3 years old.

Nathaniel is three years old today! Time flies when you're having fun, eh? I know how cliche it sounds, but it really does feel like just yesterday that he was a tiny little bundle in my arms. Now, he's in the 90th percentile for his height, and a nonstop chatterbox! Nate is the sweetest little boy, and I am so blessed to be his momma. He is silly and smart, and as energetic as any healthy three-year-old!

Nate LOVES cars and trucks! In fact, he loves them so much that whenever I ask him if he likes something (IE food, a color, etc), he replies, "No, just cars and trucks!" All day long, he plays with his toy cars and trucks--big ones, little ones, noisy ones, quiet ones. Fire trucks, dump trucks, tow trucks, race cars, police cars, ambulances, bulldozers, motorbikes, RVs! Oh, the boy loves his vehicles! He can even identify the different sirens when we hear them outside!

On the rare occasion that Nate isn't playing with cars or trucks, some of his other favorite activities include trains, playing in the sandbox (with cars & trucks), playing outside (with cars & trucks!), coloring (in his car coloring books!), playing play-dough (oh, yes, we have car/truck cookie cutters!), reading books, (Curious George, Berenstain Bears, Clifford, Winnie the Pooh, Little Critter, and I'm sure you can guess what else!). He also loves to watch DVDs, and he is allowed to watch one a few times weekly--usually Clifford, Veggie Tales, or Curious George. Nate loves to help, especially in the kitchen.

Right now, Nathaniel loves to talk about his "fwiends" (friends) all the time. He often tells me, "Mommom, you and me be fwiends!" or "Me, you, Daddad, and Yiyi--we all be fwiends!" He loves to remind us that we're all friends in this family--even Grover, Green Beans, and Smudgie! He loves to talk about his little pals at church, and his Unca Tim and Unca Matt fwiends too.

Speaking of friends, Nathaniel and Levi are the best of friends now! Sure, they bicker like siblings, but I love watching their brotherly bond growing. They play together daily, and Nate is Levi's biggest cheerleader as he learns to walk! When Levi cries, Nate runs to him and pats him gently while telling him, "Okay, Yiyi, be okay!" All of those sweet moments are just almost enough to erase the daily "No, no, no, MINE!" from my memories......almost!

As always, Nate loves his animals. He and Grover are inseparable, and they are hilarious to watch. Nate chases Grover, Grover chases Nate; they play ball and rope and chase some more! They are loud and boisterous, and might even include a small squirt gun in their antics sometimes! But, really, isn't that exactly what a boy and his dog are for?

Nathaniel is a great eater! He eats what we give him, and doesn't complain about it--too much! A few of his favorite foods include pizza, spaghetti, macaroni & cheese, blueberries, watermelon, banana chips, corn, and ice cream. He's not a big fan of green veggies (unless they're blended into smoothies!), meats (although they seem to be growing on him recently), or mashed potatoes. He drinks whole milk, as well as almond milk (He loves vanilla almond milk!).

Nate usually sleeps about 11 hours at night, and he takes an afternoon nap daily (usually 2 to 3 hours). He goes to sleep on his own, and sleeps straight through the night. Every night (& nap), he is allowed to take two small cars to bed with him, and I often find them clutched tightly in his hands while he sleeps.

Nate is entirely potty-trained, and I am so glad! We usually wake him up to use the potty once at night (before we go to bed), and he stays dry while he sleeps. Woohoo!

Nathaniel's speech has really improved within the past few months. He is speaking in longer, more complex sentences, and is getting easier to understand by non-family members. A few days ago, I was in the bedroom, when I heard Nate yell from the living room. When I returned, we had this conversation,
Me: "What's wrong?"
Nate: "That watermelon hurt me!"
Me: "....a watermelon hurt you?"
Nate: "That pretend one!"
Me: "Oooh! How did it hurt you?"
Nate: "Me lay on it; it hurt my back!"

That conversation may seem simple (and so short typed!), but it caught my attention. When did this little boy of mine learn to speak so well? To tell me what happened--completely with words, not crying or motioning or objects or guessing games? Somewhere along this life, he's growing up on me. I'm noticing how big he seems now--how very much a little boy, and how I can't find any baby left in him. Except at nighttime, when I carry him back to his bed from the bathroom, and he snuggles his head on my shoulder.....oh, these last few moments of my oldest's babyhood are precious!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Nathaniel Isaac! I love you more than you can imagine, and you make me so proud! Keep on growing and learning; you are amazing!

1 year old.

