3 Years

Ok... so Bug turned 3 about a month ago and I figured why not do a quick update on what he's been up to lately! (Not a summary of the last year, just what he's into now)

Bug loves to play! He loves trains, planes, cars, trucks - things with wheels and go, go, GO! Just like him, he's always on the go! He's a little ball of energy and doesn't rest unless the TV is on. He only gets to watch TV while brother takes his morning nap and as soon as Munchkin gets cranky, Bug is telling me that I should lay him down and he'll wait for me on the couch! haha He knows the routine! He loves to watch Thomas, BusyTown, Word World, "Silly Lizard," and Animal Planet. He also loves to sit and read books. He loves if I read to him, but is also satisfied to look at the pictures and make up his own stories.

Bug barely eats. He likes breakfast (cereal, waffles, yogurt and granola, FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT), he'll pick at lunch (pb&j, mac-n-cheese, chicken nuggets, crackers and cheese, FRUIT FRUIT FRUIT) and then doesn't touch dinner, probably because there's no fruit... but apparently a kid can grow on fruit and milk because he's 36 lbs and 3 ft 2 in. He's in the 60% for height and 80% for weight and all muscle!

He loves to pick on his daddy - mostly because he loves to be tickled and to wrestle. They have a great relationship and Bug wants to do everything daddy does.

Bug can count to 12, but has recently started struggling with 7-9... not sure why. He can say his ABCs and recognizes most of the letters. He's really good at blocks and puzzles. He loves craft time and can use scissors (with 2 hands... still working on that). Stickers are his favorite, and markers. He's started concentrating on coloring objects on the pages, but doesn't stay within the lines.

He's still very attached to his "nuggle" and still sucks his thumb when he's going to sleep or hurt or scared.

Bug tries to tell jokes or tells me things are funny. For example, there was a green grape in his bowl of red grapes and that was so funny, because "that green grape not supposed to be there mama." I wish I could think of some of the other things he tells me, he's really hilarious. He is so sweet too. He'll just come up to me and hug my legs and give me a kiss. He wants to curl up in my lap to read stories and still wants me to hold him when he wakes up! He can be such a joy and so easy, but we also have a few heart issues we're working on. Bug is very selfish, he doesn't want to share or take turns with his brother (he's better with kids his own age), he snatches toys and yells "MINE" all the time. His tantrums can be over-the-top dramatic and impossible to calm down. Some days are very trying, but for the most part he is our sweet, loving little boy.

He's potty trained, but not bowel trained. He wears a diaper to bed at night but undies all day and during nap. Yes, he stills naps. He generally naps for about 1-1.5 hours a day and then continues rest time with mommy when he wakes up - usually stories or snuggling.

 Some pictures from his Thomas and Friends Birthday :)

10 Months

10 Months (Oct. 17 - Nov. 16)

My baby is getting so big! He is walking everywhere now! He still crawls some, but generally only if he's fallen down a couple of times. He is super clumsy, I think because he's getting his molars... he face plants onto the train table, coffee table and floor all the time, although it could just be because he's still learning this whole balance thing. He has 8 teeth - hopefully I have dates written somewhere! (Sorry Munchkin, Mommy is trying to keep up!) He loves to play anything brother plays, but is also really into ball toys - like a fire truck that you put balls in the top and it drives, a giraffe that you put balls in and it sings, and an alligator that you put balls in and they roll out his mouth! He has added "roaring" to his vocabulary - lot of things roar: dinosaurs, lions, dolphins, flamingos... basically all animals roar! haha He's still a really big eater. We've started weaning him from nursing, he's not a fan. We gave him whole milk for the first time (11/15) and he did well with it. He's definitely not getting enough fluids, so I try to give him lots of watery fruits which seems to help. He's such a sweetheart, loves people and always has a smile! He lights up the room with his sweet laugh and thinks big brother is super funny!

Munchkin Facts
Still wearing size 3 diapers
Wearing 12 month clothes
Naps twice a day
Nursing 3 times a day
Loves mommy most :)

9 Months

9 Months (Sept 17 - Oct 16)

Honestly, this month was crazy and I don't have a lot of dates but here's what I know. Moo now has 7 teeth! He took his first steps on September 27, about half an hour after mommy left for work. I was so sad to miss out on such a big first, but was lucky enough to catch his second attempt a couple days later. He waves hi and signs all done. He loves food! He out eats his big brother everyday and sometimes gives me a run for my money! The other day we ordered pizza and I ate 2 pieces and Moo ate 1.5!!!! He loves to crawl, everywhere. He's into everything and curious about everything. We fondly call him our little troublemaker! His favorite food is probably bananas, he'll eat a whole one in minutes 2! He refuses to be spoon fed so I give him this fruit/veggie pouches - he can suck one of those down in less than 30 sec! He is still nursing 3-4 times a day, but is getting pretty good with his sippy cup too! He is trying to talk! He says mamma, dada, uh-oh, boo, i (hi), teet (tweet), anana (banana), car/plane noises and monkey noises. He takes 2 great naps a day and is generally a very happy baby. He hates being buckled in his car seat, but once he's in he is generally a good rider. He loves loves loves his mommy!!! I always need to be within sight, but preferably within reach! He loves to snuggle and wrestle. He wakes up with the sun and goes down with the sun.

Munchkin Facts
Size 3 diapers
Size 12 month clothes
Wants to do anything brother is doing
Won't sleep without his truck blanket
Drives cars and flies planes

Catching Up!

So I'm getting pretty behind... I figured I better get this posted before he turns 9 months old later this week!!!

7 Months (July 17 - August 16)

This month just flew by! Moo has been scooting around for a while, but actually started crawling on 8/1! He goes short distances - to reach a toy he wants or to sit at my feet :) but he hasn't started exploring the house yet.

Moo eats anything I put in front of him! He's starting to get frustrated with baby food and wants to feed himself everything. He loves cheerios and kix and the yogurt bites! He'll eat any fresh fruit - pears, peaches, bananas, etc. We're having a little bit harder time with veggies - not a huge fan of green beans, but he likes peas! He's definitely not a picky eater though and eats way more than Bug!

Moo loves to play cars, trains, and trucks. He even pushes them back and forth on the floor like they're driving! Sometimes he even tries to make engine sounds... but it's hard to decipher his baby babble, so that might be my imagination! Moo definitely says "mama" and "dada" now... although Daddy and I debate which one he actually said first with real understanding of what he said. I'm going with "mama" ;)

He is also pulling himself up on everything (8/4)! He doesn't quite have the hang of sitting back down, so this leads to quite a few bumps and bruises, but he loves standing! And he's so proud of himself when he does it! I think because he thinks he's a big boy like his brother!

Moo also had a well visit this month... yes, I'm very behind. Anyway, he weighs 18 pounds and again, they didn't give me the length. I feel like he is really long though. I guess I'll have to measure him myself! He finally got his 4 month immunizations, and handled them like a champ. Screamed through the whole thing, but as soon as I picked him up he calmed down and even smiled at the nurse on our way out!




Munchkin Moo Facts
- We're still not sleeping through the night... at this point I don't even think he's interested in milk, he just misses me!
- size 3 diapers
- growing out of the 9 month clothes... guess I'll be sorting through clothes soon!
- loves his brother and tries to be just like him!


8 Months (August 17 - September 16) - A few days early, I know...

Moo has been working on some more teeth, and they finally broke through!!! He got 3 teeth within a week! (Top Center Left -8/18 Top Center Right -8/20 Top Right 8/27) I kept thinking the top leftone would follow suit to even things up, but it's nowhere to be seen! I'm so glad that we have a little break from teeth though - Moo is not an easy teether.

I went back to work 8/25 and since Moo refuses to take a bottle, him and Daddy have had some rough nights. Although, on 8/30 Moo finally slept through the night! This is actually the second time this has happened - the first being in February and a complete fluke! I think the fear of being given a bottle is what has helped him decide waking up isn't worth it :) He doesn't sleep through the night regularly, but he is doing better and waking up less, with sporadic full nights sleep every now and again!

Moo is crawling everywhere and into everything! Him and Bug play chase - a game designed by Bug in which Bug finds a toy Moo will want, shows it to him and then runs away screaming "chase me!" They both laugh hysterically - it's adorable! Moo can also crawl up the stairs faster than I can pee... so luckily I found the baby gate :) On 8/3 Moo stood up on his own! It was for less than a minute, but his balance is getting really good! On the same day, he starting creeping on all the furniture. Looks like he'll be an early walker!

Meal time is probably one of Moo's favorite times of the day. He will eat anything (except for green beans and avocados). Unfortunately Moo is allergic to eggs... he immediately broke out in hives during breakfast. But other than that, he loves waffles with jelly, fruit, fruit and more fruit, pasta, potatoes, crackers... I'm thinking carbs might be a problem ;) He eats chicken, hamburger and beans. Loves tomatoes. He's really easy to feed - as long as you don't attempt baby food.

Moo is a screamer. Despite our best efforts to teach him volume control, he's a screamer. So, we've been working with Moo's signing and on 9/6 he did his first sign: "all done!" It was such a proud mama moment! I love watching him learn things and communicate. I'm hoping as he learns signs and eventually words, the screaming won't be necessary. Also, on 9/11 he waved at me for the first time! I can't believe how quickly he is growing up!

Munchkin Facts
- still in size 3 diapers
- 12 month clothes and they're not even big :(
- sleeping better at night, 2 short naps a day

Oops! It's been a while!

5 Months (May 17-June 16)

This month is a little fuzzy - sorry Moo! May 16 (actually still 4 months old... but I don't think I included this) Moo went on his first plane ride! It was a first for Bug and me as well - we flew first class! Thank you so much to my hubby who upgraded our tickets! Traveling alone with 2 kids cross country was horrible. None of it was really their fault, they're just kids and the flights were long. Which is why I thought booking red-eye flights would be helpful. The kids would just sleep, right? Wrong. Bug slept all of 15 minutes between the 2 flights and our landing at 2am (Mississippi time)... not a happy 2 year old. Moo did better, he nursed constantly and napped on and off but wasn't happy being worn and really wanted a bed. I snapped a picture with Moo and the pilot, a little tradition for their first flights. The captain let Bug wear his cover and sit in the cockpit! It was pretty cool :) So we got to vacation in California while Daddy finished packing the house and drove cross country!

We stayed at grandma and papa's house and got to visit auntie, uncle and our cousins! It was a lot of fun and a lot of crazy! Especially when all 8 cousins were together! It's so fun to be near family again! It's been a long time.

Moo got his first tooth this month! The lower right one...forgive me for not knowing the date :( I think it was around the 10th. We also started solids this month. For weeks Moo has been sticking his hands in my food and pulling my plate closer to himself. I wanted to wait until Daddy could be there for his first food, but then one night at church poor Moo broke my heart. I was eating dinner and he looked at my plate and looked at me and started crying. He was pouting his little lip and everything. I just couldn't resist anymore, I mean, he was hungry and I wasn't letting him eat because his daddy wasn't there. Not nice mommy. So I didn't even finish Bible study but left to get him some food. Poor hungry boy. His first food was carrots (June 4) and he seemed to like them - he ate about half the container!

He's getting better at sitting but still topples over often.

We finished off the month moving into our new townhouse - thanks to Grandma and Papa for practically doing all the unpacking! I don't know how I would have gotten it done without you - or how long it would have taken!

(I don't know why it cropped the picture like that, but I don't have time to keep messing with it! Enjoy his better half! haha)

Munchkin Facts
Up 1-2 times a night
Naps 2-3 times a day
6-9 month clothes, size 3 diapers

Halfty Birthday! (6 months June 17-July 16)

I wanted to do a really cute "halfty birthday" party for Moo with half a cake and everything, but I realized that I wasn't going to let him eat any of it and I was really working on losing the end of the baby weight, so I didn't. It's hard to believe that he's 6 months old already! But at the same time, I can't imagine our family without him and that he's only been here 6 months. He's growing up so fast! I can't believe it, but he's already attempting to crawl! He started getting up on all fours in the beginning of July, right before Daddy had to leave for 2 weeks. I thought for sure he would start crawling while he was gone, but he waited!!! I was really happy because Daddy missed out on a lot of Bug's firsts and so it's nice that he's actually around for Moo's. Moo's crawling attempts are slightly self destructive: he gets up on his hands and knees and then pushes his feet but his hands don't move so he ends up face planting. It makes him really mad. He also gets up on his hands and feet with his booty in the air and then shuffles his feet - super cute.

Moo had a terrible rash on his neck, chest and tummy. I finally got him to the doctor and it was "just eczema" as the doctor put it. Seriously one of the worst out breaks of eczema I've ever seen on an infant. Even now I've been treating it for weeks and it's just starting to heal. Poor itchy baby. At his appointment he was 17 pounds! I didn't get his length, which drives me a little crazy - I'm used to getting a growth sheet at the end of the appointment. Since starting solids Moo has been constipated :( so we're also trying to get him to drink some prune juice, pear juice, etc. The problem is he won't drink out of a bottle, or a sippy cup. We've tried so many cups it's ridiculous. Then one evening at Papa's baseball game, Moo got ahold of Bug's water and started gulping it down! It was a straw cup! I've since bought him a straw cup with a silicone straw and he has yet to really drink from it. I think he's perfectly capable of drinking from any of the cups, but just prefers mommy. Spoiled baby :)

As far as food goes this month, he loves mum-mums. He can hold them and feed himself, which he loves, and they dissolve in his mouth so he doesn't have to chew (which he doesn't) so I don't have to worry about choking! It's pretty much the only way I get to eat dinner! He's getting really good at his food net too! Especially if there's something delicious in it like watermelon!

I love his baby babble! It's getting pretty advanced and sometimes we wonder if he's really trying to say "mama" or "dada" but we're not officially calling any of it a first word. He says, "dadada, mamama, bla bla bla" He's also sitting like a pro and loves to sit to play.

Munchkin Facts:
Second Tooth (June 17 - bottom left)
Wearing 9 month clothes
Size 3 diapers
Everything goes straight to his mouth :)
He's up 1-2 times a night STILL (Anyone have suggestions??? I'm tired!!!)
2 naps a day
Eats anything I feed him, never really excited or upset about food choices

4 Months

I keep writing these later and later, but at least they're getting done!

4 Months (April 17- May 16)
Little Moo rolled over this month! (Date) He did it probably 5 times the first day and hasn't done it since. I think because our floors are so hard and he bonked his head a couple times. But it was really nice because daddy and I were both there for it! Munchkin loves to babble, he talks more and more all the time. I love when he squeals and he has even giggled a few times. Moo is mostly down to 3 naps a day, but sometimes still sneaks a 20 minute cat nap at the end of the day. The best news this month? He slept through the night!!! (April 27) It happened 2 nights in a row and then we were back to twice a night. I'm beginning to think he'll be this way until he weans, he just loves to be comforted at night. After all, he is my social baby: he loves to be around people and gets lonely if you leave the room.

With Bug I was really strict about introducing solids, but I may have let Moo lick a piece watermelon this month! I'm really not sure if he liked it or not, I thought it would feel good since he's teething, but he's never had anything cold before so I think it surprised him.

We're working on sitting up, but it still requires a mountain of pillows! His favorite activity has to be standing. He loves to stand. And luckily he's pretty sturdy so I can support him with one hand while entertaining Bug with the other! He still isn't a fan of tummy time, but we keep practicing. He loves peek-a-boo... It is a sure fire way to get a smile! My favorite is when Bug plays peek-a-boo with him. They're so cute together.

Moo finally had his first doctor appointment! He came in at 14 lbs 14 ounces and 36 cm. He got his first set of shots and did awesome with them, so easily comforted afterwards!

Munchkin Facts
- wearing size 6 months clothes
- size 3 diapers
- finally starting to snuggle
- full of smiles all the time!

A little late...

Slightly behind on the little man's update, but here it is!

3 Months (March 17- April 16)

About half way through this month Moo started to only wake up once a night! Although that only lasted for about a week before he went back to twice a night. I think he is getting old enough for a little sleep training to wean out one of those feedings! This mommy is getting tired! He is still taking 4 naps a day which I think is a little excessive, so I'm working on getting that down to 3 - which will also help with his night sleep! He's still a great eater and growing like a weed! (No updates on length or weight because we haven't been to the doctor since he was a week old... insurance issues, but I'm hoping to have that resolved next month!)

Moo loves to whack the animals hanging from his floor gym and I've even seen him grab them a couple times! He loves kicking his feet and staring at his feet - I'm sure he'll be sucking on those toes soon! Moo is drooling like crazy! I think he's starting to teeth, but it'll still be a while before any teeth actually break through. He is also constantly chewing and sucking on his fingers! It's generally the first two fingers. I think it's adorable :) Occasionally, I catch him trying to chew his whole fist! He's really become a very happy baby which is something Goose and I thought would never happen. He smiles all the time (unless you point a camera at him, in which case suddenly he's miserable and crying).

Munchkin Facts:
- Wearing mostly 6 month clothes (occasionally 3-6 months)
- Ended the month in size 3 diapers
- No more bobble head :) He's great at holding his head up!
- Favorite toy is a crinkle book with bright colors
- Sits in bumbo for short periods
- Chews on blankets :)
- Stands in the bouncer and plays with the toys!