Four Months

Well, this post is a little over a week late but for good reason. In the last week, we have moved 4 hours from our home town, I have started working, and little man has been staying with his daddy. Hey, better late than never, right?! I CANT NOT believe four months has passed us by! So much has changed for us in these past months, most good, including our little squirt changing and learning daily. Our love for him grows with every hour. Last Friday, December 2nd, he turned 4 months old. Here are some facts about our little, yet chubby four months old.

•  At his Dr.'s apt. a few days before his 4 month birthday he weighed 11 lbs. 8.3 oz (3%...went from 1% to 3% which is AWESOME for a preemie), 22.5 in. (0.52%), and his head was 15.75 in (7.48%)
• Yesterday he weighed about 12 lb. 2 oz...
• Wears 0-3 month, 3 month, and some 3-6 month clothing
• Size 1 diapers, just because we still have a box left but will be going to size 2 when these are gone
• He still nurses every three hours during the day, no rice cereal or foods yet..I plan to wait until he is 7 months (6 months gestation) to start anything else. I know everyone has their own opinion on this but as long as he is gaining weight this is what we plan to do.
• His bedtime has oficially been set for about 8:30ish, as soon as he gets done eating at 8. He sleeps from then to about 6ish the next morning.
• This past week is the first time he has been with anyone besides me for more than 3 hours at a time. My job allows me to come home and feed him twice during the day which is a HUGE blessing.
• He still smiles ALL the time. We smile, he smiles. SWEETEST THING EVER!
• He laughs sometimes but we are still waiting on a full out giggle fest. I feel like it could be anyday
• We just got his exersaucer, jumper out and he loves it. We bounce him and then he will kick his legs trying to bounce himself. SUPER CUTE.
• He has come to have a hate relationship with tummy time. There for a while he would just automaticaly roll over, now he just screams cause he hates it. Head up or head down, he screams
• He has a super grip on toys. He holds on and pulls the toys on his activity mat for a long time and will hold onto a rattle, small toy for just a little bit.
• The last few days he has had a thing with pulling up. One of his feedings he straight sit up by himself. I was so surprised I didn't realize what he was doing until he did it. No, I'm not saying my 4 month, really 3 month old, can sit up by himself but I am saying he is a strong little stinker.
• He is still fighting sleep and will cry for about 5 minutes before every nap, but he is usually A- okay at night and goes right to sleep.
• He is all about his hands! If he isn't saying his prayers :) he has them in his mouth. This mommy does not want a thumb sucker so I usually put his paci in but sometimes it's just too much when he constantly wants his hands or fingers in his mouth.
• Still loves his tongue, he is always playing with it.
• TALKER!! He talks all the time. In the morning, afternoon, and night this boy is talking. A lot of the time he wakes up and starts talking and cooing. Melts my heart everytime.
• Before we moved, he was sleeping in his crib in his room BUT in our new house the nursery is super far away from our room so we are putting it off until we feel comfortable moving him. So, for now he is back in the packnplay by our bed.
• I took him off his reflux medicine and he has done great
• Got his first stffy nose, but nothing the humidifier and some of momma's lovin' couldn't handle
• SLOBBER MONSTER. He slobbers and slobbers, no swollen gums just yet but I think it could be anytime
• Does not do good staying up past his bedtime. We found that out a few nights ago. So, for now, 8 something bedtime for him and we will become very familiar with some babysitters so we can still get out and do things.
• Got to see snow for the first time
• Still looks EXACTLY like his daddy
• This month,  he has realized that Oliver is something, he isn't sure what that something is but he will watch him run around the room and has been reaching for him
• His little personality is just coming out more and more, and we are finding it easier to know what he does and doesn't want
 
Shaw Michael, we are so in love with you and your fun personality. Your sweet smile can make even the worst of days brighter. Heres to another crazy busy, fun-filled month of you growing and learning :)
 

Happy Birthdays

This past week has been super busy for us, but in all our business we got to celebrate two special people's birthdays. Easton turned the big number one while they were visiting so we had a small family birthday party here. Then we celebrated Shaw's MiMi's birthday this past weekend.

The birthday boy (AKA my brother's mini me) eating his dinner

 My brother, sister-in-law, and Easton Matthew. Love them to pieces and miss them so much

His favorite gift, two cans of puffs that he banged together the whole night. haha

 Big boy opening his gifts

Happy boy

Yay for smash cake!

