Football, pumpkin spice and everything nice! Today our little happy guy Hunter is 7 months old! The days are flying by so fast we can barely keep up.
Hunter is 16 lbs 4 oz and is 26-1/2” tall. We don’t have a regular doctor’s appointment this month but he does have to get is second round of flu shot this week.
Hunter is an absolute joy to be around. He has an infectious smile, a mischievous streak and a very kind and gentle nature. Hunter started crawling this month and has gotten really fast. He also puts anything and everything in his mouth because he is super curious and teething, so our head is always on a swivel. He is very easy going and has been really good at just going with all the craziness. He loves to play with his toys and has gotten very into playing with the musical instruments. He doesn’t like to stay still for long so it’s hard to keep him in the jumper for long. He loves to climb up on things and maneuver his way around the room. I don’t think that walking is too far off. He loves to be outside and explore new textures, go on walks and enjoy the fresh air. He loves to swing, slide with his sisters and play in the grass. We have done some sensory activities with it and he seems to really like to try new things – especially yogurt painting and wet noodles. He has gotten extra clingy which has made the evenings and working harder, but I will take any snuggle I can get. We are in love with little Hunter and are so fortunate to get to watch him grow every day!
Crawling
Hunter is a first baby that actually started crawling. Both girls scooted and rolled more to get where they needed to go until it was time for them to start walking. Hunter doesn’t have the patience to wait to get in the action. As soon as he learned he could move, he hasn’t stopped! It’s definitely made things a lot more challenging and he is keeping us on our toes! Plus he loves to put everything in his mouth so we always are on Hunter watch!
Standing Tall
Not only does Hunter pull himself up on everything, his leg muscles have really gotten stronger and he stays up for a lot longer. He has also stood up without any help for a few seconds so I think walking is not too far away (help me!)
All Smiles
Hunter is all smiles all the time. He is the happiest guy and loves to laugh at his sisters. He is definitely like his Daddy and goes with the flow. His little smile and giggle can make any day better!
Playing Around
Hunter is a busy guy! He is always playing and trying to keep up with his sisters. He loves to play with balls, trucks, Legos and musical instruments. He doesn’t love to be in his jumper as much anymore because he wants to roam around getting into things he’s not supposed to, but when he’s in the mood he can jump for a long time!
Hunter’s Haircut
Hunter’s hair grows so fast! It feels like we had just cut it and then I looked down and saw a mop on top of his head again! We had his 6 month photos so we decided to trim him up again. But the more we looked, the more we realized we had to cut so Dad suggested we break out the clippers. Hunter did so well – I cannot believe how much we cut!
Teething
Hunter is getting at least 3-4 new teeth. His top two have broken through already and now the little ones next to his bottom teeth are coming in. He is a really happy baby most days, but those teeth definitely are hurting him. He has a really hard time sleeping at night and his poor cheeks get so red! He also had a lot of congestion with all the extra drool and had Mom worried a bit, but he is good and healthy!
The Great Outdoors
Autumn has always been one of our favorite seasons. The beautiful weather, the colors, the bonfires and football are finally here. We miss our fall festivals this year but we are trying to take advantage of the season and try new traditions.
Pumpkin Patch
Since the leaves began to fall, the girls have been talking about pumpkins. They have been begging to go to a pumpkin patch before they even opened. With the pandemic and our crazy schedule I wasn’t sure that we would be able to make it this year. But then our awesome friend, Alli got us some tickets to the Fun Farm up and Kearney and we decided to make it work. Saturdays were out because Brian is at work all day and Sundays are full of soccer. We decided to go on a Monday where there would be less crowds and we could do some of the girls’ Zoom calls on the road – after asking permission from the teachers. We talked Grandma and Grandpa into joining us and we set off on the hour journey north. It was the best decision! The weather was nice and cool and it was a perfect day.
The girls loved playing in the tree houses, going down the huge slide with Pop Pop, Daddy and Mommy, playing with the farm animals that we have dearly missed since Deanna Rose has been closed, jumping on the giant blob and playing in the corn. Sienna enjoyed riding the bikes and Bailey had a lot of fun trying to rope a cow! Hunter loved all the new sights and smells…until he got too close to the animals and got scared and cried – poor guy hadn’t seen any up close before! But he quickly smiled when we got to the baby chicks. Then we got to the corn and he was in heaven! He thought it was so fun playing in the corn with his sisters and trying to sneak it in his mouth. He even got to ride down the big slide with everyone. It was definitely a bright moment in a year full of uncertainty. We picked out three big pumpkins and settled back in the car for a peaceful ride home. I am so thankful we made the decision to go!
Sisters
Hunter is obsessed with his sisters. He is always looking around for them and trying to see what they are up to. He lights up when they come in for hugs and kisses, even when they linger a little too long. The girls are so good with him and have really helped me watch him when I need to get a few things done. They have also had to be my eyes on the ground and help pick up any small toy or ripped up piece of stuffing from one of Bourbon’s toys. Each of them have a special relationship with him and I love watching them all together.
Remote Learning
Our days are flying by and I can’t believe this week is already the first quarter conferences. Our days start at 7:00 am with a walk around the neighborhood, 4 morning Zoom meetings (2 for each kid) until 11:20 am, a walk or dog park trip with Bourbon, lunch from the school, one more Zoom meeting for Bailey, finishing homework, Mom trying to get as much work done in a short window and then we are either off to dance/tumbling/dance/soccer and then it’s Friday. The girls have been working really hard, alongside their teachers and we are very proud of them. Hunter has been a trooper through it all and I joke that even though we are all in the same house, I feel I never see him. We are so thankful for Grandma’s help every day. She is an unbelievable Grandma and has talked me off the ledge more than once…and helped with multiple crisis’ (and that was just this week!).
Bourbon
Our little Bourbon has become quite a little troublemaker as of late. He is also teething as we discovered two new teething budding. He has chewed several toys, Dad’s phone, Grandma’s shoes and several household items. He has also discovered that he can jump over the back fence to play with his buddy Reggie, so we have had to get a wireless fence and collar to keep him from jumping over. He also can get on top of tables and places he shouldn’t be, so he’s definitely added to the chaos. But, overall he is a sweetheart and he keeps us on our toes.
Busted
Sleepy Time
I’m not sure either one of us has had slept a full night in years and it doesn’t look to be in the cards soon. The girls are excellent sleepers, so much so, that we tend to find them doing crafts before 7:00 am. Hunter just wants to eat and snuggle all night which makes sleeping pretty difficult. He is a pretty good napper, I just wish I could join him once in awhile!
We are so thankful to be able to watch all three of our babies grow up into tiny little people. They may be a lot of work, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything. I couldn’t do any of this without the support of our families, but especially from my love. This week marks our 9th Wedding Anniversary and I look forward to carving out a little time to spend together…in between work, remote learning, dance, tumbling, soccer, teething, puppy shenanigans…I love you babe, our life is one giant circus on hyper speed but there isn’t anyone I would rather ride with than you!
