Kai at 1 year

Our Kai bug went and turned a year old on June 28.  Of course I was sad when Collins and Brooks turned a year but this one has been so much harder, knowing he's our last baby.  This age is so much fun though!

At 1 year, Kai weighs 19lbs (20%) and is 28in tall (25%).  He grew 2 inches since his 9 month appointment so he finally made it on the height chart.  His head is in the 95% range. Which explains why he's always falling over.

 Just like Brooks, Kai hates whole milk.  Not warm, not cold, not in any sippy cup or bottle.  Not even chocolate milk! I'm not too stressed about it though, we make sure he eats plenty of yogurt and cheese. I nursed him longer than the other 2 because he was waking up at 5:30am and I'm just not ready for my kids to be awake at that time.  So he'd nurse and go back to sleep.  He stopped nursing completely about a week after his first birthday when we learned that he'd drink strawberry pediasure. We're slowly adding more whole milk to it in hopes of getting him on just whole milk.  But he's sleeping through the night from 7pm-6am.  Hallelujah!  

I'm shocked that he still only has 3 bottom teeth! It looks like the top 4 are on the way.  He's wearing a size 3 shoe although I can't get any to stay on his fat feet! Also in a size 3 diaper and 9-12 month clothes. 

The first night of not nursing him before bedtime, I was standing by his crib singing to him and he pointed to his rocking chair like "yeah right, mom.  You've still got to at least rock me!" I cherish that he still loves being rocked for a little bit before we put him in his crib.  He always points to the chair if we don't try skipping the rocking  He's got the finger pointing down.  There was one day that I didn't know what he wanted and he flapped his arms like a bird to get me to walk and flapped and pointed until we landed at a box of cookies.  He is so smart! If we just close the baby gate without actually locking it, he can get it open. He will notice if it's open and make a mad dash for the stairs.  Brooks was 14 months when we moved into this house but I'm realizing I need to baby proof more than I had to with him! Kai's into everything!!! The bottom cabinets have safe stuff inside them so he has a hay day pulling out trash bags from one cabinet, the kid plates/cups from another, tupperware, etc.  Our kitchen usually looks like a tornado just went through it.

I don't remember Collins and Brooks being this vocal either.  There was one day that we heard him say "hi" so good that we thought it was Brooks! It sounds like he says "up" and he'll say "huh" for hot and "mmmm" if you ask him if something is good.  I know those don't count as words but he's trying!

We laugh at how much his stomach sticks out. He's a bottomless pit! He's not much of a vegetable fan anymore so I sneak those in with other foods and he eats 1 squeeze pouch that contains vegetables, a day.  He loves all other food though, especially fruit. He didn't devour his birthday cake which surprises me because he loves sweets.  He once ate about 7 donut holes during one of Brooks' baseball games and was pissed at me when I wouldn't give him more.  The kids are always sharing food with him so he basically eats all day long. 

He started walking soon after he turned 11 months.  It just clicked one day and he was off. He always wants to be outside, likes the pool and bath but not water in his face.  He can follow simple commands like "get your cup."  He still won't really sit through a book.  He just wants to turn the pages and close the book. Collins room is his favorite.  He whines anytime I walk away from him.  Climbs everything and doesn't like sitting in a shopping cart very long.

We just had a simple birthday party for him with mostly family.  He loooves balloons so I made sure to have lots of those and then we had a pool and sprinkler going in the backyard since it was 95 degrees outside! 

We love you so much Kai and have enjoyed every second of this past year with you. 

Check out his 1 year photo session auntie Amy took of him.  I can't even narrow them down so go look at them all here

Kai at 2 months

Phew, this month was a little more tough than the first.  My mind was at ease after I read that 6-8 weeks are often fussy due to their digestive system still developing and them being awake more.  I'd say that's pretty accurate.  He's not near as fussy as Brooks was but not quite as laid back as newborn Kai.

 

 Stats: 11lbs 8oz (30%), 21 3/4in (5%). We started out with an absurd amount of size 1 diapers that I'm trying to use up.  Size 2 fits much better. Wearing 0-3 month clothes.

Health: The jaundice in his eye has went away and now he's left with a clogged tear duct. Not that they go hand in hand.  His right eye is really bad and occasionally his left one gets gross.  Collins' fought this her first year of life so we know what to do and we hope it clears up before hers did.  I can almost always guarantee that his fussiness is because he needs to poop. His pediatrician suggested we start a probiotic and I've been a big believer in it with him, like I was with Brooks.  It doesn't solve the problem right away but usually gets things moving.  

 

 

 Eating: Eats about every 3 hours during the day and does an 8 hour stretch at night.  Puts down 4-5oz when he has a bottle.

