Jumping Mr. Bananas

When I had my first baby, everything seemed to happen in a blur. A lot of it had to do with being a new mommy, sleep deprivation, having a newborn, sleep deprivation, juggling motherhood and my career, and did I mention sleep deprivation?  While each new milestone was amazing, I don't think I was able to savor each moment the way I would have liked because I was overwhelmed and exhausted.

With baby #2, I was able to enjoy each milestone a little bit more, but I was also mommy to a toddler. While I felt that I had the ins and outs of mothering an infant, I was learning how to mother a toddler and how to juggle two kids. So while milestones were amazing, savoring them was not at the top of my list.

Now I have baby #3, who is quickly showing me that he is swiftly leaving babyhood far behind and he is very much a toddler.  I'm still trying to catch milestones, though I will never ever be able to catch up on the teeth chart on any of the baby books! I feel like my brain has finally caught up and I now have a chance to enjoy some of these milestones as if they are brand new. Boogie is old enough to be helpful, does not need as much guidance as he once did, and he is more independent. Even though Buggy is a preschooler and the same age as Boogie was when I had him, I feel like I have a better handle on what to expect so I am able to give Mr. Bananas some more attention and be more aware of his milestones.

Last Saturday, Mr. Bananas demonstrated his attempt at jumping and I'm so glad I was able to get it on video. It is adorable. I vaguely remember when the other two started jumping, and how they would be so proud. Now I have it on video with Mr. B.  He tries so hard. He is able to get one foot off the ground and he is tickled that he can "jump." He loves to show off his new skill and loves when we wildly applaud his efforts. Did I mention it's stinkin' cute?  He was able to demonstrate his skill at a family birthday party on Sunday and his Godmother, grandmother, and cousins had a front row view and cheered and applauded. My little ham ate it all up.

I love that I was able to catch this!

Boogie Turns 6!

Today I became the mother of a 6 year old. When did that happen?!?  I can't believe that 6 years ago today I gave birth to my first baby.  I still remember the rush of excitement on our drive to the hospital.  The 27 1/2 hours of labor and the 3 hours of pushing. Oh.Yes. THREE hours of pushing.  The result was our first born. Our son. Our Boogie Man.

Boogie has been thinking of this day for weeks!  He has been counting down. He awoke with a smile on his face and told me that he was going to sing, "Happy Birthday to Me" all the way to school. And he did. However, the closer the school became, the more softly he sang to himself, that by the time we reached the school he was barely whispering it, but I could still hear it. He told everyone he encountered that it was his birthday. It was truly a magnificent day.

We started with me telling him the good memories of his birth and how his daddy named him after his grandfathers.  He and his siblings had a special donut birthday breakfast.  I sang "Happy Birthday to You."  I brought cupcakes and juice boxes to his class for a midday snack.  I came back with his siblings and Lola just an hour later to look over his accomplishments for "Literacy Knight" where the kids showed up their reading and writing skills.  He waited very, very patiently to open gifts and I allowed him to play "Angry Birds" on my phone while he waited for Daddy to come home from work.

We opened presents and he received his second "Angry Birds" game. I saw how much loved one that he received as the favor for a friend's party and I thought he would like another. He can and will spend hours building new sets and trying them out.  He also got his first "Beyblade" set.  It came with an arena and two Beyblades to battle. The ultimate gift was his pedal bike! He was so excited. He's been cruising around on his glider for a year now and we thought he was ready for a pedal bike. He jumped and squealed when he saw it. I'm so happy that tomorrow is the first day of Spring Break and that he can spend all weekend and all next week riding his new bike. Pretty awesome.

We had a wonderful dinner at his favorite restaurant. Lola joined us for his birthday dinner. My dear son happy all day long. He felts like I wanted to him feel today and how I want him to feel always:  important and happy.

I love his thirst for knowledge and I am grateful for his eagerness to share God's word.  He makes me a better person and a better Mama every single day.  I love when he is kind to his sister. I love that he still loves to cuddle, be held & hugged, and that he allows Mama to give him kisses. I love that he LOVES to read and to listen to audiobooks. I am so blessed to be his Mama. Happy, happy birthday Boogie. I LOVE YOU! ALWAYS! xoxo

My 6 Year old!

5 Years Old

4 Years Old

3 Years Old

2 Years Old

1 Year old

Just Born!

Mr Bananas is 11 months old! (Belated)

My monkey stopped and smiled for me when he saw the camera

Our Mr. Bananas turned 11 months old.  I can't believe that he will be a year old next month.  The time sure does fly!  I am amazed not only how quickly time passes by, but what is accomplished in that amount of time.

