SIX Months!

Dear Colin,

Six months have come and gone and neither Daddy nor I are sure how to feel about that.  We are excited for all your BIG firsts that are to come your way with each passing day but because you are our 'baby' its hard to realize that half your first year is behind you.  I say it each month but time is racing us by and my heart struggles to grasp onto every little moment with you.

With your brother I documented everything.  It was almost as though someone was going to quiz me or chastise me for not taking a photo of a certain moment.  With you, I am living each one, savoring it, holding onto it tightly, and in all of that I often forget or simply choose not to take the photo.  When you reflect back on your baby photos do not ever think you were not loved or celebrated as much as your brother.  It is simply that with him everything was new and exciting and with you I am thankful to have those movement again but sad because you are the last one I will experience them with.  Hence the reason why I have chosen to live each moment with you instead of worrying about the camera.  Of course, I take at least 10 pictures of you a day with my iphone so there isn't a lack of photos simply the purpose of them is different.

Now, onto your SIX month update!

SLEEP:
Mom picked the above picture on purpose.  See how tired you look - its because you are a HORRIBLE sleeper!  I'm serious Colin when I say that some nights you make it so hard to patiently love you and nurse/rock/dance you to sleep.  You regularly wake up several times a night starting 30 minutes or so after you fall asleep.  Often times you wake up every 15 minutes for an hour at a time.  You are still not sleeping in your bed.  Some nights you sleep in your swing, on the mattress on the floor, and you always end up in a bed with me at some point during the night because there is simply no other way to get you to sleep more than small increments of time.  I know you will outgrow this behavior in time and so I continue to try to be patient despite being a very tired mommy.  I can say that your naps are much better than Conors.  You sleep for 30-60 minutes in the morning (though its early in the morning).  If both Mommy and Daddy are home I will often simply rock you or hold you for that hour (you deserve some spoiling!).  If not then you usually sleep in your swing.  In the afternoon you often will sleep for 60-90 minutes and sometimes a full two hours depending on the volume and activity of the house.  If I am able to get to you during a first little wake-up and put you back down with extra milk or your binkie that is when you will have marathon naps.  You do not sleep well in the car (whereas Conor used to be able to sleep fovever in a moving vehicle). 

Your typical day is as follows:  wake up around 7am.  First nap between 8-9am (sometimes 8:30-9:30).  Second nap at 1:30 (wake-up environment dependant).  Sleep by 7:00pm (waking in variable increments - sometimes 15 minutes, sometimes every 2-3 hours) and then at midnight or so moving into bed with mom where you sleep in at least 3 hour increments. 

FOOD:
Colin you love food.  Your rolly polly little features are a dead give-away that you love food.  This month I have been offering you puree pouch type food at dinner (you typically take a few bites and then move onto the next thing) as well as something to hold in your hands such as an apple slice, piece of melon, cracker, etc.  You still tend to push things out of your mouth with your tongue so I am not sure how much is truly getting digested but its enough to change the texture and consistency of your stools (ewwww...gross I know!).  I have been offering you a mix of fruits and veggies because you always seem to want what we are all eating.  Other than these little offerings of food you are still exclusively breastfed and we nurse several times a day and through the night.  You take a bottle with less ease than the breast but you no longer give Daddy a super hard time and I am even able to offer you a bottle.  This month your grandma and Auntie Dani were able to feed you as well when we were on the Cape visiting!

CLOTHES:
These pictures were later than normal (about 1/2 way through the month) because I had to go out and buy you clothes that were the right colors.  You are close to on your way out of most 9 month clothes (brand dependent of course) and have started wearing 12 months clothes.  This is a bummer because most of the summer clothes we have are 9 months.  Your brother was in his 12 month clothes during the winter and he wore them for a very long time so I don't have a lot to pass down to you.  It seems like we might be entering that time where you are going to get mostly new clothes unless we can find some hand-me-downs!  The clothes in this photo are Carter's brand and they are size 9 months.

