Well, we're another week down. This last one was one of those let's-just-get-through-this weeks. If we hadn't had air conditioning, I don't know if we would have survived! Because Eric was back at school and the kids are getting a little tired of spending every moment together day in and day out, it took every last ounce of effort to get lunch on the table, to get out the door on time, or to get the house cleaned up. But, we made it. School starts on Monday, and we're all excited (well, except for Cade)!
So, to be honest, I'm feeling pretty good about the fact that I got these pictures taken and edited already. I forgot to transfer all of my presets for editing when we bought the new computer, so editing is taking me A LOT longer these days. Just another one of those things, I guess. On to Reece, though...
Sleep: As I already mentioned, Reece was a great traveler on our trip home; I couldn't have asked for more. He slept at appropriate times, ate at appropriate times, and was generally in a pretty good mood, considering the situation. It wasn't all bliss, of course, but the best we could've expected. And, miracle of miracles, the kid hit the ground running in the sleep department. He has been sleeping better here at home than he did all summer, and I'm so thankful! He hasn't slept through the night every night, by any means, but it's usually only one wake up, if there is one.
I was really worried about how much work I was going to have to put into getting him to take 90 minute naps again after his irregular napping over the summer, but that has been much easier than I thought it would be, as well. He's taking at least one 90 minute nap already, and he'll take two if he's cool enough and the house is quiet enough.
He does struggle to fall asleep from time to time, and I'll often come into his room 10 minutes after putting him down (when he lets out the "I'm hurt; come save me!" cry) to find that he is now sitting upright rather than lying down. Thankfully, since we picked up a crib bumper at Ikea last week, those cries occur less often, and they are no longer a result of a limb being stuck between two crib rails!
Eating: He's still eating pretty much anything we put in front of him, and he's been much better about going back and forth between spoon feeding and finger foods. He seems to understand now that the two do not have to be independent. At dinner, he usually eats piece of whatever we're having. This week it's been things like pork tenderloin and roasted potatoes, taco toppings--cheese, tomatoes, olives, (not a fan of the lettuce), and refried beans. He hasn't been quite as enthusiastic about finishing his bottles, so we've been cutting those back to 7 oz, and trying to get him to drink more water--using any means necessary!
Moving: This kid is so close to crawling, it's ridiculous! He has mastered the art of moving from a sitting position to his stomach and back again. He also spends a lot of time rocking on his hands and knees, as well as getting frustrated by the fact that he can't move forward. He can move backward like a pro, and he manages to get around pretty well, in spite of his lack of forward motion. Unlike his older siblings, I think he'll skip the army crawl. Any day now, we're going to have a mover and a shaker!
See that picture above? That's what I thought the 9 month session was going to look like. That's what I've been waiting for since he was a little lump that I awkwardly positioned on this chair and blanket beginning on day 8(?) of his life. He can sit up now, he can smile, he can make eye contact. This was going to be the easiest photo session yet! Ha! Boy, was I wrong! I think I missed the magical, easy photo session since I didn't do an 8 month shoot with him. That was when he was finally sitting up confidently, but before he could wriggle around and crawl off of furniture. This was more of a try-to-hold-the-camera-one-handed-and-use-the-other-hand-to-keep-the-kid-on-the-chair session.
With a few of these (^^) thrown in! I was certain by the end, when I was done asking Kennedy to get part of her head or hand out of the shot, that I was going to have absolutely nothing to work with and was going to have to re-shoot (not that hard since he never has clothes on these days, and I'm trying to get back into cloth diapering). But, just like every other month, I ended up with more than I could possibly use in one post!
Everything else: Reece still only has those two bottom teeth, though I was convinced last week that his intermittent low-grade fevers were due to teeth, nothing new has appeared. He's now mostly in 9 months clothes, as well as 6-12 month from the Gap. He probably will have outgrown those cute new 12 month pajamas I bought him before it gets cool enough for him to wear them.
Everyone here is constantly commenting on how big he's gotten in the past two months, but they're excited to see that he's still the happy, cuddly baby that he's always been. He's still letting everyone hold him, even if he gives them a shy smile before he warms up.
