Andrew's 7-Month Update!

Dear Andrew!

Well, we're officially closer to one than we are zero.  I can't believe it.  You are doing great.  This month has been more of the same, but you're getting better at everything.  You did get your two bottom teeth and you are a drooling machine!

We also went to the beach in Port Aransas and stayed at Cinnamon Shores with DD Nana and T-Pa.  We rented a condo for two days and you were such a trooper!  You got to meet mom's uncle and aunt, Steve and Mary Beth and then also her cousin's Ann and Jane.  You also visited with both Mema & Pepa and Great Nana and Pop.  You made everyone laugh and were a true joy to be around.  You actually liked the sand but did not care for the water-- beach or pool.  Could be because it was quite cold.

But, let me just say, you were a terrible car rider.  Just terrible.. both ways.  You cried pretty much the whole way, each way.  It was miserable.  Nothing would appease you except for getting out of your car seat.  So, we stopped at a rest area and had a good hour long break, but then you proceeded to mostly cry the rest of the way home.  So, no long car trips for you for a while!

You are doing very well with your helmet.  The doctor said that you should be able to get it off after memorial day, so we have an appointment on May 31st!  It doesn't bother you at all, though.  You were scratching your head like crazy any time we took it off and your head was all red, but I've been putting my Rodan & Field's Soothe Regimen on your head each night and that cleared it right up!  Rodan &Field's is some good stuff, I'll tell ya.  Mom uses it on her face each night!

We also celebrated your first Easter.  You quite liked chewing on the eggs and were a sport when it came to watching big brother hunt his eggs.  We've also been to the zoo and you got to go on your first train ride around the park... which you promptly slept through the whole ride.  You like strolling in the stroller and also in the baby carrier, facing forwards.  Give you a chew toy and you're all set.

So, let's see... at 7 months, you:

• You weigh about 17 lbs and are around 28 inches long.
• Drink 6 ounces of milk every 3 to 4 hours.
• Seem to spit up more like you used to a couple of months ago.  You've got daddy pretty good the last few days.
• Wear size 3 diapers and poop 1-2x/day
• Love eating any solids we put in front of you
• Tried puffs, but you haven't quite figured out how to put them in your mouth.  Soon, baby boy!
• Sleep 8-8:30 on the weekends and we wake you up at around 6:30 during the week.
• Sit unassisted for long periods of time
• Wear 6-12 month clothes-- like I said a few months ago-- I think your feet on really big because they never fit in the foot holes in your jammies and I have to put you in 12-24 month socks!
• Trying really hard to pull up on things and go from your knees to sitting  (I think you'll be crawling soon-- I give it another month).
• Generally are happy if you have your favorite toys in front of you.  Your most favorite toy is the rattle we "stole" from daycare-- aka, we left with it your hand on accident and you liked it so much that I never took it back.
• Nap about 2 hours at a time in the morning and afternoon (with the afternoon sometimes going longer).  You're starting to drop that third nap on the weekends.  But, you still take 3 naps at daycare right now with some days you napping really well and other days you take these little 20-30 minute naps all day long.
• Love, love, love watching your big brother play.  But big brother does not like it when you touch "his" toys.  I'm working on him, I promise.  You are just getting a lot more active and big brother is adjusting to you being more "involved."

Overall baby boy, you are just wonderful!  I love your big smiles with your big dimple.  You bring us so much joy.  Mom and dad love you baby boy, always and forever.

Happy Easter!

Parker loves you so much!

Andrew's 6-Month Update!

Dear Andrew,

I can't believe it!  You are six months old.  YOU.ARE.AWESOME.  That's all I really need to say.  You have really just done more of the same this month.  You are SO CLOSE to having two bottom teeth.  I can see them right there, but they haven't poked through yet.  I give you just another week and I think they will have grown in.  You seem to tolerate the pain pretty well; just lots of drool and things in your mouth.

