eight

You are now eight months old. So very active and curious.

 

Just four days before you turned eight months you had to undergo surgery at Children's Mercy in Kansas City for hypospadias. It was an early, early morning and long day. We got to the hospital just after 6:00 am and left to head home about 1:00 pm. The surgery itself took about three hours, and you did great. You did okay the first few days, alternating through stronger pain medicine and then halfway through seemed to become very irritable and we had a few days/nights of little sleep and lots of tears. We took you in to the doctor and got a false reading for UTI, which would have been horrible if you had one-but with how uncomfortable you were acting it at least would have been a good explanation outside of any surgery complication reasoning. So, during the couple of days we thought the UTI was happening we put you back on stronger pain medicine for sleep which helped. You still seem irritable compared to normal, but once you caught up on sleep and got some good, solid rest it made a huge difference and now we're just assuming it could be some healing discomfort or maybe working on teeth.

SO. With that being said, what's the eight month old Reid up to?

-As hinted at above, you seem like you could be working on teeth, but have yet to see anything. Only have the hints of attitude and gnawing on majority of things that you can get your hands on.
-You have recently weighed in at 17 lb 4 oz, and I'm not sure how long you are but you are already in 9 month clothing, some 6 months when it comes to shorts/bottom wear, and all 12 month pajamas because of how long you are. In general it's crazy and fun to see you wearing what your brother wore on you, but more crazy when you, at 8 months, are wearing what he wore around 16 months.
-You had been sleeping well before the surgery, going to bed earlier around 6:30/7, usually could guarantee you waking around 4-6 for a bottle and depending on how early maybe going back to sleep for a bit. Since surgery it's just been up in the air, but getting better and starting to be similar to what you were like beforehand.
-You shriek. I almost can't even imagine a 'normal' baby cry in my mind anymore-like what kind of non-shrieking baby cry in the middle of the night/early morning may sound like because I am so used to your shriek cry. Usually especially waking up from naps you share the glorious sound, and more recently any waking up throughout the night time comes with it as well. You would think someone was chopping your little leg off, it sounds like you're being tortured. Even taking you to the changing table last night before giving you your bedtime bottle, which I know you were overdue and wanted badly, but you shrieked, cried, and threw such a fit all over diaper change and change to pjs. It's funny, and makes us just smile and shake our heads...unless it's in the middle of the night and there's just no talking any sense into you...then it's just kind of rotten to hear. Just being honest pal, everyone has negative qualities and luckily, this is one you'll outgrow, at least you better or you may be flying solo forever if not :)
-That being said you're also rather quiet. Not a super chatty baby at least, unless you have an issue that we need to know about you keep most your opinions to yourself.
-No crawling for you either. Your dad and Yaya swore you'd be crawling and with teeth by 7 months, then when 7 months came it changed to before 7 months was over, but no to both of those things. You sure do manage to get around the room though fairly well by rolling around. You just haven't caught on to crawling, yet are finally showing some more frustration when we set you down so I wonder if that will fuel you to move.
-Sometimes when you are being held you arch your back a bit and hold your arms back and out. It's funny and as if to make sure and let us know you want to be held, but no cuddles. Hold me, but not too close and don't try to get all cozy with me now.
-You love to stand and 'walk' with help though, so I also wonder if you'll just be one of those kids that almost skips crawling to walking once you get old enough. We shall see, only time will tell.
-You love your binkie still and it is the cutest thing to see you grab for it. You use it as normal, but also shove it in your mouth sideways and just chew away.
-You have tried majority of all the main fruits and veggies to try, but honestly it's been basically since before surgery that I've given you any. I tried the week after and you just didn't care for it, and we've been more focused on just getting your appetite back for the bottles anyways that I haven't messed with pulling the frozen ones out to try. You liked it and were on a good roll, but lets be honest, you don't even have any teeth and it's kind of a nuisance to feed a little one baby food, so until you get your groove back I'm not going to lose any sleep over it.
-You love watching Baby Einstein shows and have for the last few months. The animals or puppets ones are your favorite, and although you are restricted from the jumper right now you usually will be entertained just jumping with those shows on while you watch your brother play or run around.

