Nine Months.

I am extremely behind in this post. Leave it to me..I can't do anything on time. Just when I think I'm not going to blog anymore I get an email from someone asking me where I have been and why I haven't written in awhile. So here we are.

My little man is growing up before my eyes. He is a ball of goofiness that makes me smile everyday.

The last few months have been a complete whirlwind so instead of boring you all to death with my words I will just overload you with Tanner cuteness.

Motherhood is something I will never understand. As cliche as it sounds, it changes me everyday. I am constantly reminded that this life, my life..is not about me. My time here on this earth was created for a purpose and I don't want to waste a single day of it. Just when I think I am pushed to the end of myself God extends His grace and I am reminded just how weak I am without His strength.
I am nothing, He is everything.
Being a wife and mother has changed me in every way possible and even on the hard days I remember that it is all a gift. I am blessed to call Tanner my son. I am blessed to care for him every day, wipe away his tears and snuggle him close when hes sad. I am the first person to see his smile in the morning and the last one to kiss his cheeks at night. I am blessed to watch him grow and learn new things every day.
It is all a gift. One that I take for granted so often and for that I am ashamed.
I complain about being tired, that I no longer have "me" time.
Then I look down at my little boy and remember that being a mom is not a hobby, it is my calling.
One I am honored to have. 

So through my continual sleepless nights, being sick, poop, puke, piles of laundry, countless dishes and the "woes" of being a stay at home mom I will never forget that this is my gift. 

To be thankful for it all, always.

Eight Months

I am such a procrastinator.
Its a terrible habit, one that I will probably never change.


What has happened during month 8:

Tanner now CRAWLS! 

Finally after 2 months of belly crawling and getting up on all fours the little man took off one day. And he hasn't slowed down since. He now pulls himself up on all furniture, walks across the couches and this week we introduced him to his walker and it is his favorite thing. 

 This is my everyday view. 

Tanner chases me around the house and the second I stand still he is standing giving me those big eyes of his wanting me to pick him up.
Could you say no to that? I have a pretty hard time.

Tanner learns new things everyday and once again its been such a joy to watch and experience life with him.
He has started giving open mouthed kisses now but only when he wants too, babbling and talking all day, eating lots of new foods, and is understanding the word "no".
Tanner now plays Peek a boo and when you chase him he will screech and crawl towards the couch or hide his face in the carpet.
He makes Kevin and I laugh constantly with his completely goofy personality.
He is finally a two nap schedule and that has made life much easier for mom.
No matter what we do he still refuses to sleep through the night but I am confident one day it will end. Right? :) 

December has been such a crazy month filled with new changes around every corner. This little man helps keep me grounded. Being his momma is an everyday reminder of a much higher calling and it is an honor being the one who gets to do it.

Seven Months

As always, I'm amazed.
Tanner is 7 months old and I have no idea how that happened. 

I am late in writing this post, who has time to blog these days?!?!

Tanner weighs 15.8 pounds putting him right in the 8th percentile. He is our little peanut.
Height was 27inches putting him in the 60th.
:)

 Things we want to remember from month 7.

 He continues to move around doing "The Worm" but he crawls a little more each day. I keep thinking that he will just start crawling but he always drops to his belly and flops around. I'm not in a big hurry but it sure is adorable watching him crawl.

 

Tanner started pulling himself up on everything he can and his favorite activity is standing. He prefers it above everything. We try to read him books, sit him up so he can play with toys but he would rater climb all over you or stand while hanging on to you.

 

He loves to be outside but its more work than fun for mommy because he pretty much shovels grass and anything else in sight into his mouth. 

Tanner is still getting up multiple times a night and naps are still a challenge some days  but we are continuing to be consistent in doing whatever we can as parents to help him. 

We are both pretty tired, but he makes it worth it.



