Seven Months

Dear Owen,

In the last week of your sixth month, you really mastered rolling but during the first two weeks of this month, you took it to another level.  It was your primary mode of transportation and you used it to propel yourself anywhere you wanted to go.  You still moved more backward than forward but you loved to end up across the room from where you were left.  You slowly started to learn to move in a more forward direction and even started to push up onto your knees and rock.  You've only made lunging motions that can't really be described as crawling but you're getting really close.  We can't leave you alone in a room anymore for more than a couple of seconds.  One day you somehow backwards wedged yourself under the recliner, which made you extremely mad when you couldn't figure out how to get back out.

Your sleep habits were rough at the beginning of the month, with your shots and daylight savings "fall back" happening on the same weekend.  I think you also hit a growth spurt because you woke up screaming to eat on a couple of occasions and I can't remember the last time that happened!  We worked really hard on your naps and for the most part, bedtime was easy and pleasant.  We'd put you down in your crib, you'd roll around for awhile and eventually settle on a position and fall asleep.  We rarely heard a peep!

There is a first time for everything and there was your first sick baby visit this month.  You caught some type of cold and were really congested.  Because of that, you wound up with an ear infection.  You were totally fine until your afternoon nap.  You kept crying out and I'd go in to get you and you were sleeping.  When you finally woke up you were really fussy.  Mimsy was over at our house for dinner and we took your temperature and it was 101.8.  I called the pediatrician and they fit us in right away.  You did 10 days of the bubble gum pink amoxicillin and were pretty much good as new after 24 hours of antibiotics.  The night you were sick was awful.  You woke up crying at 1:30 a.m. and were upset for a good hour and a half of pretty hard crying.  We felt awful for you because you had to have been in some pain.  We'd given you yogurt before but we started offering it at basically every meal because the doctor said it would be good for your tummy on the medicine.  You are obsessed with Greek yogurt and would probably never stop eating it, we usually have to quit giving it to you when we are ready for meal time to be over.

You started swimming lessons this month!  I signed you up for a mini session at Lake Highlands YMCA.  It's a parent child class and due to the holidays, you are the only kid in your class.  It means you get lots of one-on-one attention from your sweet teacher and we have a blast.  She puts lots of little toys in the water and you "swim" to go get them.  You even slide down the slide and go underwater each class.  You love all 30 minutes of it!

We also celebrated your first Thanksgiving!  It was awesome and you loved it.  We left town right after your first swimming lesson on a Monday night and drove down to Round Rock.  We stayed in a hotel there (another first!) so that Daddy could go to a meeting the next morning before we finished the trip.  The hotel was an adventure in poop (yours and the doggies) and I don't think I'll be heading to another hotel with you and the dogs anytime soon.  It was kind of crazy.  We got to San Antonio on Tuesday and you got to spend time with Great Grandpa, Aunt SheShe, Uncle Dave, Alli Rae, Uncle Champ and Auntie Mac before they all left town themselves.  We had about 40 people over to Grandpa River and Grandma Bean's house for the actual meal.  It was so fun and everyone loved meeting you.  Not surprisingly, you loved the Thanksgiving food.  You even participated in Black Friday with Grandma Bean and your Aunt Kasey and I.  We went to La Cantera and hit a couple of sales and had lunch together.

When it comes to food, you mostly eat at least 2 meals a day.  You've made a lot of strides since 6 months when it comes to actually ingesting things.  At this point, broccoli and yogurt are your two favorite foods but you will try just about anything.  We gave you a dill pickle once because I thought you would make a funny face.  Turns out you loved it!  You still do not get that excited about sweet things when we've let you have a taste.

Overall, we've settled into a very comfortable routine.  You usually take 2-3 naps a day.  You have a playgroup on Thursdays and spend some time at Child Watch at the YMCA during my classes on Monday-Wednesday.  You usually go to the church nursery on Sundays.  Everyone that watches you says how good you are and you are always smiling and having fun when we go to pick you up.  We love who you are becoming and hope you keep this jovial personality as you continue to grow.

