How can my baby boy be 6 months already? It seems like just yesterday we were welcoming our baby home in the midst of worldwide pandemic, scared for what was to come. Today he is flourishing along with our family, even during these uncertain times. It has brought us all closer and really shown us the most important things in life – love and family.
Hunter is 16 lbs and 7 oz. and is 26-1/2″ tall. We have his 6 month check up on Monday and he can’t wait to show the doctor all his new skills. Thankfully Dad will be home to help with remote learning while Mom gets to pile on all of the snuggles.
Hunter is such a little dude already. He looks like his Daddy, has the same demeanor as his Daddy and has my heart like his Daddy. He went from a little mobile to super mobile and is now pulling himself up to standing, lunging and moving around everywhere. We have to be super aware of his surroundings as he can get to just about anything and puts everything in his mouth. Luckily, so does his puppy brother so the girls have been keeping the floors clear. He loves to sit up surrounded by all of his toys to play. Hunter has a lot of energy and loves to jump in his bouncer and Kangaroo all day which gives us a bit of a break to fill up our coffee cups. He has the biggest smile and the sweetest laugh. He loves to play peek-a-boo and thinks it is hilarious when his sisters run around and try to surprise him. Poor guy is teething really bad but luckily he is usually in a great mood, just a little more snuggly. He thinks his puppy brother is fun to watch and loves to go on walks with him in his Tula. He loves the water and taking baths – whether it’s a bath time with Mommy or a sink bath because he has made a mess. He loves to splash and try to frog hop in the water. He doesn’t really nap for very long unless it’s with Daddy and Mom is nowhere near. He loves to play with Grandma, especially with the blocks. He loves balls, trucks, chewing on everything and his big sisters. We are so blessed to have this sweet boy in our lives, he definitely brings us all so much joy! Oh and he has started saying – Ma. I’m sure his first sentence will be “Where’s the loaf?”
Pulling Himself Up
Just when we started getting the hang of Hunter sitting up on his own, he decided to throw us a curve ball and pull himself up. And he doesn’t just do it once or twice at a time. Now that he’s figured it out, all he wants to do is stand up and pulls himself up on everything, especially Mommy. Needless today there isn’t a lot of down time with him and since he barely naps we’re always on Hunter-watch.
Show Me Those Lunges
Not content to just standing up or sitting, Hunter has decided to lunge at his surroundings. He goes from sitting to lunging forward really quickly. He’s not a fan of crawling or rolling, he wants to get there fast. This provides a lot more challenges for Mom (especially during remote learning) but it is fun to watch. You just have to make sure that you are watching him ALL THE TIME!
Sitting Up
Our little champ has mastered sitting up and when he’s not trying to stand, he wants to sit on his own. His tummy muscles have gotten really strong too and he will sit for a long time unassisted. He looks like such a little boy, it makes me a little sad and so very happy all at once. My baby is growing way too fast!
Smiley Guy
Every time Hunter smiles, my heart melts. He really has a full body smile that lights up the room like his Daddy. He is really a happy baby, so when he does cry, it seems out of character. His laugh is contagious and 90% of the day, the girls try to see who can make him laugh the most. There really isn’t anything better than baby giggles!
Playtime
Hunter loves to play! He is always trying to get into something and now with his increased mobility we have to watch him like a hawk. He loves to jump in his jumper and kangaroo, but he prefers to be on the ground surrounded by all his toys. He has his favorites, including his balls and robot. He also loves to be included in his sisters’ playtime too – though we have to be even more careful with the little pieces again. I was not ready to baby proof so soon!
Teething
Teething has definitely gotten worse the last few weeks. Our sweet and happy boy is definitely hurting and his little cheeks are getting so red. Luckily I benefit from some extra snuggle time, but he doesn’t want to be put down so it makes things a little challenging right now. Thank goodness for baby wearing and limited car rides right now.
Sink Baths
Hunter is finally stable enough to have sink baths during blowout emergencies, which seems to happen at the most chaotic time in our house. I’m usually alone with the girls and it’s an all hands on deck moment. He loves it and the laughs he gets from his sisters.
Outdoor Fun
August was definitely a cooler month than we had expected and we tried to soak up as much of the cooler weather when we could. We had quite a few hot days too, but it definitely didn’t seem to be as horrible as it had been in the past. Then of course we went from the 90’s on Monday to the 50’s on Tuesday, so it’s been a little shock to our system. We spent a lot of time at the dog park running out both Bourbon and the girls’ energy, going on walks to the park, splashing at the pool and spending time on our favorite playgrounds. Hunter loves being outside and really loves the cooler weather so he can snuggle in closer in the Tula.
Sisters
Bailey and Sienna are pretty cool big sisters. Not only are they super sweet with Hunter, but their main goal is to make him laugh all day. He loves them so much and when they are playing in another room you can see Hunter try to find them. We’ve often had to go join them when he feels left out. They are such great helpers and really love him. It’s been so sweet to watch and with all the extra time we have spent together this year, their bond has really grown. But don’t get me wrong, it’s not all sunshine and roses. There are plenty of yelling matches, hitting, biting and screaming going on here, but they are all quick to apologize and hug it out.
Remote Learning
We started remote learning this week and we have survived. There have been lots of hiccups and stress, but overall the girls are excited to be in school and have done really well with their Zoom meetings. Mom may feel like she has been run over by a bus by the end of the day, but I do enjoy getting to be a part of their learning each day in ways I haven’t been before. Top that with soccer and dance starting up again, a crazy wild puppy and a very mobile baby brother and it really is a circus every day. I may be designating a Mom-Nap/No Noise Sunday Afternoon this weekend (ha ha, yeah right).We are super thankful for both of the girls teachers who have been amazing through all of these new hurtles and for Grandma to help us zone defense during the overlapping calls.
Snoozing
I don’t know why none of my children like to nap, I hear great things about those that do. I will remind them of this when they are older. Hunter has fallen into the FOMO category already and combined with the increased teething pain, there isn’t a lot of sleep going around right now. But when he does decide to crash, you can bet I beg, barter and threaten to keep him that way…too bad it doesn’t really work with two overly sweet and touchy sisters.
Bourbon Love
Bourbon is quite a handful but he is such a loveable guy. We are working on training everyday but he has mastered the sit and shake commands. We take him on walks everyday and to the dog park as much as we can to wear out some energy. We’ve even gotten him out before the girls start school in the mornings, which I am pretty proud of. He used to sleep most of the day, but he seems to have picked up some extra energy just in time for remote learning, so the kids in the class may get a fun show from time to time. We’re hoping to find a happy medium soon! Both the girls are so good with him and have really been a huge help. We love our crazy little goofball!
Hope you and your family are surviving the school year so far! Thank you again to all the teacher sand staff trying to make this crazy year work. We’ll update you on how remote learning is going here soon! We’ll leave you with a couple fun family pics…oh and go Chiefs!
