October

Just checking in

We haven't updated in a long while.  Sorry about that.  This has been our first full summer in New Orleans since we moved here four years (four years?!?) ago.  We've been trying to keep busy, entertaining a toddler, while also trying to stay cool.  We've been pretty successful, I would say.  Maddox and I (Nichole) did swim lessons from June-August.  He was a bit hesitant at first, but by the end was a pro--- putting his face under water willingly and enjoying being in the water.  We think we'll continue the lessons into the fall.

The boys are both getting bigger and bigger... Maddox says amazing and hilarious things regularly.  Some recent examples:

While playing at an indoor play area, Maddox spotted a young boy standing on a pile of big blocks.  Maddox remarked, "That doesn't look very stable."

One evening I asked Maddox if he had fun playing with his friends at the indoor play area (aka, the baby center).  Maddox responded with, "Yeah, it was reasonable."

Quinn will be four months old tomorrow!  You look at him and just know that he is ready to be on the move.  He wants to sit up.  He wants to crawl.  But, alas, for the time being he forced to just watch.  He loves watching his big brother moving about.  I wouldn't be surprised if Quinn is a much earlier walker than Maddox was (who walked at 17 months).

Brother snuggles

Big boy smiles

"Oh, what is this interesting thing??"

Playing

Quinn is getting bigger and is starting to play a bit.  He enjoys laying on his mat trying to bat at the toys above him.  Maddox likes to sit next to him, telling him stories and showing him how things work.

Playtime!

A mama and her boys <3

Quinn-- almost two months!

Quinn is 7 weeks old, and is super adorable.  He has been smiling at us for a few weeks now and has started to "talk" (baby cooes).  He is still a very mellow baby and an excellent sleeper.  He naps well during the day, and has been going to bed at night between 7-8pm.  He wakes up a few times at night to nurse, but always goes right back to sleep.  He loves staring at his big brother and giving his brother smiles.  His big brother loves giving Quinn kisses.  Both Maddox and Quinn are very sweet boys.  We are very lucky.  :)

Just loungin'

Summer swim classes

We enrolled Maddox in a 10-week swim class for the summer.  It meets once a week for 30 minutes, and is a toddler-parent class.  The goal is to get them use to the water-- they put their face in the water and blow bubbles, put their ears underwater, float on their backs (with parent help), hang on to the side of the pool-- things like that.  At 2 weeks in, it's been great.  Maddox did really well the first week, and was a little more apprehensive last week (but he was also just getting over being sick).

Here are some pictures from the first week:

Getting those ears under water!

Learning to float!

 

Units Update

Went to the doctor for Quinn's one month checkup. He's doing well. In fact, he's put on three pounds and two+ inches. So exactly, Quinn is 22.75", 10 lbs 6.6 oz. and a head circumference of 38.5 cm. (Is it weird that he has a metric head?)

We also measured Maddox to entertain him while we were there. Maddox is 29.2 lbs and almost 38 inches. We didn't measure his head, so I'll just guess 'large'.

summertime baby?

Some information about Quinn

It occurred to me that we never posted information about Quinn's birth...

He was born at 1:47am on Thursday May 2nd (just past his due date!)

He was 7lbs 6oz and 19.5 inches long at birth, and 7lbs 4oz when we left the hospital.

He was born just three hours after Luke and I arrived at the hospital (we were at the hospital for 10 hours before Maddox was born!)

He cried the instant he was born, but hasn't cried much since (the rare exception being diaper changes).  He has earned the nickname "Zen Baby".

He has extremely blonde eyebrows and eyelashes, and light brown hair.  We think he may end up being blonde or a red head.  

He is now 2.5 weeks old, and is getting bigger every day.  At his 1 week appointment he weighed 7lbs 9oz, which is a pretty impressive weight gain.  He sleeps well, eats well, and is extremely tolerant of his brother's kisses and pokes. 

He fits into our family perfectly.  <3

Quinn staying in

Quinn had lots of um, sleep over the last two weeks! Here are some pictures:

Maddox going out

Maddox had lots of fun going out with gigi, rara, and grandma over the last two weeks! Here are some pictures:

Butterfly garden

 Rock wall

Hanging around

Monkey Hill, top

 Monkey Hill, middle

Monkey Hill, bottom.

