Sun, Sand, Such a Happy Boy!

We had an absolute blast on Dylan's 1st beach vacation to Gulf Shores. We were at the beach for 9 days and we had the best weather! No oil, and no rain all week long! Dylan LOVED the sand. When we put his toes in for the first time, he made a funny face, and then just started digging his feet in. When we sat him in the sand, he just dug in with his hands too. He may have gotten a little sand in his mouth too, oops! It was a joy to have both my parents and Jonathan's parents with us. Dylan was happy, or do you call that SPOILED! :)
Dylan, while we were at the beach, here is what you got to do:
-You felt the sand and the ocean for the first time! You loved the sand and you loved the ocean waves crashing in on your ankles.
-You swam in a pool for the first time too! You loved your float, but liked Mommy and Daddy toting you around doing "motorboat" with you.
-You ate many new things: Graduates Yogurt melts, Banana bread, club crackers, and the fun stuff like Sonic Strawberry slush, sweet tea, and coke (courtesy of your grandparents)
-You are doing so good about picking up your snacks with your fingers (the pinser grasp is something we can check off the list!)
-You are gaining so much balance when you pull up to stand. You do this all the time!
-Mawmaw continues to teach you how to find the lights in every room. When she says, "Where's the light?" and you look up at it. So cool!
-Pop taught you to click your tongue.
-Grandma taught you how to make the Indian noise with you mouth.
-Grandpa taught you the love of Mt. Dew! (well, empty Mt.Dew bottles as a good chew toy)
-You loved having your Daddy around every day, all week. And, your favorite thing to say these days is "Da-da-da-da"
-You had your first "white tablecloth dinner" at Louisiana Lagniappe. It wasn't so white after you had your mixed veggie supper :)
-You also went to our favorite beach eatin' spots: Bahama Bob's and The Hangout!

I have to say it was probably our best family vacation to date. So many firsts and we were so glad Dylan LOVED the beach. He definitely fits in with his Mom and Dad! We will be ready to travel back next year!

I think I printed 200+ pictures, so here are a few of my favorites from the week in a collage. We enjoyed the sun and the sand! But the best part was that we shared it with such a happy boy!

Eight GREAT Months!!

Well, we are starting off our eight months with the first ever ear infection. Dylan woke up from his nap on Tuesday with 102.2 temp and I immediately called the doctor. Hope the "pink stuff" clears it up quickly because we have our first beach vacation in 10 days! Dylan weighs in at 16 lbs. and 13 oz. He has gained a pound in a month and we can all tell!

Dylan, here is what you are LOVIN' these days:

You still love bath time! Now you have enough hair for it to go CRAZY afterwards! :)

You LOVE Nelli! You like to look at her through the window and you really like to touch her.

You absolutely have a blast playing chase. Daddy loves to play too! When we say, "I'm gonna get you..." you immediately take off in a different direction!
You love to pull up to the window and watch outside!You used a sippy cup for the first time (4-18-10) We try it a few times a day, and you are really getting the hang of it. You like white grape juice and Mommy likes that the Tommee Tippee Sippy Cup truly is SPILLPROOF! Thanks Tera for the heads up! I am glad that I noticed Porter uses these cups. They are great! You enjoy being outside more than anything! I think that you would stay out there all day, everyday if we would let you.

Other milestones:

-3 more teeth! Yes I said, THREE! Your two front teeth came in, as did one more on the bottom. That brings the grand total to 6 with one eye tooth almost through on top!

-You FINALLY did pat-pat the Bible in Bible class. You have been doing it at home, but not in class! Yeah!

We leave for Gulf Shores next Friday. I can't wait for Dylan to touch those cute little toes into the sand for the first time. I wonder if he will like it?!?

Beach bound,

Rachel

It's A Hard Knock Life...

for us!! Since Dylan is now mobile, we have been experiencing so many bumps on the head. In an earlier post, I did mention his first big boo-boo. Well, in the one week since he has began to crawl and pull-up, I believe the grand total of injuries is at least four. And ALL to that sweet head! I can be sitting right next to him while he pulls up on the table or crawls to a new toy, and I STILL can't keep it from happening! I do believe I am experiencing a lifetime of the phrase "You hurt when your kids hurt". I always heard my mom saying that even as an adult. If I was sad, she was always sad with me. Not that I didn't believe her, but I did think she was making too big of a deal about it. NOW I GET IT! Each time I feel responsible and sad! I will say Dylan is one tough cookie. The big boo-boos do produce serious pain and tears, but the minor stuff like bumping his head on toys doesn't phase him. What a tough, strong boy! I'm sure these injuries will pale in comparison to those to come in the future. BUT, it is still a big deal to this Mommy right now. Part of raising up boys = a hard knock life!

Seven Months: Soarin' and Explorin'

I cannot believe the milestones Dylan has reached as he begins his seventh month of life. It is almost like a light bulb just clicked on in his head. I have enjoyed each moment, but right now we are having TONS of fun!!!!! These are your golfing overalls! You are ready to take your "First Golf Bag" and hit the links with dad!We met Daddy at Burns Park for a picnic lunch. This was your first time in a baby swing, and I think you would have stayed in it for hours! :) (3-30-10)

Dylan, here are your 7 month milestones, and it's only been a week!!

