Jack Turns Eight

Another year has flown by in the life of my first born, who turns 8 years old today! I couldn't be prouder of the big boy that he has become. He is a great leader for his brothers and is so much help to Mommy and Daddy too.

A little about Jack at this age:

He is so smart but even more than that, he loves to learn. He has a passion for history, science, and even likes math (although sitting down to do it is not his favorite thing). History is his favorite and I am impressed at how well he retains historical and geographical information and keeps the timeline straight in his mind. He has a particular interest in Roman history, which we spent some time on earlier this year at home. He is fascinated by the great military heroes and by the rise and fall of the empire. I think it's great and I enjoy refreshing my memory and learning new things with him as well. In our co-op, he is taking a timeline history class and he has a wonderful teacher. Most recently they learned about Columbus' voyage, Martin Luther and the reformation, King Henry the 8th, and the Mona Lisa. I help out in this class and love to see how engaged Jack is as Ms. Liza tells stories from history. He eats it all up and continues to ask questions throughout the week. I only wish I had learned so much history at his age!

Jack also loves sports. He plays football, basketball, and soccer formally but also enjoys running, riding bikes, swimming, and of course watching sports live or on TV. He is a big OU  and Thunder fan but when it comes to NFL, he is pretty fickle and bounces around a bit as far as who he cheers for. At home, he and Graham spend hours outside playing football and basketball, pretending to be real teams sometimes, and other times they make up silly names for their teams such as the Wa Was and the Diaper Babies. I love that Jack teaches Graham the rules of sports and also is usually sweet enough to let him win a few here and there. 

When it's too cold to be outside playing sports, Jack can be found reading or playing legos. I have never seen a kid who reads as much as him (except for myself at that age). He can go through a chapter book in a couple of hours. We frequent the library because it is tough to keep up! Some favorite books lately: Detectives in Togas, The Sugar Creek Gang series, and Dinosaur Cove series. He builds lego sets fairly quickly as well but likes to rebuild and create his own designs for them too. His favorites are Star Wars, Chima, and Ninjago.

Jack has always been the kind of kid that has never met a stranger. He makes friends easily and is kind to everyone. I wondered if that might go away as he got older and, while he can be a bit shy these days when entering in a big group of kids who already know each other, he is still outgoing and friendly and warms up quickly. He has made some great new friends this year through our co-op, a new basketball team, and our new neighborhood. His best buddy currently is probably Ephraim. Ephraim is maybe the only other kid I know who loves history so they are a good match. They like to build things together and tend to go through lots of duct tape. :)

Jack is loving homeschool and really thriving in this environment. He is doing math at a third grade level and could probably be even further ahead but I want him to enjoy it. I love having more time with him and seeing him grow and learn each day. It is so great to keep him at his own pace while also having more time to enjoy the sunshine and enjoy being a little boy. We love to explore new parks, trails, playgrounds etc. and have picnics on nice days. 

Speaking of picnics, I should also mention that at this age, Jack seems to eat about double what I do and remain so skinny that I have to buy his jeans in "slim." The kid can eat adult sized meals at restaurants and still beg for more food off of my plate and somehow never be full. I guess moving around all day makes a growing boy hungry. I may need to get a job just to afford our ever increasing grocery bill. :)

Jack continues to be strong willed with a strong desire for justice and fairness in the world. He is also very logical and stubborn. I think these qualities, while challenging for me as a parent at times, are going to serve him well, especially as a man in God's Kingdom. He is going to be the kind of man who has the courage to stand up for what is right. I see him being a great leader, unwilling to back down in the face of opposition. I pray all of my boys turn into strong men with hearts for God, but Jack in particular has that sensitive heart and discernment that will be his strength. My prayer is that Randy and I have the wisdom to lead him and encourage him in his gifts in such a way that they can be used by God to further his Kingdom.

We continue to be so proud of our sweet boy and are thankful for every day with him!

Graham is FIVE!

Today my sweet middle boy is having a birthday and just as is his nature, he woke up giddy with excitement! He was beyond thrilled to find a simple Happy Birthday banner hanging in the living room and donuts for breakfast with a candle to blow out. He says he feels taller and that he loves how being five feels. I love seeing life through the eyes of Graham. Little did I know on this day in 2010 what we were getting into! He is the kind of kid that finds joy in everything and brings joy to everyone. 

Since Graham's party isn't for a couple of days and we have small group this evening, we decided to treat him to lunch at the place of his choice. And just like every five year old, he responded with and excited, "UPTOWN GROCERY CO!!!" Yes, that is right. We went to a grocery store for lunch because he loves their chicken fingers, mashed potatoes, and rolls. What a silly kid!

Some fun things about Graham at this age:

- He is a genius. No, really. He comes off as flighty and can't get his shoes on the right feet or remember where his water bottle is but the kid was reading fluently several months ago and is breezing through second semester 1st grade math like it's nothing. I see him being sort of an absent minded professor in the future. If he's not a snow boarder or something, that is. :)

- Graham loves soccer. Going to his class at Soccer City each week is so much fun for him! He counts down the days. This kid wears his emotions on his sleeve and every time he scores, you would think he had just scored the winning goal in the World Cup. He's actually pretty talented and I think this may be his sport.

- He loves games. Right now his favorite is Clue Jr. but he's also spent lots of time playing Go Fish, Uno, Candy Land, Sorry, and Chutes and Ladders. He enjoys playing over and over and over again. And if no one wants to play? No problem. He just plays with "Mr. Nobody." Funny how he seems to always beat that guy.
- Graham has a great imagination. He and Jack play for hours and hours fighting Vikings, flying through outer space, dominating football games, and catching bad guys. It is so cool to hear how their minds work and I just love that they have each other.

