10 months old

Everybody warned me.  I should have listened better.  Everyone said it (more than once).  I should have paid attention harder.  I’m here to tell you today, that it’s true.  Everyone was right.  Nobody lied.  Boys are soooooo different than girls!!

At only 10 months old there is so much evidence of this.  D is crawling all over the place, up the stairs, has conquered the one step down into the living room, face first.  We’ve had more bumps to the head than both girls combined times three, did at this age.  He discovered the drawer under the oven, something that I don’t think the girls knew existed until HE showed them last week!

This kid is truly a boy.  One hundred percent B.O.Y. 

Here are a few pictures of my (not so) little dude from the last month.

Almost a month ago D needed to get tubes for his ears.  After 6 infections in 9 months we knew it was time.  The picture above is him in his surgical gear waiting for the doctors to come get him.  He was his happy, charming self – completely unaware of what was to come.  He didn’t mind when the anesthesiologist carried him away, he just gave me a cute smile and went with the doctor.

The procedure was quick.  We were called back to see him when he was awake and in recovery about 30 minutes later.  This pic is him after having a bottle, just before we got dressed to leave.  He never cried a bit.  He was a total tough guy, the whole time.  He even let us go out to lunch afterward!

Enjoying an apple slice. 

We visited Santa early this year, before Thanksgiving even.  I like getting to go on a weekday, and since K was out of school for conferences we took advantage of that and went to the mall.  There were no lines and K even went back to sit on Santa’s lap a 2nd time!

On Friday we put up our Tree.  So far D hasn’t bothered it too much.  But we still have to keep an eagle eye on him.  My biggest fear is that he’ll try to pull himself up on it and bring down the whole tree!

Chowing down on some ribs at Dickey’s!

My little helper.  He can be on the other side of the living room, I’ll open the dishwasher as quiet as humanly possible and he’ll still hear it and be in the kitchen before I can blink!  So if you stop over and wonder why the dishes aren’t done, it’s probably because I have too much “help.”

9 months old

It is unreal that Baby D is 9 months old.  He is so active and getting tougher and tougher to keep up with. He’s crawling all over the place (including up the stairs), he’s getting into everything and I’ve already had to break out the baby locks for the kitchen cupboards.

This kid has a smile you can’t resist and a contagious laugh to match. He knows how to clap and wave, only when it suits him, of course.  He makes kissy noises, but we are still working on blowing a kiss and he’s most recently learned how to stick out his tongue and blow raspberries.

Now that he has his tubes and should be able to hear properly – I’m hoping to hear him say “Mama” in the very near future.  At this point, he babbles incoherently and we all just eat it up.

In addition to crawling, he’s pulling up everywhere and has even started to cruise the furniture.  I have a hunch that he could walk by Christmas.  (I’m open to any and all ideas for how to protect my Christmas tree this year).

He rejected baby food so long ago that I gave up and don’t even bother with that anymore.  He eats what we eat, and then some.  His favorites include a wide array of veggies (peas, carrots, corn, green beans, broccoli), fruits (apples and bananas), meats (beef, chicken, and turkey).  He loves his toddler snacks – those melt in your mouth puffs and freeze dried yogurt melts, we take those everywhere we go. 

The biggest hit in the last couple of days has been mashed potatoes, like his Daddy, he couldn’t get enough of those!

Even with all of that eating he still weighs in on the small side at 18lbs 3oz putting him in the 13th percentile.

His sisters still adore him and they continue to fight over who he likes best, who he thinks is funnier, and who’s name he will say first.  (I still think it will be Mama). Don’t ask me why but I really didn’t think that they would still be so enamored with him at this point.  I thought that would have worn off after a few months and/or one he was mobile.  While they have learned to keep most of their toys away from him, I still have to pry his little mouth open and fish out a shirt for Polly Pocket or a shoe for Barbie from time to time.

I can’t wait to see what the next 3 months bring!  Like I said, I’m sure he’ll be walking soon and then the real fun begins!

All photos in this post were shot by Heather at Heather Reese Photography.  Check her out at http://www.hreesephotography.com/ or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/#!/hreesephotography.

T-R-O-U-B-L-E

I’ve got it.  I’m in it.  However you want to phrase it, TROUBLE has come to live with us for. 

Sweet Baby D will be 8 months old this weekend and while he’s not crawling with his tummy off the floor yet, he can do this:

this:

and most disturbing of all…

THIS!

