The Facey Book

I was going to write this post when he was 6 months old...so much for that, right? Once again, sorry for the novel, but it's my way of journaling :) Or you can skip all of my rambling and go right to the pictures at the end.

I cannot believe Ben is 8 months old already! When he was born and up until 6 months, I never pictured him being older than 6 months. I never read about what his developments should be past 6 months or even thought about it because I literally couldn't picture him being that old. Now another month passes every time I blink! I know everyone says it goes by too quickly and they grow up too fast...turns out they're not lying.

Mr. Benny boy has turned our world upside down in the best way. He definitely came out with a mind of his own (my child?) and wanted things a particular way. He loved to be held and bounced (ohhh, the bouncing! My arms thank you, Ben...the only part of me with some muscle) and loved to spit up on everyone and everything. Once we got him on a good reflux medicine, he was a different baby. He was eating every 3 hours day and night and sleeping pretty good stretches, maybe 7 hours at the most. Then I went back to work and everything fell apart. I spent a good 2-3 weeks before I went back trying to get him to take a bottle, which he hated. Finally after a couple weeks of me being back to work, he took it just fine, but started struggling with breastfeeding. We tried and tried for weeks to do both, but it just wasn't working. So when he was around 4 months old, I started exclusively pumping and that's what we've been doing for the past 4 months. I've tried a couple times to nurse him since then and it confuses him like nobody's business, haha. Also at 4 months old, he started waking up at least every 2 hours, then got to be every 45 mins. We were both exhausted and falling asleep at work, so at 6 months we did "sleep training" which was the best and hardest thing ever. He was sleeping (swaddled) in a rock n sleep next to our bed up until then, and within a week(ish) he was sleeping in his crib, no blanket or swaddle, from 9pm-6am. Crazy! Amazing! Best thing ever! He's been pretty good since then unless he's sick. Since he's been sleeping through the night, this whole motherhood thing has gotten a lot easier with a few more hours of sleep. He's changing so fast and it's so fun to see him learn new things. He's an early riser but always greets me with the biggest smile every morning.

Going back to work was legitimately the hardest thing I've ever done. My poor co-workers were probably terrified to talk to me because I would start crying multiple times a day the first week, especially the first day. It's still really hard but nothing compared to the first couple months. We were very lucky and had amazing friends and family watch him for the first few months of being back. Knowing he was in good hands made it a lot easier. He now has some amazing babysitters who make it easier as well. I was so scared he wouldn't know me with how much I'd be away from him. Luckily he remembers me and is now to the stage of being scared of people he doesn't know. Can't say I don't enjoy it a little bit... :)

A few funny things about Benny right now...
-He LOVES the carseat and snooze cruises. When he won't nap, we just put him in his "napping pod" and go on a drive. He'll be out in 5 mins or less. My mom did that with me as a baby, so I guess it's payback?
-He babbles all the time...his first word was "dada" and he says that when he's happy. The only time he says "mama" is when he's crying.
-He is always giving us huge slobbery kisses, and then chews on our face for a few seconds after.
-He just started scooting like a gorilla and gets around super fast! Sometimes while he's crawling around, he also breathes super heavy like he's winded...it's so cute.
-He LOVES his elephant stuffed animal and can't go to sleep without it. He also loves his back to be scratched.
-He's the most ticklish baby ever, even his hands are ticklish.
-He pulls himself up to everything but can't stand up on his own. He'll pull himself up, find something to grab and then forget to hold on so he'll fall down.
-He loves the bath and has since he was born. It's super rare for him to cry in the bath and it's the final step if nothing else will make him happy.
-He's still not super interested in baby food...the only things he's really loved are green beans and the pear pineapple combo. Funny boy.
-He has always made a pouty lip when he's super sad or scared...it's the cutest.
-We rarely call him Ben...it's usually Benny with an occasional Monkey Man or Benasaur. (Ya know, like a dinosaur)

We are pretty obsessed with this cutie. He's super lucky to have lots of aunts, uncles and cousins who are too. He's getting too big too fast...slow down, time! Here's some of my favorite pictures of his first 8 months :)