Pumpkins, Pumpkins Everywhere

It is full on fall over at our house and it has been such a fun start to the season. As I predicted, JB absolutely LOVES pumpkins. He thinks they are just the best. We hit up the pumpkin patch on the first of October which always feels like official fall to me. He was in heaven, looking at all the pumpkins. Just wandering from one to another, trying to pick them up, giving them hugs and pointing them all out to us. He couldn’t get enough. And frankly, neither could I of his sweet excitement. 

The pumpkin patch we visited has wagons for you to carry your pumpkins and that might have been the best part. He loved getting to ride in the wagon, pulled by his daddy and carry his little pumpkins. He held his little mini pumpkin the whole way home too.

And since getting the pumpkins set up on the porch, we take pretty regular trips out there to check on them. And by check on them I mean, pick them up, rearrange, try and stack them, and give hugs to the big ones.

And because one trip to the pumpkin patch just isn’t enough, this past week we headed back for round two. This time with a friend and her kiddos. It was just as fun second go round. He was still excited to check out all the different types of pumpkins and we came home with 3 more. And this time we also got to check out a few of the fun things in their kid zone. 

I also of course need to add in what you probably just noticed from this new picture… his haircut! Our sweet boy got his first big boy hair cut and looks all grown up now. I was quite emotional about it at first but he is just too cute and I love it. 

He got to experience his first bounce house! It was hilarious to watch him try to figure out how to maneuver but once he got oriented, he didn’t want to get out! There were also a few wagon rides. One in the kid zone that produced the world’s sweetest most joyful smile.

And of course a ride through the patch while we picked out the pumpkins. I love the way he holds on with both hands the whole time. Even when I handed him his mini pumpkin, he took one hand off to grab it, set it down and then immediately back to holding on. But he loves it! And getting out was his least favorite part of the day. 

Speaking of pumpkins, there is one more pumpkin in our home…oh wait that’s not a pumpkin just my belly! But some days it feels like a pumpkin! I’m over halfway through this pregnancy and overall it has been such smooth sailing. I’ve continued to have minimal symptoms which I’m so grateful for. Although, I’ve been feeling that acid reflux creep in and if you read along with JB’s pregnancy you know that was a huge pain for me last time. Hoping it doesn’t get as severe with this little gal. I’m back to seeing the chiropractor and that’s been great for any aches and pains so we are just trucking right along.

We’re starting to get JB’s big boy room organized. Slowly. Very Slowly. But we moved out a desk that was in there to give him a play nook and we added a bookcase for all of his great books! Now just to find some cute sheets, and get his toys organized, and get bed rails and move his clothes and so on and so forth. This doesn’t all have to be done right away as we’re not intending to move him until a few months after baby sister arrives but we want him to be able to hang in the finished room before the move some to be comfortable there. 

This pregnancy is flying by and I can’t believe in right around 4 months we’ll have a second little pumpkin to love! We are so lucky! 

Catching Up

It sure has been a while since I’ve been on here. And believe me, it’s not for any lack of desire to write. I have plenty of want when it comes to my personal writing. What I seem to have been lacking in the last several weeks is the time, energy and brain space. I do write for the mom blog at Caden Lane and so lately if I happen to find the time and energy, it goes there. But here I am, with a few free minutes, a freshly brewed cup of (decaf) coffee and a napping toddler and a newfound burst of energy. So I’m writing. 

Before I go any further, my most important piece of information to catch you up on is that…I’m pregnant! Now most of you probably know this because you either follow me on social media or you read my momma’s blog and this information has been out there a few weeks. But alas, I still feel like I need to make an official announcement here. Even if I dawdled to do it until I was 18 weeks. WHAT? Almost halfway and I can’t even believe it! We cannot wait for our newest addition and to see JB as a big brother. 2 under 2 will be wild but oh so sweet!

When I tell you that we have been through the wringer in the last few weeks I am not kidding. JB and I both got Covid and let me tell you that taking care of a toddler while you’re ill and pregnant is a STRUGGLE. And then as soon as you just barely begin to round the corner they then get sick and become extra clingy and needy- well it makes for a long week. We then unfortunately lost my uncle the following week, and while it was wonderful to get to see family that we hadn’t seen in quite a while, the emotional toll was heavy. And then to top it all off, as we thought we were getting back to normal, our little guy ended up with hand, foot and mouth disease. This is the absolute worst. He has been so pitiful in his discomfort and there really isn’t much to be done but wait it out, give lots of snuggles, popsicles and all the new activities we can think of while cooped up in the house.

Even sick, he sure is the cutest/sweetest boy I know!

So aside from all of this craziness, what all has been going on? 

I’ve been growing, growing growing! This pregnancy has been pretty different it seems to me but largely I think that’s due to having a toddler to chase after. With JB’s pregnancy, we moved right at the beginning (around 8/9 weeks) and I wasn’t working so I had all kinds of time to just soak up and enjoy pregnancy. I read all the pregnancy books, took 3 different online pregnancy courses, practiced Hypnobirthing sessions, took all the naps etc. And it seemed to take FOREVER for the pregnancy to pass, in an enjoyable way but nevertheless I felt like I’d been pregnant forever by the time he arrived. This time around I am shocked every time I realize I’m a week closer. When I say out loud that I’m almost half way I just can’t believe it because it seems to be flying! 

Otherwise though, my pregnancy has gone very smoothly. I had minimal nausea at the beginning and my main symptom was just being absolutely exhausted. During most of my first trimester, I napped when JB napped just to be able to get to bedtime without falling asleep standing up. As I hit the second trimester I slowly began getting more energy back and feel like I’m finally in a good space- although I don’t turn down a nap if I can find the time! I haven’t had many other symptoms yet and for that I am so grateful. I did bust out the pregnancy pillow last night as I can start to feel myself getting a bit more uncomfortable and achy but otherwise feeling good! 

We found out we were expecting a girl a few weeks ago which was such exciting news! Hubby and I actually did an at home blood test when I was about 8 weeks along and it also said girl, but I wasn’t fully willing to believe it until I had it confirmed via ultrasound. JB may not know what’s coming, but we are very excited to be adding a little girl into the family. 

Don’t let his face fool you, JB loved it! It was just very sunny up there.

We had my parents in town not long ago as well and got to do some sightseeing in our own city. There have been several things in the area we’ve been wanting to do and my parents hadn’t had a chance to see much of our city either so it was the perfect opportunity. We decided to go checkout the incline railway. It is a super steep ride up Lookout Mountain and you are greeted with some beautiful views at the top! And of course a stop at Clumpies ice cream was a must! 

JB was a huge fan of ice cream and it kept him occupied while we waited for the train.

We took a day trip over to Knoxville recently and took JB to the zoo. We have family in the area and so we got to see my grandmother and aunt and uncle and then enjoy a day at the zoo seeing all the animals. JB LOVES animals so he really enjoyed it! 

And just before we got hit with HFMD we celebrated my 33rd birthday. We mostly took it easy, which was honestly exactly what I needed. I got to sleep in a bit thanks to hubby, read a whole book during JB’s two naps, do my nails and just relax. We also got to have a date night just mom and dad. It was our first time leaving our little one with a sitter and it went great! It was so nice to be able to go out and celebrate together and just enjoy some one-on-one time that can feel few and far between in this season. 

                       

So while a lot of days have been filled with exhaustion, crankiness, illness and cleaning/sanitizing, there are so many moments of joy, and excitement as we walk towards the next season of our family. I’m so grateful for the little life we’re building, even on the days that are hard. I’m hopeful I’ll be able to squeeze in several more posts between now and baby girl’s arrival to keep up with both the excitement and the day to day of life. 

One Year

I am obviously extremely behind in getting this one posted…seeing as baby boy is now almost closer to 14 months then 12. Whoops! It has been crazy around here and I keep trying to work on this draft and getting side tracked by other things. But let me just tell you that our first year with this little guy was nothing short of delightful. He is truly the sweetest, most precious little guy and we are just so lucky he’s ours. 

Stats:

Weight: 23.5 lbs putting him in the 70% for his weight. He is still delightfully round with the sweetest cheeks and solid thighs and I’ll be so sad to start seeing those little baby rolls fade away as he looks more and more like a little boy and less and less like a baby.

Height: 29.5 inches…he grew 10.5 inches this year :) But he is still hanging in the 30% for his height. 

