Fun in the Sun- family vacay 2018

Our first beach vacation as a family of 5 is now filed away as a memory.  Our days were filled with yummy eats, wonderful views, a tropical storm, laughs, fits, sunscreen, waves, glowstick walk, sand castles, overcoming fears, exhaustion, sand (the good and the bad), seafood, live music, watching our kiddos run their hearts out, digging holes, searching for deeper creepers, crashing into waves, and enjoying our uninterrupted time together.  Our days were typically bookended with a pajama walk on the beach as we watched the sun rise, or the moon come out to greet us.  Vacation with little ones is a blur of a week but the best kind possible.  

We were able to start our trip in Waverly, AL with a visit to see our Frye family.  It's so sweet to catch up with friends who feel like you can always pick up where you stood before.  We then spent the next 8 days beach side in Seacrest, walking the familiar and rejuvenating area we love so dear.  Our favorite restaurants, splash pads, candy shop, pizza truck and beach did not dissapoint!

Trips to Charlie's Donut truck are always a fan favorite.  I promise ML liked it too.

 

Until we meet again, beach we love you.  

9 months of Knowing Heaven On Earth - RPC

 N I N E months, one of those milestones that makes a mama want to stop time.  I'll be dragging my feet for the next 3 months, hoping to slow down your last days of being a baby; immobile, nonverbal, and still entirely dependent upon us.  

You officially have 8 teeth and really enjoy chewing on toys, especially your silver baby rattle.  Something about that cold metal on your teeth makes you happy and it is awful cute to watch.  

9 Months brought us: 

16.13lb & 28 Inches tall

Loves- playing with a ball, having it rolled to you, and boy are you great at catching grounders!  Playing catch is a game you make out of any toy, (aka throw the toy down and watch someone else pick it up) and your thoroughly entertained every time.  Chasing your brother and sister makes you squeal in our arms with delight.  Chewing on your toys and fingers is a favorite of late as you work on cutting the rest of your teeth. You have enjoyed being at the pool and chilling in the water.   

Sleep: eczema and teething, nuff said.  Usually your asleep around 7:30-8:00 and then wake back up around 10:30, 2ish, 5ish, 7ish.  Some nights it's more and sometimes it's less but I just keep telling myself some day you'll be sleeping till noon, driving a car, and growing chest hair so I'll keep looking on the sunny sleepless side.

Feeding: You still love to nurse every 3hrs around the clock.  After meeting with a food therapist we learned that your gagging and tongue thrust are a choice.  Nothing is physically stopping you from eating, you are interested in food but just not interested in actually putting it in your mouth and chewing it up.  We were instructed to use small pieces of food and push it into the back corner of your mouth to get you to chew, which as it turns out you know how to do.  So we have tried a few foods that way but we still aren't getting very far before you are unhappy.  So We shall try, try, and try again with a new food every couple of days.  To date you have tried banana, potato, sweet potato, and watermelon. 

Awake: Your play time is different now that you sit up independently.  You love to chew on and feel different toys we stack up around you and have learned to throw toys for us to get as well.  We graduated you to the highchair for our meal time practice and that makes ya feel big.  

You love to babble dadadada, and blow bubbles with your tongue, bob, and squeal, we have heard an occasional mmmmmaaamaa but they are few and far between.  You still love to laugh randomly at things and no one can get your giggle box going like your brother and sister.

Dislikes: eating food, sleep, being rocked, being tired and honestly not much else.  You're a pretty content little dude.

Size: Physically your face is starting to change and it makes this mama kinda sad.  I know you're still a baby but I'm getting glimpses of what your little boy self will look like.  You weigh 16.13lbs and are getting noticeably heavier to hold all the time.  :)

Milestones: Teething with tooth number 8 popping all the way through, Catching a ball that is rolled to you, sitting in the high chair, visible toothy grin, swinging outdoors, beginning to learn how to drink from a sippy, learning to chew food. 

