Overdue update

Hi JoeJoe!
I am a slacker and haven't had any time to write on your blog.  It seems like we wake up and it is time to go to bed!

Just a few generic things before we get into our activities for the past 2 weeks.  We have had 3 nights where you slept all night.  WOOHOO.  We have learned that you like to keep your hands warm so we make sure they are covered in socks.  It is also really important that you get a bottle about 8 or you won't make it through.

You are losing your hair quick, buddy!  The sides and back are pretty bare.  The top is longer than ever but it is thinning out a bit too.  I am not sure what we are going to do with it.  I think the rule is not to cut it before you are 1 but I am not sure we are going to be able to wait that long to do something to shape it up.  I can't imagine  you bald because you have always had so much hair.

Oh my goodness, you are quite a talker.  It was like overnight you decided to talk and talk and talk some more.  Last weekend, your dad said you were keeping him awake with all your noise.  I was worried you were crying but nope, you are just babbling non-stop.  I am thinking that you will have to talk a lot to get a word in edgewise between me and Elijah  :)

You are so happy in the morning when you wake up.  I love all your smiles and coos.  You are generally pretty happy when I pick you up from daycare.  But, you still have a few fussy spells.  Part of it is that you are an attention hound - if someone is not right next to you or paying attention to you, you don't like that.  You don't like to self-entertain which is hard on us since we need a few minutes to get some other things done.

We tried food a bit this past week.  We talked to the formula dr and he approved giving you some cereal since your formula is so digested.  We did some cereal in your bottle and some in a bowl.  Then, you had a couple bites of peas, carrots and a spinach mix.  By a couple bites, I can't imagine you did 1/4 teaspoon.  But, you love sitting in the big boy high chair at dinner and you are at least moving the food around in your mouth a bit.  The funny thing is that I didn't want to feed you until January.  I wanted to see how your allergy tests came out and wanted to put it off as long as possible.  Now, here we are feeding you even earlier than your brother.

I put you on the swing set twice.  You hated the swing both times but you LOVED the slide.  I would put you at the top and say "Ready? 1, 2, 3"  Then, I would slide you down.  You would get so happy when I said "ready" and you would get a wild look as you went down.  But, once you were at the bottom, you were smiling again.  You were near laughing!  Even though you were so happy, one push in the swing and you were hysterical again!

We have gone on a couple of walks in your new stroller.  The first time, you liked it.  You just slept.  The second time, you cried most of the time. As soon as I picked you up, you stopped crying immediately.

We took you & Elijah to the bouncy house with your cousin Jacob.  While it didn't have much for you to do, daddy put you on a rocking horse.  You looked like such a big boy!  I am not ready to see you be a big boy yet!

After the bounce house, we went to meet your new cousin Mila.  It was so funny to see you next to a little peanut.  She is so small and you are so big.  We put your arm around her and it was so cute.  Just like when your brother had his arm around Jake.  But, it was amazing to see the difference between you two.  Unfortunately, your eyes were pretty red when we left.  Our guess is that you are allergic to cats as your daddy's eyes were all red and swollen too.

Other than that, I don't have much to tell you.  We go do fun things but you end up in the stroller and don't care much  :)


Random pictures:

A smiley face!

You and your brother in your Chiefs gear.  Sadly, your fan attire did not help them win.

You in your Husker gear at Morgan's volleyball game.  Back when you still had some hair on the sides.  When I see your photos, they remind me of a doll.  Your skin is so smooth and your features are like a doll's features.

You and me hanging out in bed on a Saturday morning - tummy time.

Some hospital bath photos.  I am finally done scrapping your hospital photos.

Yay!  JoeJoe coming home.

Started working on our Disney photos.

Some photos

Hi Baby Joey!
Another week gone by and you are a week older!  You are doing so great with your head.  You are just about steady.  You are so alert and watch everything.  Mary said you love to watch all the kiddos.  She put you in the exersaucer this week and you loved it.  Mommy will have to get yours set up for here.

You seem to be having a lot less fussy times.  I am not sure if you like the formula & you have the one with probiotics or you are just getting older.  You are sleeping so much better.  We moved the pack and play into my office to see how you would do.  You are pretty much sleeping 11-12 hours now. You will get up to eat once but that isn't too bad.  I guess you just wanted your own space in the quiet and the dark!

Today, we dressed you up in your husker gear.  I have gone through your clothes and Elijah's clothes and found you some husker clothes.  It is hard to believe that you are wearing 12 month clothes.  Although they are a bit loose, they fit.  Elijah wore these clothes when he was 9 months old and you are wearing them at 3 months!!  Elijah needs to watch out because you are going to overtake him any day now!  On a side note, I think managing your guys' clothes is one of the most difficult things to do as a parent.  I just can't keep on top of them - what fits, what is in season, what needs to be stored, what needs to be given away....

