Three boys, 10 months old

It recently hit me that each boy has had longer hair at this age, 10 months. I know it sounds silly but it hit me when someone made a comment about how Bishop has a lot of hair. It's true he does. He has more then either Dane or Gage had at 10 months old but I believe Dane also had more then Gage at 10 months old. So, lets compare 10 months for each boy!

Gage at 10 months

Dane at 10 months

Bishop at 10 months

All I know is I have 3 of the most handsome men on this planet!

Wordless Wednesday: Fluff Butt

They're amazing little people

Today as I was switching out laundry I had Dane in there with me. He's become my little "mama I wanna help!" guy. As he was helping me sort and put towels into the washer after we pulled out the diapers he was talking to me. I mean, not toddler jibberish but actual talking. He has this sweet little voice and  once I stopped paying attention to the laundry and listened to him he was actually carrying on a conversation. He was telling me about his toy car that he had with him. The wheels and the color. How it goes fast. It then dawned on me how well his sentences were and how fast his vocabulary just seemed to sneak up on me. I listened to him and agreed his car could go fast and fast as well as it had lots of wheels. He then wanted to see the washer fill up and as he said "mama, i see, i see!" 

I have always known his vocab jumped big time once we finally broke him of his bink. But I guess I never realized how big it had grown. Looking back I tried to remember how Gage's vocab was at 2 and a half. Now, I know not all children are the same and boy do my kids live to that standard. They are definitely their own people but I was looking for the common in all children of the age group, the basic level. I have a video of Gage around the same age and he was chatting to himself. Looking at it I can't remember him having this big of sentence structure or maybe it's just the video. Gage spoke wonderfully at this age. Maybe it's because I was just taken back on how well Dane has grown in less then a year? Or how he's just really catching on to things around him.

I cut his hair today and realized as well he often refers to himself in the 3rd person. I find it quite adorable. Don't take any of this as I don't pay attention to what my  kids say, I do. It just seemed to be one of those days where I went back and said "Whoa! There is a lot more then I initially thought!" Children are amazing creatures like that. Anyways, back to the hair cut story. As I was prepping his hair, getting it combed so we didn't have snags he kept insisting he sit. Or as he said "Mama, Dane sit. No standing, it hurts." I convinced him to stand though as it made it much easier to get his hair cut properly. Sneaky mama I am. He just wanted to sit and be tricky. He comes by it honestly haha. As I was cutting the hair off he became very concerned. He saw the hair fall and repeated "Dane's hair! Look mama, Dane's hair!" and I thought the cutest one was when it landed on his tush and he told me. "Hair is on Dane's butt mama! Get it off!"  He then went into his silly racing mode where he goes from the entry way to the kitchen, back and forth, back and forth.

He's growing up. We are nearing 3. I was looking at him and remembering when he was Bishop's age. How did we get to almost 3 already?! Then on top of that, I was having more thoughts about how I am going to have a Kindergartner this fall. Time seriously does fly by. Gage was Dane's age when I was pregnant with Dane. How can he already be 5 and going to school this fall? How can we be there already? How can Bishop already be testing the boundaries of standing and trying to crawl by using all four's instead of using his hands and knees. How are they growing up so fast? I don't know but they're doing it. They're amazing little people. They bring the biggest smiles to my face every day, even when they're such goobers. Believe me, they can be big goobers. They are my goobers though. They are my bug loving, booger eating, fart joking, sweet, snuggling baby boys. All 3 of them. They'll forever be my baby boys.

I'll love you forever,
I'll like you for always,
As long as I'm living
my baby you'll be.

Robert Munsch's "Love you Forever" our favorite book.

Clapping Baby

I honestly have a lot I could say, I just don't want to. So I will leave you with a little video of Bishop clapping. Jason helps him a little bit but he has definitely gotten the hang of clapping on his own. Sweet babies :)

The video is a few days old so he has mastered clapping without help now.

hellooo

Quick post, long day today and I am tired. Bishop is having a rough night so he's laying in bed with me, hence why this is quick. I hope to move Jim to his he'd in a few.

