Showing posts with label cathlin. Show all posts
Showing posts with label cathlin. Show all posts

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

FOUR MONTHS!

Dear Colin,

You are now 4 months old.  I had a very hard time figuring out when to take your picture because this year there were only 28 days in February and since you were born on the 31st it didn't seem right to do it earlier so I waited until March started and we had a day with some sun in the morning to get good pictures.

Onesies were made by our friend Sharon! 


Of course, I also did photos in an outfit that your brother wore for his 4 month photos.  The shirt must have been discarded because I couldn't find it so I found something similar for you to wear.




And this Colin, is what it looks like when you don't want to get dressed or get your diaper change, or are cold, or mad that you are being put down so I can tend to your brother, Hunter or some other matter.  I still love you but no more ugly face!

SLEEP:
I have started having you sleep in your bedroom at night and you seem to be doing ok with this but you still wake up every 2-3 hours (sometimes less).  You are still swaddled but if I unswaddle you then you are awake even more.  I have a week off of work coming up so I might start unswaddling you then since I won't be so busy and we don't get a lot of sleep it will be ok.  You go to sleep around 7pm.  Are up at least once before 9 (if not twice), then up again around 11pm.  Last month I used to then bring you into my room but now I leave you in your room until your 1:30am wake-up.  Once in bed with me you tend to wake at 3 or 4, 6am and then if I am able to get you back down at 6am you are awake for the day at 7am.  Napping is hit or miss.  Sometimes you will nap at home up in your room if I am able to swaddle you and set you down almost asleep.  Sometimes I will nurse you to sleep and bring you upstairs to your swing to sleep.  During these times you will sleep for about an hour.  If you and I are home alone and I am wearing you - you will sleep for an hour or a little bit more.  You are not a great car sleeper but sometimes you will nap in the car too.  Overall, I would say you are getting 2-3 hours of sleep during the day when Mommy is home.
Sleeping in Mommy's bed - 2.20.2014
FOOD:
You are still a piglet and you are eating every 2-3 hours during the day and night.  You are on strictly breastmilk for now but you love to sit on the table at dinner and breakfast and be apart of the meal (unless you are napping).  Only two more months before I let you have food in your little hands!

CLOTHES:
You are currently in 6 month clothes from major "name brand" retailers and size 6-9month in most others "store brands or specially made for box stores".  It appears that despite seemingly to be growing at the same rate as your brother we will be buying you a lot of clothes because the seasons just aren't lining up correctly.  It seems the 1.5 months difference in birthdates is making a HUGE difference in clothing.

PERSONALITY:
You are such a happy baby when you are happy.  You smile from the tips of your very toes.  Your whole body is used to make the smile and it is infectious.  You smile at old people, young people, babies, toddlers, your Daddy, Me - just about anyone (but it doesn't make it any less special).  You are hysterical with Conor.  He can make you laugh at the drop of a hat and he loves to do it.  You have an adorable belly laugh and its fun to see you enjoy life so much. 

Your not all smiles though Mister.  You are also very demanding!  You do not like to be put down.  You require entertainment (you are not self-soothing just yet and you still get overstimulated too easily) from Daddy Conor or I unless its really short bursts of time.
 




DEVELOPMENT:
You are such a strong little boy!  You have been able to stand since shortly after birth but now you have some core strength and can sit (though you are bent at the waist quite a bit).  You are able to use those muscles to pull yourself into a standing position when holding my hands.  You hold your head up really high when on your tummy and you are starting to do so when sitting.  You do not love reclining anymore and are always trying to pull yourself into a sitting position if leaned against a pillow or blanket while on your back.  You are able to hold toys now and guide them into your mouth fairly nicely (though you do get very upset when you can't figure out how to let go of said toy)!  You also reach for things if they are placed just outside your reach span. 

You track people as they walk about a room and you turn your head when your name is called.  You also recognize voices and faces and produce smiles without prompting for certain people (Conor being #1). 

EXPERIENCES:
This past month you enjoyed your first true fun in the snow.  It was finally warm enough to play outside in the snow.  You watched the neighborhood kids sled and it was fun seeing Conor try to keep up with them.  You went for a ride in the sled and sat up on the big snowpile with Mommy and Conor (2.20.14).



We also went to a play place in Dover NH with Auntie Ana and this was your first time there.  You had a lot of fun watching the kids play but you were a bit too little for everything there so its a good thing you were content just to watch!  We also went out to lunch at a restaurant.  You did okay but it had been a long day and you were tired by the end of it (so were the boys!).

First Holidays: Valentine's Day and you attended your first Valentine's Day Party Playdate a few days later at Carter's house.  There you hung out with the Mommies and played with your friend Link.


Such a size difference in boys born 2 weeks or so apart!
GODPARENTS:
In the last month we also asked two very special people to be your Godparents.  Who?  We asked Chris and Auntie Cathlin.  They are also Conor's godparents but they are very special people in our lives and we felt they were the perfect choice the first time and therefore when it came time to pick again it only made sense that you deserved the best as well!  We were elated when they each said "YES" again.  Now, to make plans!

Colin, you are a wonderful little baby and I can't wait to keep watching you grow.  Until next month little man.

