Joey: 2 Months

I promise not to say that the time is flying every month, but it is! Joey is 2 months old already.

At two months Joey is napping during the day less and less. He will go for 6-7 hours between feedings at night. He is more alert and loves to smile, coo and look around. He is a very busy baby. He loves his Bumbo chair and seems to prefer to sit up. He also loves his Infantino carrier - we can tote him anywhere in that thing and he is perfectly content. He prefers to sleep on his stomach and loves to snuggle.

Joey weighed in at 10 pounds, 1 ounce and is 22 1/2 inches long.

Thanksgiving Traditions

Happy Thanksgiving! This is one of many holidays that we will begin traditions to carry on for many years. And this year we have so much to be thankful for.

We started the day out watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade in our pjs.

Watched all three football games. And yes, Joey had his Cowboys onesie on during that game. Then Joey and I met up with Joe when he got off work and had Thanksgiving dinner with some friends.

Note to self, don't leave the photo for the end of the night. The munchkin is less than cooperative. =)

Friends Already

Bailey has a friend. She is always around him. I hope she and Joey will be friends - even after he's mobile.

Today's Visitors

Joey got a visit today from his Aunt Kelley and cousin Ashlee! So glad to see these lovely ladies.

Chatty morning

Little man was having a chatty morning this morning. Usually he stops doing whatever he's doing as soon as I pull out the camera. This time, I got lucky.

Our big boy

Joey went 6 1/2 hours between feedings last night! Our big boy! I wish he would have been asleep during that time, but baby steps. It was at the start of his "awake time" which is between 11 pm and 2 am lately. We are working on getting that to be asleep time, but it's better than the 2 - 5 am that he used to be awake. Here is a picture of the happy baby after he woke up.

The holidays already?

Joe and I took Joey to Stonebriar Mall last night in hopes of seeing a lot of Christmas decorations and on the lookout for new stockings. I found some stockings online that I like, but wanted to do a little leg-work here first to see if I can snag some. Plus, it was a really good excuse to get out of the house and spend a little time together as a family.

I was disappointed to see not a single kiosk with holiday items. Really? Is this only something that occurs back home? That can't be. Am I too early? It's the week before Thanksgiving. I know it's a little early, but a lot of retail places have been decking out in Christmas garb since Halloween. This may be a little harder than I thought.

I've heard from others that another mall is all decked out already, but going as a family was half the fun. Oh well, we tried. We had fun anyway.

Too warm for November

It is so ridiculously warm here (again). So ridiculously warm that I had to turn the AC back on. Really, it's the middle of November! I took the opportunity to put Joey in a cute little short outfit. For those of you who think we have a thing for monkeys, I assure you we don't it's just a coincidence.

It never fails, this kiddo lives to sleep on his stomach. Tummy time always turns into Joey falling asleep almost instantly.

Look how cute those shorts are!

Good Luck Charm?

Call me superstitious but the Cowboys won last week and this week. Joey wore his Cowboys onesie for the first time last week and then again this week. I think he will be wearing it every Sunday - don't want to rock the boat.

Hanging Out

A little someone was getting impatient while I got organized after his bath. So, I set him down for a minute while I got myself together. Of course he's a natural - relaxing, watching TV.

Hard at Play

Someone fell asleep tonight while on his playmat. If you look closely, the mouth portion of his pacifier is in his hand.

6 weeks old!

Joey is 6 weeks old today! We are having strangely warm weather today, so I decided to put him in an adorable tank onesie. I was worried it would be too cold for him to wear it before he outgrew it, but we live in Texas - so a tank in November isn't out of the question.

Joey had an incredible night's sleep last night, so he's been in a great mood all day. He was hanging out with his head up looking around, so I thought we'd try the Bumbo chair for the first time. He LOVED it. While cooing, looking around and laughing, he also discovered his tongue. He has been cracking me up all morning.

Family Visits

This weekend Joe and I took little Joey for his first trip to East Texas. In honor of opening weekend of deer hunting season, we had to make the trek for Joe and his brother Ben to see if they could have any luck. This was also an excellent opportunity for Joey to meet some family members.

Meeting Uncle Ben & Aunt Shannon

Meeting Great Aunt Cathy

Meeting Great Uncle Brian

Hanging with Aunt Melanie

Cousin John holding Joey

Sleeping in Uncle Daniel's arms

Visiting with Grandma & Grandpa

Our little nugget is growing

Today marked a mini milestone for little Joey. He's officially in all 0-3 month clothes! First diapers and now clothes, this little guy is no longer a newborn. While it's a whole new wardrobe, I can't help but be just a little sad. I can't believe how fast he's growing!

30 Days of Thanks

In honor of November and the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, I thought it might be nice to recognize it this entire month. Every day this month I'd like to talk about at least one thing I am thankful for. Remember, this list is in no particular order, just what I feel thankful for at that given moment. I promise to keep this light-hearted and fun, while serious. I hope each of you takes an opportunity to at least think about what you're thankful for this holiday season.

