he is simply the greatest human we've ever encountered![Colton,
You’ve officially shown signs of truly understanding me and communicating this past month and it has blown me away, making me realize you really are a miniature human. Up til now, this whole experience of having you has been not completely unlike having a new pet. A very complex, high needs one. It started off with me holding you all the time, doing everything for you, and has grown to you following me around the house, always at my feet, always happy to see me, always wanting to be with me. Except now, this month, when I told you to [ironically] “look over here at the doggies”, you turned your head and looked straight down, and I was speechless. You completely understood me. It was as shocking as if Bella herself had heard me say “my feet are cold” and then went and got me a pair of socks. Since then you’ve responding to all sorts of phrases from me: look at this, sit down, straighten your legs, grab it, stand up, come here. I’ll ask if you want water and you’ll smack your lips and open up, or you’ll rub your face and kinda shake your head and turn. It’s quite astounding to me.
It’s also equal parts exciting and scary to think of how quickly you’ll start to pick up on things, unbeknownst to me. So far we’ve already eliminated the words “hate” and “stupid” from our every day language around the house (which has been surprisingly hard to catch, since it’s in so many simple chatter of ours, “Ugh, I hate that show”, “No, that app is stupid.”). It makes me nervous when I think about how much I’m going to be responsible for teaching you things and shaping you into becoming the man you’ll eventually be. It’s a enormous responsibility, and a daunting idea. I wonder all the time if I’ll be able to be a good example for you, and how much I will fail you. I’m trying to pray now that God will fill me with lots of Himself to show through me.
I love you so very much,Mom
——-
THIS MONTH
You started playing peekaboo back. Just a few days ago we were playing peekaboo with your blanket and you grabbed it from me and held it up above your head for a second and then dropped it down and laughed. When we realized what you were doing, we immediately started calling out “Coooltyyy! Where’s Colty?!” when you held it up and you would drop it down and show us your face and be so proud of revealing where you were hiding. Your dad says the level of cognitive understanding that takes to process that game and do it yourself is a huge step in your development. It was really fun playing with you like that.
You’re grinning now. It’s weird, I never realized there were different levels of smiling you were going to develop, but after you first officially grinned at me… this small, closed-lipped smile, it dawned on me that it was a new step in your growing personality. All your other smiles have been these wide open-mouthed silent laughs almost… you know, the standard baby smile, but this one was so controlled and intentional. I loved it so much. You’ve done it many more times since already and I just think it’s so sweet. Mostly it’s when you’re tired, or somewhat grumpy and I can make you crack a smile when you don’t seem to want to be happy.
You’re practicing standing on your own. You’ve been doing this a little bit for about six weeks already, maybe eight. You’d stand for probably three seconds at a time without holding onto something, but it was mostly unintentional standing; you’d let go to clap or hold a toy. This past week you’ve been really working on it purposefully. You’ve been pushing yourself up more from a squat position, instead of pulling yourself up, and letting go, arms out, eyes wide, smile HUGE, and you’ll lock eyes with me like, “Look Mom! Look! No Hands!” and you’ll scream and laugh until it makes you shake and you lose your balance and plop down. You’re so proud of yourself. And so am I.
You started clapping. Just days after you turned eight months, I was reading my app about what you should be up to and it said you should be clapping already, so I turn to your dad and tell him and wonder when that’ll happen. And then I put my phone down and immediately played patty-cake with you (for the umpteenth time). Then literally within the hour, you clapped. And the rest of the day you clapped and clapped. At night, you would fall asleep, and spring awake, sit yourself up, and clap. With your eyes closed. You were on this roll and couldn’t get enough, you loved it.
You help me get you dressed. You push your arms through when I put your shirts on, and help pull your shirt off your head when I take it off. It’s so sweet. You also put your legs just the right way when I put you in your high chair, and hold your arms up for me to pick you up or take you out. I like it a lot.
You’re very much communicating with us now. In addition to you showing signs that you’re understanding so much of what we say, you’re starting to ‘talk’ back to us, too. After just a few days of being in California, and hanging out with your Grands, you started saying their names. “Guh-pah” after grandpa worked very hard at teaching you his name, and then several days later, “Guh-mah.” I think I screamed. I couldn’t believe it!! Then every time you wanted them, or followed them down the hall, you’d call after them (with a little prompting). The week after we were at the park and Bella started roaming too far, so after calling out to her, “Beeelllllaaa!” you immediately repeated in a very loud voice, “Bahhh!” I love it so, so much. It’s simply incredible.
You officially have eight teeth. They move so slowly, and you’re such a trooper. My little shark mouth.
———
SLEEPING: You’ve downgraded your naps to once a day! I was shocked when you did it once, then you did it twice, and a third and fourth, and by week two, I realized you were settled. So you wake up around the same time, 730ish, give or take half an hour, stay up for 3-4 hours, then go down for a 2-3 hour nap, and stay up for the rest of the day. Sometimes if we’re out and about and busy, you’ll take two shorterish naps (1.5hrs and 45min), and then you’re down for the night around 730ish or so. It’s weird to me mostly because it signals you’re still growing up. I stay still, as if it ever stops. It sounds overwhelming to have you awake for almost the entire day, and sometimes it is since you’ll be harder to please in the evening, since you’re not as well rested, but you refuse a nap, but for the most part, it’s kinda nice to have you so content and wanting to play all day long. We can do more and see more and go out more, too.
EATING: I was so worried last month because you weren’t loving food, and seemed to be becoming a picky eater. You would take a few bites, or none at all, and throw everything over the side and wave your arms. Sometimes you wanted me to feed you, and other times you wanted to do it all yourself. But then one day something happened and it was like a switch… suddenly you loved food. You ate everything up. You still wanted me to feed you bites sometimes, and others you wouldn’t let us near your mouth and you’d do it all on your own, but you’re gobbling up pretty much everything we put in front of you. It’s really cool!
POTTY: Nothing to report here, except I love laughing at daddy gag when he changes your poopies. You had one diaper in particular where I all I could hear was your dad telling you to not touch it, and ‘oh no!’ and getting progressively more and more desperate. And then there’d be silence and I would know he was gaging. I walked in and he has his head turned, dry heaving, doing his best to hold your legs, and I look over at you and you had poo e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. On your legs, your hands, your face, all over your clothes, the changing table… and dad was freaking out. He goes, “HELP ME!” The best part was that he was still trying to salvage the change and wipe you up, even though it was clearly a lost battle. I was laughing so hard, I almost peed my pants. I eventually composed myself and took over, stripping you down and taking you to the bath. That will definitely be one of my favorite memories.
STATS:
Weight: 23lbs 5oz
Height: 28.3”
Head: 18.3in
PERCENTILES: 86% | 53% | 82%](http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ltpa5eXF0t1qa90oqo1_r2_1280.png)
Colton,
You’ve officially shown signs of truly understanding me and communicating this past month and it has blown me away, making me realize you really are a miniature human. Up til now, this whole experience of having you has been not completely unlike having a new pet. A very complex, high needs one. It started off with me holding you all the time, doing everything for you, and has grown to you following me around the house, always at my feet, always happy to see me, always wanting to be with me. Except now, this month, when I told you to [ironically] “look over here at the doggies”, you turned your head and looked straight down, and I was speechless. You completely understood me. It was as shocking as if Bella herself had heard me say “my feet are cold” and then went and got me a pair of socks. Since then you’ve responding to all sorts of phrases from me: look at this, sit down, straighten your legs, grab it, stand up, come here. I’ll ask if you want water and you’ll smack your lips and open up, or you’ll rub your face and kinda shake your head and turn. It’s quite astounding to me.
It’s also equal parts exciting and scary to think of how quickly you’ll start to pick up on things, unbeknownst to me. So far we’ve already eliminated the words “hate” and “stupid” from our every day language around the house (which has been surprisingly hard to catch, since it’s in so many simple chatter of ours, “Ugh, I hate that show”, “No, that app is stupid.”). It makes me nervous when I think about how much I’m going to be responsible for teaching you things and shaping you into becoming the man you’ll eventually be. It’s a enormous responsibility, and a daunting idea. I wonder all the time if I’ll be able to be a good example for you, and how much I will fail you. I’m trying to pray now that God will fill me with lots of Himself to show through me.
I love you so very much,
Mom
——-
THIS MONTH
You started playing peekaboo back. Just a few days ago we were playing peekaboo with your blanket and you grabbed it from me and held it up above your head for a second and then dropped it down and laughed. When we realized what you were doing, we immediately started calling out “Coooltyyy! Where’s Colty?!” when you held it up and you would drop it down and show us your face and be so proud of revealing where you were hiding. Your dad says the level of cognitive understanding that takes to process that game and do it yourself is a huge step in your development. It was really fun playing with you like that.
You’re grinning now. It’s weird, I never realized there were different levels of smiling you were going to develop, but after you first officially grinned at me… this small, closed-lipped smile, it dawned on me that it was a new step in your growing personality. All your other smiles have been these wide open-mouthed silent laughs almost… you know, the standard baby smile, but this one was so controlled and intentional. I loved it so much. You’ve done it many more times since already and I just think it’s so sweet. Mostly it’s when you’re tired, or somewhat grumpy and I can make you crack a smile when you don’t seem to want to be happy.
You’re practicing standing on your own. You’ve been doing this a little bit for about six weeks already, maybe eight. You’d stand for probably three seconds at a time without holding onto something, but it was mostly unintentional standing; you’d let go to clap or hold a toy. This past week you’ve been really working on it purposefully. You’ve been pushing yourself up more from a squat position, instead of pulling yourself up, and letting go, arms out, eyes wide, smile HUGE, and you’ll lock eyes with me like, “Look Mom! Look! No Hands!” and you’ll scream and laugh until it makes you shake and you lose your balance and plop down. You’re so proud of yourself. And so am I.
You started clapping. Just days after you turned eight months, I was reading my app about what you should be up to and it said you should be clapping already, so I turn to your dad and tell him and wonder when that’ll happen. And then I put my phone down and immediately played patty-cake with you (for the umpteenth time). Then literally within the hour, you clapped. And the rest of the day you clapped and clapped. At night, you would fall asleep, and spring awake, sit yourself up, and clap. With your eyes closed. You were on this roll and couldn’t get enough, you loved it.
You help me get you dressed. You push your arms through when I put your shirts on, and help pull your shirt off your head when I take it off. It’s so sweet. You also put your legs just the right way when I put you in your high chair, and hold your arms up for me to pick you up or take you out. I like it a lot.