You are a fun and handsome little fella. You're already showing fun qualities that are such a great addition to our family. I can't wait to see what you're like as you grow older and are able to interact with Caden more. I'm glad the surgery is behind us, that you are on the mend, and that we are able to feel like you are finally healing and feeling better.

We love you so much, boogie. xoxoxo

March 2015 1.2

Oh what an eventful month! Gary turned the big 3-0 this past March, along side one of his best buddies, Drew. So, I got a surprise party planned and actually pulled it off! There was a lot of little white lies on the day of, but neither of then suspected it and that's all that counts when you've put in the work of trying to get people together unsuspectingly! So-more on that to come, but we also have my sisters birthday a few days after Garys, Gary had spring break, This year has really been a crazy one thus far, hence we are almost half way through May and I'm just now getting to write about March! So...picture adventures..

It gave us a good snow in March and Caden and I were able to get out and play in it for a good while. I almost mistakenly layered him up too well, because he could have lasted even longer out in it if I would've let him. 'We', aka I, built a snowman, we threw snow back and forth at eachother, ran around and I busted out the sled we have and ran my little heart out around the back yard pulling him along. He loved it. If only I had the energy to go many more loops in that sled for the little guy, but a dozen seemed well enough for just one person pulling..

 

 Trains. Story of our life. He loves tunnels, so we've been building tunnels with blocks we have and using our legs as well. I can honestly say since it's been nicer out we haven't played with the tracks once yet this month. Must have worn himself out on tracks and needs a break which is fine with me, there's only so much tracks one can play after all. Also-looking back at these makes me notice his recent growth even more comparing his height here to the current. Both my boys are changing so much and so quick!

 

Reid and MJ are just along for the ride. They're both quite entertained, though. MJ is always curious towards little babes. It's all fun and games until a gigantic tongue comes out from no where and swipes your face off.

Cartoons and snoozes. Snoozes and cartoons. It's not our story much these days, but a few months ago more so...to the mommy-snuggle snoozes, not the cartoons. Cadens all about cartoons.

 

Just sending daddio pictures of our day to give him a little fix. Gosh dang they're cute.

I did MAPS this past semester and this was after one session while we were visiting my mom in the atrium.

It was a hard experience to do MAPS this year. I met a few awesome women, and that was well worth it, but Caden threw massive fits to go into the childcare, like screaming bloody murder and holding onto me for dear life. Only to stop minutes after I left and would be completely fine when I picked him up. So, that was a challenge to my mommy heart and dealt me with a lot of guilt. Then, not only did he start the before childcare fits, but he also added in a bonus after fit. He was good at it too. Refusing to leave, being hateful, leaving me with no choice but to carry both his sorry, hitting, crying, yelling bum and Reid in the car seat out to the car. It.was.fantastic. And by fantastic I mean it just plain ol' sucked. With only one in church session to go to I pulled the plug. Considering the last one was so trying after, had us both in tears, made me want to toss the cute little boy out of the car and took me to the point where I simply didn't speak to him for a while because I didn't even know what to say or how to handle it, I chose to not attend the last one. And I'm okay with that.

 

Truth be told I felt like my judgment call was judged by a few, but I have to ignore the part of me that cares about that and know that I am the one who knows myself and my child best and I know what battles to pick and what ones to let pass. He will be going to a 9-1 program starting this fall there, and I personally think he will do great. He even does great now going into the church classrooms. It wasn't something that we were going to let stop us from attending, but for those Thursdays it was something that I, myself, couldn't battle any longer. Those few weeks were a battle in that situation be it MAPS or church services, so not sure what the underlying issue was and why he put up such a fight but I like to think those days have passed for that...but we'll see. Knock on wood, because man, that was trying.

 

A friend of ours had their four and a half month old little gal pass away July 2014. She had We hadn't been as close with her in recent time, but when friends are true that doesn't matter. We tried to show support the best we could. Gary attended the funeral with another couple, we sent flowers and I have kept sweet Collins up on our fridge as a reminder to pray for them throughout the days, months, years to come as they go through life now with their sweet girl in Heaven. They had made the Collins Grace Foundation, and through that they have done so much to raise money and support other families with babies in the NICU going through the hardships they had to experience.