Love,
Mommy

(7 month outtakes)

Stats and Milestones:

Height and Weight: about 29 inches, between 23 and 24 lbs (measured at home)

Diaper Size:  size 4 

Clothing Size: 12 and 18 month (mostly 18s)

First swimming lesson: 11/25

First night in a hotel (La Quinta Round Rock):  11/25-26

First sick pediatrician visit: 11/20

First Thanksgiving:  11/28

You sleep from around 7-7 every night.  We had a few night feedings during your growth spurt.  You are still drinking around 32-40 oz. a day and eating two meals and sometimes a snack.  

You usually take two naps a day unless you fall asleep in the car, in which case you have two and a cat nap.  The naps are generally about an hour but occasionally you will sleep for longer.  

You are starting to figure out locomotion and moving around on your own! 

Nicknames:  Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O, The Baby, Beary

Things you love:  food- especially broccoli and yogurt, your family (especially when Daddy gets home at night), being upright in your Exersaucer, the basket that holds all of your toys (and dumping it out), your doggie brothers

Things you don't love:  diaper changes, being hungry, getting in the car seat or stroller when you don't really feel like being strapped down

Six Months! or Half of a Year!

Dear Owen,

Mister Bear!  You are already six months old.  Sometimes it feels like you have been here forever so six months seems so short when I stop to think about it.  More and more as time goes on, I'm so happy that you are here and that our family is complete.  You are really the best thing that could have happened to your dad and I.  You make us both better people.

You started sitting up unsupported (we have to help you get there)!  You continue to eat lots of fun things.  This month we tried sweet potatoes, butternut squash, applesauce, peas, meatballs, yellow squash and mushy carrots.  I am having fun making food for you and you will try anything at this point.  We let you have a little bit of almost everything.  I'd say your favorite is probably English muffins or other breads because they are easy for you to hold and gnaw on, but now that you have gotten better with food handling, we're going to offer you less breads and more fruits/veggies.  When you do take a "bite" of something, you sometimes don't know what to do with it and spit it out.  Sometimes you are hilarious and just put your face down on your high chair tray and sort of shovel food into your mouth.  At restaurants, you get to sit in a high chair and eat with us.  You aren't eating a whole lot but you are learning and getting so much better.  I'm just proud of you because you are exclusively feeding yourself!  So far we've had no choking incidents but you have gotten food up your nose a time or two.  You are usually very well behaved when we go to restaurants and you are having fun being involved in our meals.

You love to be on your tummy and have started to push with your feet to lift your little butt.  I'm seeing the writing on the wall as far as you becoming a mobile baby.  I have a feeling you're going to run me all over the place.  You took all month to think about doing it but now you fully roll in both directions.  It's crazy to watch you end up in such a different location/position from where we put you.  You've become so adept at moving around and the night before your half birthday was the first time you started rolling over in your crib.  You took about 20 minutes to settle into position before finally choosing to tummy sleep that night.  You are showing signs of crawling and scooting around soon.  It's crazy!

I think you are starting to favor your daddy.  The best part of your day is when he comes home and you laugh and play with him while I'm getting our dinner ready.  You've really taken your relationships with the puppies to a new level this month.  It's common for you to reach out your hand for them to lick.  Higgins adores you and Milo has taken a lot more interest in you now that you are more interactive.  It gives us a lot of joy to watch you discover your dog brothers.  I know that they will be your best friends and protectors.

The only downside to you being so much more aware of your surroundings is that it's hard to get you to sleep sometimes.  If people are at our house, it's as though you are afraid of missing out on something and you do not like to go to bed.  There have been a few bedtime battles in the house this month.  We switched you from your baby bucket seat to a big boy car seat this month.  It's amazing to see you sitting up in such a big seat!  You've also started riding in grocery carts and you seem to love having a new view on things.

