Seven Crazy Months

It has already been seven months! Our little man is growing everyday and loving life. He is so smart and happy, I feel so blessed! In the last month, Ryker has discovered several new uses for his hands. He is an expert at grabbing and yanking handfuls of my hair. He has figured out my reaction to a choking sound, and to get my attention, he will frequently pretend choke. NOT COOL!

Ryker still has blue eyes, red hair, and very white skin, just like his mom! He now has a birthmark on his chest that goes from the base of his neck to the bottom of his sternum. It is actually a pretty nice looking birthmark! Ryker has also bypassed crawling on all fours, he still army crawls all over, but he is now starting to pull up on things. He is becoming quite the expert at using his hands to create beats, or a rhythm on the floor, table, wall, or anything with a cool sound.

Ryker has a very healthy appetite, and still no teeth! He nurses quite frequently, eats rice cereal everynight, and occasionally he will eat some jarred baby food. He does like the Parent's Choice puffs, and veggie crisps. He is learning how to use his index finger and thumb to pick things up. Ryker is definitely a mommy's boy and he loves to be cuddled first thing in the morning. My favorite part of the day!

Overall, Ryker is doing so well and having so much fun learning all there is to learn! I was reflecting on his short little life last night, and I got emotional as I remembered how blessed I am and how wonderful it is to have such an awesome responsibility of being a wife and a mother! Nothing could make me happier this holiday season!

Happy Holidays Everyone!

Challenging Solids

As many of you know, we have started Ryker on solids... and it is rather difficult!!

At 5 months, we started rice cereal and he took to it so easily! He loved his rice cereal before bed. We liked it because it was easy to clean up, and Justin was finally able to feed him. At 5 months and two weeks, we started the pureed baby food. Ryker loved to play with the dab I put on his tray, he would stick his fingers in it and then taste it, or draw us flavored pictures. This fun continued for about three weeks, and four new flavors. This was all just fun and games, and Ryker was happy and loving the new flavors.

Then out of nowhere... It all stopped!! 

Even fruits, and flavors he liked end up on the floor, all over his face, on his bib, but never down his throat and into his sweet belly. I like to think that he is just being satisfied with breastmilk and he is not hungry enough to try new things, but at the same time I know he is old enough to start needing more nutrients and to start developing habits. I have even tried mixing the baby food with regular rice cereal... But it is all to no avail. Last night, he wouldn't even eat rice cereal. 

If any of you experienced moms have any advice for me on how I can remedy this situation and make use of all the baby food, PLEASE Comment!!

Six Months Today!

Today... as the title will tell you, Ryker is 6 months old!!

Here is what we've been up to:

Stats: 17 lbs 15 oz, 26 5/8 in long

Favorite Activities:

• Crawling
• Sitting up with little support
• Chewing on his hands, toes, Mommy's shoes, toys, blankets, dog toys, cords, tablets... EVERYTHING!
• Racing in his walker
• Helping load the diswasher
• Reading/eating books
• Sleeping with Mom and Dad

Biggest Trials:

• No more binky = Mom is now the pacifier
• Sleeping in his crib
• Getting Sadie to play

New Experiences:

 Ryker is now eating solids, and still fully breastfed! We have started him on rice cereal, bananas, sweet potatoes, sweet peas, and soon carrots. We tried green beans and this was his reaction: