SOS: Post from James

From James:
Please, please, someone rescue me from my mommy. SOS. I need help. She is forcing me to do tummy time, and even though it is less than 5 minutes, I hate it. I hate it so much (if you couldn't tell). She cares if my head is flat on one side. I do not care. I do not want to be on my tummy. Please make her stop!

This picture is meant to trick you into thinking I am okay with being on my tummy. I am not. I was simply distracted by mommy with the camera for a few seconds taking my picture. See all my toys around? You would think I want to play with them since they are my favorite toys, but I don't care. I have to get on my back - then I'm ready to play!

Here I am this morning. I am very cute. Mommy was excited to put me in a long sleeve outfit since it was in the 50's this morning. She loves it when there's a cute animal on my bottom. She just about eats me up with kisses, and I don't mind (as long as I'm not on my tummy).

The bottom of my outfit - Mommy's favorite part...

Daddy and me ready for the game last Saturday.

Hope your day is tummy-time free today - if it is, it's better than mine!

3 Months

Dear Jamesy,
Welcome to Month #3! Can you believe what a big boy you are getting to be? You are nearly double the weight you were when you were born! Since we didn't go to the doctor this month, which I do not like since I like for her to check to make sure we aren't messing you up too much, I didn't take your picture in your crib like I have the past two months. So, I just added this in on power point to your picture...

The words are a little small, but I think you can read them. As I said above, since we didn't go to the doctor this month, I'm not sure what your stats are. Weighing you with me on the scale shows that you weigh about 12.4 lbs. I'm not sure about your height - I tried to stretch you out and measure, but forget it, man, it was too hard. Let's just say, I think you are looking taller and thinner so you must be growing, lengthwise. What's going on with you this month? LOTS.

- We have had major nap situations with you. I may have talked about this last month, but we have tried to let you cry it out in your crib, etc. for daytime naps, and it just was going TERRIBLE. So, Mandy gave me the idea to try putting you in the swing for your nap, but swaddled. Now, you know we cannot swaddle you in the crib because of the rolling over (which you never really do anymore, but you did do at one time, so you never know). But, in the swing, you cannot roll over, so I tried it. It has worked like a charm, and we have really gotten on a good schedule this month because of that. Now, what's going to happen when you can't go in the swing anymore? Who really knows...hopefully you'll be older, and I'll be wiser, and we'll get you in that crib for the daytime naps - just like you do at night! You are eating once every 4 hours, approximately, and you are eating about 5 oz each time - I say "about" because 5 is the maximum - you eat anywhere from 3-5. It makes me CRAZY because I'm afraid you are not getting enough to eat, BUT because of that rice cereal being in every bottle, I think it just fills you up faster. So, you are eating, usually, at 7am, 11am, 2pm, 6pm, and 9:30pm. Your big naps are from 8:30-11am and then from 3-6pm - and you take little naps from 1-2pm and from maybe 8-9pm. The big naps are the ones in the swing when you are swaddled. It's funny because I'm SO READY for you to take naps when you take them, but for the long ones, I'm so excited when it's time for you to get up!! I love to watch you stretch and wake up!

- Your nighttime sleep is going pretty well. I really can't complain. You are sleeping still an average of 5 hours per night. 3 times this past month you have slept over that - you slept 7 hours 15 min, then 6 hours 45 min, then 6 hours 30 min - all on different random nights, but I am praying this will start happening more often. I am so thankful for how you are sleeping at night. You just wake up about 3am, after you have slept 5 hours, and eat, and then go back to sleep until 7. You have gotten very funny in your crib though. You wear a sleep sack in the crib. It has a zipper. You are turning all around in the crib no matter where I put you down. Sometimes you turn 90 degrees where your body is stretched out in the width part of the crib - not the part you are supposed to be stretched out in. So, imagine me, your mommy, thankful to be getting some sleep, and then I hear something on the monitor. Is it Jamesy? Sort of. It's the zipper on the sleep sack - because you are kicking the daylights out of the crib and you're all turned around. You're not mad or upset - you are just awake and kicking, kicking, kicking and that zipper is just going wham, wham, wham. It cracks me up - and annoys me, slightly :) I go in your room to find you, and you smile at me when you decide to look over at me.

