Holden {12 months...a.k.a. ONE YEAR!}

Holden turned ONE YEAR OLD on September 27th!

Holden, at 12 months...

• You are in 12-18 month clothes.
• You weigh approximately 23 lbs.  (Will update after one year appointment.)
• Same size in shoes (4-5) and diapers (4).
• Eating completely changed!!! All of the sudden, about two weeks into being 11 months old you decided you were going to change your diet!  You started acting like you didn't even know how to suck on a bottle which was very crazy because you loved your bottles!  You had just gotten your first two teeth so maybe that made it feel different?  So, we switched you over to straw sippy cups and whole milk and you loved it from the start!  You also started tolerating and enjoying lots of solid foods!  You still eat oatmeal with a jar of fruit mixed in for breakfast but other than that you eat solid foods.  
• Some fun new foods you tried and loved this month were pancakes, cheese pizza, chicken & rice, a kids' ham & cheese sub sandwich, a cheese quesadilla, and birthday cake!!!  Some foods you eat often and love are pineapple, pears, cheese, bread, and "Gerber Pasta Pick-Ups" ravioli.
• You now have 3 teeth- 2 on bottom and 1 on top.
• You are still a solid night-time sleeper (knock on wood) and take one or two naps a day depending on how long your first nap was.
• You are doing so many fun things.  You love to play peek-a-boo and will often initiate a game of it yourself.  You "roar" when we ask you how a lion goes and you raise your arm like a trunk and make an elephant sound when we ask you how an elephant goes.  (Both of these got started because of a book you love us to read with you.)  You give awesome fives. You sing the "ee-i-ee-i-o" part of "Old MacDonald Had a Farm."  We are pretty sure you have started saying, "Duh" for Doug the pug.  You give lots of open mouth, sloppy, wet kisses.
• You haven't taken any independent steps.  You will stand alone occasionally but only for a few seconds.  You just don't seem interested in walking yet!  You'll do it on your own timetable I'm sure!
• You had your first birthday party a couple of days after you turned one and you had a great time.  You were so happy, sweet, and social throughout your party.  You loved your cake and got so messy with it that you had to take a bath.  It was a great time!

We can't believe you're one!  You are growing and learning and becoming a little boy right before our eyes.  You have the best personality - so sweet and happy.  We love you like crazy!

Holden {11 Months}

Holden turned 11 months old on August 27th!  (Yes, this is a later than late post.)

This was the first month that getting a photo of you laying on the blanket was a big fail!  There was no way to get you to stay still long enough.  You would immediately roll over and start crawling away.  I think we were lucky to have made it this far. ;)  So, we had to improvise... and even getting this was very difficult! ;)

Holden, at 11 months...

• You are in 9-12 mo./12-18 mo. clothes.
• You are between a 4 and a 5 in shoes!
• You still wear a size 4 disposable diaper.
• Eating is about the same - four 7 oz. bottles plus oatmeal/fruit breakfast/ veggie/meat/fruit supper (baby food) and snacks in between of yogurt/puffs, etc.  Yogurt is probably your favorite food.  You love it and hate when it's gone.
• You finally got a tooth!  You have about 1.5 bottom teeth! Teething was NOT fun!
• Night sleeping is usually pretty solid and is from 8:30-9:00 pm - 8:00-8:30 am.
• You started crawling on your knees (instead of army crawling) and you are FAST!
• You still walk along furniture and pull up on anything and everything... but no independent walking yet.
• No more swing naps!!!  We put the swing in the attic this month!  You were outgrowing it and didn't seem comfortable in it anymore.  You adjusted smoothly to naps in your crib and still usually take a long morning nap and a decent afternoon nap.
• You learned to wave and to clap!  When you clap you say, "Yaaaaay!"  ADORABLE!  "Yay" may be your first real word!
• You are still quite clingy to me.  It is a challenge for me to get things done these days!
• You "talk" all the time.  "Dadadada" is your favorite and you say it constantly.  "Mamama" is usually reserved for when you are upset/crying.  You also say, "Bi-tuh, Bi-tuh, Bi-tuh" (?) and make "ba" and "pa" sounds quite often.
• You spent your first nights away from home this month.  You spent two nights with your Uncle Stan, Aunt Lesley, and cousins Hannah, Logan, Stella, Ben, & Natalie.  Mommy had to go to her grandmother's funeral in Missouri and Daddy was working.  They said that you did great!

