The Lion Cub

First Birthday Dinner!

2010-07-12T16:44:00.000-07:00

On the actual day of your birthday we decided to take you out to dinner! Really I am not sure if it was more to give you a treat or reward ourselves for making it through your first (very fussy) year! Whatever the reason, we headed to the Olive Garden and had a lovely night! Here are the picks from our evening:

You with Daddy before we left home

Pretending to color

Your Sweet & Goofy Dad and Brother

A rare pic of you and me!

The whole fam!

First Birthday Party!!!

2010-06-16T00:27:00.000-07:00

Your first birthday party was definitely one to remember, Lion Cub! Not so much for the party itself but for the circumstances surrounding it. I had planned your party to be held at the park that is an icon of our city- the central park of our little spot on the globe, if you will. I carefully checked the park's website before taking the time to create your adorable invitations to make sure there were no conflicting events occurring that morning and it seemed everything would play out perfectly. Well, that is until the night before your party when I received a call from Nana at around 9:30 pm to let me know she just found out that the Pride Parade would be in town the next morning and all their festivities would be happening in, none other than, our beloved park!

Can't you just hear it someday? Recalling the memories... "Why yes honey, we did celebrate your first birthday at the Gay Pride Parade!"

Ummmmm... I THINK NOT!

So, I went into a bit of a panic mode, calling people at horrible hours of the night and the following morning to let them know of the change of plans. Eventually, I did manage to notify everyone but it wasn't without a fair bit of stress on my part! Then, once we arrived at our new destination (a different park in town) there was none other than another one-year-old having a party complete with circus tent (ok- not really, but it was one of those big shade tents!), ginormous birthday banner, and balloons!

We brought cupcakes I bought at Costco.
(Which I was already having tremendous guilt over, might I add, considering the cakes I made for your brother's first two birthday parties. The site of the rival party really spun me into "failure mom" mode! But sheesh- this year, it was just not happening! Sorry man!)

I also managed to get sunburned and pooped on by a bird at the party... but this isn't about me! It's about you! And you had a grand time! The weather finally perked up for our first nice day of the summer and our relocated party was at a lovely park, complete with a wonderful play area for all of your friends to enjoy!

Your cool big brother, showing off his new shades!

Cousin Adin

Cake Aftermath

I heard you enjoyed your cake, although I didn't really get to witness it since I was trying to dole out cupcakes to your many eager little party goers! The aftermath really speaks for itself though!

You were bombarded (quite literally) with gifts and received many fun shape sorters, stackers and toys that allow you to sort things in general- which are all right up your alley!

All in all, you really enjoyed yourself and LOVED being sung to! We topped off the day with a trip to the farm and dinner at some friends house! You were wiped by the time we got home but happy and satisfied! Quite the day but so well worth it!

I love you to pieces and Happy First Birthday again!

You are 1!!!

2010-06-09T00:10:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that a year ago you were so small.

So fragile.

Such a... well... baby!

Now you are big...

and bold...

and tough!

A toddler.

A little boy!

Walking, climbing and beating up on your big brother!

Your personality is vibrant and unstopable and your shear will and determination are qualities I know I will both cherish and loathe over the coming years!

You are precious.

And wonderful.

And there is no one quite like you!

And I am so glad to call you my son!

Happy First Birthday Lion Cub!

11 Months & 3 Weeks Old!

2010-06-01T17:40:00.000-07:00

You are Mr. Mischief! Here are a few examples!

Your brother- trying to get the tamari sauce back from you! You snatch things out of the fridge pretty much any time it is open!

Diaperless... again!

Oh yeah- you'll empty that drawer in nothing flat!

And follow it up with my cupboard of tupperware and pans!

Then you want to get into the hair from your brother's haircut!

And to be totally honest, you spend a good amount of time doing this!

But ya know what? You make up for it with absolute cuteness!

(Your brother took this one of us! He is getting better and better with those camera skills!)

And oh, so much brotherly love (in between the whompings you two are giving each other in growing quantities)!

You are so strong and steady! The other night watching So You Think You Can Dance you started doing these full-on moves where you would bend over from the waist, touch the ground and then come straight back up to standing- it was amazing! I can tell I am going to have two little hip hop dancers in my home this summer!

But I will always cherish those rare moments when you actually sit down and do something quite like read a book! You also adore sorting things into bins or bags and I can tell already that you are really going to enjoy Tiny Tot School when we start later this summer!

You are sweet, and cute, and a little handful but we are having so much fun with you that I wouldn't trade any of it for an instant!

I love you forever and always, more than life itself!

Mama

11 Months & 2 Weeks Old!

2010-05-25T17:14:00.000-07:00

Sadly, it was a week of few pictures! Not to say that there wasn't a lot going on! You got another tooth on the bottom and continue to be a destructive little beast!

On the fun side, though- you have really started loving giving kisses and giving full-on hugs that are just to die for! We love how cuddly you are getting!

Although you don't actually say words yet, you have the most interesting vocabulary of sounds! You are a big grunter and say "uhhhhhh" all the time! Sometimes I feel like I am living in the baby version of Tim Allen's Tool Time (hoo har har- come on all you Home Improvement fans!)! You also "sing" to yourself when you are tired or riding in the car. Really its more of one long "awwwwwwwwwwwwwww"- honestly I don't know how you have such sustained breath control! You enjoy asking questions by saying either "eh?" or "yeesh?" and you even put your little hand out, kind of like you are shrugging your shoulders!

We continue to work on your potty skills and you are doing really well! You aren't anywhere near telling us when you need to go, but when I put you on the potty you do try to go, and if you actually do go you start to clap for yourself! It is the cutest thing ever!

We love you Lion Cub and look forward to celebrating your birthday soon!

11 months & 1 Week Old!

2010-05-18T00:59:00.000-07:00

Man- you are cruisin' now!! You walk so fast you are practically running and you continue to set your sights higher as far as climbing goes! Check out this perilous position you got yourself into! You weren't worried, but I was!!

I always think that I have put things up so that you can't get to them but you seem to always find a way to overcome the obstacles we set in front of you! You have been known to tip over chairs so that you could climb onto them and get whatever has caught your attention!

We went to the park with Nana and Papa and you loved trying out your skills outside! At first you were pretty leery of the grass but you seem to be doing much better with it now. I still look at you and marvel at how big and old you are! My baby is no more- you are officially a toddler!

Here you are with Papa.

And soakin' up some love from Nana.

Just checkin' things out!

We spent a lot of time with our good friend's, Erik & Christa and their boys, this week. While the older boys were playing basketball, you kept yourself busy putting the baseball on the tee! It kept you occupied for quite a while!

We also started taking our summer walks! Last year we didn't take any with you cause mama was still recovering from your labor and then time must have just gotten away from us. We did a lot of walking trying to get you out but not so much afterward!! You had so much fun riding in the little red car and we look forward to many more walks this summer!

The weather has just been so lovely- we have all been soaking it up and it is so fun to see you experiencing the outdoors for the first time! I love to see your wonder and your adventurous spirit.

Your sweet personality continues to bubble forth and we are smitten with you! I love your little fake laugh and how funny you think your big brother is! I find your "nursing gymnastics" amusing and frustrating all at the same time! I love your big open mouth kisses and your pension for cuddles! I love how you have started playing along with your brother and me in "the scaring game" and totally crack up at my big, exaggerated reactions when you loudly say "Uhhh!" You are so funny and a total ham- truly one of us! We love you to pieces Lion Cub!

Hugs and Kisses,

Mama

11 months old!!

2010-05-11T17:10:00.000-07:00

You have had an extremely eventful couple of weeks! You are really taking off now with your walking! You can go all the way across a room and even turn a corner! Yesterday you were sitting on my lap and stood straight up (without holding onto anything) and just walked off! This evening you even bent down to pick something up (kind of squatted) and stood right back up without loosing your balance! Before we know it you are going to be running! I just can't get over how old and grown up you are!

Last week I forgot to mention that you have started using the big potty! I have been putting you on it every once in a while for about a month, but something happened last week where for some reason it just clicked for you- I could see it on your face. You looked at me and tried to pee! And pee you did- 6 times on the potty that first day! Since that day you have continued to be pretty consistent about going when I put you on the toilet and have even gone poo (much to my excitement!)! You are by no means potty trained but it is a definite step in the right direction!

You continue to be quite the talker! You have taken to leaning forward and nodding your head when you are being very intense about what you have to say. It is hysterical!! You are very expressive with your hands as well (I have NO idea who you get that from :-D)! Now, if only you could start using actual words! Until that time we will continue to be amused by your baby dialogue though!

Your climbing skills get more and more advanced each week as well. This past week you figured out how to put Mater next to the recliner and climb up and also how to crawl onto the front window seat all by yourself (scary!!). Here you can see a picture of one of those precarious times that Mama forgot to buckle you into your table seat- yes, in .02 seconds you were on the table helping yourself to some Kix!

