4 Months Old.

For some reason it feels like when you've reached the 4 month milestone of your firstborn's life, you're finally, officially a parent.  Let me explain.  The first few months are just a whirlwind.

A whirlwind of emotions.

A whirlwind of diapers.

A whirlwind of family members coming over to your house constantly.

A whirlwind of figuring things out for the first time.

A whirlwind of bodily function discussions.

A whirlwind of hearing other people's opinions, suggestions, and experiences about raising a child.

And then somewhere along the way, the chaos and commotion settles.

And your newborn baby boy who once liked like this...



Turns into a strapping young lad that now looks like this...

A lot can change in four months, huh?

Remember when he used to be SO much smaller than that monkey?

He's the happiest kid I know.

And the sweetest.

I guess one could say he's "filled out in the face."  And take a look at those thunder thighs.  Delicious.

I guess it's like any major life milestone.  After a while...you find your new normal.  And four months in...you realize, nobody could even come close to knowing your baby as well as you do.  By this point you know what his noises mean.  Every laugh, cry and grunt means something-and when you hear them, you know what to do.  You know how he likes to be held, what will calm him down, and how to make him fall asleep.  And while you're still appreciative of all the help and advice you've gotten over the past months to help you settle into parenthood (and god knows we are beyond blessed with the support we have for Henry) you realize you've done it.  Somehow you've managed to get this little guy's life off to a rousing start.  And while Daddy Perks already desperately miss how little Buggy used to be, we are dripping in awe as we watch our son grow into a little man right before our very eyes.

SO-on with the 4-month update...

Quick Stats:

Height: 26 inches...90th Percentile.

Weight...16 lbs 4 oz...80th Percentile.

Head...45th Percentile.  (Yay! Your head is finally catching up with the rest of you!)

Nicknames: Buggy, Bungy, Bugaboo, Baby Buggy Boy, Hank, Hanky-Danky-Doo, Stinky-Dinky-Doo, PJ Pants, Green Jean (God only knows how he acquired those last 2 nicknames...I credit them fully to Daddy Perks.)

Dear Hanky-Danky-Doo,

Can you believe it you've been alive for 4 whole months?  It's quite an accomplishment.  Here's what you've been up to lately...

You are still such a good sleeper.  You L-O-V-E your crib.  When we put you to bed, you immediately go on your stomach and stick your little booty up in the air.  You sleep between 9 and 10 hours at a time now.  You usually go to sleep around 10 pm and wake up between 7 and 8 am.  Sometimes you wake up to eat in the morning, and then go right back to sleep for another couple of hours.

When you were about 3 1/2 months old, you started waking up about every 3 hours in the middle of the night and I knew you were ready for cereal.  The first night we gave you cereal you loved it.  In fact, you ate with a spoon like you'd been doing it for years.  That night you went to sleep and slept for nine hours straight.  Your little belly just needed a little extra something in it to help you get through the night.  Now you eat cereal once a day right before bedtime.  It's hilarious when we feed you because you get so mad if we don't have the spoon right there in front of your mouth as soon as you open it.  You get very impatient and don't like to wait in between bites, which results in you inhaling your food-a trait you most certainly inherited from Daddy.  When we first started feeding you cereal you would sit in your bumbo chair, but now you're a big boy and you sit in your high chair.

You're still on 100% breast milk and going strong.  You love nursing and so does Mommy.  Something tells me she's going to be very sad someday when you stop breastfeeding.  Not just because she'll miss the bonding time with you, but also because she'll have to stop having the appetite and eating habits similar to that of a pre-pubescent 12 year-old boy.  (Can I get an amen for the breastfeeder's diet Abby?!? I mean seriously-who doesn't love the idea of burning an extra 700-800 calories a day that doesn't involve lifting a finger while simultaneously feeding your baby for free?)

And that all breast milk diet seems to be doing a body good.  You. are. HUGE.  You're fitting into some of your 6-9 month clothes these days.  In fact, the mounting pile of clothes that no longer fit you is breaking Mommy's heart.  But don't let those thunder thighs and double chin deceive you-you're still pretty long 'n lean.

