Smiles and Giggles

We did some growing up 'round here

Yesterday marked two months since Axel was born.  He had his 2 month checkup today and everything looks good.  He is 24.5 inches and 12lbs 2 ozs.  He has some baby chub now.  I love that he is totally into people and faces...and he has started smiling and cooing a lot.  He is sleeping pretty well...which means so am I.  It's not the 7 or 8 hours I've grown accustomed to...but he gives me a couple solid stretches of sleep a night, so I'm thankful.

 Check out these "guns"! 

In other news, Tobi moved into her big girl bed this week. She was excited until she saw us taking down her crib (this girl loves her crib!), but I think she has made the adjustment now.  She recently had started moaning in the mornings so someone would get her out of the crib...which is one of the main reason why we decided we couldn't put off the jump to a bed any longer.  But wouldn't you know it...she wakes up and moans in her bed until someone comes in and then she asks if she can get up.  Oh Tobi... this would be a great problem to have if it wasn't for the moaning!

 

Finally we had some warm days recently and in a week of growing up we decided to add big girl swings to our list of accomplishments!

 

Here they are...a little older and a little wiser!

 

6 weeks & 32 months

Today we all went to the doctor...it turned out to be nothing...but my throat has been burning for a couple days so I thought we all had better get checked for strep since it has been going around.  My strep test came back negative and I guess we all just have colds/virus junk.  Better safe than sorry, I guess...but sure seemed like a waste of effort to drag everyone there to confirm we had colds.

Axel just happens to be 6 weeks old today...and we got to find out he weighs in at a healthy 11 lbs. 4 oz.  That is almost a 3 lb. weight gain since birth.  I'm glad we don't continue at that pace...or at least shouldn't!!

 

Sporting a full tummy!

Tobi was everyone's best friend until she realized the appointment was for her too.  It's always fun to have a screaming child when the doctor comes in...I had 2 today!  Fun, fun!

Tobi got weighed too...it seemed a little silly to see her sitting in that little baby scale they use, especially after seeing her little brother laying in there with room to spare.  She weighed in at 35 lbs 5 oz.  I can't believe how much she has grown!  She is wearing almost all 4T and 5T clothing now...and she is only 2 1/2+...or, as I was reminded by a monthly e-mail, 32 months on Sunday.  It really doesn't matter what size you are wearing when you pick out your own clothes...she can make it work!

ONE MONTH

I know it is close to impossible to make a statement about the passage of time without mentioning how hard it is to believe that such an amount of time could have passed already...so I won't say that I can't believe my baby is a month old already.  I believe it...because I am looking at a 2 1/2 year old and remembering that it was just yesterday that she was a month old.

And I'm sure our parents would say the same about us...

 

I can do nothing to slow time down, so instead I choose to enjoy these fleeting moments the best that I can...

 

I love having you in my life, in our family and in my heart!  Happy 1st month, Baby Axel!

2 weeks

Yesterday was Axel's 2 week check up at the clinic.  Technically he is 17 days old, but they still call it a 2 week check up.  He was a champ...no crying, and he just looked around and even let the stretch him out to get a good height measurement.  Speaking of his height, this is the second appointment he's had since he left the hospital and both times he was measured at 22 inches.

They had him at 20 inches when he was born...even though, literally, the doctor's first comment about him when she pulled him out was how long he was.  I thought so too...he was bigger than everyone thought when they felt my belly...he was 8 lbs. 6 oz. but not chubby.  This led everyone, including the nurses, to be skeptical of that initial measurement... and it looks like we were right to be so.  Either Axel grew 2 inches in a few days, or he was shortchanged a couple inches on his initial measurement.

In other exciting measurement news, Axel weighs 8 lbs. 14 oz. - 8 oz. above his birth weight.  That is always a good feeling.  I know he's been eating well, but it is just so hard to know how much he's getting and if I'm reading his needs well...so the good report is encouraging.

 

 Of course the nurse practitioner had a little help checking Axel out.  

Tobi has been a great helper at home too.  Some of her help is truly useful...like her willingness to bring things to me when I am feeding her brother.  Other help is questionable.  This poor kid has had his pacifier (which is known as "sucky" around these parts) shoved into his mouth numerous times a day, whether he wants it or not.  She likes to hold her baby brother...but only for a very short time usually.  You have to watch carefully so that when she is "all done" baby Axel doesn't end up on the floor. 

 

She is still mostly busy taking care of her many, many babies.  Here's a typical line up. 

 

I don't know how she does it...one baby is more than enough for me to handle at a time! As you can see Axel fits quite well into her world.  

Welcome, Little Man

Here He Is! (subtitled: Ben's 3rd post in as many years)

Introducing: Axel Selah Runnion-Bareford

Pronounced: Sweet Child O’ Mine Running Barefoot

Meaning: Axel “Father is Peace” Selah (family name; my middle name)

Stats: 8 lbs. 6 oz., 20 inches long (but everyone thinks we got short-changed on that one…)

First, let’s address the obvious…both for those of our generation who will make the automatic association with Axl Rose, and those who know me well and make fun are aware of my appreciation for the fine genre of 80’s metal/hard rock.  Yes, most of the lyrics are trite, stupid, and/or downright terrible, but listen to the instrumental intro of Mr. Brownstone and tell me you can stop your arm from rising, unbidden, as a horned hand is formed and reaches to the sky.  Jenna, you’re just not being honest.

Anyway, this boy was not named for the frenetic front man of Guns N’ Roses, his fine moral character and exemplary lifestyle notwithstanding.  For me, it was pretty easy to put that association aside and consider the name for the way it sounded…different, strong, without being overly intentional or pretentious - Spartacus and Maximus were, ah…too Roman.  As I was listening yesterday afternoon to the midwife say, “ooh, he has such delicate features!”, I think having a strong name will be a good thing.

It may have taken just *a bit* more time for Shauna to come around…she laughed and rolled her eyes the first time I said…”what about Axel?”  Thankfully, it grew on her – or maybe she was just worried that I might suggest Sebastian Bach Runnion-Bareford or Jani Lane Runnion-Bareford as an alternative.  In any case, it became his name when Tobi started regularly referring to him as “baby Axel”.  So Tobi-doo, you helped to name your little brother…I’m sure it’s just the beginning of all of the “helpful” things you’ll do for him.  As I was watching you hold him, hug him, touch his face, and cup his feet in your little hands for the very first time , I can’t imagine he could have a better big sister.

We can’t imagine being more thankful for the gift of our two children…thank you, Lord!