Happy Birthday Lincoln

Dear Lincoln,
You're one year old! I can hardly believe it. This year has gone by so fast! As I look back at your pictures I took every week, it seems crazy that you have gone to 7 little pounds barely as long as Stella to a climbing, vivacious toddler. Toddler? Where did my baby go?

You have an opinion and you want to explore so much.  I love to watch your little mind figure things out. You love to open and close doors and cabinets. Take things out of drawers and put them back in (sometimes). Mostly you just take everything out! You will rarely sit still to read a book,  you would rather be off exploring and playing. You give the best hugs (you rest your head right on Daddy's shoulder) and you have the most infectious laugh. I love to tickle your chest and neck because you have a laugh that just makes me smile. It doesn't matter what kind of day I'm having, that makes it better.

I'm excited for this year and listen to your language develop. Right now, you use a lot of grunting, moaning and throwing to express your desires. You love to play with your blocks and knock them down when I stack them up. You are a bubbly happy guy at home, but sometimes when we take you to a friends house, it takes you a bit to warm up. You sit back and observe the situation for a bit. You are shy at first, but then you warm up and you are your usual self. 

We've gotten to have a little home vacation right around your birthday this year. You went to daycare on your birthday, but then we had two snow days and no work for mommy or daddy! Such a difference from last year when it was 65 degrees the day we brought you home from the hospital.

You have 6 teeth still and after your fussiness at Christmas, I thought those molars would have popped through, but not yet! I don't know how big you are because the snow storm closed everything down- including the doctor's office. We have to wait a few more weeks for your appointment.

You had your first (cup)cake on your birthday and you loved it! I hope you enjoy your cake this weekend at your birthday party. We are having a Rockstar party for you and I know you won't remember it, but it is also a party for your Daddy and me. We survived the first year! 

Raising a baby is hard work. You were worth every tear, but I won't lie, there were lots of tears. Tears of fear that we weren't doing a good job, tears of joy when you walked and smiled and laughed for the first time. There were tears when I was worried cause you were sick. I hate to admit it, but sometimes there were tears of anger cause you wouldn't sleep or because being a mom is a demanding job. It was a transition to go from just Mommy and Daddy to the caretakers, foodmaker, butt-wipers, comforters, worriers and all-around make-sure-you-are-safe-and-happy-people. It's hard work.

We love you to the moon and back, Bubba. I'm so excited to see what your second year has in store for us!

Love, Mama

Lincoln's favorite place to play

Every night after we get pjs on, Lincoln lives to crawl up in this chair and go a little crazy. He loves that it bounces and shakes, but it alwaysakes me a little nervous. Supervision is necessary!

11 Months

Dear Lincoln,
Your birthday is tomorrow so I better get to last month! You turned 11 months in the cold and snow of Minnesota just after Christmas. We spent 10 days visiting friends and family. I hope that we get to move back there some day. I miss them all so much, but you are lucky that you have so many friends here. It seems that there are babies everywhere!

You have gotten so smart this month! First, you took your first steps! You started with just one, but by the time Christmas was over you had taken 3 steps all by your self. I love the look on your face. You are so proud. As you should be. We are proud of you too. You cruise all along the furniture, too. You can get from one end of the kitchen to the other it seems. I used to be able to run in to the other room and you would be where I left you, but now it seems you are half way up the stairs or in the other room. Usually I can find you in the bathroom trying to get in to the bathtub. You love bath time so much you will play in the water until your lip is shaking cause the water isn't warm any more.

You have been a wonderful sleeper lately. I am grateful that we can give you a bath, a bottle and a kiss and you fall asleep. You wake up early, but that's ok since we have to go to school/work most days. Two naps are still required for you which is fine by me. It makes the middle part of the day a little crazy when we are home together, but we try to knock out our errands and get you home!

Eating has been so much fun for you lately. There are so many new things to try! Your favorite foods are definitely fruit- oranges, blueberries and pears. You also learned how to drink the food pouches all by yourself when we were at the airport flying home to MN. You just drank it like a big boy. You also like meatballs and veggie burgers. You've had a little cheese here and there, but we still haven't explored too much dairy.

It has been fun to watch you discover language too. You understand what we are saying more and more. When I say "shoe" you grab your feet!

You are still my little skinny mini. You wear 12 month onesies and shirts, but your pants are mostly 9-12 months. Some of the Christmas gifts you got will fit next winter I bet! We finally made the transition to size 3 diapers too although you still have a bunch of size 2 at day care that fit for the most part.

The biggest transition for mommy this month was ending nursing. You are so active and curious about the world that it was getting harder and harder to get you to sit still. We started giving you formula for a few bottles in December and then we were all finished by the end of the year. I miss our special time together, but you seemed ready and that is what is most important. Sometimes we call you our little hamster because Daddy or I will hold your bottle and you will just come by and have a sip when you feel like it.

We went to a restaurant this month with some friends and you were kind of a mess. You grabbed everything in site! We realized that as much as you go with the flow, you are sometimes, just too curious to take you to grown up places. It was just another sign that we have more and more of a toddler and less of our little baby! It makes me a little sad, but also excited to hear you talk and explore.

We got pretty lucky with you, Bubba. We love you so much.

Love,
Mama

PS. I'll add the pictures in soon!

Weekly Photo Outtakes

Sometimes I never get a good photo, but this week it only took me 8 tries!

10 Months!

Dear Lincoln,
Time is just flying by and your birthday is just around the corner! Taking your picture is getting harder and harder. Between you grabbing Stella and her looking for your food, it's almost impossible to get you in the same picture. Sometimes I just have to give up having you both look at the camera.

Celebrating Daddy's 30th birthday at 40 weeks.

You are such a smiley guy and I love hearing you say "Hi" to everyone. Sometimes you sit in your carseat and just say, "Hi hi HI hi Hi HI" over and over again in the sweetest little voice. I try to get you to say "Hi Ma Ma" but you've only gotten "Hi Da Da".

It's starting to get cold around here - 41 weeks

You're still in size 2 diapers which makes your friend Amelia laugh, since she is 5 months younger than you and in size 3! You seem to grow a little bit every day. We are putting away the 6 month clothes finally since they are too short. You fit in a lot of 9 month and 9-12 month clothes. We even got you really shoes. They make you look like such a big boy.

Your favorite foods are definitely fruit- blueberries, pineapple, applesauce and oranges. You also like bread and every once and awhile I can get you to eat eggs and meat. You've discovered what fun it is to throw food on the floor for Stella- even though it drives Momma crazy! Every once and awhile you will master the "all done" and "more" signs, but in the end, if you throw it on the floor- that means you're done.

42 Weeks

You've also realized now that you can throw things (as you can see in this picture) which is exciting. It definitely keeps Daddy and I on our tows. You can pull up, crawl and you discovered on our trip to Charleston, SC over Thanksgiving, that you can climb stairs. It seems like you learn something new every day. I love to watch you try something over and over after you see us do it. You even rub your fingers over our cell phones now. I'm sure it won't be long before you discover how to unlock it!



43 weeks- on vacation for Thanksgiving.

We got your passport this month so that you can travel with us to Costa Rica in February! I'm so excited to show you different parts of the world. I know you won't understand it now, but it's important to learn how people live in other parts of the world. Gramma and Papa are coming too and it is going to be such a fun trip!

Daddy and I joke that you are either sleeping, eating or MOVING! You never stop moving. It's wonderful to see you explore your world and sometimes, it's just exhausting. I know someday we'll be able to sit and watch a show together, but for now, you want to MOVE. I guess when you've only been able to move when you want for the last 3 or 4 months, I would want to see what I've been missing too. You are fun to play games with now too- you love peek a boo and even play with Momma while we are driving. You hold up a blanket over your face and then pull it down and you giggle and giggle. You have a laugh like your Daddy, it is infection and just a joy to hear.

We made it through November mostly healthy, but you got 4 new teeth. You have all 4 of your top middle teeth coming in.

You bring such joy to our lives little man. I find myself singing songs and making the craziest noises just to hear you laugh. You give the best hugs and just lay your little head on our shoulders. Whatever is going on, it's so easy to forget and just snuggle in with you.

Love,
Momma

Merry Christmas!

9 Months!

Dear Lincoln,
I'm a little behind on these, but as you get older, you are keeping us busy and our hands full! Remember when I could just bounce you in your bouncy seat with one foot and type with my hands? Not any more!

36 Weeks.

In October you mastered going from army crawling to crawling on your knees. After that, it was on. Everything from the seat of a chair and below was accessible by you. We had to start baby proofing quick! Starting with outlets (your favorite) and power cords (second favorite). You also love Stella's food and water bowl and when you get your hands on those- what a mess you can make! You do understand the word 'No' now and when we say it to you, you stop and look and sometimes do what we say. You also understand the word 'Sit' cause we have to say that to you in the bath tub all the time. You like to pull up on the edge of the tub and see what Stella is doing.

At 9 months old, you've finally mastered taking a nap! Hallelujah! Unfortunately, only at home. At day care, you still only take 2 40-45 min naps, but at home, oh joy, you take a 1.5-2.5 hour nape from 8-10ish in the morning and a 1.5-2 hr nap from 1-3ish pm. It is wonderful and you are usually so much happier when you wake up!

37 weeks!

You like to play with the remotes and our cell phones a lot- all the things we try to keep out of your hands! You like to push buttons and chew on things mostly though. You still love to see that baby boy in the mirror.

We took you to the doctor this month a few times. Once on Momma's birthday! You got your first real sickness, Croup, and you sounded like a little barking seal. My poor buddy. Momma had to stay home from work a few days and take care of you. When we took you to the doctor for your well baby appointment, you were just over 18 lbs which is in the 25% for weight, you were over 28" which is the 75% and your head was finally on the charts- 98%! Daddy and Momma never expected such a skinny baby. Momma was a big round baby!

38 Weeks!

We had airplane tickets to Chicago just a few days later and mommy was so nervous, but you healed pretty quick, thank goodness! In Chicago you went to your first wedding and wore your first tie too! You were adorable as always.

You continue to be a go with the flow baby which amazes me every day. You'll still sleep in your carrier when we are out and about or traveling. You'll take a warm bottle, a cold bottle and you still nurse (although your mobility is making that a challenge at times!)

You're learning to like new foods, but you seem to have a milk allergy like your cousin, Connor. The few times we've given you cheese or yogurt, the result is not pretty and you usually end up in the tub (which you love so that's ok with you) but your little tummy just can't handle dairy quite yet. You love puffs, applesauce, green beans and other yummy baby food that momma makes for you. You are getting the hang of feeding yourself, too!

Happy Halloween at 39 Weeks!

You love to observe the world around you and I always wonder what you are thinking. Seems like you are learning something new every day- like waving bye-bye. It's hard to believe that your first year is almost over. This age has been so much fun for your Daddy and I to watch. You learn so quickly, but that also seems to come with an opinion. It's amazing to see you watch us and learn from it.

Love,
Momma

October 2013

 Our little man was Clark Kent for Halloween thanks to a cute little onesie from his aunt and uncle! I dressed up like Sandy from Grease and Glenn was Sheldon Cooper from the Big Bang Theory. Maybe next year we'll get it together and have a family costume! We had fun handing out candy to the kids who came to the house (not so much to some parents who asked for candy too!)

 Lincoln wasn't too impressed with the pumpkins. It's one of my favorite traditions so I hope he enjoys it next year!

I love the fall and it seemed to go by too quickly as it always does! Hard to believe I'm typing this while listening to Christmas music. 2013 where did you go?!

Minnesota Buddies

Zoey, Henry and Hayes eating some lunch

I uploaded these pictures from August, but never posted them. Makes me excited for December and getting to see all of them again!

Lincoln got to meet Kellen for lunch. Too bad Erin was out of town. Hopefully we'll catch her next time around.

Lincoln got to meet Jack for the first time too! They are only 2 months apart and it was fun to listen to them babble to eachother.

My besties and our babies (minus Annabelle who was home with daddy).

Lincoln loves Gramma and Papa!

Adam and the kiddos came to Rochester for the weekend as well. Connor is becoming such a little man, not a little kid anymore!

Lincoln met his aunt and uncle for the first time during this trip as well. Lincoln even stayed at their house.

Lincoln was enjoying some man time (no he didn't actually smoke a cigar, just a photo prop).

Lincoln looks so little in these pictures! He is going to look so different when the family sees him next.