Likes: Walking…he is on the move! And now that he’s figured it out, he is loving his new found freedom with this new mode of transportation. And we are busy as ever chasing him around. He also still loves to be outside- pulling/pushing his lawnmower, playing in the water table, digging in the dirt, swinging, going for a walk, he loves it all. He loves to run at me to give a hug and likes to climb all over everything. He loves to look at books, and play with his toy tool box. He loves to climb the stairs and play with Bo as much as Bo will allow. He likes to play peek-a-boo in his tunnel or with his hands (he puts them over his ears instead of his eyes and I can’t get enough). He loves to say Bo, ball and dada and loves to eat snack especially fruit of any and all kinds. He loves music and will bounce to the beat and as always still loves his nightly bath. 

Dislikes: I honestly can’t think of many because he is just the happiest little guy. I mean he still doesn’t love having his face wiped and every now and then diaper changes lead to a fit but mostly if he’s unhappy it’s because he’s tired, hungry or not feeling well. I have noticed a little bit of frustration as not getting what he wants start to come out so I’m sure we’re entering that phase now that he’s a little more aware of what’s going on around him but he is still usually soothed pretty quickly. 

Eating, Sleeping, Playing:

He is doing better with his early mornings and is usually pretty consistently sleeping till at least 6, often closer to 6:15/6:30 even depending on when he went to bed. That may not sound late but we’ve had a lot of mornings that started before 6 so as long as we make it to 6 I’m pretty happy. He usually goes to bed around 7:30, give or take a little on either side but that is his sweet spot. And he is still napping twice a day, usually around 9:30 and 3ish just depending on our schedule that day. He is a champion napper at this point, and we’re very lucky! I’m hoping he’ll want to move to one nap in the next few months but this is working for now so we’re not messing with it. He eats 3 meals a day plus snacks, has dropped all formula feeds and gets regular milk now. He loves most food and is overall a pretty good eater. He’s been going through some phases of less eating some weeks and more others, wanting to boycott meat for a while then right back to it but all in all he eats well and we’re hoping he keeps it up! Some of his favorites are bananas, clementines, berries, broccoli, sweet potatoes, peas, corn and carrots. Loves the produce! Some of his favorite things to play with right now are his little toy toolbox/shape sorter, his sports balls, stuffed animals like his monkey, reading lots and lots of books, his toy lawnmower and tractor outside and bubbles. 

Favorite Moment of the Month: 

His birthday party of course! I wrote all about his birthday party in a blog post I wrote for Caden Lane, so feel free to check that out here. But we had a farm themed party for him, complete with a petting zoo. He loves animals and was so excited to see all the animals in his yard. And definitely loved the cake. We loved getting to celebrate our guy with so many people that love him and us so well. 

 

I honestly can’t believe we’re here. We have a toddler! The year was simultaneously the longest, fastest year of my life. I loved every minute, even the ones I wished would hurry up. I feel so lucky to be his mom and while part of me mourns the infant stage that we’re leaving behind. I know I will find even more joy around the corner in this next season. 

11 Months

We are only ONE month away from a first birthday here! I cannot believe it and need time to slow down immediately. Except I also just love every new stage and this little guy is just my absolute favorite. The last month has been so fun! He is moving all over, babbling up a storm and so interested in everything. We get to do all kinds of fun things together and I feel like he is finally at an age where he really enjoys it because he’s so much more aware of what all is going on. 

Stats:

Weight:22 lbs 7 oz ish…

We haven’t been to the doctor since about 9.5 months when we went in for an ear check so this is based on my own measurements at home. He is in 12 or 18 month clothes just kind of depending on the outfit. The 12 month stuff is all pretty snug but we are still rocking it! He’s not super tall so pants/shorts are tricky because bigger sizes are too long but the smaller sizes can be a bit tight so we just roll with it and do a little of both. I have been so fortunate to have a bunch of hand me down items from my sister’s two boys and a sweet friend, and it’s so fun to see him in the same outfits that I loved on all of them! And it helps my pocketbook too :) 

Likes: 

I mean what doesn’t he like? He is such a happy little guy and always so excited about all the things! He loves playing with his toys, reading books together, playing in his water table, watching out the window, cruising around the house with his push wago, throwing balls (or anything really), swinging on the porch, the vacuum cleaner, watching daddy mow the gras, dogs and birds and any other animal he can spot, opening cabinets and drawers and climbing on anything he can manage to get to! 

