Brandt Grows Up: Five Months!

On Friday, our baby Brandt turned FIVE MONTHS OLD!!!! Five Month Stats: Weight: 18 lbs, 6 oz Height: 26.5 in.

Sizes: Brandt is still wearing size three diapers, but I had to put away the 3-6 month clothes. This is my third baby, and I still cry when I pack up clothes. I thought that I cried with Avaree because she was my first, with Felicity's clothes because they were also Avaree's, and I was envisioning two babies wearing them, but this time I have mostly borrowed clothes that I've never seen before, and I still cry. I'd say that I am just in love with my children and that growing up is bittersweet. Brandon and I were talking yesterday, and he was saying how he is looking forward to the stage where the kids don't need naps anymore, and we can just go and do more freely with them, and just hearing those words made me want to cry! I know that I will love every stage that my kids are in (and I will not be sad to sleep all night again!); however, I love my babies. Anyway, he is in 6 month and 6-9 month clothes! He's the cutest baby boy I have ever seen, and he's the perfect size. :)  Sleeping: I know when Brandt goes to sleep because he grabs a big chunk of my hair with his right hand, and he reaches his left hand as far over my shoulder as he can get it while still snuggling his head between my shoulder and chin. While he's falling asleep he turns his head out, but when he's ready to go all the way to sleep, he always turns so that his cheek is next to mine. He always smells like a mixture of breast milk and lavender. I hope I never forget that smell or the feeling of his sweet little cheek against mine. Little buddy is sleeping better though. The 4-month sleep regression was real and rough, but we made it! :) He is still in his crib in our room, and Daddy was ready to move him yesterday, but Felicity still needs a crib! :) Brandt doesn't have a specific pattern for night sleeping lately. In fact, this past week, we (he and I) only slept 11 hours out of 5 nights. That was rough. Then, he slept for 10 hours two nights (Glory, hallelujah!) in a row before going back to the crazy sleeping patterns again! This boy! :)  Brandt also takes two larger naps, and one to two short naps per day! He always sleeps best when I'm holding him, but he's getting better about sleeping in his bed or our bed (with pillows around him). Way to go, buddy! He pretty much wakes up between 5:30 AM and 5:45 AM every morning, but it's hard not not be happy when you're awakened with a smiley, talking baby that just wants to give you lots of slobbery kisses. He just makes me smile!
Eating: My sweet little guy loves his mama milk. He eats every 3-3.5 hours, and he gets so excited when it's time to eat! :) He tried rice cereal with breast milk (out of a bowl and spoon) for the first time this week, but I think we proved to Daddy that he wasn't quite ready yet, so we'll wait till six months. Exclusively breastfeeding is not only a wonderful experience for my baby and for me, but it sure is easier. Once they start eating some, it changes things a bit! ;)
Playing: Brandt loves to play on his tummy on the floor! He chews on anything that he can get his hands on! He loves Sophie, the giraffe, his ball, his rattles, the mirror (he loves to look at himself), and his giraffe and elephant! He still loves his mat! Brandt also loves to roll over! His very favorite, though, is to be talked to! :) He loves to stand up and talk to us! His expressions are the best! I can be looking at him, and he'll notice me, and then his whole face will just erupt in the brightest smile! He just makes everyone happy! He especially loves his sisters that give him no less than one hundred kisses per day! :) Our latest development is that he can even sit up on his own for a few seconds at a time. His record is about 20-30 seconds right now! He wants to do it so badly! 

Disposition: He was a little fussy last week, but it turns out that he had his first ear infection! I'm proud that he has made it this long without any sickness, but the only reason that I knew he was sick this time is that his disposition changed just a bit. He was a little fussy, but the reason that I took him to the doctor was that he started scratching his ear (rather violently) so much so that he made it bleed! He always does his little Paw Paw move (where he puts his arm behind his head), but this was different. I had decided that it was either his teeth or his ears, so I'm very thankful that I took him to the doctor! He never ran a fever or even acted sick (aside from that little mannerism and disposition change). What a sweet pumpkin! Otherwise, he's happy most of the day! He gets upset when he's hungry, wet, or tired! That sounds pretty typical to me!  I love you sweetest baby boy!!!!!!!!!! You make my heart soar!

Just the Five of Us…and Some Friends! ;)

A couple of Fridays ago, we had the best family day! We spent the morning at the Forth Worth Museum of History and Science! Mom Mom and Pop Pop gave us passes there for Avaree's birthday last year, and it is one of our favorite places to go! Avaree and I started out in the craft room where we made tissue paper flowers, and then she put her bouqet inside the wind tunnel! She was amazed!

Pretty girl showing off her flowers! :)

Felicity loves the dark room! She had a blast with all of the different colors on the giant light brite!

I love that face! 

Showing Mama!

Daddy and Brandt were twinsies in their outfits! :) Daddy is so good to spend his Fridays doing something with us. I'm sure he'd rather be on the golf course or sleeping, but he always tries to do something fun with us on Fridays! :) Super thankful for him!

Brother was checking out my water glass (thanks for wearing him, Daddy!!) while the girls and I were checking out the dinosaurs! 

Avaree loves to dress up in the children's area! This day she decided to be a construction worker! :)

We also enjoyed learning about electricity and how we can help "power the city!" :)

Sister was already over it and ready to move on! ;)

Daddy and Avaree talked about the 7 continents!

Then, we went to have lunch together. We had hamburgers at a neat place in Fort Worth that had been on Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives on the Food Network. We had been eating "pantry meals" for two weeks, so everyone was excited for a yummy burger. It turns out that this wasn't quite the place for our crew, but the burger was still super yummy. 

Daddy and the girls went on in, and Mommy stayed in the car to feed brother. I was in a parked car in a parking garage when I took this picture! ;) I spy a little hand that isn't mine!

