Rolling Over

Peter rolled over from his back to his tummy today! I was on my lunchbreak...almost ready to head back out to the office when suddenly he ROLLED OVER!!! Yippee! Yay Peter!!!

April Showers Bring May Flowers...

I suppose I should really wait until next week to do this posting, as Peter will be 4 months old next week Wednesday - April 15th, but, Luke is on the phone (I'm waiting for him), I remembered that I started this but never finished, and well...I guess it's time to finish what I've started!

This past month, as you remember from my previous postings, Peter started rolling over from his stomach to his back, but after about two weeks of happily rolling over, he suddenly stopped. We have tried and tried to convince him to roll over again, but to no avail. He will have none of it. He merely looks up at us with his big brown eyes and pleads (or at least I'm sure that is what he would do if he could talk with us) with us to roll him over or better yet - to pick him up!

He is also starting to sleep longer stretches at night. I have decided it's more important to sleep through the night than sleep through the morning, so we're working on the 8pm-5am thing instead of dropping the early morning feeding. He still likes to wake up around 2-4, but he's slowly getting the hang of it, I think.

Naps are also slowly beginning to take on a regular cadence. Chaos isn't really my thing, unless it's organized...and a baby who naps whenever for however long isn't organized in the least! He may not be the longest napper in the world, but at least the nap times are getting more predictable. I love that!

He's officially wearing size 3 diapers and is mostly into 6-12 month size clothes. Still wears some 3-6 month size, but is growing out of them, even as I type, I'm sure.


He's graduated from his baby bathtub to the regular tub. We had some relatives make a surprise visit, and while they were here Peter and his second cousin Owen (who is 1-1/2 months older) got to spend some quality bonding time in the tub together. I'm not sure they even had a clue anyone else was in the tub...Owen was far too interested in his feet, and Peter was too busy smiling up at me and splashing as much as his little legs and arms could splash!

A couple weeks ago, I got together with a family that I used to work for - and their son Henry, who was two months old when I first started taking care of him, got to hold Peter! What a sweet and memory-filled time that was!

Well, winter is almost over. We Minnesotans eagerly await the true arrival of spring, warm weather, NO SNOW, and flowers/green grass/leaves on trees, and it's almost here. So close that some days I can smell spring coming. I love this time of year!

Easter is in 6 days, and I look forward to celebrating the Lord God Almighty's victory over the grave. I love that Easter is in spring - how fitting to know that the Lord created a way for us to have new life during a season filled with new life? It reminds me of a verse in 2 Corinthians 5:17: "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come." And I am filled with joy!

Every once in a while, Peter likes to suck on his thumb. I just love it.

Here we are, eagerly anticipating spring by going for a walk, and yet still knowing it's frigidly cold and snowy out so we must bundle up!

Here are Sophia, Elle and Josh (MY cousins!) after a long day at the Chidren's Museum...I guess Peter's wailing for 20 minutes in rush hour traffic on the way home tired them out!

Luke was paranoid that Peter was going to suddenly start rolling again and fall off of the counter onto the floor. He didn't.

Peter and Grandpa Prigge like to spend some quality bonding time together sometimes before Grandpa heads out to the office. This was one of those moments.

Remember Peter's best friend, Jackson? Here he is again! Peter wasn't too thrilled with sharing the limelight, I guess.

Peter, Great-grandma Geri, Elle and Sophia hanging out in the kitchen. Grandma kept telling me to go change his clothes into some cute pajamas or something - "He looks too old!" :)

One morning, as I changed the sheets on Peter's crib, I piled him and his bears onto the recliner in his room. He was really just more interested in chewing on his thumb and blanket.

This was my dad's and my lame-o attempt at making Peter look super cool. You know, with his hat on backwards....oh, well.

One day as we were at Caribou with my friends Christina and Sami, we ran into Jan and Jane - some other friends (and Jane is Christina's mother-in-law!) who were also having coffee. Peter and Jan were sharing a moment. He was very glad to see her!

Here's Peter and Jackson again. Peter was in a much better mood this time, but why do they both look like a couple of deer in headlights?

Here's Peter with Henry and his sister Mariah. Henry is 7 years old already!

