More fun pictures - I know...you can never have enough!

MoMo practicing his posed high school graduation photo.

The beginnings of a smile. He's become so much more responsive and happy. We think he laughed this morning and he can smile when you are super animated. We love to give him kisses on the lips and when he licks us (I know it sounds weird but I promise it's AWESOME!) we say "Awwww!" in a really high pitch voice and he smiles.

He still doesn't really like the hat. Oh well...

MoMo loves his Mummy and his mummy loves him!

Our friend Ginger took these 2 pictures of him in his cute little overalls.



So Derrick put a pen in his hand and he grasped it (although wasn't too happy about it!). He then held up a piece of paper and as Mo was flailing his arms he drew a little picture. We sent the picture to Matthew in China.

More cuteness in the overalls.

Derrick thought this was funny and ironic. So MoMo's shirt says "Got Milk?" and he is strategically positioned next to the source of the milk. :)

This is a video of MoMo starting to try to lift his head. He's lifted his head up and turned it over to the other side.

Yummy!

So...probably like most babies MoMo likes to spit up...all the time. Last night we were eating dinner while Moses was watching us in his swing. He had just enjoyed his dinner and was chillin' out. He made this strange little noise and Derrick and I turned just in time to see him projectile spit up. The stuff flew over his bib and landed in his lap. We both freaked out but he was unphased. I've taken some pictures of the aftermath of some spit ups.

Gross...
Grosser...
Like Father like...
Grossest!

Firsts

MoMo is getting to the stage where he is doing a lot of 'firsts.' He had his first picnic, his first little coo noise, and i'm convinced he smiled at me for the first time. I haven't seen it again for a few days but I refuse to think that passing gas can bring him more satisfaction than I do! :) He had his first and only 1 month birthday - he's growing up so fast!

For all of you who are wondering "how he is sleeping" through the night...He will go about 4-5 hours between feedings in the night. For example, he ate at 12am and then again at 5am then at 9. So we got a nice good stretch of sleep. The biggest thing that has helped me deal with the sleeplessness is developing a mindset for nighttime parenting. I would imagine that some parents see night as a much needed break from parenting and constantly caring for a little one. So then waking up in the night to change diapers or wipe up spit up or feed the baby are seen as interruptions. Derrick and I have really tried to view the night not as a break for us but as a time where we are still attached and still parenting MoMo. That way the feedings etc. aren't interrupting my time. We've accepted that our life will never be the same and the night will never be like it was before he arrived. And recognizing that has been one of the healthiest things that we've done. **Also, during the middle of the night feedings I am able to catch up on my TIME magazine reading**

Below are just more pictures of him doing what he does best - BEING CUTE!












People always ask if we make his hair stand up like a mini mohawk. The answer is No. As you can see, MoMo does NOT like it when I try to brush his hair down. But is content again when it is allowed to be a punk head.

MoMo doesn't like photo shoots

So we've tried to dress him up and take cute pictures but MoMo has made it very clear that he does NOT like this. (See below pictures)

Maybe he is objecting to the fact that it is not even October yet and we are trying to take Halloween pictures. This is ironic coming from the person who gets mad at the stores for putting up Christmas stuff in July.




Then we tried to take his picture in his cute monkey gown with his stuffed monkey. Again...he did not like to be propped up and exploited.



So finally we tried to the really cute winter hat. MoMo would have none of this either.





I promise that we did not take all these pictures at one time. Don't worry - we do not torture our child. So what does MoMo like?

He likes 3 generation pictures with Papa and Daddy


Taking naps and praisin' Jesus in his sleep.


His Nana and Papa


Reading Old Testament Commentaries with Dad


Eventually the Commentaries put both of them to sleep.


MoMo also likes:
*eating
*snuggling
*being wrapped up in his swaddling blanker (we call it his burrito)
*his changing table
*having his diaper changed
*baths (but not coming out of them)
*his pacifier
*going on trips on the car
*passing gas (the only time that he smiles)
*being worn in a sling with mommy
*having people look at his picture online!

Uncle Brett Brett

Dear Uncle Brett,

I know that I haven't met you yet but I just wanted to let you know that I miss you and that I love you. I've met both of my grandparents and my two aunts (one of them said that I looked like you!) and two cousins but you are the last one that I haven't met yet. I know that you talked to me when I lived inside of mommy and I recognized your voice when you called last week. I started crying when you hung up the phone because I thought that you might have been in the room but then I realized you were far far away. But my mommy tells me that you love me and that you are excited about meeting me at Christmas time. I will be a big boy then and will be able to play with you better. Maybe you can read me a book or tell me a story? I love to be cuddled and would like it if you would snuggle me. My mommy also tells me that you will come back with adventurous stories to tell me about your travels. She says that if we are both mature enough one day that I can go on an adventure with you and that you can show me a different part of the world. So far I have only been to a few cities but maybe you can help me go to more places. Right now I am very little and can't go many places on my own. But one day I will be big. Well I hope that you are having fun and keep looking at my pictures so that you will not forget about me. Maybe you can see me on Skype video someday. I am hungry now and need to go eat dinner. I love you and can't wait to meet you!
Love, MoMo
PS - is your name really Brett or is it something else?

Camo Man!

Papa bought MoMo a camo onesie and a Gamecock beanie. He is SO cute. Yesterday he went on another adventure to Manchester by the Sea and saw the boats and the ocean. He loves being a New Englander - a Yankee!


He also loves his mommy. I love the picture of him looking up at me. We like to snuggle and take naps together. He is such the perfect snuggle size. Doesn't he look so peaceful when he sleeps?

MoMo's Travels

MoMo went on a big adventure yesterday. He went all the way up the coast to Rockport, MA and then south to Boston. He rode the T subway for the first time and followed the freedom trail in boston. He loved all the shops and the historical sites. He met interesting people who all loved him - everyone from a crazy lady in the subway to a group of british grandmothers who were visiting america. He and Ellie are quite the attention getters. He also went to Chickfila where the workers loved him and gave him a little present. However, he will not be 'eating more chicken' for a while!
Emily and Brandon left today and Papa and Nana arrived for more MoMo love.
Congrats to Emily and Tiffany (both of Derrick's sisters) who are pregnant and have the same due date. MoMo will have more cousin friends!