like father like son....

here i am. sitting in your floor. you are rolling all around your rug, playing with your favorite toy- a ring that's meant to hold other toys, not necessarily be the toy itself.  we've had dinner and we are waiting on bath time.  i guess possibly being so rigid in my ways jinxed me with you.  or maybe it's because daddy has to have things his certain way....  somehow i know God has a huge sense of humor and he laughs at me often.  if we mess up your routine even by a moment or casual mistep, our world is turned upside down.  our night time routine goes something like this:dinner- while daddy cooks (gosh i hate admitting that. it being written down makes it all the more true.  he cooks, i clean.  i think joycee would be ashamed.  it's our system and it works..... anyway) i usually give you a bottle or attempt to give you some food in your big boy high chair.  the dogs are anxiously waiting at your feet for a misguided spoonful of whatever you're "eating".  let's use that term loosely.  by eating i mean shoving your tongue at while i (not-so) patiently shovel more in your mouth.    you very consistently decide to poop while in your chair.  i guess you are just attempting to help my feeble efforts at a diet.  you sure do know how to turn off my appetitie.  whatever few bites you manage to swallow keep you somewhat satisfied and you let dad and i eat whatever super-dad has prepared.  after that we catch up on our days and attempt to watch seinfeld, though you let us know when it's time to play.
floor time- it's funny.  you hate tummy time.  it makes you mad.  it seems like you know it's necessary though.  we come in your room just the three of us and we practice all of your tricks.  you roll from your back to side and almost belly.  you sit up (all by yourself!) for thirty seconds.  you reach for toys and move them from one hand to another.  you stand up holding onto things, mostly your daddy's back.  you sing at us and holler.  we pretend like we know what you say.  daddy usually dozes off and i sit and stare at the two of you.  we sometimes read a book, sometimes bounce in your johnny jump up, but always ALWAYS smile at your progress.  after about an hour or so, you let us know it's time for your next activity. 
bath time- you love to be naked. as naked as a jaybird, really. ha. when i take off your diaper you immediately start smiling and kicking your legs so fast.  when you hear the bath water, it's like you know what's coming ahead. you have to have your washcloth handy to suck on during your bath.  if it falls out of your mouth, a sure disapproving shriek is ahead.  you are pretty good about letting me wash your hair and bobo and all that, but when it comes time to wash your hands you yell at me.  well sorry buddy... necessity. daddy always gets you out of the tub and you laugh at the baby in the mirror.  then you start to get upset- we don't really know why- but it's part of your routine.  when we get you snuggly in some (size 12-18 month!!!) pajamas and get you a fresh blanky (blankies probably deserve their own post.  yikes. i think you may go to college with one)  it's time for your last bottle of the night. you are drinking about seven ounces these days... sometimes every two hours during the day. let's outgrow that habit.... you have also decided you don't like naps.  well sorry, sir, but i love naps... so can you try your hardest to get back in that groove?  i guess it's okay since you usually sleep at night and wake up once or twice for a bottle.  phew. you exhaust me.  it's the happiest sleepy i've ever been.  happy five months my sweet prince. 

you are quite enthralled in your bouncy bounce.  look at that drool.  how embarrassing.

 almost crawling! what!?

 one of your blankets from joycee. talk about a treasured item. whoa.

oh dear. you've found your toes.  i suppose they are almost as dear to you as your ring or your blanky.

those lips. good grief i am in love.

love you,
mom

dinosaur boy

 See, I was hoping your nasty little cold sore would be gone by the time I took pictures.... but ya know, it's something that happened while you were four months old.  Why try to forget it? 

so now that you're an old four month old baby, you're pretty much a big deal. you are officially wearing size THREE diapers. me oh my. you wear nine month clothes because you weigh 17 (almost 18!) pounds! we decided maybe it was time for big boy foods. so far you've had rice cereal- which you don't really care for- squash and bananas. at first you weren't really sure about the whole idea, but now you LOVE eating from a spoon. you lunge toward me when i have a spoon in my hands. pretty clever. your development is amazing to watch. You are full of smiles and giggles these days. you found your voice and make lots of noises. our favorite is your dinosaur shriek. it sounds just like a baby dinosaur would (or at least what i think one would sound like). you think your doggies are the funniest things you've ever seen. i think you prefer tank (so do we.... petey is a nutcase). when they wrestle around you just laugh and laugh.    you are also in love with blowing bubbles with your mouth. i think you would do it for hours at a time if you didn't have to take breaks to eat, poop, and cry for no reason at all. you've gotten much better at sleeping and actually start out in your big boy bed every night about 8:45. dad and i really appreciate it... we LOVE going to be early. :) tummy time is not your favorite thing, but you sure are strong when we put you down. i swear you'll be crawling any day now. you also know how to roll over but much prefer to whine until we flip you on your back ourselves. i'm a little scared you've become spoiled... but i prefer not to think about it.

