On Monday Ashton will be 7 months old already! I keep saying I can't believe how quickly the time is going by. He is developing and doing new things in leaps and bounds, and I couldn't be more proud.
The most awesome thing, is that Ashton is sitting without support!
He also leans in to give me kisses, and gives me hugs - my heart just melts at this! He's been handing out hugs for a while now - or at least his version of a hug, but the kisses are new and he only does it with me! Last week I held my hands out for him and he tried to lift his arms up to me.
He has discovered his hands, and smacks down on absolutely everything and is shaking his toys and rattles like mad. He's also started pointing! Another thing is that he has started rolling around - so this is how he moves around (flip - my baby is moving!), and he's quite fast at doing this as well.
Ashton loves food! We started with solids in December and it has been going so well so far. The only thing we found is that he seems to hate peas, to the point that he will vomit. He still did this after we gave it to him a few times, so we are skipping the peas altogether.
Bath time is always fun, and he loves splashing with his arms and legs - some days I am drenched!
Ashton has lots of tickleish spots and laughs his head off when we tickle him. We blow raspberries in his neck, and in the fat rolls on his thighs and he goes crazy!
Today at Moms and Babes he threw a tantrum when I took a bell rattle away from him. I immediately gave it back to him, and he was instantly quiet. He held on to the thing for most of the class.
We are trying to get him to wave hello and good bye - every morning and afternoon I wave to him. He sometimes lifts his hand but the motion is not there yet - you can see he wants to try. We are also trying to practice crawling! He can lift himself up with his arms, and get his bum in the air, but not both at the same time and when you prop him up on his knees he kind of pushes his face into the carpet. Too funny for words.
What is really nice, is that he is starting to entertain himself. He can keep himself busy for a good few minutes, which is great! He's such a friendly, happy little thing - and of course I just love him to bits.
I literally haven't had a spare moment in the last few weeks but tonight I decided it's time for an update. There is so much that I want to remember, so I'll do a few posts.
Our holiday was nice, but what a change taking a baby on holiday - I think we need a holiday to recover. Ashton had the most wonderful time! Us - on the other hand, felt like a bunch of slaves, no doubt his 'entourage'.
In Oudtshoorn we experienced what felt like the worst heat wave ever - and my baby suffered from the heat. He became a little niggly as a result of the heat. We tried to keep him cool as much as possible. We spent a week in there, and a week in Cape Town, and it was one hell of a road trip! No matter how early we would leave to be on our way, after about 5 hours his little body was sore and he had had enough of his car seat - can't say I blame the little guy. We slept over in Colesberg both ways - huge relief. The trip is just too long for the little ones. It was so good spending time with my family, but in hind sight, it didn't feel like that much of a holiday. My gran just loved him, and my mom was in her element - he was the centre of attention everywhere we went, and of course he played his part all too well.
Ashton absolutely LOVED the sea! We went to Mossel Bay and to Blouberg. In Mosselbay we all got into the water but Blouberg was too cold. Seeing him experience it all for the first time was quite something.
We got to change a terrible nappy in the middle of nowhere on our way there, and on the way home we were surprised by 2 explosive nappies (the first serious ones ever) on route home from Cape Town. The one was particularly bad - it was all over his blanket and because it was so hot when we left Colesberg he was in a short romper, and wrapped in a blanket - of course it was freezing where we stopped and we were out of warm clothes thanks to the last nappy. I just took his blanket out from under him, wiped everything off on the pavement (cringe), wrapped him up in said blanket and off we went to change and wash him. I can't say that was one of my best moments, but definitely one to remember.
All in all, we were glad to be home. The drive was long, and it felt like it took forever but we finally made it home and all three of us got some much needed rest after being cramped up in the car for so many hours. Hubby got MIL to come baby sit for us for two nights so that we could rest - of course she jumped at the opportunity.
All in all, I'd do the whole road trip all over again, just to see Ashton experiencing the sea! It's true that you see things for the first time again through your child's eyes. What a blessing.
