11 Months!

Julian is 11 months old, and here's what he's been up to!

He has 5 teeth (two on top, three on the bottom) and so far, teething has not been a problem for him.

He is now exclusively crawling on all fours. It's about time he figured out that it is much easier and faster to get from Point A to Point B this way.

His favorite foods are sweet potatoes, bananas and meat. Any kind of meat (don't tell Daddy!). Dinnertime at our house with Julian at the table has been forever changed. When he has food in front of him, there are lots of laughs (he loves to make the boys laugh), lots of eating, and lots of food dropped and splattered everywhere. When there isn't food within his reach, Lord help us all. Brother is NOT happy when this happens, and the dinner period turns from fun to fury. We usually scramble to get him wiped up, out of his chair, and into another room, because otherwise, Julian mad. Very, very mad.

He can play peek-a-boo, "so big!" and clap his hands. "So big!" is his favorite, and he will frequently throw his hands up in the air and then look away shyly, waiting for you to say "Soooooo big!"

Operation Sleep Through the Night began 3 nights ago. So far, his crying bouts haven't lasted very long. It's time, sweet Julian, for you to sleep through the night without needing your Mama. Love you long time, but this is a necessary transition for the both of us.

Love you, Jules!

Sleeptastic!

This boy.

He turned 10 months old and decided to celebrate by sleeping through the night two nights in a row. This Mama is overjoyed. And well rested. And praying this trend continues.

Nine months old, Julian. How can it be? Some days seem to go slowly, but here we are, 9 months later. Here's what you've been up to:

You've been crawling around the house on your belly for about two months now. You are fast and efficient with your technique, and can spot a Lego from a mile away. Just when I thought you may never crawl on your hands and knees, you began rocking on all fours this week.

You have two bottom teeth and are working on two on top. They are just poking through the surface.

Finally, you are embracing solid foods. Your favorite things are finger foods such as Cheerios, corn, peas, and rice, but you also have started eating foods from a (once blacklisted) spoon. If it's not coming fast enough, either on your tray or via spoon, you let me know. Hungry boy!

You still are not sleeping through the night, but at least you only wake up to nurse one time a night. This is an improvement!

All in all, you are a great napper. When you are ready to go to sleep, you hunker down in your crib with your blankie and go to sleep. Sometimes I play your music box for you, but mostly you fall asleep quickly on your own.

You love your thumb. Suck, suck, suck.

Still wary of strangers, try as they might, you rarely crack a smile for those you aren't familiar with.

Your favorite toys are those that you shouldn't be playing with in the first place. Legos. Remotes. Keys. Various "big brother" toys. If you have to play with baby toys, you can be pacified with your stacking cups. Those never get old, apparently.

You have the sweetest little voice when you decide to jabber. "ba ba ba" and "ma ma ma" and "da da da. Your favorite time to talk is in the morning at the breakfast table. You try to get the attention of big brothers, while you all eat cereal.

Finally, your stats as of 10/10/2012 are: 30 inches long (98%), 17.5 lbs (20%).

First Grade!

September is a busy month around here for Adam. The start of school means getting used to new routines and early bedtimes. His homework includes 10 minutes of reading each day, and preparation for Friday's spelling test. While he doesn't love doing either, I have been really impressed with his reading skills already! This week we made it through "Corderoy" and he was very proud of himself when he finished. I love to see the pride he has when he works on a tough word and gets it right. Hooray!

(Reading is so fun, Adam...I hope you learn to enjoy it like your Dad and I do!)

New this year to his routine is Spanish class. He's learning lots of new words, it seems!

My hope for Adam this year is that he continues to be kind to everyone, make a best friend or three, and gains a bit of confidence to stick up for himself when the need arises (I may or may not have suggested to him that he tells the kid who told him he had to move up towards the front of the bus to "go pound sand.").

His birthday is this weekend and he is beyond excited. He has requested to bring Krispy Kreme donuts to school for his birthday treat. He is going to be surprised with an awesome Lego cake, and lots of Lego presents, I'm sure. I predict a very quiet weekend full of new Lego creations. His idea of heaven!

