Marshall's first beach trip

While Mike and Leah were in Alaska (yes, I'm very jealous!) Mom and Dad took Caiden and us to Gulf Shores. We are really liking it down there as opposed to our usual Florida destination because it seems so much less crowded. And can't believe it but little man turned 9 months when we got home! I'll post more about that after his doctor's appointment this week. Anyway, I knew Marshall would love it because most of our time is spent in his favorite place - outside! He adored the ocean!! Loved stomping his feet in the wet sand and watching the waves roll in over his feet. No fear whatsoever!!
Only cried for a second when MeMe wasn't quite quick enough!
He is fascinated by his cousin. Loves just watching him intently, but gives him lots of smiles too!
Like "squirrel" but for these two boys it's "big truck!"
Marshall's daddy and Pop had a good time too!


But two days in a row (and two separate injuries) Pop was not successful trying to body surf.


Even with the lack of sleep at night (Marshall had to share a room with us and slept horribly without his beloved bumper pads that he snuggles with), the smiles, memories, and pictures were worth it (now that I'm rested!)

8 months

Happy 8 months to our little man! He is seeming so grown up lately! He is just becoming so much a little person, I love it!

Not sure about height/weight stats because we don't go to the doc til 9 months, but I know this guy is TALL! Wears 12 month for the length in one pieces, but can wear 9 month shorts and tees. And praise the Lord (and praying it sticks) he has been on a sleeping streak lately. Maybe it was all due to the two bottom teeth that started peeking out a couple months ago are now completely through?

Still on the similar schedule, but is now regularly taking about an hour and a half nap in the morning and a 2 hour or more nap in the afternoon. Doesn't need a snack anymore before nap becasue he's eating a TON! Still drinks 6 oz. bottles, but now eats 1-2 oz of baby food with oatmeal for breakfast and 4-6 oz of baby food for each lunch and dinner!! Favorties are still squash and apricots. Still is very easily distracted or would rather be playing than eating, but he is definitely better! Loves laughing at lots of things, but especially dogs and Daddy. Can swing himself and jump crazily in the Johnny Jump Up. Screams at things, says "mama" "baba" and has just started jumbling all kinds of consonants together - b's, m's, and g's. Is usually smiling or looking very serious. And has gone from strawberry blonde to toe-headed?!!

Trying to crawl, but can really just spin in circles, but can get off the rug or his blanket slowly but surely by doing that. Poor sweet dogs are really in for it when he gets it figured out.

ADORES the walker. He gets something in his sight and speeds toward it!! But he does get frustrated when the walker is in his way of getting to whatever it is.

Such a precious little boy! We love him more and more every day!

Late Easter and 7 months

We're a little behind over here. It's been hectic, to put it mildy, with Marshall's wild sleeping habits (well actually it's his attitude due to the sleeping habits!). I kept thinking it was getting better, but it wasn't. But God has used him/his situation as a teaching tool, of course, and I have learned great empathy for those (most likely my clients) who have feelings of hopelessness and exhaustion. I also have a renewed sense of grace - God's grace. How every "good" day with Marshall is His showing me grace. I don't deserve those good days (no matter how hard I've worked, tried, done everything "right"). But things have seeminly been better this week - more sleeping, less crying.

Anyway, so that lesson was all in good timing around Easter...



How cute is this little MAN???!!



Cousins


So 7 months...

SITTING UP unsupervised!

He started sitting up a little after 6 months, but really perfected it in the last week or two.

He's trying desperately to crawl, but all he can do is rock up on his hands and knees. He does a pretty good job of moving around by rolling back and forth and spinning on his belly.

Wears mostly 9 month clothes (some 6 month)

Eats (3) 6 z bottles a day (2-3 oz snack before afternoon nap) and an 8 oz at bedtime, plus 3 "meals" of babyfood, about 3 or 4 oz (just added breakfast this week)

Loves squash, apricots, and pears the most, but pretty much eats all of it (when you can keep him still and focused long enough, which is pretty difficult)

Still loves to be moving - bouncy seat, johnny jump up, walker, stoller

Loves playing with wheels on toy cars (it's in the genes I guess!)

SAYS MA-MA!!! Has been rambling chains of mamamama for several weeks, but this week just started stopping at Ma-Ma. So precious!

Still very social - loves laughing, smiling, talking to most people

Laughs extremely loud at a Snoopy stuffed animal (at the chiropractor's) and a Razorback stuffed animal from his great grandparents.

Has a tooth! It's about halway out I guess (bottom front, right). Started a couple weeks ago.

Schedule (well, we stay close to it but the naps vary!)