You sit on your own moderately well.  You will tip over after about 3-5 minutes, but you are really getting the hang of it.  What is most impressive is how much you love playing on your tummy.  You'll just roll yourself right over and grab whatever toy you can find.  In fact, I've put you on the play mat only to walk away and find that you've rolled over, did a 180 and scooted yourself off the mat.  It's pretty impressive for a baby who can't crawl.  You're pretty cute when you try to move-- it's more a whale approach right now.  You'll get it though, soon!

When big brother puts his attention on you, you just laugh and laugh!  He makes you giggle like crazy.  It's great to listen to you.  This is the first month that I heard you just down right make big belly laughs.  And all because of big brother.

You still smile all the time and are generally happy.  You will sit and play, or jump and play for about two hours before you start to get fussy.  You bounce from activity to activity very well and don't mind do anything where you can watch big brother.  We go on walks with big brother to park and you like strolling and watching brother play on the park.  We also put you in the swing an you really liked it!  You had a way better demeanor than big brother did on his first swing!

You went to the rodeo where you were a model spectator.  You sat in DD Nana, T-Pa and Aunt KK's lap and were perfectly content to chew on some "chewelry" and watch the heifers walk around.  Again, you are awesome!

You've been sleeping like a champ with no wake-ups in the middle of the night.  You roll around really good in your crib and fall asleep with little to-do.  This in of itself makes you amazing.  Momma is so lucky and counts her blessings every night.  Thank you baby boy.

You gave the entire household a bad stomach bug.  It kept big brother home from school for four days and mom and dad home from work for four days, too.  It was terrible and you were patient zero.  I hope you don't do that again!

Oh wait, probably the biggest change this month is the addition of your helmet!  We just got it on March 25th.. so we've been adjusting your head to the helmet.  So far, you don't seem bothered by it at all and you are your same ol' happy self.  I know its going to work wonders and you'll be out of it soon enough!

So, let's see... at six months you:

• Sleep from 8-6:30 on weekdays and 8-8 on weekends.
• Take one really long nap (>2 hours) in the afternoon with two shorter naps beginning with the one in the AM (1 hour-ish) and a catnap in the evening, usually on the way home from school.
• Love sleeping on your tummy-- heck, you like just being on your tummy in general.
• Eat 5, 6 ounce bottles during the weekday and usually 4, 6 ounce bottles on the weekend.
• Love eating foods!  You've just about figured out the whole "eating off a spoon" thing and love eating.  You get so excited and just start chomping.  We've tried oatmeal, carrots, sweet potatoes, avocado, bananas, apples, squash and pears.  So far, so good!  I'm going to get you some puffs this week and we'll start seeing how you like those!
• Wear size 2 diapers, though my next shipment of diapers are size three!  Growing boy!  Poop 1-2x/day.
• Like your jumper, but for the most part your favorite thing is to sit in someone's lap.
• Don't seem all that interested in standing, yet.
• Smile all the time and think big brother is hilarious
• Like being tickled
• Chew on anything-- we always keep teething toys around with you!
• Suck your thumb and the pacifier has pretty much gone by the wayside.
• Wear 6 month clothes
• Have curly hair-- at least on top!  We'll see how curly it is once it starts growing in more.
• Did not like taking your pictures in the bluebonnets-- maybe next year!

We love you baby boy, always and forever.

At the rodeo-- always smiling.

Best picture we got at the blue bonnets.

Your new helmet!  So cute!

You were not having your pictures.  This is the best one we had!

Andrew's 5-Month Update!

Dear Andrew,

You are five months, buddy!  How is that?!  I think things are starting to "normalize" around here.  We've figured out the weekly school routine and you're doing great.  Still always seem to be slightly sick with a cold of some sort.  I think you've about kicked the bronchitis, though.  It only took three weeks!  You haven't had any anti-biotics yet, which is good.  But, I'm curious to know if you're allergic to penicillin just like your dad and brother.  I wonder if they can test for that instead of going through the whole "hives" thing.

