Crying It Out

I decided tonight was the night. I knew it was coming....I was actually planning on doing it two weeks from tonight. But, I took Easton upstairs for our nightly ritual of me laying down with him on our bed while he nurses himself to sleep and then very carefully moving him to his bed. But he didn't fall asleep this time so I decided to just get it over with. He screamed for 10 or 15 minutes and then went to sleep. It was the same with Zachary when we did this at around the same age....then when he woke up in the middle of the night and we wouldn't take him out of his room, he cried for 2 or 3 hours until he fell asleep - which made Brady start crying and Brendan had to go in and sleep with him the rest of the night. I'm hoping that's not the case with Easton. Either way, it will be a long night!

9 Months Old!!!

Sweet Baby Easton, I can't believe you're already 9 months old! Here's what you've been up to lately:

• You are wearing 12M and 6-12M clothes but I think you'll be growing out of those soon
• You're wearing a size 4 diaper - the same size as Zachy!
• You're still army crawling all over the place. I'm beginning to wonder if army crawling hinders "real" crawling? You get up on all 4's and rock back and forth but I think you've decided it's just faster to drag yourself along on your tummy. Maybe your arms aren't strong enough to support your big 'ole body!
• You weigh 22.35 pounds. The only reason I know your weight is b/c we had a lovely trip to the ER the other night for x-rays looking for some missing matchbox car wheels. Still don't know where they are but I don't think you swallowed them. We'll find out how long you are at your 9M check-up. Your doctor's taking lots of time off for some reason so we won't be going in for that appointment until you're 9.5 months. Doesn't he know that this totally screws up the baby book stats?
• You're pulling yourself up which makes me very nervous. I don't know if it's considered cruising yet but you're really, really close!
• You're into everything - still - hence the trip to the ER.
• I think you really liked Christmas. It was a little overwhelming for you but you seemed to really like all the presents. I'll have to post pictures of that soon.
• You went through a stretch of about a week of sleeping through the night until your Daddy mentioned it and jinxed it - ever since then you've been waking up twice a night.
• You like vanilla and banana yogurt, most fruits and sweet potatoes. You're still eating puffs and Baby Mum Mums but the Baby Goldfish are still a little too much for you.
• You still can't quite figure out how the sippy cup works
• You seem to like to watch Mickey Mouse and Blues Clues and you're quite the little dancer
• You love your brothers and your Daddy.....I'm still hanging onto the hope that you'll be a Momma's boy
• You've started going through a tiny bit of a bashful stage but you're very good at letting other people hold you - when Zachary was your age, he wouldn't let anyone hold him!
• We actually saw the same doctor and nurse that were in the ER the night you started throwing up blood so it was nice to be able to thank the doctor (who we thought was crazy and overreacting at the time) for saving your life. They were amazed with how big you are!
• You're the sweetest thing on this planet and we love you so much we can hardly stand it!

Now, let's see....how about Zachary James:

• You will be TWO YEARS OLD on Thursday! I can't believe it!
• I think you have started a tiny bit of the terrible two's. You've got quite the attitude lately but it's so hard to get mad at you b/c you're so stinkin' cute!
• You weigh 26.5 pounds
• Your two-year check-up is in two weeks so we'll get your official stats then. I think you're shrinking, though!
• You're still wearing a lot of 18-24 month clothes but you can wear a few 2T things
• You're a talking machine - it's hard to understand half of what you say but you sure seem passionate about whatever it is!
• I think your favorite words right now are 'no' and 'mine'
• You found your Crocs in your closet so that obsession has started again
• You love cows, Mickey Mouse and cars
• You still have the sweetest little voice and I love to listen to you talk....especially when you say, "wuv you"!

