4

Reiders you are four months old now. A third of your way through your first year. Please, give me a moment to dry up my tears. This new stage is my favorite though. I'll always miss how small you first were, and it will always amaze me and make me sad all in one at how quick you grow, develop and change, but seeing the world through a childs eyes is the best gift God has given me. Refreshing and humbling all in one-so thanks to God for these days and opportunities with you and your brother and thank you to you two crazy boys for keeping me grounded.

 

 

You are interacting so much more, you're so curious and already acting more independent, letting us know when you do or don't like something. Which also means you are more vocal now. You are usually very content and happy, but don't worry-if something isn't as you like it you don't hesitate to let it be known either.

You are starting to 'talk' back to us and I just love it. It seriously makes my days hearing your little coo's and chatter. Adorable. I wonder so much what is going on in that little head of yours. What you must be thinking of us, our actions, your surroundings. What it must be like to just be chilling in your swing one minute, taking naps all the time, and then the next someone is picking you up and taking you to who knows where because you are at there will. That kind of sounds crappy, but let's be honest, you basically get to eat and sleep when you want and the only real heartache you've experienced is when Caden screams while you are sleeping or eating. Not a fun time.

 

I know I'm biased, but dang you are so cute. Something about a baby in just a diaper that makes me want to smooch you all over. It takes you back to looking all little again no matter how big you've gotten and it is the best.

You do great at tummy time. You are just like your brother, strong legs and already hold yourself up pretty well. That being said, you're also still a real bobble head sometimes, but two months down the road you'll be close to sitting up more stable.

Your father has given you a nickname. We call you Reid or Reiders, but over spring break when your dad was home you were on a good streak of dropping poo bombs only with him. I would literally hand you to him and not seconds later you would bomb out. It was awesome and funny, for me, but then your dad took it upon himself to start calling you Stink. So, if it sticks, I'm sorry. He's just bitter about all that poo.

 

You are officially on the move, starting to roll over from your back to front-mainly on your left side. But it basically means we can't just set you down and leave you anywhere and have to consider where you might roll off to.

 

Your sleeping okay. I'm sorry, your brother set the bar pretty high on this one. He was sleeping majority of and 8-5 kind of deal at this point, but you already have a better appetite than him and he also sucked his thumb. So, with you, it fluctuates. You were doing a good 8-4/5 stretch for quiet a while, but recently digressed off and on the last few weeks and added in a 2/3 feeding from there. If you eat about 7/8 and sleep till 2/3, that's still almost a 7 hour stretch for you, so I tend to think that's not bad at this age--just hard to remember that when I don't get to go to bed the same time you do and wake up early with your brother too. It won't last forever, so I'm trying to not worry about it and just power through. God gives moms, parents in general, the strength to function on little sleep for a reason and I just know in my heart I'll miss those extra moments with you. I already do sometimes when you are at a sleepover-crazy/obsessive, yeah, maybe, but I can't help it.

Sleepover wise you've done a few now, maybe three, and tonight at a last minute one. Only one was planned, that was for your dads big 30th birthday, the other two have been just some saving grace moments so I can get started on work earlier the next day and catch up on sleep. Mom guilt is a weird and stupid thing, and I feel it when you guys have sleepovers, but the time to get things done or sleep without having to wake up being needed at random hours, or even at 6 am with a 'mommy, want to read?/'mommy, I cold.'/'mommy, I wet.', is definitely needed. It's good to refuel and get some r&r, which doesn't come too easy with little ones.

You light up when you see people. Your smile is priceless and contagious. It almost comes off as a bashful smile at times, I just love it. You seem like a people person, the way you smile at people-but what really gets me is how you light up seeing your dad. Sometimes you'll just hear his voice and try to find him or smile at him without him even looking at you. In the mornings, when I get you, there's almost always a good smile there, but sometimes a little pout as well, almost like you're happy to see us but sad we are still just saying hello and haven't picked you up yet. Adorable and heartbreaking all in one.

 

You are a wonderful addition to our little family and we all love you so much! Thanks for being an awesome little man-love you Stink!