Time is RACING BY!

So its been awhile. Zayne is SEVEN MONTHS OLD. Wow. The child is CRAWLING and he is PULLING UP. I wasn't quite ready for all this so soon. Alana was a very lazy little baby. She wasn't BEHIND but she sure did take her sweet time on getting to new milestones. Zayne is rushing things in my opinion. I miss my sweet newborn baby! Things are very bittersweet this time around. Milestones are always bittersweet for mommas because you're happy they are learning new things but unhappy they are growing up. This time is different. Zayne is more than likely (seriously) our last child so all these new things are also the 'last times' for me. It's hard to swallow that. So here are a few new things and last times I want to remember:

He is crawling EVERYWHERE. Pour thing follows me around all the time and by the time he gets to me I'm going somewhere else. Sometimes I wonder what he's thinking.

He is drooling on EVERYTHING. I feel NO teeth which is fine by me and my...well his food supply :)

He is still nursing and I have no plans of stopping anytime soon. I plan to let him self wiene...as long as he's done NO LATER THAN 2 lol. Ideally I'd like to be done by 18 months and I hope he feels the same.

A few days before he turned 7 months he started pulling up on a few things. It wasn't alot but I would walk into a room and find him standing up holding onto something. Now it is a daily thing when I walk in his room and find him standing at the rail of his crib and when I put him down he finds something to pull up on most of the time.

He smiles and laughs ALL THE TIME. This child is ALWAYS happy...unless he's hungry.

He likes people. I don't leave him often. Really the only place he stays without me is the nursery at church which is normally at least twice week and we have ZERO problems. No matter who is in there they tell me he was so sweet and they had no issues.

He likes food but I don't push it. He eats solids once a day and isn't a fan of store bought baby food AT ALL. He is a messy eater and still kind of pushes food out of his mouth...not sure whats up with that but he'll it get down soon I'm sure.

He is in 6-9 clothing and can wear some 12 month stuff depending on what it is.

He enjoys being outside...the change of scenery is much welcome I'm sure.

He is sleeping pretty good. Some nights are better than others but for the most part he gets up twice a night. He takes a 2-3 hour nap around noon and then cat naps during the afternoon and evening. He goes to bed around 9 and sleeps till about 7...normally getting up to eat around 12 and 4.

He is a CHAMPION SPLASHER. Seriously. You need to be wearing a towel around you when you give him a bath or else your clothes will be soaked through and through.

Alana and Jordan fight over him sometimes. They both really like playing with him and Alana doesn't understand why she can't pick him and carry him around like her brother does. Zayne LOVES watching them play. I really enjoy seeing the bonds that being made.

He has the BEST laugh and he gets this little smirky kind of laugh right after he eats. It just cracks me up.

Man I love this kid. I love all of my children. The love of a mother is just unimaginable unless you are one. I'm going to miss all of this but I sooo look forward to things to come.

Hurting.

Tonight I hurt. I am in pain...a pain you would not believe...unless you are a mother. BUT the pain I feel is absolutely NOTHING compared to what some mothers feel tonight, what they've felt, what more will feel, and what I can only BEG to NEVER EVER EVER fully understand. There is a sweet child by the name of Anna who just a mere 5 days ago was a normal 10 year old. 4 days ago she was put on a vent...tonight she is on a ECMO machine fighting for her life. 5 days ago she was diagnosed with a rare cancer. I can not fathom the pain this family is going through. I do not know them personally but Anna attends school where my son does. I had such a heavy heart since learning about all this. I always knew this stuff went on. I've always cried while watching the marathons on TV or listening to them on the radio. For some reason this has REALLY opened my eyes. I've done more reading of other children and other mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters and whole families who have had to say goodbye to their young children. Do I understand it? No. A HUGE RESOUNDING NO. Do I have faith that God has a plan? Yes. Does it still hurt? OH YEAH. I have hugged and kissed and said I love you to my children more in the last week than I usually do in an entire month. Every time they pass by me or look at me I am taking the opportunity to show them my love for them. I have prayed for them and prayed over them and touched them and watch them sleep. I am absolutely broken for these families. Broken to the point where all I can do is cry and pray. This has made me a better mother. I WILL be a better mother to my children. I'm not a bad mom to begin with but I have SOOO much room for improvement. My kids deserve better so thats what I will give them. I NEVER want to say I wish we had done this or I WISH I would have been able to do that. No more putting things off because I don't want to do it right then. Seriously?!?! How many mothers only WISH they could be 'bothered' by their child. My eyes have certainly been opened ALOT wider in the past week. I take so much for granted. No more. Go hug your kids, think about the mommas who can't, pray for them, and then make the promise to your kids that you won't take them for granted anymore...even if you think you don't.

The BELLY LAUGH!

Are you feeling depressed? Feeling a little down? Need a 'pick me up'? Take a look at this. You won't be sorry. If you don't crack a smile while watching this then you need professional help! ALL of my children have had laughed like crazy when you tickle their thighs....and at 6 and half months Zayne is no exception. Scroll down...pause the music...scroll back up and click play...ENJOY!!!!!
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