Extraordinary Eight

I can't believe it's that time again! Max is eight months old! He is such a wonderful baby and more full of personality everyday! Here are some things we are doing/ seeing/ learning now:

-Max reaches for everything! He is intensely interested in what things feel and taste like. As a teacher I am very keen on sensory experiences to learn so I let him touch a lot! We just have to be careful to make sure things are clean and safe. He is particularly interested in touching drinking glasses (while we're drinking!), any kind of remote, and couches (especially when being burped). A few weeks ago I didn't know how controlled and motivated Max was to touch things so we had a little shopping moment: I showed him (in what I thought was out of his reach) a crinkly Winnie the Pooh book. He grabbed it and promptly stuck it in his mouth! No!!! That's not ours and I didn't sanitize it! Eeeek! I was equally parts charmed by his zeal and appalled that I enabled his exposure to germs. I have learned my lesson! (And yes, I bought the book.)Max right before he reached for and knocked over the blocks!

-Max continues to smile and giggle constantly. He finds the simplest things hilarious. From Aunt Ashley clapping her hands like an alligator to Daddy making "num num" noises while eating a snack. I think the key is repetition. I read that babies love repetition because it makes them feel smart and secure. Repetition is easy when the reward is constant baby belly laughs! I swear I made dog woofing noises for an hour the other day because I could not get enough of Max's elation!
-Max can now roll over both ways. He doesn't roll from belly to back often, but is now eager to roll from back to belly. He learned by grabbing my hand and pulling his own weight up. He enjoys tummy time when he can play his light-up piano. Tummy time is still not quite his favorite activity.

-My tiny baby is now sitting up on his own! He is also learning to sit without putting the weight on his arms (in what John dubs the gorilla position). He is starting to reach for things or play with toys while sitting up. He still loses his balance so the Boppy or I are always right there.Max refusing to be propped against the chair- sitting on his own!

-I am sad to say our house is still not baby-proofed. When your baby is 3 months early, priorities are elsewhere. I know we need to get moving since it is just a matter of time before our go-getter figures out he can roll or army crawl to get around. Any suggestions on how to start this enormous task?
-We have had some stumbles in trying to get Synagis for Max (the RSV "vaccine"). However, a wonderful nurse has helped us in a tremendous way and we should be all set for protecting Max this RSV season.
-We have also had some stumbles in gaining weight this month. Nothing has changed much with Max's diet but he got "stuck" at 13.6 pounds for awhile. We are proud to report he is now 14.2 pounds (14 pounds, 3.6 ounces)! He has also started tasting solids. I say tasting because he doesn't actually eat much. A lot of rice cereal down the chin!
-Max has gone through a few "phases." One week he spent nearly every minute with his tongue hanging out of his mouth (Jordan style!) and the next week he enjoyed screeching loudly (ask Grandma Mary and Grandpa Alan about hearing that one from 5 hours away!). The current fad is "biting" his lower lip. Max sort of tucks his bottom lip under his adorable gums. Can't wait to see what's next!
-Our last outings before RSV-season-induced-quarantine included visiting the Chihuliy glass exhibit at Cheekwood (Nashville) and going to Stanley's pumpkin patch (Hanson). My normally very photogenic baby chose pumpkin patch down to make a lot of "stink faces." He'd wrinkle his noise and contort his mouth. The best pictures we got were sort of straight faced with a rare half smile or two. Maybe it had to do with his "costume"...

This Day in History

2007


2009 (9 weeks pregnant)


2010

Max meets Charlotte

Max and I made the trek to Fort Wayne, IN this weekend to meet his new cousin Charlotte. Charlotte Leigh was born 2 weeks ago to my sister Allyson and her husband Jesse. We were relieved that she was born full term. It was funny to hold Charlotte this weekend. She is around 6 pounds and felt so light! You would think I would see her as gigantic compared to my February newborn (who was not even half Charlotte's size!). However, when you look at the pictures, you will see why Charlotte seemed so little. Max is such a big baby now! He's had a little trouble gaining weight the last few weeks, but is as happy as ever. He was thrilled to entertain my family this weekend with lots of shrieks, giggles, and coos.

Allyson with Charlotte (11 days old), Colleen with Max (7.5 months)

Max's reaction to his cousin? Cool feet! (Her sleeper had little bears and Max thought they were the best toys!)

The proud grandparents! 2 grandbabies in one year!

Spectacular Seven!

Sunday Max was officially 7 months old (4 months adjusted). We were busy with traveling home from Nashville so didn't get to catch you up. We spent the weekend in Nashville visiting family, shopping, golfing (John), and going to Max's first football game. Max rooted on the Vanderbilt Commodores for about an hour before heading back to get tucked in for the night. John's parents have season tickets and that's how they met Colleen Reilly, a nurse practitioner at the Children's Hospital. Max was her patient for a few weeks in April. It was so great to see her Saturday night. I think she really enjoyed seeing how well Max is growing and getting to hold him too!

