More Summer Times

Get out the sprinklers because it's HOT outside! On your mark. Get set...



Go!











It's the simple things that make life grand!!

Brothers

Late March and the toboggans are still being used. Guess I should be thankful since I {finally} remembered to get a picture. :)

Family Pictures

To say that taking your own family pictures is challenging would be like saying having a flat tire in the pouring rain while running late is annoying.

Taking your own family pictures is hard work. Getting everyone to look at the camera at the same time without being behind the camera acting like an idiot (e.g. doing jumping-jacks, making crazy noises, telling the silliest jokes) is almost impossible.

Almost. It does take time...longer than usual...but it is worth it to get some nice shots.

We went to visit my mom, and I had been looking for a spot for taking pictures. I had a few ideas in mind, but when I found these areas I was happy with them. Not to mention the turquoise wall just makes me happy. :)

This picture was not planned, I just happened to catch it. I knew there was a bit of blur in in so I tried to get the kiddos to "recreate" it about a dozen times. To no avail. But it's still such a fun shot!

Miss "I will pose even when you tell me not to." The girl is not camera shy. ;)

But she sure is a pretty little thing, so I can handle her poses. Pink boots and all. :)

I really, really liked this family picture because Porter was smiling AND looking right at the camera. Too bad no one was there to get Landon's attention. ;)

 
Now here's a good one of that handsome fella! This one was "posed" by his sister...who did a pretty good job.

After a nursing session and much needed wardrobe change (reflux.never.fails), the three kiddos snuggled up together. (It took me a good 10 minutes to decide which of these two to use on the back of our Christmas card.)

L. O. V. E. them.

And I surely love these two together. They have started bickering more lately...mostly because the boy doesn't want to do everything the girl tells him to anymore...but pictures like these, completely natural, reveal they still love each other and are the best of friends.

Melt my heart.

And easily my favorite. Our first portrait as a family of five.

Now I can breathe easy and enjoy these family shots. Well, until it's time for next year's Christmas card!

6 months

I wanted to make sure that I document Porter's 6 month progress. No big photo shoot this month, but I still need to remember all of his stats. You know, for when I get time to write it all out in his baby book.

--
Porter weighs 10 1/2 pounds. People still comment on how tiny he is. Tonight at Landon's baseball game, we heard it over and over and over. But, he's so big compared to where he started out that to me he seems like such a big boy.

He is still in 0-3 month clothes. I brought out a couple of 3-6 month outfits because I thought he would be able to wear them. Not so much. 

Porter is still nursing ever 3-4 hours during the day, and he wakes up at 5 a.m. for a feeding. He does go back down until 7:30 thank goodness! I have tried over and over to drop that 5 a.m. feeding, but he's a stubborn little fella. And every morning I think to myself, "He's 6 months old and he weighs 10 pounds. He needs to eat." It has become my 5 a.m. pep-talk. :)

He started eating solids about 3 weeks ago. While it started out awesome, it has turned rough. The fella still loves to eat, but his tummy isn't happy. I have only been giving him 1 teaspoon of oatmeal cereal with his servings of fruits, but it seems to be too much on his little system. (I was in the hospital as an infant for an allergic reaction to cereal due to severe dehydration, and I'm worried that Porter may be following the same path.) He has had two bouts of severe constipation, so we are now strictly on fruits and vegetables; no cereal. Praying that his tummy feels better soon and will learn to digest everything.

He moves everywhere and we have to keep an eye on him! Just the other day, I put him on his play mat while I took the clothes out of the washer. I peeked around the corner after about 2 minutes to check on him and he was 3 feet away from his play mat in the middle of the hardwood floors. Stinker!! I can only imagine what it's going to be like once he's crawling and truly mobile. 

I think he is starting the teething process. He has always liked having his hands in his mouth, but in the last couple of weeks he has really started gnawing (I hate that word, by the way) on his hands, toys, my shoulder. If I remember correctly, the whole teething process can take quite a while. So who knows when his pearly whites will come in.

Porter absolutely LOVES Ella Beth! I am blessed beyond measure by how helpful Ella Beth is, and I make sure to tell her as much each day. Whether it's getting Porter a toy, me a burp cloth, occupying him while I cook supper or get a shower, or just playing with him for fun...Ella Beth is a huge help to me and great entertainment for Porter. All babies should come with a sweet big sister. :)

Porter loves Landon, too, of course. But Landon doesn't have quite the "mama heart" that Ella Beth does. But Landon is gentle around Porter and gets his fair share of smiles out of him. :)

Porter loves attention, and there's no lack of it around here!

