Elliott: Six Months

Half a year already? I don't even understand how this is happening so fast. Elliott's personality is shining through more and more each day as he shows more facial expressions and makes new noises. He still loves to smile at anyone who looks at him - it seems we've got an extrovert on our hands for sure!

Eating: Up to now Elliott has still been exclusively breast feeding. On average I'd say he eats every 4 hours, although if he gets distracted by playing or visiting with someone fun, sometimes it's 5, and if he's having a bad teething day it's more like 3. We're excited to start solids with him this month! We actually gave carrots a trial run just last night, and while I expected to report how much he loved them, in fact it seems he rejected them completely- sour face and spit every morsel out! I'm going to try pureeing them a bit thinner today and see if he likes that better. I didn't expect to feel anything but happy about starting solids, but the truth is that I know it means he will start nursing less, and that does make me a little sad. I love breastfeeding so much, and the thought of giving up even one feeding is a bit of a bummer.

Sleeping (Night Time): Not much has changed here - he's still going to bed at 9, and still wakes at either 2 and 5, or only once at 4. I have no clue what determines the difference between the waking times! In the last week when he's been teething there have been a few nights of waking quite a few more times. I try to remind myself that he isn't being a jerk (haha) but instead he just needs some comfort from his mama.
We have started to incorporate bath time as part of his bedtime routine (before now bath time wasn't every night, and wasn't necessarily close to bedtime) We don't wash/shampoo him every night- some nights he just splashes and plays. This has been working really wonderfully to make him nice and sleepy, warm and cozy right before I nurse him to sleep- something I don't do at nap time, but do most nights for bed time. If I'm not home he will go down without it, but I think we both love that bedtime nursing session, so I see no reason to give it up!


Sleeping (Nap Time):  The past week or so it seems like Elliott is going from 4, to only 3 naps. The first one being pushed until he's been awake for about 2-2.5 hours, then the second one around 1-1:30 and the third around 4-5. It's still very important for him to be awake by 6 to want to go to bed at 9!

Play: Elliott still loves to be in his jumper, but not nearly as much as he used to. He hasn't fallen asleep in there for a few weeks now. He loves to play on his tummy or on his back on the floor, and the new favourite by far is to be sitting up (with a little help) He's getting stronger every single day and can sit unassisted for longer and longer, but he still tips to one side eventually. That or he throws himself back (with a huge grin on his face!) I think we may have a daredevil on our hands...
For toys he still loves Sophie, but his new favourite these days is his blue sock monkey. No matter what toy is in is hands he loves to pass it from hand to hand, and to carefully touch the tag or small parts with his thumb and forefinger. Obviously, everything still goes in his mouth.


Highlights/Lowlights: He's cut his first tooth just 5 days before he turned 6 months old! This can count as both a lowlight and a highlight because the day before it cut he was absolutely miserable. Thankfully it was only one day (and a somewhat sleepless night) and then he woke up with the tooth through the gums and his happy smiley self back.

We went to Fairmont Hot Springs with him on September Long Weekend - a yearly trip we take with Chris' entire family. It was so much fun to have him meet some family he hadn't met before, and to take him to a place that hold so many warm and fuzzy memories.

The weekend after that we took him to a retreat with Chris' school. It was so special for me to have him with us during the worship times - there is just something about praising the One who made us while holding such a precious creation in my arms!

Still no rolling, but he will sometimes scooch forward (or rotate 360 degrees!) while on his tummy. I wouldn't be surprised if this kid crawls before he rolls - he just seems to have no interest in it!

He's started spitting up in the past couple weeks. The first five and a half months of his life, I think he may have spit up 10-12 times, and in the past two weeks he's probably doubled that. Nothing has changed with what he eats or what I eat, so I'm a total loss on that one.

Speaking of bodily functions, in the past month he's been pooping almost every day, and sometimes multiple times a day. It was such a nice stretch of time where it was every 2-5 days. Again, nothing has changed with what goes in, so why the *ahem* evacuation has changed, I just don't know!

He's been "whispering" lots lately. He talks in the softest breath-y voice. He does this most often when his gums are bothering him and we put the teething oil on them. As soon as we do he calms right down and whispers. Suuuper cute.

He loves to stand now with only holding on to my hands (instead of me holding his torso) He sways forward and back, but completely hold his own weight for really long periods of time!


Likes:

• Saying "dadadadadada" over and over. No association with it yet, but cute nonetheless!
• Laughing with Mommy and Daddy
• When he sees one of us walk in the room 
• When Mommy pretends to eat his hands, feet, neck (the list goes on)
• Sitting (with help)
• Getting thrown in the air
• Putting anything in his hands into his mouth
• His blue sock monkey
• Bathtime!!
• Being wrapped up in the ring sling
• Sticking his tongue out (just since the tooth popped!)
• Screaming! Not an unhappy scream, just a "Hey look how loud my voice goes" scream.

Dislikes:

• Hurting gums :(
• Having boogers sucked out of his nose
• Having his clothes changed (just the past two weeks)
• Being ignored - especially if he's tired

And now, pictures!

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Thanks for stopping by :)

~M