You're 18 months old.

You're 18 months old.....you're.....18 months....old. How did this happen?

The past 18 months have been a roller-coaster. Months 1-12 were spent surviving on as little sleep as possible while trying to navigate through our new lives in a constant haze of unbearable exhaustion.

Finally at about 13 months we felt ourselves settling into our new lives. You too....you began sleeping through the night consistently around your 1st birthday. You were a late crawler...beginning to crawl around 10 months.You got your first tooth in January. Tylenol was your best friend. You started walking the last week of June or the first week of July. 

So, what have you been up to since the last time we updated this blog (a year ago!)?

You have really developed a personality. You are pretty laid back for the most part, but your red hair does come out sometimes and you like to scream and throw tantrums just like any other toddler. It takes a bit to make you laugh, but when you do laugh, it's something magical to mommy and daddy's souls. You typically will give kisses to us, but usually only at night. You will randomly decide to come sit in our laps while playing to snuggle for a few minutes. 

You love balls, bubbles, your Elmo ("momo") vacuum at daycare, and dogs. Oh and how can I forget, your beloved paci collection. Oh man, you will throw a royal fit if you see one and can't put it in your mouth. You don't take one at daycare, but when you are home, you love it. This is going to be a hard habit to break, but we're mom's not ready yet.

You hate when I do anything that involves touching your face/head: brushing hair, washing hair, brushing teeth, wiping face, taking shirt off, putting shirt on. You don't like ice cream, getting in your car seat, holding my hand when we leave daycare and when I let the dogs outside and you don't get to go outside. 

You flew on your first airplane, saw fireworks for the first time, learned to crawl up on the couch, busted your lip a couple of times. Momma saw you kiss a girl leaving daycare one day. 

I'm sorry for not updating as frequently as you or I would like. Here's some things I've been up to: 

changing diapers, trimming your nails, buying you new clothes when you've quickly outgrown your older clothes, rocking and singing you to sleep *until you turned about 13 months, at which point you decided you were too big for that, getting you dressed in the mornings, making you home-cooked meals, trying to clean up after you play, trying to give you a bath without us both needing a drink afterwards, comforting you when you fall, trying to calm down my helicopter mom ways, watching you take your first steps, reading books, taking you to the grocery store with me, teaching you your body parts, loving you with every fiber of my being and absolutely enjoying every single moment with you. Okay, maybe not the bath time or poopy diapers. 

In case I ever forget, this was your favorite song for me to sing at night time. 

Band Of Horses

I love you.

Month 4 and 5

We've had a lot happen in the Ragsdale household the past couple of months and I've been too busy to update this blog. Time flies when you're having fun!

Lincoln continues to amaze me and Joel on how fast he is growing. I can't believe we're almost half-way through his first year.

Here's some updates:

• Lincoln's had the following solid foods: oatmeal, peas, bananas and avocado. He likes none of them. We've pumped the breaks on trying solids and we'll try again when he's six months.
• He's starting to sit up on his own, but no rolling yet.
• Still semi sleeps through the night, although since he turned four months he wakes up once or twice but he falls back asleep when we give him his paci (he loves his paci)
• Lincoln is still sleeping in mommy and daddy's room. It's what works best for us.
• He went to the doctor on Monday August 19 and weighed in at 16.15 lbs!
• Started cutting his two bottom teeth

He's such a chill baby....he doesn't get too upset and if he does, he's easily consolable. Me and Joel were talking about our personality predictions...Joel didn't have any but I think Lincoln is going to be laid back, low maintenance, and generally happy in life. I think he will be very emotionally in-tuned and may be a writer or something. :)

We love our boy!

Month Three

Lincoln turned 3 months yesterday! He continues to amaze me and Joel with how "good" of a baby he is. He rarely cries, sleeps through the night, is always smiling and is just overall a happy baby. We are truly blessed. He's recently discovered his hands and is always trying to cram them in his mouth. He started a new daycare a few weeks ago and we both love it. His teacher, Miss Amy, is so sweet and he just loves her. He laughed for me for the first time last week and he's recently discovered he can squeal when he's happy so he does that too. It's my favorite. His hair is definitely red and it's growing like crazy. He hates for me to brush it. I wonder where he gets that from? He's still sleeping in our room and we all like it that way. The kid will probably be in our room until he's 18. Just kidding.


