Holy, Seventeen!

Yesterday, our little sprout turned seventeen months, not so little anymore!  He's continuing to develop his budding personality and continues to reveal the boy in him every day.  There's nothing delicate about Cruz, and I find myself asking 'are all kids this busy?' on a routine basis!  With every toy I pick up and mess I clean up, the laughter and love this boy brings to our life is worth every back bend :)

At seventeen months, Cruz B...

  
-LOVES Elmo.  He refers to Sesame Street in general as 'Mee-mo,' and requests it from his crib every morning.  We've set a series recording for the show so we always have them on hand.  And now, instead of the daily news, we get a daily dose of Big Bird.
-also loves boxes, especially when they're big enough to sit in.  Laundry baskets, wicker baskets, and diaper boxes are awesome because they're not only big enough to hold Cruz, but his juice, his blankie, and an entire set of duplos.  
-can 'roar' like a lion and 'meow' like a kitty.
-has his 'b' sound down pat.  'Birds' (for 'Angry Birds'), 'Book,' 'Bath,' 'Ball,' and 'Bubbles' are my favorties.  
-got four new teeth this month, and seemed to have a cold symptoms through most of it.  Those 'i' teeth aren't fun.  
-says 'all done' and 'up'
-loves going outside.  The world is his playground.
-loves kitchen utensils and bowls. 
-likes to test us.  This can be funny at times, and quite frustrating at others.  Take the last two baths for instance...he likes to stand up in the tub and give us this mischievous little grin, just waiting for us to ask him to stop so he can do it all over again.   
-has officially moved into size 18-24 months.  He's a heavy weight. 
-loves to read books and play in his toy room.
-THROWS his food.  Only the kinds he doesn't like, which amounts to just about everything we give him lately, minus string cheese, cereal, and every fruit under the sun.  
-gives the best kisses and bear hugs, per request.  
-knows just what to do when you give him a cell phone.  He has make believe phone conversations (and a few real ones with Grandma and Daddy), and knows how to find, click, and slide the screen to find Angry Birds. 

-is still a snuggle bug, which makes this mama very happy.

   
We love you, CB!  Looking forward to a week of seventies to celebrate seventeen!

       

Happy HALF YEAR Cruz!

I can't believe it's true, but our little Cruz Man is SIX months old!  It's amazing to me to think that one year ago, I was filling an Easter basket for a baby-in-waiting, and you could hardly tell I was pregnant, and now, one year later, we are raising a healthy, happy baby boy.  Life is incredible that way.  

Once again, Cruz had a big month.  So many milestones, it seems like every day he is doing something different.  With the new realization that there is a great big world beyond his secure little home, Cruz has had lots to explore.  He's definitely interested in everything, from his new foods, to his toys, to his cat, and our faces, and it seems that the wheels in his little head are always turning...  

The biggest milestone this month would probably have to be this...

Cruz can sit!  He took to the whole sitting thing pretty quickly, and morphed from 'supported sitter' to 'sitter' in what seems like a couple of days.  He's sturdy and steady, which has made playtime especially fun now that we can face him.  He's stacked blocks, knocked down towers, typed on his laptop, and nuzzled noses with his family of stuffed animals.  He sits upright in his stroller, loves sitting in his high chair, and even sat like a 
'big boy,' in a high chair at Famous Daves. 

Another big milestone this month was the discovery of two perfect little teeth!  A couple weekends ago, we thought Cruz had caught another cold.  He ran a little fever all weekend, slept more than usual, and we couldn't keep his nose dry.  He seemed better Monday morning, so we brought him to day care.  By the time I picked him up for the day, he had two little pearly stubs sticking out of his gums!  

Cruz's favorite time of the day is supper.  About 5:30 every night, I put him in his high chair and fasten a bib around his neck.  He immediately gets excited, swinging his arms up and down, kicking his feet, and squealing up a storm.  By the time I sit down with his food, his eyes light up and he opens his mouth, just waiting for the first bite.  This time together has become one of my favorite times of day.  

What started with an ounce of carrots a day, has morphed into three-ounce portions of apples and pears, sweet potatoes, parsnips, broccoli, squash, avocado, and bananas.  Other than the broccoli, which Cruz was a little skeptical of, he's loved it all.  His favorites were the pears, bananas, and butternut squash.  This week, we move onto peas, and although the bright green frozen ice cubes look pretty, I wonder if Cruz will feel the same about them.  Stay tuned to find out!

Cruz's favorite toy has to be his jumper.  Not only did he figure out how to make the toys 'work,' but he's become quite the pro at jumping.  He's crazy, and sometimes he gets going so fast, he surprises himself.  It's adorable to watch his little feet go, and something about his moves remind me of Elvis.  He's got the hip-sway down to a science!  

