Six Months Old!

Hi Family and Friends!

Where has time gone?? I'm half a year old!! I tell you what - these six months have been the best six months of my life! I went from being a small, tiny baby to a happy, chubby baby! I want to share some of the fun things I'm doing as a six-month old:

• I love to stick my tongue out. It makes people laugh and they stick their tongue back out at me. 
• I love to "blow raspberries." Do you know what that means? It's when you blow your tongue and make a silly noise. I especially like to do it when I've got a mouth full of food!!
• Remember how last month I told you I liked to suck my hands? Well, now I like to suck my forearm! There's so much more skin! It's like a corn-on-the-cob! Don't worry, I still love my hands though. Every morning when mommy unswaddles me, they are the first thing I examine and I'm amazed they are still there! 
• I'm starting to sit up all by myself! I practice almost every day. I still topple over a lot, but mommy or daddy let's go and says, "Look! No hands!" 
• I eat fruits and vegetables now. So far, I've tried sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, carrots, peas, apples, peaches, and bananas. My favorite has been apples. We think I had a reaction to the green beans - I got a red rash on my face and was itchy. We will try again in a couple weeks to see if anything happens. 

• I sleep 12-13 hours every night, with usually two naps during the day. I love my sleep. 
• Did you know that I have two feet? I discovered them not too long ago! I can't put them in my mouth yet, but I love to touch them and watch them move...my feet never sit still! 
• I love my cat, Max. He makes me so happy. I light up every time I see him move across the floor. I watch him with my eyes, I can hear his meow, and I'm fascinated by his tail! Max even lets me pet him.
• My jumperoo is one of my most favorite things. I make myself laugh every time I bounce, bounce, bounce! There are so many colors, lights, and things to play with on my jumperoo. I'm strengthening my leg muscles so I can start crawling soon! 
• I like to reach out and touch the face of whoever is talking to me. I especially like touching daddy's face because he has a scratchy beard.

I'm so happy you visit my blog each month (or each week)! I like sharing with you how great my life is. I have so much to look forward to - especially with Spring right around the corner! I love you all very much!

Love,

Ethan =)

Sleepy Baby!

I've compiled a couple pictures lately of Ethan's favorite hobby - sleeping!! He sleeps 12-13 hours a night, plus at least two naps during the day. There was one time last week where he actually fell asleep while I was giving him a bottle and he just stayed asleep for about four minutes while I was holding him upright - cracked me up!

 We had a super fun weekend cheering on the Hoosiers this past Saturday. We had 21 people over - 8 of them kiddos!! It was awesome having all the babies together and seeing them just lay there and drool =) Ethan got to see his cousin Jayden, his friends Cooper and Eli, and meet his friend Jackson who lives in Rhode Island!

Cousins!

Ethan and Jackson - unamused to say the least!

Big best friends and little best friends!

My Little Valentine!

Mommy's Valentine

I didn't write a post last week because, quite honestly, it's been pretty quiet around here! Eric, Ethan, and I had a wonderful Valentine's Day today. I couldn't ask for two sweeter (and handsome) Valentines! Poor Ethan - I just HAD to do a mini photo shoot today so I put some heart stickers on his onesie and started snapping away. He melts my little heart and I had to try and capture his cuteness (although he never smiles when the camera is in his face)! I'll post a cute picture above and then you'll have to scroll down to the bottom to see what Ethan really thinks of Valentine's Day!

Ethan is in such a fun stage right now and I know it's only going to continue to get better! There are so many moments throughout the day where he just cracks us up! He loves to put anything and everything in his mouth - his favorite thing is his forearm. He said the heck with fingers, I want my whole arm! There are some toys and stuffed animals that he just goes to town on...it's the funniest thing - doesn't matter if it's plastic, fabric, etc. He just wants to eat it! He's also starting to understand the whole "peek-a-boo" and "I'm-gonna-get-you" tickle game. Now that he's becoming more interactive, he's truly a JOY (almost) every second of the day!

