Utball Game

Ever since last Friday night ... all we've heard around here is "Utball Game!"  "Fire!" and "Boom, Boom!"

For those of you who don't speak toddler, that's:

Football Game, Fireworks, and "Boom, Boom" -- as in, the noise made by fireworks

Jackson, Oliver, my parents, and I attended our very first Sherando High School football game this past weekend, and Jackson loved it.  He has been constantly singing the Sherando fight song, wanting to watch football on television, and talking about the fireworks he saw there.  I'm hoping we might have a future football star on our hands.  We will definitely have to go back again before the end of the season!

He's really in for a BIG treat this weekend ... when we go to the UVA Homecoming Game ... so excited!

Until then ... Go, Sherando, Go!

... and ...

Wahoowa!

Oliver is Five Months Old!

Oliver is FIVE MONTHS OLD!

17 pounds, 6 ounces  (70%)

28 inches long (above 95% ... off the chart)

16.75 inch head circumference  (30%)

At five months, Oliver:

eats 7-8 ounces "on demand"

also devours 2 bowls of rice or barley cereal each day (prefers barley)

wears either size 6-9 or 6-12 months clothes (and is too long for some of them ... whew!)

has graduated to size 3 diapers

no longer has a blocked tear duct ... FINALLY!

stopped sleeping through the night ... unfortunately ... and eats once at night instead

is alert*alert*alert* ... and only naps ONCE a day, from 1-3pm (when Jax sleeps ... thanks!)

continues to be the world's most content baby ... and never cries

protests his infant seat at restaurants by arching his back until Mommy takes him out to hold him

still sleeps with a hand outstretched on his forehead

... laughs out loud ...

rolls constantly and quickly

reaches out and grasps objects

LOVES ripping paper

has started to enjoy small toys

is becoming the master of his jump-a-roo

passes his time gazing lovingly at his big brother, Jackson

met his Aunt Ella and Cousin Missy for the first time this month

went on his first hay ride in September

smiles at anyone who looks at him ... and sheepishly turns away and squeals 

sucks his toes ... well ... and all the time!

lives for bath time

has earned the name "brother" from Jackson ... and a few, very selective, kisses

loves Mommy the very best (or at least I like to think so)

... and fits perfectly into our family!

Happy Five Months, baby boy!

Corn Field

Recently, I've been on a quest to find a corn field to use for Favorite Things Photography sessions that isn't on private property.  It's been quite a task.  To be perfectly honestly (you know me), I've even considered knocking on someone's front door to ask for permission to shoot sessions on their land.

But ... look no further!

I finally found a beautiful, expansive corn field open to the public in a local arboretum.  Since I was there with my camera already, I went ahead and snapped a few pictures of Jackson playing amongst the corn.

... I even turned over my camera to Mom a bit ... to let her snap a few photographs of me with my boys.  Capturing the two of them together is almost an impossible task.

I rest my case:

Everyone loves a good corn field in the Fall ... I am no exception!

Firsts

At the Heath household this week, we've had a lot of firsts.

On Sunday morning, 9/9/9/12, little Oliver tried his first bite of rice cereal.  He was neither happy nor mad about eating it ... he just rolled it around in his mouth, spit most of it out, and swallowed a little bit.  Since Sunday, we've been trying a little bit of cereal each day.  I'm really not in a rush to get him eating "solids" ... but, because Jackson is such a great eater, I am trying to introduce new things in the same manner as I did with him.  Oliver is just taking his cereal one day at a time.

And ...

Yesterday, 9/11/12, Jackson started his first day of "Mommy & Me" preschool.  What a wonderful set-up this place is!  It is a brand new preschool in our area designed for children ages 2-5 where they attend class once a week with a parent.  I plan to start Jax in "real" preschool next year, but I thought this would be such an excellent transition to get him ready.  We go every Tuesday morning form 9:30-12:30am.  I am there if he needs me, but he participates with the other children and the teachers on his own.  I am so, so, so impressed with how much learning he will do in this little class!  This week, they worked on learning his right hand, the letter "B," and cleaning his room!  :)  I was so proud of my little man ... who walked right up to the first girl he saw and gave her a BIG hug.  Then, stuck out his hand for a hand shake and said "nice to meet you."  How sweet!

Jackson was less-than-thrilled about posing for a picture before we left for preschool together.

But, once we got there ... he had a ball!

And for those of you who want a closer look, here's a sweet video of Jackson's first day:

Take Off, Blast Off, We're Off

Looking for a nice family outing on Labor Day... while still avoiding the DC Metro ... Justin and I took the boys back to the Air and Space Museum near Dulles.  You may remember our previous visit from this post.

I have to say ... I was pretty impressed when Jackson announced "Oh my!  Planes!" as soon as we drove into the parking lot of the museum.  He has only been there once, and there are no identifiable markers on the outside of the building.  I think that's quite a memory for a 2-year-old.  What about you?

I think Jax might have enjoyed this trip even more than his first trip there ... especially riding the flight simulator with Daddy.  We had a wonderful time just hanging out together as a family of four on this rare and wonderful occasion when Justin was off work (and we weren't in a hospital).

Take off!

Blast off!

That's all ... we're off!

Oliver is Four Months Old!

Oliver is FOUR MONTHS OLD!

15 pounds, 8 ounces (60%)

26.5 inches long (90%)

16.25 inch head circumference (25%)

At four months, Oliver:

still eats 6oz every 3-4 hours "on demand"

most comfortably wears size 6-9 months clothes, but can be squeezed like a sausage into size 3-6 months when necessary

is rapidly outgrowing his size 2 diapers

takes two naps per day

sleeps "through the night" from 9pm - 7am (most nights)

seriously ... never cries ... not even in the car anymore

continues to be a gas-master ... and has earned the nickname "Glitzy" after the piglet on the TLC show "Here Comes Honey Boo Boo" (hey, don't judge)

gets so excited when you talk to him that he must squeal and look away from you (adorable)

is beginning to sit in his Bumbo chair to play

has i.n.c.r.e.d.i.b.l.e. hand-eye coordination and can reach and grasp toys

loves his swing, bathtime, and his mam paci

has traveled through 7 states (for Jackson's PIS treatment) and was an absolute trooper about it

always has his Taggies blanket in hand

has a bit of a mama-attachment

isn't fond of lying flat

sleeps with one hand on his head ... at ALL times

enjoys holding his own bottle

has already rolled over in BOTH directions (before age 4 months)

and has visited his first university

has finally, barely begun to get into his big brother's good graces

... and fits perfectly into our family!

Happy Four Months, baby boy!