What A Cutie!

Memorial Day Weekend

It was a nice long weekend at the Rainey cabin. This was the first time in years that Ben and I (plus Barrett) have stayed at one cabin for the entire holiday weekend. In the past we always split the weekend with the other family cabin. We decided that it would be too difficult to drive all around like that with Barrett, so from now on we will be at one or the other.

We headed up on Friday afternoon and unloaded. We stayed at Grandpa Bob & Grandma JoJo's cabin this year (Edin's and we will take turns). Saturday there was a wedding shower for Rex & Monica (Rex went to the hospital earlier in the day because he sliced his foot open on the boat hoist...luckily no stitches were needed). Sunday the family had a big dinner followed by celebrations for Monique's 17th birthday. Monday we headed home. It was great spending all the time with family. Barrett did wonderful. He slept and ate great even though we were in a "new" place. I think he really loved having the time with his great-grandparents! :)

Waving "Bye-Bye"

So Barrett first did this down in Alabama on vacation, but hasn't done it since. Yet, just last weekend he waved "bye-bye" to a few people at Ben's grandma's. Then yesterday I waved goodbye to him and without hesitation he waved "bye-bye" back at me! It was the cutest thing ever!

8 Months Old

Barrett in the tub...he just loves it!


Eating grapes!!


Sitting like a big boy.

Barrett turned 8 months old on Tuesday and all I can think is how fast the time is going. I saw a picture of him on my sister's blog and he looked so much older!! Yesterday I had my first real experience on how much a child changes everything...I picked up Barrett from his sitters and he had gotten an eye infection (yup, that fast...it didn't look like anything that morning). I had to take him to the local doctor's clinic. I had to sign in at 5 pm, but they didn't start seeing people until 6 pm. After that I ran his perscription up get filled and they told me that it would be 45 minutes. I ran over to my dad's, hung out, and fed Barrett dinner. Then I went back to get the perscription and finally headed for home. I got home about 8 pm! Whew! It's one of those moments that I had to put everything else on hold and take care of my little man. It then got me thinking...am I really ready to have another one so soon?!? Hmmm... I can't imagine doing that with more than one child. Props to all those women that do it every day. You're Super Women!!

Anyway, I only have 4 more weeks of school, which means that I will be able to spend more time with Barrett and I can't wait! :) I do have to take a few classes, but that's it. There are many exciting family events this summer that I am definitely looking forward to, too. Weddings here we come!!

Here are Barrett's stats @ 8 months:
::Weighs 23 lbs.
::Has blonde hair and blue eyes
::Still sucks his right thumb when he's sleepy
::Army crawls all over, hasn't quite figured out how to get his belly up off the floor
::Sits upright
::Has started to clap
::Says "ma ma", but without relating it yet
::Has 7 teeth (4 upper and 3 lower)
::Eats breastmilk about 4 times a day and solids 2 times a day
::Loves to feed himself and has mastered the "pincher" grab
::Drinks from a cup
::Takes 2 long naps a day
::Sleeps about 10 hours a night
::LOVES his pets (has yet to catch Jovi, but it's only a matter of time)!!
::Still loves to snuggle

He's simply amazing and I can't wait to watch him grow!

Hangin' Out at Home

7 Months & Scootin'

Well, Barrett's scootin'! He's got the whole army crawl thing down pretty good. It all started last Monday (the day we returned to work after our family vacation..of course). Sheryl informed me that he was doing this and I was shocked because we had just spent an entire week with him and there was nothing like it. Anyway, it's been almost two weeks now and he's getting pretty good. He now will even pull himself to all fours sometimes, but then tumbles back onto his belly after a few moments. He'll be crawling soon, I bet.

Also, he turned 7 months old on the 8th. His current stats:
::Weighs about 23 lbs.
::Has 5 teeth with one more on the way
::Scoots and rolls all over the place
::Eats breastmilk 4-5 X a day and solid food 2 X a day
::Wears 12-18 month clothes
::Starting to make "da-da" noises
::Still has his brilliant blue eyes
::Loves to put everything in his mouth
::Drools a lot and has to wear a bib at all times
::Sucks his right thumb only when tired
::Loves his blue bear blanket
::Takes 2 long naps and small cat-naps throughout the day
::Surprisingly a little blondie, too!!

