Shane is 7 months

Shane turned 7 months yesterday and the fun is beginning. Not only can he get on all 4's, but he can push up and straighten his legs. He has not figured forwards out yet and is still going backwards. While I appreciate the fact that he can't go fast or far, I am tired of his fussing when he can't get where he wants to go. He can almost get himself into a sitting position. He is able to sit by himself, but if he sees something or someone he wants he gets excited and topples over. He started eating food this month and has tried bananas, pears, carrots, and avacado. He likes everything except pears by themselves. He smiles lots for people he knows, especially his brothers, but if strangers try to make him smile they soon learn that it is really difficult. I have started letting Shane sit in the grocery cart and stroller this week which he loves because he can look around. Shane isn't sleeping through the night yet, but this is mostly because I get him so that I can go back to bed quicker. Shane loves his baths and is quiet content to sit in there splashing around.

The best birthday ever

I had the best birthday ever on Saturday. It started out with a surprise birthday party thrown by Ian. Everyone wore party hats and had balloons. I got to wear a birthday princess hat which I love and am saving for all future birthdays. Then we played party games. First was musical chairs, then pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey, and finally red light/green light. Later in the day we opened presents and watched home movies of the boys. It was fun seeing video of the boys when they were babies. We had about 10 hours of Ian's first year.....2 hours of Cooper's first year....and so far nothing of Shane. Guess I am going to go pull out the video recorder and start taping.

Cute Pictures

I have been trying to take pictures like crazy to document these early months of Shane. I have learned that you do forget even though you swear you never will. Shane is smiling all the time (although you would never know it from the pictures).

Cooper and Shane

Ian and Shane



Shane has been trying to roll over, but so far has not been able to do it

My 3 boys

It has started already

On Sept. 13, 2009 a great event is taking place. This event has become a big deal in the Livingston household.....the first official football game of the season. This year though the first game has taken on even more importance. Chris's favorite football team since he was 5 is the Miami Dolphins. Ian's favorite football team is the Atlanta Falcons. Guess which two teams are playing each other on Sept 13th? That's right - the Miami Dolphins are taking on the Atlanta Falcons in Atlanta.

Even though this event is 3 months away, Ian has already started his campaign. This is what he did today.....



In case you can't read this picture it says "Tony rules! Miami drools!"

Shane is 3 months

Where has the time gone? Shane turned 3 months this week and he is getting so big. I haven't weighed him, but I am guessing he weighs around 16 lbs. We will see how right I am next month when he goes to the doctor for his 4 month check up. He is able to sit in his bouncy chair for up to 20 minutes before crying to be picked up. And if I move him to where I am and talk to him he will sit for longer. I finally feel as if I am able to get things done. He smiles all the time at me - those great smiles that start at his toes and move their way up. There is nothing better b/c you know he is just so happy to see you. The boys love to try to get Shane to smile at them. Shane went in the pool for the first time this week. I don't know if he loved it or not, but since he didn't cry I am chalking it up to a positive. He seems to like all of the activity b/c he is very mellow, watching and listening to everyone. He has been to the pool twice now and has fallen asleep there both times w/o crying. I think we are going to be spending a lot of time at the pool this summer! Shane is a great sleeper at night - only gets up once to eat.

Gladulation

On May 31st Cooper graduated from Pre-Kindergarten....or as he told us gladulation. The ceremony was very sweet.....the kids got to watch a video of themselves throughout the year which included baby pictures of all of them. They sang songs for us. My favorite is "I stand on my tiptoes to make myself tall. I squat right down to make myself small. I like to be tall. I like to be small. I like to be my own self best of all." I probably like this song b/c I heard no less than 400 times prior to graduation.

Stats

My boys are getting so big so quickly! Last week we went to the doctor for checkups and to see how big the boys are getting. Ian is 53 lbs and 48 1/4 in tall. Cooper is 49 lbs and 45 in tall. Lastly, Shane is 13 lbs 11 oz (90%) and 22 3/4 (50%) in tall. Just to put it in perspective, he is 2 months old, but filling out his 3-6 month clothes already. He is 2 lbs heavier than Cooper was at the same age. The good news is the muscles in my arms are bulking up that much faster.

