Four-and-a-half months already!

Alex is growing fast, so I am trying to have him wear the sweaters I made for him as much as possible! He was 15 lbs at his 4 month check-up, which is about average. He was also average for height. He's developmentally on track and just a sweet baby. He might have a bit of reflux affecting his eating habits, however. Still feeding about every couple of hours - through the night as well. And his feeding are only about 5-10 minutes max. We started him on a very low dose of renitidine, so hopefully it helps!


Look, he can play and suck his thumb at the same time! :)


This is Alex today - snuggled in his Sunshing Sweater and Sunshine Blanket I made for him while on bedrest. He is resting now, recovering from Croup...


OK, now you are all caught up - next post will most likely be after the holidays! May yours be full of merriment! :)

Happy Halloween!

This is the first year that Alden really got into the Halloween spirit! He thought that carving pumpkins was especially gross and exciting...






Alden's little pumpkin is from a preschool trip to the farm...


Alex fit into Alden's old costume! My little pumpkin...


Alden loves to go fishing with his Daddy, Uncle, and cousin. One neighbor commented that he was dressed as a "true Wisconsinite." However, I had to promise Alden that next year he could go as a green and purple dinosaur. Better start looking for that perfect costume!

Your 12 week Alex Fix

Alex has some cool new tricks to share with you! He has been working on them for the last few weeks, but is now starting to have a few of them mastered...

He holds some toys and brings them to his mouth... but whether he's aware that his hand is holding the toy is anyone's guess...


Swatting at a toy, every now and then he catches it!


Alex now flips over with every attempt at "tummy-time..."






Take two...


Whoa!


How many times are your gonna to try this tummy-time thing???

Country Drive

We took a trip out to the country this past weekend to check out past-peak Autumn and see what the farmers are up to...


Farmer humor...


We enjoyed our country drive very much. Alden was in search of a combine cutting down all this corn, and even brought his toy combine to share in the experience. We did find a combine hard at work, but forgot to take a picture of it...


Yes, we stole corn. Don't tell anyone!


A memento to take home for our Autumn collection...

11 weeks old...

...and getting stronger every day!

Alex's first long-ish hike!

Alex and I hiked with my friend Kim along the east bluff of Devil's Lake yesterday. Alex has been on little hikes in our local arboretum before, but this was his first hike up and down a cliff! He tolerated the Ergo carrier for a few good hours, fussing here and there a bit, but mostly sleeping and feeding...it was the perfect, peak Autumn outing.


Nursing in the forest...



The marvelous view on the east bluff...we did it, Alex!


Heaven is a place on Earth...

Proof?...Or just my silly son?

Today on our walk, after watching two dogs hop into the back of a car, Alden announced that "Next time," he is going to be a dog so that he "can go for car rides and swim in the lake." Next time? I asked him if he was telling me that he was planning on being a dog "next." He smiled "Yes," very matter-of-fact. Does he understand something we don't...?

Can you tell they are brothers?

I was looking at old posts from Alden's Story, and I came across this picture from August 2007, when Alden was adjusted to about 2 months old...


Remind you of somebody...?

Trip to Chicago (0ur mini-summer-vacay)

Last weekend, we decided to make the most of the end of summer by visiting Chicago. We haven't been able to really leave Madison for months and months, so this counts as our summer vacation! Our condo is in the background of one of our many walks. My Dad lives in Milwaukee and works in Chicago, so we have access to the condo at any time! I know, we are VERY lucky...


Alden is loving a rock he found during one of our many walks through the city...


...and enjoyed snuggling with Daddy on our walk through a nearby park.


Alden playing in the same park...


We highly recommend the Shed's show, Fantasea for anyone with a preschooler!


Alden clapped his hands together like the seals...


The Beluga Whales were a big hit...


A hawk as a highlight??? These Wisconsinites were not very impressed...


The main attraction! When the show was over, Alden started to cry, "I miss the dolphins! I want to see them AGAIN!!!"

Last Week of Summer

Alex is excited to get into the great outdoors - we are want to soak up all of the Summer we have left!


Properly modeling his Itty-Bitty Boo cardigan...


Admiring our front yard garden before our walk...hubby worked hard on this!


Autumn is peeking around the corner...

Capture the Moment

This is what I am trying to do during my maternity leave: soak it in and be fully present. Here is Alex right now:

Labor Day

Sunrise at the cabin up north over Labor Day weekend...


Alden (wearing his Wonderful Wallaby) had fun playing "Captain" with Greg...


Alex's (wearing the Itty-Bitty Boo cardigan) first boat rise! He loved (most) of it, as was evidenced by his first honest-to-goodness smile ever (at 5 weeks and 4 days old for future reference!).


Sunrise and the island...


Alex spent a lot of time snuggling with Papa Denny...


Alden and his cousin playing near the lake...


Alden is practicing his kayaking skills...


...on land!