2017

2017, you were too good to our little family. We started out the year in Disney World after celebrating a Clemson National Championship.

 This big boy rode his first roller coaster.

A couple weeks after coming home, we sold our first house.

 And were blessed to purchase our new home with plenty of space for our growing family.

 Speaking of our growing family...

 We found out in January that baby brother would be joining our family in the Fall.

 We celebrated Ryder turning 2.

And Finn finished his very first year of preschool.

 We celebrated 10 years of marriage in May.

 And made ourselves right at home at our new neighborhood pool over the summer.

Our biggest boy started 3-day preschool at a new school this Fall.

And turned 4 in September.

At 9:24 on 9.24 we welcomed our third baby boy to our family when Jude was born.

 At a month old, we took our first family day trip to dive right into Fall.

 We got to experience Halloween in our new neighborhood.

 And I started doing life out and about as a mom of three.

 Finn's school had a Thanksgiving party.

 And we took a day trip to Clemson.

 We picked out this baby boy's first Christmas tree.

 And saw the man in red.

 Clemson won the ACC Championship and finished the season at number 1!

 We got our first snowstorm in our new house.

 We celebrated Christmas with family in South Carolina.

 And spent Christmas at home as my family came to join us.

2017, you were oh so sweet and we were blessed far beyond what we deserve. Yes, we had our share of challenges and refining moments- but it's the sweet, everyday moments that stand out the most. Our house is loud and messier than I'd prefer but I wouldn't change a thing. I feel like I spent the better part of 2017 moving, unpacking, setting up a new house and learning a new town all while being massively pregnant chasing after two toddlers. I am most looking forward to diving into a new year in our new home as a new family of five. So cheers to 2018, we are ready for you.

And another Clemson National Championship would be nice too.

Three Months

Our sweet baby dude celebrated three months on Christmas Eve. A couple years ago, right after I had Ryder I went to Trader Joe's and a very sweet woman who looked to be about 10 years wiser than I was behind me in the checkout line. She probably saw me sweating as I was juggling a newborn in an Ergo while trying to keep an 18mo. old toddler from jumping out of the cart, but I will never forget what she said to me as she smiled and said "it gets easier every three months". I gave her a polite but stressed out smile and went on with my day. But it turns out she was right with Ryder and we have finally reached that point with Jude. We are three months into being a family of five and I think we have finally hit our stride. I am feeling fully recovered from surgery, nursing is going very well and as I type this, Jude slept 10 hours straight last night. I think he knew I was going to blog about him today and his less-than-stellar sleep habits, so he wanted to prove himself last night. Regardless, he finally made it from 8pm-6am. I know some of you are rolling your eyes as I say "finally", but my other two seemed to be extraordinary sleepers from day one, so the fact that Jude was not so much was starting to wear on me- not to mention that my days are even fuller now than they were with the other two.

You started rolling from your back to tummy, so we had to drop your swaddle. You were not a fan at first, but have seemed to make the transition decently well.

We also dropped your dream feed (i.e. your 11pm bottle with daddy).

You're spending a little more time each day awake- about an hour and a half after each feeding, but are still following the eat-wake-sleep pattern.

You like to sit back and take in the world around you- especially your big brothers, but you do not like when they spend too much time in your face or get too loud- which is most of the time.

You fought your fair share of sickness this month thanks to your loving big brothers. We had some nasty colds cycle through our house in addition to a staph infection and some strep sprinkled in there. So while you didn't have an official 3 month check-up, we had a number of visits to the pediatrician.

You are up to 13.5 lbs and wearing size 3-6mos clothing and size 2 diapers.

Santa brought you an exersaucer for Christmas. You tolerate it for a few minutes, but then realize you still can't hold yourself up well enough to sit in it for long periods of time.

You inchworm and roll your way across your play mat and in your bed. So while you're not technically "mobile", you are rarely in the same place I left you when I leave the room.

You still hate tummy time. That's all there really is to say about that.

You've discovered your hands and cannot get enough of sucking on your fists and fingers.

You love bath time even though you may only get one a few times a week. Third baby. 

You're quite the "talker". Not with words, but with plenty of coos, gurgles, and "ahhs".

You dislike days that Finn has school, because it disrupts your routine and you don't get to nap in your crib for every nap.

We celebrated your first Christmas and first snowstorm even though you never made it outside to see it. Our sweet baby Jude, we love you more than you know. You are already full of so much personality and we can't wait to watch you grow.

Our Tigers won the ACC Championship and finished out the season #1 in the country.

Our trip to South Carolina was cut short by our Southern blizzard, but we made the most of it and Jude got to meet his cousins, aunts and uncles.

You made it through your first church service inside the auditorium on Christmas Eve. Up until this point, we've stayed in the lobby or the nursing room after dropping your brothers off in their classes. We will likely kick off the New Year with a new class for you.

Your very first Christmas morning.