Owen is 5!

Owen,

How is it possible that you are 5?!?!?! We seriously cannot believe it. You are such a big boy now!

Your party this year was at our house. We had a Superhero LEGO party based on the LEGO movie that you LOVE to watch. You and mommy had a lot of fun planning your party and mommy had a lot of fun making everything.  A lot of your friends came, and also your cousins, Brady, your Aunts and Uncles, Mimi, and Mawmaw and Pawpaw!  You had a lot of fun and had fun playing "Pin the circle on the Lego", hitting the piñata, watching a Lego show, eating cake, opening presents, and playing with all the kids. 

You have grown up so much this past year. You have learned so much in PreK this year and are getting ready for kindergarten! You know every upper and most lower case letters and can write some of them and trace all of them. You can count objects and can count to 50. You can write your first name and almost your last name. You are learning to identify what letter words start with by sounding them out. You know your address and phone number. 

You went to enroll and test for kinder with mommy and I'm not going to lie, I teared up a bit. Just the thought of you going to school is unreal because it seems like just yesterday you were a baby. You are so smart, although you are also stubborn. If you don't feel like doing your work at school, you will just say "I don't feel like it." But you are getting better at doing what you're suppose to and we know you will do great in school next year and will learn, mature, and develop friendships.

The days you are home, you LOVE to play Legos. This has become your new favorite thing. You love using your imagination, and will make noises and talk while pretending. You also like to play with trucks and cars, on the swing set, read books, and dress up. You love to play with other kids including Brady. You play really well and make friends easily. Your favorite shows and movies are "Odd Squad", LEGO movie, The Iron Giant, Power Rangers, anything that is Super Hero, and Wild Kratts.

 

Your allergies are still an issue, but we have started a daily steroid and singulair and you have finally turned a corner and are not coughing all the time. I can tell you feel so much better.

Just recently you have stopped taking a nap some days and will rest and read books in your bed instead. There are days you do still nap too. You have started having a harder time going to sleep some nights since Reece has been born, but it has gotten better every day and I can tell you are adjusting. 

You are a good eater, but we are working with you on finishing up a bit quicker because you get so distracted. Your favorite foods are pizza, peanut butter (Wow butter) and jelly, gogurts, cheese crackers, and chocolate cookies.

We love you so much buddy and never want you to forget how special you are to us. You are so sweet and will tell us all the time that you love us and can't go to bed at night without a hug or kiss. You are analytical, love to play by yourself sometimes, and sometimes march to your own drumbeat. We want you to always know that it is ok to be who God created you to be and love how unique He made you. You are one of a kind and we love how cute, smart, handsome, funny, creative, sweet, and precious you are. We love what a good big brother you are and how helpful you are around here.

We can't wait to continue watching you grow up and to see what the future holds for you. We know that you will be successful at whatever you put your mind to. We love you our sweet first born, red headed boy and always will. 

Reece 1 month

Reece, 

You are a month old!  We blinked it seems and you got older. We love you so much little guy and you are such an awesome addition to our family and you are very loved. At your one month appointment you weighed 9 pounds 10 ounces (40th percentile), measured 22 inches long (75th percentile), and your head is in the 85th percentile. You have already grown sweet boy!

We think we have caught a couple of smiles and just this week you have let out a couple of sweet coos. But we think you are going to be a pretty serious baby like Owen was. You also recognize ours and your brothers voices and will try to find us with your eyes. You will stare at us without blinking and it makes us laugh. You will lift your head up when being held and have done this since day one at the hospital. You also love to be held, rocked, and swaddled.

You were born with brown hair and it looks like it will stay brown. We love how you are different from your red head brothers with your hair color. Your daddy thinks you will feel left out. Mommy was the only one of my sisters with blonde hair so it makes you unique little buddy. 

You usually sleep for two four hour stretches at night, but you have gone a few nights of five or six hours.  You eat about 7-8 times a day and you usually finish in about 20-30 minutes.  You are a gassy little guy and make grunting noises and squeeze your legs up to your belly in pain. We hate seeing you struggle with gas but the pediatrician said you should outgrow this by 7-8 weeks. 

You have recently started putting yourself on a little routine.  I don't have as much time to focus on putting you on a routine as I did with Owen and Brady, but mommy has learned to be a lot more flexible this time around.  You will eat, then stay awake a little bit, then will take a nap.  You are our "go with the flow" 3rd child and take half of your naps during the week in the car or in the swing since mommy and brothers have places we need to be. You go to bed around 7. You only get fussy when you're tired, gassy, or hungry.  

You love the water and right when you take a bath or get a shower with daddy, you calm down. When you get out to get dried off is a different story and you will cry hysterically until getting in warm clothes. You also love the swing and the bouncer. We are using Aunt Jeralyns swing because we gave our other one away. So little guy, you have a pink swing but you could care less!

To soothe yourself, you like to suck your hand, or you have sucked your thumb a couple of times. You also suck a pacifier on occasion just to soothe you as you are going to sleep. 

Your brothers love you so much and are always wanting to kiss and hug you. They also like to bring you toys and lay by you. They LOVE being your big brothers and it is so sweet for mommy and daddy to watch you all together. 

We love you so much and are so blessed to have you in our family.