Collins: Seven Months

Dear Collins,

At seven months...

You wear 3 to 6 month clothes which fit you well except for the pants, those are still way too big on you

You take two naps around 930 and two, and you sleep from about 730 to 630 or seven.

If you are hungry and you see me making you a bottle you kick your arms and legs

You love to sit in your high chair and play with toys (and throw them)

You are finally rolling back-and-forth on a regular basis, but you prefer to get around by scooting backwards on your back instead of rolling over onto your tummy

You love table food, it is your favorite activity. I will put you in your high chair and you will snack for almost an hour at night. Foods you like: tomato, avocado, zucchini, apple, pickles, baby puffs. You still almost exclusively like baby food made from fruit (no veggies! Except avocado and carrot)

You have really started jumping in your jumper, it is your favorite toy

You babble all the time

You love watching the dogs and always want to touch them

The only time you really chug a bottle is when you’re falling asleep. The rest of the day you only want a couple ounces at a time

You sleep in your crib at night and almost all your naps, although you nap way better in your swing. 

You can sit up on your own! As long as you’re not tired you are great, although we do still sit behind you just in case. 

You love growling at me and having me growl back. And you think it’s funny when I say “ma ma” and “da da”

If we’re out to dinner you don’t want to be held, you want to stand on the table and bounce or look around. 

You have finally noticed the toys on your jumper and will move the pieces back and forth or try to grab them and put them in your mouth. And you still love jumping in it, of course!

Baby love, this month has been sooooo much better! You have finally gotten into a normal sleep schedule (even though you still wake up multiple times a night wanting your paci) and you seem to be a little more content when you’re awake. You still want a lot of attention and hate being left alone, but you’re becoming much more flexible. And you are laughing so much more! You are the bravest of all three kids, loving to be fully thrown in the air and to be genuinely surprised/scared by me saying “BOO!” when you’re not expecting it. You just laugh and wait for me to do it again! You also don’t mind being passed around to strangers or childcare workers. You’ll keep an eye on me but you’ve never cried at drop off.

We are so happy things have finally turned a corner and that you seem to be happier. We love you to the moon!

Haddie: 4 year update

Dear Haddie,
At four years old...

• You are in the 60th percentile for height and 50th for weight (37 pounds). People still mistake you and Titus for twins all the time.
• You are incredibly social! You are always hoping someone will be coming over to play.
• You are also sneaky, you will try to hide and get away with what you can.
• Your favorite foods are peanut butter sandwiches, bananas, yogurt, toast, cheese, chicken and french fries, and any type of cracker/chip. You are a very picky eater and it's hard to get you to eat!
• You imitate everything I do with Baby Collins ("it's okay Baby Love, we're almost home!" "I know Lovie, we're almost there.")
• Your favorite activities are playing tea party, anything with Titus, and pretending to be a mommy to your babies.
• Your favorite shows are Tangled (Rapunzel), Curious George, Sing, and Boss Baby.
• You have gotten so much better with Collins! You have finally figured out how to play with her without squishing her (most of the time). You help me by putting her paci in or entertaining her while I shower.
• You made up a song called "I love Everything" that you sing every night before bed (you basically just sing "I love" followed by whatever pops into your head :)
• You ask me to give you "Anna Hair" like in Frozen, but it's still not long enough for much besides pigtails.
• You LOVE bath time. Sometimes you'll take two baths a day just because you want to play in the bath.
• You are really perceptive of people's emotions and know how to make them laugh or feel better.
• You make friends wherever you go and are very inclusive when playing.
• You cry really easily when things aren't going your way, it's almost like a magic trick how quickly you can make tears appear and disappear ;)
• You don't really like any sports or have an interest in learning to ride your bike. You do, however, love taking gymnastics!
• You go to the library with Aunt Ashley every Monday and it's one of your favorite weekly activities
• You generally have a very positive attitude, thinking that almost anything could be fun. For instance, Titus is over going to the gym and playing in the play place but you always like to go because there are other kids there to play with.
• You don't really like to color or do crafts, but you do love to play with anything you can manipulate with your hands (play-doh, sand, etc.)
• You still have the sweetest, highest little voice and an adorable closed mouth smile and model stance when I take your picture

When Grandma talks about what I was like as a little girl it sounds a whole lot like how you are now! You are generally pretty laid back, can easily get into things you shouldn't, and are an overall happy child who enjoys most things. Christmas and birthdays are so much fun with you because every single little things brings you joy. My favorite thing about you right now is how polite you are and how you have learned what to say to make people feel good. For instance, you automatically say "thank you, Mommy!" for things I wasn't even thinking you thank me for. Or out of nowhere you will pay me a genuine compliment about something I'm wearing like you're a grownup! We love you so much, Haddie Mae!

Titus: Six Year Update

Dear Titus,
at six years...

• You weigh almost 40 pounds and are still measuring in the 3rd percentile for your size.
• You are small for your age, in fact, you like to tell me you're the smallest kid in your kindergarten class. But this doesn't seem to bother you, it's more observational than anything!
• You go to sleep around 7:30pm and sleep til 6:30/7:00am. You've always been a good night sleeper! Once you're out, you're OUT.
• You are really into crafts right now, you like anything where you create or build something from nothing. You draw family portraits, cut out race cars, and make all kids of games for us to play. Your art set is at the kitchen table most days of the week.
• You love Collins so much, but sometimes you love her too hard. One time you headbutted her by accident because you were dancing too close to her face... But other times you are so sweet with her and know just how to help entertain her while I cook or clean :)
• You are way ahead in school, you can read signs everywhere we go in public and we're practicing multiplication at home. The downside is that you are bored of being at school and so most days you ask not to go.
• You LOVE playing soccer! This is a big deal because it's the first sport you've played where you didn't just blow up and quit when things don't go your way.
• You're still obsessed with marble towers, marble mazes, anything with marbles...
• Once you're in a bad mood you prefer to stay that way, finding something wrong with everything. Usually Daddy has to act silly to get you out of your funk.
• You make love notes for everyone in the family and leave them out for us to find.
• Your favorite foods are spaghetti, sausage rolls, and cheeseburgers. Even though vegetables aren't your favorite, you are a really good eater and try everything once, then you usually end up eating it all!
• You can't handle it when Haddie or Collins is hurt or upset and you start yelling at us to help them
• You love babies! And you are so good with them, they love interacting with you.
• You have gotten really into watching sports with Daddy.
• You have been really scared to go swimming (you also hate being cold) but after swimming once with us at FAC you seemed a little more confident and excited about it
• You really love cooking! You help Grandmother cook when you stay the night at her house and it's one of your favorite things

We have loved watching you grow this year since you've started school. It's always amazing to hear you say something out of the blue that I had no idea you knew anything about (habitats, recycling, how tall cows are...) You have also gotten way better and understanding sarcasm and when people are joking, which makes you really happy because you feel in on it :) You still get upset and overwhelmed easily (which usually results in you being angry) but you're not yelling as much as you used to, you say a lot of things like "I'll never do anything like this again" or "you must not love me then." It's all very dramatic and would be kind of funny if it wasn't so serious to you. But on the other hand, you can be incredibly fun and encouraging to others. I asked your teacher what you were like at school and she said your favorite thing is to help other students. She also said you were kind and inclusive which was all I had really hoped for your first year of school. You are also very faithful, constantly telling us that God made you unique and everything different about each of us is exactly what God wanted us to be. We love you, buddy!