Friday, September 30, 2011

2 Desires Fulfilled!

Yesterday was a great day, I had two long time desires fulfilled. One clearly a daily desire for more sleep and the other satisfies my passion for great tastes.

First of all, Luke finally learned to fall asleep on his own...can I say that again! Luke knows how to fall asleep on his own! Sound the trumpets! Praise the Lord! Thank you all for your prayers! Noah learned to fall asleep on his own after using the Ferber method at 4 months. It was the best thing we could have done at the time! I was desperate for more than 1 hour on sleep in a 24 hour period! He was such a bad sleeper (waking every 15 minutes at times because he had a few drops of pee in his diaper) that I forgot how to sleep also and was unable. Both our bodies were trained to be up all night. But after 4 months, I finally got more than one hour in 24 hours. I was thrilled and was slowly becoming sane again.

Luke was a better sleeper from the start sleeping 2 to 3 hours at a time but up until now (almost 7 months old) he still likes to eat almost every 3 hours even though he can go 4 hours during the day. But, praise the Lord, we did a little of the Ferber method (not the first time we tried with him) on him and he learned SOOOOOO FAST! I went in every minute or so and it only lasted 20 minutes or less! We tried a few no cry methods and when it gets down to it, they just have to cry and learn they need to soothe themselves. I think he has had a little trouble learning because he has nursed to sleep so often and also for the fact that he started getting teeth at 3 months. But, he is getting his 5th and 6th tooth right now...so who knows? Every kid is different and on their own time schedule!!!

I actually didn't get any more sleep the last couple nights because he decided to drop his 11 o'clock nursing session (not his 2 or 3am) and wakes up much earlier...but it is a start! One day good sleep will happen...and could now if I went to bed at 8pm? Not sure I would be able to fall asleep that early? And when would I get any time with my husband? Time to do anything without 1 or 2 children needing my attention?

Now that he falls to sleep on his own I am able to put him in his crib without a huge wiggling fight while my 2 year old pops in at just the right time to mes up the 'falling asleep' we worked so hard for. Do you know how much time that adds to my day and night especially? Nice! It helps at night when he wakes up because he doesn't need me to wake up, get out of bed, and rock him or nurse him back to sleep! Everyone wakes up on their own many times at night and we all have to know how to fall asleep on our own again. We often don't even realize it! It is a very important skill to learn!

Second, I found a pumpkin bread/muffin recipe! I know, it is not quite life changing as my first desire but you should try them! Yum! I have literally tried 7 or 8 recipes over the last year. They were all eatable but this one tops them all! I love baking with anything that has a combo of pumpkin pie spice, allspice, cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg, or any of the like! Yum! I am currently baking sugar and spice almonds like you get at the fair! Can I say Yum again? I cannot wait to try them!

Yes it was a great day even without mentioning all the other things!

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Conversations with Noah

I am sad that I haven't written down more conversations that I've had with Noah but I wrote some of them down over the last few months. Here are a few...

Me: You know you are not supposed to hit Luke on the head.
Noah: It is easy for big boys to forget.
Me: Ha!
(For those of you who do not read a Curious George book everyday...it always says that George is a curious monkey that tries to stay out of trouble and it is "easy for little money to forget.")

Noah: Come twirl on the carpet with me Mommy. Like this.
Me: (I twirl with Noah while holding Luke.)
Noah: Great idea Mommy. The music is on. Let's twirl some more.

Noah: Hmm, which one should we go to?
Me: Either one.
Noah: This one. I want it fresh (as he flushes the toilet before he sits down)
Me: Of course, new toilet water is nice to pee on.

Noah: Let's stay on the couch some more.
Me: What song should I sing?
Noah: No singing. Let's just snuggle some more.

Me: Good job Noah! You ate lunch really well.
Noah: I am going to be big and strong like Daddy when I get older when I get grown.

Me(speaking to Luke): I would like you to burp before you get into your car seat.
Noah: I have lots of burps in my tummy where they come from.

Noah: G-R-A-C-O. It spells Daddy.
Me: Good job Noah. It spells Graco.

Noah: This is the most tasty yogurt I've ever seen Mommy. I just love this kind. It is the most soft yogurt to eat on my spoon before.
Me: Good. I am glad you like it. :)

Noah: You are going to work out. You are an old man.
John: I feel like it.

Luke: Shh! Luke is sleeping (while driving in the car)!
Noah: I need to go back to my house and sleep for a minute.

Noah:(Luke reaches for Noah's hair) He likes my hair.
Me: He does. You have beautiful hair.
Noah: Yes! I sure do!

He cracks me up! Funny kid! It is fun to hear how he relates different words to situations as his vocabulary and understanding grows. Love him!


Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Once again...

