Wiley 6 months old

Wiley guy…6 months old. It’s hard to believe! It’s hard to believe and you’re really a little over a week past your 6 month landmark already! I have had a hard time sitting down to write this out, partially because it’s been so busy, partially because you’re the 4^th and mostly because I’m in denial.

I can’t believe my little man is 6 months old. I can’t believe 6 months ago we welcomed you into this world as a snuggly newborn and now you insist on rolling all over the place. You definitely don’t stay where you’re put anymore. You love to roll, wiggle and squirm. Anything and everything goes into your mouth to explore and you love jumping in the exersaucer, Johnny jumper and on our laps if we hold you up. You’re working on sitting up with the help of Lucy and Murray (and Mom and Dad), I think you would have it down if you would just sit still for a minute, instead of leaning and reaching for the nearest object!

You got your first tooth the last week in November, just in time for Thanksgiving and your 6 month birthday! Your bottom center tooth on the left poked through after a few days of rosy cheeks. You also tried your first food on Thanksgiving…just a few days before you turned 6 months! You tried sweet potatoes and ate them like a champ, but were pretty gassy the next day so we decided to wait just a little longer before incorporating it into our daily routine.

You got your helmet this month. A cute little blue helmet that makes your cheeks squish out even more. It’s going to shape your head into a perfect round head and get rid of that pesky flat spot in the back.

At the doctor you weighed in at 19 lbs 10 oz and measured 27.3 inches tall! That makes you in the 81% for weight and 76% for height. Your head circumference is 45 cm putting you in the 80% for head size! 

At 6 months old you’re more smiley than ever and are starting to share your giggles more generously. You recognize your siblings and watch them intently, I can only imagine what you’re thinking and what life will be like when you can chase after them and join in their fun.

You met lots of new people, and saw some old when we went to Chicago to visit with Grammy and Pop Pop for Thanksgiving. We had lots to do and lot of people to see. You even met one of the people you’re named after my Uncle Breen from Mexico! (He’s William Breen). Everyone comments on how big you are and how happy you seem, both are very true!

I can’t believe I can love you any more each month and then I do. Watching you grow and change is just such a joy. Everyone tells you that you look just like your brother…I always point out that you have blue eyes not brown, but I do wonder if you’ll continue to look like him as you grow. Your personality is beginning to show through and you continue to be easy going and happy. We are so blessed to have you in our family!

We love you to the moon and back!

Wiley-5 months old!

It seems like every time I blink it's time to write yet another monthly update on Wiley! Oh, smiley Wiley, you're another month older, you're learning more tricks and becoming more interactive with each passing day. We went to the doctor just the other day for a nasty cough and ear infection you've had and you're 18 lbs already! Growing every chance you get.

 

You're rolling over now. You don't like to show it off much, but we often leave you in a room and come back in to find you 5 feet away from where we left you, a few times you've rolled off the carpet and knocked your head on the wood floors. You're not too far from "getting around" and we're excited and anxious for what adventure that will bring.

You're a pretty great sleeper. You still have nights where you're up often, but most nights you visit with mommy just once and you fall back asleep quickly.

You've stolen everyone's hearts. Ginny lovingly calls you "MY Wiley" and both Lucy and Murray snuggle you and talk to you when they're home from school. Daddy and I can't imagine life any other way.

5 months old little man...this year is going WAY too fast for me! We've packed away the 6 month clothes and you're solidly wearing 9 month and a few 12 month outfits! You're so tall, and everyone we meet comments on how big you are! You're holding yourself up nicely, trying to sit  by yourself with someone behind you...Lucy LOVES this job, and hanging out in the exersaucer.

We took you to get your head measured this month. You have a little flat spot in the back, so you'll be sporting a helmet soon so when you get bigger you'll have a perfectly shaped head.

We love you to the moon and back little man. Slow down...because the next stop is 6 months old and then you just keep getting closer to your first birthday...man oh man slow down!

Wiley- 4 months old

4 months! In the same sentence I can confidently say that I can NOT believe that you are 4 months old already and I can NOT believe you've only been here 4 months!

 

You my son, have made your mark. You are part of this family and I can not remember life before you. I can remember pieces of anticipating your arrival, but I can not remember the day to day without you in it, and I'm certain everyone else would agree!

 

 

We LOVE you so much! We call you Smiley Wiley and there hasn't been a day that you haven't lived up to your name. Sure you get cranky or fussy, but you're still always full of smiles once you're rested, or changed or snuggled.