We went to the State Fair while it was here in Dallas for the month.  You loved it!  We let you "eat" (drop) a little bit of the breading from a Fletcher's Corny Dog.  I can't say it was a hit.  Bummer.  We also watched ostrich races and walked around until you were exhausted.  You fell asleep for a little while but the noise of the nightly parade woke you up until we left.  You also got to ride the DART train that day for the first time.

We did a lot of fun things this month!  You took your very first plane ride to San Antonio!  You were so fantastic and well-behaved.  You just sat in your car seat and babbled to me.  I thought you would fall asleep but you were wide awake until after we landed.  Your aunt and uncle baby-sat you for an evening in San Antonio and you took a ride to La Vernia to one of our cousin's birthday party.  I hear you were pretty good until you got overtired on the ride home.  Your Uncle Champ got married in San Antonio and everyone was there!  You met all of our Boston family and finally, your Uncle Preston.  You took to him immediately, probably because he looks a little bit like daddy.  You were a very good boy, sleeping through most of the rehearsal dinner and you stayed with Gram and Papa during the wedding.  Probably 40 different people held you over the course of the weekend and as usual, you were a happy little boy.

I can't get over how wonderful you are.  Your smile and laugh brightens everyone's day.  I can't believe that you've been here for half of a year already.  When we look back at pictures, I'm shocked at how fast and how much you have grown, both in size and personality.  You are so happy and social and we love having you around.

Love always,
Mommy

Stats and Milestones:

Height and Weight:  (6 mo well check 11/1) 22 lbs, 3 oz (97%), 28 in (90%), head is 95%

Diaper Size:  size 4 

Clothing Size: 12 and 18 month

First time on an airplane:  10/10

First time in a grocery cart: 10/7

First train (DART) ride and trip to the State Fair:  10/17

You sleep from around 7-7 every night.  Sometimes you wake up and make a little noise but we probably had 3 night time wake ups over the month.  You don't eat at night anymore.  

You generally eat 5 times a day at 7-8 oz per bottle.  Most nights, you enjoy a playtime/dinner of solids.

You usually take three ok-ish naps a day.  Morning, mid-day and afternoon for about 1.5-2 hours total.

You can sit up on your own and roll both ways all over the place! 

Nicknames:  Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O, The Baby, Beary

Things you love:  your feet (got them in your mouth!), playing with food, taking baths, laughing, playing with the doggies, when your daddy comes home from work, rolling in the BOB stroller, sitting up or having someone help you stand up

Things you don't love:  going to sleep when people are around, naptime, diaper changes, the very end of trips to/from San Antonio when you get sick of your car seat

Five Months!

Dear Owen,

My sweet little Bear, you are five months old!  You've really found your voice and you love to chat with us, the doggies and occasionally at inanimate objects.  You also learned how to screech and you love to hoot and holler at everything.  You are still growing like a weed, although I mostly notice it with the way that my arms hurt and when you grow out of clothes.

Tummy time has become non-existent.  You roll over pretty much any time we place you on your belly.  Around the beginning of the month, you found your feet and now you spend much of the day in a "happy baby" pose, my little baby yogi.  It's made for some funny moments since I swear you use your feet to help you fart and poop.  You are starting to sit up on your own by leaning over a little and using your arms!

Sleep has been interesting!  You are so much more aware of your surroundings and aware that your crib means you are alone.  For the most part, you sleep from around 7p-7a but occasionally you wake up in the night to poop, make some noises or practice all of your new skills.  You don't sleep as well when we are out and about now and unfortunately, it seems like you are just one of those kids who falls apart when they are tired.  When you miss a nap, you aren't the happiest camper.  You started doing this hilarious thing where you shake your head back and forth as if to say no to help you fight a nap.  It's a big sign to me that you need to go down for a nap ASAP before you reach meltdown status.  Generally, our routine is a morning, mid-day and later afternoon nap.

