4 Months

Anderson,

You are now 4 months old and had a really great month!   Am I allowed to say each month... "this was my favorite month"??  Your personality keeps changing and you are becoming more and more fun.  
We moved to Denver, NC to live at the Russo's lake house right when you turned 3 months old.  Everything we own is packed in a storage unit except our clothes, your crib and chair.  You did great during the move and it didn't seem to mess up your sleep or demeanor. 

Mom started back to work and you have adjusted so well.  We take you to Miss Beth's everyday and you are so happy at her house.  You arrive in your pj's every morning and give Miss Beth a smile right when we walk in the kitchen.  When mommy picks you up, you muster up a smile or giggle to make sure I feel loved.  Miss Beth has been great to keep your same schedule and says you are a very good boy for her.  I went away for the weekend with your aunts and nanny.  You had a great weekend with your dad and were extra well behaved.

You have continued to roll around, eat your hands/fingers ALL.DAY.LONG, love standing and started to really belly laugh.  The first time we heard you belly laugh, I almost cried.  It was the best thing I have ever heard.  You have continued to drool like a champ and constantly want to hold your bottle.  You played in your exersaucer for the first time and continue to love the johnny jumper (we only let you play in those for 30 minutes a day so it doesn't stretch our hips too much...following Dr. Ellen's orders)  You started riding in the bob face-forward like a big boy and have done really well.  You either scratch the sides and listen to the noise your nails make or play with the toys we attach.  You found your voice this month and started to "talk" all the time.
You are still a total morning person and smile and giggle the minute we walk into your room.  You are the happiest when you are naked.  If you could roll around in your diaper all day, you would be the happiest baby on the earth.  Sorry bud, clothing is important.
You attended eKidz at church for the first time this past month.  Mommy was a little anxious during the church service but you did great.   You have gone a few times now and really love it.  You have started to nap longer on the weekends (2.5-3.5 hour) stretches.  It is glorious for us and we appreciate it!  
You had your first Halloween and mom let you wear a lame costume.  We dressed you up in your giraffe costume,  took a few pictures, went to test drive a new car, then put you to bed.  Exciting night, buddy!
As promised, we bought you a home this past month.  We showed it to you a few weeks ago and you approved.

4 Month Stats:

Weight- 14lbs 1 oz (50% percentile)

Length- 26.5 inches (80% percentile)

Head- don't remember the exact measurement but you were in the 20% percentile.  Sorry about your pea head

Eating-taking a bottle every 3-4 hours during the day

Naps-2 hour morning nap, 2 hour afternoon nap and a 30-45 min cat nap in the evening

Night time-You are usually in bed by 6:30pm and we wake you at 7am to put you in your car seat to go to Miss Beth's house.  A week before your 4 month birthday, you started waking up around 4 or 5am.  We gave you a bottle and you went right back to sleep.  We started you on cereal but more on that later

We are thankful for a healthy and happy little boy and feel blessed to be your parents.   
Love you little nugget! 

Sorry, mostly iphone pics this month...

first time time in the water/sand at the lake

 first pair of shoes

 dinner date with mom and dad- played the whole time

 getting ready for the pumpkin patch

 your favorite past-time...drool bubbles

 first time at church

 first Halloween

 exploring the exersaucer

 attempt at a family picture

 first time riding face-forward in the bob.  Need more toys?

Sold!

When we moved back to Charlotte, we thought it would be a breeze to find a house.  We were sadly mistaken!  It has been an ORDEAL to find our "forever" home, but we finally did.  We put an offer down on 5 different houses and walked away from each for one reason or another.  During the whole process, Mike kept reminding me that the Lord had the perfect house for us and we just needed to be patient.  Everyone knows how much I wanted to listen to those words.  

We put an offer on a house a few weeks ago and the next day it was accepted!  We had the pest inspection and home inspection today and everything went pretty well.  Only a few minor things we would like the owners to fix.

I might have already started planning a housewarming party.  I just needed an excuse to see everyone.  We're excited to move in a few weeks and start making it our home.  Our door is always open, so feel free to come stay (unless it's past 9pm and I will probably be in bed)!

Girls Weekend 2012

Last weekend, we headed to our Annual Gibbs Girls weekend.  

Em drove from Tuscaloosa, I drove from Charlotte and mom and Lora flew from GSO & RDU.  Somehow, we all pulled into Chateau Elan at the exact same time.  We didn't waste anytime once we dropped our bags in the room.  We walked the property, checked out the spa and found ourselves at one of the property restaurants ordering adult beverages.  That evening, we headed to a local Mexican restaurant where everyone tried to get the other person tipsy.  Mission accomplished.

Saturday morning, we woke up to mom asking what time it was and/or coughing (love you, mom)!  We began to question why we didn't get 2 rooms, but all was quickly forgotten once be started talking about food.  We had a great breakfast, made best friends with the chef then headed to the spa.  We were at the spa from 9:30am until after 2pm.  We had massages/facials, relaxed, ate lunch in our robes (my favorite part) and took advantage of all the spa "extras".  