After lunch we went across the street for a popsicle! We had been wanting to come to Steel City Pops for a long time, but this was our first time! Everyone was so excited, but right after this picture, Felicity dropped hers on the ground. So, I gave her mine! I already want to go back, so that I can have one! ;) We all got a popsicle for five bucks, and you can watch them make them inside! We live in such a neat place!

One more shot! It was a super hot and sunny day! 

That day, Mr. Brandt rolled over for us again! He's such a big boy now!

That night, we had dinner with some awesome new friends! God is so good! The mama of this family was in my BSF small group, and her oldest and Avaree were in Pre-K together! Now, Avaree and Ava will be going to Kinder together next year, and this sweet family has started visiting our church! We just love them! They have three kiddos (2 girls and a boy) just like us! After dinner, the girls all enjoyed swimming in the backyard!

On Saturday, yet again, we were blessed to get to have dinner with another precious family that we adore. They invited us over for some yummy grilled chicken and potatoes! They also have three kiddos (2 girls and a boy), and we just love them! God is so good to provide for us in so many ways, and we are so very thankful for our sweet friends! Brandt and TJ enjoyed watching Thomas the Train while we cleaned up! :)

While we were visiting, a crazy storm came up, and as we were leaving, we saw a beautiful rainbow that spanned the sky as far as we could see! I loved that it was complete. God's promises are never empty or incomplete, and he always finishes--everything. 

That was just a Friday and Saturday, but they were two absolutely wonderful days! :) 
Thankful!

Hello, June -- Part Two!

On Monday, I took my three crazies to the zoo! :) We love our zoo passes! I had the littles in the double stroller, and Avaree walked, but at one point, I wore Brandt, pushed Avaree in the stroller, and held Felicity. Did I mention it was hot? :) We met up with some precious friends though, and that was awesome! On Mondays in June, the zoo opens an hour early just for members, and it's really nice to have that extra hour before it gets too hot for us! I stopped to feed Brandt on a bench in the shade after we looked at the snakes, turtles and fishies, and this little girl was excited to eat her watermelon for snack! Avaree had gone to the restroom with our friends, so it was just the three of us for a bit. 

This girl can devour some watermelon. She LOVES it. 

After a fun (and hot) morning at the zoo, we stopped for lunch with our friends in the shade! 

Brandt was on me, but the rest of the kiddos were all at one table! We are so thankful for sweet friends to get to do life with! Although it was a hot and there may have been some whining, I'm so proud that we got there at 9am, enjoyed time at the zoo, and I packed all of our lunches! We even got home for naps! I considered it to be a very successful day! :) Not to mention, we got to see the new baby lion cubs! They were oh so precious! I can't wait to see them again!

After naps, we just lounged around the house and played! Everyone had their fill of the heat that day, so we just played on the floor the rest of the day!

Avaree was on the floor in front of us with my phone taking pictures! :)

Love that little Felicity photobomb in the back! :)

Sweet buddy was in the best mood! He loves to just wear his diaper!

Then, Felicity said, "I hold Bubba." It was too precious!

Look at his little smile!

That evening, I had dinner ready right when Daddy got home from work, and after eating and cleaning up, we headed up to the church to get our family's assignment for visitation! This was our first time to be a part of formal visitation, but it was a great experience for our family! We were pushing 7:30 when we got to our second house, so Brandt and Felicity were definitely wearing down, but it was really neat to share that experience with our kiddos. That night during family prayers, Avaree prayed for the families that we visited and asked God to bring them to church on Sunday. It was precious. 

We had a little training meeting before going out to visit families, and brother took a little nap on Daddy! ;)

The next day (Tuesday), during rest time, Avaree read to brother and me! :)

I love this picture that Melvin Smith took and posted of Brandon and three of our favorite Seniors on Senior Sunday last week! Ashlyn, Mallory, and Bri were on praise team that morning! 

Tuesday evening, G-Pops came by on his way back to Bryan! I had the kiddos bathed and ready for bed, so that they could just enjoy playing with him once he got there! They certainly enjoyed it, and didn't want him to leave. Felicity even asked for "Bop" when she woke up the next morning! :)

We took a silly picture to send to Gigi while she was in California! 

On Wednesday morning, I took my three to the Levitt Pavillion in Arlington for the first of their Children's Summer Concert Series! We met several friends there, and we had a blast! Brandt ended up falling asleep in my lap!

I brought fruit and nut bars for snack, so the girls were happy! :) 

After about 40 minutes of brother sleeping on me and the concert ending, I was brother down on our blanket, and he stayed asleep for a few more minutes. He woke up surrounded by our girls and their sweet friends in a little semi-circle staring at him! It was too precious! I should have gotten a picture of that! I'm sure this won't be the last time that he wakes up to girls looking at him in this family! 

Sweet baby boy! 

He's also super in love with his "Sophie" that my friend, Kylee, sent him! :) He smiles every time he sees his Sophie, and he eats her in every way possible! 

On Thursday, we went for another walk! Clearly, the littles were thrilled! ha!

There's a sweet face! 

After our walk, Avaree got her world map out, and she wanted to talk about all the places that I had visited, she had visited, and "Where in the world is Gigi?" :) It was hot, be we stayed out about an hour in the shade! Avaree loves riding her bike, too!

The sky was just absolutely gorgeous. It reminded me of one of my favorite e.e. cummings poems. 

"thank you God for most this amazing day: for the leaping greenly spirits of trees and a blue true dream of sky…" --e.e. cummings

…and little sister got some advice on riding a "big girl bike!" Look at that smile! :)

Our weekend fun is coming up next! Little brother rolled over today! 
Happy Weekend!