Jack is 4 months old!

Mr. Jack likes living in Maryland. He is eating well, sleeping well, playing well, drooling well, and even spitting up well. He is SUCH a happy baby and a joy to have around. He's constantly smiling, laughing, and cooing at us.

Sleeping: He first slept 12 straight hours on August 21. After several nights of sleeping 12ish hours, one night he woke up for his pacifier 4 or 5 times. The next night we decided to stop swaddling his arms so that he would be able to self-soothe with his fingers or thumb. It took a little bit of crying that first night but since then, he's done great. We also stopped using the pacifier in his room, and he is very good at putting himself to sleep. He usually rolls partway on his right side and sucks his right thumb. He typically goes to bed around 7:15 and wakes up around 7:45 and is SO happy. Love it! He takes 3 naps a day. Elise was definitely a better napper at this age, but I'm cutting him a little bit of slack for being on the go so much. I was always very careful to be home to get her to nap on time, but when you have 2 kids and you have to/want to do things outside of the house, something's gotta go (and it certainly isn't the toddler's nap time! E, by the way, has slept very well for naps since the flukes I mentioned in my last post.) I've experimented a lot with times for putting him down, and I've learned that he will only take a long morning nap if I put him down within an hour of his wake up time. If I wait later than that, he'll wake up crying at the 45 minute mark and won't go back to sleep, even with more crying. If he gets down early, he sleeps for 1.5-2 hours and wakes up cooing. He rarely ever takes a long 2nd nap (only 45 minutes or so), but will always take a very long 3rd nap if I put him down right after his third feeding. Coincidentally, this is also while Elise is sleeping. He wakes up very happy from this nap. He does not sleep well away from his crib (probably because our outings are close to the hosue so he doesn't have a lot of drive time to fall asleep in the car), so occasionally he'll take a 45-minute evening nap if we've been on the go and he only had 2 short morning naps.

Eating: He's still a good nurser, but has been favoring the left side for the last 6 or so weeks. I've learned that I have to start him on the right every time or else he will refuse the right. Strange, huh? At least we've figured out something that works for us. We also had to do a little "bottle boot camp" this month after he only drank 1.5 ounces for "dinner" when Mike and I went to a Hillsong concert in August. For 2 weeks after that, we gave him a small bottle (2-3 ounces) every night before bed just to get him used to taking it. I stopped that last week because it was annoying, but it did work and I am hopeful that we won't have any issues next time we leave him with a babysitter. He's still eating about every 3 hours, though he can go a little longer between the first two feedings.

Sample Schedule:

7:45 - wake up, nurse

8:45 - 10:30ish - nap #1

11:00 - nurse

12:00 - 12:45ish - nap #2 (while Elise and I eat lunch)

2:00 - nurse

2:15-4:30ish - nap #3

5:00 - nurse

7:00 - nurse

7:15 - bed

"Playing": Early this month, he discovered his hands and continues to love holding them up and staring at them. Elise did the same thing around this age. He's been rolling tummy to back since August 1 and is very close to rolling from back to tummy. He rolls on his right side all the time. He enjoys being on his tummy, especially if his big sister is playing with him or putting toys in front of him. He is a master thumb-sucker and finger-chewer. Since we stopped using the pacifier as a sleep aid, he is not as interested in it, but I do take one with me when we leave the house during one of his normal nap times. He definitely prefers his hands, though, and will usually spit it out. On September 1, he discovered his feet, though it seems he only remembers them when he is diaper-less (those cloth diapers must be just a little too bulky). He loves his Bumbo, activity mats, stroller, Beco, and the Baby Bjorn bouncer. He has not been much of a fan of the swing. We put the jumperoo together today and he enjoyed it, though he's slightly too short. He also starting splashing and kicking in the bath tub and gets very excited about it.

Stats: We go to the doctor tomorrow, and I'm guessing he's around 14.5 lbs and 25.5 inches long. I just looked at Elise's 4 month post and she was the same length but definitely weighed more, ha. I think he is going to be long and lean like his daddy :) He wears 6-12 month onesies (thanks to the cloth diapers) and his 3-6 month pajamas are getting small. He wears a size 3 disposable diaper at night.

Jack, we love you and are so thankful that God has entrusted us with raising you. Happy 4 months, little buddy!

