Weekend getaway to NC

Aunt Lori said that they were going to be doing a baby dedication at church for Noah. It was a ceremony for families to bring their young children to the church and for close friends and family to gather and pray for each child while the parents made commitments to raise their child in a christian home. Lori said they were going to use a stand-in family since everyone is out of town. Well, I met this stand-in family, who were as sweet as they could be, but I told Lori that when family is to be there, no stand-in is required in my place. So Matthew and I booked the cheapest flight ever to NC and left on a Friday afternoon and came back Sunday mid-day. It was a quick trip, but was so nice to see Lori and Noah, even if just for a weekend, and I needed a break from everything here, especially work!

Matthew was great on the plane. As a crawler now, he was really wanting to move around, but for a boy who had to sit on my lap for almost 2 hours he did quite well. I brought plenty of puffs to entertain him with, nursed him, fed him, tried to show him new toys. He thought it was fun to crawl up my shoulder and pull himself up over the seat to play peek-a-boo with the ladies behind us. His favorite part of the ride was the turbulence on landing, which he laughed through like it was a roller coaster. I was playing serious mind games not to vomit. I have not done really well on flights lately. I must be getting old!

On Saturday we wanted to make the most of our day, and even though it was cold we headed outside. Lori and Dave and I went to a frisbee golf course, which is really a nice way to enjoy a walk, be outside, and throw a frisbee at the same time. We bundled the boys up in hats, jackets, and blankets and hit the course. It started out nice and flat, with some grass and pine needles for a nice ride for the stroller. But after about 4 of the 18 holes it became very steep and full of stones. There was no more pushing of the strollers, instead we had to carry them, then put the down to throw and chat, then pick them up again. I'm sure to all the NC State students there we must have looked like fogies trying to hang onto our youths, but we had a great time. Dave says he beat me by one stroke, but his score-keeping was questionable.




Later that night, Tio George and Kelly came by to see Matthew. They played with him for a bit, then helped with dinner and Matthew's bath. They stayed after the babies went to sleep and we played a fun game of wits and wagers. Funny story- When Matthew was in the bathtub he started making his "I'm about to poop face", and not really knowing what to do, I picked him up, spun him around to the toilet and let his little tushy hang over. A few grunts later and there was a nice poo in the potty. My little baby, at 8 months- using the potty. I was so excited, and can't believe I didn't get a picture. He looked so satisfied, like he knew he did a big boy thing.

So you can stand now too?

Well Matthew has just been pleased as punch with all his new found skills. In one weekend he learned to crawl, sit himself up, and pull up to his knees. Less than a week later he learned to pull himself up to stand. His favorite time to practice standing? Every night at 3:00am for a week. And when I went in to check on him he was unable to lie himself down but then I helped him down and told him it was night time. This did not make him happy. So after hearing his protest for an hour and a half, which only subsided when held, he finally was back asleep. Some friends told me it was a phase and I was wondering how long this phase would last. It probably didn't help Matthew's night time sleep that he his first 3 teeth were all coming in at the same time.

This week Matthew has gone back to sleeping through the night but now he is all over the place. He used to sleep so peacefully on his back with his hands laced behind his head. Now he is on his tummy, on his side, butt up in the air, face jammed in the corner of the crib. My Aunt Anne bought us a video monitor, which has been great for spying on him in the night. He moves all over the crib, rolls constantly, but doesn't wake up or if he does has been really good at putting himself back to sleep. He is getting so big so fast.

Matthew has been pulling up all day now. He has been crawling for a few weeks and that seems like old news. Now he is all about standing. I will say it is much cuter when he does it as his morning greeting rather than a middle of the night showcase of his talents.

Here he is after standing himself up in the morning. This is how he greeted his daddy, who was home with him on this day.

And here he is standing up at his babysitter's house. I think he looks so tall in this picture.

