Mr. IZ Pants

My baby is one!  How is that even possible?  And how sad that I've only completed one blog post since he was born.  Have I ever mentioned that life with 3 kids is crazy busy?  Well, it is...and I think I might finally be getting into a routine...kind of.  But, I want this post to be all about my little Zay Man.  I'm hoping to be able to remember a lot of details from each month of his first year...let's see how this goes :)

March 29, 2013 - Born at about 12:45 AM - Weighed 9 pounds 9 ounces, 21 inches long

 1 Month:  The sweetest memory I have from Isaiah's first month, is that I held him all night and slept on the couch while he snuggled on my chest.  It still fills me with so much joy and such a peaceful feeling whenever I think back to those tender memories.  I also remember feeling so much love from him from the very first time I held him, and somehow he continues to help me feel that everyday.  I'm so grateful for the relationship I have with him.  Another memory from his first month is that after we had the circumcision done, the doctor advised me to coat his diaper with vaseline so that it wouldn't pull at the scab.  I must have put way too much on, because for several days he would soak through every time he had a wet diaper!  I was so baffled, thinking I had put the diaper on good and snug.  It wasn't until after he had healed up and I didn't need the vaseline anymore that I realized why we were having issues :)  For Zay's first month, we were blessed to have some delightful visits from family.  We were so grateful to have Nonna and Regular Grandma with us when he was born, and then about a week later Grandpa, Grammy, Sarah, Emi, and Sammy came to meet the new little man.

2 Months:  14 pounds 8 ounces (93%), 24.5 inches (90%)
The thing I remember best from his 2nd month, is that he learned to roll from his back to his tummy and preferred to stay on his tummy!  It was quite stressful for a while, because he would roll to his tummy at night and we were so worried about his breathing.  I also remember how wonderful the Baby Bjorn carrier was, because he loved being in it!  I could pretty much count on him just snuggling up and taking a good nap while I walked around hands free. That made it possible for us to stroll around the park, the mall, and Walmart pretty easily, which was great for those of us who were feeling a bit stir crazy after a long winter.

3 Months:  Slept through the night, plus good naps.  This was a tender mercy for an overwhelmed Momma!  Zay got his first haircut, and it was much needed.  Also his first major belly laugh that was just absolutely delightful for Jonny and me!  I wrote a blog post right around the time Isaiah was 3 months old, so instead of repeating all of that...I'll just make a note that there is more info there :)

4 Months:  16 pounds 9 ounces (79%), 25 inches (51%)
Chunky little man!  Still slept through the night, yay!  He loved spending time outside at the park with Kaleb and Aliyah, and was always content in the Baby Bjorn either sleeping or turned around watching all the fun.  He was such a happy boy most of the time and seemed to just burst with excitement.  He was also such a good snuggler, and actually took a binky!  Binkies are fabulous things.

5 Months:  Cute little army crawl and sitting up all on his own :)  No more sleeping through the night thanks to teething, illness, hunger, and probably other things.  (Still doesn't sleep through the night most of the time...so Jonny and I take turns cuddling him and watching Diagnosis Murder). This was the beginning of a rough stretch for our family and for Isaiah, but Zay made every day happier with his sweet smile.

6 Months:  16 pounds 2 ounces (23%), 26.2 inches (42%)
He conquered crawling, and boy can he move!  Says Dadda, and really really loves his Daddy.  Whenever Jonny gets home from school, Zay crawls over to him and yells "Dadda!" until Jonny makes a big fuss and says hi and picks him up.  He is such an explorer, and crawling has opened the door for him to search every nook and cranny of our apartment.  Found out that the poor little guy was starving!  We upped his formula intake from about 4 ounces per day to 4 ounces every 3-4 hours and made for a much happier little guy.

