{Watch Me Grow} 6 Months

Half a year old! He's getting so big and becoming such a handsome lil man! A little charmer and many say I'm going to have to shoo the girls away when he gets older ;) He's so easy to make smile and is usually a happy guy.

Milestones:

ROLLING!! Everywhere! He is a rolling machine and likes to get into things his sister has left out. She doesn't like it too much when he gets into her art stuff or grabs her pictures she's colored. Guess she'll learn sooner or later not to leave it in her brother's path!

He is trying to figure out the crawling thing. He gets up on his knees and rocks back and forth, but hasn't figured out how to get his legs and arms to work together. Soon I'm sure! Then I'm really going to have to do some baby proofing. I didn't do much with Katelyn, but he is already finding the cords and other things he shouldn't!

"Look what I found! I'm sure you don't want me in this stuff!!"

Language:

No words yet. Lots and Lots of babble. I'm hoping that "Momma or Dadda" will be coming out soon!

Eating:

He still is a great eater when it comes to baby food. He will eat about everything, but is not a big fan of bananas. I can get him to eat some of the vegetables (sweet potatoes, squash) a little better if I mix the spoon of vegetable with some pears. His favorite foods so far seem to be green beans and pears.

" Squash in my hair?! No big deal Mom."

I am still pumping, but am planning on switching over to formula soon. This ol' cow is getting tired! :) I'm ready to not be tied to that machine every 4-5 hours. I commend those moms that are able to do it for a year. I set my goal for 6 months (which was what Katelyn got as well) and I've made it! I am not making enough to completely sustain him anymore and the freezer stash is alllllmost gone, so I will have to supplement with formula anyways. Soooo, we'll see what the next month brings!

Sleeping:

Getting a little better than last month, but nothing to write home about. Usually he is waking up one time per night and it's always around 3 AM, then will eat and go back down until about 7. When he wakes up at 3, it's like he wants to be up for a while - wide awake, rolling around his crib and then he starts to get agitated and wants someone to get him. When he wakes up and eats, he's been eating 6-7 oz so he is hungry, but I think he could make it through the night without eating. If he gets on formula, I'm hoping that will keep him fuller longer and then we'll start the crying out thing again.

He takes a short cat nap about 1.5-2 hours after waking up; usually it's just in the car when we are on the way to dropping Katelyn off at school and running errands. Then he takes a nap in his bed (on a good day) around 11-12:30 (when I have to wake him most days to go get Katelyn from school) and then around 2:30-4:30ish. And then he goes to bed between 7:30-8. He starts to get pretty fussy around 7, but we've tried and found out that keeping him up until 7:45-8ish makes for a longer first stretch. Oh I can't wait for a full night sleep!!!

Travel/Events:

We went to Silver Dollar City with the Watkins'. Poor Will and Kennedy didn't get to have too much fun. He spent his time in the stroller, but was a good trooper while his sister had a great time. It'll be his turn soon!!

Watching everyone go on rides at Silver Dollar City

We've gone to the pool on post a few times and the water has always been cold, but he hasn't seemed to mind it.  Hopefully he'll be a water baby!

 

Papa and Grandma came to visit and gave him plenty of attention.

Will and Papa. Unfortunately, I didn't get a picture with Grandma too. :(

Favorite Toys:

• His aquarium hanging on the side of his crib! He knows how to turn it on and off with just about every body part i.e. head, legs, foot, arm. I have recently had to take it off his crib because when he was waking up in the  middle of the night and getting agitated, he would lay perpendicular in his bed and kick it with his feet and it was banging on the side of the crib. Maybe someday he can have it back......maybe once he starts sleeping at night!

"See Momma, this is how I do it."

• His SISTER!!! I love how they are starting to interact and Katelyn can really get him laughing! She makes this crazy laugh and he just giggles and giggles. He has to make sure he can see her or knows where she is. If she walks away, he has his eyes on her always.

Looks like they are already plotting against me! It didn't take too long!

Smiles:

Just a few of the many that I've captured this month! I just can't seem to get enough of that gummy smile!

 

Weekly Pictures:

22 Weeks - July 27, 2012

23 Weeks - August 3, 2012

24 Weeks - August 10, 2012

25 Weeks - August 17, 2012

Stats:

Weight: 75th percentile

Height: 49th percentile

I'm a little prejudice, but isn't he just the little stud muffin in that outfit?! Little boys really are fun to dress!

Happy half birthday lil man! We love you so much!!!

Silver Dollar City

Today, we headed to Branson, MO to meet the Watkins' and go to Silver Dollar City. They have season passes and get a certain number of free passes per year so they invited us to go with them. Katelyn always has a blast playing with Reagan so she was really excited. We didn't tell her until the night before that we were going because I didn't want to get asked 90 times during the week if we were going to see Reagan that day.

The rides open at 10, but you can enter the park beforehand and only go so far and then it's blocked off until 10. But in the mean time, they do the Pledge of Allegiance, Star Spangled Banner and then raised the flag. I makes me so happy to see Katelyn put her hand over her heart whenever she hears the Star Spangled Banner. (She learned that from watching NASCAR races. I guess something good has come out of them! heeh)

Hands over their heart while the flag is being raised.

