Squishy and His Big Brother

"I can't believe I have a baby brother that I'm 11 years older than.  He makes me so happy.  Really there are no words to describe it."  - Nathan

SIX Months... Already

As I was bouncing you to sleep on the giant gray yoga ball, I couldn't help but feel an ache in my heart that tomorrow you will already be six months.  I love that we have a routine.  Rhythmic bounces interrupted with kisses on your forehead and primary songs that I try to sing to you even though I'm breathless and off key.  Still, you don't seem to mind and you look up at me with hazy eyes and "long" blink with your lips parted in a smile.  You wiggle your body and turn into my arm with a nuzzle and after about 5 more bounces, you are fast asleep.

I stare down at you and admire your long lashes and squish the chub on your baby soft arms. I whisper all kinds of secrets in your ear and think about what kind of person you will become one day. One more kiss and I breathe in your smell.  I'm still not ready to put you down so I repeat this again.

When I lay you down, you roll over to your left side and curl your toes around the bar of the crib.  The noise machine is playing a cricket serenade and the fan is lightly blowing.  It is your favorite recipe for a summer nap.

More than likely, you wake up in the middle of it and I scoop you up and with a few more bounces you are back to sleep.

Oh how I love this time with you. And I'm not the only one.  When you wake up we all run to see who can pick you up first. We all try to make you laugh and Kendall and Dad usually win with that one.  You are so happy and end up making us laugh with your full body smiles. Then everyone wants to be the one to feed you your bottle.  I try to share and it's really hard because it's my favorite thing to do with you.  You get so snugly and serious when you eat.  I play a little game with you and try to make you smile.  You drip milk all over me but it's so worth it.  I wrap you up in a blanket and listen to you drink as I play with your hand.

You love to go on walks and watch your brothers ride their bikes up ahead.  You love your back tickled and you love to be held.  You get so excited when you get a taste of a Popsicle and your legs go crazy when you take a bath.

I love that in 182 days- you have all four of us completely wrapped around your tiny finger.

Silverthorne

I spent many days in the winter months dreaming of our first family of five road trip.  I knew it would be when the grass turned green and wild flowers danced in the meadows off the road.  I also knew that when we went it would mean that I was feeling good enough to make a drive and have energy to have a little fun at whatever destination we picked.

I was in pinch-me mode as we drove though the beautiful purple mountains of Colorado.  I kept looking back at the seats filled with boys.  Our boys.  I snapped pictures and had a permanent grin on my face as Nathan and Kendall hung out the window though Eisenhower tunnel.

It was a magical, glowy, bottle me up feeling the whole day. My appreciation of this day burst through the exhaustion from the months prior.

We arrived a short 1 1/2 hours in the sweet little town of Silverthorne with one thing on our minds.

 Ice cream.

The Higgins ice cream stand beckoned us to pull over and lured us in with mother nature in full swing all around.  The river calmly flowed behind it and walking paths lined with huge pine trees invited us to take a stroll.

Our delicious cone of exotic flavors was definitely worth the $4.00 price tag.

We ended up at the outlets wandering in and out of shops.  Justin found some new tennis shoes and we sat in wooden chairs under an onning while we waited for a afternoon storm to pass.

It was perfect day.  Exactly how I dreamed it would be... only better.