Sooner or later...

Well folks, it was bound to happen at some time, but it sure caught me by surprise! So, there have only been 5 days in Elise's entire life that she has not taken a nap. The first one was in January when we drove from Texas to Alabama. We left around 7 am and she didn't fall asleep until 8 pm (not fussy, just not a car sleeper). The second and third days were the travel days from Alabama to Texas and then Texas to Baltimore. Again, she was not fussy, but she just doesn't sleep in a car or on a plane. Last Wednesday was Day #4, the first day ever that she has not fallen asleep when put in her crib for a nap. I watched in amazement on the video monitor as she did somersaults, played with her blankets and pillow, and just talked to herself happily for TWO AND A HALF HOURS. I was in complete shock. You see, Elise had ALWAYS fallen asleep very quickly for her naps. Sometimes she will talk for a while when falling asleep at night, but never during nap time. Anyway, what surprised me more is that she was super happy the whole rest of the day. Thankfully, she did take a 2 hour nap on Thursday, but played/talked in her crib for Friday's nap. We made sure to be very active on this weekend and she took 2 hour naps again. Thus begins the (hopefully very) long process of weaning from 1 nap to 0 naps. Sigh.

I'm not sure if it started because she is sleeping a little longer at night (12-12.5 hours usually), but I figure since she wakes up happy in the morning and wakes up happy from her nap, there isn't much I can do except to continue "nap" time as scheduled and leave her in her crib for the 2 hours whether she sleeps or not. I don't think she's realized that she didn't fall asleep on Wednesday or Friday, because when I went to get her she proudly exclaimed "I woke up from my nap!", to which I replied, "Yes, you did!". At least we have some nice weather so that we can comfortably play outside and stay as active as possible.

She's really excited because gymnastics starts on Wednesday and she gets to meet her preschool teacher on Thursday. I'm excited because these are two activities that she will really enjoy regardless of the weather. Here's hoping that 1-3 pm will continue to be productive hours for me instead of hours spent glued to the video monitor!

Here's a picture of my "dancing queen"... I think it's funny that the middle of the picture is focused but you can tell how much she's moving with the rest of her body. The girl LOVES to dance.

Picture comparison

Here are my babies in a similar pose at 3 months and a few days old... I think they have the same nose and eyes but they look SO different because of the hair! Jack's is definitely falling out and he has light brown/blonde coming in underneath. In the last two weeks, he has discovered his hands and enjoys staring at them. He has also started bringing his hands together and enjoying tummy time for longer and longer periods of time. He can get his chest off the ground a little bit. He has only rolled over a few times in the last few weeks. About a week ago, he finally slept 12 straight hours at night. Since then, he's done it probably 50% of the time, with the other nights requiring a pacifier insertion or feeding around 5:30 or 6 am (and then going back to sleep until 7:45 or 8). I'm very hesitant to let him make much noise at night because our house is old and their rooms share a wall (and the wood floors seem to make everything echo), so I don't know if he'd be able to settle himself or not. I usually give him about a minute before I go in there.

On another note, Hurricane Irene passed through last night but didn't cause too much damage. We have several broken tree limbs and a few leaks in the roof of our indoor patio room, but that's it. Have a great week!

31 months, funny sayings, and an update

This month has been crazy but good. We are settled in Maryland now and enjoying life here. The weather is super! We can actually play outside before dinner and not drip in sweat. I know I'll be singing a different tune in January/February, but right now it is great. Mike will be starting his classes at Johns Hopkins next week. He is taking some pretty intense classes and we've had quite the collection of textbooks arriving in the mail. We are very excited for him!

Elise has adjusted wonderfully to Baltimore. I prayed for this quite a bit and am thrilled that she's been so excited about this transition. She is really looking forward to "spreschool" and always asks to drive by it when we're out. She loves running errands with me, going up and down the stairs, and playing in her new playhouse. If you're interested in getting one, watch the prices on walmart.com... we just got it a few weeks ago for about $50 cheaper than the current price. She's been eating and sleeping very well. She still has a "jealousy switch" that can be turned on and off instantaneously (without any warning), and that causes a lot of frustration for everyone, but thankfully, it isn't constant. We did make the decision to enroll her in a 2-mornings-a-week preschool program instead of one morning, and I think it will be beneficial for all of us. I took her to visit a new school yesterday to sign up and she loved it and didn't want to leave. I'm excited for her to have the opportunity to be in a regular setting with other kids her age. She'll be doing preschool on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 9-11:30 and then gymnastics on Wednesdays from 10-10:45.

