For Cousin Joshua

This post is for cousin Joshua. Von has tried to hold his bottle since he was born. He doesn't get a bottle very often anymore--maybe once every two or three weeks. But today I gave him a bottle of water because of the heat, and Von was very excited to figure out how to hold it for himself. Of course, as soon as I grabbed the camera, he stopped. So the first one is him just fooling around. In the second video, he figures it out again. Such a joy to see him learn!

A laugh riot

Von is laughing! Especially with Papa. I try alllllll day to get laughs and maybe if I'm lucky I'll get maybe one tiny giggle. But the minute Papa comes home from work, Von starts laughing! In fact, just tonight we heard him fussing in his crib. Aaron went to check on him, and he started giggling as soon as he heard Papa's voice. I love it. :)
I'm sorry the quality of these videos isn't great, but you get the picture. Enjoy the smiles.

Smiles all around!

At the end of the Bolines' visit, Aunt Kitty came to help Marmee while she recovered from her hip replacement. It was wonderful to have her here for almost 2 weeks! What a joy she is, helping with Marmee, sharing baby advice, and spoiling Von rotten with love and attention! Von absolutely adored her, as do we. :)
We were so, so sad to see her go.

First camping trip and visit with family

This post is LONG overdue, but a few weeks ago, Erin, Patrick, and the kids went on an extended trip to the Wild West. As they worked their way from Wyoming to here, we met them in Ouray and Von experienced his first camping trip. He was a trooper! He slept for the first time in his port-a-crib and slept through both nights, no sweat. He loved the fresh air and being doted on constantly by his aunt. His eczema even cleared up while we were there. It was a WONderful visit that we'll treasure forever!

Uncle Patrick and Baby Von after breakfast at the mine where Papa used to work.

GG reading/playing on my Kindle while we chatted in the sunshine.

Baby A playing a cup magic trick.

Aunt Erin taking a break from carrying Huge Baby while Mommy shopped.

Papa to the rescue with the backpack!

Sleeping in his port-a-crib in the tent.

Playing in the morning in the tent while Mommy got dressed.

We stopped on top of Monarch Pass and Patrick took the kids on the gondola. We enjoyed the cool air and sunny weather.

huh. Not sure how this sneaked in there. :)

Sophie

Von has replaced his little clown friend with his new bff--Sophie the Giraffe. He loves her to pieces!

We did it!

Before Von was born, some friends gave us a beautiful bassinet. I originally planned to keep Von in the bassinet in our room for 3 months. And then after experiencing the amazing convenience of Baby right next to me when it's time to nurse, I thought I'd keep him in the bassinet until 6 months when we introduce solid foods and start cutting back on the nursing. However, as I reported in my last post, Von is HUGE, and it has become physically impossible to keep him in the bassinet.

A couple of years ago, Megan gave us a crib, which has been in the garage since then, so Aaron spent hours scrubbing it and getting it ready. I ironed the crib skirt and set up the mobile from Caroline. Finally, Baby's bed was ready! But by the time bedtime came around last night, I had received a text from my friend Julie who said that her friend's 4-month old baby boy was dying--he had been found face down in his crib not breathing. That tipped this mommy over the edge. I was so sad for this baby's mother and for her loss that I wanted Von close to me, both out of gratefulness for a healthy baby and also out of nervousness that something might happen to him. So I told Aaron one more night...

At 2am, Von woke up fussy. Usually I stick the binky in and he'll fall back asleep, but last night he wasn't interested in sleeping. Or the binky. He just wanted to fuss. And fuss. He didn't seem to remember that Papa had to work in the morning or that Mommy hadn't slept well the night before.

All of a sudden, that crib in the next room looked pretty good. So I took him in there, re-swaddled him, stuck the binky in, laid him down, and then went back to our bedroom. To get a blanket and a pillow...After all, the monitor wasn't set up, and I wouldn't want to not be able to hear if Von needed something...

Anyway, here he is going down for his nap today. I'm painfully aware of how quickly he'll outgrow the crib!

And here he is having tummy time while listening to baby U2. The gloves [socks] are to prevent him from scratching his eczema. As I type, he is sleeping contentedly in his big baby boy crib. We'll see if mommy is able to sleep contentedly tonight (or at all!) with him so far away...

Four months!

Von is four months. The days pass faster and faster as time goes by. And each day, Von does something new that amazes and delights us. He is reaching for our faces, smiling at every turn, and growing like a weed! Today at his doctor's appointment, we learned that he weighs 16.9lb (would that be 16lb, 14.4oz? I think??), which is 84% for weight, and he measures 26.8in, which is 95% for height. The doctor laughed and said he is the size of a 9-month old. He is our big, happy, content baby. Ask Marmee--she'll tell you how sweet his temperament is. We couldn't have asked for a sweetier baby.

 Our friends the Van't Lands visited from Canada, and Von aDORed them! Although he appears to be thinking deeply while scratching his head, he really was just enjoying the visit.

 His first pair of cowboy boots from Auntie Michelle. They are about the cutest things!

 Visiting Marmee in the hospital after her hip surgery.

I love these. I did not position his body--he did it himself! Such a little man.

Piglets

He has found his toes! Otherwise known as pigs. Otherwise known as piglets. Now they are his favorite play toys.

So much to say

This is Von talking last week or maybe 10 days ago. Now he makes low cooing sounds that sound like he is singing the baby bass part to a baby song. It MELTS my heart. He sings himself to sleep and wakes up singing and sings in the car. It's about the cutiest thing I've ever seen. I'll try to get it on tape. Until then, enjoy these sweet baby sounds.

Morning stretches

This post is for Caitlin, who also has a morning stretcher. Von had just woken up, so I grabbed the camera before I unswaddled him to let him do his thing. Enjoy!

chatty boy

Von has started talking! He wants to talk all the time. He stops nursing to talk. He talks himself to sleep. I find him awakened from his nap lying in bed just talking away. He talks to Daddy and listens to him with a serious look. When we go for walks and I cover the stroller, he talks to himself in the dark; or maybe he is talking to the little frog hanging from the stroller! This video isn't the best example, though, because he was tired and ready to go down for his nap. I'll try to get a better video for you.

clowning around

Here is a video of Von finally able to hold his little clown toy and interact with it more...which simply means find a way to stick it in his mouth. I realize these videos aren't all that exciting, but I also know how precious they are to family/friends far away. We wish you all could see him in person!