Matthew on the move

Matthew is officially a crawling boy now. I went back and looked at my post from the first time I claimed Matthew to be "Mobile Matthew", and that was December 19. Well it has been almost 2 months since Matthew was up on our fours looking like he was crawling until now, when he actually has been able to go anywhere.


He has been army crawling for a few weeks now and used that to get around a small area where his toys were. Matthew's babysitter, Mrs. Edie says everyday when I pick him up that he got a little mad at her when she made him work on his crawling. Over the last 3 or 4 days he has really gotten close, moving a couple steps, but today was the real deal. When I first put him on the floor this morning while I got ready for church he was all over my room. In an instant he was in my closet, and in the laundry basket, and sticking his little fingers in the door jam! It was as if he went to bed not full grasping the idea, and when he woke up he had figured it out. I told the ladies in the church nursery that he started crawling today and they confirmed when I picked him up that he was on the move.

Alex wasn't here for Matthew's first distance crawls today. He was working, but we were able to face time with our new iphones so Alex could see Matthew crawl, and Matthew laughs and laughs at the phone when daddy makes his funny faces. It is as if Matthew were in the same room with Alex. Amazing what technology does for us these days.

All this crawling must have worn him out, but despite being obviously tired he took a short morning nap. I decided to bundle Matthew in warm clothes and his hat, and a new jacket which he is now nearly big enough for and it is actually cold enough for, and tucked a blanket over his legs and we were off with Maggie to a nearby park. We played on the swings, and rode down the slide together, laughed at mmmmGeeee when she chased after tennis balls, and then had a carrots, green beans, and peaches lunch.


After the park I knew he was ready to nap so he went right down at 2:30 and I decided to do the same. He was up 45 minutes later, which is not the hour and a half I was hoping for. I went up to settle him back down and he was PISSED! My guess is he was tired and maybe beat from all that crawling but was unable to go back to sleep. So after rocking him in my chair for a few minutes did little to calm him down I nursed him and he fell asleep. I decided I'd just sleep right there in the glider with him, and we both had the sweetest nap, with Matthew just cozied up in my lap, his little legs wrapped around me and his arm behind my back. The next thing I knew it was 5:00. We finished the evening with some more crawling and I attempted to get pictures and video. This meant when he finally crossed the room to get after his elusive toy, I had to put him right back where he started to get more shots. This is the problem with a small house!

8 months old now

These are your official 8 months photos. You are not crazy about wardrobe changes and you're not that excited about your official month birthday fireman stickers, so this month was a Jammies photo shoot with daddy.


Matthew seems more and more like a boy everyday. He is so full of life and energy, and wants to constantly try new challenges and explore the things around him. He is such a happy boy, always smiling and laughing. He has settled into his new routine better than I could have imagined. He sleeps through the night on a consistent basis. When he wakes up in the morning before I have to go to work we have the most special moments. We nurse together and then he falls back asleep on me for a few minutes before I lay him back down for an hour while I get ready for work. Everyday it breaks my heart to pluck my peacefully sleeping baby from his crib and strap him into the carseat. But he never complains and when we see his babysitter, Mrs. Edie, he is all smiles and is ready to start his day. Some days he stays with her until 4:00, but on days when Alex is home he usually picks Matthew up after lunchtime and they have a boys day together. Some days when Alex is home in the morning I let Matthew sleep in and then he hangs with daddy in the morning, before going to the babysitter around lunchtime. Mrs. Edie has really been an answer to prayer. We have Matthew spending the day with someone who is sweet, nurturing, and caring and someone who we trust is keeping him safe and helping him to enjoy his days.

So here is what you are up to this month, my sweet boy:

You think sitting up and sitting still is for babies-- you are determined to plop down and get on the move. You have taken a few small crawl steps in addition to your army man crawls. You get a little frustrated now that you know mobility is an option you have not quite mastered. Soon enough, my love.