 

You take after your big brother with the best pouty lip I ever did see. Occasionally your older siblings play a bit rough around you, and more than once I have failed to protect you from a flinging arm or leg and you make sure to let us all know. It's hard to discipline when everyone just thinks you looks so cute with that little lip hanging out!

 

You're becoming quite the "squealer" you enjoy hearing your voice and adding to the noise in the house with your squeals of joy throughout the day. Murray especially loves this and is always encouraging you to "scream more Wiley!"

 

This month we've transitioned to you and Ginny being home all day with me while Lucy and Murray are at school. It's a bit slower pace, but also a bit busier as well. We are the ones entertaining Ginny so you've been quite busy going to play group, taking walks, helping with art projects and cooking with me from the ergo. You are easy going and enjoy the ride.

 

Early in this month (the first Friday in September), you went for your biggest adventure yet. You sir, had a renal scan. You were a champ about it and very brave as you went off without mommy and daddy and were sedated. We were especially nervous about not feeding you for so long before the test, but you did GREAT and while you were a bit angry after the test was over and the anesthesia had worn off, we allowed it, snuggled you and I nursed you and by the time we left the hospital you were our happy boy again.

 

We will be watching those kidney's of yours. They're both too big, and they both are slow at processing because of a narrowing in the ureter. So, we'll watch them and pray and we'll keep re-evaluating to see if they need to be fixed by the doctor or if they're fixing themselves as you grow.

 

Speaking of growing...you're HUGE! At your 4 month appointment you were 17 lbs already and 27 inches long. That's the 85th percentile for weight and off the charts for height. You are definitely our big little man!

 

We love you Wiley! We're so thankful that you're here and we're enjoying all you bring to our family. Can't wait to see what this next month brings!

 



First Day of School!

A few pictures from our first day of school 2013! 


Murray at his hook at school

The boys took Murray to his first day of kindergarten

Murray on his first day of kindergarten 9/3/2013

Lucy on her first day of 2nd grade 9/3/2013

and just so we can prove Ginny was there and looking cute! She dressed like Lucy on her first day (and wore a backpack up to school too).

I'm Not Ready Yet!

It's been a busy summer around our house. We kicked it off (a little early for Lucy, but Murray had finished school...so we'll count it as summer) with a new baby brother! We're so glad Wiley joined us this summer!

 

Following Wiley's arrival we had a slew of guests we absolutely LOVE to see.  A little bit of travel while Nick was out of town, a short weekend adventure in Chicago (more on that later) and then when we landed at home we started the preparations for Jr. High VBS, and by "we" I mean Nick worked like crazy and we tried to hold down the fort, feed him when he was home and get in any "daddy time" we could when he was available. August was VBS (the kids LOVED it), then Nick was gone for 4 days and I tried my hand at being the sole parent to 4 children...let's just say things went really well, but I was just as excited as the kids with Nick arrived home!

 

Finally last week we had a breath of fresh air. The summer busyness died down and we spent a week of vacation together as a family. We did not turn on a TV once, I was offline the whole week (Nick did check his email a few times and post a few pictures from his phone). It was GLORIOUS! We came back rejuvenated as a family with memories that will last us a lifetime. (Thanks to our friends and their generosity so we could enjoy this time together).

 

Now...it's back to school. This is the first year we've done this back to school thing. The first year we've jumped right in with the rest of the world. The first year we're not homeschooling, the first year that going to school is every day, all day...and for more than 1 of our kids.

 

To say there are nerves in our house is an understatement. As the mom, I'm keeping my feelings to myself. Telling the kids what a great time they'll have. Getting them excited about their teachers and their friends that they'll get to see. But, inwardly I'm crying...throwing a bit of a tantrum if you will. I'm not READY to send them off for the day. Oh, sure, I have thoughts of what the days will be like quieter, how great it will be to spend time with just Ginny and Wiley...but then my thoughts wander to Ginny in the backyard with Murray, to Lucy snuggling Wiley on the couch...to Lucy reading stories to Ginny and Murray making Wiley smile and coo with his crazy noises.

 

This is when I know I'm sending part of my heart away for 7 hours a day. Ok, that may sound dramatic, but it's true! I know our family dynamic will change, I know that our house will run at a different beat. It will take a while for us to find our school "tune" if you will. We'll find it, we'll settle into a rhythm and a routine soon enough, the kids will enjoy school and I'll enjoy the time with my littles at home...but I still might make a paper chain counting down to Thanksgiving break...I may hide it in my closet so the kids don't know about it, but I can't say I'm excited to send them off to school. I'm excited for them to have a taste of independence, excited for them to learn and grow, but I'm not quite ready to let them go. So I'll just keep counting the days until I get them back for awhile again.

