Today

Today it snowed! Mateo loved watching it from the window. I let him go play on our balcony. He seemed to like it, but eventually wanted to come him. I know I am biased, but I just think he is adorable!

He threw up yesterday for the first time. Unfortunatly while being babysat! I didn't have to clean that up, but had enough work in the evening when it started coming out the other end. Tomorrow I will take him to the doctor to make daddy feel better.

16 months

We had special visitors for Mateo's 16th monthday. My aunt and uncle! She took these lovely photos.

Mateo happened to have the night before this photoshoot one of his worst nights ever. He didn't fall asleep until after 3am. Mommy and daddy were NOT happy about this. The week before he was up for 2 hours in the night and November 2 he was up many times in the night. I said that was his 2nd worst night, but now he has had 3 of those in a month. The rest of the time he has slept through and had 2 long naps in the day. Hard to know the causes for those restless nights.

He is a climber. Today he discovered how to get on the kitchen table chairs. Next step is on the table I am sure.

The little man says something that sounds like 'dag' (bye) when he waves. I think he says something like 'dada' or 'baba' for 'papa.' It isn't clear what he says, but he has a certain sound for his daddy. Particularly loud when he sees daddy coming off the platform at church.

15+ Months

In his special Hebrew onsie. It says "righteous". The cute jammies are from grandma.

Today was Mateo's check up and shots. He weighed 11.8kg/26lbs and was 85.?cm/33.5in.

This past month Mateo not only spent the night for the first time away from mommy, but his first time was 13 nights in a row! How his mommy enjoyed that *wink* Mateo had a great time with his cousins, auntie and oma. They took great care of him. I am sure he thinks their houses are much more exciting than ours. Mommy was truly able to enjoy her trip in Israel. It is crazy to think of doing it with a baby or child. I kept telling myself that I needed to enjoy every moment, because who knows when I would have such an opportunity again.

What are Mateo's newest tricks? He amazes me every day with what he knows. He seems to have grasped the questions, "Where is your head?" and "Waar is je neus?" (Translated: Where is your nose?) He knows how to turn the internet and phone off, normally when I am in the middle of something important. He knows it is a great way to get attention. He has started copying our sounds, which can be pretty funny. Growls, screams, grunts, whispers, sneezes. He loves waving hi and bye and now adds on kisses; it doesn't matter who he is greeting. I think he picked up from the little boys he played with to make "brm, brm" sounds when he drives his cars around.

The little guys is full of bruises. It comes with learning how to walk. Plus, it seems the terrible 2's are creeping up on us. Mateo knows how to throw tantrums when he doesn't get his way or is told "no!" Often he then starts flailing and banging his head on things. I try to lay him on the carpet and ignore him, but sometimes he still hurts himself from it.

 Yesterday was a big day in his little life. We bought his 'first' pair of shoes. I guess I should say I bought for the first time shoes for him for his current size/need.

Stones & Bones size 22/6

Gone for 15 Months

In just 6 days the hubby and I are going away. We are going to be separated from Mateo for the first time! What a change that will be! I comfort myself with the thought that it will be rougher for us, than for him. He is going to love having 2 older sisters for a week and then staying with Oma for the remaining few days.

We will be away when he turns 15 months, so I thought I would most a few photos from today. I would love to take him to a pumpkin patch and take adorable photos like I see friends doing, but, helaas, there are no patches around here. Next best thing? The 3 pumpkins from my SIL's garden.

I had some cute ideas, but Mateo was totally uncooperative.

Mateo is not only walking, but running and CLIMBING! He pushes his truck to the coffee table, balances on the car, then steps onto the table and jumps onto the couch.

He has mastered waving. Whenever he hears "bye" he starts waving. It is so precious. He also is starting to do kisses. If you make kissing sounds or say "kiss," if he is in the mood he will make the sounds or come maul my face.

14 Months

25 Lbs/11.3Kgs-I haven't measured his height.

Mateo is still our happy, smiley guy! He likes to make people smile. He knows when he is getting attention or now. Right now it is ok, but later may be a problem. If he is not getting attention, he tries hard to get it. Going to church is very exciting for Mateo. He thinks everyone is there for him. We can't stay long in the service, because he is making people laugh or he is laughing at the kids.

