7 months old and growing!

Austin is now 7 months old and as I look back at pictures of the day he was born I cannot believe it is the same child and that it only has been 7 months. Its amazing how a child can change that much in such a small amount of time. Each new stage Austin encounters, I find new adventures and new challenges being a parent. Right now Austin is VERY VERY active. He wants to crawl so badly and gets very frustrated that he cannot get where he wants to go. He can get himself around and can go backwards very well but that does not make him happy. We suspect that it will be any day now that he figures out how to get going. That will be our biggest challenge because Austin is the kid that wants to get into everything and although he knows the word "no" very well, most of the time he choses to ignore it. All I can think about is the long nights of having to make sure every little thing is off the floor and put away. Austin also has gotten his bottom 2 teeth and I think that more are on the way. It is very sweet to see his big smile with his two little teeth sticking up. On the downside, he bites and the other night he was on the floor and bit my toe. He doesn't really know that those little teeth are sharp as knives! Austin has also started eating "real" food. For a child that can not crawl, if you have anything that even looks like food, he can make it across the room in a heartbeat. We call him our little birdy because he sits there with his little mouth open waiting for something to be put in it. I have noticed, with me at least, he is not picky at all. He will eat anything that I have. I even gave him some of my broccoli last night and he kept wanting more. I am glad that he is not picky and I have really tried hard to expose him to many foods so he won't be a picky eater. The food issue is a problem though when we are eating something he can not have. Again, he knows the word "no" but wants nothing to do with it. He will scream and whine until you put the food away. Also eating out now is hard because he is not big into sharing and does not feel that you should get any of the food. I do have fun letting him try new foods, last night he got to taste a slurpee, which he did not like because it was cold but that did not stop him from coming back for more and more.

Austin has had a terrible cold ever since we came home from Frankenmuth. He has been very stuffy and has a runny nose and an awful cough. The nose seems to have dried up a little bit but the cough is still there and sounds very painful. He has an appointment next week for his flu shot so we will have the doctor take a look at him then. During this cold he has been so stuffy that he has been waking up screaming and hard to console, so he had to sleep with me a few nights. Although I love cuddling with Austin, sharing a bed with him is another thing. When Austin sleeps with me he has to have his face right in mine and has to be as close to me as possible. He likes to put his little arm around me and rub my arm to make sure I don't go anywhere. Yes it is very sweet but add a little baby snoring, breathing, and coughing in your face all night, and it equals a long night with little sleep for me.

John's student teaching is about 1/2 way done. I am so excited. John has to leave so early in the morning that he usually sees Austin for a few minutes, and that leaves me to getting him and myself ready and out the door by 7am so we can get him to the babysitter's or school and me to work on time. Between my stuff for work and Austin's stuff for the day, it looks like we are going on a week-long vacation every morning when we come out of the house. I can't wait until John can take over with taking him in the morning. In the evening, it is the same thing because John has to work late so I have to pick him up. Our favorite time of the day is when John gets home and I can hand over Austin and take a deep breath. Graduation day for John can not come soon enough!

As for me, work has been very trying lately and I often question why I am even there. If John was not student teaching, I most likely would have walked out by now. I have been praying a lot because I love what I do but the business itself has become unbearable to work for. The administration is selfish and unsupportive of their staff. Each day I push through and remind myself it's a job and I should be thankful because so many people are without. It's just hard because it is so draining that I feel it takes away from Austin. Hopefully next year we might be in the position for me to stay home or work will get better.