the blackmons in chicago

Baker's 1/2 Year Photoshoot

Well, due to our vacation last week and the preparation for it the few days before, I was unable to squeeze in a photoshoot for our little monkey but don't worry - I had it on Thursday! So, I guess it's really a 6 1/2 month photoshoot but there was no way that I would miss this momentous birthday! He is a 1/2 year old...that's so crazy to me! This photoshoot turned out to be a bit different from the others. Now that Baker is sitting up pretty well and in turn has become much more alert to his surroundings, he was pretty difficult to keep still. In the past, I simply propped him up with a pillow and snapped away as my precious one smiled so big. Now, not so much. He insists on sitting up, which is totally great, but then he wants to grab and reach for everything in sight, making photo taking a bit harder to accomplish by myself. I still managed to catch some cute shots.

Baker has grown leaps and bounds in the past 6 months. A few things that have changed: He has gone through 4 size changes (NB, 0-3, 3-6, and now he wears 6-9 or even 12 months in a few things). It seems like only yesterday he was wearing those oversized onesies that swallowed him whole. Baker no longer screams when I lay him down on his tummy - instead he rolls over himself and can play forever like that, which has really helped with his sweet, slightly flat head (it's not so flat anymore *smile*). Now that he sleeps on his tummy, he doesn't get swaddled anymore, for obvious reasons. After a few naps and finding him tummy down while wrapped up tightly, we thought that was probably not a good idea anymore! He not only takes a bottle but eats fruits, veggies and meat like a champ, hence the belly. He also likes to swat at the spoon, thrusting mushy carrots all over us...ah, nothing like it! And finally, he no longer just lays down to play, but Baker is doing so well sitting up by himself and is able to explore in a whole new way. These are just a few of the things - I could list so much more.

Below is a list of our 6 favorite things that we love about Baker in honor of his 6 month birthday. Stopping at 6 was really hard because we could come up with so much more than that!

1. How he sweetly falls asleep during his last bottle before bedtime
2. His coos - They are starting to sound more like words. Just yesterday we heard him say baba dade!! We laughed because it sounded like he said baby daddy...ha!
3. His adorable laugh and toothless smile
4. How he reaches to explore new things and how active he is, rolling here there and everywhere
5. How he loves to watch Bleeker and just smiles when he sees him
6. That no matter where we travel, we can put him in any crib or pack 'n play and he'll still sleep from 8-8!
7. Did you really think that I would stop at 6? Impossible!
8. How dramatic he is - he can go from laughing to crying in an instant!
9. How he strokes our face when he drinks his bottle now
10. How he loves to play the boo! game - our version of peek-a-bo. Our list could go on!

We treasure every day with Baker and I think we were both shocked at how much love we have for him. I never thought I could love another person so much. It has been the most exhausting, sweet and beautiful journey that Brad and I could have ever asked for. We're just so grateful that God trusted us enough to have put him in our hands to care for. If only we can make Him proud of our efforts to do the best we can in raising him.

Love that face!

Eating the candle off of his fake cupcake.

Might as well have a fake one since he can't eat the real kind yet!!

It's amazing the giraffe doesn't seem so big anymore.
I love that face!
Sitting so pretty

Baker is getting so long that he pretty much reaches both ends of the changing table.
This cracks me up! It looks like he's saying "Now let me tell you something".
He cracked himself up here!
He's finally big enough to play his blocks. They used to be bigger!

Wow, he's really excited here! That is some block!

Such a ham!

In the 12 month onesie...doesn't look like we're too far away from wearing this one!
The sweetest profile...it shows how cute his little pug nose is!
It appears he's waving hello but I promise that is not the case! Just great timing!