Another side we are starting to see is how stubborn a 1 year old can be. He knows what he wants and will push until he (or I) gets it. If he can’t get what he wants, there is a likely chance of some screaming. In tired cases, it is face on the floor and some kicking. Thankfully he is still pretty easily distracted.  He is not saying many words, but can COMMUNICATE. Lots of pointing, grunting, screaming and then happy sounds and clapping.

Little man is a brave fellow. He gets into everything and climbs in/out/up/down just about anything.  Even though he seems pretty fearless, there is a super sensitive side! He knows when people are laughing at him for a 'bad' reason. Then he gets this sad, offended look and cries and hugs mommy.

He is very tough as far as falling and getting bumps, but he doesn't like abrupt, loud sounds or screaming...

Changing diapers is an awful thing around here. I have complained about it and had the feeling no one believed me, until THEY had to try it! It often takes 2 people to get the job done or one mom chasing around a half naked little boy trying to do one step at a time.

Mateo is NOT a cuddler. Let's just say that is how we knew he was sick 2 weeks ago. When he just sat still on our laps.

Until next month...

Bad Mommy!

I posted that Mateo had Roseola. This week he has a cough, so Sunday afternoon I gave him cough syrup. I gave him some in the evening, then happened to look at the bottle...that read, Pain Killer/Fever Reliever. Hm? That is strange? I went to find the cough syrup and found it in the pain killer box. *gasp* I recognize that bottle. It is what I gave him for his fever. Poor child. Thank heavens he is fine!

13 months-oops

A few weeks later...I loved the outfit Mateo was wearing for this! One of the FEW things I have bought for him. Old Navy shorts for 1.99 and a Children's Place shirt for 2.99. Sad that he can't wear it next year.

 

It was nearly impossible to take any photos. Mateo didn't want to cooperate. He didn't want the sign this time, he wanted the CAMERA. I gave him a bobin to play with, I thought it was little and you wouldn't see it in the photo. *eh* wrong!

Mateo isn't walking yet. He takes some steps, but just doesn't feel like putting in the effort. He can climb on the couch and climb over the end of it onto the other one and then fall off it onto the guitar. He also knows how to climb stairs and get out of the bathtub alone (don't ask how I know).

Like most kids, water and sand are favorites! Dirt, leaves and grass are also lots of fun.

As of last week Mateo is weaned. I didn't set a stopping date. I decided I would know after that it was the last time. Save any sad emotions. He is doing fine without. I think he was ready for it.

Mateo had the "6th sickness" (roseola) in the weekend. Maybe he had it before, but we discovered it early Sunday morning at Oma's when he was burning up. It was the first time he had a fever.

More to come about the little man in his 14 month post.

Little Traveller

 

I thought I should post one of Mateo looking grumpy. He is normally a cheerful little guy...UNLESS he doesn't get his way. In this case, he was being dragged off the playground.

He is still adorable when he is upset, even when he is crying. Sometimes I like to just look at his facial expressions when he is upset, then his dad gets mad that I am making him suffer longer.

Our little guy was so good on our last trip. We didn't know in the beginning if we would take him or if he would stay with Oma. We were able to go for a week, so we decided he would come with. Especially since he wasn't weaned yet.

We left at 3:15pm and arrived to the apartment at 12:45. I think he only was out of his seat 3x. 2x for a diaper and one time to crawl for a few minutes. He was such a trooper! A teeny bit of whining, but that was fixed with some food and later Franklin. Just the last half an hour he started crying. I told him I understood and wanted to cry also.

The way back he did even better. He didn't play as much with his toys as I would have expected, but he did like to look out the window and read his books. We had a few longer stops, so that helped.

Baby Belgium is 1

Look who had his birthday! We had his party a few weeks early, but it was still a special day.

I feel like I should be posting about what our year has been like, but it is late and we need to sleep.

I don't feel like anything came much as a shock. I guess I had read enough to know what to expect.

What is still difficult for me is how long it takes ready to get out the door. Trying to remember everything that may be necessary. Yikes! It can take an hour to get to the grocery store...