So-this year, on her birthday they showed, once again, their amazing strength and perseverance to remember their daughter. They decided to do acts of kindness/pay it forwards in many ways, and we were blessed to have been one of those that received their sweetness. They sent a sweet, encouraging note with a gift card and an awesome little pay it forward card that we could pass on to someone and share the love, as well as share about Collins and the foundation made in her name.

This couldn't have come at a better time for us. We got it on Thursday, when my parents were to have the kids for the night, so we missed out on our small group to step away and have dinner and a night just us. We really needed to stop and reconnect. This new stage of life has had us having to work through more together, challenging and strengthening our marriage in ways I didn't know even needed it, and at this time we needed to take some time to take off our parenting hats and put on our marriage ones and regroup. Their blessing of this sweet encouraging card and gift card allowed us to treat ourselves to just that without having to worry about how to budget a date night in.

 

It was fun, great to reconnect, have a yummy dinner and drink and have time just the two of us, being able to focus on each other without kid interruptions. The strength that Ashley and Tien have shown through the passing of their sweet girl is amazing to me and so inspirational. God is really working through them to help others despite it being such a heart ache of a situation they have had to endure. It's amazing what people can do and I am so glad to know them, even at a distance, and see all the great work they are doing in Collins name and remembrance.

 

Trains are awesome, but what's even more fun is making train tunnels with your legs and watching the trains go through.

 

Worms! This kid loves to dig and find bugs. The poor worms don't have much of a chance around him, except that he's pretty timid and doesn't dare touch them himself...which is good and bad. Good, because I don't have to worry about him coming at me with any bugs in hand, and bad because the fate of the worm is left to chance when him trying to pick it up with a shovel, which doesn't end too smoothly.

Friends. Little friends are adorable. One minute they love playing with each other, the next their staring at the other waiting for them to get over the fit they're throwing. It's so funny to me what isn't second thought to them at this age when it comes to 'how to act' in front of friends. Cuteness all around. The above in particular is one of our small group couples little gal that we got to have over for an afternoon to play. My, oh, my was having girl around fun and funny to me. Boys and girls are so different, especially at this age and being a mom of just boys it was fun to have a little sister around for a few hours!

 

I love to capture this boys smile. He's a sweetheart and can be such a lover sometimes. He looks so old with his hair cut short like this-wahh!

My cute little leprechauns! My sister got some baby chicks shortly before St Patricks Day and it was cute to watch Caden experience real, live chicks for the first time.

 

Two cool things. The first, MUCH cooler than the second. My brother and his cute family. I just love them. And, second, first time I made corned beef and cabbage myself. It's sometimes fun to play up little holidays, and maybe St Patricks Day will be one I'll play up more as the kids get older. I think making this will have to happen once a year, but I'm not sure about the corned beef..it had a lot of fat junk to it and I am not a fan of that, but the good parts were good and the house smelled 'fabulous' after so that's a plus.

 

 

Two cute pictures of little Reid. About three months old here, starting to really give us good, but selective, smiles and constantly putting hands and anything else in his mouth.

 

That's a wrap, folks. Well, just for the first part of March...

 

 

Seven

Reiders, you are now seven months old. Actually, in two day you are seven and a half months old. It has been a busy last few weeks, make that last month, so I am finally getting a moment to write what I've logged away about you in my mind while you nap, your brother plays in the yard and I sit in the shade still feeling the effects of the summer heat...and, as life would have it, there are your cries coming across the monitor. Do you not want me to divulge all your seven month old secrets or something? I need to get you two a play date and take myself and the computer to a coffee shop for a few hours so I can update the last many months of our lives before they become a blur amongst the busyness.

What are you up to now that you are seven months...

-You can sit up by yourself now. Right at the start of your seven months you still tipped over easily, but as of recent you've got it conquered pretty well. It is so cute to see you just sitting there solo and playing. Makes you look so big and independent.

-You sleep pretty well throughout the night, but you're not a great at napping. It just depends on the day sometimes, you'll go a few days fighting naps then a day or so giving it more. Unpredictable and keep us on our toes that's for certain.

