a few milestones.

It's amazing to me to see the difference in Ty in just a few short weeks. It's like, all of sudden, my baby is not really a baby. And I know he's still a baby, but not the sleep all day, eat when he's up, "let's just cuddle and hold you" kind of baby.

Instead he's grabbing things, interested in everything, and wanting to constantly be moving/stimulated. 

It's bittersweet. 

I was going to save the introduction of these milestones for his 6 month post but I realized that we've reached so many, I was going to have to create a post all in its own for all the mini-accomplishments our little Ty has hit. 

So let's get going. 

At a little bit over 5 and half months, Ty tried his first taste of solid foods! I know that I was bound and determined to wait until he was 6 months old but at Ty's last check-up our pediatrician had given us a paper describing the signs to watch for that would show that he was ready for foods other than breastmilk. At about 5 months old, Ty was displaying all of the signs. I was still determined to wait until one day I was sitting at the dinner table with Ty in my lap and I went to put whatever food was on my fork in my mouth. Ty had been watching me do this the entire time, almost like he was studying the process, when all of a sudden he opened his mouth too, like a little baby bird waiting to be fed. With each bite that I took, he'd open his mouth. I knew what that was... the big sign. The sign that said he was more than ready. So I called my pediatrician and voiced my concerns about starting him before 6 months in which she made a very valid point.... if everyone said that babies shouldn't be learning to walk before the age of 10 months, but my baby starts walking at 9 months... am I going to push him down to keep him from walking? The answer to  that was no. If Ty was showing me that he was ready, then he was ready. And I had to let go and follow his signs. So I went and bought a few different veggies and made some homemade baby food and we gave it a go. 

Mmm... sweet potato. :)

At first we weren't very successful. I think Ty really struggled with the textures of the food. And I really began to doubt myself that we really did start too soon. Some nights, Ty would be super interested in trying to eat and some nights he'd try 4 bites and be done with it. I really try to follow his cues. If he's done, we stop... even if it's after only 2 bites. I don't want this to stress him or myself out. But the past few nights we've made leaps and bounds and Ty managed to swallow most of his food instead of get it all over him!

We've done sweet potatoes, banana, carrots, and pear. 

Ty also rolled over! Granted he's only done it twice but at least he has shown that he can do it. And that's all I'm worried about. I've been trying to get him to do this for months and when he finally did it, it was so unexpected that I almost missed it! He gave me this huge grin like, "Look mom! See what I just did?!" Haha!

(Right after he rolled over!) 

We're also sitting up! We're not completely stable yet but he's definitely improving every day. Some days he's totally uninterested in even trying (what's the rush, right?) but some days he'll let me help him practice for 20-30 minutes (which is hours in baby time)!

And oh, the grabbing. He will now literally grab things out of your hand, off of your plate, even things you thought were out of his reach. I mean, it's like his arms can stretch infinitely far. (Is my baby a Stretch Armstrong??) And every day he's getting better at it. So guard your breakables and drinks at the dinner table... this is your warning. 

And just for fun... here is a little video of Ty in his bouner... bouncing. For the longest time, we'd put him in there and he'd just stand in it. Or walk around in circles. Then it was like, all of sudden, one day he figured it out. And he loves it! 

Bouncing Ty from Katie Sillivan on Vimeo.

5 months.

My sweet boy is 5 months!

Well 5 months and 2 days if you want to get technical. My days/weeks/months are flying by so quickly that by the time I got around to taking theses pictures, it was already May 22nd. And this little boy is changing so quickly.

Ty really is so much fun these days but I must admit... I can get nothing done. It took me six hours to fold two loads of laundry yesterday! Seriously... Ty takes up 98% of my time which I am totally fine with but my house is paying quite the price for it. 

Playing with Ty is so much fun... his smiles, laughs, and belly-chuckles have me constantly making the strangest noises and acting a fool just to get one more. He's definitely more 'talkative' these days too, as our little man has definitely discovered his voice and figured out which high pitched screams squeals get our attention. He's also figured us out when it comes to crying - he often will let out a few fake cries and then look around to see who's coming to his rescue. He's getting quite good at this and all too often, Brandon and I are played the fool. 

Ty really, really is such a good baby, though - only crying when he's tired, hungry, or not feeling well. Brandon and I are constantly confessing to each other how much we truly love him. 

(I tried to adjust him and he pulled up on me... as soon as he did his hand went straight to his mouth... haha!)