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  4 month comparison photo - Conor Above and Colin Below.

Sunday, August 18, 2013

A Wedding for Apple (and Auntie)! 7.13.13

Dear Apple,

You are already following in your big brother's footsteps by attending your first wedding while still in the womb!  Your Auntie C got married on July 13, 2013 and we were lucky enough to be apart of her special day.

The day started off with some spa treatment - hair and makeup for the entire bridal party.


It was really early and clearly we all needed some help getting pretty for the BIG day and all the pictures that would come.  After getting made up it was time to go back to the house and hang out while we waited until it was time to get dressed.  All the bridesmaids got dressed first so we would be ready to help Auntie!

This is me (mommy) at 25 weeks pregnant with you!  And below is Auntie waving goodbye to our house for the last time as a single woman.  When she returned the next day she was married!

Someone's going to the chapel and she's gonna get married!!!  While Auntie is beautiful every day - she looked simply stunning the actual day of her wedding - truly a beautiful bride!

This is Mommy and Katie.  Mommy used to babysit for Katie and Auntie on the weekends.  Katie got married in May.  It was fun to see them all dressed up and "grown up" and also sad because it made Mommy feel a little bit old :)

Mommy and Auntie - sisters through the good, the bad, and the ugly and friends for life!  I am very lucky to have a sister such as Auntie - she and Mommy are not super close in age (we are 6.5 years apart) but as we have grown up the gap in age has seemed smaller and smaller.  Auntie is truly a friend now and not just my baby sister.  She's an amazing auntie and I can't wait for you to meet her!


The newly married couple!  Apple, meet Uncle Jarrod!  He's got lots of brothers so I am sure he will help Mommy figure out what's brotherly "love/play" and what you and your brother should get in trouble for.  He takes great care of Auntie (and she of him).  Mommy especially likes some of the sacrifices he has made to keep himself and Auntie local for the sake of family!  Mommy isn't rushing them but can't wait for the day that we can take a BIG family vacation with them and your cousins!



These were the gold shoes that Mommy wore for the wedding (Mommy's feet have coral nail polish on the toes).  They hurt so badly that as soon as pictures were over I threw them and Grandpa Adam's car and said I never wanted to see them again!

And lastly, a picture of you with Mommy and Daddy.  You were a great wedding guest.  We danced the night away and had so much fun with our family.  Thank you for allowing me to enjoy Auntie's wedding as much as I did!
25 weeks
We wish Auntie and Uncle Jarrod a lifetime of happiness and thank them again for inviting us to be a special part of their day!

xoxo
Mommy

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

Apple Update

Wow!

Apple you are growing and growing and I have to admit that I haven't been as diligent at writing up your progress as I was with your big brother (curse of being the second child I guess - but you are not loved any less)!! 

Currently we are at 26 weeks and we had a check-in with the midwives this week after a long 6 week break from them.  Why the break you ask?  Because we were very busy the month of July.  You and I had a few trials and then we had to attend a Bachelorette Party, Nolan's first birthday and finally, Auntie Cathlin's Wedding!

Your first and (likely only) Bachelorette Party 6.15.13 - 20 weeks 

Aunties!
You weren't a big focus at Auntie's single night celebration but by the time her wedding came around a month later you wanted the world to know you were here!  You are a BIG time mover and shaker and together we shook up the dance floor and had a wonderful time celebrating the newly married couple!
Wedding Day Bump - 24/25 weeks

Auntie's going to the chapel and she's gonna get married!

Mommy, Auntie, and Sweet Apple

Auntie and the new Uncle!

our first picture with Apple!
You are growing quite well.  All tests are coming back with great results and while I am on the lower end of the weight spectrum right now I am certain that you will catch up to your brother in those last few weeks.  Your heartbeat is quite strong and your Auntie Sarah got to hear it this week as she is up visiting and went to your appointment with me.

Your brother is in love with you and often wants to touch you and talk to you through my belly button.  He likes to blow raspberries on my stomach and I can only imagine what you are thinking when you hear that noise.  He talks about you a lot and thinks there is a baby in everyone's tummy which is really cute. 

Giving you kisses - 23 weeks

Loving you - 25 weeks
Right now we have moved out of our home in E.W. and are staying at grandpa's house while we wait to see if we can move into our new home in K.  I hope that we are able to move soon so that we can slowly get things ready for your arrival - we have one more appointment in August and then after that we move to every 2 weeks because your arrival will be in less than 100 days now!!  YIKES!!!!!

Besides moving around a lot (which Conor didn't do) you are so different from him in almost every way.  You constantly put pressure on my skin with your body and your moving (sometimes I swear your foot or knee is going to pop right out) but I have far less heartburn than I did with your brother.  You are sitting much lower than he ever did and I find it harder to get up from sitting down because of how you like to settle right into my pelvic area when I have been sitting too long.  You are active the most in the evening hours (which worries me that you are going to be as difficult a sleeper as Conor) and so I have had trouble sleeping at night because all your moving around causes heartburn at about 2am every morning.

Keep growing strong in there little man because we can't wait to meet you (and pick a name for you)!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  Conor wants to name you Elmo or Ernie or Grover - how do you feel about those names?