-You have recently been sick. Cold, congestion crud that gave you a yucky cough as well. That, along with a small abscess made us make the decision to take you to the doctors. There we saw you are 16 lb 9 oz, so just a little bigger than your brother at this stage.

-You are hanging on to this cold for just over a week now, and have many teething symptoms so we wonder if you're working on breaking some in. It doesn't look like it, we don't see anything popping through or swollen gums but you are gnawing on anything, or anyone, you can and a recent drool fest so it may just be the start of the long teething journey.

I'm sorry, mom, are you trying to take my picture? Wait, you actually expect me to sit still? Crazy...

-You aren't crawling, not even seeming to try, but that doesn't stop you from moving around the floor like a mad man. We'll place you at one end, and seconds later come back to find you at the opposite end of the room. Little rolling machine.

-You are finding your humor and I love it. You are still showing a more serious personality, but recently are laughing a lot more at simple things. We don't have to tickle the crap out of you to get a good belly laugh, now you crack up over a simple game of chasing your brother around the house. It's adorable and fun to see you find humor in things. You especially find Caden amusing and that is extra special to watch you watching him and finding him to be funny even if he isn't doing anything special.

-Still on the brother topic, you love to watch your big bro. He is a silly boy and has a funny personality and he amuses you so much. You are very curious to what he's doing and love it when he turns turns into silly Caden, dancing around or making faces and sounds at you. It is the sweetest thing to hear him sing 'E-I-E-I-O' to you any time you are upset. He tries to comfort you with his beautiful singing of Old McDonald...sometimes it even works!

-You love your jumper. I may have mentioned that on the last post, but you are all for jumping. When people hold you it is almost guaranteed that you will fuss unless they let you stand and jump on their lap. The magnitude of how much you like to stand/jump versus sit makes me wonder if you'll be one of those babies that skips early to walking...but we'll just have to wait and see for that one.

-I mentioned earlier the gnawing and anything or anyone...you literally try to grab on tight to the side of peoples faces and gnaw at their face/jaw bone. Again, may have mentioned that, but it is cute and painful at times! You've got one heck of a grib and many of my hairs have laid to rest over your strong, aggressive, little fists holding on so tight.

-I've noticed that you noticed your daddy and I more. Becoming a little more needy when you realize we're near and express more wanting to be held vs in the jumper if we are close by. It's cute that you are having that connection more, but then again it's in the midst of the summer heat and you are a little furnace that just ups the body temp even more...

You are getting so big and growing so fast. I feel like we're entering the stages of progressing out of baby tendencies and coming up on milestone after milestone after milestone. Baby to toddler before our very eyes and dang it, next thing I know you'll be moving out and forgetting all about us! Slow.your.roll. You, not me...I'm never irrational, son. 

We love you, Reid. You are so fun. The bond I see you and Caden forming already brings me so much joy and happiness, I can't even bring it to words. It is a priceless privilege that we have to be your parents and we are so grateful to God for giving us the opportunity. We pray over you boys so much. I pray that we help teach you all of Gods love and goodness. That you may find a deep love and respect for God that will help you conquer this crazy world through any good or bad that it may bring into your life. I pray for safety and protection for you and your brother.

I hope you boys take advantage of all the wonderful opportunities that life gives you, and that you overcome any hardships. Lean not on your own understanding. Put your faith and trust in God and he will help you through anything and everything. Know that your dad and I love you deeply and that will never change.

You are a wonderful little boy. We love you more than you know. xoxo

Six

Reid you are already six months old and seeming so big! You are definitely growing up quick and headed towards the slippery slope of being a little boy and not my little baby.

You are wearing 6-9 months clothes. You weigh about 15 pounds. You are a very somber baby compared to your brother. We have to work so hard to get good belly laughs out of you and they usually come more easily before bed, when you're overly tired, or if I'm really, really tickling you. As much as you make us work for those laughs, and smiles, they are one of a kind and so worth it. You give good, quick smiles at first glance, or in the morning when you first wake up, and they are adorable. It's different learning your personality when we were so used to your big brothers, but we love it. You, in many ways, seem to take after your dad more. More of an observer and quiet, which is a good thing. I think you will be a good balance to Cadens personality. You are pretty chill and relaxed--I think it's due to just who you are but also to not being the only child and having to hang out/not be held as much so we can balance Caden or other to-do's as well.

