3rd Month Review

5.3.16

5.15.16

5.18.16

5.19.16

5.22.16

5.24.16

5.26.16

5.28.16

5.30.16

Grasping (accidentally pulls binkie from mouth and won't let go and pushes it back in; pulls hair, blankets and burp cloths)

Rolling Over (back first and then front to back)

Blowing Raspberries (while laughing and spitting up)

Rotating and Pulling (uses feet to propel himself forward; moves to find his binkie; pulls your hands to stand; pulls on bed sheets, blankets, grass and rugs to move))

Sleeping (more 5 hour stretches but still not predictable;; prefers 20-minute naps)

Laughing (he's ticklish; at himself when finding his face in mirror)

Playing (he loves the bouncy seat and rocker and becomes quite focused on trying to reach the toys; he even rotates himself a little in the exersaucer)

Crying (melts down when playing to the limits; whimpers when getting hungry)

Pooping and Peeing  (still always)

*Note: In the last couple weeks, Hendirx has become aware of the ceiling fans. He flinches and watches them from side views. His eyes get huge and if he's tired, he cries when facing a ceiling fan, just like his sister did.

Sibling Love

Selfies with Zane

Cuddling with Vanessa

Scheduled Wrestlin'

Got to get a dose of wrestlin' in!

6 O'Clock Friday

Daddy and Zane lookin' for more frogs...

Troop 291 lookin' for a campfire . . .

Hendrix and Mommy swingin' . . .

Chicks

Zane . . . my boy, who insisted he's planning to marry me . . . until last night when he said he wanted to marry Princess Leia . . . and this morning when he said he wanted to marry a particular Power Ranger. Oh well . . . I had him for a time . . . :-)

It's neat to see all the girls smitten with him. When arriving at our ZooKids destination one last time, one of the little girls ran around the corner yelling, "There he is!" She proceeded to run to him and hug him, pinning him against the wall. He smiled and said nothing, just rolling his eyes at me.

At dinner a week or so ago, and after cutting his hair, his daddy was explaining to him that we're going to have beat the chicks off of him. Our conversations continued on to different things when next thing we knew Zane went back to talking about the chicks. He said something about being in the backyard and how hard it would be to beat all the chickens off of him. We laughed hysterically as visuals of chickens attacking Zane flooded our minds, since that's not even close to what Daddy was talking about and highly unlikely . . . but poor kid . . .

Now on to drawing art for the comic strip Adam unknowingly created . . .

A link to the history of the old Holzer Hospital: http://www.appalachianhistory.net/2016/05/charles-holzer-builds-first-general.html

Watch Me Whip

I admit that placement of these guys for a quick picture is not great. But what can you do when you're in a hurry to whip out something?! :-)

Hilliard Davidson Student Council hosted a father daughter dance a couple of weeks ago. We know we're nearing the end of these events. I told Adam this might even be the last one in her elementary years. 

Vanessa won the cake walk. When we explained to her what a cake walk is before their going, she was nervous it would be like losing at musical chairs on the pirate ship when she was 4. Oh goodness . . . how she remembers that time is beyond me but it obviously had a lasting impact on her. But she won two cupcakes and kept trying to win more to bring home cupcakes to me and Zane. 

All the Davidson elementary feeder schools were invited, so Vanessa wasn't just running in circles with her friends from Avery. I'm kind of glad for that, in case it was the last time to whip it up. 

Napping House (What's left of it . . .)

Zane doesn't nap very often anymore, but every now and again, especially on Mondays, he can use a little cuddle and rest time. I look forward to it. I was between these two just before the picture. Zane fell asleep. I couldn't leave them there long because we needed to pick up the girls, but I thought I could squeeze away to do a couple things before we left. But of course as soon as I got down off the bed, Zane woke up. So happy I captured this moment before . . .

Lunging Into Intentional Play

I've noticed that Hendrix truly recognizes Zane now. He must have an appreciation of our personal time together and lunges at Zane while cooing and smiling at him. He doesn't just lunge forward -- he deliberately lunges to his right, in the direction of Zane, over and over. We laugh and giggle. It's a little game we've got going on these days.

Hendrix also seems to like Mommy's and Zane's Power Ranger performances, at least for a few moments.

