River is growing fast!

River turned 8 months old a couple of days ago!  Wow!  Where did the time go!  He is so much fun! 

Christmas was awesome this year!  We had 7 Christmases between mine and Nick's family.  I was able to make every one of them, which doesn't usually happen because of work.  Have I mentioned how much I love working only 30 hours a week??  I had a week off for Christmas and it was so great!  River was loved on so much everywhere we went and also very spoiled being the only baby.  He even started fake coughing to get more attention!  River loved the Christmas tree.  He didn't try to go after the tree until the very end.  Our Christmas card this year was the best yet!  Rachel took our pictures and they turned out so good.  You can see some of the pictures at the bottom of this blog.

The week before Christmas he got sick with RSV.  He was wheezing, coughing, and having difficulty breathing.  We took him to the doctor and got a nebulizer for breathing treatments and an oral steroid.  He hated the steroid and vomited a lot the first time we gave it to him.  The first time he took a full dose, Aunt Sa Sa went crazy in front of him to distract him from the awful taste.  She had rattles, toys, and was singing!  It was very funny, but he took his medicine and didn't gag!  Yay!  From them on it became easier and easier to give it to him.  It was only 6 doses, but seemed like much more.  He is feeling much better now, but is still coughing some.

He is not sleeping through the whole night, since he has been sick.  We had many nights of staying up while he was sick and taking the steroid.  Hopefully, he will start sleeping through the night again very soon!

River got so many toys and cool things.  He loves anything that lights up and makes noise.  He also loves anything he can shake that will rattle.  He received lots of books and some clothes, too.  He has really enjoyed playing with his farm from Auntie C and Uncle Bo Bo, his rocking horse from Aunt Barbara, a horse that sings Old MacDonald from MaMa and PaPa, a choo choo train from Aunt Sa Sa and Cassie, a sit-to-stand toy table from Nana and Pap, a basketball goal from Gran and Grandaddy, a singing dog from Memaw and Grangy, and much much more!! 

He still doesn't have any teeth, but he drools and chews all the time.  He also still isn't crawling, but is rolling EVERYWHERE.  He tries to get up on all fours, but doesn't go anywhere.  He sits up by himself really good.  His favorite word is still Da Da and Nick loves that!  He has starting resting his head on my shoulder before naps and at bedtime and I think that's the best thing ever!  He smiles all the time and laughs at almost everything.  He is starting to wave bye bye, but sometimes it's more of a "hello."  He loves playing peek-a-boo and sitting in the floor playing with all his toys.  He studies each one and seems to really work on his toys.  Nana and Pap said that watching him is just like watching Nick as a baby all over again becasue they act so much alike.  He has started throwing "mini fits" when you take something away from him that he isn't supposed to have (like my iPhone) and when he you lay him down for a nap and he's not ready.  He throws his feet up in the air and hits the bed as hard as he can.  :)  He loves his paci and cow blankie at nap time and bedtime.  He loves trying to get Nick's pen out of his shirt pocket and then gets upset when Nick takes the pen away.  He loves riding the bucking bull and horsie (Nick's knee) and spurs and kicks then the horsie/bull stops bucking. 

He started formula a few days ago and takes it as good as breastmilk.  I was afraid that he might not like the taste after having only breastmilk for 8 months and was hesitant because of the reflux and spitting up issues that he has had.  He is just taking one bottle of formula a day right now.  I wanted to be sure he liked and tolerated it before I started decreasing my pumping.  He hasn't breastfed in over 3 weeks, but I am still pumping.  He also isn't taking his Prevacid anymore for reflux. 

Nick and I are doing great and enjoying life with River.  Nick's busy time of year will be here in a few weeks.  I am not looking forward to him being gone so much.  I don't think I will go to the Stock Shows as much this year because of River.  River and I are planning to go to San Antonio with him, so we can visit Angie.  We will also probably go to Fort Worth for a couple of days.  After the Fort Worth Stock Show we are going to Great Wolf Lodge with my family for Dad's, Cassie's, and Nick's birthdays.  Another trip we have planned will be in April.  We are going to Fort Worth to get together with all of my friends from pharmacy school.  In May, we will be going back to Lubbock for Chelsey and Kinsey's graduation from Texas Tech.  That will be a fun weekend.

I am headed to play Bunco tonight with a group of girl friends.  Nick and River will have the night to themselves.  I'm sure they will have fun!

We will be planning River's first birthday party before long...

River's first book of prayers

River's new over night bag

River is 8 months old!

Picture on the front of our Christmas card

Mommy and River

Daddy and River

He is so cute!!

Our Christmas tree