On being 6 months...

Dear Kellen Ross,
   You are six months old. Six months. How did that happen? How has a half a year gone by already?  It seems like just yesterday we were heading to the hospital and yet it also seems like you've always been a part of our lives. It makes me a little sad to see some of the itty bitty baby things going away but I am excited for the new things ahead! 
    You are an incredible baby. I think I tell you at least ten times a day how lucky we are. You have the most calm disposition I have ever seen a baby have (and I'm not just saying that because you're mine! :)) Even friends who have worked in daycares say they have never seen a baby quite like you. Daddy sometimes jokingly tells you to stop making noise and to calm down (because you hardly ever cry :)). Someone told me they wanted to pinch you just to see if you actually would cry! (Don't worry- I didn't let them!) You are almost always happy. You smile at everyone and will let pretty much anyone hold you (as long as mama isn't around-- if you see me and someone else is holding you you usually want me).  You are a fantastic sleeper. We have been blessed in this area. You have been sleeping through the night since you were about 8 weeks old (and prior to that you were only up 1-2 times a night).

Stats: You had your 6 month appointment two weeks ago. You weighed 18.4lbs (70th percentile) and your height was 26.5 inches (60th percentile). Your noggin sits comfortably in the 97th percentile :) I say it's because it's so full of brains!

Sizes: We just moved you up to size 3 diapers. They're a bit big on you yet but I'm sure it won't take long for you grow into them. :) You're mostly in 3-6 month clothing and some 6-9. Your footed sleepers were getting too short though so we moved you up to 6-9 in most of those last week. With it being summer, most of your onesies and shorts continue to fit you. Some of your rompers/one piece items are getting small though so we'll have to retire those too before long.

Food: We have started you on solids! Woohoo! You were fed pumped breastmilk (we had difficulties breastfeeding) for 6 months. When we went on our trip, mom weaned you from the breastmilk and you are now taking only formula. We started the solids when you turned 6 months and so far so good. I have been making your food which has been fun too! So far you've had avacado (didn't like it), sweet potato (so-so), peas (didn't like), carrots (yum!), apples (yum!), pears (yum!), plums (yum!)  banana (yum!) spinach (yum!) blueberries (yum!) peaches (yum!) and parsnips (yum!). The consensus is that you obviously love fruit and are so-so on your veggies so far. :)  I would have to say at this stage your favorite food would have to be yogurt though. You cannot get enough of it! You have also had eggo waffles (which you love-- mom cuts them in strips and you love to feed yourself), pancakes, and ice cream (okay, maybe ice cream is your favorite? haha :)). You are also crazy about mum-mums and puffs. I have been trying to give you some more table food-- you want to eat everything that we are eating-- but it still makes me nervous. We'll get there baby boy, I know! :)

Routine/Sleep: As I said above, you are an amazing sleeper. I don't know how we got so lucky! When we are home, you go to sleep about 830. I usually feed you and then we rock or just sit with your blanket. I pat your butt :) and sing you the magic song I have sung to you since you were an itty baby (Godspeed by the Dixie Chicks) this almost automatically puts you to sleep. We usually snuggle a little before I take you to the pack 'n play where you will sleep until 630-7. I get up and get you a bottle and then you will go back to sleep until 9-930. I have to say that this early morning time is my absolute favorite time of the day right now. You are sleeping in your pack 'n play in our room but when you are done with this morning bottle I usually bring you in bed with me. Lately you've just been in your diaper when you do this because I change you at this time too. I lay there with you head resting on my arm, snuggled close to me, and just breath you in. I kiss your sweet head and feel your soft skin against mine and feel like the luckiest person in the world to have you. Sometimes you go right to sleep and sometimes you lay there and stare at me or play with my shirt/earrings for a little while before drifting back to sleep. It is our own special quiet time and it is sacred to me. I will be so sad when the time comes where this does not happen.

Nap wise we're hit and miss. You take naps during the day but often they're short catnaps (30-45min). These usually happen around 12, 3, and 6. I really do not mind this because you are sleeping so well at night and you do not seem fussy/unhappy during the day so I think you're getting enough sleep. Yesterday and today you have taken 2.5 hr naps though so you must be going through a growth spurt! Oh and you almost always fall asleep in the car and you have fully become a tummy or side sleeper. :)  You're also really good and going with the flow with bedtime. On the occasions where we have been out and about past your bedtime (and sometimes WAY past your bedtime) you do so well. Sometimes you'll fall asleep where we are and sometimes you just stay up but again, you're rarely upset by this. Have a mentioned how lucky we are to have such a good natured baby?

