4 Months

As Max's mom, I'm obvioulsy a bit biased towards him, so naturally I never tire of seeing his adorable mug...I'm hoping you share my problem :) Let's indulge in another monthly milestone update, shall we?

 

At our four month doctor visit this past Thursday, Mr. Macho Max was a total champ and it seems a growing boy...

 

Weight: 17 lbs 8 oz

 

Length: 27 inches

 

Fan of:  putting things in his mouth, drooling, short naps, Dave Matthews lullabies, and the song "Old Max Donald"

 

Known for: big smiles, giant appetite, short naps, ninja kicking legs, awesome fashion style

 

A few things about Max this month...

 

He is really trying to roll - if you put him on his side, he will roll to his belly pretty easily (once he figures out what to do with his arms).  However...he's not to sure how to get from belly to back. Because of all his movement, we decided to stop swaddling him at night for fear that he might roll over and not be able to help himself.  So, we transitioned him to "sleep bags" which are basically bags with arm holes. I will say that I don't think he sleeps as well in the bags v. the swaddle.  He was a great sleeper until about four days ago.  I think he spoiled us because now that we are back to three and four times a night waking up and needing the pacifier...it's pretty brutal.  (I just keep reminding myself...this too shall pass). And when he smiles at you with his whole body...it's pretty hard to stay grumpy.

 

We are big fans of the Baby Ergo!  Since he has more neck control and more weight...I'm more comfortable carrying him.  He also doesn't have to be in the baby taco newborn insert anymore which I think helps him stay cooler. He has strolled many a parks, grocery stores, Target, and neighborhoods in it...and seems to like it.

 

Daycare school is going well.  It never gets easier dropping him off...but I LOVE the lady we go to...so that helps.  She is awesome about sending pictures to us, plans for adventures for them, and keeps the number of kids low.  Also, its pretty adorable that Max has all these older (meaning 2 and 3 year old) buddies that are so excited to see him in the morning.  Precious I tell you.  They ask me, "Can Max come out of his seat?"  Makes me happy that they are happy to see him.

 

Max is a drooling machine. I thought it might be do to teething...but the pediatrician said she didn't feel any teeth buds.  So...it must just be the stage we're in now.  Thank goodness for cute bibs! But seriously, Rob and I are always like - "where's the burp cloth or bib?"

 

Feeding Max is still a breeze - loves his bottle and definitely recognizes it now.  He starts to fuss if he sees it and you don't give it to him right away (where did he get that impatience from?? :) He takes 6 ounces in his daytime bottles and 8 ounces before bedtime.  Our pediatrician also recommended moving up to the next nipple size (so the formula will come out faster) and man...we went from about 30 minutes of Max taking a bottle to 15 or even 10 if he's hungry (and he always is...)

 

I can tell he is learning new things everyday - exploring everything with his hands and even feet (the feet are non-stop).  He bats and grabs at things.  According to his great grandparents (on my side) he's the strongest baby they've ever seen. haha! He can hold a rattle and shake it.  He's interested in things for longer periods of time.  Loves books still and the child LOVES music.  If he is ever fussy - we just sing to him...Old Max Donald (do you like what I did there?)...Take me Out to the Ball Game...Flies in the Buttermilk, Wheels on the Bus, Bingo and "He's got the whole world in his hands" (or in Max's case - he's got his whole hand in his mouth). We also listen to his lullaby CD's in the car when driving later in the evening...they seem to calm him right down.  Rob also always has the Pandora app going with some sort of music. 

 

It's pretty safe to say we are obsessed with this child.  It's really quite astounding to see how much he changes week to week (or even day to day).  And it consistently surprises me that I can somehow love him more and more with each passing day. 

Making me Happy

So as I alluded to in my previous post - things around here have been busy! But, I wouldn't have it any other way.  It's a good kind of busy. The kind where I get home from work and immediately get down on the play mat with Max and before I know it, an hour has gone by and dinner isn't even on the table.  The kind where I have a million projects going on at once - scrapbooking, bow-tie making, baking, and organizing baby clothes (have I told you that Once Upon a Child is my crack --it's a problem).   And of course, the kind where I decide to interview for a new job...just to add to the chaos (more on that later if it pans out). Either way - I like to think about all of the things that are filling my heart with happiness right now...basically so I don't go crazy. 

