2 Months with Micah Jay!

Micah is the best cuddler in the whole wide world... and I'm taking full advantage of our snuggle time as much as possible these days! There's always a big load of laundry waiting for me, but I've gotten plenty of reading done the past 2 months with a baby in my arms! I LOVE snuggling with Micah Jay! The laundry will always be there, right? But soon my baby will be big like his brothers and I won't get to snuggle him anymore... so I'm holding on to these moments as long as I can make them last!

Sweet conversations with Mommy!

I love coming home and seeing Micah in the Bjorn with Daddy! Mr. Productivity can't seem to slow down and snuggle with his boy, so he just straps him on his chest and they get some quality time working together!

Micah's got some male pattern baldness going on!

Bath Time--always a highlight for Micah!

His shirt says HUNGRY! That about sums it up for Micah... He's always hungry!

And our chubby monkey is now off the growth charts. That's right, he's beyond the 97th% in everything! He weighs 14lbs 13oz and is 24.5 in long at just 2 months of age!I just LOVE baby feet!

We just love this little boy to pieces! Micah remains so content, yet very interactive when you talk to and play with him! He's slept through the night a few nights here and there but is still mostly waking once. I have to say that I've been quite a softy... I know he's plenty big enough to be sleeping through the night, but I just can't let him cry it out yet! I actually enjoy our early morning time together. I normally end up falling asleep in my nursing chair for about 2 hours before I finally wake up with a crook in my neck and decide it's time for each of us to get back into our own beds! Maybe it's the thought of him possibly being our last, or maybe it's just the fresh perspective I have of how fast each stage really passes by. I was just doing this with Isaac one year ago and now he's such a big boy! So grateful for these sweet moments and precious memories. I'm soaking them all in and letting them linger a bit longer this time!

Can't Help to Compare!

OK, so I try hard not to compare my boys... not through blog posts, or conversations, or in training and discipline. I just want them to have the freedom to be exactly who they were each created to be, independently and uniquely, without constantly being compared to their siblings! But I couldn't help to compare these two photos of Isaac and Micah. Do you see a pretty strong resemblance, or is it just me? And much to Daddy's dismay, Micah's DARK hair is falling out and coming back in BLOND! I'm not sure he'll be a toe head like Isaac, but he certainly isn't going to be a brunette! So with these two fellas only being 15 months apart, I have a feeling they will have to find a different characteristic to set them apart other than in their looks! : )

Micah Jay 6-weeks

Isaac Owen 5-Weeks

Life with THREE--Update!

The past couple weeks with Joe back to work have been very smooth and very wild all at the same time! Let me explain... while we're home, life it totally manageable. I know that our house is child-proofed and there are baby locks and outlet plugs and door handle devices. But when we venture out... Oh my! Now that's a different story! I don't have the confidence or stamina to keep up with these boys anywhere other than home most of the time. Once the van doors are open and their seat belts unfastened, Wyatt and Isaac always dart in different directions and Micah is normally hungry at exactly the same time. I definitely need a third hand or an assistant at all times! I am not much of a homebody so this has totally thrown me for a loop! : ) And I can't be stuck inside all day long, so somehow we manage little outings here and there. Needless to say, when my head hits the pillow at night, I'm out cold!

Here's a quick run-down of a few mishaps in our home:

• I set off the smoke alarm with some VERY burnt bread and had both Micah and Isaac screaming at the top of their little lungs! Fireman Wyatt thought it was a great opportunity to put his skills to work!
• We had to call poison control once, as Wyatt decided to taste-test the mold medium for our basement mold test
• Isaac found my retainer and gave it to Gabbi while I was feeding Micah... Needless to say, 2 appointments and over $300 later I have a new one. I didn't even have a single piece left of the old one to show the dentist so he could match the material.
• Wyatt colored all over the floorboard of the new van with a marker
• Isaac ate a hand full of mud straight from the ground and a hand full of brownies out of the trash can, all with a great big grin on his face!

So my theme verse has been Colossians 1:17

He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.

If God can hold the universe together, then he can surely hold together the details of my days as well! His grace is sufficient and his power is made perfect in my weakness! And all of the little 'mishaps' seem to be the very sanctifying pieces he intends to use for my good... if only I would see them that way in the midst of the trial!

6 Weeks with Micah!

Here's our happy little man celebrating 6 weeks of life!

Micah has been such a good SLEEPER. He has only been waking ONCE at night! He seems to be settling into slumber at 10pm and waking at about 4:30am for a quick feeding then back to sleep again until Wyatt wakes him up in the morning!

He is still sleeping most of the day too.But when he's awake, he's very alert and so content just hanging out and watching what's going on around him. He's mesmerized with lights and his brothers voices!

Isaac is really learning to be GENTLE (he's probably so tired of hearing that word each day!) to his baby bro. It's so fun to see Isaac love on Micah!

Wyatt includes Micah in everything he is doing! He tells him stories all day and wants him in whatever room we are playing. Wy and I went on a mommy date for donuts last Saturday morning and he even wanted Micah to come along too! : )

Wyatt is SO GOOD to Micah!

He wants Micah to see all of his creations, this one being a shoot gun! Oh my!

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Fun Facts about our 6-week-old

MICAH...