Tanner makes us laugh. All day. He is full of personality and I have a feeling that will never change.
This month he has started with a little bit of stranger anxiety here and there but for the most part he will still smile at almost anyone and will let anyone hold him.
He does get scared of loud noises and is gets very scared when he even sees the vacuum but secretly I find it sort of adorable because he leans his head into my chest and cuddles me for a long time. 

Tanner eats 3 meals a day and loves to pick up food and feed himself. I'm not sure if any of it goes in his mouth or just on the floor but either way it keeps him entertained and happy which makes for a happy momma.

Tanner continues to change me every day and I am finding more and more that being a parent is no easy task. Bringing home a newborn now seems like a breeze compared to this energetic boy that I have to discipline and teach about life. Remembering what an honor it is to be his mother is what helps me through my days of exhaustion.
I also am amazed at how much fun we have every day.
We love to sit on the floor playing, reading books and singing songs.
My days may be exhausting but they are never boring.

We are so excited to enter the Holiday season and celebrate this year as a family of three.

Happy Thanksgiving friends.
I am so thankful for you.

Five months

 I don't know how this has happened. My itty bitty, tiny, squishy little boy is now
5 months old.
I can't believe he has been in our life for 5 months.
What an incredible blessing! 

What we want to remember from month five:

Tanner is absolutely full of life.

 He makes us laugh all day long.

 I started noticing him grabbing and fussing when Kevin and I ate so this month we have introduced some solids to him. We have been taking it very slow, never pushing and only doing one meal a day but he has adjusted very well. The first couple bites he still looks at me like I am feeding him the worst food ever but then kicks and screeches in between each bite.

 When Tanner was born he was such an easy, laid back baby and I would have never guessed that he would be this very active, always on the go child.
Tanner LOVES people. When I take him to the store he stares and smiles at anyone that will notice him.
He definitely has my personality there.
He thrives on people interaction and it is a daily struggle for me to get anything done because he hates being alone.

 This week Tanner has been desperately trying to army crawl. He can get his feet going but can't figure out how to put his arms in front so he sort of drags them along. He rolls all over and then grunts and tries so hard to get where he wants to go, and then screams because he gets so frustrated he can't get there.

 He is still not sleeping through the night, waking anywhere from 1-3 times wanting to nurse.
Thankfully this week he has only gotten up once a night, I'm praying this trend continues.

 Naps are also a struggle. He is just not a good sleeper. So we do what works for us with his naps and someday I pray he will take at least 1 decent nap a day.
For now, I'm doing my best not to be frustrated or take any of this time for granted.
I know I will never get any of it back.

I say it on every post, but I really am so thankful for this precious baby. Motherhood is the hardest job God has asked me to do and it takes daily prayers and a whole lot of grace.
I love watching Tanner grow and change, but it has just hit me lately how fast each moment passes. 

I'm so thankful I have him to take on this life with and Kevin and I can't wait for whats next.

Four Months

Summer is almost over.. I remember sitting in this exact spot the week Tanner was born thinking about how time was moving so slow but before I knew it summer would be over and I would have a 4 month old. Well here we are, summer is almost over and somehow, someway I have a 4 month old.

crazy. 

 Things we want to remember from Month 4 :

 New Zoo:

 We decided to take Tanner to the zoo! What a fun zoo and what a fun day! We were able to pet the giraffes, watch the monkeys play, see the cutest baby monkey ever, watch the penguins waddle and see the coolest looking red panda ever. Kevin and I have always loved the zoo and this one met all of our expectations. Its a beautiful zoo filled with fun animals. I can't wait to take Tanner when he will be a little more excited. :)

  

 Crabby cakes:

 This month has brought some terrible crabby moments and continues to do so. I think he has started teething and what an adventure. Good thing hes so darn cute.

 First sickness.
Tanner had his first ear infection so we did a lot of snuggling and napping.