 

Another cool trick Cruz acquired this month involves the word, 'no.'  I'm not quite sure where he picked it up, but he loves shaking his head back and forth, especially when we say, 'nooooooo.'  The more you do it, the more Cruz follows.  It's hilarious now; however, we're in for a treat when we decide that 'no' needs to be taken a bit more seriously!

I can't wait for our next doctor's appointment to see how much our little pudge has grown.  He feels so heavy to me!  He's about outgrown his whale tub, and has definitely outgrown his cute little hooded towels!  He can still wear most of his 3-6 month clothes, but it won't be long before we pack that away too!  He loves his bottles, loves his morning cereal, and loves his veggies and fruit!


Lots of 'firsts' to mark off Cruz's milestone list this month.  Last weekend, he had his first non-family babysitter.  Jennifer, one of Cruz's daycare 'girlfriends,' stayed with him while we had a night out.  The night must have went over well, as it seems their little relationship has only gotten closer since then! 

Although Cruz is starting to look more and more like his mommy every day, I think he acquired his dad's charm and wit.  He's laid back and content, and quite the little flirt.  I think he has the daycare girls wrapped around his chubby finger, and he was causing quite the stir at US Cellular the other day.  He's got the eyebrow raise and the shy, half-smile down to a science.

What else does Cruz love this month???

...His dad, especially when he carries him on his shoulders!  Cruz thinks he's king of the world up there!

...well, most of the time :)

...his mom.  He thinks I'm funny and likes to give me kisses.  Most of all, he likes pulling my hair.  Hard.    

...Baseball.  He usually isn't too into the TV, but when baseball is on, he's all about it! 

 

...The TV remote.  We call this his Grandpa Curt pose...

...his bed.  It's definitely a favorite spot Cruz's.  He loves to play in it while I pick up his room, and lately, has started pulling himself up by the crib rail.  It won't be long and we'll be lowering it!

...Sophie, the giraffe.  For all you momma-to-bes out there, this is the toy to buy.  

...Ron Sock-o
 

It's been another wild and crazy month, but oh-so-fun.  Cruz's smile has become the meaning of happiness to Beau and I, and we are having so much fun with him. 

Five Months Old

Tonight is Spring Break Eve.  I sigh a deep breath of relief.  We've made it through the first half of this semester, and before we know it, we'll be lying in the middle of the backyard, sipping on sun tea and introducing our baby to the green green grass.  Can't wait for this.

Tonight was perfect.  After a not-so-good day of two, twelve-hour flu bugs, Beau and I were relieved to feel back to normal.  Cruz took down his carrots like a champ, soaked and splashed in a bath, and fit snug as a bug in a new fleece (six month) sleeper.  We cuddled with his favorite blanket, read Goodnight Moon, and fell asleep in the recliner.  His hands felt especially soft tonight, and his head smelled especially good.  And as we cuddled, I drifted off in a day dream of the last five months of this baby's life...

 

Five Months.  I'm having a hard time typing this.  Cruz has grown up so much this month, and although I think every month that goes by is the most fun, I still feel like it's passing by too quickly.  I'm more than ready for a full week at home.

Cruz has turned into a baby full of spunk this month.  He makes fish faces, blows spit bubbles, and is quite good at the 'motor boat.'  He growls on the way to day care in the morning, and goes crazy tugging on his plastic chain attached to his car seat.  He loves sitting in his bumbo seat, loves going for walks at day care, and loves hanging out like a big kid on his daddy's shoulders.  He sees everything, smiles big when we pick him up from day care, and would play peekaboo for hours.  

This month has also been about discovery.  Cruz is intrigued by everything around him, whether it's his feet, the TV remote, my hair, or his toys.  He loves textures and is awestruck by the living room carpet.  He'll roll himself off his blanket, then run his fingers back and forth across it, mesmerized by the way it feels.

 

Another interesting discovery Cruz made this month was the cat.  He cranes his neck to follow her, and reaches for her tail with his mouth wide open as if it's his dinner.  Jade is becoming a little more friendly with him; however, darts away pretty fast when his hand reaches for her face.  

 

I can't believe Jade is allowing this to happen...

 

Cruz is showing signs of being quite the independent boy.  He holds his bottle by himself, reaches for it as we're mixing it, and knows exactly what to do with his pacifier.  Cruz can sit by himselfl however, he becomes a little Humpty Dumpty in a matter of seconds.  This explains why I don't exactly have pictures of this milestone!

 

 

Another thing Cruz seems to be figuring out is crawling.  He's always been a pro on his tummy, and lately, we've witnessed signs of mobility.  He pushes up on his hands, lifts his chest off the ground, and kicks his legs like crazy.  If you leave him in the middle of the living room floor, he'll eventually work his way across the room.  The problem is, he usually grows frustrated on his tummy and wears himself out.  Beau and I get so excited for this next phase, however, know things will change once we have a mover!  

