Faith...

On Saturday night, I received the following comment in my inbox from a young woman named Faith:

 I'm 15 weeks and 1 day, I'm 16 years old and afraid about things because I might be really young, and praying is one thing that can make me stronger so thank you for this prayer it has made me feel better.
God bless you.

She had commented on a post that I wrote in 2007 when I was expecting Little Man.  Please keep Faith and her unborn child in your prayers.  Faith, if you are reading this, please contact me with your e-mail address!

The Milky Way...

I hesitate to post this because I do not want anyone to think that I am judging them for the choices that they have made for their family, especially because I was judged a great deal for using bottles of pumped milk when teaching my little ones to breastfeed (instead of other complicated means or simply just forcing them to breastfeed or starve), but I thought that this was a terrific pro-breastfeeding video! 

Button...

Keeping Warm...

I've been thinking about keeping the little ones warm these past few days. I am particularly concerned about our littlest. Button is prone to sickness (he has been sick every other week since August due to neutropenia) and so we've been dressing him in layers: hat (even indoors), undershirt, long-sleeve shirt, sweater, pants, socks (look at the wooly socks my sister Kate knitted him!), and slippers or shoes.

Though our older children tend to be warm during the day, I am having trouble keeping them toasty through the night and first thing in the morning once they are up and about. They are now wearing undershirts under their pajamas and I will be getting them some slippers to wear with their socks once they get up. Now the trick will be to get them to not kick their blankets off at night!! Hopefully that will be enough to keep them warm.

:::::

Here's Some Food For Thought:

Kyrie had some beautiful posts on Warmth last Autumn
Auntie Leila had an excellent entry entitled How to Dress Your Child in Colder Weather

Bathtime...

One of the best times of our day is bathtime. We light a few candles, turn on the taps, and let the troubles of the day sink away in lovely warm water! The children spend as much time as I will let them soaking. They play with seashells and rocks, pour "tea" for one another, practice dunking their heads under water, and on and on! Once they are good and pruny, I love wrapping my warm sweetly-smelling babies up in their hooded towels.

Our days aren't always predictable, but making time to decompress with this little ritual really makes a difference in our bedtime. I think as the next few months unfold for our family these routines will become even more important to us then they are now. I hope that as we become busier, we can try to make the time to strengthen these moments in our day for our little ones so that they can count on something remaining the same in their life.

Button's Autumn Wardrobe...

Longsleeve Onesies

Cotton Pants

Warm Sweater

Pajamas

Warm Shoes

With the addition of socks, slippers, and a hooded rain jacket, Button is all set for cooler weather!

Little Red Rocker...

I was at a thrift shop recently with Button. We were just poking around and he spotted this little red rocker. He loved it and cried when we left. A few days later I decided to get it, though. It was only $5 and even though we already have a rocker, this one is red! Plus, when you are on your third baby, you have everything he needs in hand-me-downs... he should have something of his own! It is hard to believe that he is getting a personality already... I forget that he is fifteen months old sometimes! He looks a lot like my older children did at nine months old because he is so tiny.

Morning Light...

Button has been waking up very early these past few mornings. Though I am not quite ready to face the day, I can't help but enjoy these little moments with my littlest one. Yesterday we ventured out to the porch in the chilly morning air and sat on the porch swing as the sun rose. Today, we saw the sparkly dew on the screens shine in the early morning light. Soon, his teeth will all be in and then my newly walking boy will probably go back to sleeping in until 8. For now, though, I'll appreciate the time that is just for the two of us.

Standing!

Almost overnight, little Button is standing!
It is bittersweet, this parenting thing.

What a Find!

A few months ago, our parish formed a women's group that meets once a month for a potluck meal and playtime for the little ones before the Saturday evening service. Our group wanted to think of away to celebrate new babies in our church and with the birth of a little baby girl in the beginning of April, we needed to come up with something quickly. One of our ladies suggested that we place a basket in the back of the church after the birth of a child and for the 40 days that mother and baby rested at home, parishioners could place a small anonymous gift into the basket. When it was time for the baptism, the full basket could be presented to the family as a welcome gift.

