Calling all moms of December 2003 babies!

[jbowman]

Reflections on the first 6 months??? How is your baby? How are YOU? Can you believe we're at the 6-month mark? Incredible!

[ritacheetah]

Wow - what's up are we the only two? (just kidding)

DD will be 6 months on Father's day. We are doing AWESOME. Had the 6 mo. doctor's appointment Tuesday and she is 15 lbs. exactly and 27 1/8 inches long! Tall and thin like her mom. Well, maybe mom isn't THAT thin anymore...

I guess now is the honeymoon period? When babies are fun, can sit up and laugh all the time, hang on to you when you hold them, but you don't have to discipline them much yet. I for one am going to enjoy it while it lasts!

I have to say the first two months were ROUGH and we were afraid DD was going to be an only child. But she is SUCH a good baby now. I hope she stays that way! I'm sure this means she will be a challenging teenager!

Live long and prosper,
Tracy
Mom to Victoria, 12/20/03

[jbowman]

Apparently we are! I thought it might be fun to see how others are feeling at the 6-month mark.

So glad to hear that your daughter is doing well.

Our first couple of months were rough too (acid reflux), and we are still working on sleeping through the night.

Ellie had her 6-month appointment on Monday and was 15 lbs. 11 oz and 26 1/4 inches long. She's happy and a lot of fun! Smiles a lot, very social, and loves shopping (just like her mother)!

We are having a blast! Ellie is rolling around, sitting up, and likes to "talk" a lot. She's enjoying solids (loves her sweet potatoes and peas).

And yes, now DH and I are starting to think about another baby (something I thought we'd never do!).

[lmintzer]

Well, I guess I can respond, because my November 2003 baby was DUE in December (was born at 35 weeks, 6 days). So, developmentally, he's probably more on par with babies born in Dec. (and sleeping like a baby born this month--blah!).

At his 6 month checkup, he was 15 lbs., 2 1/2 oz. and was 26 inches. Small for a baby boy (10-25%) but on the regular newborn charts (as opposed to a preemie chart).

He is rolling both ways now--just learned back to tummy. When you put him down, he just flips up and back and up and back again, as if to show of his new skill. He isn't sitting yet, but is getting closer--is "tripoding" so to speak.

Joshua absolutely adores his big brother Jack. If Jack isn't paying attention to him, he'll make noises and reach for him to get his attention.

He just started solids at 6 months--first, rice cereal (which constipated him, so no more of that) and now oatmeal with prune juice in it. This week, we started on his first veggie, squash.

Joshua is a pretty happy little guy. He likes to be held a lot and is fussy when he doesn't get enough sleep, but otherwise just graces everyone with his beautiful smile.

It's nice to hear about the others this age!

Here's to learning to sleep through the night soon!

(whoops--editted to say he was born in Nov. but original due date was Dec.)

[jbowman]

Lisa,

My daughter was born in December, but due in November (the 30th)!

I'm glad that Joshua is doing well! I'm sending sleep-through-the-night vibes your way (and need some myself!). Ellie likes a lot of activity (has to be constantly doing something), and seems to have trouble settling down to sleep. We're working on it!

[lmintzer]

Thanks, Jill. I'm hoping for some sleep soon. Joshua doesn't eat well when I'm at work (3 days/week), so I think that's contributing to his wanting to eat at night. He doesn't like bottles at all and only takes a few ounces at a time when really hungry.

We just weaned him from the swaddle as well, and I think the fact that he can move around the crib is helping him learn to self-soothe to some extent. He has a little "cuddle blankie" that he hugs and pulls up over his face (it's very light and small, so it can't impede his breathing).

My first, Jack, was (and is) extremely active and needs a lot of stimulation. Most of that is inborn. We're always on the go. Ellie sounds like she's like that too from what you wrote.

[ritacheetah]

Too funny - Tori likes to pull her blanket over her face, too. I guess she needs it REALLY dark to sleep! She has been sleeping throught the night since she was 12 weeks old (YEAH!), really ever since she learned to suck her thumb. I was paranoid about her sleeping throught the night and I really worked on teaching her to sleep on her own. It's probably a combination of that and luck. But good luck to you!

Actually, she woke up at 5am this morning crying (very unusual). I think she is starting to teeth.

I think she also had a bit of reflux the first couple months. She slept in her car seat for about 8 weeks & I think that really helped.

She is also extremely active and needs a lot of stimulation. She is ALL OVER the crib at night. She is sitting up pretty much without support now and eating all sorts of foods! Loves sweet potatoes but I haven't tried peas yet because I don't like them so I swore I'd never make my kids eat them!

She laughs and babbles all the time. She's a real joy!


