Brandt Grows Up: FOUR Months!

Last Tuesday, Brandt turned FOUR MONTHS old! This is just craziness! Life is going by SO fast, and our little buddy is just growing like crazy!
4 Month Stats:  Weight: 17 lbs, 12 oz. (93rd percentile) Height: 26 in. (85th percentile) Head: 43 cm (70th percentile)
Sizes: At his check up this month, Dr. Fikkert said, "Well, Mama, he's finally slowing down! This is the first appointment we have been to that he didn't gain multiple pounds since our last visit! Brandt is wearing 6 month and 6-9 month clothes and size 3 diapers! 

Sleeping: Little man is not the best sleeper. He's still waking up several times per night, and he's not taking very good naps during the day unless I hold him, but this too shall pass! :) I take advantage of the snuggles when I can. Right now he takes 3-4 short naps per day. Last week he took his first two hour nap, but I had him in our bed with pillows surrounding him. That may be the ticket for some reason, as most of his naps in his bed are no longer than 20 minutes! ;) He's still sleeping in a crib in our room. Although it's convenient for me at night, I'm ready for him to be in his own room. He's a very light sleeper, and I think it would be easier for him to be in his own room, but he's going to have to wait a little while longer. Felicity is just not ready to move to Avaree's room yet! :)
Eating: Brandt is still exclusively breastfeeding. I am so thankful for that. He eats every three hours, and he let's me know if I'm a minute late. ;) I think I'm going to wait a little while longer to start him on cereal. We started Avaree early (because we were so excited), but she really wasn't ready. We waited until 6 months with Felicity, and she is a wonderful eater. We'll see how he is doing at 5 months, but my current plan is to wait until 6 months to start cereal. 
Playing: Brandt's very favorite toy is his little lion. I got it for him in his easter basket when he was itty bitty, and he has loved it ever since! He chews it, he loves on it, he holds it in his hands, and he laughs at it. It's going to be a sad day when he chews it up completely! ;) He also plays with big sister's pink rattle and our third generation play mat! :) He loves to lay on his back and play with the toys that hang down! He also loves to just lay on the carpet with me and giggle. We face each other, and he just laughs the whole time. It's the cutest thing. He loves to sit in the bumbo on the kitchen table while we're eating, or on the kitchen counter while I'm cooking! He is SO strong. He stands up with us just holding his hands for balance, and that's one of his favorite things to do. He loves to stand on our laps and talk! He, of course, still loves his sisters too! Felicity comes in every morning after she wakes up and asks for Bubba first thing. Both girls just make over him, and he loves it. :) 

Development: He's developing really well! We were released from physical therapy, and Dr. Fikkert even told us that if she hadn't seen it on his chart, she wouldn't have even known he had expereinced torticollus by looking at him! Praise! Brother is also teething. We can see the white on three teeth right now! Hopefully he won't be in pain for too long! He will be rolling and sitting up on his own in no time. He's so close on both!
Brandt loves tummy time! He has gotten so strong, and he lifts his chest off the floor so easily now! He's also found his feet, which is really cute. I'm sure it's no surprise that he is also quite loud! ;) His little voice is just precious though! He loves to "talk!" He still spits up ALL THE TIME and ALL OVER the place. It's rare that I'm not covered in spit up by noon, and I change him multiple times per day. He doesn't seem to be in any pain with it though, so that's such a relief. He's still doing well on prevacid--Yay!

Disposition: He's still our easy, happy guy. He's been a little more fussy lately, but he's also teething, and he's really tired from not sleeping much. He'll get there though. His smile would melt anyone to the core. I just can't imagine him not being in our family. He's just the perfect little balance to our girls. :)

Looking forward to: EVERYTHING! :) I do think it will be great when he can sit up and "play" with the girls. I know that is coming soon. He's already SO strong! They so badly want to "play" with him, and I know that stage will be really sweet. Felicity, in particular, is always bringing him toys, so I know she'll love it when he can actually sit and play with her! :)
We love our Brandt (also affectionately known by all four of us as Bub, Bubba, Brother, Buddy, Bud,  Little Man, and Brotha' Dude)! :) 

Our Three: LaLa, Sister, and Bubba!

After two years, Felicity has finally chosen a name for Avaree! She (very loudly) calls her LaLa! I just love it! Avaree calls her "sister," and Felicity calls Brandt "Bubba," so now they all have a special name for one another.  I love it. 
On Mother's Day, our church always asks the kids to come forward and get flowers for their mama's, and if the kids are in the nursery, the husbands bring the flowers to their wives; well, my husband was on stage, and my big babies were in their classes, so sweet Tawney took Brandt up to the front to get me a flower! :) SO SWEET!

My babies after nap! I guess you can probably see that Brandt and Felicity can wear the same size diaper now! HA! Felicity really wears 4s, but I ran out, and I put one of Brandt's 3s on her, and it fit just fine! OH ME, OH MY! :) 

Look at this big guy enjoying tummy time!

When this girl wakes up from nap, she has to hand me every single one of her babies and her blankets, 

I just love her sweet, sleepy face!

We had our first Science Fair! This big girl was SO PROUD of her project! As soon as I read the directions, I called Niecey! She gave us the great idea to do the life cycle of a butterfly! Avaree loves butterflies, and it ended up being the best idea for us! (Thanks, Niecey! We only have three kids and 13 years of school each that we will need your help with science projects! ;) haha!)

She was really SO proud of herself!