You’re very much communicating with us now. In addition to you showing signs that you’re understanding so much of what we say, you’re starting to ‘talk’ back to us, too. After just a few days of being in California, and hanging out with your Grands, you started saying their names. “Guh-pah” after grandpa worked very hard at teaching you his name, and then several days later, “Guh-mah.” I think I screamed. I couldn’t believe it!! Then every time you wanted them, or followed them down the hall, you’d call after them (with a little prompting). The week after we were at the park and Bella started roaming too far, so after calling out to her, “Beeelllllaaa!” you immediately repeated in a very loud voice, “Bahhh!” I love it so, so much. It’s simply incredible.
You officially have eight teeth. They move so slowly, and you’re such a trooper. My little shark mouth.
———
SLEEPING: You’ve downgraded your naps to once a day! I was shocked when you did it once, then you did it twice, and a third and fourth, and by week two, I realized you were settled. So you wake up around the same time, 730ish, give or take half an hour, stay up for 3-4 hours, then go down for a 2-3 hour nap, and stay up for the rest of the day. Sometimes if we’re out and about and busy, you’ll take two shorterish naps (1.5hrs and 45min), and then you’re down for the night around 730ish or so. It’s weird to me mostly because it signals you’re still growing up. I stay still, as if it ever stops. It sounds overwhelming to have you awake for almost the entire day, and sometimes it is since you’ll be harder to please in the evening, since you’re not as well rested, but you refuse a nap, but for the most part, it’s kinda nice to have you so content and wanting to play all day long. We can do more and see more and go out more, too.
EATING: I was so worried last month because you weren’t loving food, and seemed to be becoming a picky eater. You would take a few bites, or none at all, and throw everything over the side and wave your arms. Sometimes you wanted me to feed you, and other times you wanted to do it all yourself. But then one day something happened and it was like a switch… suddenly you loved food. You ate everything up. You still wanted me to feed you bites sometimes, and others you wouldn’t let us near your mouth and you’d do it all on your own, but you’re gobbling up pretty much everything we put in front of you. It’s really cool!
POTTY: Nothing to report here, except I love laughing at daddy gag when he changes your poopies. You had one diaper in particular where I all I could hear was your dad telling you to not touch it, and ‘oh no!’ and getting progressively more and more desperate. And then there’d be silence and I would know he was gaging. I walked in and he has his head turned, dry heaving, doing his best to hold your legs, and I look over at you and you had poo e-v-e-r-y-w-h-e-r-e. On your legs, your hands, your face, all over your clothes, the changing table… and dad was freaking out. He goes, “HELP ME!” The best part was that he was still trying to salvage the change and wipe you up, even though it was clearly a lost battle. I was laughing so hard, I almost peed my pants. I eventually composed myself and took over, stripping you down and taking you to the bath. That will definitely be one of my favorite memories.
STATS:
- Weight: 23lbs 5oz
- Height: 28.3”
- Head: 18.3in
- PERCENTILES: 86% | 53% | 82%
![Colton,
This is the first time I feel like I JUST wrote one of these monthly updates, it came so quickly. Well… part of that is because I posted my last one late (which I’m doing AGAIN), but still! Time is definitely picking up speed. ::tear::
You have done SO many things this month, I feel like you’ve barreled over the next stage of development all of a sudden. Crawling, waving, dancing, cruising, saying MAMA! You’re eating a lot more food, sleeping through the night (okay so that happened just once. last night. but I’m counting it!), and the one thing I’m not excited about it… separation anxiety. In any case, all these new things have been really keeping me on my feet and I’m having so much fun with you.
THIS MONTH:
You’re crawling! This one has been long anticipated. I mean, I know the average age to do this is between 7-9 months, so you’re right smack in “the zone”, but you’ve looked like you were on the brink of it for literally two months. You would get on your knees, but faceplant and bulldoze, or you’d get on your hands and push your arms up, but do the downward dog yoga pose and just sit there like that. Pretty cute, but you just couldn’t coordinate to do the two together. Because of that everyone was starting to say it was never going to happen and you were going to go straight to walking, so I was starting to worry, but then you finally did it! I was so proud of you, and so relieved. You do the “wounded soldier” crawl, where you’re on one knee and one foot scooting along. It’s actually really funny. Some people call it the crab-crawl. My favorite is when you try and go fast, you look hysterical. I love it so much.
You’re beginning to wave goodbye. I didn’t actually know you were doing this until Sarah pointed it out while we were camping. I mean, I had seen you do it, and I remember even thinking “that’s cute, it looked like he waved back”, but I didn’t think you were actually really waving. It looked more like a one-arm flap. But then after Sarah said she really thought it was an intentional wave, we watched you, and time and time again you continued to flap at people when we would say bye. It’s definitely still vague, but it’s there, and people have noticed.
You dance every time I cheer and clap for you. It actually started last month when you first stood up, but again, I didn’t realize you were dancing at the time, but since then I’ve seen you do it every time so I know now you’re definitely shaking your little groove thing. Whenever you’re standing I’ll clap my hands and say, “Go Colty, Go Colty, Go Colty, Go Colty,” and you start bouncing and bouncing and smiling and laughing. It’s the best thing ever. The other day we were in the store and I had just won a bet with your dad, so I was dancing around him going “Booyha, boohya” (I know, we’re very mature folk), and you got a kick out of it and started bouncing in your dad’s arms and flailing about, so your dad chimed in and we were all dancing in the aisle to whatever song was playing over the speaker. It was one of my favorite moments of this month.
You’re cruising all over the place! Just a few days after you stood you started cruising all around your crib, and now you cruise everywhere. Your goal in life is to crawl to something you can pull yourself up on to stand, and then cruise. Just a few days ago you started bouncing between furniture, too! You’ll be standing against the coffee table and then turn and grab for the couch, and continue to go back and forth. You have a really great range, it’s impressive. You love to walk around holding our hands too. I’m thinking of getting you walking wings.
You definitely say mama now! Remember back in June when you first started saying mama? I mean, I knew that wasn’t you *actually* saying ‘mama’, as in ‘mom’, it was just a sound you learned, and would mostly do just when you were frustrated or mad, but it was fun to hear nonetheless. But then you stopped doing it, and a couple months later you started saying dadadada. WHAT?? Rude. I take care of you all day every day and you’re gonna say daddy first?! So I decided I needed to teach you mama. So a few weeks ago to a few times a day sit right in front of you and slowly say “muuuummaaaa” as you watched. Within a day you started trying to move your mouth along with mine, and another day and you started doing it and haven’t stopped. And NOW you’re *actually* saying mama, in reference to me! Of course you’ll also say it to our dog, too, so I still don’t think you know it’s my name, officially, but you do know I respond to it; I react every time you say it, and so you know that if you say it, you’ll get my attention. I read that in order for the sounds “mama” and “dada” to be considered a word, and not just a noise, a baby has to say it three times in context… and you definitely have. Many, many more times than three now, too. The other night dad just finished getting you ready for bed and you were pretty tired and hungry, but I was clearing the table before I took you, so daddy was playing with you for a few minutes and when I walked by you immediately turned to me, dropped your toy, reached out, and started going mamamamama. Another time you were playing with daddy on the floor and I was sitting on the couch right above you, and I think you were getting hungry, and you crawled over to me, pulled yourself up on my legs, and started saying mamamamama as you reached out toward me. If I’m cleaning up and walking in and out of the room, you’ll call after me mamamamama. I love it so much. LOVE it.
You started showing signs of stranger danger!! Your dad doesn’t think it’s possible you learned this from another baby, but it literally started the DAY AFTER you saw another baby who cried the entire time he was away from his mama, and the day before you witnessed this, I left you at the nursery at church you were perfectly fine. I’ve asked several seasoned moms (moms with grown kids) and they all think you absolutely did learn it from him. In any event, I know this is the time when most babies start developing this, but some babies never do, and I truly thought you were going to be one of them (and maybe you would have, but now this triggered it [so another seasoned mama suggested]). So I’ve tried leaving you at the gym nursery several times since, and you immediately burst into these really sad tears. You don’t freak out and flail and go all wild, like I see some babies do, you just become really passive and sunken in and scared. I hate it. But then I’ve left you at the church nursery a couple times since then too and you’ve been perfectly happy and normal and fine (AND it’s always been right at your nap time, too, so you’d think you’d be worse!). I don’t get it. I’m really thankful you like the nursery at church (and the women there), but I’m really sad I haven’t been able to workout lately. I’m hoping this passes and it’s not something with the gym that makes you scared and uncomfortable. I’m also SO GLAD you don’t have this issue with any of our friends or family. Yet, at least.
_________
SLEEPING: You’re really deciding how you feel most comfortable now, rolling around until you find that perfectly comfy spot. Your favorite position is flat on your back with your arms straight out to your sides and slightly above your head, like a plane, palms up. It’s very cute. You also like to be curled on your side. You’re down to two naps a day now. Your afternoon nap has been consistently an hour and forty five minutes these last few weeks, which is nice, and then you’ll do a quick 45 minute one in the late afternoon… it keeps you up a bit later now, but it’s kinda nice because it’s meant you’ve been able to join us for dinner and spend more time with daddy before bed.
EATING: For some reason you’re not totally into food and it worries me a bit. We’re doing the baby-led weaning thing and when we first started you seemed totally into it, but now you appear just plain bored. The other week I mushed up some cauliflower with breastmilk and cheddar cheese, just to see what would happen if I tried spoon feeding you again, and you loved it! You ate the entire thing (1.5oz)! The next morning I gave you toast with cottage cheese on it, as soon as you touched it you dropped it like a little girl who just touched a worm (hilarious), so I went over and picked it up and you leaned forward toward it and opened your mouth for me to feed it to you! So as it turns out, you don’t dislike food, you’re just lazy!!! So the last couple weeks we’ve been cutting up your food into bits and feeding it to you (still giving you what we’re eating though). In any case, I trust that you’re going at your pace and that you’ll eat when you’re ready, but I can’t help but still be anxious at the idea of you being a picky eater. Your dad and I will literally eat anything, so the thought of you being particular freaks me out in crazy ways.