7 Months:  First 2 little teeth poked through, thank goodness!  I didn't know teething could be harder than it was with Aliyah, but Zay is teaching me that it can.  Poor little guy!  Saying Momma now :)  Unfortunately, he puts everything in his mouth and seems to have the sole purpose everyday of finding small, dangerous choking hazards.  It is really challenging to keep crumbs and tiny toys out of his reach with Kaleb and Aliyah close by.  He also seems to have a one-track mind for exploring the bathroom.  He has some crazy 6th sense for knowing when the bathroom door is open, and he'll stop whatever he is doing and race for the bath or toilet or garbage or whatever he can get to in there. During this month, Zay had a rough day when Aliyah climbed up on top of our little baby piano and stood right on top of his fingers.  He screamed and screamed and I didn't know what to do, since his little thumb was stuck in a position folded over his palm.  After I worked it back into a normal position, he was still crying and couldn't crawl with that hand.  I was worried that it might be dislocated, so I took him into the doctor.  I got to wrestle 3 busy kids while we got x-rays and did lots of waiting, only to find out that he was totally fine.  I felt silly, but grateful that he was ok.

8 Months:  21 pounds 13 ounces (81%)
2 more teeth (top middle, I think they make him look like a hillbilly!)  He loves baths, and wouldn't mind if I bathed him multiple times each day...and sometimes I do :)  This little guy loves food.  He gets so offended when we don't share what we are eating.  I started giving him bread at this age and he could just eat and eat and eat it. I don't remember exactly what age the battle began, but diaper changes for this boy are impossible!  He fights to get away the entire time, and he is a very strong little boy.  I really dread changing his diaper, so it's unfortunate that he is a super pooper!  He also really hates his car seat and there are times that I simply can't force him down long enough to get him buckled.  Whenever we go somewhere as a family, it is Jonny's job to buckle him in. :) 

9 Months:  Adding a few more words...bath (da), more, banana (nanna).  He loves all things cozy!  If there is a blanket or pillow or stuffed animal on the floor, he crawls over flops down on his belly and rubs his face on it and says lots of oh's and ah's :).  I love it when he does that, it is so cute :)  He also loves to dance!  Kaleb and Aliyah love to turn on a Beach Boys cd and dance around, and Zay can hardly bounce his little body fast enough he is just so excited.

10 Months:  22 pounds 7 ounces (68%), 28 inches tall (24%)
"First steps" halfway through the month and just kept at it.  Loves talking on the phone with Daddy, and insists on having the phone anytime he sees me talking to someone on it.  There is a cute new movie called Frozen, and one of the main songs from the movie is called "Let it Go."  As soon as I Z hears that song come on, he gets really excited and crawls to me with the expectation that I will dance with him...which of course I do :)  He also gets really excited about the song "Happy" by Pharrell Williams.  He loves dogs and recently started responding to the question, "What does a doggy say?" with a woof woof!  He started to really let us have it when he was frustrated.  We think he learned it from hearing Kaleb roar like a dinosaur, so he started to roar at us!  One day I came out of the bathroom, thinking I had baby-proofed thoroughly, to find Isaiah standing next to the garbage and eating the leftovers I had just scraped in a few minutes before.  When I pulled him away and tied up the bag to take it outside, he was so mad and (in his own baby way) really cussed me out!  Stopped nursing at 10 months, 3 months longer than with Aliyah...woohoo!

11 Months: He's walking!  This little guy is so determined.  2 weeks after taking his first steps, he could walk clear across the room without falling.  Now he walks all over the place, and is even trying to run...especially if he senses that I am going to get to something before he does.  This includes the bathroom, the fridge (if the door is open), any small food or toy or anything that looks like food on the floor, the kitchen garbage if it is out from under the sink, the laundry racks when they are full of clothes, crayons, and the list could go on :)  He also loves to try to join in on Kaleb and Aliyah's races, and I love seeing his chubby little legs trying to be speedy.  He seems to love a challenge, and doesn't let barriers get in his way.  Climbing is his new skill to conquer, and so far he has mastered climbing on the dishwasher and Aliyah's pink chair.  He loves to empty cupboards...and does so daily.  He recently started dancing by shaking his head from side to side.  Kaleb and Aliyah adore him so much, and he thinks the world of them as well.  He loves to cuddle with Aliyah when she is wrapped up in "Cozy Red," and he gets so excited to walk to Kaleb and get a big hug.  He recently starting waving and says, "Bye Bye Daddy!" It is super adorable :)

