Thursday, January 1, 2015

Life With Gray: 6 Months

 
What a year! We celebrated our New Year early so as I write this everyone is asleep but me and I'm thankful for the quiet night as I reflect on what a transformational year it was. Grayson was our biggest blessing and I'm in awe of the fact that I'll have a toddler in 6 short months.

Here's Gray's last update of 2014:
  • Baby's weight: His 6 month check-up is on Monday so I'll come back and update next week but I'm guessing he's a solid 16 lbs now. I'm feeling his heft in my neck and wrists especially. Despite baby wearing he's a super-cuddler and wants to be right up under my neck sometimes so I end up just carrying him around. Not good, I know but since he's the last baby and all . . .
  • Baby's height:  I marvel at how long he's getting - 27" at least (again, I'll update next week)
  • What size of clothing does baby wear? He's in 6 months all the way now but still a bit loose, as he's more lanky than he is thick

  • What are your thoughts on this past month?: We get stopped all the time with people in awe of Grayson's eyes and I am too! He's such a cuddler and every so often he will pull away from me and look up at me with his saucer eyes as though he's wants to say, "I love you mommy." It sounds so sappy but it's the sweetest thing ever. It makes me want to cry. It's been a hard month for him with teething and currently recovering from a week long cold so I try my best to put my to-do list aside so he can have all the hugs and snuggles he needs.
  • What was baby's routine? It seems that the 4 month wakeful is back briefly especially due to him having a cold. He's been up the past few nights ready to play around 1/2a.m. Hard times but otherwise he's taking his morning nap and an afternoon nap, although it's brief but since a few developmental milestones (see below) he's excited and has a harder time going down at night but I'm still a stickler for getting him and Nia down at the same time each night between 8-9p.m. and they both LOVE story time. It's so cute how they enjoy reading with me and he actually looks intently at the pictures.
  • Any milestones baby reached during the month? Teeth 3 & 4 completely came through on top and 5 & 6 on the right are in the process of coming through. Lord help me! He can also lift his hips up and does a baby downward dog pose. I know he's making his way towards crawling (he can scoot so well!) but his 90%-tile head is giving him a hard time ;-) Regarding the big introduction of solids the rubber band is broken to his blender so I haven't given him the brown rice cereal yet as I did with Nia but he did get a taste of a Mum-Mum while we were visiting another family for dinner last week. I never gave those to Nia, but Gray LOVED it and grabbed my hand to his mouth while I was holding it and easily picked up the pieces from the high chair tray. While in Maryland my mom gave him a bit of mashed potato but he broke out in a rash and my father-in-law gave him a taste of plantain. I'll be sure to capture the proper introduction of solids soon!
  • Reflect about the highlights of the month: 
    • Gray meeting his first cousins in MD: 
    • His 2nd airplane flight
  • Did any big changes occur? Nope!
  • What are baby's favorites - toy, food, person, etc... He adores Nia of course and has been reaching for his dad more and more. I'm excited to learn which foods are his favorites. As far as toys are concerned he got the hook-up for Christmas! He received mostly electronic toys for Christmas and this one is his favorite. I'm looking forwarded to balancing the electronic toys with more non-electronic toys in the new year.
  • What I'm looking forward to? Really starting solids; Gray starting swimming lessons (sadly no picture are allowed, but I'll try to get a pic of him in his get-up) 
I'm excited to see what Gray will be up to in 2015!