Delaney Alina is Three Months Old - 10.31.2019

Delaney Alina is three months old!

Delaney has started cooing and "talking" to us. She smiles and makes sweet sounds when she sees us. She loves to be around her siblings and even gets upset when she can't see them. She loves to watch them and "talk" to them.

Delaney does not like tummy time, but we work on it most days. She's still having a bit of a hard time holding her head up when she's on her tummy. She can reach for toys and is starting to be able to grab a hold of them and get them in her mouth!

We have added some bottles to her daily feedings - at first, she wasn't very happy about bottles, but I think she's realized they give her more milk faster, so she has come around. I believe a fuller belly during the day is helping her sleep better at night.

She loves to nap in her swing, but we've started to take a few naps in her crib too.

We're looking forward to all this little one will do in the coming month!

Everett Matthew is Two Years Old - 10.10.2019

Everett Matthew is two years old!

In the past couple of months, Everett has learned all his letters and numbers to 10. He knows his colors and some shapes (circle, triangle, star). He loves to type and play with gadgets.

Everett counts: "two, three, six, seven, eight, nine, ten." And he usually follows it up with "[here] I come" (as in hide-n-seek).

Everett sings, "row row row row boat. stream." He sings, "happy dee to me" [happy birthday to me].

Everett has discovered the new Wiggles videos and loves to sing, "do bup bup, do bup bup, round round" [do the propeller, do the propeller, 'round and 'round].

He has also really picked up in his ability to say words and repeat words you teach him. He even picks up words he hears us say or on TV. He even knows which shows are on which channels by their icon. His favorite options are "bee-ball" [baseball], "buh-ball" [football], "cooking" [food network], "fip" [flip, as in the pole vault] or "running" [track meet], Wiggles, "do-wee" [Curious George], or Mickey.

Everett has a playlist that consists of two songs: "You're Welcome" from Moana (sung by Maui) and the Hot Dog Dance (from Mickey Mouse Clubhouse). He asks for these two songs over and over.

He's still working on those four canine teeth!

Everett loves to run and swing a bat. He loves to point out basketball hoops on our drives around town. He loves to watch football, baseball, and basketball. He loves going to the park and is always disappointed when we pull in our driveway instead of stopping at a park.

Everett loves to help unload the dishwasher (even the dirty dishes you're trying to put in) and unload the dryer (even the wet clothes you're trying to put in)!

Everett loves his new baby sister and keeps us updated on whether she's "uh-way" [awake] or "seep" [asleep].

Our sweet guy is such a delight!

Everett looks so funny trying to bite a peach ring!

Delaney Alina is Two Months Old - 09.30.2019

Delaney Alina is two months old!

Because she was born on the 31st of July, we have decided that her month-aversaries will be on whatever is the last day of the month (the 31st, 30th, or 28th - or 29th as it'll be in 2020) just to keep the months consistent.

Delaney smiled for the first time this month. She started with some small smiles and worked her way up to very clearly happy smiles. She likes to watch her brother and sister and turns their way when they're near by.

Delaney has started eating several hours in a row in the late evening (cluster feeding) which is challenging especially with crying in between, but it's very much worth it when she sleeps a bit longer some nights. A few times, she has gone from 11 to 5am between feeds and once from 12 to 7am. We know it won't be like that every night right away, but it gives us hope that sleep will come!

Delaney has tried tummy time a few times, but she doesn't love it. Her siblings didn't love it either.

We're so excited to watch this sweet girl grow!

Emery, Everett, and Delaney at 2 months

Everett Matthew is Twenty-Three Months Old - 09.10.2019

Everett Matthew is twenty-three months old! This is his last monthly post - next month he'll be two!

In the past month or so, Everett's language has blossomed! He is repeating us so much more clearly and saying so many new words, it's hard to keep track.

This week, Everett started saying, "um..." and "hmmm..." when he's thinking of an answer. He has been calling Mickey Mouse "min-nee" until we worked with him this week and he corrected himself. He can say "bah-ket" and "ball" but still says "gah-peh-gee" [basketball]. It's still pretty cute!