New Baby!

Pictures!

Let the countdown begin...

The countdown to baby Quinn's arrival has begun!  His due date is May 1st, but as most of us know, due dates don't mean much.  This mama is more than ready to not be pregnant any more and meet little Quinn, but he will make his arrival when he is good and ready.  Until then, we are keeping ourselves busy.  I have a semester to finish (classes end on April 30th).  Maddox plays, plays, and plays some more, which in turn keeps Luke busy.  They enjoy going to the park and zoo on days it is not rainy.  Maddox's vocabulary blows us away, and it seems like each day he says something that makes you think "where the heck did you learn that??"  The other day, as we were getting buckled into the car to leave he said, "Drop mama off at school and then we go play at the park."  Yes, little boy.  And have I told you recently you are growing up way too fast... oy.

It also seems like Maddox is starting to understand better about have a little baby brother. He regularly kisses my tummy and says "I love you, little baby brother" or "I love you, little baby Quinn."  Melts my heart. He is going to be a great older brother.

My mom flies in today (yay!), and my dad will get in on Friday.  They leave May 8th, so hopefully Quinn arrives before then.  Cindy comes for a visit on May 7th... lots of grandparent visits.  We are excited, and it is going to be great for Maddox to have grandparents to play with (aka, get spoiled by) while we are adjusting to our new addition.

A few more of me and my big boy (don't even try to call him a little boy these days, he will correct you very quickly):

Before we cut off his pretty hair for summer... wearing one of mama's hair bands

Snuggles before bed time

I am going to guess you won't hear much from us until after Quinn is born.  We'll make sure to post once he is here, with pictures and video of Maddox meeting his baby brother for the first time.  So, until we post again, enjoy this jewel of a picture.  When Maddox dresses himself in the morning (which we highly encourage):

He's not always this creative, but when he is, we make sure to take a picture!

Easter

What's behind the curtain?

The reveal:

More eggs outside:

What's your hair do?

Odds and ends

I wanted to get some pictures posted from the last couple weeks, so here you go!

Luke was invited to speak at a conference on being a stay-at-home Dad.  Here he is all dressed up!

Practicing for Quinn's arrival-- baby wearing!

Painting :)

We also like to do a little bit of yoga in our house...

ABC's all the way through

Maddox just recently started singing his ABC's all the way through on his very own!  He use to stop at "G", but can now say all his letter to "Z".  He gets a little jumbled up at "L, M, N, O, P", but who doesn't?

Singing fun

Maddox enjoys music, and likes to sing.  We've been teaching him a few of the classics....

Itsy bitsy spider:

Twinkle twinkle little star:

And ABC's:

Happy 2nd birthday, Maddox!!

Maddox turns 2 years old tomorrow, and we had a birthday party for him yesterday.  The theme of the party   was "choo-choo tains" and we invited several of Maddox's friends over to play.  We had a really nice time and I think Maddox enjoyed himself.  Though, I'm sure if you asked Maddox he would say the highlight of the day was having access to endless peanut butter sandwiches that he could wander around the house with.

Before our friends arrived...

"Happy birthday!" choo choo

Playing at the art table

 The spread... we had Maddox-requested food: peanut butter sandwiches, bananas, oranges, and cheese.  We also had veggies, chips, and tortilla rolls.  And awesome Elmo cupcakes made by our friend Ali.

"Yay, food!"

Elmo cupcakes

Peanut butter sandwiches cut into train, car, airplane, fish, and duck shapes.  Huge hit.

Singing happy birthday... he wasn't too sure about the candles.

Such good friends...

Maddox, Ali, and Iona (wearing a carrot mustache!)

Iona, Ronan, and Ronan's parents Johnny and Erin at the art table.  Maddox being goofy.

So much fun playing :)

 The party was awesome and we had tons of fun.  Maddox received a lot of great gifts, many of them were art related.  He has finger paints, chalk, an artists smock, big paint brushes, and fun colored paper.  He also got his first DVD-- Finding Nemo.  He likes the "fishy mooie".  :)