You are still a rolling machine these days.  But your latest trick is sitting up.  You sat up all by yourself for the first time on Christmas Day.  We actually got it on video.  You're getting better and better at it, but after a while your balance gets the best of you.  I think you're realizing that sitting up opens up a whole new world of opportunity when it comes to playing with all your toys.

Speaking of sitting up...you happened to be doing so when your pediatrician came in the examining room for your 4-month check-up the other day, and he said: "Well, my goodness Henry!  Aren't you advanced doing one of your 6-month milestones at your 4-month appointment.  You are such a show-off."  He said that you are extremely strong for your age and that I need to watch out because you'll probably be crawling before we know it.

Mimi got you an exersaucer for Christmas and you're obesessed.  In fact-when we put you in it for the first time, you gave us a look like we'd just laid $1 million dollars in front of you.  You didn't know what to do first-you swat and bang at all the different toys on it and you could bounce in that thing all day long and be happy.

You also found your voice sometime in the last month.  To put it simply-you yell all. the. time.  You think it's hilarious, and often times your yell turns into a giggle because you know you're being silly.  You are also starting to babble a lot, and seem to have all kinds of important things to say.  You love attention.  In fact-whenever you're in a room and it's a rare occasion where everyone's NOT looking at you, you tend to do this fake cough thing so that you can get everyone's attention.  Then when we are all looking at you again, you immediately get this "gotcha suckers" look on your face.  We fall for it every time.

You don't know a stranger.  You'll let anybody hold you, and you're so easy going.  You're also very well-behaved.  We can take you anywhere and you just go with the flow.  In fact-the other night, I took you to see Daddy do stand-up comedy in Columbus.  You were such a good listener and even polite to laugh at the other comedians jokes that weren't nearly as funny as Daddy's.  I was happy that you finally got to see your Daddy doing one of his favorite things-making people laugh.  He makes you laugh all the time.  He knows all your ticklish spots including your belly, neck and armpits.  I let him tickle you just long enough so that I can hear your belly laugh, but then I always come save you.

Daddy and I were looking back at pictures of you tonight, and were literally in awe of how much you've changed and grown in such a short amount of time.  You are just plain fabulous and we adore you.

Love,

Mama

Hello 2010.

This was Henry's reaction the other day when I told him that it's 2010 and the holidays are officially over.

My sentiment exactly.

Happy New Year PERKS followers!  Are you feeling rejuvenated and ready for a great year?  Well here at the Perks household we have been recovering from a wonderful holiday season.  Santa was very good to all three of us this year and we spent New Year's Eve ringing in 2010 with some dear friends and family toasting to the good life.

Speaking of the good life...I recently read something and decided I couldn't say it better myself when it comes to my hopes and wishes for Henry as we start a new year and decade...

I'd really like for you to know about hand me down clothes and homemade ice cream and leftover meat loaf sandwiches. I really would.


I hope you learn humility by being humiliated, and that you learn honesty by being cheated.

I hope you learn to make your own bed and mow the lawn and wash the car.

And I really hope nobody gives you a brand new car when you are sixteen.

It will be good if at least one time you can see puppies born and your old dog put to sleep.

I hope you get a black eye fighting for something you believe in.

I hope you have to share a bedroom with your younger brother/sister. And it's all right if you have to draw a line down the middle of the room,but when he wants to crawl under the covers with you because he's scared, I hope you let him.

When you want to see a movie and your little brother/sister wants to tag along, I hope you'll let him/her.

I hope you have to walk uphill to school with your friends and that you live in a town where you can do it safely.

On rainy days when you have to catch a ride, I hope you don't ask your driver to drop you two blocks away so you won't be seen riding with someone as uncool as your Mom.

If you want a slingshot, I hope your Dad teaches you how to make one instead of buying one.

I hope you learn to dig in the dirt and read books.

When you learn to use computers, I hope you also learn to add and subtract in your head.

I hope you get teased by your friends when you have your first crush on a boy\girl, and when you talk back to your mother that you learn what ivory soap tastes like.