Mr. Bananas now has six teeth. His tops finally busted through and so have ones on either side of his front top teeth.  He has been cruising around the furniture and he has been attempting to stand without holding onto anything. He's accomplished the standing alone once or twice!  He can crawl very quickly and is often off like a shot after his brother and sister.  It's a good thing that they are so good with him.  He adores them.  He sleeps better through the night. Every now and again he'll wake up, but I'm going to attribute that to teething as it is not a consistent night waking.  Just 3 or 4 nights at a time and then he sleeps through the night for weeks at a time.

I think he needs more sleep because he is often rubbing his eyes around dinner time at 6:30pm. I think that I'll need to feed him earlier than everyone else and put him to bed earlier.  Though if I do that, Hubby won't have a chance to spend any time with him. We'll see how things go.

He signs and can ask for "more", tell me he's "all done", "hello," and "goodbye" and point to things that he wants.  His spoken verbal isn't too bad either. He can say "more," "Mama," "bye-bye," and "da" (daddy). Most recently he signed and said, "Mah, Mama" (More, Mama)!

He loves to flirt with the ladies who sit behind us in church. He's constantly smiling and then hiding from them.  He also likes to crawl around the pew and will often crawl on the floor from one end to the other.

Enjoying some Daddy time

Mr. B. is very comfortable in the childcare at the gym and loves playing with the toys and meeting new kids. One time they put him in baby jail  the exersaucer so he'd stay in one place for a minute and they told me he just looked defeated. He looked at Miss Tracy for a long time and then put his face down on the tray kind of pathetically. They quickly took him out and he was a happy monkey again.  Most recently they had to do it again because some of the bigger kids were playing a little more roughly and they put him in to keep him safe. Instead of being defeated, he enjoyed watching the big kids play.

Mommy has become 2nd best once daddy is home. When Mr. B. hears the garage door open, and especially when he hears Daddy's voice, he will either go towards the sound or if I'm holding him, push away from me and look around for Daddy.

Mr. B. is still my most demanding child. Not because he is the baby, but because he screams for attention. He's pretty good while we are out, but if he's hungry and we're home. Forget about it! He is demanding and inconsolable.  I also think he likes to hear the sound of his own voice!

His big sister and brother are really good about taking care of him and allowing him to play around them.  They don't fuss too much when they are playing together and he wants to join in.  They change what they are doing and remove any small pieces to make it baby friendly. It's nice that they do that without having to be told.

I love the way he finds the perfect place in our necks to nuzzle.

I still can't believe my last baby will soon be a toddler.  I am trying to cherish all the good times and remember (and take pictures) of all the cute moments. Like how he squinches his nose and lifts his face up and his eyes disappear in his smile. They way he stops to pose for the camera when he sees me pull it out to take a picture. They way he nuzzles into my neck. They way he sings and pounds the chair and makes his own beat to a music only he can hear.  The way his baby butt wiggles as he crawls away quickly to something new and interesting.  And the "who, me?" face he gives me when I say, "no" as he's about to push all the buttons on our DVD player.

I love him, and I can't imagine our family without him.  Happy 11 months, Mr. Bananas!

Mr. Bananas at 10 Months (belated)!

Two posts in two days?!? Yes, I am really trying to make an effort to get back into my writing. What better way than to do an update on Mr. Bananas.

I have been asked by several people...Why Mr. Bananas?  I chose the nickname because he received a lot of cute monkey outfits right after he was born. Everything I put him in had a monkey(s) or had some cute saying about being "bananas over mommy" and every time I would set him on the changing table and talk to him I would say in an obnoxious and nasaly voice that he loved, "Hello, Mr. Bananas." His giggles cemented the nickname.

Mr. Bananas at 10 months

At 10 months, Mr. B. was pulling himself up a ton all over the house. He loved that he could do it and now would rather be standing somewhere that sitting.  We keep a wicker basket of baby toys in the family room and when we want to deter him from heading for the tv I would put the basket in the middle of the floor. He enjoyed sitting down and going through the box as if it was a new present every time.  With 10 months came his first Christmas celebration. He sat patiently on Santa's lap while Hubby took pictures. He seemed nonchalant about the whole Santa thing.  By 10 months, if he wasn't pulling himself to a stand he was busy crawling all over the house. It took a few non-injury tumbles down the one step into our library before he became adept at turning his body over at the last second to slide down onto his tummy.  Now it's second nature to him to ease himself into the family room from the kitchen.  He met his  uncle (my brother) for the first time right before Christmas. As with all kids, Uncle Bing was a hit and Mr. B. loved getting extra attention.

Mr. Bananas in his Santa outfit

The week before Christmas we delivered gifts for the convent where we have "adopted" a nun for Christmas for the past two years.  Mr. B. was a big hit with the Sisters, most of whom were in their seventies. They enjoyed holding his hand and getting a smile. We also made a stop into the infirmary and his presence brought a smile to those who could not make it down for the celebration.  The week after Christmas we also made a stop at a local nursing home and went caroling around the corridors.  This was the nursing home where my husband's beloved Great Aunt Mickey spent her last days almost 6 years ago.  They had taken wonderful care of Aunt Mickey and it was nice to give back to the other residents with some singing and good cheer. Mr. B. dressed in an adorable Santa suit (a gift from his Filipino relatives) was carried around by Hubby and visited many rooms. Again, he was a big hit.

