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

FIVE Months!

Dear Colin,

You are 5 months old and time is flying by!  I can't believe that you have been apart of our family for only 5 months because it feels like forever.  You give us smiles from the moment you wake up to the second you fall asleep.  You are a social little thing and we just love you to pieces!  Your 5 month photos were taken towards the end of your 5th month because the weather just wouldn't cooperate with us.  But, we did them and you were super fun to photograph because you have really become interested in the stickers!  We didn't get a chance to do a photo in your onesie because (gasp!) it doesn't fit!!! 

SLEEP
I love you to pieces little man but you have become a terrible sleeper!  You still only will nap for about 45 minutes at a time and we are lucky if you will nap twice a day.  Often I try to find a reason to wrap you up on my back so that you will get your second sleep.  You won't even sleep more than 45 minutes to an hour in the car (I'm sure some of that has to do with your brother talking non-stop so that when you stir you are immediately stimulated!).  At night you go to sleep around 7pm and you sleep for about 1.5 hours and then you wake up every 30-45 minutes until you are in bed with me at which time you will then sleep for a few hours.  You are clearly a high needs baby when it comes to sleep.  You need to be very warm, be near a person, and have some pressure on you (arm or blanket).  As you are too little to sleep with anything in your bed this means you are with me at night still.  I have resorted to swaddling you a few times to help you sleep better but we can't go back to that being a regular thing because you are a little too big for the swaddle!  You are also very hard to get back to sleep when you wake up.  Often times I can be found standing over your crib with one hand on your chest and the other tucked next to your cheek until your breathing becomes deep and shallow again.  Other times nothing comforts you and you have to be nursed back to sleep.  You are a challenge little man but we love you!

FOOD
Still 100% from mommy.  You show an intense interest in food and so we will probably start letting you hold chunks of food and also offer you some puree this month.  Technically the recommendation is to hold off until at least 6 months so I will try but your as big as some 8 month old babies in both size and development so we'll see how long we can hold out!  You do have sips of water occasionally and you love that!

CLOTHES
You are growing like a weed!  You are solidly in 6 month clothing and can wear some 6-9 or 6-12 things easily.  I believe you are longer than Conor was at this age so jammies are a bit of a problem as your length and fat little feet make it hard to ensure your toes aren't pushing against the seams of footie jammies and that the elastics at the ankles aren't digging into you.  We have borrowed some jammies from friends as the weather is still quite cold for this time of year and we don't have any warm jammies in your current size.  You love to wear hats and I have them on your often.  The colors pink and navy really compliment your complexion while yellow and some greens tend to wash you out.  Socks are a waste of time because of your fat little feet so more often than not you wear your fleece booties from Zutano.  BEST booties ever made - its almost time to order you a cotton pair for summer!

PERSONALITY
Oh Boy Colin!  You are the happiest baby I have honestly ever met.  You never cry unless you are overtired or hungry (or you have had enough of Conor's play).  You smile from sun up to sun down and your smiles take over your entire body!  You love the sight of Daddy or Conor and light up the moment they come into the room.  You crave touch and laugh and giggle when Conor includes you in his play.  You do not like to be left in a room alone but will tolerate it for short periods of time.  You have started 'talking' and your favorite time to talk is when you are on FaceTime with family or at the dinner table.  You just want to be included in the conversations. 

DEVELOPMENTS
This month you have started sitting unassisted if propped into a sitting position.  You tend to lean forward but can be found sitting straight up at times to look around the room.  Sometimes this action results in your falling over or backwards but most of the time you are able to steady yourself and avoid tipping.  I would not say you are a great sitter and you are never left alone when sitting.  You also have gained some control over your hands and are using them to pick up things.  Your hands are clumsy but you work very hard at getting the items you are after into your mouth.  Speaking of your mouth - you have taken to chewing on your binky whenever you get a chance and you also chew on some of your toys.  Because of that we have kept your teething necklace on 100% of the time now.  It never leaves your neck except for bathtime (if I remember).

 

 

EXPERIENCES/FIRSTS

 

You participated in your first St. Patricks Day AND your first Mommy/Colin road trip!  We went to see Ana and Auntie Cate/Uncle Jarrod at their apartment.  You did so well on this trip considering we were gone for over 8 hours.  You also got to spend some quality time with friends and family which is always hard when your brother is around because he's talkative and mobile and your still a baby! 

 

This month you also developed croup.  This was a horrible experience and one that I certainly don't want to repeat.  We had to give you nebulizer treatments (a first in this house) to help your oxygen saturation and you hated them after a while.  It took a week or so but you came around and started to improve.  Croup is pretty awful (Conor had it too) but in a baby like you it was horrible!  We spent a lot of time outside that week despite the freezing cold temperatures because you both did much better in the cold air.

 

Grandma and Grandpa also came to visit and they brought Auntie Sarah.  We all went out to lunch.  You had a great time being part of the luncheon and you loved visiting with your family!

 

You also rode in the shopping cart at the grocery store for the first time this month but only for a few minutes because you slump forward too much still ;)

 

I can't wait to see what month #6 brings us - you are growing so fast and changing every day!  We love you!

 

xoxo

Mommy

 

PS.  5 month comparison photo (Conor on top; Colin below)

 

 



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

Happy Birthday Colin!

Dear Colin,

You came into this world in your own special way.  At 4:15am on October 31, 2013 you woke me up by creating a hole in the bag of waters.  I honestly thought it was urine leaking so I got up and went to the bathroom.  There, I peed, and then went back to bed only to have more liquid exit my body.  At that point I woke your Dad up by saying "I think my water broke."  He was very calm (actually - overtired as he had only come to bed an hour earlier as he was working so he would be free to trick or treat) and said to me "don't over-react you could be like those ladies that don't go into labor for days after their water breaks" and then he rolled over and went back to bed.  More water came out and so I called your Grandma Mary to let her know what was going on.  Then I woke your Daddy up and told him that I was sure my water broke and why didn't we just start getting things ready.

Your Daddy got up and started to get his things together and I jumped in the shower.  While in the shower my contractions started getting closer together and within minutes I heard your brother waking up (it was about 5am at this point) and so when I got out of the shower he was in my bed playing on the ipad while Daddy was downstairs putting food together for Conor.  The contractions were getting really strong at this point so the midwives were called and I was told to head to the hospital.  While waiting for Daddy to make sure Big Brother's things were packed (we had just unpacked all his snacks the night before in order to replace the things we felt should be eaten or switched up) Big Brother was helping Mommy to stay calm.  He touched my hand and said "Mamma" a few times.  He also kept talking about "baby heartbeat" because we had told him the night before that we would be hearing your heartbeat the next day at the doctor's office - and Conor does not forget things!

Daddy finally got everything loaded into the car and got Hunter settled and we drove up to the hospital.  Daddy took care of Conor while Mommy focused on getting into the hospital and up to the correct floor.  I was admitted immediately (it was once again shift change - both you boys liked to start things at shift change) and we spoke with the midwife who was just getting ready to come off her shift (Jerri).  Unfortunately, we had some bad news for her - the midwife who was coming on was one that we had said we did not want to work with and she checked out a few things and ended up staying with us.  I felt terrible because I didn't want to be a pain but I could not deliver you with that other woman.

The first thing Jerri did was make sure we were settled and then she checked me.  I was 6-7cm dilated which was far more progress on my own than I had ever made with your brother and I was not in pain so I was very hopeful that maybe I wouldn't need any medications and/or wouldn't need them until the end.  Grandma was on her way and called because she had gotten lost in town and needed help getting back to the hospital.  She finally arrived around 9:30am and was very thankful that she hadn't missed anything!

Before Grandma got there Daddy was focused on caring for Conor but since nothing was really going on with you this was perfectly fine.  But, then Grandma got there and it was her job to focus on Conor so Daddy could focus on you and me!  Around 10:30am I was checked again and had dilated further (7-8) without the need for medications but the pain in my hip was getting a lot worse.  I had been working with a chiropractor  issue in my hip that I first discovered when in labor with your brother.  I had seen the chiropractor after his birth and things improved but as the time came to deliver you the pain reappeared if I walked too far or was on my feet too much.  It was believed that I have a nerve/tendon issue and that is also why the epidurals all fail (more on that in a minute).  So, back to the story. 

As I was continuing to labor the pain was getting so intense that I was unable to feel you descending and when instructed to give little pushes was not able to isolate the muscles needed to complete this task because the pain in my hip was overpowering.  At some point I threw up - just once though - like I did with your brother.  I attempted to push on the area where the pain was but, in the end, I had to request the epidural.  After an hour we realized that it had not worked.  My RIGHT hip was still incredibly painful and I could not focus.  At this point I was 10cm dilated but needed to thin out and therefore needed to push a little to help you drop but still couldn't push.  A new doctor was called in and a booster of some sort was given and my left leg went completely numb and the pain in my right hip was dulled enough that I could focus on the task at hand - getting you out so that we could meet you! 

