6+ Months

I've been meaning to get to Jake's 6-month post for some time now and am finally doing it! Although he's nearly 7-months-old (in 4 days), I'm sticking with the 6 month title (with the slight change :) since that is the milestone marker I would most likely search for when I look back someday. On to our sweet little boy...

Jakey continues to brighten our home with his almost ever-present smile. I have never met a more smiley baby. He is not necessarily the "happiest" baby ever, if you define happiness as content and never fussing. But he smiles all the time, even in the midst of a fussy moment. Oh, and he gives wonderful hugs and slobbery kisses, sometimes even on command. Sigh. I can't get enough of those! :)

He started solid foods one week before his 6-month birthday, because of a constipation problem and thus his first food was prunes! :o) He still continues to have constipation problems, so we give him prune juice nightly and I am back onto the dairy-free diet (argh!!!), which seems to be helping. His favorite foods so far are zucchini and carrots w/celery. He adapted quickly to eating and doesn't have an easy gag-reflex like the other two which is a nice change. I think he is going to be a great eater.

One week after his 6-month birthday, he had his well-child doctor's appointment. He weighed in at 17 pounds 4 ounces and his length was 25 3/4 inches. Still on the short side (poor boy!), but his weight percentile is moving up and his head circumference percentile moved WAY up (I think around 80%, but they didn't write down the measurement and I forgot it by now).

I don't know if starting solids is what helped him sleep better, but he is finally sleeping better! Yay! He usually goes down around 10pm and will sleep until he wakes for a feeding around 4:30-6am. If I stay awake while nursing, he goes back to his playpen (which is now in the study at night and then I move it back into our room for his daytime naps), otherwise he sleeps the rest of the morning in bed with me, until he wakes for the morning around 8am. He takes a morning nap around 10:30, an afternoon nap about 2:30 and a short evening nap around 7pm (although that one is becoming iffy).

I had been looking forward to the moment that he would sit-up, knowing that he would be more content to be by himself. So, when 6-months arrived and he was not sitting, I decided to spur it along a bit and spent a decent amount of time for several days propping him up with pillows and setting him back up every time he spilled over.

Within a week he was sitting like a pro and didn't need the pillows anymore. He loves to play with toys and watch the big kids play nearby him. As I suspected, he is much more independent now and my back is sure enjoying the break! :o)

He has graduated to my back from the front pack, which is nice when we are out and about because it frees up my movement so much more. He loves to make noises and sounds and it seems like he tries to say, "Hi," "Mama," and "Dada," but, of course, at this point it's too soon to tell if those are just sounds to him or really words. He continues to love bathtub and it is a sure thing to bring him out of a fussy mood. He is different from my other babies with lots of chubby rolls and a huskier middle than I am used to.

Jake loves the outdoors and going on walks.

With his new-found sitting ability, the outdoors has opened up new adventures for him and he really enjoyed the last few days of nice weather we had last week while he explored grass, sticks and the first fall leaves.

And, occasionally, he still topples...but it makes for cute pictures!

I love you so much, my sweet Jacob!