First Foods

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Look what I made, Ma!!!  For the past 6 months I've exclusively nursed this cutie pie.  I am so proud.  I feel very blessed that I have physically been able to do so and had the life circumstances that have permitted me to do so. I recognize not all moms have the physical ability or the life circumstances that allow them to nurse exclusively, so I am grateful that I can.  Having said all that, Mr. Russ turned 6 months on Sunday, so we celebrated with some first foods.  Russ started with oatmeal (pureed), which he rejected wholesale.  Just like is big bro! Then we moved on to applesauce, which went over a bit better, but he still wasn't entirely sure about it, hence (as you can see in the picture) more of it landed on his face and bib than in his belly.  The next night he tried a banana, which was a huge hit!   Butternut squash and carrots are on the menu for later this week.  This foodie Momma is delighted to start making baby food again.  Now if only I could get Mr. Henry to try some new foods...

As for other updates, Russ is like a rolly-polly potato bug and can roll himself half way across the room now.  He's quite the escape artist too, wiggling out of the Bumbo the other day.  Sad to have to retire it so early, but for safety, I might have to.  He doesn't quite have the core strength to sit up on his own yet, but he easily sits with just a bit of assistance.  I bet he will master sitting by the end of January.  Standing is one of his favorite positions and can do so easily by just holding onto a couple of fingers.  Hopefully this doesn't translate into early walking, otherwise I am in trouble! He is still drooling like a St. Bernard, but no teeth have arrived.  He frequently squeals with delight and is constantly "talking."  My mom routinely tells me "Wow, he's a noisy baby!" He's generally a happy little dude, but he fights sleep with all is might, which is how he acquired his nickname "Fussy Russy."  Unlike his big brother who had a love affair with his pacifiers and could self-sooth easily, Russ hasn't found many self-soothing solutions, so he usually protests naps and bedtime (sometimes with screeching, to make extra sure everyone in the house knows he doesn't want to go to sleep, but really NEEDS to go to sleep).  Speaking of sleep, he continues to be an inconsistent sleeper.  Sometimes he is only up once in the middle of the night, but other times (seems to be more often than not recently), he's up three, four, or five times in the middle of the night.  So glad, this phase is temporary.  Sleep deprivation makes a person a little nutty!  Russ also enjoys reading board books and engages more and more everyday, playing with his baby rattles, cars and stuffed animals.  Two of his favorite "toys" are Mommy's hair (which he pulls every chance he gets) and sweatshirt strings (which instantly go into his mouth).