Levi is a year old today! Just like that, my baby boy is one. There is a part of me that feels sad because this past year has gone by in such a flash, but then another bigger part of me feels like this is right. This is exactly where I've wanted to be all along! Of course I've adored my both of my babies, but I do so enjoy this older stage! My baby isn't such a baby anymore; he's getting to be more of a toddler every day--and I'm loving every second of it! He's curious and quick and silly, and he's the most perfect little boy in the world (along with his big brother, of course!). For a short 6 days, I have a one-year-old and a two-year-old! Good thing it's only for a week; I'm not sure I can handle kids that close in age any longer! ;)

Levi is a fantastically fun little guy who is always on the move! He is busy all the time, exploring and nibbing all over the place. He wants to know about everything, and he isn't shy about finding out! He checks out everything within reach (drawers, cabinets, boxes, bags, etc), and loves to crawl away as fast as he can when he's caught! He laughs all the time, and has even started purposefully trying to make us laugh. He scrunches up his nose with a huge smile when he's being funny--too cute!

Levi's favorite person in the world is his big brother, Nathaniel. He absolutely adores him, and always wants to play with whatever Nate is playing (Nate occasionally feels like sharing with his baby brother, haha!) It melts my heart to see them interact, and I am so very, very glad that we've been blessed with both of them. They love to make each other laugh, and smiles on their faces are enough to bring joy into our hearts--even when we can't quite understand the never-ending humor of a cup repeatedly flung to the floor or sniffing stinky toes!

Levi crawls and climbs, and he's beginning to walk too! He walks easily while holding onto things (furniture, push toys, holding hands), and can take up to three steps on his own. His balance is good, and I think he's going to take off on his own just as soon as he realizes that he can walk without nose-diving into Mommy or Daddy in sheer excitement!

Levi says several words, and will mimic lots of sounds. So far, he says Mama, Dada, kitty (key), Grover (Goga), hi (haaah), and cup. When he wants something, he points to it. Often, he accompanies his pointing with loud grunts and sighs to get more attention. Funny! He can wave and give kisses too.

Some of Levi's favorite toys right now include the xylophone that Daddy bought in Honduras, the police car with real lights and sirens, any push toy that allows him to walk (or run!), the toy cooking utensils for the play kitchen (He carries them around constantly!), and, of course, his stuffed monkey. (Sidenote: The above photo was supposed to be of the boys playing the xylophone, but, hey, a watermelon works too!)

Levi's favorite foods are watermelon, macaroni & cheese, crackers, and sweet potatoes. He eats almost everything that we eat, and there are not many things that he doesn't like. He has been drinking whole milk and almond milk from a sippy cup with his meals for a few weeks now because he's reduced his nursing sessions drastically. He still nurses at naptime and bedtime, as well as during the night. Typically, his "during the night" feeding only consists of one feeding around 6 am, but recently, it has been every couple of hours throughout the night because he's teething.

Speaking of teeth, Levi has eight (and a half?) teeth. He is in the process of getting all four molars right now, which has contributed to many night-wakings recently. We have had good results in treating his discomfort with an amber teething necklace and Hyland's teething tablets. Occasionally, I do give him ibuprofen when he seems to be in too much pain to sleep soundly.

Levi typically sleeps about 12 hours at night. He takes one afternoon nap during the day, which is usually two to three hours long. He still sleeps in the pack 'n play in our bedroom since he still wakes up during the night. He usually sleeps on his belly, but moves all over the pack 'n play!

Levi, I am so proud of you! You are an amazing little boy, and I know that your determination and fervor for life will take you far. You are sweet and loving, and I am blessed abundantly to call you mine. I love you, Sweet Baby Yiyi! Happy Birthday!!

(Notice those kitchen utensils constantly in hand.....little future chef?!)

8 months.

My little Levi is eight months old today! I can hardly believe how quickly he's changing and growing, but I'm loving ever second of it. I love this stage of exploration and curiosity and chubbiness! Levi is such a happy little guy, my "jolly bear"! He's constantly smiling, and really only gets fussy if he's very hungry or sleepy. (Even then, he will quiet down if he's in someone's arms.) He loves to cuddle and be tickled--and, oh is he ticklish! Even Nate can't resist tickling those chubby little tootsie toes multiple times daily, just to hear Levi's big belly laughs!

Levi is 100% mobile now! He scoots around on his belly, and he's quick about it! (I'm so glad for the warm weather because the less clothes he has to scoot around all over the floor, the better! And to think that I thought my floors were relatively clean!) He gets up on his hands and knees and rocks back and forth often, but he hasn't quite figured out how to crawl properly yet--won't be long though! Levi does still roll as a mode of transportation sometimes, but not nearly as often as he did a month ago. Still, it is very funny!

As far as other physical developments go, Levi is now sitting up on his own unassisted! He is very steady, and rarely falls over--except when he wants to go somewhere. Since he hasn't mastered manuvering his position from sitting to scooting yet, he simply falls over sideways, then rolls/scoots to wherever he needs to go! Not the most graceful motion, but it works--also, very funny! Most often, Levi will scoot himself over to whatever object has caught his eye, then roll over onto his back to explore (IE chew!) on it.