I feel like I am probably leaving some things out.  It seems like you learned so much this month.  I want to keep you a baby... but at the same time, every new stage seems cuter than the last!  It is so exciting watching your personality develop even more and watching you make new discoveries.  We love you!

Holden {10 Months}

Holden turned 10 months old on July 27th! (Late post, I know.)

Holden, at 10 months...

• You are mostly in 9-12 month and 12 month clothes. 
• You wear a size 4 disposable diaper.  We still have your cloth on the second rise setting and leave 3 snaps open on the waist setting.
• Your eating is about the same - four 7 oz. bottles/day and usually a fruit and yogurt or oatmeal in the late morning and a veggie & fruit or a stage 3 jar of something in the evening.  You also usually snack in between on puffs or mum-mums or other random things.  You have just started being more interested in table food and don't gag like crazy with it anymore.
• You still have no teeth!
• Bedtime is 8:30-9:00 and you usually wake up around 8:00 in the morning.
• You are all over the place.  You still army crawl but you are FAST and can get wherever you want to go in no time!
• You pull up on the couch and ottoman and will walk along them.  You also back yourself off the couch to a standing position when you want down...which is quite impressive actually!  You recently sat yourself up from crawling position a couple of times but don't do it on a regular basis.
• You take a long morning nap and a decent late afternoon nap... in the swing. ;)
• You still like to jump in your "Johnny Jump-Up."
• You love to bang and throw your toys around.  Rough.
• Your favorite thing is still to be outside... and you cry/get mad when we take you inside.
• You got a big boy carseat this month!  You were about to outgrow your infant carrier in length.
• At the beginning of the month, we went on a three night vacation with Jason, Andrea, & Emery to Cincinatti, OH.  You went to an aquarium and zoo while we were there.  It was your first hotel stay.  You did pretty well!
• You had stopped shaking your head "no" for a while, but you are back at it again!  Funny.
• You "talk" a lot.  You also make all kinds of movements/sounds with your mouth.  You say "mamamama" and "dadadada" a lot... but I still don't think you are using them in context.
• You cry so hard when I walk away from you/leave the room when it is just you and me at home.  It is a mad/heartbroken cry!
• You have kind of outgrown being rocked to sleep.  :(  You cannot get comfortable anymore and we end up having to just lay you down.  I know it is for the best, but considering it was basically the only cuddle time we had... I'm a little sad about it.

You are learning new things all of the time and growing so fast.  You keep us entertained and make us laugh. We love you sooooooo much!  You are our beautiful, sweet boy!  There is nothing better than your sweet smile!

Holden {9 Months}

Holden turned 9 months on June 27th!
* This post is late because I didn't have a white onesie that fit him!  (Fail!)

Holden, at 9 months....

