Little Moments

This summer is flying by quickly. Even my oldest is beginning to relate to the phrase "time flies when you're having fun!" She was so ambivalent to leave her friends at school, but now so unwilling to give up the freedom of the relaxed schedule she's resumed. Yes, it's going by quickly, but I'm glad for the short break we've been given to spend as a family.

This summer began with a lot of skepticism. After all, the first day Kyra came home from school, my car battery died that very day. I was stuck in the McDonald's parking lot for nearly 2 hours trying to stalk people down for jumper cables. I was determined not to cry, but got pretty close when it started to down pour rain, and Andrew was crying because it was beyond his nap time. Fortunately a man in a beater of a truck lent me a hand and got me back on the road. Then the very next day, Andrew learned how to take all of his clothes off during his nap, and proceeded to leave a rather "stinky surprise" smeared all over the crib. Needless to say we were not off to a great start.

But the largest obstacle at hand has been overcoming Andrew's temper tantrums. Now maybe I have forgotten quite a bit over the years, but I don't remember the girls going through nearly this difficult a stage. Andrew still does not speak a whole lot, which might account for some of his frustration in trying to verbalize his needs, but he is down right irritable. He screams, he throws, he whines, and is obsessive in doing things his own way. He makes my blood pressure rise. So we have spent a good part of our summer learning how to discipline him, learning how to control our own temper when dealing with him, and learning how to take joy in the little moments. And I think that right there is the key. There is hardly a day that goes by that Andrew does not have a tantrum, and for the most part I would focus on them to try and nip them in the bud! But then I would be all tense at the end of the day, feeling like I have not been able to enjoy my summer with the girls, or my whole family. I kept focusing on how frustrating life is, instead of stepping back and looking at what little accomplishments he made that day, or something cute he did. And believe you me, he certainly does make us smile. I have just been forgetting to focus on those little moments to get me through some of the more difficult days.

So this evening, when he wouldn't stop crying after I put him to bed (he used to go right to sleep, but cries almost every night and naptime...only usually for less than a minute), I picked him up and rocked him. He layed into my shoulder, until his lower lip stopped quivering, and he slowly patted my back as I sang him a song. I smiled as I watched his tiny fingers tap my back, and thought about how fortunate I am to be given this gift. He is a great cuddler, and I will cherish that little moment we had together. For even if he is back to his normal tricks tomorrow, I know he can be the sweetest boy in the world. And I'm sure with all the grief and frustration I have given God for not obeying, fleeing, or having my own tantrum, he looks forward to those little moments with me too.

Wordless Wednesday

My "Risky Business" Man!

Wordless Wednesday

Cake Psychology

After uploading photos from Andrew's birthday, the girls wanted to see their pictures when they turned one. Of course I'm always up for reminiscing, so we looked back and took a glance down memory lane. Funny thing was, upon viewing their pictures, I realized that the way they ate their cake holds true to their personalities.

Kyra: As you can see she is using a spoon and already careful not to get too messy. She is my stickler for rules, my organizer, my cautious, and careful to do things correctly kiddo. She has never been one to get her hands messy, and to this day will still not help in the garden for fear of getting dirt on her clothes or on her hands. Rules and order bring peace to her life. While even learning to write, she has always wanted to know the correct spelling for fear of writing the incorrect spelling on her crisp white sheet of paper.

Katie: Here we have a girl that wants to carefully inspect her cake and feel it's texture before she takes a chance at eating it. Katie has always been my independant, exploritory, defiant one. She doesn't want anyone to show her how to do anything. She wants to discover for herself how to do things in her own time. But she's not afraid to get her hands dirty either. To this day, she has to examine new foods before she will put them in her mouth. But she's willing to do the dirty work to show the world what she can accomplish. Just the other day we went to pick wild blackberries and fearing that she might get poked by the thorns, I pointed to a berry that would be easy for her to pick. She defiantly said, "No! I'll do it my own self momma!" and proceeded to reach into the thorns for a big ripe berry.

