6 Months Old!

Gabriel is 6 months old today!

It just doesn't seem possible. Maybe it is because I am enjoying 99% of being a parent so much, but the days are whizzing by. I still don't feel like I have even grasped the fact that I am a Mother yet. Occasionally I look at Gabriel and wonder how all of this happened.

There's something new every day that Gabriel is doing or discovering. It's quite enjoyable to share in his simple pleasures. And Gabriel is very good natured for the most part, so he is fun to spend time with.

We are experimenting with solid foods these days. I'm trying to make some of his food myself: sweet potato, avocado, carrots, green beans, and banana are some of the first flavors. If I had to guess, I suspect Gabriel likes bananas the best. Avocado is probably his least favorite at this point. We are beginning to get him use to the sippy cup idea by giving him an ounce or so of water after dinner.

Gabriel is getting better and better at sitting up all by himself. He rolls from his stomach to his back and vice versa with ease. He does well on his stomach, holding his head up, and having enough strength to use his arms to grab toys.

Especially in the last few weeks, Gabriel has become aware of his surroundings and interested in anything he can get his hands on and stick in his mouth.

I wish I was flexible enough to play with my own feet like Gabriel can. He even sucks his own toes.

Gabriel seems to know his own name now, turning to look when his name is called out.

And he constantly jabbers! And when he isn't talking, he's discovering his voice and screeching.

Gabriel still enjoys his tubbies and he is my favorite subject for photography.

We are looking forward to Gabriel starting at The Learning Center at Concord Hospital tomorrow. Now Gabriel will ride to and from work with Mommy most days. And I am going to enjoy being able to check in on him during the day if I wish and also having the opportunity to participate in some of the activities at his day care center.

Happy July 4th!

We were very pleased to get a break from the rain... FINALLY! We took Gabriel outside after dinner to sit on a blanket. It actually was chilly, but at least the sun was out. It has been so wet through May and June that we have not had the opportunity to take the boy out like this. He sat under the maple tree, enjoyed looking up through the leaves and playing with his new shoes. I don't put shoes on Gabriel's feet very often, so when I do, they are like new toys attached to Gabriel's feet. He's quite good at geting them off too. Gabriel watched Daddy play with the water in the pool. Yet another side effect from the crappy, rainy weather- the pool is still not swimmable. Who wants to go out in the pouring rain and run the pool pump and vacuum it? We didn't go and see any fireworks, though, the neighbors had some good sized amateur displays throughout the evening. We just stayed home, getting caught up on laundry, watching the NASCAR race on TV, had some Brats and Beans for dinner, and enjoyed a lazy day together.

Easily Entertained

The video isn't great, but you can still get the gist of how much Gabriel enjoys a mylar balloon. He enjoyed looking at his Easter balloon from Nana D. in early spring. But now that he is a few months older, he gets physical with his balloon. This balloon came from Mary as a leftover from her Pampered Chef open house. We've had an awful lot of fun considering the balloon was already over two weeks old when we took this video and Gabriel is still very excited about it.

Look What I Can Do!

Gabriel is able to roll himself from his back to his stomach in both directions proficiently now. He's finally enjoying time on his tummy now that he has the strength to keep his head up and he can investigate things from this new position. Sometimes when on his back, Gabriel can even scooch himself a few inches. And quickly, Gabriel is learning to sit. He can sit a few seconds without help now. Then he gets wobbly and just tumbles over, so we keep padding around him in all directions. (No babies were hurt in the making of this video.)

Sassy Jumping

Gabriel enjoyed a jump in his Sassy seat when he got home from day care on Friday night. And then Daddy tickled Gabriel while he sat in his chair waiting for dinner.

Mmmmm.... green peas!

Gabriel tried green peas for the first time Monday night. Of everything he has tried so far, green peas went down the fastest. Here's a photo of Gabriel enjoying his peas for a second night in a row.

I learned today that Gabriel can go to The Learning Center full-time starting 7/6/09. He has the permanent Monday/Friday part-time slot, but then another child that takes Tuesday/Wednesday/Thursday on a drop in basis doesn't need the care between 7/7/09 and 8/7/09. So we were offered those days. What a relief. Now Michael and I need to cover the week of June 29th (July 4th holiday week) and then we don't have to worry about coverage again until August. We will have to wait to see what will be available for the rest of August and September. I am feeling less panicked now about day care coverage.

Michael, Gabriel and I go for our family visit and orientation next Monday morning at The Learning Center.

