6 months

Our baby is 6 months old. Six months old. Are you kidding me? Seriously. I know I talk about how quickly time is flying blah blah blah...all the time. But this- I just can't wrap my head around this. How in the world has it been half a year since we first met our baby boy?

Mr. Will, you've turned into quite the chunk. Most everyone that we come in contact with comments on what a big, "healthy" boy you are. And you've definitely got some thighs, that's for sure. Someone told us at church yesterday, "It's going to hard to crawl with those things." Ha! Good thing people thing chubby babies are cute, because if not, we'd have our feelings hurt on a daily basis!

You went to the pediatrician this week, and these are your stats:
Wt: 18 1/2 pounds- 68th percentile
Ht: 25 3/4 inches- 25th percentile (woo hoo..finally making some jumps on that height percentile!)
Wt/length: 93rd percentile
Head: 18 3/4 inches- >97th percentile. You have quite a head on you, buddy.

You are still in size 2 diapers, but once we finish the ones we have, we'll probably move up to size 3. You're in size 6 and 6-9 month clothes.

The pediatrician noticed some mild eczema on you at this visit. I had seen it, and got your Aunt Ree Ree to look at it while she was here last weekend, and she thought that's what it was too. But it doesn't look terrible, and hasn't seemed to bother you, so I'm thankful for that. We've only noticed it on your back and belly. The doctor recommended that we stop using anything that is scented. I love the way baby bathwash and lotion smells, but of course I want to do what is best for you. So we've gone to an unscented wash and we are using Aveeno Eczema lotion. So far, it seems to be helping!

You started "real" daycare about two weeks ago. You are enjoying yourself, but to say that was an easy day week for mommy would be the understatement of the year. That was by far THE hardest day of my life, and I'm not exaggerating. I had anticipated that day with a lot of anxiety for a long time, but nothing really prepares a new mommy for the separation anxiety I felt being away from you. That's the most my heart has hurt in a long, long time. The smile and giggles that I get from you everyday when I pick you up in the afternoon doesn't make it totally worth it, but it definitely helps.

In happier news, you have a new obsession- your toes.

You love playing with your toes, and just this past week, you've finally gotten them into your mouth.

You've also gotten much stronger and much more steady with your sitting skills. I still don't feel comfortable enough to walk off and leave you sitting by yourself yet, but you're getting there.

You still love your exersaucer, but your most recent discovery (as in this past weekend) is your jumpy thing. You LOVE it. And since finally figuring out how to jump, you also love to jump in your exersaucer.

This week, you had your first taste of anything besides your mommy milk. On Thursday (two days before you turned 6 months old), we gave you sweet potatoes as your first food! You did much better than I expected for your first feeding, but we are still working on the eating part. Sometimes you are more interested than others, and on average, I'm probably only getting two good bites in your mouth. But, we're getting there. So far you've had sweet potatoes and squash.

I am making your food, and I have loved doing it! So far I've made you sweet potatoes, carrots, apricots, peaches (got the Vitamin A covered, that's for sure!), green beans, squash, and pears.

You are still a jabber jaws. You've started saying more consonant sounds- your favorite is "bop bop bop bop." We've tried to help you turn this into "Pop Pop," and it actually sounded like you said it a couple of times! Sometimes when you are crying it really sounds like you are saying "mama," but I think it's more wishful thinking on my part- although I'm not the only one that has noticed it! 

About a week ago, you finally got to meet your buddy, Mac. Mac's mommy and your mommy have been friends for a long time, and you were born about 2 1/2 weeks after Mac was. I was so excited to finally get the two of you together, even if it was for a brief period of time. The two of you had a lot to talk about!

I'm about to have to rework your current eating and sleeping schedule to fit in your baby food, but as of this week, your current schedule is:

5-5:30- Wake up and nurse. You usually go back to sleep while your daddy and I are getting ready for work, and we wake you up around 7 to get ready to leave.
8:00- Bottle. You aren't super hungry for this feeding, but I try to "reset" you at this feeding. I send 5 oz for this bottle, but you usually leave 1-1 1/2 ounces that you can't finish.
10-11:30 or 12 (roughly)- nap
12:00- Bottle- 6.5 ounces
1:30-3 (roughly)- nap
4:00- Bottle- 6.5 ounces
4:30-5- You sometimes take a small cat nap.
6:30- We are trying baby food. Some feedings have been better than others.
7:00- Bath time- you still love your bath!
7:30- Nurse.
7:45-8- Bed time.

You still don't have any visible teeth yet, but you are still constantly putting your hands (or ours) in your mouth. The pediatrician said she could feel one on the top that would probably break through soon. I hadn't even been looking on the top though- just on the bottom!

Little Man, you are growing and developing every single day. I feel like every week you are doing about 5 new things, and although I hate how quickly this is going by, I love watching you learn and develop. The past 6 months of our lives have brought us more joy that we could possibly imagine, and your daddy and I love you to the moon and back!