9 months and growing fast!

Man, apparently I'm not great at keeping up.

Judah is now 9 months old! It's crazy to think that he's already so old. Oh my goodness things are going by so quickly! At his 9 month appointment he weighed 18 lb 2 oz. He's in the normal range and healthy!

Judah is now standing on his own (usually when he is getting food from one of us), he's walking along behind his lion walker, he has definite sounds for specific things. He recognizes his name and turns when we call him. He waves at us, at the TV, at anyone and everyone in the mall, at himself in the mirror...he loves to wave. He can also point at us when we ask him, "Where's mommy?" or "Where's daddy?" He's such a smart and sweet little boy, we are so in love with him.

Since it's been so long I've got a lot of pictures, so I'll let them help me update.

This is at Christmas, he loved the tree and the pretty lights:

He is growing so quickly, he looks like a little boy in this picture and not a baby! Although I suppose he's shaped like a baby, look at the size of that noggin!

He loves different textures and sights. Here he is looking at the snow and feeling the cold window. He spent a lot of time looking at Nana and Papa's porch and licking this window. 

In January he discovered his tongue. He enjoys sticking it out, licking things, blowing raspberries and making weird sounds with it. Also, he now has three teeth (two on the bottom middle and one of his top front teeth).

Bath time remains one of his most favorite things ever. He giggles and laughs and splashes around as long as he's in there. He gets very upset when the water gets turned off and then when the water runs out. I'm pretty sure he would live in the bath if we let him. When we go into this bathroom he gets so excited that he dances because he knows it's bath time. 

Judah is such a dare devil and he's so busy. He's always learning and discovering and figuring out what else he can do. You can't leave him for 2 seconds or something like this happens (and yep, apparently I'm that mom who grabs the camera first and then saves the kid). 

One thing he hates is wearing a hat, and even though the weather has been seriously cold, he tries to get it off when we aren't looking. I found him like this the other day when I went to get him out of the car...apparently he's not quite mastered getting it all the way off his head. 

This month Judah turned 9 months old, we always try to get monthly pictures and while I usually don't post those on here, this one I couldn't resist. This may be one of my all time favorite Judah pictures. Brett captured this great moment where I am trying to get Judah to hold the flag so that we could see it and he was just not having it. He kept trying to escape and by the look on his face you would think I was torturing him! Oh man...this picture makes me laugh every time I look at it. 

 

We remain astounded that this precious little boy is ours. He is such a happy and delightful baby - I thank God every single day that I get to be his mommy. It is so much fun watching him learn and grow and become his own little person. 

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.

Washcloth...my only friend

We now have a five month old, man the time is flying! Judah is growing and changing every day. He is getting bigger and he is engaging with us more and more. He gives us kisses now (with a lot of slobber as well), and is figuring out how to get around. He can't quite do the normal hands and knees crawl, but he can move across the floor with amazing speed. He is also teething, which means he doesn't always love life but still...he's such a pleasant little guy.

His new things is that he likes to be to chewing on something at all times. He really likes blankets: to chew on, to throw around, to put over his face. And it's especially while he's going to sleep...but we're not comfortable leaving a blanket in the crib with him. (Side note: he does wear a sleep sac/wearable blanket so he's not cold...also, why don't they make those things for adults!?Am I right?)

So anyway, he loves the blankets while he's getting to sleep, so what we've done is give him a washcloth for those purposes. He can chew on it, throw it around and put it over his face without the concern of suffocating under it.

Well last night I fed him and he was restless but it was bed time so as the doctor has suggested, we left him to self-sooth for a few minutes and he quieted down pretty quickly. Later, when we went up to bed, we checked on him and there he was...hugging washcloth like it was his only friend.

I've got to be honest, it was both the cutest and the saddest thing. He's just so adorable in their hugging his little washcloth, but it also made me feel like the worst parent ever. All he wanted was a little company and I left him in there alone with a washcloth. Argh...the heartbreak of parenthood.

This past few weeks Brett was in Vegas, so I got a lot of Mommy-Judah time. We've got such a sweet little guy, I truly thank God everyday for this blessing. Even when I'm tired, I can't help but be happy when I'm around this sweet little face.

4 month update

Oh my, sorry it's been so long since I have written, it's been a busy few weeks and Brett's been gone some.

A few weeks ago our family came by for Milo's dedication. Ash and Jennie came early with Milo, who is Judah's cousin and is 8 months old. They had such a fun time together, it's so fun to have boys that will be the same age through the years. They shared their toys, took some pictures together and got to know each other better. While they were here cousin Milo crawled for the first time! It was so great to have been able to experience that with the New's!
 