PERSONALITY:
You are such an awesome little man!  You smile and laugh all the time and I just love it!  Your a little performer and you know what makes others smile and laugh.  You only cry when you are tired, hungry, have a poopy diaper, or when Conor is not being as brotherly as he could be.  Other than that you are a content little guy.  You currently favor Mommy for your needs and comfort but you just love your Daddy.  You smile so big when you see him and he probably makes you laugh the hardest with his physical comedy.  You adore Conor and look for him to entertain you all the time.  People always tell me how content and happy you look when we are out in the stores and they are 100% right.

DEVELOPMENT:
This has been a major month for you Colin!  You have really become a "grabby little fellow" as we sometimes call you.  Nothing is safe from your clutches.  You will roll yourself out of a sitting position onto your tummy trying to reach something you want to investigate.  Its comical but also worries us because you have taken a few diggers in your quest for items out of reach. 

In this month you have become a master sitter.  Nothing knocks you down (other than you own crazy antics) and its been wonderful watching you experience the world from a few inches higher.  You also use your hands a lot more as you are able to sit and reach for things, roll them through your hands and fingers and touch different textures.  With all this exploration your hands are starting to become stronger and aren't clutched as often though they are not 100% unclutched either.  You experienced sand and salt water this past month as well as various food textures.

You also have started trying to use your legs to really support you and take little pigeon steps forward while being held.  You are very stubby so it doesn't go very well but I am glad to see you trying!  You still strongly dislike tummy time so that doesn't happen too often and therefore you are not a roller but time will tell how it impacts your crawling or walking. 

You have also become a talker and will talk at the dinner table loudly so as to be heard over others.  Its adorable and we love having you be apart of our conversations!

You love the iphone and the people that call you on it.  You lunge for the phone when you see your Auntie Cate or Dani on the phone.  You whine when the phone is turned so they can speak to Conor or Mommy and you get very very excited when it is turned back to you.

Your 6 month appointment went well.  You are 1/2 inch shorter than Conor and 3/4lb heavier.  You guys are just chunky little babies but this Mommy wouldn't have it any other way!

EXPERIENCES/FIRSTS
This month has been very busy Colin!  We traveled to Cape Cod to visit Grandma and Grandpa.  You went to P-town for the first time, saw drag queens, touched the Cape Cod sand, went to the boardwalk.  Traveled to Auntie Cathlin's new house.  Went to the Children's museum here in Maine and attended your first parade (Our May Day Parade) and went on your first amusement park rides (Funtown for Mother's Day).  Its been a very busy sixth month for you!

Month seven is already proving to be very crazy and full of fun as well - can't wait to tell you all about it.  Until then little man - we love you!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  Six month comparison photo

Growing Up....

Dear Conor,

You are growing up!  You just turned 2.25 years old and I can't believe all that you can do.  Your vocabulary and love for learning is amazing...here is where you are at:

* can sing ABCs and can identify individual letters out of order
* can count to fourteen independently and recognize numbers out of order 1-10
* Can sing "Ring-a-round the Rosie" "Twinkle Twinkle" "Rock-a-bye Baby" "ABC"
* You know your colors and have started learning which primary colors make secondary colors.
* You can spell your name, Daddy (Dadddy), and can recognize Mommy, Colin & Hunter when spelt for you.
* You know your address ("I wive on gawwison oaks") thought its not very clear
* You know what the traffic light colors are and what the colors mean
* You have started "reading" books.....you are able to recite them after hearing them or even before
* You know all visible body parts and are starting to understand differences between girls and boys
* You love to play learning games - we have started matching same items and you often bring me two things and ask "same?" and get excited when I see they are the same. 
* You can put a button through a button hole on a felt board
* You have started learning the names of our individual fingers
* You have started identifying the sex of a person when you speak.  "I see HIM" when looking at a male and "I love HER" when talking about a female.

