The Christophers: 2014

Funny thing happened the other day: I blinked…and my son is over one year old. Oops. Anyways, here is his growth over the last 7 months or so, from four to eleven months. I'm going to do a separate post for his one year birthday party. (Yes, get ready for a David photo bombardment. You have been fairly warned. I can't imagine anyone but family having the patience to look at these. ;) ) P.S. Sorry about the low, quality blurry pictures. I include them anyways because they captured the essence of the moments how I want to remember them. Most of the time, I would remember to pull out my Iphone camera at home, but I forget when we're on the go. So, I vow two things for capturing his life after one year: 1) use my Canon more and 2) remember to take more pictures while out.

HIS STATS:

4 Months (Adjusted age: 1.5 months) - 09/04/13

Weight: 13 lbs 8 oz, 12.61%

Length: 22.5 in, 0.07%

Clothes: 3-6 month onesies

Feeding: 4 oz, every 2-3 hours, bottle and breastfeed at night

Sleeping: down at 6:30pm, sleeping through the night, awake at 5-6am; takes 4 naps

Milestones: a great talker, tracks everything, laughs

5 Months (Adjusted age: 2.5 months) - 09/24/13

Weight: 14 lbs 9 oz, 17%

Length: 23.25 in, 0.15%

Clothes: 6-9 month onesies/pants/shirts

Feeding: 2-4 oz bottle, every 2-3 hours (running out of frozen breastmilk), breastfeed only at night

Sleeping: goes down at 6:30pm, waking sporadically to eat, 2-3 times, awake at 5am; takes 3 naps

Milestones: can roll over, kicks at toys with his feet, takes turns babbling and mimicking with mama

David learned how to roll over consistently this month.

David was so funny when he did this. He would lift all his limbs off the ground
like he was free falling from skydiving.

David has razor sharp fingernails and always scratches himself.

First time eating cereal.

6 Months (Adjusted age: 3.5 months) - 11/12/13

Weight: 16 lbs 14 oz, 33.31%

Length: 25.25 in, 3.55%

Clothes: 9 month onesies, almost 12 months, 6 month pants

Feeding: 3-5 oz, every 2-3 hours (we introduced him to formula because I couldn't keep up pumping and bottle feeding breastmilk with this hungry hippo), breastfeed only once a night and weening (Update 11/9/13: David is weened.)

Sleeping: goes down at 6:30-7:30pm, wakes up usually once to twice in the night to eat, (sometimes at 10pm or midnight) and once at 2 or 3am, awake at 6, 7 or 8 am; takes 3 naps - 9 or 10 am, 12:30pm, and 3pm. I think we are on the cusp of him sleeping through the night in the next month or so.

Milestones: is grabbing at things, is trying to feed himself the bottle by grabbing and holding, loves tummy time (in fact, as soon as we put him down he immediately rolls to his tummy), can support head very well, is practicing sitting up more, a lot more vocal, can drag (with hands grabbing) or kick himself across the room (by kicking/paddling feet)

Happy Thanksgiving!

Turkey carcass, anyone?

Jayda and David have a special cousin connection.
They always gravitate toward each other.

Emma will sometimes hold David's hand. It's so cute.

Siblings. Together. Forever.

Emma loves pushing David in the stroller and David likes riding. Win win.

He's starting to crawl.

O Christmas Tree. I wonder what he is thinking.

One of our Florida Family Portraits. This is beginning to become a tradition.

Not yet walking. At all.

7 Months (Adjusted age: 4.5 months) - 12/11/13

Weight: 17 lbs 7 oz, 30.02%

Length:

Clothes: 9 month onesies, almost 12 months, 6 month pants

Feeding: 4-5 oz, every 3 hours

Sleeping: goes down at 7-7:30pm, wakes up usually once to twice in the night to eat, (sometimes at 10pm or midnight) and once at 1am, awake at 5 or 6 am; takes 3 naps - 9 or 10 am, 12:30pm, and 3pm. Still not sleeping through the night.

Milestones: practicing sitting up still, can roll to both sides well, is going to PT bi-monthly now

Parenting David aka "Buddy": Oh, my little cuddle bunny, my baby buddha! A lot has changed in the last few months. David has "woken up" and is in full baby swing. Goodbye newborn, hello awake! He is mostly a content baby, as long as he is fed and gets to nap (in his bed or in the moving car), and isn't teething. So good. He doesn't require being held all the time like Emma, but he doesn't want to be put in his carseat anymore or left alone very much. He's becoming really social, a real charmer. Everyone always remarks on what a happy, jolly baby he is. (Except for the last two Sundays he has cried unconsolably at church. Weird. Must be teething. And also at the beach yesterday when the sun was in his eyes and I was running after his sister while he was in the Bjorn.) He doesn't like to be held facing in. He likes being held up better than the cradle hold. His favorite hold is away from me and slightly reclined so he can see me, like when I feed him. He likes to play with his activity gym and sometimes likes sitting with the vibrator on in his bouncy seat. He loves baths. He doesn't poop too often (though it's gotten much better to every couple of days and has massive blowouts in the morning now).