His three month pictures got a little messy.

This is what Lincoln thinks of his bumbo. Not a fan.

Our Must-Haves for the first Two Months

I have several friends that are recent new mommies or new mommies to be and I thought it would be beneficial to share what has helped us get through the first two months of Lincoln's life!

The Happiest Baby on the Block
If you have time to read the book, great. I didn't. Instead, on Lincoln's second night home (after the sleepless first night), Joel and I watched the movie, which we rented on Amazon.com. All of the techniques mentioned in the movie helped soothe Lincoln. He loves being swaddled and listening to white noise or being "shhh'ed".

MAM pacifiers
These things are amazing and don't fall out. Enough said.

The First Years Sounds for Silence Premium Sound Machine

We use this every night and for naps. It's great because it drowns out noises and when we turn it on, it lets Lincoln know it's time to sleep.

SwaddleMe Swaddlers

When we came home from the hospital we were still swaddling with blankets like the hospital nurses did. Who has time for that? Let me tell you...if you have a newborn, you don't have time for that. These things are awesome and super user friendly.

Nosefrida

Okay this one is a little bit weird and gross, but it works. Seriously....the nose sucker that we got from the hospital worked okay, but this thing is awesome. You use your own suction to get the boogies out...don't worry, there is a filter between your mouth and your little one's boogies so none get in your mouth. :)

Rock N Play Sleeper

This thing is amazing...maybe too amazing. Lincoln sleeps so well in this sleeper. It really helped us during the first two months. We kept it by our bed and it's super convenient because you can take it with you wherever you go. It just folds up like a TV tray. We are soon going to be transitioning Lincoln out of this sleeper and into his crib, but it worked really well for the first couple of months. This is also great if your little one has reflux like Lincoln.

These are just a few things that really helped us during the first couple of months...every baby is different but Lincoln and his momma approve of these items and love them. We also really love amazon.com if you can't tell and highly suggest becoming an Amazon Prime member. 

Two Months!

Lincoln is two months old...how is that even possible?


What's happened:
Lincoln had his two month well visit and he weighed 12 pounds at 7.5 weeks and was 23 inches long
We've outgrown all newborn clothing and are in some 0-3 month clothes, but mostly 3 month sizes
Pretty sure we're moving to size 2 diapers soon
He started sleeping through the night at 7 weeks
Mom's gone back to work...we're still adjusting to that big change
Lincoln has started making noises that are so so cute...he tries so hard to talk
Lincoln started smiling


Some of Lincoln's favorite things:
falling asleep on mommy every night (he sleeps in my arms from 7-9)
bath time
the whale pictures in his nursery
car rides
watching TV with daddy
still likes being swaddled
white noise

Some things Lincoln doesn't care for:
still hates being put in his car seat
tummy time
getting out of the bath

One Month!

Lincoln is one month today! I can't believe it - the time has just flown by. It's been one of the hardest but most rewarding months of our lives. The first night home is probably the most memorable. I think Lincoln slept maybe 45 minutes the whole night and finally after a call to the pediatrician's emergency line (yeah....) and a drive to Walmart and back at 4:30 in the morning, he slept in his car seat on the first night home. There were lots of tears shed that night...but, we have settled into a nice routine and learned how to soothe Lincoln and things are much much better.

What's happened:
Lincoln's gained at least 2 or 3 pounds, I swear. I don't have a digital scale, but I weighed him while holding him and I'm pretty sure he weighs at least 10 pounds now.
He's still fitting into newborn sized clothing.
We moved up to size 1 diapers.
He eats 4 oz at every feeding...sometimes more.
He's peed on both mommy and daddy several times.
He's pooped on mommy.


Some of Lincoln's favorite things:
Tooting on Daddy's legs while eating
When mommy says "good morning!" and "Arnold Palmer alert!" over and over
constant motion
being held and cuddled
laying with his left hand by his face
watching the ceiling fan and the TV reflection in mommy's glasses
peeing while his diaper is being changed
warm wipes/wash cloths during diaper changes
the music on his swing
being swaddled
white noise (Seriously a life saver!!)

Some things Lincoln doesn't care for:
his car seat....he HATES being put in it
cold wipes
getting undressed/dressed
tummy time