5 months!

We've been very busy since the last post.  Every time I think I'm going to have a chance to post, something comes up.  Pictures from the last couple of months are going to be at the end of the post!

Robby,
You are 5 months old!  You are a very busy and active little boy.  No longer can I lay you in one place and get housework done.  You are rolling and scooting around.  I will put you on your play mat, look away, look back, and you are off the mat onto the rug.  We just can't take our eyes off of you (and I know this is only the beginning of that!).  You are talking so much.  You wake up in the morning talking to your animals on your mobile and you get so excited when I come in to get you.  You are eating rice cereal, pears, apples, bananas, peaches, sweet potatoes, squash, green beans, and green peas.  So far, everything has been a big hit!  You are already trying to get the spoon to feed yourself, thus making a gigantic mess!  We have started you on formula and you are taking it great.  You actually haven't had a single episode of gas or any negative side effect.  Thankfully, you are a very adaptable baby!

This is such an incredibly fun phase.  I don't know if I have ever met a happier baby (your cousin, Graham, is a very close second though!).  If you cry, there is a specific reason, and as long as we can figure it out and address it, you are happy as can be.  We have a pretty good night time routine  right now. Bath time is around 7 (Daddy always bathes you).  You LOVE bath time!  Splashing, squealing, and smiling always occur.  After your bath, Daddy gets you all ready for bed, rocks you for just a bit, then lays you down for the night.  You are doing really well (at bed time and nap time) laying down while you are still awake and putting yourself to sleep.  That has been a huge blessing because it has helped us really set a bedtime for you, as well as a rough nap schedule.  Nap time occurs anywhere, which is nice when we are running errands.  You took another plane trip.  We went to Arkansas to attend your second cousin Emily's wedding showers.  Almost everyone in the family got to see you.  You did great on all the legs of the trip.  I hadn't experienced changing your diaper on the plane until the very last flight.  You had THREE poopy diapers within 20 minutes.  It's a good thing I'm seasoned at changing diapers in my lap!

You have had several visitors over the last couple of months.  Aunt Mandy came and visited, as well as Uncle Willy and Aunt Darlene.  Then Uncle Dusty and Aunt Angela came!  Not to mention Grandpa Bill and Grandma Gloria!  You are quite the attraction down here.  :-)

Also, we just celebrated your Daddy's first Father's day!!  We started the day with breakfast in bed for him, then he opened his presents and we revealed the rest of the plans for the day: Sea World!  Daddy loves marine life, and since we could get in for free since he is active duty military, it was the perfect way to spend the day.  He told you all about the different sea life we saw.  You did so great and even napped in your stroller while we ate lunch and Daddy rode a roller coaster.

You are weighing in at 17 pounds and are wearing 6 month clothes!  You have definitely started packing on the weight since starting foods and formula.  You turn your head to us if we say your name.  You love to interact with everyone.  The other day, you stared at a woman who was sitting near us until she looked at you and smiled, then you gave her the biggest grin.  Your gorgeous blue eyes, blonde hair, and precious grin cause everyone who sees you to stop!  I absolutely adore being your mommy.  I love it when you snuggle up to me and how you completely light up when you see me!

We are so blessed to have you as our son.  We do not take a single day for granted because we know these precious days won't last for long.

I love you, little man!
Mommy

Rollin'

I FINALLY was able to see Robby roll over today!  Tim came home for lunch and he got to see it, too!  I put him on his tummy just to see if he just might do it for the camera and he did!  So, here it is: (Sorry for the shakey video!)

That's a good looking baby!

We had one of the pictures taken of Robby blown up and framed.  We noticed whenever we would hold Robby up next to the picture he would stare and smile at it.  I decided to get out the camera to video him and he started talking to himself!  I think he thinks he has a friend!

Lately

Tim started his job at Randolph last week.  He reported last Monday, had Tuesday and Wednesday off, then began his inprocessing Thursday and has been doing that and training since then.  I absolutely love that he works 5 minutes away.  He gets to come home for lunch most days which is such a nice way to break things up for me.  We are almost completely settled in the apartment.  We will be getting a new sofa and recliner at the end of the month.  Once that's done, I will post pictures of it.  We really like it.  It's pretty much the same square footage as our old house but it's 2 bedroom instead of 3, so there is extra space in the kitchen, living room, and master bathroom/closet.  It has been nice to be in a place only a couple of years old instead of something 70 years old!!  Here are some pictures of what we've been up to! (they are actually backwards in order of when they were taken, fyi!)

