3 Happy Months - 3 'Lil Blessings!

Happy tears & sad tears all at once - Cole will be 3 months old in one week (the 29th)!  So happy because, hey - he's OURS and he's AMAZING!  *Sniffle Sniffle* because he is growing up so fast!  This week he has learned so many new things...

Cole's 2 Month Pictures

I can't stress enough how much we focus on each tiny thing that Cole accomplishes - I am sure you all can understand by now why we marvel at each grin, wave, look...  To us, he's a mini Einstein haha!

I would like to scream (from on top of a mountain) this particular achievement -- Cole Sleeps Through the Night! He has been for about 3 weeks now.  I decided about a month ago to crack down on our bedtime routine.  I started doing a lot of reading on bedtime schedules and such.... within one week our nights became MUCH better, with Cole sleeping all night long & Aidan and Ty going to bed much easier!  At 8 o'clock I simply dim the lights, we lower our voices (and the TV if it is on).  Now, with 3 boys I found I can't do the exact same thing each night - but as long as every light is either off or dim and it is QUIET - they catch the drift.  I give them their last feeding, change their diappies & clothes (lotion them up!), and then we do a quiet activity.  We either read stories or rock in the rocking chair. By 10 pm all 3 boys are in bed!  Cole sleeps from at least 10 pm til 6 am, if not longer!  He does nurse usually once through out the night, but since he's right next to me in bed anyway, it's still easy peasy!  I highly recommend following a bedtime routine =)

Other spectacular feats --

Cole's first Full-on, Can't stop, BELLY LAUGHING!  On Tuesday he had his first bout of unstoppable giggles.  Jason and I were so lucky to catch it on video tape.  Be prepared to smile and laugh along as you watch!!!  Watch for the cute hiccups at the end =)

11 Weeks Old

He's grasping toys!  Sure, prior to this, he has been able to hold onto things momentarily.  And he surely has been able to hold our fingers and such.  But now he can SEE a toy, he WANTS the toy, and he GRABS and HOLDS the toy!  Yay!!  It is so cute to watch him concentrate so hard on his hands - then make his little fists move towards whatever it is he wants.

Sucking his thumb and holding Ty's blankie.

He particularly likes to hold hands.  If his brothers are near, and he sees their hands, he reaches out to hold them.  It is BEYOND PRECIOUS.  And ok, to be fair, he also likes to grab their ears, their nose, their hair... Aidan and Ty put up with it for a few minutes, but eventually they put up a fight ha! Sometimes they literally fight back - Ty once cold-clocked Cole right in the eye -- and as evidence by the picture below, Aidan has happily knocked Cole in the face a time or two!  Boys!!

Be nice, Aidan!  :)

Cole and Ty are buddies when it comes to play time - they both love to lay on the play mats and hear the toys rattle and jingle!

My youngest monkeys, Ty and Cole.

Speaking of Ty - can I just say WHOA his hair is getting long! Love how it's dark and lays so perfectly.  Aidan's is the opposite... blonde and always wild - his hair goes every which way!  I love how it's so unruly!!

I think it's safe to say that Cole is a good baby - we are very blessed.  I got to thinking the other day...After years of dealing with seizures, apnea, developmental delays, reflux, feeding issues, keeping germs away.. How strange it was that my biggest concern with Cole was making sure he established a good sleeping schedule.  It's almost as if I have been holding in a deep breath, and I'm finally able to exhale (a little).

Seeing Cole achieve all these milestones also makes me take another (deeper) look at what Aidan and Ty can do. Surprisingly, I don't find myself seeing what they can't do. The other day I looked at Aidan and marveled at the fact that he can swallow his spit!  Is that crazy??  That I watched him swallow when he needed to.  That he swallows when his mouth is full of food.  That he inhales and exhales. I watched him take a deep breath in, and exhale out.  And I was amazed!  This tiny little guy, who is so limited in what he can do, can breathe.  And Tyler, too.  I watch them sleep and peacefully inhale and exhale.

Thank God for our King Sized bed - because they take up every inch of it!

Sleeping angels.  Or are they monkeys?!

Then, there are always their smiles.  All of them - all three of my little boys have smiles that could melt your heart.  Those smiles, and even their tiny little breaths, are what get me through the day!

Cole 10 Weeks Old

Cole 6 Weeks Old

Ty 19 Months Old

Look at Aidan cheesing out in the background!

Stay posted for tales from Cole's first roadtrip, his first Easter, and his baptism.  We also have a Spring Scentsy Fundraiser coming up for Aidan and Ty starting May 1st!

Happy Easter everyone!  Enjoy your blessings =)