Samuel's 3 Month Update

Height: about 26 inches
Weight: about 14 lbs
Head Circumference: about 16.5 inches
Vision: So all my worries on vision are gone! You are tracking all the time and love to look at things. Your tear duct has unclogged. One day you just woke up with no crust on your eye and you haven't since! You are like your Daddy and obsessed with TV. If it is on, you are looking at it, so I try to keep it off most of the time.
Movement: You are moving around a lot more. You like to stand with me holding you and you can hold your head for quite some time. You still don't love tummy time, but we do it anyways. When you are laying on your back you will throw your legs one way and lay on your side. No rolling yet, but I am sure before 4 months you will. You love to kick your legs and wave your arms in the bath time. It is so cute. You have also learned to move your leg to make the bouncer bounce.
Eating Habits/New Foods: You are still eating about 3 ounces of milk every 2.5 to 3 hours. Sometimes during the day we even feed every 2 hours. I have been so good about pumping to start to get my stock of milk up. Since you started giving me a  7-8 hour stretch at night, I usually pump before bed and get 1 bottle a night. It has worked out really well that way. I did learn that my right boob makes 4 ounces and my left only makes 2 per feeding so that would explain why you are starving sometimes after only 2 hours.
Sleeping Patterns: Knock on wood, but you are my best sleeper of all the kids. One night you just decided to sleep most the night and it was glorious. You take your bath, eat and go to bed usually around 8 - 8:30. Then you usually wake around 4-5 so it is a good 8 hour stretch then you go straight back to bed till 8ish or when I wake you.  You still love to be swaddled and you are sleeping in the dock-a-tot. You have officially moved to your crib and you are doing great! I think that is why you are sleeping longer. Less noise and movement to disturb you. Naps are just cat naps in the carseat or wherever. Usually they are only 30-45 min if I put you in your crib.
Sounds/Words: You are quite the talker these days. You mimic sounds we make and just laugh and talk to us all the time. The girls love when you make sounds and both girls at the same time will say "Awww."
New discoveries/accomplishments:
-We moved you to your crib this month!
-We stopped gas drops
-You started giving me an 8 hour stretch.
-You went to the beach for the first time
-You went to the zoo for the first time
-You swam in the pool for the first time at the Walt Disney World Dolphin.
-You saw snow for the 1st time
Places you went/Adventures: You were very busy this month! You went to tons of softball games, the beach, the zoo, went to North Carolina for a week, and then to Disney World for the 1st time. You saw Paul and Dez in Charlotte and then met your cousins Walker and Waylon and Aunt Brandi and Uncle Tony for the first time. We all stayed in a house at banner elk and you got to see snow for the 1st time. You were a champ all week and did phenomenal on the 8 hour car ride home. In Disney, we went to Magic Kingdom and Epcot and rode on some of your first rides. Dumbo, Peter Pan, Frozen. You are a well traveled 3 month old!
Clothes: You are now in 3 months or 3-6 month clothes. And the size 2 diapers are fitting perfectly.
Sisters update: Both girls are obsessed! I have some moments of pure claustrophobia when trying to change your diaper or get you dressed and both sisters are grabbing your hands and kissing all over you. They are sweet and good with you though. When I am busy and you are fussy, they are great at distracting you or making your laugh; Delainey especially. You are gonna love these big sisters so much!

Month 3 was a busy but fun traveling month and it was great developmentally too! You are starting to fill out and look more like your sisters now. You are so cute and precious and we love you so much!

Blakely's Bday Weekend in Disney

2 weeks ago we celebrated Blakely Ann turning 4 and spend the weekend in Disney. We stayed at the Dolphin and it was a perfect location. We could walk to the back entrance of Epcot and walk to the Boardwalk or Beach Club hotels. They also had ferry rides which were lovely to take after a long day at the park.
Friday we went to Epcot and rode some rides that morning. We ate lunch at all the little shops set up for the food and wine festival and then headed back to the hotel to swim. We played at the pool and then headed back to Epcot for dinner at Via Napoli an authentic Italian restaurant in Italy. It honestly was one of the best Italian restaurants we have been too besides being in actual Italy. I would highly recommend it!

Saturday we went to Magic Kingdom where Blake was finally tall enough to ride Splash Mountain and Thunder Mountain railroad. She loved both of them! We rode a few more rides, at lunch, watched the parade and then called it a day. We headed to the pool at the Beach club for dinner and the girls had a blast swimming in a different pool.

Sunday we swam in the morning, checked out at noon and headed home after a fun weekend! It was nice having some quality family time after poor Dave had worked 27 days out of the past 31 days. See you in the fall Disney.

Month of March Recap

Guys I am so sorry I have been so MIA lately! I feel like March 1st just hit and here we are already on the 27th today. Where did the past 4 weeks go?!? We have been super busy but all of it has been so much fun! If you follow me on Instagram this will be a repeat for you. Bc lets be honest, all I have time for is a few pictures and 2 sentences...not even time for Facebook haha. So here is what has been going on!
Delainey has started softball and she is really enjoying it. There are no practices, just games, so the idea that they aren't really learning is kind of driving me crazy! Crazy mom over here has brought her up to the field early once or twice to do batting practice and practice her catching and throwing. Her swing is coming along nicely and she loves playing pitcher bc they get the most action. Games are usually once or twice a week. We also signed D up for the Julington Creek Swim team starting at the end of April so stay tuned for the swim posts to come back!

