Six Years and One Month Old

Little man has now become the big brother, and he is so loving!  Each day when he comes home from school the first thing he does is find his brother and kiss on his head.  I make him go wash his hands and change his shirt before he gives too much loving.  He doesn't really like this part; he'd rather go straight to loving on his brother.

Rocco really likes playing video games on the Wii.  He plays Super Mario Brothers, Mario baseball, and Mario kart.  Recently he's started acting like Donkey Kong by beating on his chest and copying the Hoo-Hoo-Hoo sound of him.  His newest toy is a Nintendo DS.  We've been playing Mario Brothers on it, too.

He says some funny things sometimes that just crack me up.  Right after Maverick was born he said with much surprise, "He doesn't have any teeth!"  He honestly had no idea that babies were born without them.  "We won't have to brush his teeth because he doesn't have any!" was his conclusion.

And speaking of Maverick, the other day he had some gas.  He let out the loudest poot...just let it rip.  Rocco looked at him on the couch and then said to me, "Mommy, the problem is just that he doesn't have any manners!"

The other day I got a text that I needed to respond to, but at the time I was playing Mario with Rocco.  We were trying to beat the dragon and save the princess.  As I began to type words on my phone, he said with frustration, "Mom, this is not the time to be texting!"

Another funny comment he said while on our trip to the mountains made me crack up.  We were just driving around the outlet mall.  Jason and I kept pointing out the stores that we wanted to go in.  Rocco had been listening in the back seat.  Then, he piped in and said something that made him sound like a grumpy, old man.  "Well, if y'all are going to all those places I'm just going to stay in the car."

As we're going down the road or even when we're just in the house I'll often change my voice to talk like a pretend character we've made up.  His name is Johnny.  He stutters and can't tell time.  I've used him to make Rocco laugh as I've taught him about hours and minutes on a clock.  Johnny thinks it is 13 o'clock or five sixty.  "No, Johnny,"  I say.  There's no such thing. Rocco laughs and laughs when Johnny comes around.

This is Rocco's third year playing tee ball.  He's had a couple of practices; Jason is his head coach.  Games start in May.  He really likes playing.  When Carolyn watches Maverick, Jason or I will go outside to practice pitching and throwing with him.  Compared to last year he has more strength when hitting the ball, can hit is when pitched vs. just batting off the tee, and he runs faster.  He just keeps on growing up!

One Month Old

Maverick is now one month old.  Once we got home from the hospital we began to try to get to a new normal.  I admit it was fun being a stay at home mommy (even though most of this month I had to take it easy as I recovered from my C-section).  Carolyn stayed at our house a lot during the week days to help while Jason was at work.  I looked forward to 3:30 pm each day because that's when she would bring Rocco home. Then, both of my boys were with me.  

I'm going to try to take Maverick's monthly pictures in the blue chair with him wearing a white onesie just like I have done with Rocco's growth.  Here is the latest on baby Maverick.

When we returned to the doctor for a 4 week old check up, he was 11 lbs. 8.2 oz and 24 inches.  He had grown 3 inches since his birth.  On the growth scale, he was above the 95th percentile for his height.  His head circumference measured 39 cm, putting him somewhere in the 50 to 75th percentile for his head size.  

If he isn't in one of our arms getting spoiled, he's laying on his boppy pillow, in his swing, or on his play gym having tummy time.  He is such a strong baby; he holds his head up while on his stomach and turns it a little.  Of course this is just for a few seconds; still we're impressed with his strength.  

I love the fact that Maverick has the same bed and nursery bedding as Rocco did.  Here are our two boys spending some time together in the crib.  Rocco still sleeps with us, and Maverick sleeps in his pack and play.  We just use the crib when I'm cleaning or working in the nursery.  

At just a month old, Maverick's arms flail around a lot.  He doesn't really have much control over his movements yet.  When Rocco gets close to him, Maverick with hit him unknowingly with his hands.  Rocco acts like he's getting karate chopped.  For this reason we call Maverick the "littlest Samurai."

Other than the doctor's office we haven't taken him out of the house much.  For spring break, however, we took a trip to Pigeon Forge in Tennessee.  This was his first vacation.  He did great on the long drive there (about 3 hours).  He slept the entire way.  What a little champ!  On our four day trip, Jason and I took turns doing things with Rocco while the other one held the baby or just stayed back in the condo.  Here we are at putt putt golf.  He did good in the stroller until about hole 15.  

 Once we got to the 16th hole we had to golf like this...taking turns holding him.

Other events this month...
1)  His umbilical cord stump fell off 3 weeks after his birth.
2)  We can tell he is gaining a sense of trust in us because he quiets down when he hears our voice trying to sooth him. Sometimes we'll put him in the swing for a while and he'll began to cry; as we go to pick him up he stops crying as much.
3)  When we place our fingers in his hand, he grips it very tightly.
4)  He does NOT like getting a bath.  Once we got home from the hospital, Jason gave him his first wash down.  He screamed.  I've given him all of his baths since then, and he continues to scream like a girl.  He gets so mad when he gets wet that his face turns red.  To be such a little baby he sure can pitch a fit.  

