49 weeks

peek-a-....

...BOO!

Only three more weeks and you'll be a one-year-old. 

I cannot believe it!

We're loving your cheeky personality and happy disposition.

You love to play peek-a-boo. 

You're sleeping like a champ.

I still nurse you three times a day.

You love all the summer fruit, Strawberry is your favorite.

You love having your papa home for the summer.

(So do I)

We love you, little monkey!

Love, Mama

48 weeks

Micha, 

Today you gave me the pleasure of rocking you to sleep for your nap time, 

though it wasn't for much of a fun reason. 

I think you have a new tooth coming through and it's really bugging you. 

I haven't rocked you asleep in ages, and so I enjoyed every minute of it.

I watched as your eyelids slowly gave in to the sleep, and heard your breath calming down. 

I felt my arms tiring under your weight, but I held onto you.

I buried my face in your soft hair and sniffed up the glorious scent of sunscreen and your warm skin. 

And you fell asleep in my arms.

You're growing up, and some might call you a toddler.

But you are still and will always be my baby. 

You okay with that?

Love, Mama

47 weeks

Micha, 

Lately you have been loving your little animal collection.  

You usually have at least one in your hand, even when you're crawling around.

I always hear you crawling towards me: THUMP- WHACK- THUMP- WHACK.

You love to hide them in any nook and cranny you can find. 

It's your favorite game.

Last night I found one in the TV cabinet and was about to throw it in with your toys, when your papa stopped me and told me to leave it there for you, so you'd find it again the next day.

Isn't that the sweetest thing?

I think he just loved seeing that little reminder of you and the fun stage you are going through. 

And he's so right, I  love those little reminders too, they make me feel like the luckiest lady alive.

Love, Mama

46 weeks

Micha, forty-six weeks ago today we held you for the first time, 

and in six short weeks you'll be a one-year old.

It seems like yesterday that you were that tiny, squishy, helpless new born 

and now you're practically a toddler, 

climbing on everything, 

crawling all over the place, 

making twinkle motions with your little hands when we sing 'twinkle, twinkle, little star', 

and cracking up your parents up with the funniest sounds and faces you make.

Every day we tell each other how lucky we are to have you! 

We're crazy about you, can you tell?

Love, Mama

45 weeks and a wheel obsession

Micha,

We've been noticing lately that you have an OBSESSION with anything with wheels on it. 

You love to inspect your toy cars, 

flip them over and start turning the wheels with your chubby little index finger. 

But your fascination doesn't only stop at your little toy cars, you love turning over your Wheely Bug and playing with the wheels, 

and I always have to stop you from crawling to your stroller and touching its wheels (eew, gross).

I love that your little (big) personality is really showing and we get glimpses of your interests (other than ma b-o-o-b-i-e-s) and talents. 

Love, Mama

44 weeks

This weeks photos are so typically 'you', sweet baby boy. 

Always on the move, no time to sit still, especially for a photo.

So very curious and constantly testing boundaries.

You keep me busy! 

And I love it!

Love, Mama

43 weeks

Some fun facts about you at 43 weeks:

-  for the last two nights you've been sleeping from 7 p.m. to about 6.30 a.m. with one feeding at 11 p.m.. We are in sleep heaven. Keep it up buddy!

- you enjoy munching on books, it's not the healthiest meal, baby.

- I still breastfeed you four times a day, once in the morning, at lunch, before you go to bed and before I go to bed. 

I've been enjoying it so much more than before. 

There's no more power struggle and it's usually just so relaxing for the both of us. 

- you've enjoyed your first few bike rides on my new bike with a bike seat for you. 

It's so much fun and so liberating. 

Today we went for a ride to papa's work and you showed of in front of his students. 

You LOVED the attention.

- you are really practicing to say words, I feel that it won't be long before you say them.

- I really love you at this age. 

I've said that at every age you've been so far, but right now you are so much fun. 

I love seeing you develop into a more independent individual. 

You are growing up so fast. >>sniffle<<

You are the best!

Love, Mama

42 weeks

Micha, last year around this time I was getting big and round with you in my belly. 

We were busy fixing up the room which would become your nursery. 

I remember standing in that room, 

crib ready, 

drawers full with tiny little clothes, 

toys waiting to be loved on, 

and looking down at my belly and wondering how life would be with you.

I thought I knew what it would be like, 

but baby boy, life with you in it exceeds all of our hopes and dreams and expectations.

Being your mama is so much more beautiful, fun, challenging, exciting, exhausting, gratifying, difficult and wonderful then I ever thought or imagined it to be.

I love you more than you will ever know!