Well buddy - not a lot more to tell you.  Nothing too exciting going on this week.  I gotta find you a Halloween costume pretty quick before they all sell out!

Bath Video

Hi JoeJoe,
We had a great day today buddy!  We cooked, you played, you coo'd and smiled!  We also hung out with our family and then it was bath time.

You were so happy in the bath.  You were cooing, smiling and almost laughing.  I ran to get the camera then you clammed up.  You just kept looking straight at the camera and wouldn't smile or anything.  I did get some of your brother hamming it up but no JoeJoe smiles and laughs  :)

3 Months!

JoeJoe,
You are such a big boy.  You turned 3 months this week!  I can't believe it.  You are doing so much better holding up your head.  You are starting to outgrow your fussy spells a bit - they are still there but not quite as bad as they have been.  You are cooing a lot more and laughing a bit.  I just can't believe you are already 3 months.

Last weekend, we took you for your 3 month photos.  You did great but mommy and daddy learned that we dress you at the photo studio instead of before the photo studio.  Spit up is a photo killer!  These are my two favorite!  I had to get you there quick because your hair is thinning out a bit.

Yesterday, we went to the orchards and you did really good.  It was kind of hot but you were a good sport.  You only got fussy when you were hungry and we forgot your formula.  Unlike your brother, you were happy to take some photos with me and your daddy.

Today, we worked on cooking all of our apples.  You laid on the floor for awhile under the play gym.  Then, you got tired of not being part of the action so we put you in your bumbo.  A litle bit in the sink, a bit on the stove and a bit on the table.  You got to see all over the kitchen while we were cooking!

We are still negotiating the sleep thing.  We put you in the crib 2 nights in a row and you slept like a rock star.  You slept like 12 hours with just one feeding in the middle.  Last night, we put Elijah back in the crib and you back in the pack & play.  Let's just say it was a rough night.  We are going to try putting the pack and play in my office to see if you would sleep better without being in our room.  Or, maybe you just like the crib best.  I am not sure but we are going to keep experimenting until we get it right with both you & your brother!

Not a ton going on this week buddy!  I am hoping to go to the gym a couple of times and they have daycare for you.  Yay for mommy!  

First plane vacation

Hi Joey!
We had a big week this past week.  We went on your first real vacation.  We hopped a plane down to Florida.  We spent 2 days with Gramma Debi D and 2 days at Disney (also with Gramma Debi D.)  You were the complete rockstar of the trip.  You were not fussy at all.  It was hot, humid and you were in theme parks for 2 days but no fussiness unless you were hungry or needed to be changed.  Luckily for us, Gramma Debi D looked out for you while we spent time with Elijah in the parks.  I can't say that you got a whole lot out of our trip but you did get to see lots of bright colors and activity.

One moment that stands out for me was your first trip in the pool.  For once, there were no photos taken.  All of us were just too busy enjoying the time to get the camera out.  Elijah and I played for a bit then you and your dad got in the water too.  You fussed a little bit but then you seemed to enjoy cooling off.  I looked around and was overwhelmed with gratitude for my family.  Here I was holding you watching your dad and Elijah interact.  It was a great moment!

On Saturday, you went to your first Husker party!  You also met Funsucker Auntie Cindy, Uncle Dan and Zachariah - more of your Blankman family.  Becky was worried that you would be fussy so she didn't hold you long.  I don't want to jinx us but it seems like maybe you are outgrowing that fussiness.  You haven't had any unexplained crying the whole time we were off work.  Yes, you cry when you are hungry and want to be changed or you cry in the car but nothing like that uncontrollable stuff we were facing.

Developmentally, you are getting lots better at holding up your head.  You are playing a lot with your tongue.  You are reaching for your toys on your stroller seat.  You smile and coo a lot now - you interact with us tons more.  You love the bathtub.  Your hair is, unfortunately, thinning out a bit.  A big plus on our trip was that you started sleeping for longer stretches of time.  You slept thru the night a couple of times!  The other times you woke up was just for a quick feeding then back to sleep.  YAY!

We have some great family photos coming on our Disney disk but I will leave you with some photos from my camera.

You on the plane - you slept a lot!

Our first family beach photo

You dipped your toesies in the water.

Our first stop at WDW was for food.  You hung out in their car seat thing.

Daddy got some great shots of you & your brother.

Just chilling out before Hollywood studios.

Gramma Debi D hanging out with you while we were in the Muppets

How you spent the Disney trip - in the stroller looking around or napping

Daddy thinks you look like Handy Manny

You & Gramma Debi D before she had to go home.

Today - mid yawn while you were sitting in the bumbo

Weird look yesterday during your first Husker party.