California, baby!

Well, we made it safe and sound to sunny California.  We arrived late last night after almost needing to de-ice in Denver due to snow and heading into a 120 mph headwind on the last leg of our journey.  But we made it.  And we slept.  And we woke up this morning in the Court feeling almost like we'd never left.  Sirens.  Fireworks (gunshots?) at midnight.  Palm trees.  Aah, yes.  It's good to be home.

We will be spending just over a week here, staying with friends, while Nathan ties up a few loose ends and then graduates with his MA Theology next Saturday.  I'm so proud of that husband of mine.  Way to go, Nathan!  I love you!

Here are some pics from the last three days...

 Helping me pack the night before our trip...little monkey!

So glad to be traveling again!  This boy doesn't mind flying one bit.  He makes friends wherever he goes, smiling at everyone he sees, both while we're in the air and as we're waiting in airports.  What a silly boy.  

While silly, he is also the most content baby I've ever known.  Our friends here in the Court were having a second birthday party for their daughter today and this is how Levi spent probably 1/2 an hour or more:

He just sat in that walker (cause his feet couldn't touch the ground so he couldn't run around) and watched all the other little kids playing.  Could he be any sweeter?  I.think.not.

Today in sentences

Levi slept past 7am for the third morning in a row after being up before 7am every morning for a month.

Nathan is back to the homework grind after three wonderful, homework-free family days.

We are leaving for Fresno in four days!

Today is house-cleaning day.

Today is laundry day, just like every other day.

Levi managed to get the wipes container open for the first time today...luckily I stopped him after only one pulled-out wipe.

Lennox is enjoying some time out in the sun and Levi and I will join him just as soon as Levi's morning nap is over.

Levi's morning nap has yet to start despite putting him down 15 minutes ago...that boy fights sleep like nobody's business.

By 10:30am, I am on my second set of clothes after a massive, random spit-up from the little man.

It looks like it's going to be a good day!

Spring!

It was a beautiful 12 degree day here today so Levi and I spent a few hours outside in the nice, warm sunshine.  And he just looked so cute, I had to grab my camera!  Do we not have the most adorable little boy you ever did see?  I think so...

He's also one of the happiest, most content boys too...  LOVE YOU SO MUCH, LEVI!

Pictures!

Last week I decided to do some moving around of our bedrooms.  It was the point when I took this picture that I stepped back and thought, "what have I done?"  

Now that everything is put away again, I'm glad for the switch.  We all have more room to move around.  

Our bedroom-->Levi's new room

Levi's old room-->new spare bedroom

Old spare bedroom/storage room-->our new master bedroom

 Doesn't he look happy to be in a box?  He fits perfectly!

Grandma B's garden peas were not well received...

So funny...although less funny that he refuses to open his mouth for all food now...hmm...

My Trip to Indiana!

The bulk of this post is "stolen" from my sister's blog.  I figure she already told the story, so why try to redo a good thing?  I'll just mention that Levi turned out to be a real trooper on the plane.  He fell asleep each and every time we took off (which was 4 times in total).  On the way there he slept for about half of each flight and then was happy on my lap (mostly) for the rest of the flight.  On the way home, he slept both entire flights.  The descent did seem to bother him a little bit though...but overall it was a good trip!

I'll let my sister take over from here...

My sister and nephew were here for 4 full days over spring break.

Not the greatest pic, but the only one I have of the three of us.

He's a "McCutie" and he knows it!

Not so much cuddle time as "lets use auntie Alicia as a jungle gym!"

6 months old already, and looking so grown up.

Story time.

Yup, cutest nephew ever!

You better believe it, "spoiled rotten by my auntie"

Hanging out in the exersaucer, admiring the Indiana rain and permacloud. Though they did get one sunny, +28C day while they were here, followed by a night of thunderstorms.

 Just can't sit still...

Levi got to hang out in the oversized beanbag chair during meals.

Can't get enough of those adorable brown eyes.

"I'm tired and ready to go home!"