Barrett's First Vacation

We just got back from sunny Gulf Shores (this new snow was quite a surprise!). We drove down at the end of last week with Ben's parents. It took us two days of driving, but we finally made it on Saturday. We stayed in a really nice condo three stories up from some relatives of Ben. We laid on the beach most days, but one day we decided to take a dolphin cruise (we saw mommy dolphins with their babies...it was amazing). We started our return journey on Thursday. Barrett was a great traveler. He hardly fussed and seemed to remain his normal happy self. He enjoyed the pool (he splashed around a lot), but wasn't too sure about the ocean. He giggled it up on the dolphin cruise to the amusement of another traveler. While on vacation he managed to handle more teething issues. One of his top teeth broke through, the other top tooth is almost through and the two bottom on either side of the ones he already has are close (well, one is broken through and the other is close). He did have somewhat of a runny nose, but all in all I'd say he had a great time. I kept telling people that I feel like Barrett grew up some much on the trip. He's talking more and seems to be very responsive to other people. He even waved to someone for the first time!! It was a great trip and one we all needed. Now back to reality.

St. Patty's Day in Chicago

It was my first weekend away and what better way to spend it than by hanging out with my girls! Ben stayed home and had some quality "Daddy-Barrett" time while I lived it up in the big city. I loved every minute of it! I rode down with Andrea and surprised Kate who flew in from Miami. Friday we went to a nice restaurant and then went to a local establishment before calling it a night. Saturday we went out and shopped and then saw the green river. The rest of the day we spent in more local establishments and met up with some of Rachel's friends. Overall the weekend was great! I am still smiling about it. Girls, we have to do it more often!!

Six Months Old!!

Barrett is now six months old. Whoa! Time really does fly! He's finally over his cold, but still has a lingering cough. He's back to his happy self, though, which is great!

Here are his stats at 6 months:
::Sleeps about 8 hours each night with naps throughout the day
::Eats 5-6 meals of breasatmilk each day
::Has started eating solids (rice cereal and peas)
::Has his two bottom front teeth
::Loves to make razz sounds with his lips and drool
::Can sit pretty much unsupported
::Can roll all over the place and pull his body where he wants to go
::Makes great baby noises
::Weighs about 22 lbs.
::Loves to look at mirrors
::Drools all the time
::Will arch his back to get off your lap (he loves his tummy and sitting time!)

He's a solid little man with a lot of energy! He's just perfect!

Barrett's First Cold :(

It started last weekend and has been going on since. Barrett has his first cold. He has been feeling miserable. He's coughing and stuffed up. We've all been there, but it is difficult to see your child go through it. He's been a trooper though with all of the saline nose sprays. We've had some interesting feedings, too, to say the least. Today he seems happier (he's actually been really cranky which is out of character for him). The doctor said that his spirits should begin to get better soon although the cough may stick around for another week or so. Ugh! What doesn't kill you makes you stronger, right!?!?

Busy Weekend

This past weekend was a busy one. Barrett's teeth are slowly coming in as you can see in the picture. This means he's still drooling a lot and chewing on his hands. He can get quite messy at times with all the drool and spit up, but it's all right. I just have to do more laundry, that's all. :)
Then yesterday Ben cleared off our pond so we could do some skating. We bundled up Barrett and headed out. We skated for about 10 minutes and then said we were too sore to continue. It was cold for Barrett, too. My old ice skates didn't fit, so I had to use hockey skates. I did not like the way they felt, either. It was fun to do some skating again though, because it sure had been awhile.
After that we got packed up and headed to the local hotel. Sheryl had rented out the Hospitality Suite, so several people came and swam a bit. It was Barrett's first time in the water. At first he was unsure and fussed some, but after a while he warmed up to the idea. It was great to swim around with him. I can't wait for summer!!
Today, Barrett and I are a little sick. We're coughing and stuffed up. Ah, the cold. I'm glad I have the day off. Hopefully we'll be better tomorrow.

Happy Valentine's Day!!

Lucky me...I got a snow day today!! I am hanging out with Barrett and loving every minute. I got to take some cute photos of Barrett in his bear romper that Grandpa & Grandma got for him. Too cute!

TWO TEETH!!

This whole teething thing is crazy. On Sunday Barrett's first tooth surfaced and today the other bottom front one surfaced!! I'm not quite sure how long it takes for teeth to grow in, but once they do I'll post a pic. Also, today Barrett is officially 5 months old! Wow, how the time flies.

Barrett is 5 months old!!

well...almost. He'll be 5 months old in 3 days. I had a snow day today, so I have some time to blog. Some exciting news is that yesterday we felt something sharp on Barrett's lower gums...his first tooth is coming in!!! It was a complete shock to us, because he has been eating fine and hasn't been fussy at all. What a tough little man! Grandma Sue is pretty sure she felt the other bottom tooth, too, so we'll just have to wait and see. He could have two teeth before the week is done! :) Hopefully I can still do the nursing thing, because I'm not quite ready to give that up, yet.

