8 months old & learning lots of fun new things!

It's hard to believe but Hatcher turned 8 months old on May 24th! This sweet child of ours is growing like crazy and learning so many new things. It's like everyday he learns something new! We have had many "firsts" over the past month so needless to say it's been an exciting time!

Hatcher is all over the place in his walker. He has learned to open the kitchen cabinets & drawers. He has even learned that there is stuff in the drawers that are super fun to play with like plastic spoons & ladles!! I can't take my eyes off of him for one second. 

He's officially a CRAWLER!! So crazy but so exciting for him! He did it for the first time on May 28th. His daddy had been working with him on it all weekend & of course he does all by himself as soon as daddy leaves town for work. Still trying to catch it on video but I know he's going to be all over the place now!! 

We still only have two bottom teeth. Those top ones that he's been teething since he was 6 months old have still not made their appearance. He drools every where & puts literally everything he can get his hands on in his mouth! Come on teeth!!!

He is saying "dada" really well & can say "mama" but doesn't say it very often! We've been working with him on who people are. For example, you can say "Hatcher, where's the puppy or where's Dooley" and he'll look for him until he finds him. He does it with mommy & daddy too and now we're working on grandparents. It's so neat to see him start recognizing who people are by name!

Hatcher had his first & I hope his last Emergency Room visit on Mother's Day. Scared us to death!! He had a runny nose & lots of nasal congestion for about two weeks. Tissue and the nasal aspirator were our very best friends...well mine not his! The doctor told me it was just a part of teething and there wasn't anything we could give him. He started with a cough on the Saturday before Mother's Day. It got worse as the day went on and much worse after we put him to bed. By 3:00 he was having difficulty breathing and we made the decision to go to the ER. They gave him a breathing treatment and a steroid shot and told us he had croop. He was honestly doing so much better before we ever left there around 6:00. Seeing him that sick and in the hospital was terrifying and I literally had knots in my stomach the entire time. The doctor and nurses took excellent care of him and it meant so much to us. He was supposed to be dedicated later that morning at church but we decided that wasn't a good idea after our eventful night and didn't want him getting the other children sick. So we will wait until next time! 

Hatcher also had his first beach trip which I'll post about later! What a fun trip!!

We also moved him into a big boy rear facing car seat. He was getting too big for his infant car seat & honestly he was uncomfortable in it. He seems to be more comfortable in his Britax although right now he just isn't a fan of being in the car seat. I think at some point all kids go through this stage. He does like sitting up & being able to see more though! 

Time is flying by & I can't believe I'm already thinking of 1st birthday party ideas!! Yes, I have a Pinterest board all about it. Haha! We are throwing around a few different ideas and although I'm not ready for him to turn the big one, it'll be fun to plan!!

Below are pictures from his 8 month photo shoot!!

Hatcher: The Busy Body! :)

It seems that as soon as Hatcher turned 7 months old, he decided he was ready to put growing up into overdrive!! Let's just say we're going to have our hands full with this little boy!

He's into EVERYTHING!!! When he gets in his little walker, he is gone! This child can move so fast & manuever himself in tight spaces like nothing I've ever seen! He can also clip your ankles & run over your toes like a champ! He bumps into everything & I swear he's going to give himself whiplash!

In just the past week, he has learned how to open & close the door on Dooley's kennel, shake the blinds on the back door, pull on the table clothes & curtains, run his little fingers all up & down our pantry doors which are glass & how to really chase Dooley down!! Poor dog doesn't know what he's in for. Dooley is terrified of him in that walker & hides behind Johny & I when he feels threatened by it. We have a bench at our front door & a chair in our bedroom that allow Dooley to see out the window. This is not what they're there for but that's not what Dooley thinks. Hatch has learned to walk up to them & that Dooley will lick him all over & that he can pet Dooley. Today, he learned how to hold Dooley by the collar...seriously?!?!

He has also become quite the wiggle worm! He is constantly flipping over while we're changing his diaper & clothes. It takes forever to do either of these chores now & it's hilarious. He used to lay there so still & sweet & now he just wants to be on the move!