You had your first big boy hair cut this week! You have had many hair cuts already, but this was the first time that mama broke out the electric clippers just for you! You weren't particularly thrilled but I decided it was much less dangerous than attempting to wield the scissors next to your screaming and squirming head! In the end you were fine and your hair looks much better, in my opinion!

Before

After

Mischief should have been your middle name! Along with all the other ways you are finding to be destructive lately, a favorite has become removing you diaper! Eek!

My first Mother's Day with you was a great one! You sat so nicely all through dinner, snacking on our meals and flirting with the women at the table behind us! They were equally as enamored with you as you were with them! But really, how could they not be?! (I'm not bias! I swear!)

You sure do give us a run for our money but we couldn't love you more!!

10 Months, 3 Weeks Old!

2010-05-04T07:00:00.000-07:00

It's official- you are walking! Nothing can stop you now!! One night last week mommy had a little too much dark chocolate, which of course kept you up until a simply unholy hour. What did we do with all your energy? Why encourage you to walk between us, of course! And much to our delight and surprise- YOU DID!!! From then on you have been walking steadier and farther every day!

With your newfound mobility you are also seeming to get a little bit more daring in the wrestling department with your brother! I have found you clobbering him more than a few times and he does his best not to retaliate... too often. You both, however, have an affinity for stealing each other's toys!

There are moments (as few and as short as they are) that you just chill!

We got together with my whole side of the family at Grandma's house for dessert to celebrate R-Man's 4th birthday and my 26th. It was a nice to see everyone and although you were very tired, you did show off your walking a little bit.

Here you are snugglin' with Uncle Rick!

And just trying to figure out Aunt Michelle! Haha!

Trying to figure out your brother's new Iron Man car with Papa

Daddy & Great Grandpa K (Papa's dad)

You have continued to broaden your horizon's in the destructiveness and climbing categories! We have quickly learned that we have to strap you into your table seat or you will try to get out! Here you are attempting such a feet while strapped in during dinner- much to your frustration!

Oh so dramatic! How dare we do such a thing to you?! Gasp! :-D

I'm sure, now that you are walking, life is only going to get more and more interesting every day! We shall see, my little love bug!

10 Months, 2 Weeks Old!

2010-04-27T17:31:00.000-07:00

You are into EVERYTHING! Things I wouldn't even think you could get into, you are into! You climb up on ANYTHING you possibly can and pull out ANYTHING that I have just put away! It is just... lovely! You are in a whole new league of destructiveness! Pots, pans, towels, paper, diapers (clean ones!), books, movies- you name it- you scatter it... EVERYWHERE!

You are incredibly smart though! You are starting to really enjoy putting things in and out of boxes and bowls and have even been dabbling with the Duplo blocks a bit. Soon we will begin doing some tiny-tot school activities (from Carisa's 1+1+1=1 & Totally Tots blogs) to help keep you busy during your brother's school time. Sometimes you want to be a little too involved in his work and it can prove to be very distracting (and destructive... once again!).

Your big brother had his 4th birthday this past week! Both you boys are just getting so old and so big!

We had a big eventful and festive day on Friday for him (plus daddy finally got home!) and you loved it just as much as he did! Here you are desperately attempting to blow his party horn!

On Saturday we had a party for all your brother's friends at a really fun jump house. You were super tired and starting to get sick (again!) so your enthusiasm was minimal but you did get in on a little of the fun!

With Dad on on of the slides!

In the junior bounce area!

Bouncin'!

Lovin' on Daddy who had been gone for 2 whole weeks!

Chilin' with Papa, and wanting a cupcake!

10 months, 1 Week old!

2010-04-20T16:40:00.000-07:00

You just seem to be changing so quickly Lion Cub!! You look older every day and are just so darn talkative! Between you and your brother there is never a quiet moment in our house! One of your favorite things since daddy has been gone is talking on the phone to him! It is so adorable! You even have been playing pretend phone with almost anything you can find- you're just so darn smart!

You look up to your big brother so much and want to do everything that he does! You can now easily get on and off of your little push-along Mater and even liked trying to push yourself along on the bigwheel at Grandma's house over the weekend.

Since daddy is still working out of town we went over to Grandma's for dinner on Saturday with Nana & Papa. You actually stayed with Grandma for most of the day while Mama, Nana & R-Man went shopping and to a movie. Grandma said that you were such a good boy and even napped well for her!

The weather has been so nice that it was a perfect weekend to spend some time outside. You enjoyed the new adventure but weren't at all sure about touching the grass!

You are finally feeling better but also seem to be teething, so you never really get a break! Soon daddy will be back home though and that is bound to be exciting for all of us!

We love you, Lion Cub! You and all your cute, growing, big-boyness! Where has my baby disappeared to?!

10 Months Old!

2010-04-13T17:00:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that you are already 10 months old?! CRAZY! And check out one of your new tricks:

This one sets mama a little on edge, but you insist on climbing up the steps every time they are near the counter! You have even been known to go get things out of the sink! You just so badly want to be in on all the action!!

This week you have also really started letting go of things to stand by yourself and even took your very first step last night! You just let go of the rocking chair and stood there for a minute with this look on your face like, "I'm gonna do it mom!" So exciting! You are going to be walking (and running!) before we know it!

You also started really dancing this week! I was watching MJ's This Is It the other night (since daddy is out of town and didn't want to see it) and you were not wanting to sleep so you were still up with me. When "Jam" came on you popped your head up off my chest, crawled to the floor and started bouncin' and shakin' like a crazy man! It was so funny and only for that song! Then you just crawled back up into my lap and settled down!

Pointing at things is a new favorite of yours! You carry on entire conversations, talking about (I assume) the things you are pointing to! It is highly entertaining for both you and us! You also love to squish your face up and pooch your lips out if you are thinking about something really hard! You look like a little old man and it just cracks me up!

I have taken to calling you "The Goat" because you eat EVERYTHING! Especially things you aren't supposed to! I manage to get quite a bit of it out of your mouth but your diapers still remain an adventure! It's like a treasure hunt when I spray them off! :-[ Anytime you would like to primarily use your other senses to experience the world would be just fine with me!

You seem to have slightly chipped your bottom two teeth this past week- not badly, but the tops are definitely a little more jagged than they were! Welcome to the family! Hopefully you will stop there, though, and not aspire to as much breakage as your big brother!

To top off the week you came down with another double ear infection! Bummer! At least this time you started screaming during the day and not the middle of the night! I hate to see you in that much pain and to have to give you another round of antibiotics already! Poor guy! Hopefully this will be the last of it for the season!

We love you little man! You are a challenge and a joy and we take so pleasure in seeing you blossom more into your own little self every day!

9 Months, 4 Weeks Old! Your First Easter!

2010-04-06T16:26:00.000-07:00

Well, we probably would have had a much more lovely Easter if we hadn't all gotten sick again!

However, it was nice to have the extra hands to help with you guys, even if it was only for a few hours! We spent the afternoon at Grandma's house with Mama's side of the family and you enjoyed trying watermelon for the very first time. While the older boys had a little Easter hunt you got to open a fun little bag of gifts just for you. Your favorite is the play cell phone- you seem to have an affinity for electronics!

All in all things have just been rough this past week with all the sickness we have been enduring, but hopefully we will be on the mend soon!

9 Months, 3 Weeks Old!

2010-03-30T12:44:00.000-07:00

You started saying "dada" this week! And what a daddy's boy you are! We are amazed by how early you have taken to following him around and doting on him! You get especially mad if he leaves the house! Here you are trying to open the door so that you can get out to him!

You LOVE looking out the window! You would do it all day if I would let you, but since all of our windows are up high you don't get to sit and watch nearly as long as you would like!

You seem to be taking to music just like your brother!

You love drumming with him (although I think he would classify it more as you getting in his way!) and even steal his instruments every once and a while!

You are so sweet and cuddly and I think you get cuter all the time (if that's possible!)! You have also taken to fake laughing lately! It is so funny! Whenever you do something that you find comical you let out a "haha!" Quite the little comedian!

You and your big brother also got to spend most of Friday and Saturday with Nana, Papa & Grandma while mama went to a homeschooling conference! It was a nice break for mama to get refreshed and for you guys to spend some quality time with them! Daddy was working or he would have helped with you guys too! He misses you guys so much when he has to work a lot!

We love you, love you, love you! You're sweet and precious and too funny for words!

9 Months, 2 Weeks Old!

2010-03-23T11:58:00.000-07:00

You boys are finally on the mend, although daddy is still having problems with his ear. Life has gotten back closer to normal and we are busy as ever with co-ops and birthday parties- before we know it it will be yours!

Your cheeks have really filled out lately and you seem to be in a chubbier stage- so cute! Your smile is killer and you definitely know how to get what you want!

