Samuel's 8 Month Update

Height: about 29 inches
Weight: about 19 lbs
Head Circumference: about 18 inches
Movement: You sit for hours and play with your toys or sisters. You still topple over though when you get tired. You haven't quite mastered how to put your hand down to catch yourself. You are starting to slide backwards when laying on your belly but no crawling motions yet. I think maybe by 9 months you will be there, even though I am totally fine with you staying where I put you.
Eating Habits/New Foods: Your pincher grip has just started. You get that pointer finger out and point for things. You are starting to eat what we eat for dinner and I will just add water and puree it for you. We have had some trouble with constipation so your new breakfast routine is prunes and oatmeal to try to keep you going regularly. You love smoothies and pouches now. We are still waiting for a tooth so you can really get into eating some bigger things!
Sleeping Patterns: Sleep has been the same. Although you are going through a brain leap, your sleep didn't change hallelujah! You wake around 5, eat and go right back to bed till 8. Sleeping from 8 to 8 with 2 naps.
Sounds/Words: You said your first word and it was Mama!! The first time was in the pool when you were crying and wanted me to come rescue you from swim lessons. Now you say it often. You also make a new face when you are surprised that is so cute!
New discoveries/accomplishments:
-Your 1st word was Mama
-You play peekaboo by yourself and it is precious
-You can float on your own. We are almost done with swim lessons but are still struggling on flipping over when face down.
-You are a champ at sitting and playing with your toys.
-You can sometimes do the drink sign when you want your water while eating.
-You started gymnastics at My Gym
-You can hang from a bar for a good 5 seconds
Places you went/Adventures: We stayed home this month, but it was full of new beginnings for school for your sisters and lots of 1 on 1 time with Mommy! You now go to My Gym and you absolutely love it! Your grip is amazing and you love dancing and singing songs with all the other babies. Separation time does not phase you at all. Probably bc you are used to it at church and are the chillest baby ever! You are starting to favor me more though and reach for me when someone else is holding you.
Clothes: You are still in size 4 diapers and are in 6-9 month clothes! We do overnight diapers but the leaking hasn't happened lately since you got better about your sleeping through the night.
Sisters update: Delainey is still obsessed and has become more of a mother hen than ever. Probably bc I am giving her a little more freedom with you since you aren't as fragile. One time she was playing with you in your room and she carries you out with a new outfit on. She said she thought you needed an outfit change so she did. You are her little doll LOL. They surely love you!!

Month 8 was great getting to have a little more one on one time with you. I am so glad you are able to  do gymnastics and classes just like your sisters did! You will be crawling around before we know it! I have loved this age so much!!

Samuel's 7 Month Update

Height: about 28.5 inches
Weight: about 17.5 lbs
Head Circumference: about 18 inches
Vision: As far as I can tell you are seeing just fine and can see me from very far distances and follow me with your eyes everywhere I go so I think we are good here! I mean I don't blame you for always staring at your Mama! LOL
Movement: You can sit like a champ these days. For a good 15-20 minutes when you aren't tired. Since sitting you have been much more interested in all your little toys that sing and do things. Less of just putting toys in your mouth and more of actually grabbing things to play.
Eating Habits/New Foods: You are doing great with your big boy food! You gum things very well so we have been giving you big pieces of things you can hold well to eat. Your pincher grip isn't just there yet. You love pancakes and waffles, cheese, smoothies (you do great drinking with a straw), applesauce, yogurt, meatballs, bread. You are basically your mom loving anything dairy or carbs lol.
Sleeping Patterns: You are sleeping pretty good! You are only getting up once at night and it is usually around 4 or 5 in the morning. You eat and go right back to bed so it isn't too bad. You are sleeping from 8 to 8 and on perfect days we get 2 naps, but majority of the time we aren't home for that so you nap whenever wherever along the way!
Sounds/Words: Still no words yet! You are a yeller and like to talk to us, but nothing that makes any sense. We are still working on the signs, but that isn't done consistently either.
New discoveries/accomplishments:
-You can sit all by yourself
-You can drink from a straw cup.
-You are just starting swim lessons to learn to float
-You take a bottle great and it is fine whether it is cold or hot, formula or breastmilk!
Places you went/Adventures: We had another busy month for your 6th month of life. You went to your sisters Swim championships and handled the heat like a rockstar, we went to Atlanta for the 4th of July and again handled the heat very well. You slept awesome in the hotel pack and play as well.  You had another time away from Mom and Dad. This time it was 6 days while we went to St. John USVI. Grammy and Gammoe took great care of you though! You also celebrated your cousin Rush's 1st birthday which was fish themed!
Clothes: You are still in size 4 diapers and are in 6 month clothes! We do overnight diapers but the leaking hasn't happened lately since you got better about your sleeping through the night.
Sisters update: Nothing new with your crazy sisters! They still love you and fight over who gets to sit next to you or snuggle you in bed. They race me to get you up in the morning and hop in your crib to play. One time they even did some teamwork to get you out of the crib and carried you into the living room. I was certainly not happy about it, but you seemed fine! They are a mess and are gonna take good care of you!