Our routine also involves lots of fun playtime with other babies.  We go to a playgroup a couple of times a week and you seem to really enjoy watching and interacting with the other kiddos around your age.  We have a standing playgroup date every Thursday morning and it's such a nice time for me to sit with other moms that are going through all of the same phases and things.

You have always been observant but now it seems like you are starting to really understand more of your surroundings.  The dogs have been the biggest thing you have started to figure out.  We're working to teach you to use "gentle hands" when you are playing with the puppies.  I'm amazed at how patient they are with you and they do love to be around you.  I can't wait to see your friendships develop over time.  You definitely have a preference for your dad and me but you still love to spend time with other people.  We spent a week in San Antonio at the end of the month and you had a great time and got to go to your first big cookoff!  You also had your big baptism party and had a blast celebrating with a bunch of our friends and family.  We've said it before but you are lucky to have so many people that love and care about you.

Speaking of food, this month was full of milestones for you.  We're loosely following Baby Led Weaning, meaning that you are completely in charge of feeding yourself.  After your four month appointment, we decided to let you start playing with food since you met all of the recommended criteria in the BLW book.  We gave you avocado on Labor Day at lunch and your dad, Mimzy and I just laughed and laughed as you played with the food.  As the month went on, you became so much more coordinated with your eating and you seem to be having a blast.  We let you try a ton of stuff and you make a huge mess.  The week after your pediatrician appointment, you grabbed your bottle from me and started to feed yourself.  It's amazing how much you are trying to do on your own now.  As someone who was always pretty independent, I am so proud to watch you learn and grow.  You are an amazing little boy and we are so lucky to get to spend our days with you.  You are almost always happy and your smile and laugh brighten every day for us.

Love always,
Mommy

Stats and Milestones:

Height and Weight:  (measured at home on 9/30) 28 inches, ~22 lbs.

Diaper Size:  size 3, size 4 at night

Clothing Size: mostly 12 and some 18 month

First time in the baby swing at the park:  9/4

First time to take a bottle on your own:  9/5

First time in a restaurant high chair:  9/24

First time to sit up unassisted:  9/27

You are back to sleeping pretty well!  Most nights you go down around 7-7:30 and wake up between 6:00-7:30 the next morning.  We'd love it if you slept a little later but we can't complain.  

You generally eat 5 times a day at 7-8 oz per bottle.  

You usually take three pretty decent naps a day.  Morning, mid-day and afternoon.

You are awesome with pushing up during tummy time and love to roll back over onto your back.  You've come close to rolling from your back to belly a bunch of times but you just lay on your side and flip back over.  You are starting to sit up on your own.  

Nicknames:  Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O, The Baby, Big Bear, Beary, Baby-Boo

Things you love:  your feet, playing with food (especially avocados), taking baths, laughing, playing with the doggies, when your daddy comes home from work, rolling in the BOB stroller, your new big boy stroller that allows you to sit up

Things you don't love:  when meal time is over, going down for a nap when you are overtired

Big Bear gets Baptized

Last Sunday we baptized Owen at our church.  We found our church about a month and a half before he made his debut into to the world and we've tried to go as much as possible since he was born.  Our pastor even came to see us at the hospital to pray over Owen.  Due to some last minute snafus, the associate pastor and one of the regional leaders of the Presbyterian church did the baptism for us.  We love Kelly, the associate, so it ended up being great to have her involved.

Normally, since O was about 2 months old, we drop him in the nursery since he is generally too noisy and squirmy to sit there for the hour.  If we take him in, one of us ends up leaving or we end up not being able to concentrate on the service.  For this reason, I had a ton of anxiety leading up to the baptism and having him in church for the entire hour.  Plus, a four month old is kind of a loose cannon. You never know what you'll end up with!

