Eight Months!

I'm a day late, but what's new? Harry turned 8 months yesterday! Has it really been eight months? Anyway, I haven't done a monthly update (or any update) in awhile, so I figured I'd better let you know what is up with my butterball!

Harry has three almost four teeth. Two on bottom and one and another about to finish popping through any day now. He loves to eat! The list of things that he does not like is much shorter than what he does like. He does not like butter beans. Yeah, that is all that I've noticed he will not eat. He eats meat, tons of veggies, some fruits, bread/pasta/rice, and he had some cookie the other day-thanks to Alice!

Harry is still nursing a lot. Mostly at night. He nurses maybe four or five times during the day and several times while sleeping. Or at least I'm sleeping. That is one wonderful benefit of co-sleeping. He also likes to bite. He has little shark teeth on the bottom and it hurts so much more than it did when Alice would bite. Of course, he is like her because it is oh so funny to make me say no, ow, or ouch!

We are so close to crawling. He has been getting up on his hands and knees and rocking for the past week or two. He can move himself backwards, but only manages to do face plants forwards. Harry is sitting up so well. It only took FOREVER! The other day he sat up from a crawling position. It is nice to have a "baby". Alice was walking steadily by this age. Just goes to show how different babies are!

I weighed him the other day. Unofficially, he is almost 21 pounds. I also weighed Alice and she was 26.5 pounds. No wonder my back hurts when I hold him!

Harry is still just the happiest, most content little man. He is rarely without a smile. Even in the throes of teething, he is a pretty pleasant baby!

And now to see how cute (and BIG) he is getting...

(Belated) Three Months

Harry turned three months on June 14. I'm late posting this, but better late than never, right? The pictures were taken on his month-aversary, so at least I managed that!

Harry rolled over back to tummy the week before he turned three months. He has only done this a few times. I'm pretty sure he is capable of doing it more often, but I don't give him nearly enough tummy time. We average twenty minutes a week. Oops! I just worry about Alice jumping on him or kicking him accidentally. This has happened a few times before, and I'd rather him be "delayed" in some gross motor skills, than have mush for brains. I've been trying to sneak more in, but lately he has just been kicking himself in circles or pulling himself across the mat.

Someone is a big fan of sitting and standing! In fact, he prefers to be sitting on a lap. He can "stand" for upwards to a minute before his legs give out.

Alice is the best toy ever! He stares contentedly and in awe of whatever his big sister is doing. I have been bathing them together when he needs a bath. This is a logistical nightmare, but much easier than doing them separately. I just bring jammies, diapers, lotion, the changing pad, and the bouncy seat in the bathroom. Harry watches while I wash Alice, and then we put his tub in the tub. Alice loves to help wash him and blows raspberries on his belly! Then we dry him off, lotion him up, diaper and jammies and he sits in the bouncy seat smiling and laughing as I wrangle Alice.

Speaking of smiles, this little guy's melt my heart! He is just the prettiest little boy and such a joy!

Harry has been sleeping through the night for quite awhile. Turns out sleeping babies are not just myths! We have this odd nights, but usually he goes 8 1/2 hours. Occasionally it will be longer. His record is about 10!

Harry loves the mama milks! He will take a bottle, but really likes it from the tap better. This makes me happy! And him too!

He started reaching for his toys and loves to grab his feet. He is a champion reverse ab cruncher! We have been wearing 3-6 month clothes for almost a month, and some of them are getting a bit snug (mostly in length). I have a feeling someone may be bigger than Alice by this time next year!

His favorite past-time is chewing and sucking on his fists and arm. Really anyone's arm will do. I am sure he will give me a hickey one of these days.

And now for monthly pictures!

Alice did not partake in this months pictures. She was having an epic tantrum, and wanted to be left alone. I'll see if I can get her to participate next month!

And these last two are to show what sweet smiles he has. They were taken about 2 1/2 months. Isn't he just the sweetest, prettiest baby boy?

Friday Night Leftovers (Take Two)

I'm really irritated. I was almost done with my leftovers when Blogger had to refresh, and I lost them. ARGH! I'll probably forget half of what I wrote the first time, but here we go...

•Happy Earth Day, on this Good Friday. Not only did Jesus die for our carbon transgressions, but also for all of our sins.

•As I was playing with HJ and watching him smile at me, I thought how happy I am that I'm not God because if I had to give up my son to save all of mankind, you'd all die and go to hell.

•I am incredibly exhausted. I have gotten three to four hours of sleep each of the past few nights. Consequently, I have been nodding off nursing and anytime I'm sitting.

