Happy Half-Birthday, Miles!
Where does the time go?
Six months ago today I was handed the most beautiful baby I have ever seen as he entered the world. He was crying and covered in gooey stuff but he was so beautiful.
Today, that same baby looks at me with his enormous blue eyes and I melt. He wraps his arms around my neck when I carry him and all is right in the world.
I can’t imagine what I did with all this love before he was here to soak it up.
I’ll try to stop gushing long enough to give an update on all of us.
The past two months have been eventful. Unfortunately, not all of those events have been positive.
On December 18th, Brandon’s mother Valarie passed away very unexpectedly. We spent about 3 weeks up in Ohio with Brandon’s dad and brother. They’re doing well, but of course it will take time to heal. She is missed by all of us. She loved Miles so much and I’m so sorry he won’t get to know her. I’m going to work on a scrapbook-type memory book to share her story with him.
We did a lot of traveling over the past two months. In addition to our long drive to and from Ohio, Miles also took his first plane ride! On Christmas Day, Miles and I flew to TN to spend a few days with my family. It went better than expected. I was worried he would scream the whole time or have a massive poop during takeoff, but it wasn’t bad at all! I even nursed him on a crowded plane!
Yes, he’s still breastfeeding. I have to say that I am so impressed that none of the doctors or nurses that we have come in contact with during all of Miles’s medical issues ever suggested that we give up. I’m sure lots of people thought that would be best for all of us, but I’m so glad we stuck with it! He’s thriving now and breastfeeding is totally second nature. We are co-sleeping (or sleep-sharing, whichever term you prefer), meaning he sleeps in bed with us. It makes night nursing so much easier and we are all three happy with this arrangement, though Brandon and I know it can’t last forever.
At Miles’s weight check three weeks ago he weighed 15 lbs. 6 oz. and he is now nearing 17 lbs. He’s never going to be a huge baby, but he’s healthy. I’m anxious to see how tall or long he is at his 6 month appointment on Monday.
Let’s see…Milestones…Well, he isn’t rolling over on a regular basis. I’m not sure why. He has done it, so I know he CAN, he just doesn’t seem interested. He loves being on his tummy and seems like he’s close to getting up on all fours. He loves jumping in his Jumperoo. He gets the biggest grin on his face when he’s jumping.
He’s currently working on sitting up unassisted and becoming more mobile on the floor. I can’t believe he’ll be crawling soon!
He has developed quite a little personality. He squeals with laughter when we play with him and I can tell he’s going to have a great sense of humor.
He has two teeth on the bottom now! They both came through this month, about 3 weeks apart. The first one caused him to be very very fussy the night it finally came through. The second one caused lengthier fussiness, over several days.
In preparation for his 6 month appointment on Monday I went ahead and gave him his first serving of rice cereal two days ago. Why did I start before the appointment? I wanted to be able to share with her how he did with it and discuss and questions or concerns I have at the appointment. He was so cute taking his first bites. I have a video of it on Facebook.
I am making all of his food, including the cereal. I used instructions I found online, mostly at wholesomebabyfood.com. For the rice cereal, I had to grind up brown rice with a food processor, then cook the powder just like cooking rice. Yesterday I steamed and then pureed peaches and broccoli. The peaches I might give him next week but the broccoli won’t be used until he’s 8 months old (the recommended age for broccoli). I just made it because I had it. I think I’m going to give him sweet potatoes for his first vegetable. If any of you have questions about making baby food, just let me know. I’d be happy to give you the real deal on how easy it is, what issues I ran into, etc.
Because I have started regularly leading Weight Watchers meetings, he is spending 3-3.5 hours a week with a babysitter, someone from our church. He seems to love it and I don’t mind it since it’s just for a few short hours. I’m very blessed that I’m able to stay home with him.
I thought I would share some of my favorite things about being Miles’s mother:
-The way he grabs onto my shirt or whatever he can grab so very tightly while he’s nursing.
-The light of recognition I can see come over his face when he sees Brandon or myself and the smile that instantly follows.
-When he’s on his changing table his little legs and feet are just constantly moving and when he lightly kicks my stomach it feels so much like it did when I was pregnant with him.
-The way he buries his face in my neck when I carry him while he’s sleeping.
-The way he reaches his hand up to feel my neck and face (as far as he can reach) while he’s nursing.
-The way he explodes into giggles when I cover his feet in kisses.
-The obsession he currently has with sticking out his tongue.
-When he wakes up in the morning, he rolls over toward me and usually lets out a little squeal like he forgot I was there and is so excited to see me!
I find it hard to remember what life was like before he joined our family. He’s incredible. What else can I say?
