My Funny (Little) Valentine...

(Blake 'driving' the rental Altima...)

Baby B has quite the personality and he has been totally making his mommy laugh like crazy lately. For example, today he was sitting in his swing while I was writing a message to an old friend I had found on facebook. The battery in his swing died and he had stopped swinging. I looked over at him a minute or two after his swing had stopped and he had this look on his face. It was a sideways glance, half-mad, half-content. If he could talk i'm pretty sure he would be saying "Fix this thing mom..." I couldn't help but to let a little laugh escape, poor kid inherited his mom's facial expressions, and with that facial expression he wouldn't have to say a word. To add to his already funny expression, he had one arm around Adrian the Alien, so not only was Blake giving me a face, I had alien eyeballs staring at me!

Tonight in his bath he would kick his feet and make the biggest splash and then just laugh. Blake is getting way too big to be in his infant tub but not big enough to sit in the bathtub by himself. He was making a total mess, like there was more water all over the mirror, counter, floor, and mommy then there was in the tub. I decided to use my stern mommy voice to tell Blake no when he splashed. Yup, it didn't work... (not that I thought it really would! ;) ) He would splash, I would tell him 'No!', he would look at me like 'whatever, mom...', and start laughing. I just couldn't help but laugh too! If this is any indication of what he is going to be like, I am going to have my hands full with a little mini-me!!!

Since Noah was bumped up to a different shift at work he can no longer spend Valentines Day with me. But you know what, it's okay. Instead, I get to spend it with the funniest guy I know! =)

Goo, Goo, Goo.

(B & the spreading eczema...)

Tonight after Blake's bath he was chatting with me in a "goo, goo, gurgle, goo, gurgle, goo" fashion. Funny about the 'goo, goo' talk is that Blake has been covered in goo this whole week. Blake has always been a very, dry little guy... Since day one. He came out peeling, unfortunately, the thing about his dry skin is that it turned into eczema. It started on his chest, spread to his sides, and then up to his face, neck, & ear. Then it flared. He has been so red and itchy, and we have tried every cream! We have tried Aveeno, Aquaphor, & Mustela. It was a no-go. Dr. Benjamine told us to use Hydrocortisone and we could apply a lotion over it if we wanted to. Thankfully it seems to be working, on the down side he looks like he face-planted into a vat of Crisco! For a while there I was afraid to take him out in fear that people would think I gave him some weird rash. Eczema or no eczema, he is still one cute, albeit gooey, little man.

(Eczema at it's worse... =( )

(Gooey Baby B looking a little bit better.)

Lions, Tigers, and Birds...

(Baby B on his walk around Capitol Park, Duck & Goose in tow...)

We have had some pretty good weather recently, so Noah & I wanted to get out of the house for the day. We decided to take Blake on a walk around Capitol Park followed by some lunch and a trip to the zoo. Nothing too eventful happened on our walk around the park, we did see some squirrels that were eating some oranges that fell off the most amazing orange trees! After our walk we went to Original Pete's and Blake got his first taste of 'people' food! Noah is proud to say that Blake's first food was pizza!!! Well, not exactly... I dipped my finger in some pizza sauce and let him lick it. It didn't go over too well, he made a yucky face and that was that! Guess you start with runny rice cereal for a reason! ha ha!

(A Squirrel eating an Orange...)

After lunch we took Blake to the zoo, which was his very first trip there! He LOVED it, especially the birds. He loved the flamingoes and these big black weird looking birds that were playing with a box. I swear he could have watched them forever!

(Blake's First Trip to the Zoo! 01/24/11)

He got up-close with a giraffe who decided that food on the other side of the fence tasted a lot better & we got to watch the lions in their den. He had such a busy day he was passed out by the time we hit the gift shop. But no worries, mommy picked him out a baby giraffe to take home!

(That giraffe behind us decided that the plants behind us were tasty... He was on his way over!)

(Baby B all tuckered out!)

What a busy week for a little 4 month old!

(Happy 4 Months Blake David!)

Baby B has had quite a busy week! First and foremost, he turned four months old this week!!! Lately he has been making quite a fuss in the car being in his infant car seat. We noticed that if he is sitting in there for any extended period of time he absolutely melts down, and while we love his car seat & love that is very highly rated, it doesn't breathe very well and the poor kid always comes out of it dripping in sweat. Noah & I started looking at new convertible car seats for him, something that he can use until he can sit in the car on his own. We weren't really planning on buying something now but the one we liked ended up being on sale so we bought it. Blake LOVES it! The first time we put him in it he was all smiles and giggles.

(My little baby in his big kid car seat.)

