Bluebonnets?.......Check

Pictures in the bluebonnets was on my to-do list this week, so we headed to the park with our playgroup this morning. The patch was roped off with "stay out of the bluebonnets" signs posted and normally I'm a rule-follower, but I plopped them just on the other side of the rope so as not to get it in the pictures. That's not too wrong, right? I know Chris will be proud of me.

The sun was sooo bright. Poor Robert looks like a little albino baby in some of the photos with that red hair and fair skin. Why is photographing two children exponentially harder than photographing only one?

Easter Bunny

We went to see the Easter Bunny today. Clara remarked, "That's not the real Easter Bunny. He's just wearing a costume!"

Robert thoroughly enjoyed meeting the bunny. Can't wait to see what he thinks of him next year. Hmmmm, was there a basketball game off to the side that I wasn't aware of?

My two little spring cuties.

Low Key

March is a busy month for celebrations in our home. Both Chris and my birthdays are in March as well as our anniversary. This year all three days just kinda came and went without much fanfare.

For my birthday, we just grabbed a quick bite at a Mexican food place by our house because I had to get Clara to dance class. Chris picked up a little cake and we had a piece when we got back.

We had intended to get a babysitter and go out for a nice dinner on our anniversary and then Chris found out he was going to be leaving for Brazil on our anniversary so our plans just kinda fizzled.

He got back the morning before his birthday but I didn't know what all he would be up for and we had talked about going to the rodeo the day of his birthday so I didn't want to make plans for a birthday party not knowing what our plans for the day would include. We ended up just getting pizza with Glenn and Becky and headed to their house for a little while afterwards.

Lots of excitement 'round here. We know how to party.

Notice Robert's not looking at the camera in either picture? Both nights his eyes were fixed on basketball games playing on the televisions in the restaurant. He normally isn't so fixated on things but we could not get him to look away. Does this mean he's going to like sports? Does it start this young? Because, um, we have no earthly idea what to do with a child who likes sports.

Four Months

-- Robert's weight seems to have leveled off a bit. His four month check up is on Thursday, so I'll have measurements then.

-- He's outgrown most of his 3-6 month sleepers and won't have too much longer in anything 3-6 month that buttons at the crotch. He's wearing size 2 diapers and size 3 shoes.

-- He is still swaddled, but I think I'm going to attempt to wean him. I'm procrastinating because I know it's not going to go well. He fights being swaddled sooooo much though. Once I get him swaddled I have to pick him up quick, pinning his arms down and start nursing him or he gets his arms out in a flash. Once he's nursing, he's fine. He stops fighting immediately. Every time he wakes, he's gotten his hands out and they're in his mouth.

-- This past week he started scratching his head. He grabs at his hair and then pulls, scratching himself really hard every time. He's got scabs all over his poor little head. I'm afraid unswaddling is not going to help matters.

-- He laughs without coaxing now. If I accidentally tickle him while changing his clothes, he lets out a chuckle.

-- Robert loves his bath. About a month ago he started smiling real big and splashing like crazy. I'm using Dove soap on him because his skin is so dry. I then use Aquaphor after his bath. It's made a world of difference and his skin is finally soft. His face still gets dry because it rubs off so easily, but it's much improved. He had a few patches of eczema on his arms and they've stayed gone since I started using Aquaphor.

-- I think he's got allergies. The pollen is terrible here right now and every time we walk outside he starts sneezing and coughing. He sounds a little wheezy to me and I think his coughs sound a little raspy, so I'm glad he's got an appointment on Thursday.

-- His sleeping has been hit or miss lately. Sometimes he'll sleep 6-8 hours, but the last few nights he's been up every 2 hours or so. He may be starting to have teething pain. The bottom ones look like they may be making an appearance soon. He's been a little more fussy and clingy lately.

-- He has the absolute worst gas. It doesn't seem to make him uncomfortable, but it sure makes anyone in his general vicinity uncomfortable.