Eating: She's a great eater and I'm hoping her little brother will be the same. Favorite foods at this age are fruit (any kind), bagels, dry cereal, grilled chicken, broccoli, peas, bell peppers, cucumbers, walnuts, pecans, raisins, dried cranberries, yogurt, corn, sweet potatoes, roast beef, sliced turkey, cheese, tortelloni, etc.

Sleeping: She's been sleeping very well this month. I was worried that the transition to a new house and city would mess up her sleeping habits (like the rough time we had in July), but she's done great and is certainly back to normal. She sleeps for 11.5-12 hours at night and takes a 2-2.5 hour nap. The process for going to bed takes a long time because she drags her feet with everything... from putting on pajamas, to going to the potty, etc. That has been frustrating but we're working on it. She still sleeps in her crib and loves to cuddle up next to the edge. I'm not planning to convert it to the toddler bed until she asks for it.

Potty: This month, she has initiated doing the entire bathroom process by herself (and even closes the door). Sometimes she needs help with her clothes if she has a button on her shorts, so I'm definitely not buying any new pants with buttons! Snaps or elastic or a hook is the way to go. She hasn't had any nap time accidents but still wears a diaper to bed at night.

Playing: She loves to play outside and we are so thankful for "cool" evenings and mornings in Maryland. She and Boss like to help Mike grill in the backyard while I fix the rest of dinner inside. Inside, she especially likes playing with her dolls and jigsaw puzzles. She is a very attentive mother.

I tried to be good about writing down her funny sayings this month, and I've got a lot of them! She is quite animated and hilarious, especially when she is in a good mood. Here you go...

(while reading a Dr. Seuss book with my mom)

E: "Who is that?"
Mimi: "I don't know who that is."
E: "What is his name?"
Mimi: "I don't know his name."
E: "We will look it up on the computer."

E: "Mommy, where are you going?"
Me: Michelle and I are going to get some caffeine.
E: "Do you like caffeine, Michelle?"
Michelle: "Yes."
E: "I don't like caffeine. I will have some caffeine when I get older."

(while trying to find a parking spot on one-way streets near the Towson post office... we had to circle the blocks a few times)

E: "Mom, I think it would be easier to go to the post office in the stroller and not the car."

(parking in the driveway)

E: "I dropped my shoes. Now you will have to carry me. Did you hear that?"

Me: (laughing)

E: "Did you hear that Steph? Did you hear that StephMama?"

(the first Sunday we were in MD it was raining, so the next Sunday we are on the way to church and Elise says...)

E: "I want a different church instead of the other church."

Me: "Why?"

E: "Because it was raining at the other church."

E: "Where's Daddy?"

Me: "He went to play golf."

E: "He will be back in a few minutes. No, he will be back in a few hours."

Me: "Come on, Elise, let's go get some panties on."

E: "Well, I'm right here right now."

(to Mike while he was giving her a bath... no idea where she got this from!)

E: "You are a super dad. And Mom is a super mom. You are super cool. You are super man!"

(poking head outside)

E: "Oh, I hear an owl! Did you know there are OWLS in BALTIMORE?!"

(she was telling my mom about her first trip to the Baltimore zoo, which is about 20 minutes away)

Mimi: "How far is the zoo from your house?"

E: "The zoo is 20 minutes from our house."

(during lunch)

Mike: "Can I have one of your bell peppers?"

E: "No, you have not finished your sandwich. I will save it for you. You can have it when you finish your sandwich, okay?"

(she was running around the coffee table with her microphone playing music, and wearing pink sunglasses, of course)

Me: "What song is this?"

E: "This is the going around song, with our pink sunglasses!"

E: "I am silly. Daddy is really silly because he is tall."

(upon arriving home to a box on the doorstep)

E: "Look, we got a package! We can't open it yet, because it is from eBay!"

(upon arriving at the second Chipotle location that we have eaten at... there is one near the church and one near the house)

E: "This is a different Chipotle. There are TWO Chipotles in Baltimore."

