A Love that Grows Stronger

Saturday, February 5, 2022

Levi is FOUR months old

Oh my goodness could my love for this sweet boy grow any more? I swear with each passing day this kid just gets better and better. He is a true gem! How did we get so lucky as to have him? When I think back to all the uncertainty I had about having another baby when we found out unexpectedly we were pregnant with him I can't help but think, was I crazy? How could I not trust God's perfect plan? Because I can't help but look into those sweet blue eyes and think DANG God had it right all along.

Like every month before this month just continues to show us how Levi is the perfect fit and end piece to our puzzle. I just look at him and how much he adores his siblings and is so easy going, and can't help but thank God for not listening to us when we said we were done having kids. We can't imagine our lives with out his perfect little smile, sweet demeanor and love.

He has been a champ about me going back to work, and I'm so grateful to have such an amazing husband who rocks the single dad routine so well while I'm at work. It really isn't said enough how awesome he is. He gets all the kids to bed and fed with minimal complaints ;) I have adjusted my sleep schedule for work quite a bit so that I'm awake shortly after the kids come home so that I can help with homework and other needs, and mom helps with dinner (what would we do without my parents???) and then Adam gets the kids off to bed without a fight. He is my rock and my support and I'm so grateful to him.

This month Levi has

Continues to smile any time he sees me

He seriously has the best and biggest smile ever, reminds me so much of Landon.

He continues to be such a happy little squirt

He rarely cries, or fusses. Usually just when he is tired or hungry.

He is sleeping about 10 or so hours at night, most nights straight through. If he wakes up he will feed and go back to sleep--THANK YOU LORD FOR ANOTHER GOOD SLEEPER!!

On week days I usually wake him at 6 or so to feed him when I'm up with the big kids getting them ready for school to feed him. If I do that he will usually go back down for a few hours.
He is still swaddled, though I don't really think he needs to be. I think he would still sleep, but he seems to sleep more soundly
He doesn't take scheduled naps or anything, but he still seems to cat nap between each feed. but He is starting to be awake more and more between feeds.
He is still sleeping the bassinet next to my bed :)

He is wearing a size 1 diaper still
He is still in size 3 month clothes (he is a peanut)
He is a drool MONSTER

Everyone thinks he is teething, but I'm not convinced

He does a really good job of bringing toys to his mouth.
He continues to adore Lynlie...which is a huge blessing if you know her....He thinks she is so funny, and just looks at her so adoringly. (warms my mama heart right up)
He survived his first little "sickness"

He ran a fever for all of like 6 hours. He was just extra sleepy, gave him some ibuprofen and he perked right on up to his normal self.

mama on the other hand has mastitis and HOLY MOLY!!! It is ZERO fun!!

He is still exclusively breastfed

he will eat 7-9 times a day]
I'm pumping twice at night and still able to get more than enough to cover him
I'm actually freezing about 10 oz a week so far

He doesn't get put down a whole lot.

between me and the kids he is held a lot or entertained a lot for sure
we don't do a lot of tummy time or time on the floor--honestly we are just so busy he is either held or sleeping

I also am afraid of Lynlie hurting him, not intentionally but she loves him so much--sometimes a little TOO much ;)

Nolan and him are still best friends

no really they are starting to be more and more aware of each other and it really is so fun to watch these boys grow up together

Honestly while I know he is growing, compared to Nolan he is TINY!!! Reminds me a lot of how little Lynlie was as a baby. (obviously that didn't last long) but he really seems so small. And after taking him to his appointment he definitely isn't a very big baby.

Here are his stats from his 4 month checkup

He is 25.5 inches long
He is in the 70% for length
He is 13 lbs 10 oz
He is in the 20th% for weight.

Levi is just the best. He is truly a perfect fit into our family and I'm feeling so extra blessed by him!!! God truly knew just what we needed-- and it was him!

Pictures from our 4 month photoshoot:

I mean come on!!!!

And of course I had to do weekly pictures too!

Fourteen weeks 9.15.21

Fifteen weeks 9.22.21

Sixteen weeks 9.29.21

Seventeen weeks 10.6.21

So Normally I get professional photos at 3 months for the kids, but due to sicknesses and well COVID, they got pushed back a bit so we did them the day after Levi turned 4 months. Honestly the colors and the background...these are some of my most favorite ever!!

How majestic is this picture

Best big brother ever!!

