Your First Easter

I realize I'm a bit late, but I wanted to make sure to document your first Easter.  We had fun celebrating this week with dad and the Brazeals.  We were so excited to celebrate with Nana too but she got sick and then this past weekend we have been sick.  You are missing your Nana and hopefully we will celebrate with her soon.

Easter Roses - my favorite color!

   

You wanted to see what smelled so good!  (No you didn't pull yourself up yet, but you can stand by yourself for short amounts of time under our supervision.)

"Are you the Easter bunny??"

 

Playing with Grandpa!  You love your time with him!

Easter Egg hunting at Mimi and Pop's!

Peekaboo with Cousin Logan!  Your cousins are such great entertainers.  You love watching them!

Pretty flowers! You love talking with Pop 

Spoils from the Easter Egg hunt!  The Easter bunny must have done well for himself the past few years.  When I was small I just remember candy and coins!

On Good Friday mommy and you went to the noon service and learned about the 7 things Jesus said while He was hanging on the cross.  It was very powerful.  Easter Sunday we went to church and celebrated Jesus' resurrection!  After the service you and your buddy Oliver posed for a few Easter pics by the fountain before going up to take a much needed nap!

Our prayer is that you come to know, very early, the significance Easter and what a happy holiday it is because of what God did for you, little one. 

Happy First Easter Larkin!

The Cow's Back in Full Steam

Well Larkin. . .

It looks a bit more ominous and devilish with the lights dim, but the cow is back in your room .  You have your first little earache.  Although you've had congestion before and been a little sick, this is the first time you've been put on antibiotics. 

The past few nights you wake up screaming.  Mommy and daddy go in and you have so much congestion it's pretty pitiful.  Although you HATE it, I syringe out huge "snot pockets" and give you some saline to help you breathe better.  That lasts a few hours until you are stopped up and screaming again.  Poor little guy.  I think you are confused as to why you are feeling this way. 

Mommy doesn't feel that great either though.  I called my mom and thanked her for all of the times she took care of us when she was sick.  It is hard to both be sick.  While I'm not feeling well, you aren't either and are a lot more needy of being held, etc.  However I hope soon you will be on the mend.  I feel a bit better today than yesterday.  We are hoping to get well because Uncle Stephen, Aunt Mallory and Cousin Luke (and future cousin Anna) are in town!

Doctor said it wasn't a bad ear infection but you had a low grade fever today so on the antibiotics you will go.  When Mommy tried to give you the medicine with the syringe you didn't like the taste.  You spit out the syringe and the medicine ended up all over your face.

Well, little Lark.  I'm glad you've gone so long without having to get on any time of medicine or antibiotics.  I know this is the first of many sicknesses but I thought I'd document it so we could look back. 

Being a trooper while we wait

 Trying to keep your mind off the long wait for the doctor . . .

 "Distractions only last so long, Mommy.  Get me out of here!"

Love you buddy,

Mommy

Happy 9 Month Larkin!

I CAN NO LONGER KEEP HIM STILL :)

CHANGES THIS MONTH  . . .

MOVEMENT: The biggest change of this month is that you are mobile!  You are crawling EVERYWHERE!  Your favorite things to crawl to are remotes, Piper, Piper's bed, Piper's dog toys, Piper's water bowl and our shoes.  You don't crawl on all fours though, you scoot pulling yourself with your forearms and pushing with your feet.   But you are very fast.  If I set you down and run in the other room you will be across the room coming to find me or getting into Piper's things when I peek my head back in.  Your face is so determined when you crawl.  You are on a mission. While still on the topic of movement, you are a WIGGLE WORM.  You don't like to be still.  You would rather go explore.  This produces problems when Mommy is changing your dirty diaper.




SOCIAL:  Larkin, you have the cutest laugh.  You laugh when you see people dancing or acting goofy, when daddy makes silly faces and when Piper comes and plays in front of you; and, as mentioned before you are a big flirt out in public. You let us know if something bothers you with loud squawks, squeals and screams and you are also talking a lot more now.  It's so cute just  little syllables" na na na ba ba da" said with the sweetest little voice.

 Recently again you've started to get upset when mommy drops you off at BSF or with someone else.  Even when I leave the room you've been screaming :(  This makes for a long and unproductive day so I've keep cheerfully ignoring some of it hoping this phase will pass.  You (and mommy) still are enjoying playgroup on Mondays and we've loved lots of walks and "front yard dates" with playgroup friends too.  We'll spread large blankets out in the front yard and just hang out outside with friends.

