How is it possible that we have a six month old already? Little G continues to light up our days with his adorable smile, baby laughs, and big blue eyes. As I was looking through my pictures from the last month, I came to the realization that I need to step it up on the picture taking front. I have a bunch from over the holidays...obviously...but the random day-to-day...not so much. I must have been burnt out after Christmas! I'm not going to worry about it too much since we did have official six month pictures taken this month...and they are ADORABLE. Thank goodness for photographers who exist because they have mastered the art of good picture taking! Meanwhile...you'll have to deal with my iPhone pictures since that's all I have time for most days!
THE STATS:
THE STATS:
Age: 6 months
Height: 28 inches (88%)
Weight: 17 lbs 4 oz (34%)
Diaper size: 3
Clothing: 6-12 months or 9 months
DEVELOPMENTAL ACTIVITY:
Since learning to roll from back to front at the very beginning of the month, G spent most of the month sleeping on his tummy. I always lay him down on his back, but he doesn't get comfortable until he's firmly established on his tummy. Rather than fight it, and switch him to his back every time he rolls over, we opted to just take our cues from him, and have allowed him to sleep how he feels comfortable. At the end of this month, he reverted back and has been falling asleep on his back again for the past week or so, but he continues to sleep on his side or tummy for at least part of the night. G has also been spinning different directions while on his tummy, and is starting to think about scooting around a little. I haven't caught him in the act yet, but he has been known to make it partway across the rug near his playmat if I turn my back for a few minutes. Big things on the horizon!
On a side note, I thought I'd mention the pacifier/thumb debate. Unlike his brother C, G has been great about taking a pacifier since around the one month mark. I try to only give it to him when he is really fussy rather than popping it in his mouth at the smallest squeak. I don't want him to become completely dependent on it, and prefer to give it to him only when it is absolutely necessary. Usually, this means he gets it while I'm getting a meal ready and in the middle of something that is time sensitive which means he has to wait to receive my full attention. He does use a pacifier when I lay him down for a nap or bedtime, but lately, he has been more interested in spitting it back out and playing with it and has been falling asleep without it. As far as his thumb goes, he did show some interest in it when he first discovered it was there, but he really hasn't used it as a soothing tool, and prefers to have most of his fingers in his mouth rather than only a thumb if he does decide to suck on something.
On a side note, I thought I'd mention the pacifier/thumb debate. Unlike his brother C, G has been great about taking a pacifier since around the one month mark. I try to only give it to him when he is really fussy rather than popping it in his mouth at the smallest squeak. I don't want him to become completely dependent on it, and prefer to give it to him only when it is absolutely necessary. Usually, this means he gets it while I'm getting a meal ready and in the middle of something that is time sensitive which means he has to wait to receive my full attention. He does use a pacifier when I lay him down for a nap or bedtime, but lately, he has been more interested in spitting it back out and playing with it and has been falling asleep without it. As far as his thumb goes, he did show some interest in it when he first discovered it was there, but he really hasn't used it as a soothing tool, and prefers to have most of his fingers in his mouth rather than only a thumb if he does decide to suck on something.
SCHEDULE:
Our overall schedule has stayed relatively consistent this month. We start the day between 7:30-8 a.m., try to get a nap in around 10:30-11 a.m., nap around 4-ish, and bedtime about 8-8:30 most nights. C, has a similar schedule, but naps around noon-2:30 most days, and has a bedtime between 7:15-7:40 most nights. I'm considering introducing a sound machine to our routine as G has a hard time settling down for a nap while big brother C is up and making noise (a.k.a. C does not understand the concept of 'be quiet' or 'inside voices'...especially when G is trying to sleep. Things get particularly heated around here when I tell him he can't go in the bedroom because G is trying to sleep...this usually results in LOUD whining and a full-blown meltdown laying on the kitchen floor with tears freely flowing. I'm glad he loves his brother, but can the kid just catch a break for a nap?!), but, the jury is still out on sound machines and if they are a good or bad thing for kids to become accustomed to while learning good sleep habits.
FAVORITE TOY:
G is all about chewing on toys this month, and has been really enjoying Sophie the Giraffe. He also loves this comotomo teether, and really likes this caterpillar gear toy. We also busted out the walker this month, and G immediately got the hang of it and has been learning how to walk himself forward, backward, and turn. He is determined to MOVE, and will no doubt be getting into everything before we are ready!
STORYTIME:
We don't really have a consistent storytime routine with G yet, but I hope to introduce one soon. I think that when C was around this age (or maybe just a bit older), I made a point to start reading a story before bedtime to create a semblance of a routine. G does enjoy listening (a.k.a...trying to eat the book) while I'm reading to big brother C, so soft books are still better than board books for now.