(Baby boy has been sucking on that bottom lip practically non-stop for the past few days. Guess teething is on the horizon...)

Age: 5 months old! 

Weight: ***

Height: ***

Eating: Ty is still exclusively on breastmilk and he will be for one more month... at 6 months we will start solids!!!

( ...and he discovered the zebra...)

( ...going in for the kill...)

( ...success!!!)

Tyson likes: Being outside, standing, more standing, and even more standing. Bathtime. "Flying". His wubbanub. Anything that makes a 'crinkling' noise (like his wipes bag). Putting everything in his mouth. His doorway bouncer (although he doesn't really bounce... really he just walks around in circles and drools everywhere). 

Tyson dislikes: He still hates when I put lotion on him after a bath. Getting in his carseat (although once he's in it, he's fine). And although I know there's more... I'm currently drawing a blank.

Best Moment of the Month? This is going to seem kind of silly but earlier this month, I handed Ty over to Brandon so that I could go take a shower. When I walked out the room, Ty began to cry. When I walked back in to see why he was crying he looked at me, stopped crying, and reached out his arms as if he wanted me to hold him. I know that it probably wasn't the best moment for Brandon but it was awesome to know that he wanted me. That he recognizes me. That he misses me when I'm gone. It makes all of the sacrifices - the lack of sleep, the lack of bathing, the lack of personal time, the lack of hot meals (or meals in general) - worth it.  :)

Milestones? Ty still hasn't rolled over but he really is so close. He's picking things up and mimicking all facial expressions and noises. It's so freaking cute. 

the best days.

I've got to tell you, this past Sunday was amazing. I never knew I would enjoy a holiday as much as I enjoyed Mother's Day. I can't even begin to express how blessed I felt from the moment I woke up to the moment I went to sleep. But I suppose that was pretty much like every other day. 

I was never one of those girls that wanted to get married and have a baby on the fly -- so quick after tying the knot. Finish college, travel a little more?? I had other things on my mind. I for sure wanted to be a mother, but it wasn't on my immediate radar of things to do right after we got married. If I would have known how amazing motherhood is, I would have been on that wagon 2.7 seconds after saying "I do". 

It was just a little less than 5 months ago that my sweet miracle was brought into this world to make me a Mother. Seriously. How lucky am I?? That I was chosen to carry and create this baby doll. My mind is still to this day boggled by the entire process... from our surprise conception to birth... the entire thing was absolutely amazing and I wouldn't change a single thing about it.

It blows my mind that I get to be this kid's mom and that man's wife. 

I mean, do you ever wake up and just want to pinch yourself? Like really, really hard? Because surely there's no way you can be this lucky. 

I'm smack in the middle of all the things in life that I've wished for. 

I have the best little family. With these boys, especially the boy that I married, I am one blessed little lady. Sometimes I feel so acutely and brutally aware that these are the best days of my life. That all of these moments I'm breathing in are the moments I'll spend the rest of my life remembering with fondness, wishing to revisit. Sometimes I catch myself wishing I could have a camcorder taped behind my eyeballs so that I can record every second and come back and watch it again and again and not miss a single moment.

 

I am just SO grateful I get to do this, to be this boy's mama, to be this man's wife, to do what I do and live where I live and love these boys that I love so very, very much. I wonder what I must have done in a past life to deserve all this. Like, maybe I was Abraham Lincoln or something once... I don't know. That's possible, right? I don't know... that's all that I can figure. 

mother's day.

Mom - 
What can I really say here that will do justice to express just how much I love you. You gave me life and have helped me make the most of it by giving me the confidence to be myself. You have always been my biggest cheerleader, attending every extracurricular activity that I was involved in and cheering on my personal successes. You have stood by me when I've messed up and even kicked my butt a little when I needed it. Through good times and hard times, you've been my shining example of a woman who loves freely and unconditionally. 

There are few things that I love more than looking through old pictures --- especially ones of you. I think I've poured through my baby album, like what, a million times? But I've never noticed these before. 

This one in particular has got to be my new favorite.

I know this feeling. I know exactly what you're thinking, what you're feeling, what complete happiness it is to have a part of yourself snuggled so safely in your arms. And on Mother's Day today I just want to say thank you for loving me that much. For always holding me when I needed it. For being such an incredible, incredible mother. And for now being such a wonderful GranNan to my son. I love you. 

4 month updates & a mini-rant.