•Want to know how exhausted I am? I changed HJ's diaper the other day. I then put him down, threw the diaper away, grabbed him and changed his diaper. A little bit later, I was wondering how Alice's diaper could be leaking?! Gee, I wonder!

•Do you know that breast pads don't work when you put the absorbent side away from you? Twice I have done that this week, and woken up soaking wet and in a puddle of breast milk.

•My mom made a comment the other day (in reference to having my hands full) that if I had a third I'd just be depressed. Umm, no. I might go crazy from the chaos, but I wouldn't be depressed. That explains why she was a crappy mother...at least until she just quit parenting.

•When I told Sean about what my mom said, he agreed that that explains everything. Then he went on to say that anyone who has more than two kids is selfish. We should just repopulate ourselves. WTH?! I think this comes from his parents (he and his sisters spent the majority of their youth with other relatives and apart from each other) and their lack of involvement, love, etc.

•HJ is now rolling both ways from tummy to back, and can use his forearms to lift himself up. He's grounded! Growing up too fast is now a mandatory grounding!

•We are forecasted for thunderstorms for the next week. Why don't you just pee in my Wheaties too, Mother Nature?

•Thank you for all of your suggestions yesterday! I will be trying them out and seeing what works. I'll update soon :-)

•I realize a lot of you really don't know a lot about me. I know I'm usually talking about the kids (they're mine and I like talking about them), but there is more to me than mom-dom. Is there anything you'd like to know?

For more leftovers, visit Danifred! Wishing everyone a Happy Easter!

One Month

Today is Harold Jack's one month Birthday! Time is flying by! I'm grounding him because I'm not having any of this growing up business!

The past month has been so wonderful. HJ has fit right in to our family very nicely. Alice is getting better with him each and every day. Though she still loves to climb into the bassinet, regardless whether he is in it or not!

HJ is just the sweetest, most calm and laid-back baby. He hardly cries unless he is hungry. He sleeps! He seems to have gotten his days and nights back. He goes down around 11:30-midnight and sleeps until 5 or 6, gets up to eat, and goes back down until 10-11. Such a sweetheart! I'm hoping his schedule stays like this, but I know it will probably change.

HJ has rolled over twice now. The first time at 3w2d and the second time two days later. He only goes from his tummy to back (and from his left side).

He takes the occasional bottle of pumped milk, which is nice for future occasions and when Mommy needs a bit of a break.

We have each gotten a real smile out of him. That just melts my heart! His one month appointment isn't until Monday, so I don't know his height/weight yet, but I will update then. I know he has grown quite a bit because he feels heavier, and he has been nursing almost constantly during the day!

And now his one month picture!

Happy One Month Birthday, my little man! Mommy, Daddy, and Sissy love you very much!

10 Months (Belated) and 11 Months!

So, I'm FINALLY getting around to doing Alice's 10 and 11 month post. Yes, I am late.

10 Months

Dear Alice,

On Father's Day (20 June 2010), you turned 10 months old! What a big month you had. You are an absolute amazement to your father and I. You have started "talking" all of the time. You make the cutest new noises... and a few not so cute (i.e. squeal/scream). You went swimming for the first time this past month, with Jennifer and Evie. You loved it! You started saying a few new words. Dinky (which is Jennifer's dog), What's That (though it sounds like Eht's At?), and you said Mama once (FINALLY!). You have yet to say it again. You also started getting your top two teeth! Your cousin, Eliza, was born! You aren't too sure of her yet, and we have yet to really get the two of you together, but it will happen soon. I promise! I apologize this is so brief, but my memory is getting foggy and that is what I get for doing this over a month late. Sorry!

Love always,
Mommy and Daddy

Pictures of 10 Months

Father's Day at Grandpa's House!


If you were only as cute as me!


Mama, come here. Now!


I have my Grandpa wrapped around this finger!


Yeah, I'm big stuff!


I'm pretty high up... I don't know about this.


Grandpa, there!


Forget it. I'll just run. You are too slow!


Follow me, Mama!


Swimming for the first time!


Ciao!








11 Months

Dear Alice,

Your top two teeth finally popped through! You are so stinkin' cute when you smile (not that you aren't cute other times). We also found out that you are going to have a baby brother or sister (hopefully!). The baby seed is planted... now we are just hoping it grows big and strong! We are currently planning your first birthday. Which we will do it about a month later. Mostly so that Mommy has time to get things organized, ordered, and the house in order (along with the yard). We also found out that Mommy was getting severanced from her job, so we will get to spend a lot of time together in the coming months and perhaps years. Hopefully, you won't get sick of me :) This past month you have really started saying quite a few things. Breakfast (bwfas), yea, jus (juice), mot (remote), and ook (book). Oh, and when I asked you when you if you wanted to be a big sister, you walked off and shook your head! I just had to put that in here!

