Seven Spectacular Months with Miller

March 23, which is also my grandmother's birthday, we celebrated 7 months of having our sweet Miller in our lives. I swear it seems like yesterday we found out we were having a boy to call Miller. I think time goes quicker with the second child.

We spent his 7 month birthday in Naples, Florida with Mimi and Papa for spring break. (More on our beach trip in an upcoming post).

He is about 22 pounds now. He would be more, if he would eat baby food. However, he doesn't really care for it.

Here are some of this month's milestones:

• I am making more sounds--da da, ma ma.
• I drink 8 oz of formula several times a day.
• I love rice cereal.
• I am obsessed with my Mommy. Anytime she is around, I am all giddy, but if she gets out of my sight, I get really upset.
• I am sleeping through the night in my crib.
• I am wearing 12 month clothes, sometimes I can fit in 18 month clothes.
• I LOVE the water--bath water, ocean water, pool water.
• I still think my big brother is the BOMB!
• I like Peppa Pig and Mickey Mouse Clubhouse.
• I love to chew on whatever I can get my hands on.
• I am beginning to scoot across the floor on my stomach.
• I am on the verge of crawling.
• I still am battling eczema, but it is getting better.
• I like to bounce and jump.
• I think my puppies, Roxie and Luke, are funny.
• I enjoy going outside.
• I have two teeth, but I am cutting several more.
• I wear size 4 diapers.

This video shows just how much Miller loves Miles. Miles is beginning to like his baby brother a little more each day.

This is Miller's favorite spot...Mommy's left hip!

He is quite a character.

Look Out, World...Miles is Three!

As I sit and reflect on the past three years with our Miles, I can't help but examine this Bible verse from Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid, do not be discouraged for the Lord God will be with you wherever you go." It speaks to me in so many ways. I was terrified to bring Miles into the world 3 years ago. I didn't know how it would feel, or if I could be fit enough to be a mother. I knew I would love my son, but I had no idea what kind of love it would be. Now, his voice makes my heart melt. His little antics and quirks make me giggle with joy. Even though I have been a mom for the past 3 years, I still seek the Lord's guidance. Because I am still scared. Scared of what Miles will say or do. Scared of all of those little illnesses that are out there to make him sick. Scared of things other people will say or do to hurt my little bug. While I pray for strength, I pray for the Lord to give Miles the courage to push forward every day no matter what. This is because Miles is a lot like me in that he worries about every thing. He is a little scaredy cat, just as I was at his age. So I will give him this verse to say when he is scared, just as he was the other night....He was reading a book where he saw a burglar on the roof of a house. (It was a book about opposites. The page flips from one thing to the next. This particular page was night and day. On the night page, there was a burglar on the roof. When you flip it to day, the burglar goes away. Why they put a burglar in a children's book is beyond my comprehension, but they did so we must deal with it!) I thought of this verse and immediately ran downstairs to grab a cross I had on my jewelry box. I went back in his room and told him to take the cross. I told him that when he is scared to hold the cross and talk to Jesus because He is always with us. That night, Miles slept with the cross and has every night since then! I pray that he will keep it and seek HIM always!

Enough with the mushy gushy stuff....our sweet, little, firstborn baby is THREE!!!

Saturday, February 28th was Miles' 3rd birthday. He celebrated all day long. But the day before his birthday he went for his 3 year old checkup. (We wanted to kill two birds with one stone by taking both boys for checkups at the same time.)

Dr. Blake said Miles is also a healthy boy. He weighed in at 35 lbs and stood at 38" tall. He is in the 75th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. Matt is very excited about the height thing! 

Some of this year's MILEStones:

• I am doing decent at going to the potty. I wear big boy pants (undies) at school and sometimes at home.
• I am a picky eater. My favorites include: hot dogs, grilled cheese, macaroni and cheese, and pasta.
  
• I am wearing 4T clothes, even though I still fit in some of my 3T pants and shirts.
• I am obsessed with cars, hot water heaters, and watching people make sculptures out of playdough on youtube.
• I know most types of cars by looking at the hood ornament.
• I am learning about math and math problems.
• I am making conversations with people.
• I am pretending quite often.
• My vocabulary is increasing day by day.
• I have an excellent memory and I remember details.
• My favorite shows are Jake and the Neverland Pirates, Peppa Pig, Daniel Tiger's Neighborhood, Miles from Tomorrowland, 
• I still carry around screen printed shirts. I also sleep with them.
• My favorite song is Uptown Funk. I know a lot of the words to it, and love to dance to it.
• I have a little bit of an attitude, and often get in trouble for it.
• I have a temper like my Daddy.
• I am a big helper, especially when it comes to Miller. 
  
• My favorite color is blue.
• I love school and all of my friends at school.

Miles still loves reading books. Here, he is reading my favorite book from childhood, The House of Seven Colors.

Our sweet Miles is funny....

....dramatic at times....(wonder where he gets that from?)

....inquisitive...

....a little apprehensive about things....

...and a lover of all things that move....

Miles couldn't go through a day without playing with his cars. He is addicted to them!!

Time out is a regular thing for him now, too. Everyone always says it is the terrible twos. I disagree. I believe it is the terrible threes.

Miles is "eating" with Ernie.

Silly boy in the bathtub.

This is a video of Miles singing his made up song, "Hot Waters".

Miles knows his cars as well as what types of cars his favorite people drive.