1. I am not only thankful for the opportunity to shower today, even though it was at 5:00 this afternoon, but I am also thankful for my health. It is something we often overlook and maybe even take for granted.
2. My home and the shelter it provides. We have put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this home and will continue to do so as we give it the TLC needed and upgrades we desire. I love our house and am so thankful for it!
3. The two men in my life. My husband has always made me feel like a lucky woman. He's the one person who truly gets me, grounds me and makes me a better person. Now I have two men in my life that I'm absolutely in love with. The birth of our son has made me love my husband that much more. I can't wait to watch our little man grow.
 

4. A little less deep, but still relevant - today I am super thankful of the ease of our stroller. It turns on a dime and folds up and down with one hand. With the numerous errands Joey and I ran today, I was super thankful for it!
5. Our family. Both Joe and I are lucky to have such wonderful families that love us. We are so lucky to have these people in our lives. From great parents, to siblings, to grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and so much more. We feel the love from so many and are so thankful for it.
6. I am so thankful for Joe's days off work. It seems we spend so much more time together in general now that I am on maternity leave, but I truly cherish the days we are able to spend off work together - no matter how many (or few) there truly are.
7. I am truly thankful for happy baby days. Joey loves his sleep and when he gets a good night's sleep, it really is a wonderful day for both of us. He's so happy and fun and everything is exciting to him. It's such a pleasure to watch. We have had a struggle here and there getting him to stay asleep. Last night was the first of hopefully many little victories and for that, this mama is grateful.
8. Today I am thankful for the Internet. To not only put my thoughts and words out there, but to help with the long restless nights and sometimes boring afternoons. With out this tool and distraction, I'm not sure what I would do some days.
9. I am thankful my husband is a "do-er." He has done so much work around the house and on our vehicles it amazes me. If he doesn't know how to do something, he's on the phone with his dad trying to figure it out or looking it up online. He has learned how to do so much and will at least give something a try before hiring it out. He has saved us so much money - and who wouldn't love that.
10. Today I am thankful for our day as a family. We spent a wonderful day together, just the 3 of us. Going to brunch, shopping and spending the day talking, laughing and just being a family. What a blessing!
11. In honor of Veteran's Day, today I am thankful for those who sacrifice so much to serve our country.
12. I am thankful for my clean house. It's so clean and smells so good. Makes me smile.
13. I am thankful for Skype. We are lucky enough to be able to talk to and see family and friends that live so far away. This helps us stay in better touch with the lives of our loved ones because visits aren't always possible.
14. For never having felt the pain of hunger. Joe and I have been pleased with enough food to keep us full and for that, I am truly grateful.
15. I am thankful for every morning that I wake up. Life is precious and I am grateful for each day that I am here.
16. My fur babies! They were our kids before Joey arrived and will always be our kiddos. We love all four of them.

Bailey & Jack

Sam & Abby
17. Our friends are an extension of our family. While most of our friends live so far away and it's sometimes a challenge to connect, we love you all dearly and don't know what we would do without you.
18. I love our vehicles. They are old, have high mileage and have needed their fair share of repairs, but I love them and am thankful we have 2 dependable vehicles.
19. I am thankful for the relationship we each have with our in-laws. Joe gets along with my parents beautifully and I adore Joe's parents. We couldn't ask for better in-laws and are truly grateful for that.
20. Today I am thankful for breathable bumpers. Joey never really slept well on his back and we decided to stop fighting with him and let him sleep on his stomach. With this change, we changed his crib bumpers out with the mesh breathable kind to protect him when he roots around.
21. My Infantino carrier. I don't know what I would do without this thing. It makes it so I can drag Joey all over the place and he is super content, falls asleep most of the time.

22. Not everyone is lucky enough to say this - I am thankful Joe and I have jobs and are able to support ourselves.
23. I am thankful for sleep. Joey went 7 hours between feedings last night, sleeping for the majority of that time. It feels good to sleep for longer than 2-3 hours at a time, something I used to take for granted.
24. Today I am thankful I get to start traditions with Joey on his first Thanksgiving Day.
25. I am thankful for holiday weekends. From family time to football to lounging on the couch.
26. I am thankful that my maternity leave has been around the holidays. I am able to take care of picking up Christmas gifts at a time when the stores aren't quite as crowded.
27. I am thankful that I am able to ease back to work. One more full week off, then two weeks of part-time work before I go back full-time. The last 9 weeks have flown by!
28. I am thankful for the relationship I have with my mother. We can tell each other anything and talk frequently. I value her opinion and advice and have leaned on her a lot over the past few months.
29. DVR has been a saving grace during maternity leave. I have been able to watch various TV programs during all hours of the night and this has saved me from poking my eyes out and pulling my hair out.
30. One of the most treasured items for baby - our Summer video monitor. I don't know what I would do without this. To be able to see what Joey is up to from our bed or from downstairs while in the middle of cooking, it has been a complete life saver and provided so much peace of mind.