- He has a talent for acting and comedy. He loves to recite lines from movies and has a great ability to make the exact right facial expressions and voices. He entertains us and makes us laugh like crazy!

- Graham loves books. He could read all day long. He also really enjoys listening to books on CD while he follows along. We check out about 5 from the library every week and he always hates to return them. He enjoys hearing the same stories over and over again and is finally developing an attention span long enough to listen to chapter books read by me. I love snuggling up with my boys and a good book.

- He enjoys being outside and likes walks but hates riding a bike. I don't know why but he has never been too steady on a bike and it makes him very nervous. This Christmas he got a balance bike and he is more willing to use it but still a little unsettled. I'm hoping he will be racing down the street with Jack this spring!

- Graham loves to play games on the Nook. He plays a math game and a states game and I can see that if his time weren't limited to 30 minutes per day, he would easily become an addict. He has a thing for screens.

- He loves his baby brother and is adored by Reid. Even though Reid is starting to annoy him at times, getting into his things, etc. they share a very sweet bond. Graham never wants me to go get Reid in the morning or after a nap without him coming along to help. And they always kiss each other good night. 

- Graham loves sports but what he loves even more is keeping track of the score. He is fascinated with the numbers and seems to watch the scoreboard more than the game sometimes! Having said that, he is such a support for Jack and cheers his little heart out when Jack plays basketball.

Graham is truly a one of a kind kid. He talks a mile a minute ALL. DAY. LONG. I have a hard time keeping up with all the questions: Mommy, who do you want to win, blue or red? Mommy, who is stronger, Yoda or Darth Vader? Mommy, what is a million minus 3? Mommy, (insert fake team here) just got an interception! Wanna see the replay?!

He is so loving and very quick to forgive. He can be emotional but bounces back so quickly from sad to happy- I've never seen anything like it. He has the gift of encouragement and uses that gift to bless others every day. If I could be Graham for a day, I would, because Graham world is a very happy and fun place. But I will settle for being his mommy. What a gift it is!

My Baby is TWO

Reid is two. Reid. Sweety Reidy. My baby. I cannot believe it. These past two years have simply flown by at a rate my brain cannot process. It was just yesterday that Randy and I sat, having dinner at 1492 while the kids were away at the grandparents, and discussed how easy things had gotten and how wonderful it would be to have just one more sweet little one. Two weeks later, on the eve of Graham's second birthday party, I found out I was pregnant and my life has never been the same.

Throughout my pregnancy with Reid, I found myself questioning our decision and worrying that having three would be too difficult, too much for me to handle. Being pregnant with two little boys was not easy and I was often overwhelmed. But God has blessed me with the sweetest little guy and, although some days have been hard, I know that our family would never have been complete without this little guy. He melts my heart with his affection and his eager to please disposition. We are so thankful for him!

Some of Reid's latest milestones and favorite things:
- Reid talks all. the. time. Talk, talk, talk. He tells you about each and every thought that passes through his brain and I love to listen! His vocabulary has exploded and he can now say anything he wants to say.
- He has recently begun singing! My other boys were big singers early on but Reid had not been interested until the other day when he suddenly started singing the ABC's. I love hearing him sing!
- Reid loves superman and any other super hero! He calls them "mans" and makes all of them fly. :)
- He loves going to Elevate, our homeschool co-op, and I am always amazed at how he just tags along and does everything the big boys do. He sits still when someone is speaking, stands up and dances when we worship, and happily goes to his "class" when it's time to split up.
- He loves going to soccer practice! We recently started taking mommy and me classes at Soccer City and Reid has a blast. He follows directions well and even seems to be pretty talented when it comes to handling the ball. His favorite part is building cone towers and then kicking a soccer ball at them to knock them over. Oh, and of course he loves feeding the balls to the hungry monster (soccer ball bag). :)
- He is all smiles when we're outside. Whether it's a walk, playing on a playground, or just watching Jack's football game, he really enjoys being outside.
- He has started sleeping with a new "lovie." It's a little Muddypaws doggie. I think it's sweet that he's attached to it. He sleeps with that and his blankie and both were gifts from BB.
- He knows his colors! At soccer, they ask the kids about colors sometimes so we worked on it at home for a bit and now he knows all of the primaries. I am impressed with how quick of a learner he is.
- His favorite foods are pizza, pretzels, yogurt, pizza, grapes, cereal bars, pizza, and pizza. He is a good eater but has definitely been exposed to more junk food than the other boys had at his age.
- He is still the best hugger this world has ever known. I can't fully explain this. You just have to get a hug from him to understand. :)

Happy Birthday to my adorably handsome little man!!! We love you!!!

Reid is 21 Months!

My sweet little guy is so big all of the sudden! I can't believe he will be 2 soon. These past three months have been full of changes for Reid. His vocabulary had increased so much and he can speak in full sentences most of the time. He is still a man of few words but when he wants to, he can say pretty much anything. My favorite is the way he says no. It's a long, drawn out, crescendoing nnnnnooooOOOOOO.