POTTY: Okay, not trying to get too gross here, but you’re having your first “real human like” signs of movements, and let’s be honest, it’s kinda freaking me out. Some of your toots may as well be some of your daddy’s, they’re getting kinda foul, and your dad about threw up from his crazy gag reflux the other day from your diaper change (I think he said he heaved 7 times, but who’s counting). ha! At least you only go once a day, right?!
STATS:
Weight: 21lbs 8oz
Height: 28in
Head: 18.11in
PERCENTILES: 79% | | 81%](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_ls29m001YR1qa90oqo1_r3_500.jpg)
Colton,
This is the first time I feel like I JUST wrote one of these monthly updates, it came so quickly. Well… part of that is because I posted my last one late (which I’m doing AGAIN), but still! Time is definitely picking up speed. ::tear::
You have done SO many things this month, I feel like you’ve barreled over the next stage of development all of a sudden. Crawling, waving, dancing, cruising, saying MAMA! You’re eating a lot more food, sleeping through the night (okay so that happened just once. last night. but I’m counting it!), and the one thing I’m not excited about it… separation anxiety. In any case, all these new things have been really keeping me on my feet and I’m having so much fun with you.
THIS MONTH:
You’re crawling! This one has been long anticipated. I mean, I know the average age to do this is between 7-9 months, so you’re right smack in “the zone”, but you’ve looked like you were on the brink of it for literally two months. You would get on your knees, but faceplant and bulldoze, or you’d get on your hands and push your arms up, but do the downward dog yoga pose and just sit there like that. Pretty cute, but you just couldn’t coordinate to do the two together. Because of that everyone was starting to say it was never going to happen and you were going to go straight to walking, so I was starting to worry, but then you finally did it! I was so proud of you, and so relieved. You do the “wounded soldier” crawl, where you’re on one knee and one foot scooting along. It’s actually really funny. Some people call it the crab-crawl. My favorite is when you try and go fast, you look hysterical. I love it so much.
You’re beginning to wave goodbye. I didn’t actually know you were doing this until Sarah pointed it out while we were camping. I mean, I had seen you do it, and I remember even thinking “that’s cute, it looked like he waved back”, but I didn’t think you were actually really waving. It looked more like a one-arm flap. But then after Sarah said she really thought it was an intentional wave, we watched you, and time and time again you continued to flap at people when we would say bye. It’s definitely still vague, but it’s there, and people have noticed.
You dance every time I cheer and clap for you. It actually started last month when you first stood up, but again, I didn’t realize you were dancing at the time, but since then I’ve seen you do it every time so I know now you’re definitely shaking your little groove thing. Whenever you’re standing I’ll clap my hands and say, “Go Colty, Go Colty, Go Colty, Go Colty,” and you start bouncing and bouncing and smiling and laughing. It’s the best thing ever. The other day we were in the store and I had just won a bet with your dad, so I was dancing around him going “Booyha, boohya” (I know, we’re very mature folk), and you got a kick out of it and started bouncing in your dad’s arms and flailing about, so your dad chimed in and we were all dancing in the aisle to whatever song was playing over the speaker. It was one of my favorite moments of this month.
You’re cruising all over the place! Just a few days after you stood you started cruising all around your crib, and now you cruise everywhere. Your goal in life is to crawl to something you can pull yourself up on to stand, and then cruise. Just a few days ago you started bouncing between furniture, too! You’ll be standing against the coffee table and then turn and grab for the couch, and continue to go back and forth. You have a really great range, it’s impressive. You love to walk around holding our hands too. I’m thinking of getting you walking wings.
You definitely say mama now! Remember back in June when you first started saying mama? I mean, I knew that wasn’t you *actually* saying ‘mama’, as in ‘mom’, it was just a sound you learned, and would mostly do just when you were frustrated or mad, but it was fun to hear nonetheless. But then you stopped doing it, and a couple months later you started saying dadadada. WHAT?? Rude. I take care of you all day every day and you’re gonna say daddy first?! So I decided I needed to teach you mama. So a few weeks ago to a few times a day sit right in front of you and slowly say “muuuummaaaa” as you watched. Within a day you started trying to move your mouth along with mine, and another day and you started doing it and haven’t stopped. And NOW you’re *actually* saying mama, in reference to me! Of course you’ll also say it to our dog, too, so I still don’t think you know it’s my name, officially, but you do know I respond to it; I react every time you say it, and so you know that if you say it, you’ll get my attention. I read that in order for the sounds “mama” and “dada” to be considered a word, and not just a noise, a baby has to say it three times in context… and you definitely have. Many, many more times than three now, too. The other night dad just finished getting you ready for bed and you were pretty tired and hungry, but I was clearing the table before I took you, so daddy was playing with you for a few minutes and when I walked by you immediately turned to me, dropped your toy, reached out, and started going mamamamama. Another time you were playing with daddy on the floor and I was sitting on the couch right above you, and I think you were getting hungry, and you crawled over to me, pulled yourself up on my legs, and started saying mamamamama as you reached out toward me. If I’m cleaning up and walking in and out of the room, you’ll call after me mamamamama. I love it so much. LOVE it.
You started showing signs of stranger danger!! Your dad doesn’t think it’s possible you learned this from another baby, but it literally started the DAY AFTER you saw another baby who cried the entire time he was away from his mama, and the day before you witnessed this, I left you at the nursery at church you were perfectly fine. I’ve asked several seasoned moms (moms with grown kids) and they all think you absolutely did learn it from him. In any event, I know this is the time when most babies start developing this, but some babies never do, and I truly thought you were going to be one of them (and maybe you would have, but now this triggered it [so another seasoned mama suggested]). So I’ve tried leaving you at the gym nursery several times since, and you immediately burst into these really sad tears. You don’t freak out and flail and go all wild, like I see some babies do, you just become really passive and sunken in and scared. I hate it. But then I’ve left you at the church nursery a couple times since then too and you’ve been perfectly happy and normal and fine (AND it’s always been right at your nap time, too, so you’d think you’d be worse!). I don’t get it. I’m really thankful you like the nursery at church (and the women there), but I’m really sad I haven’t been able to workout lately. I’m hoping this passes and it’s not something with the gym that makes you scared and uncomfortable. I’m also SO GLAD you don’t have this issue with any of our friends or family. Yet, at least.
_________
SLEEPING: You’re really deciding how you feel most comfortable now, rolling around until you find that perfectly comfy spot. Your favorite position is flat on your back with your arms straight out to your sides and slightly above your head, like a plane, palms up. It’s very cute. You also like to be curled on your side. You’re down to two naps a day now. Your afternoon nap has been consistently an hour and forty five minutes these last few weeks, which is nice, and then you’ll do a quick 45 minute one in the late afternoon… it keeps you up a bit later now, but it’s kinda nice because it’s meant you’ve been able to join us for dinner and spend more time with daddy before bed.
EATING: For some reason you’re not totally into food and it worries me a bit. We’re doing the baby-led weaning thing and when we first started you seemed totally into it, but now you appear just plain bored. The other week I mushed up some cauliflower with breastmilk and cheddar cheese, just to see what would happen if I tried spoon feeding you again, and you loved it! You ate the entire thing (1.5oz)! The next morning I gave you toast with cottage cheese on it, as soon as you touched it you dropped it like a little girl who just touched a worm (hilarious), so I went over and picked it up and you leaned forward toward it and opened your mouth for me to feed it to you! So as it turns out, you don’t dislike food, you’re just lazy!!! So the last couple weeks we’ve been cutting up your food into bits and feeding it to you (still giving you what we’re eating though). In any case, I trust that you’re going at your pace and that you’ll eat when you’re ready, but I can’t help but still be anxious at the idea of you being a picky eater. Your dad and I will literally eat anything, so the thought of you being particular freaks me out in crazy ways.
POTTY: Okay, not trying to get too gross here, but you’re having your first “real human like” signs of movements, and let’s be honest, it’s kinda freaking me out. Some of your toots may as well be some of your daddy’s, they’re getting kinda foul, and your dad about threw up from his crazy gag reflux the other day from your diaper change (I think he said he heaved 7 times, but who’s counting). ha! At least you only go once a day, right?!
STATS:
- Weight: 21lbs 8oz
- Height: 28in
- Head: 18.11in
- PERCENTILES: 79% | | 81%
![Colton,
You are getting to be so out of control precious to me. I love how you scream in my face with pure joy and excitement just to see me. You grab my face to pull it to you for a kiss, and when I pick you up, you reach your arms up and squeeze my neck as I place you on my hip. I just can’t get enough. Meal times have become one of my favorite parts of the day. You are such a hoot to watch. The way you inspect each new food and then just barely touch it to your tongue to test it out. The faces you make are incredible. How I wish I could experience the same new discovery of foods again, how amazing it must be. I just truly love seeing you pick up the same things we’re eating and get to eat right along with us. Your four teeth I’m sure help a lot, too! I can’t believe how fast those little whites are popping in. Growing growing growing…
Love ya,Mom
_________
THIS MONTH:
You got three more teeth. It’s funny, all four of your teeth are on the bottom. Still none on the top yet, but so cute to see. You’re handling it really well still, I’m so impressed. My fear of the teething stage was always pretty high, you hear all these horror stories of weeks of crying and sleepless nights, but I gotta say, they seemed to slip in during the night and would just appear by morning. The pre-teething [drooling] stage was actually much worse. Those were the times you would whimper and cry in spurts during the day, grabbing your mouth and ears. You’re such a rock star.
You’ve learned how to stand! We always have playtime in your crib during our days so you can have some quiet time to watch your mobile and play with your squishy blocks and just roll around. I’ll often combine it with your nakey time, too, and let you just be free; the sunshine is so nice in there. For some reason though I never sit you up in there, I always lay you down, but I happened to sit you in there one time and as soon as I did you decided to just reach forward, grab the bars, and pull yourself up! Just like that! As if you’ve been doing it for forever, it was so easy for you. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I think my scream startled you. That’s a 9-month task!! You were so proud of yourself though. Laughing and bouncing and squealing. Ever since you’ve been on a mission to stand up as much as possible. If we’re sitting close enough to you on the floor, you’ll shimmy over and immediately scale us. Pillows, tables, couches, anything you can reach and get some leverage with. You’re quite good at it. You often end up in a downward dog yoga position just because whatever you’re using to lean on isn’t tall enough, which is pretty cute. I was worried this would impede your crawling, but your pediatrician said, and I quote, “he’s perfect.” I think she thinks I worry too much, but I can’t help but assume she must get that from most new moms.
