Ten Months

Dear Cole,

This month has been busy getting back into our school year routine but still such a fun month.  I love watching you learn new things. You are wearing size 4 diapers and 9 month clothes.

We've started making plans for your birthday.  I can't believe how quickly this year has gone.  Life is busy, but I try to stop and cherish the little things you (and Levi) are doing and saying these days.  I love our quiet time at night before you go to sleep.  You play with my face and cuddle up next to me, and it makes my heart melt.

Likes- You love to watch your brother, and you follow him around the house to see what he's getting in to!  Misty says when you see him run by during the day you point and "ooohh" at him.  Before we know it, he'll be teaching you all of his tricks.  Yikes!  You still love to sneak into Levi's room if the door's open.  We have to watch you carefully.  You like to eat (more on that later...)  You love to cruise on the furniture.

Dislikes- You don't like feeling left out.  You want to be in the middle of the action with everyone else.  You don't like to rough house (probably because you're forced into it so often)  You used to like it when Daddy tossed you in the air but not anymore, and you definitely don't like it when your brother gets in your space!  You've also definitely started having some separation anxiety.  You don't like me leaving the room you're in which makes cooking dinner challenging.

Eating- You eat three meals (including 3, 8 ounce bottles) a day now and have one or two snacks.  (Most of the time you sleep right through your morning snack.)  You eat just about anything we eat now with the exception of shellfish, nuts, and honey.  You had grilled cheese and oranges for the first time recently.  You LOVED the grilled cheese, but the oranges took a little while to get used to.  You still love just about anything we give you.  You had pancakes the other day too!  Usually your fruit is the first thing to go, but you hardly touched it that morning.  Tonight I was cutting up some black olives for dinner, and I couldn't keep you (or your brother) out of them.  Luckily we had enough for our pasta.


Playing- You are in to everything these days.  You love when we open up the toy box.  We usually see a big smile and hear, "ohh! ohh!"  You like to stand with Levi at the lego table, and you do a really good job of getting in the way.  We're having lots of discussions with Levi about sharing (and being gentle!) with you.  You've also found the dishwasher and you love to try and climb inside.  Remotes and phones are also favorite toys.  You are all over the place, and you are FAST!  The only time you like to be still and cuddle is nighttime, and there are even some nights when you don't have any interest in cuddling then either.

Sleeping- We have our ups and downs, but overall, I'd say you're a great sleeper.  Most nights you sleep from about 8-7, and you take two naps during the day.  Most of the time you wake up happy and talking.  I love to walk into your room and see your big smile between the crib slats.


Sweet Cole, we love you so much and are thankful for the blessing you are to our family.  You make us smile and give your brother a playmate (or someone to pick on...)  I know the day is coming when you will hit him back or take his toy away.  He is in for a rude awakening, but you boys love each other so much!

Imagination

Levi has a great imagination.  He is always creating, inventing, or imagining something new.  Here are a few of his latest creations/adventures:

Riding in his pirate ship water table

The boys were both playing with their little laptops.  Levi decided to take both laptops and create his own little network.  

Flying his rocket ship to Pluto.  He ran out of gas twice but luckily he was able to find gas stations!

Levi loves to build with his legos, and he almost always builds gas stations.  This one has a really tall sign so people can see it from the highway.  

I sure do love my creative little guy!

Blessed

I love looking at these two precious little boys.  

Cole- July 2013

Levi- July 2010

Swim Lessons

Last year, Levi and I took the Mommy and Me class at one of the local pools.  It was fine, but Levi was one of the oldest- and most adventurous- in the class.  On the very first day, all of the kids were sitting on the side of the pool while the moms tried to coax them into the water.  Levi stood up, and said, "Scoot back, Mom!  I'm gonna jump!"

This year he was in the Preschool 1 class, and Mommy didn't have to get in the pool!  Yay!  There were two teachers and three little boys which is pretty perfect if you ask me.  Levi LOVED his time with Miss Alyssa this year.  He followed directions (for the most part) and showed her how adventurous he can be when it comes to the water.  