12 Months: 25 pounds 8 ounces (84%), 30 inches tall (56%)
It's official, he's one!  We had so much fun celebrating Zay's birthday.  Kaleb and Aliyah were so excited, it was so hard to wait until Saturday evening to start the party!  We kept everything pretty simple, but it was so fun for all of us.  We had our favorite white cake topped with strawberries and whipped cream, and Zay opened his presents.  He got an ABC book, a baby drum set, and his own plate and bowl from us.  Grammy sent him a darling outfit and his very own super cozy minky pillowcase.  Regular Grandma sent him a little car shaped bank with some money to start off his mission fund.  Coach and Nonna sent him a studly, cute overalls outfit and a fun book with little toy turtles.  We love our little IZ boy so much and look forward to all the fun and adventures we are certain to have with him.  Happy Birthday sweet boy!

 

Gratitude - Written November 2013

I wrote a journal entry for each day of November, but never finished it.  So, I'm posting it now even though it is incomplete and a few months late :)

November 1st:
Today I am so grateful that Jonny took me on a date!  The last time we went on a date without any kids with us was on Valentine's Day!  I am also so grateful for our good friends Jake and Jessica Workman for watching our crew :)  We had a fabulous 2 hours that began with super delicious burgers at Red Robin, and ended with a really fun little shopping visit to the 6th floor of Macys (all 75% off clearance!)  Jonny let me get 2 new pairs of pants, and I love them so much!  I am so grateful that Jonny is my man and especially that he is my best friend.  I love spending time with him, and I just wish we could have date nights more often!

November 2nd:
I had the sweetest experience today.  My little Aliyah sure wanted to cuddle a lot, and today was the perfect day for it because I could take the time to just sit and hold her.  I didn't have anything pressing that I was trying to get done, so when she asked to snuggle I could say, "Yes! I would love to!"  This semester has been such a challenge, because I simply can't keep up with all the demands.  My calling in scouts has been extra busy lately, but today I set everything aside.  One of the times that we were cuddling I wrapped her up in Cozy Red, and after a few minutes she fell asleep.  My little baby doll fell asleep in my arms!  It was heaven.  I miss the days when she and I snuggled for hours.  I didn't want to put her down, but I knew Isaiah would need my arms to be free, so I enjoyed it for a little while and then laid her down.  She looked so cozy and beautiful and oh, I just love her so much!  I am so grateful for that tender experience.

November 3rd:
I am grateful for a miracle we witnessed today.  We decided to break down and turn on our heat for the first time this fall.  I dread the utilities bill we'll be receiving, but at least it won't be so painful to emerge from the blankets!  Well, shortly after getting home from church our little Zay Man must have stayed too close to the heat vent thing for too long and burned his left ear.  It took us a few minutes to figure out what had happened, but when we saw how red and swollen his ear was we put it together and sprang into action.  I put lavender all over his ear and his cheek (which also looked super red) and then I put frankincense all around the area as well.  Jonny gave him a blessing and I just kept praying for our little man.  He was miserable, I mean really really miserable, and it was so heartbreaking.  After a very sad hour or so he fell asleep and took a good long nap.  When he woke up we couldn't believe how good his ear looked!  There was no sign of the burn, and he was a happy baby for the rest of the day!  I am so grateful for the gift of healing, and for wonderful essential oils that have blessed our family countless times!

November 4th:
I am grateful today to be one step closer to figuring out what is wrong with me!  I have struggled in so many ways as I've recovered from my pregnancy with Isaiah, and I am so tired of the struggle.  I just want to be a happy, healthy mom so that I can keep up with day-to-day demands and give my amazing kids and husband the love and care and attention and support that they deserve.   I've been putting off calling the doctor for a number of reasons, but thanks to an inspired conversation I had with me dear friend, Wendy, I called and set up an appointment!  Tuesday morning at 7:00 I will hopefully have some direction and at least the beginning of some answers.

