2 Month Update

Happy 2-months my little Evan! Wow! What a wonderful 2 months this has been. Slow down a little, though, you're growing too fast. At 2 months of age...

• You still have a head full of dark hair, but I think you've been a losing a little. Don't worry, though, it's growing back in...still dark and full.
• You've struggled with a bout of colicky, gassy pains. For several weeks you spent a good amount of time uncomfortable and cranky...unless you were laying on Mommy, being bounced, etc., etc, etc. Thankfully the colic seems to be coming to an end. You're still a gassy little fella, but you're managing it better everyday.
• Speaking of gas...you are very vocal in many ways and having gas or anything else in your system causing discomfort is reason for you to "make it known". You also protest dirty or wet diapers. If you're crying and we can't figure out why that's usually the problem. If you're hungry you let us know. If you're cold you protest too. However, if you're hot you just quit everything...you won't eat or anything else.
• You're cooing is precious. We love it, love it, love it!
• You're smiles are amazing. At 2 months old you occasionally smile at us while we talk to you. We love every little grin. (At a little over a week past your 2 month birthday you started smiling A LOT when being spoken to.) Ooooo...I could eat those smiles up!
• Sometimes you present a good protest just because you feel like you've been left alone.
• You are starting to play on your mat more and you really like your worm (colorful caterpillar) that dangles down ready for your flailing little arms. You also like your mirror. And...yes...you are definitely a cute little baby!
• You still grunt...A LOT!
• You're doing pretty well at night. Some nights you even give Mommy a good 6 hours sleep. Most nights you allow 3 or 4 between each meal, but you always eat and go right back to sleep.
• You really don't like being in your carseat for very long...REALLY don't like it. Usually a trip to OKC with running around to a couple 2 or 3 stores and you've had enough. Our trip home is sometimes a difficult one and we've been known to pull over for a minute to offer some soothing remedies. Just the other evening you cried all the way home from Guthrie. Thankfully it's not that far away.
• So far you haven't been too far away from home (read previous note), but you have been a few places. You've been to the zoo, out to eat a few times, Nana's house...of course, the park, UnPluggit's play studio, shopping, and a few other places.
• You like the wrap. We haven't been able to use it much because it's been so stinkin' hot around here, but on the couple of cool days or in "appropriately" air-conditioned stores I've placed you in the Moby wrap. You just snuggle right on in and enjoy the ride. I think it's going to be a great thing for us as the cooler months arrive.
• You eat like a champ. I don't know you're exact weight these days because you haven't been to the doctor in several weeks. I can tell you're growing and you seem very healthy. That's all that matters.
• You're just now starting to outgrow some of your newborn-sized clothes. You're now starting to wear more and more size 0-3 months clothes.
• You're as cute as can be and we love you soooo veeerrryyy MUCH!
  

2-Month Video

Bathtime

I have 2 sick little boys. Runny noses. Thick colorful snot. Coughs. Crankiness. And more.

So...here's a picture from a couple weeks ago.

Happy 2 months to my sweet little Evan. I'll post a 2-month-old update within a day or so...when things are a little better around here.

My 2 Boys

Weekend Away

This past weekend Ryan, Evan, and I went with Nana to Aunt Lizzy's house. We spent Saturday, Saturday night and Sunday enjoying our mini-vacation with my wonderful sister and her husband.

Evan did a whole lot of this...
...awww the life. Reclining by the pool.

Since Lizzy and Bradford still live in an apartment complex they get the luxury of a pool. Since we were their guests...so did we!

Ryan swimming with Aunt Lizzy...
Oh! And Evan did a little stretching from time to time...
It was hot! I took Evan in the pool for a few minutes (I'm waiting on Lizzy to e-mail the pictures). He didn't like it as much as his big brother.

This guy...




...is like a fish! Once he figured out the benefits of those arm floaties he was up and down and in and out of the water. He gained so much confidence just in the few short hours we were in the pool. By the time we were through swimming he was jumping off the side, going under the water without fear and swimming independently. It was pretty awesome to watch him. I can't wait to take him swimming again.

We went swimming 2 different times on Saturday (afternoon and evening), but I think Ryan could have stayed in the pool the entire time we were at Aunt Lizzy's. Too bad us adults didn't have his kind of energy!

Sunday morning we went to the park. It was already hot, hot, hot by the time we got there, so we didn't stay long. We should have just jumped in the pool one last time. :)



We ended our weekend with an outing to the local mall. Ryan played in the play area while we visited. We couldn't end our stay, however, without a quick ride on the helicopter...
We had a great time.