First day of school, September 4, 2012

Preschool dropoff - the sweetest goodbye.

Miles has been in Preschool for a few weeks now, and is loving it. There were no tears for either of us on that first day, thankfully. Instead of tears, there was on a hearty goodbye from my sweetie, that has continued every day since:

"Goodbye Mom, I love you!" he calls (loudly!) from outside of the van. "Goodbye Mom, I love you!" he says, and blows me kisses. Off he walks to join the other kids, excited for the day ahead.

Melt my heart, sweet Miles. I wish I could bottle up his unabashed love for his Mommy and keep it forever, close to my heart. I know the day will come when those loud, public proclamations of love will cease. Too embarrassing, too exposed, and just plain uncool. For now, I will cherish these hearty goodbyes as long as they are offered.

First Day of Preschool, September 10, 2012

Summer 2012 Recap

Ah, summer. It seems like just yesterday Adam was celebrating the last day of school, and now we are closing in on the final weekend before school starts. Here's what we've been up to:

Adam had a week long camp at Calvin that taught about bugs, followed by two weeks of swimming lessons. The little brothers waited patiently in the wings (next year Miles will be able to join in!).

The swimming lessons paid off, as Adam quickly learned to swim on his own after the lessons. Adam learned the basics of several different strokes, and even jumped off of the high dive! Not to be outdone by big brother, Miles made strides with his swimming as well. He can dive for objects and swim underwater the length of the pool. Next year we will have to work on teaching him how to take breaths above the water on his own. With his fearless attitude in and out of the water, I'm sure he will pick up on that in no time.

This being the hottest summer on record, our swimming skills were put to the test quite often in Grammie's pool. Time spent there was made sweeter if cousins Carter, Ella, and Levi could join in. I liked having Kristin there when we went, because not only was it an extra set of hands (for babies) and eyes (for swimmers), but it's always nice to have another adult to talk to.

Because of the warm temperatures, the boys started sleeping together in the king bed in the basement. What started as a one night event quickly became routine, and I'm not sure when they will be sleeping upstairs again. Despite the huge bed, they can be found sleeping right next to each other in the middle every night. It warms my heart that they love sleeping together. :)

As the summer went on, we enjoyed many lazy mornings. The older boys could be found in their pajamas watching cartoons or playing Legos on the floor while Julian took his morning nap.

Speaking of Legos, the obsession continues They pour over the Lego catalog for hours, talking about which set they wish for. They dump out and play with Legos every single day without fail. Thank God for Legos.

I am thankful that Adam and Miles proved to be inseparable this summer, because a lot of my time was taken up by Julian (for obvious reasons). I describe him as "high maintenance" to others, as he can be a bit on the fussy side if things aren't just right in his world. That said, he brings joy to us every day and keeps us on our toes, especially since he started scooting around the house on his belly (he's gotten really fast at it!). Nine times out of ten the thing he is scooting for is a "forbidden" object(s) (see: Legos).

As summer 2012 comes to a close, I am thankful for God's numerous blessings on our family. Life is good.

Silver Lake 2012

For the second year in a row we have packed up and gone to Silver Lake with Jeff's parents. This year we stayed at a lovely cottage that had more than enough room for our crew. I know I appreciated the extra living space upstairs, as it made for a convenient place to sneak away to nurse Julian, and the extra bathroom was nice too. Anyways...on with the pictures!

Julian hung out in the stroller while the big boys had S'mores:

I'm not sure why both boys had their shirts off, but am guessing it's because it was a hot evening. Monkey see, Monkey do...
A trip to Silver Lake wouldn't be complete without ample time spent at and on the sand dunes. Jeff and the boys went up (errr, should I say around) the dunes in Jeff's truck, while Julian hung around with Mom...literally (thank goodness for my BabyHawk!).