Mateo went for his shots today. His measurments are 23 lbs (10.88kg) and 31.25 in (79.5cm).  He is a super crawler and stood yesterday for the first time alone. I think he is lazy in the walking department, but that is fine with me. He has 16 teeth-yes, you read that right. All the growth from his head went to his teeth instead of hair.

He already has a strong, but sensative personality. He is a very happy and social little man.

His first word was "pretty." He regularly says "yay" and something that sounds like "Leah." He is starting to imitate our words. So far only English ones <insert big smile>. We have heard him say "mommy," "my head," "all done" and "baaa."

Anything else you'd like to know? Just ask <wink>

11+ Months UNO party

I am behind on the 11 month post, but ahead on the birthday party post! We had Mateo's party when my parents were here, so it was a few weeks early. I finally put some of my Pinterest inspiration to use. Mateo is turning UNO.

This was the invitation. Notice him holding the 1's

 My mom made the chocolate-with-truffle-filling cake and decorated them both.

 My super talented neighbor whipped out this felt item for his shirt. 

She also let us use her yard, tents, dishes, tables, ETC!!!

 And the same neighbor made a delicious lemon cake.

 He was very interested in his balloon when it was present time, so he didn't seem very excited. He loved the Little People jail and these books with wiggly eyes. His mom loves all the cute clothes he received.

I think I said before I had him that I would never do a 1st birthday party. It seems the kid is either unhappy or sleeping, but Mateo behaved great! He woke up right before and was happy the whole time. He really liked people looking at him and to see all the kids.

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Child Labor

I mentioned he was crawling all over. I heard rustling in the pantry and saw him struggling with the swiffer. He then managed to get it out and I had to run to get my camera.

10 months

 What a photo session it was! Most were IN this playpen. And...my little secret...I put Twinkle, Twinkle on for him.

 Mateo is such a joy to have around! He always wakes up happy and ready to go. (takes after me-hehe)

His sleeping habits are slightly worse than past months, but we can still handle this. He has been waking up again at night, sometimes to eat, other times daddy can deal with him. Going to bed has become a challenge, since he learned to pull himself up. It is a big joke to have us come in and try to lay him back down. Today I decided to just let him play in his crib and eventually he'll fall asleep. I can hear if he's crying.

He crawls all over, chatting away. Now comes the fun part of starting to pull up on everything. #9 tooth came in and I see 2 more almost popping out. Good to eat the food he loves so much!

Mateo is 10.5kg/23lb and 76cm/29in.

Next 'monthday' is a special one. His grandparents will be here!

Sleeping like a baby

I just had to capture this moment. Anyone who knows our little man knows this is a rare sight. When he is around people he wants to be INVOLVED. Sleeping is boring. So many things to see.

M is a great sleeper, but it normally has to be dark and quiet. The only times (and those are rare) that he will fall asleep in my arms is if I am feeding him and like I said, rare.

This was taken last week. He must've been exhausted because after a few gulps he was out. And stayed out long enough to let me reach for the camera and he never stirred with the sounds. It was truly a precious moment.

9 Months

Our "little" man turned 9 month a few weeks ago. We did the photos on the day, but I forgot to blog. I am in awe of these photos that I see of kids who are sitting nice on their chair. I wonder how long it took for them to get that shot!

I read my post from 8 months and can almost repeat the part about his weight. He's still the same and you can see (even more now) that his stomach is flatter and his face is thinner.

Mateo is a very active boy. He now crawls all over. No boundaries. He is an explorer. Open the doors, grab the dangling keys, pull things off shelves and out of the cabinets, crawl under the tables and chairs, pull apart the play mat, eat the shoes.

His sleeping habits are pretty good. No complaints for me in that area. Normally he goes to bed around 9 and is up at 9 the next morning, then a 1 hour morning nap and 2 hour afternoon nap and an evening nap.

Mateo is quite sensitive to loud, sudden sounds. Often in church he begins to cry when we begin to clap. He is very scared of the vacuum and doesn't like the blender. Also yelling makes him cry.