Once again Noah is going to be Woody for Halloween. Last year I bought this Woody costume at a thrift shop in Texas and it was a little big. I took it up a little and it worked perfectly. I got it out of his closet the other day and took out the stitches and it works perfectly for this year too. Can't get better than that! Maybe Luke will wear it one day and it would have costs me about 50 cents per wear. Nice! Noah currently loves Woody too! I just need to get him a hat and some boots. I don't think my hat quite fits him and his rain boots are about 5 sizes too big for this year. Here is Noah trying it on and posing. I just love his hand on his hip! I hadn't seen him do that before. Cutie!Now I need to find a Buzz for Luke or some other character. Let me know if any one sees one!

Now on to our morning...

Noah has been waking up too early lately. Not sure how he got into that bad habit but hoping he grows out of it soon. When he gets up it cuts into 'our' time. Since Noah got up early again this morning, he joined Daddy in his morning Bible study. I had to get a picture. So sweet! I love to see that Noah wants to be just like his Daddy.After that, we played with some play dough. Noah loves to make ice cream cones. A boy and his ice cream...And then our day often includes stickers or coloring...
Fun times!

Luke rockin'

Luke seems to be growing up so fast but he is staying up with Noah's progression for each age...rolling over, sitting, etc. Luke has been getting on his knees and rocking. I remember Noah doing this for a little while before he started crawling! Crawling! Ah! I loved it when Noah learned to crawl and walk but now I think it will be hard when Luke's crawls. My house is not baby proofed like it was with Noah. Now Noah has toys various places around the house that are too small for Luke to play with. I'm never going to be able to take my eyes off him! Why would you ever want to take your eyes off this cutie though?Here is Luke doing a little rocking. He is doing it more every day. I just saw him move his knee and elbow forward a little too! He was trying to get to big brothers toys! I haven't seen him on his hands too much so many that will buy me some time before this great adventure.

Sunday, September 11, 2011

The Only Picture

I realized the other day that I did not have a single printed picture of Luke, my second child. Sad, I know. How did that happen? With Noah, we send out baby announcements, took newborn pictures, 3 month, 6 month, 9 month, and 1 year. We were little late or early to take some of them but generally followed the 'suggested' picture schedule. I guess you could say we are a little 'laid back' with Luke. He is a second child, gets hand me downs, and all the other things that go along with that. I have spent a total of $10 on Luke's wardrobe. I've bought 2 ($3 each) newborn pants and newborn socks (forgot to pack some when we went to Texas). But, thanks to Grammy and Nana, he has wore new clothes...they aren't all second hand.

But back to our lack of pictures...My main excuse would be money. Pictures are so expensive! I remember spending $200 just to print and send baby announcements for Noah. I'm pretty sure we got the cheapest announcement you could get and did them ourselves. Needless to say, we did not send out announcements for Luke. Nor have gotten pictures taken and printed them. A friend took newborn pictures of Luke for free because she wanted them for her portfolio but we haven't printed any. Shortly after Luke was born I talked to John about getting 6 month pictures and also getting family pictures done again. He was perfectly fine with that. I figured Luke would be sitting up by then and that is always fun! My sister takes wonderful pictures and we are going to have her take 6 month pictures of Luke and new family pictures. I am excited about them! And, yes, we will print some. When I look around John's office or our house...I tell myself that we do have another child even though Noah is the only one displayed. I look forward to displaying the new pictures and hope to send some to our family as well!

Yesterday I was going through Luke's diaper bag and found a picture of him and one of Noah. What! A printed picture...when did that happen? I am guessing someone took one at the church building. Cool! I hadn't gone through my bag in a while so not sure how long it's been in there. Anyway, now I can say we have one...I am not sure who he is sitting on or who took the picture. But thanks! All that to say that I am shocked we didn't have one until after he was 6 months old. I do take pictures of Luke and Noah weekly but simply put them on my computer and some here on the blog. Luke will have to look at the blog archive to see pictures of him. I love you Luke, sorry buddy. You are my dearly loved second child!

Life goes on...

Here is Noah making his sad face...Yes, he is sitting on his cherished fire truck playing with Luke's table. Noah has gotten very interested in all of Luke's toys (Noah's old toys).Here are my boys playing hide and seek with me. Precious times!Noah loves his potato heads and often wears the santa beard the whole time he plays with them. And there is Luke adoring his bearded brother...Love them!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Luke's First Time to Eat 'Real' Food

Luke ate really well for his first 'real' meal. He had breast-milk mixed into single grain rice cereal. He leaned forward, chewed, and was very interested in this eatin' thing. He has been watching all of us and now gets to do it himself.He made some pretty funny faces.
Yum!
Noah had to have a front row seat! He loves seeing brother grow up and do some of the things he can do.
Thought I would throw in a picture of Noah eating his lunch. He asks for ham and cheese almost every day with a few peanut butter and honey sandwiches in there. He typically likes yogurt, fruit, and a couple crackers or nuts too!
Luke continues to eat pretty good. I think he wants to try some of the more exciting things we are eating though. I will continue to make his baby food and try a new food every few days. He has been eating butternut squash I cooked. I made acorn squash today so that will be his next entree'. I will try a few veggies before I introduce any fruits. I am sure he will like those!!!

