7 Months

I totally forgot to take the tie picture this month and now since we are in Texas I forgot to bring the monthly ties with me... ugh, you can only remember so much right?

Threw his frog towel on him one day in Singapore...

its too small now and I didn't get enough pictures with it!

7 months has to be one of my favorites!!  Dylan is so cuddly and only really wants his mommy but is still happy with everyone else.  He has really started to become a ham and picture hog... he wants people to smile at him and loves to laugh and mimic them.  He interacts with people so well and has really taken a liking to his grandparents.  Even the short time with his Aunt Lela he really seemed to enjoy. 

He isn't crawling or even acting like he wants to.  He has this "sitting up" business down pat and prefers to sit than lie down.  He will pull up and hold onto to things with help but still doesn't take a step.

7 Months

His fine motor skills are amazing and this object permanence understanding is really cool.  He understands when he drops something, he will look for it, pick it back up, and put it in the other hand, and then usually put it in his mouth.  This usually happens with the pacifier and it is amazing to watch.

He started mimicking my mom the other night and it was hilarious! He also started saying "mama", I have heard it a couple of times but haven't gotten to record it yet.  Dirk and I were hoping that "Otto" would be his first word, maybe his first real word...

No teeth yet but the bottom bumps are in full force and more and more drool keeps coming.  The reflux has gotten better too, less massive throw ups, more like little baby spit ups.

Still loves to watch his Baby Einstein and there is a new one I put on "Neptune's Ocean"  There is a part on there that scares him EVERY time and it is so cute!  Not like scary crying, like he jumps every time and it surprises him.  

His favorite toys are Sophie the Giraffe, the car seat frog is still popular, and Aunt Lela's gift of the gator is really popular at the moment too.  Basically anything that he can fit into his mouth while watching Baby Einstein.  Also the mirror with velcro owls that I put on his crib, he hated it when I first bought it, now he loves it.  He would sit in his crib for an hour playing with it while I take a shower... silly baby!  Just reinforces that I should keep everything for awhile... you never know when he will like it??

Ribbit! 

6 Months

We are 6 months now! I went back to work more this month and it has been really hard finding time to blog or do anything for that matter.  I am a little torn on this subject, I love my job and the people I work with, but spending time with my little man is more fun!  He is changing so fast...

This month we started sitting up unassisted. Still don't like tummy time that much but LOVEs to sit up and play with toys.  The favorite toy of the month would be a toss up from Sophie the Giraffe and the steering wheel car that he can sit up and play with.

No teeth yet, but majorly working on them.  Everything goes into the mouth and Sophie is a favorite as well as anyone who will lend a finger.

We moved up a level at Gymboree even though he still can't roll over.  We are getting close, very close, should be this week or next.  Level two has much more activity than level one, that include moving around and playing on the equipment.  We also started swim lessons with a lovely bunch of babies his age and mommies (This mommy could use more mommy friends)!  It is 30 minutes of pure bliss for Dylan, he LOVES the water and is so relaxed in it.

We started eating more foods this month and graduated to level two of Annabel Karmel's baby food book.  I have been making some and buying some organic baby food if I can't find the ones I want to try in the organic raw form.  So far we have made "see in the dark" recipe of carrots, chicken stock, and onion; blueberry, peach, and pear puree; avocado, banana, and yogurt; broccoli and sweet potatoes; and butternut squash with nutmeg.  I have been adding a little spice to every dish and he really seems to like it.   Apples, pears, and cinnamon was his favorite.

He is still a very happy baby who loves to sleep.  He is still sleeping from 7PM-6AM every night and takes about 3-4 naps a day, 2 long and 2 short.  He is always smiling, laughing, and making noise.  The only time he cries is when he is hungry or tired, otherwise he will smile for anyone who smiles at him.

He isn't attached to anyone just yet, he definitely loves his mommy, I catch him watching me all the time.  Jessa is a close second to me, he is always smiling for her and looking around the room for her.  I come home most days and she has him laughing away in her lap.