He still loves his baths and dislikes getting dressed. My rule is that he wears whatever I put on him. If it is too big or too small, he just has to wear it that day. We both don't have the energy to change him again.

Favorite toys include his telephone, this lovely item that sings and has a million buttons and sounds, a magna doodle (he just likes to eat the pen and drag it around)

As you can see in this photo, M is beginning to pull himself up. We have since lowered the playpen, so there is no risk of falling. Now it looks like a jail.

He has 8 teeth and one looks like it has been coming for 3 weeks. It looked infected, but the doctor said it was fine.

His hair is slllllooowly starting to grow. When he wakes up I see little tuffs sticking out.

I started giving him most food that we eat. He loves it all. Spaghetti, scrambled eggs, FRIES (good, little Belgian), vol-a-vont, yogurt, quiche, lalala

AND he has a voice and likes to use it.

8 Months

Today the little man is 8 months. I actually took his photos on the day. He was not a happy camper, so I fed him after a few. Then he wanted to eat the pieces from the calendar and sit on it.
He still is weighing 10kg (22lb). I am *sort of* worried that I am not feeding him enough. I know that sounds crazy, but now that he eats more 'real' food and drinks less, I just don't know how much he should have. I could probably look it up, but I know he always eats everything I give him. This week we introduced yogurt and eggs. Both were a success, although he did prefer scrambled eggs to hard-boiled.
Today is about 20 degress (68) or possibly more! I just had to share that wonderful fact. I feel like I just wrote about what a dear Mateo was for playing for about an hour alone. It has all dramatically changed! Yes, he is still a dear, but I must be by him. He has a bad case of the separation anxiety. At home, I can't leave the room without him going hysterical. Sometimes if someone else is in the room he is ok.

Thankfully he is sleeping enough that I can get my stuff done when he is sleeping (if I am disciplined). He also went 3 nights without waking up for his pacifier! It was the first night in MONTHS I didn't get out of bed at night.

The little man is quite strong and I won't be surprised if he's an early walker, since he's been early with the rest.

7 months, came and went....

Chubsie turned 7 month 2 weeks ago...he weights just around 10 kilo, so 22 pounds.

Lil Update

Chilling after his bath last Saturday

I've told a few people what a nice month it has been! Mateo has been charming! We are now pretty much in a schedule and he has learned so many things the past few weeks.

The best of course is that he is sleeping wonderfully! Normally he goes to bed around 9, after we Skype grandma. Then he wakes up one time, but I put the pacifier in and he sleeps a few more hours. He wakes up between 8 and 9, normally from a dirty diaper.

He then eats, gets dressed, plays and after about an hour goes to sleep for another hour. He is up for 2 hours, then goes for a long nap. Again in the evenings he has a small nap.
Tuesday night bath

This month he learned to sit and crawl. So mommy has to watch him a lot more. We installed his 'big boy' car seat and use the 'big boy' stroller now.

He also has seemingly learned to wave, which is just adorable.

He can say, "nee, nee, nee" (no, no, no) and scream very well. But, anytime he is screaming, it just means he is tired.

I think he's had another little growth spurt. It seems everything I put on this past week that isn't 9m is too small. Time to sort again!

We are trying to wean him from the pacifier. Not totally, because I like those extra hours of sleep, but mainly in the day. He is doing ok so far. I don't plug it in anymore, only if he is screaming for some reason and just for a few minutes. He can have it to sleep.He did this himself! He takes apart his play tiles and somehow managed to crawl in this. I think it looks like a tutu.

6.5 month stats

Based on the data you submitted, your child falls into the following percentiles:

Length = between percentile 90 and 95 (72.2cm/28.43in)
Weight = between percentile 75 and 90 (9.190kg/20.26lb)
Head Circumference = between percentile 50 and 75(44.5cm/17.52in)

The doctor said he has trimmed down...he is no longer in the 95th percentile for his weight ;-)

6+ Months!

A few of my favorites from our little photo session today. This dude is getting so squirmy! I just have to tell the world that he slept 13 hours last night and went 9 hours between feedings!

Not Necessary/flops IMHO

Then we have those things that might sound like a great idea, but just don't cut it for ya (me!).