Can I just say how much fun we're having with Ty these days?

His smiles and giggles and constant affection are what I'm living for these days. We spend the majority of our time doing whatever it is that makes him happy. We practice standing, play on the playmat, in the jumparoo, and a lot of time outdoors. We read, do tummy-time, practice our hand-eye coordination, and usually count down the minutes until Daddy gets home. 

It's truly such a pleasure to watch the joy spread across Ty's face when we start an activity that he particularly loves. He flashes the sweetest gummy grin and squeals in delight and I tell him that I will do whatever activity it is that he is enjoying forever as long as he keeps smiling like that. 

Ty has also begun batting and grabbing things which is super exciting as he was a teensy bit behind on this particular milestone. A lot of the time we have to start by putting the item in his hand first but once he understands that it's there for him to play with, he'll grab and toy with it, and sometimes spend quite a while examining it very studiously as if he's trying to understand the purpose behind it. 

During bathtime, Ty is a kicker. I'm usually completely soaked by the end of this endeavor but we laugh together the entire time. I am just so happy that he enjoys baths now. 

Now onto my mini-rant.

Over the past few weeks, I have noticed a sudden increase in criticisms regarding my parenting from fellow mommies. Some have been from friends, some from family, and some from complete and total strangers. The thing is, I love advice. I mean, I'm new at this whole "mommy" thing and I love hearing the tricks of the trade but I also know the kind of parent I plan to be and the techniques I plan to use and unfortunately not everyone in the entire world is going to agree with it. I am constantly stopped by strangers telling me to "bundle that baby up" when it is 80 degrees outside (it's like old people think a baby is going to get sick unless it is literally swimming in it's own sweat), I was told by a friend that I was being completely irresponsible for co-sleeping with Ty, and I was practically chewed out by an acquaintance when I mentioned that Brandon and I were going to try the "cry out method" when it comes to crib-training Ty (apparently she thinks that when you let a baby "cry it out" you are teaching them to think that they can't rely on you). She even told me that if I let him "cry it out" then I deserve to allow him to let me "cry it out" in a nursing home one day. What?! I try to take it all with a grain of salt because, of course, everyone thinks their way of parenting is the right way but, truth be told, sometimes I find myself questioning my actions and decisions and wondering if I'm doing all this right. 

Fact of the matter is, there are several things that I do (or don't do) with Ty that may make people these days raise their eyebrows. He has a bumper in his crib. I do not plan on introducing any form of solid food (which includes rice cereal) until he is at least 6 months old. The television is almost always off if I'm home alone with him and almost always on if Brandon's home with us. If the pacifier falls on the ground, we blow it off and stick it back in his mouth. We plan on spanking him when he's older. We plan on letting him cry it out. And he will get all of his vaccinations.

Bottom line - the day I became a mom I became a supporter of other moms. I didn't look at them as competition, I looked at them -- at us-- as an alliance. We are a group of women with different backgrounds, different beliefs, and different values, with one very important thing in common: we love our kids. To me, as long as you love your child, I'm your biggest supporter....

And if we happen to cross paths and you happen to be using a different parenting method than I am to raise your child to be a functioning, happy, and healthy adult, I won't raise my eyebrows or say something negative... I'll smile instead and tell you that you're doing an amazing job. 

Because you are. 

4 months.

4 months.

Wow.

How in the...?

Brandon and I were talking yesterday while in Ty's room and I was going through Ty's dresser taking out all of the onesies, etc. that he know longer fits in and we just couldn't stop talking about how we can't believe how quickly he is growing! Our former itty-bitty graduated from 'newborn' and is now well into being a fun, smiling, and talkative infant and Brandon and I are LOVING it!

Just to show you how much Mr. Tyson has grown, look at this picture:

That onesie is one of the "preemie" onesies that Ty wore for the first month that we brought him home. It barely covers his torso now and it's insane to think that when we first put him in them, they were still a little too big! My goodness this boy is growing!

This month's pictures were quite interesting to take. I guess I called it last month when I said that they were going to be more difficult. Again, Ty struggled after his 4-month vaccinations and was so up-and-down with his mood that I decided to wait a few days before taking these so that he might feel a little better. Then, when we finally were able to do them... it took at least an hour to get a few good shots. Not to mention, the meltdown we had when I put Ty in the basket. He seriously hates being on his back.

Age: 4 months old! 

Weight: 14 pounds 12 ounces.

