Loving Outside

Todd and I have always enjoyed being outside whether it is working on the lawn, riding bikes, going for walks, or just sitting on our deck. We are very thankful that this love of being outside has been passed on to Andrew.

The other evening we decided to grill and eat supper out on our deck. We were holding Andrew outside while supper was cooking and he was just taking it all in; I swear that his head never stays still while he is outside. We had to come inside to get everything ready and Andrew began fussing and squirming in my arms; as soon as we stepped back outside he settled right down. This repeated when I had to go back into the house to get something else. He sat in his swing that evening and I would have to say that it was the most peaceful meal that Todd and I have had in a long time. :)

Andrew had a new experience this week as well...he got to feel grass on his feet for the first time.

At first he wasn't sure about this new feeling on his feet but soon just began to kick and move his feet through the grass. 

I have a very strong feeling that you will be finding us outside in our front lawn a lot of summer (and spring this year since it already feels like summer) afternoons. And I am looking forward to it all! 


 

Weekend Adventures

This weekend we had lots of different places to go (often happens on the weekends) so our little guy spent a lot of time in his car seat between the car and stroller but he doesn't mind as long as he gets to stretch for a while afterwards.

When we are out and about the little guy has to eat is some of the least convenient places, but we make it work. When worst comes to worst we resort to the car. This means that Andrew gets to see what it is like to sit up front, which won't actually get to happen for a very long time.

 

Hanging out with Daddy after eating in the Target parking lot - Not ideal but it works :)

As many of you know Andrew much prefers to eat at home with just myself and Todd around as he barely tolerates the nursing cover and we often have issues. To say the least Andrew likes to grab a hold of things and flap his arms wildly, not the best idea but he finds it fun. If he doesn't want to play with the cover then he is trying to escape...

Peek-a-Boo

I will be the first to admit that most of our running around this weekend was in search of new summer clothes for me (however Todd came out ahead of me, not sure how that works). Todd told Andrew before we left that we were going clothes shopping and that it can be a long and boring trip. Well we also had to go to a few home improvement stores in search of a screen door for the front of our house. Apparently he didn't find that too exciting either...

But do notice that he was not going to let go of his ball, he loves that ball. 

Who Do I Look Like?

This past weekend we were up visiting our parents and grandparents and were given some old pictures to look at. I couldn't believe what a resemblance we found. I knew that our little guy was looking more and more like his daddy but then we found these for a comparison.

Grandpa, Daddy, and Andrew - if you couldn't tell by the picture style you might have a hard time with telling the difference. Especially since they all have those chubby cheeks.

 

Grandpa Arlin                                                               Daddy

Spring Weather

This year the weather has been far from normal. We barely received any snow and what we did never hung around long. Last year we were inching out into the road trying to see over huge snow piles. Even though I missed looking outside at our normal winter wonderland, I must say that I am greatly enjoying this abnormally warm spring weather. Every day this week the little guy, Todd, and I have been able to go for a walk; it is just great to be outside.

It has been fun to watch this experience for our little guy. He loves being outside so much already and I'm sure this will only grow. As we walk he is looking around constantly trying to take it all in, I can only imagine what he is thinking as he sees and hears (hearing dogs for the first time really made his eyes big) all these new things. He is also loving being able to look around when we carry him from the car to a store - completely new experience not having his fleece cover pulled over his carseat.

There has been one disadvantage for our little guy though...he has learned what it means to be hot. Being born in December he has not experienced this yet, so last night when it reached 81 degrees outside and about 75 in our house we found him most content in just his little onesie playing on the floor underneath the ceiling fan. Funny thing, this is where I found myself a few evenings last spring when it got hot and our air conditioner didn't work while pregnant (there is a great breeze that blows between the front and back windows too).

We thank God for this beautiful weather and we are so thankful that we are able to get outside and enjoy it; hopefully it is here to stay. Right now we are both anxiously awaiting Todd/Daddy to get home from work so we can go on our walk today.

 Mommy, why am I so warm?

Series of Doctor Visits

When our little guy was about 1 1/2 months old we started seeing small spots of blood in his stools. When this was brought up to our pediatrician I was asked to keep a food journal to try to determine if it was something I was passing him through the breast milk. After doing this for a few weeks we couldn't find any correlation, then it all of a sudden got worse so we went back to the doctor.

We were quickly asked to stop breast-feeding and begin giving Andrew a formula made for babies with allergies. They also drew blood and did a x-ray of his belly, both came back normal. So we were sent home with two cans of formula and a kit to collect a stool sample for them to test (one of the grossest things I have ever done so I won't go into details on that).

When we arrived home after that Sunday morning visit to the doctor I burst into tears not wanting to stop feeding our son. After some discussion Todd and I decided that instead of starting formula we would begin cutting other things out of my diet first. With this decision we were more content, although still concerned; but most importantly trusting in God.

Sunday finished out without any more blood in his diapers; however Monday was even worse than before. After discussing this with our pediatrician we were referred to a pediatric GI doctor. Yesterday (Tuesday) afternoon we met with him with much relief. After his examination of Andrew (thank God he didn't have to put Andrew through any tests either) the doctor told us that there was no reason to stop breast-feeding nor adjust my diet at all. 

His explanation is that some babies have blood in their stool and there is no way of knowing why. As he put it, we have an overall happy, growing, healthy baby boy and we should pay more attention to playing and interacting with him than to what ends up in his diapers. PRAISE GOD!!! 

So we continue on with our normal lives of playing, loving, and caring for our little boy. God is so good and we can not thank Him enough for our sweet little boy. I am so grateful that we chose not to stop breast-feeding as it would have been a large battle for the whole family for no reason.

3 Months Old

It is very hard to believe that our little guy is 3 months old today. In a lot of ways it seems like only yesterday that we were bringing him home from the hospital, others I can't remember what life was like before he was here.

Who can resist that sweet little face

Watching him grow has been so exciting and I treasure all the little moments - both good and bad. Andrew is getting such a personality now. Overall he is a very content little boy who loves to look around and be a part of anything that is going on. With that being said, you have to carry him around facing out otherwise he will really begin to fuss as he can not see out. 

Everyday he plays more and more with his toys, which is so much fun to watch as he grabs hold of his rings or animals and almost pulls the arch over on himself. He is a very strong little boy.

As he grows every day I find myself thinking that I just want him to stop and stay my sweet little boy longer, but then I think of all the fun things to come. Even though he now weighs 16lbs, I will continue to call him my sweet little boy.
 

 1 1/2 Weeks Old /  3 Months Old

Daddy Time

Some of my favorite moments to capture are those of my boys together. There is nothing sweeter than watching a daddy with his little boy, except seeing how much that little boy loves his daddy. 

Every evening Andrew's eyes light up when he hears Daddy's voice say "Hey Buddy!" Andrew loves his mommy - or at least I assume so ;) - but there is something special about Daddy Time.

 Telling Daddy about his day.

 

 Reading with Daddy.

 

Vitamins from Daddy before bed  /   Getting rocked to sleep

But this might be their favorite time together