He has also become quite impatient. (I have no clue where he got this trait; certainly not from me!!) When we feed him his bottle, we have always burped half way through. Now when we take the bottle away, he screams bloody murder. You give it back to him, it stops. OMG!! So now, we're just feeding him the whole bottle & then burping to overcome a screaming fit.

Now, all this said he's still the sweetest little thing ever!! He's still very laid back, smiley, happy & silly! He's just realizing that he's way more mobile now & that he can manipulate us to get his way. He's wrapped around both of our fingers so we'll see how this goes!

I love watching him grow & learn new things! He's getting so big & it feels like time is going at warp speed. We were looking at pictures of his first few months the other night & we couldn't believe how much he'd grown & changed.

He's at such a fun age that I just wanted to share a few exciting new things happening in our household!

Hatcher is 7 months old!

Yesterday, we celebrated Hatcher's 7th month!! He's grown so much over the past month & has several new "tricks" he can do! I tell you, with every month that passes our love for him grows in abundance & we love watching him grow into a big boy!

While he's still a fan of the jump-a-roo, his Corvette walker is by far his favorite toy! Last week, he started moving all over the house. Every time he's gotten in it prior to last week, he's just chewed on the steering wheel & moved side to side & backwards. Now, he can walk forward in it & can literally go all over the house. He has figured out how to get through door ways & thinks it too funny when he bumps into stuff which is every five seconds! He likes to stroll in the kitchen opening & closing the cabinet doors & often tries hard to reach for things around him. Of course, he goes wherever Dooley is & sticks his hand out for some puppy kisses! It's the cutest thing! Needless to say, I've started baby proofing much sooner than I had anticipated.

He loves to play in his room on a pallet with his toys & is seriously wanting to crawl. He's doing well at scooting & I give him maybe another month before he figures the whole thing out & boy will we be in trouble then!! He loves tummy time now & would prefer that to being on his back. Funny how things change! Two months ago, I could barely get him to do tummy time for 5 minutes. He's sitting up on his own & he can do it well he just would rather be on the move so he doesn't have much to do with sitting up either. Praying he'll do it long enough for his 6 month (really 7 month) photos tomorrow!!

Hatcher is making lots of sounds & has even said "mama" a few times! He tries to mimick what we're saying & we swear sometimes he says "hey!" He likes to pat everything. He pats us, the table, the high chair & that's often what I find him doing when he wakes up from his nap. It's so cute! Our favorite trick we have taught him is how to high five! I started doing this with him about a month ago & then one day after eating his food, I said high five & he did it! I was one proud mommy & couldn't wait to show Johny his newest trick! :)

As I mentioned before, Hatcher has never been a fan of sleeping anywhere for nap time other than my arms or the Mama Roo, which he sadly out grew! About two weeks ago, I started really working with him to set naps at certain times of the day & to make sure he was napping in his crib. I'm happy to report that he's doing great & is napping in his crib three times a day for at least an hour but usually for an hour & a half! YAY!! This mommy misses holding him but boy can I get a lot more done around the house. Now if only he would sleep through the night!! He goes down every night around 8:00 but is awake crying sometime between 1:30 & 3:30 most every night. Typically, the only way to get him to go back to sleep is to feed him. I usually cave just so we can all get some sleep! Hoping once we're done teething, this will stop.

About a week after Hatcher's 6 month check-up, I took him back to see his pediatrician because two nights in a row we were up in the middle of the night with him screaming bloody murder & we weren't able to console him. The doctor wanted to see him to make sure he wasn't getting an ear infection. There was no ear infection but he did say Hatcher was teething his top teeth which was likely part of our sleeping issue. We continued to talk & he remembered at our last visit that I mentioned Hatch was having terrible constipation issues. We began talking about what he was eating/drinking & the doctor told me he felt Hatcher had a milk allergy/sensitivity. Words I was hoping he'd never say! Johny & many of the men in his family have milk allergies & we were hoping it would skip Hatch. We had started weaning him five days earlier to formula. I was like wait a second...this constipation has been going on way longer than that! Basically, Hatcher was allergic to the dairy I was eating & likely the Similac Advance he was having one bottle a day of at that point. So, he put him on Nutramigen which is made for babies with cow's milk allergy. To make the weaning process easier on both of us, I started by taking away one nursing session/bottle a day. I would do this about 5 days & then replace another feeding with formula. Just this past weekend, he started drinking formula at every feeding. I do miss breast feeding but great news is Hatcher is pooping regularly & is much less gassy! I'm so thankful that our pediatrician figured this out & that Hatcher seems to be feeling much better!

