BRS

I finally downloaded a gazillion pictures from my cell phone and ipad to my computer, and as I looked through the last few month's worth of images, I found a lot of selfies I took of, well, myself, and baby Max asleep on me.  We call this situation "Baby Restrictive Syndrome" or BRS.

No picture can ever capture how good it feels to have a warm, snugly baby deeply asleep on your chest, but at least these images will remind me that this time existed since I know he will be too big for Mama naps before too long.  He's already changed oh so much.

Just born

One day old

 Six days old

Ten days old

Nineteen days old 

 Four weeks old

Six weeks old 

Eight weeks old 

Eleven weeks old 

Uh-oh.... eleven and a half weeks old.  No nap!  I am AWAKE!

New library books

Never fails, new library books are always a big deal around here.  I love having a family of bookworms! 

Vacation is good

Lots of time to snuggle with a napping baby.  Next year on our annual beach vacation, this little bundle of sweetness will be running in circles in the sand.  So I'm glad we both got lots of cuddle time on this go round.

Sometimes it all just works

We had an abundance of zucchini on the verge of going bad in the fridge.  Cook's Illustrated had a delicious and healthier recipe for zucchini bread in this month's issue.  It's too hot to play outside in the afternoon and I'm trying not to let our entire repertoire of summer activities involve Netflix.  The obvious answer is to do some baking with the kids.  

But with a new baby in the house, I never feel like I can do anything big or time sensitive without another adult around for backup, in case he gets fussy and I need to cut short what I'm doing.  Occasionally, though, I throw caution to the wind, and with all the signs pointing towards "bake the damn zucchini bread", we did.  

And it worked.  The big kids shared measuring duties without arguing and Max sat contentedly in a bouncy seat watching us.  The zucchini bread was delicious (especially since Ella and Dash convinced me to add chocolate chips). It definitely doesn't always all work out so smoothly, but it's sure nice when it does.

Nursery toys

I am constantly amazed at how much time Ella and Dash spend playing in Max's nursery with the baby toys.  They often come in to be with me while I feed Max but then stay much much longer playing elaborate games with the pretty simple toys.

Baseball

Dash has turned just about every baby toy in Max's nursery into some sort of sporting equipment.  Here he plays baseball with a stacker and fabric ball. I did have to send him to the basement when he started making the crib, the rocker, and the changing table the bases.  Poor Max deserves a little peace and quiet for his meals.  Occasionally.

The extra syllable

I don't ever want to forget this time, when Dash adds an extra and adorable syllable to many words.

"Mom, that sounds like the beginning to a Dis-ah-ney movie!" - On hearing the intro music to The West wing

"I am a basketball player for the Ashe-ah-bill Bulldogs!" - Thanks to the much-loved and much worn UNC Asheville basketball tshirt gifted to him by his Gramps and Grandma Linda

"I am making you a pie and I have a little pepper and a little pap-ah-rika to put in it, OK?" - while playing in the backyard sandbox and "cooking" for me