Conorisms:
* Baby Do-Ro has been replaced with Talwin
* Bibits (Mickey) has been replaced with Mickey Mouse
* Bedopedoop is still what you call your dinosaurs but you are now able to say dinosaur when you want to
* ahhhh......is still what you use for the word drink (though you can say water, milk, juice)
* wawa - water
* tames - games
* Hear dat - "do you hear that?"  usually said when you hear an airplane or Colin crying
* I need it - a recent development (one we don't like)

Potty Training
You are a funny little character.  You know when you have gone to the bathroom and instead of saying you did you walk up to Daddy or I and say "no pee" or "no poop" and we instantly know you need to be changed!  You have used the potty several times and sometimes after several hours your diaper is dry but at other times it will be heavily soaked within an hour so its clear you are not quite ready yet!

BIG brother
You continue to be an amazing big brother.  You are the best diaper changing partner there is.  Always ready to grab a diaper, wipes, and the "butt stick" for Mommy or Daddy.  You often try to share your toys with Colin and your ears are always ready to pick up his cry (sometimes before we do).  You love to point him out to people ("dat Talwin" is what you say) and you always involve him in your play in some way, shape or form.  Sometimes you have to be reminded that he is a baby and that you have to be gentle with him and approach him slowly but overall you are great with him.  You always have to kiss him goodnight and you have recently started saying "I love you Talwin" when you go to bed (or I love him).  He is very lucky to have you Conor!

BIG CHANGES
We have signed you up for preschool!  You start this September and we are very excited and nervous.  Its just a few hours a few days a week but we know you are ready to spread your wings just a bit!

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.

Three Months Old!

Dear Colin,

In January 31, 2014 you turned three months old.  Our 4th trimester is nearing completion and I have been back at work for a month.  You are a beautiful BIG baby!  You only look 3 months old when you are tucked up against me in one of our wraps.  If you are on the floor or in the swing you look much older.  Your physical attributes aren't the only thing that contribute to the general public thinking you are older than you are - your muscle tone is amazing!  You are holding your head up, you can stand on your legs, your abdominal muscles are hard at work as you try to pull your shoulders off the floor or hold yourself in a sitting position.  You are also incredibly alert and will track people and things around the house with both your ears and your eyes.  Such a smart boy!

You are wearing size 3-6 month clothes and, just like Conor, your feet are such that socks are a huge issue because they are all too tight!  You are in cloth diapers the majority of the time now, including at night, but because I cannot change your diaper during the evening you have many inserts stuffed in!  Despite this we are still dealing with a leaking issue but I am hoping that this may resolve itself when you are nursing a bit less at night.  So, for now you sleep on a blanket with a towel underneath so I don't have to worry about mattresses and sheets.

You still have reflux and you spit up quite a bit.  Because of this you really don't like to lay on your back and while you seem to like your play mat a lot - you do not like being there for more than a few minutes.  You are also very easily overstimulated (likely a product of Conor being around all the time and being a crazy 2 year old!) so Daddy and I work hard to ensure you don't get too worked up when things are a bit hectic around here.

You smile so much - you are a very happy baby (when you are not crying).  You do tend to cry more than I remember Conor crying but this is also a much busier house than the one he came home to.  But, you hold your own little man and your BIG personality is starting to emerge.

You are able to roll over!  If I place you on your tummy you will roll to your back.  You are also working on rolling from back to tummy but I think that will be a while still.  Your hair is starting to grow in and your favorite thing to do is munch on your hands so I can only imagine what's going on in that mouth of yours.

Sleep.  Colin you are a terrible sleeper.  I'm really sorry to have to say that but its 100% true!  You don't sleep well because you are always wanting to eat.  Right now you are eating every 2 hours around the clock.  CRAZY!  I have decided that for my own sanity and yours that you will only be fed at night every other wake-up.  I am determined to have you only eating every 4 hours at night by the time you are 5 months old because your Mom needs sleep!  Right now you are sleeping in your co-sleeper for the first part of the evening and then after 11pm you are moving into the bed with us.  Its not ideal but its how we are all managing the 2 hour feeds.