3 Months

Well, Little Man, you have experienced SO much in your first 3 months!  

In the past month, you have moved to a brand new city, taken several long car rides (you did amazing on them, by the way!), have established a nap routine during the day, transitioned to cloth diapers, and rolled over!  Probably the most significant that occurred in the last month or so is that your daddy was gone.  He was at Commissioned Officer Training in Alabama.  You went and saw him graduate which was fun.  You took your first plane trip and did so great.

To say you are an adaptable baby would really be an understatement.  Nothing seems to really upset your routine (the first day after the first 12 hour car trip was a little rough but I think it was because you were sore from being in your carseat that long).

You are still loving your 3 hour feeding schedule during the day.  I was surprised at how you put yourself in a nap routine.  You go to sleep between 8:45-9:30 no matter if we are at home, in the car, or in a store.  And you take another nap sometime between 1:30-2:30.  Most evenings, you take another quick nap around 5:30 or 6.  You are still sleeping so great at night.  Bedtime is about 7:30 and you sleep until your first feeding around 5ish, then sleep until 8.  I'm so thankful that you enjoy your nighttime sleep because I enjoy mine, as well!  You love your new nursery and crib and also seem to love the cloth diapers.  They have been relatively easy to switch to, so that makes it nice on both of us.

We usually try to run our errands in the mornings after daddy leaves for work.  I think everyone at Target is getting close to recognizing us and pretty soon, I'm sure they will know our names.  You make friends everywhere you go.  Your smile is amazing and infectious.  People can't just walk by you, they have to talk to you and tell us how cute you are.  You are quite the talker and love to look at pictures of yourself and mirrors!

You rolled over for the first time 4 days before you turned 3 months old.  I have yet to see it happen because you like to do it in your crib.  I've even tried to trick you and hang around after I put you in it but you just like to play games and wait until I leave the room.  Last night, daddy was putting your paci back in your mouth and you started acting like you were going to roll over, so he looked up to call me in there and RIGHT THEN you rolled over.  He didn't see it happen but felt you do it.  You little stinker!!

We think you are absolutely perfect and love all the changes you have made in the past month.  You are a continual blessing and I look forward to waking up every morning to see you smiling at me from your crib!

We love you more than you will ever know!
Mommy and Daddy

Stronger

*First, let me say the reason I didn't keep up with the blog postings everyday is because the internet in Tim's room wasn't reliable and he couldn't see the pictures or the videos.  So instead I texted him pictures and was able to talk to him enough to fill him in on our daily goings on.*

With Tim having been gone for 5 weeks it gave me time to find out more about myself.  I've never been "on my own".  I lived at home for 18 years, went to college, started dating Tim, got married, moved away, and had a baby.  None of that was done on my own.  I am not an independent person.  I rely on Tim for almost everything.  He is my emotional support.  He is my idea-bouncer-offer.  He makes our decisions.  He makes the money.  He is my everything.  My everything was gone for an entire 5 weeks.

I found out in that 5 weeks that I am strong.  I can do things I never thought I could.  I am able to find my way around a new city.  I am able to take care of a baby without any help.  I am able to set up a new home.  I am able to drive 2 12 hour trips, a 10 hour trip, and a 3 hour trip all with an infant.  I am able to juggle a baby in a carrier, 7 bags of groceries, a diaper bag, a diet coke, and the mail all up 3 flights of stairs.  I am able to fly all by myself with a baby, handle a layover during nap time, rent a car and drive 2 hours.  I can do it and I DID do it.  I didn't do it without shedding any tears, but I did it.

Something that I didn't realize would happen was the peace and assurance Tim felt when he found out I could handle it on my own.  He can see the difference in me.  I'm not scared.  I don't ask for as much help.  I don't get as overwhelmed.  I am a different woman.  A stronger woman.  It's a good thing I discovered this early on because as a military wife, this will not be the only time I will have to do this and, chances are, this was the shortest period of time I will have to do it.  But Tim can now leave when he is called and know that I can handle the task of running our home and our family while he's gone.

All that being said, I'm glad my everything is back home!