Goodnight.

Chubbo Bubbo

Today was Bishop's 9 month well baby check up. I took a poll on my facebook to see what people thought he weighed just based off my profile photo. Two people guessed correct. Bishop is 21lbs, he is in the 50th percentile for his weight and he is 28" long and in the 50th for that as well. His curve ball just blew up recently. Thank goodness! She is very happy with his progress and how great he's doing. She said everything sounded great and is happy with his progress on milestones and weight.

Dane has been super clingy today. Very mama oriented. Which is great but definitely odd. He's not normally like that. I will take the snuggles that I can get so I won't complain. He wasn't acting any different feeling wise just has been attached to my hip pretty much. We watched Booty and the Beast or since he just directly asks for Beast most of the time. Followed by Pinocchio. Dane went down for a nap and Gage wanted to watch Pinocchio again so we did. I don't get my kids and their wanting to watch several movies at least twice a day haha.

Weather was beautiful! Love this weather and temp. Loving being able to have my windows open and have a decent cool breeze go through. Heart it.

Well, going to go cuddle up with the injured husband. Goodnight!

Photo blog is updated as well.

Challenge, Day One: Bishop's 9 Months!

So here we are today is June 1st. It means its the start of my challenges and also something else special. Today, Bishop is 9 months old. It's crazy that 9 months have already passed. He's growing so much and is such a little porker. We hit our 9 month nursing milestone as well. That journey has been a long hard one honestly. We have overcome the upsets and are moving forward. I love the snuggles and big smiles.

He still refuses to crawl, but he's getting there. Well, I shouldn't say refuses but he definitely has been stubborn about it. Hates tummy time and will do whatever he can to get off it. Screaming and crying is his biggest winner. We've been working with him more to figure out how to get on all 4's, today was actually pretty successful. He even pulled up to standing position using Jason who was laying on the floor with him! That's a big step for him.

He is a piggy. Loves to eat big people food, devoured some cheese chunks the other day and loved banana slices. Noodles are also a favorite.

His big brothers can make him laugh all the time. His smiles are all through his face.

Teeth, he's getting them! His first tooth was his 2nd right incisor. Totally not where you'd expect to get the 1st tooth haha. His 2nd and 3rd teeth were his bottoms and now his 4th is cutting through. It's his left front tooth! So he's going to have a funky looking smile for a few. He's an amazing chunkamunk.

So here is my first post. Hate that it was so late but it took me a few to get the photos I wanted onto this laptop. It's old, it's slow but it works so I won't really complain. Tomorrow I will work hard to get my post up much sooner in the day. So for day one, I don't think it was that bad. Hopefully this creates a really good habit.

Six months old

Six months old, or really six and a half months old now. I can't believe it. It doesn't feel like time has gone by as quick as it has. He's six months old! So close to seven, then it'll follow eight, nine then we're at one. I love watching him grow, how he adores his two older brothers. His watching their every move, laughing at them, he's such a happy baby.

Mastering sitting up finally, however still hates to be on his tummy. He'll roll over and this might be a good thing in my favor. It'll prolong crawling haha. I know in time it's getting closer and I want to keep him at a slow pace. The other two were crawling too soon for my liking followed by quickly walking. Take your time baby boy!

His smiles, laughs, snuggles are so worth everything. Jason and I constantly tell him that he is the best surprise we've ever had. He was a total and complete surprise and here we are totally in love with him. His brothers adore him and it's so cute watching Dane try to soothe him when baby cries or Gage make him laugh uncontrollably. They're so good with him, so sweet to him.  He's our Bishop and we all love him. Happy 6 and a half months baby boy!

Wordless Wednesday: The Bish

One day you'll be begging me to let you nap

I don't know why I used to think naps were evil as a child because now, I want to make up all those times I refused them. I keep telling Gage that one day he'll want to do nothing but sleep (ahh teenage years..) and I'll be waking him up making him go do things. He should rethink his stance on naps now haha.