Dislikes: 

Being away from mama, not being allowed to do something he wants (ex. Pulling the corner protectors off the furniture) and having his diaper changed. The list is short and overall he is just the happiest little man- if he does get upset he can usually be consoled pretty quick by being picked up, eating a cheerio or going outside. 

Eating, Sleeping and Playing: 

Our day most days starts somewhere around 6:30 with naps at 9:30 and 2:30/3. He’s being going to bed sometime between 7:30 and 8. For the most part he is sleeping through the night which has been great! Although things are still a bit inconsistent with some random 5:30am wake ups or a middle of the night snuggle sesh. He’s a champion napper for the most part, sleeping for  about 2.5-3 hours during the day (split over his two naps). 

He is still getting 4 bottles with formula but we’ll be making the switch to regular milk right around his first birthday and cutting back a bit on the bottles. He eats 3 meals a day although the amount he actually consumes still varies a lot. Some meals he eats most of what I give him and other meals, it’s a few bites in the mouth and the rest is just for playing. But he’s growing great so we’re happy! Some of his favorites recently were the pork chops we had for dinner the other night, tomatoes, all the fruit and green beans. And cheerios…he loves cheerios! 

In between the sleeping and eating we try to do as much playing as possible! Usually in the mornings, we play with toys, go out to swing on the porch and then we go play upstairs (well he plays and this is when I exercise), then we usually play with some toys in his room before going down for nap. After his nap we usually go out for whatever our outing is that day (errands, swim class, lunch, the park etc) and then when we come home we like to play outside if it’s nice just hanging out in the backyard, playing in the water table, more swinging etc. There’s usually some time for books and indoor toys before nap time too. 

After his afternoon nap we almost always go for a walk unless it’s raining. I love our daily walks together and sometimes daddy gets home early enough to join us! Then it’s playing by mama’s feet while I make dinner- usually in the cabinets with the Tupperware or rolling his ball around the kitchen. After dinner there is often a little more outside time or some books and playing with daddy inside before we head up for bath and bed. 

I try to keep our days “busy” and he likes to go out and about with me and also loves to “help” out around the house. So sometimes playing looks like him holding the swiffer while I sweep the kitchen or him helping me fold the laundry or chasing around the roomba. We spend a lot of time together, sometimes being busy and sometimes doing the same things we’ve done a million times- it’s so much fun and exhausting and wonderful and sometimes monotonous and yet always new at the same time. It’s the best/hardest job I’ve ever had! 

Best Moment of the Month:

We had a fun month! We went to the zoo for the first time, visited cousins and he’s been walking with his push wagon which has been so fun to watch! He also has started high diving which is adorable, makes the cutest face to sniff something, and has 6 teeth!! It’s hard to choose a favorite but all of those are up there (except the teeth-I’m glad they’re there but getting them is the worst)!  

Now the countdown is on to the big NUMBER ONE! I can’t believe it and part of me thinks I’ll want to be a weepy mess about my baby being so big but I just know I won’t have time to be even a little sad because we have the sweetest day planned for him and he’s just going to be having so much fun that I know all I’ll be able to do is smile right along with him! 

Summer Days

Yesterday was such a sweet day at our house. Pure sunshine! It’s not technically summer yet but it sure has felt like it around here the last couple of days and I am loving it! Our little guy loves to be outside so good weather is our best friend. And the last few days have been delightful because it’s been warm (in the 80s!) but it isn’t humid yet like it will be in another month or two. So yesterday we took advantage of the sunny blue skies and warm temps and headed to the zoo with some of our favorite friends. Our littles are only 2.5 weeks apart so it is the most fun to get to do life with them! 

This was JB’s first trip to the zoo so it was fun to see his reaction. He wasn’t totally aware of what was going on and several of the exhibits were completely ignored. But he did have a good view of the giraffes and was positively enamored of the jaguar that was pacing right up against the glass. 

The hit of the day though were the goats! They have a little petting area with goats in it and JB was in heaven! He was so excited to see them and get to touch them. 

