Cha-cha-cha-CHANGES!

Little man turned 5 months old on August 25 and my how his (and our) world has changed since then! 

Let's start with August 26 when Clay got his first two teeth!  He's been a drool monster for the past few months but by mid-August he was drooling so much that he developed a "teething rash" (basically he drooled a ton, it chapped his sweet cheeks which made his cheeks super red for a few days).  We really knew something was up about 4 days before the teeth came through; he had a crying jag that was just heart breaking (and out of character for him).  We were able to use orajel to soothe him and thought that would get everything under control.  However, there was one day that the orajel just didn't cut it.  I was about 15 minutes into a big meeting at work when I got a call on my cell from daycare.  They didn't leave a message so I figured I could wait it out and call them when the meeting was over.  As soon as the meeting was over, I high-tailed it back to my desk and got the message that they needed me to come give him tylenol.  Fortunately, daycare is on site at Penneys so I power walked to our basement and then did a full out sprint from one side of the building to the other in platform heels (pretty impressive considering it's probably the length equivalent of several city blocks and it's set up like a maze).  I was able to give Clay his tylenol and cuddles and the very next day those pesky (yet wildly useful) two bottom front teeth came in!

Then only about a week later, Clay had his first last day of school - why???? Because I resigned to stay at home with him!!!  WOO-HOO!  That's right, Friday, September 3 was my last day at Penneys (sad because I left some great people and a terrific company) but awesome because I get to stay at home with my favorite first born!  When I went back to work, I just missed that little guy so much.  Jim was wonderfully supportive and told me that if I wanted to stay at home we'd be able to make it work because it was right for our family.  I am so grateful to have a husband who thinks that being a stay at home mom (SAHM) is not only an important decision but a valid one if it's right for one's family.  I am also thankful that Clay's first school experience was so good - he had wonderful teachers and we'll miss them.

Then to get to more changes/milestones, look no further than the very next day.  Our little family of three packed up and headed to Lubbock for the long weekend.  It was a great weekend with the family and it was so much fun to see Clay's cousins (Joseph and Lauren) play with him.  I am so proud of sweet babies that my SIL and BIL and have raised; they were so sweet with Clay and loved entertaining him; Joseph made Clay smile and laugh while Lauren kept holding baby Clay-ee's (Lauren's pronunciation) hand and "read" him countless stories. Okay, so back to firsts - Clay got to swim for the first time.  He was such a champ - we weren't sure what he'd think of the pool but he was totally cool with being in the water; he LOVED it when cousin Joseph would surprise him by jumping out of the water.



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Checking out the pool!

 

Swimming with Daddy and cousin Joseph.  Cousin Joseph is so funny!

Immediately following the big swim came Clay's first taste of rice cereal.  Clay's pediatrician told us we could start as soon as Clay was 5 months old but told me to just wait until I was staying home.  His explanation was that feeding him wasn't going to be the fun that I had envisioned; rather, Clay would just spit it out and act like I was doing something awful to him.  Well, our doctor's been great so far but boy was he wrong about Clay's reaction (but from what I've heard, that is a pretty spot on description as to how most babies react to their first encounter with food).  Clay did a remarkable job of putting away all of the cereal I had prepared. 

He loved his first cereal!

The very next day was a very special day in the lives of this Red Raider family.  Clay went to Tech for the first time and got his picture taken with Daddy and Poppa at the seal.  Later that day we went back up to Tech for Clay's first Tech game!  Clad in his dapper Texas Tech onesie, then strapped into the baby bjorn (attached to Daddy), plus one tech cap, and a matching red bib we entered Jones Stadium; it was the first Game with Coach Tuberville and it was the first game in Jones Stadium since the renovations were completed.  We stuck around for pre-game and then went "home".  Clay even saw his first Tech touchdown via TV!

With Daddy, before the game.  Clay's motto?  Guns up, Pants off! (I'll explain to him that's only appropriate while he's small enough to wear onesies)

Clay was such a good sport at the game; it was soooo hot!  As soon as we got back to the car, he got naked and then wanted a bottle.

We may have only made it through pre-game but we still watched the game at home.  Clay even saw a touchdown!  Here he is watching some crazy tech fans celebrate one of those touchdowns!

The next week was our first week at home together - it was great!  Lots of time together, a day-long play date with girlfriend Claire Romness (both the Morgan family and the Romness family are a little concerned with how enamoured these two were with each other: lots of hand holding, reaching for each other, and even checking out each other's rumps!).  I had to have a conversation with Clay that this was one of the ONLY times that it was okay to have a sleepover with a girl in his room!  Whew!


Play date with Claire - these little love birds are holding hands!



Also, at 24 weeks old our world once again changed!  Clay became mobile!  No, he's not crawling but Clay apparently likes the old adage that a rolling stone gathers no moss!  After several weeks of rolling from his back to his tummy (only rolling to the left), he can now roll to the right and roll from his tummy to his back. 

We also got to celebrate Daddy's birthday last Friday as well!  Lots of fun!



At 5 1/2 months old we also started "sleep training".  I'd been rocking/nursing Clay to sleep but we hit a snag a few weeks back where the sweet sleeping baby in my arms would immediately ratchet his eyes open the second he was put into his crib.  We started the "Ferber Method" of sleep training.  You put the baby down and let the baby cry for 5 minutes, go in after 5 minutes, console them, then leave the room.  If they cry again, you let them go for 10 minutes, then go in and check on them.  If they cry again, you let them go for 15 minutes and so on.  It sounds harsh but it's important for Clay to learn to self-soothe.  Especially since around 6 months, babies (supposedly) learn how to manipulate with their cries.  It's been sad - Jim and I set a timer and have to talk each other down from bursting through Clay's door at the first peep but it seems to be working.  Yesterday he cried for the first 3 minutes of nap but then put himself to sleep!



Before little man becomes 6 months old, we'll have a few more firsts:  first plane flight, first family vacation, first time (for all of us) to Connecticut, and Jim's first time to NYC (Clay went with me before we even KNEW that I was pregnant!).  I'll post about that when we come home from that trip.