Lucas is 6 months old!

Such an exciting month for our little man! His first family vacation to Maine, first camping trip to the Adirondacks, and first day/week at daycare.

Great Grandpa Pipal (to Lucas) flew in from Oregon this month to meet his first great grandchild. Grandpa Pipal (to us) was the first in the Pipal family to be given the middle name, William, and it has become a tradition that a first-born Pipal boy be given the same middle name.  Since both Eric and I are very fortunate to still have many living grandparents, we have been having fun taking four-generation photos whenever the opportunity presents itself. We already have a Filosa, Lojek, and Carr photo. And this particular weekend, we were able to take another very special four-generation photo of Great Grandpa Calvin “Cal” William, Grandpa Mark William, Daddy Eric William, and the newest, Lucas William. In early October, Grandma Peura will be visiting Philly from Minnesota, and although she has already met Lucas, we were not able to get a four-generation photo since Mark wasn’t in town. In October, we will be able to get another very special photo.

At 6 months, Lucas can finally roll from his belly to his back (he has been rolling from back to belly since 4 month old). He can also sit unassisted and, after a week or so, can balance very well without toppling over. Sitting has opened up a whole new way of playing with toys and he is really starting to love Scout the talking/singing/learning dog. At the end of the month, Lucas ate avocado which was the first fruit/vegetable that we introduced. We also began giving him water in a sippy cup to get him started on learning how to use a cup. Lucas continues to be a very good sleeper and goes down from about 6:30 or 7pm until 6:30am, waking once at 4am to nurse.

I was very sad to go back to work at the end of July, but I was excited for Lucas to be able to play with other children, and be exposed to other adults. We couldn’t have chosen a better time to start the transition to daycare. Being 6 months old, sitting on his own, and not having separation anxiety yet, made for a smooth transition for mommy and daddy (and, of course, baby – but, we all know, that it’s harder on the parents than the kids!). Lucas immediately took to his new caretakers and proved to us that he is such a social and happy guy! It’s so nice that daddy doesn't have to deal with a crying baby since he does drop-off in the morning. We are so pleased with the provider that we chose – Woodland Academy – and Lucas is thriving and doing so well in school! It is crystal clear that he is being loved. Since I start and end work so early (6am start, 3pm finish), I am happy with my new work/family balance because I have so much time in the evenings to spend with Lucas and I don’t feel like I am missing out on much. Evenings are a whirlwind with washing and cleaning up from the day (bottles, pump parts, food bowls) and then prepping everything for the next day, but it all gets done, Eric and I sit down together for dinner each night, and we still get a chance to relax and unwind for a little while, at least. Most days, Darby gets a walk, and Eric and I aim for a gym visit (separately, after Lucas goes to sleep) a couple times a week.

We have been having so much fun with our little Lucas! He is learning so much each day and it is amazing to watch him grow! We love our little boy more than life-itself and we are looking forward to all of the new experiences that having a child will bring!

 

 

 

Down the Shore 2011

Lucas Starts Solids

While we were on vacation in Maine, we thought it would be a good time to start Lucas on some rice cereal mixed with breast milk. At just over five months old, he had become very vocal while we were eating and was expressing an interest in our meals. After a week of rice cereal, we moved on to oatmeal, which he seems to prefer. Right at six months old, we were given the green light by our pediatrician to incorporate fruits and vegetables. It is so fun to see what kind of face Lucas will make when he first gets a taste of a new food! Most times, he furrows his little eyebrows and slowly moves the food around in his mouth while pondering its taste. It’s so cute to watch him discover the new tastes and textures!

We started with avocado, and since then, Lucas has feasted on peas, apples, sweet potatoes and carrots – all of which he seems to enjoy. Next up are peaches, plums, butternut squash, mango, pears, and green beans. I have decided to make 90% of his food from organically grown fruits and vegetables. It is so easy and fun! Numerous friends have given us the advice to purchase carrots and green beans since they are hard to puree smooth enough and, of course, it is much easier to let Earth’s Best or Gerber do the dirty work! Next month, we will incorporate meats, and will even add in some spices to his purees to experiment with different tastes and expand Lucas’ taste buds. What a fun new milestone!

ADK camping

Over 4th of July weekend, on our way back from Maine, we headed west through New Hampshire and Vermont to the Adirondacks in NY. Though we skipped a few years here and there, Eric and I have been joining the Niemis and Meyers for 4th of July camping on Raquette Lake since 2002. Tent camping with a little one isn't exactly the easiest of tasks, but we had many, many hands to help out with Lucas. He seemed to love his first dip in the lake, and though he slept through fireworks and late night gatherings around the campfire, he (and we!) had a great time on his first of many camping trips.

Maine

This year, we spent our summer vacation in Maine with my mom, dad, Michele, Bryan, and Riley. Eric and I were concerned with the long drive since Lucas really didn't enjoy long car rides up to that point, but he did amazingly well and proved to be quite the traveller. We rented a bay-front home just a couple of miles outside of Boothbay Harbor on Southport Island. What a perfect location! Secluded enough to enjoy the natural scenery, but close enough to restaurants, shops, and attractions. Every day, we watched the lobster boats pull up right off of our dock to collect their buoys and see what was waiting in their traps. We enjoyed kayaking, hiking in Camden, and shopping at the outlets. There was also a nice beach nearby with a beautiful lighthouse off the point where we took Darby to swim. Of course, everyone loved being able to play with Lucas for a week straight! I think our entire group can agree that we most-enjoyed the days spent at the house, relaxing and enjoying the gorgeous weather. What a fun vacation!