November 5th:
Hallelujah!  Isaiah slept through the night.  We're talking 9:00 to 7:00, a full 10 hours!  I went to bed shortly after he did, so I slept for a little more than 9 hours in a row.  Do you realize how long it has been since I felt rested?!  The little man used to sleep so great.  He slept through the night from the time he was about 6 weeks until he was 5 months and then it seemed that one thing after another made him wake up and oh it has been a really rough 2 month stretch.  I woke up this morning feeling great.  I didn't have to pry myself our of bed to groggily meet the needs of 3 little people.  I felt ready to face the day...and I went for a run!  It's been 3 weeks since my last run, which is so frustrating, but I am so grateful that I was able to go this morning.  Now let's just hope he keeps it up :)

November 6th:
I am grateful that I was able to cross another scout task off of my list today.  I am the cub scout committee chair, and I often feel like scouts has taken over my life.  And...I don't like it.  I am working on having a better attitude about it, but today was sure a challenge.  I have a hard time with the hours and hours it takes away from me taking care of my kids.  I also really have a difficult time handling the stress that is always there.  In my current emotional state, stress is a really bad thing!  On a positive note, after a very rough day I am grateful that I was able to take my little darlings out for ice cream and enjoy that bonding experience :)  They are so fun!

November 7th:
I am grateful today that I have the blessing of being home with my kids. I am especially grateful to be there to comfort them when they get hurt, to see and share the excitement of their accomplishments, and to watch the joy that they experience from the simple treasures of nature and life around them.  It is so fun to see life through the eyes of a 7 month old, 2 year old, and 4 year old!  Even though we have had a lot of challenges, I feel like this is such a special time and I am so grateful for the numerous parts of motherhood that fill my heart with so much joy.  I am also very thankful for the aspects that teach and challenge me and cause me to consistently turn to the Lord for guidance as well as forgiveness for the many times I fall short.

November 8th:
Today I am grateful for the Carter's store!  Haha, that sounds like a silly thing to be grateful for but it's true!  It is probably the only store I can go in with all 3 kids and not have to worry about keeping the kids entertained and safe.  They have a lego table toward the back of the store, (by the clearance racks, which is perfect since that is basically all I look at) so Kaleb and Aliyah run to the table as soon as we walk through the door and play happily until I say it's time to leave.  I also love the store because they have super great clearance selections, and I love getting great deals!  Today I got a darling little t-shirt for Aliyah for 2 dollars.  A little retail therapy for momma and play time for the kids :)  Perfect!

November 9th:

November 10th:
Today was nearly perfect.  Ok, now that I think of it there could be some definite improvements but overall it was just absolutely wonderful.  We began with an uplifting morning at church.  I was able to get some things crossed off of my scout to-do list, so that felt great!  We came home and after eating lunch, Jonny got to work on his law review assignment, while I snuggled the kids and watched a sappy Halmark Christmas movie.  I can only think of one other time during our law school experience that Jonny had to work on school stuff on Sunday.  I am grateful that he has set Sunday aside as our family time.  Sundays are so special because of that.  Today was necessary though, and I am so grateful that he was able to conquer the task that he finished this evening!  After the movie, the kids and I tidied up so that the room would be ready to get out our Christmas decor.  Next Kaleb, Aliyah and I made some amazingly delicious chocolate chip cookies.  By then it was about 6:00, so I got to work on making dinner while Jonny and the kids began the decorating!  Kaleb waited so patiently all day and he was so excited that the time had finally come.  The best part was definitely when Jonny plugged in the lights.  The kids kept "oohing" and "aahing" and looking up at the tree with the sweetest expressions.  At one point Aliyah stood next to Jonny, hugged his leg tight and said, "Mmmm...it smells like Christmas morning!" Aah! She is so adorable :)  We ate our most favorite meal, enchilada pasta, for dinner and then Jonny took Kaleb and Aliyah over to the Meservy's to share some cookies.  We ended the evening sitting in the glow of the tree's lights as we went through our bedtime routine.  Our little wall of Christmas looked so perfect and our living room truly felt like a magical place!  I am so grateful for the rare times when we all get to be together and enjoy such sweet conversations and make very special memories.  I am so grateful we are an eternal family, blessed with such precious little spirits in our home.  Tonight I stand all amazed as I count my blessings.