The past 2-3 weeks with Bishop have been pretty tough sleep wise. We can see a small clear spot on his bottom gums so it definitely seems to be teething. I hate teething. I want Gage type teething where it didn't bother him, he got 4 at a time and that was that haha. Bishop would be up several times a night, screaming at us basically. He is 50/50 on where he sleeps. Co-sleeping and crib, he thankfully unlike Dane is easier on where he'll go to bed. Jason and I would take turns and find out we're not exactly nice people to each other at 430am when we're both tired and half asleep.

But it figures that when he finally has a good night of sleep, only waking up twice I sleep like complete crap. A kink/pinch in my neck stopped me from getting any real decent sleep. That really bites. So between my tossing and turning then the two times Bishop woke up, I'm pooped.

One day the boys will look back on this and go "why didn't I sleep?!" I know I ask myself that question now. Oh how i wish I could go back to those days and nap for hours on end without being interrupted.

Today is a big day for me

Today is a big one, Mr. Bishop is 6 weeks old today! I know, I know you probably think I'm crazy and actually have every right to think so. I however am very grateful for today. Today marks 6 weeks of successfully breastfeeding AND he is gaining weight! That and right there, that is what I am so happy about. He's gaining weight. He's getting fat, pudgy, rolly polly like. He's not losing or staying at one steady weight. This means a lot to me. It means it's working. It means he's getting all the nourishment and filling his belly from breastmilk.

Now, you are probably wondering why I'm so ecstatic. If you don't know (which I'm sure few of you don't) is because I tried breastfeeding Dane. At 6 weeks old, Dane wasn't gaining weight. He wasn't losing. He stayed at a steady weight that eventually started to become concerning to his doctor. She who is very pro-breastfeeding was uncomfortable with how he wasn't gaining. With how he didn't seem to be getting enough to fill and nourish him like he should. It made me feel like a failure, like I couldn't do this one thing right. At 3 months we started supplementing but at 6 weeks she started taking notice in his weight gain or really lack of.

My biggest fear when Bishop arrived we would suffer the same that we did with Dane (photo of him at 6 weeks to the right). Once Dane started to supplement he flourished. He gained weight so fast that he went from our skinny little baby to the nickname chunkamunk. He self weaned at almost 9 months. So he had some, not  lot at then and the formula was his main source but we made it far even if it wasn't just me.

So yes, 6 weeks this time around with the weight gain, the fat face, legs, thighs, wrist rolls and chunky tummy, yes I am happy. Very happy. I think I have every right to be. The struggles we had with Dane broke my heart and now i get my chance at success. I wish everyone who wanted this could experience it.

Our next nursing milestone is 3 months and at this rate I have no fear that we won't make it and he won't be even fatter! I have hope and that hope will keep me going. So yes, laugh at me if you must but this makes me feel good inside. It makes me feel happy that its going great, that we're getting the bond I wanted with Gage and lost with Dane. I feel like we finally got it right. Ups and downs are always there with nursing. Bishop and I have had ours but he's been like a pro from day one. No issues latching and surpassed his birth weight by 3 weeks. As well as the weight Dane was at, at 3 months. They weighed the same, if you need an idea of how the weight difference was. At 3 months Dane weighed what Bishop weighed at 3 weeks, they were both the same weight at birth.

So I feel I earned this and cannot wait until we earn our 3 month award as well :)

ps, a little side note - the outfit bishop is wearing both parts are 3 months old and he fits just fine in them. Dane never would have at that age!

6 weeks!

It's the great pumpkin! Or not..

October is by far probably my favorite month out of the whole year. Where we live the tree colors are changed, the air is crisp and the temps are nice and cool. Its my ideal weather. If only it could be like this all year. Comfortable and beautiful. Ha, if only! This past weekend was a very good one, one we haven't had in a long time. Saturday we got the boys their halloween costumes and then had my mom and step-dad over for homemade pizza and a few rounds of Euchre (you-ker). Jason and I beat their butts by the way, but thats another post to brag about.