Growing Up!

My boy is growing up. Too fast I might add. A little over a week ago Ryan climbed out of his crib...for the first time ever. Crazy I know. He climbs on the stove and jumps off of his dresser but in 3 1/2 years had never climbed out of the crib. Well the night he came trotting back into the living room after going to bed in the crib was the night I finally decided he should probably move up and out of the crib on a more permanent basis. I admit, though, I really wasn't ready. I really kind of liked the confinement of the crib. Once he was in...he was in...until he was helped out. I began stressing. How in the world was I going to keep the boy in bed?

Last Friday we worked together in his room. We completely dismantled the crib and moved it, piece by piece, out of "Good Boy's" room. (He's taken to calling himself "Good Boy" all the time now but that's another story). He chose a new place for the "Cars Bed" (twin bed with CARS bedding). He wanted it in the same place as the crib. We rearranged. We straightened. We cleaned. Until "Good Boy's" room was also a "Big Boy's" room. Friday night we had a big party with dinner and cupcakes. Nana and Papa came. We made it a BIG deal!

Friday night we tucked Ryan in bed...and...oh my goodness...he...he...he stayed! He went to bed like a champ and stayed in bed all night long! No crying, no whining, no problems. So far this part of growing up had been a wonderful experience for all of us. He's such a good boy!

Of course if I said we had perfection around here everyone would probably give me a tongue-lashing. He has asked at least once to move the crib back into his room and move his new bed back. He still asks me to sleep on the "Cars Bed". He now expects at least 2 or 3 stories before bedtime and needs the closet light on. He still fusses if he doesn't have just the right collection of cars. Last night he fought going to bed and needed several reminders where he was supposed to be. He came out of that room with every excuse possible. "I need to hug Momma." "I need to hug baby brother." "I need to take this ball away." The best excuse we heard was, "I have a big problem! I have crumbs in my bed." He handed me ONE crumb.

He sure makes me smile!

OUTSIDE!

We FINALLY got to play outside today.


Ohhhh....fall weather how I long for your return!

Workin' It

He's workin' it...

Trying really hard...
Hoping...
To be...
A thumb sucker.
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-
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Where's that paci?

Cheese

Weight

At 6 weeks Evan weighs 7 pounds 11 ounces.

At 3.5 Ryan weighs 29.5 pounds.

At [ahem] Momma weighs [ahem].

(You didn't really think I'd disclose that information did you?)

Ryan

Oh my Ryan. Ryan...Ryan...Ryan.

At this moment I'm just glad he quit crying because I was about 2 seconds away from, as my mom always said "giving him something to cry about!" Okay...not really...I was starting to get a little frustrated though.

Ryan has started to assert his independence in many ways. Sometimes it's good. Sometimes it's just plain challenging. Tonight was the first time in 3 1/2 years that he climbed out of his bed. He's still in a crib...only because he's never tried to climb out and why mess with a good thing. Also because of all of our life circumstances over the last year. Well tonight was the night. Now it's time to move the crib out and for him to graduate to his big-boy bed! This leaves me with a new challenge and quite frankly one that I wasn't wanting to fight until later...how in the world do I keep him in bed!!!!!???? He goes to bed just fine when he is confined. He fights it like crazy when he isn't.

My little independent kid has brought on more challenges. Most of them are just that...challenges. Nothing big. One of our challenges is running. He loves to run. Unfortunately he doesn't pay close enough attention to his surroundings. He so badly wants to have freedom but until he learns to walk safely beside his family instead of running off and darting away he is stuck with physical boundaries. I soooo wish he would learn this. It would be so much easier (and more fun) to just let him walk beside me in the store and other places.

Ryan's independence-loving has been good too. He is growing up to be a big boy and he now takes pride in being "the big boy". He helps me get things. He helps me cook. He can get his own snacks most of the time and he usually asks before he gets them (or at least he talks about it while he's getting something so I know what he's doing). He can play outside by himself although he loves for me to come outside too. I love being outside and playing with him, but it's nice that he can play independently since sometimes I just can't go outside and play. He has started picking out his own clothes although he really just doesn't care. No clothes are his first choice. He walks safely to the car from the house by himself and waits by the door (most of the time) which is contradictory to what I just talked about. It's the walking safely anywhere else that we have trouble with. He can be told to stay in the yard and with a few gentle reminders will do so. He pushes it all the way to the edge though, but he thoroughly enjoys that freedom. He is learning to make decisions for himself.