November 11th:
Today I am so grateful for Isaiah.  He makes me smile basically every time that I look at him! And he makes me laugh so often throughout the day.  He is such a cheerful, delightful baby and his personality is so good for me.  I love the excitement he shows for something as small as opening and closing a drawer (over and over and over) and it makes me so happy to see his reaction whenever he gets to consume food, formula, etc.  He really really loves to eat!  Isaiah is such a busy baby.  He's been crawling for a while now, and he can really cruise.  I love that he loves to explore every nook and cranny of our apartment.  He is so eager to learn and move forward to new things.  Holding my little IZ babe is literally healing to my heart and my spirit.  He has such a wonderful, special spirit and the tenderness and love he has brought to our home just make me forever grateful that I've been so blessed to be his mother.  Today I felt my mood and my perspective on life be lifted as I cuddled my sweet little man.  Even just watching him sleep brings peace to my often troubled heart.  I'm so grateful for the blessing of Isaiah!

November 12th:
 Today I am grateful for the time that Jonny and I have together at the end of each day.  After we get the kids to bed, we look forward so much to cuddling up and watching whatever we have recorded for that evening.  Some of our favorites are Matlock, the Cosby Show, I Love Lucy, The Dick Van Dyke Show, The Andy Griffith Show, Cedar Cove, and whatever talent show is currently running.  Tonight we watched The Voice, which is definitely our favorite talent competition show.  We get so excited for our Monday and Tuesday night Voice dates :)

November 13th:
I had such a productive day today, especially this morning, and it felt so good!  I am grateful for the times when I become very motivated and energized, and finally tackle projects that have been hanging over my head for way too long!

November 14th:
Today I am so grateful for story time.  Kaleb, Aliyah, and I love going to the library and choosing a huge stack of books, and then taking them home to have story time.  We snuggle up on the couch with a cutie pie on each side of me, and we read and read and read...usually until I can't keep my eyes open anymore (for some reason I get soooo tired when I read to them!)  So, today we had story time and we read 20 or so books and it was just so wonderful.  I love the interactions and conversations that take place when we are cuddled up together :)

November 15th:
I love taking the kids to a store when we have no time constraints and we can just take our time looking around.  I took the kids to Toys "R" Us today (I needed to check out some toys I'd seen online, because Aliyah is stumping me a little when it comes to Christmas) and it was so fun!  Kaleb and Aliyah were in heaven, and I love watching them have so much fun.  We just went from aisle to aisle, taking in all the awesomeness, and we spent all the time that we wanted to.  I think I got a little better idea of what to get for Aliyah.  If only we had $80 to spend on her and get her that beautiful doll house :) then the decision would be easy.  I am so grateful that I have 3 of my best little friends to spend each and every day with.  They are so fun!

November 16th:
Today I am super grateful for a clean bathroom!  Scrubbing the bathroom has definitely been the most difficult household task to complete regularly since Isaiah was born.  I generally do a portion here, another there, and just try to keep it from getting too out of hand.  Well, today I scrubbed it so thoroughly (and I did it while all 3 kids were awake!) and it just feels wonderful to have it all sparkle :)  I am also very grateful for evening trips to Walmart that are easily the highlight of the day, because we finally get to have Jonny with us.  Someday, I hope, we will get to see him more and have him more involved in our daily activities.  For now, we will just really cherish the hour or 2 at the end of the day!

November 17th:
Today I am grateful for the fact that I enjoyed a very rare, but amazing Sunday nap!  Oh my it was wonderful!  I am also grateful for good friends.  Bowen and Ashley Fraser invited us, along with Joe and Julia Meservy, over for dinner and it was so great to spend the evening with them.