-- He rolls from back to front but gets stuck on his arm and can't get it out from under him.

-- I mentioned in my last post that he had his first fall. I laid him on Clara's bed while I was helping her get dressed on day. He can't really roll off of things yet, but we keep the head of Clara's bed elevated and I placed him at the head, so he just kinda leaned to the side and plopped right onto the floor. I felt terrible! Luckily her bed is really low. I was right next to him so I scooped him right up, but he screamed for several minutes. He had a small red spot on his forehead but it faded quickly.

-- He loves his fists. He chews on them constantly and I'm pretty sure now that he's not trying to suck his thumb.

-- He loves the sling as long as he's facing out and we're moving. We go for walks in it and I put him in it when we go into the store. It's been a lifesaver. He even falls asleep in it sometimes. I'll have to take a picture because it's pretty cute. I've been surprised that it doesn't hurt my back at all. I've worn it for an hour or more on more than one occasion and eventually my arm starts falling asleep but my back never complains.

No Title

I was folding laundry and looked over to see Clara picking her brother up by herself. I probably should have spent more time telling her not to pick up her brother and less time snapping pictures, but oh well.

Here he is hoarding all of his giraffes. Clara is already taking his toys away from him and whining because she wants a giraffe. I inform her that she has a toy giraffe, or two, but of course they aren't good enough. She wants a giraffe like Roberts. Oy. And so it begins.

I need to record a couple of Robert's firsts now so I can put them in his baby book later. He had his first fall on Saturday off Clara's bed (my bad). And he rolled from back to front on Sunday.

One Year

It was one year ago today that I got to see something that I had been waiting so very long to see. A beautiful little blue plus sign.

Curly Q

I put sponge rollers in Clara's hair for the first time Saturday night. When we took them out the next morning, she started crying and didn't like the curls at all. I think she was expecting kinks like when we let the braids out of her hair. She looked precious! I don't know why I didn't do curls sooner.

She wanted her hair straight but I finally talked her into putting it in a ponytail for church. With all that extra volume, her ponytail actually stayed put. Normally it falls out after an hour or so and she ends up sporting the little ragamuffin look. You know, the one where people surely look at her and think, "Bless her heart, why doesn't her mama comb that poor girls' hair?" Aren't they the cutest!

You all know that I have to include a pic anytime two or more family members are color coordinated. Plus, I love Clara's smile here.

Before she laid down for quiet time, she wanted her ponytail out. I convinced her to put a bow in and she let me snap a few pictures of her sweet curls.

I have to end this post with a picture of the look she was hoping for. This is after letting her braids out at the end of the day last week. Stunning, isn't she?

Grabbing

We're buzzing with excitement in our house tonight. I put this giraffe toy on Robert's chest and he grabbed for it. He was able to get it into his mouth too. He's getting so big. Sniff sniff. Clara would squeal with joy and clap for him every time he put it in his mouth. It's so much fun watching her enjoy being a big sister.

He started noticing his hands and feet last week, so I figured he'd be grabbing for things soon. It was so cute to watch him. He'd lie very still and just stare at his hand. When he moved his fingers you could just see the gears turning in his little head trying to figure out how it all works.

He's very close to grabbing his feet now too. He's pulling his legs up in the air and watching them closely, but he can't quite coordinate his hands enough to reach the squirmy little boogers. Instead, he's grabbing hold of his knees. Won't be long, I'm sure.

Tummy Time

Tummy time is always better with a friend. Clara really does love her baby brother. She told me the other day that God gave us the bestest baby and I have to say, I agree.

Unfortunately he's not been the bestest sleeper lately. The last week or so has been pretty bad. He's been waking every 1-2 hours all night long. I end up bringing him to bed with me around 3 or 4. Last night was better though. He slept from 9:30-4:30 and then slept til 7:30. Clara slept in til 7:30 also. Ahhh, it felt good to get a good night's rest.

He's not real fond of the bumbo yet. He's not quite got the trunk stability to sit in if for longer than a few minutes.