You Are Loved....

I wanted you more than you ever will know
So I sent love to follow wherever you go.

It's high as you wish it. It's quick as an elf.
You'll never outgrow it...it stretches itself!

So climb any mountain...climb up to the sky!
My love will find you. My love can fly!

 Make a big splash! Go out on a limb!
My love will find you. My love can swim!

 It never gets lost, never fades, never ends...
If you're working, or playing or sitting with friends.

 You can dance 'til you're dizzy, paint 'til you're blue...
There's no place, not one, that my love can't find you.

 And if someday you're lonely or someday you're sad,
Or you strike out at baseball or think you've been bad...

Just lift up your face, feel the wind in your hair.
That's me, my sweet baby, my love is right there.

 In the green of the grass...in the smell of the sea...
In the clouds floating by...at the top of a tree...

In the sound crickets make at the end of the day...
"You are loved. You are loved. You are loved" they all say.

My love is so high and so wide and so deep,
It's always right there, even when you're asleep.

 So hold your head high and don't be afraid
To march to the front of your own parade.

If you're still my small babe or you're all the way grown,
My promise to you is you're never alone.

 You are my angel, my darling, my star...
and my love will find you, wherever you are.

  

You Are Loved by Nancy Tillman

 

Birth to Three Month Movie

I'm going to attempt to upload a video here - I hope it works! Jess worked very hard on this slideshow of the little sweet pea and it turned out beautifully. I know it will be something that we'll watch over and over again as our little guy grows.

Six Month Update

Weight: 19 lbs 1.2 oz (85th percentile)
Length: 27.5 in (85th percentile)

Six months = 26 weeks = 182 days = 10,920 hours since the little beast made his unwilling appearance in the world. I have to admit that I thank God that his birth happened the way it did even though both of us could have hung out for another week or two!

Month six has seen some interesting changes in Sweet Pea:

1a.  He is a rolly polly little guy. He's learned how to roll from his back to stomach. Normally, he stops himself before he rolls completely over but he occasionally will sleep on his tummy. Sometimes gravity gets in the way and rolls him the rest of the way. He then pops his head up like a little turtle and looks around like 'Huh'. Same thing goes for when he is trying to remain sitting up by himself - he inevitably collapses down toward his belly or side and hangs out for a little bit assessing the situation. He seems to prefer sleeping on his side now with his top leg thrown over. And still with some sort of towel, blanket or cloth over his head. I check for breathing several times during a nap.

1b.  He is a rolly polly little guy. He moved up from the 50th percentile in weight to 85th percentile in two months! The little dude likes him some rice cereal. He gets a lot of comments on his chubby cheeks, mostly regarding how delectable they are.

2.  He tends toward crankiness now when he's tired; he cannot simply go to sleep anymore - he fights, literally kicking and screaming. Even Rachael's little girl has mentioned his fussiness but don't worry, she still likes him - 'just not when he is crying'. :)  I don't know if it is a teething issue or a not wanting to go to sleep issue but getting him to relax and go to sleep is a bit like trying to figure out the Sphinx's riddle. It involves movement of some sort, preferably holding him while you are standing up, a pacifier and perhaps a song but any of these could be incorrect depending on the day. Yesterday, Jess said that the Sweet Pea just wants someone there in the room with him when he's going to sleep. And it's true and very sweet. Once you get him settled down, he just wants to touch you or look at you and know you are there until he falls asleep. How can I deny such a simple and pure desire? I think we are learning to tell the early warning signs of crankiness and putting him down for sleep earlier. Maybe we can be taught! 

3.  His personality is still pretty fluid. Sometimes I think he is going to be the class clown and other times I think he is the most serious, intense baby in the world. Sometimes smiles are hard won; other times he has a giggle attack that his proud parents post video evidence of on every social media site they are members of because his laugh is so delicious! You can definitely tell when he is really concentrating and focused - those eyebrows furrow and you can hear the gears turning. And he has a distinct 'Go to hell' look. Make him have to cry once, shame on you. Make him have to cry twice and you will see the look previously mentioned. I sincerely hope he finds a balance between levity and somberness and is more light-hearted than his parents though. The world is hard enough as it is!

4.  He loves Maya. (And probably Sam but he's shorter and not as bouncy. Or he may think they are the same dog. It is a distinct possibility.) Watching her race around the yard or even simply walk towards him in the house elicits the strongest and most precious giggles from him. He cracks a smile when he sees her and tries to reach out and grab her when she's near. The feeling is not mutual however, and, although she will happily lap up any drool or spit up on him, she jumps away if he touches her. I keep telling her that she better get used to him now or the future is going to be very ruff for her. (See what I did there - ruff?!)

 

We have also changed formulas this month. I've heard from several people that Gerber's formula helped their babies with their spit up issues so we are trying it out. The spitting up is random but daily and voluminous. He doesn't seem to be bothered by it but Jess and I are drowning. Add that constant supply of drool (when do babies learn to swallow?) and every surface of our house, clothing, dogs, etc. has been anointed.



Door Bouncy Thingy

Sweet Pea, you are such a joy. Even when you cover me in spit up or wake your dad up at all hours, one hug or smile from you and all is forgotten. Your giggle attack over the weekend was the most precious event for us in awhile - we've both replayed the videos about a hundred times in the last couple of days just to hear that bubbly laugh! I'm so excited to see the new things you can do from sitting up better and rolling over to sitting in your toy thingy or your door bouncy thingy (those are their formal names). Watching you learn and grow is so much fun!

You are frequently serious and studious but prone to smiles and giggles. I like calling you 'Beast' but not to your face because that's just rude. To your face, I call you Bub or Bubby. This was a word morphed from Buddy and Bubba but according to Urban Dictionary (which I sincerely hope is still around when you are older - how is a white man such as yourself supposed to know the current lingo otherwise?) it is "a term of affection for your one true love". (I never imagined that I would ever directly quote Urban Dictionary.) It is also Yiddish for grandmother so maybe your kids can call me that one day. 

You are getting to be a big boy and carrying you in the car seat is not really an option for me anymore. My lack of upper body strength is ridiculous. You are becoming a champion eater too. Most, if not all the rice cereal you eat now stays in your mouth and you've moved well past that initial tablespoon of cereal at one sitting. You love talking while you eat. I think you are saying 'Get in my belly!' (ask me about that reference). And you are such a cuddler. Your cuddles and hugs are a balm to any of life's problems.

Love you!      






St. Paddy's Day!