Halloween

In late September we got together with some friends and did a family photo swap. I am really happy with how our family photos turned out. It is incredible how much Lincoln has changed in 3 1/2 short months. He is holding his head up high and can push up onto his forearms (something I thought he'd take much longer to do). He sits well assisted and is babbling up a storm! He is the light of our lives.

We finally seem to be settling in as a family of three. It was a huge adjustment for us at first, especially when I went back to work. But, we seem to have the hang of it now and life is pretty good.

I read a research article that stated that families with clearly defined roles (aka stay-at-home mom and bread-winner dad) actually have less conflict. Normally I would have balked at the insinuation that this 1950's model of a family breeds less conflict, but after having a baby I can totally understand this.  Everyone's roles in this instance are clearly defined. The mother and father both know what is and is not expected of them. When you both work and both take 50% of the child-rearing responsibility there is going to be times when one parent feels the other is not pulling their weight. Trying to keep everything so balanced is incredibly hard! Not that I would change our way of living for anything...I feel a great desire to work and use my degree to its potential and I want a partner that takes 50% of the child-caring responsibility. But, I do have to nod my head to those who choose a more traditional lifestyle that in some ways it may lend itself to less conflict and more structure and predictability at home.

This Halloween was fun, as it was Lincoln's first but in some ways it was a bit of a bummer too. I was really looking forward to Zoo Boo with our friends and their children but it just didn't work out. We arrived and Lincoln was not in a good mood. Add to that the 40 degree temps and wind and he was just not having it. I was really disappointed but I learned that you can't make a small child cooperate if they are uncomfortable. So, we headed home. I regret not getting at least one photo of him with his little buddies...but it just wasn't in the cards.

However, we did have a ton of fun dressing Linc in various Halloween inspired outfits! Here he is in his skeleton sleeper with his Zombie-killing father :)  They are so cute together...my boys.

Fred wanted transformers on the pumpkin this year and since last year I choose the pattern we went for it. I know next year Lincoln might have his own ideas about what to put on the pumpkin. But one good thing about them being this little is its hard for them to protest about...oh being put inside the pumpkin :)

Halloween itself fell on a weekday this year (I hate that) so we tried to stick to our tradition of visiting Richie and Gentry and the Newmans. Below is Gentry (Gumball Machine) with her friend the cute little pirate wench. 

Richie (Roadkill) absolutely adores Lincoln.

Then we visited the Newmans and Linc got to chill with the littlest Newman, Cain- who also happened to be a pirate. Aren't they soooo adorable together!?!

And of course Miss Emma wanted to hold the baby. I think she adores him too!

And here he is, my little pirate. The cutest damn pirate I ever saw!!!

Lincoln Four Months

My, my how the time flies. Our little, scrawny preemie-sized boy is now a healthy, thriving, smiley four month old. At his four month check up Lincoln was almost 25 inches and a solid 14 pounds which lands him almost exactly in the 50th percentile for height and weight. He's come a long way in four months and we are so thrilled!

So, what is our little man up to? Well he's holding his head solidly on his own (as you can see) except for when he's tired and decides to go for a head butt!!! He is also starting to use his ab muscles a lot and pull himself into a seated position...and then he tumbles sideways (usually while giggling). I have no doubt in a month or two he'll be sitting all on his own. He is starting to grab things (and usually puts whatever he grabs right into his mouth) and he seems to know his name already.

Lincoln is quite the little ham. He is famous for jutting out his lower lip...just to see/hear you go "awwww" and then he cracks a big grin as if to say "gotcha!" He studies people very intently and watches everyones lips as they talk and facial expressions for social ques. His doctor says the way he studies everything is similar to what most 9 month olds do...so he says this is a sign of intelligence. We knew he was smart from the day he was born. And I'm not just saying this because I'm his mom (or maybe I am) but from the second he was born he was so aware and alert and looked curiously at everything. I've seen a lot of newborns and half the time their all swimmy eyes and not really "there." My mom said I was the same way when I was born and the nurses all commented on how alert I was. That's MY boy!!

But its not all roses and puppies. Lincoln still suffers from reflux and is still on meds. Its possible he'll need them for the entire first year or longer. He spits up a lot due to the reflux and fights tooth and nail about taking naps. Generally he cries, screams or fusses for up to a whole hour before finally giving in (or passing out) to take a nap. He usually sleeps 7-8 hours straight at night now (which is good) but some nights its super hard to get him down at all. Its as if he realizes when he's asleep he misses what's going on. He has a temper on him and when he's had it with something he screams a super-sonic scream that makes me want to put his ass in the crib and leave him there lol!. Although I never actually do that. But, I do have to say that most of the time he is pretty pleasant and easy-going.

He ran his first fever last week, which broke my heart, and was up crying every 2 hours. That was brutal. I tell ya, when you get used to them sleeping through the night and all of a sudden they don't- its like a slap in the face back to the newborn days! But, luckily it only lasted one night. He is suffering from an ear infection right now in his right ear and is on his first round of antibiotics- poor guy!!! We will be starting to try to spoon-feed him soon and in a few weeks he'll be on to eating his first solids- squash, sweet potatoes and carrots!!! I bet he is going to LOVE that!