Too Cute!!!
Cindy is going to probably shoot me for putting this picture up before her, but I just couldn’t resist this morning! We have been walking in the park with Cindy and Hannah since I have been on evening shift and the babies just LOVE it. They play on the swings and the slide and feed the ducks. It is wonderful to be spending time with them before the weather gets too too cold. We were walking and the babies kept reaching out and holding each others hands while they strolled and we just had to take a picture! And I spend most of the time taking pictures so I have very few pictures that I am actually in with Andrew so Cindy was nice and took a picture of us at the park! Yeah! 
This is One Happy Boy!!!
Andrew is such a great baby! His smiles and laughter can melt away all the stress of the day! I have been on evening shift for two weeks and we are still adjusting and getting used to this new time and days, but it has been wonderful getting to spend time with him and watching him grow! He is crawling like a champ now and constantly chasing Wrigley around. He is pushing up into a sitting position, which means we need to lower his crib so he doesn’t learn how to climb too soon! Halloween went well- he and Hannah enjoyed waiting for the trick-or-treaters with Grandpa. Daddy got to see him and get him dressed in his costume (I had to work). We are running around and getting ready for a week long trip to West Virginia this weekend! We are so excited to see our family and for Andrew to play with Nikki and Karlee! I think the three of them are going to have a blast! Let’s just hope Andrew (and us) survive the 11+ hour car ride out there and back!
A Pirate Says Arrrrgh!!!
I know it is a couple days early, but with having to work the evening shift - I won’t be able to see Andrew dressed up for his first Halloween! Luckily, the library where Andrew goes to for story time had them dress up on Tuesday for a Halloween Party and Books! It was a lot of fun and Andrew and Hannah were adorable dressed up! I am happy to say that we only bought the pirate hat for Andrew’s costume and between Mom and I we made the vest and sash/belt and sword! He looked so cute and eventually did keep the hat on and has played with the hat on the rest of the week!
Playing Ball!
Andrew turned 8 months old last week - I can hardly believe it! He is growing up so much and so quickly!
- He is really starting to get around more with crawling/creeping.
- He is saying “Hi” “Ma-Ma” “Da-Da” and “Ba” (for Ball) all the time.
- He loves to play ball - holding the ball high above his head and then throwing it down and bouncing the ball! He just squeals with delight! Unfortunately, he also thinks that if he raises other toys above his head and throws them that they will “bounce” as well! Beware of flying rings and sippy cups!!
- He has started eating more “big boy” food, such as crackers, breads, cheese, etc.
- His new sound is growling - such a little boy!
- And he has learned to open up cabinets and drawers! Quite the surprise when I was taking a shower and heard him getting into something and looked and he had the bathroom cabinet open and was playing with the stuff underneath! Time to baby proof - and quick!!! So West put some cabinet locks on some cabinets….Andrew pulled them right open at 8 months….I don’t think these are going to work! We are going to have to find something else!
Twins….Nah!!!
I don’t know why anyone who happen to think that Hannah and Andrew are twins!? We get that all the time when the babies are out and about together, but it really confused people on Saturday when we dressed the babies alike in their 1st Halloween shirts from Grandma! But it was quite the challege getting two babies to sit still long enough to take a pictures, let alone get both babies to look at the camera and not blink, move, etc! Sheesh - I think I’ll stick to photographing just one baby!
Things here are going good for us! I’m going on evening shift starting next week so hopefully the transition will be smooth and everything will go as planned! I’m keeping my fingers crossed! Andrew started creeping and crawling this week! What a big boy! He hasn’t quite mastered it yet or figured out what a world of possibilities crawling can bring to him, but he is defintely making progress in the crawling aspect!
What a Silly Boy!!!
Who knew a mixing bowl with make the perfect “Thinking Cap”? We always tell Andrew to “Think Think Think” when he has a problem to figure out! Daddy put the bowl on Andrew’s head one day and he thought it was hilarious. He will play for hours with this bowl on his head!
What a blessing Andrew has been to our lives! How could anyone not love to look into this boy’s face everyday and see this beautiful smile! We have been blessed by so much this past year and are so thankful for this wonderful boy!
Spots…Spots…Everywhere!!!
