

Who's ready for month eight?  Hopefully some warmer weather and time outside will happen.  (It's currently blizzarding, with 5-9 inches predicted.)

Snap-on Blanket Details

After mentioning Forrest's snap-on blanket in my last post, details were requested, and I'm happy to fill you in!

The blanket is two layers, one cotton and one fleece and measures about 20 inches square.  I added four snaps (hard to see in the pictures because they are white).  Two are on Forrest's shoulder blades near his armpits, and two are on his lower hips (not too far down, so his legs aren't restricted).  His feet do stick out the bottom of the blanket a couple of inches, but he doesn't seem to mind.  I added snaps to the backs of all of his pajamas, and he's set.  He moves and rolls all around his crib, and the blanket stays nicely in place.  Diaper changes are not impacted by the blanket, and it's easily removed in the mornings.  It's quite a simple invention, but he really does seem more cozy with it on.  I can't believe I didn't think of it sooner!  The next one I make for the spring will be a little larger and will use flannel instead of fleece for the warmer weather.

Six Months!

Half way through our first year together!  How did that happen?

 (Did I really think a piece of paper was going to be less distracting than the iPad?)

Yesterday was Forrest's six month check-up, and I'm happy to report that he is a healthy little boy. His height seems to be catching up with his weight (now in the 75th and 95th percentiles, respectively).

Things we learned this month:

Walkers are too much fun!  Fun for Forrest for exploring and fun for his parents to watch him move around and discover things like the lazy susan, pantry, and other corners of the first floor.

Sleeping seems to be going a bit better.  He has finally been weaned off of his second night bottle.  Everyone kept telling me that he would just magically sleep through and miss it one day.  Ummmm, I don't think so.  Who wouldn't want to get up and have a snack with me?  So, by decreasing his bottle .5 ounces every third day, we did it, and he doesn't miss it all.  At this point, Forrest is getting up once to eat and wakes about two other times during the night.  We're making progress!

Snap-on blanket invention!  Since the beginning, I've felt bad that Forrest can't have a blanket.  I don't put him in sleep sacks; I think they look like death traps, keeping babies' legs tangled up.  So, I dressed him in layers and kept the space heater running, but he still looked cold.  Finally, it came to me, if a blanket was small enough and snapped to his pajamas, there would be no suffocation hazard.  So, I grabbed some fleece, stitched a small blanket and added snaps to the blanket and the backs of his pajamas, and done!  He looks so much cozier and sleeps in a more relaxed position (not as scrunched into a ball, trying to keep warm).  Rest assured, no part of the blanket can reach his face :0)

Sitting up!  It seems like one day it just clicked.  The day before he needed support to sit without falling over, and then he didn't.  It's pretty fun to leave him on the carpet with toys, go to wash dishes for a couple of minutes, and then return to him still sitting and playing.

Still loving all things wild - being swung around and tossed on the bed and being put upside down by Daddy.

Peek-a-boo is a sure way to get a smile.

It was time to pack up the newborn toys including the bird mobile, swing, and Boppy seat.  Although Forrest was still having fun with them (kicking over the mobile while under it, pushing the swing from his walker, and wiggling out of the Boppy seat as quickly as possible), cousin Abby's baby is due soon and will probably enjoy these things for their intended use.

Let's see what month seven has in store for us!

Going Visiting

Joshua was in Arizona for a few days attending a rural healthcare conference, so Forrest and I took advantage of some time in Orion with Poppy and Gigi.  We spent a relaxing four days just hanging out, visiting with aunts and grandmas, and eating far too many Dove chocolates (I was on vacation, right?).

Dad and I also started working on a project that I'm very excited about.  Since moving to Monticello, my sewing area has been in our bedroom.  There is plenty of space, but the card table and mess are a bit unsightly (though the entire room is a mess at the moment, and for the past several moments...).  So, finding some inspiration on the internet, I've roped Dad into helping me transform a vintage armoire into a sewing cabinet.  Once it's done, it will feature a fold-in table, plenty of storage, and light, all contained on one good-looking piece of furniture, neat and cute when put away and very handy when in use.  I'm excited!  I really need to take some "before" pictures before we get too far on the project.

Here are a few pictures from our trip.

Five Months!

Goodness, five months old! (and too old to use the iPad to mark his age, as it's now much more interesting than smiling for a picture)

 

Things we have learned this month:

Don't get too optimistic about sleep.  It can get worse :0)  There is just too much he might miss if he sleeps...

Fruit is much tastier than vegetables.

Wanting to crawl so much, but only managing to looking like he's swimming the carpet, while going nowhere.

Developing quite the sense of humor.  Mouse puppets are hysterically funny!  Daddy "wrestling" time is too much fun.  (Never thought I would say that about a five-month-old.)  And my dance moves are certainly laughable.  (We've known that for awhile.)

Still growing!  Even though the tag on a onesie might say 6-9 months, or even 9-12 months, it may be necessary to put your 4-5 month old in it, as he is an 18+ pound chunker.

Enjoying (almost) every minute with this little boy.  (Perhaps I would enjoy spending less time with him during sleeping hours...)  How lucky I am to be able to stay home with him, and catch some midday naps!

On to month six :0)