Brotherly Love

Charlie may pull a little bit too hard, hit him on occasion, and today, and he definitely shoved his fingers down Jackson's throat, but he really does love his little brother. He always wants to know where his baby brother is, asks to hold him, and loves kissing and hugging Jack. It's been tough sharing the spot light with Jack, but Charlie never needs to worry. He will ALWAYS be our baby.

Charlie's New Ride

Nick loves to bike, and we have been talking about getting a seat for the back of his bike so that Charlie can tag along. Yesterday, while at Dick's, Dadda decided to get a bike trailer instead so that both boys can ride with him some day. Nick and Charlie took it out for the maiden voyage Sunday afternoon. As you can see, Charlie was very excited about riding in his "car" with Dadda. They rode around the neighborhood, but we can't wait to take the bike trailer out on the nature trail behind our house soon. How cute will it be when Charlie and Jack can ride together?

Photo Shoot

Our photographer is trying to get people to check out her photo blog. She is offering a free 8x10 picture from Jackson's 3 month photo shoot if I can get 10 people to comment on his pictures here. If you have the time and want to see some gorgeous photography, I would appreciate your help towards saving $25. THANKS!

Jackson is 4 Months Old

I seriously feel like I just sat down to write Jackson's 3 month update yesterday. I have said it before, but I really wish I could freeze time. Jackson has had the best month, and I want so badly to linger in this happy place for a little bit longer.

It seems that we have at last gotten Jackson's reflux under control. He does not have any more symptoms and is so much happier. I took him for his swallow test a couple of weeks ago, and he is breathing and swallowing perfectly. The gagging that he was experiencing was just a side effect of the reflux as opposed to a structural abnormality. It was a great relief to hear that. Jackson being healthy has caused a complete 180 in his personality this last month. He is now the smiling, cooing, happy baby that I knew he was. It still makes me sad to think that his first few months were so painful for him, but the important thing is that he is healthy and happy now. We have entire days without crying spells where the only times he gets fussy is if he is sleepy or hungry. It is beyond wonderful!

In addition to Jackson's great mood, he has also changed a lot physically. His hair has almost completely fallen out with the exception of a slight mohawk and a mullet. It's very redneck rocker chic. He has also gotten so strong. Jack is happiest standing and can support his weight very well for long periods of time. If he is laying on any type of incline, he tries to sit up. I can't tell you how many times I have watched him topple over. It looks like he is practicing crunches. It just seems like he is ready to get up and go. He watches Charlie run around the house like a little crazy person, and I know he would just love to be doing the same thing. I have a sneaking suspicion that Jackson might be my wild child. We shall see...

Another HUGE change this month is in Jack's sleeping habits. As of last week, he is now able to put himself to sleep. Charlie was well over 7 months old when he started falling asleep on his own, so you know I am excited about this recent development. I am not a fan of the cry-it-out method, so it takes me a little longer to help my kiddos help themselves fall asleep. Jackson still needs to be swaddled to sleep, but I now leave one arm free so that he can suck his thumb/fist/fingers. This seems to do the trick. Sometimes it takes him as long as 10 minutes and he may fuss a bit, but he eventually falls asleep without crying. It has made such a difference in our days. At night, I feed him around 8:00 pm, and he sleeps between 6-8 hours. This means that I am getting up to feed him 1-2 times a night.

Jackson continues to babble away and has recently begun screeching very loudly. I am pretty sure he is just trying to compete with his brother. I told Nick the other night that I can only imagine how crazy and loud this house will be in a couple of years. Jackson is the type of baby who gives you his best smile if you smile and talk to him. I love that about him. He is just happy to have the attention. His laughing has really picked up, and he giggles a lot when I tickle him. I nibble his armpits, belly, and sides and soak up the squealing. Really, I don't think there is a better sound in the world than a baby's laughter. Jackson has laughed at Charlie a few times, and I have visions of the future. Charlie will absolutely adore his one man audience in a few months, and I know he will do anything to get a laugh out of his Baby Jack.

This month has been amazing for Jack. I am so pleased with his progress. He has been such a wonderful addition to our family, and it feels like he has been with us for a lot longer than just four months. We all love him very much and are happy that he is doing so well these days!

Picture to be posted soon :o)

Chompers

Jackson has been a total drool bucket the last few weeks, and he has been chewing on everything that he can shove into his little mouth. He is a big fan of gnawing on our hands and fingers. He looks like a mad dog going after a T-bone. His night waking has also increased and he has had some cranky days. Since Nick teethed at 14 weeks and Charlie at 4 and 1/2 months, I figured it meant that Jackson was getting ready to cut a tooth. I have been checking his mouth regularly, and his gums really never look swollen. Today, while he was using my finger as a chew toy, I thought I felt something sharp. Sure enough, the edge of a bottom tooth was poking out. Bottom left to be exact - same as his brother. Another similarity to Charlie is the fact that both of them rolled over and cut their first tooth only a few days apart.

