We LOVE when Grandpa comes to visit

Grandpa came to visit for a couple days and we LOVED having him here. Not only did Gage have a constant buddy to play with, but while Gage was napping, my dad worked on some long needed house repairs! I am already trying to convince him that he needs another vacation back here! : )  Gage immediately took to Grandpa Hill and you couldn’t find one without the other close by. The two things my dad wanted most was time with Gage and Kopp's---he got both!! I had planned a trip to fly back to Utah with Gage for a few weeks, so on the flight to Utah, my dad flew back with us. It was WONDERFUL having someone to tag team with in regards to Gage. I flew back to Milwaukee solo and Gage made it one LONG airplane trip back. Luckil,y there was an extremely, shall we say, “energetic” two year old in the row across from us that made Gage look like an angel. The two year old took the focus off Gage, but I was still twisting, turning and moving with him. I gave him toy after toy, wagon wheel after wagon wheel; anything to try and appease him. Gage turned most of those activities down for a coveted chance to stand on my lap, grab the chair in front of him and bounce and shake. In his mind that was the esteemed activity. I am pretty sure the person in front of us will think twice before flying again!

 These two pictures were taken immediately after my dad arrived to our house. No posing for the camera, just two happy guys!



 The daily schedule went a little something like this:

Play Time

 Lunch Time

 House Repair Time while Gage napped

 Dinner Time

Play Time Again

 

And of course a ball game just before bed time

 Our flight from Denver to Salt Lake was delayed. My dad walked and walked with Gage while I got to sit and relax. I am trying to convince Rob that we should invest in a constant travel companion!

Bath Time Fun

Gage LOVES to take baths! He has loved baths since the first time he had one. Now that he is older and can play with toys, it makes bath time even more fun!! And I have to say that there is something absolutely irresistible about a baby all clean and fresh with baby lotion on! :)

So big

My sweet little guy is getting so big! Here are a few pictures of him sitting. Gage does really well at sitting on his own for long periods of time. I usually put the boppy behind him just in case, but he doesn't usually fall back at all.

This is a 6 month outfit and the sleeves are a little too big for this little peanut!

 Gage is laughing at Cooper as Cooper plays with a toy

Gage also is loving to play Peek A Boo

Two Little Bottom Teeth

Gage got his first tooth on February 18th, 2011, two days after turning six months. The first tooth too cut through was the bottom left. We knew the first tooth was coming in because Gage had all the predictable symptoms: drooling(actually he's been doing that for about a month now), rosy cheeks, not wanting to eat as much, a low grade fever; and then two days later there it was!!! Each time he has a "first" you would think it was the ultimate highlight of our year as we react with the excitement of the Packers winning the superbowl!!

If you look close you can see the bottom two teeth! (They can be hard to get in a picture)

 Happy little boy that his teeth are in!

Almost two weeks later on March 5th, 2011, the bottom right came in. We also knew that one was coming because he had all of the symptoms as above but he also wanted to suck on things, which has been the only time he has wanted a nook in the past couple of months.

Six Months

6 month stats:
Weight: 15 lbs 14 oz (25th percentile)
Height: 26 in. (35th percentile)
Head Circumference: 44 cm

Gage turned six months today! Six months, I can't believe he is already six months, this is too crazy how fast time goes. Gage is becoming very social and loves to be around people. He is developing quite the cute little giggle and we love to make him laugh. He still loves bath time, his jumper, watching Cooper, being in public places, and smiling. Gage took well to solids and the only one he refuses to eat is peas--but I don't blame him! :) Gage has been sitting on his own pretty well ( I will post those pics later). He doesn't like nap time but does great with bedtime. Gage is very particular about his bedtime and if he is in bed between 6:45-7:45 pm he will generally sleep straight through until the bright morning hours of 6:15-6:45 am. Gage still despises tummy time. Unfortunately he still spits up at heavy levels but as he begins to eat more and more solids that should ease up.
A few pics from today:

Buddies

Grandpa Hill sent Gage this adorable teddy bear with a picture of Grandpa and Gage on the shirt. I love Gage’s face as he looks at the teddy bear for the first time! Gage is definitely unsure what he thinks of this new thing. But as you can see they quickly become friends!!

A few days later:
These pictures make me laugh every time I look at them. It looks like Gage is telling the bear a secret and then they are laughing about it.

So quick

I feel like it is too soon for me to be saying and feeling that old adage, "they grow up so quick!" But here I am thinking it as I look at these pictures of Gage. He is getting so big and is such a joy to have around. Gage is a very smiley boy and we are loving it as we get to see his personality show. (I know these pictures are similar but I couldn't pick and choose).

Harder on Me

Due to Gage’s severe acid reflux/spit up he has had to sleep in a semi upright position. We tried putting the crib mattress at an angle, but Gage would slide down. After trial and error we discovered the pack and play could be put at a perfect angle and Gage would snuggle into the folds. The problem being --- this worked for only the short way of the pack and play. Gage is now too long to lay that way, therefore, he is now in the crib…….laying flat for the first time. The first nap in the crib proved to be the hardest, but by bed time he had no problems going right to sleep. The good news is that the new positioning hasn’t caused an increase in spit up. He is also sleeping just as well, even throughout most nights. The bad news: Gage likes to roll over and sleep on his stomach, making this transition a lot harder on me then it is on him. The first couple of nights I got little sleep, if any, as I checked on Gage every couple of hours, rolling him back over to his back. Inevitably Gage would roll back onto his tummy. He alternates now, some nights on his tummy, some on his back. At this point I think it is beyond my control, but being a mom is all about the "worrying!"

Nap Attempt #1- Gage cried for a VERY long time and rolled around the crib on his side

He was so worked up and upset I knew he wasn't going to fall asleep so I brough him downstairs for a little break. Can you tell how red and swollen his eyes are?

Nap Attempt #2 - Crying again, but not merely as long

Success!!

A well rested little boy is a happy little boy

The morning after his first night in the crib

Grandpa's All Star

My dad bought Gage an outfit when Gage was first born, however, Grandpa overestimated little Gage’s size and we have been patiently waiting for Gage to get big enough to fit into it. I put it on Gage today and it fits perfect! Next up is the BSU outfit, which should fit just as football season starts. We gotta represent Idaho out here!!!

Go Pack Go!

Wisconsin couldn’t be in a happier place right now as the Packers won Super Bowl 2011. I must admit that since moving to Wisconsin I have become a Packer Fan and love watching the games with Rob.

Tummy Time

Gage is not a fan of tummy time. The only way he will tolerate a few minutes without crying is if he can watch Cooper. Otherwise, he wants nothing to do with it. Today was a rare occasion and I got him smiling during tummy time. Definitely wanted to capture that moment and it was a good excuse for me to take another picture of him : ). As a side note, Gage's cough is over!!!