Dear Weston, 7 months

Dear Weston,

You are so lovable.  Aunt Joy got one of the few true snuggles you give and I'm not gonna lie, I was slightly jealous. While you only give long snuggles on special occasions, you continue to be the most content little baby I have ever met.

You are such an observer yet still want to be right in the mix with everyone.  Dad and I have taken you along on many dates because you just hang out in your car seat quietly watching the scene go on around you.  This easy going personality is wonderful, but it seems to cause you to be a little behind in some ways.  For instance, you are still not rolling over.  You are so content to lay on your back and watch what is happening that you could care less if there is a multitude of toys on either side of you just waiting for you to grab.  All in good time buddy, I am in NO rush for any of your "babyness" to hurry along.

When you're at home with Luke and I your number one favorite place to be is your jumper.  You are all about that jumper. It doesn't have the best shocks on it, or best bounce for that matter, in fact it makes a squeaky noise every time you jump!  None of that matters to you because you LOVE to jump.  Ever since you tried out that toy you think you can jump anywhere anytime.  

You don't often sit on our laps anymore, you need to stand up and jump.  When I hold you walking around the house you move your body up and down just waiting for me to put your feet flat somewhere.  During tummy time you crank your legs up and down showing off your best "air" jump.  However, this motion has you moving backwards instead of forwards.  We've got jumping down, but crawling still seems to be quite a ways off for you... (I couldn't be happier about that btw :)

Part of why I love the baby stage so much is because I can hold you and squeeze you whenever I want.  You are so tender and sweet that it makes me just want to eat you up!  Your little hand often reaches up to gently touch my face and hair when I hold you.  You smile when anyone looks at you.  You give your loudest and longest laugh to Luke. When Dad gets home from work not only does he get a running jump-hug from Luke, but he gets huge smiles, jumps, and squeals from you.  I know it makes his day just as much as it makes mine.

You were dedicated to the Lord on Sunday February 24th, 2013 along side your cousin, Grant.  What a special day it was.  What a blessing it is to have family and friends who are doing life with us on a weekly basis.  What a blessing it is to have family and friends who love God and who are attempting to live their lives for His glory.

You are such a gift to us baby boy.  We want you to know, our goal is not to raise Godly children, but to be Godly parents.  We know more of life is caught than taught, so we pray God teaches us, shapes us, and gives us all the grace we need to be Godly parents for you and your brother.  We've already failed miserably in so many ways but God's story for you is to be redeemed back to Him.  We know He has the ability to use us despite our mistakes to get right to your heart.  I pray you are able to see His love for you always, no matter how bad your Dad and I mess up.  He is your Heavenly Father, Weston and no one loves you more.

I love you!
Mom

Dear Weston, 6 months

Dear Weston,
You had your 6 month appointment this week.  You are 18 1/2 lbs!  Surprisingly, you are lighter than what I thought!  You are 26 and 3/4 inches long.  At this rate you are well on your way to being quite a bit bigger than your brother.  Your brother is really into tackling lately, but I think you'll be able to hold your own :).  You had to get some shots this month and true to form, I cried longer than you did.  You are one tough little guy!

I love watching you and your brother together.  Luke gets you to laugh more than your Dad or I.  Although I think you save your best smiles for me.  You two boys have my heart!

We started cereal with you this month and you are doing great!  We've been at it about a week.  Each day you are getting better and better at swallowing it and not just pushing it out with your tongue.  You are very interested in the spoon and try to grab it with your little hand.  We can't tell if you are going to be a foodie like your brother yet, but you have cried when the cereal ran out so..... we'll see! (oh boy)

Something special we've noticed about you is your voice.  You have a song in your heart, little buddy and you are not afraid to sing it out.  You are constantly talking, screaming, razzing, and humming.  Seriously, a lot of it actually sounds like you are singing!  Your range is incredible.  You can get so very low and so very high all in one breath.  We are all super impressed with your ability to chat it up and sing where ever you might be.  You're in the right town my friend, we might have a breakout star in the family :).

I love how you look at your hands like they are so delicate and breakable. You hold them in the air and spin them from side to side looking over them with curiosity, like you are just figuring out they are attached to your body. You put everything in your mouth these days and are chewing on your fingers all the time.  You are doing much better with tummy time, but it's still a work in progress.

We are now working on sitting up and standing.  As you can see from this picture, you still need a little help :).  You seem to be very content laying on your back or hanging out in your exersaucer watching all the action going on around you.

Bedtime routine with you is a breeze.  When it's time for you to go down, we just lay you on your back in the crib.  You wait for me to turn your mobile on before you grab your blanket and nuzzle it into your face.  You fall asleep so quickly and sleep through the night most of the time.  thankyouverymuch.