You have been into everything lately and are kind of driving your brother crazy since you like to steal his toys! Whatever he is playing with you automatically want (and vis versa!)! He also enjoys dressing you up every now and then- such as with his hat!

You got a kick out of it!

You are also eating us out of house and home (just as I predicted!)! You are not much into anything pureed but you LOVE finger foods! You eat avacado, banana, corn, olives, pasta- just about whatever we are eating in small bites! You love to be a part of our family meals and it is also nice for mama to get to sit with everyone else while we eat too!

We went to the park with the Dordal clan and you got to go in the swings for the first time and loved it! The slides were a new and fun experience for you too! Our little (or big!) adventurous baby!

OH! AND you started running your fingers over your lips and going "bububububububub"! You love the way it sounds and think it is so funny!

You still avidly suck my pinky for comfort (although I wish that you would just suck your own fingers instead!) and you love to rub and play with your hair when you're tired and you nurse. You also still loving lay your head down on our shoulders when we pick you up- it is the sweetest thing!

You are a genuinely sweet boy and we love you bigger than the moon!

9 months, 1 week old!

2010-03-16T11:45:00.000-07:00

Still sick! We took you back to the doctor and it turns out that your ear infection hadn't improved at all. Dr. Bennett felt it would be best to give you a shot (another first :-( ) of concentrated antibiotics to help give you a boost towards healing. You tolerated it well and actually cried less than you usually do when we give you the oral antibiotics (which you HATE!). I am glad that Dr. Bennett is so kind and understanding, but I would really rather that we didn't have to see him for a while!

Mostly, right now, we are just stuck at home trying to get you guys well (daddy has a very bad ear infection and built up pressure as well!)! However, you are becoming quite good at the stairs and are loving chasing your brother around more and more! You love to dance with us and your funny personality is really starting to shine!

(scary pic of mama- but YOU are cute!)

You are cruising along the furniture now like a champ and even stand by yourself a little bit! You love to jabber also!

We love you more than you can imagine Brutus Beefcake!

9 months old!

2010-03-09T11:00:00.000-08:00

Man- another rough week buddy! This past Friday we ended up having to take you to the ER at 2:00 am because you had been screaming for hours and even when we would finally get you to sleep you just wouldn't stay out. So we called Nana and Papa to come over and scoop up your brother and we reaced you to the ER.

After much hassle (apparently the fact that you were born at home completely dumbfounded them!) they finally came to the conclusion that you had an ear infection. The debate then arose over how they should treat you because we haven't vaccinated you (an informed decision) and in this doctor's opinion you would then need to be treated more aggressively... for your ears. What?! Ummm... last I heard there wasn't a vaccine for ear infections, thank you very much!

When examining you he also stopped in his tracks upon pulling your drawers down because apparently he had never seen a cloth diaper before and thought you were wearing a hip brace! Okay, so I kinda laughed at that one! But seriously, it was ridiculous!

At about 4:30am I finally interrupted him and asked if any of this was pertinent to our current situation... your ears... so that we could go home! We went and got your antibiotics (another first :-( ) and headed home to sleep at last.

By Saturday your brother had a full blown ear infection as well and daddy and I spent the next two days battling your fevers with lots of luke warm baths and Motrin until we could get in to see Dr. Bennett. He confirmed that you both had double ear infections by that point and that the antibiotics were suitable but not extra-crazy as the other doctor said they needed to be. He assured us that the other doctor was just trying to make us feel bad and that vaccines have no bearing on ear infections! Case closed!

Luckily daddy stayed home from work to help with you boys because between the two of you we are full-time on call! Lots of work and your fevers still rage. Poor guys! We love you so much and hope you get all better soon!

8 Months & 3 Weeks Old!

2010-03-02T16:11:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been an eventful week, to say the least! First of all, we made our family's first official trip to minor emergency for an injury and you were the injured! You were standing up next to our folded up travel swing and plopped backwards onto your bum, pulling it down with you... into your face. At first I thought it didn't hit you that hard and you were just fussing like normal- then I saw the blood. The copious amounts of blood streaming out of your mouth and all over your PJs! Needless to say, I freaked a little bit and couldn't get ahold of any other family member to help calm my nerves and possibly come over and help assess the situation.

About a half an hour after said accident you father finally arrived home but had to leave again right away to go deliver a tool to a guy who was driving in from out of town just to buy it from him, but at least he took your brother while I hauled you off to minor emergency. All in all, it was probably a good thing that he wasn't home when it happened anyway because when he saw your continued bleeding (which was minimal compared to the initial 10 minutes and caused mostly from your rubbing your face and tearing the wound back open... repeatedly) he got a bit pail and assured me that I was the one to handle the injury!

Luckily they got us in pretty quickly at the clinic and reassured me that your teeth were fine and your mouth would heal fairly quickly without stitches. The doctor discovered that you had impacted your teeth and were actually bleeding out around them, but the teeth appeared to still be okay. Through the blood the doctor also thought that your teeth had gone into your lip, but as we found out yesterday at a different doctor appointment for your brother (who has croup) you actually tore your frenulum (that little piece of skin between your gums and your lip- you have one under your tongue too). Erg... just the thought of it makes me cringe. The doctor said that yours was pretty think to begin with and probably would have torn at some point anyway, but assured us that now that it has happened it is out of the way and won't happen again. Phew... at least you are okay and seem to be no worse for wear.

Other than that we have been trying to spend some time outside and enjoy our beautiful weather. You tend to want to put everything in your mouth which is a challenge, however. The other day when I repeatedly removed the dirt from your hands you looked straight out me and then proceeded to put your entire mouth down onto the porch. Lovely. Despite it's challenges, it is good for all of us to get outside and soak up some sun and fresh air!

SO I caved the other day and bought some real baby food. I vowed that I wasn't going to do that with you, but life has been so chaotic lately that I just picked up a couple of (organic) jars to try).

You're not diggin' it!

These faces are priceless however!

Here is your brother's reaction (after asking if he could have some- we reassured him that if you didn't like it he definitely wouldn't!).

You love your finger foods but this mush was apparently just too much for you! I think we will be going a different direction with the solids from here on out!

Pitiful.

("why are you doing this to me mom?!")

Oh, and did I mention that you now weigh 21 pounds?!?! AND are wearing the sleepers that your brother wore when he was nearly 2, running around and "helping" us paint the basement during our remodel?! It is just nuts how different the two of you are!

8 Months & 2 Weeks old!

2010-02-23T15:25:00.000-08:00

It's official, you are now sitting at the big table with the family for meals and you couldn't be more thrilled! You just happily snack on your cheerios, or rice puff, or whatever small bits of dinner we give you, suck on you sippy (and still manage to soak yourself) and jabber away! You just love it and it makes dinner time so much more peaceful for the rest of us (especially mama!)!

You continue to love your baths with your big bro! Although sometimes things do get a little crazy, you are a good sport and do well at tolerating the occasional splash in the face or daring gulp of water! In fact, you seem to think it will be a good idea to stick your mouth under the running faucet for a quick drink, however so far I have thwarted your plans!

Oh, and your hair is finally filling back in in the back! Everyone has been mentioning lately how lighter it has gotten (which is true) but I just keep thinking how much older you look! You are fiesty and fun and we love you!

8 Month & 1 Week Old!

2010-02-16T15:40:00.000-08:00

You are so talkative! You even started talking in your sleep the other morning! Daddy and I love to see how you study our mouths when we talk and think that most likely you will begin to verbally communicate fairly early! You are such a social bug- you just thrive on being around groups of people and watching other kids! We continue to joke that you were really meant to be a fifth or sixth child so that there would have been more happening to keep you busy!

To our amazement and shock you began to sip from a straw this week! You randomly got ahold of one of your brother's cups and sucked the whole thing down in nothing flat. Luckily it was only full of water! You continue to amaze us and prove just how smart you really are!

You have a fascination with pulling every book and DVD off of our shelves, but most of the time I just let you because you are happy and what is it really going to hurt?!

Oh, and have I mentioned lately that you are just stinkin' adorable?! We love you bunches!

8 Months Old!

2010-02-09T15:34:00.000-08:00

I feel as though I blinked and you have nearly turned into a toddler! You are doing everything so quickly now! You have started to climb the stairs (yikes!), you clap for things (and at the funniest moments!), and you are so darn fast! You keep getting caught under the table too because you are too tall to stand under it but for some reason that just isn't making sense to you!

One big milestone has been taking baths with your brother in the big tub! You two have so much fun playing with all the boats and you continue to think that R-Man is the funniest person you have ever met! I love witnessing the bond between you two! I think that you are going to grow up to be great friends!

Update- I forgot to mention that we took a trip up to daddy's job the other day for your brother to see the big equipment he was using, and we got some cute pics of you! All the pics that I am in with you your brother obviously took- quite the photographer!