• is a great sleeper, only waking ONCE each night at about 4:30 am for a quick feeding! woo hoo!
• is starting to lose his hair on the top of his head. I can't quite tell what color it is coming back in, but it's certainly not as dark as it was previously
• is such a snuggler... he buries his face into your neck and gives the sweetest 'kisses'
• is very content just hanging out in the swing or bouncy seat and just watching what's going on around him
• is completely out of his newborn clothes and into size 2 diapers already
• is just the best baby in the whole wide world. I'm so GRATEFUL for his sweet, content little spirit! I just can't get enough of this little man!

Micah is LOVED by his big bros!

Isaac is 16-Months

Oh, I just love this little face. Isaac can ALWAYS make me SMILE! He truly fills my heart with laughter... he couldn't have a more fitting name!

This little man is quite a character! I'm convinced that he is the reason that safety locks, and warning labels and poison control numbers were created. Oh, he is exhausting but I just love him to pieces. I wouldn't trade him for the world! : ) He is so feisty but so hard to discipline because of the stinkin' cute faces he makes and reactions he has. He's learning to mimic everything... So when you say No, No! with your finger out, he says it right back to you with a great big grin... and every time I have to turn around because he makes me laugh!

He's my little outdoors-man! He often goes and gets my shoes and demands that I put them on so I will take him outside. He is too smart! He also has a keen sense for hearing any outside door open... and if he's not invited to go out, you will see one major tantrum!

Isaac love to blow (and eat!) bubbles!

and he always steals my cell phone!

loves his car and ball!

This is how Ike wears his shoes! If you put his feet back in the right way, withing minutes his little piggies will be out again!

This is what Isaac looks like when he comes in from being outside! Here he's cooling off with a piece of pineapple--his fav!

He's still as messy as ever and it doesn't phase him a bit!

He plays HARD and sleeps HARD! Once he's got a full belly, he's out in no time!

Isaac loves his big bro and is really learning to defend himself these days!

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Fun Facts About our 16-Month-Old: ISAAC...

• is not expanding his vocab very quickly but now says dada, mama, ball, uh-oh, no no, and more (for more FOOD, of course!). Ike doesn't have many words but he can sure communicate!
• got lots of teeth this month. He got his other 2 front, lower teeth and at least 2 or 3 molars!
• is finally getting some HAIR! And he has the cutest little blond curls in back-- I refuse to let Daddy give him a haircut just yet... he's worked too hard for these golden locks... I'm not about to cut them off anytime soon (even if he does have a mullet!)
• is still such a sleeper. He's out by 7pm and hasn't been waking until 9am lots of mornings. He doesn't take too long of naps but sleeps at least 1.5hours after lunch.
• found his SHADOW! It is a bit distracting while we're trying to take a walk but it is so cute. Sometimes he does funny little dances to see if the shadow will follow and sometimes he just gets flat out frustrated and wants it to leave his side. So fun to watch him discover the world!
• has no problem with independent, self-entertainment... He could keep himself busy for hours! But it's what he's doing to keep himself busy that always makes me worried!
• just has the sweetest, happiest heart! I'm totally smitten with his smile!

Road Trip, Mother's Day, and Baby Dedication!

Like Father, like son! Wow! Do they look alike here or what? I don't normally see the strong resemblance that others see between these two, but I do here, for sure!

Joe and Wyatt went on their first road trip together to Springfield, MO for Uncle Jay's big football game! They got to spend the weekend with Uncle Jay, Aunt Gigi, and Grandma and Grandpa McCulley! And the GUNS won the game. Woo Hoo!

Wyatt made a new buddy over the weekend--Little Miss Kenzie--Uncle Jay and Aunt Gigi's little niece who lives in Springfield. Isn't she a doll?

Kenzie was sweet to share some pom poms and silly bands with Wyatt so they could cheer on Uncle Jay in style!

Wyatt looks a little bit pooped here. I think they were getting ready to hit the road after the late night game to come home. But they got one last photo with Sgt. Lucas!

Then Sunday was Mother's Day and Baby Dedication! I am so sad that I never got a picture with ALL of my fellas, but this one was taken with my 2 babies who were dedicated to the Lord at church on Sunday morning. I'd say that baby dedication on Mother's Day makes for a pretty special gift in itself! It brings back memories of my first mother's day when Wyatt was dedicated back at Bethel in Indiana! I asked the Lord to give me this child, and he has given me my request.Now I am giving him to the Lord, and he will belong to the Lord his whole life.

1 Samuel 1:27-28

It is our prayer that all three of our boys would come to a saving faith in and relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. What an awesome privilege and joy it is to be a mommy! Thank you Lord for these precious gifts in my life. May we always steer them toward YOU!

We spent the rest of the afternoon taking 'shifts' at the park with Mimi and Poppy, Uncle Trent and Auntie B, and Ashtyn and Daxton! Wyatt got to do a little fishing at the park...

and playing in the sand! I stayed back with Isaac so he could get a nap, then we switched. Wyatt came home for a nap with Daddy and I took Ike to the park! I have a feeling we'll be doing lots of 'shift-work' over this next year or two! : )It was a great day and I'm so thankful for my boys!