Now, let's see about that Brady Boy:

• You'll be 4 next month - I cannot believe it!
• Still no luck with the potty training. I'm trying to talk it up as being a big privilege of turning 4 but I really doubt that will work. Something has to happen soon b/c the size 7 diapers are getting too small and that's the biggest size I can find!
• You're mainly wearing 5T clothes and a size 11 shoe
• You're getting really good at dressing yourself
• Your memory is scary - so good
• You're such the negotiator - I think you'll be a lawyer. You like to negotiate with Zachy when he has a toy that you want.
• You absolutely loved and understood Christmas this year. You knew that it was Baby Jesus' birthday and you were so good at not even trying to open the presents until Christmas morning.
• You did GREAT when we went to see Santa - we were so proud of you!
• We're taking you to the doctor this week to see if you're "tongue tied" which may be part of your speech delay....if so, you may need a little surgery to fix it. Poor Pumpkin!
• I'm hoping that you'll be growing out of the terrible, whiney 3's soon....just in time for Zachy to start!
• You're a gentle giant and we love you to pieces! You've come so far in the 3 years since we brought you home!!!!

8 Months Old!!!

Easton, you're 8 months old already!!! Let's see what you've been up to lately:

• You weigh around 22.3 pounds and are about 30 inches long (95th percentile!)
• You have 4 teeth - the two in the middle on the bottom are all the way in but you're still working on the two "fangs" on top....I hope the top middle ones come in soon or you might look kinda funny!
• You had your hernia surgery on 11/19 and did really well - we're hoping that's the last surgery you ever have to have!!
• You're wearing a size 4 diaper - the same size as your big brother Zachary who is almost 23 months old.....this is why my back hurts all the time!
• You're wearing 12M clothes
• You're still army crawling but I think you're really close to officially crawling - you rock back and forth on your hands and knees all the time
• You're still on breastmilk and 2nd stage foods.....you love to feed yourself puffs, bread and Baby Mum Mums
• You love your big brothers and squeal when you see them
• You babble a lot - mainly "baba" but sometimes "mama" and every once in a while you throw in a "dada"
• You learned to wave last week - backwards of course - it's very cute!
• You also learned to clap last week; however, you're not quite sure when you're supposed to do it. I was changing your diaper in the middle of the night a few nights ago and you were crying (how dare I change your diaper in the middle of the night!!) and started clapping at the same time???
• I think that, as of today, you're officially a momma's boy.....my Christmas gift came early this year! I know it won't last once you stop nursing but I'll enjoy it while I can!
• You haven't been sleeping well since your surgery - I think it may have caused a little attachment problem for you....and now I think you're getting a cold so I predict a major lack of sleep for me for the next week or two
• I just can't get enough of my sweet baby Easton and we just love you to pieces!!

Now how about those brothers of yours.....Zachary James, you're almost 23 months old....what have you been up to lately?

• You're finally venturing into some 2T clothes but I'm pretty sure you'll be wearing a size 4 diaper until you're potty trained
• You love to "tackle" Easton....luckily, he's almost as big as you are so he can handle it
• You are talking up a storm - and you have the cutest little, high-pitched voice I've ever heard
• You're working on your 2 year molars....and you're not very happy about it
• We'll be taking you in for your 2-year check-up next month....I'm curious to see how much you weigh - probably not that much more than your little brother!
• You love Mickey Mouse and you and Brady are both currently obsessed with the movie "Cars"
• You love cows
• The shoe obsession has died down a little bit but I still think you'll be the fashionista of the group
• You're sweet and tiny and a little stinker and we love you tons

Now, how about Big Boy Brady

• You are 3.75 years old
• We've been talking about potty training again....we're going to try again when you turn 4.....hopefully talking it up for a few more months will help
• Your speech is getting so much better - you love your new therapists and can't wait until Friday every week so that you can see them
• You got a great report from your teacher for the quarter - much to my surprise, you're one of the best of your class at "circle time"
• Your teachers think you're pretty smart and we agree!
• Your toe walking doesn't seem to be improving much but we're trying to work on it
• You love the new Disney show, "Jungle Junction" and knew the majority of the lyrics within a few weeks
• I think you're going to be really into Christmas this year so it should be really fun
• You crack us up all the time and we love you lots and lots!!