We went to the beach a few times (Julian's first time!), and the boys had a blast despite the water being near frigid in temperature. Jeff and Adam braved a quick underwater dip in the big lake, but for the most part, we were thankful for the little lake inlet at the state park which offered warmer lake water for the kids to play in.

And of course, no trip to Silver Lake would be complete without a trip or three to Craig's Cruisers. Adam was beyond thrilled to be able to ride his OWN go kart. He didn't crash once!

Happy to have had a week away to make memories for the boys. They are already asking to go back. Maybe next year, boys!

Julian: 6 Months

Julian is 6 months old today, and here's what he's up to!

He greets me around 7:30am with a smile and a cry/laugh which says "oh, please say you're here to pick me up because I'm done sleeping now!" while he kicks his legs furiously. Good Morning!

A mama's boy through and through, if I am in sight or within earshot, he wants to be held by me and only me. Along these lines, he is not a fan of strangers, and by "stranger," I mean anyone outside of the immediate family. Again, back to the Mama's boy thing.

He loves his brothers, and they are usually willing to entertain him with their antics. Everything they do is exciting to Julian, of course, so it doesn't take much effort on their part to make him smile.

He has just discovered that kicking in the bathtub is tons of fun.

Speaking of kicking, he shows his excitement by kicking his legs and pumping his arms up and down really fast. Greetings really don't get much better than that. Glad to see you too, Julian.

He looks a lot like his brothers, but I think right now, he looks more like Miles than Adam.

He is a thumb sucker. Not sure if this is something that will last, but it sure is cute.

A mover and a shaker, he does not like to be in one place for very long, and requires near-constant stimulation. I am constantly moving him from one "station" to the next, to keep his attention. I am thankful that he is now grabbing at anything and anything, so setting a mountain of toys wherever he is laying tends to keep him occupied for a few minutes. I am also thankful for my Baby Hawk baby carrier, because being held by someone standing up is his idea of a good time.

He is rolling over from front to back and from back to front.

He is not : sitting on his own (close though!), sleeping through the night, taking a bottle, teething, or eating solid foods. Solid foods is on the docket for the coming week.

His appointment with the pediatrician isn't for another few weeks, but I will be sure to update you on his growth. I can tell you one thing, breastfeeding has been very kind to him. By far, he is the chubbiest baby I've had yet. His sweet leg rolls are something to love on, that's for sure. <3

I close our day in the most relaxing of ways: nursing him in his room and then sneaking in a few post-nursing snuggles. No big brothers to distract him, it's just us, quiet and lovely. He rests his head on my shoulder and sucks his thumb and I soak up the moment. Such a great feeling. Good night, Brother.

Three boys?!?

There are times when people should learn to keep their mouths shut. Mind their own business. Shhhh.

Let me explain.

When I'm out with the three boys (usually the grocery store, because where else do I have to go?), I get a lot of random comments.

"Three boys? You sure have your work cut out for you!"
"Better start saving for your grocery bills now!"
"Don't worry, you'll get your girl!"
Random sympathetic looks

I know that the four of us must be a sight. The older boys might be fluttering around the produce aisle, asking if we need more carrots ("for the reindeer," of course). Wondering when we are going to walk past the free cookies in the baked goods section. Driving cars/trucks/motorcycles/whathaveyou on a pretend air-track in the sky. Me, pushing the cart with a baby strapped to me wondering where the hell I put my list, or more often than not, cursing myself for not making one.

Sometimes the comments hurt my feelings. It's as if being the mother to three boys is just turrrrible. Mind you, my kids aren't running amok or otherwise misbehaving. They are really good running errands with me, and they usually like tagging along. Miles recently told me he would "always hold my hand," and that was music to this Mama's ears.

Last week at t-ball, a miracle occurred.

My friend introduced me to her mother-in-law, who said to me "three boys? What a lucky girl you are! Boys are such a blessing!" I wanted to straight up hug her right then and there. That was the first time a stranger said a positive thing about having boys. I told her as much, and I hope she really knew how deeply thankful I was for her kind comment. Because three boys, my boys, are a joy. A blessing. A gift from God.