As always, Levi's favorite form of entertainment comes in the form of his big brother, Nate. The two of them are so funny together, and the way that they both so obviously adore one another makes my heart melt! I'm fairly certain that they'll be inseperable before too long (just as soon as Levi can get himself moving a little faster to keep up with Nate!). Their favorite brotherly activity right now is bathtime!

Other toys that Levi enjoys are the pop-up toy, Matchbox cars (who knew the obsession would start so early?!), Sophie the Giraffe, and pretty much anything else that he can get his hands on--especially non-toy items! Since Nate crawled at such a later age (and is much older now), Levi has shown us several spots in the house that we need to baby-proof a little better! (Mostly cords that aren't entirely hidden.) Levi also loves to look at books with us. Most days, he sits quietly on my lap and listens while I read both boys a few stories.

At night, Levi usually sleeps for about 12 hours (8:30 to 8:30ish). He takes three naps daily (morning, afternoon, evening), although he's skipped his morning nap for three days now, so we might be down to two from now on. He still sleeps in his pack 'n play on his belly, often snuggled up with his stuffed monkey. He loves his monkey, and giggles and hugs it every time he sees it. When he's sleepy, he holds it and rubs the foot or tail against his cheek (often while nursing). He wakes up anywhere from once to three times/night to nurse. When he's teething, it's more often--I think more for comfort than calories.

Levi has five teeth, and we're waiting on #6 to erupt through the gum. For some reason, this particular tooth has taken forever to come in--it seems to bother him for several days, then nothing, then more pain for a few days, then nothing, repeat, repeat, repeat. Poor little guy sounds so pitiful when his mouth is hurting and he cries quietly in his sleep. I hoping that it comes through soon; all this teasing isn't much fun for Mommy or Baby! And, it's soo close! But, until then, we're well stocked on teething tablets!

I am still nursing Levi, usually about 5 or 6 times in a 24 hour period. He eats two meals of solid food daily, as well as a snack or two in between! Levi is getting a bit fussy about what he eats--namely that he wants to feed himself, so my feeding him purees with a spoon are a no go! Unfortunately, I still have a relatively large supply of pureed baby foods in the freezer, so he'll be stuck eating them until they're gone. Within the past few days, he's really mastered his pincer grasp, so he's been able to feed himself some smaller [bite-sized] food items. Some of his favorite foods are sweet potatoes with cinnamon, bananas, dry cereal, teething biscuits, kale chips, and applesauce. His very favorite food in the world would have to be the Ella's Kitchen Yummy Apple Ginger Cookies. He loves them!


Keep on growing, my sweet Little Guy! We are so proud of you, and you are the perfect addition to our family. We love you so very much, Yiyi Baby!

2 1/2 years old!

Nathaniel is two and a half years old today! It's as though he turned from a toddler into a BIG BOY within just the past few weeks. Now that's he's not wearing diapers any longer, he doesn't seem to have any "baby habits" left. He's a happy, silly, and confident little boy.

Nate loves, above all other things, to play with his cars. He's got quite a collection (I think it quadrupled for Christmas!), and he knows each and every single car. He lines them up into parades, builds mega-block garages, and takes two cars to bed each night. Some of his favorites are the fire engines and ambulances, and he's always impressed when we see real emergency vehicles on the road.

Some of his other favorite activities include playing with play dough, riding the tricycle, coloring, cooking in his play kitchen (or, even better, helping Mommy in the real kitchen!), and looking at books. Oh, how this kid loves books! Sometimes he will sit and look at the pictures all by himself for a half an hour or more And, he's always in the mood to have someone read a story (or 12!) to him. I've even seen him "reading" books to Levi, the dog, and his stuffed animals!

6 months.

Levi is six months old already! (Holy smokes, when did that happen?!) He has a such fun little personality, and I love getting to know him a little more every day. He laughs at everything, "talks" back to us, and reaches for everything! He is so silly already, and loves to make us laugh!

And, of course, anything he can get his hands on goes straight into his mouth!
He is still content to play in his baby gym for short periods, but prefers to be on his tummy. When he's on his tummy, he scoots himself backwards--eventually too far away to reach any of his toys, and he does not like that! He loves to roll from his belly to his back, but gets frustrated when he tries to roll back over (he's done it a handful of times, but usually can't remember how!). Levi is learning to sit up on his own, and he's doing well. He can keep his balance for a minute or two, but usually topples over when he lunges his body toward a toy that is always just out of reach!

Levi's favorite toy is is grasping caterpillar toy that we gave him for Christmas. He also loves rattles, balls, Sophie the giraffe, and his stuffed tiger. As always, his very favorite form of entertainment comes in the form of his big brother. No matter who is in the room, Levi always keeps an eye on Nate! And, no matter what his mood, a tickle or silly voice from Nate always results in big smiles!

