Three Months

Luke is three months old!

What a month it has been.  It is so fun watching this little guy grow and change and learn every day.

I can't help it...here's another cute one:

And, wow, is he growing.  Size six month clothes fit perfectly.  I get so excited for him to grow until I pack up the smaller clothes.  What is it about those tiny clothes that makes me want him to stay little?

Luke's neck is officially lost under layers of rolls and that double chin.  His wrists and ankles aren't far behind.  


I love that Luke knows my voice.  Even if I'm on the other side of the room, he smiles when he hears me talking.  He's also beginning to understand turn taking in conversation and likes when we 'talk' to each other.

Oh, and is this kid smiley.  He loves attention, especially from Noah.  He's got lots of smiles for his sweet big brother.  He just started laughing, and it might just be the cutest thing ever.

Greater muscle control is helping Luke start to grasp things and coordinate his movement a little better.

He loves being able to suck on his hands.

And he loves swatting at his dangling toys.

Luke didn't have a chance of staying healthy with his big brother being so sick.  This was the first time I've had a sick baby, and I wouldn't be upset if it was the last.  There were lots of sleepless nights spent listening to that sad cough and hoping my mommy instinct was right about how I was caring for him.

Luke is a fast learner and does a great job at putting himself to sleep.

On this particular day, I certainly didn't intend for him to sleep on his mat, but after helping Noah with something, I walked over and found him asleep -- right on time when his nap usually begins.  That is something his big brother never did.  He's a decent napper, but sometimes has a hard time going back to sleep if something wakes him up. 

Sure do love this guy!

Bath Time

It really doesn't get any cuter than this:

or this:

or even this:

Baby 'Ook' you're getting so much personality and you are such a sweet guy.

Brotherly Love

Clashing shades of red never looked so cute.

Happy Valentine's Day!

No Longer a Newborn

There are a number of things that serve as evidence for that title: size two diapers, six month onesies, and sleeping for six hours at night are a few that come to mind.

But here's another one.

Luke slept in his crib last night.

No more hanging out in mom and dad's room to keep us company (or awake).  The move pretty much came from necessity.  Sweet Luke is so darn big that he was uncomfortable in the rock and play and not sleeping well.  He hates the pack and play, which was also in our room.  I wish I knew why that thing was so uncomfortable.  Both of my boys have hated it as infants.

So we were left with our bed or his.  And since I keep hearing the Baby Whisperer say, "Start as you mean to go on," in my head, it was definitely his.

The night went pretty well, especially considering that Luke has hated sleeping flat on his back.  I still think he's not a big fan, but he's adjusting.  Waking up about 30 minutes before I expected for a feeding wasn't too bad for the first night.  It may, actually, be harder on Noah as he gets used to hearing a screamer in the middle of the night right next door.

Part of me missed him being 'right there,' but another part of me was also happy to turn on the bathroom light in the morning or just have a conversation with Nate at a normal volume.  Oh how things change with child #2.  Good job Luke.  You're growing up!

Sick.

Is this not the saddest face ever?

Noah got nailed with a pretty rotten cold.

It seemed fairly standard for the first two days, but Tuesday night things changed a bit.  I picked Noah up for bed, and he was hot.  Like, really hot.  He was in pretty good spirits, so I didn't think it was too bad, but I got the thermometer.  The reading of 105.3 caused me to try it again the most 'accurate' way, and the result was the same.

Thankfully my sister and Jason were already at our house. (Um, she has been bringing us dinner every Tuesday since the busy season started.  Awesome, right?)  They hung out with my sleeping Luke while I called the advice nurse and pediatrician and then headed off to urgent care.

There were three people ahead of us, but when I mentioned Noah's temperature reading, we were put at the front of the line and seen within five minutes.  Look at those hot, pink cheeks.

The doctor was calm, but honest, and let me know that if Noah's fever couldn't be reduced quickly with medication we would be off to the ER.  A high fever like that can lead to some bad stuff for a little guy.

Great.

I felt really comfortable about the whole situation and mostly just wanted to get some kind of treatment started.  And, thank goodness, that treatment worked, and he was back in the 101 range.  Noah was a champ during the exam and even waved to the doctor.

By ten o'clock we were headed back home.  While the fever hasn't gone that high again, our usually over-the-top happy guy is still pretty miserable.  He's got lots of coughing, a bit of a fever and sure is needy.  You know a kid is sick when he doesn't even want ice cream.

This morning he fell asleep on my shoulder while I was feeding Luke.

I can't wait to have THIS guy back in a day or two:

Me, I'm worn out.  These two boys are keeping me busy -- day and night.  But I keep having that phrase, "Forget yourself and go to work," weave itself into my thoughts.  Yes, I'm aching for some 'me' time, but it's temporary.  I really am, above all, grateful.  It's amazing how quality, accessible medical care, simple medication and prayer can serve as the perfect combination for healing.

And, as exhausting as it is, having your little one want YOU for comfort and healing is motivation to love MORE in every way so that he always comes to you when he's hurting.