Two Months... Whoops! No Three Months Old

Dear Ben,

Here you are at two months!

And here you are at three months old!

You are so darn cute I can't stand it!  I am completely head over heals for you!  If I had to use one word to sum up this time I would choose busy.  Life is very busy and our days seem to pass in a flurry of diaper changes, feedings, changing clothes, making meals and cleaning them up, sweeping floors and wiping countertops, washing clothes, folding clothes, putting clothes away, wiping up spills and wiping away tears, kissing boo boo's, swaddling and rocking, putting out fights, picking up toys, acting as general contractor for homes and garages built from cardboard blocks, wooden blocks, legos, etc, and this all generally occurs before noon.  Then we start over again after lunch.  It's a whirlwind.  By the time the last little head has been tucked into bed, I am completely exhausted.  Hence the reason I am woefully behind in blogging.

However, I am determined that you will not be the third born child with no baby book, pictures or recorded memories to speak of when you're grown.

I am truly enjoying you so much at this age.  You are the sweetest baby... easy going, happy and smiley and pretty straightforward in your needs.  As long as your fed, changed and well rested then you have not a care in the world.  You are perfectly happy to sit on my lap and watch the world around.  You are very alert and quite strong.  Last night you rolled yourself from back to tummy... you're advanced for sure:)  You love to watch you're brothers in action.  This morning I put you in the walker for the first time and you were smitten.

You're somewhere around fifteen pounds, but you just don't look as big to me as your brothers did at this age.  You're wearing 3-6 month clothes and size 2 diapers and you generally eat 4-5 ounces every three hours.  You like to nap in the swing or your rock n play in your room and usually take one long nap and several catnaps throughout the day.  At night you go to bed around 7:30 and get up once... often around 4:00.  A couple of times you have slept right through the night!

I don't know if it's having a third baby or knowing you are my last, but things with you are just pretty easy.  I find myself wanting to hold you all the time and not even minding the middle of the night wake up calls.  I know all too soon it will come to an end and I will desperately miss those sweet little coo's, that gummy smile and belly laugh.  I love that I pretty much just have to pick you up and all is right in your world.

You are truly a joy and I am so thankful that God chose to give you to us.  We love you Benny!

xo,
Mama

Jake & the Neverland Pirates and James

My sweet baby James turned four years old on the 16th.  He is such a little man now and not a baby at all anymore and if I think about it too much it makes me cry.  As I was gathering pictures for his party that were taken over the course of the past year I couldn't believe how much he has changed.  Last summer he still had that sweet baby face and now it's gone... those chubby cheeks replaced by the face of a big boy who won't stop growing.

He is so inquisitive now.  It's a never ending stream of dialogue punctuated with lots of questions.  You can almost see the wheels turning in his mind as he begins to grapple with how the world works.  His vocabulary is growing and he is trying to master the complexities of the english language and it's quite entertaining at times... the way he words things.  He is also trying to understand some pretty complex spiritual truths.  We have been having lots of conversations about accepting Jesus into his heart and the other day he came up to me and said he wanted to have Jesus in his heart.  I was over the moon of course!  So we talked about it and prayed and the next day... as we were driving down the road, he said, "Mommy, I don't want Jesus in my tummy anymore."  Clearly he is not quite there yet!  But I'm thrilled that he is asking the questions and trying to make sense of it all.

We went for his well check the week after his birthday and after I promised him no shots... the poor kid had to get two!  He was a such a trooper!  He has grown four inches and gained five pounds since last year.  He is now 42.5 inches and 40 pounds.  He is already wearing size 5 pants and they are quickly getting short!

To celebrate, we had a Jake and the Neverland Pirates party.  He is obsessed with all things pirate and Captain Hook!  It was just family, but I still had to make myself crazy with themed food and decorations because what is a pirate party without a Jolly Roger watermelon fruit bowl?!

Tell me this pirate ship fruit bowl is not awesome!  James loved it!

We had pirate dogs and sliders

Cannonballs and Fish and Chips

And Sharks Blood, of course!