Judah is now four months old! My goodness, how fast life is going. He is 15lbs 7oz., about 50th percentile for his age, and he is 99th percentile of height! He's so tall he's already wearing 6-9 month sleepers although his waist is so small he can still wear newborn pants (although they're way too short).

He's just such a delightful baby, he really is so pleasant. He smiles and laughs all the time. He loves mommy and daddy and is responding well to both of us. He will look for us when he hears one of us talking (which is frustrating when Brett talks and he's nursing). He is trying new sounds, one of which is a high pitched screech (that's delightful :/), but it's fun. He's responding to us and talking to us all the time. He also likes the baby in the mirror, but sometimes he gets upset when he sees mommy holding that other baby.

Judah has started playing in the bath - kicking and punching at the water. He loves to watch it splash. He is so happy in the tub, he doesn't even mind it when we wash his face! Our Judah Bug also loves his new saucer play station (thanks Fields') and his jumper (thanks Kaiser's). He's learning and exploring all the time, he's able to grab stuff on purpose and with both hands. He is starting to enjoy having us read to him (he used to cry and cry when I would try).

A few not so great things:

I had the horrific experience of "my-baby-rolled-off-the-couch" this week. I can't begin to tell you how horrible I feel, oh man. I set him on the couch (which he had been doing well) to lay out his play mat and heard a thunk. I turned around and he was looking at me...so betrayed. Then he starting wailing - like WAILING. Well of course I started sobbing as well. I was convinced I had hurt him beyond repair. I called the doctor's emergency line and after a few questions they determined he was fine but I should keep an eye on him. He didn't even get a bump, but I felt like crap.

Our poor little Judah had his first cold this week too. He was so pathetic and sad, it was hard to watch him just be sick. His little nose was all stuffy. But we did all the things you're supposed to and he's better now.

Every day is something new and it's really delightful. We just love being parents.

Asleep...on his face

Before we get to the Judah update...let's get real. I've said it before and I'll say it again, being a mom is not easy. Last night/early this morning I had a major breakdown.

As you know, Judah has started rolling. Well this week he took it to a whole new level with the rolling. All he ever wants to do is roll, although it's pretty much only in one direction. Sometimes he likes it, but sometimes when he gets on his tummy he gets frustrated. For the last two nights he has started rolling in his sleep. He rolls to one side of the crib and starts screaming because he's stuck. So he's not getting much sleep and guess what? Neither am I.

Well, last night was particularly bad. He wouldn't go down, because he kept rolling over and when he was on his tummy he was mad. Brett and I took turns trying to calm him down enough to sleep before we went to bed. Then he only slept for short periods of time. I nursed him every 1.5 to 2 hours since that seemed to calm him down enough to sleep (he's been going for much longer periods of time at night). 

Well after I fed him once again at 5:30 he absolutely wouldn't be calm. He wasn't awake really, but he wouldn't stop rolling and when he was on his tummy he was mad. But he fought me when I tried to turn him over to his back.

Well, after trying to turn him with no luck I started pleading with him a little (as if pleading with a 3 month old can work)...and then I started crying...and then I started sobbing. At this point it's a little past 6am. I'm not sure if he was mad at not being able to roll or if he was responding to my tears, but he started crying and then he started screaming. At this point Brett heard him screaming and ran in to find me sobbing over the crib. He moved me out of the way to check on Judah and I fell to the ground in hysterics.

...True confessions of a tired mom, I was a mess. This mom stuff is hard. Thank God for Brett, he is such a blessing. He took the baby downstairs, made sure he was ok, and then came up to comfort me (I was still crying hysterically - the kind where you get hiccups and can't breathe - and going off about how I was a bad mom). Needless to say, I slept for several hours and woke up to a healthy and happy little baby. Sigh*

So...today we practiced at nap time with letting him flip over and stay asleep. He did alright and tonight he flipped over and we let him calm himself while keeping a close eye on him. I know everyone says once they can roll they are safe on their tummy but *seriously* how do you not freak out when your baby is sleeping on his face!?

Also, sometimes his sleeve gets caught while he is rolling, this is how we found him yesterday:

Besides the rolling, a few other updates: Judah can now hold things intentionally which is fun. He can play with his toys and he keeps getting a grasp of his feet and this is one of his new favorite positions:

 He also loves...and I mean LOVES being in the carrier with daddy. He will happily hang out for hours in that thing.

He is drooling like a champ, he talks constantly, he continues to love bath time and he loves to dance. He is still smiling and laughing all the time, in fact he has taken to pausing every few minutes while nursing to coo and laugh at me, this kid is a happy little guy! He is a gift!