New to the Parkers: 6 months old

Happy half birthday baby! How has 6 months gone by already? Realizing that six months has already gone by was definitely my wake up call that it all goes by so fast and to enjoy every minute of it. (And to probably start documenting it better again).

I often catch myself worrying about if he's 'doing' everything he's supposed to at his age. Is he eating enough? On his tummy enough? Growing fast enough? Playing with toys enough? Happy enough? I catch myself comparing him to other 6 month babies. 3 month babies. Premature babies. Always wondering is he on track? Are we doing this right? But I catch myself and remind myself to just enjoy every amazing thing about him. While visiting with another preemie mother I met, making small talk about is your baby doing this? Or that? As all new mothers do. She shared her favorite saying with me,

"A rose doesn't compare itself to another rose. It just grows how it's meant to grow. "

I thought it was such a sweet reminder that all babies are special and beautiful in their own way, and they are just going to grow at their own pace.

So here a few things about our sweet, 6 month old, Jackson:

- Weighs 8lbs 8 oz

- Oxygen is at 1/16 liter per minute but we've starting turning him down to 1/32 quite a bit and that's the last step before being done with it

- Is already a little charmer. Loves to giggle and smile in response to you laughing

- Lights up when Dad comes home at night

- His head had a big growth spurt, and won't fit through most newborn clothes, although his body still does

- We think the large noggin is also why he doesn't enjoy tummy time as much lately, too heavy to lift

- Starting to show a little interest in toys, will hold onto them if you put them in his hands

- Loooves his swing and the mobile on it, he calls out to the monsters on the mobile "aaaaahhhhh ooohhhh"

- Toots all morning long while he is waking up, so we sing 'Born to be Wild' to him every morning cause he's "getting his motor running..." and he laughs

- Has rolled from tummy to back a few times but not consistently. He sure tries hard though

- Finds his hands to be the most fascinating thing right now. He holds his hands in prayer a lot and is obsessed with putting them in his mouth

- Started sleeping 8-9 hours at night (I hate to even write it for fear of jinxing myself)

The week Jackson turned 6 months was a big one. We went to a Utah for Dr. appts (everything's good!), saw family and friends, took his first airplane ride to Henderson, NV to see Grammy and Grandpa, dipped his toes in the pool there for the time, and went to his first restaurant.

We couldn't be happier with how wonderfully Jackson is doing.