Leaving Julian & Solids Update!

A couple weeks ago, I started looking into how much pureed food Julian should actually be getting. At his six month appointment, the doctor gave us the green light to start veggies and fruits, but she didn't provide any additional guidelines for going forward. We started with just an ounce or so, and worked our way up to a little over two ounces when he would throw fits when we would stop feeding him. After looking for guidance online, I had a chat with Miss Paulina, Julian's daycare provider. She suggested that we bump up his bottles to 5 ounces, and start providing Julian with a breakfast of fruit puree, lunch of a veggie puree, and our normal dinner serving of ground chicken and veggie or fruit mixed.

Turns out, this was exactly what Julian wanted! He took to the bumped up feedings like a champ, and has really enjoyed getting purees three times a day. I think he really loves non-bottle feedings. It's also helped him sleep longer, and he'll stay in bed now until 4 or so in the morning...sometimes we get lucky and he sleeps longer!

He's still only taking short naps in his crib, but he'll nap longer if you cuddle him (I type this as he's sleeping on my shoulder)!

Last week, Steve and I left our munchkin for the first time ever. We left Julian with Grandma SheShe and flew to San Francisco, and then drove through a crazy storm to Sonoma! I thought I would cry the whole way, but I mentally prepared myself leading up to the trip and held it together during our goodbyes. It's tough leaving that kiddo for any extended period of time, but we were excited for some relaxation, quality time as a couple, and sleep!

 

So fun even with the rain! We were excited to get home though...we really missed the snot monster!

Since being home and saying goodbye to SheShe, we've enjoyed a weekend outing to Barnes and Noble/Starbucks, where Julian lapped up the attention and compliments from strangers and he had so much fun observing and taking everything in.

While we were at the bookstore, I picked up a copy of Baby Led Weaning, on a recommendation from our friend Holly - who has a baby boy just about a month ahead of Julian. I read the book that afternoon while Julian played and napped, and we decided we would get started right away!

 

 



 He tried some bread while carrots steamed.

 

 

He had a rough go with it and kept hitting his gag reflex. It was messy.

 

This morning we tried softened apples and he seemed to really love the experience!

 

 



 

 

It's fun watching him have these new experiences with food!

 

 

Here are some more random pictures:

 

Sneezing while eating is MESSY!

Too tired to function

I'll try to eat anything!



Julian is 7 Months!

We can hardly believe it, but Julian is 7 months old. It seems true what they say, the days are long but the years are short.

 

Some days feel like we are finally rounding the corner to a full night's sleep, and other days feel so far away from that. He can have a night where he doesn't wake up at all, then 20 nights after that where he will wake up once or more. Luckily, unless he's ill (like he was for all of February), he usually takes his bottle and is back in bed within a 30 minute span.

Last month Julian got introduced to pureed foods and he LOVES it. We finally got to break out the highchair that Uncle Eric and Joe got us back in July, and it's been so much fun to use. So far he's had carrots, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, apple, avocado, pear, squash, pumpkin, and spinach. He loves carrots the most, but he's beginning to enjoy the combination of fruits with veggies. He hasn't had a veggie or fruit that he's turned down so far, and he just lights up when he gets buckled into the highchair. He has learned to slam his hand down repeatedly on the tray until he gets his food!

Still no teeth though!

 

He's adjusted well to daycare and enjoys seeing his friends there, but he still gets excited and happy to see Mommy and Daddy at the end of the day.

He loves grabbing his feet, reaching for Bruce (Niiro never gets close enough and his hair isn't long enough to grab like Bruce's), pulling Mommy's hair, and trying to get to the doggies while playing in his walker! He definitely loves to be moving or occupied with something unless he's tired and wants snuggles.



He still enjoys when you help him stand up or sit, and loves to look at himself in the mirror. He gets a kick out of scratching his nails on anything and everything, and licking everything! He is still trying to get the hang of crawling - and he will scrunch up his butt, but doesn't understand that he needs to move his arms too. He loves flopping back and forth from his tummy to his back though, and now he really enjoys being a tummy sleeper.

He's an extremely happy, smiley, and giggly baby and we love watching him grow!