7 Months

Here I am again, posting another late monthly update of Aiden. Shame on me! I blame it on school. My time management and procrastination is getting better though. And, I really miss blogging. So, I'm coming back with a vengeance.

The main thing that has changed this month for Aiden is the fact that he learned how to pull up to stand and he can stay standing as long as he is holding on (for dear life.) He learned how to do this a few days before he turned 7 months old. Sometimes, if he sees something just out of his reach, he can walk and hold on to something to go get it! Holy crap! Also, he has officially mastered crawling! He is so fast, too! He steadily surprises me with all of the new things he is constantly learning! What will it be next? Standing on his own? Walking on his own?

Sleeping patterns: He is sleeping about 8-10 hours a night, which is fabulous, waking up anywhere between 8-9am for his first bottle of the day. It seems like he was sleeping a lot lately, and now I know why. He plays so hard and wears himself out! He's also been doing fairly well with his naps in his own crib. For the past few months, I've been making him take all of his daytime naps on his own. My hopes for this is that whenever I'm ready to kick him out transition him to his crib at night, he will be comfortable enough to do so. I'm crossing my fingers!

Eating habits: He is eating anywhere between 6-8 ounces 5-6 times a day. He gets an eight ounce bottle first thing in the morning. We fell of the solids bandwagon there for a few weeks, but we are back in the game! But, now when he gets solids, he will drink his normal 6 ounce bottle right after! We introduced Gerber 2nd foods like sweet potato and corn, chicken and vegetables, pear and pineapple, and apples and chicken. I'm pretty sure he likes apples and chicken the best! We also got different kinds of puffs that kind of look like the puffy Cheetos's. I'm not going to lie, they all taste pretty dang good!

Accomplishments: Aiden is an official "crawler!" And he can pull himself up and stand next to anything he can get a grip on!

Places I went:  He sits up in the buggy at the grocery store like a big boy! He has a convertible car seat, and he sits in a high chair at restaurants now!

Special memories: Seeing Aiden pull up to stand and even try to take a few steps. He also can find his pacifier in his sleep and put it back in his mouth, which I think is absolutely adorable. He is just growing up so fast!

Likes: Sitting and standing up, petting the puppies, "telling stories", cuddling, playing with his feet and sucking on his big toe. 

Dislikes: He hates anything that involves being alone and he can't sit still for anything. He is his father's child.

No wellness visit this month so these measurements are by me and I consider them good estimates. I can't wait until his 6 month visit to see how much he has truly grown!

>>>>> 7 Months <<<<<

10.01.13

Height - 29 inches long

Weight - 18lbs 8oz

6 Months

I am a month and a half late posting this update, but school started a few days after his 6 month check-up. I've been super busy and got completely wrapped up in school. It's been hard trying to balance time between taking care of my little bean and trying to study. The first month was hard, but I'm slowly figuring out what works and what certainly doesn't. 

This month was full of wonders. He started eating puffs and drinking apple juice from a sippy cup! And most exciting of all, he has taught himself how to sit all on his own! He looks like such a big boy now when he sits up to play with his toys. Not much progress has been made in the crawling department, though. He still tries his hardest, even though he just scoots from place to place. He usually scoots a few inches and falls on his belly and has to start all over again. The main thing he has to figure out is how to keep himself up while crawling, but I think that has a lot to do with having the upper body strength in his arms to be able to support his own body weight. He learns quickly though, so I'm looking forward to him learning this trick!

Sleeping patterns: He is still sleeping about 8-9 hours a night, which is fabulous, waking up around 7-8am for his first bottle of the day. I feel incredibly blessed that he sleeps through the night, but I kind of feel like I'm cheating because we "bed share." I kind of feel deep down that if he were to sleep in his own crib at night, he wouldn't sleep all the way through.

Eating habits: He is eating 6 ounces 6-7 times a day. He gets a 6 ounce bottle first thing in the morning. I try and give him solids twice a day - once at lunch and again for supper. Most of the time he only gets solids once a day though and sometimes not at all. Our pediatrician said that we could start Gerber Puffs around seven months, but I really felt like he was ready for them now, so he's been getting a snack with puffs and apple juice between naps. I also started him on a sippy cup! He's not so sure about it just yet, but he's trying.

