This month was so fun! We took you on two beach trips and you were a major beach bum. It took you a while to get used to the wind but you really loved the sound of the waves and slept peacefully in our arms or on a towel in the sand. You looked absolutely adorable in your swimsuits and matching hats. We celebrated the 4th of July this month and while your sister was afraid of the fireworks, you layed there on the picnic blanket just watching in wonder at all the beautiful colors.

You are such a mover and learned to roll over both ways; first, back to tummy and then tummy to back. You also found your feet and you love to grab them every time we change your diaper. We tried out your Bumbo chair for the first time this month and you LOVE it! You look so proud sitting up like a big boy and we really enjoy having you at the table with us at meal times, although we could do without so much spit up. Your head control has really improved and you love to be held up so you can look around at everything. You are very aware and can tell when we leave the room. You usually fuss until we come back and talk to you some more.

You are really talking a lot these days and just coo and coo at us. Madeleine loves to talk to you and she is pretty good at speaking your language. I love listening to your conversations. Your smile is still the sweetest and you laugh when we tickle you with our chins or when we laugh at you. I think you are already working on some teeth because you love to chomp on your hands and our fingers and oh my, the drool is constant!

Sleep is digressing a little, probably because you break out of your swaddle every night! You are learning to sleep when we put you down during the day but you definitely prefer to be held and snuggled during your naps. You finally take a pacifier, which is surprising because you always sucked on your hands I thought for sure you would find your thumb. I am glad that we have a way to soothe your little cries now!

      
Your eyes are turning blue and they are so BIG and beautiful. I am in trouble for sure! You are wearing size 2 diapers and 3-6 month clothing. Your hair is starting to come in too and it is so fluffy right after your bath. Happy 4 months Joe Joe!

Madeleine girl is almost two and she is a ton of fun these days!  She talks non stop and commentates our life out loud in her sweet voice. She loves to be outside playing cotch (chalk), pushing her babies for walks, watering the plants, and driving our cars.  Inside she likes to play with play dough, color, and dress up.  She is still such a helper with dishes, sweeping, laundry, mowing, etc. and is my shadow with activities throughout the day. Madeleine requests the park and chick fil a on a daily basis and loves to push carts and color on the list when we shop.  We are also really into dance parties and the ‘shake song” by Taylor Swift.

M has a great memory and still tells stories to us.  The latest story is about fireworks and how they “pop, pop, pop” and are “all the colors.” She loves to sing songs with us and can fill in the blanks as we go.  Her fave songs are God bless America, If all the Rain Drops, and the Yellow Air plane song (which Joe made up).  We say prayers every night and before meals and she has learned to fill in the blanks with these too.  We love the way she says “Father Son and Holy Birit’ and she blesses herself by tapping her finger to her heart.

Madeleine has adjusted well to life as a big sister and has embraced the fact that Joseph is here to stay. She is great at including him in our fun and you can hear her say “come on Joe Joe” or “Joe Joe say that,” when she wants him to talk to her.  Whenever we give her a hug and kiss she always makes sure Joseph gets one too.  When she wakes up in the morning and from naps she always asks to see Joseph…along with fruit snacks or milk. She will only hold him for a few seconds and prefers to “look at him” instead. Watching them together is one of the greatest things.

It’s hard to put into words just how much joy this little girl brings into our life, but by remembering her in this moment, at this age, I hope I will remember the way she makes my heart full.

Happy three months Joe Joe boy!! This month I kept saying how SWEET you are; sweet smiles, sweet disposition, sweet stretches, sweet cuddles, and even sweet cries. Literally I could eat you up like I eat Oreos. You have this way of looking at me that melts my heart and I’m in heaven because you look at me this way often.

We took you for a follow up appointment this past month and you weighed 12lb 2oz! You are growing so much and now wear 3-6 months clothes and are about to move up to size 2 diapers. Your hair is growing in light and your eyes are big and blue.

You still have not found your thumb but you constantly suck on your hand and fingers. The pacifier is a no go so I think it’s just a matter of time before you are officially a thumb sucker. We shall see.

You are really rocking the sleep schedule and have slept through the night several times this past month, consecutively the last week or so. THANK YOU! Knocking on wood… You are our alarm clock theses days and we love the time we have with you propped up on pillows in bed for morning conversation and coffee.

You are a happy and social baby just cooing away at whomever is listening. You smile all the time (especially at mama) and you even laughed for the first time. You like when we bluh bluh bluh with our tongue, say “ooooh,” and when we kick kick kick your legs.

You went to the zoo for the first time and celebrated your first Father’s Day with Dad. You are great at being flexible and happily go where we go in your car seat, stroller, and wrap.

Happy third month Joseph!

