My 6.5 month old....

...weighed 20 pounds 6 ounces and was 27 inches tall at his 6 month check up. I think his height measurement is a little off because the nurse didn't hold his head still and straighten out his leg when she drew the lines on the paper but that's still the 75th percentile for height and he's at the 90th for weight. Linebacker what?


...puts his hands on either side of your face and will give you a big wet slobby kiss on your chin if you let him. He is very cuddly and such a love bug. He also, however, is a master pincher and has made me howl in pain from getting me on the back of my arm. My pleas of "No, honey! That hurts Mommy!" are always answered with giggles and smiles like he's done no wrong. I really hope this is not foreshadowing for my next 18 years.


...has 2 bright white beautiful teeth. Sharp little suckers. I really have to pay attention now to when he's done nursing to make sure I sit him up before he starts getting bored and chomping away on me. No blood has been drawn but like the pinching, he finds it HILARIOUS when I tell him he's hurt me. Hrumph.

BEWARE THE TEETH!

...still likes carrots and loves squash but doesn't have the gusto that he used to for sweet potatoes. He's also tried bananas, avocado, cottage cheese, mozzarella, a teeny bit of butter and jelly (thanks, Aunt Ouisey) and both rice and oatmeal baby cereal. Oh, and most of the time he gets a little taste of whatever I'm having for dinner. So far I've made all his baby food from scratch. He's also still nursing and hasn't had any formula! Yay for boobies! I'm still planning on breastfeeding until he's a year old. That way I don't have to buy formula and we can switch straight to cow's milk.


...wears mostly 12 month clothing and size 3 diapers.


...gets great exercise in his exersaucer and johnny jump up. When I'm busy cooking or getting ready these are my go-tos to keep him occupied.

...pulls to stand up using my shirt, hair, and the couch. He also has a knack for grabbing hair and using it like reigns on a horse. It feels as exciting as it sounds. I really gotta start wearing my hair back.


...celebrated his first Halloween as a skeleton and went trick or treating with my friend's kids. This entailed me pushing him around the neighborhood while my friend took his pumpkin bucket up to each door and said "this is for the sleeping skeleton in the stroller." Don't worry, T's perfect little teeth weren't damaged by the candy. Mom and I made sure it was.. ahem... disposed of.

This was the only picture where he wasn't trying to eat the skeleton light.

...is taken care of by Unkie Bubby (my brother) while I'm at work. This arrangement is so convenient and easy on my wallet but I'm going to have to start looking for someone else to take care of him come spring. I would much rather have family watch him but he also needs to be around other kids and to be stimulated physically and mentally on a daily basis and I know my brother takes good care of him but doesn't do all the enrichment activities I ask him to every day.


...holds up his arms to be picked up


...drinks from a sippy cup. Kinda. It's more flailing it around and chewing on the spout than actual drinking but we're workin on it.

...had his first cold last week which made a blocked tear duct flare up. Sounds a lot worse than it actually is but we had eye boogers galore. We went to the doctor and he prescribed an antibiotic eye cream to put on it if it got any worse but it cleared up on it's own. (Side note: Prescription was free at the pharmacy! WOO HOO! Apparently it was on the list of free antibiotics. Did you even know they had a list of free antibiotics? Me either! Now you know.)


...still doesn't know a stranger. He is happy to be held by whoever wants to lug his chunky butt around.


...loves our 2 dogs. And they love him. Well, I SAY love. They tolerate him and enjoy licking his ears and toes. He loves to pet them and they really are good about putting up with his eye poking and ear pulling.

Good Doggie!

Roxy really isn't this big. The angle of the picture makes her look like T's giant guard dog.

...talks and babbles and chirps and shrieks and coos and makes all kinds of noise until you pull the camera out to record him. Then he puts on his stoic face and will not utter a peep. I can't tell you how many videos I have that consist of 2 or 3 seconds of happy babbling followed by 27 seconds of him giving me WTH? looks.


...isn't crawling yet but can scoot backwards like none other. We've got the rocking back and forth on all fours and sitting unassisted down pat. I'm excited for this next milestone but I know as soon as he is really mobile I am DOOMED. His current favorite trick is to get himself wedged underneath the TV stand and push buttons on the DVD player.


...is going to Ohio for Thanksgiving to visit Pop Pop's (my dad's) side of the family. Last time we went for my cousin's wedding in September he was a champ for the 10+ hour car ride there and back. I can only hope this time goes just as well.