Seriously how did I get so lucky?

Oh My sweet boy, there aren't words to describe my love for you! I'm so grateful to be your mama. You are just the perfect end piece to our family!!! We couldn't love you more!!!

Saturday, November 20, 2021

Levi is THREE months old

Seriously where does the time go? How am I writing Levi's 3 month post? I can't believe I'll be going back to work and that my maternity leave is over. Why does it seem like with each kiddo the time just goes faster and faster. Babies are my absolute favorite and I just hate how quickly they grow. I truly wish they would keep just a little bit longer. They are so sweet, cuddly and loveable that I just want to enjoy that a little longer.

This last month has just gotten better with Levi. He truly is the best baby. I remember after I had Landon saying that every mama deserves a baby like Landon, but I feel like Levi is a whole other level of sweetness and easy. But then again I'm not sure that's fair to say, Landon really was an extremely easy baby. (Now the attitude and stubbornness takes over, but he's still just as sweet)

This month He got Baptized and my heart could rest a little easier. There are so many things I just love about our faith but one of my absolute favorites is infant Baptism. It makes my heart rest a little easier and I feel so much more calm once they are Baptized. But it was a beautiful ceremony with my cousins Allison and Eddie serving as God parents. We kept it small this time (thanks COVID) and only had my aunts and uncles and grandparents there. It may have been smaller than the others but it was perfect and we feel so blessed that our family was able to share in the day with us.

I have to also say that I love that Fr. Richard was the one to Baptize him. He has really been the constant in my faith since I was very young. He came to OLMC when I was in jr. High I think? and he really helped me through my emotions with Laynie. He was so kind, understanding and really helped me see past my grief and anguish and how to use those emotions for the better. I just will always respect him for that. He is the one who completed Lorelai's baptismal rites and performed Laynie's memorial. For me it was just very fitting and a good ending to our Baptismal journey in our family. Levi also wore the gown that was made from my wedding dress too...I'll do another post on that another time.

Here are his milestones

He is still is so chill, easy going, rarely cries.

he cries when he is hungry or has a dirty diaper, thats about it

He is indifferent on the pacifier. I think he's going to be more like Lincoln and Lynlie. He will suck on it if we are trying to put him to sleep but he's not one who really wants to just suck on a pacifier
He's started to put his hands in his mouth more and more
He is starting to bat at things when he's on the floor (the rare times he's actually on the floor)
He is starting to look for me when he is put down

I think he is recognizing my voice more and more and will search for me when he hears me talking

He is starting to giggle a little bit

He still has THE BEST big open mouth'd smile

it reminds me so much of Lando and his big smiles that just melt your heart

He is starting to coo and make noises

is there any cuter sound in the world than those coos? Gosh I just love them!

He is getting stronger and stronger, he does a great job of holding his head up

I got this chair type thing from a friend of mine from high school and he really seems to like that.

we still use the boppy lounger more than anything though for him to sit on while we are in the kitchen

He still enjoys being worn,

I'm so glad my sister got me the Sully Baby because it has come in quite handy while we are out and about and he just needs to take a nap, or I'm trying to make some sort of dinner. --just put him right in that and he instantly falls asleep

He is still in size 1 diapers

I have this dream that I'll get my life together and get to do cloth diapers again but I don't think I'll ever get there

He is still in 0-3 month clothes

it's still summer so we are still rocking some of the new clothes I bought him after he was born

He is sleeping 8-10 hours at night

gotta love my good sleeper. He has been a dream in this department!

He is my cat napper, still napping between each feeding for at least 20-30 min

I try to be more on a schedule and have him nap at specific times and in his bassinet but we are just so busy its hard. so most of the time he will nap on me

the few times I have put him in his bassinet he does sleep well in there

He is still swaddled to sleep both at night and for naps we put him down for.

He is still exclusively breastfed and honestly it's going really well. He still is a bit of a lazy eater but he must be doing it well because he is gaining weight

he eats about 8-9 times a day still

so we are feeding every 2-2.5 hours during the day

He is roughly 12.5 lbs based off my home scale

He truly is the best and I know I say that about all of the kids at this age, but he really is. He warms my heart and brings a smile to my face every day. I feel so blessed to be his mom and I'm so glad that God didn't listen when we said we were done. I just can't imagine our lives without him.

Here are our monthly pictures.

