Wednesday, May 09, 2012

Month 6 - Recap

Little Bear,
Hey, you know what's really cute? Besides your delicious dimples and your tasty toes (and my apparently penchant for alliteration), of course. You like to snuggle. Not for long periods of time (bummer), though, but I'll take it. There are often times during the day where you've got a full belly and an empty diaper, but you're still fussy. And all you need in those times seems to be a hug . I pick you up and you immediately stop crying. You hold on to my arm and start cooing. All you need is two or three minutes, then you're fine going back to your regularly scheduled tummy time (or rather, back time - you still hate being on your stomach). I hear there are babies who like to cuddle all the time, and while I appear to not breed those types of babies, I cherish that you need little periods of some Mommy Cuddles. It's flippin' fantastic.

You've really discovered your voice this month. You like to jabber. And squeal. Squeeeeeeeeeeeeeeal. Seriously, dude, you're killing me with the squealing. You sound like a dilophosaurus, before he spits the nasty goo from his mouth (when you're older, we'll watch Jurassic Park so you can see that scene). You sound like you're crying, but when I go to check on you, lo and behold, you're happy - but squealing like a banshee.

You're consistently inconsistent in how you sleep at night. Sometimes you only wake up once, sometimes you wake up twice (note: I like those nights the least), sometimes you don't wake up at all (note: I like those nights the best). We've had to start you on a swaddle detox program since you ended up rolling over while swaddled (thankfully you did it when you were in the living room and we saw you right away). Your arms are still pretty flail-y and spazzy, so I was worried as to how you'd do without being swaddled. I was pleasantly surprised at how well you did at night. You didn't wake up any more than you did when you were swaddled. Naps, however, are a completely different story. You're pretty much a wretched unswaddled napper. Soooo, yeah. Let's work on that, shall we? Mommy likes naps herself. And Mommy can't take a nap if the youngest Smithkid insists on not napping.

You still haven't cut any teeth, despite the mounds of wet bibs and burp rags that accumulate every day. I could have sworn you would have teeth by now, but so far, no dice. Your gummy smile is so unbelievably charming, though, so I'm fine with your toothless state.

I can't believe you're six months old already. That's half a year! (I know, I'm pretty stellar at math). Your enormous head is still keeping you from being able to sit up well. Your current record is 2 seconds sitting up by yourself without face-planting. But you're able to roll quite well, so I think gone are the days where you stay put. *sigh* I so enjoyed your immobility.

Please don't call DCF, but I took a kid-free trip this month. Yes, the mother of a child who will not take a bottle took a kid-free weekend trip. [I had a good reason - one of my dearest friends graduated Summa Cum Laude from law school] But your Daddy is a marvelous Daddy who insisted I needed a little break from the craziness that is you and your sister. When I protested and said that you don't take a bottle, Daddy laughed and said "He will if you're not here!" And wouldn't you know it, you DID! The first day was the worst - you are one stubborn little punk, and you were highly offended by the bottle. It didn't take long, though, for your hunger to outweigh your stubbornness - and you started drinking from a bottle like a rockstar. I was worried that you wouldn't nurse well when I got back, but you did just fine. I had such a great time on my trip, and I'm so glad I went. I came back feeling refreshed, relaxed, and so ready to see my loves. I admit, I dragged out your first middle-of-the-night feeding when I came back. It had only been three days since I had seen you, but it felt like a lot longer. I held you a little tighter, rocked you a little slower, and sniffed your sweet, little (okay, gigantic) head a little longer. You and your gigantic head melt my heart.

Hugs and smooches,
Mommy & Daddy

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Headlines for May 9, 2012:
  • Gun parts, ammo found hidden inside stuffed animals at Rhode Island airport
  • NOAA reports warmest 12-month stretch on record
  • DHS: Hackers Mounting Organized Cyber Attack on U.S. Gas Pipelines
  • Afghan War Support Hits New Low
  • High Fructose Corn Syrup Debate Gets Sticky
  • Life Spans of Popular Electronic Gadgets

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