1. Diaper Genie - I throw my diapers in one of 3 trash cans and a few times a week empty them all. Maybe the genie is good for some, but I find it is just taking up space. Maybe as he eats more solids and has more stinky diapers and I want to hide the smell? Plus they are useless if you use cloth diapers, which I try to do a few days per week.

2. Wipe warmer - I just have to laugh that it even exists

3. Bumbo seat - I was sad about this one. I so wanted one and found one 2nd hand in the color I wanted, but it never worked for us. By the time he could hold his head up, his legs were too fat for it. Maybe I did something wrong, but my hubby said it looked like we were torturing him in it, so I passed it on to the neighbor. I hope it works for her, because I think it is so cute!

4. Dishwasher basket - It sounded brilliant, but I never used it. My silverware basket has a flap that closes. So much easier than storing this basket and remembering to use it.

5. Bottle brush - I know I primarily breastfeed, but when Mateo uses a bottle, we put it in the dishwasher, so why did I think this was necessary? Mine is still in the packaging.

6. Cloth nursing pads - A joke for me. Sure fire way to have wet everything.

7. Anti Stretch Mark creams - I never even tried because the doctor and what I read said that it all depends on your skin (Internally), what you do externally won't help. I think it's just a marketing scam.

8. Teething gel - The verdict is out for us. I didn't realize most of the time that Mateo was teething, so I didn't use the gel and when I did he complains.

9. The amount of nipple cream I have - I only needed it at the beginning and you only use little amounts. I have 2 full tubes + a 3/4 full one laying around.

10. Baby robe - Yes, it is adorable, but what baby needs a robe? Unless you use it as a towel. My baby normally is dried, then clothed. He doesn't 'lounge.'

11. Bath thermometer - in the beginning (like first 2 times) I used it to be sure, but now I can tell what feels good for the little guy.

12. Sterilizer - I almost feel guilty writing this, but I used mine faithfully in the beginning for the pump, pacifiers and bottles, but forgot about it when I went on vacation and discovered it in my pantry. I guess he survived :P You could always dip them in boiling water if needed.

13. Baby lotions/soap - I have who knows how many full bottles. They all have perfume in them and my son has sensative skin, so we only use a little bath oil and sometimes a little soap on his bottom. The most known brands are supposedly some of the worst. His lotion is one that the pharmacy made.

14. Shose - I LOVE little shoes, but they really are inconvenient. I'm afraid of Mateo losing one, so he rarely wears them. He doesn't need them to walk at this point, so what IS the point? Fashion and perhaps a little warmth. Plus I am obsessive that things match, so some don't match many outfits, so they are just sitting there.

15. Snap-in-back sleepers - I think I gave most of mine away. Maybe I'm not talented enough, but how do you get their legs/bottom conveniently out to change a diaper?

http://www.savvysugar.com/Unnecessary-Baby-Items-Waste-Money-19100626

I am on the same wave length as this woman! I only disagree on the changing table. Ours matches his armoir and crib, but is in the bathroom. I dress him there after his baths and it holds the diapers, wipes, plus our toilet paper and has baskets underneath for more storage.

For the high chair I agree and disagree. I did not want another piece of furniture to store, so I chose for a Stokke chair. It was a bit pricey, but I know they last forever. PLUS, it was on sale and we had a 100 euro gift certificate for that store. I bought the baby adaption pieces 2nd hand with gift money. So far it is working for us.

But, as in the title, this is all My Humble Opinion. I just have been reading many people's lists of what is necessary or not. We all have different babies and different needs.

My Must Haves

When starting out with a baby, you are overwhelmed with THINGS. How do you know what is necessary and what's not? Thankfully I received 99% of my stuff, so I did not really invest in anything. I already started putting things away. While doing so I was thinking of what I have used the most and what is a 'must' for me.

1. Chicco Stroller System. I have one from 10 years ago, so it is not as sleek as what is on the market now, but I LOVE it. I used the bassinet tons and still use the 'wheels' and car seat all the time. My dream for the next one is to get a car seat base. SOOO convenient.

2. Carseat blanket Mine was from Germany, so it was a little different, but this is the closest I found, because it has the HOOD. My hood had elastic up top, so he was able to use it for quite a while. My bottom part was sewed, but this blanket would last even longer than mine did.

