Six Month Check-Up

Jackson had his six month check-up yesterday and he's doing great. He currently weighs 14.5 lbs (down a bit after being sick a couple of weeks ago) and he's 26 inches long. He had his last round of shots until twelve months, and Terri started him on Zantac to help his acid reflux. I'm hoping that will also help him eat his fruits better. He's mastered rice cereal (thanks to the girls at daycare doing that every day at noon with him), but I'd like him to start more seriously on fruits, too.

Developmentally, he's cooing and babbling a lot more and he's now laughing without being tickled. He often looks across the room at us and just starts giggling when he spots me or Dustin. He's doing great with tummy-time and can now hold up his head for short periods of time. He can also raise his back end up and balance on his tummy...it's totally adorable.

Activities for This Week

I'm going to start posting new activities that we are trying with Jack. I've been finding some great ideas on babycenter.com. For this week:

Ready, Steady, Go

Though your baby is probably still a few months away from sitting up or crawling, there are activities you can do now that help prepare him for those achievements down the line.

Appropriate for: 4 to 7 months
Skills developed: Motor, balance
What you'll need: No equipment necessary

Even before your baby learns to sit on his own or crawl, he'll show an interest in getting around. You can help him start to develop the skills he'll need to move with a few easy exercises. For sitting, improve his stability by propping him upright with his knees out and his heels near his bottom, so that his legs form a diamond. Expect him to tip, especially at first, but encourage his efforts to hone his balance. For crawling, place him on his tummy and press the palms of your hands against the soles of his feet. As he pushes against your hands (perhaps by accident at first), he'll move forward – more and more, as he learns the consequences of his actions. If he's already up on all fours and rocking back and forth, encourage him to crawl by holding or placing favorite objects just beyond his reach.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ups and Downs

Your baby probably won't learn to sit up for several more months, but as her back and neck grow stronger, she's ready to practice. (As you may have noticed, she's also eager to see the world from a more upright angle.)

Appropriate for: 3 to 6 months
Skills developed: Gross motor coordination
What you'll need: No equipment necessary

Lay your baby on her back, propped up slightly on a pillow. Sit facing her and grasp her hands firmly. Gently pull her to a sitting position, letting her head follow her shoulders, and enjoy her expression as she sees the world from this new angle. Gently lower her and repeat as long as she's having fun. As your baby gets used to this game, keep her sitting up a little longer and sing a chorus of "Michael Row Your Boat Ashore" or "Row, Row, Row Your Boat," alternately pulling each of her arms in a rowing motion before lowering her back onto the pillow.


Text from: babycenter.com

So true, so true!

Break my heart.

Little Man's already outgrown 2 of his newborn outfits. :(

Jackson at Home

Jackson Vaughn came home today from the hospital and a very proud Grandpa took these great pictures. :)

Jackson at the Hospital

Dustin feeding Jackson on Friday night



Me feeding him Saturday morning



Jackson in the nursery

Jackson Vaughn Warncke has arrived!

Jackson Vaughn arrived 2 weeks early on August 14th at 3:55pm. He weighed 7 lbs and was 19 inches long. He is absolutely the most beautiful creature I have ever seen in my life. He is very strong and healthy and has already stolen our hearts.

Pictures to come in the next two posts...