Jump!

The Johnny Jumper is by far my favorite piece of baby gear.  I mean...there's nothing cuter than a jumping baby.  Except maybe a clapping baby. 

We've been putting Madden in his jumper for over a month now, but despite our encouragement and demonstrations, he would just hang out.  Finally, yesterday, he got it! 

Mason had to get in on the action, too.  Go jumping McCoy boys!

Just for fun I went back and found Mason's first jumping video.  Yup...jumping babies are definitely my favorite!!

6 Months

I can't believe it - we're halfway to 1! 

Weighs 16 lbs

Wearing 6 month clothing

In some ways, this past 6 months has flown, but in other ways, it feels like Mad Man has been with us for much longer.

The past month has been a big one for Madden.  He's no longer at work with me so is at home full-time, and that means we also began sleep training.  His napping was a mess due to being at the office with me, but he was very ready for structure because he was on a perfect sleep schedule within a week of being home.  

And that makes for very happy parents AND baby.

He's now sleeping around 10-11 hours straight at night, and taking two, 1.5-2 hour naps during the day.  He also found his feet/toes, which is one of my favorite characteristics of this age.  He's a funny little boy - very happy 90% of the time, but if he's hungry/tired/wants to be picked up man, oh man, does he let you know!

We pulled out the Johnny Jump-Up, and although he hasn't quite figured out the jumping part, he likes to sit in it and watch Mason play.

He loves his baths, and I'm hoping to soon transition him out of his baby bathtub and into the big bathtub.

One of his favorite places to be is outside on our new backyard turf, with his brother playing around him.  

Because of all his eczema outbreaks during month 4, we decided to pull back on solids, and start over, to eliminate the possibility of an allergy we didn't catch the first time.  After a week of only oatmeal, we started with sweet potatoes, and apparently he wasn't so stoked his first time.  Luckily that didn't last long and he now loves them. 

Bleh...

We're now eating sweet potatoes, bananas & apples, and have carrots, peas and avocado ready and waiting for the upcoming weeks.  I'm also making his food, which I didn't do for Mason.  Silly mommy - it's SO easy to do, even with my crazy work/mom schedule I'm able to make time every few weeks to make his food.  It makes me feel good to know that I'm introducing him to foods I know exactly where they came from and how they were prepared.

This video cracks me up, not sure why he wasn't loving those sweet potatoes at first??

 This is how I multi-task when I'm alone in the evenings - feed the baby and cook dinner at the same time.  And make sure the 3 year old isn't causing any trouble :)

Month 5 was MUCH better than month 4, but unfortunately it ended with a raging diaper rash.  We spent a LOT of diaper-less time outside in the backyard, which was messy but he sure did love it!  And I got to stare at that cute tush so I didn't mind either!

Maybe THIS month I'll start using the good camera again?  Oh who am I kidding...I'm sure the 7 month post will consist of mostly iPhone photos as well :)

3rd Birthday Questions

I started a little tradition that every year on Mason's birthday, I'll ask him the same 20 questions.  I put together a little scrap book, and every year will include his answers and a picture.  You may remember his answers from his 2nd birthday.  Well, even though I technically answered those for him last year, and this year he answered them himself, apparently he's still got all the same interests.  And by "interests", I mean "cars".

Enjoy!

1. What is your favorite color? Red
2. What is your favorite toy?  Cars
3. What is your favorite fruit?  Apples
4. What is your favorite TV show?  Mickey Mouse Funhouse & Curious George

5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch?  Peanut butter & jelly sandwich

6. What is your favorite outfit? Monkey shirt & monster truck shirt
7. What is your favorite game?  Cars game
8. What is your favorite snack?  Peanut Butter pretzels & milk
9. What is your favorite animal?  Monkeys & giraffes & trains
10. What is your favorite song? Life is a Highway (Cars theme song)
11. What is your favorite book?  Cars book
12. Who is your best friend?  Tyler, Brody, Cal, Grace & Addie
13. What is your favorite cereal?  Chocolate granola cereal
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Golf & hit baseballs
15. What is your favorite drink? Milk
16. What is your favorite holiday?  Halloween
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? “Ah-ah” & Baby Monkey

18. What is your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Oatmeal
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Pizza & birthday cake
20. What do you want to be when you grow up? Play cars

Memorial Day Weekend

We had a nice low-key Memorial Day weekend this year.  Hard to do TOO much with the little one still...he's easy peasy to drag along everywhere, but we're sleep trainers around these parts, which means we prefer to stick close to home for naptimes.  Madden's currently taking two 1.5-2 hour naps per day, so mama doesn't want to compromise that!

There were, of course, plenty of cars and parking lots.

Tristan started playing on a softball team that plays on Sunday mornings.  Seemed a little inconvenient at first, till he reminded me his teammates were the parents of all Mason's best friends.  So, Tristan & Mason head to the ball field, and once Mad Man is up from his nap, we join.  That Saturday was gorgeous, and the team had a BBQ after, so we got some great sun time.

One of the football couples who also had a baby in December had a BBQ - we had to get a shot with all of the December coach's babies.  Of the 3 boys, our peanut is the oldest...and the smallest.  Love our little guy!

We hit the pool for the first time this year.  It was Mason's first time being able to go in the BIG pool (no diapers!), and Madden's first swimming experience.  Success on both accounts!

Had one last BBQ, this time at our good friend Heather's house.  Heather went to high school with Tristan and has become a great friend of mine. 

An early introduction to beer.  Probably looked way better than those sweet potatoes he'd just had.

 

Phew.  All that swimming & BBQ'ing will wear a boy out!