dear George,
yesterday Cece told me that you look like a real baby now and not a newborn, and I completely agree. when I sit you up to burp after your bottle, you hold your head up high and look around the room, investigating everything. you coo and squeak with laughter when your sisters talk to you. your personality remains calm and mostly unbothered, but when you're hungry, you definitely let us know about it -- you clench your fists and wave your arms and howl. as soon as the bottle touches your lips, you relax back into my arms (although sometimes you let out a few pointed whimpers to make sure we understand how dire your need for sustenance is).
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| classic fencing pose. you do prefer to look to the left -- I asked the pediatrician about it and she said you don't have torticollis, but to rotate how we lay you in bed for naps and where we place your toys to encourage you to look the other way too. it seems to be working! |
you are drinking five 5-ounce bottles per day, spaced every three to four hours, and *knock on wood* you will sleep generally from 11 pm to 6-7 am. I am fully prepared for this to go out the window within the next month as we approach the dreaded four-month sleep regression, but for now I will absolutely take it!
we went to Keystone Safari with Aunt Becca and you dozed off for most of our visit, then woke up for a bottle while Ellie and Vickie were playing in the dinosaur dig, and were all smiles while they explored the low ropes course!
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| not too sure about this |
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| silly boy |
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| gorgeous George! |
you went to your very first wedding and didn't make a peep for the entire ceremony. then you came along to the reception too and were a model guest. you even let our friends hold you so Daddy and I could slow dance. it was a very fun night out!
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| I dressed you in your finest jammies (and myself in my finest Spanx!) |
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| melt my heart! |
Auntie Kelli flew out for a long weekend at the beginning of the month to meet you and it was so wonderful to visit with her! she gave you so many snuggles. it usually takes you a while to start smiling at people you don't know, but your whole face lit up with a huge grin the minute you saw her (whether because you sensed that she's family or just because of her awesome Auntie Kelli-ness -- probably both).
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post-bottle snuggles on the last Friday of my maternity leave, the day Auntie Kelli arrived. I had great plans to clean the house before picking her up at the airport but I just couldn't bring myself to put you down!
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| so many smiles for Auntie Kelli! (also, Daddy hung up your St. George painting and icon, baptism gifts you received from your godparents and our other dear friends!) |
your biggest transition was starting daycare last week when I went back to work. you go on Wednesdays and Fridays along with Elizabeth and Victoria. you're doing great! your teacher told me that you are in the top five of cutest babies she's ever watched -- and I don't think she was just saying that.
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| first day! |
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| nothing I love more than a good daycare photo shoot! |
you went to the pumpkin patch with us and Daddy wanted you to be included when the girls were all seeing how they measured up against the sign (and comparing to pictures from years past). you weren't quite sure what to think about this. next year I guarantee we'll have a tough time getting you to stay still for a picture here!
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| "what are they doing to me?!" |
you also went on your first hike, a very easy, flat half-mile trail in McConnell's Mill State Park with Ellie, Vickie, and Aunt Becca. this trail leads to a beautiful waterfall. you were content to snuggle in the carrier. we will definitely come back when you're older and can join in the wading fun!
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| "seriously, what is going on?!" |
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| it was so beautiful! |
yesterday you rolled from your tummy to your back during tummy time -- I'm not sure who was more surprised, you or me! I turned you onto your tummy again and you immediately rolled right over. I guess this is the end of your swaddling days (although we have some transitional swaddles you can use with your arms out). you are growing up too fast. we sure love you!
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| THEE most perfect profile! I can't stop kissing your cheeks! |
Oh, those cheeks!! He really is a gorgeous guy.
ReplyDeleteGlad you're reveling in this boy baby life.
He's hitting all the milestones at the same time as my granddaughter. It's so cool to watch how babies grow- they're all different but looking at them you know what age/stage they're at.
I hope your family has a spectacular fall!
Thank you!! Yes, it's always amazing to me (even five times in!) how they grow and develop literally overnight.
DeleteI'm currently looking out the window at an electric blue sky behind riotously colored leaves -- the definition of spectacular fall. My favourite season for sure!
He is thee cutest baby everrrrrrr, though I may have left a similar comment on your baby girls. What can I say, you guys make model babies!! I'm so impressed with you hiking and dressing up and everything after having your 5th baby - go mama!
ReplyDeleteHaha, thank you -- he is pretty darling! Full transparency though, I think Victoria still wins the prize as cutest baby of all. She had thick dark curls that really set off her eyes. And now she's the blondest of the bunch!
DeleteEach activity -- hiking, the wedding, etc -- seemed a little crazy to me too when I was thinking about it beforehand, but then it all was fine and I was glad for doing it. George is a super chill baby, which helps!
I’m laughing at his cutest Jammie’s and you in spandex. Tank flew with us at 3 weeks to attend a wedding and I remember that exact scenario.
ReplyDeleteHe really is just a beautiful boy - not at all surprised as I’ve said before- you two have a great recipe.
Loved reading the update. So sweet. And I’m realizing I've not updated the group FB page for my daycare families in a few weeks.
Oh yes, you totally understand then! Adding a plane trip into the mix is next level (although I still maintain it's way easier to fly with a newborn than a toddler!).
DeleteI'm sure you have some great updates for your daycare families. I wish my crew could come to your house! (Although we do need Fridays so, that wouldn't actually work...)
WHAT A DARLING, Kate. He is sooooooo adorable. Those cheeks. Gah. I want a baby to snuggle this very second and 1000% wish you lived closer as I would gladly play surrogate aunt for a few hours to sneak in all sorts of snuggles. What is it about the cheeks?? God knows how to endear infants to parents, doesn't he.
ReplyDeleteAnd that red dress. Just wow. You look AMAZING!!!!!!!
His cheeks are TRULY sublime and I have to keep taking pictures of them even if there's nothing noticeably different from photo to photo. His smile is captivating too -- he has the most endearing grin that you can't help but smile back at him! (Another biological impetus to ensure he's getting care and attention, I suppose, but doesn't make it any less cute!)
DeleteThank you! It was fun to dress up and feel fancy again after what felt like a very long pregnancy ;)
George is absolutely adorable — that fencing pose photo made me grin! I found this via uploadarticle the other day, and his first pumpkin patch trip sounds so sweet.
ReplyDeleteJoining the chorus of how adorable he is! So cute! How are you finding the transition back to work?
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