His favorite person continues to be his big sister and I don't think that will change anytime soon.  His big brother adores him and loves to try to play with him. Between the big kids, I know that Mr. B. is in good hands.

Hubby and Santa's helper

Mr. Bananas is 9 months old!

Our dear Mr. Bananas turned 9 months old recently. I'm still amazed that this charming little boy is a part of our life.  He is full of fun and giggles.  He still adores his big sister and she continues to be a tremendous help with him.  Even his big brother is starting to realize that Mr. B. can do more than just sit.  So Big Brother has been playing with him:  rolling a ball, lots of hugging, playing in the same vicinity. It's been great.

Mr. Bananas continues to be on the small side. His weight at his last checkup was only 16lbs 1oz.  Just 7 pounds than when we was born. I'm not overly concerned as he continues to play, listen, babble, crawl, eat food, and smile at us.  His pediatrician is concerned that he keeps dropping on the chart, but as one of the SILs pointed out he might take after my Filipino side and just on the smaller side.  I've tried to do what the doctor asks by feeding him all the time, but really, Mr. Bananas is not all that interested in being stuffed with food. But I keep trying.

His newest skill is communicating with us in sign language.  Hubby has been teaching him simple signs: all done, more, and please.  Mr. B. likes that he can tell us when he's done with his meal so that I don't keep shoving food at him.  I like we have continued the trend of teaching our babies sign language.  Boogie learned it and still uses a few signs when he speaks to us. We taught Bug when she was a baby, and now it's Mr. B.'s turn.  I like it and I like being able to communicate with him a little better.

Mr. B. continues to crawl and while most of the time it's an army crawl, he's starting to move on all fours.  We notice that he uses his right leg to push him along.  He likes to try to keep up with his siblings, but if they're too fast, he will sit and holler until someone shows him some attention.  No one is ever too far away.  One of his favorite routines is walking Boogie to school.

When Hubby comes home from work, Mr. B. starts to flap his arms and becomes very excited to see his Daddy.  Just as with the other kids, Daddy is a favorite in the house.  Mr. B. is getting a little extra attention from his Filipino relatives and he's enjoying it immensely.  Whenever they are around his feet never have to touch the floor and his carried adoringly around the house.

Life continues to be a joy and we enjoy our newest member immensely.

Mr. Bananas' 7th and 8th months

Mr. Bananas at 7 months

Our sweet baby turned 7 months old last month and our life has been so crazy that I never got a chance to update his life.  So here is the lowdown on his 7th month:

--said "Mama" for the first time at 7 months.
--still below weight and is at the 4th percentile
--doctor still wants me to feed him as much as possible (as if I'm not already)
--is sleeping through the night. Marc Weissbluth's book on sleep habits was the best $9.99 I spent on Amazon.
--not only is he sleeping better, but in my opinion he is eating better.  I still have to avoid dairy, but it appears if I avoid straight dairy, he's definitely fine. If I consume products that have dairy in them (crackers, breads, etc), he's okayish. Not great, but not horrible.
--He refuses to nap while we are out, but will readily go down when he's supposed to if we are at home.
--I swear his favorite time of day is when we walk Boogie to school. Especially if he's in the stroller. I never hear a peep from him. It also makes him tired and he's ready for a nap when we get back from our walk.
--His brother and sister still adore him and are willing to give him a toy when he's sitting near them on the floor.
--If he's fussing at a meal time, he will stop long enough so that we can say grace.
--He loves when we sing.

8 months

Our sweet baby turned 8 months old yesterday.  He is such a happy baby. It helps that he is sleeping through the night now, and he is taking regular naps. Sometimes we cannot get in our required 2 naps a day, but if he gets in at least one, he still does pretty well. But the biggest difference is his ability to sleep through the night.  The day after he turned 7 months old, he grew in his two bottom teeth.  He also started shaking his head "no." He smiles when he does it. I think he just likes the new perspective of shaking his head around.  He is desperately trying to crawl, but he can't.  He lies with his belly on the floor and move all of his limbs. When he realizes he is not going anywhere, he starts to yell.  Recently I have found him in a pike position or maybe it's downward dog...He will also get up on all fours and start to rock. He's close, but not quite at the point to start moving anywhere.  He's eating table food now.  Soft fruits and veggies. Hubby is still putting olive oil in all of his baby food as prescribed by the doctor to help Baby add weight.  I think it's gross, but I think it's working. He feels heavier.  Life is a lot more pleasant. I think it helps that I'm getting a full night's sleep most nights. The nights I don't are attributed to my soon-to-be 3 year old getting up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom. She's close to nighttime dryness...but I think I would rather have the sleep. HA!

