William,
Oh sweet babes, this has been a very eventful month for our family. The two most notable events include your baptism and daddy’s new job, which means the beginning of daycare for you and Lexi. I have been a roller coaster of emotions, but know it is a really good thing for all of us; we just need to get through the transition. Although I’ve felt like this for a while, I feel you’re officially out of newborn stage and into fun baby stage. We’ve learned each other’s rhythms, you aren’t quite as fragile as you used to be, aren’t having blowouts multiple times per day, go longer stretches without eating and the biggest is pretty good head control. You’re still a little bobble head from time to time, but it makes such a difference when I can carry you around upright opposed to cradled in my arm.
Sleep
Pre-daycare sleep was going pretty good. You would sleep anywhere from 6-9 hours at night and take 3 naps that usually lasted between 1.5 -2 hours. At night you were swaddled in the sleep sack with the Velcro flaps and naps were with the muslin blanket. You loved to try and sneak those arms out, which usually resulted in shorter naps, but when we got you really tight or had you lay on your hands you would pull some 2+ hour naps. Heaven!
Once daycare started sleep went to the wayside. There are a lot of noises, distractions and they can’t swaddle and you wake when you flinch from a noise. You went from sleeping 4-6 hours a day in naps to about an 1.5 total You’ll often fall asleep in the swing or in Mrs. Heather or Mrs. Laura’s arms and then be put into your crib only to wake up 10-20 minutes later. You are so exhausted by night, you’ve been going to bed around 8:30. Length of sleep changes every night. Some nights you’ll sleep until 1 or 2 or all the way to 6. It is really different every night. Hoping this next month brings us some more consistency!
One positive benefit of the lack of sleep you’ve been getting is you’re turning into more of a snuggler. You love to rest your head on my shoulder and just snuggle. I can’t help but kiss and squeeze you 700 times, especially because you’ve been a pretty independent sleeper for the past 4 months.
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.jsEating Nursing For the most part nursing is going really well. You very from these times but for the most part, you nurse at 6:30, 10:00, 1:30, 4:30, 8:30 and 2:00. You continue to be a mover while eating, especially those little hands. You give them all sorts of exercises, as they are moving all over the place. One of the best benefits of having you in the daycare center at my work is the ability to go down and nurse instead of pumping. Two built in excuses to give you extra snuggles and cuddles everyday and not feel like a milk machine. It is amazing. I have two times scheduled on my calendar everyday and if you’re hungry before, they’ll just send me a message to let me know you’re ready. Truly, no words to describe how wonderful that is to see you multiple times throughout the day and still be able to work. We are so blessed that this all worked out so well. //embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.js
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.jsMilestones//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.jsNear the beginning of the month (June 5th) you were baptized at the same church as Lexi and where Mommy and Daddy got married. Lots of important moments and memories for our family here. I couldn’t have asked for a better celebration. You wore a family heirloom gown that is 60 years old and were the 30th baby baptized in it! You did an excellent job during the ceremony with a minor whimper and then snoozed in my arms for the rest of the service, which was all about love. Your grandparents and great grandparents, Godparents (Uncle Joe and Aunt Teresa) and Aunt Sheila were all there to help you celebrate and then came over to our house for dinner and cake.
The other major milestone that occurred this month was the beginning of daycare. Dada took a new job opportunity and when there was an opening at the daycare at work, we jumped on it. I had lots of anxiety about this transition as I knew it was going to be challenging and from my perspectives there were so many perks to him being home. But there were also a lot of challenges for him so we thought we would give it a shot. Two weeks in and you are doing great, which I had no doubts about. Mrs. Heather and Mrs. Laura adore you and love how you are just a happy little baby and can’t get enough of your big smiles. I have to agree. Your whole face lights up when you smile and your joy radiates. Truly, the best little guy! The biggest challenge for you has been sleep. You went from two 2-hour naps a day to three 20-minute naps. You have a hard time staying asleep as you flinch and wake yourself up. Fortunately, you do a pretty good job falling asleep. You are often put down in your crib awake and you’ll play and look around for 20 minutes or so, but eventually you’ll fall asleep on your own without a whole lot of whimpers or tears. You did also catch your first cold after week one. I took you to the Dr. to make sure you didn’t have an ear infection, but you looked very healthy aside from the cold. I fully anticipate a lot of sickness this year—but trying to recognize the positives of building up your immunity now verses later. And like I mentioned above, the ability to nurse and cuddle you several times throughout the day really makes me feel like I have the best of both of the stay at home mom and the working mom roles. 
//embedr.flickr.com/assets/client-code.jsDevelopment At the beginning of the month, you started reaching for toys and would successfully grab them about half of the time. By the end of the month you can grab toys at each attempt. You love to lay on your playmat and watch your star and play with toys on your car seat bar. In line with your fine motor skills, you love to take your nuk out. As soon as it goes in your little hands are up there and ready to take it out, which of course makes you upset. Learn to keep it in bud. You enjoy standing ( of course with help) You have great head control and do a good job in the Bumbo chair, but we have a feeling, you may start to squirm out of it pretty quickly You love to play peek-a-boo and it usually results in some good belly laughs. We need to do a better job of reading more books to you, but when we do, you really seem to like it You are able to roll both ways, however, I think they have been unintentional because there are a lot of instances where you are pretty upset, but don’t roll over. We also haven’t seen you roll from back to stomach, but there have been a few times where we put you on your back and come back to find you on your stomach. 
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Notes:
- weight: 15 lbs 13.6 oz (58%)
- height: 25 1/2″ (65%)
- head circumference: 16 1/2″ (58%)
- wear size 3 diapers and 6 month clothes with some 9 month PJs
- You’re still battling some acne on each of your cheeks. Blemishes will come and go, but there never seems to be a point where there isn’t anything
- Poops about once a day
We love you William!
Love,
Mama
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Peanut Smiles 