Our Little Turkey turns 5 months!!

We hope that everyone had a Wonderful Thanksgiving!! We surely have LOTS to be thankful for this year and really enjoyed celebrating our Little Turkey's first Holiday. He is SO much fun these days. Very sweet, loving, and FULL of energy. You always have to be on the lookout because your glasses, hair, or anything in your hands or within reach are fair game. Toys are a major priority and the door jumper (aka johnny jump up), jumperoo, exersaucer, and super coup are great outlets for energy. He is VERY close to being on the roll-as in rolling over. He makes it about 3/4 of the way and then can't quite figure out how to finish off the task. I think it should be any day now. He sits up so much better and can even enjoy playing in his big bumbo seat. All of his toys and play places have to have straps or restraints these days though or he could tumble.
It is also a really fun time of year to go for walks in the stroller or in a baby carrier and our little man is very interested in all the people, activity, and especially any holiday Lights :) He "talks" constantly and has outgrown his squealing and started "blowing bubbles" and doing much more babbling. It is super cute. He is quite the little ham with strangers, as long as Mommy is still holding him. We are enjoying each day and are always amazed at how he grows and changes in "the blink of an eye".

Busy Little Beaver

Hi Friends,
All is well here at the Clarke home :) W is a busy little beaver these days-grabbing for his toys like a mad-man, jumping in his door jumper and jumperoo, spinning around to all his toys in the entertainer, and trying with all his might to sit up and out of his high chair and car seat!! He is movin' and shakin'. His growth, development, and coordination over just the last few weeks is astounding. His improved head control being the most notable, and the strength of his abdominal muscles to try and sit up on his own from any laying or reclined position. Luckily, despite his overall business...he has calmed down a bit at nap/bedtime and is much easier to put to sleep. Maybe he is wearing himself out with all this playing?? He falls asleep fairly easily in the rocking chair, his car seat, and the stroller these days. This is a MAJOR improvement from Screaming each and every time we put him in the car the slightest bit sleepy :) He really loves stroller rides-especially in the nice fall weather we have been having. His weekends have also been packed with cheering for his favorite teams. Let's face it though...he is definitely going to be a Nittany Lion some day (Sorry Daddy)!!

Momma and I survived her first day of work...

Just a quick note to thank everyone for thinking of us today...as many of you know it was my first day back to work. It sure was a hard day and many tears were shed. Yesterday and this morning I looked like a drug addict with my blood shot eyes and pounding headache-but we all survived. I am sure it was so much harder on me than it was on W or Grammy. We can't thank Grammy enough for all the love and support she shows our little family. One thing for sure, I would not be working if it were not for her watching our son. But, as I hold my sleeping prince right now, I realize how blessed and lucky I am to have been home with him for the first 4+ months! Looking on the bright side.... I am sure leaving in the morning will get easier and easier (at least that is what people tell me), but keep up the thoughts and prayers-because I am sure it will still be a big adjustment for the next few weeks. While you are at it...send some good vibes for Grammy's sake...that W will start to take a bottle. Today he decided to hold out on eating until Momma got home :)

Trick or Treat

How appropriate of a title for a Halloween update....is it a trick that I am posting tonight and won't post again for another two months? Or is it a treat that I am back on the blogging wagon? I hope for the latter, but life is pretty busy these days with our little man, so I can only promise to try my best.

Each and every day is a true blessing with our angel boy. One thing for sure, our days of having a tiny little newborn have come to a close. Our big man is 14lbs 9oz and matures each and every day. He is so interactive with his voice, facial expressions, hands and feet, and even likes to stick out his tongue. A "trick" that Mommy taught him in an effort to learn communication and imitation-but now it has stuck and he can be a little snake man with that cute little tongue. He loves his toys, playing with people, and anything where all eyes are on him. Eating is still a big time favorite too. The things he is not super fond of these days are his car seat (getting better-but still not a huge fan) and SLEEP. I am hoping it is the 4 month wakeful period that we are going through-but this little guy won't say die when it comes to going to bed at night. Luckily he is so sweet and lovable that the extra hours he is awake at night are just more opportunities for Mommy and Daddy to love on him.

There are many more updates and fun things to say about our little pumpkin-but for now I will leave you with some pictures and will plan to write a long update in the next few days....