Some of Reid's favorite things:
- Reading. Reid LOVES books! He really loves reading with me in his rocking chair before nap and bedtime but he also loves reading on his own at home or in the car. His favorite books are, The Going to Bed Book, Moo, Baa, La, La, La!, Grover's Potty Book, Goodnight Moon, and Clifford the Big Red Dog.
- His bedtime routine. After bath, we put on Reid's lotion, then pajamas. Then he goes to his crib and gets his binkie and blankie. Lastly, he literally BACKS UP from the crib toward the rocking chair and into my arms for books, songs, and prayers. I have no idea when or why he started backing up to me each night but it is the cutest, strangest thing.
- Swimming. Reid LOVES the "wimmin poo!" It took all of a couple of days for him to progress from sitting on the edge, to clinging to me, to not letting me touch him at all unless I'm catching him while he's jumping in! He loves to kick, kick, kick his feet and is even happier when he has an audience.
- Wiping his nose. I admit that this is a really bizarre hobby. For quite some time, Reid has really enjoyed holding a kleenex or cloth wipe, walking around, and wiping his nose. Even when there is nothing to wipe. He cries when you take it away. I don't understand.
- Cousins. Reid loves being with his cousins. He especially gets along with Brooklyn. They love to chase each other around BB's house, giggling all the while! They also enjoy dancing and playing trains together.
- Ring around the Rosy. Reid loves this game and makes a big show out of falling all the way down. It's pretty cute to watch all three boys playing this together. :)

Reid continues to be such a joy. He is so very sweet. He gives the best hugs of anyone in the world and is 100% a Momma's boy. I love him so much!

Reid is One and a Half!!

I can't believe how fast time is flying with this little one! He is 18 months old today and this month has been packed with milestones!

Reid's vocabulary has exploded this month! Up until now, he has been pretty quiet but finally he has decided to talk and has added many new words as well as phrases and sentences to his repertoire. A few off of the top of my head: button (LOVES pushing buttons to open automatic doors), muffin, yogurt, apple, dinner, snack, park, play, tall tower, fall down, bath, go bye bye, baby, cross, ipad is broken (one of the first phrases I heard from him), no, no, no, no, no, no, no (he never says no once). :) There are so many more!

Reid's favorite things at this age are playing outside and taking baths. He could play outside in the backyard for hours! He slides, swings, plays at the sand table, shoots baskets into his goal, jumps on the trampoline, kicks the soccer ball, watches me blow bubbles, etc. He likes to come in and out of the house at will. If we go the park, he loves the swings! He also likes climbing and is not afraid to attempt any kind of climbing so I have to watch him extremely closely. This kid has no fear!

Speaking of no fear, I honestly am amazed that this little guy has not broken a bone or had some other major accident yet. I feel like I catch him on the brink of severe disaster many times each day. Jack was super cautious at this age so we didn't go through this with him. Graham was a mess and was into everything but he put THINGS in danger more than he put HIMSELF in danger. Reid puts himself in danger. He climbs on tables, chairs, drawers, toy boxes, ladders, etc., he reaches for knives, he pulls on heavy things, he throws breakable objects, he turns on water, he opens doors, and the list goes on and on. He can carry his step stool around so at any time he can reach things that you didn't realize he could or would reach. He is a danger to himself more than society and it is a full time job protecting him from himself!! Especially since he looks so innocent and even knowing all of these things about him, it still surprises me some of the situations he manages to get himself into! 

Reid loves being chased and tickled! He crawls away from me super fast but then stops on his own to let me "catch him" and he just giggles and giggles. I love those giggles!

He has also become super snuggly at bedtime. He is not typically a snuggle but because he always wants "DOWN!!" to play but at bedtime, after we read a book and have some milk, he just snuggles up and lets me rock and sing to him forever. Such precious moments.

Reid is such a sweet spirit. I can't imagine life without him. 

Darth Redius is 17 Months Old!

My baby is becoming a big boy right before my eyes. He turns 17 months old today! It has been a month of growth for our little guy, whose vocabulary has exploded among other milestones.

Reid continues to be a bit of a shy talker so he doesn't say his new words often on demand but when he feels like it, here are the words/phrases he likes to use: Uh Oh (this one is hands down his favorite. He throws things to the ground just to have an excuse to look at me with those cute eyes and say, UH OH!!), Theresa, Kari, cookie, Elmo, cow, all done, Papo, Mumo, outside (OW SIGH!), fishies (goldfish crackers), help, on, off, open, girl, baby, sock, shoe, and I am sure there are some that I am missing. He understands every word that we say but is ornery and usually chooses not to obey. :)

Reid still loves reading. His current favorite book is the big book of baby words. He LOVES to sit and point at each picture over and over again while we say the words. He repeats most of them and then we go back and "read" it again. He also still enjoys peek a boo books and books that are touch and feel.

Reid loves to go the the church library. He enjoys the ipad and loves the app called, Peekaboo HD. First he hears the animal noise, then he simply taps on the screen and the animal appears. He has learned all of his animal sounds this way and loves feeling big by having this few minutes of "screen time." He also enjoys playing trains (choo choos) and legos. He is surprisingly good at putting legos together, although he prefers to pull them apart! And every once in awhile, he will watch the TV, which sometimes has Wee Sing Bible songs from the early 80's playing. He is fascinated with these videos and I must say they are quite engaging, if only because of the humorous outfits and hairstyles.

Some of Reid's other favorite places include Dynamo Playzone, any playground, the Science Museum, and the Chick fil A play area. He has mastered stairs, ladders, and slides, so let him loose and off he'll go! It is so fun to watch him play. He is all smiles, squeals, and laughter. I think he must have gone up the stairs and down the slides at Bluff Creek 100 times yesterday.

Reid is a great sleeper. He is in bed by 7pm and wakes up at 7:30 am. He naps from around 12-3pm. I love walking into his room to get him because he is always all smiles. He loves to see me and he'll just grin and say, "MMMAMA!" Then he will reach out and as I grab him he wraps his arms around my neck and gives me the biggest, tightest hug you can imagine, complete some "lova pats" as we call them. Melts my heart every time. My little "mama's boy" truly could not be any sweeter. 