Adam and I took him up for his baptism right after the Children's Sermon with his godmother, my cousin Allison.  The baptism was longer than our wedding, I swear!  We might have only been up there for 5 minutes or so but it felt like 2 eternities.  Luckily, Owen was in a good mood and he had just been fed, although right before we went up, it seemed like he was starting to get fussy.  I was so nervous.  Kelly read a bunch about the sacrament of baptism and Adam and I answered some questions on behalf of Owen about our faith and raising him as a child of God.  They did a prayer, and then Tom, the minister from the Presbytery, did the actual baptism.  He put a TON of water on Owen's head.  The faces he made were priceless but we think he might have just thought it was bath time so other than a little bit of shock, he wasn't mad at all.  Tom took Owen and walked him down the aisle to see the congregation and I heard he was very smiley and charmed all the ladies in church.

Kelly did the sermon and it was wonderful, she tied O's baptism into it a couple of times.  We had 4 rows of family and friends come to celebrate with us and had a big party at our house afterward.  Other than Owen being fast asleep in all of the pictures we took at the church, it was a perfect day.  We chose September 15th because it would have been my grandmother's 81st birthday.  It was a great way to celebrate her and Owen.

My sweet friend Kate took this video of the big event.

Four Months!

Dear Owen,

You continue to come out of your newborn cocoon and show us more and more of your personality every day.  You are the happiest little guy!  You have found your "voice" this month and you love to babble on and "talk" to us.  It sounds like you're trying to make G sounds and L sounds and you've gotten especially noisy during bathtime.

I'm working on reading all about Baby Led Weaning, it's how your dad and I plan to feed you and it will allow you to feed yourself from day one.  As part of that, we don't plan to start any solids until you decide you are ready.  We started putting you in your Bumbo at the table and involving you in our meals.  It made such a difference.  We used to have you in your bouncer on the floor and you would often cry during dinner.  Now you watch us and observe our every move.  You haven't started grabbing at our food yet or trying to put it in your mouth so for now, you'll keep on enjoying your own milk.  Involving you in family dinner from such an early age has been great for us and we love having it as part of our daily routine.  About halfway through the month I bought you your very own highchair at IKEA and you are loving it!  We still take your Bumbo when we eat at restaurants and people always stare at you being your happy little self at the table with us.

I'm amazed that every month that goes by, I enjoy being your mom even more than the last.  I think we have found a great groove together and I love having you as my sidekick.  I had no idea what my life would be like not working full time and only teaching, but it's been fantastic for both of us.  You do so well at child care at all my gyms and I love having time to get my workout in and teach.  It's the best thing for us for right now.  I was worried about it all working out for nothing.  You do great and I'm enjoying myself so what more could we ask for?

You love trying to stand with someone helping you out.  We'll either hold your hands or support your body as you press your legs down and stand up.  It makes you so happy!  Please don't skip crawling!  We are in no hurry to have a baby standing up and walking on his own, got it?  We bought you an Exersaucer and you love to sit/stand in it and play with all the fun toys.  The only negative about this new development is that you think it's funny to arch your back and try to stand up in the bathtub.  We almost have to restrain you to get you to simmer down in the tub and we don't take 20 minute splash fest baths anymore.

You had visits from both sets of out of town grandparents this month and spent time with everyone while we went out and had a couple of fun date nights.  We also went on some major shopping trips with them because you are outgrowing clothes at a rapid pace.  I have a hard time packing away some of my favorite things because so many things you wear are gifts from our sweet friends and remind me of all the time we spent preparing for your arrival.

You roll over from tummy to back all the time now.  Or I should say, you roll over when you want to.  Some days you cannot be bothered.  Sometimes I think you are getting ready to roll from your belly to your back but so far, you haven't gotten there just yet.  You do wonderful with tummy time and your baby pushups.  You can really lift that melon head of yours!  You've made a ton of other developmental milestones and you regularly are grabbing for your toys or my hair.  When you get a good grip on things, you give them a strong yank!  You are such a physical mover and shaker that it almost seems like you're getting thinner from all your "working out".  I get nervous for what is to come from you when I watch the bigger babies move around at the playgroup we go to.  We have been to a bunch of different playgroups this month and you love to watch older babies as they move around the room.  Since you sit up so well when you're supported, we got you your big boy stroller this month and so far you seem to love it!  We're also starting to shop for your big boy car seat because you are rapidly becoming harder to strap into the infant seat.