There was one moment where he was sitting on the side of the pool while she worked with the other boy in the deep end for a few minutes.  Levi was playing and being silly on the side of the pool and fell in!  Before I could get up and yell her name, Miss Alyssa scooped him up and put him on the side.  Later that day, I asked Levi about it thinking it might have scared him a little bit.  All he had to say about it was, "I sank!"  Yes you did little guy.  Thankfully someone was close by.

Levi practiced making "big arms" across the pool, putting his face in the water, blowing bubbles, kicking legs while floating on his tummy and his back, and on the last day they even learned how to do a cannonball!  (Levi of course wanted to practice in the bathtub that night)  

It's really tough to get Levi to stop long enough to take a picture...especially when he's in the pool!

My little fish sure loved his swim lessons this year, and is already talking about seeing Miss Alyssa next year.

Nine Months

Dear Cole,

I am enjoying this age and all of the fun things you are doing right now.  You are all over the place these days and into everything- Levi's magnetic chore chart (don't worry Mom and Dad- it's been moved!), the train table and toy box, pulling night lights out of the wall, and eating dog food- YUCK!

Stats:

We don't go to the dr until the next week, so I'll update this then.  You are still wearing 3-6 month clothes and size 3 diapers, but you're close to moving up to 9 month clothes.

Likes:  You love the freedom you have now that you can move around on your own.  Like I said earlier, you are all over the place, and we all have to keep a close eye on you.  Levi is even pretty good at making sure you stay out of things (I think he likes having someone to boss around).  You especially love the dog food, and it totally grosses me out!  You love to crawl into Levi's room and watch him play while you explore his things.

Dislikes:  Levi likes to have control over where you go and what you do.  He'll build forts out of his little table and chairs and pillows to trap you or close the door when you make it into his room.  You HATE this!  You're also not a fan of an empty high chair tray.  You scream and hit your tray until more food is added.

Eating: You love food, and you'll eat pretty much anything we give you.  Some of the foods you've tried this month are peaches, cantaloupe (a new favorite!), cottage cheese, chicken, bread, and cheddar cheese.  You still get your fair share of all the yummy fruits and veggies you've tried- carrots, sweet potatoes, green beans, peas, blueberries, apples, mangoes, pears, avocado...

Sleeping: After a few nights of sleep training, you are we are ALL back to sleeping through the night.  You sleep from about 8-7, and still take two good naps during the day.  You usually nap from around 9-11 and then again from about 1-3.  You are pretty good at taking your morning nap on the go since thats usually when we're out and about.

Playing:  Two of the newest things you're doing are clapping and giving kisses.  I love seeing how much fun you have when you interact with the people around you.  You love cell phones and remote controls, so we have to make sure they're put up high where you can't reach them.  If they're up on the entertainment center, you try your hardest to CLIMB up there!  You'll get one foot on the bottom and try to pull yourself up.  You love to pull yourself up at the lego/train table and play with the Legos while Levi builds.  You are still pretty laid back when he grabs things from you.  We love your little laid back attitude, but we know the day is coming will you will hold your ground and get upset when Levi takes your toys!

Cole, you are a precious addition to our little family.  You are a sweet, laid back little guy, and we are so thankful for you!  

Eight Months

Dear Cole,

In the last few weeks you have changed SO MUCH!  Your little personality is coming out even more now, and our little mellow child isn't quite so mellow any more.  I still wouldn't say you're high maintenance or difficult, but you are definitely letting your likes, dislikes, wants and needs be known!

We've done a lot of traveling and had a lot of guests at our house over the last few weeks, and you've handled most of it like a champ!  This month you took your first plane ride and first train ride.  You did well on both and slept a lot.

You have been rocking back and forth acting like you were going to start crawling any day for probably 6 weeks, and you finally did!  You are all over the place now and into everything.  You have also started pulling up and cruising around our ottoman toy box which has opened up a whole new world to you.

You are 17 pounds now.  You wear 3-6 month clothes and are wearing size 2 diapers during the day and size 3 at night.

