9 month update

Wow, it feels like I just did the 8 month update on here. Peyton had his 9 month check up today and weighs in at 18 lbs 6 oz and is 27 1/2 inches long. He still has a tiny head in the 6th percentile, but I think that is what makes him look like a little boy vs. a little baby. Still no teeth. The girls in the doctor's office are in love with him. Grae, the PA that sees him, thinks he'll be walking before our 12 month visit, and we agree.

So Peyton can get around with the greatest of ease these days. He crawls FAST! He can stand up using just about anything for leverage, from the couch to a door to the wall. He loves to walk across the room holding our hands. We have to keep an eye on him at all times . Turn around for a second and he's gone and getting into something he's not supposed to be. We've put latches on all the cabinets, padding on the fireplace, and fixed up all the outlets. The biggest thing is still the stairs. We have awkward stairs that you can't really put a gate on so we're trying to teach him how to do them correctly in case he somehow got to the stairs without us seeing him, but I don't see that happening.

Peyton's first Christmas was awesome for both him and Mommy and Daddy, oh, and of course Grandma, who spoiled him rotten. He surprisingly unwrapped his presents and actually liked the toys, not just the boxes and paper. My favorite pic is one of him seemingly reading the directions of how to install his swing. Of everything he got, he plays with the peg board with the hammer and the plastic blocks, the most.

On top of his first Christmas, he also had his first cold, which he proceeded to spread to the whole family. Since then he's had a hard time getting back into a sleep routine, but it is getting a little bit better.

For the next 6 days I will be alone with him for the first time. I'm a little nervous about how I will ever get any meals made or cleaning done, but who knows, it might actually be better than when Zack is here.

Hard to comprehend, but by the time we go in for Peyton's 12 month appt there may be a little brother or sister on the way that we'll have to start a new blog for.

8 months old-how time flies when you're having a good time!

8 months sure does fly when you are having fun! Peyton is becoming more of a joy by the day. He's 18.2 lbs according to the Wii. From his new set of words (baba, mama, dada, buhbuy) to the squeals at the top of his lungs, to the new skills (crawling, scurrying up mommy's lap, downward dog, imitating, pulling to stand and cruising along the side of the playpen or crib, going from tummy to sitting, and ever improving fine motor skills) he's a miracle and a joy to watch. With the development of all these skills comes some frustration for him. He gets mad when he can't do something which leads to more fussiness than normal, but he's still a great baby. Couple that fussiness with possible teething. Yes, I know I say that every month in my update, but it has to be soon, right? He's 8 months and is still toothless, which is fine by me since I am still breastfeeding. The good thing is that in the past week we seem to be getting back on a waking up only once a night routine, which is making me happy. The trip to Florida, the time change, and a change in weather really threw him for a loop. I think the humidifier is helping a lot.

As far as eating goes, Peyton is an awesome eater. The only thing we can't get him to eat so far is meat, but I'm sure if we try it mixed with something he likes he'll enjoy it too. I still make all the baby food which is supposed to make for less picky eaters, so we'll see.

Another thing we are proud of is our skills as parents with "elimination communication." I know it's a foreign concept to most, but it is a means by which you follow your baby's cues in order to toilet them instead of having them go in a diaper, so that when potty training does occur it's easier since they already know the potty is where that happens, not a diaper. I'm happy to report that we catch "poopoo in the potty" 95% of the time and he does #1 in there after naps and in the morning. Even if potty training is still difficult, this time, learning how to communicate with Peyton even without words, has been time well spent. Plus, he seems to enjoy it!

My favorite thing that Peyton is doing now is giving me kisses. It is the sweetest thing and makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside, and usually left with a very wet cheek:) As of now, he'll only do it to me, but he seems to be a pretty smart cookie and will probably start with Daddy soon too. He also loves to laugh and smile. My least favorite thing is that he gets into everything he's not supposed to. Gone are the days of sitting him in the living room while I run to the kitchen. He's across the room lickity split trying to get some cord, the dog's bone, a shoe, lick the sliding glass door, climb on the brick fireplace, or any number of other things he shouldn't be getting into. Those things are way more fun than toys.

I'm so looking forward to Peyton's first Christmas. All of his presents are bought and Grandma is coming from Florida. I'm sure he'll be much more interested in the paper, bags, bows, and ribbon, than the actual presents, but it'll be fun to start experiencing Christmas through a child's eyes again.

So I guess that's it. It's a lot. Each month more seems to happen in the span of a month. So in the words of Peyton, buhbuy.