So far, it seems like Jackson is doing pretty well with the teething. Charlie was a total beast and had horrible sleep issues when he cut four teeth in a month's time. Hopefully, the same won't be true for Jack.

My Kid Made the Honor Roll

I used to hate seeing the bumper stickers that boasted about honor roll. I swore that I would never brag about my children like that. Well...that was before I had children. Now, I totally understand the bumper stickers. I don't think there is a parent out there who does not think that their child is the cutest, smartest, strongest, etc.

Charlie is becoming such a little man. He has been showing interest in going potty for a while now, but I am not in any hurry to potty train. I have heard horror stories about trying to potty train little boys too early. My pediatrician told me not to worry about it until closer to three. Sounded good to me. But, because he seemed interested, I decided to buy him a potty for Easter. I could not believe that the little guy sat down and peed the very first time he used it. Even with that initial success, I was in no hurry to start potty training 101. At first, we would suggest the potty every few days, and Charlie was always able to go.

Right now, he is pooping and peeing in the potty at least once a day. Sometimes, I let him wander around bare bottom, and he can even tell me when he has to go. We have only had two accidents. I am still not convinced that he is totally ready to be weaned from diapers. For one thing, he can't take his own pants off, so that presents a bit of a problem. But, I think I might start a little earlier than I originally thought.

Now, you might think that this post is too much information. And, yes, I realize that Charlie will some day read this and be totally mortified. But I am one of those parents who can't help being proud of my baby boy. In fact, i am so proud that, if they made them, I would have a "My Kid Poops in the Potty!" bumper sticker.

Roll, Baby! Roll!

Jackson rolled over from his belly to his back for the first time earlier this week. I was surprised because I rarely put him on his belly for tummy time. We are supposed to limit his time laying flat, and he hates tummy time. So, I usually avoid it. He was in a great mood the other morning, so I decided it might be a good time to try. As soon as I put him down, he rolled over. I put him back on his belly, and he immediately did it again. I ran to get the camera to record this milestone, and of course he would not perform. Charlie did the same thing to me. Little buggers! I kept the camera close by and managed to catch him in action later that day. The crazy thing is that he looks like he is close to rolling over from back to belly, too. I swear, he is so strong and just wants to go, go, GO!

Happy Mother's Day

This Mother's Day is one that I will never forget. Of course it is extra special because I am now the mommy of two handsome boys. But today it truly unforgettable because of one person - my mom.

When Jackson was born, my mom came over to help with the kiddos. I sincerely thought that I would only need her for a few weeks. It never crossed my mind that Jackson would have all of these problems with his health or that I would be making regular trips to the doctor and other specialists. So, instead of a few months of help, my mom has basically put her life on hold to be here every day. Her main role is to take care of Charlie, but that is not all she does. When Charlie takes his nap, she quickly eats her lunch and then starts cleaning, doing laundry, washing dishes, etc. She always offers to take the baby and encourages me to go out or take a nap. In addition to all of this, she is always there to listen to my concerns and share in my joys.

If you have been following the blog, then you know that the last few months have been a struggle for our family. Mom has been there every step of the way supporting me and loving me unconditionally. She has seen all of us at our worst...sometimes all at the same time - Charlie's tantrums, my bad moods, and Jackson's constant screaming. No matter how bad the day, she always comes back. Honestly, I could not have made it without her. I truly owe my sanity and my children's happiness to Mom.

Dear Mom,

You deserve much more than a mere thank you. Even so, I know that "thank you" is enough...and a card, of course. I love you so much, Mom! I want you to know that I am beyond grateful to have you as my mom. Please do not ever doubt how much of a positive impact you have had on my life and the person that I am today. You are a beautiful, generous, and selfless mother. It is my hope that my boys will always feel as loved, as special, and as cared for as I have my entire life. On this Mother's Day, I am celebrating the fact that I am loved by such a wonderful woman!

Love,
Lindsay

Mr. Manners

At this time last year, Charlie had not even said his first word. I can remember hoping that he would say "Momma" for Mother's Day. Now, he has an enormous vocabulary and can hold a very good conversation. Things may not always be pronounced correctly, but he is repeating words that he hears constantly. He understands what we say and follows directions very well (when he feels like it).

Recently, Charlie has started to say "please" and "thank you" without prompting. I love that he understands when it is an appropriate time to use these words. Please always sounds nice, but my personal favorite is when he says thank you. I have been a nanny and worked in daycare for years, so I have spent a lot of time around toddlers. Often, young kiddos are good at saying please because they know it will get them what they want. As soon as that happens, manners fly out the window, and it is hard to get a sincere thank you. Charlie is Mr. Manners, and he does a great job remembering to thank other people. I also just love the way he says it - "Et tu, Momma."

Puddles

Not even the rain can keep Charlie from going outside to play. We had a lovely time stomping in puddles and catching rain drops the other day.