Love, Mama

41 weeks

> these photos pretty much sum up M's personality: 

goofy, 

drooling,

won't sit still unless he has something REALLY cool (a.k.a my cell phone), 

needs to be watched closely AT ALL TIMES <

Micha, at 41 weeks old:

You are slowly weaning your nighttime nursing.

I still nurse you at around 11 p.m., and then again in the morning at 6.30 a.m..

But last night I ended up nursing you at 4 a.m. as well.

Baby steps...

^ ^ ^ ^

Speaking of baby steps, you can now cruise along the furniture in the living room with your pudgy little legs.

You love trying to get to places you're not allowed to be. Getting into mischief already!

^ ^ ^ ^

You are crawling like a champion, we've been so busy baby-proofing the house, aah!

^ ^ ^ ^

You still LOVE to eat, and you're able to eat smaller pieces of food, like raisins.

^ ^ ^ ^

You've been on your first bike ride last week when we were visiting Opa and Oma.

You got to ride on papa's back in the baby carrier, not the safest way to travel, but it was fun!

I can't wait until my new bike arrives with the bike seat so we can go on safe trips together.

^ ^ ^ ^

At Opa and Oma's house you swung on the swings for the first time too, you LOVED it!

We can't wait until this summer when we'll spend a few weeks there,

I can't wait to see you take your first real steps on their big grassy lawn!

^ ^ ^ ^ 

I accidentally cut your bangs a bit to short when I wanted to give a little hair cut, oops!

It'll grow back, don't worry.

I have no idea how to cut your hair, so maybe next time we'll go to the hair dressers.

^ ^ ^ ^

We think you might have hay fever just like me. (Is that even possible?)

You've been sneezing and rubbing your eyes and your nose so much lately, poor baby.

^ ^ ^ ^

You are still the happiest baby I know. I makes me feel like we're doing something right.

^ ^ ^ ^

I think you're quite smart too, you've really been practicing your words,

I'm pretty sure you say 'book', whenever you see one.

We love seeing you grow and learn and become more and more the little person you are.

We love you so much Micha boy!

Love, Mama

40 weeks

My sweet baby boy,

Forty weeks ago today you arrived at 08.47 in the morning, exactly on your due date. 

You've been out of my belly for as many weeks as you were inside.

These forty weeks have been the best ones of my life. 

I feel so lucky to be your mama.

You are our sweet miracle baby.

Love, Mama

38 weeks

Today this happened...

You did NOT want your picture taken today. 

I had you dressed all dapper and handsome in your new trousers, 

and with a belt I made out of an old belt of mine.

But you were not having it!

I am sorry if I laughed at you, 

but you just look so darn cute when you're mad.

I will treasure these photos for the rest of my life. 

Yes, you are mostly a happy, smiley baby, 

but sometimes you can get so mad and that's reality too.

If I only had smiling photos of you it wouldn't reflect this first year of yours truthfully.

^ ^ ^ ^

I think you were a bit too tired to sit through a photo shoot.

We had just come back from your check up 

and the pediatrician had made you do all sorts of things you didn't really feel like doing. 

I could almost hear you thinking 'Woman, leave me be already, you got your smile, now let me play!'

But the check ups are necessary, we need to know how you're doing. 

And, baby boy, you are doing awesome! 

At 38 weeks/ nine months you are:

- 11 kg / 24.25 pounds

- 72 cm / 28 inches

- walking around your play pen and crib by holding on to the edges

- still loving broccoli and fish

- discovering new foods, like blueberries and oatmeal porridge 

- able to understand us when we ask you to look for a certain toy, 

and usually you find it

- using so many different sounds while 'talking'

- trying to crawl, not quite there yet, but I'm sure you'll learn

Do you feel how proud I am of you?

I love you Micha boy!

Love, Mama

37 weeks

Oops. 

What I had feared would happen some day, did this morning.

While making your weekly photos you fell off the chair and bumped your head. 

You were not happy at all!

And I felt so guilty and such a bad mama.

In my defense, this is the first time you've fallen from a height. 

You've only fallen over from a sitting position before and that doesn't even faze you anymore.

I guess this is just the first of many falls and bumps you will experience in your life. 

You're a boy after all.

right before the tumble

Micha with a bump on his head, poor baby

^ ^ ^ ^

Micha, I won't be able to keep you safe from all harm but this I do promise: 

when you fall I will be there to pick you up,

when you cry I will be there to dry your tears,

when you are scared I will be there to comfort you,

when you face hardships I will be your prayer warrior,

As long as I'm living I will be there for you, 

because I love you.

...but you really need to stop climbing everything. :)

Love , Mama

36 weeks

no more photo's mama!

Micha, you are learning so much lately. 

At 36 weeks you can:

- pull yourself up in your playpen 

- pick up your little wooden kitty from a row of other little animals when we ask you: 'Where's kitty?'

- grab our fingers when we pray before we have a meal, (we always hold each others hands while we pray, but now you initiate it)

- 'talk' back to us when we talk to you, using the same kind of sounds we use

- really get around in your walker

- pick out which book you want us to read to you (we always give you a choice between two different books, and you already have favorites)

- eat apples (which was always a bit tricky, but you know how to use those little teeth now)

- let us know when you're done eating by throwing food on the ground (thanks bud.)

- get others to notice you and then wrap them around your little finger by batting your eyes and showing off your cute two-toothed grin

standing up in your playpen

grabbing kitty

^ ^ ^ ^

It's so exciting to see you learn all these new things and understanding them. 

I'm not sure what you should be able to do by now, 

but in papa's and my mind you're the smartest baby there is. 

Oh, and the most adorable one too. 

We're not biased at all ;)

Love, Mama

35 weeks

dear Micha,

You are 35 weeks old today. 

You love:

broccoli, 

your sock monkey, 

your crane bird mobile,

saying your new favorite word 'gaga', 

when papa comes home from work, 

when I get you from a nap, 

your music box,

your special baby cookies,

when we sing to you,

your toothbrush,

practicing to stand,

trying to crawl,

shouting loudly,

going for walks in the baby carrier,

eating the edge of the living room rug,

splashing all of the water out of the tub,

playing peek-a-boo,

when we tickle your belly,

kisses in your neck, 

me,

papa.

We love you crazy boy!

Love, Mama

34 weeks

Wow, Micha, this week has been something.

Remember last week when I was feeling so tired and overwhelmed,  because breastfeeding wasn't going well?

Remember that advice I received to stop nursing you at night? And that everything would miraculously be better?

Well, that advice was not very good at all.

^ ^ ^ ^

After two nights of me refusing to nurse you at night and giving you a drink of water instead, I realized that my milk supply was quickly dwindling, and that you weren't nursing more during the day. I started to panic and was so scared that I might not have any milk left to feed you and that didn't really help with the milk supply either.

I called 'La Leche League' for a second opinion and their advice was so, so much better.

They told me that you were probably too distracted during the day to nurse a lot and that you got your fill of breast milk at night.

That made so much sense, yes, you are quite an active little boy and you'd rather play during the day than feed. And just because I decided to stop nursing you at night, that didn't make you any less distracted during the day than before.

They advised me to keep nursing you at night and regularly offering you breast milk during the day, but not stressing out if you refused, because you drink what you need at night.

I felt a lot more at ease with this advise than with the first advise I received. It just made so much more sense to me.

And things are going so much better.

Now I nurse you at 7 p.m. before you go to bed, at 10 p.m., right before I go to bed, at 3 a.m., in the morning at 6.30 and during the day at around noon. You drink longer and better and I'm not so stressed out anymore whether I have enough milk for you or not.

I'm so glad that I decided to get a second opinion and that the advise I got really worked.

Nursing you is becoming more fun again and not as stressful as it was.

I'm so relieved.

^ ^ ^ ^

On a less positive note, you seem to have gotten your first cold this week, poor little guy.

You've been coughing and sneezing for the last two days and it's been keeping you up a bit at night.

We want to stay away from normal medicine as long as we can, so we've been cutting up onions for in your room and oiling up the soles of your feet with oil of oregano (got that tip from one of my favorite bloggers, Bridget), hopefully it will work! 

And it's good to know that nursing is the best cold fighter there is.

But you're still quite a happy baby, so I guess it's not bothering you too much.

Micha, I just love being your mama. 

I love you in the morning 

and in the afternoon

I love you in the evening

and underneath the moon

Love, Mama

linking up with Anything&Everything Tuesday Blog Hop

33 weeks

Oh you, this week you are definitely giving your papa and mama a run for their money.

I love you so much, but yesterday I was feeling so overwhelmed and tired and frustrated.

^ ^ ^ ^

You haven't been nursing very well lately, and on top of that, the last few nights were kinda horrible as well.

I'm starting to wean you at night, because our pediatrician said that you might be drinking your fill at night and that could be the reason you're on a breast strike during the day. She said you're old enough to sleep through the night without having to nurse.

So that's what were doing now, but it's not easy. 

The breastfeeding during the day is getting a bit better, but the nights, oof!

Usually if you woke up at night I'd let you nurse for a bit and then you would calm down pretty quickly. But now you have an hour each night, at around 2 a.m, that you wake up almost every ten minutes.

Last night I gave in and let you nurse for a few minutes and after that you slept until morning. Luckily you nursed again this morning, so I guess it didn't interfere too much.

^ ^ ^ ^

So, last night I was feeling pretty upset about how things are going, I was by myself because your papa had meeting at school and then he sent me a text, he told me to listen to a version of Psalm 23 on YouTube. It was exactly what I needed at the moment and you bet it had me crying my eyes out.

