Those Darn Teeth!

Dear Marcus,

Well, you usually get most of the attention (at least from others), but this week was your brother's birthday.  He lived it up.  You just enjoyed the show.  Seriously, you are a super laid back baby and you just enjoyed hanging out and watching him have fun.  In the past two weeks there have been two difficult days with you and today was one of them.  It's all about teeth.  On days you are not teething, you are so easy.  On days you are, well, you don't want to be put down and you fuss if you aren't with me.  You also spit up a lot more!!  But, I guess it's understandable to complain about teeth poking through your gums!!

You are such a big baby.  You're about average for weight but since Jordan was so little, I'm not used to lugging around a normal-sized almost-six-month-old.  You are rolling and wiggling a lot more.  We can't leave you on the couch anymore (you fell off) or in the swing (you were on your stomach hanging on for dear life).  So, we're entering a new world when we have to think about where you could end up if we put you somewhere.  You can roll around and are trying to get the idea of crawling.  You're not always motivated though!  Most of the time you're pretty cool just to hang out if you have a toy.

You have the sweetest smile and you love Jordan. You laugh at everything he does...even I it's detrimental to my discipline.  Last night I was bathing you guys and he refused to get out so he got a spanking.  He cried and you laughed and laughed, which made him do something else naughty to get in trouble...and you just laughed and laughed.  It's so cute though!  It's like a little giggle instead of a belly laugh.  You give Jordan the best of your laughs.  I have to really tickle you to get you going.

Little man, you are precious to our family and love having your sweet spirit around!

Love you,

Mom

 

Mom's Surgery is Over!

Dear Marcus,

I had my surgery and it was very successful.  The only problem is that I'm not allowed to pick YOU up.  It's killing me because you will grin at me from across the room and all I want to do is pick you up and snuggle you.  I fed you a couple of bottles but had to give you to your Aunt Abby to burp.  I'm hoping in about 5 days to get to wear I can do things for you again.  But in the end, this surgery will really help me live a life that is less painful.

You are a great baby and so easy to read!  You are starting to get big.  This week, we've put you in a Johnny Jumper and you really enjoy the swinging and mobility that you have.  You like to follow your brother.  You try to face whichever way he is standing.  I have the cutest video of you grinning at him and following him.  But half the time, he has no idea how much you love him.  I bet once you really start laughing at him, he'll spend lots of time entertaining you!

You smile at everyone and everything.  It's hard to hold a conversation when you are smiling at me. :)

You are still trying to figure out how to roll over.  You can do it if you have momentum, but you still haven't quite figured out how to reach your toys.  You are not to far away from rolling around the living room to try to track down your toys.

I can't believe how grown-up you are.  You are such a joy and I love you so much!

Love,

Mom

 

Four Months

Dear Marcus,

I'm sorry, but one of the things that comes with being the second child is I forget to take pictures. You have been four months old for six days and I still haven't gotten your four month picture.  Sorry!  In my defense, I tried on the actual day and the camera was dead. 

It's been a hard week.  I was supposed to have back surgery on the 31st and found out the day before that it was being postponed.  Then, the next day I was putting you in the swing and my back went out.  You greatly benefited from that, though because you got more snuggles than usual.  Since Dad was home, I just sat in the recliner and held you for a few days!

You are finally getting the hang of sleeping in your crib.  It was so funny.  You learned how to roll over in bed.  So, every time I lay you down, you roll onto your tummy.  One night you went from back to tummy and scared yourself.  I kept rocking you back to sleep and then laying you down and you would do it again.  It was funny, but not so much at 4:30 in the morning!!  Finally, you fell asleep on your tummy and for two nights in a row have been able to sleep on your tummy.  You are such a good and easy baby!

I cannot get enough of your big blue eyes.  You love when people smile at you and talk to you.  You will just stare until you get their attention.  And you love everything your big brother does.  You follow him with your eyes everywhere he goes.  I love to see you two growing in your love for each other!

I love you,

Mom

 

A New Year!

Dear Marcus,

Christmas has come and gone, and you're still smiling!  I can't get over how different you are from your passionate brother.  You are easy come, easy go.  The only time you cry is when you are hungry.  And then, every once in a while you get a little gassy and you get upset.  The other night was the worst.  You cried for an hour and a half and I felt so bad for you!  The only time you were happy was when your Dad laid you on your  back and started pumping your legs.  I could not stop laughing because you immediately went from screaming to grinning and then right back to screaming as soon as he stopped!  If I did it, it just didn't work!

We had a lot of family over here for Christmas.  You got lots of snuggles, but you need your space sometimes.  You have adapted well to sleeping in your bed.  But, true to your self, you grin like crazy when I come get you out of the crib in the morning.

You are a big baby!  You are more long than chunky, but you look like a six month old and you are only four months.  You are finally starting to enjoy tummy time.  I think you realized that it's your ticket to crawling!  You are perfectly content playing with your feet and hands so toys don't realize entice you to move.  I do love how babies (including you!) have this ingrained sense that they are accomplishing things.  Whenever you do something new, you look at me like you just ran a marathon.  I guess for your little chunky body, it's similar!

I am having back surgery in two days.  I'm a little nervous, but ready to back to being a normal mom...whatever that means!  I have been very limited.  You probably haven't noticed, but your big brother certainly has! 

You are starting to get hungry, so I'd better go feed you.  I'm ready to see your sweet smile again!

I love you!

Mom

 

Merry Christmas!

Dear Marcus,

Every time I look at you, you've grown.  You are huge!  Last night, I put on a pair of OU jammies on you that your brother wore when he was seven months old.  You are so cute and so sweet.  You love to smile at people.  The other night, we had the Martin family over and you would not take your eyes off of Aunt Gayla.  Every time she looked at you, you would smile at her and start talking.  When she talked back, you went nuts!  You are a sweet, sweet baby boy.

You're sleeping through the night most nights.  If I keep you in the swing, you do fine, but we're working on sleeping in your bed.  Last night was your longest stint in the bed.  Five and a half hours!  You'll get it and before I know it, you'll be sleeping as long as Jordan!  It's so different with the second baby.  I was stressed all of the time about Jordan and trying to teach him how to sleep.  I worried about everything.  With you, I'm just going with the flow.  You are already in a great schedule and I didn't have to do anything!

You had your first fever this past week.  It was so sad.  You didn't understand why you felt so rotten!  Poor little guy.  At one point, you just looked at me and a big tear rolled down your cheek.  You were only sick for a day, though.  And unlike your brother, there were no trips to the ER!!

Last night, I heard your laugh for the first time.  Oh, it's cute (shocker!!).  And of course you laughed at your brother and your dad.  They were wrestling and you thought it was hilarious.  You love both of those guys already.  I can tell I am in trouble because you three are quite the team.  More girl's nights for me, I suppose!

This Christmas is so special.  I am so glad we have you.  I was thinking about the fact that last year at this time, we were getting ready for Baby Ruby and had no ideas that our hearts would soon be broken.  And then they would be restored by our good God who gave us YOU as a special and unexpected gift.  He is too good to us and we cherish you.

I love you, Buddy.  I can't wait to see our family dote on you over the next few days.  You are going to be spoiled rotten!

Love,

Mom

 

Smiley Guy

Dear Marcus,

We are two days away from your very first Thanksgiving!  I love this time of year especially because it makes me so aware of what God has done in our lives.  It's easy to focus on the negative...the loss of my dear friend to cancer, my upcoming back surgery, and financial struggles that we have.  But by focusing on what we do have, well, we recognize that we have everything we need. 

Elisabeth Eliot once said that there are two kinds of days.  No, not good days and bad days.  There are days where we are completely blessed and are needing/wanting very little.  And then there are days of grace.  Those are the days where you really are able to recognize God's provision.  When my friend Kelsey was dying of cancer, she often shared with me how she could not imagine how she would endure what was coming but she knew that God would give her grace at the time.  And I watched how God walked her through things I cannot even imagine.

All that to say, YOU are one of my three greatest blessings.  I am thankful for you, your brother, and your dad.  I have many other people...but you three are The Loves of my life.  I was nervous about having two, but I love every second I get to snuggle with you.  You have a precious smile and you love to talk to me.  But, you will smile at just about anything.  The paintings by your changing table, the shower curtain, and even the wall!

At three in the morning, you were laughing and talking to me.  I enjoyed it for a while and then let you continue the conversation with the animals on your swing.  I have no idea how long it took you to go back to sleep!

Keep on smiling, little guy.  You light up my life and the lives of everyone who comes around you!

I love you!  Happy Thanksgiving!

Mom

 

Slow Down, Please!

Dear Marcus,

Will you please stop growing?  Seriously.  It's happening too fast.  I'm not ready for you to be big.  Your newest thing is talking (which is hilarious) and you've found your hands.  It's so cute and yet, stop it!  This is the last new thing you are allowed to do this week!  It's funny because with your brother, I was so ready for him to reach all of these milestones.  I'm finding myself enjoying every single little stage you are in.  I am trying to savor every moment with you because I know that I will blink and you'll be a big boy.

I'm sure I will say this every post, but you are such a sweet baby.  You look at me with those big blue eyes and I melt.  You'll probably learn to use that against me. :)

I want you to know that I treasure you and am so thankful that God gave you to us...you are a good gift from Him!  God is constantly reminding me that He is good and that He knows what is best for our family.  The Bible says that we can make plans but God is going to take us down the best path for us.  It's comforting to know this because all of my plans never seem to be as good as what God has in store for me.

Your dad and I are going to start praying for you and your brother.  We have a list of specific qualities (like courage and purity) that we are going to pray constantly for you to grow in.  Most importantly, we are going to pray that God will change your heart and you will choose salvation at an early age. 

We love you so much, little guy.  I am so thankful for your precious life.

Love,

Mom