Six Months.

Happy Half-Birthday, my sweet boy!

Let's see.  Here's the latest and greatest on you:

-You started eating rice cereal mixed with breast milk last week.  Today you started on oat.  We'll also add an evening cereal feeding around dinner time today.  You're a champ.
-You are a stomach sleeper!  Not sure if I've mentioned this or not before but it's been true since you were able to roll.  In fact, if you're strapped into your bouncy seat and are unable to get to your stomach to sleep, you will fuss and fuss and fuss.  You're a boy after my own sleepy heart.
-You're a man on the move now.  You have the ability to roll where you want to go but most of the time you simply drag yourself forward.  You can get your knees up under you without any problems and while you haven't straightened your arms at the same time yet, you have no problem moving forward on your knees and elbows.  It's much more of a drag/creep/propel than it is a crawl but you're learning to get where you want to go.
-Your legs are still strong.  The doorway jump seat is still your favorite and your exersaucer is growing on you more and more every day.
-You've got the same sleep/nurse schedule.  Up for the day and nurse between 7-7:30, cereal with the biggies around 8-8:30, morning nap somewhere in there, nurse around 11:30 or so, afternoon nap at some point, nurse around 3:30, nurse around 8:00 and down for bed.  Tyler stayed with y'all the other night when Daddy and me went out for dinner with some friends and you drank a 10 oz. bottle at bedtime.  It's the only bottle you've had this summer.
-Still in size 3-4 diapers and 6-12 month clothes.  Your well check isn't until next week, so we'll have to wait on your official stats.
-You love your paci (or "pass" as Emmy calls it).  It's just about the only thing you'll cry for...
-Harris has become your caretaker.  If you're crying, he steps in and scoops you up, holds you, comforts you, pats your back, sits with you, whatever...he loves to carry you around the house.  Babe and Emmy love playing with you on the floor or in your jumpy seat.  You're pretty popular around here.
-We still call you Buddy.  More and more and more.  Anytime we're out in public and someone speaks to Emmy, she makes sure to point out her "Buh-y."  She also says your name every time she wakes up; she's always looking to see if we need to get you out of your crib, too.
-You're still my easy going, super cuddly, lovable, adorable, nothing but content, baby of all my babies boy.

And everyone, everywhere says you look just like Harris.  It's kinda true.

Cereal.

Buddy had his first taste of rice cereal last Saturday morning.  I haven't really been in a hurry to give him anything...he's such an easy baby and I love, love, love the ease of nursing (I haven't pumped--and haven't missed it!--all summer) that I hated to add something else to our already busy days!  He'll be six months old in just a couple of days, though, and our next two weeks involve a trip to the beach and the start of the school year, so I figured last Saturday was as good a time as any.

He was a little unsure at first but didn't really protest or complain.  He mostly just wanted to get his hands on the spoon. :)

I honestly wasn't expecting too big of a reaction from him.  I mix his cereal with frozen breast milk so I can't imagine the taste is much different than what he's used to.

Last Saturday morning was also his first time in the high chair.  We have a small seat that hooks directly onto our table that Emmy has been sitting in off and on for the last few months and as of last weekend she has moved into that seat full time.  Buddy now takes his place with the other kids at the table for breakfast. Babe and Harry love watching him eat...

We still haven't tried anything but rice (it's been a week).  I don't have much of a plan (I know-crazy!) other than to try to remain fairly consistent once I add something to the feeding routine.  Right now, he's up for the day and nurses between 7:00 and 7:30, has breakfast with the biggies between 8:00 and 8:30 and nurses again around 11:30, 3:30, and 7:30-8:30 before going down for the night.

I'm thinking I'll add another kind of cereal (oat, probably) this coming week and offer solids at both breakfast and dinner.  After that, who knows?!?!?  Actually, I do.  We'll start with vegetables.  I just haven't really decided when yet...I still need some kind of a plan here, people.

Anyway, so far, so good with the cereal.  He had his first big poop today (so it took just about a week for his little belly to get used to the small amount of cereal he's been getting) and I was abruptly reminded how quickly that stuff starts to stink once food is introduced to those sweet little systems!

And that baby boy of mine, he is most definitely sweet.  Seriously...I can't get enough.

My Buddy.

Love. This. Boy.

He found his tongue last week.  It's impossible to look at him and not smile. :)

Five Months.