You figured out how to sit up on your own. The same day you stood, just hours later, you pushed yourself up to a sit from your tummy. More mama-screaming. Now you can roll around all over the floor and sit yourself back up. It’s definitely increased the fun for you. You mostly will lean yourself forward on your hands and knees and kinda rock, or lift off into downward dog, plop, roll, sit, play with a toy, repeat.
You still love our bedroom plant. I think you think it makes lots of loud noises though. It sits right next to our window with the AC and so many of its leaves are constantly moving, blowing, and then when a horn honks or a motorcycle whizzes by, you look over and stare at it in wonderment. Sometimes we’ll walk over to it and say hi, and you give it the biggest smile, slowly reach out to it, and touch it lightly, like you’re in awe.
You’ve become enamored with your wardrobe. Once you were standing and could see what was happening on the other side, you would watch me go in it and pick out your outfits for the day, and you were so interested in this giant magic box that would open and produce things. The first time I carried you over to it, you would touch it like someone touches something prickly, fast and gentle, just testing the waters. Then you suddenly grabbed the handle and pulled it open, and you were ecstatic! Now you open both doors and pick an outfit yourself, or rather, pull out whatever you can grab. Each time it brings a smile to your face. We’ll often go to the wardrobe if you’ve just tipped over and bonked your head. It instantly cheers you up.
Playing chase and peekaboo with dad is your favorite. You’ll be in your walker and daddy goes, “I’m gonna get you!” and you screech and run as fast as you can in the other direction, and then pause, look back, and screech and run. Dad also plays peekaboo using every type of barrier he can, and you’re constantly intrigued with it. My favorite is when you were on the floor and he was using the yoga ball in between you two, you would be sitting there and get on your hands and knees to peek around the ball to try and see him. Then laugh and laugh when he would pop out from behind. You also will stare at the door in the mornings after he leaves for work… I think you expect him to pop back in and say ‘boo’, so that always makes me a little sad to watch. You’ll keep your eye on the door for a while, seeing if he’ll reappear until eventually you forget and enjoy the rest of your morning as usual.
_________
SLEEPING: Bedtime is still at the same time, so is when you wake up 730p-7a… You’re starting to sleep in *slightly* longer stretches. I think we’re up to 2hrs on average at a time until I go to bed, then it seems you can sleep all night without waking up sometimes, and then other times you’re the wiggliest butt.
EATING: You consistently go 2-3 hours in between milk feeds, depending on what we’re doing and how interesting / distracting it is. In between those we’ll have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. Your snacks are dried fruit, organic veggie puffs, and rice rusks.
POTTY: You’re still pretty regular. This is kinda gross, but it’s fun seeing the little bits of food in your poo that you’ve been consuming. Just knowing it’s getting in there and you’re getting older is sweet. Dad still gags.
STATS:
Weight: 20lbs 11oz
Height: 26.9in
Head: 17.75in
PERCENTILES: 80% | 41% | 70%](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lr8qmpk34D1qa90oqo1_500.jpg)
Colton,
You are getting to be so out of control precious to me. I love how you scream in my face with pure joy and excitement just to see me. You grab my face to pull it to you for a kiss, and when I pick you up, you reach your arms up and squeeze my neck as I place you on my hip. I just can’t get enough. Meal times have become one of my favorite parts of the day. You are such a hoot to watch. The way you inspect each new food and then just barely touch it to your tongue to test it out. The faces you make are incredible. How I wish I could experience the same new discovery of foods again, how amazing it must be. I just truly love seeing you pick up the same things we’re eating and get to eat right along with us. Your four teeth I’m sure help a lot, too! I can’t believe how fast those little whites are popping in. Growing growing growing…
Love ya,
Mom
_________
THIS MONTH:
You got three more teeth. It’s funny, all four of your teeth are on the bottom. Still none on the top yet, but so cute to see. You’re handling it really well still, I’m so impressed. My fear of the teething stage was always pretty high, you hear all these horror stories of weeks of crying and sleepless nights, but I gotta say, they seemed to slip in during the night and would just appear by morning. The pre-teething [drooling] stage was actually much worse. Those were the times you would whimper and cry in spurts during the day, grabbing your mouth and ears. You’re such a rock star.
You’ve learned how to stand! We always have playtime in your crib during our days so you can have some quiet time to watch your mobile and play with your squishy blocks and just roll around. I’ll often combine it with your nakey time, too, and let you just be free; the sunshine is so nice in there. For some reason though I never sit you up in there, I always lay you down, but I happened to sit you in there one time and as soon as I did you decided to just reach forward, grab the bars, and pull yourself up! Just like that! As if you’ve been doing it for forever, it was so easy for you. To say I was shocked is an understatement. I think my scream startled you. That’s a 9-month task!! You were so proud of yourself though. Laughing and bouncing and squealing. Ever since you’ve been on a mission to stand up as much as possible. If we’re sitting close enough to you on the floor, you’ll shimmy over and immediately scale us. Pillows, tables, couches, anything you can reach and get some leverage with. You’re quite good at it. You often end up in a downward dog yoga position just because whatever you’re using to lean on isn’t tall enough, which is pretty cute. I was worried this would impede your crawling, but your pediatrician said, and I quote, “he’s perfect.” I think she thinks I worry too much, but I can’t help but assume she must get that from most new moms.
You figured out how to sit up on your own. The same day you stood, just hours later, you pushed yourself up to a sit from your tummy. More mama-screaming. Now you can roll around all over the floor and sit yourself back up. It’s definitely increased the fun for you. You mostly will lean yourself forward on your hands and knees and kinda rock, or lift off into downward dog, plop, roll, sit, play with a toy, repeat.
You still love our bedroom plant. I think you think it makes lots of loud noises though. It sits right next to our window with the AC and so many of its leaves are constantly moving, blowing, and then when a horn honks or a motorcycle whizzes by, you look over and stare at it in wonderment. Sometimes we’ll walk over to it and say hi, and you give it the biggest smile, slowly reach out to it, and touch it lightly, like you’re in awe.
You’ve become enamored with your wardrobe. Once you were standing and could see what was happening on the other side, you would watch me go in it and pick out your outfits for the day, and you were so interested in this giant magic box that would open and produce things. The first time I carried you over to it, you would touch it like someone touches something prickly, fast and gentle, just testing the waters. Then you suddenly grabbed the handle and pulled it open, and you were ecstatic! Now you open both doors and pick an outfit yourself, or rather, pull out whatever you can grab. Each time it brings a smile to your face. We’ll often go to the wardrobe if you’ve just tipped over and bonked your head. It instantly cheers you up.
Playing chase and peekaboo with dad is your favorite. You’ll be in your walker and daddy goes, “I’m gonna get you!” and you screech and run as fast as you can in the other direction, and then pause, look back, and screech and run. Dad also plays peekaboo using every type of barrier he can, and you’re constantly intrigued with it. My favorite is when you were on the floor and he was using the yoga ball in between you two, you would be sitting there and get on your hands and knees to peek around the ball to try and see him. Then laugh and laugh when he would pop out from behind. You also will stare at the door in the mornings after he leaves for work… I think you expect him to pop back in and say ‘boo’, so that always makes me a little sad to watch. You’ll keep your eye on the door for a while, seeing if he’ll reappear until eventually you forget and enjoy the rest of your morning as usual.
_________
SLEEPING: Bedtime is still at the same time, so is when you wake up 730p-7a… You’re starting to sleep in *slightly* longer stretches. I think we’re up to 2hrs on average at a time until I go to bed, then it seems you can sleep all night without waking up sometimes, and then other times you’re the wiggliest butt.
EATING: You consistently go 2-3 hours in between milk feeds, depending on what we’re doing and how interesting / distracting it is. In between those we’ll have breakfast, lunch, and dinner together. Your snacks are dried fruit, organic veggie puffs, and rice rusks.
POTTY: You’re still pretty regular. This is kinda gross, but it’s fun seeing the little bits of food in your poo that you’ve been consuming. Just knowing it’s getting in there and you’re getting older is sweet. Dad still gags.
STATS:
- Weight: 20lbs 11oz
- Height: 26.9in
- Head: 17.75in
- PERCENTILES: 80% | 41% | 70%
![Colton,
I feel like you’ve officially moved from infant to toddler this month. You’re on the move in your walker non-stop these days and when you’re not running around squealing, reaching for anything your little fingers can touch, you’re sitting all by yourself entertaining yourself with toys. It’s a little thing, and last month I said I wasn’t sad anymore about you growing, but it is a little sad to let go of that title. I also just simply can’t believe you’re a toddler. A moving, self-thinking little person. Your dad and I commented just this week on how much we love that you’re deciding things you like and don’t like, definitively, on your own, and letting us know. It’s both fun and scary, since it also comes with you telling us ‘no’, in notsomany words. Baby proofing is just around the corner…!!
Love you tons,Mom
___________
THIS MONTH:
You broke lots of records. You slept through the night (6 hours straight with no waking to eat, a treat I don’t expect to experience again for quite some time), you took a 6 HOUR nap (woke up a couple times to eat), you stayed awake for 6 hours straight between naps (the swings were just way too fun I guess).
People other than your family babysat you. Your Nana has watched you for a few hours, and of course your dad has watched you for a couple hours, but this month your dad and I went out on our first date without you (for our anniversary), and good friend Sarah (and her husband Russ) watched you. Your first babysitting gig. You did awesome, too. Happy go lucky the entire time, wide awake, and didn’t even eat! Actually, you refused to eat. Apparently you decided you don’t want to take a bottle anymore now either. Grrreat. Then on the day you turned 6 months, we put you in the nursery for church. It’s only an hour, but that’s a substantial step in the world of baby. Of course you’re none the wiser still, so you loved the new environment, cool new toys, and fun new friends (8 month old Sophie and 3 month old Hunter), and didn’t shed a single tear (although you never really shed tears ever anyway).
You got your first tooth in!! It took several days and so much work for you, but you were so amazing through all of it. Luckily it seems like most of the hard teething / pain / uncomfortability happened overnight while you were sleeping (or trying to sleep). I think it would have been much harder on you if it were during the day while you were wide awake. One night you were just super restless, waking up whimpering and tossing around, not wanting to nurse… and then when we woke up in the morning right away I saw a little white nub on your bottom gum. A tooth! No wonder you couldn’t sleep soundly. Your poor little gums were all inflamed, and man was it sharp! But you were happy as a clam, so I was thankful for that for your sake. By that evening your gums had gone down, but so had the tooth! I couldn’t see it anymore (although I could still feel the nuby bump), and of course I thought maybe I had imagined it, but I found out that teeth do that I guess. It takes a little bit of up and down before they stick around. A couple days later and you had another restless night, and then the next morning the tooth was back. But this time it stayed. A cute, sharp little nubbin. You got a short break and then the following week you had a couple tough days. Your poor mouth was irritating you so much… you were holding it, and grabbing your ears and pretty much whimpering non stop, my sweet little thing. We did lots of camomile tablets and cold teether toys, which always made your feel better right away, bringing almost instant relief. Except for one day, it seemed nothing was helping you, so it was time for a small dose of Baby Tylenol. I’ve heard lots of horror stories though, and you never really cried through it all, so I think you’re an amazing trooper. I’m so proud of you.
You had your frenulum clipped. I was pretty worried about the whole process. 1) Of course because you had to be put under! It was only for like 5 minutes, literally, but it was still scary to know my little baby was getting put under. And then 2) because they said you couldn’t eat [breastmilk] 4 hours before the procedure. Considering you eat fast and furious, and every 2 hours, I was super anxious you were going to be starving. It turned out well though, because you were EXCELLENT! My little super baby.
You tried your first ‘bites’ of solid food. Your dad couldn’t wait until you were officially 6 months, so on Father’s Day we let you nom on his corn on the cob, which of course you LOVED. Then the night after your frenulectomy, we let you try a few more things. You got a carrot and a slice of red bell pepper. You were pretty excited with the carrot for about 15 minutes until you got bored, just like any other toy, except it tasted slightly better. And then the bell pepper got no love. Still though, it was fun, and you were pretty happy to be sitting at the table with us.
______
SLEEPING: You are still going to bed at 730/8ish and waking up at 7ish, which is nice, because I know some babies who like to try to play at three in the morning, but the amount of times you wake up for comfort is a bit out of hand. Once I’m in bed next to you, you sleep like a log, waking up maybe once to eat, but before that, you’re up every 20-40 minutes, just to know I’m there, get two seconds of comfort nursing before passing out again. It’s strange. I’m looking into how to help you know you’re safe and cozy to stay asleep for longer periods before I come to bed. …And to start teaching you how to sleep without me next to you (like you do in your cradle before we go to bed).
EATING: You’ve spread out your feedings a bit, being able to go a full three hours sometimes if you’re highly stimulated, but for the most part, it’s still every 2/2.5 hours. The new change is obviously adding some solid foods. I’m excited to share this new stage in life with you.
POTTY: It was actually hilarious, the tiny bits of apple you were able to scratch off of the piece we gave you, already ended up in your dipe. I was amazed. It was a tiny change only a mama would notice, but it was kinda cute nonetheless (only to a mama).
STATS:
Weight: 19lbs 11oz
Height: 26.6in
Head: 17.5in
PERCENTILES: 83% | 56% | 70%](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lovgbgLATz1qa90oqo1_r1_500.jpg)
Colton,
I feel like you’ve officially moved from infant to toddler this month. You’re on the move in your walker non-stop these days and when you’re not running around squealing, reaching for anything your little fingers can touch, you’re sitting all by yourself entertaining yourself with toys. It’s a little thing, and last month I said I wasn’t sad anymore about you growing, but it is a little sad to let go of that title. I also just simply can’t believe you’re a toddler. A moving, self-thinking little person. Your dad and I commented just this week on how much we love that you’re deciding things you like and don’t like, definitively, on your own, and letting us know. It’s both fun and scary, since it also comes with you telling us ‘no’, in notsomany words. Baby proofing is just around the corner…!!
Love you tons,
Mom
___________
THIS MONTH:
You broke lots of records. You slept through the night (6 hours straight with no waking to eat, a treat I don’t expect to experience again for quite some time), you took a 6 HOUR nap (woke up a couple times to eat), you stayed awake for 6 hours straight between naps (the swings were just way too fun I guess).
People other than your family babysat you. Your Nana has watched you for a few hours, and of course your dad has watched you for a couple hours, but this month your dad and I went out on our first date without you (for our anniversary), and good friend Sarah (and her husband Russ) watched you. Your first babysitting gig. You did awesome, too. Happy go lucky the entire time, wide awake, and didn’t even eat! Actually, you refused to eat. Apparently you decided you don’t want to take a bottle anymore now either. Grrreat. Then on the day you turned 6 months, we put you in the nursery for church. It’s only an hour, but that’s a substantial step in the world of baby. Of course you’re none the wiser still, so you loved the new environment, cool new toys, and fun new friends (8 month old Sophie and 3 month old Hunter), and didn’t shed a single tear (although you never really shed tears ever anyway).
You got your first tooth in!! It took several days and so much work for you, but you were so amazing through all of it. Luckily it seems like most of the hard teething / pain / uncomfortability happened overnight while you were sleeping (or trying to sleep). I think it would have been much harder on you if it were during the day while you were wide awake. One night you were just super restless, waking up whimpering and tossing around, not wanting to nurse… and then when we woke up in the morning right away I saw a little white nub on your bottom gum. A tooth! No wonder you couldn’t sleep soundly. Your poor little gums were all inflamed, and man was it sharp! But you were happy as a clam, so I was thankful for that for your sake. By that evening your gums had gone down, but so had the tooth! I couldn’t see it anymore (although I could still feel the nuby bump), and of course I thought maybe I had imagined it, but I found out that teeth do that I guess. It takes a little bit of up and down before they stick around. A couple days later and you had another restless night, and then the next morning the tooth was back. But this time it stayed. A cute, sharp little nubbin. You got a short break and then the following week you had a couple tough days. Your poor mouth was irritating you so much… you were holding it, and grabbing your ears and pretty much whimpering non stop, my sweet little thing. We did lots of camomile tablets and cold teether toys, which always made your feel better right away, bringing almost instant relief. Except for one day, it seemed nothing was helping you, so it was time for a small dose of Baby Tylenol. I’ve heard lots of horror stories though, and you never really cried through it all, so I think you’re an amazing trooper. I’m so proud of you.
You had your frenulum clipped. I was pretty worried about the whole process. 1) Of course because you had to be put under! It was only for like 5 minutes, literally, but it was still scary to know my little baby was getting put under. And then 2) because they said you couldn’t eat [breastmilk] 4 hours before the procedure. Considering you eat fast and furious, and every 2 hours, I was super anxious you were going to be starving. It turned out well though, because you were EXCELLENT! My little super baby.
You tried your first ‘bites’ of solid food. Your dad couldn’t wait until you were officially 6 months, so on Father’s Day we let you nom on his corn on the cob, which of course you LOVED. Then the night after your frenulectomy, we let you try a few more things. You got a carrot and a slice of red bell pepper. You were pretty excited with the carrot for about 15 minutes until you got bored, just like any other toy, except it tasted slightly better. And then the bell pepper got no love. Still though, it was fun, and you were pretty happy to be sitting at the table with us.
______
SLEEPING: You are still going to bed at 730/8ish and waking up at 7ish, which is nice, because I know some babies who like to try to play at three in the morning, but the amount of times you wake up for comfort is a bit out of hand. Once I’m in bed next to you, you sleep like a log, waking up maybe once to eat, but before that, you’re up every 20-40 minutes, just to know I’m there, get two seconds of comfort nursing before passing out again. It’s strange. I’m looking into how to help you know you’re safe and cozy to stay asleep for longer periods before I come to bed. …And to start teaching you how to sleep without me next to you (like you do in your cradle before we go to bed).
EATING: You’ve spread out your feedings a bit, being able to go a full three hours sometimes if you’re highly stimulated, but for the most part, it’s still every 2/2.5 hours. The new change is obviously adding some solid foods. I’m excited to share this new stage in life with you.
POTTY: It was actually hilarious, the tiny bits of apple you were able to scratch off of the piece we gave you, already ended up in your dipe. I was amazed. It was a tiny change only a mama would notice, but it was kinda cute nonetheless (only to a mama).
STATS:
- Weight: 19lbs 11oz
- Height: 26.6in
- Head: 17.5in
- PERCENTILES: 83% | 56% | 70%
![Colton,
Your first couple months I used to be sad thinking of you growing and changing so quickly… I wanted you stay a newborn for much longer than you were going to, but as you continue to inevitably do, I’m constantly excited by each new development. You’re not just simply growing and changing, but you’re becoming more and more of your own little person, and it’s so much fun! I really love seeing the new things you learn and discover about yourself and your abilities. It’s not only sweet to see materialize right in front of me, but I feel closer to you as it happens. Since you’re becoming more of a individual, we’re connecting in more and more ways. I make a face, you laugh. I kiss your cheek, you smile. I walk in the door, you look over and flap your arms. I love engaging with you more and more and am so excited that that will only continue to increase.
Love you,Mom
___
THIS MONTH:
You learned how to scream. It was almost literally the day after you turned four months, you found your chords. You realized not only can you babble, but you can hold a note much much louder and longer, and you LOVE IT!!! You’ll do it over and over and over and over. People look over on the train, I think initially because they think something’s wrong, but I can’t help but laugh every time, so I assume they figure out you’re just squawking. I think it’s one of my favorite things.
You started drinking water. The Twins & Co. came to visit for a week and while we were pounding the pavement under the scorching sun for hours a day, I decided to get permission from your pediatrician to start giving you water. I just couldn’t imagine warm milk on a hot day was very refreshing. We were on the Staten Island Ferry when I offered you a straw filled with cold water and you were a little weirded out at first by what it was that came streaming onto your tongue, but right after you got over the initial shock, you threw your head up and opened your mouth wide open for more. You were hooked. I gave you little inches of water all afternoon. Since then we’ve progressed to carrying around a little mini bottle (medicine dropper, really) of water in your diaper bag, which you love to gum and has also become a major secret weapon during those fussy times on the go.
You figured out how to get those flying feet into your mouth. It’s like a crazy reflex, the diaper comes off and your feet instantly fly up into the air, into your hands, and straight into your mouth. It’s one of the things I love watching the most this past month.
You figured out what Peek-A-Boo was all about. Daddy started playing with you, popping out of places all over the apartment, and it just kills you. It kills me, too. I imagine what it would be like to be so amazed that someone disappears and reappears with the silliest faces and how hilariously entertaining it would be, and I just go soft with knowing how pure and simple and innocent you are.
