Happy Father's Day!

Happy FIRST Father's Day to JT! We had a great weekend just all hanging out together.

JT can never deny Will since he looks just like him! From hair color to birthmark, they are two of a kind! Will changes everyday, but his dominant features are clearly from JT. I think he is going to have those beautiful blue eyes too.

Will loves his daddy! As soon as Will hears him talking in the morning he starts looking for him, eyes searching the room. And then when he sees JT, he gets the biggest smile on his face (and milk usually pours out of his mouth because I am usually giving him a bottle at this time). They love to play together, but the best time is the bedtime cuddling. (I did not pose this picture. They are sleeping in the same position).


Will loves you very much JT! You have been such an awesome dad the past 2 months, and it brings such joy to my heart when I watch you with him!

S-H-O-T-S

This was probably the first word that I ever learned how to spell. My pediatrician came in to the room one day and said he would be back with a S-H-O and I started screaming. He didn't have to finish, I knew what was coming. I have always had a crazy fear of needles, and so does JT, so I can't imagine that Will is going to be very tolerant of shots.

Today we went to Will's pediatrician for his 2-month well check-up and first round of immunizations. He is growing, growing, growing! He flirted with the nurse, talking to her the whole time. She kept commenting on how much he looks like a little man because he has such grown up features. His weight, height, and head circumference were all right on track. He has gained 4 pounds and grown 3 inches since birth. He got a great report on everything, then it was time for the dreaded shots.

The nurse came in with 3 injections and 1 liquid. He got the liquid first which made him pretty happy. Then I held his hands and got close to his face and told him not to look at what she was doing! It took a couple of seconds, then his face got a look of panic, chin started quivering, and the screaming and crying began. Poor baby! The tears were heartbreaking! He got 2 shots in one leg and one in the other. The nurse was so fast so that it was over in just a few seconds. I got him him ready to leave, and he was asleep before we even got in the car.

He was pretty fussy in the afternoon because he just couldn't seem to get comfortable, but in the evening he became his normal self again. So I guess I can say that it went pretty well. And with the way I always acted when I got shots, I guess I can't be too hard on Will if he freaks out every time he gets a shot.

Will - 2 months

I really can't believe it has been 2 months already. Each day gets better because his personality is starting to show a little. Mornings are my favorite time because he is so alert and happy. When I am feeding him his morning bottle and JT walks in the room and talks to him, Will just smiles and then tries to follow JT all around the room with his eyes. I think he knows our voices well enough now to pick us out.

Stats:
Height - 23 inches
Weight- 12 lbs 10 oz

I think he looks more and more like JT everyday. His eyes are getting bluer, so I am hoping that he has JT's beautiful blue eyes. He still has tons of hair! He actually is getting a little mullet in the back - we may need to get our first haircut soon!

His umbilical cord finally fell off at 4 and 1/2 weeks so he had his first real bath in the tub. This wasn't as easy as just the sponge baths he has been getting, but he loved it! Just like his daddy (and his dog), he loves water!

He is getting really good at holding his head up. Sometimes he looks like a bobblehead doll and it is so cute! We play "stand up" a lot. This is where we hold him up under his arms and sing to him. He smiles and moves his head. Sometimes he will move his arms like he is swimming.

Will loves his hands. LOVES them! They are always in motion. I always tried to swaddle him to put him to bed, but he wanted his hands out at all times. Sometime he sleeps with both arms extended above his head - I think Meghan used to call this the "roller-coaster" position. Now he is trying to shove his fist in his mouth. He doesn't really take a pacifier, and he hasn't gotten the idea about sucking his thumb, so he just tries as hard as he can to get the whole thing in his mouth. Not really successful at this yet, but the boy is determined! He doesn't really grab on to toys yet, but he will play with a burp cloth.

He has spent lots of time with grandparents! NeeNee, Gram, and Gramps love to babysit! JT and I are learning to take advantage of this. We have been able to go out to eat lunch and run errands when they are around. It was hard to admit at first, but there is no doubt that the presence of me and JT really doesn't matter - it is all about Will! MAO has also been through town a few times, so Will is becoming a regular at Cracker Barrell. We spent a weekend at the lake with Pops and Nonna. Grandparents are the best!

I made my first trip out of the house with him when he was 4 and 1/2 weeks old. We went to Publix and he slept the whole time. I've realized that he is a pretty good companion, as long as he is sleeping. Now we pretty much go somewhere each day just to get out of the house.