7/7:30 - wake, bottle
9:30 - nap
10:30/11 - wake
11:30 - bottle and baby food
1:30/2 - nap
3:30/4 - wake
4:30 - bottle and baby food
7 - bath
7:30 - bottle
8/8:30 - bed

Still making some of his food - sweet potatoes, green beans, carrots, and he eats fresh avocado. Doesn't take much time at all. Should probably make more like the fruit and squash (but I doubt they are as much money savers).

This boy has very strong opinons and lets you know them! He has such a great personality though - laughs and smiles a lot, it doesn't take much!



and is just plain cute (we're biased I know)!

6 months!!

Time seemed to pass slowly at first, but it's going so fast now! Our little boy is 6 months (well, he actually turned 6 months on Friday)! He was such a big boy for his shots today at the Dr. - hardly cried at all!

He's so much fun! And so funny - he definitely thinks of himself as funny!




This guy has done a lot of growing up:

17.0 lbs. (25th percentile), 27 inches long (60th percentile), and 17 inches head circumference (25th percentile). Wears 9 month clothes, 6 month are getting a little short.
FINALLY less crying/screaming/crankiness due to finally being able to stay awake a little longer and move to 2 naps. So now his schedule varies around:
7/7:15 - wake
7:30 - bottle
9:30 - nap
11 - wake
11:30 - bottle, baby food
1:30/45 - snack bottle then nap at 1:45/2
4/4:15 - wake, bottle, baby food
7/7:15 - bath
7:30 - bottle and asleep around 8/8:15
Still wakes up too early crying at some naps, but will now go back to sleep whereas he wouldn't before and was cranky. So yay for sleep/less screaming!

Eating 5 to 6 oz bottles 4xs a day (plus a 3 oz snack before his long nap in the afternoon)
Loves baby food! Actually seems to prefer it over his bottle - will leave some milk at times but scarf down the food! Favorites - sweet potatoes, green beans, and pears. Also eats squash, carrots, avocado, peaches, apples, and some bananas. Makes a sour face the first few bites of most fruit (except pears), so he seems to like fruit better mixed with a bite of his veggie - yuck!
Eats anywhere from 1 to 3 oz each meal (right now just lunch and dinner)
Drinks sometimes from a sippy cup

Can consistently roll from back to tummy, but only rolls back on accident. Gets frustrated if on tummy too long. Can pull his knees up, "swims," sometimes can push backward, but that's as close as we are to crawling.
Can sit up with just a tad bit of support
LOVES outside - strolling, swinging, just sitting. It's one of the few places that he's semi-calm! Otherwise, he's pretty active and just plain crazy!
Always laughs at his daddy...just looking at him haha! And the dogs. Even Dr. Chupp says he's pretty social - loves to smile, makes noises at you, and kicks like crazy when you talk to him (actually, he kicks all the time, but just does it faster!)
likes books, favorites: Chick-Chick, Wheels on the Bus, Fluffy Chick, Diggers



We sure do love this little guy! It's such a blessing to be his parents!

Grub Time

Our little man is growing up, and it's time for eating real food! We started with rice ceral a little over a week ago. He ate it, but didn't beg for more. I wouldn't either, that stuff is nasty!

Then we tried sweet potatoes, and this guy LOVED them! Smacking his lips and everything!


I'm attempting to make my own babyfood. It seems easy enough with veggies (and semi easy with fruit), but we'll see what happens when it comes to full meals and meats. I made my first batch of sweet potatoes.


It was really easy; I'm following my friend Amanda and this site.

4 months

We've been a little busy around here (see previous post) so I'm a week or so behind doing little man's 4 month post, but here goes...



Weighs 14 lbs. and 10 oz. (32nd percentile) and is 26 in. long (75th percentile)
Wears 6 month or 3-6 month clothes
Eats 5 to 6 oz 5x's a day (we'll probably start solids soon)
Sleeps 11 hours at night
On a good day takes two 1.5 hr. naps and one 45 min - 1 hr. nap (on other days, it's give or take one or two of those)
EXTREMELY active - scoots his bouncy seat across the living room by kicking (sometimes for an hour at a time!)
Mostly screams now to talk instead of cooing
Can roll over from tummy to back and vice versa on soft surfaces like the couch (can only get on his side on hard surfaces)
LOVES talking to and playing with his Daddy, smiles as soon as he sees him
Plays in his bouncy seat (likes this the most), his Johnny Jump Up, and his jumperoo
Favorite books - Fluffy Chick (with the crinkle pages) and Green Eggs and Ham

He's such a sweet, fun little guy. We feel so blessed!

Dream Come True

It has been a dream (and a calling) to start up a counseling center, especially one that can provide low-fee counseling to those that can't afford it. And thanks to my dad, mostly, and other supporters my sister and I are getting to do just that! Dayspring Center for Christian Counseling's Owens Cross Roads location is now open!

"Like" us on facebook to keep up with us and see all the work we've (including our awesome husbands) been doing. Check out our website too!