I try to encourage his independence as much as possible. I try to give him as many choices as possible. What to wear? What time to go to bed (8:20 0r 8:30)? What color of cool-aid to make? Nap time in 5 minutes or 10? Peanut butter/jelly sandwich or turkey and cheese? Etc. Etc. Etc.

Ryan loves his baby brother. Most of the time. He caresses his head gently. He gives hugs. He gives kisses. He tickles his belly. He is gentle. Most of the time. Occasionally he expresses his dislike. "Mom put baby brother on the bed" or a not-so-gentle bonk on the head. One of the cutest things is when Evan is crying and Ryan calls out "Hang on baby brother. Hang on baby brother."

Another cute thing Ryan says these days is "I'm a good boy." He reminds me several times a day. "Good boys get toys. I'm a good boy." "Good boys can..." I remind him often that he's a good boy and a big boy. I'm hoping that the reminders help him feel a little extra special from time to time since Evan gets a lot of attention. "Good boys get to go to the playground. Only big boys can play on the playground."

Another cute one..."I want to lub (love) on Momma." Can you guess that I absolutely LOVE when I here him say "I want to lub on Momma" ?

There's a lot of things he's started doing or saying that I'll share as I recall them. Sometime I'll tell you about "washing feet".

Evan Update

Wow I can't believe my little guy is almost 6 weeks old. I got a new (to me) Acer so now I can sit comfortably while rocking...or burping...my little one and type away on this crazy blog that has been somewhat neglected for the last 5+ weeks.

A lot has been going on and I'd like to try to capture our life over the last 5 weeks on this blog, but I know my memory well enough to give warning that the next few posts may be a haphazard compilation of thoughts.

.......................................

Evan is doing great! He is healthy and strong and an absolute joy. He is eating very well and I seem to be producing plenty. He's a gassy little baby. Poor little guy he just grunts all the time. I started giving him gripe water recently to help with some of his discomfort. I'm also trying to watch what I eat. If I could find a food(s) that caused him more gas I'd eliminate those from my diet. Likewise if I could find the foods that kept him the most "regular" I'd eat those every day.

Surprisingly we haven't had a doctor's appointment since he last saw the dr. the week after his birth. Surprising I guess because I'm so used to life with a preemie which equals at least 1 or 2...maybe 3...appointments each week for months on end. It's different. Our last appointment was to check out a rash that Evan had developed but was determined to be a sensitivity coupled with baby acne. I guess he might be my sensitive kid. I've changed laundry soap to a perfume-free/dye-free ALL. I've been using a mild soap and lotion for Evan's bath and because his small little bottom gets irritated easily I'm sticking to name brand diapers like Pampers or Huggies. Crazy...I know. I'm such a store brand person. We haven't seen the doctor since then and his weight at the time was 6 pounds 5 ounces. I'm anxious to see how much he's grown.

Just this week Evan has started noticing the toys dangling above his head while he lays on a play mat. (Fully supervised I might add. I learned very quickly that an unsupervised baby around a hyper-active toddler is not a good idea.) He has also started making other sounds, almost like cooing but not exactly. When he's not grunting, that is. It's so sweet and so exciting to see him developing.

He knows his Momma and responds to my voice immediately. We spend a lot of time together. He relaxes when he's laying on my chest and seems to find comfort with my touch. Most of our nights end (at 3 or 4 a.m.) with him laying on my chest while I recline in a chair because he can finally find comfort and I can finally get some sleep. Usually after his 3 or 4 a.m. feeding he grunts and groans so much that everyone gets more sleep if he and I snuggle in the chair together instead of him grunting and crying and I reaching into his cradle to give him the pacifier every 2 or 3 minutes. Do what works...right?!

Speaking of sleep. He's doing pretty well. We've had a handful of really good nights and a handful of really bad nights. The really good nights are when he sleeps 5 hours between feedings. The really bad nights are when he wakes up every hour or 2 because he's gassy and uncomfortable or because he wants to eat. Most of our nights he sleeps 3 hours between feedings. Those nights are doable. I'm usually very sleepy come early morning but once I'm up and have had a cup of coffee all is well. Naps are pretty good too!

And there you have it! An Evan update! I'll update more later...when I'm not so tired and I can actually think straight. :)

Heart Meds

This is just to see if all the grandparents have plenty of heart meds available. Of course if they didn't need them before they may need them now!


-----Ryan's New Discovery-----

-----Perfect 10!-----

His form with remarkable with a smooth take-off, sticking the landing softly yet with solid determination.

PS...I think it's time to enroll this boy in gymnastics.

Watering