Good news? or Bad news?

Good and bad day. Tabitha was especially adorable during her awake periods but terribly fussy during her naps. She was overtired and kept waking at the 45 minute mark. I think she'll sleep better tomorrow, I'm looking forward to it.

Jackson had an extreme day. Despite his old issues with eating he's been doing especially well since beginning solids. He eats in a more relaxed manner and protests the bottle less, until this week. He's getting more opinionated and seems to be figuring out his autonomy. It's exciting to see his brain working so well and frustrating to experience his levels of autonomy. Right now what can he control? He's seven months old, has rolled over but doesn't seem to remember how, Roger and Sara have yet to see him do it, he eats, he sleeps, he poops. Pretty much he can control when he sleeps, how he sleeps, what and how much he eats and when he poops. Obviously he can choose when to be social, as he showed with his response to my being away, when he cries, laughs, smiles etc. But these are things most people realize right away. What I'm getting at is that Jackson is controlling his food intake, bottles mostly. Yesterday he showed us two extremes, early bottle, with Roger and Sara, he only took 60 mL, opposed to his regular 160 mL. The next bottle, my first of the day with him, he took 250 mL! Neither he nor Tabitha has ever taken that much. It was shocking! Then the following bottle he completely refused. I tried for thirty minutes, he'd take the nipple into his mouth and chew on it. Maybe, maybe 10 mL dribbled down his chin, maybe. The crazy part was his attitude, he wasn't uncomfortable or angry or even annoyed, he was happy, sweet and smiley - but not overly so that he was choosing social over eating.

Each time I'd try again he'd kind of whine at me as if to say, "Really? I really don't want it. I appreciate the offer." Of course after that nap he was hungry and extremely sensitive. Poor guy. He chugged down his snack bottle and ate solids like an addict, an adorable addict, but an addict nonetheless.

Roger and Sara are really growing as parents. They agree that he may not be hungry or is just becoming more opinionated. They aren't stressed or anxious which is awesome and wonderful. Next week he'll visit the GI again and we'll know if he needs his pr.losec increased, he's definitely grown.

Speaking of growing - you wouldn't recognize Tabitha! Her had has gotten rounder, she's darling! Huge, chubby cheeks, massive hamhocks and sparkling eyes. She smiles all of the time. It is great, they are truly thriving.