You are very vocal and have tried to say a few words. You imitate "Hi" and try to say "Maggie" which sounds like "mmmGeee". You squeal in excitement, and sometimes out of frustration, but you rarely cry and usually not for more than a few minutes.

You like to play with certain toys and you love to dump your toy baskets over and pull out the toys one by one. You try to put everything into your mouth still, but you have much better control of the things you put into your hand.

Your gums are starting to bug you a bit, but you haven't had more than a few fussy moments here and there. You gum your thumb or hand if your mouth hurts. No teeth yet, and I'm not sure they are really on their way any time soon.

Your favorite outdoor activity is the beach. We have been lots of times and you love to play in the sand. It makes me picture what a cool boy you'll be someday, playing outside and gettin' messy. You can entertain yourself for quite some time, and when you have had enough you just take a little snooze on the beach.

You are very curious about animals. Obviously, you love Maggie, but you were wanting to play with Bonnie's cats when she watched you last week.

You are an eating machine. You make me feel so good when you say "mmmmm" to every bite of the food I make for you. It takes a while to make all your meals, but you love what I make and that makes me feel like a good mommy, Lately you have been eating peaches, mangoes, pears, watermelon, a sweet potato and apple mix, carrots, squash and zucchini, a mixed veggie of sweet potato, green beans, and red pepper, and brown rice and pasta. We tried avocado again, no luck. We have tried letting you feed yourself, but you aren't quite ready yet. You did eat a Baby MumMum this week and gobbled that up pretty quickly.

You are growing bigger and stronger by the day. I haven't weighed you but I know you are well over 20 pounds already. You have been so healthy and I can't believe I am going to actually say this out loud (or write it down) for fear of jinxing it, but I have to for memory's sake-- you haven't been sick yet! I think you have your daddy's ridiculous immune system. Once you got a little sniffle, but I ran the humidifier and you never got sick.

You sleep like a champ. Two naps a day for about 3 hours total, and then you go to bed at 7:30 and sleep until I get you up just before 7:00, or if left to sleep in will sleep until 8:30! What a good boy!

Here are some pictures of you in your 8th month:






We have had two situations come up this month that have really made me stop and count my blessings. A little girl we know of who bravely battled cancer a few years ago has relapsed and it is so scary for her and her family these days. When you look at your baby it gives you such a feeling of hope and promise for so many possibilities and you feel so complete with your child in your life that you wonder how you could ever go on living if something happened to your baby. And so we pray for Bella, and I hold you a little tighter each night when we pray together. And then a girl I went to middle school, church, and high school with (although I had lost touch with her and hadn't spoken to her in years) passed away in her sleep this week, just out of the blue. You can't even believe a young woman so full of life and good health could just go to bed one night with her husband and son in the same house and not wake up. It makes me cherish every day I have with you and daddy, and I know that we are never promised tomorrow. It makes me know how truly blessed I am to have such an incredible family.

Beach with buddy Wade

We were at the beach...again. This time Wade came to hang out. He didn't care about the sand but they were cute together. Matthew spent his time mostly on his tummy this time, which is a lot different than even two weeks ago.

Matthew napped like an angel and daddy and I played hard core paddleball for over an hour.

First blog from my phone

Alex bought us new iPhones this week. I am excited to be able to post quick blogs with pictures on the go. I know my readers will be happy to see more pictures and less writing, which is a slower process on the phone.

Here is my little buddy, happy to start his weekend.

Matthew loves his doggie

Matthew thinks Maggie is super funny. He laughs and squeals at her and tries to get her attention nonstop. He likes to watch Maggie play fetch or catch a frisbee and even watches her when she walks beside his stroller on walks.

Here are a few pictures of Matthew playing with the chuck-it while Maggie chased the tennis ball. What a fun way to spend a Friday~ hanging with daddy and playing with Maggie.



Matthew has also made attempts at saying words. He is trying to say Maggie. He has done it several times and always in response to Maggie being close by. Although not crystal clear all the time, his intent is there and he is trying to say "Maggie".