May you skin your knee climbing a mountain, burn your hand on a stove and stick your tongue on a frozen flagpole.

I don't care if you try a beer once, but I hope you don't like it.. And if a friend offers you dope or a joint, I hope you realize he is not your friend.

I sure hope you make time to sit on a porch with your Grandma/Grandpa and go fishing with your Uncle.

May you feel sorrow at a funeral and joy during the holidays.

I hope your mother punishes you when you throw a baseball through your neighbor's window and that she hugs you and kisses you at Christmas time when you give her a plaster mold of your hand.

These things I wish for you - tough times and disappointment, hard work and happiness. To me, it's the only way to appreciate life.

***Stay tuned...LIFOP is back in full swing and I've got tons of PERKS to catch you up on this week!***

Goodbye 2009.

So many PERKS to celebrate today.

Today is the last day of 2009.

Today is also the last day of this decade.

But most importantly...today is Henry's 4 month birthday.

Here's a sneak peak of our little monkey:

He's growing up so fast.

I have a feeling 2010 is going to be one hell of a year.

Christmas PERKS.

How could Santa say "no" to this face?



As we were viewing the proofs at the potrait studio a couple weeks ago and this shot popped up, I believe Daddy Perks said...

"Oh my god, our son has man boobs."

Man boobs or not-BabyPerks is the best. Christmas. present. ever.

Hope you and your families are having a wonderful holiday week and enjoying all the perks that come with this time of year.

What a difference a year makes...

One year ago today I found out you were growing in my belly.

The day I found out I was going to be your Mom, you were merely the size of a pin-head.

Now you weigh more than 14 lbs.

The day I found out I was going to be your Mom, we rushed to the bookstore to buy pregnancy books.

Today we were at Barnes & Noble buying you Dr. Seuss books for you for Christmas.

The day I found out I was going to be your Mom, I loved you.

Today I love you to the moon, and back, a million times over.

3 Magnificent Months.

Is my sweet baby boy really 3 months old?

Where. does. the. time. go?

I'm actually sitting here watching him roll over like crazy as we speak.  Which essentially means my life as a non-baby-proofed dweller is over.  I can officially no longer drop Baby Perks wherever and leave him without worry.  In fact, just yesterday I put him on the floor right in the middle of our great room and when I came around the corner from the kitchen to check on him, he had rolled across the room and I nearly stepped on him.  Whoops.

Here are a few shots of his 3 month photoshoot...PS-Daddy Perks and I are dying for Santa to bring us a digital SLR camera for Christmas...so please excuse the poor quality of the photos.  No-my son does not have red hair.

Have we reached "Chunky Monkey" status yet?

He's just SUCH a happy baby.  And he still LOVES his hands and chews on them often.

Just posing for another picture thinking to himself..."Do these numbered onesies really go all the way up to 12 months?"

This monkey isn't seeming quite so big these days huh?

We probably won't be able to put him on the ottoman much longer...he's just TOO big :(

How much do I love these boys?

You could never tell they're related huh?  (Insert sarcasm here.)

So of course he was all smiles when Daddy was holding him, and then when it was time to take pictures with Mommy...

He puked all over himself and me.  Just typical.

Dear Henry-Baby-Buggy-Boy,

You are changing every single day now.  You'll  go to bed one night, and literally look completely different when you wake up the next morning.  You're filling out in the face (as seen in pictures) and really looking less and less like a baby-and more and more like a boy these days.  This month you started sleeping on your belly.  It was a rough couple nights when you first started rolling over consistently because you'd roll over to your belly and your arms would be pinned under you and you weren't happy about it.  One night you woke up every 2 hours because of this and every time we'd put you back on your back-you'd immediately roll right back over.  It was comical, pathetic, and exhausting all at the same time-a bit like parenting at times .  But once you figured out how to roll back over onto your back-all was well in the world.  You've also now realized that rolling over and over can get you from point A to point B and it's become your first official mode of transportation.

When you wake up in the morning you always do a big stretch and both your little arms go above your head.  When I'm getting you dressed for the day you're always in the best mood.  Sometimes you laugh so hard you'll wake up Daddy in the other room.  He's decided it's infinitely more enjoyable to wake up to your sweet laugh as opposed to the alarm clock.

