All of the commotion of the holidays has finally worn down. Christmas decorations are tucked away for next year and routines are back in full force. I had some trepidation on how the chaos of Christmas and New Years would affect out littlest one. But despite the late nights and impromptu family gatherings, He did wonderfully. He didn’t want to sleep during the more exciting times, but quickly made friends with new people and was an all around pleasant baby.
Right after he turned four months old, He started scooting short distances. It takes a lot of effort on his part to move his enormous baby-girth but he is determined:
We also started him on solids about a week later. As you can see from the video below, he really disliked cereal so I switched to mild fruits and veggies. He prefers bananas and avocados but will only eat a small amount before he starts blowing raspberries. since he’s not a big fan, he really only eats any kind of solids about once every few days.
At about four and a half months, he sat up on his own! He usually slumps over to the tripod stance but he can sit straight up for a few moments at a time. He reminds me of a tiny gorilla when he sits.
I really love this chunky guy. He’s sweet, cuddly, and oh so handsome. Everyone keeps saying he’s such a happy baby, and it’s true! He is hardly cranky and always has a bashful smile ready to go.
This past year has been a whirlwind for this whole family. I remember announcing our pregnancy with Nathan at Caleb’s second birthday party. Now, a year later, That little blonde hair boy who spoke a lot but could barely be understood is now a doting big brother who has the most infectious laugh. He loves any and all sports, especially when they are played with his daddy. He looks forward to curling up in the reading chair or snuggling in bed with a book of his choosing. He has recently discovered music. He now sings every new song he hears and often makes up his own:
He is very routine and thrives on the predictable. He has his favorite stores we go to on a weekly basis, and because of his charm, he has made friends of the employees at each of these places.
At his 3 year check, he was quite the character and entertained the pediatrician with a robust round of the ABC’s complete with dramatic high notes. As far as measurements, He weighs 30 pounds (34%) and is 37 3/4 inches tall (59%).
I am beginning to see so much of myself in him. He is artistic, but has trouble organizing his thoughts. He lives within his mind so much that I feel as if I’m constantly refocusing his attention. This was exactly how I was as a child; too caught up in my own imagination to really notice what was going on around me. He is also a very emotional creature like I am, but he has a difficult time verbalizing his feelings. They will often surface in other forms such as outbursts or unexplained moodiness. Because I’ve been there, at least I know how to both foster and temper these personality traits.
We celebrated his birthday last Saturday with our family. The festivities included Pin the Tail on the Donkey and the infamous piñata bashing:
I asked everyone to bring a book instead of gifting toys since he will be overrun with toys come Christmas, and also because 50% of his books are still board books for infants. So after he got this pile of books:
I moved the baby books to Nathan’s room and made room for these older story books. We read half of them that night and have been diving into a new one every day since. He loves stories, even silly made up ones, and those are often his favorites.
Since his actual birthday was a dreary rainy Tuesday, I took Caleb to Jump Street to jump around with his cousin Kaiden. The kids AND adults all had a blast on the trampolines and bounce houses.
I’m stealing an idea I got from someone else. Every year on his birthday, Caleb will be interviewed on the same questions. It will be interesting to see how some things change and some things stay the same. I can already see his personality shining through this year’s interview:
1. What is your favorite color? I like blue and orange
2. What is your favorite toy? The vacuum
3. What is your favorite fruit? Apples
4. What is your favorite TV show? House Hunters
5. What is your favorite thing to eat for lunch? Chick-fil-a
6. What is your favorite outfit? My pjs
7. What is your favorite game? Zelda
8. What is your favorite snack? Bunny crackers
9. What is your favorite animal? Rabbit
10. What is your favorite song? Daddy’s Jesus song (Jesus Loves Me)
11. What is your favorite book? The Pout Pout Fish
12. Who is your best friend? Mommy
13. What is your favorite cereal? Grape Nuts like Daddy
14. What is your favorite thing to do outside? Rake
15. What is your favorite drink? Apple juice
16. What is your favorite holiday? Halloween
17. What do you like to take to bed with you at night? My teddy bear and fuzzy blanket
18. What id your favorite thing to eat for breakfast? Whipped cream and pancakes.
19. What do you want for dinner on your birthday? Chick-fil-a
20 What do you want to be when you grow up? Married
Even though our family is larger, Caleb will always have a special place in my heart. He will always be my little sidekick. He is gentle, caring and timid but at the same time silly, fun-loving and dramatic. He is our parenting guinea pig and has come out pretty resilient against all odds. He may have inherited my eyes and his dad’s sense of humor, but he is a special little boy who is growing into his own unique person. We love this kid so much. Happy birthday Caleb!