Miller's Half Birthday

Our sweet, precious, baby is not a baby anymore. He is 6 months old as of Monday, February 23rd. It is hard to believe how quickly time passes with the second child, but it is faster than time with Miles. I try to cherish every moment with both of my boys because they are only this little once. As I look at Miller's chubby baby hands, I can't help but know that they will be big boy hands, soon!

Miller is growing. On February 27th, he went to Dr. Blake for his 6 month checkup. He said that Miller is very healthy. He weighed 21lbs and was 28" long. Dr. Blake was concerned about Miller's eczema, so, he told us to get some hydro cortisone cream. We are supposed to apply it to the bad spots once a day until it goes away. We have been doing that since Friday, and, Miller's skin looks miraculously better. He even feels like a baby again! Dr. Blake also put him on an antibiotic because Miller scratched his eczema so much that he broke the skin in some places. Miller is set to take his medicine twice a day for 10 days. He HATES it!

Miller is not only a growing boy, but he is also doing all kinds of new tricks.

Here are some of this month's milestones:

• I am wearing some 9 month and 12 month clothes.
• I am wearing size 4 diapers.
• I am eating rice cereal in the morning, and I love it!
• I like to eat sweet potatoes, but I don't really care for green beans and squash.
• I still eat formula several times a day, and I eat 10-12 oz at night before going to sleep.
• I love to watch my big brother Miles. He makes me laugh.
• I like to jump, especially in my bouncy seat.
• I am pretty much sitting up by myself.
• I can roll over from back to tummy and tummy to back. 
• I like tummy time a little more than I used to, except when my toys get out of reach.
• I enjoy playing with the plastic packages my wipes come in.
• Car rides make me sleepy.
• I am sleeping in my crib at night and some during my daytime naps.
• I still don't like to sleep much, but I am getting better.
• I have two teeth and I am cutting some more because I drool all over everything.
• I still am battling eczema on a daily basis.
• I love playing with my Cody bear. He sings to me.
• I like to chew on anything I can get my hands on.
• I have a smile that could get me out of so much trouble.
• I am recognizing familiar faces.
• I love Mickey Mouse.
• I am making all kinds of sounds, and sometimes it sounds like I say "Mama". (see video below)

A few weeks ago my grandparents, Meemaw and Papaw (Miles and Miller's great grandparents), kept the boys for a few hours while we went to a friend's wedding reception. When we returned from the party, we walked int to this sight: Miles playing and Miller fast asleep on a snoozing Papaw. So sweet to see my boys loving my grandparents as much as I do!

I hope they will always be this happy around each other. Family is forever!!

Miles turned 3 about the same time Miller turned 6 months. This picture is typical of the boys. Miles not wanting to pay attention to the camera and picking his nose, while sweet, innocent Miller just wants to love on Miles and smile for the camera.

Straight chillin'

The "standoff"...Baby vs. Bottle, which one will move first?

What Miller does most of the time...chewing on his fingers and drooling everywhere!

Enjoying some rice cereal for breakfast.

He can hold his own bottle, now, too!

Miller loves to talk and make noise.

Mama?

Bouncing Boy

Five Fabulous Months with Miller

As I sit here and reflect on the last five months of my life, I can't help but smile. Through all of the sleepless nights, worrisome moments, and overwhelming days, I can say I am a better person. Miller has not only brought so much joy to our lives, but he has also taught me some valuable lessons. One in particular is quality over quantity. I may not have all of the time in the world to be the best mom, teacher, wife, daughter, granddaughter, sister, and friend. However, the time I do get with the people I love and care about is not taken for granted. I cherish and relish in the small moments. Those days when a simple smile from Miller or a "I love you Mommy," from Miles make the days when I feel like I'm going to pull my hair out not as bad.

With that said, our little guy is now 5 months old. He is growing by the minute, it seems. Every time I see him, I notice something different.

 

Miller now weighs 20 lbs and is 25 inches tall. I was looking back at Miles' pictures and Miles weighed 18.5 lbs when he was 5 months old. We definitely have a ham on our hands!

This month's milestones:

• I am now eating rice cereal and baby food. So far, I
  like peas and sweet potatoes best. 
• I am still taking 6-8 ounces of formula several times a day.
• I have rolled over from back to tummy a few times, but I do it when Mommy and Daddy don't have their cameras out :) !
• I am still not sleeping through the night.
• I am wearing 9 month clothes.
• I am talkative, especially in the morning.
• I love watching my big brother Miles.
• I hate when my diaper is dirty.
• I love sitting in my activity seat and swinging in my swing.
• I like to sleep when I ride in cars for a long time.
• I smile when I see someone I know.
• I giggle when people tickle my belly and neck.
• I am very chilled out, and go with the flow of life.
• I still have eczema, but it is slowly getting better.
• I am obsessed with my feet.
• I am grabbing for toys and holding on to them.
• I have 1 tooth and close to having my second one.
• I have to be buckled into seats because I try to get out of them.
• I am constantly moving.

 

Miller's new thing is sticking his tongue out. I think it's because he is getting two teeth and it feels weird to him.

The many sleeping poses of Miller.

Miller's face when he sees Mickey Mouse on the tv.

I almost got him on camera as he tried to roll over.

Miller enjoys swinging in his swing, even though he is almost too big for it. He is so heavy now that the swing barely moves.

Big and little brother time

                                     

Miller vs. Miles at 5 months.