 

1.) This guy (See above).  We went to a wedding together two weekends ago - and even though it poured...and I mean poured on us out in an open field with no cover...we had such a blast.  Really, what's not to love about weddings?  Dinner? yes. Drinks? yes. Dancing? yes. Dessert? yes.  And, of course hearing those wedding vows again and thinking about the power behind those words never hurts either. 

2.)  My other guy.  So much to say about this little dude..but I'll let you gaze at those chubby cheeks for awhile and then get back to me. It's college football season - so of course his Dad and I are going around and around about what team he (Max) should support every weekend.  Last weekend OSU played first, so he started out in Buckeye gear, but then Oregon played at 4:00 - so he ended the evening in Ducks gear.  This weekend they played about the same time - so since Mommy got up with Max...she dressed him.  Seems fair..no?

3. Trips to the Library.  I have zero time for reading...unless it's "What to expect the first year" and even then only at short intervals (otherwise known as when I'm in the bathroom).  But...reading to Max on the other hand - a definite priority.  We made our first trip the library last month.  We picked out lots of books.  I'll let you guess which one mommy picked out and which one daddy picked out.

4.  Flowers.  Oh my word...the zinnias that my mom and Rob planted as tiny seeds (from Buchart Gardens and our Canada trip last summer)...have really overtaken the side of the deck.  They planted them four days before Max was born and they haven't stopped growing.  The best part is they are really low maintenance.  Because let's be real - I can only take care of one living thing at a time and his name is Max. :)

5.  The Baby Ergo.  I was skeptical about the price and how much we would actually use it.  But, I LOVE IT!!!  Now that Max is bigger and has more neck control, we are all more comfortable using it. Max looks all around when he's in it. And, I love how close and snuggly he is :)

 6.  Work.  I'm back. The high was returning to all my favorite seasonal ladies.  The low was that it was only for three weeks.  They did such a great job while I was on maternity leave.  They are such amazing young women.  It's really my pleasure to work with them and I was sad to see them go (except Candice - lucky for us - she gets to say all year...yippee!) (and, Hi Candice! She loves the blog). 

7.  My new favorite picture.  

xOxO 



Happy Grandparents Day!

It's never my intention to stay away from the blog for so long...but alas, I realized it's been almost a month since I updated.  Raising a baby is so many things - exciting, challenging, joyous, tiring and on and on...so the blog took a bit of a back seat for awhile.  I'm the kind of person that goes full force on everything (case in point - bowties for Max - I saw a pinterest tutorial for a "no-sew" version and then suddenly decided we needed to go to Hobby Lobby - RIGHT NOW! and then, buy ten kinds of fabric for bow ties of all kinds...do I have the time for this? No...but when the creative urge hits - you gotta go with it)  All this to say - it's hard to just only do a little blogging.  I want to be able to blog every day...but since I'm still learning the art of time management with a baby - once a month may have to do for awhile!   

 (I mean please...could I get anything else done with those chubby cheeks demanding my attention?)

On to the big celebration this weekend - Grandparents Day!  Did I even know this holiday existed until a week ago?  Nope!  But, celebrate we will!  You know I like to do up every holiday.  Before Max arrived, I looked forward to all my parents and in-laws visits.  But now - I feel like I count the minutes between visits.  It's something about sharing your child with your parents that feels like magic!  Like getting an A on a paper you worked really hard on, but times 1000.  We are lucky enough to be blessed with not one or two...but THREE sets of grandparents!  Cue the spoiling...

(Mom: thanks for doing our laundry -insert sort of ashamed face here - bringing us dinner, and changing the steamiest of diapers)

(Dad: thanks for munching Max's cheeks, offering to babysit so mom and I can go to Hobby Lobby (see above bow tie addiction), and feeding him lots of bottles when I'm bleary eyed in the morning)

(Jim and Sugar: thanks for the weekly FaceTime chats, Oregon clothes and accessories, loving support and encouragement, and continuing to read this blog (even when I forget to update).

(Suzi and John:  thanks for keeping us stocked in onesies and diapers, always knowing just the right thing to say, forgoing finishing your own dinner to feed Max, and scooting us out the door for a date night --it was much needed and appreciated).

