Keegan monthly update: 7 months

Vision: You love people watching. 

Movement: You can sit up all by yourself now!

Eating habits: You generally eat every 2-3 hours, except at night. We started introducing new foods again - avocado, sweet potatoes, squash, peas and carrots.

Sleeping patterns: You're still a bit off in the area with your ear infections. You still go to bed by 7:30, but we're getting up to put your paci in a few times per night. You've gotten pretty much back to normal since the tubes were put in.

Sounds/words: Still babbling away!

New discoveries/accomplishments:

• You sit up all by yourself with no support.
• You love holding toys in your hands and shaking them around.

Places you went/adventures: 

• Due to your lingering ear infection (going on 6 weeks), you got tubes in your ears this month. The procedure was super quick and went great. It was harder for mommy than Keegan!
• We celebrated your first Easter and you rocked during Mass.
• You went on your first 5K with mom and grammy.
• We went to celebrate dad's birthday at top golf! 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

What you don’t realize about the first 2 weeks of motherhood

Everyone says the first two weeks are the hardest. It’s the truth. Your world has just completely turned upside down. You’re figuring out how to keep a tiny human alive and happy. Everything you learned in your baby essentials class suddenly escapes your memory, and your hormones are surging. Point blank: it’s overwhelming. 

The single hardest part of the first 2 weeks is the lack of sleep. If you think you didn’t sleep well when you were pregnant...you’re in for a surprise. And, if you weren’t sleep deprived, you could probably handle all of your other responsibilities with stride and more patience.

Some other realizations in the first 2 weeks:

• Breastfeeding is hard, but it gets better. This is the other “hardest” part of being a new mom, in my opinion. More on this to come. 
• You’re going to get pooped and peed on. 
• Feeding your baby takes a long time. I had to breastfeed and supplement with formula the first two weeks, which took forever. I can’t imagine having twins.
• Your baby doesn’t know the difference between night and day, but you won’t spoil them by letting them sleep during the day in the beginning. 
• You’re going to cry at the drop of a dime. Just let it out, it helps.
• Breastmilk poopy stains are bad - make sure you have good stain remover!
• Sleeping when the baby sleeps is not as easy as it sounds. I was not good at this, but having one nap a day was helpful. 
• Drinking a cup of coffee once a day is not going to hurt the baby - do it for your sanity.
• You won’t feel normal yet...

There are tons of little tidbits and pieces of advice that are circling in my head. And, it really takes longer than two weeks to get in the swing of things (more like 2-3 months), but you learn so much in the beginning. For me, it was about listening to my body, knowing what I was feeling was okay and taking things day by day. 

Keegan monthly update: 6 months

Height: 25 and 3/4 inches (13%)

Weight: 14 pounds, 5 ounces (5%)

Head circumference: 42 cm

Vision: You're really starting to notice and pay more attention to everything around you. 

Movement: We still don't have a roller, but you turn on your side all the time. You grab at everything ALL the time now. You are also sitting up great with support from the boppy - and are starting to use your hands to support yourself sitting up.

Eating habits: You generally eat every 2-3 hours, except at night. We backed off rice cereal or introducing any other foods this month because your appetite has been low (still sick) and we want you to get the right nutrients when you eat.

Sleeping patterns: You're still a bit off in the area with the lingering ear infection and colds you've had. You still go to bed by 7:30, but we're getting up to put your paci in a few times per night.

Sounds/words: You are still babbling, but have seemed a little more uncomfortable with the sounds you're making. We can tell you're sick - poor guy!

New discoveries/accomplishments:

• You found your toes! Pretty much any time we lay you down your toes go up in the air and you grab them.
• You "play with toys" so much more now, thrashing them about as you talk to us. You have finally been able to grab the dragonfly on your playmate that you've wanted to badly to get for a while now.
• You sit up great with support and are really close to shedding the support and sitting on your own. You'll be there soon.
• You colored for the first time holding your own marker.
• You love bubble time at school!

Places you went/adventures: 

• You hung out with Grams and Pops while mommy and daddy went on a date night! Despite better judgement, Pops took the opportunity to put you in University of Florida gear...
• You played with your cousins - you love hanging out with your cousin, Alex.
• We laid low for most of the month as we finally got over your ear infection.

Keegan monthly update: 5 months

Weight: Approximately 14 pounds via bathroom scale

Vision: No real updates here. You're still curious and love to look around but it's hard to tell how far you see. You're doing great with making eye contact to those talking.

Movement: We're starting to sit you with support from the boppy and bumbo and you're doing great. It's cute to see you concentrate hard as you bobble about.

Eating habits: You generally eat every 2-3 hours, except at night. We also have introduced rice cereal to start getting you used to eating. So far, so good. But, your appetite has been low because you're not feeling well.

Sleeping patterns: Since you've been pretty consistently sick this month, you're sleeping is suffering a bit. You still go down really easily at 7:30, but you'll wake up a couple of times because your nose is stuffy or your ears hurt.

Sounds/words: You're still babbling here and there, picking up new sounds from your school friends

New discoveries/accomplishments:

• You had your first ear infection that hasn't really cleared up just yet. We're working out way through antibiotics and will probably be at the ENT soon enough.
• You also had pinkeye for the first time. We caught it early, so that wasn't too dramatic.
• You love pretending to stand and you press down with your feet when we hold you up.
• You went on your first stroller run and love going on walks - especially now that you can watch everything go by.
• We tried rice cereal (and your new high chair)! You loved it.
• You tried sitting in the bumbo - you weren't sure what to think at first but are getting used to it. 

Places you went/adventures: 

• You survived mom's first overnight trip while I went to Nicole's bachelorette weekend. Dad did great! I came home to a sick babe, though, with your ear infection back at it.
• You had your first superbowl "party" at home with some visitors.
• You had your first valentine's day and party at school. You got lots of valentine's from your friends and made the sweetest card for mommy. 
• You went to daddy's tennis match all bundled up in your snowsuit.