 

You're grabbing at your feet more and it's so cute. Not sure why, but seeing you hold onto those little piggies is adorable. You're like our little zombie-always trying to eat our faces and putting everything in our mouth. You'll grab tight of peoples faces and try to munch away. Another cute thing you've been doing is when you are having a bottle and tired you just rub through your hair with your little hand. You have the most soft, fuzzy little hair and it's cute to see you run your hands through it time and time again as your eyes get heavy.

You still don't really sit up on your own. I think some of that has to do with your strong curiosity. You are constantly reaching for everything and so intrigued with what's around you that when we do try to sit you up, you look around at first then go forward on your belly to go after something. Your dad swears you'll be crawling next month but I'm just not too certain. I remember we thought Caden would be crawling sooner than he did because of the similar actions you show and he didn't crawl until eight months...but we'll just have to wait and see!

You want to chew on everything, which makes everyone ask if you are teething. As drooly as you are, and as much as you naw on anything you can get your hands on, it would seem as if you are, but I think it's one of those teething stages where you will be doing that for a while before we actually see any tooth/teeth break through. So far I don't see or feel anything, so maybe you're just working up to it.

You love your jumper. In fact, majority of the time when you are being held, but someone is sitting down, you like to stand and jump, jump, jump. You are an active little guy. When we go to unbuckle you out of your car seat you are quick to strongly arch your back and try to get the heck out of dodge. Doesn't make it always as easy to get you out of the car seat but it is sometimes pretty humorous to see you being so distinct in what you want at such a young age.

You tried carrots for the first time and did well! You are definitely ready to be having food, and it's my fault on not acting on it sooner. I want to make it for you and just never got around to doing it. So, finally I boiled some carrots and pureed them and there you have it-your first food experience! I need to get you some fun puffs to snack on, I'm sure you'd love those and we plan on trying sweet potatoes and green beans next. I'm eager to get to the fruit, mainly banana, because of how convenient it will be...but 'rules are rules' and veggies are supposed to come first. Soon enough you'll be eating anything thing and everything so no rush. I was so eager to start all the 'new things' with Caden, and I am eager to see you experience it all, but not in a rush to have you fly by these stages too quickly...Lord knows they fly by quick enough on their own, I don't need to encourage it.

You're sleeping pretty well. Recently you've been winding down taking your last bottle and going to bed around 6:30. I remember Caden doing the same early routine and feeling like we had no time with him due to working in the day and such an early bed time. Thankfully, God has allowed us the opportunity to have jobs that give us more flexibility and family time so I don't struggle with feeling as 'robbed' of that time with you. So you go to bed fairly early, and depending on the night you'll wake up about once just in need of the paci and you go right back to sleep. And depending on the morning you'll sometimes start stirring around 5-6, we'll feed you and for the majority of the mornings you'll go back to sleep for a little while longer. It's not bad and there's not a huge struggle to get you to sleep, the only hard part comes when we are up with you around 5-6, and then your brother gets up around 6 as well. Last night and today though, you woke up about 11:30 at night needing the paci but you went back to sleep and didn't stir again until 7, and your brother didn't get up and come get us until just before 7, so it was a nice little 'sleeping in' for mommy and daddy!

You are quiet and somber, but when you do chatter it's like music to my ears. I love your observation personality and it's adorable and fits you well, but hearing baby chatter is just the best. You still will blow raspberries which crack me up, and when you do chatter you seem to show pursed lips throughout your talk which is just overly cute. I always wonder what you could be thinking and am so curious to what goes on in your mind.

You are animated and so fun to watch when you are watching a baby show. We sometimes play a Baby Einstein's lullaby show for you and you always light up when other little babies, or the puppets, come on. You are starting to enter such a fun stage. More interactive and so curious. You are stating to interact more with Caden, laughing at his silly antics in the car, giving him a funny 'what the crap?!' look when he's being crazy or throwing a fit. It's the best to see you both together. He's already being a bossy brother to you trying to tell you when you can't have your hands in your mouth, or to quit spitting, or to put your car seat canopy back up. Don't worry, we have your back and tell him to buzz off, but once you're older you'll really have to hold your own against your bossy brother.

