Marshall is ONE!

Well, I'm just now getting around to documenting our little man's turning 1 because shortly afterward my hubby surprised me with a getaway to celebrate one year as parents (he said to reward me for surviving a year with Marshall haha!)! More on that later, though.

A friend took some great pictures for us (Lucy Thompson Photography, check her out here). 

So much has changed so quickly lately with this guy!! He is walking all over the place (had been going between furniture and people for several months, but just decided to take off everywhere by himself). He is saying lots of things besides Mama Dada and MeMe - like Chick Chick which also sounds the same as when he copies us saying "tee tee!" and Mi for Mickey (which he has decided he loves). He has dropped his morning nap because he was taking way too long to fall asleep even after pushing the nap too late in the morning as it was. So he takes one nap after lunch now that is usually around 2-2.5 hrs, if we are really lucky it's 3 ;) Has finally decided to feed himself more with his fingers and is doing ok using a spoon and fork sometimes.  The smash cake with Lucy didn't go so well because this child typically hates, and I mean hates, food on his hands!!

Cries way more about that than he does if he falls and hits his head! Something that hasn't changed though is that he is still in about the 80th percentile in height at 31 inches and the 10th percentile weight at (20 and a half pounds). Very hard to find clothes that fit as smaller ones are too short and longer ones are too baggy! It's not for lack of eating, that's for sure!! This boy is just on the go! So the doctor said we don't have to worry about getting rid of his milk at night because he could use the extra calories haha!

We had some close friends and family over for a little celebration for him...

The cake was an outdoor theme because Marshall adores outside - including bruising up his shins and knees crawling on gravel and concrete!

We gave him a small store bought "smash cake" with similar results as the first one haha! He did eat a bite or two with a spoon, but he much more wanted to get down and play!

So we ended up sending in a sub (M's buddy Carter Cameron) to finish it off...

That's how you get it done, Cart!

We love those cute little dimples!!

So grateful for our family God has blessed us with!

11 months

This little boy is just that - all boy! He is his father's son for sure - loves loud noises and riding things like the 4-wheeler!

He is very capable of walking all over the place and will do so if he thinks you are nearby or barely touching him. Otherwise, he is content to hold your hand and walk around or crawl as fast as a madman!

Has a mouhful of teeth! 4 on top, 2 on bottom and in his tiny mouth it looks like he has almost a complete set!!

Not doing well about self-feeding. He loves feeding himself Cheerios and Puffs, but anything that has a different texture than hard, he hates getting on his fingers. So obviously that keeps him from feeding himself most other things.  He'll eat lots of stuff if we feed it to him ourselves. Anybody had this issue before?

I am in such shock about what has been helping this child sleep a little better and whine a lot less with his teeth....

a pacifier!!! He looks so funny to me with one! Has never ever wanted any part of one before except to chew on it for a second or two. Well, now evidently it puts pressure on the right places in his mouth because he loves it!!

Can say what sound a monkey makes - "ooo ooo ah ah"
Can say "be be" for baby
Says "ma" for lots of things - Maggie, milk, light

Drinking completely whole milk now. Transitioned with half and half formula for about a month. He doesn't really seem to notice. Doesn't like it directly from the fridge really cold though. Either needs to have sat out or be warmed up very slightly. Still doing fine with his sippy cup.

If he'd start eating more table food, we'd start transitioning to a later dinner with us and less milk at night, but for now he still drinks about 4 or 5 oz at night. 


We love our little man so much!!

10 months (yesterday)

The 1 year mark just keeps creeping up! It has now gotten to the point where I look back at newborn pictures and really can't remember his being that small. 

His absolute favorite passtime, swinging

It seems like he's grown up a ton this past month! He's been crawling hands and knees style now for weeks (instead of his army crawl), pulling up on everything, cruising on everything, stands by himself without assistance for several seconds at a time and can take a step or two!!! In other words, into everything, as if he weren't already!

I can't unload the dishwasher without this child climbing into it (getting himself soaking wet in the process).
His schedule is the same, with the exception of naps. This kids teeth are killing us! He now has the two bottom front completely out, the two eye teeth pretty much out, and now working on the front ones (which are bleeding in the process ouch!!!) So some days (when he doesn't wake up early in the morning and sleeps 11+ hours, he does really well and doesn't need but one nap after lunch), but the other days that he wakes up early and only gets around 10 hours, give or take, that night he takes two naps. 
We are also slowly switching him over to cow's milk, doing half and half with formula now. Our pediatrician told us that according to the AAP the benefits of formula over milk really diminish around 9 months. So we're going to save that money! His favorite food right now is yogurt, rarely turns it down. I'm not sure if he's over baby food or if it's just his teeth, but he really won't feed himself either - just kinda plays with solid food.
He still runs around like a maniac in his walker,chasing us and dogs, and crazily enjoys going after Daddy's toes!

He loves the dogs even more than he used to - Says "ma" to Maggie and pats her on the head, loves using Ty to pull up and climb on.  Still says "mama" "dada" "nana" and sometimes "meme" but these days it's mostly "mama" and he is trying to say "pop" ( mostly just makes the "p" sound). Likes to fake laugh and copy Joey when Joey laughs at him. And is sticking his tongue out all the time! Maybe that's feeling those new front teeth, who knows!
He's a really fun little boy. We may have some stubborness/a strong-will to tame in the near future, just praying God will help us with that! We love our little man!

9 months (a little late)

I can't believe this little boy is getting so close to a year old!! Turned 9 months a little over a week ago.  He has become so much fun! He was fun even as a baby, but it was in between spurts of irritability due to lack of sleep.  Plus now can really interact and get around more which is what he has ALWAYS wanted to do!

Some things to record about 9 months:

70th percentile in height and only 11th in weight, skinny little boy haha!

But it's not due to lack of eating - eats 6 oz formula at breakfast, lunch, dinner, and bedtime, and 1 jar of babyfood plus oatmeal and some yogurt for breakfast, 1.5 to 2 jars of babyfood plus turkey or cheese at lunch and dinner and some puffs in between!

And that formula is all in sippy cups! He's off the bottle. Wasn't difficult for this boy who never got comfort from sucking a paci or bottle at all.

Schedule still about the same, but seems to be able to stay awake a little longer between sleep without getting too fussy. And this booger is doing so much better with sleep and teething this go round. The two teeth on bottom are totally out and he has two eye teeth on top coming in. Will wake up early some mornings with it, but not too bad for the most part.

Still would rather be outside than anywhere else, specifically swinging with somebody.

Has added da-da, me-me (which mom loves!) and na-na (which Joey's mom loves!), and hard g's to his sounds/vocab, and loves to scream them one after another.  I think he now knows who MaMa and MeMe are. Knows light - points to it and whispers ba.

Added the "roll 'em up" part to his patty-caking. 

Gives "kisses."

Runs around like a crazy person in his walker all over the house. Still only army crawls, but is pulling up (only on people though) to knees then standing. Prefers to walk around holding someone's hands (ALL the time) than to cruise on furniture.  Has taken a few running steps between two people. He has no fear at all - will just let go and try to walk by himself.

Snuggles (holding onto with his face pressed in) with his bumper pads. So much so that he sleeps horribly in a pack and play or rented crib without blankets wadded up around the edge.

Favorite toy - ball of any kind. Favorite books - Sleep All Day Play All Night, Bubbles, and Chick-Chick. Favorite food - carrots and squash, peaches and pumpkin

Love, love, love this little man. Feel so blessed that God is letting us be his parents!

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)!