Water Babies

A group of friends and I decided to sign up for baby swim classes together in May.  I thought it would be a good idea to get Colton use to the pool before we ventured to any friends' pools this summer.  I was a little concerned with the time because it was during his morning nap so I had to wake in up to make it there.  The lessons were held at the Park Hill Aquatic Center and the pool was VERY cold.  This mama does not like cold water at it was apparent that Colton was not a big fan either.  The first 5 minutes of every lesson he would cry.  Fortunately it was only the first 5 minutes and loved the pool once he got use to it.  The swim lessons were not the best but it was fun to do something with our new friends.

Colton Edward: 7 month Update

I believe that we are the luckiest parents in the world. You are such a good little boy.  You are the sweetest, happiest baby.  We can sit you on the floor with your toys or in your Exersauser and  you will just play by yourself.  You continue to "talk" all the time but no words yet.  The dogs don't pay much attention to you but you always smile at them when they walk by.  I definitely think you and Sasha will be pals as you get older.  She takes more interest in you than Charlie and often comes over to give you a sniff or lays down close to you on the floor.  Summer break has officially started and I am so looking forward to spending more time with you!

7 month update

Size:

Weight and Height:  I haven't been to group to weigh you in a few weeks but will be going later this week.  

Still wearing 12-18 months and even some 24 month clothes and size 3 diapers.  I recently went through all your clothes and put away all the 9 month stuff.

Food: We have tried food again and it is going much better.  You liked the banana and pumpkin puree. I have also started giving you small bites of veggies that we are having for dinner.  You even enjoy chewing on Cheerios.  Nursing is still going well.  I am so thankful that I am able to keep up with you.  We have stopped warming up any bottles we give you and you seem to enjoy the cold milk.  It could be the hot weather or that it might feel good on your gums.  

Sleep: 10 hours.  I have started to move your bedtime from 7 to 7:30-8 in hopes that you will sleep later.  You wake between 5:45-6:15.  I would love for you to go back to sleeping in until 7am but I will take the early mornings since you continue to sleep through the night.   You take a morning nap around 9 and a afternoon nap around 1:30.  Each last about 1 1/2 to 2 hours.  You also take a 45min - 1 hour nap around 4:30

Hair: One of my favorite things is when you run your hands through your hair when you are nursing.  I think it is the cutest thing.  

Eyes: You honestly have the most beautiful, big blue eyes with long lashes.  They ladies will love them one day.  

Activity: No crawling but still love to sit up.  You are constantly reaching for things when you are sitting up which causes you to end up on your stomach. You are getting better at learning to roll from your stomach to your back.  I often wake up in the morning to see you have rolled over onto your stomach in the middle of the night and instead of trying to roll back over you just sleep on your stomach.  

Likes: Mommy, kisses, playing with your toys

Dislikes: tired or hungry

Colton Edward: 6 months

This is seriously the best age!! You are curious about everything! You want to touch what ever you see.  You love to just sit and play with your toys.  It is so much fun to watch you.  You "talk" a lot but no words yet.  I say every day to Daddy that we lucked out in the baby department with you. You are such a happy, easy going little boy.  I am so looking forward to this summer when we can play all day, go swimming, and go to the park.  I can't say enough how much I love you!  

6 month update

Size:Weight: 20 pounds 4 ounces (98th percentile)

Height: 28 1/2 inches (98th percentile)

Head: 18 1/2 (100th percentile)

You are currently wearing 12-18 month and even some 24 month clothes and size 3 diapers.  

Food: We introduced purees at about 5 1/2 months.  We first tried sweet potatoes, butternut squash, and apple sauce but you didn't enjoy them at all.  I keep trying and you seem to be getting better.  We have started to try the baby lead weaning method which is us just letting you taste what we are eating and it seems to be going better.  You eat anywhere from 17-24 oz of breast milk at day care a day and nurse when you wake up, when we get home from day care, and right before bed.