• You weigh 21 lbs. 8 oz. and are 29 inches long.
• At your 9 month appointment, you had to get your big toe stuck for a routine complete blood count.  You didn't even flinch or cry.  Such a tough guy!
• You are getting close to outgrowing all of your 6-9 month clothes but still wear some.  You can wear 9-12 month and some 12 month outfits.  You are kind of between a size 3-4 shoe.  I recently bumped you up to a size 4 in disposable diapers- mainly because you are such a heavy wetter (and you wear a disposable at night). 
• Eating is about the same - you take four 7 oz. bottles/day and eat oatmeal + fruit for breakfast and a veggie + fruit in the evening.  You also snack on puffs and mum mums and occasionally eat some of what we are eating if possible.  You've gotten a lot better with dexterity this month and do a great job at getting those puffs into your mouth!
• You still have zero teeth!
• You still just chew on and play with your sippy cup.
• You go to bed for the night around 8:30-9:00 PM and have been sleeping until 8:00-8:30 AM recently.  Good job, buddy!  You still have a crazy night here and there and sometimes require a paci replacement or two.
• Your napping is still pretty much the same - one morning nap (longest) and one late afternoon nap.  Oh, and you still nap in your swing!  Please quit growing so you won't ever outgrow it. ;)
• You have started "army crawling!"  You scoot around on your belly pulling yourself forward with your arms and can get most anywhere you wish. 
• For playtime, you sit on a quilt in the living room and play with toys/army crawl around playing with toys, sometimes play in your exersaucer, sometimes in your high chair with random (safe) kitchen utensils while eating puffs, and you LOVE to jump in your "Johnny-Jump-Up."  You will jump for a looong time if you are in the mood.  You actually wore a blister on your big toe from jumping so much... so now there is a rug underneath!  Sometimes you work up a sweat jumping.  It is hilarious to watch your little legs jump away!
• You try to pull up on things but most of the time aren't very successful.
• Your favorite thing to say is "dadadadada" and you never say "mamamama" anymore.  Stinker.
• You had your first runny nose this month.  Didn't seem to bother you... except when we tried to wipe it.
• Your newest trick is giving kisses.  Most of the time when I say, "Give me kisses" you will lean forward and open your mouth.  SO sweet!!!
• You went swimming for the first time!  We took you to your Uncle Stan & Aunt Lesley's house to swim.  You were very tired at the time and didn't have much of a reaction at all to being in the water. 
• Mommy & Daddy went on their first "real" date since you were born this past month.  Your mamaw & papaw watched you at your house and said you were a really good boy!

You are just the sweetest boy.  We love you to pieces.  You brighten our days and make us smile and laugh.  We can't believe how BIG you are getting.  You used to be such a little shrimp and now you are over twenty pounds and so long!  Your Daddy often comments about how you truly are the cutest boy ever.  I agree of course. :)  We love you soooo much, Bubbas!

Holden {8 months}

Holden turned 8 months old on May 27th!

Holden, at 8 months...

• I am guessing that you weigh around 19 lbs.
• You wear a size 3 shoe, size 6-9 month clothes and can fit some 12 month shirts/shorts (especially with a cloth diaper), and wear a size 3 disposable diaper.
• You usually take four 7 oz. bottles of formula a day and eat oatmeal/fruit for breakfast and some kind of combo of veggie/meat/fruit in the evening.  You can eat two jars of stage 2 baby food at a time.  You love to eat!!!  You open your mouth WIDE open for the next bite.  It cracks us up.
• You have tried puffs and baby mum mums.  You have a bit of a hard time grasping the puffs and getting them to your mouth.  You like the mum mums a lot.
• We have given you a sippy cup with water but you aren't very interested.
• You are no longer swaddled at night!  This was a smooth transition thankfully- guess you were just ready!  You move around a lot in your sleep now and I think it is helping you sleep better.  You now sleep in a sleeper and a halo sleep sack.
• We put you to bed for the night around 8:30 and you sleep until 7:30-8:00 in the morning.  You have been sleeping pretty soundly, knock on wood.
• You have been taking 2 naps... one in the morning from around 10:00-12:00+ and one around 4:00 - ?  Your last nap varies in length.
• You are a professional sitter now!  You like to sit and play with toys.
• You also (finally?!) rolled from your back to belly!  Now you roll both ways but you haven't quite figured out that you could roll to get from place to place.
• You are very close to pulling up.  You pulled up from sitting to standing by holding onto the kitchen sink faucet once during a bath!  You have also pulled up onto your knees in your crib.  However, you have no concept of "holding on."  You just let go and fall!
• You say "mamamama" when you are sad and "dadadada" pretty much all of the rest of the time. You make lots of other random noises as well.
• You have started shaking your head.  It looks like you are shaking your head "no" and it is SO funny! You just figured out you could do it one day so now you do it every once in a while.  Sometimes you will do it in response to us doing it but other times you won't.  
• You have a touch of stranger anxiety if people you don't know very well try to hold you.  It also kind of just depends on your mood.  You seem to know both sets of grandparents and your Aunt Sophia because you don't fuss with them!
• No teeth yet but I really think you are starting to work on them.
• You were sick for the first time this month.  You had a "stomach bug" for 8 days.  It was awful!!!
• You went on your first camping trip.
• Your favorite thing in the world is to be outside.  You LOVE being outside and have been known to cry when we go inside!