Physically, he can roll and roll (to his left) so laying him on a flat surface is difficult. He is too fat for the bumbo, so I stick him in Emma's high chair (which reclines way back) or Emma's old bouncy seat (which she still sits in sometimes for fun since she weighs nothing). He hates being on his back so when he learned to roll three weeks ago, he has been sleeping on his stomach and doing tummy time 99% of the time I leave him to his own devices...which is fine by me since his head is flat on the left side.

David favors his left side so much his head is flat on that side. If I sit him up and lean him on his perch in the corner of the couch, he just scootches himself down until he can flip over on his tummy. He hates being leaned up against stuff and won't tolerate it anymore. Around month 4 and 5, I thought it was odd that he still couldn't hold his head up very well and the pediatrician determined he had lower muscle tone (because of prematurity) which led to some torticolis, but he is going to PT for that now. I have already seen an improvement in him in the last 3 weeks. He lifts his head up so high while doing tummy time and can look to both sides equally. Now, to deal with the flat head we got a Tortle, recommended by his PT. Hope it works because they said he only has a couple of months before his head hardens. When we brought him home from the hospital, he already preferred his left side despite anything we did at home. Once he got stronger, he wouldn't keep his head turned to the right. At least he sleeps on his tummy now, so the back of his head gets a break for 12 hours.

He scratches his face and right arm despite my best efforts to keep his fingernails short. They are like razors. He scratches when upset or as a self-consolation mechanism, I think. He doesn't take a pacifier, so that's his way. It is also exacerbated by his eczema.

He laughs all the time. He laughs when I talk to him. He laughs when I look at him. He's kooky like me.

Overall, David is a delightful baby. I love him more and more each day. He is doing so well! When I look at him, his face has a happiness and softness about it. He is just so cute. [sigh]

Don't worry. He isn't suffocating. He just loves this blanket!

Sundays are the best days.

David kisses Emma on the nose by gnawing on it.

Just chillaxing on the couch together. Sibling love.

"I can fly!" First time on a swing by himself.

"Look, Mom! I can touch my toes!"

8 Months (Adjusted age: 5.5 months) - 12/23/14

Weight: 17 lbs 7 oz, 25.09%

Length:

Clothes: 9 month onesies, almost 12 months, 6 month pants

Feeding: 4-5 oz, every 3 hours, eats solids once a day, usually breakfast or lunch

Sleeping: goes down at 7:30pm, wakes up usually once to twice in the night to eat, (10pm or midnight) and once at 2 or 3am, awake at 6am; takes 3 naps - 9 am, 1pm, and 3 or 4pm.

Milestones: is going to PT monthly now, is sitting unassisted

Cousin Michaela did a good job looking after
David on a trip to Grandparents' house.

Tent love.

I don't know why but this is one of my favorites. It's just such an honest moment.

Let's go nigh night.

First time eating pizza. He broke out into a face rash after this.

Fell asleep on an afternoon walk with Em. Typical day.

Discovering a new lifelong friend.

Christopher family circus.

More "circus" fun. David takes it on two wheels.

First two teeth.

Still trying to crawl but not getting the balance thing down yet
at the beginning of January. He would throw up one leg out of nowhere.

Beginning of February, he had crawling down.

David likes Dora talking houses, too.

9 Months (Adjusted age: 6.5 months) - 02/11/14

Weight: 20 lbs 5 oz, 59.49%

Length: -

Clothes: 9-12 month onesies, 9-12 month pants

Feeding: 4-5 oz formula, every 3 hours, eats solids 2-3 times a day

Sleeping:goes down at 7:30pm, wakes up once in the night to eat at midnight, awake at 6am; takes 3 naps - 9 am, 1pm, and 3 or 4pm.

Milestones: pulls up very well to the standing position. Pro crawler and sitter. Says "da-da" and "maaaaa" (usually in a long, drawn out cry like that). Graduated from PT.

This guy is so much fun. When I think of David, this is what I picture in my mind.

David's favorite teething toy: a hair band.

Emma loses so much hair this way.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Hi - ho. It's Kermit the Frog.

One of David's food allergies.

Cousins have fun. Emma being so kooky here.

Buddy is thinking "Gee, maybe I should start working out. Is that a roll on my knee?"
Emma is thinking, "Ooooh, I need to go potty."

Fun with the Erickson kids, my kids' counterparts in age.

Thanks, Kimberly, for his favorite toy. He loves sucking on the tail and tag.

Budzi tricks.

I let them play ball in the house.
It's too cute watching them roll it to each other.

Walking.