Andrew: Even though he is so young, I bet this picture will describe his personality well. You can see Andrew didn't hold back at all. At first he dug right in and felt the cake all over his fingers. He was merely content finger painting with the frosting. But once he tasted his chunky fingers, he dug right in. In the year that we have known him he has seemed to be a very tactile little boy. He studies his hands and movements all the time. And for the most part seems to be a child easily pleased with the simple pleasures of life. I believe he is going to be my fearless explorer, my larger than life, lover of creation, content little guy. We have already seen his ambition to walk when not knowing how to fall, and his several attempts at diving into the pool. And just this past weekend we went to the beach where he scooted all over the sand and attempting to creep closer to the mesmorizing waves. Of course he wouldn't stay under the umbrella for shade, but took in the sights all the while sifting the sand through his tiny fingers.

Happy 1st Birthday Andrew

Yesterday, Andrew turned one. My little baby is turning into a toddler now. Although I never want to show favoritism for one child over another, I can definitely see where the last one can truly become the eternal "baby". It is certainly hard to let go, when you know you'll never have another child again. And although I am sad to have a lot of last events, like a last 1st birthday, I am also very excited for our future. We are going to have fun as a family of five and I look forward to the joys and maybe even challenges that we are going to face.

I look back at the months that I have written about Andrew's progress and personality, and I know that for me he hasn't been the easiest child. I'm sure I have said this a number of times, but I was so certain that the third child was supposed to be one of the most complacent and easy going. This certainly wasn't the case. On top of the minor medical issues he had in the beginning of his life, he turned out to be quite a fussy child. He has never been much of a babbler, but boy does this child have lungs. He can scream like the dickens. There were certainly nights that I wished I could run away for the weekend and take a breather, because he seemed to be such a demanding child. But the funny thing is that despite the fact that he has seemed to be one of my most challenging children, I couldn't be happier. He may not play well by himself and gives up easily on things all the while crying for someone to do it for him, but he has a smile and giggle that can melt your heart. I really feel very complete with my three children.

Okay, so on to my little one year old. Andrew has finally learned how to crawl. And although it is a funny crawl (kind of gimpy), at least he is getting around and finally seems more content. Before, he would take a few steps, fall down and want to be picked up again so he could walk some more. We had to constantly be around him in case he fell, since he didn't properly know how to fall (he'd fall straight back or forward). Thankfully, after some work he now knows how to fall on his bum. In fact, the funny thing is, he has kind of given up on walking and reverted to crawling. And honestly, I am happy with that because I feel he is safer (he's already had two falls where his teeth have gone through his upper lip). He does still cruise around objects while walking but has seemed to given up for the time being on walking by himself.

This month Andrew has also learned how to drink through a straw. I think transitioning from formula to milk in a sippy cup will be a walk in the park. And of course he is eating everything. I really don't think this child has a picky bone in his body. He's had everything from chicken to salmon and tomatoes to chick peas.

But the funniest thing to watch Andrew do is to play in the water. I realize at this age kids don't have fear of much, but this kid LOVES water. He splashes up a storm in the tub, and has tried to dive in the water face first at the pool. He's had a few rude awakenings, but the water in the face hasn't seemed to slow him down (unlike his sisters).

Yes, this has definitely been a challenging last year, but one filled with many joyful moments too. I'm excited to take on another year and see how this little guy's personality flourishes. Happy Birthday Andrew, we love you!

Wordless Wednesday

Andrew's new talent. He looks a bit like a drunken sailor!

Andrew Update: 11 Months

Ever since Andrew discovered that he could take a few steps on his own, he doesn't want to stop.  The minute he falls down, he grabs for your hands to pull himself back to a standing position.  The child simply isn't happy unless he's walking.  The problem is...he doesn't know how to fall well.  In the month that he's been taking steps, he still is wobbly as ever.  He'll take 8 steps forward, and 3 steps back until he falls straight back and bumps his head.  Someone really has to watch him or he could really get hurt.  They already overestimated his capabilities in nursery last week, and he scraped the side of his face pretty good.  Yup, I think this boy will be in for some scrapes and bruises (comes with the territory right?).

Andrew still hasn't shown any interest in crawling, but he recently learned how to sit up from a lying down position.  I found him playing in his crib one day, and a few minutes later he figured out how to stand up.  The problem is now that he has this newfound trick, he has been falling asleep sitting up.  It was funny the first couple days, but now his naps have been cut short because he won't lay back down.  I think he's going to enjoy throwing us for a loop.