Sunday we decided since we knew this would be the only time this month we'd have extra money to do it, we'd go to the pumpkin patch. This is one tradition we do yearly. I grew up going with my mom and apple picking as well that it was something that I wanted to continue with my children. It's fun going out in a tractor into the fields to search for your perfect pumpkin, instead of going into a grocery store and just grabbing one.

We had a great time, everything came together how we wanted. Dane was cute because he was afraid of the big tractor as it came back to pick us up. He held onto me and Jason got a photo of him. He looked so afraid! Gage had a blast picking out the gigantic pumpkins. He kept wanting to take them home haha. We finally settled on 3 pumpkins. Gage got the biggest, Dane the medium and Bishop the smallest.

Both boys enjoyed the tractor ride and Bishop slept soundly in the moby wrap. It was an all around good day despite a few setbacks, we all had fun. Oh and got some very yummy donuts and cider!

I love this time of year because of these things. Making special memories for my boys that I had when I was growing up. Each year it'll get better and better. These are memories I want my boys to have forever.

See the rest beyond this link!

Mr. Bishop!

Mr Bishop is finally 1 month! Time sure is flying and I can't believe it. I swore it would take forever for him to send me into labor and here we are, he's a month old already. Well, yesterday October 1st he turned a month but I didn't get a chance to make a post.

We are getting coo's now, nursing like a champ as well as social smiles! I am loving every moment with him. I love seeing the older boys interacting with him as well. Melts my heart :)

Life with three..

Yesterday Bishop turned 2 weeks old! I cannot believe it. I have slacked in writing in here but honestly, can you blame me? I have two wonderful big kids and an adorable newborn. My hands are full! We seem to be falling into a routine as a family of 5 but we know hiccups will come and go. It's all apart of adjusting to a new baby in the family.

Jason is back at work and so my days pretty interesting, haha. Gage is my biggest help. Bishop is 100% breastfed so we nurse a lot during the day. During the last two months of my pregnancy I taught Gage how to get his own drinks and snacks (with my permission of course) to be a bit more help. He loves the new found independence as well.

Adjustment is going well all around, both boys have taken to Bishop quite nicely. Gage is ecstatic to have a baby in the house. This time is much more exciting for him because he can understand it better and the super big helper. Even if that means to keep Dane downstairs in the playroom for a few. He's a great help. Dane adores Bishop. We thought jealousy would be there from the get go but it isn't. We know it will show up sooner or later, we're not naive.  However he loves to soothe him, give him a bink when he cries and just love and kiss him. He's too sweet with him.

I'm surviving. I'm finding my way with 3 kids. I've always been told going from 1 to 2 was hard and from 2 to 3 was easy peasy. It is easy so far but I will say there are bumps there in the road. We're getting over them but it's a bit difficult. Each day we tackle at a time. Gage's help is wonderful, he loves to help. I still want him to do his own thing so he doesn't become like my own little constant helper. I hope to be in our routine completely soon. We're close, we've got our mornings down pact. Our days are still falling into place since Dane is getting up earlier we're adjusting around his naps. On top of it all, Bishop is in a growth spurt and I think Dane (well I  hope..) is finally cutting his 2 year molars.

Life is good, changed but good. All for the better. I love my 3 little men :) Changes are no fun, especially for little kids but I do have to say they're doing so great. Sometimes I think better than I am haha.

However it is definitely time for bed so Goodnight all! I'll leave you with the first photo of all 3 of my beautiful boys together :)

He's here!

Bishop Theodore

September 1st, 2010

7lbs 14oz 20 3/4in

Born at home

Today is just another day

I've come to the conclusion I will one day give birth to a 30 year old. Yup, you read correctly. I honestly think this child has no intentions of ever coming out. Hey, I really wouldn't have an issue with it if I could roll over in bed easily or get off the couch without trying 5 times. If I could do normal things, I just wouldn't care. But I can't, so I do. Kid needs to get the damn memo.

