Abel Christopher | 7 months

SEVEN

Oh hey my big 7 month old! This past month flew by. We spent the first half of the month impatiently waiting to visit Iowa and then the 2 weeks in Iowa flew by so fast. I worried so much about your first flight but you did so well! You were so content to hang out in the wrap and take in all your surroundings when we laid over in Chicago and you looked out the window and slept on both flights. You're a pro at flying now.

2015 has been such a great year for us, we welcomed you into our cozy little family and are so blessed to call you ours. We left hot Texas and moved out to the east coast. You had your first Thanksgiving and first Christmas. You are already a lover of opening presents! I would say that 2015 has been a pretty great year.

Being home is always bittersweet. I love being back but it makes me home sick and always wanting to stay longer. You had so much fun spending time with friends and family! You are such a happy, laid back baby that you were such a champ at running all over the place and napping wherever you were for the day. It filled my mama heart with so much joy to see so many people love and care for you.

• You are sitting like a champ. That big noggin of yours gets the better of you every once in awhile but for the most part you love sitting and playing with all your toys.
• You love singing! I usually have music playing during the day and you belt your sweet little voice right along with it. You are definitely finding your voice now! You love to mimic all the noises that I make and it makes you so proud.
•  You get so excited when dad comes home from work. You adore your daddy and love spending one on one time with him.
• You love to laugh! You are always finding something to giggle over and I. cannot. get. enough. seriously. Your giggles are everything.
• You are starting to move and groove more. You have this awesome scoot where you plant your face into the ground and stick your hiney up in the air and try to push yourself along.
• We started giving you rice cereal but you were not a big fan so we went ahead and started giving you oatmeal mixed with apples or bananas and that you are happy to eat. 
• You like to dance as well! Music is pretty much your thing.
• Chewing on fingers are a thing of the past and toes are the in chew toy.
• I'm not for sure you are teething yet. I swear I don't feel anything but your dad thinks that he feels some teeth popping up. You drool like crazy and chew on everything but you have been that way for a couple of months now.
• You are rolling around all the time now. Front to back and back to front. You have got the hang of it and love showing off.
• Sleeping..well... For awhile it seemed like we were set. You were heading to bed around 7 sleeping through the night till about 5 waking up to nurse then back down again till about 7. Then we switched you to a pack and play since we were heading home and you were going to sleep in that. The dreaded pack and play. I hate the stupid thing to be right honest. For two weeks before we left and the two weeks we were at home you started getting up around 1 or 2 then again around 3 or 4 and sometimes you would get up at 5 and want to stay up and party for about an hour before you were ready to lay back down again. I was not a fan after being blessed with you sleeping through the night. It got worse when we got home though and we started having you nap in your crib during the day and the pack and play at night. You were getting up 3 to 4 times a night and this mama was extremely grumpy. Hopefully we will get back to sleeping through the night again soon.

I'm obsessed with his cute little toes, can you tell?

Weight: 17.14 pounds

Loves: singing, dancing & rolling all over the place!

Dislikes: 

Sleeping: sleep? whats that? You rock naps now and like to wake up way too much at night. *yawn*

Wearing: Size 3 in diapers & 6-9 month clothing


xoxo,

Abel Christopher | 6 months

SIX

My sweet baby boy, it is so hard to believe that you have blessed our lives for a half a year now. Where does the time go? I feel so lucky to be a stay at home mom, knowing I am able to soak up so many moments and watch you grow every single day but it still doesn't feel like enough. Time is such a thief my precious baby. You have grown so much and learned so many new things. As I was laying you down on your changing table the other morning it was crazy for me to think that there was a time just not that long ago where you disliked your changing table so much that you would cry and be startled every time we laid you down. You used to be this itty bitty baby that wanted to eat every hour and a half and I was a hot mess of a mama trying to figure out if I was doing the right thing for you, my how we have both grown since then. You have turned into my chubby cheeked handsome little fella.  I just can't get enough of you. Being your mommy is the best thing ever.

 You are reaching such a fun age! Your little personality isn't so little anymore and you always having me grinning ear to ear with your little spunky attitude. You love to babble and have conversations with  mommy and daddy & of course Sophie the Giraffe. Your jumper is your new favorite activity. You think it is so fun and hilarious to jump around like a little monkey and love showing off for us. You are really starting to explore with your hands, wanting to reach out and touch absolutely everything. You sit up for a prolonged time by yourself now which makes play time so much fun. Tummy time is still not a favorite but you tolerate it long enough to scoot around in a circle. We spend most of our days hanging out at home listening to Michael Buble & Penatonix Christmas albums and reading books. My current favorite book to read to you is "Guess How Much I Love You" by Sam McBratney.
Sophie the Giraffe is your favorite toy with your Winnie the Pooh crinkle book coming in second. You think it is absolutely hilarious to be scared. Dad always hangs out with you on the couch and mommy will sneak around the corner on the floor and jump up and yell "boo" and you jump and giggle.

We feed you rice cereal for the first time this past month. You didn't know really what to think at first but you are slowly getting the hang of it. The Skinamarinky song is my current favorite to sing to you and of course Wheels on the Bus because you think the hand motions are so much fun. You love spending all day with mom but you are always all smiles when daddy comes home from work.

Thanksgiving was pretty relax with just the three of us at home. You slept through the prep work & cooking and woke up just in time to sit down and see our little kitchen table overflowing with yummy food that you had to sit back and watch mom and dad eat while you ate your rice cereal. Don't worry kiddo, next year will be way more fun for you since you will be able to eat all the yummy food as well.

We started switching you from your rock and play to a pack and play for sleeping since that is where you'll be sleeping in when we go home to visit. The first night we tried it you were up 4 times in 4 hours before my sleep deprived self switched you back to your rock & play. We ended up moving the insert of your rock and play to the pack and play and having a pillow underneath the mat and then put two rolled towels on the sides. Yup. You sleep in it and that's all that matters. I know we need to start transitioning you to your crib and I strongly dislike the idea of you sleeping in a different room at night. I'm sure that transition will be much easier for you than me. All these changes makes me so excited that you are growing but makes me sad that you are growing up so fast. My heart burst seeing you grow and learn new things. I am so proud of your little self.

You are my sun, my moon & all my stars baby boy. Every day is such a blessing with you and I look forward to every moment with you.

Weight: 16.14 pounds

Loves: Singing along to music, jumping in your jumper

Dislikes: being on your tummy

Sleeping: About 9 hours straight at night, waking up to eat and then sleeping a couple more hours for 11 hours total. We are getting a little better at our nap time schedule but You are STILL the king of 20 minute naps.

Wearing: Size 2 in diapers & 6 month clothing

Abel Christopher | 5 months

FIVE

Woah, this month you have grown so much and I know I have said this before but it STILL amazes me how you are literally growing right before my eyes. You have learned so much this past month. You finally rolled over from stomach to back, hallelujah! You are our little noise maker constantly telling us stories and letting us know what's going on. You have discovered your m's and b's and enjoy letting the world know that you are here to have some fun.You are still reaching for everything and straight to the mouth it goes. I think we can officially say that you are teething because we have drool everywhere. Outside is still your favorite. You love going for walks and trying to take in all your surroundings, you hardly ever hold still. Always squirming around trying to get the best view. You love singing along to songs in the back seat of the car & gnawing away on Sophie the Giraffe. You LOVE your toes. As long as you can reach your toes you will be forever entertained. 

We visited a local Pumpkin Patch this past month to enjoy the lovely east coast Fall. Even though you are still a little young for things like that it still makes me so excited to experience it with you. We fed the ducks and you were amazed by how the ducks surrounded daddy and then you snoozed on me while daddy & I went apple picking. It was a pretty fantastic day and I look forward to so many more with you. 

You demand all of our attention and I'm completely okay with that. You really don't like to lay down but prefer that someone stands you up and you are really getting the hang of sitting and hanging out in your bumbo. I'm a little nervous about going home for the upcoming Holidays because you will have your first plane ride and you really haven't been held by too many other people. I'm so excited for your first Christmas and you seeing all the snow and lights. I am ready to go home so everyone can see how much you have grown and you can spend time with family. Not having family around has been difficult and I am so ready for a few weeks at home. I was thinking about it a few days ago and I really don't think you have been held by anyone else besides your father and I since you were a month old. 

I really feel like I'm getting the hang of this whole mom thing as well. When you were first born I was scared out of my mind of this little being that I constantly had to take care of and couldn't go anywhere without but now you are my  best friend that I love spending my days with. You are a pretty chill baby, perfectly content hanging out at home. We rock out to music and  you help me bake up yummy things and by helping I mean watching with a very concerned eye on how much of a mess that mommy is making. 

You are such a happy baby boy filling our home with so much love & giggles. Your daddy and I can't get enough of you. Your personality is developing so much with your little snorts and crazy face making and I am always in awe of watching you learn new things. You give my life a purpose that I have spent the last 27 years of my life looking for. All the ups and down of life has brought me to you my sweet baby boy. You bring a warm, never ending love to my heart that is so pure and joyous. 

xoxo, 

Weight: 15.5 pounds

Loves: Singing along to music, toes & our daily night time stories.

Dislikes: getting your nails clipped & tummy time

Sleeping: About 9 hours straight at night, waking up to eat and then sleeping a couple more hours. You are the king of 20 minute naps.

Wearing: Size 2 in diapers & 3-6 clothing

Abel Christopher | 3 & 4 month update

THREE | FOUR

Oh my darling baby boy,

You keep me so busy that it's hard to find the time to sit down and type up your monthly updates so your three and four month are going to be combined.

It's crazy to me how much you grow overnight. As much as I love watching you sleep I dislike it just the same because it seems that every time you fall asleep at night you wake up the next morning a little bit bigger. Every time I have to raise your straps on your car seat or widen them on your high chair it amazes me that you have grown right before my eyes over night. As much as I want you stay my little boy I love watching you grow and learn new things.

You love grabbing everything in arms distance and it instantly goes to your mouth and if you can't get your chubby little hand on anything you have those fingers in your mouth, nom nom nom.

You still haven't rolled over since you did it when you were two months but we are working on it. You like to roll up on your side but don't like to nudge yourself all the way over yet.

You love having books read to you. Your current favorite is the Very Hungry Caterpillar. The pictures make you giggle and smile.

 I love singing to you and Wheels on the Bus is a current favorite because I do the hand motions with you.

You are getting stronger every day and weighed a whole 15 pounds at your last appointment. Being able to hang out at home with you everyday is such a blessing and I wouldn't want it any other way. We love hanging out in the kitchen dancing to your girlfriend, Taylor Swift while I clean or bake.

You don't nap very well during the day but you do sleep about 8 hours straight every night and that I very much appreciate.

  

Motherhood was nothing like I expected at all. Motherhood is exhausting. Motherhood is overwhelming. Motherhood is messy. Motherhood is not showering for 3 days but your child is dressed to impress. Motherhood is having To Do things on your list for 3 weeks before they get done. Motherhood is middle of the night feedings. Motherhood is early mornings full of smiles and giggles. Motherhood is by far the best thing that has happened to me because you little man fill my heart with an overwhelming love and joy that I couldn't imagine my life without now. You fill the void that has ached my soul. You complete this family and I wouldn't want my life any other way.  

XOXO,