The big kids are starting to see their future, as he is gradually able to get into their toys. Thankfully, it takes a little while right now, so they have time to pick things up before he reaches them. Soon, that won't be the case! Nonetheless, they're loving him, and Kennedy is especially loving the fact that she has more freedom to pick up and carry Reece now that he's stronger.
We are all loving this little boy and can't believe how close we're getting to his first birthday!!
So, to be honest, I'm feeling pretty good about the fact that I got these pictures taken and edited already. I forgot to transfer all of my presets for editing when we bought the new computer, so editing is taking me A LOT longer these days. Just another one of those things, I guess. On to Reece, though...
Sleep: As I already mentioned, Reece was a great traveler on our trip home; I couldn't have asked for more. He slept at appropriate times, ate at appropriate times, and was generally in a pretty good mood, considering the situation. It wasn't all bliss, of course, but the best we could've expected. And, miracle of miracles, the kid hit the ground running in the sleep department. He has been sleeping better here at home than he did all summer, and I'm so thankful! He hasn't slept through the night every night, by any means, but it's usually only one wake up, if there is one.
I was really worried about how much work I was going to have to put into getting him to take 90 minute naps again after his irregular napping over the summer, but that has been much easier than I thought it would be, as well. He's taking at least one 90 minute nap already, and he'll take two if he's cool enough and the house is quiet enough.
He does struggle to fall asleep from time to time, and I'll often come into his room 10 minutes after putting him down (when he lets out the "I'm hurt; come save me!" cry) to find that he is now sitting upright rather than lying down. Thankfully, since we picked up a crib bumper at Ikea last week, those cries occur less often, and they are no longer a result of a limb being stuck between two crib rails!
Eating: He's still eating pretty much anything we put in front of him, and he's been much better about going back and forth between spoon feeding and finger foods. He seems to understand now that the two do not have to be independent. At dinner, he usually eats piece of whatever we're having. This week it's been things like pork tenderloin and roasted potatoes, taco toppings--cheese, tomatoes, olives, (not a fan of the lettuce), and refried beans. He hasn't been quite as enthusiastic about finishing his bottles, so we've been cutting those back to 7 oz, and trying to get him to drink more water--using any means necessary!
Moving: This kid is so close to crawling, it's ridiculous! He has mastered the art of moving from a sitting position to his stomach and back again. He also spends a lot of time rocking on his hands and knees, as well as getting frustrated by the fact that he can't move forward. He can move backward like a pro, and he manages to get around pretty well, in spite of his lack of forward motion. Unlike his older siblings, I think he'll skip the army crawl. Any day now, we're going to have a mover and a shaker!
See that picture above? That's what I thought the 9 month session was going to look like. That's what I've been waiting for since he was a little lump that I awkwardly positioned on this chair and blanket beginning on day 8(?) of his life. He can sit up now, he can smile, he can make eye contact. This was going to be the easiest photo session yet! Ha! Boy, was I wrong! I think I missed the magical, easy photo session since I didn't do an 8 month shoot with him. That was when he was finally sitting up confidently, but before he could wriggle around and crawl off of furniture. This was more of a try-to-hold-the-camera-one-handed-and-use-the-other-hand-to-keep-the-kid-on-the-chair session.
With a few of these (^^) thrown in! I was certain by the end, when I was done asking Kennedy to get part of her head or hand out of the shot, that I was going to have absolutely nothing to work with and was going to have to re-shoot (not that hard since he never has clothes on these days, and I'm trying to get back into cloth diapering). But, just like every other month, I ended up with more than I could possibly use in one post!
Everything else: Reece still only has those two bottom teeth, though I was convinced last week that his intermittent low-grade fevers were due to teeth, nothing new has appeared. He's now mostly in 9 months clothes, as well as 6-12 month from the Gap. He probably will have outgrown those cute new 12 month pajamas I bought him before it gets cool enough for him to wear them.
Everyone here is constantly commenting on how big he's gotten in the past two months, but they're excited to see that he's still the happy, cuddly baby that he's always been. He's still letting everyone hold him, even if he gives them a shy smile before he warms up.
The big kids are starting to see their future, as he is gradually able to get into their toys. Thankfully, it takes a little while right now, so they have time to pick things up before he reaches them. Soon, that won't be the case! Nonetheless, they're loving him, and Kennedy is especially loving the fact that she has more freedom to pick up and carry Reece now that he's stronger.
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