CUISINE:
Ugh. This month has been a doozy for baby G in terms of 'cuisine'. About halfway through the month, I had a SEVERE...like call your mom who lives an hour and a half away to come to the rescue...bout of food poisoning. I'm not kidding...I don't recall ever being so sick. Coincidentally, my milk supply was severely affected, and little G went from 2-4 oz of formula total per week, to 5oz formula bottles 3x a day. I still nurse him in the morning, afternoon, and bedtime, but mid-morning, mid-afternoon, and bedtime (in addition to nursing), he gets a full 5oz bottle of formula. At bedtime since he nurses as well, he usually only takes about 3-4 oz. No jokes, I'm pretty heartbroken over the entire ordeal, as I was hoping to nurse G until his first birthday, and I'm still struggling to wrap my head around our new reality, but am opting in the direction of supplementing with formula rather than beating myself up about increasing my milk supply in this otherwise crazy thing we call life. In addition to the partial switch to formula, we also introduced G to oatmeal this month! Woot woot! He typically gets oatmeal 1-2x a day (2oz water, 1 scoop formula, oatmeal). He still struggles a bit with the very first bites and has a bit of a gag reflex, but once he gets the hang of it, I can't shovel it in fast enough! Now that he is officially SIX MONTHS OLD, we plan to slowly introduce more exciting things like veggies to his diet. Can I get a hoo-rah!
SIX MONTH FAVORITES
Cheek kisses...receiving and giving
Sleeping on his tummy
Tummy time
Finally getting to try solid food! (oatmeal)
Jumping in the jumparoo or learning to walk in the walker
Watching big brother C
Sleeping on his tummy
Tummy time
Finally getting to try solid food! (oatmeal)
Jumping in the jumparoo or learning to walk in the walker
Watching big brother C
SIX MONTH LEAST FAVORITES
Being tired
Waking up in the morning and being STARVED (or so he thinks)
Being sick
G had a cold this month and had to have infant Tylenol/Advil to control his fever. He'd never been sick before, so this was a first for him. Poor little guy! He laid in his pack'n'play whimpering at night when he was trying to sleep, trying to figure out how to feel better. Thankfully, he has since recovered.
6:30-7 p.m.
G is usually getting pretty fussy around this time...you know...when we are all FINALLY sitting down for dinner together, or trying to give C a bath and get him ready for bed. In a perfect world, I would have four hands, and be able to take care of both boys needs and have them ready for bed by 7 p.m., but alas, C takes the priority since he tends to be the bigger handful when he misses bedtime.
OH THE MEMORIES
CHRISTMAS! We had so much fun celebrating Christmas this year with two little people in our lives. G isn't really old enough to get too excited about opening his own gifts just yet, but he loved all of the commotion and watching the chaos.
We celebrated New Years at the lake house, and even got to sneak out for a little 'stroll'. We did not come prepared, so only had a fleece jacket and a beach towel, but hey...fresh air is fresh air, and we all survived the 20 minutes or so that we spent outdoors.
G got his first taste of oatmeal this month, and it has been a game changer. He has been patiently waiting and watching every bite we take for the the last month and a half or so in hopes that he might get to try a bite, and this month was finally his time. He still struggles a bit with the first couple of bites until he remembers how to swallow solid food, but once he gets the hang of it, he is all about it, and I can't shovel it in fast enough. Now that we've officially reached the six month mark, I have no doubt that he will be absolutely thrilled to expand his cuisine even further and try out some veggies!
Waking up in the morning and being STARVED (or so he thinks)
Being sick
G had a cold this month and had to have infant Tylenol/Advil to control his fever. He'd never been sick before, so this was a first for him. Poor little guy! He laid in his pack'n'play whimpering at night when he was trying to sleep, trying to figure out how to feel better. Thankfully, he has since recovered.
6:30-7 p.m.
G is usually getting pretty fussy around this time...you know...when we are all FINALLY sitting down for dinner together, or trying to give C a bath and get him ready for bed. In a perfect world, I would have four hands, and be able to take care of both boys needs and have them ready for bed by 7 p.m., but alas, C takes the priority since he tends to be the bigger handful when he misses bedtime.
OH THE MEMORIES
CHRISTMAS! We had so much fun celebrating Christmas this year with two little people in our lives. G isn't really old enough to get too excited about opening his own gifts just yet, but he loved all of the commotion and watching the chaos.
We celebrated New Years at the lake house, and even got to sneak out for a little 'stroll'. We did not come prepared, so only had a fleece jacket and a beach towel, but hey...fresh air is fresh air, and we all survived the 20 minutes or so that we spent outdoors.
G got his first taste of oatmeal this month, and it has been a game changer. He has been patiently waiting and watching every bite we take for the the last month and a half or so in hopes that he might get to try a bite, and this month was finally his time. He still struggles a bit with the first couple of bites until he remembers how to swallow solid food, but once he gets the hang of it, he is all about it, and I can't shovel it in fast enough. Now that we've officially reached the six month mark, I have no doubt that he will be absolutely thrilled to expand his cuisine even further and try out some veggies!