Milestones: You are doing so well and getting so big (too fast!). You started sitting up on your own at about 5.5months (it really clicked on our trip to Italy). You do so well with it. At your 6month apt. the pediatrician was really impressed with how strong you are with this. He said most 6mo olds if they're even sitting up yet, are wobbly. You can sit up for as long as you want to pretty much. The only time you really fall is if you are reaching for something far away and it is out of your reach. It usually happens when you try to reach forward and you end up doing a bit of a header :). When on your stomach you can push your torso off the ground but you haven't pushed up onto your knees yet. Sometimes though when you're sitting up and you reach forward, you rock on your knees a little. I have a feeling crawling is not too far off (not sure mama is ready for this! :)). You are also pulling yourself up on me and when people hold your hands. You LOVE to do this and LOVE to stand. You are so proud of yourself when you pull up (as you should be-- it's hard work! :)). You have not pulled up on furniture yet or cruised while holding on to furniture. You have been rolling back to belly for about 2 months but you still are not really rolling belly to back. I have seen you do it-- I think twice. I asked the pediatrician about it at your apt. and he said it was no big deal so that made me feel okay about it. I think you can do it (after all you have before) you just chose not to. :) You love to make lots of noise and have really discovered sticking out your tongue and making raspberries. You have also started babbling consonants (and I love when you say ma-ma even if you're not really meaning to :))

Loves: You love sitting up, playing independently with your toys, pulling to stand, snuggling with mama, dancing, being held, taking walks, looking out the window, laughing with daddy, your baths, the water in general, Chauncey (and any other animals too), and eating. :) Your favorite toys right now are toys you have loved for quite awhile-- Sophie the giraffe, the ring stacker, books, and your activity center. I would have to say that your absolutely favorite toys though are what we lovingly refer to as "Mr. Crab and Mr. Turtle" (Mommy and Daddy weren't too creative :)). They are actually meant to be bath toys (they're little plastic squirters) but you LOVE them. They go everywhere with us (including to Italy :)). You love to chew on them and stare at them. You also really like paper, spoons, and pulling your toys out of your toy basket. You have a couple electronic toys that you are semi-interested in but not a lot. You also have a Johnny Jump-up (thanks Gigi! :)) that we've tried a couple times but it's not been a big hit. I anticipate though once you get the hang of it you'll love it. :)
You almost always start laughing when mom sings the MSU fight song with you-- you love it! You always smile when I sing you the silly songs I made up (like- Kellen Ross, Kellen Ross, I love you, I love you. You are my baby, you are my baby, and I love you, and I love you). :) You also love all things electronic-- including mommy and daddy's iphones and the remote control.

Dislikes: Um...nothing? Seriously I cannot really think of anything you don't like. Okay-- you don't like being licked in the face by grandpa's dog (but I can't blame you on that!) but you crack up when he licks your hands. Let's see..I'm racking my brain... you are sort of starting to go through that I want my mom all the time phase (which is okay with me). So sometimes especially if you're tired, you get a little fussy/whiney if I leave the room. Oh you hate sleeping on your back. If I put you down on your side and you accidentally roll to your back you wake up crying.

Baby boy, I love you so much. It's so cliche but you'll never really know just how much I love you. It is an all encompassing -- I want to smother you with kisses and squeeze you and never let you go kind of love. :) I feel so lucky to have been given the chance to be your mama and I just hope I can be everything you need. I feel so connected to you already and I hope that our bond stays forever and you'll always be a mama's boy :) Thank you for being the incredibly blessing you have been in my life. You have given me a new perspective and outlook on life-- taught me to value what I have more, to hold tight and cherish real friendships, to see the world in new eyes (as I see you experience things for the first time), to take the time to love,snuggle, and share, and know that I can do the dishes or the laundry some other time. I am so proud of the person you are already becoming and I cannot wait to see what our future holds.

I love you Kellen Ross!

xoxo,
Mama

ps. As of now-- all of these pictures are sideways-- I don't know how to fix this...trying to figure it out! :) Sorry!

My little Tiger

My pretty blue eyed boy

Playing with his spoon

Special snuggle time

Happy boy :)

Sup?

YOGURT!