The Celebration of One

Wells would like to thank everyone for his birthday wishes. He had a fun few days celebrating his big birthday!

On Thursday, just my little dudes and I had some cake and sang to him. It was also Bummy's last night with us before he left for his new adventure in Nashville. We miss you already Bummy!

Wells also spent the day doing his favorite things: eating, playing in dirt and testing out his new stroller (because by the 3rd child, we go practical for birthdays).

Then on Sunday afternoon I had a little get together for our closest friends and family. 

 In the most anticlimactic smash cake ever, Wells touched it with a finger and then threw it on the ground and ate watermelon instead.  

 Bennett on the other hand...

 Cullen broke my heart a little when I laid out their clothes for the party and he said "Mommy, I don't want to match anymore." Dagger- he is really growing up on me! (Also, he still matched because he loves me ha)

 It was so bittersweet celebrating without Kev, but I was thankful to have everyone there who loves on my boys and helps take care of us while he is gone. A HUGE thanks to my inlaws for coming early and helping me get ready (and manning the grill which hadn't been touched since Kev deployed- thanks Scott!) and to all the important people in our lives who took time out of their Sunday to sing to my sweet boy.

Now, on to toddlerhood!

Wells is ONE

Today, our Wells is ONE. Can you believe it? 

This year has flown by and I swear it was just yesterday that he was born and we shared the special inspiration behind his name.

 *****

Wells, my baby, you complete this family. 

Even though the most popular question asked when I was pregnant was if we were 'hoping for a girl', you were the very answer to my prayers. Being a Momma to three boys is the most amazing blessing I could have ever hoped for. 

 You ADORE your older brothers and seemed to have aged so much faster in order to be just like them.

 Although, you still have many baby moments, for example, you aren't interesting in giving up your morning or evening bottle. In fact, you still don't even hold it yourself, you just cuddle right into me in your rocking chair and play with a strand of my hair or just stare at me while I hold it. I cherish these times and I am not sad that you chose not to be independent about it. 

 You are curious and mischievous and get into everything - just as any healthy little boy should. 

 You are such a happy boy. We have been joking since you were born that could be a Rent-A-Baby for any couple who thinks they want a kid, but aren't sure. You have the kind of joy that could convince someone in a heartbeat that babies are awesome.

 I want you to walk because crawling is dirty, but so far, you just aren't interested. 

 Your favorite things include: 

food, ice chips, your big brothers, eating dirt, babbling, knocking down whatever your brothers are playing with, naps, waving, cleaning out purses and laundry baskets, your bottle, smiling at strangers, following Mommy through the house, screaming when you have to get in your car seat, food, bath time, climbing stairs, attempting to go face-first down stairs, stacking blocks, finding electrical outlets, dog food, your Daddy on facetime, Uncle Bummy, your Great-Grandma, and food. (You really love to eat.)

 Your brothers love you just as much as we do and argue over who gets to make you laugh. They also both love climbing into your crib and playing with you when you wake up. It is one of my favorite things to listen to and I pray that you 3 will always be friends.

 Wellsie-bear: We adore you so much. You make everyone's life so much sweeter. Being you, Cullen and Bennett's mom gives me the greatest sense of purpose in the world and has made me love your Daddy even more than I ever knew I could. 

Thank you my darling boy for bringing so much joy to this family and for gifting us with the first year of your life. 

We love you so much.

Happy Birthday Wells!

Let's Talk Wells

On April 14th, Wells turned 8 months old. For all 3 of my boys, this has been an absolute favorite age for me. They are engaging, can feed themselves, sleep well, play with toys and can't get into too much trouble yet. 

I mentioned once before that Wells is the type of baby that could make people want a baby and this is definitely still the case. He inherited his Daddy's smile and seems to bring the expression to his face with his whole being.

 It is a contagious kind of joy that he has in his heart and I pray that he never loses it.