Reid at 16 Months

Another month has flown by in the life of Reid William! He has grown and changed so much in a short time but still keeps his personality, which can best be described as: sweet. He is still very "lovey" this month. His hugs could melt even the coldest heart. They are tight gripping, long lasting, and full of sweet pats on the back. If you haven't had a hug from Reid you definitely need to get one of those. :)

He has added some new words to his vocabulary this month, however he continues to be pretty quiet. He says lots of words but he does not say them often. He just isn't much of a talker I guess! Some new words are: BB (finally!), Santa (a month or so late), school, apple, yogurt, and diaper. He is also still loving to sign! I should probably teach him some more signs because he knows and uses every one that we have taught him!

One of Reid's new favorite things is reading books. He has finally gotten to that stage where he will sit still and flip through a whole book and then want to start over and read it again. He often goes to his toy box, get out some of his favorites and then comes and plops down in my lap. I love it! His preferred books at the moment are: Sesame Street Peek a Boo, some other peek a boo book, Sesame Street nursery rhymes, The Going to Bed book, a Clifford the Big Red Dog book, and a couple of Bible story books.

Some other hobbies lately include racing cars down his brothers' race track, pulling all of my makeup out of the drawer and eating some of it, pulling all of his brothers' underwear out of their drawers, playing with and losing toothbrushes, watching Jack play basketball, singing songs with motions, and playing at Chick fil a. He is a huge fan of Chick fil a and feels like a very big boy going up the stairs and down the slide. I am thankful that his big brothers can help me drag him down when it's time to go. :)

We love our baby!

Graham is FOUR!

Today is a big day. We have been counting down to this day for several months now. And each day I said to Graham, "Mommy wants you to stay three forever!" To which he replied, "No!!! I WILL turn four!!" Alas, he was right. And I already miss my three year old. These years just fly by way too quickly for this mommy. Now I have another big boy on my hands! And he is such a special one.

Graham at this age is so many things all at once. First of all, he is funny and he loves funny things. He has such a sense of humor and loves to laugh. When we're watching a movie, often the rest of us can't even hear the funny lines over Graham's laughter! This annoys Jack but Randy and I love it. So much joy. So few worries. Graham isn't easily troubled. When he is sad, he is very sad, but it is also short lived. He is so quick to cheer up. I wish we all had that ability!

Graham is very, very smart. Sometimes this is masked a bit because he has so much energy and usually doesn't sit and "focus" on one thing for long. However, this kid can add and subtract, is beginning to read short words, and knows all of his states, their nicknames, and most of the capitals, all at age four. He learns differently than Jack but he learns and he can learn very quickly if he is interested!

Graham loves books and stories. He likes to read the same picture books over and over again. Some favorites are: The Story About Ping, We're Going on a Bear Hunt, Where Oh Where is Huggle Buggle Bear?, Blueberries for Sal, Old Hat New Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, and I could go on. If you try to read him a book that is over his head, he will disengage very quickly but if it is on his level, he would listen all day, however many times you were willing to read it. He memorizes the stories easily too so he loves to "read" by himself as well.

Graham is charming. He has always been a ham and very outgoing so people have taken to him quickly. But he is also genuinely sweet and knows what to say to make someone smile. He often thanks me out of the blue for something I have done for him or tells me I am pretty. He can come up with the funniest things to say right as you're about to get onto him about something and break your stern mood just at the right time. He knows this too and is amused by it.

Graham's other interests at this age include: going on walks around the neighborhood (he rides his Thomas bike), playing on the ipad at the church library, playing Stack the States on the Nook, playing any kind of card game (Uno, Go Fish, etc.), going to the park, the zoo, the science museum, or Dynamo. He loves spending the night at BB's or Gigi's house. And all of the sudden, he is fascinated by sports! He doesn't really like to play sports, but he loves to have the games on TV, pick which team he is rooting for, and then keep track of the score and hopefully WIN! Just in the past couple of weeks, we have cheered for OU, Syracuse, Green Bay, Denver, Seattle, the Mavericks, and of course the Thunder. He is loyal to his teams but if another game is on, he just picks one. :)

He LOVES church and I am so so sad that he will be moving on from Mr. Fred and Ms. Margaret's class now that he is four. They have been such a blessing to him and he feels so loved on each week! He also loves school and counts down the days until Tuesdays and Thursdays. He just enjoys being a part of his class and is blessed with wonderful teachers and good friends. His best buddy at this age is Eli. They are two peas in a pod!

The few things Graham doesn't like at this age: Jack roaring at him and pretending to be a saber tooth tiger. Eating dinner unless it involves ketchup. Being cold, which is a problem because he gets cold very easily. Being told it is time to be all done with the Nook or Leapster. I think that's all. ;)

I am so proud of the kind, friendly boy that Graham has grown up to be. I am sad to see the baby/toddler years go, but am looking forward to seeing what these next years hold!

Reid at 15 Months

I am not sure Reid could possibly be any cuter or sweeter than he is! We are loving this age with him and are so glad his personality has returned! This month has been full of milestones as always. Reid is growing so quickly. I have moments in which I wish he would be older so we could do more things and not have nap time in the middle of the day. But then at other times, I just want him to stay this age forever!

This month, Reid has become super snuggly! In the past, he has been too "on the go" to stop much for hugs but lately he slows down here and there to give us some super big hugs and cuddles. I am loving this. :)

He still enjoys being outside, even when it is REALLY cold! I am not a fan of this winter weather because we have not been able to get out or stay out as much as we like. But thankfully, he can handle the cold in small doses. He especially likes going to the playground or on walks (in which he rides in his red car). He is also enjoying his new motorized car that we gave him for Christmas.