Six months ago today I was handed the most beautiful baby I have ever seen as he entered the world. He was crying and covered in gooey stuff but he was so beautiful.
Today, that same baby looks at me with his enormous blue eyes and I melt. He wraps his arms around my neck when I carry him and all is right in the world.
I can’t imagine what I did with all this love before he was here to soak it up.
I’ll try to stop gushing long enough to give an update on all of us.
The past two months have been eventful. Unfortunately, not all of those events have been positive.
On December 18th, Brandon’s mother Valarie passed away very unexpectedly. We spent about 3 weeks up in Ohio with Brandon’s dad and brother. They’re doing well, but of course it will take time to heal. She is missed by all of us. She loved Miles so much and I’m so sorry he won’t get to know her. I’m going to work on a scrapbook-type memory book to share her story with him.
We did a lot of traveling over the past two months. In addition to our long drive to and from Ohio, Miles also took his first plane ride! On Christmas Day, Miles and I flew to TN to spend a few days with my family. It went better than expected. I was worried he would scream the whole time or have a massive poop during takeoff, but it wasn’t bad at all! I even nursed him on a crowded plane!
Yes, he’s still breastfeeding. I have to say that I am so impressed that none of the doctors or nurses that we have come in contact with during all of Miles’s medical issues ever suggested that we give up. I’m sure lots of people thought that would be best for all of us, but I’m so glad we stuck with it! He’s thriving now and breastfeeding is totally second nature. We are co-sleeping (or sleep-sharing, whichever term you prefer), meaning he sleeps in bed with us. It makes night nursing so much easier and we are all three happy with this arrangement, though Brandon and I know it can’t last forever.
At Miles’s weight check three weeks ago he weighed 15 lbs. 6 oz. and he is now nearing 17 lbs. He’s never going to be a huge baby, but he’s healthy. I’m anxious to see how tall or long he is at his 6 month appointment on Monday.
Let’s see…Milestones…Well, he isn’t rolling over on a regular basis. I’m not sure why. He has done it, so I know he CAN, he just doesn’t seem interested. He loves being on his tummy and seems like he’s close to getting up on all fours. He loves jumping in his Jumperoo. He gets the biggest grin on his face when he’s jumping.
He’s currently working on sitting up unassisted and becoming more mobile on the floor. I can’t believe he’ll be crawling soon!
He has developed quite a little personality. He squeals with laughter when we play with him and I can tell he’s going to have a great sense of humor.
He has two teeth on the bottom now! They both came through this month, about 3 weeks apart. The first one caused him to be very very fussy the night it finally came through. The second one caused lengthier fussiness, over several days.
In preparation for his 6 month appointment on Monday I went ahead and gave him his first serving of rice cereal two days ago. Why did I start before the appointment? I wanted to be able to share with her how he did with it and discuss and questions or concerns I have at the appointment. He was so cute taking his first bites. I have a video of it on Facebook.
I am making all of his food, including the cereal. I used instructions I found online, mostly at wholesomebabyfood.com. For the rice cereal, I had to grind up brown rice with a food processor, then cook the powder just like cooking rice. Yesterday I steamed and then pureed peaches and broccoli. The peaches I might give him next week but the broccoli won’t be used until he’s 8 months old (the recommended age for broccoli). I just made it because I had it. I think I’m going to give him sweet potatoes for his first vegetable. If any of you have questions about making baby food, just let me know. I’d be happy to give you the real deal on how easy it is, what issues I ran into, etc.
Because I have started regularly leading Weight Watchers meetings, he is spending 3-3.5 hours a week with a babysitter, someone from our church. He seems to love it and I don’t mind it since it’s just for a few short hours. I’m very blessed that I’m able to stay home with him.
I thought I would share some of my favorite things about being Miles’s mother:
-The way he grabs onto my shirt or whatever he can grab so very tightly while he’s nursing.
-The light of recognition I can see come over his face when he sees Brandon or myself and the smile that instantly follows.
-When he’s on his changing table his little legs and feet are just constantly moving and when he lightly kicks my stomach it feels so much like it did when I was pregnant with him.
-The way he buries his face in my neck when I carry him while he’s sleeping.
-The way he reaches his hand up to feel my neck and face (as far as he can reach) while he’s nursing.
-The way he explodes into giggles when I cover his feet in kisses.
-The obsession he currently has with sticking out his tongue.
-When he wakes up in the morning, he rolls over toward me and usually lets out a little squeal like he forgot I was there and is so excited to see me!
I find it hard to remember what life was like before he joined our family. He’s incredible. What else can I say?