You are such a happy baby.  Like literally, you smile ALL.THE.TIME.  It's great!  I always know when your tired and/or cranky because you want to be held and start to cry when we set you on the ground.  But, if you're well-fed and well-rested you are SOO HAPPY with anything.  You love to bounce in your jumper, play with your feet and just in general, watch your big brother or anyone else do their thing.

You put everything into your mouth and don't seem to be all that interested in eating from a spoon.  What goes in, comes out.  We're working on it though, but you haven't quite figured out what to do with your tongue.  You get it moving, but it moves the food straight out of your mouth instead of down your throat.  It's kind of funny.  You'll get it!  We've tried you on oatmeal and that's it.  Trying to master the spoon before we go too crazy with new foods.

We're working on sitting and I think you're really close to rolling forwards and backwards consistently.  You've got tummy to back down and I think in the next week or two you will have back to tummy down consistently, too.  You tolerate sitting in your bumbo pretty well-- more so than Parker ever did.  We've moved Parker to a big kid chair at the kitchen table, so I'm hoping he'll tolerate you sitting in "his" highchair this month.  We've just kind of left it alone in the corner hoping he'll come around-- he might have freaked out when we first put you in there.

We also had our appointment at Texas Children's- Neuro.  Looks like you're getting a helmet, kiddo.  Mom's sorry about that, but you won't even notice it!  She'll decorate it pretty cool, too.  The ideal head shape is a .90 and the doctors tolerate anything from a .90 to a .94.  You came out at a .96.  So, you're very borderline, but I want to fix it if I can!  For comparison's sake, Parker was a 1.04-- severely flat.  You're just moderately flat.

So, let's see... At 5 months you:

• Drink 5, 7oz bottles a day at daycare (about every 3 hours)
• Drink 4, 7 oz bottles a day on the weekends (every 4 hours)
• Sleep from 8-7:30 on the weekends and we wake you up at 6:30 on the weekdays.  You have mastered falling asleep on your own which means we don't get to rock very much anymore, you prefer we just set you down.  It's one of those parenting "wins" but mommy "loses."  
• Started eating some oatmeal, but not very successfully
• Love to play with your feet and look in the mirror at school
• Spit ups are getting better; much less frequent.  Still need to burp during every bottle.
• Have brownish-green eyes and I think your hair may have a little curl to it.. time will tell!
• SMILE ALL THE TIME
• Have just started giggling.. you love kissy faces and sounds
• Put everything in your mouth-- it's no wonder you are sick all the time!
• Wear 6 month clothes and weigh around 15 lbs and 5 oz
• Like to jump in your jumper and watch mom in the kitchen
• Found out you are going to have a cousin from Aunt KK (Kate) whom is going to be a boy!
• Are a thumb sucker.  You'll take a pacifier occasionally in the car or when your grumpy but fighting sleep, but as soon as we lay you down you rip it out and place your thumb in your mouth.  No matter how hard we pushed the paci, it looks like you prefer your thumb.  There's no convincing you.

You are such a trooper baby boy.  We love watching you smile and giggle.  I can't wait to see what this next month will bring!  Mom and dad love you baby boy, always and forever.

Valentine's Day with my favorite boys!

Andrew's 4-Month Update!

Dear Andrew,

Oh, baby boy!  You are 4 months old.. we have officially started the countdown to six months.  How is this possible?!  This month hasn’t been too crazy with adventures except the ultimate adventure of going to school!!  Mom has officially gone back to work and she’s so sad to leave you every day.  You handle it like a champ though.  You’re not even phased when I drop you off, though I know that won’t last for forever and we’ll go through phases of you not wanting to be dropped off to phases of you don’t care.