He is talking a teeny bit more. He is not as verbal as my other boys were at this age so even the words he says, he says pretty rarely. Here are some new ones we added this month: more, crackers (CA CAS!), Hey!, Got it!, snack, out (outside), car.

Even more than talking, he is signing. I tried using signs with Jack and Graham but honestly, they were unnecessary because the boys were able to say the words by the time they were able to sign them. Reid, however, is LOVING to sign and uses signs often to communicate. The signs he uses frequently are: more, please, thank you, up, help, change (for diaper changes), and all done. He really loves to sign and it keeps the whining to a minimum. :)

He still loves baths! If we say bath time or turn on the water, he full on sprints to the tub!

Speaking of which, he is getting fast! He is pretty much running at times. He is also becoming a quite a climber. If I forget to move the bunk bed ladder, he can climb all the way up and onto the top bunk. He loves to do this! He also likes to climb on top of tables, shelves, etc.

Reid's current favorite foods are: bagel turkey sandwiches, grapes, fruit and yogurt special k cereal, spaghetti, broccoli, yogurt, and of course, crackers. He prefers either graham or goldfish to ritz. :)

He is also liking puzzles, books, and rolling and kicking a ball. He is actually really good at "dribbling" the ball so maybe he will be our soccer star!

So thankful that God has blessed us with Reid and that we've had another great month being his parents!

Reid at 14 Months

Sweet Reid is 14 months!! For the majority of this past month, I wanted to retract his nickname, "Sweety Reidy," due to the fact that he exchanged his sweetness for pure terribleness!! Seriously, he has had some moments but thankfully we are seeing that sweetness return the past week or so and he is re-earning that name. :)

I think developmentally he has gone through a lot of changes over the past month or two. He is much more independent and wants to do everything on his own. He is also understanding everything that we say but is unable to always communicate what he wants or needs and so he has been easily frustrated. He has also started to be into everything, taking things out of drawers, pulling pictures off of shelves, etc. Randy and I have really had to adapt to his new abilities and are using some new techniques to help him communicate and give him better direction. I wouldn't call it discipline per se but just more intentional guidance. For example, we have taught him several more signs over the past week. He can now sign: all done, more, up, please, help, and we are working on thank you. It is amazing how quickly he learns a new sign and how much it helps his frustration level!! We are also working with him on playing independently. I am putting him in a playpen for 10 minutes each day with some educational toys (puzzles, shape sorters, etc) so that he can "focus" on one thing at a time instead of tearing through the house and being distracted by everything around him. So far, he does not enjoy this time. Hopefully in time he will! My other boys still enjoy alone time to use their imaginations and I love this!

Reid has learned several new words this month. A few off the top of my head: school, banana, snack, book, dog, girl, cracker, and a plethora of animal sounds: moo, quack, neigh, rough, etc. :)

We have finally managed to transition from a bottle to a cup and to cow's milk. His "cup" is very similar to a bottle with a soft spout, but I am still calling it a successful weaning! We had to transition from formula to milk very slowly, like an ounce or less a day. This kid is pretty picky!

We have also finally switched to cloth diapering full time. I have tried so many different kinds but FINALLY found one that we really like. Apple Cheeks are so cute and are working really well for Reid!

Reid loves for me to read him books and especially to make animal sounds when pointing to the animals. He also loves rolling the ball, building with blocks, and sorting shapes. I am impressed that he can correctly figure out in which hole to place the shapes most of the time. He still loves taking a bath! If he is fussy, a bath will always calm him. He could play in there all day. He also is still enjoying being outside although the weather has not been great for that! He liked his first tubing in the snow adventure but only for about 15 minutes! He also enjoys ipads and phones and loves to play the peekaboo app. I hate that he loves this but have found it hard to keep it away completely. We usually play it once a day for a few minutes. After that he just goes up to my laptop and starts slapping the scream, frustrated that it does not respond. :/

Thankfully, his eating has gotten much better. He is eating everything we give him, which is usually what we are having. I supplement with some organic baby food pouches that have things like kale and spinach in them, since I know he wouldn't get much of that good stuff otherwise. But mostly he eats the meals I make and enjoys them.

Happy 14 months, little guy! We love you!

Reid at 13 Months

This month went by so quickly! Reid is another month older and is growing so much. Here are some of his milestones from this month:

- He is a WALKER!!!! He's really taken off in the past couple of weeks, choosing to walk instead of being coaxed into it. He's becoming steadier by the day and is gaining speed as well.
- He is finally cutting some more teeth! He cut two this past week and seems to be working on a couple more. However, this is not going well for him. He has a drool rash, isn't eating well or sleeping well, and is generally just miserable a lot of the time. I hate it for him. We are hoping he'll get a break soon.
- His favorite toys lately are his new book full of "first words." He loves to point at the same things over and over again while I repeat their names. He also loves his barn. He likes to hear me say the names of the animals and make their sounds. Then he likes to throw them all into the silo. :) He is also still obsessed with balls. He likes kicking a soccer ball and rolling/throwing a basketball. He's a sports fan for sure.
- He still loves to be outside and is almost always happy if he can be outside. He enjoys walks, outings to the park, etc. He can sit and play with wood chips and leaves for hours but also loves climbing stairs at the park and sliding down the slides. Jack and Graham love to catch him!
- He has become a very picky eater, which we are hoping is caused by his teething and will pass. He seriously spits most foods back out at us and then proceeds to throw food all over the floor. Mealtime is my least favorite time of day with Reid at this point! The only foods he will eat consistently at this point are bananas, spaghetti, and graham crackers. :/
- His favorite new word is "DAT" which means "what's that?" He loves to point at things and ask us what/who it is. I like his curiosity. :)
- He loves playing rough with Daddy and "bubbas" and laughs like crazy when they act silly! I love to hear that laugh and to see how loved he is by his family!