Stats for 6 months:

Weight: 15 lbs 2.68 ounces (10-25%)

Height: 25.8 inches (25-50%)

Head Circumference: 16.7 inches (10-25%)

At the beach!

Making noise

Looking at Otto

Serious face for a picture with Mommy

Easily distracted 

Blowing rasberries

Happy Baby

5 Months

5 Months: 13 pounds 11.6 ounces

5 Months Old!

Dylan is gaining weight right and left now!  His feeding schedule is this. 

6:15 Wake up (almost to the dot every morning) Breastfeed

7:30-8:30 Nap

9:15 3-4 oz Expressed Milk, 4-5 oz Formula

Another 1-2 hour nap 

12:15 3-4 oz Expressed Milk, 4-5 oz Formula

Another 1-2 hour nap

3:30 3-4 oz Expressed Milk, 4-5 oz Formula, 2-3 teaspoon Rice cereal

45 minute nap

6:30 3-4 oz Expressed Milk, 4-5 oz Formula

7:00 bath

7:30 pm Bed... all night long... BLISS!!

Getting chunkier

He cries when he is hungry, whines when he is tired, and fusses when he wants more stimulation.  In social settings the only thing that scares him to crying is when other babies cry or when mommy sneezes.  Sneezing, really Dylan??  Dirk calls him a sympathy cryer. 

He is always smiling and loves for people to talk to him.  He isn't attached to either of us just yet and will let anyone hold him.  His hands are always in his mouth which makes me think he is working on some teeth but nothing yet.  He is a once a day poop kind of guy... which has been nice, not too many dirty diapers.  But I tell ya, he can clear a room with his gas. 

His hands and feet are still his favorite toys or sometimes the blue dog that goes straight into his mouth.  A perfect morning for Dylan is a full tummy from mommy then to his bouncer where he puts his hands or his feet or both in his mouth while watching Baby Einstein.  Baby Einstein is a lifesaver most days, a blissful 28 minutes to get dressed, eat cereal, and check email. I could write a whole blog on Baby Einstein....

He loves to go for walks in his stroller sitting up right like a big boy not in the car seat.  He is noticing Otto more and more and watches him around the room.  He is still in love with water and splashes around during bath time.

Smiles for Jessa (the nanny)

Loves sitting upright in his crib

Happy Little Man

Lots of goofy faces that day

Playing with our favorite toys! FEET!

We couldn't have asked for a more happy, smiley, little guy.  Dirk calls him "sticky fingers"... very fitting dad and I call him my "Little Man"  I am very appreciative of his mild manners because I don't think he could handle all this traveling being a fussy little guy.  He fits right into our family and lifestyle.  We couldn't be more blessed.

4 Months

Happy 4 months Dylan!

He is such a happy baby, except in these pictures he had just woke up and all he wanted to do was watch TV.  I could barely get him to look at me.  It must be that he loves his Baby Einstein Mozart and watches it every morning when he wakes up while I get dressed.

We are still breastfeeding which I had to start taking medicine to keep up with the little guys demands. Motillum is not used in the USA but helps with lactation as an off label use over here, seems to work well so far.  We have been topping up with some formula (Similac Immunity) to keep his belly full, but he still prefers the real deal.

We will start some rice cereal in 3 weeks time, hopefully that will help to keep his food down better.  As of now with the reflux he throws up twice every feed and then spits up for a bout 2-3 hours after.  And that was on medicine, we thought it wasn't working so we took him off but quickly realized in a days time that the throwing up was MUCH less with the medicine.  He takes Losec (Omperzole) twice a day for the reflux.  I can't wait to start solids and keep more food down!

We also got our 4 month vaccines at the doctor, took them like a champ.  We quickly found that his hands are a comfort and he sucks on his fingers all the time, well at least when he isn't talking.  He started sucking his thumb as he was getting his vaccines.  Made me want to cry to see that, Dirk was the brave one and held him.

The boy is a chatter box too.  He won't stop talking, giggling, babbling.  I am a little confused to where he got this from?  Aunt Lela maybe?