As for other Barrett information at 5 months, here you go:
::lots of squealing, sometimes he tries to go as loud as possible
::drools all the time and all over everything
::eats 6x per day, all breastmilk
::takes one long afternoon nap, with a few catnaps before and after
::goes to bed around 9:30pm and wakes around 6:30am (sometimes he can sleep in longer on weekends)
::can roll all over the place
::still working on upper-body control, but likes doing push-ups
::sucks his thumb and fingers
::kicks often
::loves to stand with support
::working on sitting on his own (he can do this, but not for long periods)
::weighs 20 lbs. and is 27" long (above 100th percentile & 90th percentile, respectively)

On to other happenings. This past weekend was fun. Friday Ben and I stayed in and enjoyed some family time (he's been so busy lately and not home much). Then Saturday, my step sister had her wedding reception (she got married in Vegas over New Years). We danced the night away. I was a little sore the next day! :) The super bowl was yesterday and Sue, Del, and Diana all came over and we watched the game together. It was a nice close to the weekend. Well, until I got that school closing phone call this morning. Gotta love it!

4 month check-up

Barrett had his 4 month check up today (he'll be 5 months old in a week). He weighed in at a whopping 20 lbs.!! That was above the 100th percentile!! He was 27 inches long, too (90th percentile). We've got a sturdy little man on our hands! He also had to get another round of shots...not much fun for Barrett or myself for that matter. Barrett cried and cried. Funny thing, though, I picked him up quickly after the shots and within seconds he was smiling at me and the nurse. What a funny little man. :)

Look at Me!

So Barrett is beginning to sit up on his own now. He still tumbles over after a short while, but he's sitting none the less. The pictures above are a few more favorites. You gotta love those eyes!

Last weekend was nice. We headed up to the cabin for some family time. It was Barrett's first time there. He seemed to enjoy it. I always love being there, too. I can't wait to go back! Maybe we can get the entire family together again, soon.

Hanging out at home

Barrett is becoming quite the busy body...rolling over, scooting...always busy. I know it's only going to get busier, too. Exciting times. Today we stayed at home while Ben went to help out his brother (his brother just bought a new home). Barrett and I were going to go, too, but Barrett has been projectile vomiting every feeding today (he finally kept a meal down at 5 pm). We thought it best to stay in and rest today instead. Even in those moments of "gross-ness" you can't help but love him.

4 Months Old!!!

Barrett turned 4 months old yesterday!! He sure has been active these past few days!! He continues to roll over from his back to his belly. As you can see in the picture we can't even leave him in one place anymore, because he can flip out of things. Luckily we caught him before anything happened to him. :) Once he's on his belly he loves to give big smiles and try to scoot. I have a feeling he'll be moving before we know it! He continues to LOVE his jumperoo. He really gets it jumping now. Other things going on with him:
:: he grabs for many things
:: he smiles a lot
:: he eats 6 times a day (2 bottles of breastmilk at Sheryl's and 4 feedings with me at home)
:: he coos and is starting to mimic sounds
:: he takes 2 long naps during the day and a few cat-naps
:: he drools all over the place
:: he LOVES sucking on his hands and thumbs
:: he rolls over (more often on his right side)
:: he makes bubbles and a "razz" sound

Barrett continues to amaze us each and every day...AHH life is good.

Happy New Year!!!

We spent New Years Eve first at dinner with Sue and Del. After dinner they said they would babysit Barrett, so we were then able to go over to Ben's brother's place. We played games and rang in the New Year. It was a fun night.

The next morning, Ben went to get Barrett out of the crib and Barrett was on his belly! Later that day Barrett rolled over twice from his back to his belly! Another big milestone! As you can also see in the picture, Barrett loves his new Johnny Jump Up. Thank you great grandpa and great grandma!