"The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. 

He makes me lie down in green pastures, 

he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul. 

He guides me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. 

Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; 

your rod and your staff, they comfort me.  

You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. 

You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows. 

Surely goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life, 

and I will dwell in the house of the LORD forever."

I'm not saying that I'm walking 'in the valley of the shadow of death', that would be a bit dramatic, but I was feeling myself getting pulled into a dark place and it was so healing to hear these words. 

I don't have to do this alone. God is there next to me, he gives me peace and strength and comfort when I'm stressed out and tired and overwhelmed.

^ ^ ^ ^

I really hope things will get better soon! I know it's all part of raising a baby, but that doesn't mean it's easy.

But, my sweet little Micha-boy, even when things are hard I just have to look at your cute little face and suddenly everything is good in the world.

I don't know how you do that!

'are we done yet, mama?'

I love you.

Love, Mama

32 weeks

32 weeks I've kissed those soft lips

32 weeks I've breathed in your milky sweet scent

32 weeks I've held you so close

32 weeks of falling head over heels

32 weeks of dreams come true

A lifetime of LOVE ahead of us

You're my heart, baby boy!

Love, Mama

31 weeks

Micha,

You've been a bit of a rascal this week with your sleeping (or should I say, not sleeping). 

With your naps during the day there's no problem, but at night you've been waking up quite a bit. And while we could usually calm you down pretty quickly, by stroking your face and giving you your pacifier, it's taking us quite a bit more time to get you back to sleep. You go to bed at 6.30 p.m. and you used to wake up at around 10 to nurse and then at around 3 a.m., but the last few days you've woken up almost every hour! Arghh!!

Mama and papa are ti-red!

^ ^ ^ ^

We're not really sure what's causing this behavior, but we think it might have something to do with your new favorite hobby : eating solids. You've been a little bit constipated, so maybe that's bothering you? Or it could be teething, though we haven't seen any new teeth popping up.

We really hope things will get better soon!

Luckily last night was a bit calmer again, so our hopes are up! (a dangerous, dangerous thing for new parents ;) )

^ ^ ^ ^

But while your nights are kind of sucky, during the day you're so fun to be around! You're such a happy little guy, maybe a little high maintenance, but I just love hanging out with you all day!

You're my little pal, my partner in crime, my homie!

I love you so very much!

Love, Mama

30 weeks

I'm ba-ack! I hope you all had a great week, bet you missed me like crazy, haha! 

My week was so good. It felt right to take a break, and really focus on my two guys. 

We visited my in-laws, I went thrifting (and got some pretty cool stuff, more on that tomorrow!) , we went for walks, we vegged at home, we watched 'Homeland', and we just relaxed. 

And now I'm all refreshed and excited to get back to blogging!

^ ^ ^ ^

Like every Tuesday it's all about Micha and his week-by-week photos.

I really enjoy doing this, it's so fun to see how much he changes every week. I'm thinking of using these photos as a theme for Micha's first birthday party, yes already thinking about that, ack!!

Maybe these posts are a little boring for some of you, but I know for a fact that my mama LOVES them, so here you go Mom!

^ ^ ^ ^

Micha,

You are 30 weeks old today, and I think you are the cutest, funniest, heaviest and lovable little boy ever!

You've started 'talking' back to us when we read you a book or talk to you, it's so cute!

Your favorite word is 'pa-pa-pa-pa', yep, you're kind of saying 'papa' already, your daddy LOVES it!

We usually hear you chatting away in your crib in the mornings before we get you, and when we finally do you greet us with the biggest smile. It melts my heart!

You finally got the hang of rolling over from your back to your tummy, but somehow you really don't like laying on your stomach. You'll need to though if you ever want to get the hang of crawling. But, then again,  you could end up being a bum scoocher instead of a crawler just like your papa and all of your aunts on his side!

I'm so glad we're doing Baby-Led Weaning, I love how easy it is, you can just eat whatever we're eating, and you love it! You are getting pretty handy at handling smaller or slippery pieces of food. Your favorite foods are: Bananas, Carrots and Rice Waffles.

You are still such a flirt, you're so generous with your smiles and that makes me so happy. It's amazing to see how such a little person can give so much joy!

I hope you'll always be someone who loves making other people happy.

I love you to bits, my Mickey-boy!

Love, Mama

29 weeks and a little break

I'm taking a little break from blogging this week, because my lucky teacher husband has February vacation. We're planning on some family visits and other fun things so there will be no time to blog. 

I'm going to enjoy every minute of being with the three of us all day!

I'll leave you with this 29 week old cutie!

Have a great week, and I'll see you soon!

Love, Maria