                     
                  

EATING: You are nursing four times a day at 7, 11, 3 and then a little after 7.  You are eating solids (baby food) 3 times a day (right after your 7 and 11 feeding and just before your 7pm feeding).  Just recently we started adding finger foods which sometimes you seem to love and sometimes you want no part of.  Initially this month in the morning you typically would have a jar of prunes.  For lunch you would usually have one jar of a fruit and / or veggie and at dinner you have a meat and a veggie (2 jars).  The finger foods you've eaten are pancakes, scrambled eggs, cheese quesadillas, ground turkey, shredded chicken, green beans, spaghetti, sweet potato and black beans.  You LOVE black beans.  You also love drinking water out of your sippy cup and Nana taught you how to use a straw this month. 

                     
                         
SLEEPING: Your wake time is now 2-2.5 hours during the day (although in the morning it can be a bit shorter) and the past few days we've pushed through to drop that last nap of the day so of course your wake time is longer then.  We just recently transitioned to two naps and it's been hard.  Sometimes you just are miserable without a third.  I think you're growing this week... you've been sleeping a lot and pretty whiney when you're awake... always seeming tired.  Yesterday you napped 2 hrs 45 minutes in the morning, 1.5 hours in the afternoon and  I took you out for a walk to give you some fresh air and you fell asleep again in the stroller (which you haven't done in months)!  At night you are still sleeping 11.5 hours and we still typically start our day at 7am.

THINGS YOU LOVE: You love our morning walks and your baths. You love chasing Piper, your mobile (still), sitting outside watching the cars go by, driving cars *see below, eating black beans, laughing at daddy, bathtime, being tickled and of course spending time with Nana, Grandpa, Mimi, Pop and Nanny (your great grandmother).   You love all of your grandparents! And you think your Uncle David is super goofy.  *I need a new updated picture of you and Pop to add! 
                        



                   

                                             


THINGS I LOVE:  I love waking you up with daddy in the mornings although you're usually a bit grumpy and ready for milk.   love watching you laugh and giggle, listening to you talk and most of all I love your SNUGGLING.  Even when I drop you off at church daycare or BSF, they say you like to snuggle.  I know this won't last forever so I'm enjoying it!  My favorite time of day is still rocking you before bed. You curl up on me and bury your head in my neck.   Mommy still sings you Edelweiss before every nap and bedtime.

                               
                                           

I think back to the nine months you were in my tummy and how slow they seemed to crawl by compared to these last nine.  Your daddy and I love you so much little man!  Happy Nine Month Birthday!!! (Gosh a year is just around the corner!)

Riding Shotgun

Busy Boys!

Praying for Larkin...

I started reading the book Power of a Praying Parent a while back.  It's so good, but with a lot on my plate recently I haven't kept up my committment to purposefully pray through the book at this point.  Still, it's neat how little things Larkin will do or things that will happen throughout our day that have me praying for my litle man.  Kind of like the Holy Spirit is pointing out things for me to pray for if that makes sense....

For example...This week I've noticed a trend when it comes to Larkin's personality out in public.  If we are at dinner or if he is in the shopping cart at the store, Larkin will pick a person to stare at and just stare and stare and stare until they look his way.  As soon as that person acknowledges little Lark he turns ON the charm.  Immediately he smiles real big, turns his head to the side pretending to be shy and sometmies even bats his little eyes. 

This has happend so frequently this past week it's gotten to be comical.  I can't tell you how many comments I've gotten from people that he is the "biggest little flirt" or he is going to be a "heartbreaker".  We even had one lady who worked at Albertsons follow us out into the parking lot and watch us put our groceries away while Larkin flirted with her.  Another cashier "Mr. Mike" knows Larkin now by name and truly gets excited each time Larkin comes in.

                        

He has learned how to get attention from people and he is working it!  Each time it has happened I've felt like the Lord prompts me to pray.  I pray that God will use this joy and ability to brighten others day for His glory and not for Larkin's.  That Larkin wouldn't grow up and go through school charming others to get things he wants or even seeking others approval, but that he would be the kind of young man that sees others who are hurting or maybe don't quite fit in and show them compassion and joy.  I pray that this gift the Lord has given him to bring light and smiles to others (at least at this point in his life) will be an asset to God's kingdom and not used for his own glory.