Likes: You LOVE the new freedom you have with crawling and pulling up.  You smile and giggle and are so proud of yourself.  You love to follow Levi around and see what he's up to.  You love to chew on anything you can get your hands on but no teeth quite yet.  You also make a beeline for shoes and remotes!

Dislikes: You have started showing some signs of separation anxiety, but hopefully that will be a short lived phase.  We've been traveling a lot over the last few weeks which means you've been held a lot.  This also means that you now HATE for us to put you down and leave you.  You love to crawl and play...as long as one of us is sitting right there with you.  You have also grown to dislike your carseat even more than before- probably because you've been in it so much lately.

Eating- You have 4, 8 ounce bottles, 2 or 3 meals of solids, and two snacks a day.  You seem to love just about everything we give you and SCREAM until we get the next bite in your mouth.  Your newest favorite is yogurt!  You've also started eating small bites of soft foods (bananas, avocado...) and puffs.  You're doing a great job perfecting your pincer grasp.

This was in between bites the other night...Don't worry...I didn't make him wait long!

Playing:  You loving having some more freedom to explore the world around you.  You are still so smiley and happy most of the time.  One of your very favorite toys is your Hungry Caterpillar Colors book - it crinkles and rattles and you love it!  Yesterday I got down this cruise and crawl musical jungle that Levi loved.  I'm not sure who loves it more now- you or your brother.  He had a really difficult time watching you slowly move along the toy and take it all in, but you were both entertained for quite a while!


Sleeping: All of our traveling has changed your sleeping habits quite a bit!  You're still taking two pretty good naps during the day, but you are waking up a lot during the night.  Some nights you end up in our room, and some nights we end up in the chair in your room- but there are very few nights that you sleep on your own through the entire night.  We're gearing up for a few nights of sleep training soon so that we can hopefully all get back to sleeping through the night!

Here is a glimpse into what our little photo shoots are like these days...

We love you, sweet Cole!

Seven Months

Dear Cole,

You've changed and grown so much over the last 4, no 5 no 6 weeks!  Your brother has shortened your nickname from Coley Moley to just Moley, and the other day I heard him call you "Moley Baby".  Interesting...

Likes- One of your favorite things to do is watch your brother.  As soon as you hear him, you search the room, crane your neck and flip over so you can see him.  You especially love to watch him throw a fit!  It's pretty cute to see your big toothless grin (all while there is wailing and gnashing of teeth in the background!)  You still love to grab glasses (especially Levi's) and hair!  OW!!  You also love to hit things.  Daddy has started calling you Bam Bam!

Dislikes- You still don't like to sit (and won't independently) because you'd rather be rolling around!  We're working on it every day but you don't like it.

Eating- You are still eating six, 6 ounce bottles during the day, but sometimes on the weekends As far as solids go, you've had sweet potatoes, apples, pears, bananas, and avocado.  You seem to like them all, but I think avocado is your least favorite.  It was one of your brother's favorites!

Playing- You love toys, and most of them go directly into your mouth!  Some favorites right now are your duck, your squishy hungry caterpillar book, and your brother's puppy.  You have a puppy too, and you like it just fine- as long as your brother's isn't around.  (He wouldn't have anything to do with "the other" puppy either...)  You also LOVE your jumperoo.  You bounce and giggle and squeal, and it's one of the cutest things ever!

Sleeping- You are starting to work yourself into a new schedule.  You're taking about a two hour morning nap and another two hour afternoon nap.  You still like to have a little cat nap with Mommy at around 6:00 (or just as the timer on dinner starts buzzing!), but I don't mind the snuggles one bit!  At night, you're sleeping from around 8 until about 7 in the morning.  We're working hard on dropping that 5:30am feeding because Mommy does NOT want to spend all summer getting up that early!

I am so excited about the next few months at home with you and your brother.  We've got lots of plans, and I'm hoping that your easy-going personality will continue even with all of these changes in your schedule.  We love you sweet Cole!

This is what you looked like during most of our little photo shoot...