7 Months, 4 weeks old!

2010-02-02T18:27:00.001-08:00

We have begun referring to you as "Shark Bite" because with all those new chompers you are nearly as lethal as one! You have broken the skin on me a couple of times (particularly on my shoulder and collar bone!) but, luckily, I have begun to recognize the signs you give before you are about to go crazy while nursing, thus enabling me to avoid too much damage there.

You are a standing monster and trying to navigate between objects even sometimes! Daddy and I look at you moving around and playing and just can't believe how old you are! With 5 (almost 6) teeth in just three weeks and the fact that you are almost too long for your 12 months clothes (at not even 8 months!) I feel like you have turned into a toddler overnight! I am truly cherishing our cuddle times more and more as they become less frequent!

You are starting to mimic more and I just can't help but think that you are one smart little cookie! I taught you how to make your voice change by wagging your hand over your lips today and I couldn't believe how quickly you caught on and were doing it all by yourself! I find such joy in seeing you learn. You are amazing!

We had another little mock photo shoot (which all these photos are from) and I am so happy with how our pics turned out! You get cuter every day and you look more and more like your brother and dad!

We love you sweet boy and are so proud of you!

7 Months, 3 Weeks old!!

2010-01-26T15:40:00.000-08:00

You growl. Yes, that's right- you growl! All the time! It is hysterical! Maybe you took on growling because it has been another sort of rough week for you- lots of bumps and bruises as you have begun to pull yourself up on everything and almost 2 more teeth!

One major milestone in mama's eyes has been the few times that you have actually crawled yourself into the front room and played, just you for a decent amount of time (10 minutes or so!). It is so nice to see you acting a little more independently- it is just the light at the end of the tunnel that mama needed!

You are such a sweet and social boy, loving every moment of interaction you can get! We love your little personality!

7 months & 2 weeks old!

2010-01-19T12:27:00.001-08:00

You got your first four teeth this week! Yup- between Friday and Tuesday you had four break through those tender little gums! The first one was the upper left (second from the middle), the second was your front right, and then the third and fourth popped through at the same time on the bottom in the middle! It is so strange because I don't have hang-ups with cutting your hair, or seeing you reach all these new milestones, but for some reason having those teeth pop through and knowing that I will never see your adorable toothless grin again just makes me a little misty! Sniff. Alright- I'm okay now.

You are really beginning to crawl more and more "normally" and you are pulling yourself up on EVERYTHING! Just in the last couple of days your balance has improved so much- it is amazing. For the most part you just pull up to your knees but these pictures are the actual first time that you pulled yourself up to standing! We were so excited and so proud!!

Your teething has turned you into a pretty clingy little monster, but I am taking the extra cuddles while I get them! You love your mama and it about sends you up the wall to even see me walk out of the room! Whenever I do come and pick you up you get this sly little grin and put your head down on my shoulder, as if you are telling whoever else is int he room, "She's mine and she loves me!" And you would be very right!

Beyond that, you are having more fun every week "playing" with your big brother and he is enjoying you more and more too! You guys giggle together and chase each other around the house- it is so sweet and cute! You are also sitting up on your own really well now! It is nice to be able to sit you down on your bottom and be able to walk away not worrying that you are going to fall back and thump yourself on the head, although you have taken to yanking things down on yourself lately, making daddy and I all too aware of just how un-babyfriendly our house seems to be right now!

You are growing up so fast Lion Cub! You have almost our grown the length of your 12 month clothes and are just a brute (as daddy likes to call you- he also calls you "bubba" a lot! So cute!)! I am looking forward to another fun week with you and hopefully less pain and fussing now that those teeth are peeking through!

Love and Hugs,
Mama

Another Week Older- 7 Months Old!

2010-01-13T14:19:00.000-08:00

Seven months old already! I can't believe it Lion Cub! Oh and we weighed you the other day- you came in at 19.11 lbs with clothes on! Crazy! Good thing you are getting a little bit more mobile on your own! In fact, the night before you turned 7 months you made the leap from belly/army crawling to "official" crawling. You do about half and half now- so fun! I call you my little puppy dog because you follow me all over the house!

You also love chasing balls around- constant entertainment which is just what you need!

Another fairly new activity that you absolutely love is eating finger foods! Puffed rice is just about the most wonderful thing to you- you can't get enough! I have a feeling you are going to eat us out of house and home as you get older!

For your 7 month birthday I decided to try to do our first at-home photo shoot! It had it's rough spots...

But in the end we did manage to get some cute shots!

I still need to do some editing on them, but at least we have them!

I know I say it every week, but we are just having so much more fun with you all the time! You and your brother are really beginning to enjoy "playing" together and it is so amazing to watch your brotherly bond developing!

Lots of love sweet man!

Mama

Happy New Year Lion Cub!!!

2010-01-05T21:57:00.000-08:00

It doesn't seem possible that it is 2010 and you are officially living in a different decade than you were born in!! We rang in the New Year with some good friends of ours- sleeping over at their house and all! Mommy & Daddy celebrated our 6th Anniversary and our generous friends even watched you boys and gave us a gift certificate for dinner so we could celebrate! We played a lot of Wii and you got a kick out of watching the older boys play!

Our goofy friends:

Erik...

and Christa!

Ringin' in the New Year...

and scaring the bageebies out of you!!

Your brother was asleep already...

but you were busy whoopin' it up with the adults... and trying to figure out what in the world we were up to!

Your cousins, aunt and uncle also came over on Saturday since we hadn't gotten to see them yet this holiday season. They had a lot of fun seeing you and your brother again because it has been quite some time and you have grown like a weed! We are hoping to start having regular monthly or bi-monthly dinners so we don't go long between seeing each other again!

In other news, you continue to motor around like a crazy man, including right on down the stairs which just about gave mama a complete heart attack!! Oh what a terribly feeling! It literally scared the poop out of you and nearly out of me! You are a resilient little man though, and bounced back to normal in no more than five minutes.

You are getting more and more interactive and are showing a definite preference for mama at times! You really notice when I leave the room now and are not happy about it! You follow me all over the house and seem to love crawling straight under my legs while I do the dishes!

You love to be held so that you are standing up, and think it is a lot of fun to push up into a crawling position and then all the way up on your feet like a bear (although you still crawl like an inch worm!).

Your new favorite nighttime activity is taking a bath with your big brother!! I hold you up while you splash around with him and when he blows bubbles in the water you giggle uncontrollably! It is the cutest thing!

We are truly starting to have so much fun with you Lion Cub! You love to watch mama up close while I sing and to give all of us big wet kisses! You also started chowing down Cheerios for the first time today and they could literally keep you busy for hours! You are getting so good at pinching them between your thumb and pointer finger!

Your precious smile melts my heart and we can hardly remember what it was like to not have you around! I love you Lion Cub!

Always Your...
Mama!

Your First Christmas!!!

2009-12-29T15:44:00.000-08:00

What a fun Christmas we had little man! Relaxing and joyful.

You were of course more crazy for the crowd of family members to hold you and play with you than you were the actual presents, but that is fine by me (especially since mommy and daddy were totally broke this year! Don't worry, you'll have plenty of presents next year thanks to Swagbucks!)! Oh and you also had a particular affinity for this box:

We spent Christmas Eve at Aunt Michelle & Uncle Rick's house with Nana's (my mom) side of the family and Christmas Day at Grandma & Grandpa's house with Papa's (my dad) side of the family (who were especailly fun to see since most of them hadn't met you yet!)!

There are really so many pictures that it was difficult to choose, and in spite of how it may appear, I did narrow them down to only these! So, here goes:

Grandma & Nana admiring you!

Nana lugging you around!

Napping with Papa- a favorite past time for both of you!

Mama & Daddy just cuddling while checking our e-mail and blog readers on our iPhones!

Aunt Michelle & Uncle Rick- our hosts!

Hangin' with Mama!

Your beautiful Nana & handsome Papa, just snugglin'!

Fun with Nana beatin' on the couch!

Snoozin' on Grandma! What a nice way to spend Christmas Eve!

Christmas Morning! You played in the exersaucer while your brother tore through his gifts...

...and placed a bow on your head, anointing you as the best gift we received this year!

Family photo opp at Grandma & Grandpa's!

You can see how enthused your brother was about taking this picture!

You love your Grandma! And she loves you!!!

Mama, Grandma, Aunt Jeanna & You!

Grandpa, Grandma, Papa & Nana after a rousing game of Catch Phrase!

Uncle Bob & our cousins Macy & Kolton

And we finished out the day by having Kolton serenade us all with some lovely Christmas songs- "Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas" & "Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer"

He has a great voice and it was really nice to hear him play- your brother especially loved it!

Merry Christmas Lion Cub!

You are the cutest Christmas baby on the planet!

Love and hugs,

Mama

28 Weeks Old!

2009-12-22T11:52:00.000-08:00

Here you are jammin' on your brother's microphone! I think you will be following in his footsteps as one musical guy! You guys seem to kind of sing back and forth to each other! It is funny and adorable!

