Judah {9 Months}

Size: 18 weighs lbs, size 3 diapers, 9 month clothes. 

Eating: all the food all the time. 3 meals and snacks and breast milk 5 times a day (nursing or 5 oz bottles). Doing great with dairy and only feeds himself these days. 

Sleeping: sleeping a solid 7pm-8:30/9 am. Napping great in morning and afternoon (usually 10:30 and 2 for about 2 hours each). 

Milestones: lots of developmental leaps happened this month. It was pretty unbelievable to watch actually. Saying dada and bubba, crawling all over the place, pulling up to stand in his crib and on furniture, climbing. He wants to walk so bad already. 

Likes: his walker/play center, discovering the new world around him now that he can reach it all, bath time with brothers, Finley, being held and playing with brothers, any and all toys he can hold and play with.  

Dislikes: being away from mommy, when the food runs out. He's really very happy so not much on the dislike list. 

Judah {8 Months}

Size: weighs 17.4 lbs, 9 month clothes, size 3 diapers

Eat: Judah is a hungry little munchkin and wants to eat all the things. He eats 3 meals a day with snacks. Lots of puffs, pouches, mum mums, and fruit bars. He loves to attack my plate and grab whatever he can, as fast as he can. It's pretty funny. He loves sweet potato fries and noodles and really just loves to shove food in by the fistful. He has become a distracted nurser but nurses/takes a 5 oz bottle 5 times a day. 

Sleep: sleeps 7 pm-8:30 am consistently. Naps 10-11:30 and 2-3:30/4. Afternoon nap has been hit or miss lately- I think because he is sleeping much longer at night- usually 12-13.5 hours- so he doesn't need as long of a nap. 

Likes: dancing and bobbing his head to music, sitting and playing with toys- he is truly so great at playing!, loves the entertainment center, bath time, people.

Dislikes: TEETHING! Where oh where are you little teefers?!

Milestones: Got to be Batbaby for his first Halloween! He loved riding in the golf cart to watch brothers trick or treat. Had his first little virus/sickness at the beginning of November but kicked it in about 36 hours like a little trooper. He is very close to crawling but is mostly just inching around and rocking on all fours right now. Starting to wave and babble and on the brink of saying mama and dada I think. 

Judah {7 Months}

Size: weighs 16.6 lbs on home scale, 9 month clothes, moved up to size 3 diapers 

Eat: nurses every 3 hours (usually 5-6 times a day) and eating solids at breakfast and dinner with loads of teething crackers in between. Prefers to feed himself rather than being spoon fed. Slowly working up to 3 meals a day. He’s ready for sure. He’s also hit that stage of nursing where he has to sit up and look around at any noise or at whoever is talking- very easily distractible. 

Sleep: has established two solid naps. Morning (10-11:30) and afternoon (2:30-4:30). Sleeping 7 pm- 7:30 am and has woken a few times at night to eat earlier this month due to teething/growth spurt but I usually don’t hear a peep. 

Likes: food, food, food. Loves to ride in his blue car, still loves to jump, loves playing with big bros, taking baths, and babbling. He’s obsessed with his mommy and the feeling is totally mutual. He is great at sitting or laying on the floor and engaging with toys. 

Dislikes: still unhappy in the car sometimes but has gotten significantly better! Dislikes cutting these teeth that don’t seem to want to poke through! 

Milestones: he can now tolerate dairy and soy with minimal reaction!!! Hallelujah- just in time for Thanksgiving! :) He’s sitting up without assistance, holding his bottle to feed himself, rolling. He is definitely developing a personality and loves to laugh and play and be loud with brothers. He lights up to have anyone’s attention. 

Judah {6 Months}

Half a year with our sweet Judey and I'm soaking up every moment with him. His smiles, nursing, his babbling, laughing, and every snuggle. It's hard to believe that we are halfway to his first birthday. I'm savoring the last of the baby season but also looking forward to watching him grow more independent. He has truly been a joy and I cannot imagine life without him. He is my little heartbeat for sure. 

Size: 15.6 lbs, 6-9 month clothes, size 2 diapers. Has grown 2 inches and gained 2 lbs in the last two months. 

Eating: nursing every 3 hours during the day, eating a fruit baby food in the morning and a veggie at night.  I've been giving him teething crackers for entertainment and he LOVES them. 