 

It's been so fun to see both Rob and my own parents excitement over Max (colored with maybe a little bit of jealousy...I mean...it's no longer just about loving on my mug anymore :) But honestly, all of them are such naturals at being grandparents.  Always willing to pitch in a hand, share an encouraging word via text and even Facetime, offer advice, change a dirty diaper, marvel at every coo from Max's mouth and of course make sure he's stocked with clothes and even diapers! 

 

The long term plan is obviously for us to convince everyone to move to Ohio and all of us live in a housing development together...but you know until that happens... 

 We will continue to read about our second favorite state (Oregon...duh) and enjoy these weekend visits to the max!

XoXo

3 Months

 

 

 

 

 We do not have a scheduled doctor's appointment for three months so we are guessing a bit at his stats...but suffice it to say he's a growing boy!

 

Weight: 15 lbs 2 oz

 

Length: 25.5 inches

 

Answers to: Max Max, mjh, Boo Bear, Maxster,

tiny man, and wee one

 

Often seen: wearing a bib because of the constant drool, hanging out on his exercise mat, practicing tummy time, and giving lots of  flirty social smiles

 

Man, we love this kid! 

 

This month brought the dreaded return to work (womp, womp) but so far we have been adjusting quite well.  I think it truly helps me to know that Rob can pick him up so much earlier than I could.  And, they always send me pictures of their adventures (or naps) - and you know I love that. We are also so lucky to have found a daycare provider who we love and who LOVES Max!! I have taken to calling daycare "school" because it makes me feel better.  My parents also watch Max one day a week and we call that day "homeschool" :)  Everyone says how happy he is all the time - so we are truly blessed that he is quite content to go with the flow! 

 

For awhile Max was sleeping almost 9 hours everynight - but a few days before his three month mark, began waking again to eat with gusto in the middle of the night (around 1 or 2am).  It doesn't bother us much - because he truly seems hungry.  Also around this time he started taking a longer afternoon nap - so we are thinking maybe it's all related to a three month growth spurt.

 

His face has also started to light up when he sees us (dare I say he recognizes us?) - and this makes my heart want to explode! He is certainly more aware of all the dangling objects on his exercise mat and takes the occasional swing at some...but actually likes to hold onto the elephant.  When we aren't practicing tummy time - we are singing, singing, and singing.  Max's favorite songs include "Old McDonald", "Itsy Bitsy Spider" "Shoo Fly" and "He's got the Whole World" :)  Literally he can go from sad to happy with merely a change in tune!

 

Perhaps the best thing that is happening is his constant stream of coos (though we call it yodeling)!  He watches us and then sometimes it almost seems he is mimiking us.  He also gurgles and giggles during our singing sessions - truly precious! 

(Yodel-A-Hee-Who....)

 

What a Great Month!

xoxo 

How to Know You've Married the Perfect Man

So....we all know I have a flair for the dramatic, right?  Well, last Friday morning I woke up with the worst sore throat I have had in what seems like forever. I went to work thinking that it would just pass..um...yeah...it didn't and I'm pretty sure everyone I work with would agree that I looked totally miserable.  My body started to get super achey ...then a headache came on...all the while trying to swallow but having what felt like tiny daggers along the back of my throat.  I decided to go home after our Friday morning class - because let's be honest, I wasn't being helping anyone by staying.  I swung by Panera for some chicken noodle soup and ate it at home.  Then, straight to bed for three hours.  After a great nap (with my heating pad -duh)..I still felt (and probably looked) like something you might find in the toilet.  Rob came home with Max and we decided it would be best for me to go to Urgent Care just in case it was something I could pass to Max. 

 

Urgent Care on a Friday evening is my nightmare.  A family came in before me with a child who needed x-rays but left the siblings in the waiting room with no adult supervision.  Yeah...it was terrible and all I wanted to do was sprawl out over all the chairs because my back was killing me.  Finally the nurse called me back ...we went over my symptoms...and the doctor came in a short time later.  She declared with a quick check of my throat that I "probably had strep" but gave me a rapid strep test just to be sure.  The test confirmed that I did indeed have strep - cue the begging for antibiotics...and in just minutes she had me out the door with a prescription for my old friend amoxicillan and a new toothbrush.

 

The time in the waiting room was only made bareable by the following pictures I received from Rob and Max:

(I mean...serioulsy...Max's expression above makes me practically die laughing everytime)!!  I swear they are like two peas in a pod and I love it.