 MMMMmmmm...this is good!

 Then, he decided he didn't like it one bit. :)

This chunky monkey (am I really saying that about MY teeny tiny preemie?!) slept through all the festivities.

This weekend we celebrated MiMi's birthday by going out to eat for yummy food, opening gifts, and eating delish chocolate pie.

All of us with the birthday girl.

 Happy belated Birthday E man and MiMi. We love you both so much!

Cousin Love

Last week, my brother and his family were in town. That meant lots of cousin lovin' for Shaw man. He got to meet his cousin Easton for the first time and cousin Raeleigh loved having both boys to play with. She thought she was SO big! Here are a few pictures that I took while they were here.

Love these three! I was really close with many of my first cousins growing up and I pray Shaw has the same fun, exciting experiences with his. 

 :)

Early morning at Pops and Ganna's. I'm pretty sure Easton is letting Shaw know where his nose is.

 Sweet babies

Rae Rae loves her baby Shaw

Hey Aunt A!

  Oliver wasn't amused by the early morning festivities

 Mr. Blue Eyes

 Mont Momma and Daddy Buck with three of their great-grands (Love how Easton and DB are looking at each other..melt my heart cute!)

While they were here visiting we had pictures taken of the three kiddos for Ganna (and Pops) for Christmas. My friend, Lindsey, took the pictures and did a great job! We knew with a five year old, 12 month old, and 3 month old it could have been a disaster but they all three did fantastic! Here are a few of my favorites of all three of them together.

Wordless Wednesday: Phone pictures

:)

3 Months

Shaw Michael, yesterday you turned 3 months old!!! 3 MONTHS OLD....that's 1/4 of a whole year! I just can't believe it! You have grown and changed so much over this last month! Here are a few facts about you:

• On your birthday you weighed 10 lb. 7 oz. (still gaining over 2 lbs. a month)
• You are wearing mainly 0-3 month clothing and you can barely fit into some NB items
• You have the same feeding schedule that you have been on. There have been a couple of times where you have spread your feedings out to every 4 hours and if you are sleeping soundly I am not going to wake you.
• During the day you pretty much eat, play/stay awake for about an hour, take an hour nap and then start the cycle over
• You are still a great sleeper but your night sleep is very sporadic. One night you will sleep 5 hours straight and then the next you will sleep 9. You average about 7 straight hours. Regardless, we feel very blessed to have a baby that sleeps, gets up to eat, and goes right back to sleep with no problems.
• You LOVE playing with your playgym. I posted a video here of you in action
• You have now rolled over tummy to back 3 or 4 times
• You talk and smile all the time and your sounds are starting to vary more
• This week you laughed out loud "cackled" for the first time. Funny thing, I almost thought it was a cry because I was rocking you to sleep and your paci was barely in your mouth so I took it out and you had a HUGE smile on your face :). Guess you were having a funny dream. It was funny and sweet.
• You have a love/hate relationship with tummy time. You can put all your weight on your arms and keep your head up for about 5-10 minutes at a time. You would way rather hold your head up sitting in your bumbo, probably because it doesn't take as much effort.
• You still love bright, playful toys. You just stare and bat at them.
• You have really become fond of "Mr. Fan". ha! Your love the ceiling fans in our house
• Being outside it still your favorite
• We have been reading to you since you came home but now mommy tries to make it a daily activity. As long as you aren't tired you just intently listen and look at the pages of the book! I hope to install the importance of reading in you, and you enjoy books as you grow older.
• You have been doing great in church. We still haven't taken you to the nursery but you usually sleep through the entire service.
• You are still sleeping on your nap nanny in your pack-n-play. When daddy is gone I put it in the bed with me. I have been wanting to put you in your crib but your daddy is not ready to move you just yet.
• Lately, you have loved the car seat and it puts you right to sleep
• You take naps either in your swing or crib. I try to rotate throughout the day
• You still have some issues with reflux but for the most part it is controlled. I have considered taking you to the chiropractor and I am leaning more towards that then keeping you on medicine
• Starting a couple of weeks ago, you started fighting sleep. You will cry for the first few minutes. I think it is a tactic you use to keep your heavy eyelids open for as long as you can :)
• One of your favorite things to do is "Patty Cake". You smile and kick your legs the whole time.
• It is official that you look JUST like your daddy!

