Happy Baby

Oh, Brecken - you are such a happy baby. Tonight we watched as you giggled to yourself in your highchair, swinging your feet with simple happiness! Your happiness is contagious :)

I feel like you're either happy / giggling or sleeping...

Brecken's Nursery

One of my favorite things to do during pregnancy was to design a nursery for each of our kids. Each room so full of love even before baby arrived. Here's Brecken's special space:

Lots of love in this photo - his handmade mobile, monogrammed bunny from Auntie Laura & Uncle Nick (that I take his monthly photos with), sign from Martina (so meaningful since his healthy birth was such a miracle), his chevron bank from Nana & Bumpa, the frame on the top right from Grandma D while we were in the hospital, a striped bin for toys...

The baby bootie frame from Grandma D - she bought it in Montana when I first shared the news we were expecting, "That's Not My Train" book from our neighbors - that I read over and over to Brecken while spending time with him in the NICU...

The "Breck" banner that the nurses used in the hospital to count the weeks until your birth (used to read "34 wks")...For the longest time, we had the plant from Grandma Sue & Grandpa Roger on this shelf - that they sent to the hospital during my long stay. We still have part of it in our laundry room, but Brecken's room proved to only have enough light for an artificial plant...

Brecken's great-grandfather's rocking chair from when he was little (Great-Grandpa Pauley), the little quilt blanket I made Brecken...

Handmade changing table cover (I love this Spoonflower fabric!). We alternate it with a more practical waterproof cover that also matches his room...

The light fixture that I found at the Habitat Restore - painted and hung with love by daddy...

The accent wall that grandpa (my dad) so patiently helped me paint, "love" artwork made by mommy, the moose blanket from Etsy (one of the very few things we have bought Brecken!)

So much love, from so many people, in one little space, for one amazing little person. Definitely my favorite room in the house :)

Happy St. Patty's Day

About the same age, same outfit, same expression! But Ryder (left) was a more stable sitter compared to Brecken (right):

Thankful

One of those moments when I realize how messy the house is, the laundry machine is working overtime, we're all a little crabby, it's afternoon and I still haven't showered, my to-do list is impossible due to constant demands of little people...and then I stop...I noticed Ryder coloring his detailed page, Logan finishing his entire lunch, Brecken giggling (and then smothered in kisses by Logi), and remember I am so going to miss all of this in a few years when they are off playing with their friends and don't need mom's help with everything. I love this perfect family, even on the days they're driving me crazy ;)

Brecken | 6 Months

Brecken, you are six months now! You have been changing a lot lately...which is fun, but you are my last baby, so I am a little sentimental about it, too...

-You are very sturdy and strong. You have started to play in the exersaucers at daycare and at home. You love it.

-You are very curious about things. You like to explore toys and see what noises they make.

-I swear you are getting your bottom teeth. We had a couple rough nights when Tylenol was a big help. But then the pain seemed to go away...and still no teeth....

-You are a hungry boy! We just changed from 4oz bottles to 6oz bottles plus baby oatmeal for breakfast and baby food at dinner time. You have liked everything we have fed you so far, except green beans (I think they were a little too thick for you yet). You like to grab the spoon and try to feed yourself. You eat at 3am, 8am, lunchtime, 2pm, dinnertime, and 9:30pm. I am reluctant to give up the 3am feeding because you eat a lot at that time, I don't mind getting up once, and I like feeding you before getting up and out the door to work (I leave around 5:30am). I used to wake the other boys at 5:30 to feed them before work and that seemed to lead to them waking up at 5:30am for years...

-You can see very well now! If smile at you from across the room, you smile back. 

-You coo and gurgle and giggle! It is so fun! But you are most often very quiet - which is such a contrast from your 3 and 6 year old brothers!

-You can put a nuk in your mouth by yourself, but you don't know to let go of it so you can suck on it. You seem to prefer your thumb anyway. 

-We no longer swaddle you at night, but you sleep in a sleep sack with a heater on.

-You are no longer a fan of tummy time, but it's fun to see how strong you are when you are on your tummy.

-You still sleep a lot. You have a morning nap and a longer afternoon nap. We have eliminated the evening nap for the most part, but you often cat nap at additional times throughout the day. Especially if we go for a walk or you're in the car. You usually go to bed for the night by 8pm.

-You love it when your brothers entertain you.

-You love to chew on your hands and your feet!

-We both think you're a very easy baby so far (not including the pregnancy or NICU stay!)

-It looks like you're going to have brown eyes, but it's still too early to know for sure.

Official stats: 16lbs 6.6oz (23%), 26.42" long (29%), 17.09 head circumference (44%) 

Friday Fun

60 degrees in early March! We actually hit 70 early this week and set a record. I'm loving it! I am also thankful for the beautiful weather on a day that school is closed and I'm home with all 3 kids. It's so much more fun when we can get outside.

We spent most of the morning at our new local playground. The boys played soccer (while I fed Brecken), they ran the maze a bunch of times, and tested their agility on the playground. It's interesting that Logan was a climber as a baby and that the skill has stuck with him. He can climb as fast as the kids Ryder's age and is creative with the routes he takes on ropes courses. It's pretty fun to watch and you can totally tell he's in his element.

Finding their way through the labyrinth

And, of course, Brecken slept through most of this. I woke him from his morning nap (after sleeping from 9-10) to take him to the playground. And he fell asleep again shortly after arriving (and he's still sleeping now that we're home!). But he did get some playtime in the baby jeep for the first time this morning:

He loved it :)

Now for some quiet time while all the kids nap, then back outside again! Happy Friday!

Brecken's First Run

Last night, we went for our first run / ride all together! Brecken loved his ride in the Chariot - he was all smiles!

This is going to be a fun summer!