First Tick:
Though a very long story for a completely different day I found a tiny tick on Tanners eyelid. I had to take him to the dr where we had to strap him down, numb his eye and try and remove the tick. Thankfully the doctor was able to get it without sedating him. They took some blood ( what a miserable experience) and we are waiting on the blood results to see if he has Lymes. I'm not to worried about it..it sure was an adventure though!

 Kevin and I celebrated our 3 year anniversary. We are so thankful to have Tanner this year.

Tanner loves bath time! It is by far one of his favorite things!

 Tanner is continuing to be a busy little boy and one day I went to the bathroom and came back to find him stuck under the chair! Of course once I knew he was ok I laughed and snapped a picture.






Tanner keeps us laughing all day. He is full of character and this month has definitely been one of my favorites but I'm pretty sure I say that each month.
:)


I'm so thankful for this little man and all that he teaches me every day.

3 Months

My sweet boy

Here we are. Our baby boy will be 3 months old on Saturday and with a busy weekend ahead I figured I would get a jump start on his update. I'm pretty proud of myself for not being late... :) 

Each day he amazesus

Each day he makes us laugh

Each day I change more diapers then I can count

And each day I feel completely humbled that God choose me to care for this little man

  Things we want to remember from Month 3

Weight: Probably 12lbs..he was 11lb 15 oz at his 2 month appointment.
Height: Again, not sure but he was 24 inches at last appointment.

                  Tanner spent his first 4th of July with my family on his first vacation. 

We ate, played, and made lots of fun memories together. 

Right now Tanner hates all things that make him feel confined. His least favorite thing in this planet is his car seat. He pretty much screams from the moment his body touches the seat till we release him from his baby prison and get him out. It makes all traveling a bit stressful but we are working trying to not let it overwhelm us! This whole paragraph may seem a lite dramatic but trust me, when he is in his seat it's all drama. :)
This is a rare moment where he is not furious at me for putting him in there.

 

Tanner loves Kevin. He is always full of smiles and has lots to say when Daddy comes home.

 It's my favorite part of the day.

Tanner is full of personality and is as busy as a 3 month old can be. When he's awake he is always moving in some way..kicking those legs, moving his arms or spinning in circles on the floor. He gets bored so easily and enjoys people talking to him more than just about anything. This week he rolled over for the first time and it was so fun to watch.

 It's amazing how the simple things in life become the big things. 

 

 Tanner sleeps fairly well these days. He's not sleeping through the night but he goes to bed around 7 and then is up for the day around 6am with a few naps throughout the day. He usually gets up around 11 and 2 and lately 4...though some nights he cuts out the 11 or 4 feedings and only gets up once. 

We like those nights. :)

I love watching him sleep.

 I probably can't say anything I already haven't said.

Kevin and I love being parents.
This is the first month that we have had some hard days where I feel like a completely worn out momma and the minute K walks in the door I hand over the baby and hop in the shower for a few minutes of quiet. He really is such good baby, he just gets bored very quickly and has hit the " do not put me down" phase.

I guess I can't really be surprised that I had a baby who likes people.
:)


He changes me everyday.
I am so thankful for this squishy, crazy, full of life baby.

 

2 months 5 days

 I was late posting his 1 month update so why not keep with tradition.
:)

Here we go, its time for me to talk brag about my handsome little boy.
Tanner is 2 months old and life has continued to be an adventure since my surgery.
Last weekend my brother got married to the most beautiful girl in the world and Tanner gained an aunt. A very special girl who loves this little boy so much. It was pretty emotional watching my brother marry the girl of his dreams and I know I have never seen him so happy.
I'm so happy for Lucas and Elizet and I can't wait for all the memories we will make together, and for the memories you will make with T. 

 Tanner has continued to change every aspect of our lives and Kevin and I still can't believe we get to keep him. We laugh at ourselves because after K comes home from work the three of us just lay on the floor and make crazy noises and talk and sing horribly so we can watch him smile.

