DC Day Trip

Ever since we've lived in Philly I've wanted to make the quick trip to DC.  I've been there a few times and have loved every visit.  And now we live only 2 1/2 hours away.  We've talked about visiting, but have never gone.

Until a few weekends ago.  Brad really wanted to see the space shuttle at the Air and Space Museum.  It has been Brad's dream to see one of the space shuttles launch, but since NASA has stopped the shuttle program just going to see one of the shuttles would have to suffice.

I was really impressed with how much Brad knows about all this Air and Space stuff.  Some guys know cars.  Brad knows about airplanes and rockets.  I felt like I had my own tour guide telling me about the exhibits.

And since we were in DC, I made Brad drive around to see the sites downtown.  It was late or else we would have tried to see a few.  But word to the wise.  If you want to go see DC, don't do it the same weekend as an inauguration.

Peekaboo

7 Months

We celebrated Nathan's 7 month mark with colds for everyone.  We were a miserable lot.  Then, Nathan had to one up us and started throwing up.  Everywhere.  There were literally puddles in his crib.  And then he started dry heaving.  Poor little guy.  Luckily a bath and some cuddles made him a feel a little bit better.

There were plenty of good milestones though to celebrate at 7 months such as:

- This kid loves to move.  He's a little spastic with his arm flaying, body twisting, and leg kicking, but it's pretty fun to watch.
- He's gaming up for crawling.  He's already really good at moving around his crib, but he's starting to lift himself onto his hands and knees.

- He has a new found fascination for his feet.  They are his new favorite thing.  He loves to grab onto his toes and, like everything else he can get into his hands, he starts sucking on them.
- We started fruits and veggies while we were in Utah for Christmas.  I just bought baby food from the store and Nathan seemed to think they were ok.  When I tasted them they seemed a little bitter.  Perhaps it was the brand.  Now that we're home I started making him homemade baby food and he loves it.  He kinda dives in for bites of food.  He's tried sweet potatoes, peas, butternut squash, pears, peaches, and apples.  He isn't really a fan of prunes however.

- His curiosity has grown so much!  I love seeing him being much more interested in everything around him.
- Bathtime has taken on new excitement since he can now pull himself up to sit in the baby bathtub.  He likes swishing his hands in the bubbles.  Also, he's decided it's pretty awesome to splash mom.

- Nathan got a jumperoo for Christmas and he goes crazy in it.  It looks like he is doing a jig since he has to click his heels together every time he jumps.  Brad thinks he looks like a puppet on strings when he bounces.
- He is finally getting good at putting himself to sleep.  He usually plays for a little bit, decides to suck on his fingers, and then drifts into dreamland.  I'm loving it.

Merry Christmas to All

We had a wonderful Christmas in Utah with both of our families.  Brad's brother Ryan bought a house in my hometown so we were literally 3 minutes away from the Packers.  Doug and Janet were able to fly out for Christmas and we loved seeing them.  Even Grandma Packer made it down.  Nathan loved meeting her for the first time.

 Alissa's amazing Christmas Eve dinner

Christmas was everything it should have been.  We had our white Christmas.  I was able to go see my best friend and her new baby.  I even snuck in a visit to see my old work friends which I wasn't able to do last time I visited Utah.  There was oodles and oodles of delicious food.  We got to spend lots of time with our families.  We do this every year, but I will say, Christmas was definetly better this year with Nathan.

Longwood Christmas

Christmas Baby

6 Months

I keep looking at my baby and realize he's growing up.  Six months ago he was this tiny, helpless, little infant.  Now he's so big.  He has his own little personality.  He's starting to do things for himself, like moving and deciding what he wants to play with.  He has his likes and dislikes.  He knows and loves his mommy and daddy.  I can't believe how much he really knows and how fast he's developing.  But for right now:

- This kid loves attention.  If a stranger comes up to us and talks to him, he will just smile and put on a show.  Even if he's grumpy, he'll perk right up.  It's a little comical to go from a crying little boy to smiling the next second.  Silly boy.
- This also applies to sitting in front of the mirror.  He could entertain himself all day long just smiling back and forth with his reflection.

- After getting no reaction, Nathan finally giggles when we serburt him.
- He has started to grow more hair.  He has lots of little blonde hairs sticking straight up all over his head.

- Has started to blow raspberries.  Particularly when he has a lot of spit.
- His 6 months stats: 16 lbs 3 oz (22.51 percentile), 26.25 inches long (30.51 percentile), and 16.75 head circumstances (23.33 percentile.)

- Started on the solids this week.  And so far, I think he likes them.  He finished his serving of oatmeal cereal tonight and was doing a pretty good job of getting the food into his stomach and not on the bib.
- Zantac has saved my sanity.  After trying the dairy-free diet with no improvement, we started the medicine and Nathan is so much happier.  And he's back to taking all of his naps.  Without the crying. Or waking up in the middle of his nap crying.  It's a wonderful thing.

- Oh how he loves his daddy.  Nathan gets so excited when he sees his dad. And no one can get him to laugh like Brad does.
- Everyone comments about his fingers.  That kid would suck on his two fingers all day long if I let him.

- He is just the happiest kidlet and we love that he's in our family.