Action plan...

So, the goal for this week is to get Levi closer to sleeping through the night.  For the past two months, he's been up every 2-3 hours (average...a couple nights up to 4-5 hours, some nights he's up every hour).  I know he doesn't need to eat that often - he used to sleep 4-5 hour stretches all the time.  And he's not teething.  And he's not gassy.  And he's not sick, dirty, or uncomfortable.  He just wants a bit of a snack to help him fall asleep again.  Plan of action?  Space the feeds out half an hour longer each night until we're up to a decent night's sleep.  Wish me luck!

Pictures are coming...I know that's what you're all checking for anyway : )  I'm hoping to put some up this week sometime.

Spring cut.

Isn't it nice to have something new in spring?

 I really think it is.

 I got a new haircut.

 I feel like I look very much more like my sister now than ever before.

 Funny how it works that way when you have the same person who does your sister's hair do yours.

 I finally got a nice, easy mommy-cut...

 with highlights.

 Just blow-dry and go.

 So nice.

Thanks Carrie!

Oh, and I realized that I never mentioned that I got new glasses back in February(?).  

Voila!  I got new glasses!

So there's the spring cut of the year.  Two haircuts in under three months.  I am on a roll.  And speaking of roll...somehow including a whole roll of wonderfully dorky pictures of myself instead of just one or two seemed like the dorkiness would be canceled out by the cheesiness.  Am I right?

6 months.

Our baby boy is half a year old already!  Where has the time gone?  Actually, it feels like he's been with us forever, so while part of me is wondering how he is 6 months old already, a bigger part of me is wondering how it has only been 6 months.

The sixth month has brought a few new firsts.  I will go through them quickly, though, because as this is being posted, I'm actually visiting my sister in Indiana and wrote it two days ago.  I'll be leaving for the airport in two hours but wanted to get this done before I left.  Here are a few fun facts about our 6 month old!

Levi has had his first taste of rice cereal this month.  He has gotten much better at eating, but has also gotten better at refusing food.

Levi has now rolled over in both directions on more than one occasion without merely "falling" back onto his back from his tummy.  Sometimes he forgets about this new ability of his and just lays there, frustrated, on his tummy until someone rescues him.  He has learned that he can just rest his head sideways on the floor, though, which extends happy tummy time by quite a bit.

Levi got his first tooth this month!  What a strange feeling for your first child to get their first tooth.  Maybe it doesn't hit everyone the same way, but it sure hit me when that tooth popped through!  Everything else thus far has been a gradual change, but a tooth is not there one day and there the next.  So sudden!  And interestingly, the unpleasant teething only started once the tooth was already in.  There must be another tooth on it's way soon.  But even at his grumpiest, Levi isn't too hard to be around. : )

Levi has started moving around alot more to get his toys but still isn't crawling.  He just kinda scootches around on his tummy and pulls/pushes himself around with his arms/lets.  Inch-worming has been working great for him.  But at least he's not mobile enough to get into things...yet...

He is still not drinking out of a sippy cup, though if he chews on the cup enough, he'll get a mouthful and usually swallow it.  Eventually he'll be able to drink from a cup and then Nathan and I will be able to go on a date again!  Yay!  One day...

Levi is still eating every two hours during the day and is up every one to five hours during the night.  Two or three is about an average night's stretch for the little man.  His "night" has usually been 8pm to 7am these days.  Gone are the days of sleeping in til 8am...  I'm looking forward very much to sleeping through the night again one day, but until then I'll enjoy the middle of the night snuggles while I have them. : )

Levi's bald spot on the back of his head is filling in nicely and, for the first time singe he was four weeks old, he has no cradle cap on his head!  I am very excited about that development!

Levi has also had his first plane ride this month.  As I haven't left yet, I'll have to let you know how that went in another post.

Size-wise, he is about 17-18lbs and about 26-27".  He is wearing mostly 9 month clothes, but only 3-6 month pants.  Gotta love the sizing on baby clothes!