McKinley | Seven Months

McKinley turned seven months old this past Saturday! She is seriously the happiest baby right now. I'm loving this stage with her. She's learning how to do so many new things and is amazed by so much. As much as I miss the snuggly little newborn that she was, I wouldn't trade my active, joyful little lady for anything. Although I wouldn't be upset if she suddenly wanted to cuddle more.

Nicknames: MK, Lady Baby, Little Babe, Chunk Chunk

Weight: You were 17 pounds, 14 ounces at your 6-month checkup about two weeks ago. I don't think you've gained much since then, so I'd say you're around 18 pounds now. 

Height: You were 26 1/4 inches long at your checkup, so you're maybe 26 1/2 now. Your clothes fit you just like they're supposed to so there's not really an indication that you're too short or too tall right now.

Looks: Your hair is getting really long! It's so funny to see your bed head in the morning when you wake up. It's dark brown but has lots of blonde highlights like Mommy's hair. It's also filling in on the back (where it had all rubbed off) now that you're rolling over to sleep on your tummy. Still hearing that you're looking more like Mommy these days, which I am loving! Your eyes are hazel now and will sometimes look all three colors (blue, green, or brown) depending on the day, lighting, or what you're wearing.

Personality: You are so silly! You love making people laugh, singing songs, and "talking". You've learned to blow raspberries on other people and stick out your tongue. You also like when we clap for you and tell you that you've done something great. That gives you the biggest grin. Your entire face lights up when you see your Daddy or your kitty. You've started giving hugs, mostly to me, which makes my whole day. You are so loving and happy! You get so many compliments when we go out in public about how well behaved you are and you love interacting with people. The ladies at daycare love you!

Eating: You are still exclusively breastfeeding, but you're taking bottles again since Mommy went back to work. You nurse once in the morning when you wake up, then take three bottles during the day while at daycare, and nurse again before you go to sleep. Sometimes you also like to eat again in the afternoon when you get home or once during the night since you've been feeling a little sick lately. Mommy is making your "solid" food. You ate two meals a day this month: 2 ounces of fruit + oatmeal in the mornings and 2 ounces of a vegetable for lunch. You've loved eating oatmeal, pears, sweet potatoes, and peaches. You don't like squash and will only eat it if we hide it in your sweet potatoes.

Sleeping: Before you started daycare you were sleeping through the night (from 7 PM - 6 AM, 11 hours straight). However, since you went to school, you've gotten a little head cold and you are waking up once a night and needing a feeding to get back to sleep. I think this is just because you're stuffy because you had been able to go back to sleep on your own. On the weekends, you take two 1 1/2 - 2 hour naps a day. During the day at school is a different story, you're still struggling there.

Wearing: You're still wearing Size 3 diapers and should be for a long time (those things go up to 28 pounds). Some of your 3-6 month shorts and onesies still fit. However, you're mostly wearing 6-9 month outfits and can wear a couple 12M smocked bubbles that run small. 

Favorite Things: You really enjoyed going to the pool this month. You're loving being outside. You got a couple new toys that you really enjoy (these nesting/stacking cups and this crinkle book). You're learning how to rock back and forth while you're sitting up and are trying to use that to push yourself forward - I think pretty soon you'll figure out this whole crawling thing. You're also getting really good at standing up on your own. You can hold my hands and push yourself up and you can also push yourself up by pulling/pushing on my legs and body. You absolutely adore our cat Jules, but she's not always as in love as you are.

Least Favorite Things: Still not the biggest fan of getting into your carseat, especially when you're tired. Diaper changes (or maybe that's just my least favorite thing now). You're so wiggly and into everything, that makes changing you twice as hard! Honestly, you're a really happy baby now! You really only ever cry when you're overtired.

7th Month Experiences:

• Gigi came to spend the day with us and we visited The Story Shop in our hometown.
• We attended your cousin Hudson's 4th birthday party.
• We went swimming a ton! We visited Mommy's friends, my cousin Alyssa, and Papa Steve's pool.
• We went to Daddy's work for his Member Appreciation Carnival.
• You started daycare (Mommy cried a lot, but you've been doing fine.)
• You went to your 6-month doctor's appointment.
• We went to Covington, GA to see where The Vampire Diaries was filmed and eat at the Mystic Grill with Aunt Lexi and Alyssa.
• We went to our last day of Mommy and Me Breastfeeding Class at the hospital where you were born.
• We spent the weekend with Gigi and Pops and went to the park with them.
• Mommy went back to work full-time to start the school year.
• We went to brunch with "Aunt" Katie and "Aunt" Emma for Katie's birthday.
• Mommy started the 2017-2018 school year and you got a special shirt to celebrate.

