9 months

I'm not too sure why it's so hard for me to remember to do these posts every month, but here goes:

At 9 months Thomas:

•  Wears mostly 9 month clothing, but also wears some 12 months.
•  Has now tried all the fruits and vegetables on the 2nd foods and hasn't had a reaction to any of them. 
• Got his second tooth - it's also on the bottom.  He's super stingy and won't let many people see them.  
• Loves his tongue!  He's started to stick it out and laughs when we stick out ours to match.
• Had his first trip to the Emergency Room for pneumonia and bronchitis.  Poor kid.  He took it all (including the x-ray) like a champ and was back to his normal, healthy self after a few days. The ER doctor said he'd never seen a baby that laid back when they were that sick.  (That's my boy!!)
• Lights up the room he's in.  He'll "talk" and smile at anyone who will give him attention.  
• Still hates the baby Puffs - I bought vanilla - maybe I should try a different flavor?  He gags and acts like they're poison.  
• Started standing up in his crib so we had to lower it.  He thinks he's the coolest thing ever when we walk in there and he's standing.  How can we be upset that he's not sleeping?  Too stinking cute!
• Started to have the separation anxiety thing just a little bit, but as long as you talk to him from the other room seems to be okay with it.
• Is still very attached to his pacifier - it might be harder to ween him off of it than I thought.
• Had his first Valentine's Day and was smothered in kisses from his Momma and Daddy.
• Had his 2nd overnight stay away from Momma and Daddy.  Everything was so new around him so he didn't sleep much for them.  Oops.
• Has had some sleeping issues - wakes up two to three times per night and can't always put himself back to sleep on his own - which means he's ended up in our bed quite a few times.  Not something we want to get in the habit of.
• He loves family time cuddling in bed on the weekends.  He just lays there and looks back and forth to each of us and just smiles.  He knows we're wrapped around those little fat fingers.
• This boy loves his Daddy more than anything else.  "Da Da" is the only wore he says.  When I hear Tom coming in after work I ask Thomas "Where is Daddy?" - he looks at the door and gets the biggest grins ever when he finally sees him.  There is no better feeling than knowing I picked the perfect man to have children with.  

Thomas is so much more fun than I ever thought possible.  The amount of love I have for him still surprises me daily.  To think that even a year ago I thought my life was full knowing he was on his way.  Knowing this little boy has made me a better person just by being his Momma. Even though there have been quite a few sleepless (or less than 3 hours per night) for Tom and I - we wouldn't trade anything for this little boy.  We are truly blessed and thankful to be his parents. I'll try to post some new pictures this weekend.  :)

8 months - late again!

So, Thomas turned 8 months old on the 8th and somehow I forgot to do his monthly write up.  If time would just slow down just a little bit I could get everything done!  

At 8 months Thomas:

• Wears size 9 months clothes - he's getting too big way too fast!
• Just moved from 1st foods to 2nd foods.  
• Got his first tooth on the bottom!  He's super stingy with it so we have to push his tongue out of the way to see it.
• Started sleeping completely through the night, only to start teething and not sleep as well.  
• Went on his first vacation - I'll do a whole new post on that soon though.
• Started getting up on his hands and knees on his own.  It won't be long before he's crawling!
• Loves his sippy cup, as long as we tip it up for him.  He loves to be a "big boy", but he can't quite do it completely on his own yet.
• Tried those puff baby cereal things that dissolve in his mouth.  He gagged and spit it out like it was poison.  Silly boy.
• Picks his spoon up off his tray and puts it in his mouth.  It won't be long before he will want to feed himself.  Lord help my floor and surrounding walls.
• Loves to sit on the couch between us and just "talk" to us.  
• Has the best giggle I've ever heard.  No matter what kind of day we have, he always makes it okay with that laugh.
• Started reaching out when he wants to go to someone.  Melted my heart the first time he reached out to me with his big toothless grin. 

