Who's Kid Is This???

(Baby B in his brand new jogging stroller...)

I can't believe it's been 20 days since I have last posted a blog... I feel like I am being such a bad mom since this is essentially Blake's baby book! Anyhow, obviously a few things have happened since my last post. First, Blake is officially rolling on his own... That means he rolls over without me dangling a toy in his face or making annoying noises or doing an embarrassing dance. He makes a new face, the 'scrunchy' face, and he claps all the time. He thinks clapping is so much fun!

(How cute is he?!?!)

Second, it was Easter. He had a bunch of pictures taken at Picture People and I had purchased a bundle of one pose off of Living Social. Unfortunately, the down side to having a child who hams it up in front of the camera is that he doesn't take one single bad picture. Instead of the visit only costing the $18 I had previously paid, it ended up being over $100 dollars. He smiled in EVERY single picture, and they were all so cute! Then we went over to see the Easter Bunny. B was so in love with the gigantic pink bunny. He would stare at it (Is it a boy or a girl???), then pull on it's fur and bow tie, then he gave the camera a brief smile before awing over it again. For Easter Sunday we spent it at both grandparents house, he got lots of loot, and his cousin, Annabelle, even found him some eggs during the Easter egg hunt. It was such a fun day!

(Little Boo Boo Chicken and the Easter Bunny.)

Lastly, baby B had his last physical therapy appointment. He had progressed so well that he has officially graduated from PT. We also had a quick trip to his pedi to check on a few things. Blake weighs a whopping 20 pounds! What a cute little beefcake! He also had to have a flu shot booster, the injection nurse came in and gave him his shot and he did not cry. He didn't even make a peep! Who's kid is this??? I totally cry when the doctor tells me I have to get a shot, and it doesn't phase Blake one bit!!!! He may have my eyes, nose, & sleeping habits but other than that this tough kid is all daddy! =)

(Duck & Goose Loving.)

6 Month Stats... A Half a Month Later...

(Baby B getting ready for our day trip to Chico.)

I have been meaning to blog about Blake's 6 month stats but I really have been on the go. He had a long trip to the doctors on the 24th, he saw Erin, his physical therapist as well as his pediatrician. Erin says Blake is doing awesome! He still has absolutely NO interest in rolling over, though when he is on his belly he will roll over onto his back by himself. Erin says it's okay though because she knows he can do it, she says he is such a 'chill' baby that nothing motivates him to do it. He is perfectly content however we leave him! Blake will have to see her one more time before he is discharged.

(Trying out the Sippy Cup thing.)

Then we went up for his six month check up. He was a trooper as usual! He is 18 pounds, 11.4 ounces, which is in the 69th Percentile. He is 27 3/4 inches tall, which is in the 87th Percentile. And his head is 17 1/2 inches around, which is in the 68th Percentile. His percentiles are a little lower this time around (except for his head) which is normal at this time as this is when growth isn't so drastic. He is still at the middle-bottom of the charts for his weight for length. He may look beefy, but is a tall, skinny kid!

(Blake LOVING his snackies...)

He did get shots and like every other time he cried for about a minute and then was quickly over it. Mommy did better this time too! =) Unfortunately he won't get another check-up until he is a year old. Yay for no more shots!

(Sharing is Caring...)

Raising the next Brad Pitt...

(My beautiful baby BOY!!!)

I know mommy's tend to be biased when it comes to their own babies. I always say I have the cutest baby EVER, but what mommy doesn't?!? Up until lately people would stop me and tell me how cute my baby is, but lately it has turned into how beautiful my baby is. Let me say that Blake is always dressed like a little boy, he always wears blues or greens or red and my son does not have a single pink polo shirt in his closet. All of his blankets are blue or green or white with dogs on them, his diaper bag and stroller might be the only two unisex things he owns and even then they are both green and gray. So, why is it that people think Blake David is a little girl??? It hasn't happened just once, but multiple times!

The first time was in Costco. I was walking down the aisle with Blake and a lady stopped to tell me how beautiful my baby is. She then proceeded to ask if he was a boy or girl, and then told me that he is so beautiful it is hard to tell. Ummm... He is wearing a red sweatshirt with navy blue dogs on it, a pair of jeans, and black sneakers.... It's not that hard to tell. I shrugged it off though, at least she asked what he was!