November 18th:
Today I am so grateful for my mom.  She is the most selfless, loving, supportive, fun, creative, talented, beautiful mom that has ever lived.  Somehow she knows just when to call and brighten my day and talk me through my struggles.  It has been a hard year for her, yet she continues to serve and watch out for each of us.  She is also such an incredible grandma for our kids.  She spoils them so much and has such fun ideas of ways to spend time with them and create precious memories.  Kaleb, Aliyah, and Isaiah love her so much and so do I! 

November 19th:
Today I am so grateful for my dad.  He is such a great man, who lives a life of hard work, sacrifice, and integrity.  Every day of his life demonstrates his love of his family and shows what a priority each of us is to him.  I feel so blessed to know that I can always turn to him for love and support and words of wisdom.  So often, when I am faced with a decision, I want to get his input because he is such a smart, thorough, and very wise person!  His life experience is a blessing to all of us as we follow his example and learn from him. He has a way of being so loving and tender with all of us girls :) which has always been so perfect for us throughout our lives.  It has also been a hard year for him health-wise, and I hope and pray everyday that he will be able to get relief from his pain and look forward to a long life of good health and comfort!

November 20th:
I am excited to say that Aliyah got her cast off today!  I am so grateful that we no longer have to wrap it and bag it before a bath, and that we don't have to try to stretch her sleeves over it, oh and that she can't hit anyone with it! I'm also grateful that we survived a trip to the scout office...and that I don't have to go back until January!

November 21st:
I am grateful today that the semester is almost over.  We are near the end, which means I am a single mother.  Jonny has so much that he has to get done in such a short amount of time...so we don't get to see him.  I'm really looking forward to December 13th!

3 Cute Characters

It is definitely time for an update!  I am horrible at keeping up with a blog, and adding a 3rd child hasn't helped.  Life with 3 kids is so much busier than I ever could have imagined.  We are still trying to figure out how to keep up with everything after more than 3 months!  Maybe by 6 months I'll have it down :)  Although it is busy I can't believe how blessed I am to have such delightful and adorable kids who bring a wonderful, special spirit to our home.  I just want to jot down a few things about each of them so I can remember this phase we are in.

Kaleb:

• His most favorite things right now are probably dinosaurs and certain animals.  He loves cheetahs, leopards, jaguars, peregrine falcons, sharks, wolves, and most of the animals featured on Wild Kratts, his favorite show. He loves learning and talking about different kinds of dinosaurs and their distinguishing features.  He can tell you the difference between a pachycephalosaurus, hadrosaurus, ankylosaurus, spinosaurus, and so many more.  I love reading and learning about dinosaurs right along with him.
• He wants to be a super hero when he grows up and asks me daily to feel his muscles :)
• He loves to sing, and really has a knack for remembering song lyrics.  His current favorite are the songs from Hercules and the "Be a Man" song from Mulan.
• He loves to build with KNEX and legos and I am really impressed by the cool designs he comes up with!
• He adores Isaiah and is so helpful with taking care of him.  Kaleb is actually super helpful with so much.  I can't imagine a kinder, more obedient and well mannered little boy.  He is so wonderful.
• He often tells me I'm pretty.  I think he likes that it clearly makes me so happy :)
• He is very quick to let someone know (politely) when he thinks they are wrong.  He generally has an opinion on things and doesn't hesitate to speak up.
• He changes his outfit several times a day, which drives me crazy some days because of the pile of barely worn clothes on his bedroom floor.  It is fun, though, that he wants to have a say in what he wears and he is very particular about what he'll put on.
• For some reason, he recently lost the ability to keep his eyes open while a picture is taken :) 

