THREE

its been three whole years since we welcomed you into this world. 

I was feeling sentimental and scrolling through old pictures and watching videos from this time last year, and my blonde haired, round-faced, wobbly walking little boy has changed SO much. It seems more like it’s been two years since he turned 2 instead of just a year ago! He has changed so much in just a year!

while I feel like this season with him as a tiny toddler has gone by extra fast, I absolutely love this age and these new milestones with him.  I am doing my very best to soak them in and not miss out simply because "I’m busy".   

so many memories have been made in this 3rd year with our little boy.

Happiest Birthday, my precious, precious Canaan Jude!

TWO YEAR STATS:

height 39 inches // weight:  40 pounds 

--

Canaan experienced a TON of firsts in his third year. he has gained a rather hilarious toolbox of words he uses at the most opportune times.. he bosses me in full sentences, and probably my most favorite phrase has to be

"MAMA!!  where ah yuuuu??"

he had a slow start in the speech category and had speech therapy once a week for almost the entire year, he keeps making huge gains in that area and every time he says something new his dad and I crack up. There is something so sweet about watching your kids grow and learn. 

OH, AND when I ask him a question he looks at me with the most sincere eyes, finger on his chin and simply says "…um.."  so many things he’s picked up from us, like when he is looking for "babe(his dad, but he hears me call him that)" and so many things he’s developed into his own.  I just love him so much!  I cannot imagine what this life of ours would be like if Canaan wasn’t exactly the way he is.

this kids personality is through the roof.

he does his own thing and certainly marches to the beat of his own drum.

I hope I never forget his glasses phase, and the pacifier stage, and the hat stage where he just couldn't go anywhere without those items.

i mean...i die.

Discovering his favorite things, like ice cream, music, slides, and Mac and cheese//going to the library//learning how to be a friend and having and talking about his friends is the sweetest//having his first movie experience//locking himself in his bedroom//learning his ABCs, shapes, numbers, counting to 20, learning sign language//going fishing for the first time//learning responsibility with gardening and chickens and feeding the dog//conquering so many fears 👊🏼//ditched the pacifier// got a big boy bed//potty trained//

Best of all becoming a big brother

these are just a few of the highlights.  our life is so full.  with so much Canaan fun in between.

the night we found out you were going to be a big brother, we took you for ice cream!

sometimes you even demanded two pairs of glasses.

CANAAN JUDE

Ah, my boy.  there is absolutely nothing like your sweet smile and it brightens up the entire room.  

you have the biggest love of your brother.  

we all love to see your smiling face first thing!  

that time you got made at me and was able to physically prove it to me.

you are really smart and much to your dads dismay would rather play with puzzles and shapes than action figures but we see that tide changing as you are showing more interest in cars. it is SO cute.  you love singing and asking Alexa to pay anything from baby shark-lady Gaga- knockin boots by Luke Bryan.

the best prayer i know!

I could have never imagined in my wildest dreams that you would be so amazing with your little brother!  it is overwhelming to watch you be such a big boy- helping tend to him and always having concern for where he is.

you are still a laid back little bit and with the most free spirit and sweet demeanor any one could ask for. you have changed they very most over this last year, and I have found myself to fall in love with you more and more everyday I spend with you. 

you have absolutely changed our life, Canaan Jude, and I thank the Sweet Lord every day for blessing me with you. 

happy birthday my three year old! 

I love you, 

mama

another one of those times you needed a winter hat in the spring

you love monah

and finny too

cinco de mayo

the night before you became a big brother, we took you for ice cream again and soaked in our time with you.

the proudest big brother

always wanting to help your daddy

your first swim class

slides are your favorite thing

TWO MONTHS

TWO.

I can hardly believe I am sitting here writing about another month of milestones.  Another month of change.  Another month of life with our sweet Titus Crete. Two whole months! Time is definitely flying, last month's post seems like yesterday!  Keeping up is getting rough! Even as I look at pictures of Titus’ 2nd month (and there are a bazillion of them) he has changed so much.

Titus turned two months old last week and 10 weeks old today - and we went in to visit Dr. Tony for a check up.  We are weighing in at 11 pounds 11 ounces (!!). Big brother weighed 11-11 too but at 3 months! We are in size 1 diapers and 0-3/3month clothes.

Canaan at TWO months

Weight: 11 pounds 11 ounces (24th percentile)

Birth: 6 lbs 8 oz

Height: 23 in (34th percentile)

Birth: 19.5 in

Head: 39.4 cm (47th percentile)

Dr. Tony gave him the once over and we all decided that he is perfect! I had some concerns about how nasally he sounds all the time-we’ve had the mucus concern since birth when they had to place a tube down his stomach to suction it out. He chocked and gagged several times on us. We checked him out and everything seems to be fine!