-You started "army" crawling! (3-29-10)

-Soon after the "REAL" crawling began! (4-6-10) and this picture, taken 4-8-10, shows that you are going EVERYWHERE on your hands and knees!!!
-Tooth #3 is through on the bottom and it bugs you! (4-6-10)
-You can mimic mommy and make a fish face! (4-5-10)
-You can "pat-pat" the Bible. It is your favorite Bible class song. Your face lights up when we start singing it. (4-5-10)

-You love your new baby swing!!! We decided to get you one after our trip to the park. I bet we will be out there LOTS this summer :) -You are pulling up from your belly to your knees while grabbing the table or anything you find interesting! (4-6-10) You use your other arm to balance yourself, and I think it looks like you are getting set to "ride a bull" at the rodeo. :)
-You recognize your name when someone says it and you turn your head to see.
-Occasionally you whimper if mommy leaves the room and you can't see me!
-You are quite a ham, you have learned how to make that spitting/blowing noise with your mouth. And yes, you do spit at us when you do it!!
-You love bubbles! You follow them with your eyes and reach for them when Daddy blows them at you!

-You met a new buddy: Hudson Cole Magbuhat (5 months old). You played well, but you wanted to grab his face :) Hudson is Jenn's little boy (a great friend from college). (4-2-10)

-You celebrated your 1st Easter (4-4-10). We ate lunch at Mawmaw and Pop's and then played outside at Grandma and Grandpa's.

-You got your first boo-boo. Learning to "pull-up" has its downfalls. Daddy and I were watching you pull up on the tv cabinet and you took a header into it. You now have a blue/purple right eye. But as you can see, it only lasted for a few minutes. Mommy still feels rotten about it!
I could truly keep going about our sweet boy that is growing up so fast! We cherish each "new" step, and thank God that we can see him "soar and explore" his way through life!

Smiles and Daffodils

My mom and I took Dylan to Wye Mountain on March 23 to take his picture in the daffodil fields. I hadn't been there since I was 3, and mom either. The weather was absolutely gorgeous! Dylan was full of smiles, and of course, he tried to eat the daffodils. We got some great photographs of him. I think the bright green was a perfect choice. When we got back to the car, Dylan "showered" the inside of the car during his diaper change. Mom and I just stood there laughing hysterically. I mean, "What do ya do?" All boy!

A few weeks earlier, I enjoyed my 27th birthday as a mommy! Dylan and I spent a good part of the day with my mom. We had a family dinner at Saddle Creek. It was a special birthday because it was shared with "Mommy's New Man"!

Dylan also sported his "green" for St. Patrick's Day:

New Milestones:
You can sit up ALL by yourself! You are steady and strong! (3-17-10)
You also get in the "hands and knees" crawling position and rock back and forth!
Your main way to travel is by rolling everywhere! We call you the "roly-poly"!

SiX mOnThs aNd sQuiRmY!

Enjoying his new walker that he can already move around the house!
Sitting up all by himself! It only lasts a few seconds!
Enjoying the beautiful spring weather on a stroller walk with mommy. Nice hat! :)
Just being the cutie that he can be! (3-9-10)

6 month pictures with Mom and Dad:

We went for our six month check up today and Dylan is 15 pounds 4 ounces and 26 3/4 inches long. Dr. Keathley said he was healthy, long, and lean. She said she couldn't believe how he weighed as much as he did being as "busy" as he was today. She said, "Is this normal for him?" I chuckled and replied, "Yes, ma'am!" He was rolling over on the table, ripping the paper into shreds, talking, and squirming EVERYWHERE! We have a squirmy wormy on our hands!

Our Dylan is still the best little boy in the world! He has personality oozing out his tiny body!

Here are some of his lastest accomplishments:

-He has tried the following foods and likes them all: sweet potatoes, green beans, squash, and bananas. He prefers the bananas mixed in his rice cereal for breakfast. I think they may be a little too sweet on their own.

-He can sit up by himself for a few seconds, and sits up alone with the boppy supporting him.
-He LOVES to give kisses!

-He is transitioning himself from nursing 5 times a day to 4 times a day. It is amazing how much more time that 30 minutes gives us!
-He reaches for someone to take him and that melts mommy's heart!

-He isn't much of a napper, but I guess I would rather him sleep his normal 10 hours at night than nap all day. He takes 2-3 naps ranging anywhere from 30 minutes to an hour.

Dylan,

We are so happy that you are growing up so very healthy. We enjoy every moment with you. We love when you give us kisses, reach for us to pick you up, smile with those dimples and two bottom teeth, and talk SO BIG to us! You have blessed us more than we could ever imagine. We don't know what we did without you and we thank God everyday for you! Happy "HALF YEAR" birthday!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Godspeed

One of my dear friends posted the lyrics to this song on her blog. Eventhough I'm sure I have heard them before, they took on a whole new meaning to me because now I am a mother. I absolutely fell in love with the song. We truly wish nothing but sweet dreams for our sweet Dylan, who has brought us so much joy as we discover the world through his eyes. Everything is new, imaginative, and great to him. This song captures all of those amazing experiences of our little boy. We love you Dylan! We can't believe you are almost 6 months old! -Mommy & Daddy

"Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" by the Dixie Chicks

Dragon tales and the "water is wide"

Pirate's sails and lost boys fly

Fish bite moonbeams everynight

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love with fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

The rocket racer's all tuckered out

Superman's in pajamas on the couch

Goodnight moon, will find the mouse

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

God bless mommy and matchbox cars

God bless daddy and thanks for the stars

God hears "Amen", wherever we are

And I love you

Godspeed, little man

Sweet dreams, little man

Oh my love will fly to you each night on angels wings

Godspeed

Sweet dreams

Godspeed

Godspeed

Godspeed

Sweet dreams