Jacob: 6 Months

As I'm starting this post (never mind that it's almost a week and a half later now!), it's 6 months to the day that Jacob was born. So 6 months ago today I was exhausted from being up and in labor since the night before, and today I'm exhausted from struggling to get Jacob to take his medicine for the ear infection he currently has and then the 40 minute struggle to get him down for the morning nap that followed. :) Every smile and every snuggle have made it totally worth it of course. Here's a look at how the last month has treated us... 

Nicknames: 
Lovey and now I've started calling him biggy too. Maybe I should actually start calling my kid by his name sometimes. :)

Weight/Height: 

18 lbs 14 oz (75th percentile) and somewhere between 26.5 and 27 inches (around the 50th percentile). 

Things we can't live without: 
These for sure. Jacob scratches his head in his sleep so I've been swaddling him up in one of these for naps and when he goes to bed at night. They're so lightweight and breathable that they let me not worry about him getting to hot while he sleeps. Added bonus, they really do make great nursing covers too when needed. 6 months in the rock n play is still a must as well since we're still not great at getting him in the crib. 

Things he likes: 
His Fisher-Price Jumperoo. That thing can easily buy me some hands free time when I need it, plus it's so much fun to watch him smile while jumping like crazy. :) We've been trying to get him to laugh, but that still hasn't happened yet. One of the things I do to try to get a laugh out of him is still give loud obnoxious kisses. He always smiles, but just the other day he added grabbing my cheeks when I'm coming in for a kiss and I think that's the sweetest thing ever. Maybe we should file that under things momma likes...

Things he dislikes: 
His crib and when I stop him from scratching his head.

Favorite characteristics: 
Still his easy going nature, that will probably be included in every single one of these updates. Also, that smile he's showing more and more will get me every single time. We're looking forward to even more of his personality showing through too in these next few months to see what we've gotten ourselves into. :)

Milestones: 
Starting foods! As a breast feeding momma I really had a hard time starting this stage. I was so nervous and on the fence about breast feeding when I was pregnant, so the emotional side of the experience is not one I anticipated, that's for sure. But we've just been having rice cereal for the past 3 weeks, first purees to start soon. He's also grabbing things and picking them up so we have to really watch what's within his reach and I've gotten him to sit up on his own. For probably not even 10 seconds and just that one time, but it counts! 

Looking Ahead

blouse: Buffalo Exchange

blazer: Sam's Club

jeggings: Discount Fashion Warehouse (Express brand)

shoes: Target

While this is a space obviously has a focus on clothes, there’s times I treat it like a journal. A little “deep thoughts by Jess” from time to time if you will. :) And today is one of those days. I attended a seminar recently at work that focused on how to lead effective organizational change. I won’t get into the details of what the speaker said, but the session really made me realize that I am completely content with where I am now professionally. It’s comfortable and I like it. But I realize I don’t even have a vision for what I want my future to look like. And that’s starting to terrify me…

I’ve always struggled with looking ahead. I’m not much of a goal setter and in college I was that student who waited until their junior year to actually declare their major, then freaked out 2 terms later and declared a secondary major as well. But before I decided to get really disappointed in myself, I had a thought – what if this idea of my career development is cyclical?

For example, I really enjoyed the first job I had out of college, but about 3 years in I decided that it had led me to what I wanted to do next – be an Academic Advisor. From there it took me another 3 years to select an academic program, apply and enroll, complete that degree, then get hired as an Academic Advisor. At the beginning of that journey I had the courage to leave that job I loved in favor of a position that I thought would provide me with related experienced that would help me when I finally had my graduate degree and was looking for a position I would truly enjoy.

And here I am a little more than 2.5 years later in that same position. It’s had its challenges and I haven’t always been incredibly happy, but I’m content, overall it’s enjoyable, and I currently have no plan for the future. Yikes! But looking back, my journey to get to this point at least shows me that I’m capable. That when I’m ready for the next phase, I’m capable of analyzing my options and taking steps to prepare myself for the next opportunity. So maybe I just need to sit tight and keep an open mind. My next goal might come to me when I least expect it. It might be 3 months from now, it might be 3 years from now. But I’ll be ready! I think... :)