When we watch TV, Everett's favorite options are "cooking" (anything on the Food Network), "running" (track and field meets), "buh-ball" (football), "mickey" (Mickey Mouse Clubhouse), "Cat" (Pete the Cat), or "do-wee" (George, as in Curious George).

When Emery was little, she could spot any American flag as we were driving, and Everett is an expert at spotting basketball hoops.

Everett has suddenly started correctly identifying letters. He knows B, W, E, R, Y, U, I, O, D, F, G, H, L, C, N, M. He can say all the colors, but he doesn't always identify them correctly - most of the time, he answers "bu" [blue] whether or not it's correct. Last week, he correctly identified his bunny as brown. Emery is working with him on colors, numbers, and letters.

Everett is still working on getting the four canine teeth, but I believe they've all poked through and he is spending a little less time putting things in his mouth.

Everett is enjoying time we spend at playgrounds and is cautious and strong. He likes hanging and "[s]wing"ing and sliding and climbing. He also likes to run. He's very strong with a baseball bat - watch out!

Everett is turning into such a sweet, cheerful little guy. He likes to cheerfully agree with you, even in mundane tasks.

Delaney Alina is One Month Old - 08.31.2019

Delaney Alina is one month old!

This has felt like a very long but quick month! Delaney is keeping us on our toes - doing things differently than her siblings. She took to nursing really well, which is a whole new ball game for feeding. She falls asleep in the car seat, which neither of her siblings did at this age.

This week, she seems to have turned a corner on sleeping/eating and has begun to nap a little better and not be as fussy and demanding as she's been for the first few weeks. It's possible this is due to settling some tummy bubbles with gas drops. But also, just hitting the 4 week mark has allowed her to spend a little more time awake and go back to sleep without insisting on eating. Some of her feedings have stretched to 3 hours apart instead of so many that have been only 1-1.5 hours apart. This is life-giving to mama.

This little angel is such a gift. We're grateful for her to complete our family!

 Emery, Everett, and Delaney at one month old.

Emery Annabelle is Seven and a Half - 08.27.2019

Emery Annabelle is seven and a half!

Emery recently became a big sister to a new baby sister, Delaney. Emery is a great helper with the baby and comforts her when she cries.

Emery started second grade last week. Her favorite thing so far her new math workbook. Emery's favorite school subject is math. Her favorite color is blue.

Emery has lost two teeth on the bottom, and one on the top is loose. The tooth fairy brought her a dollar the first time and a gold dollar coin the second time.

Emery likes playing with Everett unless of course he's destroying her stuff. She likes to dress him up and treat him like a baby doll.

Emery likes going to the pool and going down the water slide. This summer she got roller skates and has gotten much better at skating. She enjoys using sidewalk chalk and blowing bubbles with Everett.

When she grows up, Emery wants to be a marine biologist. She calls it "the fishy thing." She loves learning about marine animals, primarily thanks to reruns of Octonauts.

Emery likes making videos on the computer and playing on an app called Pixel Art - where she fills in a picture one pixel at a time with numbered squares for each color.

Emery is growing up to be a persistent, inquisitive, independent young lady.

Everett Matthew is Twenty-Two Months Old - 08.10.2019

Everett Matthew is twenty-two months!

This was a big month for Everett - his baby sister, Delaney, was born 7/31! Suddenly, he looked like the largest child in the world compared to this tiny little girl. Initially, he was not interested in the baby but he has come around a bit. He's been very clingy to daddy and a little mad at mommy, but hopefully he will continue to warm up to his new sister.

We recently moved Everett to a new bedroom. He's done really well with the transition.

Everett has added a few words to his vocabulary like "uh-guy" (ok), "buckle," "peek-e-boo," "one, two," "ray" (rain), E (pointing to an E or a 3), and probably several more.

Everett has changed from calling Emery, "Ah-da" to calling her "Girl." Delaney is known as "baby."

Everett probably has canine teeth coming in, but he won't let anyone look. He's been chewing on his pacifier, which we give him or he chews on everything else!

Everett likes the song "I like to eat eat eat apples and bananas." He sings "eye eye eye apple."

We're continuing to love seeing this little guy grow up - now as a little brother AND a big brother!