10 Months (Adjusted age: 7.5 months) - 03/19/14

Weight: 21 lbs, 58.82%

Length: -

Clothes: mostly 9-12 month clothes, 12 month onesies and pants (pants are always too tight and too long)

Feeding: 5-6 oz, every 3 hours, eats solids 3 times a day

Sleeping: goes down at 7:30pm, wakes up usually once to twice in the night to eat, (sometimes at 10pm or midnight) and once at 2 or 3am, awake at 6am; takes 2-3 naps - 9 or 9:30am, 1pm (sliding to 2 or 3pm), (and optional 4pm).

Milestones: is starting to cruise in the last week. Has 3 teeth! (AND one on the way...) Can't sit down from standing yet and will whine until I get him or he plops down to the ground from exhaustion and desperation. It's sad, really...and a little funny. Mostly, sad/cute. :/

Parenting David: He doesn't like being alone and has been super needy this past month because of his teething. His teething seems to be way worse than Emma's was, but my perspective could just be skewed because David has almost always been a happy baby so this has thrown me for a loop.

He scratches his elbow creases and back of his neck. He rubs his ankles together and his toenails scratch the creases around his ankles.

He smiles so big when we call him, "Budzi! Budza Budza!" I am worried he doesn't recognize his formal name anymore.

He is so cute and will try to gnaw on things, like the back of Emma's shirt when she's standing there doing something. She really is annoyed by it, but it is so cute.

He sometimes says "da-da" when Joel changes his diaper in the morning.

He gets red splotches all over his face when he eats. I think it's a reaction so far to anything that is not a single jar food. I am not sure if it is eczema flair up from teething and saliva or if it is a food allergy. It goes away mostly after a few hours. The redness by the sides of his mouth and on other parts of his face are fairly permanent. Update: 03/19/14 The doctor thinks the red rashes on his face are due to a food allergy to introducing grains/wheat too early. She said to hold off until he's one.

He likes chewing on everything! He especially likes hard plastic toys, my hair bands, and wooden blocks.

He doesn't like to sit on our laps for very long.

He doesn't like to stay still for diaper changes.

He wants me to hold him once 3pm hits until about 6pm right before Joel gets home and he's happy again, of course.

He loves baths.

He loves the sound of the metal trains or hard plastic against our slate coffee table, bathtub, or tile.

He likes shaking noisy toys.

He's a slobber-holic.

Walked in and found them like this. How does she do that?
(That's the equivalent of climbing up onto something that is shoulder height.)

We're really cruising now.

I think it is so cute that David pushes little cars and trains around like Emma.
He's so young, but tries to do everything Emma does.

Love seeing this smile with the teeth.

11 Months (Adjusted age: 8.5 months) - 03/27/14

Weight: 21 lbs 6 oz, 62.48%

Length: -

Clothes: 12-18 month clothes, 12 month pants and 18 month onesies/outfits

Feeding: 6 oz, every 4 hours, eats solids and equal amounts of table foods 3-5 times a day (beginning to hate pureed food and wants only what we're having). We reintroduced grains and he hasn't had any reactions or rashes since. I shouldn't have, but I introduced eggs to David a little early during Easter time. He likes Cheerios for snacks and is getting interested in cups.

Sleeping: goes down at 7:30pm, SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT, awake at 6 or 7am; occasionally he wakes at 5am but if he does, we just feed him and then he sleeps tip 7:30am, takes 1-2 naps - 10am, (2 or 3pm which he needs but hates to take), (and rarely 4pm).

Milestones: is cruising along everything and even the wall now, has taken 7 steps in a row without holding on to anything, can stand for a few minutes not holding anything. Has 6 teeth! (AND molars on the way…), we actually had a lovely 2-3 week break from any teething symptoms but they started back up again on 04/20/14, can say "mu mu mu mu" and "da da"

Parenting David: He is very independent and will play for hours with Emma also. On the other hand, he requires more focused attention more often, sometimes just a quick hello or kiss from me will suffice. He holds on to everything and follows Emma everywhere. He wants to do everything she does. He is starting to be more vocal. The last two Sundays in Sacrament Meeting, we have had to take him out because he is getting loud. He loves playing cars and trains with Emma and will roll them on the floor like a toddler. Sometimes, I forget he is only 11 months old because he keeps up with Emma so well. He doesn't sit going down slides yet. His feet are too fat for most shoes, and we haven't found a pair for him yet. His neck is still too fat to button his church shirts all the way to the top (so he doesn't wear ties). We need to get him his first haircut, too, because his hair is so long and wispy. It points towards his face. He is so sweet-natured and he will just noozle his face against your neck. Because of all the teething, this last week David has been biting us. I think this will go away. In the meantime, he has lots of chew toys--a lion, a colorful fabric ring, hairbands, and a new giraffe--he just doesn't know he is not supposed to bite us! We had to start brushing his teeth, too. This kid loves baths and if he sees me starting one, he just jumps right in. Phrases Joel keeps saying about him lately are, "He is just so perfect." "I just want to eat him up." "He is just so cute!" We both can barely hold him down to change his diaper. He is on the move.