Month 7 was a great one. It flew by being summer and staying so busy especially with me gone some of the time, but we had lots of fun! You are the sweetest little Mama's boy anyone could ever dream of! We love you Sammy!

Samuel's 6 Month Update

Height: 28 inches - 90th%
Weight: 17 lbs 2 oz - 34%
Head Circumference: 18 inches - 90%
Vision: You can see great and very far distances. You seem to spot your mom wherever I am in the room and I surely don't mind it. You have lots of stimulus with 2 crazy sisters in your face all the time.
Movement: You can roll really well in all directions now. Front to back and back to front both ways. I lay you down and a few minutes later you are a good 5 feet away from where I set you. You are getting pretty good at sitting up by yourself too. Maybe for 3-5 seconds before you bend over. You love sitting up in your bath chair or in the shower.
Eating Habits/New Foods: You are still eating about 4 ounces of milk every 2.5 to 3 hours. You have also started eating normal food. You make quite the face when you don't like it. It's hysterical. You are more of a fan of pieces of normal food. Poor 3rd child is not getting the normal introduction of foods. You are just getting whatever we are eating. We did try pureed carrots, apples, sweet potatoes, prunes, peas, and rice cereal. You also really enjoying puffs broken in half and rice. We have tried pieces of broccoli, eggs, watermelon. I think thats mainly it so far.
Sleeping Patterns: You are still in your sleep regression phase and its wearing mommy down. You are getting up every 2-3 hours to dream feed. It's not even a good feed. Sleep training is about to start now that your are over 15 lbs and 6 months. You are great still the naps. 2 naps for 2ish hours each.
Sounds/Words: You Still are making all types of sounds and "talking" to us, but no actual words yet. You have figured out the sign milk though and do it when you need a bottle or milk. It's lovely. Hopefully we get Mama soon!
New discoveries/accomplishments:
-You can roll in all directions now
-You can hold a bottle all by yourself.
-You can sit for a few seconds by yourself.
-You are eating big boy food now but don't love pureed stuff.
-You survived a horrible storm on our boat ride home and handled it like a champ!
-You love swimming in the pool, but still can't hold your breath underwater
-You love taking showers and letting the water fall all in your face
Places you went/Adventures: There were no real trips this month, but boy were you a trooper attending your sisters swim practices 4 days a week and swim meets every Saturday. You were so chill even though we were all roasting in the sun. We got some one on one time as well while your sisters were at VBS. You also celebrated your cousin Caleb's first birthday and found out you are having a little girl cousin in November!
Clothes: You have moved up to size 4 diapers and are in 6 month clothes! We had to do overnight diapers too since you pee through so often. Probably because you are eating 4 times a night.
Sisters update: You are starting to hold your own with them. When they are in your face, you will grab their hair and pull it or take toys from them. I love it! We are working on gentle hands because you have quite the grip. Especially when I haven't cut your nails for a while. You are so interactive with them and love watching some baby signing time and snuggling with them!

Month 6 was awesome having your sisters home all day and having more relaxing snuggling mornings. I can't believe you are halfway to 1 years old! I thought I loved the baby stage, but you are so sweet and snuggly with me I think this is my favorite. You know understand relationships and want your mommy the most! :) We love you Sam Sam!

Schools out Cruise Recap - symphony of the seas

Over Memorial Day Weekend (also officially the first weekend of Summer) we took the girls on a surprise trip on the Symphony of the Seas Cruise. It was the Royal Caribbeans newest ship and I have never seen anything like it. The ship usually only does 7 day itineraries, but for their maiden voyage they did a 3 day and a 4 day. So we jumped at the opportunity to go on this amazing boat for only 3 days. (Lets be honest, Dave would never be able to do a 7 day cruise) 

So we drove to Miami and went to Nassau and Royal Caribbeans own private island Coco Cay. The ship had so much to do we didn't even get off the boat in the Bahamas. We swam, did the flow rider, merry go round, rock climbed, played in the casino, watched shows, had 2 date nights while the kids were in the kid zone, and went to the private island's water park. We ate more ice cream than I'd like to remember and we surely got our moneys worth on the all you can eat and drink package. I would 100% recommend this boat. It was so nice and clean. The shows were phenomenal and there was so much to do you never felt like there were tons of people on the boat. It was well worth the 5 hour drive to Miami and we will be going on this again! 

  

I even got to facetime Sammy quite a bit on the cruise so we didn't have withdrawals too badly! :)

Samuel's Baby Dedication

Samuel had his baby dedication with his cousins Caleb and Rush on April 27, 2019. It was a lovely Saturday morning where all the families enjoyed brunch and read our family covenants that we had created. Then the families prayed over all the babies. I can't wait to see what God has in store for these little boys lives! World Changers right here!