9 Months!

Holy smokes! Another month has gone by so fast! He started to crawl on December 1st and started pulling himself up on everything a couple of days later. Now I can't turn my back on him for even a second. He is getting so big and is such a happy baby. I can't believe that he will be one in 3 months! I am so excited to celebrate our first Christmas together! I can't wait until he opens all of his presents!
Robert was transferred to Bedford Park right after Thanksgiving and we are staying with his parents until our house sells and we find a house in this area. I am so grateful and they are wonderful! Both of our families are thrilled that we are living closer. This little boy is growing so fast, they would be missing so much.
I am still breastfeeding him. No one told me that it would be hard for me to give it up too. To wean him now and start to give him formula just seems silly since in 3 months he will be able to drink whole milk. I can still do it, so I am going to. I hope that it will help since he isn't drinking bottles, he might be able to just start using sippy cups and I won't have to wean him of that too. He is getting better at using his sippy cup. He likes to drop it off the side of his chair. I am making his food too. He loves to eat but certain textures he doesn't care for yet. His favorite is applesauce and a chicken recipe I found. I love staying home with him everyday. There are days, I'll be honest, that I wish I could leave for a little bit but then he smiles at me or pulls himself up on my lap and "kisses" me and I remember why I am so grateful that I can stay home. There is always something to do or somewhere to go, I am busy but I love it.
I can't wait to see what he will do in the next month. Such a busy baby now but so much fun!

8 Months!

Time is just flying by! A lot has happened in the past month. Matthew has 3 teeth now! He has one top tooth and one more trying to come in any day now. He is so much more curious and loves to watch April! He also loves babies. Any baby really. When we were in Florida, he was getting a little fussy so Robert was walking around with him. He walked by the Pampers diaper box and Matthew just stopped and started smiling. There is always a picture of a baby and he just loves pictures. It can be any baby now. Pictures online, magazines, dolls, just about anywhere.
He is almost crawling now. I feel like I've been saying that for a long time now but he is really close. He gets up on all fours and moves both of his knees. He will stop for a minute and then belly flop. When he wants to get somewhere, he will do that really fast and it almost looks like he is doing the worm.
He loves to eat. He will eat from a spoon and puffs or cheerios with his fingers. I'm going to start giving him more finger foods and experiment with different foods and textures. I love making him food and it is making me realize how much I like different foods. I have never really eaten butternut squash, sweet potatoes or any fruits.
I can't imagine my life without him. I have never been happier! I used to worry about things that don't matter so much to me anymore. I love him soooo much!

7 Months!

Wow! Okay, that last month went by in the blink of an eye! It seems like I just updated!
I cannot believe he is 7 months old! He is working on crawling. He will push himself up and then scoot a little and kick his legs as fast as he can. Sometimes, he will roll and then scoot a little on his side and roll again until he is somewhat where he wants to be. I want him to be able to crawl but I know I should just enjoy the time. I can put him down and go get a cup of coffee and come back and he is right where I left him. That won't be the case once he starts crawling, or ever again.
This past week has been really tough. I'm almost certain he has six teeth trying to come in right now, four on the top and two on the bottom on either side of the two that are already in. His mouth is swollen and he is just not happy. For everyone that knows him, he wouldn't eat for two days! That should prove something!! He has not taken a decent nap in a while and wakes up several times during the night. When his bottom two came in, this phase only lasted a week so I'm hoping that they pop through soon and I can have my happy baby back.
Robert and I don't have much time alone so we took an opportunity to go to the zoo in Bloomington. It was so nice to walk around with Robert and watch Matthew notice certain animals. I am excited for when we can take him and he can enjoy it more. There is so much I want to show him!
We have been trying solid foods now and he loves to eat! We have tried sweet potato, carrots, peas, applesause, bananas and avacado. The only thing he didn't care for was the avacado. He has something to help him eat more independently. It is a mesh sack that prevents him from getting bites that are too big for him. I put a small piece of banana in it and he is satisfied for quite a while. He loves it, and loves banana!
We are getting ready for Halloween. He has his costume already (actually since last year when I was still pregnant!) and we will probably go and get our pumpkins soon. I love this time of year!

(this was an old picture that never made it, until now)

Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington

These birds seemed very interested in Matthew

Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington

I was more afraid than Matthew!

Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington

Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington

Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington

Miller Park Zoo in Bloomington

6 Months!

6 months already! I just can't believe it! It didn't seem like it was going fast but now it does! Especially since in the next 6 months, we will be doing a lot more...learning to crawl and walk and eating new foods. Very exciting!
He's such a big boy but still such a baby. He can sit by himself now. He's still a little wobbly but he's getting it. He can push himself up almost on all fours but it doesn't last long. With a little more practice, he'll be crawling in no time! We are giving him a sippy cup and solids now. Those are still more of a pain than a help. I thought that I would have a little more freedom once he started solids and I think that comes a little later because right now it's a mess! We have tried bananas and sweet potatoes so far, and he really likes bananas. I'm also trying to get him on a schedule. Up until now, I've been trying to let him tell me when he is hungry and tired. He was almost on a schedule anyways but enforcing it is a little easier said than done. He is very strong-willed. Even the doctor said so. That's not good for us.
A couple of weeks ago, we were in Destin, Florida. I was standing up in a wedding and we thought it would be easier if we had someone to watch Matthew. I asked mom and dad if they would be available and they said yes without hesitation. We were already talking about going on another family vacation so we chose Florida! Richard, Teresa, Joe and Ryan all came too. It was really amazing! We went to the beach every morning and when it was time for the boys to take their naps, we sat by the pool, most of the time with margaritas! :) It was perfect. We couldn't have asked for better weather and better company! Thank you mom and dad!!

adjusting his mirrors in his jeep

rolling over during changing, he will hate me for this picture!

trying to crawl!



5 Months!

It dawned on me after trying to find pictures for his 4 month update that we don't take a lot of pictures. Not with our camera at least. I need to take more, it goes fast and I will never get another chance.
Our boy is amazing. Everything he does makes me smile. He is all I want to talk about.
He is "talking" now. He mumbles a lot, especially when he's tired. It is almost like he is trying to say he isn't sleepy! He still doesn't like to roll over. He will roll from back to front when he wants to...while I'm changing his diaper or at 5 am! He is anxious to sit up and crawl. He cries when he is on his back so I let him stand with me holding his hands and he smiles. When he is on his tummy, he will slide his legs under and lift his butt up and try to scoot. He goes a couple of inches but only gets more frustrated. We will see how long this takes before he figures it out!
At his 4 month appointment, his doctor said he didn't think he was teething. I can't wait to see what he says when we show up next month at his 6 month visit with two bottom teeth!! It took a week. He was unbelievably crabby, nothing would get him to stop crying. I started to give him tylenol and he would chew on my fingers, hands, shoulder...anything really. He still drools, but not as much as he was before. And I know it still bothers him sometimes.
Matthew just adores his daddy and his April! When April walks by, he will stop and watch her. And she loves him too! She will bring her toys and bones over to him and comes up and licks him. I don't let her lick his hand or face but I will let her lick his feet sometimes. He can't get those into his mouth yet. When Robert gets home, he stops and looks for him and just smiles as big as he can. Lately we have been spending a lot of time in our hammock and taking at least one walk a day. We love to be outside.
I have to spend some time and talk about our first baby, April. For anyone who doesn't know, she has had a lot of health issues since we adopted her. We have taken her to two different vets in Bloomington who said they were allergies but thought that changing her dog food when she would show signs would be a good solution. Two years later, she is still having problems with ear infections, hives on her belly and lately she has been losing fur. We decided to take her to the Glen Ellyn Animal Hospital. Right away the vet said we should get her tested to see what she is allergic to. Changing her food and giving her steroids every month was just "kicking the can down the road". So we agreed and it was the best idea! She is allergic to house dust mites, flea saliva and food storage mites, nothing involving the food she was eating. They made something that I have to inject her with that will hopefully help with her allergies. At first, I was a little nervous about giving her shots but it doesn't even bother her and we have noticed an improvement already!! All good news and hope to have a healthier and happier puppy!

Pictures!

Father's Day!



4 Months!

Matthew is 4 months old already! At times it seems like it is going fast and sometimes it seems it is going slow. He is getting so big. We had his 4 month check-up and he is 14 lbs 2 oz and 25 1/4 inches long. The doctor says that he is perfect. I was worried that he was behind with his motor skills. He can roll over from back to front while I'm changing his diaper or when he is trying to escape. He has great neck control and is very strong. He thinks he is a big boy, he cries if you lay him down on his back. He likes to be up looking around and seeing what everyone else is doing. He has been sleeping through the night for a couple of weeks now. Except, when I go to get him in the morning, he head is on the opposite side of the crib from when I put him to bed! The doctor said since he is sleeping fine, we really don't need to start him on cereal or any solids just yet. I might give him a little in the afternoon since he seems to "snack" and I can't get anything done since I'm feeding him every hour and a half. We will have to see what the doctor says.
He LOVES to smile! We could say anything to him and he just gives us a huge grin! It's adorable every time! I kiss him ALL the time and tell him I love him. I think he knows though.
The doctor says that he doesn't feel any teeth coming in yet, but I think he's crazy. He drools sooo much! If you put your finger anywhere near his mouth, he will bite.  He is starting to like bath time more and more. He splashes around and if I put a toy in his tub, he concentrates really hard on kicking it. He is a big fan of kicking! When I read him his books at night, he kicks the book while I'm reading it to him. It's pretty funny.
Last month I didn't post any pictures because the site wouldn't let me, for some reason. This month, I don't have the time right now but I promise they will make it on.
Can't wait to see what happens next!!

