Weeks 34 - 36...I haven't stopped

So I haven't been slacking on these weekly "collage" things or the pictures.  I HAVE been slacking on getting them loaded to the blog.  So here is a catch up.  Three for now and then a few more later.  I take so many pictures of this kid still that it's hard to pick which one to put on these.

I always ask myself if I am actually going to look at these again?  Like will this be worth it to look back on later?  Every time I think about that and think about when he's like 15 years old and hating me - I know I will be thankful to have these to look back on and remember my sweet little boy during his first year.  Right??!

Month number 8

That is what an 8 month old looks like.  Well technically 8 months and 1 day - but this time I was pretty darn close on getting the pictures the day of...but your 8 month "birthday" fell on Easter, so it was a little hectic to say the least.  Every holiday is with a baby I feel like. 

You learned so many new "tricks" in the last month and eat so much "normal" food.  As in, we have to worry less and less when we got places about where we are going to nurse because your feedings are more spread out and you pretty much eat any "people" food we give you.  Yes, pretty much anything you can get in your mouth goes there.  This includes grilled cheese, french fries and lots of buns (we eat healthy when we eat out, can't you tell?  Ha!).  I feel like as every month passes, I say this was my favorite - but it really is.  You are becoming a little man and it's just so fun to be your mom.

Here's the list of what you are doing now...

• 6 teeth.  Count them - SIX!  4 on top and 2 on bottom.  They came all of a sudden a few days into being 8 months old. It was pretty miserable as you woke up screaming in pain at night.  I felt so bad for you, so I got up and you nursed.  It made you feel better and made me feel better too.  But you now take your puffs and graham crackers and CHEW them with your front teeth.  It's amazing.
• In addition to "da-da" and "ba-ba", you've started rocking "ma-ma".  Again, not directed necessary at anyone, but it sis a pretty sweet sound to this mama's ears.  
• In addition to being a master roller over, you can now interchange your moves to rolling over and sitting up.  Just like that you are rolling and then you are sitting up.  Even in your crib.  Which freaked me out.
• You started to army crawl and scoot yourself all over.  I'm convinced this started under the influence of your older friends in your class at school.  They seem to get everywhere they want and you were likely sick of being stationary - so baby, you learned to move around the best way you could.  Now you are all over.  You particularly scoot towards the dog bowls.  Water or food - you don't discriminate.  We'll have to move those soon.
• In addition to nogin being interested in any of the "normal" kid toys, you are still fascinated with the kitchen spoon AND now tupperware has been added to the list.  You like putting your toys in and out of the tupperware and then picking it up and putting it over your head.  You also love our cell phones and the iPad.  Expensive taste!!

• School is still going so good.  Everyone always seems to ask me about that and how we are liking it.  The answer is?  I love it, your dad loves it and you love it.  We really like your teachers and they LOVE you.  ALways snuggling with you when we pick you up and telling us funny stuff you were doing all day.  Since the weather is a little nicer, you get to go outside and play versus just to the gym and apparently that is your favorite.  You had SO much fun one day when the weather was nice and you played so hard you passed out face down on the playmat.  Silly boy.
• You moved up in the bottle world and somehow can fit 4, 6 ounce bottles of breastmilk in your little tummy at school IN ADDITION to breakfast, lunch and a snack.  But you are still not chubby, so you are either really long or have a great metabolism.
• Speaking of though, we did have a bit of constipation issues this month.  Which was NO fun for anyone involved.  You poor thing.  Literally pooping out rocks of poop and would scream out in pain.  You were refusing bottles/nursing and it was freaking us out.  We tried some syrup in your bottles (per your doc's suggestion) and then went to Miralax.  Finally - a few blow outs and you were back to normal.  I had no idea how much I could obsess over another persons poop.
• I already mentioned your love for food - 3 meals a day, plus a snack of "people" food.  Good job!  I love a good eater. 
• This month I was scared that you were done nursing towards the end. You refused me every time and when you did, it was only for 3 or 4 minutes.  I started to get really emotional about thinking it might be the end.  But luckily it was just constipation issues that made your tummy hurt.  We are somewhat back to normal - but my supply has not taken the notch down that you have because of your solid food intake.  Meaning, my boobs are full more often than not on the weekends.  Guess that's a fact of life?!
• Trips to the doctor?  We didn't make one until the day after you turned 8 months old.  So I guess we'll count that for next month?  I called the doctor lots about pooping, but when we finally went in - nothing was wrong. 
• I have talked about poop a lot.
• Sleep!?  I feel like we might have regressed in this one.  You now have gone back to needing to be rocked before a nap and sleep.  As much as I love this, you are HUGE son!  So rocking you is a lot different because you weigh so much.  we need to get better at just laying you down and letting you fall asleep on your own.  I'm hoping for better sleep habits this month.  PLEASE!!
• Still wearing 9 month onesies but can wear 12 month too and 9-12 month pants.  PJs?  We're done with the footie ones because you are LONG.  Got your first pair of non-footie ones and they are 18 months.  Sick.  Please stop growing!  (ok, not really, but you know what I mean)
• You were still moving all over your crib and outside of the crib practicing on pulling yourself up.  During this month you hadn't quite mastered it...
• Naps are a little better - mom and dad are trying to keep up with the day care schedule.  Up at 6:30/7, nurse and then breakfast at like 8:15, then nap around 9 or 9:30.  Then another one around 12 or 1.  Doing good with that.
• Still rocking those size 3 diapers.  Looking good little man.

His faces crack me up.  Look at the bottom right one - his lips!!!

New find? Your tongue!!!  Haha - you figured it out one day and now stick it out everywhere!!

One of my favorites...love this expression.

I'm in shock that the next time I write one of this you will be 9 months old.  That's our next well check up too!  AHHH!!! When did this happen.  I love watching you grow but at the same time miss my baby that is a not-so-baby any longer!!

Week 33: back in action

It seems as if the craziness of being of working full time, being a mom, wife and grad school student might starting to feel a little more "normal" - if that is possible!

This week we also took another family road trip up to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa Bruns in Iowa.  Luckily, you are pretty decent baby in the car, Charlie.  We also had some biting incidents while nursing this week - even shed blood.  But I'm hoping that you are past that now?  Only time will tell.

And then of course at the end of this week - March Madness began and your dad is starting you early!

Weeks 30, 31, 32 (catch up)

Week 30: the first snow storm!

Week 31: Snow storm #2...quite the week and baby's sick!

Week 32: Mom's sick and Charlie's first injury!!!

Ok - and I'm kind of caught up.  Just had done such a good job with my weekly updates I was going to be really sad that one month got me down.....