 

yum..... cereal?

 As soon as Daddy walks in, you are full of smiles!

 This is mid bubble blowing I think.  It's your new favorite trick. ;)

Strangers always comment on your eye brows. Now I know why.

We call the noise you were making during this picture, the pterodactyl.  It's quite loud. 

You are growing up so quickly, jaybird

love you,

mom

serious love

mother's day this year was so cool.  our church had baby dedication on mother's day.  at first i was a little annoyed, because i was planning to go to nana's church and spend the day with her, but instead we had baby dedication. i feel bad now for being irritated because it turned out to be amazing.  it was a great day.  you were (obviously) the cutest baby in the service and honestly, you were the best behaved. yes!

the reason i even really tell you about that special sunday is not because we promised God we'd raise you up in the way you should go.  as important and wonderful as that is, the reason i'm telling you about it is because i finally get it.  i get what motherhood is.  i get why everyone says you don't understand love until you have a baby.  i get how much my mom loves me and i finally (i think anyway) think i get how much God loves us.  whoa. talk about a wake-me-up moment.


you are half me.  that's pretty cool.  every little thing that makes you, you is because you are my son. i am your mom.  your heart shaped face- yeah that's from me.  your thunder thighs- sorry- those are from me too.  your button nose- i think anyway- is from me.  but even your non-physical traits are influenced and shaped by me. 


the job of being a mom is pretty big stuff.  not only am i supposed to keep you fed, clean, happy, clothed and all that jazz, but also i'm in charge of making sure you know values.  i have to make sure you know what's important.  shoe lace tying, bike riding, potty peeing, woman treating, spiritual growing- WHOA.  those are all my responsibilities.  i pray that you will grow up and know God's love.  i hope you will accept the gift of salvation at an early age, because the rewards are incredible.  mother's day used to just be a day for me to recognize nana and maybe buy her a new coffee pot.  now it's just one more reminder of God's love.  He loves us SO much He gave us His Son as a sacrifice.  yikes. that's some serious love.

quatro

have i told you lately how much i love being your mom?  you are so interested in life, it makes my heart smile.  i have a feeling you're going to be very independent and pretty curious.  crazy that at four months i can already tell, right?  four months... whoa. when did that happen? you've actually  been four months for quite a little while, but we have had some serious drama at our house lately- let me just fill you in.


so two weeks ago your dad and i went to a banquet and left you with nany and pop.  nanny called me and said what we thought was a mosquito bite was a full on rash of sorts on your cheek.  being the ocd/control freak/obsessive person i am, of course, we went straight to the doctor... on a saturday.  that doctor said it was some sort of a bacterial infection, gave us an anti-biotic and said it would clear up immediately.  well after three days when it was worse and i started calling you my leper baby, we went back to the doctor got new antibiotics which again, did nothing. we went to a different prima-care type place and got even more medicine and still it grew, you looked like a cheetah and i felt like a failure.  after visiting the dermatologist, we found out it was a cold sore the whole time.  this of course made me feel like a total dweeb.  gross. where on earth?  how? apparently this nasty virus is everywhere, all the time.  i still feel sad about it but the doctor PROMISES me that if (when) you get it again we can get you right medicine and it won't take your face prisoner again.  hhhhh.


i say all that to tell you i haven't taken any pictures of you with your oh-so-cute four month sign.  grr.  i also haven't taken hardly any pictures minus the ones on my iPhone which are just pathetic.  this whole being a working mom thing totally stinks.  but.... guess what!? are you ready? 


SCHOOL'S OUT FOR THE SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEk!


we get to play all day for the next couple of months. yay! we are going to party. so for now, i can't worry about your scabby little face.  i will be harrassing you with the camera SO soon.  i know you're excited.

look at you, big boy!

Oh sweet jay bird, i'm a little bit late on getting these pictures posted.  we have been pretty busy.



so, this is your pre-laugh face. i LOVE seeing it because i know a big belly laugh is coming.



 I am pretty much obsessed with your arm rolls.

and leg rolls.