- I think this month we may try some formula. For many different reasons, but mainly because I think it's going to help your acid reflux a ton. I've talked to the pediatrician, and we'll go to a sensitive formula. You are still drinking my milk, but since you have to drink it from a bottle so that it can have cereal every single time, you don't ever breastfeed anymore. Probably sometime this next month we'll start putting half and half in your bottle and see how you do. I have tons of my milk in the freezer - but what looks like a ton will probably last about a month if you were solely drinking that. I think we can probably make it well into 5 months with you still drinking my milk and a little formula. I'm sorry you still struggle with the reflux some, and I'm excited that this may help you. I know some people love breastfeeding (like you want to know this, James), but it has not been my favorite thing. I'm happy I have done it, because I know it has been good for you, and I have not had any major problems with it.

- You've had visitors this month! Grammie and GatorPa, Grandaddy and Nanna, and Uncle Bryan and Aunt Olivia!

- We're still giving you the Prilosec, but you are so funny about it. When we give it to you you immediately start spitting it out. We've started giving it to you during baths because it's so messy. We try to shoot it behind your tongue, but that's tough to do with you moving around!

Then your mouth is all purple and stained around it - it's very funny.

- You have started holding your toys! Not a lot of things - most of them are too heavy - but you can grasp objects! Especially your keys, and one other rattle you really like. If I hold the one you like, you'll reach out your fist and spin it. It's the one in the picture below. You are also loving Winnie a lot more - he's probably your other favorite. - If we stick our tongues out at you, you will stick your back out at us. This is because you are very smart.
- I'm singing you lots of songs still. My newest favorite is to sing the words "You are my baby" over and over to the tune of "Oklahoma". This is excruciating for anyone who hears it but you, and you love it and just smile and laugh. We've also been singing "Do your ears hang low?" and our regular favorites of "Our God is a Great Big God" and "Jesus Loves Me".
- I put you in the nursery this past Sunday for the first time - September 19. It was really hard. I'm so thankful for all the changes that have happened in our nursery because I feel so much safer about putting you in there. I know who is in there - and I know that no one else is in there but those people who are assigned to be there that day - and I know that no one can pick you up but me! I still cried when I dropped you off. I'm supposed to put a sticker on your back that has a number and some info and then take the other half of the sticker to pick you up with it...but I left both the stickers sitting on the chair outside the room - I was so freaked out about leaving you and had started crying that I got all frazzled. Don't worry, they let me get you - but I remembered the stickers Sunday night! I cried through the first part of the service. I'm so worried about you getting sick in there since you can't get a flu shot yet. I know there are going to be lots of things to worry about though in your life, and I can't protect you from everything. I'm just praying parents will be smart about bringing their sick babies to the nursery and NOT DO IT!! Anyway, you did great with the ladies in there, and I'm really thankful. They sure do love you :)
- Okay, here's something funny. You have started wanting to put stuff in your mouth. I don't think you are drooling much yet at all, but instead of wanting to really gnaw on things, well, except my hand which you do like to gnaw on, you just want to lick like a cat. It's really bizarre and funny to watch. Like, your Winnie, you just want to lick him - but he is a stuffed animal, so that is yuck - but you just do it. I think you are just exploring things. You just want to check it out.
- You are laughing and talking like crazy. I mean a lot! It feels like we are having a conversation a lot of times. You make such funny sounds - it's obvious you are learning what kinds of sounds your voice will make. My favorite times are in the middle of the night - that's when you are the funniest with your sounds. I always secretly hope you will wake up Daddy so he can be awake with us - :)

- You are looking at your feet a little bit now, and when you do, it's like you are thinking, "WHAT IN THE WORLD ARE THESE??"
- I hate to tell you this, but your head is flat in the back on one side. I don't know why I didn't notice this, but Daddy noticed it a couple of days ago. I called the dr. and talked to them about it, and they just said to put you opposite everywhere. So, you lie opposite in the crib, you lie opposite on the changing table, I keep putting a towel rolled up under your head in the swing and the bouncy seat, and I'm trying to sit you up more and give you more tummy time. They said it was very common and should go away - but it does look pretty bad. You like to look to the right, so that's the way you always turn your head. I've been putting you on your tummy more, but you hate it - I mean, you HATE it. You scream the whole time and act like you can't get your face out of the floor where I'm freaking out like you can't breathe. Yikes, man. They say it's important though because that's the only way you'll learn to crawl. I hope it starts going better because at this rate, I hope you'll be crawling by the time you're 1. I mean, you hate it down there. BUT, you are doing great at sitting up. So, I've tried that more. You like to hold our hands and sit up in our laps, and sometimes in your bouncy seat, I can see you trying to do your head up like you want to sit up. We have a bumbo seat (not a bumbo, but something like it), and lots of people said they put their babies in it way earlier than now. So...I tried to put you in it -