She wrote everything out herself, and she painted each of the cyles! I drew a "rough" outline with a pencil first, and then she painted away! We made the caterpillar with her finger prints!

She was so proud of her colorful butterfly!

She was also SO excited to do this project! This girl is going to LOVE Kinder!

Oh, and let me just remind my future self that you have not lived until you push a stroller, carry a two-year old, hold a 5 year old's hand, carry one very important science fair poster (that just can NOT get wet), carry a backpack, and try to hold an umbrella over all of you as you walk forever away to your car after school! :) #mamalife #wouldnttradeitfortheworld

Meanwhile, our little four month old continues to get bigger and stronger every day!

His forehead wrinkles kill me! I've been calling him Paw Paw all day! He rubs the back of his head just like my Paw Paw did, and he has his forehead too! :)

He spotted me!

love him!

I also should document my life, so that my future self can appreciate nights where she get to go to bed when she wants or get things done as needed. Here you can see the coffee that I am drinking at 9 PM, so that I can stay awake to work for a few hours. It's a good thing Brandt doesn't seem to be sensitive to caffeine!

One day last week, we were talking to my beautiful Maw Maw, and Brandt had the grumpiest face ever! It was hilarious! I had to take a picture of it!

That evening, Daddy had a hair appointment with Felicity! ;)

I love watching my babies sleep! So, I walked around and took pictures of each of them. I know I will treasure them when they are no longer in my home! 

Baby #2 (and all of her babies)

Baby #1 

Baby #3

My sweet sleeping babies. I can't believe we are about to start the school years. There is no turning back now. I only have 13 years left with the big one. Oh my. My Mommy heart is just super emotional lately...

On a lighter note, I was cleaning the kitchen early one morning, and it was just too much for little man. He sleeps just like his Daddy!

Saturday morning, Avaree was so excited to start Total Tots at our church with her Daddy!

It's a program for 3,4, and 5 year olds to introduce them to several skills needed for various sports. The goal is to both learn skills, learn about being strong in our bodies and strong in Christ, and to hopefully find a sport that they are interested in! So far, we're still interested in all of them! ;)

Little sis was interested in stealing all the balls from everyone! ;)

These two.

I think they are going to be the best of friends. #21monthsapart

Brandt and Felicity! :)

:) Happy May!

Cousin Blair's First Birthday Party!

A couple of weekends ago, we went to Houston for Blair's first birthday party! We made a pit stop in College Station, and Avaree got to ride to Houston with G-Pops (Gigi was already there). That meant that Mommy got to ride in the back with little brother and little sister! 

Little man held my finger and his toy for an hour. :) He generally screams non-stop on road trips, so it was soooo nice for him to be peaceful! We won't talk about the drive from Arlington to College Station. 

Little sis was holding my other hand (with the her hand that you can't see), and she was out really quickly too. That's what happens when you don't sleep at night, children! (Where's the coffee for Mama??)

We made it! :) 

This is Uncle D practicing for two babies! My official prediction is GIRL! We'll see if I'm right. I'm generally not right about these things though. 

I LOVE this picture of Felicity and Blair!

While we were there, Felicity became very attached to all of Blair's princess books! Look at those lips! She read them over and over! I love that Blair is wearing that little birthday outfit! I love seeing it on another sweet baby girl! :)

That night, we went to dinner to celebrate Blair's birthday and Gigi's mother's day! 

While we were waiting for our table, the babies were walking all over the place!

...and I was feeding brother! ;) I love those little feet sticking out. 

G-Pop's was Blair's transportation and Felicity's bodyguard!  

Uncle D and Ave!

Daddy, Mama and brothers!

We had a cousins watermelon sorbet date after dinner! Brandt started screaming not long after this picture, so we gathered the troops quickly and headed to the hotel! ;)

We had a pretty rocky night in the hotel. Felicity was in the hotel's crib, and Brandt was in the pack n play, but Felicity woke up at 3:30 am and wouldn't go back to sleep. Brandt was up and down many times, and we were trying to keep them both quiet. It was wild! Daddy finally got up with sister and went to the lobby at 5 something! These crazy routine-loving kids! ;)

We did get to see Lindsey and G-man though!!!!! 

It was her first time to meet little buddy, too! We can't wait for them to visit this summer! :)

After naps in the hotel, we loaded up and headed to Uncle D and Aunt J's house for the party! Blair was still sleeping though, so I bribed the girls to be quiet for "quiet time" with an episode of Little Einsteins on the ipad! I love the dreamy light coming through that window!

Gigi, Avaree and Felicity before the party started!

Gigi and her little girls! There were obviously too many distractions for picture taking to be effective! ;)

Blair loved her balloons!

...and she loves her Daddy too!

My girls were huge fans of the cupcakes! ;)

At least we coordinated with pink and green! ha! :)

Little bud slept through most of the party! 

Little sis was hilarious eating her cupcake!

He woke up (for a minute)!

Blair and Aunt J opening her present from us!

Birthday girl excited for her smash cake!

....and for her Mommy and Daddy!

On the way home after the party, Brandt screamed for one hour and twenty minutes straight. It was craziness. Somehow, these two slept right through it. Of course, once he finally fell asleep, they were awake and loud. One day, we're going to get this whole traveling thing. ;) Until then, Daddy continues to just turn the music up louder! ;)

We are so thankful that we were able to be with Blair on her birthday!!! 

We love you, sweet girl!!!!!