Your teachers at school are Ms. Mary and Ms. Denise and they seem to be taking good care of you.  You are still figuring out this whole nap thing at school.. some days you go a great job and some days you take these little 15 minute naps throughout the day.  It’s a transition I know, but on the days you don’t nap well at school you look so tired when we get you home.  You started getting sick a whopping 8 days into school.  So, you’ve had the pleasure of experiencing the nose Frida, saline drops, Vick’s vapor rub, and the steam of a hot shower.  When we first did the Nose Frida, you’re brother went crazy trying to protect you.  He thought we were hurting you and kept pushing daddy away.  We explained to him what was going on and now it’s OK.  I always knew he would be protective of you!  You having bronchitis wasn’t so much fun, but you handled it like a champ and managed to kick it on your own without any meds.

DD Nana and T-Pa have come to visit us again… you love both of them!  We also took you to the zoo with big brother and you got to ride the train!  You did so well at the zoo; I was so proud!  You really like jumping in your jumper and just watching everything that is going on.  You are still a really chill baby, but you like it less when we “leave” you, i.e., we walk to the kitchen while you’re in the living room.

Looks like we're going back to TCH Neuro to get your head checked  out.  It's not as flat as big brothers, but its not 100% round either.  I'm hoping we can still avoid it, but I think its best to get it looked at.  More to come on if we're going to go down the helmet route.

You have just about 100% figured out your thumb.  I think you will be a thumb sucker, but right now you aren’t partial to any particular finger.  Whatever you can get a hold of you suck on in your mouth.  You are trying to roll over from your back to your front, but haven’t made it all the way yet.  You get stuck on your side.  You definitely can roll from front to back though… we lay you down on your tummy and when we go to wake you up, you are on your back!  You like reaching for toys and bringing them to your mouth.  Becoming quite the explorer!

Baby boy, at four months you:

• Weigh just shy of 15lbs, at 14.92lbs and are 25 inches tall.  Both are in the 50 percentile.  Growing boy!
• You poop 1-2x a day and wear size 2 diapers.
• Wear 6 month clothes and seem to have big feet because I feel like the 3-12 month socks won’t fit you for very long.
• If we’re going to school, we wake you up at 6:30 and you fall asleep at 8.  You haven’t had any wake-ups to eat, but occasionally we have to go in there and rub your bottom so you fall back asleep.  This usually happens when you’ve scooted yourself to a side of the crib and can’t figure out how to keep your head from hitting the rails.  You are a great sleeper!!  I love you so much for that.
• If it’s a weekend you sleep from about 8:15 to 8 and take two really good naps during the day that are about 2 hours each and an evening cat nap around 6:45.  God bless you.
• During the week, you eat 5, 6 oz bottles.  During the weekends, you eat 4, 6 oz bottles.  You still spit up, but it’s getting a little better.  You must also be burped regularly as well.
• Like to bounce in your jumper and play under your mobile
• We sit you in the bumbo on the table during dinner and you like having us all stare at you.  Big brother makes funny faces at you to try to make you laugh.
• Do a little tripoding, but otherwise will sit up in your bumbo or if someone is behind you.  I know we’re going to come a long ways with sitting this coming month!
• Have started riding in the “big boy” stroller and you really like seeing everything happening around you!

It’s been such a joy watching you grow this month!  You are always happy and quite literally, I think, the best baby ever.  I’m looking forward to seeing you try some food this month, too!  Mommy and daddy love you baby boy, always and forever!

Andrew's 3-Month Update!

Hi big boy!  You sure are growing fast!  I love you so much!  We’ve done lots of fun things with you this month, with the biggest thing being a trip to Arkansas for Christmas!  We spent a full week in Arkansas over Christmas and stayed at DD Nana’s house.  You finally got to meet all the rest of the Meier family on this trip!  Everyone enjoyed holding you and commenting on what a good baby you are… which is so true!

You traveled very well and don’t seem to be bothered by not keeping to your schedule as much.  You are pretty laid-back, that’s for sure!  I tried to keep you on schedule as much as possible since I have to go back to work on January 3^rd!  Didn’t want to get you too off kilter for daycare.  You went to see Christmas lights at the Fayetteville Square—which you mostly slept through [of course].  You didn’t sleep that well at DD Nana’s… you woke up pretty much every night except the last one.  I think you have also decided that you do not want to be swaddled anymore.  Which is OK—Daycare won’t swaddle you anyways!  I still keep you in a convertible swaddle though—just your arms are free!  You handled the airplane like a champ, too!

