Tales from Mommy Merrill: 6 Months Young

"I love to kick - but this thing is a little big, mom..."

Stats 'n' Stuff:

Weight: 18 lbs 9 oz

Height: 27 3/4 inches

Eyes: Still blue! I think it's time to take this "stat" down...this boy's eyes are staying blue!

Hair: Blonde and there are offically 'strands' of hair - not just fuzz anymore!

Sleeping habits:
- Daytime   He is getting in much more of a routine with his daytime naps. Usually a late morning nap (pretty short...30 min or less) and an afternoon nap. This one is less predictable - usually happens between 2 and 4:30 and can last anywhere from 30 min. to 90 min.

- Nighttime   - this month was not great ... but not as bad as last month! He started going to bed earlier - between 8 and 9pm and would wake up once between 1 and 3am... then usually sleep until 6:30 or 7.   The funny thing is that he spent the night with Grandma and Grandpa Merrill several times in August - but always seems to sleep great there???!!!! Hmmm...little rascal! (but mommy is very thankful that he sleeps good for Grandma!)

new stuff:

ROLLIN' ROLLIN' ROLLIN' - KEEP THIS BABY ROLLIN'! If we put him on the floor, he would seriously roll all the way across the room. He just loves it. Sometimes he doesn't even stop in the middle of his roll, he just keeps going!

FOOD: This mama is proud to say she is still nursing the little guy :-)

Also - near the end of the month we started baby food! However -- made a mistake by sending daddy to the store to get the food. He came back with this nasty organic stuff in these wired pouches (sorry to all my organic loving friends) but it was broccoli and apples mixed and tasted HORRIBLE.   He had no clue what he was looking for. 'A' for effort :-) But Drew does love his new foods! So far he has tried sweet potatoes, green beans, bananas and apples. Bananas were the winner - but he really liked his sweet potatoes too!

SITTING UP: Getting better and better!

Favorite things to do:

Listening to mommy and daddy's voices. He is so much more alert and aware of who is talking and who is in the room. He even loves to track Sammy... he can hear his little paws tap into the room and will perk his head up to see where he is. Precious.

Stroller rides with Grandma Merrill :-) It's been SOOO hot here lately, but on the days when Grandma is over early her and Drew take their morning stroll. I just know he loves it!

The Jumparoo is still up there near the top. If I'm not sure if I should put him in it, I'll stand him up and see if he just starts jumping/bouncing in place... if so -- it's time to jump it out!

Anything with a wrapper or that makes a crinkling sound! I am seriously considering buying that paper stuff they have at the doctor's office. He goes CRAZY when you lay him down on it!

Things he does NOT like to do:
- He is a very happy camper - can't think of too many things he doesn't like to do right now!

Things he has learned

1. How to eat baby food!

2. How to get his toes to his mouth! I actually caught him with his thumb in his mouth, pulling on his toe with the other hand, and kicking the opposite leg all at the same time. Now that takes talent!

3. How to kick so hard in the bath that the water splashes out of the tub!

4. How to put himself to sleep at night. After his last feeding I sing to him, we say our prayers and I lay him down in his crib. He will just babble and mumble for about 10 min and then he's out!

Things mommy has learned:

This was probably the hardest month so far for me due to work stuff. We had 5 customer orders for on-site sales training and it was time to pack the breast pump, cooler, ice packs and hit the road. I have some great stories...thank goodness my customers are all so understanding! I actually pumped one night in the back seat of a van cab while my customer (female of course - a senior director at Bright House with two kids of her own) was riding in the front. HA! Oh...and I've pumped on a plane (twice) an in the Dallas, Los Angles, Charlotte and Indianapolis Airports.

I have also learned about the 'guilt' that no one warns a new mom about. I hated being away and felt very guilty every day. I've heard this guilt thing never goes away... I guess I better get used to it because this working mama doesn't have the option (or desire) to stop!

But the greatest thing I've learned (and Ronnie agrees) is that we have realized that we love him more then the day before... every day. It's an unbelievable feeling. We often sneak in to his room together before we go to bed just to look at him :-)

Here are some of our favorite pics from the month: