6 Months: Lessons Learned

 *17 pounds, constantly drooling, spitting, and blowing his lips, not liking food, can roll anywhere but would always rather be upright, laughs really hard when you pretend to walk away but turn around quickly to come back, momma's boy*

Jack turned 6 month on February 08th, here are the lessons we've learned:

• Sneaking sweet potato puree in Jack's mouth while he's crying (because he doesn't want it) isn't a good idea...he has learned how to push things out of his mouth with his tongue.
• Watching Jack laugh in the swing at the park was such a bittersweet moment...he's getting so big! He's getting so big.
• Do not put anything in arm's reach of Jack that you would not want either on the floor or in his mouth. Including the cat's tail.
• Realizing that I can clean while Jack is awake by putting him in the Moby or Ergo (he does not like to be left alone....ever) has been such a lifesaver. I was starting to worry that Ben might evict me.

What did I blog about before I had Jack?? And multiple posts in a week!? Was that life even real?

5 Months: Lessons Learned

*15 pounds/loves to scream and experiment with noises he can make/loves taking steps/rolling over both ways/putting everything in his mouth/finally on a flexible 3 naps a day 'schedule'*

This is very late. Jack turned 5 months on January 08th, so here are just a couple of lessons learned:

• 3 semi-decent naps a day are so much better for my health than random 30 minute catnaps throughout the day.
• Traveling with a baby might be one of the more difficult things I've ever done-from trying to remember all of the random baby things I thought were absolutely necessary as we bounced from house to house (Jack's things took up more room in the suitcase than mine did), to almost losing my wedding rings, to saying goodbyes-I'm just glad we made it back without forgetting Jack.
• Crazy things happen when babies are no longer operating on their normal routine. Idon'tevenwanttotalkaboutit.
• I swear when Jack cries he says "maaaaw". I swear he does.
• Hearing my grandmother sing "You are my Sunshine" to Jack was definitely the highlight of our trip to Chicago. There wasn't a dry eye in the room. Stay tuned for a video...

4 Months: Lessons Learned

*really need to weigh him/smiling and laughing all the time/finally tolerating tummy time in small doses/rolling from stomach to back/loves jumping in his jumper/loves anything that makes him feel strong...including taking steps while Ben holds his arms/getting better at hand-eye coordination*

 

• Projectile 'spit-up' is the craziest thing I have ever witnessed. In my entire life. He opened his mouth and it literally shot across the room. In a constant steady stream that lasted at least 3 mississippi's. The strangest part of it all was that he wasn't even phased by it! Side note: I'm sorry to start off my 'lessons learned' with that one, I completely understand if you can't even continue reading. But I seriously couldn't think of anything else until I got that one out on 'paper'. Honestly though, that experience tops anything I've ever seen in a sci-fi movie.
• Having Ben give Jack his nighttime bottle has been the only wise one of the wisest decisions we have made. Every night around 6:30 I kiss my boys and they head upstairs. Ben gives Jack his bottle and puts him to sleep. And I sit. Or clean. Or cook. Or facebook. Or just stare at the wall. It's ahhhmazing. I sometimes still will go upstairs and steal another kiss.
• Transitioning a sleeping baby from the car to the house is impossible. At least for Jack it is. So if you come over and the car is parked but no one is answering the door-I'm probably sitting in the driver's seat while Jack is snoozing in his car seat. This has also led me to start yelling like a madman or singing opera style to try and keep Jack awake while we're driving home.
• I know I'm supposed to say You're fine when Jack starts to cry if somebody else holds him...but all I really want to say is, Sorry, he only loves me. Now give me my baby. Juuust kidding. And I know this has happened to a lot of people this past month, so really, I'm kidding. ... .......
• Being a mom wasn't something I grew up dreaming of. In fact, I continuously said I wanted to wait until my thirties to even start thinking about babies. I felt uncomfortable, awkward, and intimidated anytime someone called me a 'mom' while I was pregnant. Now, I thank God every morning and every night and countless times throughout the day that He has blessed me beyond measure and given us this sweet boy. Trust in Him, friends, and I promise you, you will not be let down. I promise. His path will satisfy your search for happiness and will bring you joy and peace you've never experienced before. My path was a self-serving, self-seeking, world pleasing, I-deserve-it, what's-in-it-for-me, momentary false sense of happiness path. Every now and then do I find myself back on that path? More than I'd like to admit. Am I thankful that God used my path to get me to where I'm at today? Absolutely. Wouldn't change it if I could. But thank goodness I don't have to continue on it. Thank. You. God.