The last big milestone this month involved Cruz's first baby food.  The month began with cereal before bed and now, he gets cereal in the morning and veggies at night.  So far, we've only tried carrots, but after a full week, Cruz has proved to be quite the fan.  We're almost finished with the first round of carrots, and I'm looking forward seeing his reaction with the next dish!

Happy Five Months, Cruz!  Soon you'll be able to lay around in your onesie all day long!  Spring is coming!

The Big FOUR!

On Saturday, we celebrated Cruz's four month birthday.  He is a third of the way through his first year and growing every day.  It's crazy to think that just one month ago, I was saying goodbye to my simple days at home and beginning to live the life of a working mom, and now, four weeks later, I can't remember life before this stage.  We've pieced together a morning routine that involves a lot of teamwork, my transition back to school has been easier than expected (I tend to be a bit of a pessimist sometimes), and day care seems to be a positive experience for our little boy.  I think it has something to do with the cute girls that work there ;).

I know I will catch myself saying this every month, but I think four months is my new favorite stage.  Lately, I can't play or interact with Cruz without shaking my head in amazement at his growth and development.  As he figures out the world around him, he's becoming quite the little person.  He smiles, he giggles, he smacks his lips together and makes fish faces, and he loves talking to his mama and daddy.  And although we're both sad to leave our little nugget at day care every day, it makes us appreciate our nights with him even more.  The family time the three of us have together are the times that will define this stage in my life twenty years from now.  The time I will always look back on and smile.  And probably achingly miss...

 

Cruz at Four Months...

Where do I start?  Cruz's biggest accomplishment this month was probably learning to roll over.  At 12 weeks, he was trying his hardest to conquer this feat, and would twist his entire body in the most awkward position, only to get stuck on his arm.  At 14 weeks, we watched Cruz roll from his tummy to his back with enough ease to convince us he'd been doing it forever.  After his inaugural tummy roll, the next morning, I peeked in Cruz's room and found him sound asleep on his tummy.  I thought we had discovered a new sleep position; however, he's not much for routine.  Some mornings I find him on his tummy, some on the opposite side of his crib, and some with his little head on the other end of the crib.  

Speaking of sleep, Cruz is a professional.  Last night, he slept 11 hours straight!  We gave him a bottle at 7 and he fell asleep.  At 7:30, we attempted to wake him up, but after tickling his feet, whispering in his ear, and changing positions nearly thirty times, we gave up and decided to see what happened when we put him in his crib.  At 6:30 the next morning, I had to wake him up!  He loves his crib, and who can blame him?  His daddy worked hard on it.  

Perhaps the funniest milestone this month was the discovery of splashing in the whale tub.  It started rather timid, with a sudo-deliberate hand tap or light kick in the sudsy water.  Then, one Saturday morning, Cruz became a bit gutsier.  I was soaked, the floor was soaked, the glass on the window was dripping in baby bath, and Cruz was soaked.  He couldn't even keep his eyes open because he was splashing so much.  He's all business while he's splashing and saying bathtime has become more entertaining is an understatement!

Cruz has always been a man of many faces, and now he is a man of many noises!  What started as cute baby coos has now morphed into shrieks, gurgles, and flat-out yelling!  He just recently discovered how to giggle, yet we can't make him laugh without giving him the hiccups too.  I love his hoarse, burly little laugh and could waste hours attempting to hear it!

Cruz tries hard to prove he is a 'big boy' in many ways.  He sits in his bumbo seat while we prepare supper, attempts to hold his bottle during feedings, and can now keep his head nice and strong while I hold him on my hip.  Despite, his attempts to grow up faster than his mom wishes, he still holds onto lots of sweet characteristics that make him remain 'baby.'  He loves to cuddle, especially when he's getting sleepy.  He'll snuggle in close and always grab onto our shirt collar, a sweatshirt drawstring, or a necklace.  I'm convinced there's nothing better than these moments...

 

Other 'firsts' this month include Cruz's first cold, his first bowl of rice cereal, and his first Bears NFC Championship game.  We're convinced teeth are in the near future, as Cruz can't seem to go five minutes without a hand, finger, or toy shoved in his mouth.  He chews hard, drools like crazy, and will try and eat anything that gets within five inches from his face.  He looks like a baby bird!

 

Yes, our little peanut is growing into a little person as every month goes by.  A little person who loves to play, loves to smile, and loves to sleep.  A little person who will sleep 11 hours straight in his crib at night, yet won't last five minutes during the day.  A little person who loves books. stuffed animals, and tricep extensions with Dad.  A little person in major need of a Baby Gap 'Tall.'  

We love you, little person.