What is Colten's favorite thing to do that he does all the time?





Seriously- cover himself up with something and then flail around waiting for someone to find him. He rolls around looking for something to grab- a birp cloth, usually -and then puts it on his face! Like here, he gets bored with his toy and does this instead. Weird but it cracks me up every time!!! What a cute boy. This was our hotel room in Williamsburg.

[Side note: I forgot to mention I had to go to the urgent care while we were in Williamsburg because I was coughing so much and had so much chest congestion, and was diagnosed with bronchitis. I started a Z-pak and found out that I am now allergic to that antibiotic as well. Anyway, I am all better now, but Mark got it, too.]


Speaking of Colten, have you seen him lately?... all of him? Okay, this is the best I have right now, but look at his chin! I weighed him on an adult scale and I think he weighs about 15 pounds (at just under 6 months)! That takes him from WAY off the growth chart for weight to about the 10th percentile! His check up is in 2 more weeks, which will verify his stats, but I am so thankful that he is healthy and has been gaining some serious weight: about a pound a week!




"For great is your love... your faithfulness reaches to the skies" (Psalm 57:10).

Yep, that's what Hunter kept asking while we were at Busch Gardens on our weekend getaway with Stephanie. It was quite a full day for Hunter: riding exciting rides, seeing animals, spending time with us and, especially, his sister, Stephanie. Because I was nursing and feeding Colten, Stephanie was a wonderful blessing to me by taking Hunter on and off rides (I can't recall where Mark was.) and Hunter loved it!

Hunter was so funny on the Bumper Cars. He had NO idea how to steer his car. As a matter of fact, he spent most of his "ride" stuck with other cars because he didn't know how to turn his wheel to get out of it. It was really funny. All the parents were yelling at their kids to turn their wheels but the kids couldn't figure it out.

I loved seeing the gorgeous Clydesdales, females would have been preferred. Mark and Stephanie were able to ride most of the roller coasters, but I only got a picture of them riding the Battering Ram.

Hunter enjoyed watching them so much that he asked to ride it. He passed the height requirement but he didn't pass the "fear test." He sat in between me and Stephanie, visibly shaking and clutching onto Stephanie for dear life. Poor guy...but he did ask to ride it. He was fine afterward, really. Mark tried to get a picture but none of them turned out.

All day, Hunter kept asking me, "Is that a scary rollercoaster?" especially when we would look at the map. He really wanted to ride a rollercoaster that wasn't scary. This was the best we could do: The Elephan Run

Hunter's favorite ride that he, seriously, rode at least a dozen times:

He didn't care if he was the pilot or the co-pilot or if he ws high up in the air, he just wanted to be on the airplane. Actually, that's what he wants to dress up as for Halloween. Any ideas? Here are other rides he enjoyed:

The kiddie version of the log flume. It was very cute.

And, finally, proof that I need a bigger car:

Stephanie and I took turns between the kids and it was a tight fit! My car lease is up in December. Mark just said, "We have to get something BIG!"

I'm blogging a bit late about this but I have to, especially for you Momma Wright. ;) Mark and I haven't been ANYWHERE this summer, so when Stephanie (Mark's daughter) came up, Mark came up with a FABULOUS idea of going to Williamsburg to visit Jamestown and Busch Gardens. I was thrilled, first, that I didn't have to come up with the idea and that Mark had a place he really wanted to go.

Now, I am not a history fan. I am much more interested in current events, but I went with a smile on my face. However, Busch Gardens was much more exciting and we had a blast!

We left on a Sunday morning and drove straight to Jamestown. It was interesting, with a museum, an interactive Indian village and re-created ships of the colonists' boats. Hunter's favorite part of the day were the boats. He just enjoyed walking on them and looking around. Hunter was very well behaved both days.

I didn't actually get a picture of this but there was a broom in a Settlement church building that Hunter found and started sweeping. He said, "Look, Mommy, it's a swiffer!" Everyone inside the building had a good laugh at that. I don't know if he's ever seen anyone use an actual broom. Ha!

...on the ship.

Mark and Hunter posed with some Indian "artwork."

Mark was fanning Stephanie with a turkey feather. It was a hot day.

Hunter played a game of corncob darts. If you look at the feather at the bottom of the picture, he actually got it in.

This armor was sitting around for a perfect photo op and it was really heavy. After we took his picture, Hunter said, "Mommy, I'm all done." We all got a chuckle.

Our warrior.

I was pretty discouraged after Hunter has been second on the waiting list at my first choice of pre-schools all summer and the director called me this week to say there had been no one to cancel after the orientation letters went out. I had a backup plan to go to Franconia Baptist Church but with Stephanie being in town, going out of town, coming down with bronchitis and now going out of town again, I had not made any decisions to enroll him.

Then...

I JUST got a call from Bush Hill Day School and.... he's in! The director received a letter from a student who was enrolled saying they had been relocated. She called the first person on the waiting list who had already enlisted at another school, so... WE got the call! I can't believe how excited I am! I'm a little sad, too, realizing that my firstborn little boy is going off to pre-school, but elated that God allowed us to get in to this school.

Orientation is Sept. 4th and First Day of School is our anniversary... September 9th. Thank you, Lord, for answering my many prayers.