...It's kind of neat to have promptings like that and pray for them .  I should pray for more I suppose!  ... It's a bit less overwhelming and structured; which at this point is good for this busy momma!

Who do I look like?

Most people say Larkin looks like his daddy.  I am thankful for this . . . after all, I think his daddy is pretty cute myself.  However lately people have been saying he is looking like me as well.  So I looked and found baby pics of us both.  Looks like he is his own little person with a touch of us both.  

Larkin and Mommy's Baby Pics

Larkin and Daddy's Baby Pics

Problem Solving

Eight Months!

AN 8th MONTH FLASHBACK!

HAPPY 8 MONTHS LARKIN!

This has been my favorite month yet.  You are even more interactive and (I feel like I say this each month) transitioning from a little baby to a little boy.

There have been so many developments this month, probably too many to document but I want to highlight on some of the big ones so I can look back a year from now and see where you were at.

During the seventh month.....

You got really good at eating solids! 

Now you eat a mix of oatmeal and a fruit in the morning, a fruit and veggie (usually one squeezie) for lunch and a meat and veggie or fruit for dinner (2 jars).  You  don't sit very still while I feed you.  You open your mouth real wide and move your head all around.  Sometimes I feel like I'm trying to pin the tail on a moving donkey, but I'm so thanful you're eating almost anything I give you now! 

                                             

You also love a good snack : mum mums and puffs.  You can't quite consistently put a puff in your mouth by yourself, but you are working on it.


 

You and your friend, Price, eating mum mums together.

You've mastered sitting this month!  Your falls are few and far between.

I can eat dinner again!  You are now sitting in the high chair at dinner and,  for the most part you will eat your dinner and then be content to look around and play with some toys while we scarf down our food.  I hope this keeps up, it's so nice to eat again at dinnertime and just ENJOY being out!

Eating dinner at La Duni

 You' started "creeping" this past week.  It started when mommy let you on the wood floor and put a shoelace you were wanting in front of you.  You use your arms to pull you around.  It's like watching you lug around dead weight.

Everywhere we go you always brighten people's day.  I joke that you like to smile at pretty girls, but really you will smile at anyone. Your smile melts hearts and always starts conversations.  My prayer is that the Lord will use that smile for His glory and to reflect His radiance to others.

                          

You just started eating every four hours.  I think you needed to be able to eat more solids before you were able to make this tranisition.  Once you started eating better, we"up"ped the solids, and you were ready.  You still seem to need a little cat nap in the evening, I think we are about to transition from 3 to 2 naps.  We will see!

In the bathtub, you no longer sit still.  As of two days ago, you squirm and turn over like you are wanting to crawl out and swim around in the "big tub".  It's almost impossible to bathe you these days.

You still LOVE Piper.  If you are fussy in the evening sometimes we will run up to the mall and walk you around (or in the neighborhood if it's pretty outside) OR I will throw Piper her duck over and over which you just think it's so hilarious. 

Checking Piper's nails.

You love the swing at Flag Pole Hill.  Daddy and I take you each weekend and mommy and you go during the week too.  You get a HUGE smile on your face and then get real relaxed.

I love your little hand in this picture.

        You love the outdoors.  We've enjoyed fun days outside in the backyard and at the arboretum.  You and mommy have been going on a lot of walks outside too because it's so beautiful.  Typically we'll go in the mornings with your pjs still on.

Arboretum

Jammy Walks.

Backyard Fun

   A few challenges of the month:

You were really sick for the first time this month.  You had a sinus infection.  Unfortunately mommy had one at the same time.  We had the nasal aspirator, nose drops and humidifier in your room but it has taken you a while to kick it.  I'm hoping it doesn't come back!  I learned just how loud you can scream when I tried to clear all the drainage from your nose.

Just recently you've started to become really upset when I leave the room.  You start SCREAMING and since you've been sick you get all snotty and then it's hard for you to breathe. 
Gosh so many fun memories have happened this past month.  I look back at my calendar and I'm shocked at how fast the weeks come and go.  I'm so thankful for this season with you and daddy.  Life will not always be easy, little one.  There are seasons of happiness and seasons of difficulty.  My prayer is that I can learn to model to you how to find your contentment in the Lord through each one.  He is our true prize.  I'm so blessed to have you as my son and to be enjoying such a season of blessing as daddy and I watch you grow. You are my little buddy, my little friend and your smiles are ALWAYS the highlights of my day.

I love you to the moon and back, Lark

XOXO, Mommy