 He finally sprouted two teeth in the last few days, but that didn't stop him from eating real food previous to getting them. He gave up the purees over a long time ago and aside from a squeeze pouch on the go, simply eats whatever we are eating. He has yet to meet a food he doesn't like and will even sort through his tray to find the ones he prefers. I can't even list all the foods he's tried because chance are, if we've had it then so has he. He also drinks a bunch (3rd child..I don't have specifics) of formula a day.

 Like his biggest brother, he has zero interest in crawling or rolling. He can't go from back to belly at all and if we put him on his belly to try and crawl, he will flip right over and just lay there.

If he is sitting and can't reach a toy, he will just fall over and play with his toes. This lack of effort in the moving department doesn't concern me at all. I am perfectly happy letting him sit still for as long as he wants (Please buddy, at least through when we go to the beach at the end of next week. I would looove it if you just sit on a blanket the whole time. Thanks in advance.).

 If he is over tired, he will have just a little bit of stranger danger and when he feels that way, Momma is the only one he wants.

 He take two naps in the morning, usually one in the car while we are on the go and one short one before the boys leave for school. Then in the afternoon he is out from 1-3 just like Bennett. He goes to bed around 6:30 and sometimes wakes up for a little snack around 5 and then goes back down until 6:30.

His two brothers are his favorite people in the world.

He wears 12-18 month clothes and easily weighs 25lbs. My sweet giant baby.

 His hair is also still out of control.

We love you so much darling boy. 

Keep growing big, healthy and strong, and don't let anyone ever take your happiness away!

Sleep, baby. Please Sleep.

Over and over and over again last night I whispered, cried, uttered through gritted teeth, that prayer:

Sleep baby. Please sleep.

You see, Wells is an awesome baby. He is always happy, he is on a great schedule, he goes down for naps and bed with ease BUT if he wakes up during the night, he has the worst time getting back down for a long stretch. Which means, if he wakes for the first time around 2, he's not going back to bed for more than 20 minutes until he goes down for his morning nap at {checking watch} 7:36am. It is so incredibly frustrating. He is almost seven months old and really, should be sleeping 10 or 12 hour stretches, but instead he is up- sometimes laughing, sometimes screaming, sometimes insisting that he is starving as he finishes the 2oz of formula I bring up with me at night and freaks out because it wasn't enough. 

On a normal night, I take all the night shifts: from paci putting back in, to 4 year old nightmares, to 2 year old wet beds, and then anything that happens from 530am on is Kev's watch. That hour and a half that I go to sleep is the best sleep I get all night because I know I don't have to be listening for anyone. (And so you know, of course Kev offers to help during the night, but I would much rather him take the early morning shift because I am going to hear the kids and be awake anyways and there is no point in two of us being up.) 

The problem with last night is that Kev is out of town for work this week. And I knew that each minute that ticked away being awake was one more minute I would lose patience with the boys today. One more minute I would get severely annoyed with them for not putting their shoes on. One more minute I would not enjoy my day with them, but would rather be counting down til bedtime. And I don't like being like that. 

So, 4:32am, after being awake since 2:21, I sat with my head between my knees, unable to pick Wells up again and cried again, Sleep baby. Please sleep. 

I know one day he will be a teenager and I'll be sad that he is sleeping all day and will be begging him to wake up and hang out with me, but right now, that day feels far away. 

So this morning, I will focus on being grateful that I didn't give up coffee for Lent and pray for a lot of patience.

Ironically, these two coming into my bed at two separate times (of course in two moments when Wells was asleep) was not the worst part of my night. And obviously, Bennett sleeps in a jersey, because why wouldn't he?

Linking up with Kristin for some stuff and things

Wells vs The Dinner Roll

Because who doesn't love pictures of a chubby baby with fluffy hair trying to figure out how to eat a piece of bread? 

(Not, of course, to be confused with Bennett vs The Spoon)

Learning to eat is messy fun! 

In all honesty, watching my babies learn how to use their hands is one of my favorite developments. I love catching him looking at his fingers and trying to see just how they work, amazed they are attached to his body and can get things into his mouth. It is one of those skills that we can encourage but really, they figure it out all on their own- proof that that this little life truly is a miracle.