We call you "Buddy" now.  Sometimes we say "Thatchy-Buddy" but most of the time it's just plain ol' "Buddy."  Even Emmy says your name:  "Hiiiiiii, Buddy."  It's sweet.  I hope you like it; I have a feeling this will be the name that sticks. :)

I'm actually a couple of weeks behind on the update.  It's been such a sweet, sweet (crazy busy!) summer...and you've been an absolute doll.  Not much has changed this month, honestly.  Still wearing 6-12 month clothes, still wearing size 3 or 4 diaper (you and Emmy share--you can both wear either size), still nursing four times a day (7:15ish, 11:30ish, 3:45ish, 8:00ish, and since I've been home for the summer, you haven't had any bottles all month!), still sleeping wonderfully.  You go down for the evening right after your final feeding.  We had a rough couple of weeks where you would wake up and fuss for a few minutes two or three times a night but you seem to (thankfully) have grown out of that.

Your nap schedule is still crazy (you're sooooo great about going with the flow) but I've started putting you in your crib around 12:30 or 1:00 for your afternoon nap.  I was worried you would wake Emmy if I had you napping in the same room but you both sleep like champs!  So far, so good.

You transitioned to the bigger size pacis a couple of weeks ago.  I'm not even sure you noticed the difference.  You spend more time rolling, rolling, and rolling when you're on the floor and can also inch your way forward on your belly.  You haven't rolled across the room yet but I feel certain that's coming soon.  I've also seen you get your knees up and raise your entire chest off the ground but you haven't mastered doing those two things at the same time yet.  That's okay with me.  You still LOVE to be an upright position, though, and prefer your jumpy seat to the exersaucer.  The big kids love to play with you when you're in the jumpy!

You smile all the time and are perfectly pleasant most of the day.  Everyone comments on what a great baby you are.  It's true.  You are adorable.

We're holding off on cereal until later in July.  You're so content to nurse and I honestly don't want to add anything else to the craziness until I have to.  I know Babe and Harry will be so excited to watch you eat, though...

You are well loved, little boy.  We are so, so thankful for our "Buddy."

Big Sister.

Poppa's Presents.

Poppa always has gifts.  Always.

Baby Boy.

This boy.  I could eat him with a spoon.  

He is cuddly and round and as sweet as can be.  He cries when he's hungry.  Or tired.  Or sometimes when he's wet.

But mostly he smiles.

And if he catches your eye across the room, watch out.  His dimple will get you every time.

Thatch and Had.

He's her "Thatchy Buddy."

She's not always this sweet. :)

Four Months.

I used to say that my favorite stage of "babyhood" was, without a doubt, when babies learned to sit up on their own.  I think I might be changing my mind.  Your four-month-old self is pretty doggone cute. :)

You smile all the time.  You laugh (especially when we tickle your armpits).  You LOVE when Babe and Harry talk "baby talk" to you...you smile with your whole face and that sweet little dimple of yours becomes so noticeable.  It's pretty awesome.  You suck on your entire fist.  You've found your feet, too, and can get quite a few toes in your mouth at once.  You can roll from your tummy to your back and from your back to your tummy but haven't yet mastered the art of rolling in succession.  We've had a few rough nights lately, though, because you'll roll onto your stomach while you are sleeping and wake up extremely angry (and with a couple of limbs sticking through the slats of your crib!).  You're definitely most content sleeping on your side.

You weigh 15 lbs 3 oz and are 25.5 inches long.  You're still a big baby (wearing 6-12 month clothes and finishing up the last size 2 diapers-the next box we buy will be threes) but are starting to average out on the percentile chart.  You continue to do a great job nursing as well.  Not much has changed with your schedule: you're still up around 7-7:30, nurse every four hours (with a "topping off" session right before bed), and sleep from about 9:00-7:00 each night.

You reach for toys, shake rattles, can get your head and chest off the ground when laying on your stomach, LOVE to "stand," while being held (we'll be breaking out the jumpy seat soon), nap whenever you need to (regardless of where you are), coo and babble constantly, and continue to enjoy cuddling.  You'll smile at anyone who speaks to you.  We've started wearing you in the Baby Bjorn whenever we're out (at the grocery store, at the ballpark, etc.) and you never complain.  You still take your paci but aren't nearly as attached to it as everyone else was.  And, in case I haven't mentioned it yet, you're absolutely adorable.

Your newest nickname, given to you by Hadley, of course, is "Little."  "Thatchy-Buddy" and "Thatchy Doe" are still hanging in there, too...but Babe is always saying, "Hey, Little" anytime she sees you.  I love the way she says it and you do, too.

So Happy Four Months, Little. We love you!

Side Sleeper.

Now that Thatch is semi-mobile and can roll and move and shift and "get comfortable," it's easy to see that his sleeping preference is most definitely on his side.

And he's one cute side-sleeper. :)

He Loves His Auntie. :)

Sweet Boy.

One of my favorite things about this sweet boy:  he'll sleep all night long, wake up to nurse, and go right back to snuggling until we're ready to get out of bed.  Ben and I spend a lot of time with him like this, also, once the older three go to bed.

My boys seem to be the snugglers in our family.  I'm not complaining one bit.

Daddy and the Babies.

