Sweet Gentry

I wondered for so long how I was ever going to love another little one as much as I love Jubal.  My mama & all other mothers I spoke to all said the same thing...you just do.

My little chunky butt!

Now I look at this sweet, sweet brand new little one of mine and my heart gets so overwhelmed with love for him that I just can't help but cry.  Happy tears, of course.

He was born with this mark on his foot.  It's still there and hasn't seemed to fade at all.

Look at those precious little feet.

Both of my boys were born with hair, but Gentry's is much thicker.

He's so good.  Everyone kept scaring me, telling me that because Jubal was so good that surely Gentry was going to be my "bad" baby.  Gentry is just as sweet & good as Jubal ever was.  The Lord has certainly blessed me with two of the best babies.  Maybe He blessed me in such a way because I had to wait so long for them. ;)

Sweet little hands.  He sleeps with them folded like this all the time.

Chubby fingers. :)

Right now Gentry is 7 weeks 3 days old and already weighs over 12 lbs.  He has already grown 2 1/2 inches as well, measuring in at 23 inches tall.  He's growing big & strong.  These stats are from July 20 when I had to take him to the ER on a Friday evening because when I picked him up from daycare his little eyes were matting shut.  The ER doctor gave us some ointment for his eyes and told me to just keep his nose and throat aspirated.  My poor littlest one has my terrible allergies, too, just like his big brother.  Everything cleared up by Monday, though, thankfully.

We caught him sucking his thumb.

So cute! I had to make him stop, though because we don't want to let it become a habit.

Jubal never liked to be swaddled, but Gentry loves it.

Gentry can look at me sometimes with the most amazing love.  He is so innocent & pure.  I'm so undeserving of such wonderful babies, I tell ya.  I'm so thankful to be Gentry & Jubal's mama.  It's so surreal.  Sometimes I still have to pinch myself to prove I'm not really dreaming.  This is the most outstanding thing I've ever done in my life...being their mama.  Gentry Slade completes our little family.  I think our life is perfect, even when it isn't. :)   

Gentry's First Bath

We gave Gentry his first tub bath on June 24. Yes, I know he was born on the June 8, but we only gave him sponge baths until his umbilical cord fell off & his circumcision healed.

 

He wasn't as impressed with water as Jubal was his first time, but he still seemed to enjoy it anyway.  He didn't cry or even get fussy until right before we took him out to dry him off.  Since his first bath, he has begun to enjoy it more & more, though.

Once again, bath time is "Daddy time".  Larson has always bathed Jubal & will now be bathing Gentry, too.  I've given Jubal a few of his baths during his 2 years, but really, Larson loves a bath and he has always just put Jubal in with him.  Now, he puts Gentry in first and bathes him, then I bring him Jubal and he bathes him, then he bathes himself.  It gives me a chance to wash bottles, put a load of clothes on to wash, pick up toys, or finish up the supper dishes while they're all getting cleaned up.  I always stop whatever I'm doing to get the boys out of the bath and get them ready for bed, though.  That's "Mommy time".  It's a routine that works for us. :)

A comparison for my heart's sake. :)

Wow! My boys favor more than I thought they did.

Moo Cows

We will occasionally load the boys up and just go for a ride out on some old country dirt road.  It's something that we like doing very much, actually.  Luckily, living in a small, rural town in Georgia, it isn't hard to find a good ol' backroad somewhere. 

More times than not, you're going to pass a few chicken houses and/or fields full of cattle.   When we see cows, we stop.  Jubal loves the "Moos".  I just wanted to share these two short videos of Jubal "mooing" like a cow. He's so cute!

*Just a note:  We're on a dirt road close to our home & I'm only going maybe 5 mph which is why Jubal is out of his car seat.  No one was endangered in the making of these videos. HA!

Fourth Festivities 2012

I so almost forgot to post about our Independence Day activities.  I guess I better since July is almost over.  Goodness, how time keeps flying by!

It's hard trying to snap iPhone pics when your little one won't sit still.  Who can blame a lil' feller for being excited, though, when there's plenty of room to run AND fireworks with his buddies?!

We went back out to the high school again this year for our county's firework show.  Last year Jubal was just 8 days shy of turning the big ONE when he got to see his first fireworks.  He loved them.  This year he was a little more skeptical, but ended up loving them anyway.  The loud pops is what worried him a little.

Last year, Jubal was pretty much confined to his stroller or his daddy's arms because he couldn't walk yet.  This year, he was running all over the place with his cousin, Alannah & his friend, Olivia.  It was hot!  Those babies were sweaty after playing for over an hour before the fireworks show even started.  It got them good & ready for bed later, though. ;)

We didn't take Gentry this year.  He'll get to go to his first fireworks show right after he turns one next year.  He stayed with Mammaw & GiGi.  His little face was still broke out with milk bumps and we didn't won't to get him out in the heat, which tended to make them red and worse.  We're already looking forward to next year when both of our boys can enjoy what is looking like a family tradition in the making.

He's actually laughing in the video.  It's so dark you can't see his face so you can't tell he's smiling & laughing.

I remember going to see the fireworks when I was younger at the park with my family.  Good memories.  Memories like that are what I hope to make with my boys every year for as long as the good Lord allows. :)

 

Jubal's Two Year Stats

Jubal went for his 2 year checkup on July 16. He wasn't supposed to have any shots on this visit and I told him the entire way to the doctors office that he didn't have to get a shot. Well, they had left off a Hepatitis A shot back at his 18 month visit which meant he did have to get a shot.  Bless his sweet heart.  He hates shots.  He hates being held down for shots even more.  To make matters worse, then they sent us over to the hospital outpatient center for them to draw blood to check his hemoglobin & iron.  Poor fella couldn't win for losing.

He's still on the small side.  He only weighs 25.8 lbs. (23rd  percentile) and is only 33 inches tall (25th percentile).  His head circumference is 18 3/4.  He's taken after his daddy since he was born so why stop now? Ha!  He's good and healthy, though.  Growing and meeting every milestone accordingly.

Some of the things I want to remember: 

• I love how if we're still asleep when he wakes up, he will lay his little hands on your cheeks so softly and say "Wake".  So sweet!
• I love to hear him say "Help me!" when he's afraid of something.  It sounds like he's saying "Hurry Hurry Hurry!"
• I love how he absolutely adores his little brother.  He will hold Gentry in his lap with his arms around him so tight, patting him on the back, rocking him,  saying "Shhh.  It's okay.  Shhh."  Melts my heart.
• I love the sound of his laughter.  Thankfully it is abundant. :)
• I love how when we're riding in the car and he sees a big truck, he'll holler "dump truck!"  His daddy or I always try to get them to toot their horn.  If we can't get them to, I'll honk our horn and Jubal will always look so surprised and have the biggest grin on his face.
• He loves to write.  I save little scrap papers that he writes on because I'm sentimental that way. :)
• I love how he'll walk up and say "Hey! What you doing?" He's so stinkin' sweet when he wants to be. ;)

These last four pictures are all pictures Jubal's teacher sent me to assure me he was okay while I was in the hospital with Gentry.  It always made me feel so much better to know he was still smiling.

I'm sure there's so much more that I wish I could capture in bottle and keep forever.  Jubal is growing up so fast and he amazes me everyday with something new that he has learned how to say or do.  My heart literally hurts thinking about how he won't be little like this forever.  I want to remember everything and I know I will even if it's one day when I haven't thought about something in a very long time, yet it will all come flooding back to my mind and I will more than likely cry because my firstborn baby boy has grown into a fine young man and I will miss his little toddler self.  Oh how I wish I could just keep him little like this forever & ever.  These are truly the best days of my life even if they are sometimes trying & stressful.  I wouldn't change anything for the world.

It's so funny how he props his little foot up when he's just chillin'.

He has no interest in his highchair.  He eats at the table like a big boy now.

Pimping Granny's reading glasses.

Pimping Daddy's skully & flip flops.

And again. :)

Here's a few more recent pictures that I want to put here on my blog for my memory's sake.

My "Kool Kid"

Yep...we have to put him on a leash! Ha!

He wouldn't sit in Ronald's lap. ;)

And last, but not least...

Will my boy be a lefty...

...or...

...a righty???

Right now, he's prominently a lefty.  We'll have to stay tuned to find out. :)

Jubal's 2nd Birthday Party

We celebrated Jubal's birthday at home on July 15. I sent cupcakes to school with him on Thursday, his actual birthday, and all of his teachers and little friends made his day special, but we had some family & friends over on Sunday to celebrate as well.

We decided on a sports themed cake this year because Jubal is all about "bogs".  He loves to play any kind of ball, too. It's so funny to watch him hold a bat and swing at his little baseball.  He's an excellent thrower and has become a pro at catching, too.  After his first year celebration last year, we kept this year's celebration more laid back.  I didn't have the energy after just having Gentry to "do it big".  My wonderful niece, Lacy made Jubal's cake for me again this year.  She does such an awesome job. :)

We set up two little kiddie pools, a slip n slide, and some sprinklers for the little ones.  They had a ball! His little friends that came were Olivia, Addie, Kenneth, and Jacob.  His cousin, Alannah was with us, too.  They all had such a good time.

We had all of Jubal's toys outside for them to ride on.  Jubal's ride of choice was his 4-wheeler.  He enjoyed giving everyone a ride, but refused to let them drive it.  The other babies didn't quite know how to make it go or steer it anyway. ;)

It ended up being a great day and all the babies wore themselves out playing in the water and riding all the toys.  I'm sure all of the mommies and daddies were glad to get home and get their baby cleaned up and in the bed.  I bet all the babies slept good that night, too.