7 months update

So I can't believe it. Today Peyton is 7 months old. I had every intention of weighing him today on the Wii, but with the people here doing the windows I forgot so I'll have to add an addendum later. We love that little boy more every day. He's changing faster than I ever imagined. His personality is blossoming as are the skills he's able to perform. He's been on the verge of crawling for a while now, but is much more interested in standing. In fact, today, his 7 month birthday, he pulled to stand for the first time by himself in his crib. I sat him down in there with the side down to do something and the next thing I knew, he was standing up. Other things he does routinely now is going from sitting to his stomach, but he can't get from his stomach to sitting yet, is a very adept roller at getting from one place to another, and he plays really well by himself and enjoys the toys that make music when he pushes buttons or anything he can gnaw on.

He still doesn't have a tooth, but continues to act like he's teething, drooling like a mad man and chewing on everything. His new favorite toy is an old cell phone he can chew on. It's the only way I can keep him from insisting on mine. It's amazing to watch him discover new textures. The other day he discovered the bricks on the fireplace hearth and the tile, both which he rubbed his hands across for a good 10 minutes a piece, just exploring.

We went to Florida in October and he got to experience the beach again as well as the pool. It was a much better experience at the beach than when we were there in June since it wasn't hot, but the ocean was too choppy to take him in. He loved his new raft in the pool, but it was too cold out to go in very much. He was a very good baby to me on the airplane and in the airport since I was traveling alone and very stressed about it. I got many complements after we landed that I had the best baby on the plane. In the airport he showed off his new mimicking skills and entertained a couple that, ironically, are expecting a baby girl that they are naming Peyton too. He started really squealing on that trip too, as well as waving hi to my family.

So that's all I can think of that has happened this past month. We are starting to baby proof the house with crawling seeming like an imminent occurrence, but he would much rather be walking, it seems. Life is about to get really exciting.

New videos on youtube:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxtC8NmD0Yo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=av5WbwaIDhc

6 Months Old!!! Half a year, can you believe it?

Today Peyton went to his doctor's appt. for his 6 month checkup. He was 16 lbs 6 oz. and 26 1/2 inches long. He hasn't grown much in height, but he's chunked up so much. There have been lots of changes in his life in the last month. He sits VERY well now and will sit for hours playing with his toys on the floor or watching Sesame Street. He gets around the living room by rolling. It's amazing how quickly he can get across the room that way. He's getting pretty close to being able to belly crawl too. We've introduced solid foods which he took to very well. He loves his rice cereal and so far the only thing he has completely rejected is peas...go figure. It made me sick to my stomach just smelling them when I was trying to feed them to him.

Sleeping on his back is a thing of the past. Yes, we still put him down on his back like all the experts say, but it takes less than 2 seconds for him to be flat on his stomach. He sleeps in some of the most awkward positions, but most of them are exactly like I sleep. His naps have, for the most part, greatly increased in length to 1 1/2 hours to 2 instead of his previous 30 minutes or so, which is great for me getting things done around the house.

He's now able to go hiking with us in the backpack. We went up to Kenosha Pass to hike with our neighbors and their son and both boys ended up falling asleep in the packs. Boy did it look uncomfortable, not to mention that it was about 45 degrees and it rained on us. The backpack is so much more comfortable to hike in than the Baby Bjorn.

Peyton has probably begun teething. He is suddenly waking at night again even though he's been sleeping through the night for the last 2 months. He gnaws on everything and bites his bottom lip, which is so cute. And he drools...man does he drool. I love his toothless grin, but I wish this tooth would come in so that he's back to his normal happy self.

So that's that. Half a year old. Seems like just yesterday that he was born and now we're thinking we need to baby proof the house sooner than later because he will be crawling soon. This age is so much fun, his personality is growing by the day. We love that little boy!

Peyton is 5 months old!!

Can you believe it? Our baby is already 5 months old. It seems like just yesterday that we were wondering when I ever would go into labor and were holding that tiny baby of only 6 lbs 7 oz. It's a distant memory when I pick up his now 17lb, chunky body that likes to be thrown in the air and turned upside down that he was ever so small and fragile. What was life like before Peyton? I know I have a hard time remembering. It feels like everything in my life has led up to this point. Goals and dreams that I had to travel and pursue, that almost prevented me from wanting children, now don't seem all that important. What is important is our little life here in Colorado and doing what is best for him everyday and introducing him to the world, for better or for worse. I feel blessed every day that I am able to stay at home with him 5 days of the week. I keep waiting to wake up from the happiness I feel every day when I look at him and play with him. It's too good to be true.

Peyton has such a great personality...most of the time. He's extremely happy...most of the time. It seems like every time we hang out with people from Zack's work he is fussy, but at home he's always laughing and smiling. He likes to watch Sesame Street and sports on TV. Rockie's games freak him out now, because he startles easy with the loud noise. We can still go, but we just know now that one person will have to be up walking with him out where it's not as noisy. He loves going hiking in the Bjorn and today we are going to take a trial run hiking in the backpack since he can sit independently for short periods of time now. The outdoors is still our pacifier. If he's crying, walk outside and he's a whole new child. He's become quite the Mama's boy lately, not wanting to be held by anyone but Mommy and Daddy and often only able to be comforted by Mommy. Now that the seasons are changing I will be interested to see how he is in the cold weather. He loves to not wear clothes which won't be an option once the weather turns.

We think he might really be teething now, but we've thought that before. His new passion is chewing on glass, ceramic, and electronics...I'm assuming because they are hard and cold, not because of a lack of silica in his diet. He has become fascinated by my food lately as well. Around 6 months we will begin introducing solid foods, which I am on the fence about. On the one hand, it will be nice to not be "exclusively breast feeding" anymore, but on the other hand, breastfeeding poop is so much better than solid food poop. Oh well, it has to happen someday. He also has started night waking again, which may mean teething as well.

He's getting much more mobile too, making me think we should start thinking about baby proofing sooner than later since it seems like we'll just wake up one day and he'll be crawling. That seems to be how it happens. One day he can't do something and the next day it's as natural as if he'd been doing it since birth. He does well moving from one end of the crib to the other by rolling around and turning on either his back or stomach. We had to put the bumpers on the crib because he kept rolling on his stomach and getting his legs stuck out the sides. He plays like crazy now too, loving a toy one day and not being interested at all in it the next. The general rule of thumb is that if it makes noise and it fits in his mouth, it's fun.

So anyway, that's the update on our little man. When I get my new Mac I will post more video. It's too hard on this slow computer. Take care.

Connie, Zack, and Peyton

New Peyton Videos on Youtube

Because the blog does not have much memory for videos, we have posted some misc. videos of Peyton on youtube. Here are the links.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djQ8WglibC8 17 week update
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3qYzscN94EI 18 week update
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L_0Nw-btboA Bath time
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbo8PmVOuq4 Changing table watching the light
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXNzUu3TMzA Fake coughing and laughing
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m4elHGFCIWQ Laughing and standing up
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5VoiiBqwjI Peyton flying
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YmaJVwpH3q0 Sleeping in funny position
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSvTjAGcyUw Sleepy red eyebrows
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dg-5DbJ1Xrs Teething ring

Enjoy:)

4 month checkup at doctor's

Peyton had his 4 month checkup today at 18 1/2 weeks old. He was 26 inches long, 14 lbs 11 oz and NOT happy about having his 2nd round of vaccines. Poor baby got sore again and was very upset this afternoon, but by evening he was better, just tired.

Peyton is changing so much every day. He's developmentally well ahead of where average is at 4 1/2 months. He is rolling both directions (with coersion...he really has no desire to roll otherwise), LOVES to stand, can sit propped on his hand for short periods of time, laughs and plays all day long and still loves being outside. We've taken him camping in our new HUGE tent several times now and he's getting more used to it. He still has issues going to sleep and eating when we're outside b/c he is so interested in every little thing going on around him. We probably won't be able to do much more camping this year because it's already chilly at night in the mountains.

Mommy has gone back to work just 2 days a week. It's actually working out quite well. Daddy works W-Sat, and Mommy works Sun-M. That way he has no daycare needs.

For the most part Peyton is a smiley, happy baby. He sleeps pretty much nightly from 8 pm to 4 am, without any fight, eats at 4 and goes back to sleep on and off until about 9 am. He does not like to nap, though. I guess he's afraid he'll miss something if he sleeps during the day because unless we are in the car, getting him to sleep during the day is always a fight. His eyebrows turn red when he's tired so it's very obvious. He's seemed to have been teething since about 10 weeks old, with lots of drooling and chewing, but still no teeth have emerged. He has started the past couple of days sucking, not his whole hand, but his thumb. I have a feeling soon the pacifier is going to be a thing of the past because he's not all that interested in it anymore, but unfortunately we can't take away his thumb.

I will be posting video soon to youtube from the past 6 weeks or so so stay tuned.

Peyton, Connie and Zack