Reidy's One Year Well Visit

I must have been in a really brave mood when I scheduled the appointment. I scheduled Reid's one year well visit complete with four shots for a day when Randy was out of town on business. Oh yeah, I just for fun I threw in Jack and Graham's flu shots. Nice, huh? Brave? stupid? it's a fine line. But thankfully my mom offered to come and help me out this time. We weren't really worried about Reid. It is Jack that is the worrier, the dweller, and the one who really hates shots. Also, I didn't tell Jack he was getting a shot until we got there. Really, what could go wrong?

All that said, the visit went very smoothly (you know, once the five of us crammed into that little room to begin with). Reid checked out perfectly as expected. Our little guy is right on track with everything. He isn't talking as much as my other two at this point (he says around 10 words) but apparently they were advanced (ha!) and he is normal so we'll take it. He weighed in at 25 pounds, 11 ounces (93%) and measures 31 inches (86%). 

Jack resisted the shot but did fine and was surprised to learn that just like mommy had promised, it was less than one second and then it was all better. He said it wasn't nearly as bad as he thought. Graham, in pure Graham fashion, barely acknowledged me when I said, "you're going to get a shot now, it's going to hurt." He winced momentarily and then jumped down and was back to the box of toys in seconds. I asked him later if the shot hurt and he responded with a brief look of confusion as if he didn't even remember. Then he said, "a teeny bit." :)

Reid did fine with his shots but Jack insisted on leaving the room for that part. He couldn't stand to see his little "precious" in pain. I love his compassion for others and his love for his baby brother. Such a sweet little man. :)

I am glad we survived and perhaps next time Randy travels I will try to avoid doctor appointments...and field trips.

Happy 1st Birthday, Reid!!!!

My baby is ONE!!! I am so happy to celebrate my sweet Reid's special day and cannot believe how much has changed in one year. Obviously, he has grown and changed, but Randy and I have grown and changed in so many ways as well. Reid has added so much to our family and brought all of us so much joy! We have loved watching him grow and learn new things daily. It's been a whirlwind and personally I am thankful just to have survived our last first year!

Milestones this month:
- Reid can walk! Well, when he wants to anyway... He has taken up to 13 steps at a time but still rarely chooses to walk. We have to coax him into it and even then it is very rare. So I am going to hold off on calling him a walker for now. Probably in the next month or so!
- He has added a few new words. He can say all done, cracker, ball, and wheee! He also loves making animals noises. His favorite is the monkey but he can also do a pretty mean pig. :)
- He still loves his bath. However, he is terrified of the new Winnie the Pooh inflatable tub that I bought for him. I have never seen the child so panic stricken as when we tried to put him in that thing. I think he is traumatized for life!!! Seriously, I have no idea why it is scary but after three attempts, I give up. It's not happening! I think we'll just put him in the big tub since he's outgrown his baby tub. Wish us luck!
- He still loves being outside! We like to go to parks and take walks. He enjoys being pushed in his little car and "racing" his big brothers.
- Still only six teeth! He'll have to get a few more eventually, right?
- I am pretty sure he understands everything we say. Like everything. It is very funny to watch his reactions when we're talking to him. If I say, Reid, don't put the sand in your mouth, he will look at me and grunt with a really mad face. But he usually stops!

We love our one year old!!!

Reid is 11 Months Old!!

My little guy is 11 months old today. It is hard to believe that at this time last year, I was anxiously awaiting his arrival. It seems like so long ago! Reid continues to be a sweetheart. He loves his brothers the most but Daddy and me come in at a close second. He is a people person for sure and enjoys having noise and chaos around him. The big boys went to the lake one weekend with my parents and Reid didn't know what to do! He really wanted me attention the entire time when usually he'll just play on the floor. I realized it's because he likes the noise of his brothers and feeling like he's playing with them (even if they are shoo-ing him away)!

Memories and Milestones
- A couple of weeks ago, Reid took his first step! Then today he took two steps and then three steps!! I wouldn't call him a "walker" yet but he is very close. I really thought it would be another month or two because he's been pretty disinterested but all of the sudden he is really making progress.
- Reid started Mother's Day Out at Crossings on Tuesday. His teachers are wonderful and he did really well. I was sad though. :( Two days a week is possibly too much time for me to be away from my guy.
- He started saying "Mama!" It's about time! He is saying dada, bubba, jack, graham (gmm), grandad, bye-bye, so (as in so big), and all done.
- When asked, "how big is Reidy?!" he throws his hands in the air as we say, "so big!!" He says, "SO!"
- He loves playing outside. He enjoys walks and going to the park but also just likes hanging out in the backyard rolling the ball or playing with his little slide.
- He loves riding his horsie and can make the horsie at BB's house bounce all by himself!
- He is taking only one nap/day now. He is tired by 11am but I try to hold him off a bit and he'll usually sleep nearly 3 hours.
- He still has only six teeth, not sure when we'll see any more pop through!
- He hates carpool.
- He likes playing in the church library. However his favorite thing is pulling the books off of the shelves. He thinks it's hilarious when I say, "No, no, Reidy." Then he laughs and shakes his head like crazy.

Love my sweet baby boy!!

Reid is 10 Months!!

As if it were possible, Reid has gotten even sweeter and more fun than he was last month. I am so in love with this little guy! He has the best personality! Seriously, sweet is the best word to describe him. He is busy, smart, silly, destructive, cuddly, and energetic as well but mostly. just. sweet. He is easy going. He loves everyone. He likes to go places and to be with people. The slight clingy stage I mentioned last month passed within a week. He just loves life and he makes our lives better by being here!!

