we have been working really hard to get back up to our normal feeding schedule with Brady.  him being sick last month completely threw us all for a loop! right now he is taking 5-6 ounces in a bottle about every 4 hours.  sometimes he wants to eat at 2.5 hours and others he can go 4.5 hours and not even act hungry.  I’m not offering him food during the day until before bed, per the recommendation of our pediatrician.  she wants him to have milk over having solid food, so I skip it for now and offer it only in the evening. I am still supplementing with formula here and there, along with using some of my frozen stash.  I am afraid I wont be back to my full supply so this is working for us right now.  typically I’m nursing him in the morning and evening and throughout the day he’s getting formula or frozen milk.

as far as solid foods go, I’ve stopped offering cereal and focusing on more veggies and a couple fruits. so far we LOVE sweet potatoes, avocado chunks, bananas, pears, butternut squash, raspberries, and whole milk yogurt. he takes nibbles of my peanut butter and banana toast every morning and has come to expect that I offer him some when I’m eating it.  he is definitely one of my children!  they all love “mama toast” (peanut butter and banana on sprouted toast).

PLAY/DEVELOPMENT

once again he’s taking leaps and bounds and his play time and interaction with both mama and dad and his sisters is the biggest leap this month.  I thought he was super talkative last month, but oh my goodness its tremendously increased! he laughs and coos and screams when he’s playing with his sisters- he looks for them to interact with him when the come within eyes view and its so entertaining to watch! I want more kids just so I can keep seeing this bond grow.  its the most amazing thing I’ve experienced as a parent. he’s starting to become very curious when it comes to zippers, labels, shoe laces, and the necklaces I wear.  he never noticed them before and he’s totally obsessed with it now. he has also started to figure out that flipping/turning handles on certain toys make a new music noise, or how to turn the pages of a book to see something new.
bath time is still his favorite! and bubbles make his whole little LIFE!

he loves to imitate sounds- like clicking his tongue and blowing air.  if I start clicking with my mouth he immediately starts doing it with a little smirk on his face.  he’s also starting to stand while assisted and take little steps when prompted.. he can pull himself up onto the activity block to play! WUT.  stop that growing up, boy!  I was showing his BB a picture on my phone recently while holding him in my other arm and he leaned around to see what we were looking at.. so freaking cute.

he LOVES his dad. just like all the babes do, but he’s smitten when his daddy comes around. he will snuggle to sleep with dad, chill on the couch with dad, reach for dad, and babble to dad non stop.  it could have to do with the fact that Jordan doesn’t have boobs.. so I’m not getting too upset. AND Jordan gets up in the middle of the night to soothe Brady back to sleep as much or more than I do, so he’s got that snuggle thing down with his daddy.

its the sweetest thing I’ve ever seen to watch them together.

SLEEP

motherhood isn’t for wimps.

it is for the lack of sleep alone that motherhood isn’t for wimps.

sleep STILL sucks.  so bad.  he’s not offering any consistency whatsoever so I never know what to expect when I lay him down to sleep at night. sometimes he completely impresses me and sleeps all night.. and I wake up feeling like I’ve been run over by a Mac  truck because I got more than 4 hours of consecutive sleep. and other nights Im up and down every couple hours for who knows what.  I can’t really figure him out.  on nights he sleeps 12 hours I attempt to mimic that schedule and routine again the next night and he sleeps terrible. usually.. and I use that word pretty loosely.. he’s up once to eat between 1am and 3am and the other times he just wants to snuggle, I assume.  we have tried lots of things to get through the night with a decent nights sleep.

we are learning how to self soothe still and Brady doesn’t take a pacifier so when he wakes at night there is not really a process he understands for getting himself back to sleep on his own- I got him a little lovie this month.. a slumberkins sloth. I’m basically forcing it on him. we have been taking it everywhere and rubbing his cheeks with it when he eats/nurses.. he’s started to play with it in his crib, so he doesn’t escalate from silent to screaming as quickly when he’s in his crib alone and a handful of times he’s gone back to sleep before I went in there.  getting there!!

naptime has gotten better and more consistent.  he will sleep in the car while I’m running errands, but for the most part I have been trying really hard to be home for his naps.  he’s been known to sleep for 3-4 hours in the middle of the day, BUT its been more like an hour and a half twice a day, lately. 9:30-11 or 11:30AM and again in the afternoon around 2PM which is inline with Baker’s nap time. if he doesn’t get a good afternoon nap he will some times take another 45 minute nap in the evening around 4:30PM which gives me time to make dinner and get the girls fed before he wakes to eat himself.

BRADY JORDAN

my buddy, my boy. there is something so crazy about saying I have a 7 month old!  I think it is because you have jumped that half a year old mark and we are just high tailing it to your first birthday. our house is on a non-stop train to toddler-dom.. for the third time around. Brady, you have grown exponentially over the last 30 days and from what I can recall, I think this is the most you have changed in just one month’s time-but I think I said that last month:)  I can say that this month has been my favorite so far. I am absolutely loving you at this age, Brady Jordan!

you got yours first (official) haircut!  you sat like a champ to get your fade + part

and looking so dapper- omg the heart eyes!

we carved your first pumpkin.. and stuffed you in it.  I appreciate you being such a good sport about everything your mama makes you do!

and we hit up the pumpkin patch all month while the weather has been so nice!  I can’t believe this time next year you’ll be running up and down the rows of pumpkins with your sisters.. sweet boy!

you are very talkative and in between chatter and babbles, you’ll let out a yell that seems like it came from the bottom of your belly.  it definitely reaches everyone’s attention- and will often put my heart in my throat if we are in the car.  just a little reminder to everyone not paying attention- “I’m here!!” we wont forget, bro.  I promise.

you are using your fingers and hands like a pro- grasping your toys and food and even the smallest little speck on the ground.  you are very intent with your thoughts and fully examine the situation and love to study the people around you.  its really amazing to watch you observe whats going on.

every day comes with a new learning curve for us, sweet little man, but we overcome them together and we grow together and learn from each other. watching you experience life everyday is what it is all about. I am so excited and blessed to be your mama!