You know what else I've really enjoyed about you, Weston.  I can take you anywhere, no problem.  I have taken you shopping with me for several hours and you just hang out in your car seat like Target is your favorite place, I mean, how could it not be?!  You've gone to the zoo and park and haven't made a peep about being in the stroller for sometimes well over 2 hours.  We just started to put you in the church nursery because up until about a week ago you slept in your car seat through the whole service.

Sometimes when I hold you, I have to bite the back of your paci to prevent myself from squeezing your little body too hard.  This is called a "cuteness attack"... seriously... it's a thing.  It happens A LOT.  I cannot get over your sweet disposition and beautiful smile.  You bring so much light and joy to our family.  I thank God for you every single day.  We love you beyond measure Weston Lee.
Love,
Mom

Dear Weston, 5 months

Dear Weston,

What a fast and furious 5th month we've had with you.  A trip to Michigan for Christmas.  A few days home for our family Christmas.  A trip to Ohio for Grandma Kayser's funeral.  A trip home and then a week full of Kayser family Christmas. It's been busy, emotional, sad, tiring, and fun all wrapped into one month.  Everywhere we went, you were your sweet content self.  Never fussing, sleeping where ever we laid you, eating, laughing, and smiling like we never disrupted anything for you.  What a blessing you were to have with us through all of it.

We've noticed lately you really enjoy laying on your play-mat and grabbing your toys.  Your favorite toy of the moment is your yellow lion that has a crinkly tummy. You've rolled over twice from back to tummy during playtime, but that's it so far. You take 2-3 naps during the day.  Most of the time I just lay you in your crib and you fall right asleep. I try to cuddle you to sleep, but you really prefer to just be laid down.  I'll give it up..... eventually:).

You and I both LOVE bath time.  You are absolutely a doll when you get in your whale tub!  You are continuing to drool and drool and drool.  It's tough to keep up with bib and outfit changes for you!  Your delicate skin has taken a beating this winter.  We've had to keep you lathered up with lotion and even had to get a prescription from the doctor for some red cracked areas on your body.... poor baby!

Let's see, we are still working on tummy time.  You are getting stronger every week.  Just so you know, I'm in no rush for you to start crawling.

We've figured out quickly, you're at your happiest when you're right where everyone else is.  That being said, we've picked the center of the table for your honored spot during dinner.  You love to watch your brother eat... he does it so well.  Take a lesson from him Weston, he eats and eats and tries everything!  So far you are slightly more picky than your brother was at this age.  I have to watch what I eat or you definitely notice a difference and refuse to finish a meal with me.

You continue to disobey my request to stop growing....  you are in 6 months clothing literally about to bust out.  Next week I predict 6 months will be put away and 9 month clothing is here to stay (for a moment).  You are sleeping through the night and waking up between 5:30-6:30am to eat.  You fall asleep right after you eat for several more hours.  When you wake up for the morning you are so smiley and squishy.  I squeeze you and squish you, knowing full well if you could talk you would say, "Mooooom...  Stop it!"  I just drink in all your sweet squishy baby deliciousness.  I can't help myself.  

Your content nature and joyful spirit gives me a boost everyday, sweet boy.  I pray God continues to develop a spirit of contentment in you and a joyful heart.  Your sweet spirit causes me to be mindful of my own contentment and joy.  What a gift you are to me.
I love you so much, Weston!
Mom

Christmas 2012

We woke up so excited to experience Christmas morning with Luke and Weston!!

I'm just throwing pictures on here for our memory sake... 

The tent Dad and Mom built waiting in the play room!

Peeking downstairs at all the Christmas goodies!

 The train table Mom and Dad built waiting downstairs...

Christmas Eve 2012

Oh how I love this time of year.  Christmas Eve we went to church together, Eric lead part of the service and as soon as he walked out to begin Luke yelled, "Der my Daddy!!"  This year they also read the Christmas story from the Jesus Story Book Bible, Luke's favorite book.  As the pastor was reading it, Luke kept yelling intermittently through-out "JESUS!!!!"  He kept giving away the ending!  While I was sweating profusely from afar watching my loud and not so still 2 year old standing at the front of the church leaning over kids to see the story book, I hoped I would look back some day and think it was cute... right?

We went back home to finish our celebration.  Nana and Papa were also there.  Luke got to open his stocking, a new tradition we started this year.

Oh... this is so exciting!

 

 He got a Hex Bug... they are crazy looking and move in a creepy realistic way.  He LOVED it.

He also got a tootsie roll bank, but had no idea at all that they were candy.  We didn't tell him :) We just let him put them in and dump them out... put them in and dump them out....

 I love that we get to start new traditions as a family.  I love that sweet baby Weston was sleeping away so peacefully.  I love that my parents live so close that they can experience fun evenings like this with us.  Thank you Lord, for so many blessings in our life.  We are so grateful you came hear to earth as a baby to save us all.  Oh, what a Savior!

Merry Christmas!