You still LOVE music.  Mostly this comes in the form of me singing to you.  I make up most of the songs I sing to you, but you don't seem to mind.

You still cross your legs when you sit.  You also wiggle all the time.  You never stop moving unless you're about to fall asleep.

I also went back to work part-time last month.  I work at school every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, and all day on Wednesday.  I'm so thankful that I'm still able to be with you most of the time, but I appreciate my time at school because I think it helps me have balance so I can be the best mom and wife possible to you and Daddy.  While Daddy and I are at work, you are in the wonderful hands of friends and family.  We feel incredibly blessed to leave you with people we know and trust whole-heartedly.  I'm still nursing you and the only bottles you take are pumped milk for the meals you eat while I'm at work.  I'm so thankful breastfeeding has gone so well-you haven't been sick once since you've been born.  Not even a runny nose.  I hope this is the case for a long, long time.

At 3 months old, you aren't yet conscious of just how much joy you bring to those around you.  Your vibrant personality and constant smiles warm the heart of so many and even though you don't know it yet-we can't wait til you are old enough to understand just how happy you've made so many.  When we take you to spend time with our friends and family, we love watching how you interact with those who are dear to our hearts.  I took you to a baby shower the other day and you just laughed and flirted with all the women the whole time.  One woman even asked me how my 3 month-old could already seem coy at such a young age.  I told her, you take after your father.  Daddy had his first kiss in Kindergarten.  I'm hoping you wait a little bit longer than that to start breaking hearts.

Love,

Mommy.

A few things they DON'T tell you...

Ok...time to get brutally honest.

You may be thinking this post will only benefit you if you're actually pregnant.  BUT I'm  here to tell you-if you've got a bun in the oven, you're a woman who may someday decide to procreate, OR-even if you're a man with the intention of impregnating your wife someday...read on at your own risk.

I've now officially been a Mommy for a little over 3 months...and while 99% of that time has been what I like to refer to as " cake and cookies"-there have been a few realities that my fellow mommies failed to mention in their efforts to prepare me for the exciting life journey of Motherhood.

I knew there'd be sleepless nights.  (Thank god-not too many for me.)

I knew there'd be moments where I'd be spit up as I was walking out the door.

I even knew that I would probably take on a whole new appreciation for bodily functions-becoming an absolute cheerleader for my son's regular bowel movements and frequent burping.

I DID NOT however know that the following...

Around 3 months after you have a baby-you may start losing LOTS of hair.

I'm not trying to be dramatic- (and thank goodness I've got some hair to spare) but for the last week and a half, every time I run my fingers through my hair a disturbing chunk of hair comes out in my hand.  I thought I was going crazy until another teacher at school told me this is completely normal and pretty typical around this time after giving birth.  My hair stylist also added that I can look forward to my hairline completely changing about the time Henry turns one year old.  AWESOME.  I was hoping in addition to the stretch marks and an unusually elastic stomach-that I'd still be seeing the physical side effects of giving birth a year. after. the. fact.

All you breast-feeders out there...

You may grow accustomed to leaving the house in a top that fits you perfectly, only to find that a few hours later, the buttons are close to popping off due to the fact that it's time to feed your child.  The idea that my boobs (sorry Dad, Father-In-Law, brothers, guy friends, and or any other readers uncomfortable with me referencing this body part-you should know that these days they are feeding device and nothing more) can range 3 different sizes all in the same day is still strange no matter how many times I witness it happen.  I experienced this the other day and found it necessary to visit a dressing room in a retail store, NOT to try on clothes, but to allow Henry to aid in my quest to help my shirt fit once again.  (And we moms think our kids are dependent on us...pshaw.)

Ok-maybe I'll stick with two mommy-isms today.  Wouldn't want to unload too many shockers on you all at once.  Hopefully, you realize I share these things with my readers, only so that they've got a few less suprises thrown at them as they venture down the road of becoming a mom, being married to a mom, or just educating oneself on the perks of life with a little one.

Happy Monday Perks Followers.