On May 31st I got what I've been waiting for...a real smile! I melted of course! And now he smiles all the time. I get excited every time I see that sweet smile. Now I'm waiting for a laugh. He is very camera shy though. He will be smiling and cooing, but as soon as I try to get a picture or video, he becomes stone faced.

Will has met several of my coworkers. He has been out to the car auctions where he is pretty much a celebrity. Will and I surprised NeeNee at her office when her coworkers had a surprise baby shower for her. She had such a fun time showing him off!

Max and Grant have been over to play. They are much more interactive than Will, but it is fun to lay him down and watch the 3 of them. Will stares at one of them for a while, then the other one will catch his attention.

Big step - Will slept in his crib for the first time on May 23rd. I decided to move him from the bassinet to the crib on a night JT was out of town because I expected some serious crying. He slept better in the crib than he ever slept in the bassinet -I should have put him there from the beginning. He has the ability to turn a complete 90 degree angle from when I lay him down to when he wakes up in the morning. JT has started calling him "compass" because he says Will reminds him of a needle in a compass spinning around when he is in his crib. I have noticed the last few days that he is starting to wake up and entertain himself opposed to immediately crying. I need to get him a mobile to look at, this may earn me some extra sleep time.

Maggie is doing great with him! She loves him and wants so badly to comfort him when he cries. She lays on the floor beside us when we are on the couch, and lays by him when he is in his chair. I often find her sleeping in his room at night. They are going to be best friends, especially once Will is old enough to throw the ball! She actually put her toy in his lap the other day while he was in his chair. She was sitting there so patiently, just waiting for him to throw it to her. Really cute, but I hope she knows that isn't going to happen for a while.


This month has been so much fun. The pediatrician had told us that the first month was all about survival and everything revolved around Will. Then after that, we could start introducing him to our world and schedule. This has been so great because life is returning to normal, we just have a little buddy joining us. It is amazing how much Will has changed in the past month. He has grown of course, but the personality is starting to show and it makes everyday more incredible.

We love you so much Will!

Liv EZ and Will's Way

You know you are loved when you have a boat named after you. And Will has exactly that! The Liv EZ will be going on a long adventure starting this fall, so Bill and Rita (Pops and Nonna) needed a new little boat to carry with them. They got it right before Will was born and named it Will's Way.

We made our first road trip this past weekend. Bill and Rita are on a boat trip and were at Green Turtle Bay in KY on Saturday night. We decided that it wasn't too far, so we went to see them. JT took Maggie to daycare that morning and I got us all packed and ready. It is amazing how much stuff you have to take to leave the house with our little man. Will slept for most of the car ride which made it quite pleasant for us.

When we got to the lake, we barely stopped the car before Rita (Nonna) grabbed Will and took him to show off to friends Maury and Karen. And the spoiling continues...

We had lunch at the marina restaurant and Will entertained everyone by talking and staring at ceiling fans (his favorite). Then we got to the boat and Will took a nap while me and JT played on kayaks and Pops rode around in Will's Way. Side note - I should have been kayaking throughout my pregnancy, then I would have some awesome arm muscles that I need to carry around Will and his car seat.

When Will woke up, I put him in his new bathing suit and hat. Adorable!!!! He wasn't loving the shirt that went with it because it was long sleeved to keep him protected from the sun. He wasn't having any part of that shirt, so I had to put his t-shirt back on him. We went up to the pool where it was shady, and Will fell asleep again. I think JT put Will's feet in the pool before we left, but I don't really think we can count this as real pool time.

Will slept great on the boat - a little rocking and water noise was all he needed. The next morning we put him in Will's Way with Pops and officially christened the little boat. Gram had sent us with a little bottle of champagne, just Will's size, and Pops poured it over the side.

With a little help from Pops, Will christens Will's Way.

It was a great first trip for us. Hopefully the first of many to come.

All Night Long

I have been walking around the house happily singing this song because I can officially say Will is sleeping through the night! Yippee!!!! I woke up Thursday morning at about 5:15 and realized he hadn't woken me up at 2:00 like he usually does. Of course I went to make sure he was still breathing, and he was sleeping so peacefully. He finally got up at 7:00. I figured that this was just a little break for me and that it wouldn't continue, but he slept all night again last night. Yay!

