28 // 52

I picked this blurry photo because he took me off guard by just walking to me. He really wanted the camera. :) So apparently he's like, 'Oh this? Yeah I can walk. Duh. Crawling is just so much better.' 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog)

25 // 26 // 27 // 52

25: Right before he shut those sweet chubby fingers in the drawer.  (an iPhone photo again!)

                                           

                                                         26: So busy and so curious!

     

                                                                           27: Those teeth! That mouth! 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog)

24 // 52

This week, I couldn't pick just one. He's growing so quickly! I swear he grew an inch during nap time today.

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

23 // 52

My little explorer.


*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

22 // 52

 One of his favorite things to do:  pull diapers out of his diaper basket. On tip toe!



*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

20 & 21 // 52

Exploring his room. Another iPhone photo! Sadly didn't take out the real camera that week!

  
       

Post dinner, pre bath. He doesn't like the feeling of the pool deck on his knees so he bear crawls around.

 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

19 // 52

Watching a thunder storm. 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

18 // 52

                Boxes make great toys. 


*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

17 // 52

Eating his first apple ginger cookie ever and very much enjoying it.

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

15 & 16 // 52

Week 15 - a bit blurry since this bean is always one the move, but the expression on his face is so darn cute.

Week 16 - I didn't take my camera out one time that week! This iPhone photo will have to do. This is just after waking up from sleeping 5pm - 7am.


I got a bit behind these past few weeks! I took a trip to Philly (my first night away from Søren!) with my mom and sister, then my parents were visiting, and just after that Adam's parents came for a few days. So much going on! Good things, though.




*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

7 & 8 months.

Oh my goodness! How did this happen? I missed your 7 month update so I'm going to squash it in with your 8 month update. ;)

Søren,

These past few months have been the best yet. When you were a little teeny tiny, I never wanted you to get any bigger. I wanted to keep you my tiny babe in arms forever. Part of me still wants that and there's a tiny voice in my head screaming 'Slow down!! Stay my little squish for always!'. However, I feel like we are really, really getting to know each other now. I hear all the little nuances in your cries - the 'I'm hungry', the 'I'm tired', the 'that was scary mama' and just the plain old 'I'm not getting my way and I am pissed off'. I get you, and you get me. I'm not sure how it's possible but my love for you grows every day. I'm not so anxious for you to stay teeny tiny any more - I like the person you're turning into too much. Being your mom these few months has been especially fun. You say 'mama' now, and you'll call for me in the mornings or if you don't want to go to bed. You're learning to give kisses and it is my favorite freaking thing ever. Currently you love to stand at the mirror and give yourself kisses. Sooo cute.

Also, you are so independent! You're crawling like crazy (that happened somewhere between 7 and 8 months!) and you love to get into everything. This week I have fished out of your mouth: dog hair, an onion peel, a sweet potato peel, paper, leaves, grass, a dry lentil bean and a 4 inch piece of yarn. I have to keep my eyes on you all the time and even so you're like a freakin' Ninja, kid! I'm impressed. Currently, you only want to stand. You stand and do these crazy dance-y push up type things holding onto a chair or a table. It looks a little bit like you're short circuiting. You hold on and walk yourself along whatever you're holding onto.

You LOVE to eat (just like us!!) and are happy with anything we feed you now. Apples? Yes, please! Bananas? Why not! Peas with mint? Gimme them faster! You're also starting to let me know you'd rather have food you can feed yourself because you're pretty sure the job gets done faster that way. I'm fine with that. The last few nights at dinner I made some roasted veggies and put a bunch of chunks of sweet potatoes in front of you and you went to town. You're using both hands to eat, not favoring one over the other yet. Anyway, I'm trying to be laid back about it and let you try things and feed yourself. Plus, we have time to feed ourselves that way! Bonus.

