How I keep in touch: Nicholas is 6 Months!

Today is Nicholas' half birthday!!!
Amazing - truly amazing!

I can hardly believe he's already six months old, but at the same time can hardly believe we have been this family for only 6 months.

So much has happened and it is all good stuff (except for the lack of sleeping at night!). So, at six months, Nicholas has just about finished nursing and the breastmilk is dwindling down and will probably end completely in about 2 weeks. We are still supplementing him with the Nutramigen. He has been through all of the stage 1 vegetables (likes carrots the least and peas and sweet potatoes the best). We started fruits this weekend and he has rice cereal twice a day. He has two bottom teeth in and more working their way in - both on top and on bottom. He sits up unsupported and is working so hard at crawling. He is mobile, but it's more of an army crawl - I call it "inch-worm". He imitates certain sounds and still raspberries a lot. He is so strong and likes to jump and move around. He is VERY ticklish! Has a very silly laugh. Starting to babble more. Sucks on a binky and is becoming quite attached to it. He's very cuddly and lovable. He adores his sister and loves to watch her every move. He is still a terrible sleeper at night (more on that later).

Official stats from the doctor's visit today:
weight: 19 pounds, 14 ounces - 90% and up 3 pounds in two months
height: 26-1/2 inches, 75% and grew one inch from two months ago.
head: 17-5/8 inches, 75% and up just under an inch from two months ago.
BIG BOY!!!
Here are his 6-month pictures from today. We're going for professional ones Saturday (and family pics too)

He's such a delight and we all love him so very much!

So, let me think what's been happening lately for us....well, we've all been really busy. Hannah's summer gymnastics wrapped up this week. We'll be switching her gym this fall. I met with the director of the new gym last week and I really like it. I think it will either make Hannah serious about gymnastics or let us know if she's ready for a break. Her new class will be once a week, but for an hour and 45 minutes!

I had Bible Study at my house this month. It was a really good lesson and I enjoyed the discussion.

We had my company picnic last weekend, but it was so super hot, we didn't stay long.

I got rid of more of Hannah's old clothes by selling them to Children's Orchard. The good news was that they took a lot of the clothes, but I only got $123 for it all. I guess it's good because it's money I didn't have before and I got rid of her stuff, but boy, they don't pay much for stuff! And you then realize the markup they get for stuff - but it's still a great way to buy good kids clothes. I'll probably do another children's resale this fall and then take what's left to another second hand store and hopefully get rid of most of it!

Night times have been just awful with Nicholas. We had 2 nights of sleeping through the night, but it seems that each night has gotten worse and worse. He wakes up throughout the night more often each night and he is getting harder to soothe each time. More and more, we give in and bring him into our bed. I realize this is becoming a routine and pattern, so today, the doctor advised it is now time for hard-ball to break it. This is going to totally suck, but we have to let him cry it out without going into his room. He's not going to like this one bit, but I really don't want a kid in my bed now or in the future, so it's time to set a new pattern and new behaviors that will last going forward. I also enjoy cuddling with him, so I'm sad to have to nix it now, but after he gets the hang of night time, maybe we can snuggle for a nap here and there still!

I'm not sure what else is all that noteworthy about the last week, but here are a few more pictures from recent days.