four months

Harlow is four months old- September 8, 2012

At four months old......
weight:12.5-13 lbs (according to home scale)
length: 24 inches (give or take)
diaper size: size 1
clothes: mostly 0-3 month and 3 month (although bottoms are still big)
bottles: moved up to 5 oz. every 3 hours in the last couple weeks, finishes most of the time
Little things about Harlow.....
-still loves sleeping at night, we put her down awake (in the little crib in our room), swaddled, turn on the rainforest music/light and she falls right to sleep (9/9:30pm-anywhere from 7-10am)
-when she wakes up, she usually watches the TV for awhile, quietly, rarely cries
-rarely naps long during the day, about 30 minutes at a time and usually just falls asleep wherever she is
-in the last week or so she has learned to hold her head up HIGH when laying on her tummy
-rolls around like CRAZY and can scoot herself all over the floor!
-some days she's very spitty, every day she's very drooly!
-apparently has a senstive bottom and needs Pampers diapers and sensitive wipes
-started liking to swing and will often fall asleep
-most family claims she's spoiled, which might be somewhat true, but I certainly don't try
-when being held, she wants to stand (why family thinks she's spoiled)
-still almost completely bald with a long patch in the back (not very attractive)
-has darker eyebrows so just might have darker hair
-still has 2 "stork bites" on the back of her head and neck
-starting to laugh, but she sounds mad when it comes out
-smiles whenever anyone talks to her
-loves looking at herself in the mirror
-always, always, always has her hands in her mouth, full fists
-she's especially loved by big brother Paxton
-I call her Harlow Barlow but I don't want to and don't like it
-but more often than not, she's referred to as "Sister" in this house
-likes her do-do (pacifier)
-you can tell she wants badly to play with toys but has a hard time grabbing and holding onto them
-makes a gurgling sound alot when she's "talking"
-likes her daddy just a little bit more than she used to

FaMiLy

Harlow and Grandpa

 Grandma and Packy

Daddy and Hudsy

evening walk

A couple nights ago, we went on an evening walk with Grandma Sharon and cousins; Morgan, Bryce, and Kendra. It was beautiful, but just the right temp to bundle Harlow up. I love sweatshirts and hats!

The wagon Grandpa built Packy is really a godsend! He loves it and its such a great, easy way to get him outside! We can't thank you enough Grandpa!

These three knuckle heads ran ahead of us the whole time. If any neighbors were sleeping, they were sure to wake them up!

This is real life....

Please don't judge me for posting the following video. I had planned on taping a memory for Packy, and unfortunately Harlow decided to scream the whole time, and Hudsy decided to show a little bit of his true colors as well. So a little warning for viewers-- The following contains some screaming, crying, tears, fighting over toys, scolding, and a very messy living room! But the very best thing that this video contains is Packy's smile. My absolute favorite kind there is! So here you go, this is our house, this is real, and it happens often! After you watch the video, I'll make you feel better with pictures of siblings getting along. I promise!

Nice, huh!? If you have it in you to watch it again, please note that Harlow cries pretty much the entire 3 and a half minutes- to all of those who say I spoil her! I did NOT go running to her rescue, Sister worked it out herself! Also note, that when Hudson is looking for his animals, you will see Packy shaking the container that they are in, taunting Hudsy just a bit. And lastly, Hudson's complete irrationality- first crying for his toys then suddenly crying for a sucker. Really?? You can't take this kid too seriously. (And he also dressed himself that day!)

But now to make you feel better.....

 Awe, there's the love! We were all sitting on the couch and Hudson asked me, "Do you think Packy feels okay?", and I told him that I think he does feel good now and it doesn't hurt anymore. And Packy answered too, "No, I don't hurt anymore." Then Hudson said (kind of to himself, but loud enough for us to hear), "I should've just waited to jump." Tears came to my eyes, and even moreso when Packy said, "I would've moved." Ugh. Poor things.

Okay, on to more fun stuff....like polished black toe nails!  

 Packy loves to be on his tummy, much easier to play toys and drive trucks. And its right at Harlow's level, so they've become buddies and he likes showing her how to play her toys. 

 He definitely loves his sister.

