Well, I'm sure you can see by my now monthly posts that I don't have a lot of free time on my hands. I have to be intentional about getting on here and writing things down. I'm hardly ever at my desk on the computer anymore. Typically I'm nursing a baby and surfing the internet via my phone...ugh.
This last month has brought a lot of trials in our life and for those we love and hold dear to us. Prayers are definitely appreciated for my family right now. Sometimes life is hard, and the devil wants to win, and he doesn't have authority to do that here, or in my family as a whole. AMEN.
As far as Hattie goes..that girl is getting huge. Sweet baby doll is 4 months old now. She is squealing and gabbing and sucking her fists all the live-long day. She loves to blow bubbles and squawk at me while I change her diaper. I feel like she has a funny and witty personality. I don't really know why, but sometimes I think she is teasing me with her little squeals and sweet smily eyes. She'll fit right in here.
At her 4 month appointment she weighed 13 lbs even. She was right around the 50th percentile. She is wearing size 3 diapers, and pretty much blows out of any brand or size we buy. She is in size 3-6 month clothes right now.
This month she has been dealing with RSV. It was brutal for a few days, but she hardly had any wheezing, and I think we had a pretty easy case of it. Thankfully we did not have to go to the hospital. Hattie had a consult with a physical therapist for Torticollis this last week. We might as well have taken her to visit a rock, because that's how much I feel like this lady knew about the matter at hand. She thought she had scoliosis instead of torticollis, but after speaking with our pediatrician and numerous chiropractors, scoliosis was quickly ruled out, and doesn't even present itself (even in severe cases) until closer to age 1. I took her for a Chiro visit yesterday and her neck is seriously 80% better than before the visit. I'm praying that this will be our answer. We've also ruled out torticollis. The Chiro now thinks that the top vertebrae in her neck is tilted from in utero or delivery. Either way, he thought it was very fixable and said he sees it all of the time. Jude also visited with him about a little bed-wetting situation we are hoping to cure with his help.
Hattie is doing so much better in her carseat, and is playing on her mat for alone time and tummy time. She seems to enjoy both! She has not yet rolled over, but Dallas has reminded me (several times) that she was born early, so apparently that plays a role in these things. She is rolling onto her side from her back, but not completely over yet. She still loves to sleep on her tummy! I don't plan to introduce food until 6 months, so no new info there. Still nursing. She is eating much faster and going longer between feedings. I have decided that my personality is to feed her on demand (was with the boys too), so we are sticking with what works, and not stressing about what works for everyone else. She is changing her looks again. I feel like I see this more with her. I think because I just expect her to look like one of the boys, and just when I think I see a similarity she goes and changes and looks like the other one:). She has blonde hair growing in a bit, so that will be interesting as she has seemed dark-headed from day one. Her eyelashes keep getting longer too. I just love her so much and I think she's the prettiest little baby ever.
My baby boy has been talking with a lisp. It's not his usual voice he's using, but he's possibly mimicking another child from school. We have really been working with him on speaking in his big boy voice. He's done this before with a really deep voice, but this has been going on now for several months with the lispy voice. He can talk completely normal, but choses not to. I think he's struggling (without knowing it) about not being the baby anymore. He has been rowdier than usual and is just having some fits and tantrums that we are working through. I'm trying to handle it in the most loving way possible. I feel bad for him. He didn't choose to lose so much of our attention. Also, he's three, and three was no picnic with Jude. Our kids skipped over the terrible twos and jumped right in, head first, at age three. I love that little guy so much, and he truly is a sweet and loving boy. So he wants his momma's attention..shame on me for not having the time he needs from me. The other day I was reading my bible and he was wanting something from me and he threw his hands up and said, "Mom, you're taking FOR a long time!" I love it when he adds "for" to his sentences. I refuse to correct him. Sometimes he'll just walk up to me and say, "I love you so much, momma." It just melts my heart. He is such a good boy at school. I'm always asking his teachers if he is good and they look at me like I'm crazy...as if Rhett would never act up. Several of occasions they have mentioned that they want to take him home with them. I'm so happy and proud of him for being a good boy at school and at church. He loves Hattie so much and is so so sweet with her. She was on her tummy the other day and Dallas and I turned around and Rhett was saying, "Hey guys, look!" We looked over at him and had picked Hattie up and was holding her, both of his arms around her tummy.
Jude will be 6 tomorrow. I really just can't even...how is this possible. It really does make me sad. I just feel like he's growing up so fast, and that soon he will be in middle school and then in high school and then college. Just like that. I am so so proud of him and the sweet and loving boy that he is. He is so caring and concerned for others. He asks so many questions and is interested in all of his surroundings. He genuinely cares for others...that is rare in kids these days. He is having a baseball birthday party (his request), and he's so excited, AND likely doesn't realize that most other 5 and 6 year olds will not give a lick about watching a baseball game. BUT, he is the b'day boy, so I will let him do whatever he wants. He loves to read and color and write. Most days when he comes home from school he will show me what he made at school and sit down and color and draw for at least an hour. Rhett sits there with him and writes on the kitchen table. Jude really wants to lose a tooth, but I'm not ready for him to have those big and awkward bumpy teeth yet. That will just make him way too grown up.
I'm hoping to start having some date nights with my boys. I would love to take each one of them somewhere alone (just me and each of them) one night or day a month. I think they need that time with me...I need it with them. Sometimes I feel disconnected being so busy and having so much going on all of the time. I love them so so much. I want to enjoy them and enjoy each stage and phase. These are precious moments.
Carpal tunnel is setting in, so I may have to try to post more than once a month:). Happy February!