I will have to post pictures for your 11 month later... I do not have them with me today.


We love you so much, and you continue to amaze us everyday!

Love, Mommy and Daddy

First Steps (caught on a viable video!)

Okay, so these aren't technically her first steps, but this is the first (actually like 5th) video of her walking. I should note that this is the first video that I was actually able to upload from my cell phone, and that the others I had on a different video setting and could not upload. I have been trying to get this "proof" for two weeks now! I apologize for the blurry video...stupid phone! I had to "bribe" her with my keys when I picked her up from the sitter's last night...and I think she would have kept walking all the way to me, except she tripped on Marty (her mouse).

So without further ado...

First Steps!!!

Yep, Alice took her first steps tonight! I was picking her up at the sitters, and she was so excited to see me (I LOVE IT!) and to our amazement, took 2 (almost 3) steps towards me, before dropping down and making a mad dash crawling. I will attempt to get a video of her soon... it is just difficult to try to catch. I never know when she will do it! My baby is growing up too quickly!

Seven Months!

Alice is 7 months old today! Wow! Has it really been seven months already? Time flies when you're having fun, and oh what fun have we had. Of course, the older she gets the more and more fun we can have. Our fun it limited to what is "safe" and within reason for her age, but oh the fun things we will get to do!

No new milestones were hit this past month. I *think* she has been signing milk the past few days, but I'm still not completely sure. I only see her do it while we are nursing, so perhaps she is. Alice got an awful lot better at crawling...I swear I feel like I'm in slow motion when I'm trying to get her. She is a pro at pulling herself up to standing. In fact, she can now stand even when there is nothing to pull at, i.e. the wall! Yes, her new favorite "toy" seems to be the wall. She crawls over there. Bumps her head and face in to it, and laughs! Then she rubs her hand all over it, smacks it to hear that lovely sound, and then stands up...and starts rubbing her face and head over it! I told Sean that we shouldn't get her any toys or anything. Just a few bags (like gift bags-not plastic from the store), an empty box, and a few pots and pans (with a spoon for banging!). I believe she would be the happiest baby ever! Truthfully, she already is though. Almost always full of smiles!

Oh, I got off on a tangent. The other thing that Alice is working on perfecting is standing alone. She was only doing a few seconds, but I am pleased to report she can now (sometimes) stand for up to two minutes on her own. She can also take a few steps if you hold her hands. Geez, this kid will be walking before I know it. Which makes me wonder, why am I trying to promote this "walking" thing? I'm only kidding (sort of). Life with a crawler sure is more trying than life with a baby that just lays there.

For the first time (well technically it wasn't the first time-but the first times didn't count because she was only days/weeks old), Alice got to go outside and see what was going on. I put her in her stroller, and we rolled out to check on the animals. Now, Alice has seen dogs. Oh, does she love dogs! She has not seen any other animals...until yesterday. First up were the rabbits. Oh my goodness...she squealed with delight and leaned so far forward in her stroller that I thought she may fall out. I didn't let her pet any of the rabbits (only one is really nice enough to let you pet her anyway). Next, I opened the barn door and out came the two cats (we had 5 but living in the country you learn that sometimes animals run away or get beaten by nature). The mommy cat (Jinx) saw Alice and ran off, but Minx (the son) was intrigued. He had never seen a stroller before! So began the most interesting part of our excursion. Minx was interested in the stroller and Alice, and Alice was F-R-E-A-K-I-N-G out about the kitty. I have never heard her babble, squeal, or scream as loud as she was. At one point, I picked up Minx so Alice could pet him and boy, oh boy, was she tickled. Finally, we strolled around to see the chickens. The rooster was crowing and the look on Alice's face was priceless. Never had she heard anything like that. She looked at the rooster, then to me, back to the rooster, then to me. I told her it was a rooster (and pointed out the hens as well), but I didn't have a sign for it. Remind me to see if I can find the signs for "rabbit", "cat", and "chicken".

Unfortunately, I do not have pictures of our first outing at our house, but I will bring the camera today when we go and try to recreate the situation. I need to cut this short...apparently my father wants to stop by with relatives that haven't seen Alice yet, and my house is a mess. Argh! Whatever happened to the 24 hour notice? I don't usually clean the house until Saturday afternoons or Sunday.