The thought of him being six months old in two weeks is heartbreaking!! Haha!! Now I know how moms feel when they say "I can't believe I have a __-month/year old"! I literally feel like we were just bringing him home. I mean, six months?! That's half a year...ALREADY!! I don't feel like I've taken enough pictures or videos to capture his life so far!

We are looking forward to a fun weekend ahead with lots of visitors in town! We are going to have everyone over Saturday to watch the Indiana/Purdue game - basketball and babies!! Ahhh, how times have changed! GO HOOSIERS!

I had to. Timing is everything!

Itchy & Scratchy!

Crystal Blues!

Between cradle's cap and eczema, poor Ethan is one itchy and scratchy boy!! Cradle's cap is very common among newborns and it's basically just flaky, crusty skin on the scalp. Ethan will itch his head so hard he usually makes himself bleed. You can't really do anything for it except wash his head, comb his scalp, and try and loosen up the skin. The eczema started up a couple weeks ago and has really been bothering him. He's got it pretty much all over - legs, arms, back, tummy, etc. We've been using over-the-counter creme which I think has been helping. But, we mentioned it to our doctor and she gave us some prescription creme to help as well.

I love reading!

We thought Ethan had his first food allergy to green beans over this past weekend. I introduced them on Friday and by that night his face was all red and it wouldn't stop itching and rubbing his face. We thought it was just the eczema so we fed him green beans again Saturday and he had the same reaction. We called our doctor's office and the nurse on-call said it was okay to give him Benadryl. Our doctor said yesterday it could've been the green beans, but she thinks it was more just his overall irritation of being itchy...and the winter cold isn't helping! Like I mentioned, she gave us two different medication cremes to try so hopefully this will help calm him and he will stop clawing his little eyes out!

We had a weight check yesterday and Ethan now weighs 12 lbs. 15 oz - so up another pound from the last appointment! We introduced squash today and he seems to enjoy just as much as sweet potatoes. Next up, fruit purees!

Eric got Ethan to laugh for the first time on Saturday! We've been waiting and waiting for his little giggle to come out and it was the sweetest thing. We've only heard it one other time since, but I know he'll start hamming it up in no time!

Hope everyone has a great weekend!

Five Months Old!

Hi Family and Friends!

I love being five months old!

I'm five months old today! I'm getting so big and round - I know I say that every month, but I keep growing and growing! I've really turned a corner in my life lately. I want to tell you all about the milestones I've accomplished and what I like to do in my free time:

• If you didn't have a chance to see my last post, I roll over now!! Thinking back on it, it was such an exciting day. I was over at Papaw and Ginka's house and decided "today's the day"! Mommy was squealing with delight, cheering and clapping. Her and daddy still do that every time I roll over. 
• My other big milestone? Starting solid foods!! There's so much hype about babies starting solid food. But, for me? No.Big.Deal! I took sweet potatoes down like a champ! I like the sweet taste. Mommy says we will try green beans next.

• I thought I loved my hands before - the way they look, the way I can make them move, etc. But, now I really love my hands. So much I can't keep them out of my mouth!! I love to suck on my fingers - most of the time just two, but sometimes I get crazy and put my whole fist in my mouth.

• I sleep 11.5-12 hours every night without waking up. Mommy and daddy like this. I also take 2-3 naps a day.
• Now that I'm bigger, I can finally play in my jumperoo! It's such a fun activity center - all the colors, noises, and animals! And the best part is I can jump, jump, jump (with the help of a pillow underneath because I can't touch the floor yet)! I get so excited when I'm in the jumperoo! 

Being five months old is fun. I'm like a sponge - I love to take in everything around me. I'm surrounded by so many great people and fun toys. I can't wait to see what else I learn in the next month!

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend! Stay warm!

Love,

Ethan =)

'Ol Blue Eyes

Happy Baby!

Getting so big!