Accomplishments: Aiden is still scooting as much as possible, but the new trick he has learned this month was sitting up all on his own a few days before he turned 6 months old! He can push himself up to sitting from the crawling position. He's turning into such a big boy. Make time stop please! He also said mama and dada!

Places I went:  Mainly just outings to the grocery store, running errands, and a few trips out to eat. Nothing too exciting here.

Special memories: Capturing a video of my boy sitting up for the very first time, without propping up with his hands! It made me such a proud mommy!

Likes: Eating puffs and apple juice, cuddles, babbling, chasing after the puppies, interacting with any and everyone, sitting up to play with his toys!

Dislikes: He hates it when you set him down somewhere and you walk away. He hates lying on his back and will roll over to his belly so he can sit up any chance he gets. 

The wellness visit this month went really well. I wasn't able to stay for his shots, but his daddy was there and he told me that Aiden only cried for a minute or two after his shots. He got four shots and an oral vaccine. The Tdap vaccine isn't available due to a shortage so, we have him the flu shot instead. The good news is that we don't have to go back until he is ready for his 9 month wellness visit! I think I am most excited for his to not have to get shots for 3 whole months! 

>>>>> 6 Months <<<<<

09.01.13

Height - 28 inches long

Weight - 16lbs 15oz

We almost forgot to take his 6 month picture this month, and it got late in the day. We had to make do with the ceiling fan light and trying our best to get him to smile. He looks like he is missing a foot and the glare on his sticker looks ridiculous, but he is smiling and that's all that matters to me! 

5 Months

I'm writing this update almost a month late, but better late than never, right? 

This month passed by the fastest to me and I'm not entirely sure why. I think it was the most enjoyable so far. There are so many things he has learned to do and it's like he turned into a completely different baby. It's almost as if he woke up one morning and all of a sudden he could do all of these new tricks. 

He finally figured out how to actually jump in his Exersaucer which is my favorite thing to watch him do. He gets so excited and loves all of the toys, lights and music.

Sleeping patterns: He is sleeping about 8-9 hours a night, which is fabulous, waking up around 7-8am for his first bottle of the day. 

Eating habits: He is eating anywhere between 4-6 ounces 6-8 times a day. He gets a 6 ounce bottle first thing in the morning. I try and give him solids twice a day - once at lunch and again for supper. When he gets solids he only drinks about 3-4 ounces of formula and then he wants another 4 ounces about an hour later, Mr. Piggy. So far, I think his favorite puree is carrots!

Accomplishments: He is reaching for any and everything in sight and as soon as he gets a grip on it, it is going straight into his mouth. He has figured out the dogs and absolutely loves petting them! And his new trick this month is sitting up in the bed with us. He's not perfected it just yet, he's still wobbly, but he is getting so much better at it!

Places I went:  We were more of homebodies this month than anything. We did go to Red Lobster when our friends came to visit. And, of course, Aiden was an angel!

Special memories: Seeing Aiden sit up for the first time, even if it was with his hands propping him up. It was definitely a proud mommy moment!

Likes: Sitting and standing up in your lap, petting the puppies, talking to his daddy, cuddling, playing with his feet, tummy time - all the time.

Dislikes: He hates anything that involves being alone!

No wellness visit this month so these measurements are by me and I consider them good estimates. I can't wait until his 6 month visit to see how much he has truly grown!

>>>>> 5 Months <<<<<

08.01.13

Height - 27 inches long

Weight - 15lbs 10oz

4 Months

Aiden has made a significant leap in his development this month! Our giggly little boy can roll, stand assisted, sit assisted and sometimes sit unassisted for a few seconds, and reach. He surprises me each and every day with the new things he has learned and wants to show off. I don't remember if I wrote this in his three month post, but he is constantly chewing and sucking on his toes. Any and everything goes into his mouth! It's so dang precious! It just amazes me at how fast their little brains are learning new things. One day he can't do something and the next day he can. How crazy?

He's eating solids now and that's just another thing we are crossing off the list of big boy to-do's. So far, he has had peas, green beans, oatmeal cereal, sweet potatoes, bananas, and he is absolutely NOT a fan of apples. I'm trying not to think about the day he starts crawling, or walking, or even talking! I love watching him grow but oh how I want my baby to stay..well, a baby!