You are okay in it, but you don't seem to like it much. I sit right with you and help your head. It has toys that go around it on a tray, so we need to try those out. You are a fan for a few minutes, but then you start crying and act like it's the most uncomfortable thing you've ever sat in. So, I get you out. We try to do 3 - 5 minute tummy times per day, and I try to put you in this big boy seat a couple of times for about 5 minutes too, every day. You are very good at sitting up though - just not the tummy time....hopefully that will come along...

All in all, it's been a great month. I am tired. I am still tired - when will I not be tired anymore? I do not know! I love you so much...still...even more than last month, I think! I am excited about holidays that are coming! I just got your Halloween bag yesterday in the mail with your name on it - I can't wait til Halloween for your costume, etc. Then, Thanksgiving and Christmas - lots of fun things coming.

One more thing and I'll go. You know Daddy has a busy life. He is a pastor and he is gone a lot - sometimes I feel like a single mom to you if he's not here for several nights in a row. A couple Wednesday nights ago we got home from church and you were awake. I took you in our room while we changed clothes and propped you up on the bed. Daddy had on old shorts and a t shirt, and I had on my pajamas, and you were just lying there on our bed. Daddy got right in your face and was sticking his tongue out at you over and over, and you started to do it back. I was sitting on the bed beside both of you watching. I think, in that moment, I just realized how blessed I was. I love the house we live in, I love our church, I love where we are, I love all that stuff, but our family is the most important. Right that second, in our pajamas, at our house, just watching Daddy stick his tongue out at you, I knew what really mattered. I mean, I always knew what really mattered and what didn't, but since you came, it just became a lot more real to me. I love your daddy so much, and I love you so much, and even though we're still in a survival mode, we're all learning and getting it together more and more! Maybe by next month we'll be pros!

Alright, my Sweet Precious! Keep growing! I love you!

Your Mommy

You WILL Love to Read, James

James does not seem to love to read. This is not acceptable to me. I've realized that he likes books that have colorful big pictures, and he also likes it when the words rhyme, I think. This dino book has both big pictures and rhyming words.

James and Mommy Chatting

I know I haven't posted ANYTHING in the past little while. It seems like all I can even think of to talk about is JAMES. I guess that's my world right now, and I have some kind of "mommy brain", but it just feels like there's nothing else for me to share! It's probably mommy brain plus lack of sleep... James is starting to talk more and more, so I wanted to video him - this will be a video for the grandparents and me - not too exciting if you don't absolutely love James like we do :)

Ready for the Gator Game!

Thanks, Aunt Olivia, for the Gator Onesies - even though they are 6-9 months they are not too big for me (and at least they are not skin tight like those other ones!)! Thank you so much!!! I love you! - James (written for James by his Mommy)

All Poop - NO Pictures

Well, my friends, the first Gator game was today. Exciting? Yes. Very. Olivia and Bryan are spending the weekend with us so we've had a great time with them. We got up this morning and had breakfast casserole Olivia cooked for us - yum. We had hot dogs and stuff for lunch. Fun. That is not why I'm writing though. Oh, I had hoped for a Gator family picture. Oh, I had hoped for a picture of James in his Gator outfit on the first gameday. But, alas. No. I do not have any pictures to share. Yesterday, as true Gators know, was the day before game day and you should wear your colors. So, for a while yesterday, James wore a Gator onesie he has that is SUPER CUTE. Well, he wore it until he pooped on it. (I am sorry to talk about poop - normally, I do not, but this is my life right now, and I must keep it real). So, that was done. Then, this morning, I put another Gator onesie on him. A really cute - I mean, super cute for the actual game day! Well, he pooped on that one. So, I had another Gator outfit to put on him, and he has now spit up all over that one. So, for some reason, today, a picture of James in a Gator outfit is just not meant to be. Does that mean the Gators played like poop? Sort of they did. But, we still love them, and they still won :) There's always next week...that will give me time to do laundry and start all over with the outfits....since we started the rice cereal...we have much more serious business going on. GO GATORS...but not go poop.