Here are his weekly pictures.

Nine weeks 8.11.21

Ten weeks 8.18.21

Eleven weeks 8.25.21

Twelve weeks 9.1.21

Thirteen weeks 9.8.21

I can't believe my time at home with him has come to an end and I'll be learning to juggle life as a working mama with 5 kids! EEK! But I feel so blessed to have gotten the time with him and all the kids that I have and I'm grateful to have a job that I enjoy with great co-workers to go back to. Although working will add a huge new layer of stress for me to navigate it will be nice to bring in those full paychecks🤣

**Also due to illnesses his "3 month" pictures were postponed 5 times so he was actually 4 months old

Tuesday, November 2, 2021

Levi is TWO months old

So I'm beginning to feel bad, Levi is totally getting the 5th baby treatment as he's going to be 5 months here in a few weeks and I'm just now getting to writing this post about him being 2 months old. BUUUTT I'll do the best I can here.

Levi is two months old and just seriously the easiest and best baby there has ever been. He even rivals Landon in the easiest baby. (I pray he stays this easy) He really has this laid back easy vibe about him. He's like Mr. Cool Calm and collected, never really rattled by much. He even tolerates Lynlie in his face all the time, because she just loves him, always wants to hold and touch him and he just never seems bothered by a darn bit of it, he just smiles at her and looks at her adoringly.

Its been a fun month having all the kiddos home with me. There has definitely been some adjustments and hardships with having a newborn and all the kids home and it being summer but we are slowly finding our groove. Levi truly makes it easy having 5 living kiddos. He is just so sweet, calm and easy going that it makes adjusting a little bit easier.

Here are his 2 month milestones

He sleeps roughly 6-8 hours at night before waking for a feeding.

We usually go to bed around 11 or so and then he sleeps until 5 or so and then we feed and he goes back to bed. (Poor stace is still every 2-3 hours with Nols)

He naps still between every feeding. So roughly 8-10 times aday
He eats roughly 8-9 times a day

so roughly every 2-3 hours
He is a pretty lazy eater. Usually falling asleep through the feeds and has to be woken up to continue.

He had his first bottle this month

He took 3 oz for Adam but it took him nearly 30 minutes

He smiles ALL the time, his crooked, scrunchy nose smiles are the BEST

He will just look at me and smile and it MELTS.MY.HEART

He has had a couple of baths and doesn't love them. He definitely does better with showers
He will take a pacifier only when he's trying to fall asleep.

He sort of has to be coaxed into taking it, he won't really take it freely
He will only really take it when hes tired.

He loves the Boppy Lounger

We have the lounger in our kitchen and he loves to lay on it while I'm cooking.
I got this sitting thing for him this month too from a friend from HS and I'm hoping he likes it. It's similar to a Bumbo but they can't flip out of it as easily so I'm hopeful as he gets stronger he will like it.

He isn't put down a whole lot honestly. Especially not on the floor. Lynlie is OBSESSED with him and I'm honestly worried about him being on the floor. I do put him in the rock n play a lot. He will nap in there for me often. but undoubtedly one of the kids will wake him up which is just annoying.

I did buy a new Finding Nemo play yard for him bc it has Mr. Ray over the top with lights so I thought he might be interested in the lights. but we will see.

He loves his brother Lincoln

Linc is definitely his favorite and Linc loves him so much and is so good with him. Levi will fall asleep on him and will calm down if Lincoln is holding him.

He is finally in size 1 diapers

honestly he could probably fit into size NB still but we moved him up

I just put away the NB clothes and got out the 3 month stuff

He still seems really tiny to me so he still fits into some NB stuff. but the 3 month stuff isn't as big on him as it used to be

Stacie got me a soley baby carrier and when I need to get some things done I put him in it and he falls asleep almost immediately
He loves to be loved on and snuggle

My favorite times with him is when I bring him into bed with me and he just snuggles up next to me and falls right to sleep.

he is just the snuggliest baby ever.

He is growing so fast and is changing so much. I hate how fast babies grow. I just wish they'd keep a little longer!!

He's 23 inches
He's in the 50th% for height
He's 11 lbs
He's 25th% for weight

This baby is just the best and so sweet. I'm so overwhelmingly grateful for him. He may have been unplanned but he is the best surprise we have ever been given and I'm so grateful God gave him to us.

Here is our monthly photos: