5 months and counting

Nolan has officially passed the 5 month mark. Wow! He is doing really well. He’s starting to develop some new skills, like sitting, rolling from back to tummy, and standing while supported by other things, like his crib. He’s continuing to talk quite a bit, and everyone once in a while I know I hear the word “mama” come out of his mouth! He’s still feeding with formula only, but we’re going to start adding in solid foods after Labor Day. He’s developing quite a personality, and really loves to just lay on the ground and talk and throw around his toys. I think his favorite things at this point are his exersaucer, his rings, and standing while holding our fingers. He really likes “Adam’s dance party”, which involves Adam holding Nolan and shaking his butt! We’ll try and post a video sometime. We’re guessing he’s gained another pound and gotten a little taller, too, but we’ll find out for sure at his 6 month appointment on October 6th. The attached video showcases one of Nolan’s new skills that he really worked on tonight – rolling from his back to tummy. It’s funny to watch him learn something new, because once he starts getting the hang of it he practices it for quite a while!

Last weekend we made the trip to Moose Lake to visit Chris, Sasha and Jackson. We had so much fun! Nolan and Jackson are too little to play together, but they did stare at each other a little, Nolan more than Jackson. I love seeing Jackson because he is a great indicator of what we have to look forward to with Nolan’s development! We took the boys for a pretty long walk Saturday morning and they both fell asleep. Sasha and I used the walk as exercise, and Chris and Adam used the time to look for wildlife and relax! Adam and Chris went fishing Saturday afternoon when the kids were down for their naps, so Sasha and I stayed behind and took naps as well. I have to say it was one of the highlights of my weekend! Saturday evening we enjoyed some wine, beer and s’mores around the campfire. Adam did a good job of researching the road construction and we were able to avoid the backup on I-35 by driving on Hwy. 65. Nolan had an off day on Sunday so it made for a long drive home. He seemed to do a little better after he took a big poop, but then was ready to get out of the car before we even made it to 394, which made the last 20-25 minutes really long. He didn’t nap well on Sunday either, so he was in bed at 6:30!

While I was hanging out with Sasha she introduced me to the idea of pureeing baby food. Chris and Sasha have a huge garden and have decided to use left over veggies and store bought fruit to puree Jackson’s food. It was fascinating to me to learn about the process. The thought would never have entered my mind on its own! I’m not sure if Adam and I will do it once Nolan starts eating. My initial thought is that it would be worth a try. It doesn’t appear to be all that time consuming, and it is healthier. On the other hand, some things are just worth the convenience, and baby food might end up being one of those things. We have a few more weeks to make our decision. Tomorrow morning I’m driving to Rochester for the rest of the week to attend an HR conference. I need to start thinking about recertification for my SPHR already! I’m staying with my aunt and uncle to save Park Nicollet a few bucks – thanks Jo Jo and Loren! I’m looking forward to it, but am wondering how I’ll do away from Nolan until Friday. So far I’ve spent 3 separate nights away from him and have been fine. People have told me that the older he gets the harder it will be to be away from him, so I guess we’ll see. I’ll see him for just a little bit on Friday, because Adam is taking Nolan to the farm this weekend. He and our friend Mike are helping Greg do some work on one of the barns. I have plans to go to the state fair on Friday night and eat many, many things on a stick, and on Saturday I have a bridal shower and bachelorette party for my friend Nicole. My only other plan is to sleep in and take naps!