You continue to scoot like an inch worm all over the place. I actually walked into the living room the other day and panicked a bit when I found the room empty! You had scooted your way into daddy's office and were so happy to be just be checking everything out! You get happier by the day so that the world is more accessible to you (and therefor I get happier by the day as well!)!

Your sleeping schedule has been a little wonky still, but I find that if it comes 7:00 and we are trying to fight through to keep you up until at least 8:00 so you can just go to bed for the whole night instead of taking a nap, a bath really seams to help calm you down and keep yo entertained! I have even held you up in your bother's bath a few times which you both get a total kick out of!

You learn new things every day! Here you are learning how to make your voice sound funny- daddy would wiggle his finger between your lips as you made noise and you thought it was just the funniest thing ever!

You are such a joy and we can't wait to see how you react to your very first Christmas little man!

I love you bunches!

Mama

27 Weeks Old!

2009-12-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

You reached for me! You actually reached for me! It is so nice to feel like you actually want me- just the reward a warn out mommy needs! This past week you got a cold and so your sleep has been all wonky and you continue to only want to sleep when I am near. I am trying to keep in perspective that you aren't feeling well though and just buckle down and let you cling to me!

In other news, you tried your first solids this week! Well, okay, I did feed you two, small bites of banana a week ago, but this week was the first time I actually mashed something up (avacado) and fed it to you with a spoon! You actually enjoyed it- much more than your brother did with his first bites! I think you are going to be a big lover of food and will probably eat us out of house and home in the coming years!

You have been having lots of fun with your daddy and brother too! We pulled the futon mattress into the living room to snuggle as a family and watch Christmas movies this weekend so you all decided to "wrestle!" So funny!

I also gave your hair another trim this week! You were beginning to look like to look like my high school drama teacher or one of those silly looking monks with the way it was floofing out on the sides so I clipped it again! I will have to post better pictures next week to show the dramatic difference!

I love you cutie and hope you get to feeling better very soon!

6 Months Old!!!

2009-12-09T15:41:00.000-08:00

I can't believe that you are already 6 months old Lion Cub! And wouldn't you know that last night, the night before you reached this milestone, you started army crawling (much to my delight!)! So, times up buddy, you can crawl and you have reached six months old- your fussy deadline has been reached and you shall hence forth be a happy baby! Okay? Deal? Please?!

You are starting to sit up too! Although you can't balance for long, you are coming right along and you have a fun time trying! We are also discovering that you love thrills as much as your brother- you can be totally crying and we hang you up side down or throw you in the air and you are happy as all get out!

We had an eventful week this week (to say the least!) Here are some pictures of us going Christmas tree hunting with one of my past doula clients and her family (I was pregnant with you when I attended her birth last March). We didn't actually get a tree because we already had one, but it was fun to hang out and the scenery was beautiful!

We also went and baked Christmas goodies at Grandma's house (well, our first round anyway!). It was a fun day and very sweet (someday you'll get to partake too!)!

And finally, here is one of you snoozin' on me! You haven't been much for sleeping anywhere but on us lately (a phase I hope you will quickly grow out of). Although sometimes it drives me crazy I am learning to cherish these cuddle moments with you!

I love you so much little man! I am excitedly looking forward to the next six (crazy) months of your life! Congrats on half a year buddy!

What I love About You- December 4, 2009

2009-12-04T07:00:00.000-08:00

There are so many things I love about you Lion Cub, but here are just few:

-What a little beefcake you are! And how much you love those toes!!

-How you are already enjoying the role of pesky little brother! Very funny!

-How you like to rub your head and pull on your ear while you nurse when you're tired! It is so sweet and cute!

-Your giggle!! It is priceless!

-The way you love looking at our faces!

-How you love to cuddle everyone!

You are a sweetheart little man!

25 Weeks Old and your first Thanksgiving!

2009-12-01T15:40:00.000-08:00

I have one word to describe your latest fascination: TOES! But only the one on your left foot! Whenever there are out of your PJs you just go to town! It is so cute and funny!

You get closer to crawling every day! You can now balance on your hands and knees pretty darn well- you can even twist your torso and pick up one hand! You really get to rocking back and forth and we know that anytime now you are just going to race across the room! When you really get going and then flop down on your belly you get so mad! But you are getting better at scooting and twisting your way around the living room floor. You can nearly get to everything you want, it just takes more effort than you want to put out!

Sleep has still been rough this last week. You are fine once I am actually in bed with you for the night, but anytime before that and you just don't want to snooze for long. What can I say, you just love to snuggle!

You continue to be a screamer and we are quite sure that you are just very bored! All the moms at my Bible Study think you are going to be very outgoing and talkative, though, because you are so interactive and vocal! They laugh as you LOUDLY soothe yourself to sleep during study each week! You are a character, no doubt!

We had a really nice Thanksgiving over at Aunt Michelle and Uncle Rick's house. I was very grateful to have lots of hands to hold you and you were of course loving the crowd of people to watch! Pretty much everyone got some face time with you, Lion Cub, but my favorite pictures from the day are this one with you and Papa snoozin' after dinner:

And this one of you and grandma! She just adores you and is such a wonderful help!

You of course thought that the moment we sat down to eat would be a good time to start screaming, so I fed you in the other room with less distractions and then was able to pass you off so I could eat myself! Fairly typical of a holiday meal with a little one though, I guess!

I love you sweet boy and adore watching your little personality emerge more and more! I simply can't believe that you will be 6 months old in a week! Time goes by so quickly!

Kisses and cuddles my Lovey Boy!

Mama

What I love About You- November 27, 2009

2009-11-27T08:49:00.000-08:00

There are so many things to love about you, Lion Cub, but here are just a few!

-How precious you are when you fall asleep, really asleep! I am so glad that we co-sleep and I get to snuggle your warm little body all night long!

-Your silly little (and big) noises! You especially like to make lots of loud noise as you fall asleep! It is so funny! I told daddy I am going to start carrying on and yelling the way you do when I try to fall asleep at night- maybe it would help my insomnia! Haha! :-D

-The way I catch you staring at me or daddy! It is so sweet!

-How you smack your gums together like an old man without his dentures! You just crack me up!

-Your chubby cheeks (both sets!) and big hands!

24 Weeks Old!

2009-11-24T22:31:00.000-08:00

You are officially moving, if not quite crawling little man! You can turn completely sideways when you are up on your knees and are keeping balanced for so much longer! You even moved your knees a little bit a couple of times, you just can't quite figure out how to move your hands! You manage to scootch yourself all around the living room and darn near backed yourself down the stairs the other day! It looks like we are going to have to put the gate up a little sooner than expected! You are so close to crawling all the way! Keep it up buddy!

I think you could definitely qualify for "Boredest Baby on the Block," and I know you will be so much more satisfied when you can get to the things you are trying to explore! You are starting to enjoy this toy though! It speaks in different languages, plays all sorts of music from around the world, and is just interesting enough to keep your interest for limited periods of time!

Sleep has been eluding you (and therefore me!) for most of the last week and a half! Somehow your schedule got all messed up and you are waking up from an evening nap around 8:30 or 9:00 only to be up until 1:00 or 2:00 in the morning! Not so fun for mama! Any adjustments you could make would be greatly appreciated little man! :-D Thanks in advance!

Regardless, we adore you! Your silly laugh and coy grin are just enough to completely take my breath away! We love you Lion Cub!

What I Love About You- November 22, 2009

2009-11-22T07:30:00.000-08:00

There are so many things I love about you Lion Cub, but here are just a few!

-I love the way you try to accidentally suck the fingers on your right hand (you usually suck your left) and end up getting all discombobulated! It is so adorable!

-I love how you are really beginning to show that you recognize me- especially if I walk in a room and you haven't seen me for a little bit.

-I love how you are already recognizing the sound of Daddy's diesel truck coming into the neighborhood! You can be almost asleep and your head will pop right up, knowing he is almost home! So sweet!

-I love the silly raspberry noise you make! It is really high pitched and makes the littlest bubbles- it is so funny and I can't figure out how you do it!

-I love how inquisitive you are. I think it will serve you well in life!

Everyday there is something more to love about you!

23 Weeks Old!

2009-11-17T19:49:00.000-08:00

You are so close to crawling little man, I can hardly believe it! You are pushing up on your hands and knees and rocking back and forth like crazy! You can scoot backwards pretty well already and roll all over the living room floor!

You are getting interested in your brother's toys (which he isn't too fond of!) and still think he is just about the funniest person on the planet! You love for daddy or me to pick you up and chase R-Man around the house! You both get a kick out of it and roll with laughter!

Your favorite outfit is still your birthday suit and we go through a lot of blankets a day because of it! Anything to make you happy (for now anyway!)!

