Loving this

I am loving this age. I've been saying that since Riley was about 4 months old. And everytime I say it, I mean it even more. A few weeks ago I was talking to a woman in her 50s with grown kids. I was telling her, of course, how much I love the age Riley's at and how he's always doing something new and fun. I loved her response...she said that she's always felt that way with her kids, every age and stage they've gone through has been something new and each age she thinks, "oh wow, THIS is the best". She said that even now that they're all grown up she is loving it and thinking that having grown kids is the best now! I think that's a good thing to think about when you're going through the "oh, he's not a newborn anymore" "he's not a baby anymore" "he's growing up too fast!" etc. to remember that no matter what age they are, there are still so many fun and wonderful things to it. I think that just watching your kid grow up and become their own person is amazing.

So what fun things is Riley up to nowadays....well he's moving! No crawling or anything yet, but he can scoot himself all around. I'll put him down on a blanket and go in the other room for a minute, I come back and he's facing a completely different direction or he's off of the blanket entirely...and I'm not sure how he got there! :) He's rolling over a lot more, and I think it won't be long until he starts rolling to get places as he's discovered he can roll multiple times in a row and he constantly wants to roll on to his side when I'm changing him or getting him dressed. He's also started rolling over in his crib, which I thought would be a good thing because he'd roll onto his belly and maybe sleep better. But in fact, I think he rolls onto his belly accidentally when he's trying to get onto his side. He's always fallen asleep better if he can get up on his side (though I can never get him to stay on his side if I put him that way), well now he ends up on his belly and boy oh boy does that make him mad! Which I find odd, since he loves being on his belly normally. Oh and something that melts my heart daily, he smiles at me when I pick him up from the sitter! I love it!! He smiles at me when I drop him off too. Ok, really he just smiles at me and at his daddy pretty much anytime he sees us :) And he has started reaching for us too, and when I pick him up, he puts his arms around my neck like he's hugging me...its wonderful-he's still such a cuddlebug. He wants to eat ANYTHING he can get his hands on including my hair, my shirt, his feet, the tv remote, magazines, yeah anything. His toes are still the best thing going in his mind and they are in his mouth as much as possible. He's fascinated with the dog and the cats...will just stare at them no matter what they're doing. He's getting really good at sitting up and can stay up on his own for longer all the time.

Solids are going great now! Still doesn't open his mouth that much for them, but sucks them off the spoon faster and will occasionally open for it. Likes bananas, cereal and loves acorn squash. Can take or leave sweet potatoes. Not a fan of green beans though (and I can't blame him, ick!) I got him some pears at the farmers market this weekend, so that's up next! I'm making most of his food and its so easy! And cheap!

We got his 6 month pictures taken a couple of weeks ago. Kelly's cousin-in-law recently started her own photography business and did them for us. She does an amazing job, I'm so happy with the way they turned out! Here's a link to just a few of the photos. This isn't anywhere near all of them...she took over 200!!! These are just some of my favorites :) Now the tough decisions...which ones to print?!