Sleeping: He is a rock star sleeper.  The past 2 weeks we've gotten into more of a schedule. I started having him nap in our room which I think has been key. It's just too loud downstairs. He takes about a 2 hour morning nap, 2-3 hour afternoon nap and about an hour nap around dinner.   The evenings are when he gets fussy and doesn't sleep till closer to 9 but then sleeps till at least 4am.  I'll take the fussy evenings for a good nights sleep.  Honestly, he doesn't even fully wake up for that middle of the night feeding either.  He just starts wanting his paci and doesn't go back into a deep sleep until he's changed and fed.  He no longer sleeps in the rock n play but sleeps on his tummy in the pack n play.  I know, I know, it still freaks me out but I have the video monitor on him and he wears an Owlet monitor on his foot.  So I feel a little more at ease. 

Play: The floor, swing and bouncer are all fun but for a short time.  He smiles and talks so much, especially to sis.  I think it's more out of luck than with purpose but he bats at his toys with his hands.  We fail at giving him much tummy time.  He can lift and hold his head up off our shoulder and bares weight on his feet. 

Despises the car seat.  I dread having to take him anywhere cause we have to listen to him scream.  Even if I pull over and try to give him his paci, he doesn't calm down.  He wants out!

Loves taking a bath (when I remember to give him one).

 

 

   He was supposed to have his first sleepover with auntie Amber while we went out for a birthday but he showed off his fussiness and I felt bad for Amber and for him so we came and got him. We got a few hours away so that was nice, I wasn't quite ready to leave him overnight anyway.

Kai, you've been the sweetest addition to our family.  Your siblings fight daily on who gets to hold you first, who can sit closer to you and even who you look at.  I've caught Brooks moving your head so that your facing him, not Collins'.  It's ridiculous how much they love you. Don't worry, I swoop in and rescue you.  I can't blame them though, I adore you just as much. I think the feelings mutual because you've been pretty attached to me the last couple weeks.  I love you so much baby.

 

 

 

 

 

Kai at 1 month

I know it's cliché to say this, but holy cow, how has it already been a month?! Kai has been a dream baby and it's greatly appreciated after having a colicky baby (ahem Brooks).  

 

 

Stats: 10lbs 1oz (50%), 21 in (30%).  I'm still in shock that he came out weighing 8lbs 6oz so I shouldn't be all that surprised that he's already 10lbs! But seriously Kai, stop growing!! He's mostly outgrown his newborn clothes and the newborn diapers were gone long ago. 

Health: Our pediatrician was a little worried about the yellow she saw in his eyes so we ended up having to do another jaundice test.  We did one at 3 days old and they weren't concerned about his level so they didn't ask us to come back.  I've noticed it in his eyes too so we wanted to make sure it was just breast milk jaundice and not something with his liver. Results came back just a couple hours later so this mama didn't have to panic for too long.  It's still up a tiny bit but she wasn't worried, it's slowly getting out of his system.  I brought up him maybe having acid reflux but it doesn't seem to bother him too much so I think we'll wait it out a little before we jump to medicine. 

 

 

Eating: He nurses every 2-3 hours during the day and has taken a handful of bottles and drank 3oz.  Not too much to report in the eating department yet.

Sleeping: Still sleeping most of the day away.  He's awake for a little in the morning and then for quite a while during the evening. Unfortunately, that evening awake time is usually spent fussy and uncomfortable.  It get's real chaotic here at that time since we are trying to get dinner cooked and the other two in the bath and bed.  We just tag team him and the older two.  Derek's been gone 1 overnight this past month and my mom came to the rescue. The good thing about this fussy/awake time is that he in turn sleeps for quite awhile once we finally get him down.  I try to feed him around 9:30pm before I go to bed and he'll sleep till about 3am.  He starts stirring again about 6:30am, so I'm only having to wake once to feed him. No complaints here on that. He's our first baby to hate being swaddled.  I love looking over at him and seeing his arms up above his head when he's sleeping.  Due to the supposed acid reflux, he doesn't like to be laid down after he eats.  So even though I don't have to break a swaddle habit in the future, I have to break him of the rock n play.  Which could be worse.

 

 In true third child fashion, he went and saw his first movie this month (Despicable Me 3) and slept through the entire thing. Life doesn't stop when you have 2 other kids so he's been all over town but not out of town yet. 

 

 

Collins and Brooks adore him.  Collins' always wants to hold him and can often times get him to sleep when we can't! She's been a huge help with him and with Brooks.  "Where's Kai?" is said multiple times a day by Brooks. And he always needs to give him a kiss before he can take a nap or go to sleep. He asks to hold him occasionally but it's short lived and he pretty much just lets go of him when he's done holding him.

 

Kai Anders, we all simply adore you.  You are such a cuddle bug and we fight over who gets to hold you.  So far you have brown  hair like Collins and blue eyes like Brooks and I'm hoping they stay that way.  The perfect mixture of your siblings.  Either way, you are the cutest thing in the world and I love you so incredibly much. 

 

 

 

Thank you Tonya for making him this amazing blanket.  And can we talk about his smile in some of these? Obsessed.  He had smiled a couple times before but I think these were his first real social smiles.