 

 and old man hair line.

 well shoot. i guess all of you.

 especially those eyes. whoa. i'm so glad you got those from your daddy.

 did i mention you're basically a professional sitter these days? show off.

dinosaur pjs and storytime. does life get any better than that?

i am SO lucky to be your mom.  i love you.

three months

wow. i'm shocked it's already (past) time to write all about you. where does the time go?  you are getting SO big and SO independent.  it's amazing to see how much you change daily.

you are wearing size 2 diapers these days. i swear they are getting snug though. how is that possible?

you still wear six months clothes pretty comfortably- although we are having to buy new, cooler clothes now that it's already 90 degrees outside some days!

you are just getting over your first little cold. it sure was a yucky couple of weeks at our house.  i think daddy and i may have a little of what you just got over. that's no fun. :(

you have started grabbing for things. you LOVE to play on your play mat and grab for the toys that hang down.  you are also reallllly into your new teething toy bumblebee.  i think your favorite is still to grab my hair or shirt. when you are super sleepy, your grab becomes a bit of a violent one. i have to watch out for that!

you are FINALLY on a decent schedule.  you are eating about every three hours but, when we are lucky, you sleep a full six at night. hallelujah!  your bottles are usually about five ounces- still half and half. you sure do love your bottles!  when you are ready for one, as soon as you hear me shaking it you calm right down. genius.

you are also kind of taking a "passy".  i'll tell you- i'm not really a fan of those things.  they are just SO ugly and form bad habits so quickly. BUT the doctor says it will help you learn to "self soothe" and help your teeth feel better so i suppose we will let you have one.  it sure does make you smile.  i have a feeling i'll cave for anything that makes you smile.  that's dangerous.

you are FULL of smiles lately and, in fact, love to give us a little giggle sometimes.  i've only heard you do it a few times.  they are like little gifts just for me. you are learning to really use your voice these days.  you talk, coo and ah-goo all the time.  it is perfectly precious.  i think your favorite person ever is your daddy. he had to go out of town for a few days and we really missed him.  when he got back you seemed SO much happier.  seeing the two of you makes me melt. 

tonight's goal: three month pictures of you, sweet boy.

love you more each day
-mom

a blessing through my tears

when i was little, nana stayed home with uncle chase and me.  i have the fondest memories of going to the zoo on weekdays, making homemade play dough just because we could, and sliding in the mcdonalds play place at least once a week.  when i realized i wouldn't get to stay home with you i was completely devestated.  guess i was so excited about having a baby, i didn't even think about combining my role as a teacher with being a wife and (the most important job of all) MOM! while i absolutely LOVE my job, i was terrified to choose someone for you to stay with.  how do you pick someone to keep part of your heart?  i have had you with me at all times for nearly a year!  carrying you during pregnancy and sneaking away only for a few minutes at a time made me have serious attachment issues.  (i'm just fine with being obsessed with you.  i think that's a sign of true love really) i put off my decision for several weeks because the mere thought made me nauseous.  i chose not to think about it or discuss it with anyone because i was in denial that i was actually going back to work.  finally, a week before going back to work, through lots of prayer and honest discussions with everyone i know, we decided to give daycare a shot.  to be honest, i have always hated the idea of daycares.  snotty noses, bratty kids, and inexperienced teachers.  needless to say, i was completely dreading your first day. 
daddy and i woke up together to have coffee and pray together.  i got dressed in work clothes for the first time in months and actually fixed my hair. (gasp) i got you up and tried my best to prepare you for the upcoming day.  you were in THE BEST mood! you smiled and talked to me and reassured me that you couldn't wait to meet new kids and hug on your teachers.  okay maybe i made that up, but it makes me feel better to think that so just hush.  when i walked in the daycare an overwhelming sense of peace and relief washed over me.  i know people were covering us with serious prayer because, although i cried and aunt lindsey had to reassure me about 979 times, i just KNEW it was going to be fine.  mrs. suzanne picked you right up and hugged you and kissed you and told me she would take great care of you.  she is an absolute blessing!  we are so lucky!
i got to work, taught my sweet students and made it through the day without crying!  when 3:45 came, i practically pushed kids out of my way to make it back to the daycare, but when i got there you were actually SMILING!  it was your little way of saying "wow! i love this place! the kids are fun, the teachers are wonderful and i LOVE play time!"  your daycare is a total blessing to our family.  while i still hope and pray that one day the timing will be right to stay home with you, in the meantime you are in the best hands.(besides mine of course)

love is an understatement,
mom