Merry Christmas from Judah

Ever changing

We have a 6 month old! What? How did that happen? Judah weighs just over 17 pounds, which means he's doubled his birth weight, right on time.

Let me tell you, the amount of new things is crazy...maybe I'm not blogging enough? He's crawling, he can sit up on his own, he is pulling up on things, he is eating, he's talking constantly, he can hold his own bottle (kinda), he is climbing, and he has his first tooth - whew!

Now for the breakdown:

Crawling: He started army crawling a long time ago but right before Thanksgiving he actually got up on his hands and knees and crawled. It's so cute, he still working on it so he face plants quite a bit. But he's trying. This means he gets around even faster than before, it also means we've had to install the baby gates and the outlet covers. And that his poor little knees are taking a beating.

Sitting Up: This started a few weeks ago with this adorable side lean which made him look like he was chillin' out, maxin' relaxin' all cool (Fresh Prince style). Then he starting "sitting" with his legs straight out and his upper body laying out across them. Then, and Brett saw this several times before Judah would show me, he sat up! He's pleased with himself too, he'll clasp his little hands and smile at us.

The thing about the sitting up though is that he's still not super stable and so sometimes he tips sideways or backwards. So confession: Judah likes to play peek-a-boo with towels. We were playing and he was sitting up but he laughed and fell backwards and bonked his head super hard. He started sobbing and I started sobbing and Brett came over and was holding us both and laughing. But seriously...I feel like crap because I keep dropping my kid on his head! (Remember the couch incident?) Ugh...I'm afraid this is only the beginning of injuries...although Brett assures me, this is life with a boy.

Pulling Up/Climbing: He will grab things and stand his legs up and then try to pull his body up. He got to the stairs last week and Brett and I watched as he pulled up on it, stood his legs up and then pulled forward and tried to pull his leg up onto the first stair. This kid won't listen to reason that he is much too young to be doing this stuff. He will pull up on anything that is taller than him so we have to keep watch because he's unstable and falls back too. But check this cute little guy out:

Eating: He's been interested in food for awhile, they (whoever "they" is) suggest starting foods at six months. His six month birthday was on Thanksgiving, which we thought was perfect. He's not so sure about eating yet, but we're working on it.

A few other things. Judah has this delightful assortment of baby toys: plastic rings, baby keys, a rubber elephant, a multitude of stuffed creatures, things that make noise, things that are brightly colored...so why is it that babies don't want to play with baby toys? You know what he wants to play with? Paper bags, hangers, chords, cell phones, remotes, my hair, the fireplace, the stairs, bowling balls, plastic bottles, paper, plastic bags, hoodie strings, etc. SIGH*

Also, our previously delightful sleeper has taken to acting as though we are torturing him when we put him to bed...this includes (but is not limited to) screaming himself hoarse, pleading with us in pathetic pouts, looking super cute, standing up in the crib, and throwing his paci out of the crib. The picture below happened when Brett was trying to put him to bed, what a cute little prisoner. He's exhausted but for whatever reason does not want to sleep right now. Naps are this way too. Within this he has taken up this super delightful (sarcasm) high pitched screech. Oh my goodness...it's only been a few days but I'm ready to be done with this phase.

All in all, we just remain delighted at this little person. He is such a blessing to us. We are looking forward to celebrating our first Christmas with him next week.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

I get to be a mommy

Holding my baby boy and looking into his eyes, it would be easy to forget the pain of years of uncertainty, inability to get pregnant, a miscarriage, and general frustration. But it's important to me that I remember that pain. I need to remember that there are people out there who are still struggling, who are frustrated, who are heart broken. It's important to me that I recognize the amazing blessing it is just to be a mommy, because not everyone gets that chance.

Last week I had lunch with a friend and we talked about how not enough people talk about the negative/painful/frustrating side of child bearing, and it's so common.

Even within my small circle of friends there is a couple who lost a full term baby (complications during the birth), a couple who can't have kids, multiple miscarriages (in multiple couples) and a couple whose child has a chronic illness. And that's just several families. There are so many things that can go wrong at so many junctures just trying to bring a kid into this world. And once that kid is here, holy cow...there are so many more things that can happen, so many opportunities for heartbreak.

Here's my point...I get to be a mommy. What a rare blessing!

Sure, I puked at least once (and sometimes more) every day I was pregnant. I had major heartburn (no wonder - that baby was hairy). And I felt like a whale. But I get to be a mommy.

Yeah, the birthing process was rough, and there are body parts which are just never coming back from that. But I get to be a mommy.

I never get more than (at best) 5 hours of sleep in a row. I have been pooped on, peed on, and puked on numerous times. Judah drools like a champ, and while playing I often get spit on my arm, face, clothing, and occasionally in my mouth. My house is never as clean as I want it to be, my work is never as done as I want it to be, and I am never as put together as I would hope to be. I have scratches on my face, my neck, my arms and my chest from his tiny razor nails and I  have lost so much hair to those tiny hands...

BUT, I get to be a mommy. I get to be a mommy...

Maybe it's good that it took us so long to get pregnant...because I know what a rare blessing it is. Every single day I thank God for my Judah and for the time I get with him - no matter what that means. I get to be a mommy, I get to have this beautiful boy in my life. Thank you, God, what a blessing. I pray that I never forget what a gift this baby boy is. There are so many people who can't have children or who have lost children, and I get to be a mommy.