Max's 6-9 Month Update

Wow ... I can't believe we are 3/4 done with Max's first year! The next time I post about his 9-12, he will be a YEAR OLD. Time has flown by for sure... it's always an adventure. Let's just get down to it!

Eating

Max is still on the same bottle schedule except that his last bottle is a 6 oz. instead of an 8 oz. bottle.

• 7:00 bottle - 8 oz.
• 11:00 bottle - 8 oz.
• Baby food jar
• 3:00 bottle - 8 oz.
• Baby food jar
• 7:00 bottle - 6 oz.

The reason his last bottle is a 6 oz. is because he also eats a jar of food, plus snacks throughout the day. His snacks include: puffs, teether crisps, peanut butter puffs, and whatever we are eating that he can eat easily. So far, he has tried (and liked): scrambled eggs, the soft part of a biscuit, mac and cheese, black beans, Cheeto puffs (occasionally), rice, a waffle, strawberries, and popsicles. He is obsessed whenever he sees us with a drink or glass and wants a sip of whatever we have.

He has also gotten his two bottom middle teeth and top four middle teeth ... so six total!

Sleeping

Of course, Max is still a champ at sleeping through the night and has been since November. He is no longer in his sleep sack/wrap as of month seven. He has had a little bit of a struggle transitioning from three naps to two naps, but I think the grandparents are getting the two-nap schedule down. One more day and I will be out for the summer, so I will have to "refigure out" what works best for us. He usually just rubs his eyes and lays his head against me, and that's when I know he's sleepy. However, he is old enough to know that when he goes to sleep ... he's missing out. So there is a little bit of a fight sometimes. I just have to force it. Haha*

Since he is crawling, pulling up, and "walking" from surface to surface now, he gets a little more dirty and sweaty. So baths have become a part of the evening routine. Before, it was just a bath every couple of days or whenever he had a blowout or something. So, in a nutshell:

• 7:00 jar of food and bottle
• Playtime
• 8:00 bath/shower
• 8:10 getting ready for bed: sleeper, lotion, fresh diaper.
• 8:15 reading time until 8:25.
• 8:25 say goodnight to daddy and start singing our songs.
• 8:30 he's down for the night. **Of course, all of these times are "around that time." None of it is hardcore set in stone apart from him going to bed at 8:30.**

Activity

Max is a very energetic and active boy. Of course, I could have told you this when he was still in my belly. He was constantly moving then and is constantly moving now. He definitely keeps life fun and pushes all the limits. He knows to stop when I say "Noooo." He gives me the look that says, "Is she being serious, or can I try to get away with it one more time," but he normally will find something else to do. I know this will change soon. Hahaha*

As stated above, Max is pulling up and "walking along all the furniture" if that makes sense. When he runs out of surfaces to grab, he reaches for our hands. He loves for us to hold his hands and walk him around wherever he wants to go. Our backs are killing us, but it's worth it to see how excited he gets.

He still loves a lot of the same things: being outside, stroller rides, being pushed in the swing, eating, reading time, and music. We can also add mini pool time to the list because it officially feels like summer here, and my parents have pulled out the mini pool for the grandbabies.

Some of Max's milestones are:

• 3/9 - First teeth! Two bottom teeth.
• 3/22 - First fishing trip.
• 3/28 - Elbow crawling.
• 4/5 - First "big boy" bath.
• 4/10 - Started crawling on hands and knees instead of doing the "inchworm" or elbow crawl.
• 4/15 - Climbed the stairs at Nana and Pop's house.
• 4/16 - First night without sleep sack/wrap.
• 4/21 - Pulling up on everything and "walking" from surface to surface.
• 5/12 - Started saying "Uh-oh!" whenever we would drop something.
• 5/23 - First time in a mini pool.

I can't wait to spend the summer with Max, make some memories, and watch him grow even more! We are so thankful for this little bundle of joy and smiles.