Chaotic? Yes. Little balls of energy? Absolutely. But it's my life, and I wouldn't trade them for anything.

3 Months Old

Dear Julian,

It's hard to believe you've only been here three months! You fit into this family so well, adding an added layer of delight to our lives. What a blessing and a joy you have been to all of us. Your big brothers enjoy getting you to smile, and although you are partial to Adam's charms at this point, you light up when you see either brother trying to entertain you.

You are such a calm baby. I'm thankful that you are sleeping for longer stretches at night. In general, you only cry when you are tired or scared. You have developed a slight fear of new faces already, but it's nothing that can't be quelled by returning into Mama's arms. When you are tired, you put yourself to sleep by nuzzling your head in my neck and finding your thumb. Your little warm body cuddled against mine is one of the best parts of my day.

This month you've gotten really good at holding your head up, have giggled for the first time (at Daddy, of course), and are now mastering propping yourself up on your elbows while on your belly. Strong boy, you are. And big! Compared to your brothers at two months, you are bigger than they were. This will come in handy when battling with light sabers in the future. Your hair still has red in it, and everyone wonders if it will turn to blonde like your brothers, or continue it's reddish tint as you grow older. Time will tell, and there is absolutely no rush. Stay little, young one. You are growing up entirely too fast for my liking.

Yes?

Now that he is 4, I am hoping that his bedtime ritual changes for the better. As it is now (and has been the last 6 months or so), the evening goes like this.

Read story, pray, tuck the boys in. Specifically remind Miles that staying in bed is required.

10 seconds later, from behind the closed gate in his doorway...

Miles: When you go to bed will you tuck me in three times?
Me: Yes, Miles. Get back in bed.
Miles: Will you tuck me in three times if I stay in bed?
Me: Yes! Back in bed!
Miles: You will?
Me: Yes!
Miles: You promise me?
Me: YES!

.....

Miles: Yes?
Me: Yes.

Note: A head nod or non-response is not an option here. He will not quit until "yes!" is uttered from me a zillion times. I don't get it.

Miles: Feisty at Four

Ahhh, four. I can hardly believe Miles is four years old today!

In the last year, we have seen Miles' speech improve tremendously, and we are all so thankful for this. Improved speech means he is understood by most people now, and this is such a blessing because he is so talkative. Strangers and friends alike love hearing what he has to say. To Miles, everyone is "my friend." :)

My boy has quite the imagination. On any given day, you might catch him donning his batman cape, Bumblebee costume, Darth Vader mask, camera, walkie talkies, binoculars - one or all of them at the same time. He loves to pretend there are Storm Troopers loose in the house - and he is out to get them. He regularly whispers "Shhhh! I'm looking for Storm Troopers!" His pretend play is not just limited to the house, mind you. In fact, the employees at the grocery store are accustomed to his full Bumblebee costume, but are kind enough to act surprised just the same. It's pretty cute, I must say, to be shopping with a costumed little person towing behind me, one who is jumping around the corners in search of the enemy. Boys are great, aren't they?

Miles loves Star Wars, Legos, playing the Wii, coloring, going to Bible Study on Wednesday mornings, the color green, sports (he is especially excited about playing t-ball next month!), his Batcave and "guys" and more Star Wars.

He and Adam are best buddies. Bolstered by the fact that they have the same tastes in toys, they play so well together. Whether it's fighting with styrofoam light sabers, playing with slot cars, or Star Wars Legos, these two are inseparable. I can only hope this continues!

Not leaving little brother out, Miles has done very well with a new baby in the house. While I don't trust him to be alone with Julian (he can be a little rough with him!), he is quick to try to make him smile and really enjoys the positive reaction Julian has given him lately. I'm proud that Miles can "roll with the punches" so to speak, and adjust to whatever life throws at him.

This year he is looking forward to t-ball and starting preschool in the fall. The t-ball I can handle, but I'm glad I have time to get used to the preschool idea...September is far away, right?

Love you, Miles!