As far as eating goes, he is a human garbage disposal.  I think a few months ago I mentioned that he was a picky eater, but now I can't seem to get him to slow down.  He eats oatmeal, grapes, bananas, chicken, cheerios, and just about any kind of veggie.  I think the only thing he doesn't seem to care for at this point is cheese (which I'm sure will change).  I even have to be careful when I get a snack out for the girls, because if he's around he starts screaming at the top of his lungs to let you know he doesn't want to be left out (I'll never do that in the grocery store again!).  Yes, he's a boy of few words, but he certainly let's you know when he wants something.  In fact he's so impatient, that often just to be able to converse over dinner, we have sent him into the other room to watch a Baby Einstein video (obviously we won't do that forever, but for now it works, and he loves them!!)  And transitioning to a sippy cup was a breeze (unlike Katie who wouldn't start until she was nearly 18 months old).  He even sipped out of a straw the other day. 

In a month, he will be turning 1!!  My last snuggle bug is growing up and not wanting to snuggle so much.  But we are having a blast watching him learn so many new things.  The girls love to help guide him in his walking adventures, and give him bite size nibbles too.  Yes, we love ourselves some Andrew! 

In Your Hands

Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds, in Christ. -Phillipians 4:6-7

Dear Lord,

You know my heart.  You know I am a worrier.  I worry about my children growing up to know you.  I worry about what their lives will be like as teenagers.  I worry about their little self esteems and falls and spills they might make.  I worry about predators lurking around ready to prey on their innocent souls.  The list goes on and on.  But worrying never accomplished anything.  I am aware of that, and try daily to put their lives in your hands.  I am asking that you be especially with Andrew tomorrow as he heads to surgery.  I am trusting you with his care.  I am trusting that you watch over his surgeon and give him steady hands.  He is your child and I know you love him more than I can love him.  I trust that you will help me through the week and give me the patience and strength to care for him.  I pray that you give him a speedy recovery.  You are in control Lord, and I pray you help me surrender my heart and give us peace.  I put my son in Your hands. Thank you for your unfailing love.

Sarah

Andrew Update: 10 Months

This past month, Andrew finally rolled over from his back to his tummy, and is now rolling all over the place (hallelujah!!).  Talk about a late bloomer!  I continued to have concerns of him having delayed development, but the pediatrician didn't show any concerns.  He is pretty much on track in all other areas of his development.  So I guess I'll try not to be too concerned and count my blessings that he is still somewhat containable.  And although he may not be crawling yet, he is showing some interest in walking!  He might just be one of those kids who learn to walk before they crawl.  He has stood up for at least 10 second intervals and has taken up to 5 steps on his own.  However, I think it will still be a little while until he really takes off, because his tummy muscles are still not strong enough to keep him upright for that long (not to mention he doesn't know how to pull himself up on objects either).  He definitely looks like a drunken soldier.  The problem is, he thinks he can take off on his own, and wants us to let go of his hands.  We figured that between the Johnny Jumper and the Exersaucer, they have both given him a false sense of security.  He thinks he can walk without help because he was able to walk around in little circles with the aid of his toys.  It really is quite funny to see how independent he wants to become though.  Even if we put him up to the couch, he won't hold on.  His whole body shakes with excitement at the thought of taking off.

So for a long time, I thought that maybe he might just be this laid back kid, with an easy going type of personality (since he showed no interest in rolling over or crawling toward any objects).  But after seeing his newfound joy in walking, and especially his frustration when I set him back down, I don't think he'll be relaxed.  This kid is determined and he definitely lets you know when he is upset that he is on the floor.  He instantly scooches back to my hands to grab on and pull himself back up to a standing position.  He has places to see and he wants to go now!

As far as eating goes, he is finally done nursing.  It was a bit of a bittersweet event.  Like I wrote last time, I was getting a little frustrated with the biting, and distraction he was showing while nursing.  It was taking me forever to feed him because he kept whipping his head in another direction to look at something else.  Although he had nursed better than the girls had, and I was glad that it had been a more enjoyable experience this last time around.  In a weird sort of way, I was a little sad to think that this would be the end of my nursing experience forever (seeing as he will be our last child).  But just like pregnancy, this phase of my life has finally ended.  Oh the emotional roller coaster us women put ourselves through.

