Thumb Sucker

It looks like we are going to have a little thumb sucker on our hands.

 

 

 

Mall Walking

The longer winter drags on, the more creative we need to be with our activities to keep

Owen busy.  Our most recent new hobby...mall walking.

 

You may laugh, but it is awesome!  We get there around 10:00 AM before all of the

stores open.  It is still fairly empty, except for our fellow mall walkers, 

and Owen can just run until his little heart is content.

He goes up the ramps,

 down the ramps,

 stops a few times to check out the scenery,

then up the escalator and down the stairs,

 And at last, time to rest.

 By the time he has run off all of his extra energy, the stores are open and he is more than

happy to ride in the stroller while Ryan and I look in a few stores before we head home.

It is the perfect Sunday morning activity during these long winter months.

Little Jumpers

Dear Old Man Winter,

You may beat us down with your below zero temperatures, endless piles of snow, 

force us to stay inside day after day with no end in sight, but this mama has 

one last trick up her sleeve....

 Say hello to the newest addition in our basement

 Now even though we might be stuck inside for a few more weeks,

Owen can jump, jump, jump and burn off all that pent up energy.  :)

And while Joe saw Owen jumping he decided he wanted to get in on the fun, so we let him

try out his jumper for the first time.  Looks like I have two happy jumpers on my hands. 

 

Costco!!

I'll give you one guess what Owen's favorite store is....Here's a little hint....

Coscto!!  

I'm a little embarrassed to say that we probably visit Costco at least 2-3 times per week.

Not only are the carts huge so I can fit Joe's carseat and my groceries, but with a feast

of samples like that is it any wonder why Owen now asks for it by name?  "Ca-coo"

The Sneaky Chef

Like most toddlers Owen is somewhat of a picky eater.  He loves and will devour any fruit

you put in front of him, but vegetables are a completely different story.  I've tried heating up

carrots, peas, or green beans and putting them on his plate, and 9 times out of ten they end

up on the floor.  He has his rare moments where he will eat anything off our

plates including cucumber out of sushi rolls, radish out of our salads, or green peppers out

of our breakfast sandwiches, but those moments are hard to come by.  The only way I've

successfully gotten him to eat vegetables is when it is hidden in something else.  Corn 

casserole that I refer to as "corn cupcake" for him.  Pumpkin muffins.  Zucchini bread.

It turns out I was so close to a genius idea.  My friend introduced me to the book The

Sneaky Chef.  Basically the premise is hiding fruits and vegetables in the foods kids love

to eat.  You start by making fruit and vegetable purees that you can freeze and reheat 

whenever you need them.  Then the book gives you recipes using the purees.

So I got my veggies at the store and spent part of the day yesterday preparing an "Orange

puree" (carrots and sweet potatoes) and a "White puree" (cauliflower and zucchini).

My first test was a standard grilled cheese sandwich.  I made the sandwich the same exact

way I normally make it, with the exception of a thin layer of the orange puree on the inside

with the cheese.  I cut it up, put it on Owen's plate and stood back and watched.  He tried

one piece...then went back for another...and another.  I could not help but smile a devious

smile knowing he was eating the vegetables that he otherwise detested.  

My second test was today at lunch.  A standard box of mac n cheese mixed with some of 

the white puree.  I was not quite as hopeful with this one.  Even I have to admit cauliflower

and zucchini in mac n cheese sounds pretty awful.  But sure enough....he inhaled it!

"What?!?  There's veggies in here??"

 

It's what I like to call Mommy Magic.  :)

   

I'm Free!

Over the last few days Joe has found a way to work his hands out of his swaddle.

So I decided to let him try sleeping unswaddled today during his naps.

He did great!  It took him a little longer to fall asleep, but

overall, I'd say he's liking the new freedom.

 

Happy 4 Months!!

Happy 4 months Joe!!

 You are growing bigger and bigger by the day.  You slimmed down a little bit since your last

doctor's appointment, but you're getting taller.  You're going to be tall just like your daddy.

Height - 26 in. (84th Percentile)

Weight - 14 lbs 13.5 oz (36th Percentile)

Head Circumference - 16.75 cm (77th Percentile) 

You are such a happy little guy.  You give us lots and lots of smiles every single day.  And

you don't hold back with your smiles at all.  They are the biggest, wide mouth smiles I've

ever seen.  Even at 3:00 in the morning when you wake up to eat, I look down at you on the

changing table and through the darkness I can still see your big goofy grin looking back at

me.  It makes it really hard to be upset for having to get up in the middle of the night when I 

get to look at that adorable smile.

 

And speaking of sleep, you're back to waking up at least once or sometimes twice a night.  

You spoiled us at the beginning by sleeping through the night at 8 weeks old, but I knew it

was only a matter of time before that wore off.  And I'm more than happy to get up and feed

you to make sure you keep growing big and healthy.  The great thing is you fall right back

asleep when you are done so the feedings are pretty short. 

 Your daddy set up your crib and you are sleeping in your very own room now.  It's great to 

have a quiet place to put you for naps and I feel like you are sleeping so much better

because of it.  You have amazed me with your sleep habits because you've

learned to put yourself to sleep.  I was dreading sleep training, which I knew would be

coming up soon, because I had no idea what to expect.  Would there be hours of endless

crying while you learned to soothe yourself??  And how would that work with Owen in the

room right next door to you?  To get a jump start I tried putting you down awake a few times for some of your naps.  The first time you fussed for maybe 10 minutes and then fell asleep

on your own.  What?!?  That is amazing!!  There are times when you don't even fuss at all.  

I put you down awake and you go right to sleep.  This is a game changer.  No more walking

 laps with you while you fall asleep.  You actually seem happier to just be put down and given your space to sleep.  I am still in awe.  Thanks for being such a great sleeper buddy! 

Your day pretty much consists of eating, sleeping, and playing.  You love laying on your

activity mat with the toys hanging above you.  You kick your little legs and grab for the toys.

You love watching Owen play and you are completely fascinated with the TV.  You've started

babbling and love when someone sits and talks to you.  You smile and talk away.  

Right now you're trying to put everything in your mouth.  These pictures were hard to take

because all you wanted to do the whole time was chew on your hands.  Maybe it's a sign

that your teeth are ready to make an appearance.

 

One of the more exciting things is you've started giving us little laughs here and there.  I call

them little, but it is actually hilarious because you have this deep little voice that sounds

so funny coming from someone so little.  One of the easiest ways to get you to laugh is to

tickle you.  You are super ticklish on your sides and on your neck.  I can also get you to

laugh if I bounce you up and down on my knee like you are riding a horse.  You're giggling

more and more all the time, so it's really fun to find new ways to amuse you.

You honestly don't get upset very often, but the one thing that is sure to make you mad is a

ride in your carseat.  Unless you are tired and fall right asleep, you will cry the majority of our ride.  Most of the time I end up sticking my arm in the backseat and holding the nuk

in your mouth and that seems to calm you down.  I'm not sure what it is about the car, but

for some reason, you are not a fan.  But if that is one of the only times you are upset,

I would say we are pretty lucky to have such an amazing, happy baby.  Love you buddy!