Our sweet Parky Poopy (his brother’s favorite nickname for him, for obvious reasons) is 7 months old and blossoming into a silly, smart and charming little stinker and I can’t help but want to freeze the clock and capture this precious time. I always feel this way around the 6-9 month mark because it’s the sweet spot. Why you ask? Because he’s not mobile. He’s happy in his high chair, jumperoo (the circle of neglect.. love that thing) or on the floor rolling around finding toys within reach. And I can leave the room or make dinner in the kitchen without fear of him hurting himself or getting into mischief.. I wish the same could be said for his two older brothers. But that’s a different post for a different day 😉 Here’s what’s been happening in his little world:
Appearance: In my opinion, all three of my boys look very different. But then I’m shown a photo of one of them at the same age as Parker and I can’t tell if it’s Cameron or Jackson? So they absolutely resemble one another but each have their own look. Does that make sense? I think Parker looks a LOT like Jackson did as a baby. Cammy is the most different from them.. and not just in appearance lol. Parker has the same hazel eyes as J but he’s the darkest of the three with sprouts of brown hair, which are lightening as we approach Summer. I think he has the thinnest hair as both of the other boys had more hair at this age than P does now. He’s long and lean like J, too. Still no teeth, same gummy grin. Same went for J and P who each got teeth at 8 months old.. so we’ll see what happens in the next 30 days.
Sleeping: P is my sleepiest baby ever.. the kid just loves a snooze. God bless. Of course, sleep patterns are ever-changing but for the past few months he’s been very consistent. He wakes for the day around 7 am, naps from 9-11 and then again from 1:30-4 ish and goes to bed between 6-6:30. Maybe he loves his crib so much because he’s safer there than he is downstairs amongst the madness of two toddlers. Unsure but I’m not mad about it. If you’re new around here and curious about my sleep training technique, read this post here. He sleeps in his crib, in a sleep sack/wearable blanket with sound machine on, finds his little thumb and it’s lights out. Night night, buttercup.
Eating: I am doing a version of baby-led weaning + baby food because I don’t have time to always prepare a proper meal for him and pureed foods are easy. I am all about easy. I do not make his food but typically feed him organic, store bought pureed food. When we are out and I want to keep him occupied, he gets the little teething wafters (Happy Baby brand) from the grocery store because it helps him with hand/eye coordination and bringing food to his mouth while also keeping him entertained. Now, he doesn’t always get organic, nutritious food. We were at a kid’s birthday party the other weekend and Parker was getting fussy so I gave him a bagel bite to gnaw on and he was in heaven. I mean, what’s not to love about refined flour, cheese and sauce ha! But it was also so good for him to explore new textures and solids and teach himself how to chew and swallow. I’ve always allowed my kids to explore all foods and a bagel bite isn’t going to kill them. Neither are hot dogs, hamburgers, Mac n cheese or pizza 😉 I mean, Jack and Cam are still breathing and they live off junk with the occasional nutritious meal.. and things seem to be going ok?! But verdict’s still out.
Personality: Let’s just say the kid has found his voice. And lets it be KNOWN when he’s NOT HAPPY about something. Oh, the DRAMA! He is pretty head-strong and when he wants a toy or a spoon to gnaw on, you can hear his shrieks from down the street. GET IT! But when he is entertained, fed and content, he sure is the chillest and gets complimented on his calm demeanor often. He is my only 7 month old I’ve been able to take to a restaurant and people forget he’s there. Jackson and Cammy never gave me a leisurely lunch with the ladies.. but Parker LIVES for it. He loves a good mimosa brunch with the mommy’s and sits there drinking his bottle, playing with his toys or chewing on a french fry. I probably have one or two more months of this before it all goes to hell in a hand basket. So if you see me out with P right now, we’re probably lunching 🙂 Just kidding.. I wish that was my life!
Physical Development: I have some PTSD from Cameron because he didn’t walk until he was 19 months old so I couldn’t help but wonder if it was because I didn’t work with him enough as a baby. So, I am trying so hard to make sure I give Parker my undivided attention when we’re home and allow him the freedom to explore around him. Granted, he has to be a in a carseat a LOT because I am constantly chauffeuring kids around but for those few hours a day that we don’t have to be somewhere, he is sitting in his high chair working on core strength, bouncing in his jumper working on leg strength and sitting + reading with me. He is strong and rolls around the room to get where he wants to go and has tried getting his legs underneath him to launch forward for a toy but no crawling yet. I’m trying not to put too much pressure on myself or him but of course at his 6 month appointment, his doctor asked if he was sitting and he wasn’t yet. And her first thought was to get him evaluated for an early intervention program and my heart just sank. When I asked girlfriends if their kids were sitting unassisted at 6 months, they said no and their doctors weren’t concerned in the slightest so it made me feel better but also made me think it might be time to switch physicians. Cameron didn’t sit until 8 months and now he’s a running, screaming, racing maniac so I know Parker is FINE! I know he’s not behind and every baby is different and does things at their own pace. So for now, we are right where we need to be!
How old are your babies and what milestones are they reaching right now? No matter what age, I’m sure you have the same thought as me and wish time would slow down. It’s a bittersweet feeling.. this sense of wanting to stop the clock but also knowing how fun each stage gets as they get older.. Parker will be jumping off the couch with his brothers before another blink of my eyes and I’m not ready for it. Savoring this sweet, stationary age and soaking it all in every day.
6-9 month old essentials:
My baby started running at 11 months old so, I’m dying a little. 😉 I have a ton of Mom friends who are so anxious about their child’s developmental milestones. You were so right when you said every baby is just a little bit different and nothing, in my opinion, is terribly concerning for the first couple of years. I also think that if you want to get another pediatrician you should. Nothing is worse than being so anxious about all the things your baby is or isn’t doing and then getting negatively reinforced by a healthcare professional. I think rapport with your pediatrician is key for your sanity. We always have to be our own advocates for ourselves and our children. My baby seems to be ahead of the traditional milestones but he screams and cries all the time, fights sleeping, and is generally difficult. There are pros and cons to every situation. I mainly just don’t like when moms get down on themselves about things that really aren’t in their control. Babies are who they are. Everything will shake out. 💗
This is all so true and I appreciate your kind words of reinforcement and support 🙂 I agree with everything wholeheartedly!!