Today Sage's carseat is being changed from a rear facing one to a forward facing one.  He is 2 weeks off 6 months and almost 9 kilos, and boy is it getting heavy trying to carry him around in that carry capsule.  I am actually getting concerned that I might drop him when walking from the top of the steps to the car, I think it will be much safer to simply pop him into the new one once in the car.

He is such a strong boy.  He has great head and neck control, can stand when you simply give him your index fingers and likes to pull himself up from a lying down or sitting down position by his and your hands.  He is rolling all over the place, and lately likes to wake me up for his morning feed by shrieking (though mildly) out from his belly in his cot.  Always a nice subtle nudge from sleep to awake... not.

This week he also had his first solids.  I boiled and pureed organic potatoes and carrots bought from the local markets and mixed them with breast milk.  He ate them no problems and after one day without poos seems to have transitioned quite nicely into processing them... which is funny and ironic, because his first 3 months trying to digest breast milk was riddled with gas pains, colic and the subsequent sleeplessness and crying that goes hand in hand with those  2problems.

He also had some boiled water in a bottle to wash down his dins, and one night I even gave him a teaspoon of mashed banana for dessert which made him whince as though I had just offered him lemon!

It seems his day sleeps may be whittling down to 2 rather than 3, which seems in line with a 6 month old baby's needs.

All in all he is doing great and is alot of fun.  If only I could teach him to stop ripping out my hair and pulling on my bottom lip!

Sage and I just got back from a Mum's and Bub's Exercise Class at the Hospital.  And oh my, I am EXHAUSTED!  I thought I was pretty fit, what with all the walking we do, but I was sweating and aching and lagging in that class...phew.

I should have really got into the class earlier, as you can only go til bub is 6 months.  And Sage will be 5 months on Sat.  The first few months were so filled with getting used to going out with baby though, I think attempting an one hour class all the way in at the hospital would have been pushing it! 

When I woke up this morning it was rainy and dreary and I almost convinced myself we should just stay home but I am glad we went.  Even though I am pretty sure I am going to be aching tomorrow!!

The physiotherapist checked out my tummy muscles, which seperated significantly during pregnancy and said they were not only healing nicely they were very strong!  Woo hoo!  It felt good to hear that... now if I can only get them to look nice and strong!

Sage is a dream of late.  Just content, playful, smiley and happy.  He is still sleeping well during the day and he even has been going down for naps at friends houses, in strange rooms, no problems.

We took him to a party last SAT night and he just slept soundly til 11:45pm when I woke him to take him home.  Wonderful!  SOOO much easier than before.

I am glad I just hung in there during the tough times, instead of stressing (too much) about making things 'right' or 'easy' there and then in regards to day time naps. I got to spend HOURS cuddling my little boy while he slept, enjoying his peaceful sleeping face and generally enjoying a slower pace myself.

Now that he is sleeping independently for naps I almost don't know what to do with myself!!!

Sage changed his daytime nap 'situation' literally overnight.

He now wants to lay down in his cot when tired, wrapped and with his dummy and snuggle (soft toy/blanket), he turns his face towards the snuggle and prompty... falls asleep.

OH MY GOSH!  This is nothing short of a miracle.

Over the past 4 months he has slept in the sling, been rocked to sleep, slept in my arms, slept on my bed, but very rarely slept in his cot for daytime naps.

One morning last week Caleb put him in his cot and he drifted off.  From that momentous occasion we have put him in his cot for pretty much every nap (unless we are out) and he puts himself to sleep and sleeps from generally 1hr 15 mins, sometimes more, but not often less.

All the baby books I read warned that if I did the above sleep methods and co-slept he would NEVER do what he is doing now.. but Praise God... he is!!!

We didn't have to endure screaming, crying, we didn't have to force it upon him.. when he was ready.. he did it himself!

I am aware that this could change at any given moment.. but for now, am enjoying the bliss.

yippie!!

I had to take Sage for his 4 month needles this week.  I was a couple of weeks behind... and for those couple of weeks and a few more beforehand I would think about the approaching event and want to run for the hills.

Nobody told me it would be so hard to take your baby to get immunised.

I am writing this entry to remind myself next time, (6 months), that it is and was NOT AS BAD AS I THINK IT WILL BE.

Sure I was nervous waiting and I despised having to hold my precious baby's little leg still while a stranger stuck needles into them but he screaming/crying only lasted for all of 5 minutes and he was smiling and playful 10 minutes after.

It's just such a head trip trying to build yourself up to actually get baby dressed, into carseat and into car only to arrive them at a place where the only thing that greets them is pain! Makes me feel awful.

Of course, Sage won't even remember these events.  And the truth be told I am doing it because I love him, to protect him against far worse.

So, 3 down and only... how many to go?

I should just be thankful that he is not old enough to say to me, 'please don't take me to get my needles, Mummy'.   Won't that be fun when that finally comes around...