Milestones and Memories:

- Reid still loves baths and swimming! He basically just splashed continuously as hard as possible when he is in either the bath or the pool. If you are holding him in the pool, please wear goggles and a hat. :)

- He is the fastest crawler I have ever seen! Although he can pull up and cruise the furniture and even let go and stand unassisted, he really isn't all that interested in walking yet. In fact, he gets a little annoyed when we "make" him walk holding only one hand. However, that kid can crawl a million miles/hour. I can get a workout these days just following him around! 

- He can climb stairs now. This could be dangerous I'm sure but it's actually fun because it means he can play at the playground instead of sit in a stroller. He loves to climb up the stairs (with me trailing him of course) and then we slide down the slide together. 

- Swinging is still his number one favorite activity so I try to get to a park at least every day or two! We have a swing in the backyard but we like to get out. :)

- He has added one word to his vocabulary, making his grand total three. The new word? Grandad!! So now he says Dada, Bubba, and Grandad. Seriously, kid? No mama?? Oh well. It seems he's not quite as verbal as the other boys were at this age but we'll keep working on it.

- He knows two signs: more and all done. He loves to sign all done and gets very excited about getting out of his booster chair!

- He is eating lots of table food now. He loves chicken and most vegetables. He does well with most fruits and cheese. He tried blueberries for the first time yesterday and loved them!! He likes whole wheat pasta and bread. He still loves Puffs but we try to save those for a treat these days!

- He weighs 24 pounds and wears a size four diaper and size 12-18 month clothing. He wears a size 3 1/2 shoe, although his feet are a bit fat for them...

- He now has eight teeth which makes his smile even cuter. He loves to smile and laugh most of the day!

- He sleeps well at night, from 7pm until 7 or 7:30am. He naps well in the morning for an hour or two and usually again in the afternoon for an hour or two. However, the afternoon naps have been hit or miss lately. I think we are nearing the transition to one nap but he's not quite there yet. I will be glad for that day!! One longer nap in the middle of the day is really easier on mommy. :)

Reid is 9 Months!

What a fun age! Reid is growing so much and is becoming more and more playful. He is so energetic and happy and loves to be with people and be engaged. He continues to be a pretty easy-going guy overall and adds so much sweetness to our family. Some milestones from this month:
- He has three more teeth, making the total count six!
- He weighs 23 pounds and wears 12-18 month clothes.
- He LOVES swimming! As long as the pool is heated, he is all smiles and giggles in the water. :)
- He is saying Bubba and Dada on a regular basis to the boys and Randy. Still working on Mama!
- He is eating mostly finger foods. He loves puffs! He really likes turkey, chicken and yogurt. He tolerates strawberries, bananas, rice, beans, watermelon, carrots and a few other things.
- He loves rolling the ball to me and gets so excited anytime he sees his ball. It is so fun to see him interact and get so much joy out of such a simple little game!
- He likes to be sung to. His latest favorite song is "Where is thumbkin?" He also likes "Wheels on the Bus."
- He LOVES to swing!!! Jack likes to push him really high which makes me nervous but Reid just laughs and laughs.
- He is starting to get a tiny bit clingy to me. Sometimes he will fuss when I leave the room and he has cried a couple of times lately when I dropped him off at the nursery at church. That is unusual for him so I'm hoping it's a quick phase!
- He spent the night away from us for the first time! He stayed at BB and Grandad's and did great!
- He got hand foot and mouth disease this month. It was awful but the sweet guy handled it well overall. We had one really bad night.
- He can crawl amazingly fast now and he is walking really well along the furniture. He didn't walk at 8 months like G but I think he will be walking fairly soon, maybe next month?

Love our Sweetie Reidy!!

Happy 8 Months to REID!!!

Reid has grown up so much over the last month! He really is such a BIG boy, weighing in at nearly 23 pounds, wearing 12-18 month clothes, and moving up into size 4 diapers (didn't Graham wear size 5 diapers just six months ago before he was potty trained??) He continues to be such a joy for our family. Both of the big boys refer to him as "My PRECIOUS baby!!!!" and love to make him laugh and smile. This isn't hard for them because he always smiles when he sees his "bubbas." Reid is enjoying the summer schedule as am I. It is nice to be leisurely in the morning and to allow him to take a morning nap. He is typically taking two naps per day although he can get by with one if he sleeps in later than usual in the morning. I like that he is flexible but it is also slightly difficult because the schedule isn't really predictable.

Some "firsts" and milestones from Reid's 8th month:

- He cut his first tooth! And his second. And his third. And he's working on a couple more. This is exciting but wasn't very pleasant. :( He is a very good baby but his is noticeably uncomfortable when a tooth is coming in. We are hoping he'll get a break after this next one comes in.

- He took his first trip to the lake! I should say to the lake HOUSE. He didn't actually get in the lake or even the pool, seeing as it was a bit chillier than usual for this time of year. However, he had a blast spending his days outdoors on walks and golf cart rides and having time with BB, Grandad, Mumo, and Papo. 

- He is now pulling up on everything and can take little steps around the furniture. I am scared that he is going to be a very early walker like Graham!

- He LOVES the train table. All he wants to do when he wakes up is crawl into the big boys' room, pull up on the train table, and be there all day. He gets very angry when Graham moves trains away from him and displays this anger via a very loud and obnoxious pterodactyl sounding scream (possibly he learned this from his cousin, Brooklyn...)