I am enjoying the new found discoveries Andrew is making, and am excited to watch him grow.  Life is rarely boring with this little guy, or with any of our kids for that matter.  And although the crying and uncertainties may weigh heavy at times, I am very thankful that God entrusted us with his care.  He is a joy that keeps spreading in our life. 

Andrew Update: 9 months

It's hard to believe our little guy is nearing 1 year old.  It seems like just yesterday we were planning on whether or not to have a third child, and now that third child is 9 months old!  Part of me wishes he wasn't growing so fast, and the other part of me (the part of me dealing with the teething and not knowing what all the fuss is about) can't wait for him to grow a little older.
As far as his daily routine goes.  He is doing wonderful.  He pretty much eats the same amount and at the same time every day (8:30 am, 12:00 pm, 4:00 pm, and 7:30 pm).  When you have to be flexible with a baby, it is nice to have something predictable in life.  Now I definitely feel more comfortable going out in the evening with friends, since I know when his last feeding will be and when he'll go to sleep.  However, although he eats on a pretty regular basis, he isn't the best eater.  He's probably one of the pickiest eaters I've had.  He doesn't like most of the vegetables I've tried, and lets you know by shaking his head "no" and persing his lips shut.  I guess we'll just keep trying.

I have started to wean him off of nursing too.  I have kind of always had a love/hate relationship with nursing.  Nursing never went well with my girls.  I had infection after infection, and the process was mostly just painful.  The only reason I went as long as I did, was to save money.  But with Andrew, nursing has gone fairly smoothly (maybe it's a boy thing?).  I had periods of low milk supply, but I have just learned to suppliment.  But now that he is beginning to bite, and rips pulls off the bo*ob whenever he gets distracted (which is quite often), I think I am ready to start weaning him off.  The only problem is, I'm not so sure he's ready.  I thought he was ready, since it seemed to take him close to an hour now to nurse and that he seemed disinterested.  But now that I'm trying, his cues (ummm...turning his head in an obvious direction) tell me otherwise.  I guess we'll just take it slow and see how it goes. 

As far as Andrew's personality goes, he still seems to be a bit of a Momma's Boy.  Along with still being fussy in the evenings, he's also taken up the separation anxiety thing.  He will go to very few people, but if he does go to someone, he is very affectionate with them.  He has such a loveable, cuddly personality.  And the girls love this about him.  Katie has gotten much better about giving him space, but now Kyra seems to be giving him more kisses then ever.  I think his cheeks just have pinch me written all over them.  He has started to babble a little bit too...saying dadada, but in general he's just content to sit quietly and watch his surroundings. 

His favorite toy seems to be the Johnny Jumper.  This kid really gets going.  He jumps quite high, and reaches the door jams within seconds.  He still hasn't rolled on his belly yet, so who knows if he'll ever crawl.  But at the moment, I'm fine with that.  It's kind of nice that I can prolong the childproofing for just a little bit longer.  When I do put him on his belly, he rolls instantly back to his back.  I think he's going to just start scaling furniture throughout the house.  His legs are like tree stumps.  I mean this kid has some muscle.  Yes, our little boy is growing up fast.  Although I am easily frustrated by the bouts of fussiness.  The games of peekaboo, and "so big" are very rewarding.

Andrew Update: 7 Months

Wow!! What a difference a month makes. Andrew has made great strides this past month. Last month I was beginning to feel a little beaten down. The sleepless nights, and what seemed to be continual crying were really starting to get to me. I kept giving myself little pep talks, saying "I can handle this for a few more months if I have to," but I sure didn't want to.

So we did our best to let him "cry it out," or at least as much as we could. My family all came for a visit to celebrate Christmas, so we didn't feel we could totally implement our plan until they were gone. The night our family left Andrew woke up 6 times! I finally got up and fed him at 4 a.m. because I couldn't take it any longer. The next night he woke up at 1 a.m. and he cried for an hour straight (I did check on him periodically). I thought it would never end. He seemed to fall asleep for an hour and then cried for another 1/2 hour. The next night he only cried for 1/2 hour and then slept the rest of the night. And now....for almost 2 weeks straight he has been sleeping for 11 hour stretches!! Can you believe it? He went from waking up almost every 2-3 hours to 11! That little guy had me foiled! So we're all definitely feeling a little more up beat around here.