2 months today!!

Boy Mommy has been sleeping on the job when it comes to the blog! Most likely my followers have lost their faith in me and don't check much anymore. Leave me a message in the comments if you read this...so I can decide if it is worth keeping up the blog on our little man. If we get responses, than I will make a promise to update more frequently (at least once a week). The last month has been full of exciting and lovable developments. Our little man has lost and re-grown the hair on the top of his head. His hair cut really looked alot like Daddy's for awhile. He also has grown beautiful eyebrows and lashes. His little cheeks are almost what you would call chubby and his legs are no longer "bean poles". Daddy has re-named them his "lamb-shanks". Our big man is out of his newborn diapers and preemie clothes and moving quickly through his size 1 diapers and newborn sized clothes. He has really found his voice and loves to make coos and sounds. He follows his toys and faces really well-his favorite toy these days is far and away a bird. It is a Lamaze toy that has all kinds of black and white patterns on the wings of the bird. He also really likes his rain forest bouncy seat that Grammy and Pappy bought for him at their house. It is amazing how long he can be entertained these days in a bouncy seat or laying under his toys-Mommy can actually unload the dishwasher or take a shower (most days). Our monkey loves to smile and it melts our hearts each and every time-even at 4am. Some nights he will pull away from me while nursing and look up with the biggest smile-as if to say "lets get up and play mom". Sleeping is not William's strong suit...He still only does a few hours at a time before he wants some Momma time. But the past two months have been a true blessing and joy and we love this little boy more than we ever could have imagined. Stay tuned for a weight update next week when we have his two month well visit...

One Month Old

Wow can one month fly by...it is not until you become a mother that you can really comprehend what your mom meant when she said that you grew up in the "blink of the eye".

Our little man has changed so much since he entered the world a month ago! Most obviously he has gained almost a whole pound (7lbs 1oz) and grew 1.75 inches (20.75). He also has much more of a little personality and we are able to decipher his whimpers and cries to better understand what he wants and needs. He is most definitely more alert and is enjoying his swings, bouncy seat, toys, and even some books now-a-days. One thing that has not changed yet, and we are eagerly awaiting, is his desire to sleep for longer stretches at night :) His favorite activity is far and away...nursing...and he just can't stand to go for more than 2 or 3 hours without a meal or a snack. But Mommy loves every opportunity to hold the snuggly little newborn and stare into his big blue eyes as he looks up at me-even at 4 in the morning-must be what they mean when they say Mother's Love. William has had many firsts this past month-outings to Grammy and Pappy's, walks up to Walnut street, a trip to target, a few weight checks at the doctor's, a picnic at Pappy's boat club, and his first real bath to name a few. Mommy has even manged to leave the baby (only with Daddy or Grammy) a handful of times to go to church, run an errand, and to have dinner out one night with Jessie and CJ. So, as you can see we are adjusting to being a family of 3 and in looking back over this first month together...I would say we are doing a pretty good job! One thing for sure, we are more in love with our little man than we ever could have imagined after only knowing him for such a short time!!

2 Weeks Old!!

Wow! I can't believe our little one is two weeks old already-where have the last two weeks gone?!?! June 25, 2009 was one of the happiest days of our lives when we welcomed William Curtis Clarke into the world at 11:58am. He weighed 6lbs 2oz and every ounce of him stole Mommy and Daddy's hearts instantly. William's delivery was consistant with his pregnancy in that it went smooth and as wonderfully as we could have imagined. My water broke spontaneously at 4am, we were at the hospital by 5:30 with pretty regular contractions (3 cm dilated on first exam), had an epidural that saved my life by 8am, was checked again at 1030 and was 9cm, started pushing at 11:30, and 7 or 8 contractions later we had a son!! I could not believe it was a boy!! Now, two short weeks later I could not imagine anything other than being a Mommy to my son. William is a really sweet baby. He loves to nurse, sleeps well when he wants to be sleeping, and has the cutest facial expressions I have ever seen :) He really only fusses when he is hungry or needs some burping. His biggest task right now is eating and growing. We have taken him on a few adventures in his stroller or sling to some of the local shops and venues that are within walking distance. Each day is a new adventure as he is changing so much day to day-we are on the most wonderful journey of our lives and couldn't be more blessed!!