Sleep: 10-12 hours.  You still go to bed at 7:00 and wake between 6am-7am.  You take a morning nap, afternoon nap, and late afternoon nap.  Your naps range from 30 minutes to 2 hours.  

Hair: It is growing longer everyday.  It is still a dark blond color and has hints of red when you are in the sunlight.  

Eyes: Still blue with beautifully, long eyelashes.  

Activity: No crawling but you are able to sit up unassisted.  You still love to jump in your Exersaucer  or doorway jumper.  If you are on your back you automatically roll over on your stomach but can't roll back over.  You grab for everything! It then goes directly to your mouth.  You love to just sit and play with your toys.

Likes: Mommy, playing with your toys, jumping, swinging.

Dislikes: Being hungry or tired.  

Colton Edward: 5 month update

This is by far the best month yet! You are so much fun to watch.  You are so much more aware of everything around you.  You watch the pup dogs play, look out the window in the car, watch every move daddy and I make.  You chew on EVERYTHING you can get your hands on.  I am pretty sure I see the first of your teeth coming in which might explain all the drooling and chewing this month.  Your laugh has to be the best sound I have ever heard.  It makes me laugh and smile every time.  No matter the day I have, your laughs make everything better.  You are such a good baby.  I am one lucky mama!

5 month update

Size:

Weight: 18 pounds 10 ounces (93rd percentile)

Height: 27 inches (94th percentile)

Head: 17.5 inches (90th percentile)

You are definitely a BIG boy! You are currently wearing 9-12 month clothes and size 3 diapers.  

Food: If you couldn't tell from your weight, you are a great eater.  You eat around 7am when you wake in the morning, have between 18-20 ounces at daycare, nurse around 5:30, and then your last feeding is right before bed at 7:00.  I am starting to prepare for your first foods next month!

Sleep: Since your 4 month birthday you have continued to sleep GREAT! You go to bed around 7pm and wake around 7am.  It is an understatement to say this has been life changing.  You went through a two week period where you were waking up crying after the first hour of sleeping.  I let you cry it out which was very stressful but we are finally back to normal.  You take a 1-2 hour nap in the morning, another 1-2 hour nap in the afternoon, and a 30 minute nap on our way home from daycare.  

Hair: Your hair continues to grow in and is brownish blonde

Eyes: Still blue with beautifully, long eyelashes.  

Activity: You have become VERY active.  You love to jump in your Exersaucer, door jumper, or standing on Mommy or Daddy.  You have only rolled completely over a few times but you love to just lay on your side.  You even have started to sleep on your side at night. You are such a talker and love hearing yourself talk.  You often lay in bed in the morning before I come and get you and just talk to yourself.  I love listening to you on the monitor.  

Likes: Jumping, talking, standing on my lap

Dislikes: Being hungry or tired.  

Mommy update: Spring Break was this month.  It was so much fun spending a whole week with you.  We went to visit Grandma and Grandpa Lucht and you did such a good job sleeping in a different crib and room.  I was so proud.  Daddy has been traveling more this month which was very stressful for Mommy. I don't realize how much I depend on him until he is gone for a few days.  Other then that, I am just counting the days until summer vacation!

Colton Edward: 4 month update

You are such a growing boy! I love your cubby thighs and cheeks.  Your personality comes out more and more each day.  You love to hear yourself "talk" which Mommy and Daddy think is so cute.  You are getting closer and closer to rolling over completely.  You have done it once at daycare but never at home.  You love to grab and pull on everything.  You are so strong!  You still are such a happy baby and smile all the time at anyone who will show you attention.  

4 month update

Size: 17.9 pounds (87 percentile)

We go to the doctor for your 4 month check-up and shots in a couple weeks.  

You are currently wearing 6 month clothing but are transitioning to 9 month clothing right now. You are growing like a weed!!

