5 Months

You're 15 lbs, 9 ounces, and 25 inches long! You're sitting up by yourself, babbling and calling out to us to get our attention, and your new favorite thing is your right thumb. You suck it to fall asleep, while you're awake and even when I feed you your rice cereal and sweet potatoes. You are friendly to everyone, have a smile for each person that greets you, and love to laugh with Leah and Logan. Logan cracks you up with his line about a ninja! Leah likes to hold you on the couch and tell you stories and sing songs to you. You have 2 best friends and protectors already.

 This last month, you travelled to Houston to visit Aunt Christi and her family, Waco to visit with GG and Papa and Grandma Cealie and June. You went to your first movie, and were an absolute champ! You try so hard to crawl...you get your knees up underneath you and scoot forward. It won't be long, I'm afraid. 

 Here are a few of my favorite pictures from this month...

The quiet moments

You're growing up too fast, monkey! All your new tricks are speeding up this baby stage and making it fly by! At least that's how I feel during the busy and awake times. It's the quiet moments that remind me you're still a new little nugget, still my squishy, warm little man. These are a few things I want to remember, for I fear they will only last a little while longer:

1) you still curl up on your tummy to sleep.

2) when I nurse you, you use your free hand with its pudgy bear paw-knuckle dimples to rub my shirt and chest. It's really quite sweet...I think you like making sure I'm still there.

3) when you're finished nursing and are sound asleep, I lift you to my shoulder and your legs still curl up under you like a newborn. Add to that, your little bottom lip pooches out along with your chin while you stretch out your tummy and I melt completely.

4) you still tuck your face into my neck under my chin...your chubby cheek fits perfectly there to fall asleep before I lay you down. 

I do treasure these quiet moments and choose to store them up in my heart. What a sweet gift you are, my little Monk.

4 months

Happy, happy, happy! That describes our little fella. He wakes up happy, he is nice to strangers, he is generous with his smiles and he hugs our faces every time we get close enough. His 4 month check up isn't until later this month so I can't share weight and length but I can share a few more milestones. Brady's been rolling from his tummy to his back for a long time now but just last week in Wisconsin, he started rolling from his back to his belly! After he did that one time, he was rolling all over the living room. We can't keep him on his back anymore. It's great for him that he's mobile, but it presents a few other new problems. He's always hated his carseat but now he HATES his carseat. Add the five point harness into the mix and its kind of a nightmare. Add to this, Logan is worried for Brady's safety and car rides are long. Sleeping has become tricky too. He's a belly sleeper but has started rolling over onto his back while sleeping, and he either hits his head on a crib rail, or can't fall back asleep on his back. I've started sleep training this week to try to win some extra minutes of sleep but its proving tricky and I may become frustrated here soon. I know he is.

 He's had a few tastes of ice cream, and is a fan. We plan to start sweet potatoes this week, I'm ready to bust out the baby bullet. 

 In his short 4 months, he's travelled to Houston, Tennessee, and all of the states between Dallas and Wisconsin. He went camping for the first time this month, toe-tested a lake for the first time, met his dads parents and grandparents for the first time and loved all of it. Is favorite was camping...he's an outside baby for sure!

 He still nurses full-time, puts himself to sleep and mostly naps well. He wears size 6-9 month clothes now and is in a size 2 diaper. 

 He enjoys the pool, loves watching our frog, and his favorite is still being outside. If he's in the front pack, he'll be happy anywhere for any amount of time. He's very vocal, laughing and cooing. He very clearly says, "hi"...he's just mimicking us but we count it as his first word. 

 He sucks on his fingers, usually 2 at a time. It's super cute, and I'm thankful he can soothe himself this way. He also found his toes!

 Here are a few pictures from the last month...

With Mommy in Eagle River

Trying to find a way to keep him happy in his carseat.

Playing with Leah and Logan and Uncle Bubba

Trying to get a clear shot for his 4 month picture. He just can't sit still anymore!

There's our happy boy!

About to cry, ready for his nap.

Relaxing while I try to get a smile for the camera.

Wisconsin

We're home! After almost 2400 total miles, we're getting settled back into our routine. Here are some of my favorite pictures from our trip.

Brady meets Aunt Vanessa! It's so amazing to see her with her boys, and for me to watch our kids play together...nothing more beautiful than that. 

 Annual zoo trip with Joni and her kids.

One of many bike rides. This was on our first day camping at Star Lake in the rain.

This is the restaurant where Ryan proposed! So pretty. He even ordered a special dessert like he did 10 years ago. So fun that he shared that detail and memory with our babies.

Logan checking out the dock behind the restaurant.

This is Leah on the dock by our campsite. 

The kids both caught fish with Ryan and Uncle Matt. These are my favorite pictures from the whole trip. Logan's Orange Crush mustache and Leah's breezy hair melt me!

It was cold but totally worth it...

Me and the Bradster in Eagle River...my new favorite little town.