You’ve really started laughing a lot. We can tickle you and crack you up. You laugh at Daddy playing airplane with you. We can make crazy faces or sounds and it will get you going. Even the dog is starting to make you laugh, just by making a sudden move, or rolling around.
You started using your walker and it’s your FAVORITE! After seeing how much you loved being upright in the walker at Nana and Papa’s over our Buffalo trip, I insisted that we get the walker out here at home, too, and I’m so glad I did. You really enjoy being able to be on your own and see more of what’s going on than from a laying down position. Within a couple days you started realizing you can move in it, too, and slowly but surely you started pushing yourself a few inches at a time. It started with me putting you in there with me in the kitchen, in lieu of your old bouncy chair that would keep you alongside of me, but once you figured it out, you’re taking off all over the place now! And you’ve realized you can chase the dog in it, which brings you loads of entertainment. She’ll sit there and side-eye you while trying to stay focused on waiting for pieces of food to fall, and as soon as you get close enough, she’ll casually move away. She’s such a snob. But then you got better at it, and faster, and now she watches you while side-eyeing falling food, and she sprints as soon as you start really getting momentum. I love it.
You sat up for the first time! I’m pretty sure saying “for the first time” is redundant, given the implied context… But we were so excited when on Father’s Day, for some reason, we just propped you up on the floor and you just stayed there! We were sitting on the ground with you and realized you were really balancing yourself, so we moved away, and were shocked! I truly don’t know how long you probably had the capability before we tried it, but I’m imagining for a little while. Last time we tried sitting you up was a few weeks prior and you instantly would tip to the side, but somewhere in between there, you gathered the strength to do it on your own.
____
SLEEPING: You’re schedule has moved up a little earlier this past month. You’re now going to bed around 7ish every night and waking up around 7ish. Sometimes you go to bed a little later, once in a while a little earlier, but almost always you’ll still wake up at 7a (sometimes 630a). I hear stories of sleepless babies from other mommies and in comparison, you’re still a champ, so I can’t complain, but you’ve lost a little bit of the “deep” sleep thing. Or something. Every night when I put you down, you’ll wake up, without fail, 15-20 minutes later for comfort and a quick cuddle before I can put you back down. Then another 20 minutes later, and another, until you fall into a deeper sleep. But that usually only lasts an hour or two. I bought a book on helping babies sleep longer stretches. It’s called the No-Cry Sleep Method. I’m abhorrently against the “cry-it-out” thing, so after lots of research and review reading, I found this one that really provides some great techniques that hopefully will help you sleep better. I’m not trying to get you to ‘sleep through the night’ either… I’ve learned a lot doing research on babies sleeping. I won’t totally get into it here, but for one, you have majorly different sleep cycles than adults do, it’s actually important you wake up (or have the ability to wake up easily) for safety reasons, and frequent wakings to eat is important for your healthy growth (plus, it would decrease my milk supply). And aside from all that, I really like sharing those quiet moments with you. It’s going to be so fleeting, too, so I want to enjoy it as much as I can now.
EATING: No changes from last month. You’ve quieted down a lot during your meals though, which makes me a little sad. You were always so entertaining to me and everyone around me who could hear you grunting and squealing away as you ate so happily. You’re so enthusiastic about your food, just like me!
POTTY: You’re back to randomly poo’ing again. Mostly you do it once a day in the morning, but sometimes you’ll have a couple small ones throughout the day. Not really sure why this is a category, but I guess it’s mostly for me to go back and look at. I mean, the topic is moderately interesting [to moms & grandmas] in general anyway. :)
STATS:
Weight: 18lbs 8oz
Height: 27.5in
Head: 17.5in
PERCENTILES: 84% | 94% | 83%](http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lm47ut2Ngx1qa90oqo1_r1_1280.jpg)
Colton,
Your first couple months I used to be sad thinking of you growing and changing so quickly… I wanted you stay a newborn for much longer than you were going to, but as you continue to inevitably do, I’m constantly excited by each new development. You’re not just simply growing and changing, but you’re becoming more and more of your own little person, and it’s so much fun! I really love seeing the new things you learn and discover about yourself and your abilities. It’s not only sweet to see materialize right in front of me, but I feel closer to you as it happens. Since you’re becoming more of a individual, we’re connecting in more and more ways. I make a face, you laugh. I kiss your cheek, you smile. I walk in the door, you look over and flap your arms. I love engaging with you more and more and am so excited that that will only continue to increase.
Love you,
Mom
___
THIS MONTH:
You learned how to scream. It was almost literally the day after you turned four months, you found your chords. You realized not only can you babble, but you can hold a note much much louder and longer, and you LOVE IT!!! You’ll do it over and over and over and over. People look over on the train, I think initially because they think something’s wrong, but I can’t help but laugh every time, so I assume they figure out you’re just squawking. I think it’s one of my favorite things.
You started drinking water. The Twins & Co. came to visit for a week and while we were pounding the pavement under the scorching sun for hours a day, I decided to get permission from your pediatrician to start giving you water. I just couldn’t imagine warm milk on a hot day was very refreshing. We were on the Staten Island Ferry when I offered you a straw filled with cold water and you were a little weirded out at first by what it was that came streaming onto your tongue, but right after you got over the initial shock, you threw your head up and opened your mouth wide open for more. You were hooked. I gave you little inches of water all afternoon. Since then we’ve progressed to carrying around a little mini bottle (medicine dropper, really) of water in your diaper bag, which you love to gum and has also become a major secret weapon during those fussy times on the go.
You figured out how to get those flying feet into your mouth. It’s like a crazy reflex, the diaper comes off and your feet instantly fly up into the air, into your hands, and straight into your mouth. It’s one of the things I love watching the most this past month.
You figured out what Peek-A-Boo was all about. Daddy started playing with you, popping out of places all over the apartment, and it just kills you. It kills me, too. I imagine what it would be like to be so amazed that someone disappears and reappears with the silliest faces and how hilariously entertaining it would be, and I just go soft with knowing how pure and simple and innocent you are.
You’ve really started laughing a lot. We can tickle you and crack you up. You laugh at Daddy playing airplane with you. We can make crazy faces or sounds and it will get you going. Even the dog is starting to make you laugh, just by making a sudden move, or rolling around.
You started using your walker and it’s your FAVORITE! After seeing how much you loved being upright in the walker at Nana and Papa’s over our Buffalo trip, I insisted that we get the walker out here at home, too, and I’m so glad I did. You really enjoy being able to be on your own and see more of what’s going on than from a laying down position. Within a couple days you started realizing you can move in it, too, and slowly but surely you started pushing yourself a few inches at a time. It started with me putting you in there with me in the kitchen, in lieu of your old bouncy chair that would keep you alongside of me, but once you figured it out, you’re taking off all over the place now! And you’ve realized you can chase the dog in it, which brings you loads of entertainment. She’ll sit there and side-eye you while trying to stay focused on waiting for pieces of food to fall, and as soon as you get close enough, she’ll casually move away. She’s such a snob. But then you got better at it, and faster, and now she watches you while side-eyeing falling food, and she sprints as soon as you start really getting momentum. I love it.
You sat up for the first time! I’m pretty sure saying “for the first time” is redundant, given the implied context… But we were so excited when on Father’s Day, for some reason, we just propped you up on the floor and you just stayed there! We were sitting on the ground with you and realized you were really balancing yourself, so we moved away, and were shocked! I truly don’t know how long you probably had the capability before we tried it, but I’m imagining for a little while. Last time we tried sitting you up was a few weeks prior and you instantly would tip to the side, but somewhere in between there, you gathered the strength to do it on your own.
____
SLEEPING: You’re schedule has moved up a little earlier this past month. You’re now going to bed around 7ish every night and waking up around 7ish. Sometimes you go to bed a little later, once in a while a little earlier, but almost always you’ll still wake up at 7a (sometimes 630a). I hear stories of sleepless babies from other mommies and in comparison, you’re still a champ, so I can’t complain, but you’ve lost a little bit of the “deep” sleep thing. Or something. Every night when I put you down, you’ll wake up, without fail, 15-20 minutes later for comfort and a quick cuddle before I can put you back down. Then another 20 minutes later, and another, until you fall into a deeper sleep. But that usually only lasts an hour or two. I bought a book on helping babies sleep longer stretches. It’s called the No-Cry Sleep Method. I’m abhorrently against the “cry-it-out” thing, so after lots of research and review reading, I found this one that really provides some great techniques that hopefully will help you sleep better. I’m not trying to get you to ‘sleep through the night’ either… I’ve learned a lot doing research on babies sleeping. I won’t totally get into it here, but for one, you have majorly different sleep cycles than adults do, it’s actually important you wake up (or have the ability to wake up easily) for safety reasons, and frequent wakings to eat is important for your healthy growth (plus, it would decrease my milk supply). And aside from all that, I really like sharing those quiet moments with you. It’s going to be so fleeting, too, so I want to enjoy it as much as I can now.
EATING: No changes from last month. You’ve quieted down a lot during your meals though, which makes me a little sad. You were always so entertaining to me and everyone around me who could hear you grunting and squealing away as you ate so happily. You’re so enthusiastic about your food, just like me!
POTTY: You’re back to randomly poo’ing again. Mostly you do it once a day in the morning, but sometimes you’ll have a couple small ones throughout the day. Not really sure why this is a category, but I guess it’s mostly for me to go back and look at. I mean, the topic is moderately interesting [to moms & grandmas] in general anyway. :)
STATS:
- Weight: 18lbs 8oz
- Height: 27.5in
- Head: 17.5in
- PERCENTILES: 84% | 94% | 83%
Colton,
And so it begins, you’re becoming mobile. This month has officially started your milestones. Everyone says time goes by so fast, and it does(!!!!) but at the same time, it’s felt like I’ve had you all my life. Your dad and I were talking about it just last night, how weekends seem longer with you in them. Not that we’re not having fun (cause you know, time flies when you’re having fun), but quite the contrary… we’re having so much fun with you in them, going out and doing more things, outings, events, playing, watching less movies and seeing the park and neighborhood more, waking up early, going to bed late… it just makes for fuller days, and we absolutely love it!