All is well and I look forward to what the future holds.  Mr. Bananas continues to be a big flirt and will happily smile, giggle, shake his head "no," or bat his eyelashes at you. However, I think my absolute favorite thing right now is when someone speaks to him and if I'm holding him, he'll smile at them and then snuggle his head into my neck. LOVE!

Another Milestone

Well it's official. Boogs is growing up way too fast. He came downstairs this morning to announce that he had two wiggly teeth. I took a look and yep, he has two wiggly teeth and another one growing in behind one of them.  I'm not ready for this. I thought I had at least a year or two before loose teeth, tooth fairies, and scrambling for money to be put under the pillow.  This is coming on the heels of prepping him for kindergarten.  Wow. Kindergarten and loose teeth. My life will never be the same.

* Update - The teeth did fall out his first week of kindergarden.  Find out what the tooth fairy paid for his first and second lost tooth, and what the tooth fairy paid for the third lost tooth.

Happy 6 Months!

My Sweet Baby turned 6 months old today. I continue to delight in him.  I love seeing my two big kids treat him with such sweet love and adoration. If he's crying one or the other is singing to him.  Boogie simply cannot wait for his brother to run and play with him. Buggy considers him all hers and she is definitely like a second mama to him. I think one set of cousins have adopted him as their surrogate brother as they are in a family of all girls.

Here is a rundown of how much he has grown in the last month:
--reflux is better. Still there, but better
--milk intolerance is slightly better. He still spits up, but not as much.
--he is a great traveler and only cried when we were in bumper to bumper traffic in Chicago while we were  traveling.
--He took his first vacation and it was to Green Bay, Wisconsin. He toured Lambeau Field and learned that he was almost named after Aaron Rodgers.
--He met several great aunts and uncles in Green Bay
--He is learning to sit up. He can sit up supported and I think he will be able to sit up for longer and by himself shortly.
--He loves the teething "mama bling" that I wear around my necklace as a pendant.
--He recognizes his name when someone other than Mama or Daddy call him by name.
--He is very comfortable with his Godparents and will readily go to them.
--He started solids and so far so good. He likes them all. His doctor wanted him to gain two pounds while we were away. I hope he will be able to do it! We see her on Monday
--He loves when we sing to him.
--He loves to be held.
--He is stubborn and comes by it honestly. I think he was given a double dose of that character trait as both his mama and his daddy are very stubborn.
--He will fight sleep if he thinks that something better is going on.
--He's still not sleeping through the night, but he's at least sleeping a little longer. I'll take what I can get at this point.
--He loves having his picture taken.
--He's trying to talk and is starting to gurgle at us with purpose.
--He met some of his Filipino relatives
--He is starting to nap and go to bed in his crib instead of the cosleeper. He still winds up in the co-sleeper in the middle of the night after his feeding. But he's doing better.

Preschool Graduation

Boogie with his preschool teacher

Yesterday was Boogie's graduation from preschool. I had been sentimental all week as I prepared for it.  I finally convinced Hubby that he should leave work early to come to the last sing of the year and for the graduation ceremony. I know he is a busy man, but I think that sometimes you have to take a time out from your work life and be there for some of the milestones. (He absolutely does try, but his boss is crazy and freaks out when he takes some time off...like when I have a baby.)

The last sing of the year was sweet and the kids did a wonderful job singing. Thanks to my handy dandy birthday present from Hubby, I was able to record everything on my new Flip cam. Love it!  I looked a little crazy with the baby strapped in his carrier on the front of me,  my camera bag hanging across my body, while Buggy sat half asleep (no nap) with her thumb in her mouth, and me trying to capture every word on my Flip. But it was golden and once again I reveled in the fact that I was able to do this and be there for my son for this milestone. And what a treat it was to have Hubby show up in the middle and surprise Boogs.

After the sing, we all trooped back from the auditorium to the classroom where the teacher presented graduation certificates and special certificates with biblical character traits.  Boogie was given a certificate showing that he demonstrated the traits of Daniel and the gift of insight.  I loved hearing how each child demonstrated a specific trait. What a neat idea!

After graduation, Hubby and I took the kids for ice cream and then for dinner. I know, backwards, but we wouldn't have gotten them to sleep the other way around :)

I am so appreciative to the preschool teachers Boogs has had over the last three years.  They are kind people and have a passion for teaching children.  I look forward to Bug having some of the same teachers when she starts school in another year. I am so looking forward to kindergarten because I just know that Boogie is going to absolutely love it. But I'm going to miss him and I'm going to realize just how quickly time flies once he's in school full-time.  I wonder if I will have appreciated him enough when he was home full-time. We'll find out.

Congratulations to my sweet Boogs. I love you. You make me so proud!