Six months have come and gone and neither Daddy nor I are sure how to feel about that. We are excited for all your BIG firsts that are to come your way with each passing day but because you are our 'baby' its hard to realize that half your first year is behind you. I say it each month but time is racing us by and my heart struggles to grasp onto every little moment with you.
With your brother I documented everything. It was almost as though someone was going to quiz me or chastise me for not taking a photo of a certain moment. With you, I am living each one, savoring it, holding onto it tightly, and in all of that I often forget or simply choose not to take the photo. When you reflect back on your baby photos do not ever think you were not loved or celebrated as much as your brother. It is simply that with him everything was new and exciting and with you I am thankful to have those movement again but sad because you are the last one I will experience them with. Hence the reason why I have chosen to live each moment with you instead of worrying about the camera. Of course, I take at least 10 pictures of you a day with my iphone so there isn't a lack of photos simply the purpose of them is different.
Now, onto your SIX month update!
Mom picked the above picture on purpose. See how tired you look - its because you are a HORRIBLE sleeper! I'm serious Colin when I say that some nights you make it so hard to patiently love you and nurse/rock/dance you to sleep. You regularly wake up several times a night starting 30 minutes or so after you fall asleep. Often times you wake up every 15 minutes for an hour at a time. You are still not sleeping in your bed. Some nights you sleep in your swing, on the mattress on the floor, and you always end up in a bed with me at some point during the night because there is simply no other way to get you to sleep more than small increments of time. I know you will outgrow this behavior in time and so I continue to try to be patient despite being a very tired mommy. I can say that your naps are much better than Conors. You sleep for 30-60 minutes in the morning (though its early in the morning). If both Mommy and Daddy are home I will often simply rock you or hold you for that hour (you deserve some spoiling!). If not then you usually sleep in your swing. In the afternoon you often will sleep for 60-90 minutes and sometimes a full two hours depending on the volume and activity of the house. If I am able to get to you during a first little wake-up and put you back down with extra milk or your binkie that is when you will have marathon naps. You do not sleep well in the car (whereas Conor used to be able to sleep fovever in a moving vehicle).
Your typical day is as follows: wake up around 7am. First nap between 8-9am (sometimes 8:30-9:30). Second nap at 1:30 (wake-up environment dependant). Sleep by 7:00pm (waking in variable increments - sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes every 2-3 hours) and then at midnight or so moving into bed with mom where you sleep in at least 3 hour increments.
FOOD:
Colin you love food. Your rolly polly little features are a dead give-away that you love food. This month I have been offering you puree pouch type food at dinner (you typically take a few bites and then move onto the next thing) as well as something to hold in your hands such as an apple slice, piece of melon, cracker, etc. You still tend to push things out of your mouth with your tongue so I am not sure how much is truly getting digested but its enough to change the texture and consistency of your stools (ewwww...gross I know!). I have been offering you a mix of fruits and veggies because you always seem to want what we are all eating. Other than these little offerings of food you are still exclusively breastfed and we nurse several times a day and through the night. You take a bottle with less ease than the breast but you no longer give Daddy a super hard time and I am even able to offer you a bottle. This month your grandma and Auntie Dani were able to feed you as well when we were on the Cape visiting!
These pictures were later than normal (about 1/2 way through the month) because I had to go out and buy you clothes that were the right colors. You are close to on your way out of most 9 month clothes (brand dependent of course) and have started wearing 12 months clothes. This is a bummer because most of the summer clothes we have are 9 months. Your brother was in his 12 month clothes during the winter and he wore them for a very long time so I don't have a lot to pass down to you. It seems like we might be entering that time where you are going to get mostly new clothes unless we can find some hand-me-downs! The clothes in this photo are Carter's brand and they are size 9 months.
PERSONALITY:
You are such an awesome little man! You smile and laugh all the time and I just love it! Your a little performer and you know what makes others smile and laugh. You only cry when you are tired, hungry, have a poopy diaper, or when Conor is not being as brotherly as he could be. Other than that you are a content little guy. You currently favor Mommy for your needs and comfort but you just love your Daddy. You smile so big when you see him and he probably makes you laugh the hardest with his physical comedy. You adore Conor and look for him to entertain you all the time. People always tell me how content and happy you look when we are out in the stores and they are 100% right.
DEVELOPMENT:
This has been a major month for you Colin! You have really become a "grabby little fellow" as we sometimes call you. Nothing is safe from your clutches. You will roll yourself out of a sitting position onto your tummy trying to reach something you want to investigate. Its comical but also worries us because you have taken a few diggers in your quest for items out of reach.
In this month you have become a master sitter. Nothing knocks you down (other than you own crazy antics) and its been wonderful watching you experience the world from a few inches higher. You also use your hands a lot more as you are able to sit and reach for things, roll them through your hands and fingers and touch different textures. With all this exploration your hands are starting to become stronger and aren't clutched as often though they are not 100% unclutched either. You experienced sand and salt water this past month as well as various food textures.
You also have started trying to use your legs to really support you and take little pigeon steps forward while being held. You are very stubby so it doesn't go very well but I am glad to see you trying! You still strongly dislike tummy time so that doesn't happen too often and therefore you are not a roller but time will tell how it impacts your crawling or walking.
You have also become a talker and will talk at the dinner table loudly so as to be heard over others. Its adorable and we love having you be apart of our conversations!
You love the iphone and the people that call you on it. You lunge for the phone when you see your Auntie Cate or Dani on the phone. You whine when the phone is turned so they can speak to Conor or Mommy and you get very very excited when it is turned back to you.
Your 6 month appointment went well. You are 1/2 inch shorter than Conor and 3/4lb heavier. You guys are just chunky little babies but this Mommy wouldn't have it any other way!
EXPERIENCES/FIRSTS
This month has been very busy Colin! We traveled to Cape Cod to visit Grandma and Grandpa. You went to P-town for the first time, saw drag queens, touched the Cape Cod sand, went to the boardwalk. Traveled to Auntie Cathlin's new house. Went to the Children's museum here in Maine and attended your first parade (Our May Day Parade) and went on your first amusement park rides (Funtown for Mother's Day). Its been a very busy sixth month for you!
Month seven is already proving to be very crazy and full of fun as well - can't wait to tell you all about it. Until then little man - we love you!
xoxo
Mommy
PS. Six month comparison photo