Keep working hard, Wells! 

When They Surprise Me

I know my children inside and out. Their little quirks and preferences and the details of their very unique personalities. But everyone once in a while, they completely surprise me. 

The last word I would use to describe Bennett is affectionate. He hates giving hugs and kisses, he refuses to tell people goodnight. He won't talk to anyone first thing in the morning. Kev is the only person who can get an "I love you" out of him. But that's okay. Aside from with Kev and the boys, I am not an overly affectionate person either, so I get it.

But because of this trait, when Bennett does do something incredibly sweet, it shocks me and warms my heart in a million ways. Such was the case yesterday. 

I asked him to walk to "Walls-ie" for a minute while I ran upstairs to get my shoes and when I came back, I found them like this

Bennett was singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and his Walls-ie was looking at him with such a happy admiration. 

There will probably come a day when Wells looks at him with the same happy admiration because Bennett can flip a dirt bike or because his fake ID totally works, so for now, I'll take this little surprise and hold on to it forever. 

Especially for when I tell Bubs that we love him and he responds "I sleeping Mommy".

 I know underneath it all he love us too.

Fit For A Prince (The Nursery of Wells)

Just a short six months into his life, and Well's nursery is finally done (enough to share). 

Like the boys' rooms, we were decorating on a budget here and also not painting walls since we will use this house as a rental in a few short years. 

I knew I wanted his room to be a little warmer and more masculine than I have done nurseries in the past, so I started with these curtains that my mom happened to have laying around. The changing table we bought at an antique store, as well the little pictures in the corner.

I re-read The Little Prince early last summer and thought it was the perfect inspiration for the other details.

 Also on his shelf is the L signed by all our Monterey friends (miss you, ladies), booties crocheted by our 102 year old neighbor back in Winston-Salem, a plate my best friend's mom made when I was pregnant with Cullen and Wells the Wiener Dog from my friend Laura.

We also love our monogrammed blanket from Kathleen (pillow from Homegoods), a star mobile painted by the boys when I was 39 weeks pregnant and a special quote from a special friend in Portland.

 Does anyone else see a little red popping in those hairs? (Rug from Target, crumbs from being un-vacuumed for a few days)

 The boys made the picture above Wells' crib too.

 And there you have it, a perfect little nursery for our darling boy.

PS Thank you so much for all your comments and emails from Monday's post. It was a special weekend and I am glad you all enjoyed reading about it (and loved hearing about all the date nights and trips that might be in your future as well!)

This Is the Day that the Lord Has Made

Let us rejoice and be glad!

 My sweet, happy, darling Wells was baptized on Saturday morning in the most incredible ceremony ever. Father Kevin gave us a wonderful reminder that baptism isn't so much about fear, but rather about appreciating, and fulfilling, the life we that we have been given. 

We were so blessed to have Wells baptized in the same church that I made all my sacraments in, got married in and had Cullen and Bennett baptized in (and you might also recognize the church from my sister in law's wedding last week). 

Here we are with our babies in 2009 and 2011

Kate, Kev's youngest sister, and my youngest brother, Tommy, were the Godparents.

 Wells had this look on his face the whole time. He was a perfect model.

 The baptismal font that my two younger brothers and all my boys have been blessed at.

 Can we talk about how amazing Kate is? She got married a week ago, went on a mini-moon to Savannah, dropped her husband back off at Ranger School on Friday and was still this happy to be Godmother on Saturday. Wells is a lucky man to have her for guidance.

(Let's also ignore my 4 chins here. I swear I don't have 4 chins.)

 Wells, being super excited about his anointing. 

 Godfather Uncle Tommy lighting the baptismal candle.

 W wrapped in the blanket knitted by a member of our church.

 Godfather Tommy (Wells Thomas) and Wells

God Bless You, My Sweet, Sweet Baby. 

May the Lord Bless You and Keep You and Save You From Harm.

(Thanks to Nana for that prayer)