Andrew is also sitting on his own now. The girls enjoy fetching toys for him, and are constantly bringing the toys back when he pushes them too far away. He's probably going to be a late bloomer on just about everything, since they do almost everything for him. But he loves his new found trick and enjoys watching the dogs run around and play. He finally rolled over too. I know to many this isn't a huge accomplishment, but we've been working on some much detested tummy time to get to this point. He still hates the tummy time. He'll lay there and wail for 5 minutes, with his head laying on the mat in defeat. Sometimes he doesn't even try to push himself up, he gives up the minute you lay him on his tummy. But, as much as I hate to see him struggle, I give him his time.

Andrew continues to laugh, smile, and make raspberries. He has to be one of the slobberiest (word?) babies I've ever seen. And he is quite proud of the fact that he is slobbery. He hasn't lost his cuddles either. He loves to play with my hair while I nurse, and rub his head against mine while I hold him close. I know I will miss those moments later as he gets older. I almost get teary eyed just thinking about it. Yes, we are definitely seeing a more joyful baby this past month. And we are seeing a more joyful mommy too. It is nice to be on a consistent schedule. He eats at just about the same time every day and takes naps at the same time. So now, hopefully I can focus on exercising in the morning and getting myself in my own new routine.

Mamma's Boy

Now that the holiday festivities have died down, my main goal was to get Andrew on some type of schedule. He is my only child that hasn't been on some type of set schedule. I was pretty anal retentive about the girls getting their naps and bedtime at exactly the same time every day. There wasn't a whole lot of flexibility there, but you certainly did know what to expect too. However, being my last child, I figured I would more or less just go with the flow. I knew I would be busier with errands to run, and getting Kyra ready for school, so I decided with him I would be a little more relaxed and mainly try and get a eat, play, sleep schedule.

This worked for a little while, but the last three months have been kind of a bear. I know that life changes with any child you had to the mix, but Andrew is simply put not a very content baby. In my head, I keep thinking... but he's the 3rd child....aren't they supposed to be the easiest going? Is it in my head that he is being this difficult or is it reality? Am I doing something wrong, or is there something wrong with him? I know it's been almost 4 years since I had a baby, but I just don't remember the girls being as challenging. Katie certainly was a little bugger, but I don't remember her crying this much through the day. So, I decided to talk to a few veteran mom's and get their opinion.

To my surprise, two of the moms in my little poll seemed to think that he was being spoiled and that he was becoming a mamma's boy. Deep down, I grew a little defensive. This was after all my third child and I think I would know how to correctly raise a child before he or she became attached at the hip. After all, in the beginning I may have rocked him to sleep, but now I was simply laying him down and shutting the door (even letting him cry for awhile). And there are numerous times where he has had to sit there and cry while I make dinner (even though I am ready to tear my hair out by the time my hubby gets home). Yes, there had to be some other explanation. I decided to wait until my well visit at the pediatrician.

Once we arrived at the doctor's office, I explained our situation. I told her that our 6 month old was still getting up 1 to 2 times at night, and that he acted ravenously hungry sometimes and that I had to still feed him at 3 am. Could he possibly not be getting enough from nursing? Should I quit, and go to formula? I told her that I couldn't take a shower without him crying his way through it, or that he fussed so much in the evening that we usually had to hold him while we ate dinner. I told her that I was exhausted and that he just won't give me a break. So she said, "oh yes, I've seen this kind of case before. I definitely have a diagnosis for you. He's got a bad case of....."

Mamma Boy Syndrome!

Dar net! How could I have let this happen? I didn't think I came to his beckoned call every time he made a peep. But perhaps I had coddled him a little too much. After all, he is my only boy, and my last baby. And I felt bad every time he started to fuss, and the girls said he was too noisy and interrupting their play time. And I didn't want my hubby to be woken up in the middle of the night, so I did what was easiest...I stuck a bo*ob in his mouth. Yes, I guess I can start to see where this child has outsmarted his momma. Now, the hard part...I have to start breaking these bad habits.