3. Rain/Wind covers I had one of these for the car seat, bassinet and now I have one for his stroller. I feel much less guilty dragging him around with this. He is never cold and it protects him from the elements.

4. Mobile We borrowed a Tiny Love Mobile from my SIL. It was one of the first toys that Mateo could focus on. He could easily watch it for an hour. It was a life saver. Unfortunately we had to take it off the playpen, because he kept grabbing it. We still have this one on the end of his crib and it is a good distraction when mommy is trying to get ready.

5. Monitor Now I call it a baby phone, because in Dutch it is a babyfone. We have only recently begun using it, but it is great. I can work/rest more at ease. Before Mateo slept more soundly, but now he wakes up much easier with footsteps, squeaky doors, so this way I don't have to check on him. We tried a different monitor, but it the frequency was messed up. We are very happy with this one.

6. Bomber Hat Mateo's auntie bought him this wonderful hat at Old Navy. Not only is it ADORABLE, but so practical. I MUST have one for later. It is not stretchy, so it is not always adjusting or falling in his eyes. It is fuzzy lined, so warm AND it covers the ears. PLUS it has velcro instead of ties. Much easier to deal with.

7. Baby Sleeping Bags I thought these were so funny when I first saw them. Great idea! The idea is that you don't have to worry about your baby being cold or suffocating under blankets. You can see they sell many varieties. Some 'grow' with the kid, some are thin, others have detachable sleeves. I know it makes it look like my baby boy is wearing a dress, but who cares?

8. Nursing Cover Yes, I know it looks like an apron and I admit that I don't use mine as much as I used to, but in the beginning it was great when trying to figure out how to stay covered, balance the baby, adjust your shirt. I still always use it at church (or when I'm in an unfamiliar setting) to save myself from a potential embarrasing situation.

9. Tights Go ahead, laugh. Yes, my SON wears tights. I know that is hilarious to some, but in cold countries it is normal. Why should only little girls be warm? Especially when the little guys move all over and their pants creep up. Those poor, bare, cold legs. I also have major issues finding which socks fit and stay on, so tights are just so much better for now.

10. Playmat AKA Babysitter I had no idea how much I would love this thing. I put Mateo maybe when he was 2 months on it and got no reaction. But the change was amazing when we got back in November. He LOVED it and plays on it every day still. We have al lkinds of things hanging from it, but now he is noticing the mirrow and figuring out how to make music. I'm so glad we received it and did not have to pay that price!

11. Bounce chair We have used this since the first week. I love the handles. I can drag the baby around to where I am, feed him in it and sometimes he gets to sit ON the table with us at meals.

12. Everything Pillow I nearly forgot to add this! I used my 'sausage' to sleep when I was pregnant, for nursing, to prop the baby up for photos, for sleeping when he was congested and now as a block on the side of the bed so he won't roll off.

13. Backpack Diaper Bag I have such a simple one, but I love it. It was probably meant for a toddler or something, but after trying to juggle my bag, the baby and who knows what else, I discovered this bag buried under a pile of "stuff I probably won't use." It is so much easier (and better for your back I'm sure!) to have a backpack instead of a normal diaper bag, but I do have a few of those for when I change my mind or need more space.

14. Electric Pump If you are going to be pumping alot I would say that this is probably worth the money. I was scared to try pumping because people told me it hurt. I never had any pain! This pump cost me $0. Cool, huh? And it was brand new! It works great and I had all the bottles that attach for free from someone I worked for. At the 2nd hand store I found a few boxes with lots of spare parts including the handy storage bags.

15. Body suits I wish all baby shirts were made with snaps. I get crazy always seeing Mateo's onsies peaking out. I LOVE the few that I have like this. I'm hoping to find more 2nd hand.

Sick Baby

I think I wrote last time about the 'worst night ever.' Saturday (again!) was an even WORSER (if that's a word) night. Thankfully I felt better though on Sunday than last Sunday. Mateo went to to the doctor last Wednesday and received some drops for a slight form of bronchitus.

