Ian is Six Months Old

Ian is now six months old. I still feel like the day he was born was just yesterday, instead of half a year ago. I am amazed sometimes at how fast, and how much, he has grown since he was born. His former pediatrician is crazy to say that he hasn't grown that much between his four-month well baby check and his six-month well baby check, but his weight barely changed between visits, so he is going in this afternoon for a weight check. With all that he has eaten in the past couple weeks since his six-month visit, I would be VERY surprised if he didn't gain any weight!

William and I started feeding him baby rice cereal and baby foods once we were told that we could start him on solids. He has gotten so much better at eating food off of a spoon. He still makes a mess though, just not as much! He likes to reach out and grab the spoon sometimes, which gets baby food all over his fingers, and then he goes and touches other things with that same hand, thus getting the food everywhere. I've even found food on his forehead! Compared to my little sister, that's nothing... she's had food on the BACK of her head several times... and not just when she was a baby! :P

Speaking of baby food, Ian absolutely LOVES carrots. He ate so much carrots in one day that he had orange poop for the next day or two. Carrot colored. Ick. Some days he will eat a full bowl (baby sized) of baby food, and then still be hungry. He'll either eat more baby food, or a complete 8oz bottle. So, you can see why I would be surprised if he didn't gain ANY weight since his last visit! With the amount of food he has eaten, I wouldn't be surprised if he put on at least 2 lbs! Ha!

When William came to visit over Thanksgiving weekend to surprise me, Ian took a few minutes to completely realize that it was his daddy. After a few minutes of being held by his daddy, he was laughing away. William could always get him to laugh easier than I could. The only thing that Ian did over the weekend that could have been better was cry every time William changed his diaper, or held him at bedtime when he wants to snuggle with me to go to sleep! Other than that, Ian loved having his daddy around. :)

Yesterday, Ian's grandma brought home new pacifiers. Barkley, one of the Springer puppies (not really puppies anymore, lol!), loved stealing his pacifiers for some reason. He chewed up two of them in the past couple weeks, and we came here with three, because I knew that Barkley would try to take them because he's done it other times we were here. This visit was the first time he actually managed to have the pacifier long enough to cause damage. A couple days ago, I had put Ian's last surviving pacifier on the coffee table so I could give him his bottle, and Barkley was on the couch and DOVE for the pacifier... in front of me and William's mom! He didn't manage to get it since I was as quick as he was and stopped him... hurt my finger a little bit because I hit the table instead of his nose! Ian's new pacifiers are a little different than the ones he's been using the past few months, but he doesn't seem to care. He's able to fall asleep with it, so it's good! Also, it doesn't seem to matter what kind of pacifier he has, he enjoys having them in upside down for some reason. The previous pacifiers were different being upside down or upside right... the form of the pacifier nipple was supposed to mimic the form of the mothers nipple during nursing, so there was a diagonal flat part on one side that was supposed to be against the baby's tongue. Yet, he would have the pacifier in upside down and not care! With the new pacifiers, it doesn't really matter because the nipple is the same shape all around, the only difference is the plastic part that holds the nipple has a small dip in it for under his nose, and the picture that is on it is upside down. He looks so cute with it upside down and sleeping away!

With the fact that Ian is six months old, he is getting so much better at a lot of things. He is a lot more interactive with the people around him. He recognizes people he knows and people he doesn't. When we had gone to the hospital where his grandma works (so she could show him off), he was as quiet as could be. He did give the ladies a couple little smiles, but no noises. When we were walking away to go back to the car so we could go to his auntie's house, he started laughing! It was at that point that I could really tell that he really does recognize the difference between people he knows and people he doesn't! He also is a lot more active, he plays with his toys more, and when he is in his bouncer, he not only bounces a lot, but he plays with the toys that are attached to it! He is also getting very good at sitting up on his own! Not after he just woke up, though! :P He has developed so much, it's amazing to see him grow and change everyday. :)

The Love of Animals

I always have wanted my own pet, and still do. William and I had an adorable cocker spaniel/pug mix for a month before Ian was born named Jake. Even though he wasn't a very good boy sometimes, like all dogs, we loved having him. I've grown up with dogs and cats in the family, but none of them were particularly mine. My mom's dog, a Shi Tzu named Rags, did claim me as his second 'love,' which I did enjoy, but when my mom was home, he was always with her, but when she wasn't, he was always with me. He even slept in my room every night. I remember my mom telling me that it took him awhile to get used to not being able to sleep in my room when I left for college. He would run upstairs when it was bedtime and he would sit outside my door and cry. I want another pet like that, who is attached to me and was WELL-behaved! Maybe one day I'll have one like him and he or she will keep Ian and his future siblings company. :) The big dogs are a pain... William wants a big dog, but I want a little one. The little dogs are so much easier to care for (well.. sometimes... :P), in my experience. Big dogs are just a big bundle of trouble! Bad gas... digging huge holes in the yard... tracking a bunch of mud in the house. Little dogs may pass gas, but they're not NEAR as deadly as a big Lab toot. I love animals, and I would like to have my own pet, just not a big dog! I'm sure we'll get a puppy or adult dog at some point, maybe when Ian is big enough to enjoy playing with the dog! He might be just like his daddy and want a big dog... :P Maybe then I can get a little dog if they want a big dog so we can all be happy! HA! That's something to know in the future. :)

Thanks for reading. :)

Six Months Past

I have been meaning on starting a blog for awhile to keep people updated on my life and that of my son. Six months have passed since Ian was born and sometimes I still can't believe that I am a mom and soon-to-be wife. So much has happened in my life in the past couple years that at times it is hard to believe. I thank God so much that my life has turned out how it has. I couldn't have gotten this far without Him.

As you all know, Thanksgiving was three days ago, and I had the best surprise on that day that I am so thankful for. William had been in California for the past four weeks and he surprised me by flying up to Seattle to be with me, Ian, and his parents for the weekend. He flew back earlier today. I was sad to see him go, but also glad that there is little over a week until I see him next. It hasn't been the easiest taking care of a baby by myself. I have had help from his parents the past couple weeks, so at least I haven't been alone for the whole six weeks he will be gone.

I will close with a few pictures, and thank you all for taking the time in reading this. It is getting late so I will be off to bed soon! More posts will come soon. :) 

 This is one of my favorite photos of Ian. :)

 He'll sleep in the oddest positions sometimes!

 Another one of my favorites. He just looks so incredibly happy in this one!

 I love his smile... he has turned out to be so photogenic!

 He was a monkey for Halloween!

A photo of the mountains. Stunning!