We can't believe how much you have learned this month.  You are learning and growing so fast now.  We love all of your smiles and giggles.  You are so funny and fill our lives with smiles and laughter. Your daddy and I still can't get over how cute you are.  You're amazing, that's all there is to it. ;)

See previous monthly posts here.

Holden {7 months}

Holden turned 7 months old on April 27th!

I think this was the fastest month ever.  I feel like he JUST turned six months old. 

Holden, at 7 months...

• You weigh approximately 18 lbs. 10 oz.  I say approximately because you will not hold still on the scale anymore when we try to weigh you!
• You are between a size 2 and a size 3 in shoes.  You wear a size 3 disposable diaper and are mostly in 6-9 month clothes now.  You still wear a few 3-6 month things but I recently packed away most of your clothes in that size.  *tear*
• Your eating is about the same.  You have 4-5 6 oz. bottles a day + oatmeal & fruit in the morning and a veggie & fruit in the evening.  You pretty much like whatever we feed you and there isn't much you haven't tried. We do think that pears are one of your new favorites.
• You are still swaddled at night and we have been putting you to bed a little earlier - usually somewhere between 7:30-9:00.  Maybe we will establish a routine bedtime soon?!  You sleep pretty well, although you have been crying out a couple of times not long after we put you to bed.  Not sure what that's about.  Then you usually sleep soundly until somewhere around 5:30-6:00 when you need your paci replaced...and you wake up for good sometime between 7:30-8:30.
• You still take a longer nap in the morning - about 2 hours - and a couple shorter naps during the day.
• You have gotten much better at sitting!  You love to sit and play with toys.
• Your new favorite thing to say is, "Da da da da."  You don't seem to associate it with daddy yet though.  You rarely say "ma ma" anymore.  Stinker.  We don't count anything as your first word yet because you haven't used any with meaning/in context.
• You have learned to put your pacifier back into your mouth like a pro!  
• You are kind of over your activity gym.  It and the bouncy seat probably need to go into storage at this point.
• You are quite rough with your toys.  You like to bang them and beat them on things and throw them down.  Kind of a wild-man!
• You love music and your favorite song for us to sing is definitely, "If all the raindrops were lemon drops and gum drops...."  If you are upset, you calm down when we sing this and it always makes you smile.
• Still no signs of teeth.  I keep thinking maybe you are teething but never can see any coming through.
• You seem to have found your feet better than ever before.  You have never really grabbed at your feet until this month.
• You've also taken a liking to peeing when we change your diaper.  You do this to Daddy the most.  You are also becoming a wild man on the changing table.
• Still no rolling from back to belly.  You just are not a fan of being on your belly.  So, you are still pretty stationary.  You love to "stand" and "jump" in your bounce-about and you like to stand on our laps or anywhere with us holding onto you.  Maybe you will just skip crawling and go straight to walking!
• You have shown signs of "separation anxiety" a few times this month... but other times you have been happy to go to anyone.

