6 Months

This kid... What a little cutie! At Austin's 6 month appointment he was 15 lbs 7 oz and 26 inches tall. About the 50th percentile for both. He has been moved up to size 3 diapers and 6 month clothes. 6 month appointment meant another round of shots. :( Austin doesn't do the best with shots and they always make him a little cranky for a few days.

This past month has been so enjoyable with Austin! He has been reasonably happy and getting a lot better at self entertaining! It makes me so happy! He is also becoming quite the little mama's boy... More and more it seems he gets upset if he sees me and I'm not holding him. If he doesn't see me he is usually fine. So if he is happily playing I try my hardest to stay out of view. Austin has the biggest/best mouth open smile! I love it! He is also the most ticklish. He has been from day one. He laughs all the time from getting tickled. And I probably do it more than I should because it's cute when he laughs.

About 3 weeks ago Austin learned how to jump in the jumper. He seems to really enjoy it! I will often bring it with me in the kitchen when I am cooking and it usually keeps him pretty entertained. Another thing Austin does is throw his toys. Not on purpose I don't think.. But just as he's playing with them he throws them all just out of reach then gets mad because he doesn't have anything to play with anymore. He will also do it with his pacifier when he doesn't want it and you are trying to give it to him. Austin is really loving that he can sit up now. He really doesn't seem to like laying down for any reason. Probably because once he is laying down he can't figure out how to move his body so he can't do anything. He really just stays in one spot all the time. Doesn't roll, move backwards, move forwards or side to side. He just stays exactly where you put him. Which is nice in a way and not nice in a way because he will just get mad when he can't get something. I guess he did learn how to roll from his tummy to his back but he isn't very good at it and doesn't do it very often. About a week ago he did start pushing himself up with his arms. So maybe that will motivate him to start moving. Austin did have a first this month and that was riding an airplane for the first time!

Austin does not like baths. In fact. He seems quite terrified of them. As soon as I put him in the bath he is freaking out. He does just bathe with his older siblings because it's easier, but every time they did anything with water Austin would freak out. So the last bath I gave him I did it in the sink and after a little bit he seemed to calm down and start to enjoy it. So I'll need to stop bathing him with the older kids and let him get more comfortable with the water. He also doesn't really like being left alone. He is a people person and wants to be where the people are. He also hates when we are changing his clothes and you have to put the shirt over his head. If it takes too long he kind of starts freaking out.

About 5 days ago we had our last appointment with the Chiropractor! YAY!!! We went in to adjust him and they couldn't find anything that needed adjusted! So we are all pretty excited about that and glad that Austin's body is holding everything in the place it should be.

I think Austin really enjoys nursing. I definitely nurse more often then I nursed any of my other kids and I think it's because he wants to nurse more often then any of my other kids. We are still nursing every 1 1/2 hours to about 3 hours if he gets a long nap in. We haven't really started any solids yet because we've been really busy and I just don't like that stage. But we will probably start him in the next couple weeks. I have given him random food here and there while I'm eating, like applesauce. Or sliced apples or carrots which he seems to enjoy. I'll also give him the occasional rice husk here and there. About three weeks ago I did give him yogurt to see how he would do with dairy since I've been off dairy for about 3 months now. He seemed to do well with it but then he got sick and I wasn't able to experiment anymore with it. So I'm still not eating dairy.

Austin's sleeping is still not the greatest. He gets up to nurse usually every 2 hours. Sometimes he'll do a 3 hour stretch. Usually in the mornings if he does when I'm already up with the other kids. And he goes to bed pretty late. Usually between 10 and 11:30 which can be exhausting. He usually wakes up between 8 to 9. Napping has gotten a lot better though! He has started consistently taking a long 2ish hour nap during the day and it's been great! When he is tired he will rub his eyes and his head and if he is nursing while he is tired he will do it while he is nursing. I think it's cute. He also seems to like being laid down on his side to sleep. Austin still can't fall asleep on his own but I read in my sleep book that it's usually after 6 months when they learn how to do it on their own. So I'm hoping this next month we can figure it out.

Parenthood Milestone: Staples

Jacob helped us receive our next parenthood milestone by getting staples today! Let me just say how proud and impressed I was with this little boy today. He was so brave and got his 5 staples like a champ!

We were visiting the Funk's and literally were just about to walk out the door to leave for home when Jacob comes zooming around the corner with Myer, aka the tickle monster, chasing behind when, crash! Jacob forgets there are stairs and tumbles down them hitting the back of his head on the baseboard at the bottom. (At least this is what was gathered from the little bits and pieces that everyone saw...) I was just getting Austin in his car seat at the time. Of course Jacob handled it like a champ like he always does when he gets hurt and even though he had blood dripping down the back of his head and a gaping hole he just keeps saying. I'm ok!

So we decide we should probably take him in to get checked out. I was very worried to take him in because of the traumatic experience for both of us at his last doctor appointment when he got his blood drawn. So I decided I was going to try and talk him through everything I could think they might do to try to prepare him to the best of my ability. At first when we told him he had a cut on the back of his head and that he would have to go to the doctor he kind of had a big melt down. But I just tried to explain over and over what would be happening and with a little bribing (candy and a new airplane) he seemed to become ok with going. I think all of my talking helped because he seriously did soooo good! Like he couldn't have done better. I explained that the doctor might look in his ears and his eyes and they might check his heart and that they would have to give him shots on the back of his head to help it feel better. At first he wasn't very excited about the shots (who can blame him) But after explaining everything he became much more ok with them. I told him that it might be scary but that mom or dad would be with him the whole time and he could sit on one of our laps if he wanted to.

As soon as the nurse brought us back he started asking questions and nonstop talked to her. He asked if they were going to check his ears and eyes and heart and kept asking what she was going to do next and asked her about everything she was doing and writing and it was just so cute. If anyone asked what happened Jacob went into the whole story about being chased by the tickle monster and falling down the stairs and Holland was always mentioned. Then when it was time for the shots and staples. (I made the mistake of telling him they were going to bring a gun in, like a staple gun, and he looks up at me with huge round eyes and says "They are going to shoot me?" Oops...) He wrapped his arms around me and the nurse held his head to my chest and he just sat there. Right before they started Jacob all the sudden remembered he had given dad his pacifier and asked for it back.

I could tell when something hurt because he would squeeze me harder when it hurt. I could tell getting the staples hurt and the first two he handled really well but by the third the tears started. He asked if we were all done and the doctor told him two more and asked what color of popsicle he wanted when he was done. Through clenched teeth and held back tears he said, "green!" He got the last two with some tears but didn't try and move or get away at all. Just held onto me and squeezed harder and harder. He seriously did so good! After we were done he was happy and smiling and even more happy when they brought him a sticker and a green popsicle. He blew me away with how well he handled it! Now he is sporting 5 staples in the back of his head. He is one tough kid and we sure love him!