Five Months

Our sweet baby Jude, We have now entered what I like to call the "happy baby phase".  It lasts from approximately now until those pesky teeth start to appear, so probably just days. You are sleeping well at night and happy during the day. You're trying new foods. You found your toes and still cannot get enough of sucking on your fists. You love to eat. So much so that I've introduced formula in addition to nursing and you're  taking it like a champ. I'm pretty sure that even if you were our first and I was able to structure our days around you and sit around and feed you all day long, I'd still be introducing formula by now. Right now your (on a perfect day) schedule looks like this:

7AM-nursing
8AM- breakfast
8:30AM- nap
10AM- nursing plus 4oz bottle
11:30AM- nap if we're home
1PM-nursing plus 4oz bottle
1:30PM- nap
4PM- 6oz bottle
5:30PM- dinner
7PM- 6-8oz bottle
7:30- bedtime

You're rolling all over the floor. I sometimes forget this and will leave you on your play mat while I'm dealing with your brothers and will come back down to find you partially wedged under the chair. Now, I put you in the excersaucer when I have to leave the room. Just like your brothers, you've decided that you'd rather be a belly or side sleeper. We put you down on your back and you immediately roll over to settle in for the night.

So far you've tried squash, avocado and brown rice cereal. You seem to be a fan of all of them. Your "meals" are still only when it's convenient now so you don't always get a breakfast, lunch or dinner. You have tried peanut butter and scrambled eggs with no problems, so I'm counting that as a win.

We don't go back to the doctor until 6mos. for a check-up, but I'd guess you're around 15lbs. You're in size 6-9mo clothing and size 3 diapers.

You have the most infectious little belly laugh and your brothers bring it out of you the best. You are just smitten with them and think they are the most fun. Good thing too, because I have on occasion found Ryder trying to drag you across the floor by your leg. All the while you're just smiling away.

You started using your doorway jumper this month and love to jump just like your brothers did. I've had to remind them that it is not in fact a slingshot and no they cannot spin you like a tire swing. Other than that, it's been going well.

We love you to pieces baby Jude!

 

 

Dear World

 Dear World,

This is my crew.

Now they don't know yet, just how broken you are. They don't know there is hurt beyond scraped knees and that mommy's kisses can't actually fix everything. All that is in my mama heart wants to keep it that way, but I know I can't.

What I want them to know is that in our family, we love people. Hard. Even if they are different than us, we love the heck out of them.

I want them to be young men who make room. Make room for friends on the playground, classmates at the lunch table and women at the board table.

I want them to know that I would rather send them to school with a hundred Valentines than for someone to feel left out.

I want them to be kids who give away their lunch money, because they see a classmate who hasn't eaten in a week. 

I want them to know how to win with pride and lose with grace.

I want them to know they are safe when they go to school and church.

I want our adults to stop acting like children so that our children can stop having to act like adults.

I want all of our children to have the futures we write on those first day of school chalkboards. 

Sincerely,

Their Mom

Winter

SO normally I'm one that likes seasons to feel like seasons. Meaning I like it to be warm (not hot) in the summer, cool in the fall and cold in the winter. I don't mind it being cold when it's supposed to be cold. Summer seems to last about 7 months here. This year, this sign couldn't be more true.

I'm sure it's the combination of having boys that would live outside and the fact that the flu season is a monster this year, so we haven't been leaving the house. Other than school (which is even a question mark), we have put all other activities on hold. No church, no Chick-fil-A, no mall playgrounds, no tiny carts at Trader Joe's. Mama may lose her mind, but Jude is too young for a flu shot. So that leaves us playing in every corner of our house until it's a little less cold (still not warm) to go outside later in the day. We've also watched a lot of movies.

We got a little more snow. I say a little, because after the pre-Christmas blizzard of 2017 it immediately feels like I'm from the north. Anything less than 6in doesn't feel like much at all and this was probably closer to two. 

Every year on MLK weekend, my college roommates and I manage to escape for the weekend. I say escape, because we have 14 kids between us so it takes a lot of work to leave a preschool behind. 

Pre-quarantine shopping trip.

 Drowning in babies and I wouldn't have it any other way.

Trying out all sorts of new big boy things with this one.

I posted this picture for his 4mo post, but couldn't not post it here too. Jude's pouty lip is just the cutest and definitely lets us know when he doesn't like something. 

We went to a family wedding in TX and Jude was  the perfect little third wheel.

 Any time that daddy is home generally looks like this. PJ's, puffy coats and all the balls outside.

 But seriously, winter, you can move along now.

Four Months

FOUR. This has been your biggest month yet, sweet boy! You celebrated your first New Year's as we rang in 2018. We had yet another snow day and you took your first plane ride for a family wedding in Texas. This has been my most favorite month yet as you are really growing into your little personality. You love to smile, laugh, chew on your fists, kick your feet and roll around on your play mat. You are starting to love your new excersaucer you got for Christmas, but I think you like being able to sit up and look at everything instead of lying on your back constantly. It also allows you to be eyeball to eyeball with your big brothers.

You love eating, napping, bath time, sleeping in your car seat and watching your loud brothers run around.

You don't love when your brothers are too loud and they scare you, the process of getting your pj's on after bath, when your schedule is thrown off thanks to school or church, when we leave you in your bed all night long instead of feeding you every few hours.

I just moved you up to size 3 diapers, because you were exploding out of the 2's. You're wearing size 3-6mo. clothing. You are up to 14.9lbs and 26in.

You tagged along with us to Texas for a family wedding last weekend and did so well with the exception of the plane ride there. You slept through the entire rehearsal dinner, wedding and reception. Your schedule was thrown off, but I think you liked having mommy and daddy all to yourself.

Speaking of schedule, here is where we're at currently:

8AM- wake up and eat
8-9:30AM- awake time; play time if we're at home
9:30-11AM- nap; home or car seat if we're on the go
11AM- eat
11-12:30- awake time
12:30-2PM- nap
2PM- eat
2-3PM- awake time
3PM- nap
5PM- eat
5-6PM- awake/fussy time
6PM- cat nap
6:45PM- bath time; watch brothers get ready for bed
7:15PM- bottle and books with brothers
7:45PM- bed time

You're "sleeping through the night" in the sense that I'm not feeding you, but you don't actually stay asleep all night long. You'll wake up and cry for a bit, but then eventually fall back asleep.

Your hair might be one of my most favorite things about you right now. It sticks straight up in the back no matter how much I brush it down.

You are such a happy little guy and give us plenty of smiles and laughs, but when you're not happy about something you certainly let us know. You get the saddest/cutest little pouty lip and most of the time, it's followed by a loud scream.

I can't wait for the weather to warm up, so that we can get out of this nasty flu season and go on some walks. I have a feeling you're going to like being outside just as much as your big brothers.

Sweet boy, we love you so much and feel so blessed to be your mommy and daddy. You are the sweetest little gift we never knew we needed.

A perfect example of the pouty lip.

 Here are your big brothers at four months.