 We love you so much. You are a wonderful, handsome, brown fuzzy hair, brown eyes, little boy and couldn't be more adorable and more perfect for our family. So much is coming your way the next few months. So many changes, so many milestones are around the corner and we are so blessed and excited that we get to be your parents through it all. We pray so strongly for you, and your brother. We pray that we can be the parents that God desires us to be, and that you need us to be.

We love you so much, Reid. Thank you for giving us an awesome first six months. Prayers for many, many, many more.

Love you always, Reiders.

FIVE

Today, you are five months old. Really. Seriously. Right before my eyes you are almost going off to college. Oh, calm down, not college, but high school. Now, now...let me have my mommy wallows.

Reid you are so fun. One of my favorite things about you is one minute, you're going to town on your pacifier, and the next when someone says hi to you, you light up with a smile and out pops the paci. It's a little bashful looking smile that melt my heart.

You dropped in percentile weight at your four month checkup, so we are going back in two weeks to make sure you gain more. This isn't too much of a second thought to us though, your brother eats all things, all the time, and is a little guy. You both have your dad's genes, and I'm overly jealous of this. So, not a worry to us.

Either way, just a few days ago you had your last bottle of breastmilk. I stopped personally feeding you at 4 1/2 months. Many small factors, but as much as I loved that it was going well, it was just getting to me mentally and physically. I first thought maybe I would pump, but let's be honest, if I'm going to keep my supply up I'd rather feed you and not be stuck to a pump. SO, either way, after a while of teeter-tottering back and forth I decided to stop and it has been easier. You were starting to be a little finicky with eating, and if you didn't gain enough we'd have to bottle feed you to see the intake amount anyways, so just how it all played out. You are still finicky with eating sometimes, but it's not something that I take personally now that it's towards a bottle so that's easier mentally and just following your hunger cues for the most part.

So-you were about 13 lbs at your four month weigh in, and checking with the scale we have now, it looks like you may be 14 lbs now.

You have the best laugh and giggle. It's priceless to see you smile and have fun watching your big brother.

You have been sleeping pretty well, but just depends on the night. Sometimes you skip the late night feeding, but for the most part don't skip the early morning feeding. Now that you are all bottle your dad has been helping though if you do wake up before one, so that's a bonus and makes it easier.

You're pretty relaxed and easy going, but recently a bit more needy. I think that more so has to do with you being so mobile, constantly rolling around, and just want to be more places than you can be. Your dad thinks you'll be off and crawling before long, but I'm not as convinced. You're a mover for sure, but I remember thinking the same about your brother and I think it wasn't until 8 months that he was on the move, so we'll see. For my sake and sanity how about you just hold off on crawling a bit longer.

You do really well in the baby carrier. It's been my go-to for our many zoo trips, sometimes to the park, etc. It's easy for me to be more hands free and available for Caden and you also like it and most always get cuddly and take a little nap in it while we're on the move.

You recently tried a little rice cereal. It was pretty funny to see you experience something new like that and how to figure it out with the spoon. For the most part you seemed to move it around with your tongue and spit it out, but you got some in and seemed to like it! Another month and we'll try some real baby food and then, yet again, you're off to college! Waaaahh!

You are blowing raspberries like none other these days. It's the funniest thing to hear while I'm driving and for some reason just lights up my day and makes me laugh. You really go at it sometimes, and there have been a few times where it seems as if you do it on cue to what we are talking about at that moment.

You're finding your feet more and more-and with that being said reaching for things now. Caden thinks you're always 'getting him' and doesn't understand your untamed actions yet.

Now we're getting into the months were I feel like time will fly even faster. You will be sitting up more on your own soon, crawling, playing with toys more-the milestones are coming quick and I just have to embrace myself for them all and enjoy them while they lasts before the next one creeps around the corner.

You are a joy, Reid. Your laughter and smile lights up a room. Our love for you is beyond words and we are so happy God chose us to be your parents. Love you, little man.