It Takes a Village - REALLY

So Brian and I took Ethan to his official 6 month appointment today. We were so happy that he's gained weight! Actually, he gained almost two pounds in about three weeks, which is amazing...apparently I was either starving the poor boy during the last four months or this growth spurt that he's been on is evening out. He's even starting to turn down the little bottles that I have ready for him after nursing, which is making me think that he's getting plenty of food. (He should be - he is getting some kind of meal every hour.)

While he's not quite back in sumo wrestler status, he's right where he should be. Nothing makes this boy happier than food, I'll tell you - his whole body gets into every meal! And I've learned a lot about feeding him from such a variety of people - his doctor, who told me last time to, "Just have fun this summer," which I think was his way of telling me to chill a little bit. :) And after talking to a coworker, I've started feeding him twice before going to work, which makes Ethan a seriously happy boy in the mornings - two big meals in an hour?! Yahoo! Also, the lady who watches him when I'm at work gives him lots of cereal during the day, so when I get him home and give him another big bowl, it's usually his third for the day! She and I have laughed over how big his eyes get and how wildly his legs kick when he senses that food is on the horizon.

I hope that he's also ready to do something - not that he's behind on any developmental milestones or anything, but there has to be some reason that this boy is sleeping worse at night than he has in a long time! One of my mom's friends was remarking to her that she remembered the early days in her kids' lives, how getting ready for work in the morning felt like putting on makeup after an accident. :) I have rolled into work feeling a little like that occasionally, but luckily my coworkers are too nice to say anything like, "Wow, you look awful!"


As you can tell from the photo above, Ethan has started to notice the animals in this village. He loves the cats. Every time one gets close enough to catch his attention, he's reaching out for them and wanting to grab their fur. Our oldest and most antisocial cat was the one that I was afraid would disappear the instant we brought him home. On the contrary; she's the one that allows him to run his hands through her fur and even pull on it once in awhile. When he starts crawling, she may avoid him a little more. :)