Give me the keys!

(Middle of April)

(End of March)

At first, picking up Vanessa and her friends from school was a fine balance of feedings and sleeping, making us a little anxious. Now we have it pretty well figured out. Often now Hendrix smiles with anticipation. Rainy days are no fun if Hendrix is wide awake, though, but we've made do!

Sometimes I nurse in the back of the van while waiting in the school parking lot. Sometimes I strap him up and carry him along. Other times we stroll in the stroller. Zane often uses the time to watch a DVD from the library. Sometimes all three of us step out of the van to get the girls. Other times Zane waits with Hendrix in the van. 

Good thing we have several keys to try!

Cuckoo for Daddy

This stage of life is certainly a hectic one when Daddy gets home from work. All three kids and mommy are making noise in some way, if we're not running out the door for something else. There's a lot of talking, cooing, fussing, and slamming body parts into things. At times it's enough to drive anyone insane. It's cause we're so cuckoo for Daddy!

These 3

(Beginning of April)

Two of these is always in the third's face. :-) How can he not want to be doing what they are doing?! They fight over who gets to hold him. Vanessa is striving to impress with her strength, care and thoughtfulness. Zane likes to kiss him and squeeze him. Zane even laughs it off when Hendrix ends up screaming in his ear. Vanessa is quick to hand him back off as soon as the tide changes. :-) Although a tad too energetic at times, these three have great chemistry. 

Springing Up

Hendrix had his 2 month appointment this last week. He weighed in at 13 pounds and 1 ounce -- gaining just over 2 pounds since his 1 month appointment. He got shots too. His legs and arms were hard to restrain as the nurse jabbed his thighs. The doc was impressed by his strength and signs that he might give 6 hour stretches of sleep consistently sooner than later, only I need to be willing to get in bed by about 9 to ensure I'm taking full advantage. I might need to roll with it! 

He happened to roll from his back to his belly on his 2-month birthday, in the wee hours of the morning. Haven't seen it again nor have I seen him try again, but I do see him pulling up like he's trying to sit up. He still loves to stand a ton. His temper is hot but he can be as sweet as can be. His temperament and internal clock are very similar to Vanessa's. Although I feel we're beginning to move away from the witching hour every single night, he still gets so exhausted he enters meltdown mode. I think this somehow relates to him being a happy spitter -- his moving and thrusting all the time, forcing the stuff back out. Sometimes he just works himself up so much, he pukes. 

He still loves staring at the windows and fireplace in the great room. He loves the outdoors and sunshine. Cloudy and rainy days seem to make him a little grumpy. He gets carried around in the carrier a ton, much like Zane. 

I'm still figuring out things I need to avoid eating to keep his tummy and bowels okay. I screw up every now and again. Heavy garlic is still a trigger. Milk is too and I have determined for sure that eggs are too. I can eat peanut butter every day and he seems to be fine. Guess he'll be my peanut butter baby.

In summary, he's thriving and jiving. He's a joy and blessing, even when he pukes all over us. Thank God for hardwood floors. :-)

Vanessa has entered the room . . .

We finally snapped a picture of a poster Vanessa made months ago. It's been hanging outside of the cafeteria since the fall. Although her bedroom and play areas don't always lead you to believe so, she gets good stewardship of her school. I've been trying to relocate a picture of her desk from last September. I had a hard time believing it was her desk because it was so organized. I suppose her home is the place to let loose and ransack.

I think many of us would agree that when she enters a room, her strong presence is felt and known. We recently met another little girl in Zane's ZooKids class that reminds me so much of Vanessa at that age. Millie says everything that comes into her brain. She greets you before you've had a chance to enter the room. I tell her grandma I so get it. 

When a student at Avery does good deeds and honors values such as kindness, respect and responsibility, they get a gator claw. That gator claw is then placed in a drawing and remains there all year unless it gets pulled. On Fridays,  and when your name is pulled in the drawing, you find out by being called down to the office via the intercom. Vanessa's 3rd grade teacher also allows the kids to enter extra gator claws for out of this world behavior. Vanessa has been granted several over the course of the year via both ways. And her name was finally drawn at the end of March. Look at that smile . . .