My Baby is 7 months!!

Our little boy is 5 months old!

Another month has come and gone...
James has:
rolled from his back to his tummy and back once or twice
rolled to his tummy and gotten stuck and has now quit rolling!
will oh and coo and "talk"
still LOVES his hands
for the most part sleeps in his bed in his room
will smile and respond when spoken to
still in size 2 diapers
slowing switching from 0-3 month clothes to 3-6 month clothes
had a regular bed time at one point then went back to random
takes good naps
wants to nurse all the time
is starting to enjoy toys (play keys)
now needs strapped into bounce chair and swing can fling himself out.. hasn't though.
least favorite part of getting dressed is putting arms in the sleeves
people often comment on his big blue eyes, long eyelashes and dimple.. yup he is a cutie!
he has had other babysitters while his mom and dad play softball once a week and he enjoys them.
still has a stuffy nose and the left eye is still goopy :(
he is a very good natured baby.

Our multi-tasker boy.. bunny in the mouth and a toy for each hand, :)

4 months have almost come and gone...

I'm probably biased but as I scrolled through the last few months of pictures I have decided James has just gotten cuter each month. I thought he was adorable in the beginining but it just keeps getting better!!

The latest James Developments

- weighed in at 13 lbs

- is 25 in long, which is tall for his age :)

- made it through another round of shots

- still has a goopy left eye

- Had a really stuffy nose

- rolls from side to side but not all the way over yet

- smiles at just about anyone that smiles at him

- coos and talks to you

- has a great grip

- slept from midnight to 7 or 8am

- still in some 0-3 month clothes, I dressed him in some 3-6 month clothes and Amy said it looked like he shrunk :)

- is started to have interest in toys, loves to hit the chicken on his bounce chair

- still napping lots, and loves our morning runs

-Is officially in his own room :)

- has become a little drooler, putting everything he can in his mouth and getting everything wet!

- he loves to look around at everything!!

We love our sweet baby James!




Ha Ha I so LOVE this picture!

It's almost time for James 4 month update but before I do that I wanted to blog some other things. :) We celebrated my 27th birthday a few days back. James and I had a lazy day, Karl surprised me with a beautiful dozen roses and Amy came over for dinner. She then watched James for us while Karl and I went to the Timpangoes temple together to do a session for the first time since James has been born. It was an awesome experience! There is such a peace and feeling of love there! It was good for Karl and I to get away and have a little time together.



Love for James comes so easy! I spent 9 months having him grow in me, went through a painful labor, I spend 24 hours a day catering to his every need and am also his only supply of food at the moment. I have an unlimited amount of patience and love for him. My wise mother has been teaching me that James will get less and less dependant on me and eventually will leave the nest and have his own family. Whereas Karl was with me before James and will be with me after James. I need to make sure that he doesn't get left out of the equation or get what little is left of me, but that he gets an equal part.



Karl loves his job! He is doing very well at it and has been told that he has brought a spark of excitement to his fellow coworkers. He feels so good about his product and ability to help others prepare for the future. He puts in lots of hours but has made sure that when he is home, he's home and plays with James and dances with me in the kitchen or whatever I need to feel his love. We have started a little family dance, a few with James and then just me and Karl to whatever song is on the radio. It is such a sweet moment!



When he comes home and the house is a mess or I didn't get something done he had asked me to do he is so patient and loving and doesn't get angry. He is quick to forgive my angry outbursts and show how to smile even when things aren't going as well as one had hoped. At the end of this month we have been married two years. My mom has called Karl my Johnny Lingo and I think in so many ways he has been. He has helped me see what great worth I have as a daughter of God. He has helped improve my thinking to a more positive level, and helped me really see the joy that the gospel has to offer. We have had some scary ups and downs that life has thrown us but I hope that we are closer to the Lord and to each other because of them.

Three months.. with our sunshine!

James was blessed on March 6, 2011. Above are some pictures that my sister-in-law Lucinda took about a week before. (We love her!) James is wearing his blessing outfit. Our ward began at 9:00am and it was rumored there could be about 7 blessings but there were only 2. We had an awesome showing of family members and some good friends. Karl performed the blessing, how grateful I am to be married to a worthy priesthood holder. James was blessed to be a baby that smiles and other special things.

Afterwards we had a little soup and salad luncheon at our little duplex home. We had borrowed chairs and tables to host it outside but of course it decided to rain and be cold, so we crammed about 40 some people in. Chairs were everywhere even in our bedroom, and you only ate one thing at a time because there was no where to set it. It was a crazy fun experience and I'm glad we did it :) Everyone was so nice and didn't complain and actually stayed to visit for a good time.

These pictures don't do it justice.. :)

James on the actual blessing day on our awesome green couch from Grandma Anderson.



Some of this months highlights:

James is starting to splash at bathtime
He has a grip now, grabs my hair (gently so far), our shirts, hands and once a rattle

He was introduced to the swing and was fascinated with the bears!

His hair has grown back on the top of his head

He has rubbed a bald spot on the back of his head, I used to say my baby would never get that because I would hold him so much, but when James falls asleep he rubs his head back and forth quickly and alot!

He got to meet Lance and Allison!!

He started sleeping 7-9 hours 3 nights in a row, now back to 2 feedings a night, oh well...

He weighs 13 lbs, wears size 2 diaper in luvs and is still fitting in his 0-3 month clothes.

