Brad likes carrots?

Don't let the beginning of the video fool you, the answer to the question: does Brad like carrots? is a big NO, as can be seen by the end of the video.


Video taken 3/29/11

While Grammy was here we made some baby food for Brad. We did this also for Luke when he was this age and it was nice to carry on the tradition with Brad. The first food I made for Luke was carrots so I tried them with Brad. Let me tell you, Brad hates carrots. They are the only food that he consistently makes a gagging motion for when he eats them. I have to hide them with other foods, even mixing in rice cereal isn't enough. This week I mixed on ice cube (how I freeze the baby food) of carrots with one pear and one apple. He ate it but not with the usual vigor he usually eats with!



I checked Luke's baby book (or calendar rather) and turns out he didn't like carrots either!

Brad talking

Brad talking, until he notices the camera that is :)
Video taken 3/28/11

5 month comparison

Alright, so readers, we are used to the idea of these now right? So I'll just jump right in :)

At 5 months, little Luke was about 15 lbs 5 oz and about 25 inches long. He's still got those chubby little cheeks and his nasal bridge hemangioma was getting a lot smaller by that point. You can see one of his long wisps of hair on his forehead in this picture.



At 5 months, Brad was about 16 and a half lbs and about 25.5 inches long. A little bit bigger than Luke, but with much less hair :) Developmentally, both boys were doing about the same things around this time. Luke had already had his first ear infection by this time. Brad continues to be such a smiler and giggler!

We love visitors!

We love having visitors! One of the best benefits of not working right now is the ability to be (somewhat) flexible with our schedule. I would love to travel and visit all my family and friends, but since it isn't really an option to leave two children behind and Josh doesn't have a ton of vacation, it is a great thing to have family and friends who also come visit us!

In March we were blessed to have my Aunt Susan and Uncle Ken stay with us at the beginning of their vacation. It is neat that Luke is old enough now to remember people and he now asks about them. Since he thinks all our family lives in Florida (since most of our visitors are always leaving to go home to Florida) it has been a thinker for him that they went home to Michigan!







Thanks for visiting us! [Aunt Susan, I have print copies of these pictures that I will mail to you :)]

Later that same week, my Dad drove up to visit us since it was his Spring Break from school. These two boys love their papa, and I really loved having my Dad here for a few days!

Bounce Luke Bounce

One Thursday morning in March, I took Luke to meet up with one of his buddies from school, Ben, at a bounce house warehouse. This place was full of bounce houses and we had been there in January for a birthday party. Luke had a great time at the birthday party so I thought he'd be in heaven to get a chance to go there again. We got there a little bit before his friend and I couldn't convince Luke to go on anything. He can be extremely timid and he decided to be that way this day. Kids were running all around but seeing no familiar face, Luke was not about to bouncing.

Bounce Luke Bounce



How about this one?



Doesn't that one look fun?



When Ben arrived, Luke grabbed his hand and the two of them were off!
Then Luke had a wonderful time, he just needed a friend.









But between you and me, I was sure getting frustrated that he wouldn't go play after paying for our entrance...same frustration currently applies to our Tuesday morning gym class. After 6 weeks of trying to cajole Luke to participate while at the class (and it is a sports themed class with all little 3 year old boys) I gave up and we haven't even gone now for two weeks. Good thing big brother has a little brother growing up who will be ready to be his constant buddy (we hope!)

Have I mentioned he is a happy guy?

Even this morning at Publix as I was unloading the cart full of groceries, I heard Brad talking and when I looked up two women had gathered around him to make faces for him to get him to smile and talk more. They weren't even waiting in line, just had noticed him there and came over to talk to him!

photos from March 6, 2011

Brad says 'hey"

Brad wakes up so happy (usually!). I captured one morning's wake up and even got a "Hey" from him :)
Video taken 2/25/11



We are pretty sure that the colicky phase passed when he reached 4 months. He still has his moments for sure, but this is his personality...usually happy and bubbly, but can turn into a sourpuss quickly.