I really can't believe you are 7 months old.  It is almost scary how fast this month flew by.  It is so fun to watch you grow and learn new things.  Every day, I think about how blessed and lucky I feel to be your mommy.  You're awesome, Bubbas.  :)

To see Holden's previous monthly posts, click here.

Holden {6 months}

Holden turned 6 months old on March 27th! 

 I am having a very hard time believing that he could possibly be 6 months old.  It's absurd.

Holden, at 6 months...

• You weigh pretty close to 17 lbs.  It is growing increasingly difficult to weigh you on our baby scale at home because you are a wild man and won't hold still!  We will get an "official weight" and length at your 6 month pediatrician appointment. *Update: official weight at appointment was 17 lbs. 9 oz.  What?!?!  Holy moly!  You are weighed in a diaper there and you were squirmy of course.  You are 26.5 in long and your head circumference is 18 inches.
• You wear a size 2 shoe, size 2 disposable diaper (although will be in 3's soon I think), and 3-6 month clothes for the most part....you can wear some 6-9 month clothes if they run on the smaller side.
• Your hair is growing back!
• You are a total gigglebox and we LOVE it.  It is the absolute best.  You laugh multiple times a day...usually at your silly mommy...and it just fills my heart with joy!
• You roll from your belly to your back not long after we put you on your belly...but you still haven't rolled from back to belly!  You will roll onto your side and practically do a back-bend to see something or get something you want...but you never let yourself actually roll onto your belly!
• You eat every 3-4 hours.  We pretty much just wait until you get fussy because you eat best when you're really hungry!  You take 6 ounces and usually about 5 bottles a day.
• You still eat your oatmeal - once a day in the mornings.  Plus, now you eat a veggie or fruit in the evenings!  You have tried peas, carrots, squash, green beans, pears, bananas, and prunes.  You pretty much hated the peas- never did warm up to them.  I think your favorite has been carrots...but you like everything (besides peas) pretty well.  
• Your napping has changed a bit.  Your longest nap is still in the mornings but usually only lasts around an hour and a half.  You don't take quite as many short naps during the day anymore...but it really just all depends on the day and what we're doing.
• You go to bed (in your crib) sometime between 9:30-10:30 p.m.  You usually sleep until close to 8:30 a.m.  We have still been swaddling you in your swaddleme at night but over the past few nights you have been breaking out of your swaddle and waking up.  Not sure what's going to happen with that...
• When it is bedtime, I (or sometimes Daddy) change your diaper, put you in your night-wear, and then in your swaddleme.  I turn your white noise maker on and then I give you your bottle while rocking you in the glider in your room.  You usually fall asleep while eating...and then I lay you down.  Occasionally, you will wake up when you are laid down but usually will go back to sleep if we play your seahorse and give you a soft blankie by your face (which we remove after you have gone to sleep).
• You are almost sitting!  You can sit by yourself for a minute or two (give or take) but you don't have the balance thing perfectly mastered just yet.  Soon!
• You started saying, "mama!"  Okay, not really...not intentionally.  But you do say it!  You have started making this sound and you will say, "Ma ma ma ma ma ma" opening and closing your mouth...it's quite funny.  You mainly make this sound when you are crying.  It's like it is your new cry.  I would like to count this as your first word....but, I won't since you don't actually know what you're saying. ;)  It is VERY funny and adorable though!  You are quite a chatty baby.
• You go on a lot of walks in the stroller with Mommy.  You LOVE to be outside.  You just chill out and take it all in.
• You went to the zoo for the first time this month.
• You still like to play under your activity gym, in your bouncer/exersaucer, and you like to sit in your high chair.
• You are not a big cuddler anymore.  You are just too busy for such things.  Probably for this same reason, you have been rejecting (freaking out in) the ergo carrier lately.  This hurts mommy's feelings a bit. ;)
• You sat in the front of the shopping cart for the first time.  This wasn't planned but rather, happened as a result of you freaking out in the carrier.  