5 Months

This little fella is 5 months old today! It is hard to believe that 5 full months have passed since Porter was born. He is still a tiny little thing, but he is healthy and such a happy little fella!

Porter achieved a major milestone just this week - he is rolling over!!! I thought that I was going to have to unswaddle him because of his rolling. I tried. For two nights and two full days he was not swaddled. They.Were.Awful. I was literally falling over in the middle of the night standing next to his crib trying to get him to settle. Enough of that! I talked to my dear friend - who happens to be our pediatrician! - and she told me that it was OK for him to be swaddled. I honestly said, "Thank you, Lord!!!" out loud because I was so delighted to hear that. And now we are back on our regularly scheduled sleeping routine. Loveliness. :)

Every where we go, people comment about Porter's eyes. I guess since I see him just about every waking moment of every single day, I don't take as much notice to them. However, when looking at these pictures...WOW! Now I understand. He's got some big and beautiful baby-blues. :)

I took Porter to the doctor two weeks ago, and he weighed 9 lbs, 11 oz. While I'm sure he's gained a few ounces, there hasn't been any significant growth in his weight since then. He's still a tiny little fella for sure. This is a newborn outfit that he's pictured in, but he's in 0-3 month clothes for every day.

He is nursing every 3.5-4 hours these days with one "cluster feeding" in the late evening at 7:30.

Porter's wake periods are starting to stretch out. He will now stay awake 2-2.5 hours during the day. He usually wakes up from his afternoon nap about 5:30 (suppertime, of course), and I do my best to keep him up until 8:30. He occasionally gets a little fussy close to 7:30, but we have plenty of ways (i.e. loud little people) to distract him.

We have been having a lot of "tummy time" lately. If I am holding Porter, he does very well with his head control. It's when he's in a sitting position that his head seems to wobble a bit. So, we've been working on neck strength. Ella Beth is usually great to get in the floor and lay with him so that he has someone to look at and talk to. 

The tiny fella l-o-v-e-s to be talked to! He's a big talker himself, too. He reminds me of his big sister...who is still a big talker. ;)

If Porter doesn't have a toy in his hands, his hands are almost always in his mouth. I keep thinking that he will find that thumb, but he usually just puts as much of his fist into his mouth as he can fit. 

 And then tummy time gets a little tiring...but he's a good sport.

My absolute favorite thing about Porter right now is that he crinkles his nose when he smiles big or laughs. He totally gets it from me, and I love it!! The first time he did it, I almost made him cry because I shouted out to Scott, "Oh my word! He's crinkling his nose already!!!" It tickles me to no end. :)

For fun, here are pictures of Ella Beth and Landon at 3 months. I figure 3 month pictures are the closest comparison since Porter was two months early. (Note: Ella Beth's picture is a picture of a picture...) 

Landon at 3 months -

Porter at 5 months -

They all three look a lot alike...but then, Scott and I look a lot alike as well. :)

Big sister love

After an afternoon of being away from her little brother, Ella Beth just had to get in some one-on-one time. She was filthy from head to toe, but how can I deny her a little sweet time when she loves him this much? My heart literally feels as though it could burst some days. :)

  

I absolutely love, love, LOVE how Ella Beth is just staring at Porter in complete awe in this picture. The littlest fella is very well loved around here.

I am so blessed.

Home

We are home. We are all together.

And the Big Sister and Big Brother couldn't be more proud. And this Mama couldn't be happier. :)

Porter seems pretty content with being home, too. :)

God has been so good, so faithful.

And we are thankful.

Family fun times

For Christmas, Landon received the Cat in the Hat I Can Do That! game. Scott and I have had so much fun watching the kiddos play the game. They are asked to do silly, silly activities - and we all laugh until our sides hurt.

At first, we started by having the kiddos doing individual activities (i.e. following the directions), but then Scott decided to have them take turns doing the same activity and it was even funnier. They would try to out-do one another...and trying to out-do silliness just adds MORE fun to the game!

If you have a little one 3 or older, we highly recommend this game. It promises to bring you LOTS of family fun. :)