Strolling Around the Neighborhood

The whole family went for a walk on Monday night. We went around the cul-de-sac and then up the road to look at the neighbor's huge perennial garden. For the first time, Gabriel sat in the chair part of his stroller instead of being put in his car seat and affixed to the stroller. He seemed to enjoy the forward facing view and had no trouble staying upright with the harness on him.

It seems like there's something new happening every day now.

When I picked Gabriel up at day care tonight, I learned that the closing date of the center has already been moved up a week. They are now closing on June 26th. I am hoping that the inconsistencies that I saw in Gabriel's care today were just a fluke. The staff may be in an initial shock from learning their employment fate and are preoccupied. My little mother voice is telling me to be prepared for an even earlier closure.

On a positive note, Gabriel had been constipated a few days. We were feeding him prune juice and apple sauce, providing belly massage, and doing every thing else we could think of in an attempt to get things moving. Well, things finally moved on Monday when he was in day care. There was a note next to the 3:15 BM that said, "WOW!" And the outfit he went to day care in came home sealed in a Ziploc bag. Oh, so glad that didn't happen while he was at home.

Child Care High Turns To Crisis

I was so excited on Friday when the director of The Learning Center on the Concord Hospital campus called me to say that Gabriel will have a full-time spot at the beginning of October. YIPPEE! We finally made it to the top of the waiting list! The director was probably happier than I was since she won't have to expect weekly pestering phone calls from me to see where Gabriel is on "the list" anymore. I was also offered a part-time slot to get started after the July 4th holiday and can begin bringing Gabriel on Monday's and Friday's. I thought this was a good idea, even though having two part-time slots at two different child care centers will cost more, I thought that it would be far easier to start merging Gabriel into The Learning Center now on Monday and Friday while he has little stranger anxiety, so the big move in October when he is 9 months old won't be so traumatic. I was so pleased after I got the phone call. It was like my kid got into Harvard with a full scholarship, except, I'm still paying for everything.

The day care market in Concord is non-existent for infants, and the few spots that are out there are tough to secure. The one place we found an infant spot in Concord showed up on WMUR news recently due to a state investigation. Glad we passed on that place. I told directors of child care centers I was pregnant long before we got a chance to tell the happy news of Gabriel's pending arrival to our parents, so we could do tours and get on wait lists at those child care centers.

The Learning Center rarely has a snow day because the hospital never closes. Gabriel's pediatrician is on the Concord Hospital campus, so that means I don't need to take a whole half day off for well baby appointments, or sick baby appointments. I will have more flexibility in my work schedule since I won't have to run out of my office at 4:30 pm to make it in time to pick up Gabriel. I will be able to make all of those special events he will have at the day care since he's just a short walk across campus. (So looking forward to the Halloween parade!) I can feed him lunch instead of pumping. The Learning Center offers kindergarten and field trips when he gets older so there is no need to scramble again for child care unless I change jobs or until Gabriel goes to first grade. And right now The Learning Center offers summer programs for kids up to grade 3. On most days I will now be able to have Gabriel in day care hands for less than 9 hours verses where he is now it is 10 hours due to the commute from Concord to Epsom. There are so many things to celebrate with his acceptance at The Learning Center. October just can't come soon enough!

When I drove to pick up Gabriel at his current day care center that same Friday, I was on a high. I knew that it would be a hard conversation to talk to the current director about moving him to part-time after July 4th, but I was ready. And then when I went to have the conversation, I learned that Gabriel's current child care center is closing. WHAT!? They hope to be able to keep enough staff and kids to make it through July 4th. My best child care day ever was now my worst day care nightmare. I am in high anxiety now trying to figure out how to piece together child care coverage between now and his full time slot in October.

I have to remember to keep counting my blessings at this point. For one, Gabriel is a great baby. They call him Smiley at day care and tell us how easy he is. So thankfully we don't have a cranky baby to try to find child care for. And Gabriel is social, so he seems to enjoy people right now and he flashes smiles easily. The Learning Center had already offered him the Monday and Friday slot after July 4th, so I have 2 out of the 5 work days covered. Grandma Abberton has Wednesday's off since she works four 10-hour shifts, and she is willing to spend some quality time with her grandson this summer. 3 out of the 5 days covered. A handful of people have mentioned they would do child care for us previously, so we will start the process of following up and trying to figure out who really was serious and how to work all of the child care together in a way that works best for Gabriel. And I am spreading the word to everyone I can think of who might potentially know of some safe solutions in the Concord area. We at least have an end point knowing we have the full-time slot in October.

Falling Asleep at the Table

Gabriel had a hard day and just couldn't stay awake long enough to have apple sauce for his dinner. It takes a lot of energy to grow so fast.