FOUR Months!

You are growing like a weed and changing every day. It's hard to imagine how little you were only 4 months ago. It seems so long ago that you were my itty baby, but I absolutely love watching you grow and explore the world around you. Just when I think my heart can't hold any more love, excitement, and joy... you give me your little smile or your sweet little laugh, and I fall in love with you and this life all over again. There is nothing else in this world I would rather be doing than spending my days with you being your mom. 

• You love Sesame Street. You giggle and squeal with excitement, especially when Elmo comes on.
• You can roll over from belly to back (3/11/15) and back to belly (3/22/15)!
• You love grabbing your feet, holding your toys, and putting everything in your mouth!
• You are a cuddle bug! You would much rather mommy hold you than lay you down to nap.
• Speaking of napping, you really don't seem to like napping during the day; you'll do a few short little cat-naps but that's it. 
• You smile and laugh when we show you videos of yourself on our phones; there is one video in particular that I took one morning after you woke up and you LOVE watching it. 
• You laugh when we tickle you and it is the sweetest thing I've ever heard.
• The weather is getting nicer and you like taking walks.
• Dad has started studying a lot for his board exam so we've been spending some time in Tulsa to keep ourselves busy. 
• You hardly ever cry... but, oh boy, we've had a couple episodes that have been major meltdowns. Once at Oma and Opa's house and once in Stillwater at Panera. I still can't figure it out. We tried EVERYTHING. I don't know if you were overly tired, some sort of tummy pain, or what. I'm hoping this is just a quick little phase that quickly passes! 
• Daddy gave you your first hair cut. I love your long, crazy hair... but I got out-voted on it needing to be cut. Don't worry, I hovered over him the entire time to make sure he didn't take too much! I think the cut made you look so much older. 
• You make me happy every single day. You are a dream come true.

Favorite Pictures from this month:

                                   

Henry James

I don't know if many people give their dogs first and middle names, but I do.

I realized tonight that he hasn't been getting nearly as much attention as he once did. I feel like I'm often telling him to get out from under my feet, wait, go lay down, be quiet, etc. He's old, he follows me around everywhere I go in the house, he wants to go outside a lot, and he is always eager to eat... He's smart and he can be demanding. Tonight, I was the only one awake and taking a minute for myself to wind down after the day when he came and put his head in my lap. I don't know why, but guilt just came rushing in... Have I overlooked him lately and wasted precious time with him these past few months in his old age? Does he seem more old and tired, perhaps even sad, because he has been missing Alex? I laid down on the floor and gave him some overdue love and attention; I think we both needed it. I miss Alex so very much and know there will come a day when I'd give anything for Henry to come up and adorably put his head in my lap and ask for some cuddles. I'm so glad to have had the most loyal and loving buddy for over 10 years now! 

THREE months!!

Three months old! It's been three months of pure sunshine. I absolutely love watching you grow! You are changing so much and really developing such a fun and awesome personality. You are turning more into a baby instead of a tiny little newborn. Not a day goes by without a special moment where I realize how happy I am and how thankful I am to have you. Your smiles, giggles, and cuddles is something I would never trade for anything in this whole entire world! 

Here are some fun things you've started doing this month:

You've started focusing on your hands and different objects (especially your wubbanub pacifiers).

You are starting to notice the dogs more when they lay down by you or run around the house.

You laugh when we tickle your neck by giving you lots of kisses.

You notice us and follow us with your eyes as we walk around the room.

You are starting to sleep longer at night but you don't seem to like napping during the day.

Your hair is falling out, changing, and getting more curly as it grows in!

This month we had lots of new, exciting, and even not-so-fun things!

You started sitting up in your "fun chair". We decided it was time to give it a shot since you have really awesome head/neck control. You seemed really interested in the toys and stared very intently, but you were a little reluctant to reach out and start playing with them.

On 2/7, you and your dad had a guy's day while I went to Dallas with Grandmom. You did awesome and I know us being apart for the day was harder on me than it was on you! Grandmom stayed the night with us that night and then we went back to Tulsa with her the next day. Dad was busy studying for a a final so we just hung out in Tulsa and visited with lots of family.

Nana and Grandad came for a visit! We celebrated your Grandad's birthday at an awesome party with lots of good music, good food and great company. It was also your first Valentine's Day!

On 2/16 I gave you your first bang trim. Your bangs were getting super long and some of the baby hair on the sides of your head has been falling out. Your hair just kind of does its own thing. I'm thinking you might have some wild hair in the future. I hope you don't grow up and hate me for this brief time in your life when it looked like you had a comb over.

The second half of February was fully of yucky sickness. First your dad got the flu. In the beginning he thought it was a really bad cold but, unfortunately, it wasn't. He stayed pretty isolated in the extra bedroom in hopes of keeping us from getting it.... but a few days later I got it. I felt awful! At one point, I was holding you in the rocking chair and my headache/dizziness was so bad I felt like the whole room was spinning. Then--- THANK GOD FOR GRANDMOM. I went to Urgent Care first thing that morning and she headed to Norman. She picked up my Rx and lots of stuff to leave here for dad (soup, kleenex, water bottles, etc) and took you and me to Tulsa. For the next few days, I just stayed in bed and she took care of you. When you needed to eat she would bring you in and I'd wear a face mask while I fed you. I really missed being away from you for all that time but I knew you were in great hands (you even slept in your cradle in a room upstairs with her one night-- I couldn't help but peek in at you a couple times). She did such a wonderful job taking care of you, but I think she forgot how tiring a little one can be! We are so so so incredibly blessed to have her.  I love watching the two of you love each other!

While we were still in Tulsa, I was feeling better but then you started getting sick. First I noticed you felt warm. It was the first time for you to have a fever. It wasn't too terribly high, but this sort of "first time" thing is not fun on a parent. I'm pretty sure I checked your temperature every hour! I called the pediatrician's office and they said to keep an eye on your and if your eating habits or mood changed too much, or if the fever got any higher then to call again or go to the ER. Luckily, the next day there was no fever but that's when the congestion started... followed by a cough... followed by a terrible week with RSV. You were such a trooper. It was a long week for all of us-- lots of sleepless nights in the recliner, lots of humidifiers and sitting in the steamy bathroom, lots of worrying, and lots of prayers for it to be over fast! It also snowed pretty heavily so it was a good time to be cooped up in the house together! Even though you were sick, you were still such a happy and cuddly boy.

2/24 was Grandpop's birthday! It's super special that we can celebrate another year with him!


Some of my favorite pictures from this past month: