Quick Ryder Update

I've been somewhat neglectful in my blogging responsibilities lately, by no fault of my own, but a quick update is warranted. 

Ryder is cutting his first tooth!   I first spotted something on Monday, but I wasn't sure.  It just looked like his bottom gum was a little swollen and funny-looking in one spot.  Tuesday night, he woke up crying twice during the middle of the night, and it took me a few mintues to console him.  This is pretty unheard of these days, as Ryder almost always sleeps for 12 uninterrupted hours now.  I wondered whether his bad night was teething-related.  On Wednesday morning, his teachers asked me at school if I had seen his tooth coming in.  My suspicions were validated!  Ryder is cutting tooth #1!  It is his bottom front left tooth (if you are facing him).  To his credit, he really hasn't been any worse for the wear.  He may be a little crankier in the evenings for bedtime, and he hasn't eaten his dinner solids as well for the past few days, but who knows if these things are even related.  For the most part, there have been minimal (or no) repurcussions from the teething.  However, I've been told that the more painful teeth come in a little later, so I'm going to remain cautiously optimistic regarding his current tolerance for teething.

My little baby boy is getting his first tooth!  Can't believe it.

This week, we introduced a third solids meal (lunch) because little dude has become very demanding.  He still loves solids and has started to exhibit jealousy (and impatience) when he sees the other kiddos in his class being fed in the high-chairs.  So, he gets three meals a day now... just like a real person ;)

A couple of weeks ago, we also introduced Ryder to meats.  By meats, I mean nasty, pureed, meat mixtures that come in the Gerber Organic baby food tubs.  He seems to like them pretty well.  And about a week ago, I started giving Ryder mum-mums.  He hadn't done so well with any form of non-pureed (i.e. chunky) solids when I had tried them before, but he picked up on the mum-mums pretty quickly.  Now he loves them and they have, in fact, become a priceless tool.  If Ryder is cranky and inconsolable (which happens sometimes as he is getting tired in the evenings), a mum-mum in hand is the quickest fix you've ever seen.  Immediate cessation of tears and tantrum.  Awesome.  The Halpern Home officially loves us some mum-mums.

I promise to get those 7 month pictures up soon along with some other fun pictures and videos.  Signing off for now.