He's not even submersed in the water and he's partially covered with a towel.  It doesn't matter, though.  Getting wet and cold makes him mad as rips!
5)  His vision is not well developed just yet since he is a newborn, but the other day he focused on a little red monkey toy that vibrates.  The sound of it scared him at first and he cried, but later he just looked at it and studied it.
6) Maverick and mommy are getting the nursing thing down pat.  It's been a learning process for both of us. He usually feeds every 2 to 3 hours and takes two to three ounces. I am so thankful that God has given me the ability to nurse him.  At one point in the hospital I wondered if I would be able to because of all of my health complications.  I am so thankful that Maverick is pretty much off all formula at this point.

Super Reader

Rocco reached a really big goal today.  He earned his tags for reading library books and passing tests on them.  Each book is about half of a point at his level because they are beginner books.  He can only take one test a week.  We've been reading for months, and today he finally reached 10 points.  

Out of the 40 or so kindergartners at his school, I would say less than 10 reach this goal all year long.  Well, Rocco met this goal and he's still reading.  His picture was taken and placed on the big bulletin board in front of the school. 

Big man was so proud when nana brought him home today.  He had me close my eyes and told me that he had a surprise.  When I opened my eyes he showed me the tags.  Way to go Rocco!  We are so blessed to have a Super Reader in the house!!

Baseball Season Begins

This is the third year Rocco has played tee ball.  He's stepping up a bit this year and playing coach pitch.  If the players don't make contact with the ball after several tries with the coach pitching it, they get to hit it off of the tee.  Rocco was ready to begin the season.

In our small town, the local businesses sponsor the teams.  The first year Rocco played on the Car Wash team; the second year he was with Triangle Storage.  This year the gas station sponsored the team he is on, so we are called Marathon.  Here's a few of his teammates in the dug out during the first practice.  The kids are 4 - 6 years old.  

 The neat thing is that Jason is Rocco's head coach.  It should be an interesting season; Jason's very competitive!  I predict we'll have a winning season.

Newborn Photos

We had a couple of photographers come out and take pictures at our home of our family.  Maverick was just two weeks old.  Actually my brother-in-law's brother, Chad, and his business partner took these.  All of these were taken in the nursery.  You would have thought we went to a studio.  They did a great job!

Psalm 139: 14 in the background (I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvelous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well.)

Two Wonderful Grandmothers

When the doctor said I could go home from the hospital, I honestly wasn't sure if I was ready or not.  Obviously I wanted to be at home in my own bed, but I didn't have much strength.  I had not even walked the halls of the hospital my entire 6 day stay due to all of the complications I had.  Ready or not though I went home that Saturday, March 31st. On Sunday Jason didn't go to church to preach.  Thankfully he stayed home with me that morning.  The rest of the week he returned to work.  If it had not been for my mother-in-law, Carolyn, I don't know what we would have done.  She stayed with the baby and me during the day.  

  

She cleaned, did laundry, washed dishes, helped take care of Maverick, and picked up Rocco from school each day. For two weeks our church provided supper for us, which was such a blessing. All of this kindness from friends and family really allowed me to just rest and recover.  Once I had been home a week, we received a special visit from my mom.  She lives out of town and has a lot of responsibility on her.  She's currently taking care of her parents, my grandparents, and is not able to get away very much.  Having her at our house for a couple of days was a real treat!

 Mimi sure looks proud in these pictures.  She enjoyed every moment getting to love on her two boys.

 My mom helped us out by driving Maverick and me to my first doctor's visit since the delivery.  Jason met us there.  Praise the Lord I got a great report from the doctor.  My blood pressure was excellent, and my hemoglobin was back up.  It's just a miracle from Jesus how my body has recovered since my hospital stay. Everything looked great.  Here's my doctor.  I just love this man.  He delivered Maverick, and he dropped everything and ran to my side to help me during the trauma after the delivery.  Dr. D. is a Christian man, and I'm blessed to have him as my doctor.

Easter 2012

Happy Easter!  Jesus Christ is risen!  We have hope beyond this life.  We can have eternal life through God's precious Son.  I love Easter and what it means to me as a born again Christian.  

Since little man is still not supposed to be in large crowds just yet, we did not make it to church today.  We did manage to get dressed up in our best for a few pictures.  This was Maverick's first Easter.  Here are my two boys in front of our azaleas in the flower bed.  Notice how Rocco's hand is on his little brother's head.  He rubs his head a lot like that and kisses on it, too.  I think that is so sweet!

 I don't think he was crying here...maybe yawning.  I didn't get many pictures of him in this outfit because he got it dirty with a diaper mess up.  I believe this was the first time I ever put shoes on him.  Check out Rocco  chewing on his gum.  This is so him.

 Carolyn took this picture of us.  Jason was still at church.  Thank you Jesus for my two boys.  They are both such miracles.

 For lunch we went to Gary and Carolyn's house.  We tried to get a picture of all 4 grandkids.  I love this one because everyone is just kind of doing their own thing.  It shows just how hard it is to get 4 kids to all sit up and smile at the camera at the same time.  Rocco is smiling here but has thumbs down.  That's his sense of humor.  Hey, at least Drew was ready.