(we walk inside)

E: "The chairs are the same though."

Mike: "What kind of airplane did you fly on?

E: "It was kind of gold and kind of yellow. With a little bit of blue."

(eating breakfast with Mike)

E: "I ate alllll the blueberries. You can't have any. We will get some more tomorrow and I will eat them all. Isn't that amaaaazing?"

(holding her snack cup of dry cereal and requesting to "fly" like an airplane)

E: "I want to be an airplane. I want to be an airplane that has cereal!"

(after a few Bible stories)

E: "Where is Jesus?"

Me: "We can't see Jesus, but He is always with us."

E: "Jesus is all over the place!"

E: (pause) "Just like the ceiling is all over the place?"

Me: "Yes. Who else is all over the place?"

E: "God is all over the place too!"

I've been experimenting with manual mode on my camera (thanks to a lesson from Michelle!) and I haven't edited any of these yet, but here are some pictures from the last few weeks. I need to do a post on our Texas trip.

playing with Lucy in her new playhouse

"floating" on her back

refusing to smile, but the camera settings were good! ha

looking at a bird nest

would have been cute had the aperture been adjusted correctly. fixed it on the next pic but she had already fallen off :)

We love you, Elise!

3 months for Jack

I wrote this last week and delayed posting it because I wanted to upload some photos, but I still haven't gotten around to that, so I'm just going to post this anyway :) We are in Baltimore, things are going well, and I will post again soon, I promise! By the way, I think I could live in Maryland for every August for the rest of my life and be happy.

From last week:

The little man is already 3 months old! I don't think I got around to posting his 2 month stats. He was 11 lbs, 14 oz and 23 inches, which are both around the 50th percentile. His head was in the 75th percentile. Now he is around 24 1/4 inches and 13ish pounds. He looks so much different than Elise did at this age. Here is a post when she was 3ish months old.

He is on a very predictable schedule when we are staying around the house. When we go out during his morning nap time, he usually won't take a full nap, but he will often make up for it during the 3rd nap of the day (which is always at home because it is during Elise's nap). His feeding times usually don't vary more than 10-15 minutes from these times, which makes it very easy to plan the day. It usually takes me about 15 minutes to feed him. We are still using cloth diapers and they work very well. He sleeps in his crib at home and has slept well in pack and plays since we have been in Texas. I still swaddle him with the miracle blanket and I give him a pacifier (started this around 2 months old). I bounce him for a minute or so and then lay him down awake but drowsy. Sometimes he wakes up at the 45 minute mark and if I give him the paci, he will go back to sleep. He went through a 3 day growth spurt at 11.5 weeks.

7:00-7:30 - wake, nurse
8:30 - nap #1
10:00 - wake, nurse
11:30 - nap #2
1:00 - wake, nurse
2:30 - nap #3
4:00 - wake, nurse
5:15ish - power nap (30-45 minutes)
6:30 - nurse
7:00 - bed
5:00ish - eat

This schedule works well for me because I usually get Elise down for her nap before he wakes up and is ready to eat, and then I can play with him and put him in bed before she wakes up so that I've got some one-on-one time with both of them.

He usually eats around 5 am, but even if he wakes up earlier, he will still wake up for real at 7-7:30. He made it to 6 am once this week (11 hours!), and hopefully there will be more of that soon. I could consider getting up for the day after the 6 am feeding and I wouldn't feel like a zombie :) I am SO careful about letting him make much noise while Elise is sleeping, so he doesn't get much of a chance at fussing to put himself back to sleep unless she is awake.

He started rolling over from tummy to back this month (11.5 weeks). He doesn't do it every time I put him on his tummy, but he has done it at least 5 times. His tummy time improved overnight... I was not expecting him to roll over any time soon. He also likes to "sit" and "stand" and I think he will love the Bumbo when we get to Baltimore. He flirts and smiles and giggles and seems to enjoy his big sister's attention (aside from when she decides he needs to roll over and helps him, haha). He is a good nurser but a reluctant bottle-taker. I'm not sure why...we didn't wait too long before offering the bottle. He will drink out of it but he likes to play with it more than anything else. The most he has ever taken is 2.5 ounces, but he usually won't take more than 1-1.5. At less than 3 months old (we know this because it was before Mike deployed in 2009), Elise would take an 8 ounce bottle before bed and down the whole thing. Maybe this is why she was sleeping 12 hours so quickly? Isn't that crazy? I even tried a new brand of bottle this month. So, I'm still pumping once right before I go to bed to freeze, but I haven't used much of it.