Rolling the big ball in water

When we first got there, the kids got measured for height and given a bracelet. They were color coded so the ride attendant knew if they were tall enough to ride that particular ride by themselves or needed an adult and it also had a phone number of a parent in case they got separated. I thought this was a great idea!

 

The roller coaster was her first ride at the park and the girl didn't even think twice about it. She just ran right up to the line. This was the one ride Reagan wouldn't ride, but Katelyn had no fear. I think she is going to be Daddy's roller coaster fan because she sure didn't get this from me! She was squealing and giggling the whole time! It really zipped around the track for it being a kiddie ride!

Snack time with Kennedy and Reagan

More rides with Daddy

 

And then there were 3 rides that the kids could ride without the adults. The frog ride was her favorite. These frogs hopped and the girls actually got some air! Good thing for seat belts! Well just check out the video to see what I'm talking about!

We ate lunch at SDC and the guys were going to go ride another big kid roller coaster, but as soon as they got to the ride, they closed all the rides because they had spotted lightning in the area. It was about 1:30 by this time, the kids had ridden all the kiddie rides once and were starting to get a bit rambunctious and the littles were ready for their naps. So we make the call to call it a day. Good thing too because as soon as we got to the car, it started raining so hard you couldn't even see to drive! Despite the rain cutting it a bit short, we had a great time, as we always do with the Watkins'!

Papa and Grandma's visit

Papa and Grandma came to visit for the weekend. We hadn't seen them since June so Katelyn was VERY excited for them to come visit!! The weather over the weekend was absolutely BEAUTIFUL! If I could find a place that had weather like that all year round, I would move!

We took advantage of the nice weather and spent LOTS of time outside! We went to the park on Friday morning and skipped some rocks in the creek, played on the slide and swings and saw the Waynesville Rural Fire Dept Truck. They were at the park to fill up a dunk tank for an event that was going on. Katelyn and Papa were watching them fill it up and one of the firefighters noticed them and asked if she wanted to get on. Well of course!!!

The firefight put the headphones on Katelyn and was planning on putting the other set on himself and talking to her through the headphones, but someone forgot to charge the other set so the battery was dead. (I don't think that is supposed to happen. He didn't seem too pleased that the set didn't work!)

When we got home, I made some spray sidewalk chalk. Thanks Pinterest!! Katelyn enjoyed it; however, a spray bottle with water was just as if not more exciting. She went around spraying everything in sight! Why hadn't I thought of a spray bottle before now! Every little kid loves to spray with those things!!

Of course the bush needed some spraying.

Papa and Will

I didn't get many more pictures from the weekend, but it was great to just hang out and spend time with them! Of course, Katelyn LOVED all the extra attention she got and Will was just fine with them as well. Papa and Grandma got to go to Katelyn's swimming lessons on Friday night and she loved showing off for them.

Swimming Lessons

Post was offering Level 1 swim lessons and Katelyn was repeatedly telling me that she didn't know how to swim and wanted to learn. This level required parent involvement, so Jack made sure he was off of work early enough to spend a little time in the water with her. Katelyn's friends also took the same swimming lessons. The kids all enjoyed their extra time with their Daddy's. She's continued to ask about going back to swimming lessons.

Practicing floating on her back and swimming on her tummy with the instructor.

These swimming lessons brought back lots of memories of swimming lessons for me as a kid. When I first started, they put us on the steps and we practiced blowing bubbles and going under water. Ahhh, the memories!!

By the end of the first night she was willing to jump in from the side!

And even this silly girl poses for pictures at the pool!

Going down the slide after Katy.

Here she comes!!!!!!

These lessons didn't teach her strokes or anything too technical, but we just wanted her to be more comfortable with the water. I think she accomplished that! Now we just need to go back to the pool during the winter so she doesn't lose what she's learned! AND, she can spend some more time swimming with her Daddy!

FLW Pool

We spent a little time at the pool on post with some friends. The sun went under and it actually got cool so we headed home after about an hour. I can't believe I'm saying that we got cold. The pool is shaded so that added to the coolness. Katelyn is cold even when it's 100 outside though; she needs a little more meat on those bones!

Shooting Katy with the water gun

Will enjoying the water sitting on Mommy's lap.

Katy and Katelyn "swimming" and being goofy

Blowing Bubbles! Next step, blowing bubbles under water.

Those girls!!!

{Randomness} July

July 7, 2012

July 12, 2012 - Swimming at the pool on post with Katy

July 13, 2012

July 13, 2012 - A $3 find at a garage sale. She is all ready for soccer. Too bad it doesn't start until January for the little guys. Hopefully the cleats still fit!

July 28, 2012 - the 3 little ones. Will - 5 months; David B - 6 months; David L - 8 Months. Oh what fun and trouble these guys are going to find in about 6-9 more months!! Watch out!!! And the older ones are also close in age.

Story time at the Fort Leonard Wood Library. They read a few books and then do a craft. Katelyn's favorite part is the craft. We usually find some books to bring home as well. And then the best part is getting to have lunch with Daddy afterward. (The library is in the same building as Jack works in)

 Until next month!

{5 Months Photos}

Will's 5 month photo shoot!

 There are lots of pictures....it's tough to cut some out when they are so cute ;) I know I'm a bit biased!

ENJOY!

 

Such a happy, photogenic lil guy!