Mom went out to Oklahoma to get the twins so we spent a week in Jax playing with them nearly every day after school. One day I let D skip and we all went to the zoo which was lots of fun.

We had our spring break and we did a big Richie family reunion to Banner Elk this year. 7 adults and 8 kids all in one house. The house we got was dynamite and had plenty of room for the kids to run and things to do. It had a tennis court, pool table, ping pong, video games, lacrosse, archery... anything you could think of. While we were there we went on some adventures and went to the Linville Caverns, went tubing on Sugar Mountain, went to Grandfather mountain and walked across the mile high swinging bridge, and saw snow and sledded in our yard. We also celebrated Georgia's 5th birthday and Blakely's 4th bday a little early. It was great to have all the nieces and nephews in one place and we all had a great time! Cant wait for our next adventure next year!

This week we have just been getting back into the swing of our daily schedule of BSF, gymnastics, and school. Tomorrow is Blakely Ann's 4th birthday though!! So we are off this weekend on another trip to Disney to celebrate her. We are staying at the Disney Dolphin again and will be doing Epcot on Friday and Magic Kingdom on Saturday. We've got lots of swimming and fun ahead and I have little surprises for her throughout the weekend. It is going to be a great time! Hopefully I will be better in the month of April on posting. In a perfect world I will do a whole Banner Elk recap, Blakely's 4th bday recap and Samuel's 3 month recap because he is 3 months old tomorrow! Big day tomorrow! Off to bed I go friends! XOXO

Samuel's 2 Month update

Height: 25 inches - 99%
Weight: 12 lb 2 ounces - 46%
Head Circumference: 16 inches - 89% (I think this one may be off a little since he was moving so much but we will see next visit)
Vision: So this was my biggest concern at his 2 month check up. I am used to life with girls, smart ones at that who did everything way sooner than they are supposed to. Well Sammy wasn't tracking things good so I asked Dr. Mary about it. He didn't do it for her either, but she didn't seem concerned and surely thought he wasn't blind. I of course come home and print out black and white flash cards like a crazy lady to do with him. He tracked the contrasting cards so we are good! He just may not care to follow you. He is in his own world looking and taking in all the sights and sounds. I think he is seeing about 18-24 inches now. (Also just for my own future reference, you still have clogged tear ducts which hopefully will go away soon)
Movement: Your neck is getting stronger and I have been more diligent about tummy time. Dr. Mary told us to make sure we were doing it because your abs are still separated some so we need to strengthen them and bring them in closer. During bath time, you kick your legs like you are swimming. You love your bath! You still aren't holding much bc your hands are still in the fist position from birth so hopefully soon you start loosening those babies up.
Eating Habits/New Foods: You are eating about 3 ounces of milk every 2.5 to 3 hours. Sometimes during the day we even feed every 2 hours. I am not too concerned with the time between during the day. As long as you are sleeping good at night I will feed you all day long. I really need to start pumping to get a supply for dates or time away but every time I pump, I feel like you are starving the rest of the day. We tried giving you formula once to see if you liked it and you gagged. You hated it! So I guess you are stuck with Mom for the next 10 months lol! I need to do bottles more often too because we really have only done it a few times and we are going on a cruise come Memorial Day so you need to be a champ with a bottle by then.
Sleeping Patterns: You are sleeping great! You gave me a 6 hour stretch last night but usually it is 5. I try to feed you at 11 because I don't go to bed before then and then you usually wake around 4 and then again at 7 when it is time to get up and get the girls up! So once a night, I will gladly take that! Naps are short cat naps here or there depending on what we are doing. There isn't really a long nap in the morning or mid afternoon. You still love to be swaddled and you are sleeping in the dock-a-tot. We have you in our room, but I think it is time to go to your crib. I tried to get rid of the swaddle the other day before moving you and you were not having it. So we will stay in the swaddle until you roll, which is nowhere close to happening.
Sounds/Words: You are starting to make some coo sounds. And occasionally you will make some sounds after I do. It's very cute!
New discoveries/accomplishments:
-We have cleaned out more clothes that don't fit anymore and it is heartbreaking. How did we run through so much stuff already! We moved into size 2 diapers this week too!
-You are tracking with your eyes now.
-You got your first round of shots and you did very well! It was quite the yell, it broke my heart, but I fed you right after and you were fine. You didn't get a fever and were only a little sleepy so that is great!
Places you went/Adventures: You went to your 1st amusement park! We took you to Islands of Adventures for Dad's work trip and stayed in a hotel. We stayed at Kellis house too and played with our cousins. Grammy babysat you for the first time so mom and dad could go out for our 12 year anniversary. You came to the marriage retreat with us and slept in that chest pack the entire time like a champion! You had another boat adventure and went and watched your sister do the Spartan race!
Clothes: You are in between 0-3 and 3 month clothes now. Of course it just depends on the brand. All newborn items have been packed away to give to another sweet little boy. You just moved up to size 2 diapers.
Sisters update: Delainey is still obsessed with you! Blakely still loves you but doesn't feel the need to touch you or be in your face every 2 seconds like Delainey does. They are doing good though being gentle and not messing with you too much. They are great little helpers at getting towels or gas drops and love to watch me change your diaper and get you dressed. D is definitely a little mother hen!

Month 2 was a great one and you are filling out and getting some hair back on your head. No more newborn you look more like an infant these days.