Other big things this month were moving you to your crib at night.   At first, you didn't skip a beat and still slept fabulously at night.  Napping during the day is hit or miss but we don't have the same schedule every day so you kind of adapt your daytime to whatever we have going on.  Your Rock N Play has been packed away, which was more funny than sad because you hardly fit into it anymore. Also in the sleep department, we also stopped using your Woombie and you now sleep in a footed sleeper (so cute) instead of all swaddled up.  Most of your big transitions have been made until you move to your big boy bed!  You are struggling a little bit to re-learn how to sleep.  From my reading, you are sleeping in longer sleep cycles like an adult and also starting to have so much more awareness of the world around you.  I think you sometimes wake up in the night feeling lonely for us.  It's been challenging to help you through this transition since you have always been a fabulous sleeper!

You had a great 4 month pediatrician appointment with Dr. Watkins.  You've been growing like a weed and you're only 4 measly inches away from being half of my height.  BABY, you are only 4 months old!  How are you so tall?  You got your second round of shots and I still maintain that you cry a lot harder when you are hungry than you do when you get shots.

Each month has brought so many more changes for you.  I am amazed at just how much you can grow and develop in 31 days!  Each month brings us new firsts and so many big adventures.  I love watching you grow into your big personality.  While you're starting to develop a preference for your daddy and me, you are still so engaging when people talk to you and you frequently flash your big grin and interact with almost everyone you meet.  I hope you always stay as friendly as you are, it runs in your family to have "never met a stranger".  Your smile could melt even the coldest heart and we adore your happy disposition.  When we were waiting for your arrival, we often thought about how cute a baby you would be but we had no idea that you'd be this fantastic and fun.  We love you and getting to spend each day with you is a gift.

Love,
Mommy

Stats and Milestones:

Height and Weight:  4 month pedi appt  27 inches (97th percentile), 18 lbs, 15 oz (greater than 97th %), head is in the 90th percentile

Diaper Size:  size 3s but you're moving to size 4 overnight diapers next week

Clothing Size:  you have just a couple of 6 month clothes that are pretty tight, mostly you are wearing stuff that is 9 or 12 month sized

First day with your high chair:  August 16

First playgroup with one of Mommy's new Moms groups:  August 20

First day in your Exersaucer:  August 10

First night in your crib:  August 2

First night without your Woombie:  August 19

Most nights, you still sleep through the night.  Your bedtime is generally sometime before 8:00 and you wake between 7:00-8:30 most mornings.  Sometimes you've been waking in the night but we're working on it!  

You are still eating between 36-40 oz a day at 5-8 oz per feeding.  You moved up to some faster flow bottle nipples this month, which you seem to like.  

Our routine really varies day by day.  You're starting to stretch into longer times of being awake and longer daytime naps.    

You are pretty funny when it comes to tummy time!  You like to roll over some days and other days you get mad.  You still love to play on your back and grab the toys in your gym.  You spent some time learning the Exersaucer this week and you love all of the fun toys that are attached. You're starting to find your feet and you're getting better with your hands.  You can sit up very well when you are supported and you're starting to get better with sitting on your own for a second or two at a time.  You love to have us help you "stand".  

Nicknames:  Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O, The Baby, Big Bea, Beary, Baby-Boo

Things you love:  story time, snuggles with Mommy and Daddy, eating, playing with all of your new toys, your hands, eating your fingers, drooling like a monster, laughing at us when we say funny things and make funny faces at you 

Things you don't love:  being done with a bottle (this is a constant sadness for you!), being alone in your crib when you're trying to fall asleep, when no one is paying attention to you, changing outfits and/or diapers

(Outtakes from the 4 month shoot to prove just how much you are moving around these days!)

Three Months!