He has started attending all 3 hours at church.

He loves the jogging stroller.

He is starting to pick favorites just a little bit and tends to cry a little bit more with his poor daddy!!

He has beautiful long lashes!!!

He likes to eat his hands and the pacifer occasionally but he's not way dependant.

He makes a cute lip smacking noise :)

He tends to snort occasionally, I think due to a constant stuffy nose.

He is cooing and smiling lots more, he still has the lizard tongue.

We sure love our little man!!!

What new moms do...

A few weeks back I realized I was getting really sick of watching movies, sleeping and playing the same 3 games. I texted my sister in Rexburg for fun ideas, she went to her new mom friends for ideas. The list: walking/running, puzzles, trying new recipes.

Now that the weather is warming up James and I have been on many walks occasionally with the company of Karl or my friend Brittany and her son. We walk all over the residential area, on a paved path, and to the Timpangoes temple. Yea for spring!! The other morning I attempted my first run since I was 2 months pregnant. It was awesome! I ran to the temple, just wish I had dressed a little warmer.. I am feeling muscles that had been getting pretty soft! Karl was a sweetheart and stayed home with James. We saved a little extra money on taxes, so I've been watching KSL for a running stroller and we got a Jeep stroller that is awesome! James has liked it so far and I am excited to be able to take him running with me. Now if the weather would just stay warm..

puzzles.. haven't done any...yet

New recipes. My favorite!!! My textbooks have become: Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book and The 75th Anniversary Joy of Cooking. Also a few family and school printed cookbooks. Since I am nursing and I have to eat really well, and I'm not supposed to take James out too much because of the danger of RSV. Cooking has kept me sane! Desserts have been my favorite to explore.. I know not the best, how am I supposed to lose the baby weight doing that...


I only started taking pictures so I'm afraid you can only salivate over a few, the rest you will have to use your imagination. :)

Desserts and Meals

Cake Doughnuts

Red Velvet Cake

Crepes

Mini Cheesecakes

three cheese stuffed chicken with red sauce

sweet and sour chicken

barbeque chicken pizza

Mom's Chicken Pot Pie

I have really enjoyed reading the cooking basics. I have learned alot and still have a lot more to read.

- Tomatoes should not be refrigerated. Loses the fresh taste and picks up tastes of the fridge

- Should have 2 cutting boards that look different. One for cutting raw meat and the other for vegetables etc.

- Olive oil is not to be used for frying.

It's been 2 months!

Crazy it's been two months! This outfit was worn to his daddy's work banquet at the Marriott in Salt Lake. He was a big hit, in his little tie and outfit. Karl's new job as a financial professional is going really well. He comes home everyday and tells me how much he loves it. He has applied his living scripture tracting to his new job and is having great success. Many of his fellow coworkers are anxious to learn his skills... If anyone is looking for a financial professional I highly recommend Karl. The picture below is the closest I've caught of a smile on camera. The smiles are becoming more often, hopefully for next month I'll catch more :)


Our little man visited our pediatrician for his 2 month appointment and is looking good. He weighs 11 lb. now and is 22 1/2 inches long. Being a new mom I had no idea that this appointment would entail shots. The poor little guy got shots in both his thighs and took one orally (that is a new development he ate it). James did not like the shots at all, it is sad to watch.. But he is a tough little guy, we gave him lots of cuddle time and he was surprisingly good at the banquet. The second day he has been a little more emotional.


We took a little family picture for our valentines to send to our grandmas. Does it matter that we took it at 10:30 pm? Considering it turned out pretty well. We think our little guy is so cute in church clothes!

Other ways we have adapted as parents. James and I get all bundled up and walk to the timpangoes temple as often as the weather isn't too crazy. We love our walks! James can sleep in lots of different positions, luckily he is getting better at sleeping in his bed.

We have left James for about 40 minutes to go to a stake valentine dance. It was not easy at all to do, having only left him with the nicu, my mom and karl. This time we left him with one of Karl's old mission companions and his wife. The dance was ok. Sadly they only played one slow song and the band took a break while we were there. Bad timing... oh well.

I learned to help clear up a stuffy nose use drops of saline solution aka salt water. James doesn't like it but he helps him breath better. Also to clean his goopy eyes we bought cotton balls and used boiled water to wipe them clean. My mom also said she would massage the tear duct area to help them open, I asked my doctor if it really helped and he said optometrists disagree on if it helps but said if it makes the mom feel better it won't do any harm.

James and I went to all three hours of church once and got to experience the mother's lounge. Very entertaining talking with other moms. Sadly our pediatrician said RSV has increased and for the next month we need to be more careful. Our little friend just got it, poor guy, hoping he recovers quickly!

James is nursing more efficiently and instead of a half hour he's usually done after 10 minutes. SO nice! He eats every three hours but at night can sleep about 5 hours, we usually wake up at 3 and 7 am. He now fits in 0-3 month clothing and size 1 diapers. He's growing, he sleeps often during the growing time.

That's all I can think of at the moment. James did get to meet some of his cousins. Talmage was really cute with him at the wallace's always wanting to be close and gave him toes to play with. Brayden also was really excited to meet James and asked to hold him multiple times. He was very good at holding him so sweetly. Karleigh tried to eat his toes, she was funny with him. James is looking forward to meeting more of his cousins at his blessing. Hoping none come sick...

Life is good. We love being parents!!