4 Month Checkup and SHOTs

Shots...Cringe. I'm not sure who hates them more. Actually, I'm pretty sure it is me! He did great, and only cried for a second. Two shots were much better than three and he was in a good mood to begin with unlike last time when he was starving.
As far as the appointment....everything looked great! Growing, healthy baby boy...just what we like to hear!

16 lbs 3 oz (70%)

26 1/2 in (90%)

SQUASH

I'm not usually much of a Suzie Homemaker, but sometimes I try. I decided that since I am home most of the time (and on a budget!!!), I would try my hand at making Bishop's babyfood. I'm not saying that I'm going to make EVERYTHING he eats, but some things for sure. It actually was pretty easy...and FUN. It doesn't take much to amuse me! It is exciting watching him try new things. And, for the record...he LOVED squash.  I'm ready to try something else now! I think we may do bananas next since they are so easy...and they don't even require cooking! I bought the book Super Baby Food and also used the website http://www.wholesomebabyfood.com/ (suggested by J.J.'s good friend  Rachel ....thanks Rachel, it really is easy!). I actually have not read much of the book yet, but I have used the website a ton. I have made some nectarines and plan on some sweet potatoes, green beans, and pears soon.

Purchased at Farmer's Market for $1.....

Washed, cut in half, and removed seeds.....

Baked for 45 mins....

Pureed....

Froze in ice cube trays....

And, ENJOYED....

Lazy Weekend

The weekend we have been looking for....a weekend with no plans! It was fantastic! I actually got a lot of cleaning done and Leon got a little yard work done. We still have piles of things to do, but, hey, it is a start. On Saturday I cleaned until around lunch, then my dad and Kathy came to visit. After Bishop's afternoon nap, we had an outdoor photosession (see below) and he was amazed by the grass and Abby. He wasn't really into smiling...he was just taking it all in. Then we all got dressed and went to Tupelo to eat and to Walmart...what all folks with kids do. Then this morning, we visited First United Methodist Church again. We really like it a lot. As I have said before, we haven't been able to visit different churches to find our "home" as much as we have liked since we moved here due to our work schedule. We consider it such a blessing to be able to all go to church together as a family!! This morning, Bishop went to the nursery for the first time. He does great and never makes a peep sitting with us during the service, but we figured it was time to join the other babies in the nursery! We were told he did great and I'm sure he did...and I did ok too ;) Here are some photos from our Saturday afternoon....he most certainly looks like a boy in these!

Four Months

I think I'll more than likely start every month with a tear (or a few tears!). I'm sad my little man is growing up on me so fast, but it is such a joy to see him growing and changing every day. He is still 100% the best baby I have ever seen or heard of (I could be a bit partial!). It truely is impossible to describe how much I love this little guy. Here is a little of what's going on in 4-month old Bishop's world....

• ALMOST sitting up...I don't think it will be too long. He can sit for a second, then does a face plant into his toys. He can really sit in the bathtub and when he is playing with his Vtech car.
• Rolls over from his tummy to his back pretty well.
• ALMOST rolling from tummy to back. I know he can...he is just choosing not to. He gets pretty mad that he can't do it...boy has big shoulders that get in the way.
• TALKS non stop. He is most certainly MY child! We are in trouble...there is never a quite moment with him unless he is sleeping. He makes the funniest facial expressions when he talks. He even gets mad at his toys and fusses at them...not in a crying way, just tells them what he thinks. He loves the sound of his voice...and so do I!
• LAUGHS...Love this one! He laughs at mommy and daddy all of the time! I always sing to him at night while I'm feeding him (the only time I am able to rock him!). The other night while I was singing...he looked up at me and smiled (which is not unusual) so I kept on singing. He started lauging at me...he got so tickled that he couldn't stop laughing. This of course, made my heart melt. I love this kid.
• LOVES his toys. He still likes his gym, although we have so many other toys that we don't really use it as much. Still kinda likes the swing but not nearly as much (he has to sit still too much).  He loves to lay in the floor and kick this toy that Page and Max gave him. He also likes to drive this Vtech car. He loves [to chew on] stuffed animals and rattles. He plays a good bit in the exersaucer now...see next bullet. Leon calls him "Bam Bam" because he is a bit rough on his toys....definetly a boy!
• Has a MAJOR obsession with these shapes on a string on his excersaucer...he hardly pays any of the other toys much interest. Even if you move him to another toy, he will eventually find his way back. He has a love/hate relationship with the shapes. I don't know what the deal is really. He fusses at them all of the time. I'll be in another room and hear him in there fussing away. Every time I check on him, he is into it with the shapes again. I think maybe its because he wants them off of the string, but no matter how much he tries...he can't get them. I'll try and post a video if I can figure it out. It makes me laugh.
• Completely swaddle free (Yay!!) and sleeping GREAT (as long as we somewhat stick to a schedule) at night...bed around 8:30 and up at 7:00 ish. He would probably be ready to go to bed earlier,  but I tried to work his schedule so that I can still feed him and put him to bed on the days I work. He's always been a great sleeper, thank goodness for that! I also want to video him going to sleep. It is so funny. He shakes his head back and forth really fast like he's saying no. He also is usually scratching his bed or his ear as he shakes his head. It is so precious. He doesn't need me to rock him at all...which is good for the most part but sometimes makes me sad!
• Eating every 4 hours much more like normal people. He eats in the morning, then around 11:30-ish, then 3:30, then supper. We have just started cereal three days ago. He liked it a little better mixed with applejuice. Still not 100% sure about it...but he eats it anyway. I'm ready to start real food...I have some butternut squash in the freezer (that I made) waiting on him.
• Naps much better! He is napping around two hours in the morning and two hours in the afternoon. He also has a catnap sometime between 3:30 and supper.
• Still spits up a ridiculous amount of what he eats...nothing in my house is spit up free anymore. That's ok, I'll still keep him!
• Did I mention he is a talker? Jabbers all of the time!