He enjoys playing on the activity mat, chilling in the bouncer, chewing on his hands, drooling, and flirting with anyone who will smile at him. He likes being carried in the Beco and riding like a big boy in the stroller. If he gets too hot in his car seat, he gets cranky, but he's usually a good car traveler as well.

I think it is so interesting to look at the differences between the kiddos. They've each won several "awards" covering the first months of life, haha. We are so thankful to have had two easy babies.
Elise: First to sleep 12 straight hours, Most likely to drink a lot from a bottle, Most likely to have a blowout diaper (though in her defense, she was in disposables at this age), Easiest to burp
Jack: First to laugh, First to roll over, Most likely to nurse quickly
Tie: Most likely to need an outfit change due to drool or spit-up

Happy 3 months, sweet baby Jack! We are so thankful for you!

2.5 years of Elise

I forgot to include her unofficial stats on the original post, so here they are:
Height: 37 inches (between 75th and 90th percentiles)
Weight: 31 lbs (75th percentile)
Clothes: 3T/4T
Shoe Size: 8-8.5 (same as last summer!)


Elise is now 2 1/2 (and 1/2)! As a whole, her 30th month of life was the most challenging, followed closely by the 2nd half of month 28 (after Jack was born). She's been through a lot this month with Mike being gone at SERE for 3 weeks, having visitors come and go, moving away from Alabama and flying to Texas, but we are on the road to recovery :). The last week has been relatively smooth, so I think the worst is over. She's had a great time playing with all of her grandparents and has really enjoyed swimming. We got a Puddle Jumper for her and it has been fabulous! She will now jump off the side of the pool and swim to us, and she loves being independent in the water. I wish I had known about them last summer.

Eating: Nothing has really changed in this department. She is predictable and likes a variety of healthy foods but is usually hesitant to try new things. We discovered this month that she really likes roast. Thanks, Laura, for the recipe that you posted on your blog!

Sleeping: She's been more difficult to put to bed this month, though it seems to be getting back to normal. I would say that she woke up screaming at least once during the majority of the nights last month. If I had a dollar for every time I heard "I want to hold you, Mommy!" then I could go out and buy a fully loaded minivan :) When we first got to Texas, she started waking up to go to the bathroom but was not easily going back to sleep. After a few nights of this, we had a big talk about how it was okay to pee in her diaper while she is sleeping, and she's slept soundly for the last week and a half and is usually asleep for 11.5-12 hours. She does best when she goes to sleep by 7:30, but that time has been pretty hard to make since we've been in Texas. She still takes a good 2-2.5 hour nap after lunch.

Learning: It is still amazing to watch how quickly she learns new things. One of her favorite activities this month is working jigsaw puzzles. She can now do the 24 piece puzzles by herself and is very deliberate as she is putting the pieces together. She will start working it and then look very carefully at the pile of pieces to choose the next one. She almost always orients the new piece correctly on the first try. I've been trying to figure out what I should be teaching her (aside from patience, ha!), and I think she's ready to focus on letter sounds (haven't done much with this aside from watching The Letter Factory every now and then) and sight words. I've ordered this and Cindy gave her a set of BOB books in May, and I think those will be good places to start. My mom and I also just got this for her and I think it will be a great learning tool. She loves the Monkey Preschool Lunchbox app (especially the Memory game) and I might try to find a few more good ones to download. Any recommendations?

Potty: She is still very proud of herself for her potty "skills". She has an occasional accident during nap time (one in the last two weeks), and wears a diaper at night. I have absolutely no interest in trying to train her for nights and will probably wait until she is in a big bed and can get up and go by herself. I still keep the Baby Bjorn potty chair in the car and take the Baby Bjorn toilet trainer with us when we go places. It's been over 3 months now and I'm just in the habit of it, so it isn't a big deal. She doesn't use the "car potty" very often, but it was very nice to have on our recent long drives and if we are in a situation where it is just easier to use it rather than take both kids inside somewhere. I insist that she goes to the potty before we go swimming (or somewhere else without a convenient potty), nap, and bedtime, but other than that, she initiates when she goes. She can get on the potty and go by herself, but usually wants assistance/attention, and that isn't a battle that I want to fight right now, so I don't mind helping her. She always asks us to leave the bathroom so that she can have some privacy and she especially likes to talk to herself while on the potty. Sometimes she talks about Baltimore and moving, and other days she gives herself a pep talk.

