Friday, September 6, 2019

THREE MONTHS




Titus at THREE months

Weight: 12 pounds 12.5 ounces
(luckily we have friends that have a baby scale, thanks Jonathan & Felicia!)
Birth: 6 lbs 8 oz





Growing like a little weed and his double chin is totally showing for it!  I could just eat him up 99% of the day, and he totally lets me without a peep of objection.
This sweet one is filing out his 3 & 3-6 month clothes and still wearing size 2 diapers.




whats new..








We are all smiles!  This month he has completely mastered his baby grins.  He smiles in response to anyone saying hello and talking to him in a sweet voice. We have even gotten a giggle or two! He also has started to respond to actions he likes/enjoys.  Anytime daddy makes silly noises to him he starts doing arm movements and 'exercises' with his legs (mainly the bicycle movements).



SO MANY FIRST THIS MONTH
-1st trip(to Sesame Place)
-1st Concert








LOVES
his swing - he naps in the swing at least once a day.  I am thankful for this love because it makes it easy to get things done around the house  when he will sit contently in the swing // his hanging toys on his baby piano play mat. // bath time // he also loves to be outside. // music is his favorite, He loves to be sung too and he loves when daddy plays guitar for him.




E A T 




Big Brother got to give him a bottle for the first time this month!



Titus remains on a pretty consistent schedule.  He sleeps and eats and plays around the same time every day, the switch up to having my mom watch him 2 days has been a little bit of an adjustment because he isn't napping like he does when he is home.   3-4 hours is normal, eating 6 to 7 times every day.  The usual 'scheduled' feedings: 6am-7am every morning when he wakes and then 10-11am, 2pm, 5pm, 8pm-9pm before going down for the night. Two days a week for two feedings he gets bottles and then just about once on other days since my work schedule isn't too crazy just yet we have been able to ease into the change which has been great. 




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









Titus has gotten SO good at tummy time!  He will hold his head up and tolerate tummy time.  He will actually lay on his tummy for about 10-15 minutes before he's totally over it. Eye contact and focus has been another huge change this month. He seems to be very aware of his surroundings and intently observes and takes in what he sees.  Titus can roll over at random from tummy to back, without a problem and a few times has been able to go from back to tummy.








Other developments..
He's basically stuffing his entire fist in his mouth.  I am pretty sure we are at the early stages of teething.  He chews and chews on the bink if you hold it in for him and pulls it out wincing in what seems like pain.. DROOL. I am not totally convinced that he will pop a tooth anytime soon. 
-Blowing bubbles!  Did you know that spit bubbles is a developmental milestone?  I didn't either until I read it on my Wonder Weeks app.  He blows bubbles ALL the time - especially when we are playing and talking to each other and because I know its a dev. milestone, I'm so proud, haha!





-He gets SO excited when he observes something he likes.  He flaps his arms and his eyes get about as big as quarters. Its probably among my favorite moments of the day.  I want 47 more babies just so that I can see that excitement for the rest of my life.
-He bats at the hanging toys and will even shake his toys that make noise for short periods of time.  We are still working on holding the toys, but he has gotten really good at it!  



S L E E P







This boy is an awesome sleeper. I'm also not sure why this is thee NO.1 question I get!?!?! The "How does he sleep "question is a little nerve-wracking, it's almost like they want me to respond with "awful." I feel like his naps are kind of inconsistent. I just pick up on when he is tired and lay him down. It’s working, so I’m not really concerned. I feel like I had Canaan on more of a schedule with naps but him sleeping thru the night so early really threw me for a loop. At night he sleeps from 8:30pm- 6:30/ 7am in his crib.









