My little Sweet Potato

Tyler is growing with leaps and bounds. He has begun to roll over from front to back on command. He's also laughing and grabbing at absolutely everything Mike and I have in our hands. Lately it is whatever we are eating or drinking. Yesterday he spent more time playing with my water bottle than his own colorful toys. He is one talkative baby...to say the least. He babbles and giggles and talks away constantly, sometimes at a high-pitched shrill. My mom says they are happy sounds...I hope she's right! He is also now putting his entire foot in his mouth. Tyler is finally able to put his feet flat on the floor in his Baby Einstein and he can play for up to a half hour in it. It's amazing watching him actually move the parts and learn how they work. The most amazing new change is that his is starting to recognize me as mommy and often cries if I get too far and he can't see me when someone else is holding him. He reserves one special smile just for his mommy! I just melt!

Breastfeeding has been very successful and I am still doing so both at home and pumping at work. Ty has never had to be supplemented with formula. I am pretty proud of myself for making it this far. 5 months is a long time when you exclusively breastfeed and work full time, and my original goal was just 2 months while I was home full time. It is pretty stressful trying to find time and privacy to pump in a high school situation, but I've somhow figured out how to swing it 2 times during my very busy day for 3 months straight. I am...however...growing tired of lugging the pump and stressing out about being able to provide enough for him while I am away at work. I have managed to freeze over 240 oz of milk, so I am hoping to transition him to some oatmeal and baby food and slowly wean him around xmas with the help of the frozen stash, which will be 6 months. We decided a few weeks ago to start to slowly introduce oatmeal to him. That went well so we've done it 2 or 3 times since. This past weekend began with a meal of oatmeal, and my parents watched and were entertained. After a hearty bowl, Ty didn't seem satisfied so we decided to try baby food. It was nice to have my parents there to see it for the first time also. We got out the sweet potatoes and they were a huge hit. Although it was messy...it was a great success. We plan to do sweet potatoes for a week, then introduce another food then to be sure there are no allergies. It's so much fun! Ty is more interested in holding and sucking on his spoon than actually eating the food, but he was definitely "eating" it...as best as to be expected!

The other big milestone is that we finally moved Tyler to his own crib and out of our room. I think it would have occurred much earlier if it wasn't for his paranoid mommy. He was ready a while ago but I've been dreading it and putting it off...that is until he figured out how to pull down the bumpers we had up in his little craddle. I knew that was it. He' s on day 3 and it's going well...for him! For me...I don't sleep very well worrying about every little thing and I awake with every whimper and every move, I think more than when he was actually in our room. I know it's a necessary and a very positive step...but I'm having a hard time. Hopefully the introduction of a breathable bumper and a video monitor will help me get some ZZZZ's again. Here's hoping!

Holding my own spoon

The first bite of baby food ever...mmmm...sweet potatoes

I like my baby food...preferably all over my face:)