We took you to Disney World for the very first time on May 14th 2013 and you had SO much fun!!! We stayed all day, way past your bedtime, but you were so happy and good the whole time. You rode the safari at Animal Kingdom, watched a (really loud and fun) street party in africa and a Bollywood street party in asia (which you slept through!).  We let you play in the grass for the first time on a little lawn near Expedition Everest. You met a sweet little Aussie boy named Finn there and you both had fun playing in the dirt and grass for the first time ever. At Epcot we took you on Maelstrom. You loved it! So brave! We got you a little Viking helmet to wear for your first birthday party in a few months. We ran into your Uncle Ken, Aunt Colleen and cousins Rory, Liam and Ronan. Rory is one of your favorite people, so when you saw him there I think your little baby mind was blown. We went on other rides (you really liked the Nemo ride and looking at the Manatees) and there seemed to be a soft spot in your heart for the giant fountain on the way out. We stopped so you could watch the water show. You were captivated. When we left, we strapped you in your carseat and were pulling out of the parking lot when I said to your dad, 'He's so quiet! What's he doing?' Sure enough, before we even got out of the parking lot you were fast asleep. When we got home your dad scooped you out of the truck and changed your diaper, then laid you in your crib. You woke up but fell right to sleep when you hit the crib mattress and didn't make a peep all night. The next morning you woke up with big smiles on your face! We were stoked you had so much fun, because we did, too.

I'm so excited for what's to come. You are the sweetest and most fun. 

Love, mama

From your 6 month check up:

Weight 19 lbs 10 oz (85th percentile)

Height 27" (75th percentile)

14 // 52

Seeing Daddy coming in the room in the morning. You love your daddy so much!

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

13 // 52

This week brought his first swims in the pool! Obviously he hated it. ;) 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

12 // 52

SO proud of himself climbing up the bed rail. He's crawling and climbing non stop these days.

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

11 // 52

Who doesn't like a chubby little baby tush?

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

10 // 52

A little morning play time, figuring out this standing up business. 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

*oops! forgot to post this one last week, again! I'm taking the photos in the right week, at least. It's just editing and posting that takes me forever. World class procrastinator. 

9 // 52

Happily playing with toys. 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

*oops! forgot to post this one last week. 

7 // 52

Always on the move! And trying to get the camera strap. 

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

6 // 52

This kid is busy.

*A portrait of my child, once a week, every week for one year. 

(I took my inspiration to join CheandFidel's year long photo series from Bleubird blog )

6 months.

This month has been my favorite so far, I think. It has brought about so many new things! Søren is much more independent. He's so much more aware and interactive. Also, there were a lot of firsts this month! We went on our first family road trip to Nashville. That's been one of my goals for this year (and in general): travel more! Have more adventures! Nashville was definitely an adventure. Driving 11 hours with a 5 1/2 month old is kinda crazy. But fun. He was really good for the most part! We just stopped a lot more to let him wiggle and stretch. And by the end of the day he was Over It. So was I. ;) It was so much fun visiting Adam's family. Søren was the star, and really? I totally get it. He's pretty special. Anyway he got to meet so much of his family up there and they all loved him to pieces. He learned how to wave while we were there, and mommy and daddy got to go on their first date since before he was born! It was great. See? So many firsts! We went to some if our favorite Nashville places - antique shops, coffee shops, cute boutiques. I miss Nashville sometimes, and all it's people. We met up with some old and new friends and I love them all so much! I also discovered fried pickles and stocked up on cookie butter from Trader Joe's. The night before and the morning that we left it snowed. So technically Søren saw his fist snow, which was lovely, but I was happy to be on our way back to sunnier skies and palm trees. By the time we finally got home that day Søren was stoked to be home.

Since then he's also had his first solid food: avocado! He's not too sure about it yet. He gets excited at first but then once he's had enough he pretends to choke and cry. It's all very dramatic, and I have no idea where he could have possibly gotten that from.....right. I am so loving this age, though, because he's a little bit mobile, but not to the point that I'm chasing him around. He's doing this thing my mom says is called 'creeping' (apparently this is a thing?) where he sort of scoots around or pushes himself forward on his knees. He hasn't quite got the arms and legs coordinated, though it's enough to get to a toy a few feet away. I also love that he's still little enough for me to scoop up whenever I want for some snuggles, but he's big enough to play on his own with some toys while I fold laundry, etc. Yes, this is a good age. He's looking more boyish and less babyish every day. I'm trying to be mindful of that and stay in the moment and soak in all the baby goodness. He's already fitting into some 12-18 month items I thought he wouldn't be anywhere close to wearing yet. We don't have his 6 month appointment for another couple of weeks. I can't wait to see how much he has grown!