We did start Gymboree class for infants 0-6 months.  Dylan is still ok with it and does well with everything but tummy time while looking at the other babies.  He is ok when we do it at home, but he screams when he does it there.  It is a terrified scream.  He doesn't make that scream very often and I only know this because if I sneeze while feeding him the same scream comes out.  It is kind of funny when that happens because I can't really control my sneezes but he gets really upset when it happens.

Stats on Growth

Weight: 11 pounds 7 ounces (5.19 kg) 10th percentile

Height: 23.2 inches (59 cm) 10th percentile

Head Circumference: 16.1 inches (40 cm)

4 Months

Watching the TV

Little couch potato

Such a little laid back baby

3 months

October 31st, 2011

The time is flying by but I am ok with it for now.  With time comes MORE sleep!!  Dylan is now sleeping 8-9 hours at night and then takes another good 4 hour nap in the morning.  Definitely his mother's son! 

We didn't get to the doctor at the three month mark because he was there the week before checking up on his reflux, which has gotten better but still not keeping down all his feeds. 

We have developed quite the vocabulary and love to talk and hear new voices.  He will stare at the computer screen when I Skype with my parents and even carried on a conversation with his Uncle Ryan.  He was talking to his Mimi as well when he heard her voice over the phone.  

He is interested in EVERYTHING!!  Always wanting to look around and see what is going on.  The flight to Perth, Australia went very smoothly, he was so entertained watching all the flight attendants.  Dirk and I were able to watch two movies and eat our dinner while Dylan slept.  Next up for travel is Koh Samui, Thailand in December.  Now only if we could get him on a scuba diving boat....

Other new things we are doing: He can now put his pacifier back in his mouth when it falls out.  And everything must go into the mouth these days, especially his bib.  He can kick the rattle that hangs from his play mat for a good 30 minutes to entertain himself, but still prefers to look at people and faces.  He is liking his swing more and more and it seems to sooth him in the mornings.  

He is still loving bath time with daddy and we have even added early morning walks with daddy and Otto in the baby Bjorn.  He LOVES the Bjorn now that he finally fits in it. 

The last stats at the doctor were: 

Weight: 9 pounds 4 ounces

Height: 22 inches 

Still under the 5th percentile but he has managed to gain a pound or more per month which is right on target for steady growth... it will take him awhile to catch up.

3 months

Loving our Bumbo!

Eating our hands

Two Months

So we made it through our vaccines, whew, I was worried about those!  I didn't actually see him get the injections, Dirk held him while I waited in the breastfeeding room.  He took them like a champ though, only cried for a short while and then came to me for some grub.  He wasn't too fussy afterwards either, just has been sleeping a TON!  I can't believe how much he has been sleeping!  The first night after the jabs was 7 hours straight!  He might be going through a growth spurt too, I swear he woke up yesterday a new baby.

He has great head control now.

He is noticing his toys, different voices, and lights.  

He loves high pitched voices.  My friend Erin called from the U.S. to Skype and he was inthralled with her voice, kept starring at the computer the whole time. 

He is more vocal, lots of vowel sounds, and talking back to you using these sounds.  Today we had a whole conversation in vowels... I love how he is so much more interactive now!

He does have a new tummy problem, although the gas has subsided for now.  He has been having reflux which usually comes after a big feed.  The routine after feeding is a BIG stretch with hands above head and legs out straight, a couple of BIG burps, and then throwing up a couple of times.  Sometimes so much we go through several changes of clothes, mommy included. 

Here are is his stats, the doctor wasn't too impressed with his weight gain.  We decided it was due to a cold he had this month plus the reflux.  Solution now is smaller more frequent feeds.  Although my mom says I was always in the 25 percentile for weight until I reached adulthood.  Dirk on the other hand weighed more at birth than Dylan does at two months.  

Weight: 8 lb. 5 oz

Height: 21.1 inches 

Head Circumference: 14.5 inches 

My eye brows are getting really fuzzy