Proverbs 3:5-6

⁵ Trust in the Lord with all your heart
And do not lean on your own understanding.
⁶ In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He will make your paths straight.
 



3 months and already walking!

3 months and already walking!

Ok...well not quite...but my BIG guy is really making some serious strides!  So are Nicole and I.  Here's what we've learned...

- Parenting is tag-team...She pumps, I clean pump gear.  I change Jack, she makes him smile.  She washes diapers, I stuff diapers.  I try to get Jack down for a nap, she gets Jack down for a nap!  Without her, things like this happen...

- I'm soft...Before Jack was born it had been 12 years since I tasted my own tears...
- Proud takes on a new meaning...This feeling I get when Jack does even the most mundane thing is incredible.
- He's watching me...At 3 months he may not remember the example I set but it won't be long!

- Sometimes what worries us turns out to be a strength...I remember asking Nicole what about being a Mother worried her most.  Her answer: Patience and composure.  In 3 months, I'd say patience and composure are two of Nicole's greatest strengths.  Her calmness and devotion to Jack inspire me.

- We are builders...Every day we are building our family.  We are building up our baby boy and we are building up each other.  Happy 3 months Jack.

2 Months: Lessons Learned

*13 pounds/smiling all the time and it's amazing/almost laughing/cooing/loves being upright*


• Having a vacuum on has helped Jack fall back asleep after the 30/45 minute intruder, but unfortunately we are still dealing with it.
• The nursing room at church is like a safe haven.
• A full night's rest of uninterrupted sleep should be worth a million bucks.
• Always pack a back-up to the back-up diaper.
• When all else fails, turn on the vacuum.

*Shout out to Jessica for the video idea!

1 month: Lessons Learned

1 Month: Lessons Learned

*8lbs 9oz (as of Aug 28)/ so close to smiling (smiles in his sleep or while feeding, but hasn't held eye contact and smiled simultaneously yet)/ so close to coo-ing (I keep telling myself that)/ loves being outside*

• Prioritize naptime duties: No nap is guaranteed, so make sure to do what is most important on your to-do list during the first nap, i.e. shower if it's been a few days and you have an appointment later on...learned this one the hard way
• Expectations are not a good thing: Just because the cute little man took 2 hour naps yesterday, if you expect him to do the same today you are going to be very confused/frustrated when he decides to only take 30 minute naps
• Good burps don't mean a thing:Don't let that burp-that-was-almost-louder-than-your-husband's-burps trick you, there's still a good chance his entire breakfast will end up on your shirt, down your shirt, on your back, or on your comforter
• The 45 minute intruder is NO joke:If you don't know what it is, lucky you and google it...if this nasty foe wouldn't leave your little one alone during daytime naps, did you have any successes dealing with it?
• What worked today may not/probably won't work tomorrow:It's ok! Move on and try something else
• As soon as you start getting cocky/confident, he will pull the rug right out from underneath you: Don't even go there, just don't
• Having a supportive husband who gives you foot rubs during the middle-of-the-night feed on the weekend is truly something to be thankful for (now that I blogged about it does that mean it can become a regular occurrence Ben??)
• Think you've had a hard day? Go ahead, look into those eyes and tell me if it doesn't turn into the best day you've ever had...works every time