Then there was the lady in Target. "What a beautiful baby girl you have right there!!!" I was taken back, I couldn't even correct her. He was wearing a blue sweatshirt and had a blue blanket. There was no mistaking that one. I smiled and said thanks and went on my way. I told Noah what happened and he thought I had him in a dress or something...

This morning I tried to drop him off in the daycare at the gym but they were full. I made a daycare reservation for later in the day and she told me how cute she is and asked what her name was. I told her HIS name is Blake and then she corrected herself. Seriously?! Today he was wearing a Navy Blue sweatshirt... I just don't get it!!!

I know I thought he was a girl when I was pregnant but come on... He is 100% boy. He looks like a boy and dresses like a little boy! Shortly after the Target incident my friend wrote on my facebook wall that during an interview Brad Pitt commented that when he was a baby he, too, was mistaken for a girl. I guess that means my little one might just be the next Brad Pitt... I guess being called a girl isn't that bad! lol!!!

There is no one I love more than my 6 month old Baby Blake.

(My beautiful blue-eyed 6 month old!)

My baby Blake turns 6 months old today! I can not believe he is half a year old!!! He has rung in his 1/2 birthday with a few gifts, (though everyday is gift with him!) the first thing is that he has a tooth! It is his bottom left front tooth and I was very surprised to find it! A few weeks ago I had looked in his mouth to see if he was teething, there was nothing and no swollen gums. He hasn't had any teething signs- no swollen gums, no excessive drooling, no low grade fever, ect. He does suck his thumb but he has always been a little thumb sucker. So imagine my surprise when he puts my finger in his mouth and chomps down! Let me tell you, baby teeth are super sharp!!! Despite my finger injury, I have said it before and I will probably say it again a thousand times... What a good little baby and what lucky parents we are!

(Blake's first chomper.)

I don't have any 6 month stats yet. He usually sees his pedi every two months on the 18th but this month the 18th fell on a Friday and his doctor doesn't work on Fridays so those will have to wait until he is 6 months, 6 days old! Anyhow, at 6 months, Blake is growing both physically and mentally every day! He still has some of the same favorites, duck & goose, blankets, his alien, but he has some new favorites as well! He loves his new highchair, he loves to laugh, he has always loved TV but he especially loves shows where they sing, like Glee & American Idol... If it's a song he likes he will sing along in baby gibberish! He is getting so good at using his hands, he will grab things and he even knows how to scoot his car along the high chair tray! He still loves his swing but he is starting to get too big for it so it isn't used nearly as much as it used to be, it it's place is the jumperoo! He can stay in that thing forever! Blake loves his food! So far he been through all the vegetables- peas, green beans, carrots, squash, sweet potatoes... He loves them all! He has also eaten applesauce, pears, prunes, mangoes, & mashed potatoes. There is nothing my little beefcake won't eat! In fact, if I don't shovel the food in his mouth fast enough he will take the spoon out of my hand and feed himself!

(Blake at a few days old...)

He still hates rolling over and won't do it unless there is some help or serious motivation! But when he is on his stomach he can 'Army crawl' or scoot around. He might just crawl before he rolls over! He can sit up pretty good though he doesn't stay seated very well and will just fall over. Good thing he thinks the falling over is pretty funny! He loves his doggies more and more every day. He even reached for Lily and said 'gie?' I don't know if that is coincidence or if doggie is really going to be his first word! I can honestly say I am so blessed to have such an incredible family, fur babies and all! Blake's little wide mouthed smile warms my heart everytime I see it!!! I love that little man more than anything!

(and now... same basket, 6 months later!)

Bed Time Blues.

(My beautiful, newborn, sleepy Blake David.)