After our friends headed home, JB and I hung around a little bit longer to get lunch and kill time because I knew he’d fall asleep in the car so I was wanting to wait until closer to nap time to head out. And that meant we had time to get one of mama’s favorite treats…Dippin’ Dots! We sat in the shade and JB got to cool off with his first taste of this fun sweet delight. He was a HUGE fan! 

After a nap in the car on the way home, we spent even more time outside on the back porch. We soaked up every ounce of sunshine we could yesterday and I couldn’t have been happier. It really got me excited for summer with our little guy. So even though the temps are going to cool off a bit this weekend (boo!!), I’ll be holding onto this sunshiny feeling as long as I can! 

10 Months

I say it every month but it remains true…I literally cannot comprehend how quickly time is going. How do I have a 10 month old? How are we already planning a first birthday party? JB just gets more and more fun as the days go on. I think this stage that we’re in might be one of my most favorite yet! 

Stats:

Weight and Height: He is just over 22 lbs so still a growing boy! Not sure about height since we haven’t been measured this month but he’s definitely growing! He wears mostly 12 month clothes now, still some of his 9 month things but most of that is a bit too snug now. 

Likes: Everything! He is such a happy little baby. Some of his favorites right now are the roomba- or really all cleaning items (the vacuum, broom, swiffer etc).He also loves to be pulling up and standing on anything and everything, playing with bubbles, reading books (especially touch and feel ones), looking out the window, doing anything outside, eating yogurt melts, people watching, dogs, throwing things and  knocking down every tower mama builds. 

Dislikes: Teething- it is just the worst. But those top two teeth are so so close to breaking through so hopefully he’ll get a little break in a few days. 

Sleeping, Eating and Playing: 

I am pleased to report that we have had several full nights sleep around here. It is still not an every night thing, but lately it is more often than not (at least for the last two weeks or so) which is just delightful. Now he is still an early bird for sure! But getting up at 5:30 or 6 when you’ve slept all night is not nearly as difficult as doing it when you were also up at 2 or 3 am. He no longer eats overnight so I think that was a huge help in getting him to sleep through more often. Typically now when he wakes it seems to be that he either just needs a quick snuggle and his paci then back to sleep or he’s quite distressed due to teething and needs lots of snuggles and rocking before getting back down (sometimes multiple times). But that’s ok, because he won’t want or need those snuggles forever and I know one day I’ll miss the way he curls up so nicely in my arms in the middle of the night. 

He drinks 4 bottles a day plus eats solids typically 3 times a day. He is an absolute champ at eating! He doesn’t necessarily eat large quantities of food but he has tried so many different thing and doesn’t seem the least bit picky so far. Stay tuned for a blog all about his eating adventures. He is usually up for the day around 6 with a nap at around 9/9:30 and an afternoon nap around 2:30. And he’s a great napper! Usually about an hour and half in the morning and another 45 minutes to a hour in the afternoon. In the in between times we fill our days with a lot of playing with toys, reading books and getting out of the house usually at least once a day for something. Sometimes its the grocery store or swim class, lunch with a friend or a trip to the park. We also try and walk around the neighborhood every day that it isn’t raining. He loves to be outside so it’s a great way to fill the later afternoon times that can get long. Especially on the days that dad is traveling and it’s just us. 

Some days are long, some feel monotonous while others feel like a crazy whirlwind full of fun and excitement. Either way, he is my favorite little sidekick and I would not trade these days at home with him for anything. 

Holding my hand at lunch…the sweetest little buddy!

We had our first big trip away from him this past month as well! Mom and dad headed to the Caribbean for a week with some sweet friends and the little man stayed home with his Nana and Pawpaw who were kind enough to come stay at our house for a week. He did great! It was tough to leave and we definitely missed him but some sunshine, vitamin sea and uninterrupted sleep were good for our souls. 

Favorite Moments: I would say watching him learn new things this month has been extra exciting! He shakes his head no, claps with enthusiasm and is pulling to stand and starting to cruise. Every new thing is so fun to watch and this are he seems to be learning something new all the time and its just the best! And of course we can’t forget his first Easter! We had such a great day! There was an Easter basket with lots of fun things for him, a sweet Easter outfit, a lovely church service, yummy lunch and beautiful weather to enjoy as a family. 

I am in denial that in two months he’ll be  a whole year. But I also just can’t wait to see what all he is doing then!