Sleeping: sleeping 12-14 hours at night without making a peep (7 pm-8:30 am)! He has absorbed his morning nap and usually wakes around 8:30/8:45 (I always have to wake him up to take Canaan to school) and then doesn't go down again until 10. He usually sleeps for 1.5 hours and then naps from 2:30-4:30ish in the afternoons. The afternoon nap is always more solid and consistent. 

Milestones: celebrating Aunt Haha and Carson getting married in Charleston! He was such a trooper and did his best to nap on the go and be held and fed by people he's not well acquainted with. He definitely didn't like being a part from me though. He also went to childcare for the first time this week at church so I could teach my Tuesday morning Bible study. He was in there for 2 hours and did great! He will go to the nursery on Sunday at church this week too. I've been hesitant to give him up but it's time to let him spread his wings a little bit :) 

Likes: bananas! Playing with toys, loves the jumper, really likes the teething crackers, watching big brothers play, still really loves his mommy and smiles at me constantly, chews on his hands constantly

Dislikes: TEETHING!! Poor kid is trying to cut his two bottom teeth and it has not been fun. Definitely fussier lately and so.much.drool. I will be so glad when they pop through. 

Judah {5 Months}

Size: 14.8 lbs on home scale, size 2 diapers, 6 month clothes 

Eating: had his first taste of rice cereal on Aug. 8. It's the earliest I've ever introduced "food" but thought I'd try because he is constantly reaching for our plates and cups and insists on being at the table with us for meals. He also ALWAYS has his hands in his mouth. He did fine with the spoon but since then I've just been mixing it into a bottle. Still nursing every 2-3 hours during the day. 

Sleeping: This little dude was waking 1-2 times a night to eat (or possibly out of habit) for the last 6 weeks  (helloooo 4 month sleep regression!) but this last week he has slept all the way through the night or just been waking around midnight to eat and then sleeps until 7:30am. The other boys didn't ever do this so we are just riding it out and trying to feed him when necessary at night but also trying to let him cry it out some. He goes to bed at 7:30 ish and besides the night waking usually sleeps until 7:30 am. He takes 3 naps- morning (1.5 hours), lunch, and early afternoon. 

Milestones: no more swaddled babies in my house :(. But he found his belly and has been sleeping/waking up on his tummy since 8/21! Loves to snuggle his lion lovey and holds it near his face to fall asleep. Does great sitting up with a little assistance. He's also found his feet and loves to grab them when he's on his back. 

Likes: his floor play mat, laughing and talking, chewing on his hands, the jumper, toys in his hands, reaching for toys, being with his mommy, any smiling face in front of him, his lovey, being fed. 

Dislikes: still LOATHES the car seat and being in the car. And I mean LOATHES. We've yet to go on any car ride that hasn't involved screaming. Poor guy. 

Canaan and Levi update

I'd be remiss not to chronicle an update for my own memory about the two big brothers. Here's what they are up to at 3 and 5 years old:

Levi: 

Our first born is living up to his title because he is for sure the alpha male. He is smart, very athletic, and a leader. I would not be surprised if he grew up to be a multi sport athlete. He is a pro at negotiating and persisting and his stubborn streak has been incredibly challenging over these last few months in quarantine. Most of the time I feel like I am parenting myself as a child (minus the smart mouth) so we've had some rough days since March. But by God's wisdom and grace we are figuring out the best approach in parenting him and I know school is going to make a big difference. He's a fantastic kid- but he is nonstop energy and questions all day long and it can make a person TIRED. I heard not too long ago on a podcast that "the thing that is most difficult/annoying about your child right now will be the thing that helps them succeed later in life." Knowing this to be true first hand in myself, I'm holding that little nugget very close. I pray his persistence and stubbornness will help him grow up to be an ardent follower of Jesus... remaining steadfast in his faith through the peaks and the valleys. He loves Jesus and praying and school and thrives on a routine and cannot stand to be bored. Which I think has been the biggest issue these last few months as my capacity has been limited with a newborn/moving/wedding/everything else. So getting back to school and being challenged and hearing Christian instruction from other voices besides ours is going to be a great benefit for him. He loves learning and asking questions (constantly) and excels in the classroom.  He loves to memorize Scripture and hearing him recite God's Word is probably my favorite thing ever. He has never once had a behavior problem at school and always has all the stickers on his chart and is an enthusiastic participator. His teacher last year said that he's "everyone's friend" and that made me smile. He is always in a good mood- nothing really gets him down and I love that about him. Both boys are great about not pitching fits but Levi is truly always cheerful. He loves to have responsibility and feel validated. He is a competitor and wants to master whatever is thrown at him... literally. Like baseball, football, writing in his workbook, learning to tie his shoes, vacuuming the house (yes, I said vacuuming the house). He wants to do it all and be good at it all. He is the BEST brother to Judah and dotes over him 24/7. He always wants to hold him, soothe him, feed him, etc. and truly adores him. They are best buddies and not long after he was born he started calling him Judy (or I guess Judey if we want to make it more masculine! haha) and it has stuck ever since. It makes perfect sense because he prayed for Judah in my belly the whole pregnancy and was obsessed with feeling him kick. I truly believe their bond started long before he was born. 

