Six Months

I can't believe Neil is already 6 months. They say time seems to stand still and fly at the same time, and I'm really seeing that.

Sleepwise, things are a lot better. We used the Ferber sleep training method (also known as cry it out) and Neil now seems to go down in his crib on his own. We also have gotten his bedtime moved up to a reasonable time. Where it used to be around 11:30 to midnight each night when we finally got him into the crib for the night, it is now around 9:00-9:30. And instead of that being when we finally get him down (after trying for hours), that's when we put him in the crib and he seems to be going to sleep on his own. If he cries, it's just for a few minutes and then he might be awake for awhile but he goes to sleep by himself. Nap wise, he was taking a nap around 7pm but we're trying to keep him awake to make sure he will go down and be tired around 9. If he does take a nap, we try to make sure it's no later than 7:00 or 7:15.

Neil still isn't rolling really- sometimes he will go from front to back when we have him on tummy time. But he just started sitting on his own. You can see him balancing and he's learning to put his arms down to catch himself. He also has been really good about "standing" from the beginning and a few times now I've let him hold onto the Ottoman or a new toy we just got out (for ages 6 months to 36 months) and he can do that for less than a minute at a time without one of us holding on. He looks a little drunk though and it's hilarious. I guess maybe he'll just skip rolling altogether?

Neil has been looking at his hands and feet a whole lot more. It's amazing how flexible babies can be, he is always putting his foot in his mouth. He also really likes to stare at his hand as he moves his fingers back and forth.

Neil is drooling like crazy but still no teeth! He's really gnawing on things but nothing has popped through, and we keep checking.

Neil seems to really love animals. He especially loves dogs and literally squeals in delight around dogs. Just wait- when he can talk he's going to be asking us to get a dog. (And I'll say, yes if you walk the dog every day and pick up the poop haha.)

We also gave Neil his first solid the day before he turned 6 months old. It was carrots and he seemed both to want it and not like it. I made a separate post about it here.

I don't really have much of an update at work. They STILL haven't installed a badge reader on the mother's room. I know it takes time to get a quote, etc., but this just shows why it's frustrating. I have been back at work now for 14 weeks and they haven't been able to take care of that yet. Knock on wood, I have only locked myself out of that room once. But I park by the other building and just sign out the key on the way in and out of that building. It will be nice to park at my building again.

Exercise wise things are pretty dismal. Just because I still have a really hard time fitting in the exercise. And when I do I feel really guilty because Dave does a LOT for Neil and I feel like I'm dumping on him to watch Neil while I exercise. But we did run a 5K (Dave walked, I ran) and that got me excited about running. It made me want to sign up for a race every weekend just to get out there and run.