Fun with Shelby

7 Months Pictures... Finally

7 months going on 2 years!  Josiah so wants to hang with the big boys!  We have joined friends from church up at MacArthur Mall for a playdate a couple of times recently, and Josiah LOVES being around other kids! And I really think he can't wait to get up and play on the slides and toys!  He was THRILLED when I walked him around and put him on Daffy Duck and let him sit on the little car and "drive" with the big kids. 

Here he is with his friend P.J.  He gets so excited when he sees other babies/kids!

This is a new look for Josiah... the pacifier!  Silly boy:

Playing Tug-of-War with Shelby.... as much as we've considered getting rid of our crazy dog, she has won me over with how well she plays with Josiah.  She brings him her toys, and lets him tug them away from her.  She's really gentle with him and he ADORES her! 

And just a few others...

What's New?

Josiah will be 7 months old on Saturday.  Wow.  7 months really sounds so much older than 6!  It practically feels like we're just counting down to his first birthday now and that's just crazy!   Well, our big boy has been doing all kinds of new stuff lately, like:

• crawling backwards
• sucking on pacifiers
• wearing 12 & 18 months clothes
• falling asleep on his own
• getting his toes into his mouth (until now, his belly has been in the way!)
• playing in the pack-n-play
• liking some veggies - carrots & sweet potatoes (finally!)
• playing tug-of-war with our dog, Shelby
• wanting to share his toys with Shelby
• pulling up from sitting onto his knees
• sitting and eating in a highchair at restaurants
• sitting up all the time
• reading books
• loving stuffed animals
• taking baths in the real bathtub
• splashing the water in the bath
• growling back when growled at
• talking when I tell him to "say...(insert whatever)"

It's been a lot of fun, and I know it's just about to get crazier when he figures out how to crawl forward! 

Always changing!

If there is one thing I have learned with having a baby, it's that things are ALWAYS changing!  Routines and schedules and interests only last but so long.  So the last month had been a huge step backwards as far as Josiah's nighttime sleeping.  He used to sleep at least 8 hours before waking up for a bottle, and then he'd go back to sleep for another 2 hours... but ever since he got sick last month, he's been waking up multiple times and nothing but a bottle, and rocking and walking will satisfy him.  We were getting pretty exhausted, but we also knew that he just didn't know how to soothe himself back to sleep on his own. 

Well what do you know? Josiah has never wanted anything to do with a pacifier. And then a couple weeks ago, I just randomly tried it again when he was fussing before falling asleep, and he took it and dozed off while I rocked him. Hmmm.... I was still rocking him and not laying him down until he was fully asleep, but I had a feeling that pacifier might be just what we needed.  And sure enough... Friday afternoon, he just wouldn't fall asleep, even with the pacifier and with me rocking him, so I just laid him in his crib wide awake but with the pacifier.  I went and sat in the glider where he couldn't see me, and he just kicked his legs up and down and played with the little monkey in his crib for about 6 minutes and then he was out!  I couldn't believe it!  No crying, nothing!  And it's worked all weekend just like that!   I still don't think he knows to find a pacifier in his crib on his own when he wakes up... but if all I have to do is walk in and pop it back in his mouth in the middle of the night, that's at least a huge improvement!   Any suggestions on how to help him find it on his own? 

Still Here!

I'm definitely not planning to stop blogging!  Just not sure whether to be so detailed or not.  ;)  I'm glad to know so many of you enjoy reading... as I do enjoy reading about those of you who also blog!  So we'll see what may come.  I definitely appreciate it when you leave comments just because it's nice to hear from you all!!!  Don't be a secret-stalker!  LOL.   Anyway... since it has been over a week since I gave any updates on my little cutie... I'll go ahead and indulge a little now.  :)

Thankfully, Josiah's long bout of diarrhea is finally done!  He's doing well... getting a little attached to Mommy... which is both endearing and annoying at the same time!  When I'm sitting next to him on the floor... he reaches for me and climbs (as best he can) into my lap.  He wants to be held... well, sortof.  He wants me to be his legs for him.  He doesn't want to sit still and cuddle... he wants me to walk him around so he can see and touch everything that he can't reach on his own!  This is one active, observant, curious little boy!  I can't decide if I'll be happy or sad when he can finally crawl on his own!  I'll be happy that he can entertain himself a little better... but I know I'm in for it when it comes to him getting into EVERYTHING!   My parents got him a little race car walker to play in at their house, and he LOVES it... he "walks" all over their house, opening cabinets, drawers, touching everything he can.  And so now, when he's in the exersaucer at our house (which is stationary) he jumps so hard that he can actually make it move from one side of the kitchen to the other!  He's a mess! 

With the 3 1/2 week long tummy issues, we had to limit his food variety to things that wouldn't make him worse.  So he ate tons of applesauce, yogurt and bananas.  And he has decided that while he LOVES those (and most other fruits), he's not interested in veggies anymore at all.  He spits them out.  I keep trying, but not forcing... and hoping that he'll come around.  He did manage to eat several bites of carrots today which shocked me... so maybe there is hope!  If nothing else, I'm sure when he starts finger foods, he may branch out more.  :)  He sure wants them when they are on MY plate! 

Hmmm... so how's that for a nice long post?!  :) 

To blog or not to blog...

I'm kinda torn on how whether or not I like blogging so much detail about our days.  It's definitely an easy way to keep all of our friends and family posted on what's going on in our lives, and I enjoy just processing things by writing... but I'm finding that it's feels kinda one-sided to always be sharing the details of our days and not know who all is reading it.  It seems that lately when I talk to someone I haven't talked to in a while, they already know what's going on with us, and while I must be the one that "told them" on here, it just feels a little weird.  I guess I miss more of the personal contact: phone calls, emails, whatever.  So I don't know yet.  I'm definitely going to keep this blog, but maybe it'll take on a new twist. Do any of you other bloggers find that you actually feel a little LESS connected when you're writing more? 

I can't help it

Josiah and I stayed inside where it was warm today... but even though we don't have a snow shovel, just a regular one, Daddy ventured out to shovel our long sidewalk... and then he proceeded to shovel the other 3 people's sidewalks around our building... since there's a single woman, an 80 year old lady that lives alone and another older couple... he's such a good guy!  :)  He's gonna be sore tomorrow...but this time in a good way.  He says his back is feeling good.  

And I can't help it... I think my little guy is too cute, so I have to share more pictures!

Bananas are yummy.

This is what I do when you tell me to "smile for the camera!"

Me & my friend, Lenox.

And a bunch more from this month....