Canaan: 

The new middle little has fallen into place very well and loves to hang with big brother and adores little Judah. He is our snuggle bug. He loves his elephant lovey and can't sleep without it. It's usually not very far from him. He would be totally content to snuggle with you and watch movies and eat snacks all day on the couch. When he's not hunting down his next snack of yogurt, goldfish, cookies/crackers, candy or dessert he can be found playing and imagining by himself. It amazes me how well he can entertain himself with LEGOS (the little ones), action figures, play doh, kinetic sand, and his tools. Clearly he loves to work with his hands. While Levi is definitely our sports star, Canaan really enjoys building things and helping you with whatever you are doing. Specifically when it comes to baking or cutting the grass or fixing things around the house... next thing you know he will pull up a chair or show up with his bubble lawn mower or his bag of tools. Those things are probably his most beloved possessions (besides his lovey). He is definitely tactile because the kid has to put his hands on everything. Literally must touch everything. His wandering usually leads him to mischief or a mess. He quickly and quietly slips away often to get into something. :) He loves the pool and is a free spirit in the water... he floats around, runs and cannon balls into the pool, plays with water toys. He's as happy as a lark in the pool. In the day to day stuff he could go his own way and entertain himself and Levi needs constant engagement and interaction. He loves to watch The Rocketeer on Disney and really anything on a screen. He enjoys books and coloring and sitting close with mom and dad and swinging at the playground. His favorite game to play with Levi is to pretend that they are Sonic and Tails and run around the house as fast as they can. He also really loves (and has for months) pretending to be a cat and a lion. He is ALWAYS meowing and roaring-- it's funny and perplexing haha. He is the sweetest, most affectionate little guy and very soft spoken. His voice is the most precious thing and I wish I could bottle him up and record everything he says. He's definitely got a moody side and can pout/whine with the best of them. He loves to be bare foot and Levi is obsessed with having cool shoes. They both love to wrestle with Dad and thinks he hung the moon (as do I). They are alike in a lot of ways but really very different little boys. He's excited to head back to school soon and I'm looking forward to seeing how being back in the school routine grows him and shapes his personality. 

The days can be so very long but I know these years with them in the nest are very short. Thankful that I get to call Levi, Canaan and Judah my three sons and that they call me Mommy. 

Judah {4 Months}

Size: 13.6 lbs on home scale, wearing 3-6 month clothes, 

Eating: eating a lot lately and growing! Nursing every 2-3 hours or so and started waking once a night to eat again. Ready for cereal/solids for sure. 

Sleeping: sleeps about 11-12 hours but has frequently woken to eat again

Milestones: rolling, reaching and grabbing and toys and food, constantly chewing on his fingers, moved to a new house!

Likes: being social and interacting with people, loves to be held and just be with people

Dislikes: HATES the car seat/car. It is quite a struggle. Hates being away from mom. 

Judah {3 Months}

This little angel baby has me wrapped around his little fingers. I just adore him and can't imagine life without him. This month has brought us constant smiles and laughs and long 12 hour nights of sleep. He is an absolute joy and goes with the flow.

Size: weighs 13 lbs on home scale, wearing size 2 diapers, 3-6 month clothes.

Eat: Nursing/pumping every 2.5 hours. He usually eats around 6am, 9, 11, 2, 4:30, 6:30pm.

Sleep: Mostly sleeping 11-12 hours at night. He goes to bed at 7 or a little after and usually sleeps until 6/6:30am. I nurse him and put him right back to bed and he sleeps until 9. He takes a solid afternoon nap- usually 2:30-5pm. 

