6 Month Portraits

Peter and I spent the first part of Saturday morning at Portrait Innovations, a WONDERFUL photography studio in Austin. They did a fantastic job taking his picture. They took around 50 pictures, but I managed to narrow it down to 8 poses. These are the poses that we have prints of...

And these are a few cute ones, but we didn't get prints of them.

Step 3

Feed baby!

6 Months Ago Today...

6 months ago today, our sweet baby boy was born. Everyone told me that time would fly - they were not kidding!!! It's hard to believe that Peter has already been with us for 6 months. He has grown so much. He smiles all the time, he reaches up for me to pick him up, he loves playing with toys, he puts EVERYTHING in his mouth, and he is sitting up on his own.

Peter goes to the doctor on Monday with Daddy, so we'll have updated height and weight then. Until then, enjoy some pictures of our very photogenic child. He tried to eat the camera today, so it was a crazy photo session...

Step 2

Purchase rice cereal.

Step 1

Place baby in highchair.

Peter's First Easter

He is not here, but He has risen!

Luke 24:6

It was wonderful to be in church on Sunday. It was wonderful to sing songs about Jesus Christ -He is ALIVE today! It was wonderful to spend time worshipping with other believers. It was wonderful to celebrate Christ's resurrection from the dead - something that had to happen so that you and I can live with Him in eternity. I have missed being in church as it's been difficult to make it on a regular basis since having Peter. Although it was a rough morning for many of the babies in the nursery, Peter did great! He hung out on the floor playing and babbling away.

Ok, so I bought him this really cute Easter outfit a couple of weeks ago at a consignment sale. A dear friend and I have discovered that consignment sales are the way to go. We get great deals on clothes, toys, and other stuff, and we have a GREAT time shopping together. :) The outfit I found was only $5, so I wasn't too unhappy when the weather didn't cooperate for Peter to wear it last Sunday. Instead, he wore an outfit my Aunt Mary gave him for Christmas. We'll save the other outfit for a warmer Sunday . . .

Splish Splash - I Was Takin' a Bath

Bath time has just gotten TONS more fun. After Peter's last bath, there wasn't a dry spot on the kitchen table or floor near his bathtub. He just enjoys splashing way too much. Today I moved his little bathtub into the big bathtub. He had a GREAT time this morning splashing water everywhere. Yes, everything still got wet - the tub, the toilet, me . . . But, that's ok - we were in a bathroom! I let him splash around a while before bathing him, and he really enjoyed being able to play. Now it's time to get bath toys.

Before getting in the bathtub, Peter discovered that there is another little boy living in our house that looks exactly like him! He spent several minutes sitting (yes, sitting up ALONE!) on the bathroom counter getting to know the other little boy that lives with us.

Although he's seen him before, this is the first time that he's interacted with him. He even tried to touch him. It was so cute. :)

A Very Satisfied Customer

Nursing these days has turned into a contact sport. I spend 10-30 minutes getting kicked, pinched, hit, touched, and scratched while Peter enjoys a meal. I have learned that if I give him my thumb to hold, that usually keeps his hand occupied. It's the feet that are still in constant motion. However, even through all of that, the cutest thing he has started doing is at the end. After he's full, he has started licking and smacking is lips. It's like he's saying, "Thanks Mom - that was good!"
When I started breastfeeding, my goal was to continue for the first year. As of next week, we're halfway there! I'm very excited that it has worked out so well. Peter turns 6 months old next Friday, so we'll be ready to start solids. What an adventure that will be! Pictures will be posted, so be looking for them. :)

The Best Spring Break EVER!

I have had some pretty fabulous Spring Breaks, but this one beats them all. After being back at work for 2 months, I got to spend a whole week enjoying my little boy. We had a great time visiting family and just hanging out together. Here are some pictures from the past week...

Peter giving Aunt Amy a little practice - Baby Beeler is due in 2 weeks!!

Peter cried and cried the last time Jared tried to hold him. Aunt Mary "backed" Peter in this time, though, so he wouldn't know who was holding him. :)

This is Melanie, Jared's fiancee. We are SO EXCITED that she is joining our family!

Peter and Grandma hanging out on the couch. Grandma is coming on Sunday to stay with Peter for a few days while I go to work. We are very excited about her visit!

We visited Grandpa at work before going home to Austin.

My sweet, sleepy boy...

Splish splash, I was taking a bath...

Look Mom - I can sit up!

Uh, never mind! :)

Hanging with cousins (Holly and Victoria) and Great-Grandpa Beeler

And now introducing our newest talent.......

Sitting in a highchair!!! Peter is sitting in a "floppy seat" in a highchair at Cafe Java. He is getting so big!

Now I start counting the days until summer vacation... :)

Be Thankful . . .

. . .for the life that God has given you. Be thankful for your family and for your health. Be thankful for your children. Praise God every day for every blessing he has given you.

Daylight savings frustrates me. It used to be no big deal. I just set my clock to a different time and went on with life. Then I had a baby. Babies don't know how to read clocks. Peter has no idea what time it is, but his biological clock is saying, "Wait, it's too early to go to bed!" He is used to going to bed at 8pm. Ever since we had to set the clocks forward last weekend, he won't go to sleep until 9pm. I have been a bit frustrated that I can't get him to bed early enough so that I still have some time before I go to bed.

Then I read about Tricia and baby Gwyneth. Tricia has cystic fibrosis and is waiting for a double-lung transplant. Gwyneth was born at 24 weeks and is living in the NICU until she's strong enough to go home. Nate, Tricia's husband, spends almost all of his time at the hospital in his wife's room or holding baby Gwyneth.

My baby may not want to go to bed when I want him to, but at least he's at home with me. I can hold him whenever I want to. I remember Peter all hooked up to monitors in the NICU - It's not something I want to experience again. However, he was out in 2 days. Gwyneth will likely be there another couple of months.

I have added a link to Nate's blog about Tricia and Gwyneth. Please add them to your prayer list! I stumbled across this blog completely by accident, but it has brought me such encouragement as I read about a family who has many reasons to complain about life. However, instead of complaining, they continue to praise God for all that he is doing and thank him for all of their blessings.

Check it out...
http://cfhusband.blogspot.com/

A New Talent

Well, if you count peeing on the wall a talent, Peter has two new talents. :) We usually don't have a problem with diaper changes, but the past few days have been rough. Saturday he just got the changing table wet. His aim was so good today that he got the whole wall wet. I will just have to increase my speed of removing the old diaper and putting on the new one...

His new talent is sucking on his toes!!! After the peeing fiasco on Saturday evening, I was wiping off the changing table and putting a new cover on the changing pad. I put Peter on the bed while I was doing that, and here's what I turned around to after getting things cleaned up.

He was sucking on his toes with all his might - I wish I had gotten it on video. I hope they were clean!!!