I’m not ready for this.  I wanted a little more time with the baby who stayed in the spot I put him in. 
Oh well, I guess I better lace up my running shoes and break out the baby gates because the chase is on!  I’m sure I’ll be running after him for the next several years.  (help.)

This boy also refuses traditional baby food.  He prefers to feed himself toddler food or actual food.

This was him when he first tried rice cereal. I get the same face every time I try to feed him baby food coupled with most of it spit back at me.

Instead he prefers:

steak

carrots and peas

I can’t say that I’m upset he want to eat real food.  It is quite helpful to let him serve himself.  He also enjoys cheerios, yogurt melts, toddler puffs, lasagna, apples, green beans, bananas, chicken, zucchini and I’m hoping for much, much more! I’d love for him to be a better eater than the girls are.

Four Fantastic Months

I’ve been sitting on this post for 11 days now, trying to come up with some fun and interesting stuff to say about the fourth month of D’s time here on the planet.  As you can see, it hasn’t gone well.  So in the interest of showing you the 4 month photos before the 5 month photos are taken – here you go.

Since the last monthly post he’s found his feet and hands.  Tummy time is is own personal form of torture.  If he could talk he’d tell you anything you wanted to know after about 30 seconds of being on his tummy. If only he’d figure out that he could just roll over and he’d be back where he wanted things would be fine.

4 month stats:

Weight: 13lbs 7oz 21st percentile
Length: 23.74 inches 11th percentile

In our 5th month, we are looking forward to a trip to the Dells for K’s National Dance competition and his first plane trip to California to see family.

To take a look back at the first 3 months, click here.

Three Thrilling Months

Our three month “photo shoot” proved to be rather difficult.  He is very smiley, until I get that big black camera in front of my face and he gets confused and stops smiling.

And then there is the “holy moley what was that bright light that just flashed in my eyes” face that I see if I’m lucky enough to need the flash.  This is usually followed by the “I’m freaked out” cry or the “I’m over this and mad at you” scream.

At 3 months we (unofficially) have weighed in at 11lbs 2.2 ounces. 

He’s getting longer too, but that’s only been measured by my expert measuring eye.

If you are interested in looking back at one and two months – you can check that out here.

We’ve started to use the exersaucer too.  He seems to enjoy it in small spurts – I think he likes being able to look around and see the world from a different perspective. You know, other from lying on his back.

Now, I promise that I’m not leaving him in the saucer so long that this happens regularly – or has even happened more than this once.  It was too cute though, so of course my first reaction was to grab the camera.

Saturday afternoon when he woke up from his nap, I was folding laundry in the living room.  So I put him in the saucer to check out the toys and so I could talk to him while I folded.  I looked down for a split second and when I looked at him again – he was back asleep.  I guess the nap wasn’t really over.

My three bed headed kiddos.

Yes, if you were wondering, the girls do still exist.

They still absolutely LOVE their little brother and are great helpers.

They are starting summer soccer now, so pictures are sure to come from that.

Last but not least – here is a photo from Mother’s Day.

oh- wait!  I wanted to share some chalk art that K made.  She’s turned into quite the little artist.

That’s Ariel…pretty good, right?

2 months old

Another month gone by…Baby D is getting bigger all the time.  Most days I feel like he is growing right in front of my eyes.  (In fact, he probably is!)

The last month has been filled with lots of this…(for D and Mommy!)

Quite a bit of this….

and the thrill of these….

D is growing like a weed and cuter than ever.  Here he is all decked out for opening day.

2 month stats:

9lbs 15oz 11th percentile,

21 3/4 inches long 13th percentile

Look back at our one month photos here.

one month old

I just can’t understand how this baby is one month old already.  Someone stole the last month from me.  You’d think that I would have noticed it slipping away, I was awake for most of it.  I saw 2, 3, and 4 am more in the last 4 weeks than I have in the last 4 years.

SIeepless nights aside, it’s been a great month.

D has gained weight and is up to 7lbs 9oz and 20 1/4 inches.

He’s still a skinny little dude though. (I wish I could say the same for myself).

He’s spending much more time with his eyes open, while I on the other hand spend much more time with a big yawn like this…

The girls are still smitten with him.  Who wouldn't be with a face like this?

There are still plenty of fights over who gets to hold him, feed him, find the pacifier, etc.  They bicker about who he’s crying for and who he loves more.  They really are pretty great helpers though, even if they don’t always realize that they shouldn’t hold him and carry him like we (the adults) do.

 

Happy one month birth-a-versary little D!