Without further ado, info about this month in little man's life:
Max is a VERY social baby. He "talks" often. With all the people he visited with this month, he at least gave a smile to each one (if not also some enthusiastic coos). When he goes shopping with me I get a lot of comments about how "bright-eyed" he is. He is also willing to be held by friends and family alike. Just watch out for random spit-up! Great Uncle Mike got a present all over his arm and shoe when he was holding Max this month!



Max's last weigh in was 13 pounds, 6 ounces. His growth has slowed, but his doctor said that typically happens around 6 months. I think he burns a lot more calories with his activities!
Max's calorie-burning activities include some serious jump time in his jumperoo, bumbo sitting, assisted standing, toy-grabbing, and LUNGING for anything that catches his eye. His favorite "toy"? The TV remote in the kitchen. Almost as soon as you enter the room, he spots the remote, leans his entire body towards it, arms spread wide. He could push the buttons forever.
Maxwell wears 3-6 month clothes. They're still a little large on him, but we make it work. He still wears a combination of sizes 1 and 2 in diapers.

His hat size is 6-12 months. The kid has a big noggin. It's a cute noggin though. It may look bald in most pictures, but he really does have hair. His hair is still pretty blond, but some family members think it is getting darker. The giant bald spot on the back of Max's head is finally sprouting! Hooray!

Max has met his first baby friends. He "played" with Grayson, Aubrey, Addison, and Conner. At the Hasenour house, Max was the youngest. He was fascinated with the other babies, watching them play sitting unassisted or walk.
The newest sound in Max's repertoire is "bbbbb" (think motor noises). One book described this as "razzing." It cracks me up how serious Max is when he makes his new sound. And he doesn't quit quickly, preferring to "razz" until his chin is thick with bubbles.


Max continues to think his daddy is hysterical. A little baby talk can go a long way when it comes from John's mouth. I also discovered that some goofy dancing from mom can also illicit some belly laughs.

I'll leave you with a few of Max's 6 month photos, taken by C-rich Photography.

Lions and Tigers and RSV, oh my!

Maxwell had his 6 month check up last week. The doctor said all looks well and though Max is small for his age (duh!) he is growing appropriately. The big discussion was about RSV. RSV is a common respiratory illness that looks much like a cold. However, when preemies contract RSV they can be severely ill and could be hospitalized. Since Max is in a high risk group he may be eligible for a vaccine. The best thing we can do for him though is to keep him home away from all the coughy, sneezy people this winter. This will likely drive me stir crazy, but will, of course, be worth it. We'll just need some healthy visitors to help Max learn about people and Mommy stay sane. Come on over!

Okay, now the fun story. Max went to the zoo for the first time! It was a wonderful, overcast Sunday morning in Nashville. We had driven down Saturday, making the unfortunate mistake of forgetting the stroller. Hmmm, how to get around the zoo without a stroller or the baby carrier...? Mommy to the rescue! I remembered an email advertising a baby gear rental company for families traveling with a young 'un. I called Babies Away in Nashville and paid a whopping $6.55 for a weekend with a rented stroller. I scrubbed that sucker with Clorox, soap, water and then ended up putting a pillow case over the seat. NICU momma= germaphobe.

Happy baby in his borrowed stroller

Max had a great time at the zoo. I considered the trip a success if (a) he didn't scream and cry the majority of the time (b) he looked at 1 or 2 animals with interest. Two for two! John joked that we were really going to the zoo for my benefit. But Max really did look at the animals. He just happened to be more interested in the people! Here are a few snapshots of our outing!

Adult macaws weigh 3-4 pounds, bigger than newborn Max!

Max and I greet a meerkat

Mugging in front of some monkeys

Daddy gives Max a better view of the ring-tailed lemurs

Dreaming about his new animal friends

"Whoa! Is that a red panda?"

Taking a break in the bamboo forest

The Hunt Family (and the giraffes)

"I don't wanna leave!"
(Max models his new Nashville Zoo hat and galloping zebra while lamenting his zoo departure)

Stupendous Six!

(*Editor’s note: I wrote this on Maxwell’s 6 month birthday, August 12. I didn’t post it due to trying to get together some pictures. The pictures I wanted are on an SD card not currently in my possession, so the pictures I wanted to post will be up another time!)

It’s so hard to believe that HALF of my baby’s first year is over! It makes me kind of sad, but then I remember how much wonderfulness we have ahead of us. The day Max was born I wore a shirt that read “The best is yet to come.” I’ve reminded myself of that with each month’s struggles and triumphs. My little boy just keeps getting stronger and smarter every day!