I however have gotten to the point that I go to bed knowing I'll sleep as best as I can and I know I'll wake up still pregnant. My days will go on as they normally have and no labor will come of anything. It's just how it is. I'm 41 weeks tomorrow (40 week belly picture to the left taken 8/22) and I have a feeling tomorrow I'll wake up and just go about my day then go to bed, just like usual. I have no real hope of any day bringing on labor. I wish it would but waking up thinking "Today is the day!" just isn't happening anymore.

We both think that Sept 1st will be his birthday. I really don't have an issue with it, but it would have been nice not going through the whole "due month" waiting for baby. You know? Hey, come out when you're supposed to! I had a feeling he'd be late. I mean, both the other boys were, why would he be any different? It would have been nice to have an early baby but hey, my uterus doesn't play games damn-it.  Gage was born at 40 weeks and 5 days, Dane born at 41 weeks exactly. So it could be possible I go to sleep tonight and be in labor tomorrow, but I highly doubt it. We're thinking labor may start the 31st and Bishop will be born on the 1st.

A joke we've started is when we're ready for baby #4 is that we have to plan for either July or March. Why? Because If Bishop is born in Sept, that puts October between him and Dane's birthdays. Dane was born in November, that puts December in between Gage and Dane's birthday. Since Gage was born in January (due at end of Dec) that would make February the month in between March. So, if we aim for baby #4, We'd have either February in between birthdays or August. So July or March. See where I'm going with this? Its a silly joke but slightly amusing to us.

So basically the point of this post? The kid isn't going to ever come out. I'll be pregnant forever. I've accepted this and will go about my days as the forever pregnant lady. I'll probably make it into Guinness World Records as the freaky pregnant lady. I go to bed and wake up knowing my days will be normal.

The kid hates me, mhm. That's my story and I'm sticking to it. I dare you to prove me wrong child ;)

Let's take some bets

So, let's start taking "bets" on when this little guy will decide to show his face and give us a birthday to celebrate every year. I had two good intuitions on when the other boys would be born and I was right. I've had some this time around but it's been too iffy to know if that day will be the actual correct day. Really, all I can do is sit around and wonder, wait and see. If the day comes and goes, well then I was wrong haha. But I'm curious as to what others thing.

Obviously as you all know I am past my "due date". I know I'd go past, but that didn't stop my hopes from going a wee bit early. I didn't. So here I am, "late" again. I can seem to never make it to the party on time huh?

I was "due" on August 22nd. It is now the 24th. Gage was born at 40 weeks and 5 day's gestation. Dane was born at 41 weeks gestation exactly. So, there you have it.

1. What day do you think he'll arrive?
2. How far along do you think I will be?
3. What time of day do you think he'll arrive?
4. What do you think his weight will be?
5. Height?

So, c'mon people. Comment on this blog post and let me know!

According to Babycenter.com; 39 weeks

Your baby's waiting to greet the world! He continues to build a layer of fat to help control his body temperature after birth, but it's likely he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. (Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.) The outer layers of his skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Ah, joy. So I've got a watermelon hanging out inside of me. Really, do we need to put the size of a baby into food perspective? I mean, when he was the size of a Jicama (Seriously, what the hell is that?) that was fine and dandy because it's something i've never heard of. But must we, must we compare the baby to a snack I enjoy? I'll feel guilty the next time I eat a mini watermelon! Damn you babycenter.

Anyways, so I'm 39 weeks and 3 days. I have 4 days until I'm due. I hope he comes sooner then later. I've done the whole late thing, it's not all its cracked up to be. I'm ready, he better be ready. I'm just more ready to be able to stand up without assistance or being able to roll over in bed without it taking 15 damn minutes to do so! Sleep, I want sleep. Also, don't bother with the whole "Once you have a newborn be prepared not to sleep!" I slept better after each of my boys births then I did during my pregnancies, so HA. I know he may be different, but I will still probably sleep better. Dane was our fussy baby, he was the harder one out of our current two. We survived though and you can bet your ass i got more sleep when he was fussier then when I was pregnant. 

