Six months

To my beautiful boy

You are now six months old. That’s a whole half of a year. Incredible.

You seem to be growing and changing by the day now. You are developing the cheekiest facial expressions, and seem to know how to make us laugh. You are starting to laugh in response to us laughing now – previously to make you laugh we had to hold you upside down by the legs and bite your tummy. Seriously. You loved it. Now you laugh at us, at yourself, at games, at toys… So, so precious to hear your giggle!


Your great-nanna Joy has been very sick recently, and not much brings a smile to her face, but every time she sees you, she smiles. You even make her laugh. Just by being you. We also sadly said goodbye to your great-uncle Denis, and similarly, at the funeral, everyone wanted to hold you and talk to you because you make them smile. Such a wonderful gift to give. Actually, everywhere I go lately you smile and chatter to people, and they inevitably ask, “is he always this happy?” And I have to tell them that, yes, you are usually that happy! You are a very happy, bright light of a little boy, and I feel so very lucky to have you!

The other sad thing we did was to say goodbye to Uncle Chris and Auntie Vanessa for a year or so. They are off to live in England for a while. We are going to make sure we get a webcam so that they can see you growing up, and so that you will know who they are. They love you so much, and wouldn't want to miss you too much!


Your crawling is getting better every day. You can get onto your hands and knees very easily, and rock back and forth. You can lift your knees forward one at a time. But when it comes to moving your arms, you collapse. But at least you collapse forward, pick yourself up, and repeat. And eventually get to where you need to be. Which is usually the point in the lounge where the carpet meets the tiles, and where the very sharp carpet gripper is exposed. *Sigh* It doesn’t matter how many toys I get for you to play with, the edge of the carpet is SO much more exciting. That, or remote controls. You can launch yourself over my knees on the couch to grab a remote. We are learning to be quick.


You started on solids this month, and for the most part seem to enjoy your food. You were pretty disgusted with the rice cereal that I started you on, so we scrapped that. You much preferred the sweet potato that I mashed up for you. Now, three weeks later, you are eating banana or pear for breakfast, avocado for lunch, and sweet potato, zucchini, carrot or broccoli for dinner. You also love your rusks, and I snuck you some bolognaise from my plate tonight – you were suitably impressed. But let’s not talk about the new fun at nappy time that solids brings! Eeewwwwwwww.


You are still having five breastfeeds a day – I’m glad you still love feeding, cos I’m not ready to stop yet! You don’t feed for very long these days; maybe 10 or 12 minutes all together, and tend to be very distractable and cheeky. You love your first feed of the day, and the feed just before bed. And you’re back to sleeping through the night. I’ve been putting you down a bit earlier – at about 7.30 – and you mostly sleep through until at least 6am. Your tummy is a firm favourite for sleeping, and I have stopped freaking out about that.

You love other babies and children, and also LOVE your reflection! You could stare at yourself for hours. I don’t blame you. You are ridiculously cute.


We eventually decided that you needed a hair cut. We figured you’d see pictures of yourself as a baby, and have a go at us for letting you get around with out of control hair and a huge rat’s tail. So I took you to the hairdressers for your very first style. Now you look all grown up and spunky. I’m a bit sad to say goodbye to your thick, long hair, but it will grow back!

Before:


During:


After:

So much to love about you! How cute you look on hot days crawling around in just a nappy, or nude when I’m feeling game! Dressing you up all spunky to go out. Watching you munching on a mouthful of food. How amazed you are at your hands and feet. How you wake up happy and play and crawl around your cot for a while in the morning. How you’re all soft and cuddly when I get you up. How your face lights up when Daddy gets home to play with you. Your little voice, and the way you blow out through pursed lips.


Yup. Totally obsessed with you, little one. You’re in bed at the moment, and I’m already missing you. Just want to sniff your hair that smells like bathtime, and give you one more kiss. Love Mummy. xxx

uninspired

Bit uninspired to post lately. Of course, been considering closing this thing down, but it is useful for jogging my memory (which is like a sieve) at times. So, I'll keep plodding along ;o)

Updates: Nanna is not good. She's home. They sent her home. To be comfortable. And we all know what that means.

Had a beautiful 'celebration' service for Roger's uncle last week. It was the loveliest service I've been to. Lots of laughing, sharing of memories and music. It did him justice.

My little man is keeping me occupied and amused. Although he's been a little cranky the past few days. I don't know whether it's the hot, stormy weather, his teeth on the move, or getting used to eating solids, but from lunchtime onwards he's a handful! It's an hour past his bedtime now, and he's whinging in bed... *sigh*

AND... wait for it... I've been scrapping!!!!!!!! It felt so nice! And to get me out of my rut, I did a 12x12. And I liked it! Don't think I'll go back there permanently, but all that space was so refreshing! Here they are, anyways:

OLD photos of one of my high school friend's wedding. And I learned how to scan and stitch a 12x12 layout. It really is easy. LOL.

And a very colourful New Year's Eve layout. The journalling basically says how NYE will never be the same now that we have a baby!

And yes, one of my resolutions is to use more than one photo on a layout. Going to still do some single photo layouts, cos I *love* the space, but if I need more pics to tell the story, then I'll use them.

Might even do some more tonight. Now that all my stuff is out, I might as well get some pages done until Rog cracks it over my stuff taking over the dining table.