 

You and your brother are still a wonderful pair and it has been a lot of fun watching you respond to him.  I can only imagine how much trouble to two of you are going to get into in the future!  In this series of photos I was giving you a massage and he wanted one too.  He loves to be helpful and get diapers and wipes, put dirty diapers in the trash or the wetbag.  He also likes to try to hand you toys and is very good at helping you with tummy time.

The month has been a slow one.  You haven't had any visitors other than Grandma and Grandpa Jakan and the playgroup ladies.  But you did go bowling with Mommy and the Moms for Mother's Night Out.  It was fun to have you there and we did pretty good too!

You love the bath and while I don't give them to you too often because they really dry out your skin (which is already dry and seemingly sensitive), when you do get one you go to town splashing and kicking and trying to drink the water as I let it run down your face.  After each bath you get a full coconut oil massage to help rehydrate your skin.  You LOVE it!

 

Overall, we couldn't ask for a better baby!

xoxo
Mommy

PS.  Here is the comparison photo of you and Conor

Conor on top, Colin below

I LOVE YOU

Dear Conor,

It was only fitting that the week of valentine's day you started saying the phrase "I love you".

We love you too little man!

xoxo
Mommy

Conorisms

Conor's vocabulary is growing too fast to write down all the words and phrases but I wanted to take a quick snapshot of some of the more interesting ones before we loose the first attempts to the real words.

Mickey Mouse - "bibits"
Minnie Mouse - "minmin"
Baby Colin - "Baby Do-Ro"
Sarah - "yaya"
Grandma - "mummum"
Nolan - "yolie"
Carter - "RoRo"
Braden - "Bray ray"
blueberries - "bwubewies"
Elephant - "Ella"
Diaper - "diapdiap"
Food - "num nums"
Drink - "ahhhh"
Stairs - "steps"
Dinosaur - "bedoopbedoop"
Elmo - "la la"
Car - "beep beep"
ABCs - "AB9s"

Most used phrases:
"me take baftub with Dada" said every night after dinner
"escuse you baby do-ro" said every time Colin burps, poops, spits up
"me wrest in mama's bed" said whenever the idea of a nap is brought up
"mama dada baby do-ro n me" said whenever he wants the family to do something together
"back to me house" he loves his house and often asks to go back to it when we drive away
"baby do-ro touched me" said whenever he makes Colin touch him
"mama/dadda wread dis book a me" said throughout the day when he wants a book read to him

Moving Update

Dear Conor,

You are a champion and while we certainly have had our moments (which I will detail below) you have really tolerated this transition better than I could have hoped for.

In hindsight, having you sleep in 3 different places in 4 days was certainly not ideal - though it was unpreventable given Auntie's wedding and then our need to get you out of the house for the movers.  The first few nights at Grandpa's were terrible!  You required a lot of nursing to get to sleep, you woke up several times a night crying and the first night (Tuesday night) you vomited, the second night (Wednesday night) you pooped through your jammies, and the third night (Thursday) you decided that sleep wasn't necessary and were awake for several hours in the wee hours of the morning.  I know it was just you trying to understand why we were sleeping at Grandpa's house but spending the days at our house and our house was getting so empty!  I was very thankful to have your Auntie here visiting - she really helped to keep you busy and calm while Mommy was trying to get everything ready for the big day.

As the nights went on you started sleeping better and getting more comfortable at Grandpa's house.  You learned what you could touch and what you couldn't.  Mommy learned what needed to be locked up and what could be left alone and what of Grandpa's just had to be moved until we are gone.  We settled back into our regular routine and while you still were struggling to sleep more than 10 hours and you abandoned all naps - things were getting better.

The first weekend we lived in "the country" we went to a little village field day type activity where you got to pet a lot of baby animals - you had a lot of fun with the baby chicks and goats - but you did not love the miniature horses!

Chicks!

Chicks Momma!