Food: Still nursing.  For awhile there you were eating about 20 ounces a day at daycare but the past couple weeks you are eating 14-16 ounces.  I think it is because I am able to get in two feedings in the morning before heading to work.  I added a pumping session at 9pm because you are not needing to nurse as much at night. This is helping me stock our freezer with extra milk.  

Sleep: This has been a difficult month for sleeping.  For most of this month, you starting getting up multiple times at night to nurse which resulted in Mommy getting very little sleep.  There were many tears from Mommy because of the lack of sleep and frustration.  It didn't help on the weeks where Daddy was out of town.  You have also still been sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room in the Pack-n-Play and had never slept in your own room.  On your 4 month birthday, I was ready for a good nights sleep and was ready to let you cry it out in your own room.  To my surprise you have slept GREAT in your own bed in your own room since then.  You are sleeping 8-10 hours straight which has been so great for Mommy.  You still go to bed between 7:00-7:30 each night.  You naps have become shorter (30-45minutes) but I am okay with that if you are sleeping better at night.  

Hair: Your hair continues to grow in and is brownish blonde

Eyes: Still blue with beautifully, long eyelashes.  

Likes: You love to sit in Mommy or Daddy's lap. 

Dislikes: Being hungry or tired.  

Mommy update: Mommy got a stomach virus right after parent teacher conferences and was unable to eat or drink anything for 4 days.  It was not how I wanted to spend my first long weekend with you since going back to work and was pretty upset about it.  Also since I was unable to eat or drink anything my milk supply dropped significantly.  I was able to nurse you while sick but was not able to pump enough milk for daycare.  I had to dip into our freezer supply.  It took exactly a week after I was symptom free to regain my supply.  Mommy has also had a rough month juggling being a working mom.  There have been many tears and feelings of guilt this month.  I am looking forward to a week off in a couple weeks for Spring Break.  

Colton Edward: 3 month update

This has definitely been my favorite month.  You are becoming so much fun! You love to smile, laugh, and "talk" to us.  You give me the biggest smile when you wake up in the morning and see me. I think that is my favorite thing so far.  You just seem to be the happiest baby.  We did have to deal with a little thrush at the beginning of the month but you took your medicine like a champ.  Mommy went back to work this month which was so much harder than I thought it would be.  I cried almost every morning when I had to leave you but every day got better.  The first week back to work Daddy stayed home with you.  I think it was the best thing for both of you.  You two really bonded that week together.  Daddy was definitely not ready for the week to end.  Daddy took you to your 2 month doctor's appointment where you got your first round of immunizations.  Daddy said you just cried when it was happening but did great afterwards.  The doctor said she was so impressed about how aware you were and how talkative you were.  I guess you followed her all around the exam room and kept smiling every time she talked to you.  You are such a little flirt!  Going to daycare hasn't even phased you.  It has definitely been harder on Mommy than you.  You are being such a good boy at daycare.  Ms. Colleen thinks you are the sweetest baby.  The other kiddos love you and think you are so cute!

You are becoming quite the little mover.  You kick your legs all the time which causes you to move all around.  Lately you have even been rolling over onto your side!  I don't know if Mommy is ready for you to grow up so fast.

I can't believe how fast you are growing but am looking forward to what this next month has in store for us.  

3 month update

Size: 2 weeks ago you weighed 15.1 pounds (91st percentile)

At 11 weeks you measured 24.5 inches long (86th percentile) You are such a big boy!

Don't know your exact head size but I know it is big

I stopped being in denial and finally switched you to 6 month clothes.  I cried as I put your newborn and 3 month clothes away.  I can't believe how much you have grown already.  

Food: Nursing is still going well.  I am pumping enough at work each day to give to daycare to use for the next day.  You are eating about 16-18 oz at daycare in 4 different sittings.  I am so thankful and happy that I have been able to nurse you with no issues.  