 

So today and tomorrow you'll find me with my family. Working together, playing together and wishing that summer was just a little bit longer...

Wiley-3 months old

Another month has flown by! I can't believe how busy August was an how much you've grown yet again! You're smiling lots and lots now. Smiling at daddy, your siblings and me when we talk to you. Lucy, Murray and Ginny love when you make faces or coo back when they talk to you. It just makes them giggle in delight. 

You're getting longer and bigger it seems, and just this week before you turned 3 months you ROLLED OVER! I can't believe it!

This month we had a busy month. You came and helped me be on the welcome team at VBS. Lucy and Murray attended VBS and Ginny played in the nursery. All the ladies loved seeing you, and they were amazed at how easy going you were.

Daddy went out of town for a few days and you were super great while he was gone. Making things a bit easier for me to hold down the fort.

We vacationed to Traverse City. Once again you were a trooper in the car and you loved all the outside time in the shade watching the trees blow in the wind and falling asleep whenever you needed and then just waking up happy again.

To say you enjoy getting a diaper change is an understatement. As soon as we place you on the changing table you start kicking your legs and smiling at us. I don't think you've ever cried while getting a diaper change (unless someone pokes you in the eye or headbutts you...yes, that does happen, I'm sorry Wiley, it's the pains of being baby #4).

You're sleeping pretty much through the night. You usually get up around 4 or 4:30 for a quick feeding and then go back down until 7 or later. Since I'm feeding you between 8 and 9 pm for your last feeding, I'd say that's as "through the night" as I can ask for at 3 months old! You're a super eater and a super sleeper :) It makes me happy to feed you and know you're growing so much from what I'm making for you.

Oh that smile and your sweet disposition. You're just a go with the flow baby and we LOVE having you around. We call you "Smiley Wiley" a lot and sometimes I've been calling you "Wy guy". I can't imagine life without my little snuggler a part of it. This next month looks like it will be just as exciting as the last few and we can't wait to live each day with you in it. 

 

Thankful Thursday (on Friday...I'm off this week)

Yes, I know I'm supposed to be thankful on "Thursday" for my blog...and I was thankful yesterday, but I was also busy and didn't get a moment to sit at the computer: loving this cool summer weather with the kiddos.

 

 

Anyway, I think it happened on purpose, because today I have something to be really thankful for.

 

 

Two months and a few days ago I sat in the hospital room snuggling my sweet baby boy. The visitors had left, Nick had gone home to take care of the kids and I was left with my sweet boy and my iPad for the night. We hunkered down, we snuggled, we nursed and we perused facebook. As a mom I have a love/hate relationship with facebook. I often feel like it draws me away from my kids, but it also is my window to the adult world when I can't get out into it for real. It connects me with real people and life beyond my home. I love life in my home, but it's important to enter the outside world on occasion.

 

So, on that night I held my newborn son I posted pictures and read comments from friends sharing in my joy. Then, it happened. Around 4 or 5 in the morning I read an odd post about a friend having trouble sleeping, being nervous, and dancing in the rain for relief. I was curious so I clicked on her name and went to her page. This is a friend I haven't spoken to in years, a friend...a classmate from high school. She was starting chemo in the morning. She was preparing to go to the hospital to have this horrible medicine put in her body to kill a cancer that was already there. I was sitting in a hospital room celebrating and snuggling one of the happiest moments of my life...it didn't seem fair. How could I be holding this sweet new life, while she was about to fight for her own.

 

I had known before she had cancer, I had written words of encouragement, and even said a prayer or 2 for her, but it didn't hit home...it wasn't "real" to me.

 

 

In that moment in that dark hospital room...it was real, it could be me. I promised to myself and to her (on her facebook page) that each time I sat down to nurse this little boy I would pray for her. Think of her. and fight along with her.

 

For two months around the clock...every 2 hours throughout the day and a few times at night I have said a prayer for strength, for comfort, for friends to surround her in real life (and not just on facebook).

 

Well, 2 months later she has completed chemo. She has made it through this dark time in life, she celebrated with a glass of wine and on facebook said to join her in a toast. So I did. I poured a glass of wine and was thankful that she has made it through this chapter. But I realize that it's only a chapter in her book, and that things don't just go back to "normal" now that chemo is done. So, I'll continue to pray, but on this day I'll be thankful that she's done...