 

Rob took over all Max duties on Friday and Saturday so that I could get some much needed rest.  Literally, I did not have to lift a finger (or bottle).  Rob even slept in the guest room with the monitor so I could have uninterupted sleep. Is this man amazing or what??!  It's tough to be a sick mama..but there is no way I wanted to give Max any of my germs...so I'm so grateful to have Rob on my team!

 

Future Park Ranger

Since returning to work and only getting to spend a couple hours in the evening with Max...I have decided that every weekend needs to include some sort of special family time.  It was finally sunny here this past Saturday, so first we hit up Tim Hortons for an assorted ten pack of donut holes (which involves me picking out the ones I like and giving the leftovers to Rob - and he totally doesn't seem to mind).  The donut holes and chocolate milk provided the sustenance we needed for our 2.5 miles hike at our local Metro Park called HighBanks.  You might be wondering how an almost three month old participates in hiking....but never fear, we have the Baby Ergo!  The Ergo is a baby carrier - meaning you can "wear" your baby while you walk.  At first I was a bit skeptical but I actually really like it and it turns out Max does too! 

The key is keeping Max cool -- so basically we stripped him down to a onesie and put him in the newborn insert (aka - baby taco).  This provides a little boost for his bottom and supports his neck :)  Also - to up the cuteness factor we had to add his bucket hat!  It was a bit sunny in some parts of the forest...so I suppose it's better to be prepared. 

 

This particular Saturday Rob was the one "wearing" Max and it was absolutely precious!  Because he is still pretty small and doesn't have total neck control - Max must still be worn facing us..but, we don't mind because then we get stare at his cute little mug!  Max was fascinated with everything in the forest - he kept craning his neck in all different directions - staring at the tall trunks and green leaves.  I, of course, tried to narrate everything we were seeing (i.e. "oh look, there is a sycamore tree...it has white bark").  Max conked out about half way through the walk...but I can tell that he really loved it...and we will for sure be returning! 

 

Once we completed our hike - we took Max out of the carrier and attempted to change his diaper.  He showed us how he felt about that by peeing everywhere in daddy's new car!  haha!  We got it cleaned up quick and were on our way to a delicious breakfast at Scramblers :)  Saturdays are my new favorite day of the week :)

 

xoxo

 

We survived!

It was not my intention to not post at all last week - but let's just say life got busy :)  And, I realized that the most important thing now is giving Max our undivided attention when we get home from work (even if that means I get literally nothing else done).  While it's definitely not been an easy transition (read - I may have had some teary breakdowns) - we are so fortunate to have such a loving, wonderful woman watching Max.  She greets us everyday with a smile, her four year old loves Max, and most importantly she didn't think I was a crazy person for calling multiple times the first day to make sure everything was going smoothly!  Max has been sleeping from about 8:30pm until 5:00am (or so) and that works out pretty well because Rob can get up with him just a little earlier than he normally would to give him a bottle.  Then he goes back down until I wake him up at 7:00.  This gives me time to get ready and make sure all our stuff is together.  I love to go in his room, and unwrap the swaddle.  Max will slowly open his eyes, take me in, and then gives a big smile! I LOVE IT!!  He also loves to stretch and love to watch him and marvel at how big he is getting.  Sometimes, I swear he grows overnight! Then, if I'm really good I can spend about 15 glorious minutes with him singing, talking, playing, or reading before we have to be out the door. I really cherish those 15 minutes because its just Mama and Max.  Another great thing is that Rob gets off work at 3:30, and so he can pick Max up at 3:45!  One of my favorite parts of coming home (other than seeing Max of course) is reading his cuddle gram.  The "cuddle gram" is a glorious piece of paper that gives a me a peek into his day.  It contains information such as when he ate, how much he ate, diaper changes, nap times, and fun things they might have done.  I love it because then I can really get a picture of what he's been up to! (Side note:  The woman watching him said she could send them electronically over email and my amazing husband told her that was not necessary because I would want to save them for his scrapbook!  Have I trained him well? haha!) Overall, last week went really well.  Speaking of - here is our glorious reunion picture from last Monday.  I think the look on my face says it all :)

(I think he missed me!)

(Daddy and Max after work - I have a feeling this bib will be in heavy rotation)!