Sleep: My first week back to work you slept 8 hours ever night! I thought this might be the start of sleeping through the night but I wasn't so lucky.  You are back to waking 1-2 times a night but are getting better.  Long stretches of sleep are becoming more often then not and we have had a few more nights of 7-8 hours.  You are still sleeping in Mommy and Daddy's room in the Pack-n-Play.  You wake between 4am-5am and then I feed you before getting ready for work.  You fall back to sleep until 7am where we then get you dressed for the day.  At daycare you are taking two 45-60 minutes naps in the morning and one 2 hour nap in the afternoon.  I can't complain that you aren't sleeping through the night yet because I know it could be so much worse.  

Hair: You are continuing to loose your brown hair.  It is getting lighter and sometimes looks strawberry blonde in the light.   

Eyes: Still blue with beautifully, long eyelashes.  

Likes: You still fall right to sleep the second I put you in the car or the stroller.  You love to hang out on Daddy's lap and watch him play video games.  

Dislikes: Being hungry or tired.  That is about it.  You are pretty happy most of the time.  

Mommy update: I joined another support group for working moms that meets twice a month.  We have been once this month and liked it.  I miss my Wednesday morning group but am still in contact with a few of the Mommies.  Daddy went on his first work trip since I have been back to work and it was pretty hard being a single mom to a baby and two pup dog.   We were all happy to see Daddy when he got home.  

  

Reflecting: 14 in 14

14. Favorite Quote

"He's not perfect. You aren't either and the two of you will never be perfect."

I love quotes so this is pretty hard for me.  Since 2014 was Jason and I's 1st year of marriage I would have to say one of my favorite quotes is the first line of a Bob Marley quote that we had read at our wedding ceremony.  With social media everywhere, it is easy to get caught up in thinking your relationship needs to be like everyone else's.  What we often forget is that we don't post the "bad" things in our lives.  You will argue, disagree, get mad at times but it doesn't mean your relationship is doomed.  This is real life.  It is how you handle these tough situations that make for a great relationship.

13. Favorite Article of Clothing

Leggings.  I especially love the fleece line ones for winter.  Leggings have also saved me from having to buy a whole new wardrobe as I work on losing my pregnancy weight.  

12. Favorite Movie

Gone Girl 

I LOVED the book and the movie was just as good. They did an amazing job of keeping the movie almost exactly like the book.

11. Favorite TV series

I have many favorite TV series but something new I started watching this year was The Blacklist.  

10. Favorite Restaurant

Tasty Thai 

Their Panang Curry is by far my favorite but I also love their Pad Thai 

9. Favorite New Thing You Tried

Pho

The owners of Tasty Thai opened a Pho restaurant next door, Big Bowl Pho, and I love it.  It is perfect for these cold winter days.  

8. Favorite Gift you Received

The gift of my son.  Life changing

7. Favorite Book

I love to read but I didn't read as much as I usually do.  I think it was mostly because I was pregnant for most of 2014 and this girl was in bed pretty early every night.  I was so tired most nights that I couldn't stay awake to read a few pages of a book.  With that said, I did read Miss Peregrine's Home For Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs and really like it.  I even got Jason the sequel for Christmas.  

6. Favorite Thing you Pinned

That is just too difficult.  I pin too many good things.  

5. Favorite Accomplishment

Giving birth to my beautiful, healthy son.  

4. Favorite Photo

Taken a few hours after meeting this little guy for the first time.  Love at first sight!

3. Favorite Memory

By far the birth of Colton

2. 2015 Goal

To become more active.  I have wanted to run a 5k for a while now but have never done it.  I am also needing to lose some of this pregnancy weight as well as some extra weight I was carrying before getting pregnant. 

1. One Little Word

Thankful

I have so much to be thankful for.  A loving husband, beautiful home, a healthy baby, great parents, amazing friends, a job I love.  I could go on forever.  I need to remember all the great things in my life when I am having a bad day.  The good outnumbers the bad by far.

Bring on 2015!