Goats

"Baaa" to the goats

After visiting the animals we went down to the lake for some digging in the dirt and water play.  You had fun splashing in the water once you felt comfortable with the sand under your toes.  You were not so sure of it squishing between your toes!

When we got back to Grandpa's (which we have started calling home now) you played with your toys that Mom had put together for you with Daddy and Auntie while mom rested a little bit with baby Apple. 

Auntie stayed for 2 weeks and we had so much fun with her.  We went to Aquaboggin (a local smaller waterpark) and you and Daddy took her to the pottery place.  Every morning when you woke up the first thing you did was look for "ya ya" or call her name throughout the house. 

Wave Pool with Daddy 7.21.13

Waiting for Daddy and "Ya ya" to be done riding rides

After swim snack

Some of the best times we had with "ya ya" were just hanging out in the yard or the house playing.

Playing with Auntie 7.25.13

These were a special two weeks.  Special because they triggered the start of a new beginning for our little family but also because the time you got to share with Auntie helped to mold the relationship you will have in the future.

As of today (August 5, 2013) you are sleeping better (6:30pm - 7:00am) though you still wake at 5:00am with a little cry; you now roll over and go back to sleep.  You still are nursing to sleep and often need a little extra hug or rocking if you can't fall asleep after 10 minutes in your room, and because you are nursing you often have soggy diapers in the morning.  But, despite all this I still think you have done an EXCELLENT job with this transition and I only hope that the next one is a little easier on you.

Hugs to my sweet baby boy!
xoxo
Mumma

Eighteen Months

Dear Conor,

Today you are 18 months old.  When I was much younger (and not a mom) I used to wonder why mother's always told you their child's age in months.  Well, now I know.  Eighteen months is easier to swallow than saying you are 1 and 1/2.  When someone is 1.5 they seem so grow up and so old but 18 months still seems so young.

Your vocabulary is growing by the day and you are developing clear likes and dislikes.  You are also developing your own way to communicate your needs.  For example - when we are nursing and there is no more milk you unlatch and say "no no no no" and sign "more milk."  This mom smiles when you do this but it also makes her sad because there will come a time when there is no more milk for you but also because you are so grown up that you can tell me these things.  But, it also makes me excited because as you grow and learn I get to see your little personality develop.

You are such a funny kid.  You love to laugh and make others laugh.  You are testing the waters the only way you know how: by trying and trying again until you are certain it is a permitted action or an impermissible one.  Because of this you have been spending a bit of each day in "time-out."  Your time-outs are very brief - lasting less than a minute and you are now aware that when you are sat down you must stay until Mommy tells you its ok to get up.  You are such a good listener and you always give a hug after your time out.  What do you go to time out for?  (1) not leaving Hunter alone (2) throwing toys that are not balls (3) hitting (usually because we are playing and you get too excited and can't control it) (4) not listening when told to do something or not do something.

You LOVE LOVE LOVE Sesame Street and will ask for "E" and "La la" at various points in the day.  You have also started to take a liking to "RoVer".  These are your names for Ernie, Elmo, and Grover.  You get so excited when each of their segments come on the show.  You also seem to really like the show Mickey Mouse Club but that one is not watched very often (you do most of your TV watching on Netflicks).

This past month we took you to the drive-in.  This is your second time at a drive-in but the first time you were very little.  This time was quite different and I don't think we will be going back until you are able to sleep without nursing as there is not a lot of room in the backseat for the two of us because of your carseat.

Driving with Daddy before the show.

Getting sleepy!

We also went to the doctor's a few times this month and got to hear the new baby's heartbeat and learn whether you are going to have a little brother or a little sister (but that is a post for another time as this one is all about you!).  You were so well behaved at the doctors office and you loved being able to touch the button on the heart monitor.

You still love books and your current favorites are SPOT, Green Hat Blue Hat, Organic Baby's First Words, and the Crayola books you got for your birthday from Braden.  You ask to be read these books several times a day.

Every day is a new adventure with you Conor and we can't wait to journey with you and see what life brings in the next 18 months!

xoxo
Mommy