Dear Lord...

Please keep Ethan safe. Please watch over him every second of the day. Please make sure he is healthy and breathing. Please let him continue to grow, laugh, learn, and make new discoveries. Please help me get through my "overly precautions" mom stage. Please help the parents who lose their babies to SIDS get through the difficult times. Please give them strength. Please watch over them and keep your new angles, their babies, close by. And PLEASE lord, don't take my son away from his mommy and daddy. I believe in you and believe my prayers will be answered.

I've read recently on many blogs on how many mom's and dad's have lost their babies to SIDS in the last few months. It really scares me cause there isn't anything I can do about it. I just wish it didn't have to happen to anybody. It's just not fair! My heart hurts for those families. I pray Ethan stays healthy, living and well and I also pray for the families who have lost their babies too young, especially at 4 or 7 months. No parent should have to go through that.

Ethan just keeps growing and growing...

I can't believe how fast time is flying by! Ethan had his 6 month well baby check up on Thursday, March 17th, 2011. He weighs 17 1/2 lbs and is 27 1/2 inches long. He is 80% percentile for his length. He is a long baby. He is wearing size 3 diapers and only drinks 4-5 ounces of formula every 3 hours, maybe 6 ounces on a good day. He doesn't seem to like the formula much. He rather eat solids, but the Dr said it's okay he doesn't drink much formula as long as he is eating solids.
These last few days have been such an eye sight and fun days watching Ethan grow and develop. He has been "talking" more and now is starting to blow "raspberries" from his mouth. It's the cutest thing EVER! His eye hand coordination is great! He is doing an amazing job grabbing and following everything around him! He is doing better with his sippy cup and brings it up towards his mouth and puts the cup up. He just needs to tilt his head back. He can drink it all on his own while he's in his bouncer cause it's easy for him to tilt his head back with lots of support. He is just so smart! I'm trying to help him sit up on his own and he's doing great! He still slops over and doesn't pull himself up to sit on his own, but he should get it soon. I just love him so much! I can't wait to see him crawl :)

Here is a picture of Ethan at his 6 month well baby check up drinking from his sippy cup on his own!

Here is Ethan blowing  "raspberries"

My baby boy is growing up

Ethan turned 6 months on Saturday, March 12, 2010. I just can't believe how fast he is growing up. He is so talkative now and talks all the time. He also laughs so much! I love every little sound that comes from his little mouth.

We gave him his first tasting of Apple juice on Sunday, March 13th from a sippy cup. He LOVED the juice, but was getting frustrated when he couldn't get it on his own. Daddy helped him lift of the cup to his mouth so he can drink, then let it go to teach him to do it on his own. He didn't quite succeed, but he was close. He held the cup in his hands, but didn't tip it up. He was just trying to suck on the end with no juice. All he had to do was tip it up and juice would have came out. He'll get the hang of it soon :) He is one smart little boy.

The only problem is he is getting used to our bed. We have put him in our bed for the last week cause I've been so tired and he normally falls right asleep. I've noticed he has been getting used to the bed so I tried putting him in his crib, but he just started screaming and crying. Instead of me letting him cry it out, I just put him in our bed. I need to break him out of the habit. I don't want a 6 year old wanting to sleep with mommy and daddy all the time! Tomorrow, I will start. Wish me luck!

SIDS is a very scary thing, especially for first time mom's. To this day, I an terrified of SIDS! I check on Ethan constantly and can't get much sleep cause I'm so worried. They say that giving babies a pacifier while sleeping helps reduce the risk of SIDS, but I can't leave Ethan alone with one since he shoves the whole thing in his mouth. That scares me even more. I know there isn't anything you can do if SIDS does happen, but I can try to prevent it. Reading about parents who have lost their child to SIDS makes me sad. Scares me even more thinking it can happen to my son. I don't think I'll ever be content until he passes the age of 1.

I am following a blog that makes me very sad. A women's little girl passed away from SIDS at 4 months old on February 17th, 3 days after she turned 4 months. It breaks my heart every time I read her post that she updates daily. She is a very strong mom trying to get day by day after the passing of her first child. Every single post makes me appreciate what I have. I go to Ethan. and I hug, kiss. and hold him. I can't imagine losing my baby boy and I don't even want to experience it! Please pray for the mom who lost her baby girl. I pray that she finds the strength to get day by day and I know her baby girl is watching over her from heaven. No parent should lose their child, especially as a baby. It's just not fair and my heart hurts for her. She is one beautiful little girl and god definitely got a beautiful angel! Here is the address to her blog below if you would like to read her stories and pray. RIP Maddie!
http://kandjstaats.blogspot.com/2011_03_01_archive.html