Changing Season

Well summer has begun in Wrangell.  The weather has been beautiful, school's out, and tourists have been pouring in.  Check out one of the giant cruise ships that came to town!  It made me realize how much I take for granted living in Alaska, a place people dream of visiting! 

Also changes have occurred with Clayton.  He has grown so much!  He is drooling, making spit bubbles, "talking" like crazy, holding his head up enough to sit up, laughing, and making everyday brighter for us.  I mean, really, look at how adorable he is! 

He's got his momma's lashes! 

Great success! 

This past week I decided to surprise Ryan by cutting our lawn!  The grass was so incredibly long, and our mower sucks, it took me 2.5 hours to do the yard.  I didn't even finish a small section in the back!  I will probably never do it again!  I had blisters on my hands and they were bruised so much it hurt to pick anything up or even touch the steering wheel to drive for a couple days!  However, I did feel very accomplished and Ryan was happier than I have ever seen him when he came home and discovered that he didn't have to cut the grass! 

For the last month I have been working hard to lose my baby weight (plus the extra college pounds) and get back in shape.  Every day I have taken Clay and Milo for a 4 to 6 mile walk.  The last couple days I chose to finish out my day with an evening walk and here are some of the miraculous views that accompanied me!  Also just for the record, my body is definitely shaped different, but I can fit into my pre-baby clothes! 

Here are some photos of Clay this week!  He has been sitting up on his own in his Bumbo seat.  He seems to really enjoy being able to see the world! 

The adorable photo to the left was taken immediately before I won the "worst mommy" award.  He was sitting on the counter watching me cook dinner and enjoying himself.  I began chopping up an potato to fry, then an onion.  He just sat there contently until I noticed he had a red face and tears streaming down his cheeks!  When I wear my contacts, onions don't bother my eyes.  So it completely slipped my mind that he was getting a dosage of raw onion because he didn't have that protective barrier!  He never got upset, but I'm sure he was wondering why his eyes were burning!  Oops! 

I am sure you saw the adorable picture of Ryan and Clay on facebook, here is another one...check out that face!  I feel like Ryan had more time to bond with Clay during his last week of school.  They are pretty cute together! 

Today we went to a christian, blue grass concert.  It was one family of, what seemed like, a million talented children.  Clay slept through the whole thing.  He is such a perfect child! 

Immediately afterwards, we went to our friends for a dinner.  I fed Clay and passed him around for everyone to hold and oogle.  Then when it came time for us to eat I propped him up in the corner of the couch and he silently watched the basketball game on TV until we were done.  He is amazing!

Clay was comfy with his "cousin" Silje. 

 Lastly for this evening, I wanted to leave you with a little sayonara from Clayton! 

Oh Boy!

We have been practicing making faces! 

Sleeping Routine

We have been blessed with a baby that has been extremely predictable.  In fact, we have started a bedtime routine with Clay.  Every night he nurses around eight o'clock then Ryan puts Clay in a "night-time" diaper (disposable) and snuggly pajamas.  He gives him a kiss and hands him off to me to be swaddled, kissed, told he is loved, and put to bed in his vibrating, bouncy chair with his special monkey.  Yes, I know it is a little weird that he sleeps in a chair, but it reclines and acts more like a vibrating hammock.  One thing we quickly learned as parents is sometimes things are strange and unorthodox, but if your baby is safe and happy, who cares?!

Well, the reason I am telling you all this is because today I had to let Clay cry himself to sleep at nap time because nothing, I mean NOTHING, would satisfy him and he was so tired.  Thankfully he cried for only a couple of minutes before passing out.

Unfortunately, when it came to bedtime tonight all hell broke loose!  Clay screamed and cried for three hours straight.  We tried everything! Swaddle, no swaddle, right boob, left boob, football hold, cradle hold, crying it out, dancing, rocking, laying with mom and dad... the list is endless!  We even resorted to giving him medicine for the first time!  Myself, Edna, and Arabella have been feeling yucky lately, so we thought maybe he feels sick and we just don't know it!  So we pumped him full of baby tylenol and slathered him in baby vicks.  None of this did the trick.

Eventually, it dawned on us that these symptoms (drooling, irritable, refusing to nurse, not sleeping) make sense in a baby that is teething.  While it is a bit early for that to be happening, its not impossible.  We also realized that despite rejecting eating, he was probably starving.  So as last resort, Ryan made up a bottle.  Clay screamed bloody murder while I dripped breast milk into him mouth, but after a couple seconds he clamped onto the bottle and didn't let go!  Right after that he was swaddled, kissed, told he is loved, and put to bed in his vibrating, bouncy chair with his special monkey and quickly found himself in dreamland.

I wanted to share this story because as Clay was sucking down the milk, Ryan looked at me and laughed.  I mean really laughed.  When I asked him what was so funny he said, "I'm surprised we didn't rush him the the ER too".  We both laughed pretty hard at the way our evening was spent passing Clay back and forth, trying an array of crazy ideas, when all we had to do was make a bottle for the little guy.  Thank goodness he is so cute and we have a good sense of humor.

Hopefully tomorrow night will be better.

Two Months Old!

"Look, I'm playing in the toy bucket!" 

 

He really loves standing up lately! 

Milo wanted some attention too! 

Come get your Smiles!

Here are some photos from the last few weeks!  Clay is growing so much and his personality is starting to shine through!  We are very excited to be coming home in about a month and a half to share him with you all! I think all of you that were out here will be amazed at how much he has changed.  Those of you that haven't met him yet, be prepared to melt; he is just perfectly lovable! 

Nap Time with Milo! 

Clay's first parade. He loved the sound of the drums! Must take after his Mommy! 

Adorable hat from Scott and Stef. 

Family Hike up Rainbow Falls.

Milo hanging out with the boys! 

Clay LOVES being naked! 

All my boys taking a snooze! 

"Why make a trillion when we could make... billions?"

I just wanted to prove that he does, in fact, cry.  ;)

But he is also full of giggles and smiles! 

And this is us currently.  As you can see, he is helping me keep you all updated! 

We love you and miss you dearly! 

Sleepy Time

I tend to take photos while he is sleeping.  He just looks so peaceful and happy!