I was instructed to rest and Daddy went to take Conor for a car ride to give him the chance to nap.  Grandma offered to take you but we didn't think he would sleep for her and Daddy knew the area better and so could get back faster.  He wasn't gone more than 20 minutes when Jerri came back in and said if I felt ready to push I could.  So, Grandma texted Daddy and made him come back.  Poor Conor had only just fallen asleep and so Daddy got him all the way into the elevator before he woke up.  He was handed to Grandma and Daddy came to my bedside and held my hand while we started pushing. 

You were a great partner in this delivery - you let me know when you were ready for the push and when it was time to stop.  Once again, I felt that the actual pushing went very quickly.  There was a moment when you were crowning that I felt like I was too small for your big head and Jerri wanted me to pause but I simply couldn't because I felt like I was tearing in two.  So, two more pushes and your nose was out and then came the rest of you!  (Mommy didn't tear in two - she didn't even tear!).  You didn't cry right away but you were immediately laid on my chest and the nurse rubbed and rubbed you until you let out a big cry. 

You were just perfect and neither Daddy, Grandma or I could get over how much you looked like your brother when he was born.  Despite looking like Conor you clearly are a little boy with your own personality.  You did not want to nurse right away but you wanted to be held.  We waited for the cord to turn white before Daddy was asked to cut the cord.  As with your brother he did not want to and so I asked Grandma if she wanted to.  Once she was given the scissors Conor wanted to help and so he did.  Seeing you there on my chest was just as surreal as it was the first time I laid eyes on your brother.  There was an instant bond and a desire to protect you and not let you go - not even to Daddy.  It was also very special to me to have your brother there.  He was one of the first people to see you and to hold you and I hope that is a bond that the two of you never lose.

Conor cutting the cord

Cutting Colin's Cord (Conor and Grandma Mary)

Baby Colin is his own person.

Colin, you were born at 1:24pm on Halloween Day; my little pumpkin baby.  You weighed 9.25 oz and were 20.5inches long (just as long as Conor but 8oz more).  While you were bigger than your brother you looked so much smaller.  You had a blood sugar imbalance so you were subjected to pricks every few hours so that your blood could be tested.  Finally you got 2 tests that were in the appropriate span of time with the appropriate numbers so you could stop being tested.  This was a little stressful because Daddy wasn't here when I learned what was going on but we (you and I) made sure that we took care of things!

Why was Daddy not there?  Because he took Conor home for dinner and bed while Grandma stayed with us until it was time for her to leave and be with Daddy and Conor.  That left just you and I at the hospital (well, until your first visitors arrived).  Daddy also didn't stay when Conor was born so it wasn't your brother's fault that he left.  I encouraged Daddy to go both times because he's bigger than the couch/bed he would have had to sleep on and I knew you and I would get more sleep without Daddy in the room (which we did!).

Your birthday is a holiday and one that kids love.  I made a promise to you before we went to sleep for the night that no matter what your Daddy and I would make the day special for YOU and not just the night we trick-or-treat.

We love you very much little man and your birth has completed our family.  Happy Birthday Colin!

xoxo
Mommy

And I was doing well

There was a point where I was getting caught up on this blog and now another whole month has gone by. 

Since the last time I wrote so many things have happened that it would be a shame to forget them all - thank goodness for iphones and FB or no one would have any idea what was going on in our lives right now.  Baby #2 is growing beautifully and we are hoping he will wait just a little bit longer before making his debut because we are trying to settle into our new home as quickly as possible.  Conor's room is as done as it needs to be and the nursery, guest room (where my mom will stay), and our bedroom are between 50-85% there.  Bathrooms are functional and the living areas are as done as they need to be (minus the clutter as we use them for staging areas).  Conor has settled into the new house and calls it "me house" and has met many of the neighborhood children and developed a friendship with the 5 year old boy who lives next door.

Josh and I are both scrambling to get caught up on our jobs, finish the house, and spend special moments with Conor these last few days where he is our one and only.

My mom has spend a weekend and really helped to get the move-in ball rolling, friends have been amazing - coming to spend time with Conor each week so that I could get house projects done, and Josh's parents have helped with both playing with Conor and helping us lug things around the garage since my days of heavy lifting are over.  We are truly thankful for the help!

Once we are more settled I promise a house tour :)

Blueberry Picking 7.30.13

Dear Conor,

On July 30, 2013 we went blueberry picking with your friends and their mommies.  This was the first time either one of us had every been blueberry picking!  I couldn't believe how much fun it was or how quickly you picked up on what to do (it took you approximately 15 seconds to pick a blueberry and put in your mouth after you watched a friend do it).  Here is our day in pictures!

Conor and Carter

Conor and Olivia

Step 1: Locate Victim

Step 2: Pick Berry

Step 3: Eat Berry

I see more over here!

Boys having fun in the sun (Conor, Braden, Carter)

xoxo
Mommy