We have had quite the crazy last week or so! Andrew woke up on Thursday from his nap with a 104F fever and was not a happy camper! A quick trip to the “doctor” or nurse practitioner told us it was inflammation due to teething. This is coming from a boy who already has cut 6 teeth without the inkling of a fever…..I don’t think so!!! Anyway…we fought the fever all night long and throughout the weekend. It would go back to normal and then just shoot up again. So long story short…I call the doctor on Monday morning….the actual doctor….to set up an appointment for that afternoon. Lo-and-behold….Andrew breaks out into a major rash that morning. Short diagnosis - viral infection such as Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease or Roseola. This greatly explains the high fever lasting for several days and that wonderful head to toe rash that has broken out over our little guy! Funny thing is - Hannah has the same thing and is just getting over it. She broke out into a rash about the time that Andrew’s fever started…hmmmm….how ironic!!! This was our first true experience with a sick baby and all in all I think we handled it rather well! Hopefully the spots will fade and he will be our happy little baby again!
Sleeping Away…..
Andrew has greatly improved on his sleeping habits lately - he actually sleeps during the night!! YEH!! However, he is such a joy to watch sleeping because this is how he always sleeps! He looks like he is out lounging by the pool or something! Quite funny!
He is doing very well. He went to the doctor for his 6 month check up and had a great report! He weighs about 17 lbs now (not quite doubling his birth weight so he is a little behind schedule, but still doing great!). As of this afternoon, he has officially cut his 6th tooth!!! My word - 6 teeth and he is only 6 months old! Should make nursing a lot more fun! He had 3 teeth on the bottom and now has 3 teeth on the top! His grin is to die for! We haven’t started crawling yet - not that he doesn’t want to, but he hasn’t quite gotten coordinated enough! He is an absolute blessing and doing so good!
6 Months
Andrew James turned 6 months old - can you believe it?! We sure can’t! We have been trying to do new and exciting things on the weekend as a family. We have went to the park, zoo, shopping, etc. Today we decided to go to the Lincoln Memorial Gardens here in Springfield and hike the trails. When West and I first started dating I took him on our first picnic to this great spot that was underneath a willow tree right next to the lake. Well, the spot was still there so we hiked to the spot and let Andrew experience his first time playing in the grass and seeing the lake! My how the last 7 years have changed us! It was like coming around full circle in our life! He had a blast and was just full of smiles and squeals of delight! The pictures are priceless!
What’s New…
Things have been going good, but busy for us! Would you believe that I haven’t taken any pictures in the last two weeks? With starting back to work, I haven’t had the chance to pull out the camera!
Andrew is doing great! Let’s see what’s happened with him:
- He is eating his “big boy” food like a champ and has tried rice and oatmeal cereal, apples, prunes, green beans, etc! The prunes are because he is going through a stage where he isn’t pooping very frequently so we have added prunes and prune juice to the mix. The prunes don’t seem to work the greatest, but we are getting through it! He isn’t quite going once a week yet, but we will hopefully get back to being regular!
- He has cut another tooth so we are at 3 teeth so far! They are all on the bottom so his toothy grin is soo cute! But fingers beware - you put anything in his mouth and you better watch out! He bites HARD!
- He isn’t crawling yet, but he watches Hannah like crazy and wants to crawl. He just wishes that he could crawl on his back - when placed on his tummy he rolls straight to his back! He sits up great and is starting to get to a crawling position from sitting so we are just waiting for him to take off!
- He is growing by leaps and bounds! He is already surpassed Hannah in weight but will not reach the 6 month double weight gain as expected! He weighs 16lbs right now and fits perfectly into 6-9 month clothes! If anyone knows where to find little boy pj’s (short sleeve or long sleeve with pants and no feet) let me know! We had one pair given to us as a hand-me-down and it is PERFECT, but I can’t find anything else in under 12 month size! Even online!
- He had a good sleeping week! I hope I don’t jinx myself by writing this - but he actually slept through the night the last five nights with only one or two pacifer checks, etc. This comes right from the two month stretch where he REFUSED to sleep by himself and would fuss and cry all night long. There were a lot of sleepless nights or camp outs on the floor! We are keeping our fingers crossed!