We have gotten together with other moms and kiddos a couple of times and you are usually so good and just mesmerized with all that is going on! You love crowds of people, for some reason it is very calming to you!

You love to grab hair (especially mine!) and anything in our hands! You stick everything in your mouth and seem to be sucking your thumb more. You love hanging upside down and any sort of popping or clapping sound! Mama's singing and crazy dancing are still sure bets to keep you entertained and happy and you just love looking outside!

You sleeping schedule got a bit off again this week but you seem to be adjusting. I think it is the hustle and bustle of the groups we have attended that threw you off.

You are a darling boy and you get cuter by the day. You remind me a lot of your brother but you are also starting to come into your own! I love you sweet man!

What I Love About You- 22 weeks old!

2009-11-13T07:00:00.000-08:00

There are so many things I love about you Lion Cub, but here are just a few!

The way you get shy and bury your head on my shoulder! it is the sweetest thing!
The coy little expression you get on your face!
Your big blue eyes!
Your crazy hair!
Your sheer determination to do anything and everything!
Your chubby buns! I have never seen anything like them and I LOVE them!
Your silly noises! You are a boy who like to talk... LOUDLY!
How funny you think your big brother is!
The way you smell!
The way your face lights up when I come in the room to pick you up after a nap!

And that is just skimming the surface punkin' bug!

Love and Kisses!

Mama

To join in and find out what other mamas love about their kiddos, visit Lil' Ladybug!

22 Weeks Old!

2009-11-10T07:00:00.000-08:00

You want to move sooooo badly Lion Cub! All the interesting things constantly surrounding you are jsut beckoning you to crawl and you are so frustrated that you just can't quite reach them! Soon though, soon! You are already pushing up onto your hands and knees and holding it for a few seconds- at 5 months old! You could very well crawl even earlier than your big brother! It is so fun to see your wheels turn as you try to figure out how to do it!

You got your second haircut this week! Daddy kept referring to you as Wolverine, so I thought it was time to break out the scissors again! You were fairly cooperative and came out looking spiffy and cute... of course!

You and your brother are starting to play "together" more and more! He loves dancing and singing for you and you think he is just about the funniest guy on the planet- even when he isn't doing anything! His constant sound effects and antics keep you in stitches!

I finally captured a couple of your smiles on camera this week! Usually you are so mesmerized by my taking your picture that it is hard to get anything more than a serious expressions, and candid shots are nearly completely out of the question! These new shots, however, just totally steel my heart!

Who knew that all it would take is a little popping noise with my mouth to invoke such sheer joy on your face!?

We love you, your adorable and we can't imagine life without you! Kisses!

21 Weeks Old!

2009-11-03T07:00:00.000-08:00

What an eventful week little man! You are truly blossoming into a crazy. interactive little tyke! You still scream a ton (you don't ever want to be put down... unless your naked) but you are really starting to laugh and jabber a lot more too! You have developed quite the new vocabulary over the last week, including "Buh, buh, buh," "Duh, duh, duh," and "Mamamama!" It is really funny though because your voice is so low! It is lower than your big brother's! We laugh so hard when you talk away with this little grumpy old man expression on your face! Priceless!

Your pension for grabbing things has also greatly increased over the last week! You have even developed a love for certain toys, most of all a little Baby Einstein stuffed dog- when we put him next to your face you just crack up! It is hysterical! It is so nice to be able to put toys in front of you and have you be happy for even a few minutes! Improvement!

You have also started pushing up on your arms while laying on your belly and sticking your bum up in the air- just not at the same time yet! You want to crawl so badly and we are all looking forward to the day when you finally take off and are able to get to the things you want. We are sure you will be a much happier baby when you attain that level of freedom and mobility!

Other than that we have been pretty darn busy, running around to appointments and such. You even raked the leaves with me! You fell asleep on my back eventually and I had to keep shifting you over so your head didn't bob over the side! You were so cute and content even though it was a very windy day! I think you liked the change of scenery!

This past weekend was Halloween and your Nana's 49th birthday so we went over to Grandma's house to celebrate! True to form, you were amazingly quite and happy with the large group of people around! I think you were actually destined to be a 5th or 6th child (so that there would be more going on around you constantly) but somehow ended up as a 2nd! Oh well- each week you get a smidgen less fussy (or at least that is what I like to tell myself!)!

We don't really celebrate Halloween but there was a little bit of dress up for the evening that was rather amusing- especially in terms of hair! Here is your brother with the real mohawk we cut him that morning (it was intended for just that day but it fits his personality so well that we decided to keep it for a while!):

And here is Aunt Rena and Uncle Rick with their matching wigs (make note that the wig Rena is wearing is her actual hairstyle that she has sported since the 1970s!):

It was a nice and funny night with family and we look forward to gathering together in just a few short weeks for Thanksgiving as well!

You are the cutest thing you chubby cheeked man! We love you!

20 Weeks Old!

2009-10-27T11:57:00.000-07:00

Another long week of screaming little man but at least it has been broken up by your silly giggles! You LOVE being tickled and being naked! The other night we stripped you down to nothing and you played on the floor content for two whole hours! It was crazy! We couldn't believe our eyes (or ears!)!

Your brother loves helping take care of you and tries to do his part in keeping you calm! Here he is playing his guitar for you and singing, "Don't cry "Lion Cub". It's okay just go to sleep!

You are starting to grab for things more and we are slowly finding more things to entertain you! Your big blue eyes are just killer and we love you to pieces!

19 Weeks Old!

2009-10-20T23:36:00.000-07:00

Oh sweet man, what is the matter? Daddy and I think you may be teething and have been bearing the brunt of extra crying it seems for this whole past week. You are not sleeping well, day or night, and will simply not stand for being laid down at nearly any time!

To top it off, I took you to your 4 month check-up on Friday and you weighed in at 16.10 lbs! That is an increase of 11oz in 9 days! No wonder I threw my back out this week picking you up off the floor! You are such a little chunk and oh so adorable! 27 inches long and the CUTEST chubby buns on the block (or in the universe for that matter!)- I simply can't get over your adorable backside!

We tried putting you in the jumper for the first time this week. You haven't quite figured it out yet but you do love chewing on the stuffed cow toy! Anything to keep you entertained!

You love constant stimulation and are loving watching your brother more and more- he is just the speed you need to keep you enthralled! His dancing or my animated rendition of Narls Barkley's "Crazy" are the only things that keep you content enough for me to fix dinner, which I rarely get to eat with everyone else since you are usually screaming in my lap or we are bouncing on the ball!

It is increasingly difficult to capture any candid shots of you lately since you just love looking right into the camera! Your big blue eyes are so killer though, that I can't help but adore every shot we take of you! We have been trying to take more video also, to forever hold all of your giggles, coos... and oh yes, screams and fits for later pay backs! Haha!

We love you and hang onto the knowledge that your constant need for stimulation will most likely subside when you are able to crawl and do more for yourself! We can't imagine our family without you and enjoy seeing your personality emerge more every day!

Kisses!
Mama

18 Weeks Old!

2009-10-13T16:12:00.000-07:00

Little man, you are a handful and the craziness of this October has left me rather behind in my posting. Between your Uncle Broth being in the hospital, our Jeep being broken into twice, our debit card number being stolen, many outings and plans, and your constant fussiness (just to name a few), I simply have not been able to keep up! With all that said, I love you to pieces and am enjoying the increase in giggles we are receiving from you and the way your smile can light up a room!

You turned 4 months old this week and weighed in at 15.15 lbs- if I would have weighed you after you ate you have no doubt tipped the scales to 16 lbs! That is about 2.5 lbs more than your brother weighed at this age and you are far longer, nearly outgrowing your 9 month clothes!

You and your crazy brother are the lights of my life and I know things can only get better from here!

17 Weeks Old!

2009-10-06T23:22:00.000-07:00

You LOVE your tongue Lion Cub! It has become a downright infatuation this week! You suck on it, stick it out and twist it every which-way! It is the cutest thing!

You continue to roll over like a crazy man but aren't particularly happy when you get there! You love anything thrilling- hanging upside down is a particular favorite that always invokes a giggle! You also seem to be getting quite ticklish- under your arms and chin are your favorites!

We had a rough weekend with Uncle "Broth" being in the hospital, but you were such a good boy taking a bottle from Daddy and Grammy the nights that I had to rush up to the hospital- what a little trooper!

You continue to love watching your big brother's antics and thoroughly enjoy getting out of the house and being around crowds of people- we are finding this to be the key to keeping you calm and happy!

We love you more than words can say and have so much fun watching you grow and change!

16 Weeks Old!

2009-10-02T13:10:00.000-07:00

The weather is turning Lion Cub and it is a good thing because you are running out of summer clothes that fit! Sheesh you big man! We are breaking out all of your big brother's 9-12 month clothes for you to wear at 3 1/2 months! You are so long and muscular! Bound for football we think!