Levi is a great sleeper now. He goes to bed around 8pm, and usually doesnt get up for the day until 8 or 9am. He does wake up at least once/night to eat, sometimes more often when he's teething. He takes three naps daily--a short morning nap, a long afternoon nap, and a short evening nap.

My little guy has three teeth already! He has two on the bottom, and one on the top left side. Despite more frequent night wakings, he's been a champ through teething so far. He's not been fussy or crabby; he just chews on his fingers a little more!

We let Levi start pureed foods about a week and a half ago because he seemed to be ready. And, he certainly was ready! So far, he's eaten both avocado and butternut squash. Both were a hit, but the avocado seemed to be his favorite. Until I added a sprinkle of cinnamon to his squash today--he LOVED it, and gobbled down every little drop!

5 months.

Levi is five months old today! He's the happiest little fellow imaginable--and the most ticklish! He loves to laugh, and is constantly smiling. His temperment is easy-going, and it's not hard to make him happy. He is content to watch the world around him, and a smile in his direction always yields a big gummy grin back!

As always, Levi's favorite entertainment comes in the form of his big brother. Nate is fascinated by Levi's new ability to "play" with toys, and loves to hand him things to hold. (In true Nate-fashion, it's usually a car....or 50!)

Levi loves to shake rattles, and has recently learned how to transfer them from one hand to the other. He enjoys tummy time, and can often be found on the living room floor sifting through a pile of rattles for whatever catches his eye at the time. He very much likes the little stuffed fish that came with his fishbowl for Christmas, as each fish makes a different rattle/crunchy noise.

Another favorite activity for Levi is looking at books. Right now, he especially enjoys the black and white pattern books for infants, but he's beginning to take an interest in the illustrations of other children's books too. Every afternoon, Levi sits on my lap and listens quietly while I read the boys their naptime story.

Levi's sleep routine is fairly regular now, as long as we're at home. He takes a short morning nap, a long afternoon nap, a brief evening nap, and goes to bed around 8pm. He usually sleeps about 13 hours at night, waking once or twice to nurse. Recently, we've had a few more nighttime wake-ups while he's been teething. Levi still sleeps on his belly, arms down at his sides. When I lay him down in his bed (awake!), he just wiggles around like a worm to get comfortable, then goes to sleep.

Speaking of teeth, Levi has two! He popped his first through the gum about a week and a half ago. The second followed two days later, although it's still not completely erupted yet! During the day, he chews his fingers a lot, but isn't fussy at all. At night, he sleeps well--as long as I remember to give him his teething tablets before bed!

I am still exclusively breastfeeding Levi. I've accepted defeat in the "bottle battle", and have accepted that we just won't be apart for more than a few hours at a time until he starts eating and drinking from a sippy cup. We have not "officially" started solids yet, although Levi has tried a few bites of banana and apple already. Even though he's not eating with us, our little guy loves to sit at the table with us during meals--as long as he's got a few toys to keep him entertained!

4 Months.

My sweet little Levi is four months old today! I remember a friend telling me that "four months is when their personalities start to show" and "they get fun" when Nate was a baby. She was right, and Levi's personality is certainly starting to bloom. He's a jolly little fellow who loves to laugh! He's always got big smiles to share, and he's the most ticklish baby I've ever seen. He's rarely fussy, and is happy just to be with us. Silly faces and silly voices make him laugh so much--he's so much fun! He also likes to coo and "talk" back to us when we talk to him.

Levi's most recent "milestone accomplishment" is the ability to purposefully grab objects and bring them to his mouth. He loves to shake (and chew on) his rattles, and he is constantly sucking on his fingers now. (No signs of teeth yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if this is the first part of teething because there's lots of drool involved too!) Levi likes to play in his baby gym, but he won't tolerate laying on his back for long periods any more. Little guy wants to look around! He loves to sit in his Bumbo seat.

By far, Levi's favorite form of entertainment is his big brother, Nathaniel. Nate loves to tickle his baby brother, and Levi always rewards him with smiles and belly laughs. No matter what Nate is up to, Levi likes to watch him. No doubt this little fellow will be keeping up with Nate before too long!

Levi sleeps very well now. He goes to bed around 8pm, and wakes up in the morning usually between 8 and 9am. He wakes up during the night to eat a few times (and only once a handful of times!), but easily goes back to sleep afterwards. He sleeps in our bedroom in his pack 'n play on his belly. During the day, he takes several naps when we are at home. To Levi, napping anywhere except his own pack 'n play is completely unacceptable. On the rare occasion that he naps somewhere else, it must be on me (usually in the Ergo carrier).

I am still exclusively nursing Levi. He eats about every 3 hours during the day, and usually once or twice during the night (sometimes more, sometimes less). He's a good eater, and we don't plan to start solids for a few more months. Will update later this week with length/weight stats.