3 Months and First Father's Day!

We celebrated Robert's first Father's Day. I made him a mug that has some pictures of Matthew on it and one of Matthew and April, his two babies. Matthew is too young to go golfing or fishing so it was hard to think of something to do all day...and it was raining. Matthew and I let him sleep in a little bit. Then I gave Robert some choices...we could go out to dinner, I could cook him something aweful (I'm really not great in the kitchen) or he could grill his own Father's Day dinner. He agreed to going out and we decided we would go early to avoid the crowds but had to wait for Matthew to wake up and eat. It started to get later and later and Robert made the choice to start grilling. Ya know, it's Matthew's world, we're just living in it!

He is 3 months old today! He is getting bored of everything he used to love. Everything I used to say to get a smile now gets a blank stare. As Aunt Teresa says, I have to update my material! He is getting better at holding his head up and really focuses on things, like April walking by. (She is going to be in trouble!) He loves to stand on my lap and sit up, not by himself yet. He can't roll over yet and really didn't like tummy time, until the other day when I put the camera in front of him. It's amazing how motivated he is to try and grab it! He sleeps like his daddy, most nights all the way through. But plays like his mommy. He is non-stop during the day. He sometimes falls asleep while he's eating but as soon as I try to put him down, his eyes are wide open and he is ready to go again. He discovered his hands and feet too. He will bring his hands to his mouth or watch them open and close. If he's in his highchair and moving his legs, he focuses on his feet moving. He is talking sooo much now. Of course, I say "mama" and "dada" and he says "grrrrr" or "oooohhh". He really is changing every day. He loves his bath now. He moves his legs to "splash" around. He does drool A LOT now. It gets all over his top. Needless to say, we wear bibs now. Well I could go on and on about ALL the amazing things he loves and can do, but it would take forever! We LOVE this little boy!

2 Months!

I can't even describe the love I have for this little boy. He is growing more and more every day. He now weighs 12 pounds 5 ounces! I think he has his mother's love for eating. We took him for his two month shots, he had to get three. After the month we had, severe gas pain and the worst diaper rash I've ever seen, he didn't cry as hard as we thought. I didn't either, just teared up a little bit. The doctor said that he is more alert than most babies at two months. He said that could be "bad", jokingly, because he will think he's smarter than us. Great. He loves it when we talk to him and tries to talk back. I'm almost certain that he has laughed once or twice but I'm not sure. He knows our voices and even if he doesn't see us, he will smile.
April is still doing great with him. She is very protective and wants to make sure he is okay. If he is crying and we haven't gotten to him yet, she will run over and lick his foot or hand, like she's telling him it's okay. If we are holding him and he is crying, she just puts her head down. I don't know how she is going to feel when he is crawling all over her.
Robert and I decided that it would be best for our family if I stayed home and took care of Matthew! I loved my job and my coworkers so it was a tough decision but I love watching Matthew grow and he is going to be learning and doing a lot more in the upcoming months!

 Four Generations

 Matthew is wearing his Cubs outfit from Great Grandpa

Ryan has a look on his face that seems to say "I wasn't going to hurt him, I promise!"

Four Generations 

First Mother's Day!

I am amazed just how much I love this little boy! I am so emotional every time I look at him. He is perfect and I am so lucky to have Robert as my husband and Matthew for a son. Mother's Day was amazing. I woke up with Matthew around 6am and Robert started breakfast (which included Mimosas!). We relaxed after which is Matthew's "nap time". The four of us went for a walk after lunch and Robert started dinner. I swear we did more than just eat :). Robert had bought a rose bush and a couple of flowers that we put in pots, they are beautiful. We also bought Matthew a pool! I can't wait to use it.

There are so many emotions every day...excitement for what is to come...sadness because so much has gone by already...love beyond anything I have felt before...and still a bit of disbelief...I'm a mom. It's the greatest thing in the world!!

This is the smile I usually get when I talk to him! I must be pretty funny!



More Pictures!

It's too soon to update but these were supposed to be in the one month post. Enjoy!



 Matthew and April cuddling

 First Easter basket

 First bath!

One Month Old!

I can't believe a month has gone by already! He is getting so big and changing every day! There have been challenging days but I wouldn't trade it for the world! He focuses on his favorite toys and your face if you are talking to him. I swear he's been smiling for a few weeks already but some might argue it is just gas. With this boy, it might be :) He likes to pee on people, especially grandmas and aunts... and the wall next to his changing table. April had a hard time at first but we never really discussed sleeping arrangments prior to his arrival so kicking her out of the room and keeping her downstairs was a little tough on everyone. I would wake up to feed Matthew in the middle of the night and I could hear her crying. We discovered that she just wants to be close to us and is happy sleeping on a little bed on the floor in our room. She loves her brother. Matthew still sleeps in our room too. We had him in his crib one night but it seemed to be worse than him sleeping with us. So for right now, he will stay with us. He sleeps really well in a rock n play next to our bed. He only wakes up once in the night to eat most of the time. He is such a good boy! I can't wait to see what he learns next month!

Pictures By Abby