Kemper is 6 months old (well technically not for another day, but close enough)! I've been thinking about this blog post for a couple of weeks now. How I want to approach it, what I want to say, trying to remember the details, thoughts, feelings, emotions over the past 6 months. If I'm being totally honest, I just now (6 months after birthing the sweetest little boy I've ever met) feel that I am coming out of the newborn mama fog. I thought going into my second baby that I would come out of the fog earlier since I had done it before, knew what to expect to some extent, and knew that I could get through the sleep deprivation since I had done it once before. In some sense that was correct. I felt like I could curb my fogginess feelings on a day to day basis in order to be present for my children, be the best mom I could be and get through the days. In another sense I was so wrong about that prediction!!! I truly believe that it took longer for several reasons. Though Kemper was a very mellow tempered baby, he didn't take on the same great sleeping patterns as early as his sissy did. Having 2 children really is double the duty!! Even though as parents we have become greatly focused on the newborn, naturally, Peyton his continuing to thrive, grow, progress, learn, and she needs our help with all of this each and every day. Just because Peyton's sleeping and eating (which is the main focus typically of a baby), is smooth and predictable doesn't mean that she doesn't have other needs. While these are all things I enjoy experiencing with my children, I've also found that its more difficult for John and I to have time to focus on each other and for each of us to have some independent time. Its taken six months for us to sort of come to this realization and to commit to making that stuff a focus on top of the kids. Never before has the phrase "there aren't enough hours in the day" been more true. Or should I say there isn't enough energy in our bodies to take on all that needs to be focused on every day. Yes, that is actually the better statement. Being ok with the idea that we can't do it all is certainly something I've had to come to terms with over the past 6 months, and that I am ok with this! But do you know what else I have had an epiphany about at this 6 months mark? How incredibly blessed, lucky, thankful, grateful, or any other word like the previous that we are to have love in our marriage, health in our children, and true happiness in our little family. Its almost overwhelming to realize how important it is to have these things and how incredibly wonderful it is that we do have them. I sincerely feel that we were meant to have these two children, one girl, one boy, Peyton, and Kemper and each other to walk through this journey of life together. I truly feel that our family is complete and that we have exactly what we need at this time in our lives. Sure, we may not be millionaire's, we may not live in our dream house yet, and we may not have the biggest savings account, but we do have 2 absolutely incredible intelligent, loving, thriving children and we have some have the most respectful marriage that anyone could wish for, full of love and commitment. What more could we really ask for at this point in our lives? WE ARE BLESSED BEYOND BELIEF!!!!!!!
Ok, off my soapbox and moving on to our dear little Kemper boy. Its been a great month full of transitions for this little boy. Lets talk specifics:
Sleep:
Thank the good lord that we have turned a corner with sleep...finally!!!!!!!!!! We aren't sure if its just coincidence or not, but we did start Kemp on solids on his 5 month birthday which seemed to coincide with better sleeping. We are now on a pretty good stretch of him waking either once or twice a night either to eat, or just needs his paci put back in. I will not complain about that! He is still sleeping on his tummy in a sleep sac, going to bet at 8:00. He is still a good napper, taking 2 naps per day. The first one is two hours after he wakes up in the morning and the second is between 1-2pm, with each nap lasting 1-2 hours.
Eating:
The most exciting thing about eating this month is the fact (as mentioned above) that we started Kemp on solids this month. He has done fantastic with them and we know this was the right time to start him. His very first food was avocado (as was his sisters) and he LOVED it and still does. Since then, he has also had peaches, butternut squash, banana's, pumpkin, and most recently oatmeal. We are making it all home made and he is already eating 2-3 meals per day! In addition, he is still exclusively breastfed, although he is doing it less than before we started solids. He is now nursing in the morning after waking up, around lunch time, in the afternoon and then right before bedtime (and of course usually once or twice in the night). There have been a few times in the last week also where he refuses to nurse and wants a bottle. Its taken me some time to get here, but I am ok with this now. He is still getting breast milk and that is what is most important to us at this point in time.
Clothing:
We were lucky enough this month to inherit Kemper's bigger cousin Kylan's clothes since Kylan is expecting a little sister in February. Its so fun for Kemp to wear little outfits that I remember little Ky wearing not too long ago. Kemper is currently wearing 6-9 month clothing (and truly is moving more into the 9 month). This month, we've started putting the little Roebeez shoes on him as well, which are more fun for us than practical for him!
Babysitting:
Kemper had his very first night away from mommy and daddy this month with Nana and it went wonderfully! John and I decided to have a really nice night away at Pan Pacific hotel in Seattle and dinner out at Daniel's Broiler (surprisingly one of my first experiences at a steak house!). We are grateful for Nana being willing to do this!!
Milestones:
- Eating solids
- 2 teeth
- Grabby, grabby, grabby!
- Feet in mouth
- up on all 4's (looks like he is prepping to crawl, though he's not there yet)
- sitting in the highchair
- starting to sit up on his own, though this is not mastered yet
- screaming!
Happy Birthday to my sweetest baby boy!
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