I love how you put your head down, look out the top of your eyes and give this shy little smile- it is so adorable! You love to blow bubbles and you drool all over everything! You are getting really grabby and are especially attentive when we are eating- your day will come soon enough!

You have rolled over a few times but not consistently. You mostly get up on your side and then roll back, but you are putting forth some good effort!

Oh- a BIG milestone this week! You took a bottle of breastmilk- TWICE!! From both Grandma and Nana! Your big brother would never even think about doing this and I am so glad you did because this means that I should be able to attend the birth of a good friend next month AND daddy and I just might get to go out on a date! Woohoo! Thank you buddy!

New joys everyday little man! We love you!

15 Weeks Old!

2009-09-22T14:14:00.000-07:00

You had a much better week little man! You are laughing so much more- especially with daddy- and even rolled over from your back to your front! You love to hear yourself "talk" and are even letting us set you down a little bit more throughout the day! You especially adore being naked, and I try to give you a little naked baby time before bed each night! Here are my favorite pictures of you this past week!

We love you sweet boy!

14 Weeks Old!

2009-09-15T16:46:00.000-07:00

You are such a talker, little man! This past week you have really started to mimic our talking sounds to have little "conversations" with us, and it is the cutest thing ever! You just get so engaged! We love it (although I like it better during the daytime hours than the middle of the night!)!

It was a little bit rougher week for you this past few days. We can't figure out if you are starting to teeth or what, but you have been a little grumpy. With that said, you love going outside and looking up at the big maple trees in our yard and adore watching your goofy brother! You definitely know when our attention isn't 100% on you and you let us know that that is just plain unacceptable! It is a challenge but we are working through it!

I love your beaming smile and your chubby little buns! You are adorable and light up our lives every day!

Love, Mama!

13 Weeks Old!!

2009-09-08T19:00:00.000-07:00

Lion Cub- you are just so darn big! SO much bigger than your brother was! We went shopping with Grandma this week and had to buy you jumpers in the 9-month size in order to get them long enough in the length! It is just crazy! In a month or so we are going to have to break out the clothes that your brother wore at the end of winter to fit you in the early fall- and he was older by that time of the year than you will be! It is just crazy how different the two of you are! In fact, your brother accidentally put on your shorts the other day when I told him to get ready, and they fit!! They looked like hot pants, but they fit!

You are really starting to try to grab for things and loving standing up (with help, of course!)! We also broke out the exer-saucer for the first time for you to play in this week. You only last for 5-10 minutes, but those minutes are gold when mama is trying to get the dishes done or make the dinner!

We went back out to the cabin for Labor Day weekend and you enjoyed being out of our house again for a few days, plus mama appreciated having the extra hands to hold you (Thanks Grammy and Auntie Jenn!)!

We love you bunches bugaboo!

12 Weeks Old!

2009-09-01T21:30:00.000-07:00

This week was crazy and you had lots of new experiences and achievements! First off, Nana came over and hung out with us on Wednesday to help mama out and it was so nice to have her! She just loves snuggling with you and your big brother!

Uncle broth also stayed for dinner that day and it was nice to have him over since he had only seen you a couple of times so far!

Then, on Thursday, we left for the lake with Grammy! What an adventure! Here you are snuggling her and your big bro (you guys got in lots of grandparent-snuggle-time this week)!

We spent all day Friday out on the boat- your first time! You were less than thrilled about wearing your life jacket (to say the least) but you loved when the boat was moving! We spent a lot of gas on you that day just so you could feel the wind in your hair and be calm!

Even though you didn't like it, you sure were cute in your life jacket!

It wasn't easy to nurse you with that big thing on, but we managed!

You "helped" Grammy drive the boat for a bit...

...and had your feeties dipped in the water for the first time- another adventure you weren't particularly keen on! It was just so darn hot we thought you might like it- clearly, you didn't!

We stopped off on a beach for a bit to eat lunch, give you a break from your life jacket, and give your brother a chance to play in the sand! You were a big fan of getting off the boat for a while and were all in all a happy boy for about an hour!

You were especially happy after you pooped! Grammy didn't realize just how much damage you had done in your drawers when she unwrapped your diaper! It was a job that could only really be cleaned up by rinsing you off in the lake- don't worry, we didn't dunk you, just splashed you off! And hey- this is one of those pictures you are really going to love when you start dating and we break out your baby book! Haha! I just couldn't resist!

The rest of the weekend was a lot cooler, so after daddy got there on Friday night we pretty much just chilled...

Mama even got in some reading!

In other news, you are officially a thumb-sucker now (yeah!!!), only on the left side- just opposite of your big bro! You also rolled over for the first time on Monday! You are growing and changing so fast we can hardly believe it!

You are cheeriest in the morning and love to smile and blow bubbles! You fight sleep like no tomorrow and we always say that you give the storm before the calm, instead of the other way around! We are really getting to know you and your lovey little personality is starting to emerge. You respond to your name and can follow things so well with your eyes- even across the room!

We love you little man, and can't wait to see what this next week holds!

11 Weeks!

2009-08-25T15:47:00.001-07:00

Well Lion Cub, we took you for your two month check-up last Friday and the doctor informed us that you are the size of the average 4 month old!!! You are 24.5" long and 14 lbs (and gaining an ounce a day!)! You have outgrown all of your brother's old summer clothes and he was even older than you are by this point in the year! Crazy! Nana calls you her little butterball turkey! You are such a chunk, and although you are killing my back, you are too stinkin' cute to be too upset over it!

You seem to do best when there is lots going on around you and lots of people! We went up to a local orchard for a friend's birthday party over the weekend and you were so content and happy!

We also went to Grandma's for the day so mama could get some work done on the computer!

You were fairly good, if not a little fussy, but you enjoyed watching the boys play and getting some snuggle time in with your great-grandma!

You also rode on my back for the first time while I completed some chores that desperately needed to get done!

You love watching your big brother- he is shear entertainment for you! You are cooing, talking and blowing bubbles like crazy and your smile is just killer! We love you and the joy you bring to our lives!

10 Weeks!

2009-08-18T12:20:00.001-07:00

Well, this week was a definite turning point for you little man! You were much more calm and content! We discovered that, at last, you will suck on my pinky to soothe yourself, and if we help you, even suck your thumb! You have fallen asleep many times now without fussing because you were sucking! Hallelujah!

Turning point #2- You have started to enjoy your bath!! You are so cute kicking and splashing!

Turning point #3- you got your first hair cut!! You patiently laid on your changing table and let me cut off an inch of hair (and you still have tons!)! Now your cheeks look even chubbier and I think you look like you are ready to join the army! You are so adorable!!

Before

The Hair!

After!

You were so good at your cousin's birthday party! You were just content watching everyone and hanging out- so not normal for you, but so wonderful!

You and your great-grandma

You with your great-aunt Rena

Turning point #4- you will actually lay on your belly for little periods of time. You were even trying to kick with your feet and were smiling and cooing the whole time! Plus, you looked so cute in your Gro Baby diaper!

Here are some of my other favorite pics of you from this week!

We have more fun with you everyday and look forward to every new day to come! We love you!

9 Weeks Old!!

2009-08-11T05:36:00.001-07:00

Well Lion Cub, this last week was much better! We took you to the chiropractor for the first time last Thursday and she said that you were definitely in need of an adjustment! I don't know if that is why you have been a little more content or if it is just you getting older, but something is helping!

You actually laid on your boppy and "watched" Baby Einstein for a few extended periods this week (15-20 minutes) which was a HUGE reprieve for mama! You also have begun to develop a little bit more predictable routine, which has made planning our days a little bit easier. It is also helpful to kind of know when the crying will cease (you still fight sleep like a wild banchee!)!

You interact more and more every week! You are blowing bubbles like crazy and have started making this adorable little high-pitched squeal when you are excited! You even almost laughed this week when we were dancing your arms around and singing you the theme song from the latest Baskin Robbins commercial (Ice-cream and tasty treats, ice-cream and tasty treats! Ice-cream and cake, do the ice-cream and cake!)- you really get a kick out of it!

We love you so much and can't imagine our family without you! You are such a sweet boy!

8 Weeks Old!

2009-08-04T21:46:00.000-07:00

Well little man, it was a pretty darn busy week! We spent lots of time with Nana Bubbe last Wednesday. We went to the pool at her and Papa's apartment and your brother had a ball- you just enjoyed being outside!

You had a very eventful day in your diapering life that day too! You managed to completely leak on me and Nana- twice! It was just pee, but crazy leaks no less, so I had to borrow two pairs of shorts from Nana in total! Apparently those diapers don't fit so well anymore! Your growth amazes me!

We got out the little play gym for you to lay under this week. If you are in the right mood you actually kind of enjoy it! Occasionally you accidentally hit one of the toys with your flailing arms which surprises you and seems to bring you great joy! Very cute!