All our gear for the first day of daycare!

After lunch with Aunt Lexi at "The Vampire Diaries" Mystic Grill

There's a diaper under those rolls.

Wearing your new shirt from Aunt Katie for the first official day of the school year!

McKinley | Six Months

My baby turned half a year old on Wednesday! I cannot believe how fast her first year is flying by. I love taking her monthly pictures (especially now that she's FULL of personality), but this month had me bawling after I finished taking them. My chubby little baby is officially closer to being a toddler than a newborn. I love helping her discover new things and watching her expressions when she does. I never knew I could love someone so much. She has made our lives so much sweeter.

Nicknames: MK, Lady Baby, Little Babe, Chunk Chunk

Weight: Mama must make good milk because you're a big girl. You weigh somewhere between 16 and 17 pounds already! 17 pounds, 7 ounces at baby class this past Monday.

Height: We don't go back to the doctor until the end of the month, but I tried to measure you at home and I think you are somewhere between 26 & 27 inches long. I'll update after your check-up. 

Looks: I feel like your hair has filled in a lot lately! It's long enough on top that you have a little mohawk during bathtime. Your eyes are no longer blue :( But, they are hazel right now. I'm hoping that they stay this color. Pops (my daddy) has hazel eyes so we are hoping you will take after him or Papa (Daddy's dad) who has green eyes. I've heard lately that you look "just like" me! I still think you look more like your daddy, but I LOVE hearing that you're starting to look like me now.

Personality: So much sass. You've started slapping me when you get irritated. I doubt you really realize that you're slapping, at least you better not ;), but that's what it feels like. You think you're so funny. You've learned to blow raspberries and love to make us giggle when you do. You also "talk" a ton! In your crib to yourself, to your toys, to our cat Jules, or to Mommy and Daddy. You've also been complimented several times lately about how well behaved and sweet you are when we are out in public.

Eating: We have officially made it 6 months exclusively breastfeeding! I'm hoping to nurse for another six months and start weaning you once you're a year old. In the last few weeks, you've decided you like to eat just a little bit every two hours of so, which makes me feel like I have a newborn again. But, we finally started feeding you "solids" this week, so I'm hoping that as you have more meals throughout the day, you'll cut down on nursing sessions.

Sleeping: You've turned into a stomach sleeper in the last few days! You were sleeping about 10+ hours during the night until you realized you could roll onto your belly when you're in your crib. Since then, you've been waking up a lot because I kept trying to make you move to your back. I've come to the conclusion that you sleep better on your stomach and are safe since you wear snug-fitting clothes and have tight sheets on your crib (plus no blankets or toys). I let you sleep on your stomach, once you rolled over, during naptime for the first time a few days ago and you slept over two hours. 

Wearing: You're wearing Size 3 diapers and should be for a long time (those things go up to 28 pounds). You can still wear a lot of your 3-6 month clothing, but you are getting too long for some of it. We did move you to 6-9 month bathing suits already though because your 3-6 month suit was tight. You also wear reusable swim diapers in Size 6-12 month. I love the reusable swim diapers but I don't think I love them enough to try cloth diapers full-time.

Favorite Things: We have moved beyond sitting up to standing. You can hold yourself up if I prop you somewhere but you can't pull up on your own. Standing up makes you laugh out loud and you get such a huge smile on your face. You're also sitting up like a champ and rolling around like crazy. However, since you finally realized you can roll both ways, you've also gotten really impatient with not being able to crawl yet. You absolutely love blowing raspberries too.

Least Favorite Things: Still hating getting in the car seat and I'm wondering if that means you should transition from your infant seat to a convertible seat? You also really dislike being hot, hungry, overtired, and getting dressed after bath time - typical baby worries.

6th Month Experiences:

• We went swimming at the pool and in your baby pool several times.
• We visited Mommy's family for a Father's Day BBQ.
• You and Daddy celebrated your first Father's Day together.
• You started sucking your thumb every now and then. Daddy hates it, I think it's adorable.
• You and Jules have started spending a lot more time together. She even sleeps in your room sometimes.
• You rode in the shopping cart and sat in a [restaurant] high chair for the first times.
• We had family photos taken for Gigi and Pops 30th Anniversary.
• You went to the park and tried the bucket swings for the first time.
• We celebrated your 1st Fourth of July and kept it pretty low key.
• We celebrated Mommy turning 27 the day before your 1/2 birthday!