Lincoln's Blog: 8 Months Already?

Lincoln is getting SO big now. He's just amazing. I took a picture with his little frog rattle to compare to his one week photo on the side bar. Check it out.

Here's little about Lincoln at 8 months old.

This morning Lincoln weighed 15 lbs 8 oz at the pediatrician (synagis shot visit). This past week, Lincoln has worn a few 9 month size shirts but is still usually in 6 month clothes. We are also on our last box of size 2 diapers and Linc will be in 3s soon!

After recovering from his mild cold, I was able to wean Lincon's Os a little! Wha-HOO! He is at 0.7LPM now and I plan to get him down to 0.6 by his next clinic appointment in Feb. Linc has been doing well despite having increased wheezing lately. Lincoln is almost off of his sildenafil. I am weaning the dose slowly and he should be completely off within a week or so!

Lincoln's feedings have been up and down this past month. After I posted about how great he was taking solids, he decided that he didn't want any (around the time of his cold) and he would cry as soon as he was in his highchair. He's back to taking a little, some days, and I try to just keep it really fun by singing songs and making faces and letting Lincoln play in the food. Mealtime is very messy sometimes!

Linc has had almost all the fruits and veggies and I'm be adding some meats and dairy in the next week or so. I'm still adding olive oil to his solids for some extra calories and Linc doesn't seem to notice. Lincoln has also started to enjoy snacks of fresh fruit in his mesh feeder! And he's finally tolerating the Bumbo seat!

Lincoln is enjoying more of his Christmas toys including Cookie Monster, his blow-up rattle and has started to enjoy his sea turtle that plays Mozart. Lincoln has also started to shake toys and tries to bang things together. Lincoln is very interested in shadows, sunlight and socked-feet (puppet-like items.) He also responds to his name now, when he wants to pay attention!

Oh, my! What big cheeks! Love it!

Lincoln is loving his exersaucer! He is still happiest when standing and the exersaucer puts him in the perfect position! There is one toy on it that sings a song that, for some reason, makes Lincoln cry immediately with big tears, so we just keep that one turned off. He has great fun with all the other toys. Lincoln is so much improved with his sensory issues, but he still has some weird things like that that are unexplained.

Physically, Lincoln is not that far behind. Actually he isn't really behind at all for gross motor skills! He is doing even better with sitting independently and doesn't need to prop himself at all. He has also begun to turn to the side for toys while sitting. He has rolled over completely a few more times on his own, but still isn't rolling down the hallway, which I'm kind of thankful for since he would be one big yo-yo with his oxygen line. (Which is what happens with his exersaucer by the way!)

Linc's teething seems to have slowed down. He is still drooling like crazy and chewing on everything but he is not waking at night in pain anymore. He has not gotten any more teeth since last month, but the two he has on bottom are fully in now. He still likes to babble and have small conversations but hasn't had any real words yet. He has started to mouth words when you talk to him, like he is trying to mimic your mouth movement, but he makes no noise. It's the funniest thing!

Look at those Chompers!

Chewing...

and chewing

This month, Lincoln has actually slept through the night twice! (Not consecutive nights.) Man, it was sooooo nice be able to stay in bed for more that 3 or 4 hours! (Even though I still woke through both nights out of habit!) This is not the norm, by any means. Lincoln usually still wakes about 4 times a night, with one feeding. I have been working with Lincoln this week on self soothing, now that he is able to keep his oxygen saturation above 90 while crying. (Which is so wonderful!) I've seen an improvement already. One good note about sleep is that he doesn't seem very dependent on his binky and he doesn't suck his thumb anymore either, so those are two habits we may be able to avoid!

As far as temperament goes... dare I say it...? I believe Linc's colic, or fussiness, or whatever you want to call it, has come to an END! After 8 months of endless crying, Lincoln is generally happy and cries for a reason now (hungry, sleepy, change position/room). Most babies have 3 month colic, and if not, then 6 month colic. Well, I guess Lincoln had 8 month colic. I have to say that his happy demeanor might only apply to situations where he is at home with Mom. Linc is showing a little stranger/separation anxiety and he can be very different when being watched by someone else. Regardless, it's still nice to say that it's over! And hopefully I have not just jinxed us!

He still has the glazed "Lincoln look." And, of course, drool.