Both above and below is Peter with his second cousin Owen who was visiting from Michigan. They bonded.

And now for the moment you've all been waiting for...Peter's American Idol audition piece! He really gets into singing along with Darlene Zschech!

(Need I even mention how much he loves being sung to?)

Trumpets and Thunder

A week or so ago, my good friend Christina sent me this video via email. I won't comment - but will just let it speak for itself...make sure you turn the volume on your computer way up, otherwise you won't be able to hear it.

3 Month Update

My Baby is Three Months Old Already!!!!!

Today, March 15th, marks Peter's third month of life. Whoo-hoo! My how time flies when you're having fun! Last Tuesday, I took Peter to my friend Lisa's house to get his three month pictures taken. She decided a few years ago to start taking pictures at home - after spending a fortune each year getting her four kids' pictures taken at a studio. So she bought lights, a camera and some backgrounds and voila! Here we are. Now she takes pictures for friends - and we think she's great! Below is a small sampling of those pictures. But first - some updates.

1. Last Tuesday, while getting his picture taken, Peter rolled over from his stomach to his back for the first time! I thought it was just an accident, but as he's done it over and over again over the past week, I've decided it was no accident. My baby's getting mobile...
2. He's getting more and more interactive with both people and hanging toys. He still doesn't get picking something up and playing with it, but he'll bat at toys hanging overhead for a good long time before he gets bored.
3. Peter took his first trip to the Minnesota Children's Museum last Friday. While he was unable to do much of anything besides hangout in his stroller all day (bummer part of being a baby - I'm sure he would have loved to run around in the anthill exhibit with Elle, Josh, Sophia, Carter and Morgan), he was completely enthralled with all the kids and things there were to look at. And so other than the 20 minute wail in the car in rush hour traffic on the way home - it was an excellent day.
4. Peter finally moved out of our bedroom into his own last Friday night. He had about a two inch amount of wiggle room length-wise in the bassinet. Time to move, I guess. Sad! I was really nervous about forgetting to turn on the monitor so I'd hear him when he cries...which leads to #5...
5. As I mentioned a while back, Peter had dropped his 5am feeding. And then picked it promptly back up again. Early this past Saturday morning (3am to be exact), I woke up to Peter crying, got up, shut off the monitor, fed him, changed his diaper, visited the bathroom and crawled back into bed at 3:17. Quite a record for me. At 7:40 I awoke with a start, realizing that wow! Not only did Peter sleep until 3:00 before waking to eat (he's been getting up at 1:30 lately), but he didn't wake up at 5 or 6 or 7 to eat again, either! Excellent! What I discovered later was that if I don't turn on the monitor, I can't hear him crying in his bedroom....and so apparently he cried for about a good 40 minutes and finally went back to sleep. I felt so terrible...what horrible mother lets her baby cry for that long? Perhaps it was a good thing, however. Last night, he slept from 8:00-6:40, back down at 7:00-8:45. That's the longest stretch he's EVER gone at night! And so, if letting him cry himself back to sleep one night will help him sleep better, longer at night, I'm definitely going to be okay with it. I just won't forget to turn on the monitor again, though. If you're opposed to letting babies cry, I do apologize, but remember...I didn't know I was doing it! I'll keep you updated on how well the night time sleep goes...
6. And now for the photo shoot. They are, again, in order from last to first - Jesus was right, the last shall be first and the first shall be last. :) One of these days I'll remember to put them in the right order!

And there's the end! Peter Luke Willing is officially 3 months old. And terribly adorable!

Cherishing Every Little Moment

I think it's time for a new font - perhaps just for today. That always adds a certain something to things, doesn't it? This one, for example, always makes me think of a typewriter...I get nervous about making a mistake, forgetting for a moment that I can simply hit the "backspace" button if I do. :)

Peter is growing and changing so much lately that I thought it was time to update things again. Before I get too far, I want to thank everyone who sent me information, links and heartfelt messages about immunizations. I appreciate all of your input and help!