• Maxwell’s typical awake position is left hand in his mouth, right hand in a loose fist in midair, as if gesturing to make a point. He sure does love gnawing on his fingers!
• Maxwell is consistently sleeping through the night, about 8-9 hours. He still greets me with coos and smiles when I pick him up in the morning.
• The little man’s verbal skills are still progressing. We will often have conversations where we take turns “talking.” His language usually a series of vowel sounds, but sometimes includes a “ma,” “yeah,” “gah,” or “huh.”

• Max is learning to grab toys. He grabs the rattle on his playmat often. Last week I showed him how to grab a toy dangling above him. After 2 or 3 assisted attempts, he was able to grab in all on his own. What a quick learner!

• At his last weight check on August 19, Max was 12 pounds, 12 ounces.
• Max still wears 0-3 months clothing, but should be moving up to 3-6 months in the next week or so. He wears size 1-2 diapers in Pampers, size 1 in Luvs, and size 2 in Pampers Sensitive diapers.
• Max is pretty proficient at rolling from belly to back. It’s sort of hit and miss whether he enjoys tummy time or not. Some days he’ll be on his belly, look around and even giggle. Other days he starts yelling and crying pretty quickly.
• We got Max an early half birthday present this week, a jumperoo. Sometimes when John comes home Max kicks his feet enthusiastically and jumps against me, so we thought he’d enjoy jumping on his own. He’s still a little short for the jumperoo so we put a pillow under his feet. He really enjoys the ocean-themed toys and is slowly learning that he can make it move.

• Max has ventured out into the world a few times now. He has been to Sam’s Club, Babies ‘R Us, a few restaurants and stores. We try to keep him close to us to give strangers the nonverbal signal that they do not have permission to touch him. We’ve had pretty good luck so far. It’s just a hard balance to keep Max protected, but still show him what the world is like (and of course get things accomplished on our to do lists!). I’m anxious to take him to the zoo, but we’ll wait until things cool off a lot more!
• Max has a “play room” now. Well, sort of. We were housing a dining room table for Aunt Ashley and Uncle Mike while they lived in a condo. Now that they have a house again, the furniture is out of our dining room. Since we rarely entertain we decided not to get another table. Instead, we use the room for Max. This way his toys and books (usually) don’t clutter our other living spaces and he can play while we clean the kitchen or family room (but we can still hear/see him). It will also be easy to gate off when he goes mobile! The playroom currently contains my rocking chair from school, books, a CD player, a play mat, Max’s car seat, diaper bag, and jumperoo.

• Max still battles with some acid reflux. He used to have some painful gas, but Mylicon and growing seem to have helped that. He does get a little colic-y sometimes, but I have a list of tricks that usually helps. When those tricks fail to work and I feel like I will lose my mind, I just remind myself that I am exceptionally lucky to have him in my life. Someday when he gets fever-y, puke-y sick or gets his driver’s license, I will surely reminisce about the days where a little crying at home was the worst of my worries!
• Max had a developmental follow up at the Children’s Hospital on the 19^th. Things went really well. He is actually doing better than he should be, but that is a post for another time. (He also sees his pediatrician this week for his 6 month check up.) John and I are just so exceptionally proud of our baby. He has had to work so hard and is such a wonderfully strong boy!

Catching Up

Let's start our catching up with a recap of Max's first "vacation." We drove to the Indianapolis area to visit my parents. Max did well in the car. He slept most of the time, waking to eat twice. We stayed up a little late that night to play and wear him out a little before bed.

Max enjoyed spending time with his grandparents. They watched him one night so John and I could go on our first date since having Max home (Jack Johnson concert). While I knew I would miss my little boy, I had been more preoccupied with helping Max relearn how to take a bottle. Of course that's how he received the majority of his meals in the hospital, but once home Max decided nursing was his preference. Such mixed emotions for me! I had been concerned at the hospital he may never learn to nurse and then in July I was concerned he'd never learn (again) to take a bottle! After trying 3 types of bottles, given by anyone other than mom, Max was able to take a decent meal from a Born Free bottle. Whew! Playing with Grandpa and Elmo

Maxwell also enjoyed quality time with family members he doesn't get to see often: his Great Grandma Rosie and his Aunt Allyson. Aunt Allyson is pregnant with Max's cousin Charlotte. We are anxious to meet her in late September/ early October. Max told her how hard it is to arrive early so she plans on staying put for awhile!
Aunt Allyson, Cousin Charlotte, Max, and Momma

Four generations

That same weekend, Maxwell was baptized. Pastor Doug, of Bethel Lutheran Church, married John and I in 2007. Though we cannot go to church there weekly, it still feels like home to me. Pastor Doug had also baptized my father and myself. I was also confirmed in that church and I know the congregation prayed for Max upon his early arrival into this world. It was a lovely service and Max behaved like a gentleman. We were so blessed to have lots of family present. Uncle Cole, Max's godfather, even drove all the way from Nashville to be there! A yummy brunch at my parents' house followed.
Okay, I know, those group pictures just don't do justice to that cute baby boy. Here's one more to tide you over until I post Max's 6 month update!