Father's Day

So since Texas schools aren't in session in June, Cooper's preschool celebrates Father's Day in April. Coop made Chris some cute gifts and he completed the following questionaire showing just how well he knows his dad....

My father's name is Chris
My father is 22 years old and weighs 15 pounds
My father loves to play football
My father's favorite thing to wear is jackets
When my father talks to my mom, he calls her Mommy
My father's favorite foods are pickles and berries
My father and I love to play games
The best thing I can do for my father is make sandwiches
At work my father works.

Why I love 5 year olds

You have to love how literal a 5 year old is. Cooper was upstairs pooping in one of the bathrooms (there are two up there). He yelled down that there was a problem - he didn't have enough paper. I was sitting/sleeping downstairs with Shane on me so I told him to go use the paper in the other bathroom and that I would be up as soon as I could. So I take my time carefully putting Shane down and proceed upstairs. What do I see but Cooper running across the stairwell with his arm up in the air and in this raised hand - a piece of dirty toilet paper. Alas, my little one thought he should wipe his tush in one bathroom and then run the paper across the house to put it in the other toilet and then run back and repeat with more paper.

Ian's birthday

Ian had a fantastic birthday party at his school. 11 boys showed up to play fun games in the gym and eat cake. They all seemed to have a lot of fun especially Ian.

On Ian's birthday he wanted a special American flag cake. We made a chocolate cake and decorated it with white icing. Then we put strawberries and blueberries for the stars and stripes.

Shane is 1 month

I really can't believe how fast the past month has flown. Shane is now one month old and is more alert everyday. Some days this is good because we are starting to get smiles and he is noticing all that is going on around him. His favorite place to be is in the Bjorn while I walk around. I am definately getting 10,000 steps a day in!

Baseball

Baseball season has started once again. Cooper is playing T-ball this spring and is on the Colorado Rockies. Ian is on the Braves and is playing kid-pitch.

My Boys

Here is the most recent picture of my 3 boys. Shane is 3 weeks old in this picture and getting bigger everyday. This picture doesn't show howbig his cheeks are.

See pictures of Shane

You can view our pictures of Shane at www.austinlivingstons.shutterfly.com

All Clean

Shane had his first bath today. This is a picture of him after he is all clean.

First Bath

Here is a pictue of Shane taking his first bath. Both Ian and Cooper helped to get him clean. Shane did not like taking a bath. I think he would have prefered to go back to sleep.

Shane is 2 weeks old

Shane was born today at 1:51 pm CST. He weighed 7 lbs. 10 oz., and he was19.5 inches long. Cooper is holding a sleeping Shane in this cure photo.

Shane is a little shy in this picture with Ian

A happy Mama with our three boys

Bikes

Today we finally bought the kids the last of their Christmas presents - bikes!












Cooper chose a pink bike with a basket.

Ian wanted a blue bike since blue is his favorite color.

Flag Football

Ian has been playing flag football this winter. Chris is one of the coaches. Yesterday, I got to watch Ian score two touchdowns! You can see him running with the ball in two of the pictures (just look at the right side of the picture). He is #7.

Ian's Pinewood Derby Car

Ian competed in the Boy Scouts Pinewood Derby this past weekend. This is his blue car that has USC colors on each side (red on one side, yellow on the other). He and Chris have been working really hard this past week to get the car finished. Although he didn't win a prize his car did really well considering this is the first he has ever built. He is already thinking about what to do next year.

Here are two more pictures. The first is of Cooper blowing out the candles on his birthday cake and the second is their pumpkins. Those kits are a lot harder than they look!

Here are Ian and Cooper in their Halloween costumes.

9 weeks and counting......

So I have officially entered the single digit wait for baby Livingston. I cannot wait for him to get here. Not only do I want to meet him, but I want to be able to sleep comfortably again! Cooper asks me daily if the baby is coming today. I am not sure which one of us is having a harder time waiting.