Sleeping patterns: He sleeps on average 6-8 hours a night. We've been hit plagued with the "four month wakefulness" and I'll do a post on that soon all it's own. The routine we had has pretty much bit the dust. 

Eating habits: 6 ounces at a time about 7 times a day! We also started oatmeal and stage one veggies! His first vegetable was peas. He wasn't sure about it at first, but it grew on him the more he ate it.

My accomplishments: He can officially roll from tummy to back AND back to tummy! Tummy time is absolute perfection now! And he absolutely loves standing up in your lap. He thinks he's a big boy now! And he laughs at just about everything! He's so darn cute. He reaches for anything you are holding in your hand!

Places I went: We don't go many places, but he's an absolute doll when we go out to eat!

Special memories: We bought Aiden an Exersaucer! He is really loving it and so am I! It keeps him entertained and is helping him learn his balance. 

Likes: Sitting and standing up in your lap, he likes to be able to look around at everything!, petting the puppies, talking to his daddy, and of course cuddling.

Dislikes: Taking naps on his own - I can't believe I've already spoiled the poor boy.

Aiden got the same shots as he did at his two month well baby visit (and yes, it still broke my heart.)

>>>>> 4 Months <<<<<

07.01.13

Height - 26.5 inches long

Weight - 14.7 pounds

3 Months

I absolutely can not believe my nugget is already 3 months old! This month has been a whirlwind for sure. He has been super busy learning all kinds of things. I work with him every day to help him get better at lifting his head during tummy time. He can hold his head up pretty well on your lap, but he is pretty lazy when it comes to laying on his belly. He will talk to you all day long. He tries oh so hard to laugh. And he will most definitely cuddle you to death if you let him. Right now we still don't have a set bedtime routine. We give him a bath every other day and I put him in bed with me around 10-11pm.

Another month has come and gone and I can't wait to see what kind of excitement this next month will bring. I'm looking forward to all of the new milestones he reaches and the new things he will learn. I absolutely love being a stay at home mom and watching Aiden grow a little more each and every day.

Sleeping patterns: He has started sleeping about 8 hours at night. Every now and then he will get up around 4am and eat. Usually, though, he gets up at 7-8am and goes back to sleep. Then he will wake up again at 11am to eat and he is up for the day with a few short naps during the day.

Eating habits: He is still eating anywhere between 4-6 ounces at a time.

My accomplishments: He has completely developed his social smile and he coos and gurgles all of the time. He is such a ham! He is also getting much better at lifting his head during tummy time.

Places I went: Lots of trips back to our hometown and out to eat a couple of times!

Special memories: Any time I get to watch him interact with his grandparents. He loves talking to you!

Likes: Staring at the light, cuddling, talking to you, playing in his bouncer, listening to me sing songs to him, playing with his daddy. He is in such a sweet stage and I love every bit of it!

Dislikes: He hates when his diaper is wet and still has zero patience for waiting on me to make his bottle. He hates to be alone, but I try a little every day to get him to learn how to be on his own.

Aiden didn't have a well baby check up this month, so all of my measurements are estimated, but I think I got close enough.

>>>>> 3 Months <<<<<

06.01.13

Height - 26.5 inches long

Weight - 13 pounds

2 Months

I feel like I just blinked, and when I opened my eyes, I had a 2 month old. Time needs to slow down. Seriously. 

I feel so blessed that I get to spend every day with my precious little guy. I get to see him grow, and our bond grows along with it too. I don't have to go to work, so that means I don't have to send my boy to daycare. I get to love on him all I want. 

He seriously is the sweetest baby ever. The only time he cries is whenever he's hungry. He moans and groans when he poops. But that's about it. He doesn't love taking baths, but he doesn't hate them either. He usually just sits there staring at me wondering what on Earth I'm doing to him and why is it so cold. This kid makes the cutest, funniest faces I have ever seen on a baby. He sleeps on his own and has done so ever since he was born, but he sleeps even better when he's snuggled up next to me. What's even better is that I sleep good too when he's snuggled up next to me. 

Another month has come and gone. 

Sleeping patterns: About 4-5 hours at a time now, thank goodness!

Eating habits: 4-6 ounces at a time, my little chunk

My accomplishments: Learning how to smile. It isn't happening often yet, but it's still just as cute.

