Four Months Old

Well my chunky boy, you are four months old today.  I recently looked at your newborn photos and cannot believe how very large you are now.  My back aches when I carry you around sweet love.  That's okay though, you are my healthy little man and you fit in Michael's old sixth month clothes so it's perfect really.  Here is what is going on in your world right now:

• You celebrated your first Christmas and met your Aunt Bitt Bitt, Uncle Matt, Cousins Quinn and Nash, Great Grandpa, Great Auntie Ev and Great Uncles Steve and Joe for the first time. It was a busy week for you my love.
• You aren't a huge fan of tummy time, which isn't so great because you need to be rolling over soon.
• You recently stopped sleeping so well, instead you'd prefer to eat all night and sleep all day.  Something I hope is a phase that will soon pass.
• You talk A LOT.  The cutest part is how much you talk to Ava, Michael, Quinn and Nash.  You are just so happy around them and giggle and coo when you see them!
• You are incredibly ticklish and laugh every time I change you or tickle your arms.  I feel bad because you give yourself the hiccups almost every time. 
• You hate the carseat.  I find this odd because out of all of my children you have the most entertainment in the backseat.  Ava and Michael are facing you and they talk to you constantly.  It doesn't matter though, you do not like riding in the car.  We plan trips around when you'll be sleeping.  Such a little stinker!

So my love, you are a happy baby and so sweet to snuggle with.  I am so very blessed that God sent you to me.  Our family is now complete because of you.

This past week, we had the pleasure of visiting with Mimi.  It was her first time meeting Austin and it had been a while since she saw Michael and Ava.  It was so great to visit and I know that Michael had the most fun with Baylon.  He LOVED walking the sweet little puppy on his leash, he kept telling us he was "helping".  Poor Baylon, Michael pulled him everywhere and every chance Baylon got, he would dash off and escape to Mimi.

Ava chatted with Mimi endlessly on two "phones" that weren't really phones at all.  They were pieces of cardboard that came from my new Christmas decorations that Mom bought me at the Nutcracker Market. Oh, what it would be like to "make believe" again.

It was a great day and one that will not soon be forgotten.  We love you Mimi and hope to see you again soon.

Three Months Old

 

Can it be? Is Austin already three months old?  One one hand, it seems as though he has been here forever and on the other, it seems like yesterday we were driving to the hospital.  My dear sweet Austin, now that you are here, I can't imagine that there was ever a world without you.  So what are you up to now in your third month of life?

 So much, so very much:

• You smile and laugh at me every time you see me!  Yep, you definitely know who Momma is!
• You light up for Michael and Ava.  It's a good thing too since they are constantly all over you.  If we get in the car without you, Michael will exclaim "Uh oh Mommy! We forgot Austin!" He is always so concerned about you.  If you cry, he sings songs to you.  And bless your heart, Ava just won't stop kissing you.  No wonder you both were sick with the same thing at the same time.
• This brings me to my next first for you; you had your first illness and it was a rough one.  You and Ava both had RSV on Thanksgiving! Lots of breathing treatments, sleepless nights and tylenol doses later, you are on the mend.
• You are such a talker but this should be no suprise.  Both your brother and sister are too.
• You are going through a growth spurt because you no longer sleep through the night.  Instead you wake me up to eat and visit.  Yep, you don't just want to eat but you would like a little conversation at 3 in the morning.
• The verdict is still out on what color your eyes will be.  I guess it's too soon to tell.  I think it would be awesome if they were green like your Nana's but you never know.

So littlest love, we will soon celebrate Christmas and your four month birthday.  You are loved to the moon and back sweet boy, Happy 3 Month Birthday.