More Holiday Photos

Barrett's First Christmas

The holidays were busy, but I wouldn't have it any other way! :) It all started on the 23rd at Ben's parents house. There was a very festive dinner and then later we opened gifts and played games. The next morning we headed to my dad's house to open gifts and then that afternoon we went up to Saginaw to have Christmas dinner with the family. On the 25th, we woke up in our own home (we wanted to start the tradition of waking up as a family on Christmas morning in our own home) and went to church. After church Ben, Barrett, and I opened gifts and later went to have dinner at Mark and Sheryl's house. After dinner it was a night of games, from Catchphrase to Set Back and even some Cranium. Loved it! On the 26th, we went to lunch with the Uptons, Rachel, and Whitey in DeWitt and then we were off to Whitmore Lake to have an evening with the Edins and Williams. We played some dice and a new Friends game. Evenings like that are always so much fun! :) And to wrap up the festivities, we headed to Grand Haven the next day to have an evening with the Janiczeks, Owens, and Doug. We played more dice and Mad Gab. I thoroughly enjoyed all the games I got to play the past five days!!! Yeah! The past few days we have stayed at home and have enjoyed the relaxation. We have slept in and enjoyed our family time. I think Barrett loved seeing everyone, too. He was a trooper at each place. By the end of it all he was exhausted, too (just like us). He slept a lot on Thursday! He remained such a happy little guy though. Ben and I are always saying how happy he is. He smiles all the time and makes so many coos. He even giggled in a little giggle fit a few days ago. I cracked up. What an awesome baby!

Barrett's On the Move!

I just had to share the latest news...Barrett has figured out how to get around. No he's not crawling or walking yet, but he has figured out how to move backwards in his walker. I put him in the toy by the doorway to the bathroom today while I took a shower and later I found him by the bedroom window (about 5 feet away)!! I then decided to put him on the hardwood in the kitchen and he cruised right along (although it was difficult for him to get a "grip" on the slippery surface. He seemed to really enjoy it, but he got fussy when he would back himself into a wall (hasn't figured that one out yet). What a funny boy! I really think once he figures out the whole crawling/walking thing we will have our hands full! :)

Hanging Out

This past weekend was a lot of fun. We were at Ben's grandma's place with the rest of his mom's side for a Christmas weekend. There wasn't any snow, but the whole family got together anyway and exchanged gifts and had a great big dinner later Saturday night. It was Barrett's first weekend away from home (we have spent one night in Whitmore Lake a few times) and he did very well. He slept through the night even though his schedule got changed a little throughout the weekend. Everyone seemed to enjoy having him around (he's really fun these days...conversational and smiley). He got back to his routine easily today. Although he didn't poop all weekend and this morning (right as we were heading out the door) he had a blow out. Needless to say, he got a quick bath. What a great way to start the morning! :)

I wanted to share a few pictures we've taken of him recently (camera's working). The second one is of Barrett all bundled up for an afternoon walk and the first one is Barrett in his favorite toy (a hand-me-down from Ben's coworker).

3 Months Old

Barrett is 3 months old today! Wow! He is doing great. He smiles and coos all the time. I must say though that he is starting to get fussier these days. Sometimes he will get so fussy until you let him "stand" for a little while. He just loves to sit upright and "stand". Obviously he can't stand on his own, but he loves to try. Ben and I also put him in his first stationary toy yesterday and he loved it! Our camera is not working right now, but I'll try to get pictures of that soon. He also makes bubbles a lot and has started drooling a ton!! He wears a bib most of the time. :) Developmentally, he is able to do a lot. He can grasp toys/rattles, he can look around a room for someone (and follow you around a room), he can do mini-push-ups, and he even spends a lot of time simply checking out his own hands (I watched him for awhile the other night and he did this a lot...he even went crossed eyed a few times...silly little man). :) He continues to be amazing and we love him very much.

2 Month Check Up

Last week Barrett went in for his 2 month check up (although he is almost 3 months old). He got his first round of shots and that was so hard on me. They first gave him an oral vaccine, then they held his legs down (I was up by his head) and two nurses gave him a total of three shots in the thighs. It took him a minute to realize what had happened and then he started to cry. It was so hard to take, but he got through it just fine after that. He didn't react strangely at all and he has been a happy baby throughout it all. At that appointment he weighed in at a whopping 17 lbs.! The doctor said that this was above the 95th percentile! He was in the 50th percentile for length, also. Overall the check up went really well.

Last weekend we were busy, too. Friday I got a snow day so I was able to stay home with Barrett (loved it), but then I lost power. I headed over to my in-laws and rode into town with Sue to get Diana's birthday cake. Then on Saturday we had the Lewis' Christmas party during the day and then a work party (Ben's office) at night. Both parties were fun. The evening party has a casino theme so Ben and I got to play a little Blackjack and Hold 'Em. It was a nice "date night". Sue and Del watched Barrett while we were out. Finally, Sunday Erica and Ben had a wedding shower at my dad's. Rex and Jocelyn drove in from out of town, so it was nice visiting with them, too. Ben stayed home and worked on the decorations (we went and got our christmas tree earlier that day). The house was cheery when I returned home later on. Ben did a great job with all the porch decorations! :)