We can't believe we have a 6 month old already!  We love you more than we can say.  You light up our lives and just bring us so much happiness.  You are so sweet and happy and kissable.  My Mother-in-law (your Mamaw) always says that there's nothing sweeter than a 6 month old baby....and I think she is probably right! :)

I thank God over and over while I rock you every night for giving you to us!  

*Professional 6 month photos will be taken soon! :)

*Click HERE to see all of Holden's monthly pics!

Holden {5 months}

Holden turned 5 months old on February 27th!

Holden, at 5 months...

• You weigh 15 lbs. 5.5 oz.  It seems like you have gotten so much bigger all of the sudden!
• You are losing your hair...especially on top.  You used to have a lot of hair!  Where is it all going?!
• You giggle a lot more and are a total ham.  You smile at anything and everything and everyone!  You usually do not care who is holding you and will just smile and talk to them!  Little charmer.
• You have gotten much better at grabbing things and taking them to your mouth.
• You have rolled from your belly to your back several times...you started shortly after you turned 4 months old.... but lately you won't do it anymore!  You have not rolled from back to belly yet.  I don't think you are interested...you don't like being on your belly for long.
• You still love bath time and you kick and splash like crazy in the tub.  
• You still eat about every 3 hours.  You are now on formula only and you couldn't care less.  You love your bottles!  You usually take 5-6 oz.
• We started feeding you oatmeal cereal after your 4 month appointment.  You aren't that great at eating it yet.  You like to push it back out with your tongue a lot and make a huge mess. ;)  You act like you like it- just don't know what to do with it.  We haven't been very consistent about feeding it to you and you've probably only had it about 10 times.  We probably need to start doing it more often so you will get better at it and be able to move on to yummier foods! 
• You still eat, play, sleep during the day and nap pretty well.  You still take a long morning nap and shorter ones throughout the day.
• We moved you to your crib!  You have done very well in there.  I usually put you to bed around 10:30 and you sleep until 7:30-8:00 and sometimes a little longer!  We are still swaddling you at night in your "swaddleme."   
• You wear size 2 in disposable diapers.  We finally changed your cloth diapers from the newborn setting to the next rise setting.  You wear size 3-6 month clothes.

I took a few (okay, a lot of) extra pictures when I took your 5 month picture (above) because it was a sunny day and the lighting in your bedroom was great!  I know nothing...I repeat NOTHING...about photography but I really loved some of them.  So I'll share....

Oh how I love my handsome boy! :)

Holden {4 months}

Holden turned 4 months old on January 27th!

Holden, at 4 months...

• You weighed 13 lbs. 10 oz. (with a diaper on) and were 24 1/8 inches long at your 4 month check-up.
• You still "talk" a lot... you have also started laughing!!!  Your daddy and I agree that it's the best thing ever.  The first time you laughed was while you were in the bathtub.  I started shaking my head and saying, "Are you so silly?" and for some reason you thought it was hilarious!  Your daddy was already in bed but I woke him up so he could hear it! ;)  We never know what you might find funny...it is very random.  I have noticed that you seem to get giggly when you are getting tired.
• You love to be talked to and you love to "stand" when we are holding you.  You have some strong leggies!
• You are starting to hold onto toys and take them to your mouth...we usually have to put the toy in your hand for you...you haven't quite gotten the hang of grabbing them by yourself yet.  Once you get it though, you try to take it to your mouth.  However, you prefer your fingers for chewing on.
• You still love bath time.
• You still, for the most part, eat every 3 hours.  You are still on a cycle of eat, play, sleep.  For playtime, you play on your activity gym, in your crib under your mobile, on a blanket on the floor, or in your bumbo seat.  You usually still take a pretty long morning nap....2-3 hours most of the time.  We still swaddle you for that nap and you sleep in your swing.
• At night, you usually sleep from about 11:30 or 12:30 to 7:00 or 8:00.  Then we usually snuggle up and go back to sleep for a couple more hours.  You are still sleeping in your bassinet next to our bed at night.  We planned to move you to your crib this month but it didn't happen.  Soon?  Bedtime consists of changing your diaper, putting you in a onesie (you're too hot natured for anything heavier), and in a "swaddle me" sack.  Then I nurse you and rock you...then put you in your bassinet.
• You have turned into a very impatient little boy when it comes to nursing a lot of the time.  We take it a day at a time...you do great for morning feedings but evening feedings are often not very successful.  You usually end up getting at least one bottle of formula a day.  You have a voracious appetite and I can hardly keep up.  You have taken as much as 6 oz. from a bottle and I think you would just eat yourself into oblivion if we let you.  Growing boy!
• You still love your pacifier...we think you are addicted. ;)
• When you wear disposable diapers, which isn't very often, you wear a size 2.
• You have just started wearing 3-6 month clothes and still fit into a few 0-3 month outfits.  Your 0-3 month sleepers were just not long enough anymore.

