26 weeks

He's starting to sit up well, but he lacks balance and falls over easily.  This was best demonstrated when he started looking at his Christmas gifts--like the tool bench and the alphabet abacus that require him to be sitting in order to play with them best.

He doesn't spit up as often or as much as he used to.  Suddenly, we find that we don't need the burp cloth all the time.  I'd say he spits up about 70% less than he used to.

He's not such a fan of my family's gatherings.  We're noisy and there are a lot of people who want to hold him.  He puts up with it for a little bit then pouts and looks for me.  Even if I'm the one holding him, he gets easily over stimulated and needs to nurse, sleep, or be removed from the noise to be refreshed and ready to join the public again.  After having him at my parents house for a day and a half we've come to the conclusion that he's a bit of a homebody--probably just because things and routines here are familiar.


He has more syllables when he's crying and sad.  Sometimes, he babbles with more syllables when he's happy too.


He's really into grabbing and chewing anything.  He loved opening presents, but it wasn't even about the wrapping paper--which he loved--it was about being given something that he could put in his mouth.  He'd get so frustrated when he'd chew on the paper and then it would be taken from him almost immediately.  I think overall, present opening was mostly a frustrating experience for him because of this.

He loves to touch my guitar--especially the tuners.


He pushes himself up on his hands more.

He says "Adah adah adah" now.  He also says something along the lines of an "r" and an "l" and I'm pretty sure he's sad "ma" and "ba" before.

He's super fidgety when nursing and if I hold my phone or knitting or a book and he sees it in his peripheral vision while nursing, he frantically reaches for it and usually grabs it quite accurately.




He's grabbing things with accuracy and a good grip.

He bangs his head against Daddy's when Daddy is putting him to sleep over his shoulder.

He's starting to cognitively understand sequences and cause and effect.  He has expectations of certain situations such.  I walked into his darkened room with him and he cried louder--either because he thought he was about to get changed or because he thought I was going to put him in his crib.

He used to love getting changed all the time.  Now, it's 50/50.


His diaper is always leaking. Still.  This was never a problem with his big sister.  I  don't even care to try to problem solve at this point, though it's probably a fit issue due to a growth spurt and I just haven't admitted it to myself, yet, that he's gotten bigger.


His spitting is now for amusement and it involves his little tongue between pursed lips but doesn't sound like a typical raspberry sound.  He also blows making a "pff" sound through pursed lips and often makes this sound just about immediately upon waking up.  It's how I know whether he's awake for real or not sometimes.

We still struggle getting him to stay up til 7:30 at night and sleep in until 7am.  He always wants to go to sleep between 5 and 6:30 at night and wants to awaken at 5am.  We'd like him to go to bed at 7/7:30pm and sleep until 7am.

He yells a lot--not crying, just yelling.  It turns to shrieking if he's really frustrated.  It's cute, but also annoying--the first annoying thing he's ever done, I think (If you don't count the reflux that he struggled with in his first few months)

I finished knitting his Christmas stocking--after the 25th, but before our Christmas which was the 31st this year.

A couple of times a week I need to hold him in the back carry in the Boba so I can get stuff done.  He almost always calms down in there and sometimes falls asleep.

We did Daddy's birthday celebration the  morning of his birthday because he had to work that day.

Bunny likes helping him play with his new toys.

He really loves getting underneath stuff.

Sometimes, he and his sister play "by themselves" for awhile.  Just a little while.

For Bunny, both the grandma's and a friend gave her baby's first christmas ornaments (in addition to the one we gave).  No one seemed to remember for Bear so I knit him one, and we bought him two.  The booty is one that actually fits him perfectly this Christmas, so it seemed fitting.  I took a picture of him wearing it for proof.

Just a selfie with my little man!

Playing with his sister.

Since going to daycare, he really knows how to amuse himself.  This is him in the church nursery when we had nursery duty the Sunday after Christmas.

The two handsomest men ever at his mom's Christmas celebration.

With Grammy.