7 Month Update

We took Easton in for his pre-op check-up yesterday........he weighs 20 pounds, 15 ounces - up 2 pounds in one month. No wonder my lower back is killing me!!!! He's all cleared for his surgery in 2.5 weeks....it's started to freak me out a little bit. I'm having flashbacks of being on the surgical floor again, walking the long hallway after we handed him over to his surgical team....just hoping everything goes well and that we're able to bring him home as planned.

Zoo, Zoo, Zoo!!!

We took the boys to the zoo on Monday....it was supposed to be the nicest day of our "vacation" week so we pulled Brady out of school and headed south! Brady was very excited to wear his new hat and "gloves".....



We were all bundled up and ready to go...note all of the empty parking spots in the background...we were parked right outside the main entrance. Monday mornings in November are obviously great days to go to the Cincinnati Zoo!!

I don't think poor little Easton knew what was happening....

This will be one of my favorite pictures for a long time I think....

A penguin, a monkey and a robot walk into a bar.....

Okay, maybe not....but they went trick-or-treating at least!! We didn't really plan on actually trick-or-treating but the big boys were really into it and totally picked up on the concept right away (and stayed in the wagon) so we went out for close to an hour. They did great and had lots of fun!!

They got lots of good stuff.....

Finally, ready for bed!!

7 Months Old!!

Sweet Baby Easton, you're 7 months old today....let's see what you've been up to lately....

• You're getting so big - we'll find out how much you weigh this week but I'm betting you're pretty close to 20 pounds
• You're officially wearing a size 3 diaper
• You're still able to wear some 9M clothes but that probably won't last too much longer
• You're getting really good at feeding yourself puffs and Biter Biscuits - I think you prefer to feed yourself but you also like to eat several types of fruit, oatmeal, some yogurt and sweet potatoes
• You're still on breastmilk about 95% of the time....sometimes I can't seem to pump enough for you so every once in a while you have to have some formula at the babysitter's
• You're still up at least once most nights...and you're still not a good napper
• You're sitting up pretty well but you would rather be on your tummy so you can do your little army crawl.....you're getting really good at that - you're into everything already
• You love your big brothers and can't seem to understand why they can't pick you up
• Your second tooth is coming in - it doesn't seem to bother you too much, though
• You're babbling a lot - it's very cute
• You're still just about the sweetest thing I've ever laid my eyes on and we love you so much!

Now let's see about those brothers of yours.....

Zachary James - you're almost 22 months old....here's what you've been up to lately...

• You're STILL wearing a size 4 diaper
• You're mainly wearing 24M clothes and a few 2T things
• You're still obsessed with your orange Crocs and you absolutely refuse to wear socks or a hat which will be a problem since it's getting cold
• You're just a talking machine - it's pretty hard to understand you still but you definitely try
• You still love penne pasta, pop tarts, gummy worms and lemonade - for some reason, you'll only drink lemonade.....we need to get some calcium in you somehow
• You like to do whatever Brady is doing and have to have whatever he has
• You fall asleep if you're in the car for more than 15 minutes - you love to sleep....just like your mommy!
• You've learned lots of animals and animal sounds lately but your favorite is still the cow
• You're still not the most graceful person in the world.....just this morning you took a nose/chin dive into the magazine rack and have a lovely looking chin as a result
• You're just the cutest thing ever and we love you bunches!

Big Boy Brady, you're 3 years, 8.5 months....let's see what you've been up to...

• You're still anti-potty training unfortunately
• You're wearing 5T clothes for the most part but I've sadly had to venture into the big boy section and purchase some small/4-6 size clothes
• You wear a size 11 shoe
• You love robots, cars and animals
• Your favorite song is "I Gotta Feeling" by the Blackeyed Peas - we have to listen to it several times a day
• You're still taking naps but that may not last too much longer
• You're doing really well with your new speech, occupational and physical therapists
• You love big boy school
• You had your first field trip of the school year yesterday and did really well according to your teacher!!
• You're very smart.....at least I think you are
• You're a great big brother...most of the time....
• You continue to amaze us daily and we love you to pieces!!