He was supposed to be feeling better by Friday. From Thursday (which just so happened to be the day hubby went away), Mateo slept no more than 2 hours, except for 1 nap. That made a rough weekend for mommy! Everything only seemed to get worse, so we went back to the doctor on Monday and got loaded up with goodies. Antibiotics, inhailer, painkiller, salve for his chest and I borrowed a steamer from my SIL. Nothing worked instantly, but I am happy to say that today he is doing much better. Finally! These photos are from Wednesday. He was starting to perk up and he actually slept! 18 hours (with feedings and diapers inbetween)!

We moved him into his own room on Tuesday. So far this seems to be working. We planned to wait, but after those sleepless nights, we needed some distance. I dropped a feeding last night and the little man survived! So if we can go on one feeding in the night for a bit, then drop IT, I'll be a more rested mommy. We do get up to give him his pacifier when he wakes up crying. It buys us (I should say me) a few more hours of sleep.

Videos

I'm pretty sure I also said I would never put videos of my kid up, but, hey, I think these 2 are pretty adorable. The second is about a week or 2 ago (when he wasn't sick!) and the other is from last night.

6 months ago...

I was told that they were getting the delivery room ready. An hour later our (then) little Mateo joined us and made us a little family.

Where has time gone? 6 months sounds so old, but thankfully he is still a precious baby who looks often like an angel.

I wanted to have him a half birthday party, but did not really think about it until Friday. Maybe I'll still come up with something.

Mateo is a SUPER happy, smiley baby. And that is not just a biased mama saying it. Everyone says it. I am so thankful! He is a pleasure to be around and is always making us smile with his smiles.

He's a big boy. The last time I weighed him he was right at 20 lbs. He wears size 9m-1year. His BIG accomplishment (LOL) is that he has 8 teeth. They just keep coming! I think this helps his learning to eat big-boy food. He seems to enjoy the sweeter stuff more than broccoli or grean beans. Go figure.

His hair is starting to come in and I think it makes his head look like a skunk. He has a line down his head of where it is growing.

He has beautiful brown eyes with equally gorgeous eyelashes. Right now his face is pretty scratch-free. Yay! I think we figured out how to deal with his eczema and to keep his nails SHORT.

I am amazed at how much he can now 'play.' I set up his foam tiles with toys and a play mat and he is very content to play there. He reaches for all the toys and does a series of rolls, scoots and turns to get what he wants. He knows how to pull his vibrating toy and to hit others to make music. Right now he is fascinated with his hands. It is so funny to watch him watch them. Any fabric makes him happy. I give him his burp rag or my scarf and he twirls it around, rubs it on his face, EATS it. *as I'm typing he is next to me with his shirt*

His sleeping habits should probably not be written today. It was another rough night, but thankfully not as rough as Saturday night, which I deamed the most annoying night of his life. He was awake 6x between midnight and 7. It is frustrating because I know he CAN sleep through. He did on both trips and a few nights here. Hopefully by 7 months we'll have something more positive to write about this topic.

What do I eat?

I am pretty sure I swore I would never put a video of my child eating, but whatever. This humble pie I can swallow. I know my family likes to see what is happening in the little guy's life and food is a bit part of it! And that is also why I have a separate baby blog, for those not interested in these little details of life.

After being up 5x in one night, I was ready to try anything, so I had a few samples of baby food, so I gave him carrots and that night he slept through! Since then we are convinced that even a little bit of 'solid' food is helping him sleep better. He can go anywhere from 5-10 hours without a feeding. Yes, oh, yes!

Why do I start with carrots and not cereal? Because that is what they do here. I never thought a thing about it and it worked, so I'm happy. I have now added apples and bananas. I bought pears to introduce this week, but mostly he has veggies.

http://www.babycenter.com/404_which-should-i-introduce-to-my-baby-first-vegetables-or-frui_1417817.bc

http://www.babycenter.com/404_is-it-true-that-its-best-to-introduce-babies-to-vegetables-f_10323719.bc

I plan to make my own baby food. So far what I have made is acceptable to Mateo. I use my Beaba Babycook (on loan from my SIL) and steam up those veggies or fruit, then blend them and put them in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in a container.