Let me start off by saying that Noah & I are the luckiest parents in the world to have such a good baby. In fact, 'good' doesn't even come close to cutting it... He's more like a phenomenal baby. Blake, has always been a good eater, a trooper when we are out and about, and a great sleeper (a trait he must have inherited from his mommy!) Anyhow, we have always let him cry it out at bed and nap times. Now, before anyone grabs their pitchforks and pillage, I have to say I know that a lot of mommies hate this method, but it has worked for us. We have used this method since Blake was a newborn, and I can honestly say I think it contributes to why Blake is such a good baby. We always make sure he was/is fed, dry, and not sick, and as a newborn we were informed by our doctor that newborn babies could cry for up to three hours a day total for no reason. I never had a problem with using the cry it out method, I never felt like he believed we were abandoning him or that we didn't love him... Until now.

(And now... Sleepy time cuddles with Duck.)

Blake is going to be 6 months old tomorrow and obviously much more aware of his surroundings. He still hardly cries and every once in a while he will cry in his crib when we put him down for the night. It used to not bother me, but it does now. I can not stand hearing him cry because I know that he knows that I am awake and can soothe him. While Noah tells me that we should just let him cry, I can only do it for like 5 minutes before I go rushing in. After a little rocking and a big hug and kiss, I can put him back down in his crib still awake and he will then go right to sleep.

(I love that sweet, sleepy face!)

So, I just don't get it. When I told our pediatrician that we let B cry it out at his 4 month appointment, he told us it was too early to sleep train him, and that we should wait until he turns 6 months. But it so much worse now, now that I know Blake is much more aware and knows that we left him alone. I am normally such a stickler for following the pedi's rules and recommendations, but not on this. Call this one mommy's intuition, but with Blake, crying it out as a little baby has made bed time as a bigger baby much more manageable with a child who, 98% of the time, is happy to go to bed on his own.

(All cozy during nap time!)

Bad Doggies...

(Blake trying to play with a sleepy Lily Lovemuffin.)

(Timber supervising Play Time.)

I'm pretty sure the phrase 'bad doggies' might be Blake's first word/phrase, it is definitely giving 'Hi' a run for it's money!

When I was pregnant I heard stories from everyone about how I was either going to hate my dogs or how they were going to get put on the back burner or how my love for them was going to change once B was here. I am not joking when I say that some stories I heard had me in tears and added to the anxiety and worries I had about bringing Blake into our 'pack'. While some things I was told had held some truth, the matter of fact is that I still love my dogs just as much as I did before. Maybe even more when I see Blake try to play, tug, or pet Lily Lovemuffin, my first 'fur' baby. The one thing I have less to almost no tolerance for is the potty-ing in the house.... Believe me I KNOW it is absolutely disgusting, but having a dachshund- a breed that is notorious for never fully being potty trained, and a 7 year old rescued German Shepherd, it is something that I have learned to live with. (Also, the reason we spent almost $8,000 replacing our carpet with tile...) However, with Blake around when I see an 'accident' in the house it absolutely sends me through the roof, I scream and yell and my 'fur' babies get an extended 'time out' in the garage. The other day, as I was screaming, yelling, and having an absolute fit I looked over at Blake and he was just staring at me. He didn't look scared but just had this confused look on his face. I looked at him and said, "Chicken, you have baaaaaddddd doggies!" He looked at me, gave me a huge open mouth smile, and continued on with his play. I guess my lesson of the day was to tone down the madness when the dogs decide the inside of our home is one giant grass patch.

But that is what mommyhood is, a bunch of lessons and a whole lot of potty accidents! =)

(He may look cute and cuddly, but underneath that is a pee monster dying to be unleashed!)

(My sweet, sweet girl... She doubles as a poo machine...)

Cousin Love...

This weekend we took Blake on his first overnight trip to visit his Uncle Gabe for his birthday. Overall Blake did very well, he wasn't so crazy about sleeping in his pack & play. In fact, he only lasted maybe two or so hours. So he spent the majority of the night with daddy in a recliner in the family room and the rest of the night in bed in between us. The best part of the trip was that B got to spend time with his cousins. He gets so much love from them! I love knowing that he is going to grow up with them!

(B & his cousins, Keaton and Grace)

Last week, we went to his other (2nd) cousin, Quennie's, wedding. He was so cute all suited up & playing with his cousins from his mommies side of the family! How cute is my little man?!?!?

(Posing with Duck!)

(My beautiful little family minus the fur babies!)