Monday, September 5, 2011

6 Months Old!!!

Luke is 6 months old! I cannot believe it! He has grown in so many ways. I took him to his 6-month doctor visit today and he did really well even though he was extremely tired and hungry. He is such a good, happy, easy baby. He literally has not been sick his whole life - 6 months! I thought he was at one point but he was just teething. Praise God for good health! Here are some ways he has grown and what he is currently doing...

- 18 lbs. 1 oz (60th percentile), 28 inches long (90th percentile), 45 cm head circumference (80th percentile)
-Got his 4th tooth less than a month ago
-Still a tummy sleeper but I catch him sleeping on his side at times
-Sitting up pretty well if he has a toy but still falls back when disinterested
-Getting the itch to crawl as he reaches for a toy just out of reach
-Very mobile turning all around and inching forward
-Ate rice cereal the first time Monday and did really well. He ate every bite of it and napped really well afterward
-Nurses every 4 hours during the day (started this last week from every 3 hours).
-Still refuses to take a bottle or pacifier but hoping he takes a bottle or sippy cup of breast milk soon!
-Still wakes up generally every 3 hours to eat at night to nurse and sometimes in between because he has yet to learn to fall asleep on his own :( But I love rocking him because there is nothing sweeter than a sleeping baby on my chest...I do wish to get more sleep at night, though. 6 hours or less, not in a row, doesn't cut it.
-Absolutely adores Noah (when Noah isn't hitting him in the head, of course!) He watches whatever Noah does and listens for Noah's voice. I can tell he is just itching to play with him more actively! I love seeing him look up to Noah.
-Learned his first syllable last week 'ba' and loves to talk 'ba ba's' back and forth with me
-Loves his walker, johnny jump up, exersaucer, swing, etc.
-Plays a lot on his mat with the toys but likes sitting up best playing with them now.
-Loves his table of toys that sings and lights up
-Still loves his mobile in his crib but now enjoys rolling around and sticking his hands and legs through the slats
-Just started doing better in the car focusing on his toys instead of the fact he is strapped in. He loves it when Mommy sits back there with him and plays too. He also loves to watch Noah in the car. He doesn't lay his head on the car seat but often holds his head up trying to look around or just play. He has done this for months! Not a fan of laying down and never has been but tries to state the fact that he wants to be older and sit up.
-Loves his feet. He plays with them and puts them in his mouth...convenient toy!
-Wants to touch and discover everything. He is getting harder to hold since he seeks to learn so much.

I love you, Luke! You are such a precious boy! I've truly enjoyed these last 6 months. I am so blessed to be your Mom. I cannot get enough hugs and kisses from you! Your skin is so warm like your Daddy. In fact, you look just like your Daddy. I ho;pe you become the godly man he is and desire to serve God with all you know as Daddy does. Love you sweet boy and look forward to seeing you grow even more!

Mom

Sunday, September 4, 2011

Luke's First Opening Week End

This week end kicked off Oklahoma State's 2011 football season. We played Louisiana Lafayette and won 61-34. Don't be too impressed...I had to look up the score.

I had to get a pic of Luke when he woke up Friday morning already sporting his OSU attire. I love them! Saturday morning we left the house around 730am to make it to Stillwater for Haley's (our niece, John's sister's middle child) 2 year old birthday party. Luke got a little playing in before we left. Happy boy! Haley's party was OSU themed. We all wore our orange and were ready for the party and the game. Luke and Noah both received OSU jerseys from Grammy. Thanks Grammy! They were so cute!
Luke and Lawson (Haley's little brother) were so cute sitting in their chairs sporting their new jerseys. We tried to get a few pictures of the grand kids but not sure any of them turned out 'real well.' It was nearing nap time and they were all partied out! I am not sure how Lori's pictures turned out but Sarah's are pretty funny! I like them because each kid has a funny face in each one. I hope you enjoy them too.
Over all it was a good week end! Go Pokes!

Thursday, September 1, 2011

Baby food and...

Next week we are going to start feeding Luke baby food. I made Noah's baby food and I am doing that with Luke also. Today I made some butternut squash...and this is what happened while I was in the kitchen...
Today Noah got his first Tattoo...Bob the Builder.
Noah enjoying his new horse. This horse was given to his Daddy for a Christmas present one year from his Grandparents and now Noah is enjoying it too! He loves it!