First BIG Milestone!

We've got a roller on our hands!! Ethan rolled over for the first time on Sunday and it was SO EXCITING!! I knew he was getting close because during tummy time he would start to rock towards one side a little bit and I knew it was only a matter of time. We were out at my parents house and I put him on his tummy and he just rolled over like it was no big deal! He even showed off for daddy the next day and we got it on video! (just ignore how silly Eric and I sound on the video!) He's only rolled three times so we will keep practicing every day!

Ethan has been sleeping for over 12 hours straight every night for probably the last two weeks! We started giving him his last bottle earlier and bumped up his bedtime - he must be loving it! I learned this week through my sister-in-law that babies at this age can start to sleep for really long stretches right before they are about to master a new skill (i.e, rolling over, crawling, etc.) I just find that adorable - I can picture Ethan thinking sooo hard about rolling over in his mind and then all of a sudden one day, he does it! Must be exhausting!

It's been a pretty quiet week for us - couple play dates and errands! This weekend, cousin Jayden is spending the weekend with Papaw and Ginka so I'm sure we will get some good cousin time in! Not much else to report so I'll just leave you with pictures of my cute, adorable, handsome, snuggly little man!!!

Four Months Old!

Hi Family and Friends!

I turned four months old on Christmas Eve! I'm getting so big and cute (at least that's what everyone tells me)! It's really fun being four months old. I want to tell you about some of the exciting things I do now:

• I weigh 11 lbs. 14 oz and am 24" long!
• Drumroll please...I'm officially out of newborn diapers!! This is a big deal in my world! I wear size one diapers now and am loving all the extra room =) 
• I'm officially out of newborn clothes too. Mommy packed up all my newborn clothes last week - she said her heart was breaking. 
• Because I've gained so much weight, I'm down to five feedings a day. Recently, I got to drop my last feeding so I can go to bed earlier. Growing makes me tired! I now go to sleep at 9pm and don't wake up until 7-8am. Sometimes, I wake up around 6:30am, but I know it's still early for mommy so I lay quietly in my crib and talk to myself. 

• I love to wiggle down in my crib like an inchworm during the night. Mommy lays me down to sleep and in the mornings, I've wiggled all the way down to the bottom of the crib - so much that usually Mommy can only see the top of my head on the video monitor! It makes her laugh. 
• I'm in the early stages of holding my own bottle. Right now, I like to touch the sides and sometimes push it out of my mouth. But, then I realize I don't get any milk when I do that! 
• I'm getting really good at grasping and holding toys. I hang on to the rings that dangle from my swing, I grab the colorful rattle, and I like to play with my books whose pages make a crinkle noise.

• I'm starting to get really good at propping myself up on my tummy. I've always been pretty good at my head control, but now I've been working on strengthening my arms and doing a mini-pushup. I want to have to big muscles like daddy when I'm older =) 
• Nobody makes me smile like daddy. I love mommy so much, but after spending all day with her,  it's fun to see a new face and I get really excited when daddy comes home from work! 
• Mommy and daddy are trying to get me to laugh. They laugh and laugh and laugh to try and get me to mimic them, but I just think they look (and sound) silly! Right now, I smile and cough - which might be the first step in developing my laugh! I also love to stick my tongue out - especially at mommy when I'm happy.

 Doesn't it sound like fun being four months old? Mommy and daddy tell me I was the best thing that ever happened to them - we are so excited to spend 2013 together. So many fun things to look forward to! Happy New Year!

Ethan's First Christmas!

Our First Christmas!

We had so much fun celebrating our first Christmas with our sweet baby boy Ethan! I can't help but reflect back on a year ago at this time when we lived thousands of miles away and we didn't know we were pregnant (we found out 12/26/11)! This year, we got to share Christmas with both our families and do it with the cutest guy around!! =) I can't wait to start traditions with Ethan when he gets a little older and can understand the meaning of Christmas.