I told your dad one of the hardest things about you growing up will be not being able to kiss you as much as I do now. I seriously would plant my lips to your cheek all day if I could. You’re so delectable and I can’t get enough of you that I just can’t help myself. And for now, you love it. When you’re getting sleepy, I’ll do tiny little pecks all over the side of your face, cheek and neck, and you throw your head back, grin, and start blinking very slowly, eating it all up. That won’t be able to continue forever though and that’s so sad. …I mean, healthy, but sad. ;) I think about my own mother and I wonder if that’s hard for her, to not get to hug and kiss us all the time. To have progressively gotten less physical contact with us as we got older, became teenagers, and eventually moved out. But this post isn’t about that… for now, I get to kiss you all up as much as I want and I LOVE IT! It’s funny, too, because when you were first born, within those first minutes you were on my chest, I was so captivated by you and that you were finally here, after probably an hour, I suddenly realized: I haven’t even kissed him! And I was mortified. I felt horrible. How could I not have been compelled to kiss you? So of course I immediately leaned down and kissed your forehead. But I continued to wonder why I hadn’t sooner… but I was just in so much shock and couldn’t stop staring at you… And now it’s like there’s a magnet in my lips and your head. xo
I love you to pieces,
Mom
——
THIS MONTH:
You learned how to flip yourself over onto your tummy from your back. You went from started to twist your body at the beginning of this month, to flipping your shoulders over, but not your hips, and then your hips but not your shoulders, and then flipping everything over but getting your arm stuck, to finally figuring it all out and getting everything from the back to the tummy. Since then, whenever we put you down, it’s like there’s a spring in your back, you instantly flip.
You started using your Bumbo. Your neck has gotten so much stronger and you’re becoming totally pro at holding your head up for great lengths of time, so we decided it was time to break out the new squishy seat for you. We’ve read some things that indicate negative things about long periods of time sitting in it, so we’ve limited your Bumbo time to 5 minute stretches for now, and will gradually increase it once you start learning how to sit up. But for now, you’re excited to be sitting upright ‘on your own’ and you enjoy your short time in your little green chair.
You began using your Jumper. You’re a little unaware of the greatness of this new contraption, but I’m sure you’ll learn and come to love it. For now, you’ll get a few accidental bounces in at a time when you stretch your legs, and it surprises you and you like it. Overall though, you just love the feeling of standing, and being in different rooms with new views. They used to call them Johnny Jumper, but I officially feel old saying that. Not sure what they’re technically called now, but I’m just going to call it Jumper for short.
You’ve finally made the connection between tickling and laughing. You used to just tense up and hold your breath when we tickled you. Your face would get read and you would grunt and your eyes would open wide. But now it’s like something clicked and you know it’s funny, so you laugh. I love it.
You’re really starting to pay attention to our dog Bella. You’ve always noticed her running by, but she was like a shadow, quickly passing and never able to really settling your eyes on. But now you spot her from across the room and watch her roll around and run and jump on the couch, or come up to you for a kiss, which makes you smile. you also love it when she comes over to us for a pet or kiss. For some reason it cracks you up. Our neighbor’s dog Lulu is also exciting to you. I’m sure it’s strange to see all these different little creatures. She’s also black & white, which is probably nice for you to look at.
You notice other babies now. When your friend Beatrice came over you were captivated by her alongside you on your play mat. You loved meeting your friend Lily, from California, and eventually all your other baby buds will catch your attention as soon as they get a little older themselves I’m sure. I’m excited for you to have all these friends.
You’ve just found your feet! I’ve discovered the flaw with cloth diapers… it inhibits some of your flexibility, so as soon as I take it off of you, you throw your feet up in the air, immediately grab them, and try shoving them in your mouth. It’s the best. So we do a lot of nakey time now.
You’re learning more things your voice can do. Like screaming! You just learned this new awesome noise that you’re capable of emitting and you’re so excited about it. Every time you’re really happy, you just scream. Over and over and over. And it’s loud! You’re not a loud crier, at all (everyone comments on how tiny and cute it actually sounds), but your scream is definitely loud. I love it. You’re cracking me up.
You’re teething. My poor little baby… I hate seeing you in pain. I bought some Hylands all natural teething tablets (not the official ones, which are temporarily off the market, but some camomile ones, which seem to help), and we’ve been rubbing OralGel on your gums when it gets really bad, which you don’t really like the taste of, but you love how it makes you feel. We use very tiny quantities at a time. You LOVE your new chew toys. Sophie was a huge hit and you’re loving your bumpy little raspberry paci. I think your favorite when it’s bad though is the freezer rings. You’ll gnaw on that for a half hour straight. I think you like how you get little droplets of water, too. It’s really refreshing for you overall in these hot months. I love the koolaid-look it gives the edges of your mouth, too, because it’s so cold. Luckily there have only been a few bad days, but I’m not looking forward to watching you go through when it comes back.
—-
SLEEPING: Your schedule has changed a little. You went from sleeping amazing in Cali, to sleeping horribly once we returned, to sleeping wonderfully again. And by that I mean, you went from sleeping from 8p-8p, to midnight-7am, to finally a very reasonable 830pm-730am. We realized in Cali you were being over stimulated and not getting very many naps in, so by evening you would pass out. Then back at home, you could sleep whenever you wanted for as long as you wanted and by night time you had so much rest all stored up, you didn’t want to go to sleep for the night. So we finally figured it all out and found a good balance between keeping you better stimulated during the day, still getting some solid naps in, but not over doing it, so that when bedtime rolled around, you were ready.
EATING: You’re still going strong with your 5 minute power meals every hour and a half or so. Sometimes you can go up to 3 hours during the day, but that’s rare. From talking with other mommies I’ve learned that most other babies eat far less often, but they also take 40 minutes to eat when they do. I think I’d rather stick with what you do, by eating more often but much quicker. It really is a nice perk, because I can do quick feeds right before we go places, or while we’re out, and it doesn’t really get in the way. Not that feeding you is EVER in the way.
POTTY: And it’s come full circle. You’re back to going just once a day again, usually in the mornings. It’s not quite as amazing as once a week anymore, but still much lovelier than a lot of your friends though.
STATS:
- Weight: 16lbs 8oz
- Height: 25.6in
- Head: 16.93in
- PERCENTILES: 90% | 87% | 80%
Dear Colton,
You’re really becoming aware of more of your surroundings now, it is so amazing to see that develop. You soak in everything and every leaf, picture, object, and toy is fascinating to you.
We spent half the month in California and didn’t have your gator, so we made due with the puppy Grammy & Gramps gave you. The rocking chair was the perfect substitute chair, too.
So much happened in just those two weeks. It seemed like a light switch, one day you were doing all sorts of new things. Your dad was stuck in New York at work and was really sad to miss the beginning of it all, it made me feel so terrible. As soon as he arrived though, you performed everything for him as if on cue. It warmed my heart.
I’ve really loved being with you in California. It’s so wonderful to wake up and get to have your aunties and grandparents be able to come in and kiss you good morning. Your morning
I love you so much.
——
Accomplishments this month:
You turn your head sideways when laying down now. Instead of looking straight up at the ceiling, you’ve realized you can turn your head to the sides to see more, which really excites you. The best is when we’re laying next to you and you turn to look at us. It’s so intimate, I really love it.
You started rolling onto your side. I think it must be the new changing table here in Cali that’s helped you along, because it was almost immediately after we got here that you started twisting. You’re not as confined on this table like yours at home, probably because it’s not a changing table at all, but a big gorgeous bay window. You have so much room now and so much more to look at. You’ll maneuver yourself until you can see the colorful rocks in the bottom of the Lily Vase, or you’ll spot Bella rolling around on the bed and crane your neck to see what she’s doing. Other times you just stare out the window. But I love it. Diaper changing times have greatly been extended.
You started noticing your hands. You were really excited about this one. The first time you spotted your hand passing by your face, you looked a bit shocked. What was that?! And then you saw it again. You’d get so excited, you’d flail your arms and of course lose sight of your hand. Finally you were able to hold still long enough to stare at it for quite some time. I think you were in a state of awe, that it made you freeze. You’ll put your hands together and pull them apart like you’re playing with something sticky and stringy, and you’ll just stare, sometimes for 15 minutes.
You started laughing! This one was the most exciting for us, of course. We thought nothing could be better than your smile, but then you laughed. I was able to catch the first time on video and we just watch it over and over. We love seeing you laugh so much!
You’re holding your head up so much better. Now when we walk around, you’ll pull your chest away from mine to look around instead of keeping it against my chest. You’re so interested in your surroundings.
You talk SO much! People are always commenting on how chatty you are. I don’t think most babies are quite as much as you. It’s fun watching your mouth move in what seems like hundreds of ways. You appear to be so deliberate with what you’re trying to communicate too, like you’re thinking about each sound as it comes out, looking at us directly in the eyes, and saying something. You’ll talk to yourself, too, or to a toy or plant.
Other things you’ve been up to…
You’re enjoying hanging toys and mirrors. The swing your auntie and grammy found you has a couple toys on it that has caught your attention, specifically the zebra. You’ll stare at him until you fall asleep. We also bought you an activity gym (both at grammy & gramps and at our place back home), and you absolutely love laying on it and staring at all the hanging critters. We hooked a baby mirror to the top and you will lay there and stare at yourself and have a conversation with yourself for literally an hour. So happy. We’ll lay next to you and just watch, or pop our heads above the mirror to chat back with you.
You’re really starting to focus on details in a room. Your aunties will walk you around the house and you’ll look at so many details, it’s amazing what you find interesting. I know everything’s new to your eyes, but I love seeing all the things you look at.
The mornings are your favorite part of the day. You always wake up so happy, always have, but now that you’re really talking up a storm and turning to the side it’s even more fun to wake up with you. Sometimes you wake up so quietly we don’t even realize you’re up, and we continue sleeping soundly right next to you. Once I woke up facing you only to see you happily staring out the window, looking at the plant, the ceiling, whatever was visible from that angle. I said good morning and you immediately turned your head to look over at me, and then smiled and cooed a good morning back. It was the best.
New Idiosyncrasy: When you nap in your swing, you like to have a blanket on you, and you like to have it tucked up all over you so you can feel it on your cheeks. As soon as we do that, you’ll close your eyes, turn your head to the side and start falling asleep.
—-
SLEEPING: It’s been fairly random when you go down, but usually no later than 11pm… still pretty late. We decided we needed to try and get you on a better schedule, but not until we get back to New York. Meanwhile, you’ve been crazy good in California! We’re doing so much during the day and you’re meeting so many people that you’re pooped by the time evening rolls around and you just crash. Sometimes you’re out by 630p even! Mostly around 8p though and then you don’t get up until 7/730a.
