9 month check up

We went in for Zack's 9 month check up yesterday (Which means he is really 9 1/2 months old!) and once again, I am amazed at how well he continues to do. He weighs exactly 11 pounds more than he did at his birth weight... which was 1 pound 11 ounces. So he's 12 pounds 11 ounces now! And, he is approx. 25 inches long now.
The doctor thinks he is right on track developmentally, and as of now, nothing to worry about. Yipee!
I had to record this video of Zack!! This was after he was weighed and measured and we were just waiting for the doctor to come in and meet with us. It was done on my cell phone so it's probably not the best quality, but you get the idea!

My little moment

I feel like there should be these big "life changing" things that I should be blogging about, but as I sit here, I am just so thankful for Zack and wanted to let him know!
Everyday when Jared is at work, Zack and I just hang out and play (OK, it's not always play time)!! I love being a mom. It is as hard as everyone always says it is, but also just as rewarding. I am so blessed to be able to be home with him right now!
Zack is getting so big. We go for the 9 month check up next week, so I will post his weight and length, but I can tell you that he has changed from the time he came home for the first time. The NICU nurses will all agree with me too! They saw him this week and couldn't believe how big he was!
Anyway, I just wanted my little moment...
I love you Zack!

We left the house!

On Saturday, Jared and I decided that we needed to start bringing Zack out of the house! We jumped the gun just a little, but our doctor told us we could start bringing him out gradually in April. So just a few days early...
Anyway, we went to the mall and Zack was in his stroller. He was so good!! He just looked around and loved it! I think it was a bigger deal for Jared and I... you would have laughed seeing us! We were so inexperienced with an almost 9 month old (tomorrow!).
Oh, but it felt so great and weird at the same time!! Whoosh, we did it though!

I'm onto something

OK, I have talked to a lot of people about this subject and I think I am starting to get it! This subject is getting your baby to sleep... not just through the night, but also for nap times. Over the past few days/nights I am starting to see progress!! It has only taken me almost 6 months to get here, but like I said, I think I am onto something!
Ever since Zack came home from the hospital, Jared and I have always held Zack when it's time to put him to sleep. That adds up to A LOT of hours over the past months of sitting. However, the last two days I have put Zack in his bed when it's nap time and he just turns over and falls asleep. And he doesn't even cry!
I don't want to jinx myself, but I feel wonderful! Also, I must say that I understand why I haven't been able to "let him cry it out" all of this time. It's because when he was in the hospital, I felt like I couldn't do anything when he "needed me" and now that he is home, I think I am over compensating for that! I have come to an understanding over the past few days that I am not helping him now, I am enabling him. But, things are changing!! We are going to TEACH him how to sleep (that sounds so funny!)!!
So thanks for everyone's advice... if you have more, I am always open to hear it!

Blue eyes

One question:
Where does Zack get his blue eyes??

So silly!

I told Jared Zack looked like a Cabbage Patch doll in this outfit!!

So besides Zack's blessing (you can read a little about that on our family blog!), Zack is starting to do a few new things. He has loved eating his hands for a little while, but now it's gone to a little more thumb sucking instead!! And as you can see in this picture, he stretches his hand across his face every time he does it!!

Also, we are starting to get a more normal laugh from him! We do still get the squeak sound most of the time, but it just is the sweetest sound when it's the "real" thing! And we are in the transition from newborn size clothes to size 0-3 months!! We are about half and half, but he's growing fast just out of the blue!
And then we are working on rolling over. It happens a few times a day (always from his tummy onto his back), but he's not consistently doing it yet. However, in this picture, he was in his swing and all of a sudden I look up and he was doing this. I now buckle him in every time!

I just love this baby!

Zack has been pretty busy... gaining all sorts of weight this past month. Yesterday we went in for another RSV shot and he weighed 10 pounds 6 ounces!! WOW! What a jump in weight. We are so proud of him!

Also, my favorite new thing, he is starting to laugh!! But not the way most babies do, but kind of a squeaky sound instead! The other night my sister Amanda had him "laughing" so hard (was he laughing AT her??)!! We were all laughing "with" him so hard, it just provoked him that much more!

And finally, he is doing great with his cereal everyday now. We have tried mixing it with some green beans, and he's a fan!! Next week, carrots! We'll see how that one goes...