Live long and prosper,
Tracy
Mom to Victoria, 12/20/03

[aa2mama]

Another Dec 2003 baby here! I have to say that each age that he's at has been my favorite so far.

DS also had reflux and was a very heavy spitter. The first few months when we were each on our 3rd outfit change of the day, I thought we'd never be able to leave the house again (in a clean outfit, anyways). Happily, it is getting MUCH easier!

One thing that I totally wasn't prepared for is that he's becoming mobile. He rolls clear across the room until he meets an obstacle. He rolls to the dog... and reaches to yank on its ears. He can wiggle out of his bouncy seat harness. A wakeup call that I need to start babyproofing! He isn't sitting up by himself yet and doesn't show much interest in it because he has places to go!

I adore the little person that he's becoming, he's so much fun these days. Congratulations to all of you to making it to this milestone!

[hobey]

Another December mom checking in. DS celebrates his "half-day" this weekend and to commemorate it, we're starting solids and breaking out the Signing Time DVDs. I can't believe it's been 6 months already. DH made a comment that 3% of the time we have with him before he goes off to college is now gone. :( Thanks hon. I really did not need to develop a case of empty nest syndrome now.

DS has mastered rolling all directions and a form of the military crawl by grabbing and pulling on things to get where he wants to go. He actually figured out how to get on his knees last night and was rocking back and forth trying to move. I think he'll be crawling soon and life as we know it will change forever. He has such a fun personality and is always babbling and laughing and we're having fun right there along with him.

Happy "half-day" to all the December babies! :D

Raquel
Nathan's Mom 12/19/03

[Fafles]

DD is from December 2003 as well! My due date was December 19th, but Camilla was born on December 26th -- my very best Christmas gift ever! :-) She was 8lbs 11oz and measured 21 1/4in at birth. I will take her to her 6 months appointment next Saturday, but last time I put her on the scale she was 16lbs 8oz.

She's got her 2 bottom teeth since she turned 4 motnhs! Now a third one is coming out.

She laughs, says "bah bah mah mah dah dah"... Blows raspberries and tries to send kisses...

She loves to look at herself in the mirror, loves her teethers and anything that makes funny noises. She still likes to play on her playmat. She's great on her tummy! She tries to move around while on her tummy, but she doesn't go very far! :-) Her eye and hand coordination is better each day. She also LOVES to touch my face.

She doesn't sit up very well yet, though. She can sit up for a couple of minutes, but then she loses her balance. If I put her in the boppy pillow she goes longer.

We just tried (and succeeded!) sleep training her this week. She was having a real bad time falling asleep at night -- she would only fall asleep around 11:30pm after using me as a pacifier for an hour or two! Needless to say, I was totally exhausted (I am a working mommy). So we tried Dr. Ferber (with more attention to her cries) and it worked like a charm. On the 3rd night she went to bed almost without fussing at 8:30pm and got up at 7:30/8:00am next day! YAY! Hopefully this will last. :-)

Here is a picture of my angel:



Ana

http://www.windsorpeak.com/dc/user_files/7893.jpg

[jbowman]

Lisa,

Ironically (and thank goodness) Ellie slept through the night last night (making it the 11th time that she slept through the night. Yes, I am keeping count, LOL!). DH & I are crossing our fingers about tonight!

[jbowman]

Ana,

Your daughter is so beautiful! Thanks for posting! Good to hear she is doing well! We are working on the whole sleep-through-the-night thing with Ellie (see above), it is good to know that you've succeeded.

[llcoddington]

The first 6 months have been a rollercoaster ride! Lauren was 6 lbs. 12 oz. and 20 inches long at birth and at 6 months was 16 lbs. 1 oz. and 26 1/2 inches. I think most of that weight is in her head! She has a large head like her father!

This past week, Lauren's first tooth appeared. We have started rice cereal, sweet potatoes, peas and avocado.

We are not to sleeping through the night yet. However, Lauren is sleeping much better and now wakes up usually only once to nurse.

Lauren cannot sit up too well but can scoot across the room in a second. She does this painful looking "belly-flop" where she pushes off with her legs and lands flat on her tummy!

Life is SO MUCH easier than just a few short months ago. No more acid reflux, fewer diaper blowouts, more sleep, etc. I am even beginning to think about baby #2 (gasp!).

Thanks for this post! I had fun replying!

Lana
mommy to Lauren 12/5/03

[jbowman]

>Life is SO MUCH easier than just a few short months ago. No
>more acid reflux, fewer diaper blowouts, more sleep, etc.

ITA, and you said it better than I could! I'm even starting to feel (gasp!) like a normal person again!