I always have terrible anxiety over the kids and their shots and David and I opted for a modified vaccine schedule after MUCH research(just like we did with big brother)Mommies and Daddies have to make tough decisions, to each their own. Titus rocked it.

whats new..

He's growing and changing so much in just days at a time.

BIG news for our sweet boy- he started smiling and it’s pretty easy to make him smile too

 ..and the smiles consume his entire face and just might be the most amazing thing you've ever seen.

other things..

He sleeps 7 hours straight // hit his first growth spurt (and it was a doozy!) // sleeps in his crib // found his hands (and devours them most of the time)//had his first bottle

LOVES the swing, his wub, the black and white mobile above his mamaroo, being nosey up over mommy or daddy's shoulder, white noise, nursing, sleeping on his belly on our chest, and getting a bath. He got to go to the zoo with big brother and went on his first trip-to see Elmo & Cookie Monster for big brothers birthday!

I also have tried to put a regular routine in place. The Douthitt’s thrive on routine! Up until this point I have been basically winging it - allowing him to make the schedule.  But, a schedule on my terms has proven to be an awesome change for us all. Plus with anticipating going back to work in two weeks it’s something we all need. He wakes up anywhere between 6:00am and 7am to nurse and then typically goes back down within about a hour and will cat nap until 10am-10:30am. He will eat about every three hours during the day and stays awake 1.5-2 hours at a time before he is ready for a nap again. He naps 3-4 times a day, usually for 45-60 minutes at a time, except for his early afternoon nap which is usually 2-3 hours long. Our bedtime routine starts around 8-8:30. We have the hatch baby sound machine and it automatically comes on at 8:30 so I start changing him into his pjs and changing his diaper around then so he hears it come on and knows it’s time for bed. He nurses and sometimes I rock him to sleep for the night between 9pm-10pm, but a lot of the time he seems restless in my arms and I lay him down awake and he puts himself to sleep. Everyone I tell that too acts jealous but I’m terribly sad that he depends on me so little at bed time.

E A T

Boyfriend absolutely loves to eat as evidenced by his weight gain of almost THREE poundS since his one month check up.  Every 3-4 hours is most typical, but I still feed on demand which some times can be every 2 hours.  Thankfully not every feeding is this way!  I don't pump everyday, but when I get a chance (and have the energy) I pump in the morning after he eats.  I've got a little stash going, every time I stick a bag of milk in the freezer its a feeling of accomplishment. (Sorry if this is stuff you don't care about, these are mostly for me and wanting to remember this life with our little guy, I'm just throwing these updates out there for everyone.)

He has only had one bottle but that is about to change in the coming two weeks. I’m nervous to head back to work with pumping. I drive for work so a lot of my pumping gets done in the car-with Canaan my supply started to drop when I went back to work and I had to work really hard to keep it up.

P L A Y / D E V E L O P M E N T

The cooing/talking and some babble started this month, and Oh I just love this stage! 

The first time he cooed out loud it almost caught me off guard.  I was so impressed with his little voice.. I bounced around trying to make him talk again just so I could hear that sweet voice again!  During the day, Titus really is a super pleasant baby.  He is super happy and content. He definitely loves his mama and wants to be with me all the time. He also likes to complain a bit too - Its not a cry.. its more of a continuous grunt. He lets us know when he is not diggin something, like we have him on the floor to play but he really wants in his swing. He's great at lifting his head during tummy time and when we are holding him. He loves his sit me up chair, we tried him in it one day and he wasn't quiet ready and then sure enough a few days later it was perfect!

He loves his bouncer some we put it up high, like on the kitchen table, so he can see what is going on with us. Laying on the play mat he will bat at the toys and it doesn’t take him long before he has himself turned all the way around.

S L E E P

Titus sleeps pretty well in my opinion. He normally falls asleep around 9:00-9:30pm and then wakes around 3:00 eats and is out again until 5:30-6:00am. Although the past two nights he has slept through! He is in his own room in his crib-even though I wish he was in with us still. We all sleep better this way and that’s most important.

T I T U S

You are two whole months, our great big boy!  And we love you more and more every day!  As each day passes your daddy and me find it easier to manage life as four  - and can't imagine it any other way.  This month you've experienced a ton of 'new' and firsts - time is going so fast and I'm trying my best to soak in every moment with you. 

You are pretty content just hanging out in mom or dad's lap, but if someone tries to cradle you like a baby would be, you let them know really quickly that you are not having any of that.  You roll over from back to side. You love to be on the move when your on the floor for tummy time you squirm around like you have somewhere to be.

You are still content to accompany me, dad, & big brother to run errands and you are always so pleasant. Though you now prefer to be part of the action rather than snooze in your stroller/carseat. You are just now starting to enjoy being in the Solly wrap-I was starting to get worried you weren’t going to like it. You have found your voice this month and each time you let us hear it is like he very first.

Sweet T your personality is starting to shine and we couldn't love you more!

TWO MONTH PHOTO DUMP