So, we're doing the best we can in this household. It's probably not going to be easy for the next few weeks. After all, I do like peace, even if it comes at the cost of my sleep. But if I ever want a fuss free shower again or experience a full night's sleep, I guess some thing's gotta give. So, I explained to my hubby that he might have to endure some nights with crying, or sleep downstairs anyway. And I have a feeling Kyra will keep me accountable too, after all she was listening intently to the doctor. Because when I went to pick up Andrew that night, I got a scolding from my 5 year old. "Now Mom, remember what the doctor said. You need to let him cry it out!"

Yes, ma'am!

Andrew Update: 6 Months

Well, our little man is 1/2 way to being 1 year old already. I can't believe that 1/2 a year has gone by! Of course in some ways, it feels like he was just born yesterday, and others...it feels like time is going by too slowly.

As far as new accomplishments go, I'd like to say he's doing so much more, but not so much. He still isn't rolling over or talking much. I have had a hard time with this. I don't want to do the comparison thing, and make sure he is "keeping up with the Jones' baby," but I do. My most recent thought was this though, if he is this content to just BE, then maybe he will be a more relaxed and easy toddler (and that I would love!). I'm gonna go with it. He does love to stand, and is getting closer to sitting. Maybe he'll just skip the rolling over part and go right to sitting and crawling. Of course he learned how to blow raspberries too, yes this boy does love to spit and is proud of it.

His nights are still sporadic too. For the most part he sleeps till 5 a.m. But there are a few nights a week he chooses to wake up 1 or 2 times. I thought feeding him cereal might help, but he has started the whole baby food phase and it's not making much of a difference. It took him a long time to get used to the cereal too. I thought he just didn't like it, until last week when I discovered he just didn't like the rice cereal. Now that we have moved on to oatmeal, he is devouring his food. We've also tried bananas and squash and he seems to love those too. He has started to go to bed in his crib for naps now too, and with out being rocked (although not without a small 1-2 minute crying fight). It's progress, yay!! And, although we aren't on as strict of a schedule as I had with the girls, he seems to have a pattern down.

Andrew continues to take delight in his sister Kyra. She pretty much lights up his world. She could be eating breakfast, talking about her day, or writing on a piece of paper, and he laughs at her. He just simply loves his sister. Katie tries to imitate things Kyra does to make him laugh, but I think he deliberately keeps a stoic face to get back at her for getting in his face. Who knew the sibling rivalry could start at infancy?

Yes, although we have a mostly quiet little fella (believe me, when he does get fussy, he gets super fussy), he still invokes delight in our hearts. He loves to be part of the action (we put him in his Bumbo at the dinner table or else he gets jealous). He is a social little bean, and a cuddler...ahh my favorite part. Yes, he knows he tugs at our heart strings.

Andrew Update: 5 Months

Today our big man turned 5 months old. He continues to grin from ear to ear. I told my hubs the other day that he almost had Mick Jagger beat with that big mouthy smile of his. The best part about his smile though, is that it is contagious. I could be upset about something one moment, or even frustrated if he has been overly fussy, and then he seems to pick up on my mood and grins. Try not grinning back at a smiley baby!


As far as the sleep goes, things are about the same. Some nights he sleeps until 5 am, other times it's 3:30 am. I have managed to get him back to sleep a few times with out nursing, but most of the time I give in to the summons of my infant. I'm sure I'll pay for it later. The naps during the day time have proven to be more difficult too. I used to be able to rock him to sleep, but he is pushing away his cradle hold, and arching his back instead. I've tried putting him straight to bed, but often he'll cry for long periods of time. Yes, we definitely need to work on the sleeping department a little bit. The good thing is, that he does often take a fairly good nap once he does get to sleep.


As far as activity goes, well he seems to be content right where he is. He still is no closer to rolling over either way. He'll roll to his side, but otherwise he's happy just to touch his toes and look around. He's quite observant though, and even laughed at some silly penguins on TV one day. Of course Kyra remains his favorite source of entertainment. He loves to watch her talk about her day, dance, or make silly faces. And she eats it all up of course. He has been grabbing everything too. I tried holding him in my lap during church the other day and no matter where I put it, he found the church bulliten and was determined to make it crackle. I just love to see them study the mechanics of their own hands and arms. You can just see their wheels turning as they make the connection that they can make their tiny hands pick things up at will.