The first place he went in his big kid car seat was to his 4 month check-up. Our little man is growing so fast! He weighs 16 pounds 1.5 ounces, which is in the 75th percentile. He is 26.5 inches long, which is in the 94th percentile. And his head is 16.5 inches, which is in the 41st percentile. On the chart for weight for length he is in the 25th percentile, which Dr. Benjamine (his pediatrician) said was okay cause he is a super long baby! Once again he was a brave little guy when it came to shots. He cried for about a minute then shook it off and pretty much slept the whole day and into the night. If you are wondering how mommy did this time around, I am proud to say that I didn't cry! =) I always get so sad because he is so happy all the time and it breaks my heart to cause him discomfort, but I also know it's for the best!

At 4 months old, Blake can grab and 'play' with his toys. He smiles and laughs. When I read to him he 'reads' along & when I sing he 'sings' along. He holds 'conversations' with Duck & Goose. He can roll over to one side and he tries super hard to sit up on his own. He sleeps in his own crib. He 'pets' the dogs and pulls on Lily's ears. His favorite toys are still Duck & Goose but he likes his elephant wubby & Scout the Leapfrog dog. He loves snuggles and he still loves his swing.
He is still drinking 6 ounces of milk and we haven't tried solids yet. I figure if he is content with what he has and is sleeping through the night, there is no point in changing it up just yet!

(Hey mom... It got awfully dark in here...)

Sadly, my poor little man has eczema and it's on his chest, stomach, & face. It never seemed to bother him until now, so mommy is going to get him some new baby wash & lotion and hopefully that will help! Anything for my little man!

The rest of the week we spent reading lots of books, taking warm baths, & cuddling... Just a few of Baby B's favorite things! =) Needless to say he had a busy week!

(Pooped.)

Super Love Bug Makes A Discovery...

(This is the deer-in-the-headlights look, courtesy of the camera flash...)

I am so in love with the age Blake is in right now. Every new discovery is so amazing and I often find myself wondering what goes through his mind. Especially since his face is so expressive! His first discovery was his hands. For the longest time he would just extend his arm stare at his hand and then open and close it. He did this forever! He still does it every once and a while now.

(Blake at 8 weeks, checking out those hands in the bath.)

His next discovery was his thumb & figuring out how to suck it. He is still discovering this one, sometimes he get the thumb in his mouth but his fingers stay open so he is known to get a finger up the nose or in the eye! Sometimes he will give up all together on his thumb and just stick his index finger in his mouth!

(My little football watching, thumb sucker...)

His newest and latest discovery is his feet! Now that he is sitting up a lot better he has found his socked feet. He will sit and stare at his feet and move them and then stare some more. Today, on this lazy Sunday morning, we were lying in bed and I had Blake sitting on my belly. He was totally engaged in his feet so I took his socks off. He looked at them like he had struck gold! He grabbed his toes and he would wiggle his feet. I swear, it was the cutest thing!

(Hey, mom... Check out what I found down here!)

(My super love bug checking out his tootsies...)

I am enjoying him so much! There is definitely NO rush for my Super Love Bug to grow up! =)

And we have hit a minor bump in babyhood...

Ever heard of 4 month sleep regression???

Me either, until Blake started getting up like clockwork every morning. He doesn't cry, he is just awake. AND he talks and shrieks to himself... It is so loud, so far it only lasts about an hour then he goes back to bed. Unfortunately I am unlike the other 3 members of my family, as Noah, Timber, & Lily can all sleep through it. I can't! So, the last few days have been tough on me, not only am I not getting any sleep, but I am losing my supply as well! I did a little research and turns out as babies get older and start having a more 'adult-like' sleeping pattern they can get up from 3-5 AM as that is when they enter the lightest form of sleep. It can last a week or two, or can stick around for a while! I am praying for the week or two but we will see what happens!

So, because of this sleep regression, Noah & I have decided to start putting him in his crib in his room. Tonight was the first night that he has not slept with us and it was really sad. Both Noah and I tucked him into bed and we just hung out in his room for a few minutes- like we didn't want to leave, then we walked out. He ended up crying for about 5 minutes then went right to sleep. I swear that kid is a champ! From shots to sleeping in his own room, he has proven to be way more tougher than me!

I can't believe he is going to be 4 months old this month! Time is flying so fast and he is growing like a weed! Stay tuned for next week's update as he is having his 4 month check-up!

Until then, here is some Baby B cuteness!!!

(B after bath time... Check out those baby blues!)

(A little Duck & Goose lovin'!)

Here's to a great New Year...

Around this time last year I was a few days away from my prayers being answered and finding out that I was going to have my little blessing, Blake David! I can't believe he is going to be one this year, albeit that is not until late this year, but it's still happening this year!

I spent this New Years with one of my best friends and Baby B. Noah had to work and B, of course, didn't make it until midnight, but I was happy to have my best friend by my side! Pizza, Cherry Coke, Baby B, & the bestest was my idea of a pretty good New Years Eve! She brought her camera over and shot some 3 month pictures of B and these were my favorites!











Thanks Lisa! =)