Below are some recent pictures of Hatch & his 7 month picture!

Love that sweet smile!

This is the first time that he showed interest in the sticker which made it hard to get pictures!

Mom...it's sticky!!

My first time in a high chair at Amici!

So cool driving mom's car!

The happiest baby!! :)

Hanging with his puppy!

Kisses from Dooley! :) He rolls over to the couch if Dooley is sitting there & pats the couch until he gets Dooley's attention!!

Cruisin in his corvette!

Mommy & Hatcher on our play date with the Prance's!

So silly! Getting naked for bath time! 

Helping Daddy drive his truck!

Celebrating Mommy's birthday with a Hibachi lunch!! 

My sweet boy! :)

Family picture after dinner at Mellow Mushroom for Mommy's birthday! 

"Just Hatched" - Hatcher's First Easter

This post is just a few weeks late but I suppose it's better late than never!

Hatcher's first Easter (3/31/13) was wonderful! We had all of our family at our home & we all went to church together. My parents & grandparents came over from LaGrange and my sister drove in from Birmingham. Johny's dad was here too & we really missed his mom. Her father had been in the hospital that week & she really needed to be there with him. We missed her but took lots of pictures!

After church, we all had a home cooked meal at our house prepared by my mom & myself! Then Hatch opened his Easter gifts & played with everyone. He LOVED all the attention! :)

Below are some of my favorite pictures from the day!

Hatch with Grammie & Poppy!

Opening his Easter gifts with his bunny ears on! I know one day he'll totally hate me for this picture!

Aunt Brit & Hatch at lunch the day after Easter!

Easter morning in his bunny jammies!

Family picture after church.

Hatch with his GiGi & Paw Paw Campbell

Hatcher with Daddy & Granddaddy!

HT & Granddaddy

Getting ready to eat with his "Just Hatched" bib on! Too cute!

And of course, Dools rocked his bunny ears that his Auntie Anna gave him! :)

Hatcher is 6 Months Old! :)

WOW!! Half a year has already passed since our sweet boy was born! It's crazy how much he's grown & all the things he's learned to do in just six short months! The old saying is true..."they grow like weeds!"

Hatcher had his 6 month check-up today (3/26) and he weighs 18 lbs 12 ozs (75th percentile) and is 26 inches long (50th percentile). Dr. Smith said he is very healthy & growing wonderfully! He said he does have some eczema but it's probably from the cold, windy weather we're experiencing. He said sometimes babies with sensitive skin suffer from it more so it was nothing to be concerned about but to just keep him moisturized well.

Hatcher has done so well with eating solids once a day for the past month & a half so we're now ready to move him to twice a day. He's eating the following foods: pears, prunes, peas, sweet potatoes, bananas, squash, zucchini, carrots, apples, avacados and peaches. Up until today, we've been mixing his fruit with oatmeal cereal. However, Hatcher has been experiencing some issues with constipation & I couldn't put my finger on what was causing it. Our doctor told me to take the oatmeal away and just to feed him strictly fruits & veggies. He said some babies get constipated on cereal & they don't really need it so to just to go with straight fruits & veggies. Sounds like a plan to me & I hope it'll make his tummy feel lots better! :)

Hatch is doing so many new things & we're having the best time watching him grow! He loves for me to make a big pallet in his room & to put lots of toys all around him. He'll roll all over the place playing with different toys & on Saturday 3/23 he started showing some signs of crawling! He can pull his legs underneath & scoot to get to the toys he wants to play with. He's talking more & more & starting to make some sounds that are like syllables. Of course his daddy & I are constantly saying "mama" & "dada." Haha!! He still loves to bounce & I think he'd stay in there for hours if we'd let him. He's becoming less of a fan of his car seat which can make car rides really fun sometimes! Two weeks ago he stayed in the nursery at church for the first time & he seems to really like it. He loves being around other small children! I know some of you are saying you just started leaving him in the nursery?!?! And the answer is yes...I just hesitated leaving him because of flu season & because I have a hard time letting go! I'm a softy!!