Height: 25.25 inches

Eating: Ty is still exclusively on breastmilk and we can go up to 5 hours in between feedings! However, his sleep has digressed and he's back to waking up 3-4 times a night. 

Tyson likes: Ty still loves being outside... it's the best and quickest way to stop a meltdown. He loves bathtime, having his gums brushed, practicing standing, being sung to, his wubbanub, chewing on anything (but particularly his hands), and is interested in watching his daddy and I do pretty much anything.

Tyson dislikes: Ty has begun to cry during diaper changes (great...) and when we take him out of the bathtub. He also hates when I put lotion on him after the bath and he has gotten to the point where he will refuse to take his Vitamin D drops (which I don't technically blame him... they smell disgusting).  Not to mention, he hates being laid on his back... which you will see below...

Yeah... those were super fun. 

Best Moment of the Month? Hand's down it was when Ty giggled for the first time. My heart almost literally burst out of my chest and flew across the room.  He doesn't do it very often, in fact I can count the total amount of times I've heard it on one hand, but I have a feeling I will be acting a fool to get as many giggles as I can out of this little boy for the next few years.
Milestones? We are this close to rolling over and his balance and head control is SO much better. He is constantly following things with his eyes and grabbing at items within his reach. His first giggle was pretty amazing and he'll do his best to mimic our facial expressions which is SO cute. 

We are seriously so ridiculously in love with our little Ty and while I am enjoying and having SO much fun with him now, I can't wait to see what the next month has in store! I just hope it doesn't go by so fast! 

it's funny.

Sometimes when Brandon and I are sitting in the couch, or driving home from somewhere, or eating dinner we like to play a little game called "Remember when...". It's not an actual game and most of the time we don't even realize we're playing it but I've noticed that we do it quite often and it always comes after having an extremely heartwarming moment with Ty. We go back and forth with each other, remembering what our dreams were like before Ty was even a thought in our minds and we laugh because looking at in hindsight, it was all really quite silly. 

It goes a little something like this:

"Remember when we said we would rather be homeless then move out of the city and into the country?"

"Remember when it wasn't really a Saturday night if we didn't have plans with a group of friends that ended with us having to call a cab because we were too drunk to drive?"

"Remember when our biggest goal was to plan a beach vacation for the upcoming summer?"

"Remember when people would ask us when we would start having kids and we would laugh, quite hysterically, in their face?"

And we could go on and on. 

It's funny how having a child can change everything. 

This past Saturday night, Brandon and I ate a quiet dinner that we cooked together at home and before we sat down to catch up some of our recorded tv we decided to head out to curb our sweet-tooth and get some frozen yogurt. We were dressed in sweats and oversized t-shirts and with baby in tow we headed out on a Saturday night. On the way to the ice cream shop, we passed The Station, a bar not too far from our house that used to be Brandon's old stomping grounds. We looked on as young and not-so-young people that were dressed in their Saturday-night-best stumbled in and out of that bar, laughing and yelling and for one poor girl, even throwing up in the parking lot. And then Brandon said it first...

"Remember when that was us?"

And I did remember. Because it wasn't that long ago at all, even though it felt like centuries. Those days were spent care-free with cocktails in hand where we would sleep in until noon and live paycheck to paycheck. Our "long-term" goals were only months ahead of us and the thought of saving money for the future seemed smart but something that we would focus on doing when we became "grown-ups". And I remember actually feeling sorry for people our age who had children and couldn't live their lives as care-free as we could.

And it's funny how warped I had it. 

Because sitting on the couch in our pajamas while we watch recorded episodes of Swamp People with Ty bouncing on our knees while we try to hurry up and eat our frozen yogurt before it melts is a certain kind of Saturday night perfection. And I wish I could shake my former self and tell her, "Just wait. These nights may seem fun but the best nights of your life are yet to come. And it's funny, because you'll be covered in spit-up and haven't had a chance to put on make-up in 3 days and you're not going to want to go to bed too late because you'll be woken up by 7 a.m. the next morning and expected to be bright-eyed and bushy-tailed by a certain little man who smiles the sweetest gummy little grin when he looks at you. And it's the best. It's better than any night out and any party dress and any 5-star restaurant. Your little family will make your heart swell with love and admiration and pure, honest, can't-be-compared-to-anything happiness. And you'll have an appreciation for life and your future and who you are and who you want to be like you've never had before."

And it's funny because I do. I really, really do.