Five Months (very late)

No Babies Were Injured While Filming this Video

Milestone: "Real" Food

Every night, and I mean every night, for the last month Lucas fusses at dinner time. If he is asleep, he wakes as soon as the food hits the table and then the crying begins.  We have succumbed to holding his while we eat. Either Ned or I have him on our lap as week eat one handed.  The non-holding parent cuts the other parents meat!

In the last three or four weeks Lucas has become very curious about what is on our plates.  He has catapulted salad, eaten napkins, grabbed forks, put his fingers in potatoes...and so forth.  One night he helped himself to my applesauce. He swung his hand in it and sucked it off his fingers.

Pediatricians now recommend waiting until six months to introduce solids, but we he was ready... 

Easter Sunday, April 8th 2012, just two days shy of turning five months old...

Rice Cereal:   Take one.

And, it was a success.  Smiles, coos, talking and lots of lip smacking!

Lucas: Four Months Old

Lucas is growing and changing so much.  His weight is 15 lbs 15 oz. and his height is  24 1/2  inches That is a 1 lb 11 oz gain and you grew1 1/2 inches.  In just one month!

Things that happened in your fourth month:

• grabbing toys and holding on to them at the start of month and 
• by end of the month grabbing toys, clothes, necklaces and putting them in his mouth
• first belly laugh with mommy nuzzling her chin in his chest/neck
• slept 7 hours straight (once!)
• blowing bubbles with mouth
• rolled to his side wearing a sleepsack
• both hands in mouth all the time!
• Smiles and eyes widen when mom says "I'm gonna get you" (in silly voice)
• Grabs moms arms when changes him and thinks it is funny
• no more oh, ah, hi sounds now long stings of sounds with mouth open (no babbles yet)
• will talk to anyone who talks to him. loves to have long conversations with lots of expression
• loves being outside watching the trees, sky and most of all his brother and sister playing
• goes to bed all month between 8:00-9:00pm and generally sleeps for 4-5 hrs.  After this long stretch, he is up every hour or two and then gets up for good between 6:00-7:00am.
• Mom has started bringing Lucas into bed at the 4-5am wake up call.

smiley boy

ready for a NH winter walk

Master Manipulator?

Katie, oh Katie....Over the last few months she has been learning the power of words and her verbal tone.  She has learned that just by changing the tone in which she says something she can really get under her brother's skin.  She has learned that if she uses a sweet tone she can get what she wants from mom and dad. She has also learned that words can get you somewhere...

Here is an example...

Ned planned to go skiing with some friends Sunday morning.  There was talk - between Ned and I only (or so I thought) of me taking the kid to Chuck E Cheese with some friends.  Evidently, Katie has excellent hearing when it is something she is not supposed to hear.

We wake up Saturday morning. Katie is diligently writing at her desk.  She presents me with this construction paper bound "book":

 Gotta love it!

Lucas Months: Three Months Old

Things that happened in this third month:

• was baptized on January 21st at nearly 10 weeks old
• slept 6 hours straight and then...
• got an ear infection February 1 and had first antibiotic
• mastered getting hands in his mouth
• first laugh at mommy tickling cheeks and chin
• hitting toys consistently (as apposed to randomly) on bouncey chair
• lots of cooing: hi, ah, oo. Loves to "talk" to you and be talked to 

weight 14 lb 4 oz 

height 25 inches long

Beautiful pictures we had taken at Sears...

Lucas is such a love. He is quick to smile and loves to be held over your shoulder so he can see everything going on. It is also the easiest position in which he can get his hands in his mouth.

He likes to be sung to especially Twinkle Twinkle Little Star.  It helps to calm him. He gets fussy every night around 9:00 and goes to bed at 9:30 pretty consistently.  Pre-ear infection he was sleeping 5 hours straight every night and then waking every hour or so after that.  So, sleeping for example 9:30-2:30 and then waking often between 3:30-6:30.  He is still swaddled for bedtime but lately has been breaking out of the swaddle every night!  We think it is because he is long. He kicks to get his feet freed and loosens his arms.  And, then of course wakes up!

Original Story

Katie loves to draw. Most of her artwork says Mom, Dad, Katie and sometimes Andrew and Lucas' names are on them. Lots of drawings of houses, animals, hearts and so forth.  She also likes to write but mostly copy text from things.  This is the first original story she has written all on her own.

Let me translate: 

Katie G.

Once upon a time there was a red boy with a red cap and a green coat with hearts on it.  