You got to meet your Aunt Laurie (Grammy's sister) and Auntie Barbara (Grammy's aunt) this last week. They were up from California for a visit and it was nice to have more arms to pass you around to! You (and they) soaked up the attention!

(Aunt Laurie)

(Auntie Barbara)

Your new matching motorcycle Tees!

Grammy

Don't worry buddy, we were right there to catch you should your brother let go! He just loves holding you so much!

7 Weeks Old!

2009-07-28T21:28:00.001-07:00

Well little man, it has been a trying week for all of us! Your brother came down with a 24-hour flu over the weekend and you have had an extra dose of fussiness to go along with him! Trying times, but we are pushing through!

(I have to wear you pretty much all the time to get anything done!)

In my opinion though, for the most part, you are narrowing down your crying to two reasons in particular- you are tired and about ready to fall asleep (but are fighting it with all you have) or you are bored. If a change of scenery or fun interaction (such as The Itsy Bitsy Spider) doesn't cure the fit, then it is probably tiredness!

We got you some new diapers because you had pretty much grown out of all the others! You are growing so fast that I can hardly believe it! You have to be at least 13 pounds by now! Yes- my muscles are getting quite large (at least in my left arm!)!

We tried to get your 6 weeks 1 day pictures (the same day old that we got your big brother's taken) this last week but it didn't go as well as I had planned! You were very tired and the photography studio apparently no longer works on "baby time," so we didn't get to take all the poses of you that I wanted- very disappointing. What can a mama do though? We tried!

Later that day however you did enjoy a little time at the park! It has been incredibly hot out, so we took your big brother to a splash pad at a local park. He loved it and you ate and slept! Good times!

We love you so much and think that you get cuter by the day! You are really coming into your own features and becoming more of a little individual all the time! Happy seven weeks Lion Cub!

6 Weeks Old!

2009-07-21T23:11:00.000-07:00

6 weeks and you are getting so darn big! In fact, you are definitely going through a growth spurt this week because you are nursing like a crazy man! I just put you down and you want to eat again right away! At your first doctor's appointment last Thursday you weighed in at a whopping 11.4- that is almost 4 pounds in 5 1/2 weeks!

You and R-Man at the doctor's!

Everything else checked out well at your doctor's visit (first time seeing this doc and he was awesome- he spent over an hour with us!)! However, you did scream the WHOLE time! To be honest, I was kind of glad you did so that he would believe me when I said that you were a screamer! He said that he didn't think it was true colic but rather just fussi-baby-ness! Yes, you are just like your brother! Everyone says you never get two crazy babies in a row, but they are WRONG! It's okay though- you fit in well with our high-strung family!

Your brother adores you and wants to hold you all the time! You love watching his crazy antics and having him talk to you! In fact, you are enjoying interacting with us more and more! You are usually fairly quiet and alert right after you wake up in the morning and love cooing and smiling up at us! You even quieted down the other day mid-cry when I laid you down and started singing The Itsy Bitsy Spider to you! I was shocked but kept on singing! However, just singing usually isn't enough- you like a full on production with hand gestures and crazy facial expressions! When I ran out of baby songs I started with showtunes and probably got through half of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat before you were ready to be picked up again!

You are tracking well with your eyes and seem to be able to see farther and farther away. You are also beginning to turn your head in response to our voices and your name! It is getting harder and harder to remember what it was like without having you here. You are the perfect addition to our family and we love you so much!

Here are other cute pictures of you from this week-

5 Weeks Old!

2009-07-14T21:48:00.001-07:00

It was another eventful week for us Lion Cub! You got to meet your cousins Natanya and Aubrey for the first time-Here you are with Natanya. She spent the night on Sunday and was very helpful at distracting you and your brother for me so I could get a few things done!

Here was one of your classic moments-

You are being worn a lot (pretty normal for you since it is one of the few places you will stay asleep!)-

And Daddy even wore you for the first time to try to keep you quiet!

Today we spent a little time outside. Your adoring brother loves to give you kisses and this was how I found the two of you:

Here he was trying to keep the sun out of your eyes- he figured that if it was in his eyes it must be in yours too!

He loves you so much and really wants to pick you up the last couple of days (don't worry- we don't let him without a lot of help!), and he is getting good at helping me take care of you!

Here is a picture that R-Man took of you and I- not too shabby!

And here are just cute shots of you actually being content!

One HUGE milestone for you came today when you actually slept in the swing for a couple of hours (instead of.02 seconds!)!! I found out the trick is to put you in on your side! This is going to be a huge life & sanity saver for mama- maybe I can actually get something done now!!

We get to know you a little better every day and are getting better at figuring out your likes and dislikes. You coo so much now- especially when we talk to you! You are smiling more and more and had your first few minutes of tummy-time yesterday (which you were great at- completely holding up your head and shoulders, by the way!)! I greatly appreciate that you sleep so well at night- we snuggle and nurse all through the night and I get so much sleep! You look more like yourself and less like your brother all the time and we love you so much sweet boy!!

4 weeks old!

2009-07-07T16:35:00.000-07:00

This past week we celebrated your first 4th of July out at Grammy and Pappy's lake cabin! In all honesty, you spent a good portion of the weekend doing this:

But you did have some quiet alert times too- like here when you were cooing at daddy and your big brother-

You especially loved being outside- I think the change of scenery was good for you!

With Grammy

The hammock swing chair was one of your favorite places to snooze!

And on the beach-

And on the bed (but usually not for very long!)-

You also spent lots of time in the Sleepy Wrap-

And bouncing with mama and daddy to keep you calm!

Things we found out about you this week:

You really appreciate a dry diaper!
Our bed is your favorite place to sleep (well, second to on us!)
Being bounced by daddy seems to calm you down the fastest!
You love a change of environment and scenery (we think sometimes you just get bored!)!

Things I love about you:

The way you always have your hands up by your head- it is so cute!
How you smile when we talk to you!
How much more you are cooing and "talking" to us!
How you cuddle up an use my breast as a pillow after you get done nursing at night!

3 Weeks Old!

2009-06-30T23:33:00.000-07:00

You are 3 weeks old today Lion Cub! As of yesterday you weighed 9.12 lbs- thats 2.6 lbs in just 3 weeks! You have already outgrown your Nanipoos newborn dipes and all your newborn shirts- you are chunking up day by day! You are cooing more and even started giving us real smiles yesterday- they are rare but you do smile!

Your cold is almost gone and your fussiness seems to be a little bit better now that mama has cut out dairy and almost all chocolate from her diet (not an easy job!!). However, you do still like to clear those lungs when you are awake! We think that you just get bored- that is the way your brother was! You always want to be moving and having a change of scenery! It seems to help if we go outside, but even that doesn't always work! You have also been spending lots of time in our Sleepy Wrap since you seem to have decided that you aren't all that fond of your swing most of the time!

We took you out to eat for the first time this last week for Grammy's birthday! You were a very good boy- nursed thorugh most of the meal and then Grammy got to have some snuggle time with you! We also left you for about an hour with Nana so that Daddy and I could go groccery shopping. Nana loved getting to spend some time with you and your brother! In fact, all your grandparents just adore holding and cuddling you!

Here you are nursing in the Sleepy Wrap

Here we are outside- you love to pull back and look around- especially at our faces!
You are just the sweetest, cutest thing and I love to snuggle you- even more so when you are happy!
Here you are after a bath with your fluffy hair! Baths are getting a little bit better but you still are not a huge fan!

Looking forward to many more adventures with you in this week to come- it's the 4th of July this weekend and we will be heading out to the cabin for your first trip! Lake- here we come!

2 Weeks Old!

2009-06-23T16:57:00.000-07:00

I can't believe that you are already two weeks old today Lion Cub! It has been hard to see you have such a rough start- getting a cold at just a week old and what-not- but you are pushing through and seem to be on the road to recovery.

We think you may have had us fooled for that first week or so, because day-by-day you act more like your brother did when he was a newborn! You definitely don't like to be put down with nothing to do! It seems that the trick with you is constant bouncing and motion! You also like looking at your bright green diaper with the black and white chickens on it- must be the contrast that catches your eye!

Here we are on Father's Day at Grammy & Pappy's house- our Sleepy Wrap was the only way I got to eat dinner!

And here you are meeting your cousin for the first time!

Also just like your brother, you love to sleep on us! Such a snuggler! Of course, whenever we can, we try to catch a few winks when you are asleep as well!

Here are the beginning stages of you finding your thumb- we are beginning to wish that you would "officially" find it a little quicker :-) !
Hangin' with your big bro! He is good at keeping you entertained for me if I can get to you right away or need to go rinse out your diaper! He loves and adores you very much!!
You are a sweet boy, and although you may be giving us a run for our money (just like your big brother!) it just goes to show us that you fit perfectly into our family! We love you so much!