One of his cousins.

More presents to open.  He was getting frustrated that he wasn't able to play with them the way he wanted to. (like eat the paper)

He always wants my phone so sometimes I take it out of the cover and let him chew on the cover and this makes him truly happy.

This was the morning of our family Christmas at home.  He got up with me when I had my alone time.

Time for stockings!

He got a couple of wooden tethers in his stocking.  Also, a rubber book about Elmo going to space.

Christmas breakfast was eggs, grapefruit, and crepes--but none for Bear yet.

We read the Christmas story together.

With one of his presents from us.

A present from his sister.

25 Weeks Old

He screams sharp, loud, happy screams.

He put himself to sleep on 12/19.  I tried nursing, rocking, patting, pacing, and then repeated all of the above and finally just put him down.  He fussed for no more than 5 minutes and he was out.

12/20 I noticed his first tooth poking through!!!

Sometimes I wish he would wake up in the middle of the night to nurse.  He almost always sleeps through the night, but he does occasionally awaken.  It's always the exception though, never the rule.


He's been waking up with me first thing in the morning and sometimes I can't help but pick him up, which is of course teaching him to continue doing it.


He's doing push ups now.

He still leaks in his diapers all the time--the poop mostly.

He's showing lots of interest in solid food but still satisfied with just breast milk.


He's always giggling.


He looks for me when he's with Daddy or someone else--especially if he's less than happy.  Daddy says it's easier for him to calm baby Bear down when I'm not there.

Me and my beautiful kids at a trip to the grocery store.

He doesn't just blow raspberries when he's angry now.  He does it all the time.

The walker will keep him occupied for longer than the high chair will.   I always put a pillow underneath so his feed can "reach" the floor.  I wonder if that's why.  

He just loves the guitar.  

His sister always tries to integrate him into her play.  He doesn't always go willingly, but I usually let her try so she can see for herself what his preferences are.

He's trading that bald little head for some hair!!! I was excited about it until I realized that I probably won't ever see him bald again.

Here he's in the "My First Christmas" onesie that his sister wore--which is a tad too small, but we're stretching it out so it fits him anyway.

He inadvertently played along with this Mary and Joseph scene that Bunny was doing for me to illustrate my freshmen's Spanish verse.  Then, she proceeded to be Mary for the next couple of days and Bear was usually Joseph. 

Since being in daycare, he's come to like the swing.  He usually tries to catch the sheep the entire time he's in there.

The little Booger likes watching TV. -_-

Sometimes, he still just needs the Moby Wrap to relax.  Actually, he needs to be worn most days.

The family, all dressed and ready for church (Well, Daddy had to go to work the Sunday before Christmas.  Not cool at all)

Those feet are so adorable.

Sometimes I wonder if it isn't the guitar music he loves, but the guitar itself.  He always eyes these tuning pegs and he's grabbed at them a couple of times.

Like his sister, he loves my hospital water bottle.

One night close to Christmas, he and his sister were playing and giggling together.  He actually reached for her at points and they were both having so much fun!

Christmas at my parents' house! Here they both are with Grandma by her Christmas tree.

With my uncle.  They kinda look alike cause they're both mostly bald and kinda chubby.

Christmas morning--matching his eyes to his Auntie's.

Sibling picture under the tree.

New toy! He doesn't care that it's educational, he just wants to put it in his mouth.

His sister wanted to help him open all of his presents.

The cool glass of my cup was just what those little gums wanted.

He got a shirt labeled "Ladies Man" and since his Mom, sisters, aunties, and Grandma are the only ladies I want him adoring at this point, this pose seemed fitting.

Blowing raspberries at his uncle. 

After the long drive home, Bear was wide awake and sat up in our bed playing with his new toys while his daddy zonked out.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle PJs from my brother.

Oh, the squishy love!

His sisters Kristoff doll (from Frozen) was just the thing for teething.  She wasn't so happy about it, though. 

Me and my adorable, beautiful, wonderful children!