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!)

Nom, Nom, Nom... Food is such a messy thing!

(Day 2 of eating solids, way less messy, & in a brand new high chair!)

Blake's 5 month rite of passage was the introduction of solid foods and a brand new high chair! I have to admit I was both excited for this day and dreading it as well. I was excited because it was something new and exciting for Blake and Mommy, plus baby's first food is a huge milestone. I was dreading it because I have heard that it is super messy and takes forever, and of course it meant that hitting another milestone meant that my little baby was growing up!

(Day 1 of eating solids...
"I don't know about this mom...")

We started with runny rice cereal which he really did not like too much, he didn't like the mashed up banana I served with the rice cereal either. I have heard from other mommies that when babies start to eat food they really love it, so when Blake was less than thrilled I thought I would just wait a little bit longer. But before throwing in the towel I would give it one more try the following night. I had noticed that Blake really did like solid foods, I had given him pizza sauce and frosting (okay, I know, not the best baby foods... but I swear I was only giving him a teensy weensy bit!) So I decided to thicken up the rice cereal and start with some green beans. HE LOVED IT! He ate the whole thing, which was half a tub of green beans and a tablespoon of rice cereal, plus 4 ounces of milk to wash it all down!


(Hmmm... Ummmm...)

(I don't think my messy baby likes it...)

It is now the end of the first week and he is eating the whole tub of food, plus cereal, plus milk! I am so serious when I said he was a little beefcake! Right now it is only once a day and I will start giving him solids twice a day when we start introducing fruits and oatmeal. Surprisingly, aside from the first feeding, which was a feeding explosion, Blake really isn't that messy. And, he is also able to hold his own bottles... I swear I have such a good baby!

(Hey mom... Look a new trick... I can hold my bottle!)

Torticollis, Therapy, and Tummy Time.

(B & Goose on Mommy's birthday San Francisco trip.)

When I took Blake to see Doctor Benjamine about his latest eczema outbreak, he noticed that Blake's head was tilted in addition to him never wanting to look to the left. He diagnosed him with a minor case of torticollis. Torticollis is basically the term that describes Blake's inability to turn the other direction, from what I gathered from the doctor, it was a neck muscle thing and that his case wasn't too bad. What I gathered from the internet is that it is pretty common in babies and many different things can cause it but it is very fixable. So, Doctor Benjamine referred us to a physical therapist.

(Baby B & Daddy doing tummy time.)

Blake's first physical therapy appointment went really well. Erin, (the PT) showed us some stretches and excercises we have to do with him and told us we are going to have to do tummy time at least 30 minutes a day. She said that he is a little behind since he doesn't roll over and the ability to sit up is very common in babies like Blake who would just rather sit up then roll over! Baby B was a total trooper, as he always is, he didn't make a peep when she was wrenching on his neck, or showing us odd positions to carry him in to help correct his head tilt. He didn't even cry when she had him on his tummy. (If you are wondering why we never really did tummy time with Blake it's because he used to HATE it... He would scream and smother his face into the ground. Even now he only tolerates it and does it for maybe ten minutes at a time.)

(This tummy time stuff is hard business!)

It has been two weeks since we have seen Erin. Blake is doing so much better. He has a better range of motion looking to the left and can roll over really well with just a tiny bit of help. Hopefully we can get him caught up and get him to look in all directions! =)

(There's a whole new world to the left!)