EATING: Same ole Same ole. Grammy loves listening to you eat, you’re so loud and wild, kicking and just so excited to be getting food again. You’re such a great eater. Everyone’s really impressed with how fast you are, too. Including me.
POTTY: You were going every morning for the last month, very regularly and then one day you just didn’t go and I thought it was a bit odd and maybe you were a bit constipated, then the next day passed and the next and still nothing. I was kinda worried, but knew that was normal for a lot of infants and just waited it out. Finally you went and from then on, you were only going once a week. Heaven! (Although they’re MASSIVE now and require a diaper cover change, too).
STATS:
- Weight: 14lbs, 9oz
- Height: 24in
- Head: 16.5in
- PERCENTILES: 89% | 70 % | 81%
Dear Colton,
Your personality is really starting to come through. Daddy’s most excited about this. Since he works so hard for us so I can stay home and take care of you, he only gets to see you about a fraction of the time I do, so he sees changes in you even more than I do. I love how much you smile at us, how much you look at us, just stare, so fascinated and in awe. Every morning you wake up and you’re so excited to see us again. Like it’s a miracle you’re awake and we’re still here. We lay in bed in the mornings and just coo at each other. I like to sing to you and make silly faces and watch you watch me. After a while, I’ll sit up and put you on my lap with my knees bent up, so you’re sitting facing me, and I kiss your feet and we play little games, like opening and closing my hand really slowly while you watch. Simple things that just mesmerize you right now.
I can’t get enough of you. Every time you go down for a nap, when you wake up and I pick you up, you feel so new again. So wonderful to hold, to feel in my arms. The sensation is so amazing, it’s as if I were picking you up for the very first time, or after a very, very long time.
You’re so content doing nothing at all, that when something exciting enters your field of vision, you go nuts! Mostly you’ll sit in your bouncy seat and we’ll sing and play together. I’ll hold up black & white books for you to look at, and you LOVE THEM! You’ll kick and kick and kick and then freeze, and then kick and kick and kick really fast. Each time we turn the page, your eyes go wide. I like the new one we got, “I love you with all my hearts.” You keep me company in your bouncy seat in the kitchen while I make dinner, in the bedroom while I put laundry away, in the bathroom while I shower. You just sit happily and content and look around at all the new and amazing things you’ve never seen before in your little life. Once in a while I’ll snap on the ugly plastic toy bar attachment, and you go wild! You stare at the brightly colored frog and monkey hanging down staring back at you and you just can’t get enough, you squeal and squeal. My friend Kassaundra said I’m being too harsh with my no-Fisher Price rule. She’s probably right. You enjoy that hanging toy bar way too much for me to continue to deprive you of it, so I put it on a few times a week now. You really like your friend Bea’s playmat, and it’s gorgeous (very cute and tasteful) so we’re going to get you one, too.
I love you with all my hearts,
Your Mom
——
THIS MONTH:
Your vision is really increasing. Every time we walk in a room you freeze and turn your eyes to try and see us. You can move your head about 3/4 of the way and then it’s like you think you can’t anymore, and you go back to looking at the ceiling. It’s very sweet. We love that you’re recognizing our voices so much and want to look to see us, and follow us around the room. We got you some black and white books to look at and you absolutely love them!
You smile at us constantly now. We can smile at you and make faces and you will smile back at us. Not all the time, but mostly. It melts our hearts. Every morning when you’re ready for the world again at 7am, I’ll groggily sit up and hover over you and say good morning, and then you smile back at me and suddenly I’m filled with energy. You literally are my sunshine.
You love looking at our plant. It must be all the different shapes of the leaves and textures and three dimensions, but you will just lay in bed and stare at Marv all morning. (that’s what we call him).
You started using your swing. We used to not really use it much besides putting you in it for naps once you were out, but we decided to try having you sit in it one time while you were awake and you really enjoyed it. You’re even falling asleep in it now for your naps! It’s amazing.
—-
SLEEPING: You’re such a good sleeper. You’ve changed it up a bit and are staying up quite late for some reason. I think because of all the napping you’re doing during the day, but that’s okay. It gives us more time to play with you. My sisters have been visiting and we’re all night owls, so this works for us. Once you’re down for the night, around midnight, you only really wake up once in the middle of the night to eat, around 330p and then go back down until around 6a when you wake up for breakfast and then take one more quick snooze until 8ish when you wake for the day. I really appreciate this.
EATING: Such a great eater, I’m so happy. The first month we were really getting adjusted to each other and I really had to figure out what exactly you needed. Now we have a groove. I know when you’re hungry and you gobble it down pretty fast. I’m really enjoying breastfeeding you. It’s such a crazy bond I never imagined would exist. I mean, I heard moms talk about it all the time, but it always sounded odd and kinda creepy, but they’re right! It’s wonderful and amazing, and only something a mom and baby can truly share together, and I love that.
POTTY: It’s been really awesome… you went from poo’ing at almost every diaper change, to suddenly only going once a day. Definitely a nice change.
STATS:
- Weight: 12lbs, 15oz
- Height: 22.9in
- Head: 15.91in
- PERCENTILES: 93% | 73% | 78%
Dear Colton,
What a wild thing to have you here after so many months of just dreaming of you. You are beautiful and precious and I am beside myself with joy.
The first week was pretty hard, I’ll have to be honest. I was filled with so many different emotions and everything was an adjustment. It seemed like nothing was going smoothly and I had a hard time feeling loving. It scared me a lot. I thought I was supposed to be head over heels and I wasn’t. Which made me feel even worse those weeks. I thought I was a horrible person and the worst mom ever for not being in love with her little baby she was looking forward to having her whole life, and why was it?! But my mom assured me it was just my hormones making me feel out of whack and it was all just an adjustment, but I still was fearful it would never come. Then I started healing and breastfeeding found its groove and then you smiled at me and everything changed. It’s like the flood gates opened.
I am so in love with you, it feels untamable. It’s like nothing I’ve ever experienced.
Looking forward to a life with you now in it,
Mom
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Things I am already so proud of you for…
Being SO strong during your birth. It was quite a difficult ride for the last 8 hours, but you were so amazing and you stayed so calm. Lots of other babies would have freaked if they got stuck, but you hung in there and already showed me how easy going of a baby you really are.
Pooping and peeing like it was your job. Well, it was your job, and you knew it, and you didn’t fail to please. We were so excited each time we found a dirty diaper. You made sure to let us know that you were getting food and hydrating just fine.
Learning how to latch and eat so wonderfully. You never got discouraged when I would pull you away and make you retry if you didn’t have a good latch. Right away you would open your mouth really wide and work at getting it just right, and within a few tries you did. You started with twenty minute feeds, but mostly it was because you were falling asleep. Once you got the hang of it though, you were doing quick ten minute sessions. On eat off. Boom. You were a champion eater right out of the gate.
Being so flexible with how your were fed, despite all the initial issues. Despite needing to supplement with formula for 48 hours because of the jaundice and my slow start with milk, you were such a good sport through it all and cooperated with every change. Three different nipples and three types of food*, and you just rolled with the punches. *Mine, and two bottles; colostrum, formula, and finally breast milk.
Opening your eyes right away and being so alert from the start. Every nurse, doctor, and visitor who saw you all said the same thing: He’s so alert! You were wide eyed and ready for action the first day you joined us, and you never stopped. I really love being able to see your eyes so much, it is such a rare trait in a newborn.
Smiling at us at only a few weeks old. Most of my books all said by two months you would start smiling at us, but you made eye contact and cracked your first gummy beam at me at just over three weeks old. You sealed the bond with me that day I think.
Sleeping like a baby, for reals. I don’t really know why that saying means sleeping well, because most babies don’t sleep well. Except you did. I was so thankful that your sleep scheduled was synched perfectly to ours right off the bat. Down by 10p, up at 630a. And you only woke up twice during the night to eat. I couldn’t have asked for better.
Other things you’ve been up to…
You LOVE our big silver exercise ball. Whenever you get upset, we’ll just hold you facing us and bounce until our quads give out, and you’re just so content. You’ll lay there and look around and enjoy the rhythmic motion for hours if we could handle it. We rotate when we get tired, but you love falling asleep cradled in our arms that way, too.
You love lying on our chests. It’s probably the heartbeat you can hear that lulls you into quiet contentment, and the warmth of our bodies, but you’ll put your head down and just lay there, breathing slowly, like you’re thinking about so many things in this world and wondering what it all means.
Your tummy tub bath mesmerizes you. I think you were shocked the first time we put you in it. The look on your face was extremely confused, as if you were wondering if you were suddenly back in the womb, yet you could still see us, so you knew you weren’t, but couldn’t figure out what was going on. Once you realized you were safe, you sank into the wonderfulness. The warm water, the snug fit, and all your muscles went limp, including your jaw, and you just floated happily.
Little Idiosyncrasy: You like to tuck your arm underneath the strap of my bra when you eat.
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SLEEPING: You’re rocking it right now and I’m loving it! You go down at random times, depending on how much you napped during the day, but usually around 1030p and then you don’t wake up until 9am. It’s wonderful.
EATING: I’m super proud of you for how quickly you learned how to eat. I know it’s instinct but there’s still a lot to get used to with learning how to suck and swallow and how to get used to the flow, etc. I had a lot to learn about you, too, and what you liked and didn’t like. Like how you like to be held. You eat so fast that you have to pull away a lot because the flow is just too much. I learned fast that even when you’re done, you’ll keep sucking because you want to soothe yourself to sleep, but you’re full, so you start gagging and coughing. So finally I decided at that point to give you a pacifier so you can keep sucking but not keep eating. You loved that. So you will rest your head on me and suck your paci until you fall asleep after you’re done eating.
POTTY: You’re a great pottier. Peeing and poo’ing like a champion. It’s always wonderful when you have a wet or dirty diaper because it means you’re eating great and getting everything you need. We had a bit of an issue finding a diaper hamper that fit all your cloth diapers for the week, but if that’s the biggest glitch, I’ll take it. It’s also awesome that they don’t smell. I mean, it’s yeasty, but it’s not a bad smell. I wish all diapers until you’re potty trained were going to be like this. Oh well. I’ll *enjoy it* while I can.
STATS:
- Weight: 10lbs, 7oz
- Height: 21.9in
- Head: 15.1in
- PERCENTILES: 91% | 87% | 76%