I'll add more if I think of it over the next few days, and post some more pictures.  I'll also post about our amazing vacation and Thomas's first plane ride. 

Pictures!

My 7 Month Photo Shoot

Can you see the drool in this picture?  Cracks me up!

T loves bath time!

Sitting up - such a big boy now!

Not too sure about lemons.  

First time using his sippy cup - he loves it, but still struggles a bit with it

These are just some of our favorite photos recently. We are so in love with this baby boy!!!

7 months!

Finally!!  I got his monthly update actually on the day!  It's the little things for me I guess. 

At 7 months Thomas:

• Now wears all 6 months clothes. The jeans are almost too small around his tummy. 
• Eats five times per day. Baby oatmeal when he wakes up, a bottle of formula at 9, veggies or fruit and a bottle for lunch, veggies or fruit and a bottle for dinner and a night night bottle with rice cereal in it at bed time.
• Has started sleeping in later recently. He slept until 7 am on Sat and Sun!
• Still wakes up several times per night for his pacifier. I've seen glow in the dark ones - I wonder if they work?
• Is so in love with his daddy. Daddy can make him belly laugh like no one else.
• Had his first Christmas!  He wasn't impressed. He loved the wrapping paper more than his new toys. 
• Still loves words with "ooo" in them. His favorite of course is poop. 
• Will hopefully get a tooth soon!  He's drooling like crazy and puts anything abs everything in his mouth. He was really cranky a few nights ago, but still nothing yet. 
• Stays sitting up if I sit him up. He still struggles to sit up on his own. Might have something to do with his tummy getting in the way. 
• Tried lemons for the first time. His face was priceless as he seemed to hate it. However, he kept going back for more. 
• Has started using a sippy cup. He is so interested in our cups of water that I let him try to get his own. He struggled to get water at first, but once he got it, he loves it. 
• Loves sitting at the table while we eat dinner. He just loves being included. 

I believe that's it for now. I'll post his pictures from the past month later this week. 

Happy 7 months baby boy!!!

Thoughts about the Connecticut tragedy

I thought I worried about Thomas before... before last Friday when I heard the awful news of the tragic event in CT.  Now, I am a mess.  I have always been a worrier... I get it from my mom.  I worry over just about everything, but I especially worry about my boy.  His health, whether or not he is eating enough, if I am being a good mom and a good example.  I worry about him getting hurt, emotionally and physically.  I worry that I might not be around to see him grow up and if that is the case, whether or not someone will make sure to tell him every day how much I love him, how much he was longed for and wanted, and how he has made me the happiest mom on the face of the earth.  After last Friday, I don't want to ever let him out of my sight.  I just want to hold onto him and try to protect him from everything evil in this world.  I know I can't possibly do that, but after everything I went through to get him here, with me, I sure do wish it was possible.  I feel guilt for bringing him into a world that has so much evil but I have been trying to remind myself that there is still much more good and I need to focus on that.  I need to teach Thomas to focus on that. I have hugged and kissed on him so much over the last few days that I am sure he is sick of me, but I can't stop.  I can't stop telling him how much I love him and how lucky I feel to be his mom.  He definitely doesn't understand me and he won't remember at this point, but some day he will be old enough to remember and I want to take every opportunity I can, so there is never a question in his mind. 

The recent tragic events has caused me to reevaluate my life and try to prioritize things a bit more.  I want to be a good example to my son and be the best possible mom I can be for him because he deserves that and so much more.  My goal is to strive to be better.  At everything.  At being a mom. At being patient and understanding.  At being more spiritual and doing a better job of inviting the spirit into our home.  I want to be a better wife and give Tom and Thomas a better home environment.  I am all too aware of the fact that I fought very hard, and prayed even harder to have children and I owe it to him and to our Heavenly Father to do the best possible job in raising him.  

I can't even imagine what those parents are going through, and I hope I never have to.  And though I don't know them personally, all I can do is pray for them.  Pray for peace and love to surround them over the next few weeks, months and years as they do something a parent should never have to do.