Eczema update- Flare ups are still being managed with BeautyCounter lotions and we still have to apply 3-4 times a day.  We have stopped the 30min daily bath soaks and Zyrtec but still give Benadryl at night.  It doesn't make you drowsy but it helps to keep your little hands from scratching your body all night.  We had another allergy appt where we were told to up the Zyrtec and you are just having outdoor allergies.  While you may have outdoor allergies this mama ain't buying that it's the only cause, I'm convinced it is related to your gut and food.  Though you barely ingested a Tbsp of any food yet, that tiny amount of watermelon had your skin looking as if you'd been burned within an hour.  I'm hoping to find relief and answers for you soon.  

My sweet smiley boy, I love your cuddly need to be held personality.  As you grow stronger and more squirmy, and watch your brother and sister run I can see your desire to run with them.  I'm savoring the fact that I rarely have two hands to get anything done.    

8 months of Knowing Heaven on Earth

Eight is great!  This next month is going to be filled with finding your personality and hearing you laugh more, I can feel it! 

Our life has been busy wrapping up school and keeping up with big brother's T-ball and sisters dance class, and taking a family vacation to the beach.  For the most part you ride along with the busyness just fine and are happy just to be hanging out with us no matter where we are.

 Hey Guys!  Look at this accomplishment!!

 I'm pretty proud of these ab muscles right here!  

 I mean look at this core strength holding this handsome head up.  

 Oh guys!  Stop it with the compliments already, you're making me blush!!!!

 Wait, have you seen these quads though?  Strong, yet flexible, all the other babies are jealous.  

 How about a nice round of applause for this 8th month of love!!!

 Alright, alright, now that's enough!  I mean, it just gets awkward when you all go on raving for that long!  Shew!

 Anybody else excited for summer???

 All this warm weather means a lot more baby skin sightings in our future!

 My futures so bright, I need shades. 

7 months brought us: 

Weight 15.14lb 

Moving on up!  Size 3 diapers

 9 or 6-12 month clothes

 Loves- holding your feet, clapping, sitting, SMILING, Being held/carried around, nursing, sleeping during car rides, your family, being outside, bath time and splashing in the water, playing with crinkle paper/plastic, singing songs like pat-a-cake, row your boat, twinkle twinkle, wooden teethers and chewing on carrots, being held to sleep, reading books.

Sleep: The sleep saga continues.  :)  More teeth, bad eczema flare ups, and having a tummy that loves to eat we somehow still wake up every 3 hrs....sometimes more, and rarely less.  

You started sleeping with a Zippadeezip and liked having the freedom but we quickly moved to arms out so that you wouldn't rub so much on your eczema with the fabric.  

Feeding: You still love to nurse every 3hrs around the clock.  We have continued to attempt solids but learned you still have your tongue thrust reflex which is why you won't swallow anything.  We are attempting it daily but you begin to get frustrated pretty quickly.  We've also tried some baby led weaning and letting you play with food; so far you are pretty good at making messes.  :) As much excitement as you show when you see food, I hope you get to enjoy a little bite soon!  In the meantime I'm thankful God's providing my body with enough food to supply your current needs.  

Awake: We are starting to see a couple naps daily and I think we are onto a routine of sorts!  You are grabbing for everything which makes holding you more interesting for lots of activities.  You still love the exersaucer, jumparoo, floor play is still usually you lying on your back but you roll to your tummy and back again a lot more as you reach for toys.  Being on your tummy still makes ya mad pretty quickly so you found a new way to play, SITTING UP! :)

Dislikes: eating food, sleep, and honestly not much else.  You're a pretty content little dude.

Size: You are filling out more and more and becoming a heavier little stud every day.  We are all loving your fuller cheeks and think they make you look a lot like your brother as a baby.  

Milestones: Sitting Up!!  You began sitting up on the white sand beach on our vacation!  You enjoy your new view of the world and ability to sit and play with your toys.  You love clapping on demand and it always makes you smile!
Jabbering jawing!  You are really starting to play with sounds Bababa, Dadada, Mamamama and sqealing!
You love to laugh and will burst into a giggle fit over the smallest things!  It's the cutest darn thing and gets us all laughing every time!
TEETHING KING!!!  At the beginning of this month we saw your first little tooth pop through, bottom front right.  It was immediately followed by your top left incisor, (quite a funny pair) and then the second bottom left tooth, followed by the bottom right incisor.  Over our vacation your front right tooth, top right incisor, and bottom left incisor, aaaaaaand peaking through at a slow pace here comes the front left tooth now!