Milestones: rolls from tummy to back when doing tummy time, found his hands and examines them constantly, got our first real belly laugh a few days ago and it was the absolute best :) 

Likes: playing patty cake, when mommy sings, attention from big brothers, being held, lovesssss to laugh and smile and coo, lights up when you make eye contact, being swaddled, watching the fish tank in his crib, loves his mommy's arms. 

Dislikes: still not real satisfied in any seat but hopefully warming up a little to the jumper and high chair. HATES the carseat and traveling. Can't blame him there.

Judah {2 Months}

Laughing :) 

Size: weighs 11.4 lbs on home scale, wearing size 2 diapers, 3 month clothes.

Eat: Judah has been a hungry little guy this past month. He definitely hit a growth spurt at 4 and 6 weeks and wanted to eat constantly. He's now nursing/taking a bottle of breastmilk every 2-3 hours during the day and nursing once a night around 2-4 am. 

Sleep: Sleeping 7-8 hour stretches. We put him down around 7 pm and I do a dream feed around 8:30/9pm. He then sleeps until anywhere from 2-4 am and then nurses again. After that he sleeps until morning- usually around 7 am. So he usually eats at 7, 10, 1, 4, 5:30, 7, 8:30/9, 3 am (roughly). 

Milestones: getting better at tummy time and head strength, rolled from tummy to back, started laughing and smiling voluntarily. Getting 8 week vaccines tomorrow. 

Likes: warm baths, attention, being held, napping on his tummy. 

Dislikes: any kind of seat. I've yet to find any seat that he will sit in happily for long periods of time. Hoping that gets better with age and a little more mobility. 

Judah {1 Month}

Little Judah man, where did the month go?! Seems crazy to think he's been with us for one whole month now. It's hard to remember what life was like before chasing 3 little boys. It has been so nice to have Ryan home with us as we adjust and also a little chaotic with everyone cooped up with nowhere to go. I count my blessings every day for a healthy family and quality time together- it's truly like God gave us a pause button to stop and take in a new baby and transition to life as a family of 5. The days can feel long a lot of times but I'm no less grateful for the gift that these THREE little boys are to me. I pray that my shortcomings as a mother will only point them heavenward and Christ would fill those gaps and voids. 

Size: weighs 9.4 lbs on home scale, wearing size 1 diapers, newborn sleepers.
Eat: Nurses (or takes anywhere from 2.5-4 oz in pumped bottle) every 2-2.5 hours during the day and usually nurses once or twice in the middle of the night- unless he's going through a growth spurt and it's more frequent.
Sleep: Last night (4/24) he gave me his longest stretch at night so far which was 6 hours and 15 minutes! It felt glorious. Would love if that's the start of our new normal! He usually sleeps about 4 hours and then wakes to nurse. I've been trying to put him down by 8 pm each night and then Ryan and I go to sleep around 8:30 too in order to actually get some sleep. Trying to establish a good eat/play/sleep routine during the day now that he's starting to stay awake a little longer. 
Milestones: Sleeping longer stretches at night, surviving his first month of life in a quarantine with two crazy big bros. 
Likes: being swaddled and snuggled close, loud white noise, attention from big brothers, warm baths, riding in the stroller, loves to be chest to chest, the rock n play
Dislikes: being put down, being cold, laying flat on his back in the pack n play 

Bumpdate #3 {37 Weeks}

PTL this is the last bumpdate because these pictures are getting increasingly unflattering :) 

How far along: 37 weeks {See Levi's and Canaan's 37 week bumpdates here}

Size of baby: canary melon

Total weight gain/loss: +25 lbs

Sleep: Definitely been suffering from pregnancy insomnia these last few weeks. It takes me HOURS to fall asleep and then I have trouble staying asleep due to going to the bathroom every 2 hours or just not being able to stay comfortable. I take unisom which helps a lot but it leaves me feeling groggy the next day. So my choices are exhaustion or mental fog. There's no winning really. 

Exercise: ummmmm I'm so tired it's hard to motivate myself to exercise but I am walking when it's not raining. 

Cravings/Aversions: Been hungrier lately which is so funny to me because I've not really had much of an appetite this whole pregnancy. I've eaten a lot of salad and fresh fruits and veggies this pregnancy and haven't really wanted anything sweet. Funny how every pregnancy is different-- I lived on Oreos with Canaan's pregnancy. 