{4 month appointment 1.31.12}

Here's a little comparison of months 1-4!

This song came on when we were on our way home from his appointment.  I definitely cried.  I had heard it before but I really tuned in and I guess it was just timely.

Mommy loves you so much, sweet boy.  You are my heart.

Holden {3 months}

Holden turned 3 months old on December 27th!
Holden, at 3 months....

• You weighed close to 12 lbs. when you turned 3 months old.
• You "talk" a lot!  You smile all of the time and say a lot of "ah-goo," "ah-gah," and "ah-boo," along with some other random sounds.  I love when you smile and talk to me! :)  
• You are so sweet and seem very happy most of the time.
• You are still loving bath time- you kick and get your arms going crazy in the bathtub!
• You love to lay in your crib now.  You lay under your mobile and watch it and will stay content in there, watching and kicking around for a good while!
• You seem to be warming up to your activity gym but it's still pretty hit or miss.
• One big change that occurred between 2 and 3 months is that you now sleep in your bassinet next to our bed instead of your bouncy seat!  You were sliding down in your bouncy seat and it was just making us uncomfortable so we decided to try the bassinet again and to our surprise you didn't hate it like you used to!
• You sleep anywhere from 3-8 hours at night.  You had about a week where you were waking up every 3 hours and driving your mama crazy. ;)  Before that you had been going about 5 hours.  Never really know what you're going to do as far as sleeping goes.  We had tried topping you off with formula before bed (after I nursed you) but it didn't seem to make much of a difference at all, so we quit.
• You still sleep in your Halo swaddle sack or swaddle me's.  You just can't calm down or stay asleep very long when your hands are free.  There is no way I could lay you down and you stay asleep if you weren't swaddled!
• You love to nurse and are quite a pro at it.  It seems like it doesn't take any time to feed you anymore. Every once in a great while though, you will have a day where you get mad and refuse to nurse.  We don't know if your belly hurts or you are just impatient or what.  Then the next day, you will be back to nursing like a pro.  Gotta keep us on our toes I guess. ;)
• You still pretty much eat, play, and sleep...and you are still taking a long nap (2-3 hours) in the mornings in your swing - usually swaddled in a light blanket for that nap.
• In the 3 month photo that I took of you (posted above) you look like ME when I was little!  Even your daddy agrees.  This is pretty surprising because usually we think you look like your daddy!

We love you soooo much!  3 months old is such a sweet age.  We are loving all of your smiling and talking and watching your personality develop.  You are our sweet boy and such a joy!

Here's a little photo recap of months 1-3!

Holden {2 months}

Holden turned 2 months old on November 27th!!!  (Better to post late than never, right?) 

It is hard to believe that you are already 2 months.  You are a growing boy! 

