A Long Overdue Update

First time eating cereal and it wasn't even too messy (Feb.).

Hmmmm. . .not so sure about this (Feb.).

Whoa( Feb. ).

Practicing standing in my crib (Feb.).

I still love my changing table (Feb.).

Future heart breaker (Feb.).

I'm a hunk yeah you know it (Feb.).

Loves to cuddle on Daddy (Feb.).

Matching cargos and brown sweaters (Jan.).

Working my neck muscles just like a giraffe (Jan.).

He's a giggler (Jan.)

I love the play saucer cousins Nick and Jack loaned me (Jan.).

I love to suck my thumb and fingers (Jan.).

My surprise face (Jan.).

All tuckered out after a day at the pool (Jan.).

My first experience swimming in the Dells (Jan.).

Just try and resist me (Dec.).

Lounging with Lacy (Dec.).

My alternative Christmas outfit (Dec.).

It's been a while but that's mainly because Maureen is easily distracted and swears the laundry, dishes, and dust balls can talk any time she is ignoring them. So as you can see from the pictures we have a lot of fun with our little guy. Murphy is now a little over 4 and 1/2 months. We cannot believe how fast the time has gone! A little update on what we've been up to the last two months. Murphy has grown a lot. He is still a little guy weighing probably around 13 lbs, but since his one month appt. he has been steadily putting on weight. He loves to eat, when he gets a bottle he never wastes any and he's extremely active. He actually has baby bicep and calf muscles.

Murphy started to sleep unswaddled (huge accomplishment at the time) on Christmas Eve and then a week later slept in his crib for the first time, then just a few weeks after that while Nana (Maureen's mom) was watching him over night he slept through the night. Yes we have actually found it in ourselves to leave him with family over night without us.

We went to the Dells with Maureen's family in January and Murphy tried the pool for the first time. He still is not into the bath, so our hopes were not very high for the pool. He actually did ok and even went in the kiddie pool swing. We are going to Florida in April and are now hopeful he will be a little tadpole.

Murphy has been pretty animated from the begining, but he just keeps getting more funny. He does a lot of babbling. It seems he finds a new noise every few days. It was ga sounds for a while, then a whole bunch of random sounds, then he found his bottom lip and made gun like sounds, now it's the high pitched sounds that are very hard to decipher from his whining (we're looking forward to him moving on from this stage). He is also a fairly happy baby and loves to play. Anything kicking, grabbing, and moving he is all for. He loves to giggle and laugh too. He is also great at tummy time and loves to roll from his tummy to his back, still working on the back to his tummy (which is ok because that will mean more baby proofing). He also loves to stand while we're holding him which might explain the baby calves.

This week was a big week for us. Maureen made the decision to start working regularily versus subbing as needed or dealing black jack for a party company (both of which she's still doing). She will be working in the office at the Engelhart Center (small motor sports and garden dealer) three days a week. We are very blessed to have grandmas, grandpas and a nana to care for Murphy while we work and he loves that time with them! Mommy loves her days off with him too. Playing a lot, going to lunch with Grandpa Manowske, visiting friends, doing baby yoga, hopefully joining a stroller work out group, etc. And Daddy can't wait to get home during the week, he loves to make funny faces and sounds with Murphy, cuddling and bedtime feeding, a little light wrestling, lifting him in the air like a plane, etc.

Today was also a big day in our house. We tried cereal for the first time. He wasn't too sure what was up with the spoon, which actually surprised us since he puts everything in his mouth and whenever we are eating or drinking he holds out his hands and opens his mouth in desperation. We're sure in no time he'll be a pro eater.

Well, we hope you enjoyed the pictures and update. We will try (being the key word) to get on here more frequently especially for those of you we don't see often.