LOVE THIS BOY!!!

In these pictures, he was actually 4 months and 1 week....and he was already sitting up by himself  (with a spotter nearby...still a bit wobbly!) Yes, I know, his outfit is a tad girly. Leon hates it, but I think he looks adorable!!

Sunday photosession

We were all dressed up, so why not?

This one cracks me up........

Cereal

Well, I finally did it. He is just a few days shy of 4 months old so we tried cereal. He did so good with the spoon. I was rather impressed. I thought he might not know what I wanted him to do, but he opened right up and took a big 'ole bite. Immediately following each bite, he made the most awful face! It was so funny! He just wasn't too sure. He never fussed; just kept right on trying it. It was almost like he wanted to like it...just didn't! I nursed him for about 10 minutes first so he would not be starving, but would also not be too full to even try. I didn't come up with that on my own, I read it online somewhere..http://www.babywisemom.com/  I believe. Side note...thanks to Jenny Ruth for recommending this blog! If you are a Babywise fan at all...this website is very handy! She has almost any scenerio you can think of that you might encounter.Anyway, I think that was a good idea to feed him first or he might have gotten mad at me. I can't wait to try it again. I'm really looking forward to trying other foods...I've got homemade squash in the freezer waiting on him!

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Thats What I Love About Sundays....

Church....

Playtime....

 

Naptime!!

And we are swaddle free!!

8-8-10

My little blue burrito baby has slept so wonderfully since before he was 6 weeks old. I have never known whether or not he was just a born a good sleeper, if it was that I followed Babywise, or if it was the Miracle Blanket. Whatever it was, I was not about to disturb anything. Wherever we went, the blanket went as well. I was thinking we might have to swaddle until middle school! However, the other night he fell asleep while it was in the dryer (I had washed it and forgotten about it...imagine that!). I did not want to wake him so I just put it beside my bed just in case we needed it during the night. Well, he didn't wake up until morning! I was so scared he would not sleep without it.  The next night was not so great...we had to swaddle in the middle of the night.  Instead of giving up, I tried again and ever since he has slept without it! He even has waken up in the morning talking and rolling around and playing in his bed. Little man is growing up on me!

FROM:

(One month old)



TO:

(3 1/2 months...my little Oompa-loompa!)

Beach Photoshoot

So, we tried to get up early and go take pics on the beach. Two words- not fun. It wasn't as much of a disaster as it could have been. However after getting dressed, packing everything up, and heading out to the beach across the street he was tired already (as was mommy and daddy!) Although the sun wasn't bright, it apparently was too bright for him so he was all squinty and looks mad. Nontheless, he's still a cutie pie!

The Beach

WARNING**Obnoxious amount of pictures ahead....I have over 200 for a 3 day trip!! I'm going to try and only include a few to highlight the trip.

We had a great time...great weather, great food, and great family and friends. We stayed at a condo with my Aunt Pam and Rick, Mom and Gerald, and Russ's friend Coy. We hung out on the beach for maybe an hour each day. It was just too hot for B man. The waves put him straight to sleep tho! He did enjoy a few minutes in the water, but I was afraid he would get oil on himself, sand in his mouth, or salt in his eyes that we didn't stay out there long. (Of course I was the only one who found oil..apparently I stepped on some heading home from the beach) We even got to take a day trip to Mandy and Nate's new house in Perdido...can we say, jealous!!! Anyway...his first trip to the beach was a success and we are looking forward to going with JJ, Allen, and Harvey next month.

Hanging out at the condo (which we did A LOT!)

Napping on the beach

Hanging on the porch in the Bumbo

Napping on the beach again

And a few photos at the wedding.........

Lulu's

Bishop had his first trip to Lulu's for Russ and Audrey's Rehearsal Dinner....

We have to wait HOW LONG??

I love this little slobber box!