Speaking of which... we have decided to sell our house!! OMG, SUCH a big decision for me - I HATE moving, SO much! But, we just don't fit in our house. It seems a little greedy - we have a three bedroom house and all - but it's so impractical for kids. Tiny lounge, STEEP backyard (can imagine lots of injuries!), no safe street to ride bikes on... So, we're going to pretty this place up and sell! I just want either an extra bedroom or an extra living area. Somewhere to put a sewing/craft table, the computer and work stuff, and some more babies!!

And no, I'm not pregnant again. LOL.

The boy has finally fallen asleep, the wrong way around in his cot. He can stay there. I'm going to go and enjoy a beer. Roger's off playing poker, and I'm going to relax. Aaaaahhhhh.

I'll leave you with the cutest thing I've seen all week ;o)

Five months

My baby boy

Five months old! How could we possibly have known you for five months? But then again, it feels like you have been with us forever… I have become a bit slack with your milestones and memories – not writing things down or taking as many photographs. I should know that with my mummy-brain I don’t remember anything important.
Christmas came and went with much fuss and many presents. You were VERY spoilt. You got a lovely high chair, books, clothes and loads of toys. We had to make two trips to get everything home! You didn’t seem to care that everyone wanted to play with you, because you slept most of the day!

So… thinking WAY back to before Christmas… You had just started rolling from your back to your tummy. And then you decided to forget how to do it. For a couple of weeks. Then, all of a sudden you were a pro at it again, and can now cross half the room by rolling from back to tummy to back again. It’s a bit scary now that you don’t stay where I put you! You even managed to roll off a cushion onto the floorboards at Mel’s house and bang your head on the ground. Mummy was very sorry about that!

You manage to do a little commando crawl every now and then, but only when you’re not thinking about it. Other times you just lie on your tummy like a sky-diver and kick your legs, trying to will yourself towards your toys. Very cute, but not very effective.

You have mastered the skill of thumb sucking, and have even gotten your toes in your mouth on a few occasions. Otherwise, it’s someone else’s finger, necklace, clothes… you’re not very picky.

We have been swimming quite a few times, which you seem to love. So cute how you automatically knew how to kick your legs! After a bit of practice in the bath, we can know dunk you under the water and you know to hold your breath. Hopefully you will be a water baby, because your daddy and I both love the water.

I am so very happy to report that you are saying ‘mum-mum-mum’. I know that you don’t have any idea of what you’re saying, or that it refers to me, but I love to hear it anyway. You say it as clear as anything in your husky baby voice, with a big smile on your face. You also say ‘bub-bub-bub’ and ‘yeah-yeah-yeah’. You are getting so much more expressive with your voice and face. I spend hours laughing at your expressions. And you manage a smile for everyone – friends and strangers alike – no matter what mood you’re in. You are a very happy and content little person.

You are now feeding about four-hourly, which is lovely! It is nice to be able to go out to the shops and not worry about having to stop to feed you. And there is significantly less vomit in our lives. Still vomit, just less. You also often have nice long naps, and I can get so much done! For about three weeks this month you were waking in the middle of the night. It was very hard to get used to that night-time feed again! Then you went back to sleeping through for a while, and then for two nights this week woke in the early morning again. Yesterday I decided to drop a nap, and put you to bed earlier, and you slept from 8.30pm until 7.30am this morning! Heaven for me!


You have been having a bit more daddy time lately, because I have started doing Tupperware parties. Because your feeds are a bit more spaced out now, I can leave you with daddy while I go to a meeting or a party, and he can play with you and bath you before I get home for your last feed and to put you to bed. I am hoping that in the next month we can start you on solids, and get you to bed nice and early so that I don’t have to worry about rushing home for a feed. You’re such a good boy, though, that I don’t mind it!

You are growing so fast, and getting cuter and cuter every day. I love how interactive you are now, and how you get your feelings across to us! I love that you still love lots of cuddles. I love your dark eyelashes, and bright blue eyes. Your round chubby feet and crazy hair. How you burrow into your bed to go to sleep.

You are so adored by everyone around us, but most of all by daddy and me. I am so proud to see you growing up into a strong, clever little boy. I often creep in to watch you sleep, and gloat to myself about what a wonderful son I have. You are my bestest blessing. Love you.

Mummy xxx

*Sigh*

That's a bit how I feel today. Unmotivated, lethargic... I think hayfever's got a lot to do with it. Damn itchy eyes and runny nose. And perhaps my mile-long to-do list is also playing a part.

Shouldn't have browsed the 2Peas message board today. Gee whiz those girls get nasty. For no reason. Worse than what has been going on in Au. Made me want to scrap in bright colours ;o)

The December issue of For Keeps ROCKS. Loved all the beautiful Christmas OTP stuff. LOVED Sarah Van Wijck's stuff in 'introducing'. Lots of great layouts and beautiful photography.

Having a dinner party tomorrow. Gluten-intolerant guest. Should be ok! Desperately need to clean the house though.

Heading to Scrap to the Max on Saturday for an all-day crop. Really hoping that D behaves himself. Not expecting to get much scrapping done!

Did this yesterday. Turned out kinda wierd.



And look how big my gorgeous boy is now! We had him weighed and measured yesterday - 6.3kg and 63cm long. Just over average. Just perfect.


Impossible to get a photo of him *without* his hands in or near his mouth. I love the sound of him sucking on his fists.

Gotta go and hang some washing out. Preparing for a HOT day - predicting 36. Beautiful outside at the moment, though...