Half a Year?!

Seriously I say this every month, but time really needs to slow down!  It is going way too fast and I can hardly keep up with all of the new things Thomas is doing and learning.  

At six months Thomas:

• Still rolls over from his back to his stomach and even though he knows how to roll back over, he refuses to and screams until we roll him back
• Has officially grown out of all 3-6 month clothing.  He's now wearing 6 month outfits and I feel it won't be long before he'll move to 9 months.
• Had a doctor appointment on the 7th and he weighed 20 pounds 8 ounces, which puts him in the 96th percentile on weight.  He is also 26.5 inches long now, which puts him in the 60th percentile.  Overall, he's healthy and just a big boy.
• He moved on to the big boy pacifiers and he loves them.  He can put them in his own mouth now, even if it does take several tries to figure out which way it goes in.
• Started eating fruits - his favorite is pears and his least favorite is bananas.
• Now eats baby oatmeal every morning for breakfast, and a small 2 oz container of fruits or vegetables for lunch and dinner.  
• He received a jumperoo that he absolutely loves. He'll bounce for hours as long as someone is still giving him attention.  Cracks us all up!
• Also received a high chair for Christmas (early) and he loves sitting with us and being included.  Shhh - it also allows me to get dishes and cooking done as long as I still interact with him.  
• Had his first Thanksgiving!  I gave him a bite of mashed potatoes (his first "real" food, and he was disgusted.  Poor kid - he'll learn.  He was also given a taste of sweet potato pie, pumpkin pie and cool whip.  He sure did look for more cool whip.  
• Likes when he's read to. 
• Has recently discovered his tongue and sticks it out whenever possible.
• Is so in love with his daddy.  No matter what he is doing when daddy gets home from work he tries to break his neck to see him if he can't already see the door.
• Belly laughs that makes everything else seem not so bad.  This boy really knows how to make people happy.
• Started making a kissing sound (as well as he can) when his Momma kisses him.  He also started coming toward with me an open mouth when I'm making the kiss sound.  You have to love slobbery open mouth kisses.
• Still loves playing peek-a-boo and thinks it's hilarious.  Every time.
• He wakes up 2 - 3 times a night for his pacifier and then goes right back to sleep.

This boy is already wrapped around his Momma's fingers and I love every minute of it.  He makes me happier than I ever thought possible, and I love having him in my life.  I'm so thankful the Lord chose this little boy for us.  

Such a cheese with his tongue out

Happy boy before his shots

Cutie with his Momma

First time in his new high chair

Loves "reading" books

Spending time with daddy

Spending time with Momma

5 months!

How, oh how has it already been another month?!  What an exciting month!  

At five months Thomas:

• Learned to roll over!  He rolled back to front first which is harder. It took him an extra week to figure it out the other way.  
• Is still wearing some 3-6 month clothes, but mostly just 6 months.
• Started eating rice cereal mixed with formula for breakfast.  He's definitely a fan of food.
• Is now a huge fan of his vegetables.  His favorites so far are sweet potatoes, peas and squash.  His least favorites are green beans.
• Loves when we make noises at him.  He tries to imitate them - so cute to watch him learn!
• Drools everywhere!!
• If it's within his reach it will be in his mouth.  My finger, his toys, his blankets...anything.
• Is in love with his Auntie Tessa that watches him while we work.
• Loves attention - imagine that with his daddy!
• Still melts my heart every time I see him.  
• Loves peek-a-boo.
• Loves when his daddy dances around and moves his arm.  
• Loves his good morning song mommy sings him every morning.
• Occasionally sleeps on his side now. 
• Went as "Officer Brown" for his first Halloween.  Adorable!

Time needs to slow down!  This Mamma can barely keep up with all the new things he's doing.  

 5 months!

Super Cool Guy

Officer Brown

Standing Up

Superman

Our Family

Another as Officer Brown