Aliyah

• Words cannot describe the delight that this little girl brings to our home.  Pretty much everything that comes out of her mouth brings a smile to my face...except for when she is throwing one of her major tantrums.  Her behavior is so hot and cold...either so happy and sweet and so excited about life, or screaming and being completely unreasonable.  Luckily the happy times are the way most days are spent.
• She has 3 favorite movies right now.  Her most favorite is Hercules and she asks to watch it at least once per day.  She loves to sing and dance to the songs.  Her other 2 favorites are Enchanted and Mary Poppins.  Bee Movie and Despicable Me are also definitely in the running. 
• She is a little ballerina princess, and she will tell you that with confidence.  She loves all things ballerina.  She loves to twirl and pose and wear her tutu.  There is a cute ballerina show that comes on once a week, so it is a special occasion when we watch Angelina Ballerina.
• Aliyah's favorite word is DowDow.  We don't know exactly what a DowDow is, but it seems to be the answer to many questions and the name for many things Aliyah creates :) 
• She loves reading and drawing and building with legos and playing at the park and swimming and all things girly.  I have so much fun doing her hair and painting her nails and talking about how we both love pink.
• She gets spooked easily, thanks to a book called "The Monster at the End of the Book," which really isn't a scary book at all.  Ever since we read that book though, she is often frightened by loud noises or when any of us raises our voice at all.
• Some of our favorite Aliyah phrases are, "That's not ok!" "Don't forget..." "I can't know" "Just nothing" "I would love to" "I probably can" "How about [enter anything here], is that a good idea?"  "That's so awesome!" "That's a bummer in the summer"  
• She thinks Isaiah is pretty neat, except for when I am feeding him.  She tells me pretty much every time I sit down to nurse him that she doesn't want me to feed him.  She is so sweet with him though, and always talks about how cute he is and that he has the same bum as Kaleb's.

Isaiah:

•  We call Isaiah our little tank, or chubbers because he is one big baby!  He is 3 months old and he already wears some 6-12 months clothes.  I think his chunkiness must contribute to his disposition, because he is generally such a calm, happy baby.  (Jonny might disagree with me on that)
• He has become a super roller!  This kid can seriously move.  I thought he wouldn't move around as much and as early because of his chubs but he is all over the place.  It makes us a little bit nervous because he ends up on his tummy during the night and during naps and we worry about him getting into a position where he can't breathe very well.
• Isaiah has a smile that just makes us melt.  He opens his mouth so wide and looks so happy and excited that he is about to burst.  He acts like he is going to coo or make some cute little baby sound, and all that comes out is a crack in his throat because he is just too excited to actually "talk."
• Isaiah is a momma's boy and I am telling you...he loves me so much.  I have felt from the day he was born that he somehow conveys so much love to me.  When I get home from work he hugs me with his tiny little arms and just seems so thoroughly happy to see me and it fills my heart with so much joy.  I get the same reaction every morning, and I just feel like he has missed me and is so thrilled that it is time to cuddle.
• He watches Kaleb and Aliyah so closely.  It is clear that he already thinks they are so neat and wants attention from them.  
• Unfortunately, he is a spitter upper.  We lucked out with Kaleb and Aliyah, but now we get to smell that sour odor and get drenched with it ourselves each day.  He also drools a lot, mainly on Jonny's arm.
• Isaiah is such a great sleeper, which I firmly believe is due to the fact that Heavenly Father knew I'd lose it if I didn't get enough sleep.  I am very grateful for the divine help :) Most nights he gives me at least an 8 hour stretch.  There are occasional nights when he'll wake up and want to eat, but he always goes right back to sleep. He is also a pretty good napper most days.
• A couple weeks ago we decided that Isaiah's hair was out of control.  There was so little on top, so much in back and pretty much none on the sides...so we buzzed it.  We were happy to find that he got even cuter with his new do.

We are having a fun summer here in Spokane.  June was beyond busy and we were basically in survivor mode for about 5 weeks.  Jonny finished up his class and I started a job working for Family School of Music, which has been a huge blessing for us.  I work 2 shifts each week, which gives me a chance to get out of the apartment and Jonny a chance to spend more time with the kids.  July is a nice change of pace and we are loving having a little more time to relax and just enjoy being a family.  Jonny has applied to transfer to a few schools, so we are waiting in limbo as we wonder where we will be spending the next 2 years.  We have recovered from a horrible morning about 2 weeks ago when we discovered that someone had shattered our van window and taken my purse.  This has definitely been a learning experience for us...and yes, I did wish we could just move back to our sweet Sugar City.  Maybe someday :)