I'm ready though. So Bishop, here it is, I'm calling you out kidlet. Time to be born and soon! I'm ready and overly anxious to meet you. We need you out here with us because you'd be such a wonderful welcoming distraction. Plus I bet your uber adorable like your brothers were. Who doesn't love babies? I love babies! So, lets get this party started. You start the labor and I'll do all the hard work, mk? Okay.

Baby and uterus, get the memo! We must prove Naomi wrong ;)

No longer the baby

Please note, this was written yesterday 8/16. However it was posted today.

Last night was a long night for Dane and I. Since my MIL was visiting, Gage camped out in the playroom with her and that left Dane to sleep in their room alone. So, in order to have him adjust and have fun himself we let him sleep in his big brothers bed. Around 4am he must have rolled off the bed. It's a low twin bed but enough to startle him. I heard him tumble and start to cry so I went to check and make sure he was okay. Got him back into bed and sat with him for a few. When I thought I was in the clear I got up and left. He wasn't having it so I sat back down. It was this time I realized shortly he won't be my baby anymore. I mean, he'll always be my baby, but he won't be the baby anymore.

Sitting on the end of the bed and his little feet wiggling around, trying to get comfortable. It made me think, these feet are still so tiny but they soon won't be the smallest in the house. I'm having a hard time grasping this and coming to terms that he won't actually be the youngest anymore. I had more time for the preparation between Gage and Dane, then I do Dane and Bishop. The spacing between the older two is almost (seriously 6 weeks shy of) 3 years. These two, will be 20/21 months apart. A lot less time. We got pregnant with Dane the month after Gage turned 2. So yeah, big leap of difference. One was easier to prepare for.

It's quite strange to think soon our family will have another one added. We've always wanted more kids. Its just weird to actually have it happen against our plans. I know that it'll be like he was always there and a perfect fit. Its just weird to think. We're days away from him making his appearance and days away from Dane not being my littlest anymore. He'll be a great big brother I know it. Just like Gage is a great big brother. He has a wonderful brother to model.

Now, its time to get those last little baby snuggles in before we have a new baby in the house. Am I ready? I don't know. I don't think I'll ever be ready for 3 and two of them under 2. Soon I'll have a 5 year old, 2 year old and a baby under 1. Crazy. I'm not ready but the jump is right there!

Ready or not, here we go.

A Thank You!

Yesterday started out as any typical Saturday. We got Dane down for a nap and decided that would be the perfect time to watch Shutter Island (which we both quite enjoyed.) About half-way through our mail man came. Jason went and got it and came back in with two things. 1. A magazine, which we have no idea why they're still sending it, we didn't renew haha. 2. A package. The package was for me and it caught me off guard. I wasn't expecting anything, well I was but it comes in a box and is a birth kit, haha.

He asked me who lived in KY that I knew and I explained to him who. A wonderful friend who is the awesome co-host to a board where my youngest birth group is. This past year has been hard on us, both financially, physically and mentally. Due to our finances being very very tight we haven't been able to really prepare for this baby. I hate it but it's true. We have all our big items, crib, dresser, changing table.. etc. Having 2 other boys really helps. Our biggest dilemma falls in clothing. We have a ton of winter clothing for newborns but none for a summer baby! Without any extra spending money I couldn't buy any just yet.

So yesterday, when I opened my package and saw these, my heart just filled with joy. Sarah, thank you. You truly are a wonderful person. An amazing kind hearted sweet person! You're an awesome friend to have and this surprise was such a wonderful thing!

Its nice to know that there are still caring people out there. Sarah, you are one! Thank you so much again :)


xx Marisa