 He continues to be a happy, filled with joy little boy. He cries when he is hungry, tired, or has a dirty diaper and that is about it. He rarely fusses for no reason unless he's in his car seat. We were hoping the older he got the more he would like it but nope, Tanner loves almost all things but that seat. He cries at almost ever car ride which can make most simple trips to the store a little stressful.
We are working at it though and he is getting a little better.

Tanner loves his tongue and makes me belly laugh through out the day with that thing. He plays with it a lot and is always doing the craziest things. My favorite is in the middle of the night after he nurses and is falling back into a deep sleep, he sticks his tongue out and licks his lips, gives a big sigh and then snuggles into my chest. No matter how tired I am after he does that I have the hardest time setting him back in his crib. 

 

If he is not sleeping he is alert and always has to know whats going on. He loves to be perked up on your chest so he can see, see, see! He is definitely turning out to be a little social bug, which of course I have no idea where he gets that from.
:) 

Yesterday at his 2 month appointment he weighed 11lbs 15 oz and was 24inches long. Looks like he might be tall and skinny like his daddy..and half of the rest of his family members.

 My little man nurses about every 3 hours give or take a little and is such an easy going baby.
A friend picked up a play mat for him and that is his favorite thing to do. He loves to lay on his back and he will play under that with his favorite little toy who I named Gus, for usually 20 minutes or so.
Today, he has been throwing his hands around like crazy and grabbing Gus while he plays.

Watching Tanner learn new things every day is one of the coolest things about being a parent.

 He sleeps in 3-5 hour stretches and is such a good boy about going back to sleep after he eats. Last night he was up every 3 hours and was a little fussy but normally I can lay him back down in his crib and he will go to sleep.

This last picture has become one of my favorites and it will be on my wall soon.
I just can't say enough about being a mom and feel so blessed to have this little boy in my life.
And with that, its time to do my favorite daily activity of rocking my sweet boy before bed.

1 Month

So I realize I'm a few days late but better that than never, right?1? 

Our tiny, squishy little baby is 1 month old. What? I can hardly believe it.

Weight:10. 2oz (As of Monday)

Height: 21"

  All in all, I think Tanner is doing really well. He is still getting up every 2 to 3 hours to eat but thankfully at night he goes right back to sleep after he nurses. Usually I am up with him 40 minutes max before setting him back in his crib. During the day is a different story, he has been spending more and more time being awake but still takes at least one short nap after each feeding. I was hoping he would start going longer between feedings at night but I guess he is a hungry boy!

Things we want to remember from month 1:

This boy smiles all day long. 

From the time I get him in the morning till the time I lay him down at night he gives us the biggest grins.
It is by far one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen.

He loves the fan.
 As in Kevin and I take turns standing underneath it just so he can tilt his head back and stare, and stare and stare..really people, he loves it.

He is completely outgrown all newborn clothes and is in size 1 diapers.
He is growing so fast.

His belly button is STILL not healed, this kid has seen the doctor more in his 1 month than I think I did through my whole pregnancy.
Thankfully the surgeon thinks it is almost healed and we are praying he won't need surgery! 

He is very hot blooded, if you swaddle him too tight or try to contain his arms he gets very angry.
Being in a onsie and a light blanket is his favorite. 

He had his first bottle on Mother's Day, it is nice to know that other people can feed him too.

His favorite way to be snuggled is right up on your chest.

 

He loves to look at everything.

 He is so alert and always wants to know what is going on.

Since we had to make the icky trip to Madison to visit the surgeon we decided to celebrate his 1 month birthday by picking up Aunt Ellen and going to the zoo. As you can see he wasn't impressed.

Tanner  has changed our life. 

Kevin and I can't imagine what we ever did without him and we both feel so honored to be his parents. 

This last month has been one of the hardest and exhausting of my entire life, but it has also been filled with more joy than I can write in words. 

Watching our families fall in love with him has been so fun, this little boy is blessed far more than he knows!