Shaw, you have such a sweet personality and you are such a joy to be around. I know I say it in every post, but I could not thank God enough for allowing me to be your mommy. I love you so much sweet boy.

Halloween

Yesterday we got to celebrate our sweet Shaw's first Halloween. A couple of months ago, my niece decided she was going to be Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz so we started talking and thought it would be cute to all be the characters. Of course, the guys didn't want to play along so all the girls (and Shaw) dressed up. Along with Dorothy, my mom was the wicked witch, my sister was the scarecrow, I was the tinman, and Shaw was the lion. I couldn't find a lion costume small enough for a 3 month old, let alone a premature 3 month old, so I found a cute hat on etsy and used my crafty sewing skills (ha!) and made the body of the costume. I surprised myself and it actually turned out super cute. All day we rested up and played at home until it was time to get ready for the big trick-or-treat trip. My family met us at our house, we went by my grandparents, and then we went to a big, popular neighborhood in our town to do the trick-or-treating. Afterwards, we went by Shaw's Mimi's house to show him off. He was such a sweet lion and enjoyed being outside all night. All the excitement really wore our sweet boy out because he slept 9 straight hours, something he has only done a couple of other times. We had a great day full of sweet memories.

My two boys

Sweet boy

Having cuddle time  

 Oliver was a skeleton this year

 Mrs. Tinman and her sweet lion

Dorothy (aka Raeleigh)

 Daddy and Shaw trick-or-treating

 He looks a little scared! haha

They were having a seriously conversation



 What a great night!

So "Big"

One of the best things we have purchased is the play gym/tummy time mat. After every feeding, I usually put him down for tummy time and then when he gets tired of that, which usually doesn't take very long, I flip him over on his back to play. He LOVES it! It is the cutest thing to watch. He bats at the hanging toys, smiles at himself in the mirror, "talks", and plays the piano with his feet. Yup, he should be the next star of the movie "Big" if they ever remake it. I got him on video this morning in full force. Maybe he will end up being a piano player like mommy and so many other family members (and if he does hopefully he will enjoy and appreciate it more than I did).

A Post Full of "Firsts"

Once again, I have let too much time go since I have posted. Have I said how busy we are?! Between moving across the state within the next few weeks, having a 12 week old, and living just everyday life I would say I have no extra time on my hands. Also, it is that time of year again, the holidays!!! Not only do we have the excitement of Halloween (we just dress up, trick-or-treat, and go to the pumpin patch..no real celebration of the actual meaning behind the day), Thanksgiving, and Christimas, but my brother, sister-in-law, and nephew are coming for a visit in two weeks and we could not be more thrilled! They will be meeting Shaw for the first time and I just know he will love them so much, especially cousin Easton, who will be one in November. So, this post if full of a few of the many "firsts" we have shared with little man.

First real bath on 9/5/11, one day before he turned 5 weeks old

First wedding to attend on 9/10/11. With the beutiful bride, Lindsey Greer, at the rehearsal dinner at 5 weeks old

First time to go to church on 9/11/11, 5 weeks old 

 First time to see himself in the mirror, on 9/26/11 a day before he turned 8 weeks

First four-wheeler ride with Daddy, 9/30/11 at 8 weeks old

The next few pictures are of the first time he rolled over (he has now done it three more times). Josh yelled at me to hurry and get the camera. I ran in there and captured it. We were all so excited :) 10/7/11 at 9 weeks old

 yay!! I made it!!

First Benton Panther football game 10/14/11 10 weeks old

 With cousin Rae Rae

 First time to sit in the Bumbo like a big boy 10/20/11, 11 weeks old

 Big Bubby wanted in the picture

All bundled up for his first Race For the Cure 10/22/11, 11 weeks old. I didn't get a picture with my camera (did with my phone) but he wore a onesie that his Ganna made that said "Boob Man" and that had the pink ribbon on it. It was super cute :) 

Aunt Carly and Mommy before the race started

Even though this is no where near all the exciting "firsts" we have experienced, these are some of the ones I have captured with my camera. I have so many more pictures on my phone since it is with me at all times and more convenient. Hopefully, one day I will figure out how to put them on here. If you can't tell, he is becoming more fun as the days pass and has such a cute personality!