Sweet Sixteen

Dear Carsten,

The bane of being the second child.  While your sister had posts on her growth almost immediately after her monthly milestones, yours are always a month or so late.  But, rest assured we don't love you any less.  In fact, I can't imagine loving a baby even more than I love you.  Here you are at 16 weeks donning the same flirtatious smile that melts my heart every day.  

16 weeks is such a sweet age for you.  Here is how you spend your days:  belly laughing, chatting in baby talk, screeching at your toys, searching with a smile for your sister when you hear her voice, napping three times a day, falling asleep on your own in your own crib,  sleeping through the night (started at 12 weeks or so), snuggling, sucking your thumb, drooling all over, and just relaxing.  

Lest you try to rub it into your sister's face on how you were perfect, there is one thing that makes you furious with me - tummy time.  You hate it.  And loathe me for forcing you to do it daily.  I never thought a baby could tell a parent off.  But you have done it.

I am not sure what I did to deserve such a well-mannered, mild, happy baby but I am running with it.  

Your stats:

Weight:  14 lbs 14 oz (50th percentile)

Height:  26 1/2 inches (95th percentile)

Still my long and semi-lean green bean.  Love you little man!

Mama

One Word Valentines

We hosted a dinner party with two other couples in which one of the attendees had these really interesting conversation prompts:  Such as "Besides your wife and kids, of what are you most proud?" and "If you could describe your spouse with one word what would it be?"  I thought the latter was very clever.  So here is one word descriptions of my Valentines this year.

My Valentine #1:  Lover

This boy is a lover and probably the most amiable and easy baby that has ever roamed the earth.  We say every day, multiple times "I love this baby."  He is so easy to love.
He already likes to flirt with grown women.  And I am already jealous.  Heaven help me for when he
eventually marries.  Because I love being the woman in his life.

My Valentine #2:  Determined

Is this happy, animated, friendly, kind, beautiful, emotional girl ever determined.  She is chattering and on the move from the moment she wakes up to the moment she crashes for nap. When she sets her mind to something she doesn't give up.  She's full of life and spunky.  And just like her Mama.
Start praying for us now that we survive the teenage years.

Valentine #3:  Genuine

This man has no pretense, always sees the good in others, loves to relax, is accepting of others,
and has a wicked sense of humor.  He is so good that sometimes I pick fights to try to get him to get mad and make me feel better about my faults.  Not surprisingly, he rarely is ruffled by this goading.  He does everything he can to make me happy and is desperately trying to teach me the art of Zen.  Keep hoping he doesn't wake up one day and ask himself "Why am I married to this crazy lady again??"  He's the glue that holds us together and his son takes after him.