Alex is 3 months!!

One of the only baby books Gavin and I read was "Happiest Baby on the Block."  It's been quite a while since I read it, but besides the S's what stuck with me the most was the concept of the 4th trimester.  It's done several things for me.  For one; it gives me a solid three months that I still count myself as 'pregnant'.  Meaning that I'm not allowed to stress out (much) about what I'm eating or how I look in my swimsuit, etc.  Plus, it stops me from expecting too much from my little guy.  And in my experience, it seems accruate.  It's just been in the last few weeks that Alex has really been 'waking up.'

Height: Not sure since last appointment, but not a small guy!

Weight: Same as above. :)

Clothing Size: 3 months, 3-6 months

Diaper Size: Size 2

Eating: He nurses on demand, about every three hours or so during the day.  When I'm gone he has 3 oz in a bottle every three hours.

Sleeping:  Not bad! He takes a long nap during the day (during Colin's nap this week, yay!!!) and usually sleeps a solid 6 hour stretch at some point during the night.  He is still sleeping in the rock and play, but I know it's not going to last too much longer.  He loves sleeping in the sling and will sleep in his carseat when necessary, although not always happily.  He is still swaddled and goes between wanting his left arm out or both arms wrapped.  Now that he's rolling, the swaddle days are limited!!

New Skills: Smiles and laughter!  He's also pretty busy about his tummy time.  He loves to watch his big brother run around. He loves having his nose and forehead tickled and staring at the ceiling fan.  He also rolled over for the first time the day before his turned three months old! Way to go!
   

Alex, you are such a beautiful boy and I love having you in our family. Thank you for being such an easy going little guy.  I love you always, my little star!

Mom's Blinks: I'm the Letter T

During a recent trip to Grandma's house, Grandma and Colin watched a few segments of a Sesame Street Episode together.  Elmo is a favorite around our house and it was very fun for Colin.

One day after we had arrived home, I was unloading Colin from the car when he started very insistently saying "T, ta ta ta, T ta ta ta."  I was extremely confused until I stopped and listened to the radio.  Delilah by the Plain White T's was playing.

Colin and Grandma had been enjoying this quite clever Sesame Street Video: "I'm the Letter T"

Ever since, any time he hears that song, he tells me what sound T makes.  It's absolutely adorable, so the Plan White T's are getting some pretty serious play time around here! 

Ladera Concerts 2014

Every summer our neighborhood hosts a series of concerts in the park.  This year we made it to most of them and had so much fun!!

We got to hang out with all kinds of friends!  Dr Lisa and Chris came down for one along with Chris' sister and daughter.  Grandma came to two of the concerts, and Grandpa came to one.  Jackson and his family came to several of them and we sat with some new friends and played at another.  Mommy was even brave enough to head out to one of them on her own without daddy!

Pretty much any even that involves outside, friends, and food is going to be high on Colin's list of good ideas! :)

We had such a fantastic time, and it really made be grateful that we live in such a beautiful and family friendly area.  We can hardly wait until next year!!

The Orange County Fair

It's fair time again!!  We had a great time at this years fair.  It wasn't too hot, and the kids seemed to have a great time!  (Alex mostly slept and ate, but he was happy and seemed to like the noise and sounds!)

The only healthy good available at the fair!

When we bought our stroller, I totally envised us at the fair with it. (Weird, I know.) But look!  It happened!

It happened last year as well:

Colin likes the camera at home.  It's tough when we are out and about though. "Hey Colin, stand in front of this cool new thing and look at mommy and daddy who you spend every single day with it."  The animals were a big hit.  Colin successfully identified bunnies and chickens.  He was mostly concerned with what the animls were eating and pointed at the food in each pen 'eat!.'

Colin 'won' two stuffed animals by being cute to one of the guys at the carnival games stand.  

We had a great time. I can only imagine that outings like this are going to become more and more fun as the boys get older!

4th anniversary reflections on my Marriage.

Almost a week ago, we 'celebrated' our wedding anniversary.

I say 'celebrated' because it's at minimum unconvetional to celebrate a wedding anniversary watching Buster Balloon, visiting the pediatrian, attending swim lessons and making a middle of the night drive to Las Vegas for a bachlor party.

As I wrote that, I had to smile.  These are the 'work horse' years of our marriage.

Our 'honeymoon phase' started before we got married.  We traveled, spent long nights talking, ate fancy dinners, dreamed about the future, dotted on each other and worked through some very serious issues.  Then we settled into the comfort of each other.

These are the work horse years because life with babies is hard work.  Our conversations often revolve around what someone did or didn't eat or eliminate.  Our texts are less flirty and more functional.  For example, I remember texting Gavin that I missed him almost every morning when we were dating.  This morning, I texted him that I thought the milk was bad, to please sniff it before giving it to Colin.... romance at it's finest!

It won't always be this way.  Someday our babies won't need our full time+ attention and we'll have more time for romance.  In the meantime, I know that Gavin calling the insurance company for me is as much or more of an expression of love as a surprise necklace from Tiffany's or a multi course meal by candle light.  It's also not an excuse for me to ignore my marriage or forget how important it is.  It's just a realization that things are different.

While phrases froom frames in Kohl's don't often summarize my feelings, I can't help but look at our family and our home sometimes and think "All because two people feel in love."

Gavin, I love you.  Happy Anniversary.