P.S. Harlow is 4 months old today. I took the pictures, post to come.

school ready

 I just couldn't handle all the cuteness...Hudson dressed for school with his socks and tennies. He's turning into a handsome little boy.

 New kicks!

3 month pictures

Thank you Grandma Marsha!! (Marsha Jones Photography)

Update- Week 1

Packy went to the doctor today for x-rays and a check up. Even with memories of cutting saws and pain, he was still excited to go back! He could hardly wait until 10:00! I carried him all throughout the clinic, with offers of wheelchairs, but he can't sit! X-rays were first. He laid still, moved when they asked him to, asked questions of what everything was, and gave his shy smile. And if there is such a thing as good news....we got it....the cast can come off in 3 weeks! Our next appointment is on September 25th. The doctor is "satisfied" at how the femur bone is healing. When I saw the x-ray, I kind of thought it looked the same....broken....but I'm not a doctor. He said it might be a little shorter than it was before, but nothing noticable. So the countdown begins, 20 more days!!! And Packy, he's still amazing. Still tough. Still sweet. Still humble. It's hard to find positives in this situation, but if there is one, its that I am loving spending every moment with him! And nights, sleeping next to him, are the best! Every night he tells me, "This is fun." And I bet if Packy picked a positive, it'd be peeing on the bush! Because aiming him into a toilet is too dang hard, he's been spraying all our bushes :)
The first x-ray. A spiral fracture. See that femur bone, its supposed to be ONE bone.

Friends and family have signed his cast. The favorite- Uncle Lon's "I hate hard pants!"

The sweet patient at the doctor.

our house....lately

Packy has been getting lots of "get well candy".

Hudsy doesn't often take time out of his day to hold his sister, so this was a kodak moment.

Daddy and Hudsy brought the Easy Bake Oven in to Packy.

Maddi spun Pac around like crazy and he LOVED it!! Loved, loved, loved it!

Pretty girls.

I think Sister thinks they're crazy!

He's gonna become a game whiz!

Sometimes we all go a little nutty!

She's rolling all over the place!

The policeman and firefighter.

 Doing anything to have fun, and they thought this was F-U-N!!

 Evident by Packy's smile!

 The second Grandpa heard about Packy, he envisioned building him this wagon, and tonight, Packy got to take a walk outside. Thanks Grandpa!

I just found this picture on my camera. Daddy took it. Makes me laugh! :)

Back to Preschool

Catching up a little.....Hudson started back at preschool on August 28th. We all had a little anxiety over this day, especially Hudson. And starting with a new teacher this year wasn't helping his anxiety. But I prepared him as much as I could, been talking about his new schedule so he knew exactly what to expect...and it worked! He walked into school like an old pro, barely even showing any nerves. Made me a proud Mama!

The morning of, the boys were snuggled watching cartoons and I asked for a nice picture, and of course, this is what I got! -Nice to see both of Paxton's legs :(

 Ready for school!

He's such a big boy, my 4 year old! And so handsome!

a good day

In Paxton's new temporary world, today was a good day. And a complete difference from yesterday. I know we have many hard days ahead of us, but this day made me feel better. He was less scared of moving and actually asked to do different things. I figured out that if I carried him around in a laying position, it didn't cause him any pain, so thats what I did, everywhere. He wanted to go outside like nothing else, so we set up the futon that we were selling at the garage sale, hooked up a fan for him, and he laid outside, watching garage salers come and go, and he loved it! And a little sympathy from complete strangers made him feel good too.

 Gotta love that smile! (Paxton is completely potty trained, but since underwear don't fit over his cast, especially with that bar, we've found that a diaper works best, and soaks up any potty drips to keep his cast as dry as we can. He isn't happy about wearing the diaper and has very sternly told me that he is NOT a baby! And he still gets up to go to the bathroom.)

 And he still gets to eat corn on the cob too!

 He was able to visit with friends outside. And he's proud to show off his hard pants.

 And sister, well, she was just cute today. A little cranky, but still cute.

No picture of brother Hudson. He still runs around, mostly outside, to and from the neighbors house, and checks in with us every once in awhile. I'm thankful to have such great neighbors that will keep him occupied with friends to play with, while his best pal is healing.