As each day goes by, and Peter constantly changes and grows, I find myself suddenly remembering something that he used to do that he no longer does. So incredible that so much happens in such a short amount of time! And so I have a smallish list of things that he used to do, but does no longer as well as things he is just starting to do. So, without further ado:

1. He used to make a tiny little squeaking noise when nursing. It was so cute...
2. He used to ALWAYS have his hands up by his face. That made feeding him such a challenge. I felt like if I could just have about 5 more hands at all times...
3. On Sunday, March 1st, Luke noticed him beginning to interact with his toys. Peter was sitting in his bouncy seat batting at the toys hanging over him, smiling. :) Luke was thrilled!
4. On the 4th (Wednesday, I think) I realized that he has begun to discover his tongue as well as different textures. He will lick, chew or suck on anything that gets near his mouth. My face has been licked quite a few times now! :) Unfortunately he does not realize yet that he is holding on to something if you give him a toy and so he will accidently put it up to his mouth, start licking it and then jerk it away and get frustrated that it is not at his mouth anymore, but he doesn't realize that he can put it back!

And now for the pictures:

We're trying our best to instill a passion for reading in him at a young age...tee hee hee...

Always a smiley bubble blower!

Just cute...and a little tired - notice the red-rimmed eyes?

Grandma Prigge is his babysitter a few days each week. I'm not sure who loves this arrangement more, Peter, me or her? If a girl has to work, what better person to watch her baby than her own mom?

Despite his chubby cheeks, he really isn't that fat of a baby!

Peter fell asleep on my lap this way when we had our friends Josh and Rachel over for dinner one night. How on earth can that possibly be remotely comfortable?

Creative Title. (aka: Two Months Old!)

Our little peanut, munchkin, buddy, baby (or if you combine the last two as I often accidently do, you get "bady") is two months old! Peter went in last week for his two month check up and is growing like a weed. (If any of my students from last year read this post, they would give me a severe lecture for using a cliche so flippantly.) He is in the 75th percentile for weight, 85th percentile for height and 50th percentile for his head size. The time is just flying by so quickly that there are constantly things I think of that I want to remember...

• He used to sit in his bouncy chair on the island in the kitchen and flirt with the light fixture that hangs over the island. It was pretty cute. He now will smile up a storm with anyone or anything thing that looks his way!
• He's really getting a lot stronger. His head wobbles less and less every day.
• He is sleeping longer periods of time at night. He'll sleep from 8:00 to around 3:00 or so to eat and then be up again between 7:30-8:00 for the day. He's dropped (I think) his 5am feeding. YES!!! Naps are also getting somewhat more predictable. Evenings are somewhat of a challenge, though...
• He tracks people as they move around him. Talk and move...he'll follow you with his eyes.
• He was not such a big fan of getting shots. Neither was I. Fortunately for whimpy me, Luke came along and shooed me out of the room while the nurse gave Peter his shots. Then I came back in. What a gem I am married to!

Hmmm...so speaking of shots...this is something Luke and I are struggling with. Perhaps I'm struggling more than Luke is, but we'd really like to do more research on them before his next appointment. The way the doctor explains them, it would seem silly to NOT get any. And yet, there is this nagging thing in the back of my mind warning me to be careful. And so, if anyone has any great advice or sources of reliable information on immunizations, I'm all ears. Now for the picture show!

Here's one of my Ebay blunders. Sometimes I get caught up in the heat of the moment and bidding and checking to see if I'm winning and then when it gets down to the last minute and I realize I'm winning and I'm paying more for an item than I would have if I bought it directly from the store...PLUS shipping I realize what a dummy I am! Oh, boy...so I tried getting his picture in it. He wasn't really in a good mood that afternoon, though. :)

This day Peter was in a good mood. Hanging out on my knees one day before I headed out to the office...we were waiting for Grandma to finish curling her hair. :) So I whipped out the camera and...voila!

The next day. Same story.

I really have such a cute baby, I can't help myself!

Luke and I decided to go for a walk one evening when it hit 40 outside. So, we bundled Peter up in his little snowsuit from Auntie Kerri, piled on the blankets like every good first-time set of parents does, and headed out for a walk. My, but that felt good to get out!

This blanket Peter is laying on (or is it "lying" on?) I think might turn out to be a favorite. Can a 2 month old baby have a favorite blanket already? Is that possible? I do know that he quiets down pretty quickly when I put this one up next to his cheek, though.

Peter has taken to blowing bubbles lately...

Sleeping baby Peter with Great-Grandma Geri Prigge at her birthday party yesterday (2/21), although her birthday is actually today. Happy Birthday, Gramma!

And now he's awake and playing with Grandpa Prigge!

Finally, two weeks later and we're in a better mood! I couldn't get any smiles, but that's okay as the background and straps aren't terribly attractive!

I just LOOOOOVE baby feet!

(even linty blurry ones...)

1st Cold, and Joshua

Sweet baby

Hanging out with his pal, Lucy while I type up this blog on a warm (30 degrees!) Sunday morning in February. They are both sleeping, although Peter's starting to wake up now...

Peter has successfully gotten his first cold. I am staying home for the first Sunday of my life with a sick child - my child. :) I hope to not have too many of these days in my lifetime. Tiny little babies aren't supposed to get sick, right? Poor guy...first I noticed he had a cough, then a stuffy/congested nose. Last night we were up quite a bit, doing some good bonding. :) I steamed up the bathroom really well and moved his little bassinet into it. I think the steam did good for his lungs - it helped him sleep better, I think. At any rate, I'm hoping it will not last too long.

Since it is a Sunday, and I'm at home...I thought I'd share what I've been reading and studying lately. I just started reading the book of Joshua. Having consistent daily devotions has always been something that I struggle with. Of course I know I should, it's good for me, that's mainly how the Lord will direct me and teach me; I know that I absolutely LOVE spending time reading my Bible and learning...but somehow the joy and passion and drive slowly fades. Just like that new song says, "It's a slow fade...people never crumble in a day...it's a slow fade." Other things get in the way and there just doesn't seem to be enough time in a day. However, now that I'm not only a wife, but a mother as well, there is even more responsibility weighing on my shoulders than ever. How will I effectively pray for, encourage, support and respect my husband if I do not first allow the Lord to encourage and support me with His Word? And how will I effectively teach my son God's truth if I do not take the time to learn all I can first? These are big questions, and very sobering thoughts. And so I begin, again. :) It's nice to know God doesn't give up on us when we stray, isn't it?

I chose the book of Joshua for the following reasons:

1. My favorite study from my BSF years (I would like to join again someday...such a powerful study - look it up online if you don't know what it is...Bible Study Fellowship International) was the life of Moses. We studied Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy. We watched as Moses was hidden in the bulrushes in a basket to be found and rescued by a princess while all other Israelite boy babies were being drowned in the river at the Pharaoh's whim. We watched him grow up, kill someone and bury him in the sand, wander in the desert, get married, be called by God, lead the Israelites (with the help of his brother Aaron) out of Egypt and wander in the desert until his death.



2. Now what? The Israelites are sitting at the door of the Promised Land...just waiting. It's time to watch as the Lord leads them and calls them to action once again. And, so I've chosen to read Joshua. Where the story picks up and continues with a new leader - Joshua!

In the first chapter, God calls Joshua to lead. Wouldn't that be incredible to hear God actually say your name and tell you what to do? How many times have I wasted so much time and energy not knowing what to do? We won't try to count. Although, maybe it was hard physically having God call you - there was no mistaking what He wanted you to do. If he wanted you to lead over 2 million people into battles to claim a new land, YOU had to do it. Even if you didn't want to, like Moses. Wow.

In the second chapter, Joshua tells the men what they were to do, and takes a small group of them into Jericho to spy out the city. Where do they hide out overnight? In the home of a harlot! I wonder how on earth they got into her house and how she reacted when they didn't want what she offered...but then she hid them. Or was she tired of her new life and was looking for change, for something better? Either way, God used her to hide them...she knew who they were as the rumors and stories about this group of wandering people were flying like crazy. Amazing how the stories were able to travel like that...no Internet, no phones, no snail mail. And yet, she KNEW and she knew their God was real and true.

Well, on that note, I need to wrap up now. Time to go see what happens next.

Oh, and since this blog is supposed to be for Peter, not for my own personal journaling :), he's sleeping. Quite soundly, actually, and has been for almost two hours. This is good. It will help him fend off this cold he has rattling around in his head and chest.