Dear Owen,

We made it through the fourth trimester!  I read so many articles and books that told me about what the first three months would be like and they were all pretty dead on.  You seem closer to being a little boy rather than that newborn baby that we brought home from the hospital.  You are changing every day right before our eyes.  It's been amazing to watch you grow and develop this personality that you have. You continue to "talk" to us all the time by grunting, laughing, and making other funny little noises and sounds.  You are a loud little dude!  You have started to kind of hold us back when we pick you up.  The only time you like to be cradle held is when you are eating.  Otherwise, you want to be upright and are getting very interested in all the action in your world.  It's truly fun for Dad and I to watch you start to explore life in your own way.

You love to take baths.  It's our surefire way to get you to calm down if you've just overdone yourself during the day.  You kick and splash, smile and laugh at us.  We even brought the phone in the other night so you could do Facetime with your Grandpa River and Grandma Bean.  You stared right at my phone as they were talking to you and showed off all your fun bathtime moves.  They loved it!  It's amazing to watch you be able to grow up with that kind of technology and get to "see" them whenever you want to.

Sadly, during this last month you picked up a new "skill" and really found your voice with a few inconsolable crying spells.  You've done it now twice when we've been away from home and it's hard because we try everything and it's really hard to get you to calm down.  I'm guessing, since you can't tell us what's wrong yet, that you're just going through some intense growth spurts.  You weighed 12lbs 9oz at your 2 month doctor appointment and then had a few rough cries that following week.  When I weighed you 10 days later, the scale said 14lbs 3oz so I think the more than a pound and a half that you gained must have had something to do with it.  It's mostly sad for Daddy and me because you really sound like you're in pain when you get upset like that.

You're gaining weight like a champ, which is very comforting after your roller coaster first month of life.  You continue to be a very big boy and people are always surprised to find out that you are as young as you are.  You're so happy and most of the time when we're out, you are alert and staring at everyone.  People always tell us how smart you look and hopefully they are right!

You reached out and touched Higgins for the first time the other day.  I'm not sure just how purposeful it was because you kind of grab for everything but I'm excited to see your friendship blooming over the coming years.  Milo is still mostly indifferent to you but Higgs will always follow me into your room and I have to shoo him out when it's time for you to take a nap.

Speaking of naps, you're settling into a nice pattern of eating, playing and napping during the day.  You have been napping a bit in your crib and doing really well.  You still sleep overnight in your Rock N Play and probably our best development of all is that you mostly sleep from 8:30-9 until 7:00-8:00 in the morning.  Around 10 weeks, we went to the coast and you were so worn out from everything that you slept on until the morning.  I mostly had to learn that you will grunt and grunt and grunt in your sleep but you sound differently when you're awake and getting hungry.  My favorite thing about you is that you rarely wake up crying, just more continuously noisy.

In the middle of the month, we went to San Antonio for 10 days.  During our trip, we went to the beach to celebrate your Grandpa River's 60th birthday.  You gave him a great book that made him cry.  It's called I Love My Grandpa and it's perfect because it's all about Little Bear and Grandpa Bear.  When we got back from the beach, you stayed over night with River and Bean for 3 nights while Daddy and I were at a convention for Dad's work.  It was kind of an experiment because I was only 20 minutes away if I needed to come back but you did wonderfully and continued sleeping through the night for them.  You went to work with Grandpa River and met all of the people he works with.  Apparently, they all still ask about you.  I'm glad it went well and I know next summer you'll probably go down to San Antonio for longer to hang out at "Camp".  You also started going to Child Watch at the YMCA while I teach or work out and the church nursery on Sundays.  The ladies who watch you all seem to love you and you are always happy when we come to pick you up.

We had such a great month with you!  I can't believe how big you are getting and how much fun you are for us every day.  Your smile is one of the most beautiful things I've ever seen and the way your face lights up when you're happy (which is quite often) is the best!  I can't wait to see what your fourth month is like.