The story goes that Ryan used to buy minnows from twin spinster sisters here when they came camping every summer.

Brady's first dip into Star Lake

Family shot at the Point on Star

Visit with Papa Greg.

Visit with Grandma Connie and Randy.

Bike ride with Papa Bill

Hot tub at Grandma Phyllis and Papa Bills.

Ran a 2 miler with Jones. Hope to do it again next year!

All 3 kids have been bathed in this sink at Grandma Phyllis and Papa Bills house. 

It was a fabulous trip! As you can tell, Star Lake is a special spot for us. Ryan grew up camping there, we were engaged there...and now our kids will have memories there. So special. We're so very thankful for the time together with family, and time with just the 5 of us. As of right now, Leah and Ryan are at soccer and the boys and I are about to head to volleyball. Back to reality!

3 Months

You're three months old! I can't believe how fast this time is flying. You love, love, love your brother and sister...you smile at everyone, but you love your siblings. You talk to us and your favorite sound is in the back of your throat...almost like a hissing sound. Sounds creepy but its cute. You want to be up on your feet or at least sitting at all times. I tried so hard to get your 3 month picture today but you just wouldn't sit still! So here's what I got...

Lets try this again...

It's accurate. Moving all the time, frustrated that he can't go where he wants, when he wants. I imagine its only going to get worse! You've found your hands...I'm still waiting for you to find that thumb. You've started sucking on your other fingers to fall asleep, and you chip on your blanket, too. You still hate your carseat but I think it's getting better...maybe? You still sleep only on your tummy and you move all over your bed.  The older you get, the more we see that our first impressions of you are confirmed. You have a happy little heart...such joy! We love you, Brady-Boy!

Busy Week

It's been a busy week! Leah finished 1st grade on the A-B honor roll and by receiving the top award at the schools award assembly! Way to go, kiddo! Thank you for being a light in this world! We officially have a second grader and a kindergartener in the house!

We had a very snugly week, working through loosing El-dog.

Daddy had a huge showing for his Friday night skills close to 50 kids...good work, babe!

We have started to enjoy having Ryan around...Brady took his first trailer ride. He's an outside baby for sure. He loves the breeze on his face.

As of right now, the two older kids are in Austin with my parents for the week. Ryan will be coaching Ll day at a soccer camp...what will I do with my clean house and spare time?! I do believe Brady will nap in the stroller while I get some sun. 

Brady is 13 weeks old tomorrow...how cute is he?!

What will my love and I do with only one kid around? We plan to have a few date nights, sleep in and have grown up conversation!

You Did Good, Pup.

This dog that ate a whole chicken and bottles of pain pills, chewed our wedding album and too many books to count. This dog that was a lot of work...and was seriously stinky...Elmer James Earl Avery Jones.

I could easily classify Tuesday as the 2nd hardest day of my life. I stood and watched Ryan explain to Leah before leaving for school that she needed to say goodbye to her beloved Elmer. She's always loved him, just as much as Ryan. We cried, we consoled, we hugged and we dried our eyes. Ryan took Leah to school. 

 An hour later, I watched Ryan go through the same steps with Logan. We expected it to be more complicated but Logan was really too sick to think on it too long. 

 And then my precious husband did the hardest thing he's ever had to do. He hooked on Elmer's leash, let me tell him goodbye, hugged me tight, took a very deep breath, hugged me tighter, and bravely took his first step toward the door with his Elmer. 

 Elmer had a large tumor in his stomach, more than likely, it was also in his liver too. It was the hardest right choice Ryan's ever made. Once again, he took care of someone else's best interest, instead of keeping him around awhile longer, which would have certainly been his preference. 

 I don't know my husband without Elmer. He was in the picture of Ryan's life for 4 years before I came along. While I cannot feel what Ryan feels missing his pal, replacing elements of his daily routine with new things, I can feel that there is a deep loss. For that loss , my heart screams.

I was rocking Brady to sleep the next evening and as I swayed back and forth, I caught a glimpse of Ryan through the crack in the door. He was sitting on the couch with the quilt I had made him 7 years ago. This quilt had pictures from each of our past, and of our life together. I realized immediately that he was looking for the picture of him holding Elmer as a puppy. We spent the next hour looking through photo albums, remembering the happy Elmer. 

 While I didn't snuggle him, or nap with him or use him as a pillow to watch movies, I did care for him for 10 years. I always did appreciate the safety he provided and the joy he brought to Ryan and eventually our kids. Because of Elmer, I know my Ryan on a new level this week. Our family has grown closer because of you. You were a good family dog and the we won't forget you. Thank you for being part of our family. I'm pretty sure you've found your new family with Ella and Skeeter and Cody. And I bet you're bouncing around and happy, maybe even tracking some pheasant. While you are on your way to new horizons, we're finding our way too.

 Thank you, Elmer,  for your 15 years of faithful service to the other half of my heart. You did good, pup.