I love this sleeper he is wearing. My Mummu picked it out as a gift for Luke. My aunt Lynn told me Mummu picked it out because she liked how it felt on her fingers (Mummu already had vascular dementia at the time). Seeing Brad wear it makes me smile :)

Luke and Brad video

Brad learning how to play in the exersaucer! Luke, never far away when baby brother is getting attention, shows Brad how to really play with this toy. I love Brad's face after Luke spins the spinner!
video taken 2/21/11

4 month comparison

On to the 4 month comps!
At 4 months, Luke weighed 14 lbs and was 24.5 inches. His little chubby cheeks had gotten even bigger thanks to the steroid injection he had in January of that year. I think this was the first time we put him in this exersaucer and he loved looking at all the toys on it and putting them in his mouth, but I remember his legs were still too short to reach the bottom.



At 4 months, Brad weighed 15 lbs 7 oz and was 25 inches long. So little brother has really overtaken big brother by this month! We got the exersaucer out for Brad this month and his feet reached (but I'm thinking this was more due to the material stretching from Luke's use of it than anything else). Brad loves making all the toys spin, but doesn't try to put them in his mouth.



While there is still a general resemblance to Josh, I think the boys are starting to each have their own look by this month. Of course, Luke's steroids may have really changed how his face looked, it'll be fun to see if they start to look more alike again when we get to the point were the steroid effect on Luke wore off.

Noah

In case anyone was wondering, we still do have this guy :)



Poor Noah, he has been relocated to the couch at night ever since Brad came home. I've been telling Josh that I just couldn't cope with Noah's snoring and a newborn waking up. So Noah has been out of our room for over 6 months and since Brad has started sleeping through the night now, I'm wondering how much longer I can keep it that way...

Poor guy :(

Ladies man

Hey ladies



I love to smile for all the ladies :)

Trip to Birmingham

In mid February we took a trip to Birmingham to visit some dear friends. It had been a while since we had been back there, it has been just over a year now since we sold our townhouse. I guess all the back and forth we did (with Josh doing several trips on his own) the year before that to take care of the house made us take a little hiatus from the trip down 1-20. Well that and the whole having a baby thing!

Anyway, we were so glad to be able to get back to the town we called home for 4 years and do dearly miss!

We stayed with Marcus and Anna and their two boys. I tried to get some good pictures of our all boy crew but again failed at photography!

Ian and Luke



Daddy holding Brad



Luke with Ian and Owen





Anna sent me some pictures she took, she has the photography skills :)







We went to church and saw many more of our friends, we really enjoyed seeing everyone there! I love getting updates on facebook and through blogs but it is so nice to reconnect in person. Miss you all!

We went back to our old neighborhood and visited for the afternoon with our neighbors and friends Alan and Janet and their two children. We miss living right across the street from them! Luke and Ryne used to be able to wave to each other looking out our kitchen windows!

Emma Kate making Brad smile



Luke and Ryne





Josh with Emma Kate. This beautiful little girl makes Josh think he'd like one too :) We are considering cloning as an option...



Janet holding Brad



It was a wonderful trip! Too short. Sorry to those we didn't get a chance to see this trip, now that Brad is getting older we hope to get back to Birmingham more often!

Snow again!

February snow! This time I got out in time to play, although there wasn't as much snow as we had in January.

Brad



Luke





After we made lots of tracks, that was pretty much all Luke wanted to do. I think he liked how the snow crunched under his boots!

Claws! and cute slippers

Even with trimmed fingernails, Brad has some serious claws! He went through a period where he just clawed himself at night. We kept his hands covered and put eczema cream on him, but he still got himself several times.





Also, check out these slippers :) These are the first thing I bought for Brad, known only as Baby Bop at the time. I bought them from a toy store we love in Brevard, NC. We were there last year over Memorial Day weekend for Greta's awesome birthday celebration. I thought they were just too cute to pass up!



Our happy happy boy!