• At your 2 month pediatrician appointment you weighed 9 lbs, 14 oz and were 21.5 inches long.  You are gaining weight very well (had some trouble with losing weight right after you were born) and are healthy and doing great!  (Since this post is late...we actually weighed you at home last night and you are already 10 lbs, 4 oz!)
• You have started to coo and smile.  Actually, you began smiling (deliberately) around 6-7 weeks and have been getting more and more smiley since. :)  Your smiles are the BEST thing in the world.  SO adorable.  Daddy and I will do anything to try to get you to smile. 
• You LOVE your changing table.  I'm not sure if it is because you like looking at your ribbon mobile above you or if you really just like getting your diaper changed that much! ;)  Practically as soon as we lay you down on it, you start smiling for seemingly no reason at all!  Lots of smiling and "talking" while we change your diaper!  (You used to HATE to get your diaper changed!)
• You have also made peace with your bath.  You seem to really enjoy it now.  You usually don't cry at all anymore and will just lay in the water peacefully.
• We started putting you in cloth diapers right around your 2 month "birthday."  Your legs finally got "chunky" enough to fit them.  You seem to like them just fine and you look super cute in them!
• You are still sleeping in your bouncy seat next to our bed at night.  You still like to listen to/watch your seahorse at bedtime to help you go to sleep.  You also still sleep in a swaddle me or swaddle sleep sack.  You usually have one stretch of sleep that lasts anywhere from 4-6 hours.  Never quite know what you are going to do.  After you wake up from that stretch, I nurse you and you usually go back to sleep for around 2 hours. 
• During the day, you usually eat, awake/play for a little while, then sleep.  You usually take a fairly long nap in the morning after eating.  You are usually in your swing for naps during the day.  Sometimes we swaddle you for naps, but not all of the time.
• Generally, you are in a better mood during the morning/first half of the day than you are in the evenings.  You tend to be more fussy in the evenings.
• We have tried to lay you on your activity mat/gym, but you are not a fan of that yet.  In fact, the only place you really like to lay is on your changing table.  You usually don't last long when I lay you under your mobile in your crib either. 
• You are a pretty good traveler- usually fall asleep in your carseat not long after we've started driving. 
• You are getting more attentive and active every day.  It is so fun to see your personality develop. 
• You are our sweet, sweet boy.  Your cheeks are getting chubbier- which makes them even better for kisses!  You get lots of kisses every day.

We love you SO much!

* To see Holden @ 1 month, check out this post!

Holden {1 month}

Our Holden is 1 month old today!!! 

I'm going to try to take a picture like this every month to compare. 

 We look forward to watching you grow, sweet boy!

• At one month old, your favorite thing to do, I'm fairly certain, is eat (nurse). 
• You usually stay awake for a little while after you eat and you just look around everywhere like you are really trying to figure everything out.  You look sooo cute during this time.  We love to sit and watch you.
• You hate bathtime.  I'm hoping you will learn to love it, but right now you SCREAM!  However, you love to have your hair washed under the faucet.  You are wide eyed and calm when you get your hair washed!
• You seem to like music.  You usually calm down when you hear it.  You like your soothe & glow seahorse that plays lullabies and your "Twinkle Twinkle Little Scout" which also plays lullabies.
• You usually fall asleep in your carseat in the car.
• You love your MAM pacifier.  I've tried other ones but that's the only one you like.
• You love to cuddle.  To get you to sleep, I often put my cheek on your cheek or put your head up by my neck and you are asleep in no time.  You also love to take naps cuddled up next to me.
• You like being swaddled.  You almost always have to be swaddled before you will go to sleep.  You sleep in a gown and a "swaddle me" at night.
• You sleep in your bouncy seat next to our bed at night.  You do not like your bassinet at all. 
• Most of the time, you sleep for a 5 hour stretch after we go to bed at night.  I have been waking you up after 5 hours because I need to feed you!  After that stretch, you usually get back on your every 3 hours eating "schedule."
• You weigh around 7 lbs 5 oz.
• You are the sweetest and we love you SO MUCH!  We want you to stay little but also look forward to watching you grow!