Mom's group

A few months ago, Cash and I started getting together with some other new moms on a weekly basis. It's so much fun to get to visit and watch the kids grow! It's also been great to socialize with other adults - a much needed break from baby-talk! The kids are making such amazing changes and they've gone from just laying on the floor to rolling over and interacting with each other. How time flies!

First Foods and Daddy's 40th

We started Cash on rice cereal about a week and a half ago. The doctor seemed to think it would help him sleep through the night (it hasn't), but Cash has certainly taken to it right away. We gave him peas for the first time last night. Here are his thoughts on that. This was taken right after he finished gagging. I can't really blame him. I'm not a fan of the peas either.

We also celebrated Mick's 40th birthday this week. Thanks to all who contributed to his memory book. He loved it! We had cake and ice cream on Thursday and then Mick, Cash and I made a daring move and drove an hour into Houston to dine at PF Changs this afternoon. Cash did great and people-watched as we ate our favorites. He even lasted long enough to allow for some window shopping. Cash and Daddy at PF Changs Go wild! Cash the party animal. Playing peek-a-boo with Aunt Reagan

Four Months

Cash is now four months old! Hard to believe, but it's true. He had his well-baby check today and, although I was worried about how the day would go after his shots, he did great and was only a little more fussy this evening. He now weighs 17 pounds, 8.5 ounces, is 26.5 inches long, and is in the mid-eightieth percentiles for both. We knew he was chunking out, but four pounds in two months is crazy! At this rate, my arms will be ripped by Valentine's Day!
His personality is really starting to develop. He's quite the flirt, and Mick and I could spend all day just trying to get him to laugh. We'll likely be starting him on solids soon and I can't believe that I'll soon have a child sitting in a high chair making a mess!

Backyard Landscaping and a Trip to the Zoo

Since we live in a new construction home, Mick has been going a little stir crazy with nothing to fix or renovate. So, over the Christmas break, he started to landscape the backyard. While Mick was hard a work doing back-breaking labor, Cash and I played in the yard and enjoyed the very un-wintery weather. It's still a work in progress, but it's looking great already!

We also took Cash on his first visit to the Houston Zoo on Saturday. We're not sure how much he actually saw, but we know he didn't like the smell of elephant poo, (who does?) as he started to wail as soon as we came downwind of it. I can't wait to take him back and watch him get excited over all the animals!


Upwind of the elephant poo

Rarrrrrr!

(Cash) Monkey in the middle!

Trying to get Cash to pose...

That's better!

Putting Cash to Sleep

Many of the parenting books advise that at this age we should be letting Cash fall asleep on his own, by putting him in his crib "drowsy but awake" and leaving the room. Although I will say that Cash has, on a few rare occasions, done just that, for the most part that sentiment is great in theory. Here's a sampling of reality:

5:50 pm Cash yawns and fusses, signaling it's time for bed.
Diaper change. Fussing. PJs. Fussing. Begin rocking and reading Time For Bed. Increased fussing. Stop reading after page four.
Fan on. Music on. Lights off.
Swaddle right arm. Swaddle left arm. Re-swaddle right arm. Re-swaddle left arm while holding right arm.
Fuss. Fuss. Fuss.
Put Cash against shoulder and initiate simultaneous bounce-pat-shush sequence. Cash yawns...and fusses.

6:05pm Think, Maybe he'll be asleep by 6:15
Fussing decreases. Lower Cash in front of my body and initiate jiggle-dance-shush sequence. Fussing increases. Fussing decreases. Cash's eye close.

6:10pm Transfer Cash's weight from my body to my arms. Cash's eyes open and body stiffens. Fussing. Jiggle more intensely. Dang, this kid weighs a TON!

6:15pm First attempt to lower Cash to the crib. Fails. Repeat bounce-pat-shush sequence.

6:18pm Second attempt to lower Cash to the crib. WHAAAAAAAAAH! Repeat jiggle-shush sequence.

6:23pm Third attempt. Almost...almost...oh no!!! Mick relieves me.

6:25pm Think seriously about banging my head against the wall.

6:35pm I go in to relieve Mick. Cash is now straight-jacket-Houdini swaddled.

6:40pm I'm hunched over the crib. Cash is asleep. My hands are still underneath him. Left hand free. Right hand free. Sneak out the door.
Thank God that's over.

8:15pm Mick and I look at each other and say, "We miss Cash."

9:30pm Fussing

Merry Christmas!

The Cash Man Giggles

Here's our little dude laughing. It's a new development, and a welcome one, as the poor guy has been pretty fussy lately. The lighting is not the best as it was taken VERY early in the AM.