Crazy 8

Someone told me about the cutest store in the mall called Crazy 8. It's owned by the same people who own Gymboree - you know like how Gap owns Old Navy. It's the same kind of deal - the clothes are cheaper and cheaper quality than Gymboree, but super cute. I got James 2 onesie romper kind of deals there a while back. He has worn one of them several times because it's 0-3 months, but I just put this one on him yesterday - it's 3-6 months. I love it! It has like peas in a pod and says "Bundle of Joy". I tried to take his picture smiling...and he was sort of cooperative...at least he wasn't crying. Here's what I got out of him.

Just Like Old Times...

I'm posting about something dumb! ha. Now I just post about James, but I actually have something fun and thoughtless to post about...so don't know. I may be a mom now, but I haven't changed THAT much :)

We frequent Costco a lot. I mean, a lot. So much that Landon wanted us to become Executive members. And, the people finally harassed the mess out of us enough that we did. I ok'd it because I was tired of fighting against them...and Landon...because he wanted to be an executive member. Anyway, we love to go to Costco on dates. We love to buy things there - mainly because we know we're getting a deal...always. We also love to eat there. Hot dog and a coke for $1.60 my friend - you know you cannot beat that. I also love to eat pizza there, and they have great frozen yogurt, and a really great ice cream bar with chocolate around it (I can't remember what that's called). The only problem with Costco is....(except that the bathrooms are disgusting)...there's no mayonnaise. "For what???" you may ask. Well, both Landon and I eat mayonnaise on our hot dogs. Isn't that weird? I know it's weird to eat mayonnaise on your hot dog. I don't know why I do, I just do. And so does Landon. We were meant to be. Well, mayo on the hot dog is not a deal breaker for me - I'm saying if I go to Costco and I want a hot dog, I'll go ahead and get one - I don't care if they don't have mayo. Landon, however, will not do it. So...we have done several things about this. We have stopped at Chick-fil-A on the way to Costco so he could run in and get a mayonnaise packet. We have brought our own mayonnaise from home (many times) in a ziploc bag which he stuffs into part of the air condition vent in the car on the way so it stays cold. This last time we went, a few nights ago, he saw a big tub of mayo behind the counter when he was ordering. He asked the girl about it. Well, apparently, that is for the turkey wraps - they cannot give it out to customers or they get into trouble. So, Landon has had enough of no mayo at Costco. He cannot stand that we absolutely LOVE everything about that place...except no mayo. Unacceptable. So...here's what I captured.

Landon, telling them what he thinks about no mayonnaise. This was not an ugly telling them what he thinks, just simply a great customer, nay, nay, an excecutive member, telling them what his specific food needs and wants are. We'll see what happens. Do you see mayonnaise in his future? Here's what James was doing while Landon was over there.

I tried to get him to look up at me, but he wouldn't. He was like in and out of sleep. I had him in the carrier in the big part of the cart, and had tried to pull the shade down and turn him toward me. BUT, of course, someone I didn't even know busted up there and stuck her head way down close to him and started talking about how "new" he was. Well, my new friend, if he is so new...perhaps strangers should not be so close to his FACE. I know she meant well, and just wanted to tell us what a precious baby we have. I know we do :) And, on some level, I can appreciate that, but on another level...uh, please back up. Can't you see I'm trying to hide him as much as I can from the public??

One more thing. I can't remember if I posted about this a long time ago (although I think I did), but I was reminded of being at Costco with Eric and Kelli one time. We were there, and E was getting his drink. When he came to the table he said the ice was out at the machine, but that there was a lady getting her ice from the ice people had dumped into the bottom part underneath where you get the drinks...I'm saying the TRASH ICE. Can you believe that??? I think about that almost every time I am getting a drink! Yikes that is gross!

I'm hoping we're going to buy a fake tree from Costco at Christmas. That's what I want to use our reward money for. I have really wanted a fake tree for several years now, but they are always so expensive because I want a nice one. Anyway, I really, really want the Costco one - it is BEAUTIFUL. This is it. This year we're getting it...hopefully.