Halfway to One!

As I mentioned in my previous post, I'm pretty sure that I've entered into the twilight zone.  First of all, Avery turned six months old a two weeks ago!!  How does that even happen?  September seems like a lifetime ago already, but the time between was a mere blink.  One moment I had a newborn baby and now I have this little boy changing by the second.

At six months old, Avery's little personality is becoming more and more evident daily and he's becoming quite a little character.  He is still a very dramatic little guy with smiles a mile wide and a pouty lip equally deep.  We always tell him that he is such a happy guy...except for when he's not. When is he not happy?  Well, for the most part that only happens when he is hungry, being put in his car seat or wants Mommy.  He isn't exactly a snuggler, but definitely likes to be held (as long as he can still see what's going on around him).  He is a boy that demands attention and rarely is pleased to be left alone.  He likes to play with his toys, but usually wants me within an arms reach (if that) while he does so.

Physically, Avery is getting bigger and stronger, but surprisingly at a slower rate than Asher.  Since he was such a big baby at birth, one would naturally assume he would continue to grow quickly.  At his six month appointment though he was 17#15oz, which is only in the 58% percentile, while his brother was nearly two pounds heavier at the same age and two pounds lighter at birth!  Although he is of average weight, like Asher his length and head size is at the top of the charts (28" long 94% & 17.75" head 92%).  Again these are smaller than Asher who was 28.5" long with a 18.5" head at six months, but closer.

Half way to his first year, Avery's eyes are still blue, but rather than the deep dark blue they had been they are now a brighter blue-gray color.  His hair is still brown, but much lighter now with red and blonde highlights.  This month he got his first haircut and now his hair is starting to grow in thicker. Finally at his present age, Avery now has four little teeth which he loves to bite with.  Sometimes he will snuggle up in my neck while I hold him, thinking I am being loved and then he'll practice his teething skills and attempt to take a chunk out of my neck!

Avery still is a horrible napper with no predictable schedule, but will usually take a little snooze with me around lunch time if I let him.  While he doesn't sleep great during the day, he has been sleeping great at night for almost a month now. Ever since we started him on solid foods he has been sleeping through the night most of the time, typically from about 8:15pm-7:00am.  Avery loves watching others and usually follows me with his gaze wherever I go if not with him.  The funniest person in his eyes though is Asher.  Although his Daddy and I can make him laugh as well, his goofy brother seems to make him crack up the most.  It really warms my heart to see the bond growing between them!

Developmentally, Avery continues to grow and change daily.  He loves to roll around the house to get to where he wants to go and seems to prefer to be on his tummy as he will flip himself over almost any time we lay him down on his back.  He has sat for a second or so, but really seems to have little interest in it and instead goes straight for his toes which he deems delicious.  He has the moves for crawling but still has not made contact with the floor.  He does know how to push off of things to move though and also knows to rotate himself on his belly to turn to what he wants to get to (often a toy, but usually me).

Not only has Avery been with us for 6 months now, but Eric and I have also been parents of two for six months!  A year ago, we would lay in bed thinking about what it would be like to have two little ones to care for.  We worried about finances, how the two would react to one another, how Asher would adjust to his new room, bed and role as a big brother, how our lives would get even busier, and more.  Thankfully though I can say that all that worry was nothing but a big waste of time.  God has truly blessed us, surprising us with unexpected income, helping Asher be an amazing big brother and little helper while also making him think he should stay in his bed until we say he can get up, helping us to find a routine that although crazy seems to mostly work, etc.  Everything has worked out better than I could have hoped, but that is not to say that it is not without its challenges and adjustments:

First, I believe adjusting to a newborn the second time around was easier.  This time I knew what to expect for the most part: I knew I'd get no sleep, I'd be exhausted and I'd have no time to myself.  At the same time I knew that I'd get newborn snuggles, goofy smiles, slobbery kisses, and tickly toes.  However, while the adjustment was easier it was and is still hard.  I thought I had no free time when I had one child, but I quickly realized how good I had it when even that limited free time was taken away by having two.  My life now basically consists of kids, work, kids, chores, dinner, kids, more chores and then if I have any energy left maybe an hour or so of me-time or Eric-time.

Along those lines Eric and I are both surprised by the amount of laundry that we now have.  It.Doesn't.Stop.  We used to do one or two loads of laundry a week.  Now it is a constant battle to stay on top of the laundry piling up, and usually it is a battle that we are losing.  By the time that everything gets folded and put away, there are about four more loads to start.  You'd think little clothes meant little laundry, but that is not the case.  I fear what it will be like when they're older!  The dishes also amaze us.  Avery has only recently started eating solids, yet somehow we have to run the dishwasher almost every night if not more, or we will get way behind.  Again the teenage years are frightening, but at least then maybe I can make them do the dishes!

Finally, as a second child I always thought that parents took less pictures of their non-firstborn kids because everything wasn't as exciting the second time around.  I thought that the parents just were not as interested in the "cute" things their children did after having already experienced those moments with their first child.  It never dawned on me until I had two kids myself that this is not the case.  It is not that parents don't find those moments as cute or exciting, but rather that with two kids finding time to photograph all of those moments is nearly impossible!  With Asher, every single moment big and small was recorded and although Avery still has more pictures and videos than probably the majority of kids his age, it does not compare to that of his big brother.  Avery: I'm sorry. Even though your collection will not be as endless as your brother's, know that I love you dearly!

That said, here are Avery's 6 month pictures...

This is Mr. Drama