Joseph you have done a lot of growing this month!  You weighed 10lb 15oz at your 8 week check up and measured 23 inches long!  You are wearing 0-3 month clothing and size one diapers.  All that growing makes you sleepy and hungry which is pretty much your routine through the days; eat, play, sleep, repeat.  You started sleeping in the nursery this month and you stretch out your night time feedings to about 3-5 hours which I appreciate, but I am most thankful that you put yourself to sleep during the night.  All I have to do is swaddle you up and kiss you goodnight.

You started smiling this month which is adorable and we are just tickled every time you flash one.  You usually smile when you see me, dad, or Madeleine, and smile throughout our conversations.  You even coo back, making the best high pitched squeals and gurgles.  You also like when we tickle your feet or move your legs (this also soothes your tummy aches).

You are very observant this month and like to look all around the room.  You tend to stare at the ceiling fans and like to watch Madeleine play.  Your best time is at night around 7-8 o’clock.  You are so wide awake, alert, and ready to party.  You spend a lot of time on the floor because you love to stretch out but we have to make you look to your left because your head is flattening on the right side.

You went to the doctor this month for your 8 week check up and we got some medicine for your severe spit up and a little rash you have.  The ointment for the rash made you breakout even worse and you were in pain when I touched it so we had to try a new medicine.  You were such a trooper and got through it with minimal fussing which was great since dad was out of town.

Some big events from your second month: HEB trip by myself with you and Madeleine (BIG DEAL), first trip to Panna Maria, first baseball game, and our first Mother’s Day together.  Happy 2 months sweet boy!

We do a lot of reading over here and I wanted to share some of our favorite books in case you are looking for something new for your little people.

I’ll Love You Forever (‘Eber’ as M calls it) This one is very special because it’s the first book Joe read to his mom all by himself. I’ve finally gotten to a point where I can read it without crying so I am thrilled.

Go Dog Go-This has been a favorite for a while.  What kid doesn’t love dogs?  I really like the things it teaches like sleeping at night when it’s dark or what red lights and green lights mean.  It’s a fun one.

The Ear Book-Madeleine loves that it talks about bubble gum and drums.  My mom saved all our Disney and Dr. Suess books from when we were kids and now my kids can read them.  How cool is that? Thanks mom!

Mommy’s Best Kisses-this one is just too sweet and is MY favorite.  You’ll see.

Little People Picture Book-I love this one because there is no story but each page is a BIG scene with tons of details that you can teach your toddler about.  For example, a school scene that shows everything from a flag pole to the cafeteria, to art class, to basketball on the playground.  We can look at one picture forever just telling M what everything is.

Happy Reading!

Joseph your first month has been wonderful!  We have eaten up every second of snuggling with you while you are such a sleepy infant and cuddling seems to be one of your favorites.  You are such a happy boy and only seem to cry when you have tummy trouble or when you are hungry. Seriously, you like diaper changes, bath time, and you even fall asleep during tummy time! Speaking of diaper changes, they were right when they said to watch out for little boys.  You have squirted us several times but we are getting the hang of it thanks to pee pee teepees. When you do cry, we are able to soothe you pretty easily in spite of the fact that you dislike your papi and gag every time we try.

We were very busy this month and you have learned to enjoy your car seat and are getting used to the wrap. Some events that you attended this month include two doctor appointments, Cash’s birthday party, Pops’ birthday celebration, our friend’s couples shower, Easter and your baptism!  Told you we were busy!!  Easter was low key this year since we brought you home on Good Friday and your sister was majorly sick until the next weekend. You were such a sweet brother and let us give her all the attention she needed and we are SO thankful.

You went to the doctor at 1 week and 2 weeks and everything looks great! We followed up at the hospital to retest your bilirubin levels just in case but everything tested normal.

We are not really on a schedule yet but you like to eat about every three hours and I feel like you are growing like a weed. I can’t wait to see your progress at your 8 week appointment.  At night you sleep in our room in the same bassinet your dad slept in as a baby and if we are lucky you might stretch out to around 4 hours between feedings.  You don’t like being swaddled at first but then you eventually give in and sleep like a rock.  Dad calls you a little Houdini because you always manage to get one arm out of the swaddle which is totally impressive.

You like to lay down, not just when you are sleeping but during the day too.  We stretch you out so we can talk and play and you love it.  Madeleine loves this time too and always tells you “HI!” and points to different parts of you telling us all about it.  You always look to the left and we are trying to work on that so your little head doesn’t get flat.

Milestone wise you focus on our faces and are so close to cooing but for now you like to grunt and squeak. Happy first month Joe Joe!

Mother’s Day with these two cuties was wonderful!  Breakfast in bed, church, meals shared with the mother’s and grandmother’s in our lives, and an evening spent relaxing is just what this mama ordered.  Thanks for making me feel special and loved all day every day, but especially on Mother’s Day. Love my little family.