Eczema update- With flare ups not getting any better and your chin becoming raw and oozy we decided to make another trip to the pediatrician.  We were given a much stronger steroid cream along with a cream to stop infections.  We used it for a week and saw improvement but it came right back a week later.  So a trip to the allergist had us soaking you in a bath for 30 minutes a day, trapping moisture in with Vaseline, and rubbing you head to toe in aquifer 4 times a day.  Because she thinks your flares are outdoor allergy related we were also doing Zyrtec and Benadryl daily.  Oh and fingernail cutting daily.
After one day on this regimen you flared even worse, it continued all week on our vacay and was not fun to deal with on top of sand.  I had a feeling you were reacting to the red dye in Benadryl and we stopped it after day 4.  We were finally able to see your skin calm down with the stop of the medicine and a switch to BeautyCounter lotions.  I am still having to slather you in oil and lotion multiple times a day as your skin just soaks it up and peels away.  I have also cut out tree nuts and eggs and am trying to see if there's any connection to something you're being exposed to in breast milk.  I'm praying we find a way to make you comfortable.  It makes me sad to see you scratch yourself to pieces in discomfort.
Your sweet little personality is shining through at us more and more and we love you more and more each day!  You're a delight my dear.

 Look at those pearly whites popping through!!!

7 Months of Knowing Heaven on Earth - RPC

Well I turned around once and another month has passed.  As we trot down the road of 7 months I couldn't be more thankful for the love and delight you add to our lives.  

 This month we've watched you grow stronger as you constantly work those legs, more energized and more playful.  The big kids love you so much your practically smothered in a mountain of hugs and your smile shows us the feeling is mutual.
You had your first big adventure with a trip to the beach!  Your first set of wings as you jetted off to the west coast and watched the waves of San Diego lap across the shore.  You were a delight and a half even with the large time zone difference and it was so sweet to have some one on one time with you.

7 months brought us: 

Weight 15.11 

Size 2 diapers

 9 or 6-12 month clothes

 Loves- SMILING, Being held/carried around, nursing, sleeping during car rides, your family, being outside, bath time and splashing in the water, playing with crinkle paper/plastic, singing songs like pat-a-cake, row your boat, twinkle twinkle, wooden teethers and chewing on carrots, being held to sleep, reading books.

Sleep: Maybe one of our most challenging months to date.  Teething made several of our nights feel like a 20 min nap.  

Feeding: Feeding is something you still love to do often.  You have started becoming easily distracted and its made nursing you to a full belly a bit more challenging.  We have still been trying to eat some solids but are pretty slow moving since you prefer to spit things out and shut down pretty quick.

Awake: You prefer to stay in the middle of the action (aka on my hip or being worn) but also enjoy playing in your jumperaroo and exersaucer.  Though you roll over and will push up onto your strong arms on your belly you really don't love to be on the ground or sitting for long.  I have a feeling my little man who loves to stand more than anything is working on getting strong enough to walk.  Just so you know, mommy is ok with you doing all the things a bit later so I can keep you my baby.  :)

Dislikes: eating food, sleep, and honestly not much else.  You're a pretty content little dude.

Size: You are filling out more and more and becoming a heavier little stud every day.  We are all loving your fuller cheeks and think they make you look a lot like your brother as a baby.  

Milestones: Lots more rolling thought you favor going right, clapping your hand against us or big messy claps with yourself.

Your eczema is still raring it's self quite often and though I try to keep it at bay with hydrocortisone and Aquaphor multiple times a day your little body breaks out into rashes quite often.  This month you've had two episodes where red fiery looking skin turns into a blister of sorts on your face.  We are hoping to find some relief for you soon and beginning to wonder if some discomfort might be your reason for not sleeping much.

You remind me of Buddy the Elf "smiling, smiling's my favorite!"  I hope you never out grow that grin cause baby boy it's contagious!