Mmmm!

Ian, meet rice cereal. Rice cereal, meet Ian.

Ian is in love.

Dr. M had mentioned at Ian's 1 month appt that he may be a baby that will need to start cereal a little earlier than the typical 4 month timeframe. He was cruising along, loving his bottles, eating like a champ, sleeping thru the night. Smiley. Content.

But during the past weekend, he was wanting to eat almost every hour and started waking up hungry during the night. When I was home with him on Monday, and I realized he wasn't smiling at me, but the bottle I was about to offer him - we decided it would be a good idea to call Dr. M about our growing boy.

We got the green light on Tuesday, and Tuesday night, Ian met his current love. He gave a big grin after his first taste! He eats like a champ - to the extent that Audrey even asked to try it since it must be just that good!

I love feeding my little baby bird.

Three Months

My little boy is growing up! As one can tell, I had some help getting him to smile for his three-month pictures. Audrey always does a great job getting Ian to crack up. She had him in stitches the other night just running from one side of me to the other while I was holding him. She even ran to get a diaper cloth when he spit up during pictures. "Ian, we're taking pictures here!!"

I just love him to pieces. I mean, how can you not love this little guy who's smiley from morning til night? Even if we wake him, he's smiling after the first blink of his eyes. This past month, he's gotten even cuter. More giggly. More talkative. I love that his hair still sticks up no matter what I do. A little of his daddy in him. He managed to roll from back to belly this past Sunday (of course no one was watching - again!), and he hasn't stopped rolling since.

I so look forward to my three day weekends with him. Tonight when I arrived home from work, he just stared and smiled at me. All thru dinner. While he was eating. While he was falling asleep. He has to keep his eye on me so I don't head back out the door.

I so love this little boy.

Where did the past week go???

It's been a week since Ian and I parted ways, and I guess we are adjusting as well as expected. It's hard not to see him as much during the day, but I try to steal him from Eric as much as possible when we are home. The director of his daycare said yesterday, "He's just so quiet!" He does like to talk - over his sister - on our drive home. Both of them telling me about their day. Neither seeming to notice that the either is talking. I do my best to listen to both of them. He's quite chatty when we arrive home as well. Squealing. Smiling. Giggling. I think he's almost as excited to see me as I am to see him.

This past week was also filled with lots of family making the trip for Ian's baptism. He was awake during it, but of course he didn't cry. He did manage to give his daddy some allergy issues from all the oil, but I think we've (mostly) gotten it all out! And thankfully Uncle P saved Eric from more severe allergy problems.

Despite some hiccups in having Ian baptized, it seems to me that this little boy has a way of bringing people together. I don't think I'll soon forget his not letting go of Father's finger during the baptism. He really does have a way of helping me to remember the important things in life. Who's raising who here??

Dear Ian,

I'm told that tomorrow we must part ways, with me heading back to work, and you heading to your first day of "school". Though I would like to take you to drop you off in the morning, your daddy knows that I would never end up leaving you there. Instead, the day would have to be declared, "Take Ian to work day."

I will miss you so. You are the epitome of a sweetheart. Easygoing. Patient. A true snuggler. With a smile that lights up the room. I kiss you, you smile. I play peek-a-boo, you smile (and often give a few good belly laughs). But my favorite is when I reappear, back in sight after only a few minutes, and you smile. Now how can that kind of a reception not go to one's head?

We haven't spent much time apart, the two of us. We've been inseparable for about the past year. I have so loved the time that I got to keep you (mostly) all to myself. I have no doubt that your teachers will love you. And that you will grow to like school as much as your sister. She has informed her teachers that she would like to check in on you from time to time. I ask that you check in on her as well as she tells us she got her first time-out yesterday, and from her conversation with daddy, it sounds like she's considering misbehaving again. I know that you, too, will misbehave, especially when you're 2 years old, but we will still love you so, this little sweetheart of a boy.

Love,
Mom

P.S. I was serious about the two of us sneaking out tonight and running away for a little while. :)

The thumb

Do you see what this little boy is doing? That's right. He's sucking on his built-in pacifier. The one that doesn't fall out of his mouth, requiring someone to put it back in. Granted, his Nuk is replaced extremely quickly when his big sister is around, but if she isn't, Ian often has to wait, patiently. To be honest, he really could take or leave his pacifier most of the time, but the thumb. Oh, he loves the thumb. Really all his fingers. And lately mine, too.

I'll admit it's quite cute. I'll give him some time before I start thinking about future orthodontic bills...

The many faces of Ian

He looks suspicious in the last one...