Hatch now has his two bottom front teeth & they're so cute!! But...they're very sharp & can literally tear your skin. Dr. Smith said today his top gum was very swollen & he was starting to see at least one more getting ready to push through. Teething is NOT FUN!! It has really affected Hatcher's sleep & I'm ready for all of us to get some rest! He did say though that I have to toughen up & stop rocking or holding him until he falls asleep. He feels like that's also part of his sleeping issue. I know I have to just suck it up & let him cry it out for a few days until he gets the hang of it & in the end it'll be better for all of us when we can just lay him down & let him fall asleep. WE CAN DO THIS!!!

After six months of breast feeding, I think we're going to start weaning him slowly over the next few weeks. I'm having a hard time with this decision but I think it's time for a few reasons. (1) Hatcher has teeth now & he likes to bite & that hurts mommy! (2) He's become very distracted when eating & would rather look all around & often I don't feel like he's getting enough to eat. I know this can be a part of teething but when I pump & give him a bottle he does much better. (3) This mommy feels like she is ready to wean because pumping isn't easy for me & for some reason I just don't get as much milk as I used too so when we have to leave him with his grand parents when we have something to do I totally stress out about ensuring he has plenty of milk to drink. I think it'll be easier on all of us to wean him to formula & I'm just praying the transition will happen easily & that it won't cause him any additional tummy issues. I know it sounds selfish that I'm ready to wean him for me too but while I have thoroughly enjoyed breast feeding it is hard work & I'm super proud of myself for doing it for 6 months!!

Below are some recent pictures of our sweet baby boy! Such a happy boy!!

The sweet smile I wake up to every morning! He's definitely his father's child because his mommy isn't a morning person! :)

Happy his daddy was home from his work trip! 

Baby blues! :)

Hatch's pearly whites!

Daddy & HT on his 6 month birthday!

Mommy & HT on his 6 month birthday!

He's recently become a fan of his thumb!

Such a sweet, silly boy! Melts my heart!!

My Mommy Must Haves - Part Two

I posted about "My Mommy Must Haves" several months ago. While some of those things are still things we use now, we've added new things as Hatcher has grown! I thought I'd share some of the things we're loving right now with you.

Nuk Pacifiers:

These are by far Hatcher's favorite pacifiers! When he was really little, we used Soothies because at the time those were all he would use. As he got older, he wasn't very into them anymore. He's not a baby who requires a pacie all the time but he does like them when we're in the car or when he's sleepy. Although, once asleep he usually spits it out & we remove it from the crib. I love the Nuks because there are a lot of different designs & colors which make it fun to coordinate them with their clothes. Yes, I know I have a little boy but I still like for him to match! :)

Pacifier Clips:

These things are an absolute must for a baby who fights sleep & will constantly spit out the pacifier to keep mommy & daddy busy while he tries to stay awake. It's also great for the car seat when you're reaching your arm behind the seat to stick it back in their mouths when they're not a happy camper!! My mom gave me two of these super cute seer sucker clips & we use them all the time.

Teething Rings:

We are in the teething trenches right now & these things are a MUST! These are great for a baby who is teething badly & needs some soothing comfort. You can put them in the fridge or freezer & then give one to the baby when needed. Hatcher loves his & they do seem to provide him with some comfort when those gums are really sore.

Jumparoo:

This is by far one of the best gifts Hatcher has received! He absolutely LOVES his jumparoo & spends a lot of time playing in it. I love it because it's easy to move around the house so that he can play while mommy does chores! He loves watching me cook dinner & do things around the kitchen & laundry room so it's often there but it's also nice when mommy is trying to get ready to go somewhere! 