This great big boy is 4 months old today. He is fitting into clothes his brother wore when he was nine months old. His reddish blonde hair is getting longer and starting to stick up into a fuzzy crown on his head. He has sprouted not one, but TWO teeth this past week. His first tooth (the lower left front one) came about three days ago and the one next to it followed a day later. He loves to “walk” around the house while being supported under his arms. He especially likes to stand beside Caleb while they play at the toy kitchen. He loves feeling like he’s doing big boy things and frequently looks up at his big bro and smiles proudly. He can sit up in his boppy or with a pillow behind him. Here are his measurements at 4 months: Weight: 16.15 pounds (61%) Height: 26 inches (83%).
His new language is what Andy likes to call the velociraptor screech:
Nathan’s favorite person is by far his mommy. I can’t really leave him with anyone for more than a few minutes, including Andy. I can’t really blame him though, we spend every waking (and sleeping) minute with eachother. He really doesn’t leave my side except for the few hours between his bedtime and mine. I’m not really objecting to it though. We both enjoy this close bond and I know all too well how fleeting it is.
I mentioned this briefly above, but he really does admire his older brother. Now, Caleb is now discovering that Nathan is becoming his own person. I often sit the baby in my lap during mealtimes and turn him where he can face Caleb. Much of the meal is spent making silly faces, which then turn into giggle fits from all of us. Caleb is so caring; he will often run over to Nathan when he is upset and mimic my soothing methods to calm him down. After Caleb’s nap, he will ask where Nathan is. If he’s awake, Caleb will give him a kiss on the head and say hello. I love watching these two little lives become intertwined and look forward to their growing friendship.
Exciting news! Andy’s brother Ryan and his wife had their second baby today. Kiley Grace Holloway was born around 3pm weighing 7 pounds, 9 ounces and was 20 1/2 inches long. We went to visit the family tonight and she is absolutely perfect! The first thought that came to my mind was that she looked like a little porcelain doll. We didn’t get to hold her as she was about to take her first bath, but we look forward to lots of cuddles in the future. Mom and Baby are doing great.
For those of you who wish to send your regards to the parents, you can email Ryan at ryanholloway AT gmail DOT com. Congrats Ryan, Amanda and Kaiden on your new addition!
My little baby has graduated from a newborn to a baby with flying colors. He can reach for objects, hold his head steadily, can “stand up” when I hold his hands, rolls over, and is so much more aware of the world around him. He has blossomed into a happy, mellow baby who likes to watch what’s going on. He is perfectly happy lying on a blanket or sitting in my lap quietly watching Caleb and me play.He’s not a fan of new people and changes in the environment; big parties especially unnerve him, But once he becomes familiar with someone, he’s all smiles.
Nathan has recently discovered the endless entertainment that is his older brother. He loves watching Caleb play and whenever he catches his big bro’s gaze, he breaks out in a huge smile. I’m trying to teach Caleb to make eye contact with people to catch their attention and to help his listening skills. Nathan has turned into a fun practice buddy with all of his rewarding smiles.
This child is so easy going, I almost feel guilty for letting him sit in one place too long. Caleb was so easily bored, it seems I would have to change his play time up every 5 minutes. With Nathan, I can leave him on a blanket and he’ll be content to watch what’s going on around him. When he’s sleepy, all he needs is a kiss and a paci to fall asleep in his swing. When he wakes at night before I take him to bed with me, I only have to put the paci back in his mouth and shush him for a few seconds before he calmly soothes himself to sleep. This is such a stark contrast from Caleb’s sporadic sleeping habits, but I have to realize these are two very different children. Nathan’s needs are vastly different than Caleb’s. My oldest needs constant reminders he is loved. He is very emotional and reactive to our actions and words toward him. Nathan seems consistently happy wherever he is and only needs immediate attention when he’s sleepy or hungry. Other than that, he enjoys the many cuddles and kisses but doesn’t demand them like his brother did.
I am so thankful for this little guy. The other morning when I woke up to see him sleeping beside me, I couldn’t remember what our life was like before him. He adds so much joy to all of our lives.
It’s that time of year again, The weather is pleasant and Christmas is around the corner. This is the time where I drag my family out to a beautiful location to take our family pictures. They’re lucky I’m content only doing this once a year. My friend Amber, who helped me with my maternity and Nathan’s newborn pictures, came to be the person behind the camera. I love how they turned out and I really think everyone actually enjoyed themselves. Maybe we should do this twice a year….
This has been a week full of fall festivities. For starters, my parents paid us a visit from Wisconsin. It was great having my family, my brother’s family, and my parents together for Halloween. This was also my mom and dad’s chance to meet Nathan. He especially loved his Grandpa and spent a lot of quality time being bounced and walked around by him.
At the beginning of the trip, we all went to the local farm for a fall festival. We spend the morning visiting farm animals, wandering through a corn maze and riding on the home made train. The day was beautiful and the kids were thoroughly worn out.
A few days before Halloween, everyone gathered together under the porch for a grand pumpkin carving party, and by everyone, I mean Josh and Andy carved while everyone else stood by and watched. It was a great time and both men did a great job. All the kids were really grossed out by the pumpkin guts but loved poking designs into the pumpkins.