I'm sure as we approach his half year mark there will be much more to share. He'll be experiencing his first Christmas, first foods, and probably a few more. For now, I'll just revel in his laughter, smiles, and sparkly eyes.

Andrew update: 4 months

Well, our little sprout keeps growing. He has nearly doubled his weight in 4 months, weighing 15 lbs. Of course that's evident in the way he eats, because he is constantly hungry!! But not only has he almost doubled in weight, he is growing like a bean stalk, measuring just over 27 inches. His doctor said his gums are swollen already, so it's probably only a matter of time before those little teeth come. And he certainly is chowing away on all of his fingers.

As far as sleep goes, well we seemed to have relapsed. He was sleeping 8 hours through the night, but has gone back to waking up one or two times in the night. I have tried putting his binki back in his mouth, but that won't cut it. He wants the real deal. So, pretty soon we're probably going to have to start cereal or more supplementation. Because after you've experienced real sleep for a time, it sure is hard to go back to getting up several times a night.

As far as new milestones, there aren't a whole lot. He continues to be a very smiley, laughy baby. Often times he picks prayer time during dinner to laugh. Good thing God has a good sense of humor, because the laughter is contagious. He also seems to be a very social bug, because he wants to be sitting with us at the dinner table. He does not want to be left out of the action.

Yes, this is a great stage (aren't they all though at certain points?). Katie loves that he smiles at her, yet isn't stealing her toys. I love that we can still go places and not be tied down to naps yet, since he's still a mobile sleeper. He surely is a blessing from above.

Who's Who?

*You guys are too good. Yes, Andrew is on the left, and Kyra is on the right. Funny thing is, Kyra was only 5 weeks old when I took her photo and Andrew is about 17 weeks old!

Andrew Update: 3 months

Yes, our little guy is growing fast. I remember a few days after he was born, I felt an overwhelming sadness over the fact that I knew he was going to grow up faster than I wanted (and surprise, surprise...he has). Fortunately, I think a lot of that emotion was postpartum, because we are thoroughly enjoying the stage Andrew is in.

The best part of entering 3 months is the fact that he is becoming more predictable. Although he still gets up between 3:30-5am for feedings, they are short and he goes back to bed immediately. I am definitely feeling more energized throughout the day. He is also starting to develop more of a schedule. The times of feedings and naps are not consistent every day, but usually 1 1/2 hours after he's been fed, he gets fussy. Within usually less than a minute of me holding him in a cradle position and popping that plug in, he's asleep. I think he has his father's ability to fall asleep in an instant.

Perhaps Andrew's best quality right now though are his smiles. He shares them liberally with everyone (short of Katie, probably because she's always in his face...let the sibling rivalry begin!). They are very contagious too. He's not a big talker, but already laughs (which is just about the best sound in the world). He's grabbing toys too, and kicking in the bathtub (which seems to crack himself up).

So maybe this rough start in our last baby is taking a turn for the better. Because you can't get much better than a smiley, predictable, laughing baby!

Wordless Wednesday

For my mom, who hasn't seen the little guy in a month!!

Andrew Update

It is so hard to believe Andrew is already 2 months old today. It seems like I just wrote about his one month old update a short while ago (although I guess that will happen when you don't post things that often).

Andrew is growing like a weed. There are some days I think he grew overnight! He's growing little chunker thighs and sporting a double chin. In general he is having more content moments, which is a huge blessing considering he hasn't been the most content baby (I was under the impression that many 3rd children were easy going, but I don't think that's the case in our family...at least not yet). He wants to be held much of the time or put in a baby carrier. In his defense though, he might have acid reflux, which I'm sure is causing much of his irritability. He clenches his stomach, spits up, and gags a lot. This problem has gotten better over the last month, so we are hoping to be on the up and up. On a positive note, we got our EEG results back and Andrew is not having seizures. We were very thankful to hear that news.