Overheard outside the bathroom:
E: "I am very good at this!"
Me: (poking my head in) "What are you very good at?"
E: "I am very good at peepeein' and poopin'!"
E: "I am very good at swimming too!"

Personality: In typical two year old fashion, she can go from insanely happy to insanely frustrated with the flip of a switch. I really have to make sure that she gets enough sleep, because a well-rested toddler is much happier than a tired one. When she is in a really good mood, she is little "Miss Manners" and is very exaggerated when she asks us for things, thanks us for things, and compliments us. This is quite funny. The other day, I went to get her up in the morning and she said, "Mommy, I am so proud of you for waking up!". She can carry on quite the dialogue or monologue. When she is frustrated (read: jealous that I am not at her beck and call, usually because I need to do something for Jack), she acts out. The other day she was in a great mood after her nap. We played for a little while and then went to wake Jack up. I started feeding him and in that INSTANT she ripped her socks off, threw them on the floor, and screamed "Put them back on NOW, Mommy!" for the entire 15 minute feeding. Doesn't that sound like fun? :)

Most of the time (as in, when Jack is playing by himself or sitting in his car seat and isn't being given attention by someone else), she does like her brother and will often talk to him, saying something like, "You're so CUUUUUTE, Jack. I like your shirt, Jack! Are you smiling at me, Jack? Did you poop in your diaper, Jack? We need to get you a new one. That is yucky! You can't have/do ___ because you're a baby. It's okay, Jack, we will be there soon. Don't cry, Baby Jack! Did you wake up, Jack? Oh, you DID! You're eyes are open!" He started rolling over last week, and she discovered very quickly that she can "help" him roll over. Ha! She also likes to make him smile by playing pat-a-cake with him.

She is usually very quiet and wants to be close by when she is around people that she doesn't know very well (or just hasn't seen in a while). I'm really excited for her to go to preschool for one morning a week in the fall. I think it will help her in this area. She does like to go to the church nursery on Sundays and is always playing happily when we go to pick her up. She got to take home a mini flashlight last week and when I asked her what it meant, she said "Jesus." She's got the Sunday School answer down already! She doesn't have problems with hitting, throwing, biting, pushing, etc, but she sometimes offers too much unwanted affection. I haven't seen this happen in large groups, just when we've had playdates with one other child.

In the last few weeks, I've noticed her talking to herself a lot more, usually in the car seat or on the potty. She still asks a ton of questions, and they usually come in strings (like one question leads to another, which leads to another, etc). She has a great memory and often remembers random details about something that happened a long time ago. Last week, I told her that we were going to see Grandma Frances and Grandpa Harold (we last saw them over Christmas) and she looked at me for a few seconds and said, "They have a rocking chair!".

I did a very poor job of writing down her funny sayings... I think a few of them got stuffed in moving boxes and maybe I'll find them in Baltimore. She is just hilarious and always makes us laugh. Here is another sample:
E: "Did Baby Jack spit up on your shirt?"
Me: "Yes."
E: "Did he spit up on your strap?" (I was wearing a tank top)
Me: "Yes."
E: "It is wet." (looks at the other strap) "That one is dry. He will spit up on that one tomorrow."

Elise brings us so much joy that we overlook the frustrating moments of this age. We love her so much! What an amazing blessing that we were chosen to be her parents. Happy 2.5!

These wonderful pictures were taken by Elise's Aunt Michelle! You can visit her website at www.michellebphotographie.com. In case you are wondering, she looks a lot like me at this age. I'll have to post a few old pictures soon.

Like father, like son...

It is AMAZING how much of Jack I see in this baby picture of Mike! Aren't they adorable??


I don't have any new pictures uploaded to this computer, but I've taken a bunch since we've been in Texas and I'll get around to posting them. I'm also working on a 2 1/2 year post for Elise. Stay tuned!