As many of you know, Hunter has a fear of moon bounces. A good friend of mine pointed out that it probably has to do with a mild sensory integration problem, where he doesn't perceive movement and sometimes sound correctly and they scare him. I do not feel, however, that it affects our everyday life much.... until there's a moon bounce around, anyway.





Being co-coordinator for MOPS activities, Hunter has the opportunity to get on a moon bounce a couple times a year and last week was another opportunity. Renee and I coordinated a second indoor play date at our church's gym. At the first one, as well as the play date last summer, Hunter sat sobbing over his fear of the moon bounce.





Because of his fear, which is partly because of the moving "floor" and the loud sound of the fan motor, he stresses over getting into it. This time, I told him he did not have to get into it but if he did, I would buy him a special treat.



When we arrived to set up, he stayed in "his corner" of the gym but eventually started riding his scooter closer to the moon bounce and eventually even asked to go in it! "YEAH," I thought, but I kept my excited emotions to myself. Instead, I calmly said, "Okay, let's go." We went in, he bounced a few times and then I asked for a turn, so he could see how fun really can be. He patiently waited for me to finish but with a stressed look on his face. I was SO proud of him!




Here was his reward: a trip to Baskin Robbins (integrated with a Dunkin Donuts).

Yum! French vanilla.

Here's Hunter concentrating vehemently on making his Papa a birthday card:

I have an obligatory post for my second born- his first solid feeding. Steph was even in town to watch the festivities.

As I have posted, Colten dropped severely off the weight chart at 5 months when I took him in for a weight check and, after supplementing for 1 week, gained 13 ounces! So, I thought it would also help to start solids to get him eating (eventually) to add more weight.

Here's the culmination:

I think it has been more YUCK then yum so far but he still looks excited about it!

Even not getting enough nutrition, Colten has been such an easy baby and a JOY in our lives. I know I have complained about not enjoying the baby stage with Hunter but NOW THAT I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING (some of the time, anyway), I am really loving having a little one. Having a three year old also makes you realize how easy a baby really is!

Okay, so last week I may have been a little dramatic by saying that Colten was diagnosed as 'failure to thrive' but I just ASSumed he was. His doctor said he did not diagnose him with that, afterall. Well, after one week and lots of prayer, God showed He is faithful as always. Colten gained 13 ounces! That's almost 2 ounces a day! He finally started pooping on a daily basis, actually multiple times a day. For anyone who doesn't have children, that is a sign of weight gain (or I read that it is). As a matter of fact, he just blessed me with it! ;) He had been going a couple of times a week, maybe. I thought he was just an efficient pooper.





I looked at his growth chart (percentiles) today to see his progression...or digression, if you will. His weight started at around the 30th at birth, moved up to the 50th at 2 months, down to the 5th at 4 months and then OFF the chart at 5 months (5 months old and 12 pounds 4 ounces). Today, though not back on the growth chart, he still made an almost verticle leap on it! His pediatrician was thrilled, and so was I!





This all means that I was not making him enough milk and supplementation is working beautifully. I am currently pumping or nursing every 2 hours and bottle washing and bottle feeding in between. I don't have time for much else around the house, but I know it's only a short-term situation. I just really pray I start making more....soon....or that I would feel at peace with not making more and having to switch to formula to supplement altogether. Thank you for praying. I know a lot of people have been asking about my little guy.

Oh, and too bad Hunter shows no interest in feeding Colten a bottle. That sure would be a lot of help...I think. Today, when I asked him if he wanted to try feeding Colten, he said yes. It lasted for a few seconds and then he was off playing. Oh well. I will have to try again.

Not the best picture but here's my little guy taking in some more yummy milk. I am SO thankful!

Yes. You read correctly. Colten was diagnosed with 'Failure to Thrive' Monday as he weighed one ounce less than a month ago at 12 pounds 4 ounces. I prayed about it before the appointment but apparently didn't factor in the fact that he could actually not weigh any more. I just figured he would have gained weight. (I guess that's obvious; otherwise, I would have done something sooner.) Upon seeing the number, I began to cry some, realizing that my little guy has not had enough nutrition to meet his potential.



Dr. Fox came in and reassured me (and Hunter). Hunter was asking, "What's wrong, Mommy?" I gathered myself and we discussed the next step, supplementation.



It's a nursing mom's nightmare. It's hard to stimulate more milk when the baby gets it elsewhere but he's obviously not getting enough from me on his own, so I need to either give him stored milk or formula.



I can happily report that after 3 days of supplementing, Colten has gained 6 ounces! I am pumping and/or nursing every 2 hours, approximately, and pray that I start making more by his next weight check appoitment on Monday.



The strange part which I do not understand is that Colten is such a happy, content baby and not crying from hunger all the time like you would think a baby would be who is not getting enough milk. I would (cry, that is)! Nonetheless, we're on the road to weight gain and there will be no more "failure to thrive".



One more thing. Hunter, who is now 90th and 97th percentiles for weight and height, got down to the 10th percentile at 6 months. That's when I introduced solids and he took off in weight and really chunked up! I could hardly ever feed him enough. I, apprently, didn't make much milk for him, either.



Oh well, he's huge now! Maybe Colten will be, too.