Leander Roxas // Six Month Update

Six months?! How is that even possible!! Suddenly saying that Leander is “six months old” makes him seem so much more mature & so much less like a baby! He is absolutely the sweetest little thing though – we simply could not love him more!!

• For the first time in 6 months, I am not starting this update off by saying that Leander has moved up a clothing size! The little chunk is still wearing size 12 month clothes (and some 9 month stuff too). PHEW! Mama has been going crazy keeping this kid in clothes – maybe we’ll hang out at this spot for a while? Maybe? (probably not)
• The BIGGEST update EVER is that Leander has learned how to be a fantastic sleeper this month!! It’s a long story (that I fully intend to dive deep into), but in a nutshell: Leander was waking up every 1-2 hours every single night. Up until just 3 weeks ago, there had only been one singular night that he had slept more than 3 hours (and that was just one magical night). It was brutal and I was literally losing my mind. At the end of our ropes, Derrick & I bought a sleep training program from a sleep consultant I have been following on Instagram for ages. It was an “e-coaching” – meaning, you watched the pre-recorded “consultation”, and then followed her instructions for a 2-week period. I had so little faith that it would actually work. But, after the very first night (and the little guy really not doing so bad at all), I began to believe that it might be possible for Leander to sleep all night long (that’s 11-12 hours), in his own bed, waking only once to nurse. By “night 3” – he got it – and he has been a different baby ever since. Along with training him to sleep at night, we also got him on a nap schedule, and wow – suddenly my kid (who was waking up every 1-2 hours a night & not napping in his bed for longer than 20-30 minutes) takes these luxurious 2 hour naps & goes down to bed at 7pm. My mind has been blown.
• Building off of that – Leander has always been a “happy” baby, but suddenly, he is a happy baby! He is SO much more content now! He nurses better during the day & is just a pleasant little dude! Sleep is amazing!
• Leander might have learned the skill of rolling over last month, but he has mastered that skill this month! If you put him on the floor on his back, he will almost instantaneously flip over to his tummy. It’s so fun to watch! But it makes changing his diaper a huge challenge!! He literally thinks it’s funny!
• Speaking of him being on the floor – he has truly gotten mobile this month! Along with rolling over, he’s figured out how to use his hands to scoot himself around – he does full 360ºs now! He has also started pushing himself backward, but he’s quickly learning that that is just frustrating because that means he’s usually getting further away from his toys.
• Along with that, Leander has finally learned how to sit up by himself!! He’s been strong enough to support himself sitting up for about 2 months, but his balance has just not been there – so just last week actually, it all seemed to click in his brain & he can now sit up all by himself! No more wobbly baby!
• He has become obsessed with textures. Specifically, running his fingers over textures that make noise. It’s so much fun to watch him figuring these things out & doing them over and over again!
• Leander went swimming for the first time this month! We went to visit Nana & Papa (and celebrate cousin Alex’s first birthday) and before her party, we went swimming at the pool Nana & Papa have a membership at! Going swimming is always a highlight for Braelynn & Leander loved it too!
• We spent lots of extra time at Deep Creek Lake this month! A few extra days at the beginning of the month, and then a whole week at the end of the month! It’s fun because we’ve been there so much, that Leander definitely recognizes the house now. It’s our home-away-from-home & we’ve loved the extra time there!
• Leander got another cold this month (it seems to be a monthly occurrence so far – boo!) This version came with a nasty cough. Of course, he got sick right as we started sleep training him, but I think all the extra sleep really helped him to get over it quickly!
• We went to Round Hill Park with Auntie Ellen & Alethea this month! Leander loved seeing & watching all the farm animals (Braelynn is still talking about the crazy rooster we saw!) Now we need to go to the zoo!
• Speaking of Braelynn, her obsession with her little brother continues! But now, it’s absolutely priceless to see Leander really paying attention to & becoming obsessed with her right back! He has always watched her, and laughed at her, and loved being with her, but suddenly he seems to really know her. He looks for her now – expecting to see her. He watches her every move intently. And he is happiest when she is around. Braelynn already claims him as her best friend and it’s easy to see that the feelings are mutual. It literally fills my Mama-heart up to overflowing & makes me so happy.
• Leander’s bald spot is finally growing in! The rolling-over-onto-the-belly all the time really helps with that! His hair is so soft & fuzzy – I love sitting & rubbing his head!
• He found his toes a few weeks ago, but he has become absolutely obsessed with them this month! If he’s on his back, he’s holding his toes. He also loves to chomp on his toes (doesn’t that hurt? it sure hurts when he bites my fingers!) Along with that, he figured out how to pull his socks off this month – anything to get to those bare piggies!
• I photographed my very first wedding after having Leander just a little over a week ago! If you had asked how confident I was to leave him a month ago, I would have said, “I’m scared for Derrick’s sanity.” But after going thru the sleep training process & getting the little dude on a good solid schedule, suddenly we were overwhelmed with confidence that it was going to be okay! We had a “trial run” a week before the wedding when I had a family photoshoot that ran straight thru bedtime – and Derrick did amazing. He did the bedtime routine, gave Leander a bottle, and put him to bed – all by himself & 100% without me. I came home to both kiddos sleeping! It was amazing. So, after that, I knew that me leaving all day for a wedding was not going to be a problem at all & that is exactly correct! Leander took several bottles from Derrick, took a good afternoon nap, and then went down to bed like a CHAMP. It was amazing on so many levels: I was able to be fully present at the wedding & not worry about my little guy (and let’s be honest: Derrick) back home, Leander was able to spend some quality time with his Daddy, and Derrick came out the other end a more confident parent!

Here are his Six Month photos! It blows my mind to look back & see how much he’s grown & changed – One Month photos & Two Month photos & Three Month photos & Four Month photos & Five Month photos. Time can slow down anytime now!

SO, I’m buzzing along, taking photos, when I realized that my little man must be filling his diaper. No big deal – I keep snapping away. A few moments later, he burps & spits up just a tiny bit, so I jump up to grab a paper towel. On my way back over to wipe his mouth, I realized that we had a bit of an “explosion” on our hands – OOPS! Sorry Grandma!

I typically am not a “naked baby” fan, but after 20 minutes of cleaning this guy (and the floor) up, he just asked for it!

Alright! Back to your regularly scheduled adorable photos!
Auntie Ruby makes everything so much better.

Annddd – cue dramatics – we’re done!

If you’d like to follow along with what our little guy is up to on a more weekly basis – I’m taking weekly photos of him (just like I did with Braelynn) too! I post those updates every Monday on my personal Facebook page, as well as my Instagram account!