Wolfpack

Cam had his first t-ball game and did great!! Go Wolfpack! 

7 months

Avery is mostly wearing 6-9 month clothes. 

 

He is wearing a size 3 diaper. 

Avery still has two teeth! Lots of drooling going on, though. 

He's not a great sleeper at night and he is still pretty inconsistent. Lately he wakes around 11 and then be sleeps till between 7-7:30. But sometimes he wakes up more often.  

 

Avery stays awake about 2-2.5 hours before his next nap. 

 

Avery naps 2-3 times per day depending on what the day brings. His first nap has been in the car and is usually 45 minutes. His next nap is generally longer in his bed (around 2 hours). If the timing is right, he goes down for one late afternoon nap which is pretty short.  

Avery still sleeps mostly on his belly. 

He nurses every 3.5 hours during the day.

 

Avery has tried carrots, sweet potatoes and apples. He doesn't open his mouth much and I need to work on being more consistent with offering him food. 

Avery is still taking a bottle once a week when I work.

Avery is still not making any mama, baba, gaga type noises. I'm starting to get a little worried so I am keeping my ears open!! 

He is doing better with the Kids Club and will even fall asleep some mornings in his stroller while he's there! 

Avery hasn't been jumping as much and doesn't like to be in his jumper for too long. 

Avery is crawling! He started about a week before he turned 7 months old! It's crazy to see how fast he is after just two weeks. He crawls all over the house. 

He can go from crawling to sitting and sitting to crawling way too easily. 

He likes to sit up on his knees to play with toys, to watch his brothers and to look out the window. 

His sitting balance is much better and he rarely falls over. 

Avery likes to swing outside. 

He likes to listen to songs and like when you move his hands to clap, pat or do the motions in the song.

Happy 7 months toy my happy, sweet and cuddly boy!

Pre-k graduation

I woke up this morning with a big knot in my stomach. Cam will graduate from Pre-k in two days. I am excited, nervous and sad. 

Looking back on this year has made me very emotional. I think about last summer and how badly to control which teachers Cam was going to have for pre-k. But something inside me was telling me that I needed to trust that the school knew Cam well enough to put him where he belonged. It took a lot for me not to send an email, a text or request a meeting during the summer before pre-k. I received a call from the director right before school asking if it would be okay with me to put him in a class with new teachers...completely new to the school. I was really hesitant but was reassured with all the wonderful things the director had to say about these teachers. They were going to be fabulous, and based on how she described them, it was worth it to me to give it a try. 

I felt like I had betrayed the teachers that I was hopeful Cam would have (Kaden's teachers). As I have said a million times, those teachers could not have made more of a difference in Kaden's life. They had become family to our family- but Cam is not Kaden- and I wanted to trust that the school understood that. 

Now Cam is a few days away from pre-k graduation.  While this seems like a silly milestone, it makes me very emotional.  Cam has grown up at the JCC.  He was born while Kaden was in the 2s class and started a Mommy and Me class there when he was around 16 months old.  He started going to school there at 19 months in the Toddler class.  He was "Kaden's brother" there for awhile but has been the only one of our kids to go there the past two years.  He has learned so much throughout the time he has been there- far more than academic skills.  Cam has learned great social skills, along with how to be kind to others. He has learned about Jewish studies, prayers, holidays and traditions. He has learned what it takes to be a good friend and how to respect and listen to his teachers. He has loved learning this year. He took pride in every project he brought home. 

I owe so much to this fabulous school. 

To our school family- I can't thank you enough.  Thank you for keeping Cam safe, for preparing him for kindergarten, and for loving him so very much. But most importantly, thank you for instilling in him a love for learning. 

Cam turns 5

As usual, I'm behind on updating, but my Cam-bone turned 5 on April 14th!

Five? Cam? I still can't believe it. 
Cam weighs 41 pounds 10 ounces (50th percentile) and is 3'7 3/4" tall (70th percentile). 

Wow, this kid is so different than he used to be and sometimes he really surprises me.  He is still sensitive, but now he is sweet, kind-hearted, funny, and smart.

Cam is my biggest love bug and he does things like pick me weeds flowers from the yard, draws me pictures of flowers and gives the best hugs and kisses. 

He is a natural big brother and never walks by Avery without saying hi or giving him a kiss. If Avery cries, he will sit with him, talk to him and play with him.  Avery adores Cam.

He is also a natural little brother in every sense of the word.  He picks, picks, picks on Kaden. It's funny to see their interaction with one another because Cam is always sitting on him, putting his tush in Kaden's face, licking him, sticking his tongue at him, etc.  Typical little brother stuff.

Cam is smart but in a different way than I am used to.  He is paying attention when it doesn't seem like it. He remembers things you tell him for a long time.  He envisions how to build things.  He likes to construct.  He can do a puzzle in no time.  And although you wouldn't guess it, he likes to learn new things. 

Cam can act pretty dependent but he truly is an independent little guy.  For example, yesterday he got in my mom's car and buckled himself into his car seat.  My mom said she didn't know he could do that because he always asks for help, but he has been able to buckle himself into the car seat in my car for seven months! Same with getting dressed, taking a bath, getting himself a snack... He can do all of it but would much rather ask you to do it for him. 

He has gained a lot of confidence this year in pre-k and I believe this confidence will carry him through kindergarten.  He started playing t-ball this season and I was shocked to see him run out to practice without me having to pry him off of my legs.  He walks into his classroom and starts playing with his friends while I'm still in the room.  He is leading play activities with his friends and according to his teachers, all of the other boys in the class love ninja turtles now because Cam always leads that activity when they are outside. One thing that really surprised me was a story that his teachers told us at conferences.  The girls were complaining that the boys only wanted to play ninja turtles.  The boys were complaining that the girls only wanted to play princesses.  The class sat down together to talk about it.  Cam was the only one who said that he loves ninja turtles but he can play princesses with the girls too.  I love that he can make friends with boys or girls and that he has the confidence to speak his mind even in front of his friends.

Cam wants to be a "'struction worker" when he grows up. But I think he would make a great architect or engineer! 

Happy birthday to our 5 year old love! 

6 months

Weight: 18 pounds, 2.5 ounces - 60th percentile 

Length: 27 3/4 inches - 75th percentile 

Avery can squeeze into some 3-6 month clothes but 6-9 month for best.

 

He is wearing a size 3 diaper. 

Avery had two teeth! Both bottom teeth cut through within a week of each other. 

Nights still aren't going great. They're rather inconsistent. Some nights he sleeps through, and some nights he wakes 1-2 times. Yawn. 

 

Avery wakes up on his own around 7:30 a.m.

 

Avery stays awake about two hours before his next nap. 

 

Avery typically takes two naps that are around 1.5-2 hours long! Then he takes a shorter 45 min nap later in the afternoon. 

Avery still sleeps mostly on his belly. 

He nurses every 3.5 hours during the day.

 

Avery tried sweet potatoes this week. He didn't mind them but he didn't like them. We need to be more consistent about starting solids but it's hard to find the time. 

Avery is still taking a bottle once a week when I work.

Avery is starting to talk a little more. He has such a sweet, raspy voice.  However, he's not making any mama, baba, gaga type noises. The doctor isn't concerned but I works sure like him to start this soon!! 

He laughs a lot and he's so ticklish. Even in the palms of his hands!! 

Avery doesn't fall asleep as easily in the car this month but he does usually fall asleep by the time we head home. 

He started going to the Kids Klub twice a week when I work out. He isn't the happiest because it's usually nap time, but as long as one of the caregivers is in sight he is usually okay. 

Avery still loves to jump but he doesn't tolerate his jumper as long. I think he wants to be moving! 

Avery can roll easily both directions. 

He can tuck his knees under him and rock back and forth. Lord, help me. 

He is pretty mobile! He can turn directions while on his belly, and roll to his side and scootch forward. 

He is practicing sitting up- but doesn't seem to care too much for this. He pushes himself backwards most of the time. 

He loves to look around and take it all in. There is always a lot going on, if you can imagine!! 

Happy half birthday, sweetest boy!! 

Avery's Nursery

I'm so excited that Avery's room is FINISHED!!  It took awhile to get all of the details completed, but I'm so proud of how it turned out.  This room was pretty much done completely by Nic and me, which I believe is one reason why I'm so proud of it!  

Bookshelf above his dresser.  Nic built the shelf with extra reclaimed wood from the wall and we used steel plumbing pipes as the brackets.

I hand painted this clock in the colors of the room!

We found this piece on a garage sale site.  Nic repaired it and painted it.  My mom and I added the screens and the knobs.

This wall!!  Isn't it so beautiful?  I know it was a lot of work but it was SO worth the time. Click here to read about how we made it! 

This table used to be in Kaden's nursery.  Nic painted it ivory and I painted the top gray and painted the drawers the trellis design and added the knobs.

The drapes are ivory and the bottom 18 inches are gray linen.

The bedding... isn't it fabulous?

I'm in love with each and every detail!