Jackson is 7.5 Months

I feel like I've dropped the ball on this blog. I know, it's been what, maybe two weeks since I posted about Jackson, but still. I feel like my head is about to roll off. There is a LOT going on in our lives. A LOT. I know others have it way worse than we do, so I try to look at the positives and give thanks for all we have been blessed with, but sometimes things get HARD.

The worst: we have to find new care for Jackson. (Yes, I bawled and find myself freaking out a lot about it. I don't trust just anyone). Secondly, I always find myself comparing myself to other moms. I don't know how they do it. HOW? But that is for another post, which is much needed. I need a therapy session and some heavy workout sessions. I finally made it to the gym yesterday after three weeks. It's time to start thinking POSITIVE.

Me and my little man at 7.5 months in Roscoe, Illinois

But first, let's talk about Jackson.

We noticed his first moles/freckles a little after Jackson's 6 month birthday. Our pediatrician said that it's normal for the moles and freckles to start showing around this time. And knowing all the moles I have, I'm sure he'll have his share.

We are back to heavy teething. Jackson has his bottom two teeth but he is now back to biting my shoulder when I hold him, so something is up. He'll clench his fists out of nowhere and start to scream. And he's drooling excessively once again. And he didn't sleep much at all when we were at my parents. Now that we're back home, he's taking 2+ hour naps at a time. Thank you Jesus!

Jackson and Grandpa Gary

I feel like Jackson is on a nursing strike. More so a bottle strike than anything. He nurses great early morning and before bed (those comfort times). It's the times in-between I'm not sure about. He will nurse maybe 2 minutes tops throughout the day when I'm with him on weekends. How is he even getting enough? Jenna (our daycare) says he's been refusing the bottle too. Could be a teething issue or I thought maybe my hormones are going whack right now? Maybe my monthly visitor will come back soon? Not that I'm looking forward to that.  I hear that can change the taste of milk.

Doppelganger

We have been feeding Jackson healthy solids three times a day and some of those organic puff cheerio looking snacks so he works on his pincher grabbing technique. A typical work week:

1. I'll nurse him usually 3:00/4:00 a.m. (I really love when it's closer to 5:00!!! Usually once a week I get lucky and he sleeps all the way through the night.)
2. He has a bottle (4-5 oz) and oatmeal with a fruit shortly after arriving to daycare.
3. Lunch is another bottle (he's down to taking maybe 3 oz right now), 1/2 a Yo-Baby yogurt, a fruit and a veggie. Jenna will put the extra milk in his food so he's getting the 5 ounces he was before. We always give him the veggie first and sometimes two veggies.
4. He'll have another bottle in the afternoon and this is where he's not totally interested in drinking it at all. We're almost to the point of giving him a snack at this time too. However, we realized we still had the 0-3 month flow nipple on his bottles. We just bought the 6+ month ones and hope that makes a difference. Way to go mom for catching that a few months too late... Oops.
5. After I pick him up from work, I'll nurse him (which is a super quick nurse) and feed him dinner, which is usually chicken, a veggie and a fruit. Sometimes even more!!!
6. I nurse him right before bed, which is usually 30 minutes to an hour after he eats dinner. He more times than not chugs down.

We've introduced a lot more homemade food: peas, green beans, plums, blueberries, asparagus, etc. He's eaten everything so far (knock on wood). Yes, still making it all in our hand blender or our food processor (and now Karl brought home the Ninja, which he is dying to try). Making food can become a project in itself. I am still hoping to try peaches/nectarines (out of season), parsnips, carrots, zucchini and yellow squash. I think after 9 or 10 months, I'll start feeding him everything we eat.

Jackson's eyes still are blue on the outside, but I feel like a paint can of brown has splashed in his eyes and the color is starting to take over. The blue is almost changing to a green too...

Jackson with Great Grandma Powalish over Thanksgiving

Jackson is army crawling everywhere and he is FAST. Whoa. He's going to be REALLY fast when he gets this whole crawling thing down. Here is him army crawling - http://youtu.be/4krrk_fvAsk

Jackson has a TON of energy. I thought maybe he had A.D.D since everyone who holds him asks if he ever stays still. The answer: no. He jumps constantly. He moves all the time. ALL THE TIME. If not moving, his legs are wiggling. In his sleep. In my arms. On the floor. ALWAYS. He has maybe cuddled with me twice. That's it. Otherwise he is ALWAYS MOVING. OK...so we know he got this from me.

I love how he head-butts into my legs when I sit with him on the floor and let him move around or how he gets all silly and throws his hands up and covers his eyes like we're embarrassing him.

He also LOVES to play peek-a-boo. He grabs a cloth and covers his eyes and rips it away. Karl and I both chime in and Jackson smiles and laughs. He is SUCH a happy baby.

One of his favorite things to do is look outside. He could do this forever. He loved doing this at my parent's house because he could watch the squirrels and birds since they live in the woods.

Looking out the window at Gpa and Gma Powalish's

He is sounding out words more too and loves when I talk to him slowly. He responds by laughing or smiling when I say "Ma-Ma" or "Da-Da".

His favorite place to go is under the coffee table in the living room and lift up the rug. We don't like him going under there because we're worried he'll whack his head. But, he loves army crawling over there for some reason.

Jackson and Great Grandpa Harry

He also loves when we clap our hands or stomp them on the ground. He has tried clapping his own hands together. Any way he can make sound, he's all about it.

We love this little man and watching him grow into somebody really cool.