Homemade Baby

As I have shared before, we gave away or sold most of our baby gear a little while back.  But between our family and friends, between sweet gifts and thoughtful lending we have most of what we have needed for Liam without having to buy too much.  And a few others things we have made.  And these might be some of my favorite things of all.

I made this fun black and white (high contrast) mobile out of fabric, embroidery hoops, and ribbon.  It's hanging in our kitchen where Liam spends plenty of time while the rest of us eat and cook and do dishes!

 

He loves it! Now if I could only find a little motor to make it spin that would be perfect. He likes staring at it when it's still, but when we twist the ribbon and it spins he just loves it! And then Joe made Liam this fantastic wooden "baby gym." It's so simple and so great. We just use plastic links and can hang so many of his toys from it. Most of the time he's quite content to just look up and watch his toys, but he has a little puppy dog chime that we've started to hang lower and he's starting to grab it.   

I just love it when simple and homemade do turn out to be the best!

3 Months...A New Start

My babe turned 3 months old today.  3 months!  Crazy!!!  And he's still just as cute as ever...

Well, a while back I promised myself 3 months to rest and recover (and basically eat lots of all of the things I couldn't eat at the end of my pregnancy)!  So, it hasn't exactly felt like rest, but it has been 3 months so it's time for a fresh start for this mama.  For now I'm still going to eat all of those things I love (maybe just not lots), and I am going to start moving more.  And so that's just what I did today.  It was a cold, foggy Maine fall morning, but I did it.  I bundled up my boys and went for a run (pushing Liam in the jogging stroller and running next to Eli on his bike).  I think I spent more time getting us all ready than I actually spent running, but I did it!  And then I did some ab exercises when I got home.  I have to say that it felt really good!

Bath

When we put Liam in the bath he sort of gets this surprised face like he wasn't at all expecting to be plopped down into a tub of warm water!  And then he's generally pretty content for quite some time.  He's not usually super smiley during bath time- just sort of content and relaxed and a bit serious (like he's still trying to figure out exactly what's happening to him).  I am so thankful that he likes bath time because I have to tell you that he is one smelly little boy,  Seriously.  This child is flat out adorable, but he's stinky.  He's crazy gassy, but more than that we can not keep the rolls under his neck clean.  Well, really he has no neck and that's the problem...it's just an adorable round head, followed by rolls and rolls of skin, and then his chest and shoulders.  I don't know if it's because he's a summer baby and thus we've also had to deal with heat and humidity, but it's been impossible to keep the sweet rolls under his head clean.  Joe has nick named him "neck cheese."  It's a sad, but accurate description.  Now that the humidity is dying down a bit it's starting slowly to get better.  Good thing he likes his bath....cause he needs another one!:)

See...no neck...just the cutest little head ever followed by his chest!:) He may be a bit stinky, but I just can't resist that sweet pudgy belly! And just look at those adorable leg and arm rolls...Oh,I could just eat him up (stinky or not)!

2 Months!

Well, I'm just getting these in under the wire since Liam is just about to turn 3 months, but here are our sweet boy's 2 month pictures...

 

 

Oh my goodness...he is so cute I just want to squeeze him all of the time!  And I know that I am terribly biased but he really is one of the most beautiful babies I have ever seen!  I think it's the perfectly round head.  And sparkly blue eyes.  And sweet button nose.  Oh and that adorable gummy grin (that gets me every time)!

Our sweet Liam is doing great and it's really fun to watch his personality start to come out.  He's generally pretty content as long as he's getting some attention.  If I were to guess I would say that he's going to be a little more of an extrovert like his sister.  He really is happiest when people are looking right at him and smiling or talking or playing with him.  He really likes it when I look right at him and sing...his whole face lights up!  He is the most smiley of all my babies.  He really loves people so as long as he isn't left for too long on his own he is good.  And for some reason the last two weeks he has decided that he doesn't want to let me eat my meals in peace...it's much more fun (for him at least) if I try to eat while holding him (and standing up).  Yes, if he's being held he much prefers for the one holding him to be standing up (must keep us on our toes I guess)!

He is also already talking...well, baby talk that is!  He loves to gurgle and babble and coo and he will respond to you if you talk to him...it's the sweetest thing ever!  He is eating well and much faster and he is doing pretty well with sleep.  During the day he takes a couple of naps between 30-60 minutes and usually (though not every day) he gets n one longer nap.  It's great, but it's just not consistent so I never know when or if that longer nap will come.

We are tired, but it's worth it every single time he looks at me and flashes that heart melting smile!  I am in love with this little guy!

I Am Blessed

A few weeks ago we went to the university gardens and finally got a picture of the 5 of us!  Of course I had to do a few portraits of the kids while we were there!:)  And then last week just the kids and I went back one evening while Joe was in class (without Joe to help that didn't go as smoothly but I did get two shots of my 3 babes together)!  As I was going through these photos I had this overwhelming feeling of being blessed.  Just look at what the Lord has given me! I really am an incredibly blessed mama and wife...I have a wonderful husband who loves the Lord and cares well for his family. I have three beautiful, healthy, sweet and feisty children as well as our daughter waiting for us in heaven.  I really have been given much.