He is so funny in his crib. I put him down in the same spot, and every morning he has turned a complete 90 degrees. I have no idea how he does this. This morning when JT when to get him, he had turned a complete 180 - head was now where his feet began. JT says it reminds him of a needle in a compass. Hahaha! I wonder if he will be scooting along the floor on his back instead of crawling!



Happy 8 weeks old Will!

Spoiled Sweet

One of my mom's best friends sent Will a gift and the name of the boutique caught my eye...Spoiled Sweet. What a great phrase! I've always said that I don't care if Will is spoiled (I mean, there is no chance that he won't be) as long as he isn't spoiled rotten and bratty. Will is spoiled in so many ways already - yes, he already has entirely too many gifts, but more than anything he is spoiled with love. We are so blessed to have such great family and friends that care so much about our little man already.

So my wish for you Will, is that you have a future full of everything you've ever wanted. I hope that all of your wishes and dreams come true. Please just be appreciative of all of the love and support that surrounds you so that when someone tells me you are spoiled, I can reply "Yes, he is spoiled sweet!"

And seriously, who wouldn't want to spoil this kid...

Will - 1 Month Old

Happy 1 Month sweet Will!

1 month already? I really can't believe it! I plan on giving detailed reports of what has gone on each month on this blog. This way anyone that wants to keep up will be well-informed, but this is mostly for me since this is just a big baby book. (I don't scrapbook, so thank goodness for computers!)

Stats:
Height - 21 inches
Weight - I don't know because I don't have a scale. We don't go back to the pediatrician until he is 2 months old. My guess is at least 10 pounds.

Will loves to yawn! My mom says "no one enjoys a yawn more than Will", and I think she is right. He makes a big production out of it. My favorite is when he yawns and stretches at the same time. Legs extended straight out, arms extended straight up above head, and the biggest yawn you've ever seen. He always has a proud look on his face after this. Seriously, it must be tough being a baby!

He often rolls to his side to sleep. This drives me crazy! All you ever hear now is that babies need to sleep on their backs. Well, that is how we start out, but he gets on his side as soon as I leave the room. He is going to roll over before I know it!

He loves to sit in his vibrating seat. He stares at the birds and sometimes even coos at them. Sweet little voice! This is his most dangerous spot though, because he becomes level with Maggie and there is nothing she wants to do more than lick his face. She has gotten better at not touching him, but she likes to lay beside him. She is getting really protective already.

Will seems to love his room! His favorite place is the changing pad. He stares at the picture on the wall beside it, or he just looks at us and coos. We have learned that when Will is really upset, take him to the changing pad and he usually calms down. Maggie likes his room too. She comes in there whenever I am feeding him and lays down beside the chair. There have been several occasions that we have found her sleeping in his room beside the bassinet. She is a good big dog-sister!

He snorts when he cries - this is Momma Karen's favorite characteristic.

He loves to eat! Every 2-3 hours...this is exhausting! But I can't complain too much, because he will go 4-5 hours at night, so he is kind enough to let us get some decent sleep. He gets the hiccups all the time, but they don't seem to bother him too much.

He has strong legs. He will push off my belly so hard I think I have bruises. He can hold his head up when he is laying on his stomach.

He enjoys bath time. He doesn't love being cold, but he does love getting his hair washed! We are still giving sponge baths since his umbilical cord hasn't fallen off yet.

He can focus on an object that isn't too far from his face. Last night I held a toy in front of his face and moved it to the other side - he followed it by turning his head. Smart boy! He responds to sounds, and especially gets startled when Maggie barks.

We have been out in to the world a few times. At 2 and 1/2 weeks, Mom and I took him to Target. I needed to get out of the house before I went crazy! Will did awesome. We put him in the cart and loaded up all of our stuff around him. He slept the whole time. The day before he turned 1 month old, we went out to a restaurant - this was a HUGE accomplishment! He did great! Luckily it was a loud in there so no one noticed when started to get fussy. We now know that we can pretty much take him anywhere as long as I have a bottle with me. This is great because now JT and I can start returning to what was normal in our lives before Will came along.

He loves to ride in the car! Almost instantly falls asleep as soon as we start moving...he takes after me!

We get a little smile every once in a while, but it is not really in response to happiness yet. I'm sure it is just gas like all the books say. But I'm looking forward to getting that real smile soon!

Thank you Will for a wonderful first month! I've enjoyed every minute of it, even the crying. I can't wait to see more of your personality come out in the next few months!