Two Months Old

 Two months old, I cannot believe it.  I feel like it was yesterday I complaining about being so pregnant in the summer, then I blinked and I am a mother of three.  Austin, you are such a good baby.  You rarely cry and you sleep through the night.  It was rough in the beginning but we are adjusting to three little ones and you are getting used to "love" from Michael and Ava. They truly love you so very much and miss you when you are sleeping.  Michael is always so worried and asks me everytime we leave to make sure I have you. You have no idea how lucky you are sweet boy. So what is new in the life of my adorable littlest man?  Here are just a few things:

• You were 7 lbs when you were born and now you weigh 15 lbs.  So yes, you like to eat a lot. 93rd percentile!
• You are a great sleeper.  I have realized that the noisier it is, the better you sleep.  You are used to all of the noise that comes from Michael and Ava.
• I'm not sure if you eyes will stay blue, but I can hope. 
• You make the funniest faces, I do believe you get that from me.
• You love to be outside
• You cannot stand it if we leave you in a room alone.  Even if you don't need a thing, you will throw a fit until someone comes in and sits by you, or brings you to us.

So I have begun to call you "chubbers".  Don't worry, I will think of a new nick name before you go to school.  I love you little man and I am so happy that you are mine.

Halloween

Well Halloween was pretty fun this year.  Michael finally understood how to get candy from people, although he wouldn't say trick or treat, instead he would ask "May I have some candy please?" and then flash a big smile.  Let me tell you, he got lots of candy.  Ava on the other hand just wanted to run and I mean run around and swish her dress. If she did manage to get candy, she proceeded to eat through the wrapper to taste it.  She was a handful and because she didnt' want to stay with us, we actually called it a night a bit early.  I have no idea where her stubborness comes from :).  And of course my little Austin just slept the entire night.  He sure looked cute doing it though.

This year, Michael dressed up like Woody from Toy Story.  He has really started to love those movies.  I thought surely he would want to be Buzz Lightyear because he is constantly jumping off of his bed screaming "To infinity and beyond!", well actually he pronounces it "indenity", but no Buzz this year.  My darling priss pot Ava was a lady bug, complete with glittery wings and shoes.  Let me tell you, when she knows she looks cute, she flaunts it.  And Austin wore Michael's Yoda costume.  Of course Michael was four months old when he wore it and here my two month old Austin could barely fit in it!

It was a fun and exhausting night but totally worth every second.  The next morning Michael asked if we were going to get more candy again and I was thankful that I could tell him that Halloween is only once a year!

Pumpkins

Due to the fact that we live in subtropical Houston, it is often difficult to tell when the fall season truly begins.  Is it with day light savings time?  Is it when Starbucks releases their spiced pumpkin and salted caramel lattes? Well, for me it is when the pumpkins arrive in all of their orange glory.  So when I saw this pumpkin patch as I was driving to see my parents, I knew we would be making a visit. 

It was fun to see Michael and Ava run around.  Michael quickly grabbed a wagon and began to put whatever pumpkin he could lift inside.  He was so cute when he strained to lift them.  Ava just had fun trying to climb on top of them...until she spotted this cute little boy.  I have never seen her do this, but she chased him down and hugged him.  The poor boy, he never stood a chance.  I guess that he was the closest to her size she had ever seen, so she instantly thought he must need a hug!

Then there is my darling little Austin.  He just stayed in my arms and was oblivious to the entire experience except when Michael discovered that the hay comes out of the hay bales and proceeded to throw it in the air.

When we made it back home, I thought the kids could paint their pumpkins and we could carve one big one as a family.  It started out nice enough, pretty colors and all. However, things turned when Michael and Ava realized that they could just mix all the paint together into one icky mess and slap it on the pumpkin.  Thank goodness the paint was washable.  The end result was an orange pumpkin with blackish purple blobs of paint.  Of course I couldn't resist dipping Austin's foot in the paint and putting it on his baby pumpkin.  And once again, he slept through the entire thing.

When Derin made it home, we were able to carve the pumpkin as a family.  That was interesting too, since I have a son that doesn't truly like to get dirty and a daughter that likes to go all in, all the time.  Nonetheless, our Jack-O-Lantern face revealed itself to my artist husband and the magical moment of lighting the candle commenced.  It was fun for about two mintues and then the kiddos were off to something else but I will take what I can get. So while I wait for the cooler weather to make its way to me, I will sip a soy spiced pumpkin latte and and look at my three little pumpkins.