Labor signs/symptoms: consistent BH contractions especially during the night

Best moment: Was 1 cm dilated and 50% effaced at my 36 week appointment. Going to the doctor every week now until we meet Judah.

Looking forward to: 2 weeks until Judah's birthday!! TWO WEEKS!!!! Unless he comes earlier than his March 23 induction of course. 

What I miss/What I'm loving: I miss quality sleep. I know I'll soon be waking to nurse a baby but it will at least be more rewarding than what I'm currently enduring at night. And if Judah is an amazing sleeper like his two big bros then we should adjust pretty quickly. I'm loving the anticipation of this little baby. This is most likely the last time I'll ever feel a baby move inside me, the last time I'll experience pregnancy or anticipate labor and delivery. It's been a long, sweet season but I'm ready to raise these 3 little brothers and start our next chapter as a family of 5. 

Bumpdate #3 {33 Weeks}

Picture courtesy of Levi :) I feel like I've reached the point where my face is starting to swell so when I think I'm smiling it doesn't appear that I'm actually smiling. Ha!

How far along: 33 weeks {See Levi's and Canaan's 33 week bumpdates here}

Size of baby: pineapple

Total weight gain/loss: +21 lbs 

Sleep: occasional charley horses and heartburn at night. 

Exercise: walking my 3 mile neighborhood route every chance I can. Very thankful warmer temperatures are coming back. Now if only this rain would go away... 

Cravings/Aversions: steady diet of Prilosec and Tums :) 

Labor signs/symptoms: none 

Best moment: Got a ton of sweet newborn pajamas in the mail from Aunt Megan this week. I needed some new ones and she picked out 6 really cute ones. Can't wait to see him in them all! Aunt Holley got us a new kitchen seat too so now all we need to collect is some diapers. 

Looking forward to: Only one more bumpdate to go!!!! I NEEED to meet this child! Only 6 more weeks until induction! 

What I miss/What I'm loving: Same story here- I really miss sleeping on my stomach and just being comfortable. I daydream about running and working out. Ready to hit it hard this spring. My favorite thing about this pregnancy by far has been hearing Levi and Canaan talk to baby Judah. Particularly Levi who is incredibly excited to meet his new brother. He talks to Judah in my belly all day long, prays for him, and is already plotting their future brother adventures. He has been so obsessed with my growing belly and all of the ultrasounds-- wanting to hear the heartbeat and see what Judah looks like. He even says "bye baby Judah!" to my belly whenever I drop him off at school in the mornings. It's really the sweetest thing. Canaan also loves to hug my belly and say, "I love youuuu baby Judah!" Can't wait to see the 3 of them together. 

Bumpdate #3 {29 Weeks}

How far along: 29 weeks {See Levi's and Canaan's 29 week bumpdates here}

Size of baby: acorn squash 

Total weight gain/loss: +21 lbs

Sleep: Had my first Charley horse in my right leg the other night and have experienced some restlessness at night in my legs ever since. Sleeping fine but still up a lot to go to the bathroom and to eat Tums :) 

Exercise: walking 3 miles several days a week and feeling great 

Cravings/Aversions: Still no real appetite. I don't have a lot of room and get full very fast. Just eating small meals and drinking lots of water. 

Labor signs/symptoms: occasional BH contractions, crazy heartburn that feels like fire in my throat, lots of low pressure, measured 30/31 weeks at my 28 week appointment  

Best moment: Passed my glucose test (despite all the fudge I ate at Christmas!) and baby was head down at my 28 week appointment. He should stay that way for the duration. Levi and Canaan were both head down at 28 weeks and remained in that position until birth. 

Looking forward to: doing a 3D ultrasound tomorrow! :) I'm also just really ready to experience newborn life. I keep dreaming about his little face, the moment we meet him, becoming a family of 5, discovering our new normal, and nursing him for the first time. Really looking forward to inducing at 39 weeks-- only 10 more weeks from today! 

What I miss/What I'm loving: I miss sleeping on my stomach, running, my normal (smaller) wardrobe, etc. I am loving all the movement in my belly-- Judah is an active little thing so I'm grateful for the constant reminder of a little person in there! Also loving the amount of cleaning and purging we've done since Christmas. My nesting instincts have been in overdrive ever since we put Christmas back in a box. If it has a surface then it's been cleaned around here! Also got rid of three trash bags full of clothes and toys. Feels nice to make room for another little boy!