After the spa, Em and I headed back to the room so we could just chill.  Lora took one for the team and went on a nature walk with mom.  Apparently it wasn't too painful since they stopped halfway through the walk and had drinks at the pool bar.  

Late that afternoon, we all quickly got ready for the winery tour and tasting.  We had a good time sipping wine and being obnoxious as usual.

That evening, we all got dressed up and headed back to the winery for dinner.  The food and wine were amazing.  After dinner was over, mom might have been trying to talk us into going to the restaurant/bar next door for drinks and dancing.  Her daughters are lame and said no.  We were all tired and wanted to lay around and then get some sleep.  BORING...but a perfect night in my book.

 Mom misbehaving as usual

 Happy 60th birthday mom!

Sunday morning, we all woke up and got ready to head out.  Mom and Lora had to get to the airport to catch an early flight and I was ready to hit the road so I could see my little man.

It was my first time away from Anderson and I missed those chubby cheeks!  Mike and Anderson had a great weekend together  and I was so thankful for a weekend away.
Until next year...

This is what happens...

when the four of us are at the spa together.

Clearly we don't get out much!

I should caption each photo with what we were saying at the time, but I will leave that to your own imagination.  Bless them!

Weekend away

I am leaving tomorrow for the Gibbs Girls annual trip.  This year we are heading to Chateau Elan, right outside of Atlanta.  It will be my first weekend away from Anderson and I have mixed emotions about it.

I am SO EXCITED to spend the weekend with my mom and sisters and sleep without the baby monitor.  But, I am a control freak and won't be able to control Anderson's schedule while I'm away.  Crazy, I know.  Mike is completely capable and I know he will be fine, but I will still be worried. (plus he has assured me that he will follow the schedule and keep track of it in my journal-love that man)

I am sure we will facetime an excessive amount this weekend and that will help my craziness.  To make matters worse, I get back on Sunday evening and fly out on Monday morning for a work trip.  Mike gets the award for super dad!

I'm ready to drink too many glasses of wine, laugh at random things mom says, rent bikes, tour the winery, relax at the spa, consume lots of yummy food, get some sleep and of course make more memories!

Happy weekend!

3 Months

Anderson,

We made it to the 3 month mark!!!  Those first few weeks of your life are starting to fade...not sure if that is good or bad.  I don't remember as vividly as I used to just how tired, clueless and scared I really was.  Apparently time does heal all wounds :)

You have had a very busy 3rd month of life.  You got to meet all your "West Girls" Aunts and your friend Gus at baby Charlotte's shower, met your cousin Malia and your aunt Stephanie, had your first play date with Austin, met your great grammy and great grandaddy, met your great grandma (Deedee), met your new playmate and "sister" Emerson, lots of nanny/poppy/O'Malley and mimi/pops time, several house hunting trips, packed up your house in Knoxville and moved to Charlotte.

You have continued to grow and develop right before our eyes.  Not only do you love sucking your pointer finger, now you love the entire fist.  Your neck has final gotten stronger and your cheeks don't weigh you down as much.  You can hold your head up and lift your head up while you are having tummy time.  You like to roll from your back to your side but then stop.  Thankfully you have no started rolling all the way over yet.  Your newest thing is drooling...not sure where it came from.  But you are constantly blowing drool bubbles and letting it soak your shirt.  You smile and laugh every time we hold you in a standing position.  You got in the johnny jumper for the first time and LOVED it!  I see many hours of jumping in the near future.  You are continuing to sit in your bumbo for longer stretches.  You are reaching for toys and hit them back and forth.  I wouldn't say you are actually holding them yet, but I think that will be any day now.

I go back to work on Tuesday and all of our routines will change a bit.  Although I'm excited to go back to work, I will miss you so much during the day.  You will be well loved during the day with Miss Beth and Emerson.  I have to travel a few different times during October and November so you will have a lot of "dad and lad" time.  Hopefully by your 4 month birthday, we will have found a house for us to move into....here's to hoping!

We are thankful that you got your dad's genes of being flexible.  You have been great during our travels (minus the meltdown you had on the way back to TN last time), sleeping in different cribs, houses and not letting it mess with your sleep schedule.

Each month gets better and better, and we're excited about all the milestones ahead.
We love you sweet boy!

3 Month Stats:

Weight- 13lbs 4 oz (I weighed you on our home scale so not sure about accuracy)

Length- 25 inches I think.  We got out the measuring tape and it seems you have grown

Eating- still taking a bottle at 8am, 11am, 2pm, 5pm and 7:30pm (about 4oz-5oz each feeding)

Naps- 3 naps a day ( about 1 hour each)

Night time- most of the month you were sleeping about 10-11 hour stretches and then going back to bed for 2-3 hours.  For the past 2 weeks, you have been sleeping 12-13 hours at night. THANK YOU JESUS!!!  You go to bed between 7 and 7:30 and wake up no later than 8:30am.