Love,
Mommy

Stats and Milestones:

Height and Weight:  measured at home on 7/30- 25 inches and 16 lbs 8 oz

Diaper Size:  2's but we are just using what we have.  You have to wear a 3 at night or else we end up with a major leakage. 

Clothing Size:  mostly 3-6 months or 6-9.  your three month clothes are too small, which is sad!

First day at Child Watch at the YMCA:  July 1
First trip to the beach:  July 13th

First nights away from Mommy and Daddy:  July 14-16th
First time in the church nursery:  July 21

You sleep through the night!  Bedtime is between 8:30-9:00 and you don't usually wake until after 7:00 a.m.  We are so thankful for this.  You still love your Woombie and Rock N Play sleeper for nighttime.      

You are eating between 36-40 oz a day. You eat anywhere from 4-8 oz at a time just depending on how long it's been since you last ate.  
Generally, your routine has fallen into Eat, Play, Sleep.  You are happy for about 90 min-2 hours awake and then nap for 30-45 minutes.  You eat every 2.5-4.5 hours.  

You are doing great with tummy time and can push up onto your little forearms for awhile and even your hands for a second or two.  You like to roll over with some assistance and rolled over completely by yourself for the first time yesterday.  On your back, you play in your activity gym for 30 minutes-1 hour happily grabbing all your toys.  

Nicknames:  Owen Bear, Mr. Bear, Beary-Boo, Mr. O

Things you love:  your swaddle at night, naps in your quiet room in your crib, your Rock N Play sleeper for night time, your toys especially ones that have rings you can grab onto and really hold, taking down bottles like a champ, your hands (O- you are enamored with your hands and gave yourself a hickey this week), the Owen book that the Edwards Family gave you, Snuggle Puppy

Things you don't love:  when you finish a bottle, when you are alone for awhile you get lonely and cry for us, tummy time for more than about 12 minutes, diaper changes

Good Place

We've reached this total sweet spot with Owen.  He's not yet mobile but he's totally interactive when he's awake.  I've grown to love just spending time with him.  On July 1st, I went back to the Y to do a test run of dropping Owen off at childcare so I could go to yoga class.  I started teaching the next day.  I don't know if it's that he's maturing or if being in the childcare environment a few hours a week, but he's less needy and more fun these days.  He can spend some time playing independently in his little activity gym or staring at his mobile in his crib where he is genuinely happy and I can do things like write this blog post or make dinner.  It's awesome.  And when I get down into his sightline and he sees me again and gives me a huge grin, it's the best thing!

I don't to forget all of his fun little habits from right now.  He smiles all the time at almost everyone!  My favorite is when I go in to get him in the morning.  He takes about 15 minutes to really wake up and I'll go in to his room and is little eyes pop open and he grins every single morning as though he is seeing me for the first time.  It's almost like he wasn't expecting me or something.  Mornings are my absolute favorite because he eats and snuggles and is in a jovial mood for a couple of hours.  Most of the time, unless Owen is hungry, he is happy.  He's happy to be held by whomever will hold him.  He enjoys being in the car or out and about as long as he's being consistently fed.  We had a couple of weeks of random inconsolable spells but haven't had one in awhile.

Bathtime!  OH the fun that is bathtime.  Owen adores his bath and takes the splashing and kicking VERY seriously.  We started out with every other night until we figured out that it really must be the highlight of this baby's day because he seems to love it so much.  He goes crazy splashing, kicking, smiling and trying to grab his washcloth to suck on it.  My dad and stepmom were talking about how all 5 kids between them really liked baths but none of us quite loved bathtime as much as Owen does.  We started around 6 weeks with a bedtime routine and it's always a nice way to close out our day.  We do a bath, one of us reads while the other one feeds and then Owen goes to bed.  Sometimes Mommy and Daddy get to sing a few songs if Owen is still awake but most nights he's conked out as soon as he's done eating.  We have a pretty cool book collection going and I know we'll be adding more books as he grows.

Month 1 and 2 were great, to be sure, but this month has brought parenthood to another level of fun.