Ethan loves his Grandpa Joe!

The Christmas festivities started off with having Grandpa Joe, Uncle Jeffrey, Aunt Kristen, and cousin Jayden over to our house on Christmas Eve. I threw some chili in the crock pot and we spent the afternoon together full of eating and opening presents (this was the theme for the whole week!) Ethan got a nice IU onesie that I can't wait to dress him in for IU games, mommy got a beautiful necklace with a pendant of Ethan's birthstone, and daddy got an autographed IU basketball from all the players and Coach Crean! 

LOVE my family!

We headed out to Papaw and Ginka's house for Christmas Eve dinner where we met up with all the aunts, uncles, and cousins that were in town. To say it was a full house is an understatement! Christmas is one of the only times where my siblings and I are all together so it's always been one of my most favorite times of the year. Santa must've thought everyone was extra good this year because he left a lot of presents for everyone to open! Ethan got some new clothes, lots of developmental toys, and an adorable cushion chair with his name on it (cousin Jayden got a matching one)! Oh, our hearts just melted - I can just picture him sitting in it watching cartoons - or an IU game!

Merry Christmas Morning!

Christmas morning we had Mamaw and Papaw Graebe over for more presents!! They got him a really great 'activity seat' that sits on a tabletop and has a tray table that goes 360 degrees with entertaining toys on top. We've already put him in it a couple times while we've eaten dinner - definitely will come in handy! Then we headed back over to Papaw and Ginka's house for Christmas night dinner. We got so many great pictures with ALL our family (including some great Skype sessions with Grandpa and Gigi down in Tennessee and Uncle Chris and Aunt Jenni in Texas)!

We feel so lucky to be back in Indiana so we can share and create these memories with Ethan and our families. Christmas is one of my favorite times and I hope my son grows up to love it as much as I do!

My little Santa baby!

Look at these dimples!!

Melt Mommy's heart!!

Such a proud aunt of these cuties!!

Love my new chair!

Meeting Santa!

I've been a good boy so far this year! 

Ethan got to meet Santa Claus for the first time this past weekend! Eric and I took Ethan downtown so he could get his very first picture with good 'ol Saint Nick! We had him dressed in his cute "Santa's Little Helper" onesie - and I must say - Ethan was definitely the cutest baby Santa saw that day! =)

My diaper's almost as big as me!

Ethan went back to the doctor today for his weekly weight check and he finally made it to double digits!! He now weighs 10 lbs. 13 oz!! He gained 1 lb. 4 oz. in 11 days! He's doing such an amazing job! A couple weeks ago, we definitely felt a sense of urgency from the doctor that Ethan needed to gain weight quickly. Sure enough, because of her direction and Eric and I's hard work, he's gained over two pounds in three weeks alone. Is he still underweight? Yes, but certainly not to the degree he was before. I almost felt like Dr. Newby was saying we could take a breath of "relief" today. We are very excited because she said we could cut down his feedings from six a day to five. We were noticing that Ethan passes out in between his last two feedings - like, "I just want to sleep for the night" passes out. We were always having to wake him up for his last bottle at 8:30 - so now we can give him his last bottle at 7:30 and put him down a little earlier. Ethan's been sleeping about 10-10.5 hours a night so I'm anxious to see how he does going to bed earlier. Babies at this age can sleep anywhere from 10-12 hours so he may do just fine!

Best Christmas Gift!

We are gearing up for the start of a busy couple days with Christmas coming up! All the aunts, uncles, and cousins are coming into town Saturday so we can't wait to have a lot of family time! And LOTS of pictures!! We will be spending Christmas Eve day with Grandpa Joe, Christmas Eve night with Ginka, Papaw, and the aunts/uncles/cousins, and then Christmas morning with Grandma and Grandpa Graebe.

Little man turns four months on Christmas Eve so I'm sure I'll update the blog soon thereafter! Hope everyone has a WONDERFUL, VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!