But its not ready yet, is it?

No, it does not exactly make any sense, but she was very proud of it.  And, we are proud of her.

Our "Little" Linebacker

Lucas will be THREE months old on Friday.  

He weighed 14 lbs 4 oz and was 25 inches long this past Monday.

Andrew was 14 lbs 3 oz. and 24 3/4 inches long at FOUR months!

Katie was 14 lbs 5 oz and 25 inches long at SIX Months!

Our "Tank" has a three month lead on Katie and a month lead on Andrew.  

Gonna be a big boy...Check out that budha belly!

"He's Just Not Into You"

I had to "write" this down...

Katie likes a boy in her class. Aidan.  She told me this a couple weeks ago.

This morning driving her to school she tells me that she invited Aidan over for a playdate the previous day and he said he doesn't want to come over. He also said he doesn't want to marry her.  I ask her how that makes her feel.  In the rear view mirror I see her shrug her shoulders and say, "it's OK, he still loves me."  I think, tough skin.  Good for her.

Five hours later I pick her up from school.  Standing in our kitchen she tells me.  Aidan said he will marry her but only if he doesn't  have someone else to marry.  Again, I again ask her how she feels.   She says, "that's OK, he still loves me. "  I tell her she should want to marry someone who wants to marry her.   She should marry someone who loves her for who she is and only wants to be with her.  Then I stopped myself.  She is six afterall....this was starting to sound like a lecture about love.  I kind of sigh and hope boys don't hurt but know it is inevitable. Some boy will break her heart... Just didn't think it would be this soon.

Ten minutes later, Katie comes in and says "I will not let Aidan marry another girl.  I will push her away if he tries to marry her."  A little on the aggressive side, yes, but Way to go Katie! Get your Man!

Andrew turns FOUR

Andrew turned four years old on Tuesday, January 24th.  He had a fantastic birthday weekend (s).

The weekend before his birthday we celebrated Lucas' baptism on Saturday January 21st so his Grammy, Grumps, Grandma, Pop, Uncle Rich, Aunt Jeanne, Uncle Dino, Aunt Marie, Auntie Megan and cousins Audrey and Charlie came into town.  That made 10 out of town family members!  Aunt Carolyn and cousin James had to stay back in Philadelphia last minute because James was sick.  Sunday we kicked off Andrew's birthday celebrations with a pool party at the hotel everyone was staying at.  Andrew was very excited to go swimming with his cousins.  Then everyone came over to our house for lunch and birthday cake. This years theme was dinosaur and we had a super yummy chocolate with fudge filling T-Rex cake.  Of course when I ordered the cake it was a Stegasouras, but luckily mid week they were able to change it to a T-Rex.

Monday, school party - Spider Man pull apart cupcakes.  That, like the T-Rex cake, was changed mid week. Originally it was pink and blue cupcakes but when we picked them up evidently it was too pink for his liking and was deemed a "girl cake" - not acceptable.  Luckily the grocery store was able to re-ice it in about 10 minutes.  

Tuesday - his actual birthday.  When he woke up, his room was covered in balloons and streamers. And, had a big birthday banner on the wall!  After a very healthy breakfast (his requested breakfast - a chocolate glazed donut with sprinkles from Dunkin' Donuts) and getting Katie off to school, Grandma, Lucas, Andrew and I went to Chuck-E-Cheese.  Then -  Requested birthday dinner - chocolate chip pancakes.  Hey, its his birthday!  

Last, Saturday - his friend party.  He had 7 friends at a local gymnastics place.  Nice children in total.  It was fun and simple.  An hour of gymnastics followed by dinosaur pinata, cake and presents.  This tired mommy likes simple....

He had a fabulous birthday.  He got to celebrate it, celebrate HIM, four times.  

Four times for the FOUR YEAR OLD! 

Happy birthday to our curious, sensitive, funny, silly, and loving little boy!

Family party on January 22

cousins Charlie and Audrey with Andrew and Katie

Present from mom and dad on his actual birthday. January 24.

Wonder what it is....baseball pitch from Grandma and Pop

Playing pass the parcel 

(a game we learned in the Netherlands compliments of our British friends)

Family picture minus Lucas who was sleeping

Skateboard from Aunt Jeanne and Uncle Dino

Chocolate donut with a candle for breakfast

Balloons all over his room!  So fun!

Spider Man pull apart cupcakes

Chuck-E-Cheese with mom, Lucas and Grandma on his actual day

Who's Who?