TITUS








You my little boy are the absolute LIGHT of our world.  I couldn't imagine not having you in our lives, and I know the rest of our family can agree.  You have been such a joy.. I tell everyone who will listen that, even when your mama feels like she's chasing her tail most of the day just to keep up with you and your brother.  You are one of the happiest babies I've ever met and how lucky am I to be your mama.  I love sitting and snuggling your sweet cheeks over and over and you don't seem to mind at all. I tell you a million times a day that you are soooo CUTE and you just smile back at me in agreement.  Your personality is pretty infectious and I look forward to seeing it peek out more every day!
All smiles.  All the time.
You are so ticklish, especially under your chin! You giggled for the first time this month and Oh.My.Word. I just about died, after begging you to do it again.  I was doing whatever it took to get a little belly laugh out of you..and I'm sure I sounded so silly- but I wanted to hear you laugh over and over again! It brought tears to my eyes to hear that kind of happiness out of you, sweet boy. You've found your hands and have them in your mouth 99% of the time. My favorite time with you has to be a toss up between your baby naps on my chest and the sweet little conversations we have in between. I cannot get enough of you.  So proud of you, big boy.

Your mama loves you with all her heart.  


THREE MONTH PHOTO DUMP


















Thursday, August 22, 2019

Our Rainbow Baby

OUR RAINBOW BABY




He’s my son — wholly and completely loved… just as my other babies are wholly and completely loved, though one absent from our home. Titus doesn’t replace them, he doesn’t make up for the heartbreak and loss and grief. Love doesn’t work that way. Love stands on its own while also bringing all things together. (That, friends, is a true miracle.)

I am not entitled to happy endings, nor am I ungrateful for them when they come. If anything, suffering has made me appreciate joy more… but I will not demand it.

I found out I was expecting a rainbow baby differently than most, I guess. Most lose their baby and then find out later they are expecting their rainbow baby. I found out Titus would be a rainbow baby while simultaneously losing his twin.

I don’t “deserve” this baby or this happiness. I receive him and this happiness with arms and heart wide open. I open the gift with gratitude and I embrace it with the measure of wonder and humility the gift warrants. In the Bible, the story of Noah, the rainbow is a picture of God’s promise to never flood the earth again in that way. There’s no assurance my life will never be flooded again, but I’ve made peace with that and I choose to see and absorb the beauty anyway. I don’t need storms or clear skies to find rainbows anymore.
I have seen the faithfulness of God in the midst of the storm — while in the eye of it surrounded by eerie silence yet thankful to realize I’m still alive, and also while tossed in the fray of it, gulping and gasping for a lifeline, wondering if a rescue boat will come before I drown. I’ve also seen it while safely back on shore, recovering under a blanket and wrapped in the comfort of love and sustaining grace.

There he is — God faithful within it all. (It’s who he is. He can’t not be.)
I’ve also seen the faithfulness of God well after the storm when the clouds are well and truly parted and the seas have grown still. I know the sun will rise in the east again tomorrow and the buds will eventually push their way through the barren winters. I know that love always finds its destination. I also know that new life comes after death — it’s the order of the world (made in light of heaven) and we can always hope for it, look for it, and call it into being.

I understand how little I understand and I see Jesus anyway, through it all. He is the source of life as I know it and my hope rests securely in knowing he never stops creating, never stops reproducing life, never stops loving us into becoming more of ourselves.

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Monday, August 5, 2019

TITUS' SPRINKLE


Finally sharing the sweetest photos from Titus' sprinkle that my mom, sister-in-law, and best friend threw for me!

The whole theme was a complete surprise for me and I was completely shocked when I arrived and saw ALL the Rae Dunn!




The love for Rae Dunn runs deep.












I had never been to this little place at Penncraft and it was such a gorgeous place for a party-all the window sand lighting made the whole space!





  

I still can't get over the creativity they all had in creating such a sweet sprinkle when I look back at these photos again.








This little ceramic bassinet was part of a favor at MY baby shower, thrown for my mom 27 years ago!














I'm still thinking about how good that cake was with the fruit salad on top!





The adorableness of these wrapped sandwich may have been my favorite little detail!









Goodness, I have the sweet friends!!






I do not miss my swollen face! AAH! HAHA!














 They even made the game prizes in a Rae Dunn theme!







I tried sparing you many photos of myself, phew pregnancy can take a toll in the last three weeks! 


Also, I cannot hide the fact that my child would of rather given the flowers he brought me to his Bubs.






I love him to pieces though!



 Sweet Jeannie won the Rae Dunn starter collection!

Photography: Amanda Douthitt Photography
Rae Dunn Decals: R&V Designs
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