This year was Caleb’s second time trick or treating and Nathan’s first. For a month now, Caleb has insisted that he dress as the UPS man for Halloween. I couldn’t argue; his determination impressed me. No transformer, dinosaur, or superhero could distract him from his true calling of mail delivery. I cut a hole in a small Amazon box for his candy bag and viola. The UPS man himself:
Nathan is still too young to appreciate dressing up, but he does love his wrap. My sister-in-law sent me a link to a bird in a tree costume that is used with a wrap. It was a perfect idea. So with a painted baby hat and some leaves, Nathan and I became a bird in a tree:
We all met at Andy’s parents’ house along with his grandparents, his brother’s family, my brother’s family and my parents. It was quite the crowd but we charged through two neighborhoods and only went home because the kids were dragging the 500 punds of candy in their bags. All had a wonderful time and we can’t wait to go next year. Now on to Christmas!
My tiny little baby isn’t so tiny anymore. As a two month old, he’s got great head control, is a master of tummy time, loves to hold conversations, and a charmer who can smile and giggle with the best of them. Unfortunately, Andy is the only one who can really get him going and by the time I race to the office to grab the camera, Nathan has already grown bored of Andy’s goofy noises. I was able catch a couple of laughs here:
This newest little man of the house is still such a mellow baby. He is perfectly content to lie on a blanket and engage with the closest person. He loves to cuddle and enjoys being swaddled and rocked. Some of my favorite times with him is when he snuggles up next to me for a nap while I lie down to read a book during Caleb’s nap. I call that time my baby therapy.
At his doctor visit today, he measured 23 1/2 inches (77%), weighed 13 pounds, 14 ounces (87%) and his head circumference was 39 1/2 inches (68%). He is still an all around big boy and is growing well. Caleb tagged along to get his flu shot. This was a big learning experience for me. When the nurse asked which child should get his shots first, I quickly tried to rationalise which crisis I would rather deal with first. I decided Nathan should get his vaccinations first so Caleb could see what getting a shot was all about. Very bad idea. Even though I told him Nathan would cry, we weren’t prepared for the pitiful wailing that soon followed. Caleb, being the compassionate soul he is, instantly grew pale. He asked to leave right then and pleaded with the nurse that he didn’t need a shot. But even with all that apprehension, he did well, only crying for a few minutes and zoned out on the way home. I am hoping for a very good nap time from both boys today. All three of us need one.
Yesterday was a pj kind of day. Caleb wasn’t feeling his best and Nathan was boycotting any naps longer than 10 minutes. Since I had these adorable matching pjs, I had to take advantage of the moment. These pictures make me want throw on a pair myself and curl up with my boys.
We’re solidly into October and the weather is just now starting to improve. I know it’s just a cold front coming through, but I am going to enjoy these 70-80 degree days as much as possible. Today, the kids and I ventured into our backyard and flew our kite while the storm clouds came rolling in I have big plans to go to the park for thursday’s 74 degree high. My poor kids (and camera!) have been cooped inside the house for too long.
Here are some pictures during and after one of Nathan’s bath adventures. The little guy loves his baths. They put him into a calm and cheerful mood every time.
And one last tidbit: a video of Nathan showing off his giggle and… other talents
Before his baby brother was born, the world revolved around him. He was always at my side whether it was shopping, cleaning, cooking or playing. He never really experienced solo play because I was always with him, facilitating his activities. We both loved that time together and took away many fond memories. Now that I am not as accessible, Caleb has learned that he has to play by himself. This discovery came with more than it’s share of guilt and regret as I realized I had to share my time with him and a demanding newborn. The first few weeks were confusing for both of us as we tried to settle into a new environment that worked well for the whole family. I learned to let go of the guilt associated with Caleb’s time with me and Caleb had to become more independent. I am still amazed how many skills he has acquired during the transition. He now knows how to put on his shoes, partially dress himself (he still tries to put his pants on two legs at a time), get water from the fridge, turn on the TV and navigate through the DVR to his shows, brush his teeth, and wash his hands.
Along with those life skills, his play is evolving from mimicry and parallel play to imaginative and social play. He has moved from repeating the actions of Mom and Dad to creating his own worlds and bringing his toys to life. To foster this, I am slowly trying to weed out the “educational” toys that only involve pushing buttons and alphabet songs to role playing and open-ended toys. I’ve learned that a hula hoop or a bucket of dinosaurs far outlasts the standard “button pushing” toy.
I feel there is a growing need to nurture young imaginations even more now than the last generation. Today, my children are being raised where the backyards are smaller, neighborhoods are (seemingly) less safe, and the wilderness is scarse. Gone are the days where children can leave their house at the crack of dawn, ride their bikes all day long wherever they want and come home by dinner time. Modern parents worry more, teach more, and take more precautions. I don’t want become a “helicopter” parent who hovers over her children all day wondering if their development is on track and if they’re eating enough vegetables. I want - no… I need - to step back, take a deep breath, and watch my son play by himself. All he really needs is to feel loved. And if he does, he will thrive regardless.
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