Places I went: We started taking Aiden out to eat and to go shopping now. I'm not as afraid of the germs as I was at first. 

Special memories: Aiden woke up from a nap and when I went to pick him up, he gave me the biggest gummy grin I have ever seen in my whole entire life. It was like he recognized me and he was trying to let me know it. My heart instantly became a puddle on the floor. The sweetest. 

Likes: He still loves to stare at the light. If you are in the same room with him and there is a bright light, he's going to be staring at it. Forget about trying to get his attention. He still loves to cuddle. He also likes it when he give him lots of kisses on his cheeks. He loves to eat. And loves his monkey mobile on his crib. I'm pretty sure he would stare at it for hours. 

Dislikes: I've come to realize that he hates sitting in a wet diaper. My child isn't fussy, but he will let you know when he's uncomfortable. And who could blame him? I wouldn't want to sit in a wet, hot mess for hours at a time. That's just gross. He also hates waiting longer than 0 SECONDS for you to make his bottle. When he's hungry, he's hungry. And he's going to let you know. 

Aiden had his 2 month wellness visit today. He got his first round of shots too. I was a nervous wreck all day long. The day started out ok, until I started to fix my hair. Then it all went downhill from there. He woke up from his nap grunting and moaning and groaning. I was thinking that the poor kid finally pooped. Checked his diaper numerous time - no poop. I got done with my hair and changed his diaper. HOLD THE PHONE. There was a hard pebble-like turd. Poor guy is constipated. So now he is fussy, and the decides he wants to eat. I still had to get both of us dressed and get my diaper bag packed. I should have already been on my way to his appointment. 

I got to his appointment and they weighed and measured him. The whole time I'm spacing out because the only thing I could think about was the shots he was going to get. And I was there with him all by myself. I had to be strong for my baby, but who was going to be strong for me? He only cried for about a minute or two then he got quiet and seemed like he was trying to contemplate everything that just happened. Now my little man is sleeping his life away, but I keep hearing him wake up and whimper, poor thing. I can only assume his little tiny legs are hurting him. If only I could take the pain away. I would do in in an instant. 

>>>>> 2 Months <<<<<

05.01.13

Height - 23.25 inches long

Weight - 11 pounds 8 ounces

 

1 Month

Aiden's first month in this big, bright world was definitely a crazy one. Not only am I learning how to be a parent and take care of a fragile tiny being, I'm learning about life and the true meaning of love. 

The first month was as terrifying as it was exhausting. No matter how tired I thought I was though, there was a little person who completely depended on me, who needed me to be there to comfort him, feed him, and (most importantly) love him. 

No amount of lack of sleep or the feeling like my brain is slowly slipping away will ever make me trade this experience for the world. Aiden is the light of my life and the reason I breathe. 

The first month with my sweet boy passed by way too fast. This scares me. It scares me because I'm afraid I'm going to miss something. I'm afraid I'll forget how tiny his feet are, or how little his hand was as it wrapped ever so tightly around my finger for the very first time. Afraid that I wouldn't be able to remember how his 6 pound body felt almost weightless in my arms, because he was so tiny. There were lots of things I thought I might forget. So, I cherished every single second. Every waking and sleeping second. 

It's amazing to me how much a baby can change in the matter of weeks, and even days. Here is his 1 month update.

Sleeping patterns: fall asleep right after your bottle and sleeps for about 2 hours. 3 hours was rare.

Eating habits: about 2-3 ounces every 2-3 hours

New discoveries I made: making lots of cute, funny faces

My accomplishments: picking head up during tummy time on mommy and daddy's chest

Places I went: you stayed at home most of the time, because you were so young we didn't want you exposed to lots of germs, but we did go to Anacoco for Easter to show you off to the family

Special memories: your cord stump finally fell off when you were 6 weeks old!

Likes: cuddling, being talked to, looking at the light

Dislikes: getting his diaper changed, waiting longer than 0 seconds for his bottle

>>>>> 1 Month <<<<<

04.01.13

Height - 21 inches at 2 weeks old

Weight - 7 pounds 12 ounces at 2 weeks old

*Our pediatrician doesn't see babies at 1 month, instead sees them at 2 weeks*