Rattles or anything that makes noise & can be used to chew on:

I literally keep these type of toys in every room of our house! Hatcher loves rattles that make lots of noise & that he can also chew on for those sore gums! I like them too because they're small & easy to throw in the diaper bag so that he has something to play with at the grocery store or when we venture out to a restaurant for lunch/dinner.

Breathable Bumper Bads:

When I transitioned Hatcher into his crib at 4 months, I was really concerned about his bumper guards. So I removed the pretty ones & replaced them with a breathable mesh crib liner that I picked up at Target. I wanted him to get used to sleeping in his crib before I used his nice bumper guards & this was perfect for us! Hatcher will often sleep on his side & when he does he seems to get really close to the edge of the crib so I wanted to ensure that if he was pressed up against the side, he could still breathe well. This past weekend I removed the mesh crib liner & put our pretty bumper guards back in & he's doing great. 

Mamas & Papas Seat:

I love this little seat probably more than Hatch does! It's very similar to the Bumbo seat but those were recalled when I was pregnant & most of the stores had removed them from their shelves so I went with this seat instead & we really like it. It's great at helping babies learn to sit up unassisted & as he gets older I think he's going to like it even more. 

Stroller/Carseat Rattle:

Hatcher has two of these adorable stroller/carseat rattles by Mud Pie. He plays with them all the time & they're so cute & fun! :)

Baby Food Storage:

As I've blogged before, I've decided to make the majority of Hatcher's baby food since I'm staying home with him & have the time. I absolutely love my Baby Bullet storage system but I've also starting using ice cube trays. I just simply fill up the tray with whatever food I've made & stick them in the freezer until they're good & frozen. Then I pop them into freezer bags & label them with the food name & date & then all I have to do is pop out one serving & thaw it out. Super easy!!

TM Pro White Noise App:

We have this app downloaded onto our iPhones & our iPad. Hatcher still likes to sleep with white noise playing & the sleep sheep only plays for 45 minutes. We were noticing that as soon as it shut off he would start stirring around or waking up. So we just put our iPad in his bedroom at night & this app will play until you turn it off. I also use it on my cell phone in the car when he's having trouble going to sleep. It's amazing!! 

These are just a few of the things we're loving right now & wanted to share with other mommies or mommies-to-be! 

What's been going on lately...

We have had a busy few weeks which I always enjoy! I have always been a person who loved to be on the go so becoming a stay at home mommy was definitely a change of pace. Although, it's been so nice to really just lay low & enjoy our sweet baby boy.

A few weeks back, Hatcher's Nanny & Granddaddy watched him for a few hours so Johny & I could go to Atlanta to celebrate our friend Maggie's birthday! It was so much fun to get out for a few hours & enjoy some special time with some of our closest friends. It was lots of fun to catch up & celebrate Maggie turning a year older!

Johny with Mags & Annie

Stacey, Mags & I. Hard to believe we've been friends for 10 years now!! We're getting old! :)

Me & sweet Annie! :) Love her! 

Me with my baby daddy! Fun night out! :)

We also celebrated my best friend Becky's little boy Brayden's 2nd birthday! I absolutely can't believe he's already two. Seems like just yesterday I was rushing from Macon to Augusta (nearly got a speeding ticket that I talked myself out of) to meet him! He & his little sister Quinn got dedicated at church before the party & then we partied Elmo style for the afternoon! It was so much fun!! It got me excited to start planning Hatch's 1st birthday. I may have already started a Pinterest board to get some ideas...

Hatcher & Quinn passed out in the nursery! 

Mommy this Elmo cupcake is delicious!! Aunt Becky is a good baker! 

I actually see a little of me in him in this picture!

Daddy's boy! :)

Happy Birthday, B! :)

Sweet friends! Don't know what I'd do without her! :)

We've been celebrating lots of birthdays & we've got several more coming up! Love this time of the year & celebrating the people we love so much! Hatcher will be 6 months old in just two short weeks! Wow!! And Johny & I celebrate our 3rd anniversary in two weeks also. Lots of fun stuff going on around here!