Now what?

Okay...I think Aaron has tried all of the "1st Foods."  Short of mixing them now...where do I go next?  I can't believe we've made it through the 1st foods already!  I just noticed that next week, Aaron will be 7 month old.  I feel like I just posted about him turning 6 months old.  I don't realize how fast time is going until I realize, usually at work, that it's the end of the month, again!
One thing that is "up and coming," a TOOTH!  Maybe two!  Definitely could tell it was bothering him tonight as he kept rubbing and tugging at his ears and jaw.  Poor kiddo.  Last night he was in bed by 7:30 and slept almost 11 hours without a peep.  Tonight he was in bed by 7:45.  I feel like just the other day, he started rolling over!  Now he's sitting almost independently with a few crashes, chewing his food/puree, cutting a tooth, playing peek-a-boo, hide and seek with daddy, and babbling da-ba-ga-la.  Whew, and all that is within the last month, maybe even two weeks.  Friends say it goes fast...  I had no idea it would go this fast and I would already be forgetting when Aaron first slept through the night.  After thinking, I did remember (thanks Laura).  All we seem to think and talk about is Aaron...when he poo'd, when he ate, when he spit up, when he slept, the time he giggled and giggled and giggled, baths, story time, snuggling.  While it is different from our "old life" we've settled into a groove and I am enjoying every minute.  We will be getting some one on one time for ourselves in July for Ben's birthday.  I'm excited for that but nervous all at once.  New daycare has really helped me relax about who takes care of Aaron, but we are having grandma come up and stay with him for the night.  The following week, aunt Jess and my parents are coming up to watch him while we go to a wedding of a college friend.
Wow...this blog is pretty lame.  Sorry.  I'm too lazy to delete it.  I apologize for the time you may have wasted reading it.

Half Birthday!?

Yes...Aaron celebrated his half birthday last week.  I have managed to keep a child alive and healthy, who knew, for six entire months.  I'm starting to feel like Aaron has been a part of our life for years, though I still remember what it was like to go out to dinner, visit friends, and family without packing an entire extra wardrobe; toys, bibs, burp cloths, clothes, and all.  Speaking of toys, I just HAD to go out and get Aaron a couple of 1/2 birthday presents...of course!  He got a little snail that rolls when he pushes it, plays a couple of songs and has a mirror to look into.  He digs it, but I think he'll like it more in a few weeks when he can push it while sitting.  I also got him a vtech book that has nursery rhymes and three pages.  Grandma and Grandpa "Flash" have one and he loved it when we visited in Nashville.  This thing is a life saver.  I actually only get it out when NOTHING else helps...especially long car trips.  Over the past weekend, we travelled back to NW Iowa to visit family, the long way to avoid the flooded stretch of I-29, unfortunately. The "long way" is only 20 minutes longer than the "short way" but Aaron has decided to sleep less and less on car rides and fuss more and more.  Can't blame the kid...I don't like being cooped up in the car either, not being able to roll around and stretch out and stuff.  I think our plan will be to keep traveling as often as we can afford and desire to keep him used to car trips.  With family more than 2 hours away in either direction, we are going to have to travel if we want to see them.  He just better get used to it...and I guess we might have to get used to fussy car trips.  Here's Aaron getting ready to drive.  Not sure how he'll reach the pedals but he was pretty excited about it.  I went into the convenience store and came back out to him in my seat.  He was smiling and laughing, thought it was a pretty funny joke.  Definitely not expected, and so totally cute!

We had a great trip visiting Papa and Nana in LeMars.  All of Nana's siblings were in town and Aaron got to meet LOTS of new people.  He did pretty well and even gave smiles to new strangers.  It was great seeing everyone and spending some time with family.  While there, Aaron started sitting up on his own.  He is now sitting for nearly a minute by himself consistently!!  He even fusses when he's laying and rolling on the floor because he can't figure out how to sit up on his own.  Grrrrumpy!  Here's a photo of some of our first sitting!  The new toy great aunt Deb bought Aaron was very motivating for him.  Thanks Deb!!

Today was Aaron's 6 month well baby check.  Despite some gas and achy belly, Aaron took the shots like a champ again!  He cried for less than 30 seconds, sucked his pacifier for 2 minutes and was ready to go, smiling at the nurses checking us out.  Such a ladies man!  So here are the stats on our guy!
Height: 28 inches (95%)
Weight: 16lbs 12oz (40%)
Head size: 45cm (75%)
Long and lean.  I don't think I could possibly feed this kiddo more!  He eats constantly, formula and now veggies too!  We have tried peas, green beans, and now squash.  Aaron sucks them down and likes sitting up at the table and eating with us.  He opens his mouth like a baby bird, makes little groaning noises if I'm not moving fast enough and  swallows it all down.  So far, I've made a pea puree and a green bean puree.  A little thicker than the Stage 1 foods you'd buy at the store but it was my first attempt.  Aaron still seemed to handle it okay.  Squash was definitely his favorite.  Peas are probably a close second.  Very fun to see him getting excited and so interested in eating foods with us.
With all the activity and rolling, we've definitely had more spit up.  So ANNOYING...but I guess expected for a spitty baby.  We are looking at stopping Aaron's prilosec.  Not really seeming to make much of a difference at this point and with the addition of more solid foods, we are hoping to keep more food in the belly.  Scary...all of the milestones already achieved and shortly down the road.  More to come!

Trip to Nashville

We travelled to Nashville over the Memorial Day weekend again this year to visit Ben's dad and step mom.  I was nervous to fly with Aaron but he was a champ and even fell asleep in the middle of our second take off.  We had a lot of firsts throughout our trip.  Aaron's first plane ride, then his first "train" ride, automobiles, and a boat ride!  Aaron wasn't sure what to think of the boat and just closed his eyes for much of it as it was sunny and windy but all in all a great trip.  He also went to the Nashville Zoo.  Amazing zoo for photos if you've never been as most of the animals have natural enclosures.  A good telephoto lens will get some great pics!  Lastly, Aaron went swimming for the first time!!!  A photo link will be available shortly for all of our pics from the trip.  He loved the water and didn't even flinch when we got in!  He never stops surprising me.  Case in point, the trip home.  He did so well on the way to Nashville, I was not even concerned on the way home.  Aaron had other plans and fussed for most of the flight from Nashville to Minneapolis.  He was beyond hungry when we landed, then had an "open-air accident" while trying to change him, soaking his clothes.  We noticed we had an hour delay so we thought we'd have just enough time to grab dinner ourselves then board.  Upon walking by the departures board, Ben noticed our flight was cancelled...the only flight that was cancelled.  WTH?  Upon speaking with a very lazy Delta agent, he advised that we were on standby for the 9:50PM flight.  I don't think so, I'm NOT sitting in the airport with a fussy baby and limited formula/diapers/entertainment until then to MAYBE get on a flight.  Our next option was staying at the Ramada at MOA(Mall of America).  Flight guaranteed the next morning at 9-something in the morning.  Okay...I was coming to terms with us not going home tonight when I realized...I don't think we have enough formula or diapers to get us through the night.  We said screw it and rented a car...which by the way was RIDICULOUSLY expensive (starts with A, ends with lamo) and drove down to the city from the cities.  Arriving home at 11pm, we change Aaron into pajamas, which he slept through while smiling and giggling.  Finally unpacked and in bed near midnight to be up by 5:30am and to work by 7am.  I need a vacation from my vacation, or at least the last 24 hours of it!  Here are a few photos from our trip. Generally a great trip with the hiccups at the end.  There's some law about that isn't there?