A Spin from Owen

Owen was very excited to give Marcus a thrill ride in his bouncer. I'm such a great mom to let this antics go on while I can capture a photo!

And sometimes Owen can be a caring big brother.

Doctor's...then a Bounce

Today Marcus had his 4 month checkup. Everything went smoothly and our chubby little man is healthy and developing well. He weighed in at a whooping 18 lbs. 7 oz. and was 25 1/4 inches long. Two shots later, and we were on our way home.

I felt so bad for the little guy and his two band-aid legs...that I got inspired to dig out our doorway jumper to see if he would enjoy it. I shouldn't have been surprised that he loved it.

Four Months Old

Marcus could not be more of a joy. He’s amazing me in so many ways. Simple interactions tend to be rewarded with smiles, giggles, and endearing babble. I'm always trying to find new ways to make him smile and show me that I am able to get his full attention. He is napping less, so that means there is more time for playing and interaction.

Milestones:

• Holding his head up! This has open the door for lots of new things as he steadies himself more and more. The exersaucer and doorway jumper are getting used, and it is so fun to watch him squeal with delight at new stuff.
• He's looking at everything with curiosity. He even gets a kick at his own reflection in the mirror.
• Opening and closing hands with intention...it looks like he is developing a grasp as he is becoming more aware of what he can do with his hands.
  

Staying Cool

It has been a hot summer. One of our preferred methods of cooling off is to fill up the baby pool in the back yard for some splish, splashing fun!

Swing, Baby!

Marcus loves the swing. I don't know how parents did it before all these ingenious baby contractions. We will swaddled Marcus up and put him in the swing and he'll instantly fall asleep. He also enjoys just hanging out and relaxing there. It's super nice to have when chaos erupts at our house!

Bebe Pod

After much competition with Owen, Marcus finally got his turn to sit in the pod chair. In all honesty, Owen fits in this chair better than Marcus. I'm not sure Marcus loved his first experience sitting in it. And to top it off, his thighs are so chubby, I had a hard time getting him in and out. Owen lived in this chair...I hope Marcus grows to enjoy it as well.

You Melt My Heart

These photos say it all. I'd like to think that I know a little something about taking a decent photo...I did take classes at the New England School of Photography after all. I don't get a lot of feedback other than those of my critical husband, but I'll just go on believing that I'm half way decent at getting a good shot. When I look at Marcus in these photographs, I see the little boy that has just captured my heart. So very Marcus!

Putt-Putt

We thought it would be fun to try miniature golf with the boys.

Marcus was happy to be strolled around the course and hang out in the shade.

Everyday Marcus

Just a regular old shot of my little man. Isn't he just the cutest? What a happy baby! I can't get enough of that smile and adorable face.

Exersaucer!!!

With Marcus finally able to hold his head up, Daddy thought it was the perfect opportunity to throw him in the exersaucer. I don't think he knew quite what to make of the experience, but I'm sure it will be no time before he's bouncing around in it.

Truck Day

Lexington had it's annual Truck Day, which is a very big deal for little boys. Marcus isn't quite into all the excitement yet...just give him a little more time!

Go Buckeyes!

Thanks Aunt Mary for the adorable shirts. I totally get a kick out of seeing my little guys in Buckeye gear. Marcus is growing so fast that I fear he will not fit into his shirt once the season starts.!

Holding Head Up

Marcus has been a little bobble head for the longest time...but he has finally developed the right muscles to hold his head up pretty steady now.

First Day Apart

Today was my first day back to work...and being away from the boys just plain stunk! Brian said I was too emotional dropping off Marcus at daycare, but hey, I love the little guy. I physically ached for him all day. I have no other way to explain it. The good part was that work was busy, but I still constantly thought about both Marcus and Owen. This photo was taken at the end of the day when I was finally reunited with Marcus. I was so happy to have him back in my arms!

4th of July

We wanted to go to a 4th of July Parade, so we took a short drive to Lincoln to celebrate the birth of our wonderful country.

The parade was full of firetrucks, which was awesome for Owen, not so great for Marcus. He absolutely hated the loud sirens. At first I tried to muffle the sound for him, but ended up walking away from the street with him so that he wouldn't get so upset. It was a good thing the firetrucks were all grouped together so that we could go back and enjoy the rest of the parade.

It was hot and sticky out, but that didn't stop us from camping out in a shady spot and wave to all the floats that went by. Marcus just really loved being outside.

After all the excitement we grabbed some lunch while Marcus passed out. There's nothing like the thrill of a good parade to wear a little boy out!

1st Day at Daycare

Marcus had a trial run at daycare today. They offered a full day of free daycare for Marcus, but I only took them up for a few hours this afternoon. I was super emotional about leaving him (though I was able to fight back the tears). I start back to work next week, so this was a good way to get him acclimated to the whole daycare environment. I went to get a haircut, then tried to keep myself busy cleaning house for as long as I could stand it. The ladies at daycare said Marcus did really well, but wasn't great at drinking his bottle. This wasn't a huge surprise since he's only had a bottle a handful of times. I'm sure he'll get the hang of after some practice.

Tub Time

All of a sudden I realized that Marcus no longer needed the infant sling in the baby bath tub. He has gotten so big that he can lounge in the tub without it. My baby is not so little anymore!