Three Months.

Oh.  My.  Goodness.

Whenever people ask about my baby, I always answer with some version of the following:  "He's chunky, fat, and absolutely adorable."   And it's all completely true.

People who know my family typically respond with something along the lines of:  "That baby is your Dad."  And that's true, too.  You look a lot like your Pop.

You smile all the time.  You drool all the time.  You blow spit bubbles like a pro.  You "talk" and coo and blow raspberries, too.  And the dimple on your left cheek makes me melt every time I see it.

And you're strong.  You hold your head up very well, are getting better and better at raising your chest while on your stomach, and LOVE to "stand."  I'm always amazed at the strength of your little fat legs.

You're still in a size 2 diaper and now wear 6-12 or 9-month-sized clothes.  You're also still nursing five times a day (7:00ish, 11:00ish, 3:00ish, 7:00ish, and a nightcap around 9:30) and sleeping from about 9:30 until 7:00.  During the week, you're drinking two 8-oz. bottles at Ginnell's.  I have no idea how much you weigh, but you look bigger to me every single day.

You nap whenever and wherever and are still a pretty great nighttime sleeper.  You've started to break out of the swaddle lately, so every now and then we'll hear you whine in your crib, but you always go a good 9 1/2 hour stretch between feedings.  Thank you.

You love to be bathed, love attention from your siblings, and love Ms. Ginnell.  You notice more and more of your surroundings every day and toys now hold your attention for quite some time.

While daily life is often crazy and chaotic, I can't imagine it without you.  You are the perfect "baby" of our family and your go-with-the-flow temperament is perfect.  Babe, Harry, and Emmy lavish you with attention...all you have to do is whimper and at least one of them is at your side.  Daddy and I still enjoy spending a little one-on-one time with you after all the biggies have gone to bed...it will be bittersweet when your bedtime more closely resembles theirs.

We love you, Thatchy-Buddy.  And you can thank Hadley for that nickname.  It's the one we use the most these days, although "Thatchy Doe" has morphed into something more along the lines of "Thatchido" and is still used quite frequently (mostly by me).  You respond with a smile to all of them. :)

What a sweet boy you are.

Breaking Out the Bumbo.

Because this HUGE boy is ready!

And this baby girl doesn't want to give it up. :(

Baby.

Love that boy.

Two Months!

It's so hard to believe it's been two months already...I have a feeling I'll be starting every update about you that way.  Time just seems to move so quickly; the days are so long sometimes but a week or two or three is over in the blink of an eye.  Crazy.

At two months, you weigh 13 lbs and 9 oz and are 22.75 inches long.  You wear size 2 diapers and have just transitioned into 3-6 month clothes.  You are my big, chunky, roly poly, fat boy, "little Ronnie" of a baby.  In other words, you're completely awesome.

You smile and coo constantly and love, love, love, love for us to talk to you.  You're a snuggler, too, and Daddy and me spend the evening hours, after everyone else has gone to bed, holding you as much as we can.

You've grown leaps and bounds with your schedule this month:  I now put you down between 9:00 and 9:30, after your final feeding, and you'll sleep solidly for 9-10 hours.  We started the month with you going down around 10:00 and waking up sometime in the 5:00 hour for a nursing session, but we've moved past that in the last couple of weeks.  Thank you.

You made the move to your crib this month.  You and Emmy now share a room and so far, things seem to be working out well.  The first week or so, when you were still waking up in the middle of the night, was a bit of an adjustment for her (she would wake up whenever we opened the door-no crying, though!) but she's gotten used to it now.  I nurse you and swaddle you in our bedroom so that I can quickly and easily lay you in crib without much of a disturbance.  In the mornings, we swoop in and scoop you up before Emmy even knows we're there (at least, that's our goal)!

You've dropped a feeding this month, too.  Once you're up for the day, you nurse or take a bottle every four hours.  You still eat five times a day, though, because I always nurse you at bedtime even if it hasn't been a full four hours since you're last feeding...we don't want the belly getting empty in the middle of the night!

You started staying at Ginnell's when I went back to work this month.  It's been a completely uneventful transition.  You are ALWAYS content when I pick you up...either snuggling in Ms. Ginnell's lap or sitting in your chair being entertained by all your friends.  It's pretty much perfect. :)

Your newest nickname is "Thatch-y Doe."  I'm sorry.  It just seems to fit, seeing as how Emmy is known as "Emmy Doe" and you two are the babies of the family.  It will most likely be the name that sticks.

Your favorite place to be is in our arms, but if you can't be there, you spend your time in your chair or on the floor.  You've started to deliberately reach for the toys hanging above you on your chair and playmat and continue to improve your head/neck/chest strength while on your belly.

We love you, Thatch-y Doe, and are so looking forward to next two months!!!!!