- He isn't into most foods. We've tried everything. Traditional baby food. Homemade baby food. Real food cut up into tiny bites. He LOVES Gerber puffs, likes bananas, strawberries, and baby applesauce. He tolerates bread, turkey, chicken, and baby oatmeal. Anything else is pretty much a force feed. This reminds me of Graham...

- He can say Mama, Dada, and Bubba but pretty much only ever says Bubba. He also says baba for bottle, which is pretty indistinguishable from Bubba. :)

- He waved bye-bye twice in the past couple of days!! The first time was to my parents and the second time was to our neighbor, Arlene. So sweet to see this first!

- He had to have tubes put into his ears. :( We were hoping to avoid this but his eardrum burst a couple of weeks ago so that was of course the last straw. Luckily, we LOVE our ENT and he was able to get us in right away. We opted for an in office procedure instead of the out patient surgery. I am so thankful that we made that choice. It was a much better experience than what we had with Graham having to come off of anesthesia. Reid did cry the entire time (all of three minutes for the procedure) but was absolutely fine, smiling and playing, within minutes of finishing. And he is feeling so good now without all of that fluid in there!!

- He has the best smile ever. We love him so much!!

Reid is Seven Months!

Well, another month has come and gone in the life of Reid. He is growing so quickly and beginning to show us his personality more and more. He is such a sweet baby who lights up at the sight of mama, dada, and of course, bubbas. He enjoys music and loves to be sung to. He still loves taking a bath so I am excited for summer when he can experience the pool. Now that he is crawling, he is into everything of course. The only things he really wants are the things he is not supposed to have: the modum, the phone charger cord, etc. We  are having to watch him ever closer than ever! Reid loves activity. His mother's day out teacher says that he is happiest when all of the other babies are awake and he just watches them. When they're asleep, he's bored and not nearly as content. (Wonder if he's ever considered SLEEPING at that time?!) At home it's the same story. When the older boys are here, being loud and acting crazy, he is in heaven. He's not as content when they're gone, although we do enjoy our alone time on Thursdays. He loves being outside and is usually happy to just sit and take it all in: the breeze rustling, the birds chirping, the sun shining.

Reid would really like to be on a schedule. He sleeps from 6:30pm until 7am and then gets really tired around 9 or 9:30am. However, usually we are out dropping off kids at school around this time. I am so looking forward to summer when he can consistently nap at this time! He also likes to nap around 1pm and will sleep for two hours or so if we are home. Again, two days a week I pick up G at 1:30 so this is not ideal. He is such a trooper though!

Reid has had several ear infections since last month. We are trying everything to help him and so far, taking him to the chiropractor has kept him clear. We are praying this continues to work as we would rather him not have to have tubes but will do so if necessary in the next month or so.

Stats and Milestones:

- He is just over 20 pounds.

- He is wearing 12 month clothes.

- He is CRAWLING!!

- He PULLED UP to standing holding onto a coffee table at the doctor's office!!

- He is saying mama, dada, and bubba. We love hearing those sweet words!

- He is eating lots of different foods now. His favorite is still bananas but he enjoys apples and oatmeal and tolerates peas, green beans, and sweet potatoes.


Here are a couple pics. I cannot get him to smile on camera. Silly kid. He's cute anyway but when he smiles, he's too much cuteness to handle!

And here is a video of Reid crawling!

Reid is Zero and 1/2!!

The older boys have been saying for awhile that Reid is zero. Meaning he's not 3 or 6 like they are. Although I'm not a fan of calling my precious angel a "zero," I thought it was cute that they realized on Monday that now Reid is zero and 1/2! :) Randy and I said from the beginning that if we could make it through the pregnancy and the first six months, having three would only get easier from there. And I will confess that the pregnancy and the first three months maybe were a bit of a struggle for me, physically and emotionally. But of course nothing good comes without sacrifice and I cannot even put into words the joy that Reid adds to our family. I am so thankful that God blessed us so richly with this sweet one. He is truly a gift. And things indeed have gotten easier. We are all sleeping well and are on a decent schedule and I am feeling like myself again.

Reid is a BIG guy! He weighs 20 pounds (one pound shy of his 15 month old cousin) and is 28 inches "tall." He wears 9 month clothing and a size three diaper.

 He began eating big boy food a few weeks ago and LOVES bananas. He's also tried applesauce which he scoffed at at first but it's growing on him. 

He is rolling all over the place and even getting up on his knees and rocking a bit, thinking about crawling soon. He is sitting up pretty well and will probably be perfectly stable in a couple of weeks. 

He is still sleeping through the night except when he has an ear infection, like now. :(

He has his first double ear infection!! We were hoping to escape that this time but no such luck. At least I have experience on my side this time and hopefully we will know quickly if we need to get the tubes.

He is beginning to love books. His three favorites are Pat the Bunny, Goodnight Moon, and Elmo is So Big. He likes turning the pages and lights up when I read to him.

His favorite people are still his brothers. J and G like to jump in his crib in the morning after he wakes up and snuggle. Reid loooooves this time!

Reid is 5 Months

Sweet Reid is five months old today. Unfortunately he is celebrating with a terrible tummy bug that has lasted for 8 days so far! I am hoping that this is the last day. However, even when sick, Reid is such a happy and smiley baby. I am amazed daily but just how sweet he is! Over the past month, Reid has begun rolling over. First it took a lot of effort, but now he is doing it with ease and seems to prefer playing on his tummy because whenever I put him on his back, within one second, he's flipped himself over! His favorite new toy is his glow worm. I've never seen him try to hug or "love" another toy so I think this one might turn out to be his "lovey." He also likes his new blankie that BB made him. Love this cute boy!