I was so excited to find this wicker bassinet at a local secondhand shop during my errands this week! Isn't it beautiful? I think that it will be perfect spot to place these little tokens. I plan on looking through my stash of ribbons to find a few pink ones to tie to the handle. When it is not in use, I think that it will be used to store linens in our bedroom. And if we are ever blessed with another little one, I'll be searching for bedding for this gem!

The Sweetest Sound...

Our littlest one said his first word: Mama!

Button at Nine Months...

Wee Button had his nine month well-check this past Wednesday. He is 14 lbs of pure sweetness! He is sitting up and pulling up and loves to laugh. We are still waiting for teeth (not that unusual for our family... his siblings went this late too) and crawling. I am content with Button sitting still for now! Living in a gated community can be challenging... I haven't even picked out a gate for the this house yet (we had pressure ones in our last home for Little Man and they destroyed the drywall and weren't that secure).

We are looking forward to so many things with Button as the weather warms up: Swing rides at the park, sand and water at the beach, stroller rides, the pool for the first time... It will be a wonderful spring and summer with this little guy!

Button on Saint Patrick's Day...

Button at Eight and a Half Months...

Our little one is getting so big, so fast! He is now sitting up unaided, eating little bits of cereal and apple or pear sauce, and grabbing at anything he can get his hands on! We are still waiting for his teeth to come in (our babies teeth very late!) and are enjoying the fact that he cannot crawl yet (the house is not baby-proofed in the least). Button loves playing with his sister and brother and truly enjoys listening to books and playing with toys. Bathtime is his favorite time of day. It is so cute to see him waving his arms and legs in an effort to splash the water. We have recently been getting a lot of belly laughs from Button, which is a huge treat since he is Mr. Serious. Any time people coo and smile at him when we are out and about, he surprises them with a somber expression - it is rare for anyone other than family to get him to crack a smile! Button's new trick is to stick out his tongue like a little lizard. He cracks us all up! He is a sweet little baby and we are so blessed to have him in our lives!

Button in the Highchair...

We pulled out the highchair for Button this week. He liked sitting in it, but at eight and a half months, he is still too small... his chin barely made it above the tray! After watching two tiny babies grow into healthy and strong preschoolers, I feel like I am finally in a place to enjoy (and embrace) the fact that I have little babies longer than most mamas. The pretty chair went back in the closet for a few more weeks and we'll just continue to enjoy our lap baby!

Button's First Snow...

Someone's Rolling Over...

Though I've known that he can do it for awhile now, today Button proved that he could roll over at just a little over five and a half months old!

Button at Five Months...

Little Button is growing up so quickly! He has tripled his birth weight and is now 12 pounds. Baby Button loves to laugh and coo and responds to his big sister and brother's daily antics with glee! He enjoys bathtime and storytime (we've never had a child that cries until I sit him up on my lap to see the pictures in the books!) and instinctively knows when 8pm hits. Somehow, he senses that Sister and Brother are tucked in for the night and Mama and Papa are able to give him their undivided attention! Though he has only been around a short time, it feels like Button has been part of our family always.

Four Months Old!

It is hard to believe, but this week our littlest one turned four months old! He is such an easy baby! Button is full of smiles for us now and is starting to interact with his big sister and big brother! We all enjoy hearing his little coos and can't wait until we can get him to laugh!

Two Month Well Check...

.:Handmade Scrapbook by Mimi!:.

We had the baby's two month well check doctor visit today. Since we began breastfeeding around August 1st, the baby had gained one pound! Wow! He now weighs 8 pounds, 3 ounces and is 20 and a half inches long! Our little Button is very healthy and growing well. He can hold his head up pretty well now and turn it from side to side whether he is on his back or on his tummy. He is breastfeeding better each day. We are still struggling with reflux, but based on Little Man's experience, I tend to think that this will be something that we have to deal with for quite awhile (Little Man still throws up at the drop of a hat). We are so excited for the baptism on the 16th!