Katie, Andrew and Lucas all wore this outfit within the first few weeks of life.  

Can you tell who is who?

Lucas Months: Two Months Old

Lucas turned Two Months Old on January 10th.  He had his well baby doctors appointment the day before and he weighed 13 lbs.  He was 7 lbs. 6 oz at birth and they like them to double their weight by Four Months. He is already there!  This put him at the 75th percentile for weight.  He was 23 3/4 in tall which put him at the 50th percentile for height. He is our rolly polly baby.  Something we never had before.  Katie wasn't 13 lbs until she was Four Months old.  Lucas has already moved into a #2 diaper and is wearing 3-6 month clothes!

Here are some highlights from the past month:

• Started smiling a few days after Christmas (6 weeks) and since then smiles at anyone who talks to him. He especially likes when Katie sings to him.
• He hates having a poopie diaper.  He cries until you lay him on the changing pad. He knows you are going to fix the situation.
• You can hold your head up when being held over someones shoulder and turn it side to side to see and  hear things.  His head is a little floppy still but getting stronger every day.
• Very good at tracking people coming into the room or talking
• Hates wearing hats and socks.  I have to remember to take hats off in the car of he moves his head back and forth so much to try to get it off and it is always goes over his eyes.  He panics likes his drowning! does not like it!!!
• Cooing a lot.  You can talk to him and he "talks" back. Sounds like: ooo, hi, ah
• Trying to bat at toys.  Stares at them like he is trying to jedi mind change them.  He cant reach them nor does he have control of his arms and hands!
• Sleeping schedules is a little random but most nights he has a long stretch (about 4-5 hours) and goes down between 9-10pm.  After that, the stretches are 3 hours if I am lucky.  Usually after the long stretch, it can be 1-2 hour stretches - they kill me!
• He feeds every 3 hours.  You can set a watch to him!
• We are learning his cries.  1) Poopey 2) Tired 3) Overstimulated by brother and sister
• He is great baby. 

Luc

Mt Snow, Vermont

Mt.Snow, West Dover Vermont

The kids tried skiing for the first time last weekend.  It was a success!

We wanted to put them in a lesson but because it was MLK weekend it was only full day ski school - 8:45-4:30pm.  There was no way either of them would last.  It was  -6 degrees Fahrenheit and with the windchill I don't even know the temperature!  It was COLD COLD COLD.  Andrew hates the cold - hates cold swimming pools/oceans and lasts about 30 minutes sledding.   Katie is a little tougher when it comes to the cold, but not by much.   So Ned put on skis on and got a lift ticket. I decided just to help out where I could and did not get skis.  I have not skied in about 8 years or more. We did the tiniest hill (if you can even call it that) and then once they could do that by themselves we went to the next tiniest.  Both had a "magic carpet" lift - think conveyor belt. Ned skied next to them. I ran next to them. It was a lot of fun!

Andrew was a little whiny.  Mostly due to the face that he wanted to go on the big hill but partly because of the cold  We skied for about an hour and half (much longer that we thought they would last) and then went to the lodge for lunch and, of course, hot cocoa!  Ned got in one run by himself, but didn't really want to do more due to the wind and COLD!

This was Katie's first run by herself. And, if you know Katie, she likes to do things right.  A little bit of perfectionist in her... Anyway, she was NOT happy that "this girl did not know what she was doing and crashed into her."  (direct quote from the expert skier, of course)  She did not get hurt. There were tears, but more due to her pride.  She recovered quickly and her next run was every better.  

It is funny though...

This was typical Andrew.  Liked it but whined.

 The conveyor belt 

Big Sister

Christmas 2011

Christmas 2011

 Andrew, Lucas and Katie

 In their Christmas Best after church

 Family picture

 Santa made it to New Hampshire

 The stockings were hung by the Entertainment Center with care...

 Wow says Andrew

 A tennis racket!

 Andrew opening a gift for Lucas since he is too small to open gifts

 Andrew had to try his tennis racket out

 Mommy and her boys

 Lucas got a tee shirt that says "I enjoy boobies" 

Katie and Andrew thought it was SO funny

 Being silly in their matching PJs

 Lucas had matching PJs too

 Lucas met Uncle Dino for the first time. He's a natural.  

Getting practice for his bundle of joy due in May!

 Grammy, Grumps and Andrew

 Lucas met Aunt Jeanne too for the first time.  

 Breaking the gingerbread houses on Christmas. 

We have to save them for Santa to see and then after that we smash 'em!

Gingerbread House #2