You have gotten lots of toys this Christmas--- I can’t wait to watch you explore them [mostly with your mouth]!  We have been putting you in a jumper which you seem to mostly tolerate, but sometimes really enjoy, too.  You have recently been wanting to stand up so I thought we’d get the jumper out for you.  We stick a teddy bear behind you to help stabilize you inside of it--- you are probably a bit small for it still, but you like making it jump!  Your favorite thing to do is definitely lay under a mobile and bat at the toys.  You will literally do that for an hour at a time if we let you!

You are all smiley, now, too!  Especially after you eat.  We just sit and smile at each other.  You will also stick your tongue out at us as well.  You still spit up lots, but I think that’s your normal.  Hiccups still strike you regularly, too. You coo a lot, too.  Big brother never did this very much so I'm really enjoying hearing all of your baby noises.

DD Nana and T-Pa think your head is starting to look rounder.  But, I went ahead and got us a referral for a helmet consultation at TCH.  I wonder if we’ll get the same doctor as Parker?!  You spend a significant amount of time on your tummy now, so I’m hoping your head continues to round itself out.  It will be up to daycare, now, though!  I’ll have lots of instructions for them.  ;-)  You are also starting to look right more and we’ve been doing some neck stretches which I think have been helping.  I don’t think you’ll need physical therapy at this point.

We've spent this month mostly just doing Christmas things-- we have gone Christmas shopping, walks to look at Christmas lights, gone to see Santa and watched Christmas movies all day long [OK, that was mostly me].

I can’t believe my three months home with you is coming to an end!  I have enjoyed it so much, Andrew!  We’ve had lots of fun and I can’t help but snuggle with you a little longer these last few days since we’ll be spending more time apart.  I’m sorry you have to go to daycare…I’m going to cry like a baby at drop off.  I know you will learn lots there and will benefit greatly from the experience in the long run.  Just know how much I will miss spending all of my time with you.  I’ll miss seeing you smile at me and playing with you.  Rocking you to sleep has been my favorite activity these past few months and what I’ll miss most—having you all cuddled up with me.  You have been the best baby—the kind of baby that makes you want to have more babies!

Here’s a few more updates about you at 3 months:

• Eat 4-5 oz every 3 hours during the day
• Wear 3-6 month clothes.  All of the 0-3 month clothes is too small!  In fact, your 3-month picture was taken in a 6 month outfit!
• Sleep about 8:30-7 with no wake-ups.  You literally did 3 weeks with no middle of the night wake-up until we got to DD Nana’s.  But, on your first night home from the trip you slept 8:30-7 again, straight.
• Poop 1-2x a day.  Wear size 2 diapers. You usually wake yourself up at 7 with a poopy diaper.
• Weigh about 14lbs and 2 oz.
• Love facing outwards and watching what is going on in life.
• Smile at your baby brother and tolerate his hugs and kisses very well.
• Love, love, love playing on your play mat with a mobile and batting at the objects.
• Head control is getting pretty good—almost 100%!
• Nap anywhere from 1-2 hours 3x a day with a 30-45 minute cat nap before bedtime.
• Love taking a bath with daddy in the sink!
• Smile big grins!
• Must be burped after every 2 oz with a couple of spit ups at each feeding.  If we don’t burp you often the whole bottle will come back up.
• Love putting your hands in your mouth, but you haven’t discovered your individual fingers, yet.
• Like pacifiers as well, especially to sleep.  I switched you from a Soothie paci to a Phillips Avent one this month.

 We love you baby boy, always and forever.

Meeting Santa for the first time!

One of my favorite pictures of you two with your DD Nana

Celebrating Christmas at our house!

At the Fayetteville Square