I still haven't exactly heard any cooing (although my mom said she did), but he does like to squeal when he's happy and moans when he's sucking on his binki. The smiles are also poppin up more frequently, which I absolutely love. He's also a kicker. This child DOES NOT sit still. He's definitely a mover and a shaker (hmmm...is this a sign for things to come?) He is constantly waving his arms and kicking his legs, which is another reason why I still have to swaddle him when we put him to bed (otherwise he wakes himself up with his movements).

For the past week, he has been getting up only one time a night. Although after he eats at 3 a.m. he doesn't seem to want to go back to bed like he did before. Yes, now he thinks it's play time. So, he's up for close to 2 hours before he goes back to bed. I'm hoping this trend will go away quickly. I must be getting used to the night feedings though because I'm not too tired in the morning anymore (which I suppose is good considering Kyra starts school pretty soon).

The girls continue to enjoy their little brother as if he had just come home from the hospital. Katie is constantly kissing him. We have to ward her off, just so he isn't over stimulated. And Kyra is always helping me by finding a binki I've misplaced, or retrieving a burp cloth I forgot to get before I sat down to nurse.

Yes, life has certainly changed, but we are beginning to adapt, and are enjoying life as a family of five. I am looking forward to fall, getting back into a schedule (as much as I can), and hopefully gaining more time to get more daily chores accomplished. Thanks to all our friends and family who have prayed for us over the past couple of months. We truly appreciate your thoughts, prayers, and support.

(Andrew at 3 days old)

(Andrew at 2 months old. Same exact expression!)

Andrew Update

Well, already a month has gone by since our little guy was born. It's been a bit crazy the past few weeks too. I had intentions of blogging all these cute pictures and updates on how things were going, but time seemed to slip quickly through our fingers.

Andrew is growing very well. He's probably the best nurser out of all my kids (which is a big blessing, considering how much pain I was in with the other two). I'm guessing he's about 9 lbs now (since at 3 weeks old he was 8lbs 9oz). And he's grown 2 inches since birth too. The smiles are becoming more frequent now too. He's starting to make more eye contact and grinning at mamma's smiles and Kyra's goofy faces (he really responds well to her and she has been most helpful and calm at times when he's fussy).

The sleep however has not been going the best. For awhile he was waking up every hour in the middle of the night, which left a very tired mom and dad. Fortunately I have an incredible sister in-law (you'll never know how grateful I am Kris), who came in the nick of time to help fix meals, wash dishes, rock Andrew while I took in a few snoozes, and keep the kids occupied with her kiddlings. She was truly a life saver. Andrew now seems to be sleeping a little bit better, but is still waking up every 3 hours (unlike my girls who seem to only wake up once a night from the get go). Fortunately, he goes to bed right after I feed him.

We also seemed to battle with a few medical conditions. It's nothing too serious, but enough to make me a little more exhausted on top of the lack of sleep. The poor guy has had numerous trips to the doctor's office and hospital. He had a hard time getting rid of the jaundice. We had him under a Bili blanket for close to 1 1/2 weeks, and he had to have blood draws over a dozen times. Hopefully his poor heels won't be scarred. For a while it seemed we were headed to the lab almost every day. And the girls couldn't take his crying, and asked to sit in the hallway to wait for him to be done. Fortunately his levels went down and we are done with the poking.

Then today we headed to the hospital for an EEG which I believe measures some kind of brain waves. We're trying to rule out possible seizure activity. Since he was born, he has had these mild twitches, but they aren't going away, and don't go away when you hold him close. Most likely this is just his nervous system still developing (and I'm hoping that's what it is). But in a week we will hopefully know the results of this test. We're praying it's nothing more than his little body developing. He sure didn't like being hooked up to all those electrodes though. He let the tech know for sure with his wailing and hand grabbing the wires off several times. He made her work for her money this morning.

We know that we are blessed by this little guy. Like I mentioned, we've hit a few bumps in the road (which were more or less inconveniences in our lives as we get used to this little guy), but know it could be way worse. We have encountered a few friends these past few weeks that have dealt with far more difficult circumstances, which puts in perspective how fortunate we are and also makes us realize that God is in control and we have to give our concerns to Him. We take joy in knowing God gave us a growing, beautiful little boy, and thank God that he has blessed us with this new addition.