And the cake...  I ordered one of those fabulous edible cake toppers from Amazon!  They make life so much easier for us non-artists!

The first thing he opened was his Captain Hook costume and quite frankly we could have stopped right there.  That was all he needed for the rest of the night!  But he got some pretty cool stuff from his Nana and Pop, Nan and the Rollant crew.  We are having a blast with all of our new gifts.

The hook!  

Our little Captain Hook... Paul calls this his Hugh Hefner ensemble.

Ethan as Bob the Builder

Very typical James face when it came time for cake!

And a very typical Ethan face enjoying some icing!

Hard to believe another year has come and gone.

We sure love this kid! Happy Birthday to our sweet Jamesy!

Favorites:

Books:  Berenstain Bears, Arnold Lobel's Owl at Home and Frog & Toad, H.A. Rey's Curious George, Richard Scarry's Funniest Storybook Ever, Eloise Wilkin's Baby Dear, Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are

Shows: Jake & the Neverland Pirates, Paw Patrol, Peter Rabbit, Curious George

Movie: Peter Pan

Foods: Waffles, Toast & Eggs, Turkey, Cheese, Yogurt, Watermelon, Tilapia and anything sweet (lollipops, doughnuts, cookies, icing, ice cream)

Things to Play With: Hook Costume, Matchbox Cars, Trucks, Pirate Ships, Catch with Daddy, Blue Pooh Truck and Jeep

Drew turns 16!

We hit a big milestone in our family this past month with the 16th birthday of Drew.  Wow!  He is ready to hit the road... not sure if we're ready for it!  But he has really grown and matured this past year.  Literally, he towers over both Paul and myself.  And believe it or not, he really is ready for the responsibility of the open road.

He is no longer the wild child that runs laps around the church lobby and pulls the fire alarm.  No, he is much quieter and subdued.  He is a sweet spirit who loves to play hockey and loves to play with his little brothers.  And do they ever love him!  They sure are lucky to have such a fun big brother.

We celebrated with pizza and ice cream cake and then he got to do his favorite thing... play two hockey games!  He was spoiled rotten with lots of new clothes (definitely a teenager!) and hockey gear.  And of course, he had to wear the birthday hat!

Checking out his super cool new Pens jersey!

Easy to please... DQ Ice Cream cake!

He was a good sport about letting his little brothers help him open gifts and blow out the candles!

I love this one!  So sweet!

Happy Birthday Drew Lew!  You are loved!

Ben: One Month!

I am once again behind with blogging... though I am just a little busy right now!  There isn't too much down time in my day and when I find a few spare minutes I usually collapse in a heap on the bed and take a nap or catch up on a few DVR recordings.  But here it's been six weeks since our Ben arrived and I have barely posted a picture.

He is the sweetest little guy and I feel like we are finally getting to know one another.  I am anxiously awaiting his first smile.  Every time I think he is about to grin at me... it just turns into a cry.  But we are getting close.  I'm sure of it!

I love the way he looks at me while he eats, all wonder and big eyes.  He is such a doll baby.  The hardest thing we have had to deal with has been his reflux and tummy troubles.  The poor little thing has had some very uncomfortable days, but we seem to be making strides in the right direction now that he has medication.  At his one month check up he was 10 lbs and 5 ounces and 21 1/4 inches.  He has already gained more than two pounds!  As my sister says, he is quickly making his way up the Lewandowski growth scale.  He is drinking four ounces every three hours and has already graduated to size 1 diapers and 0-3 month clothes.

I'm not sure who he looks like yet.  Everyone has different thoughts, but he has his own unique traits.  At times I see a lot of James and occasionally I see Ethan.  I can't wait to watch him change and grow over the next year.  It's always so much fun to watch them change from month to month. 

Here are some pictures from his first month.

This is pretty much what his day looks like... eat, sleep, fuss and stare.  The life of a baby.  

I am slowly adjusting to life with three little munchkins.  It is very busy!  But I absolutely love these little boys!  We are blessed beyond measure and I am so thankful that God has chosen me to be their mom.  

Our Sweet Ben

This little guy arrived at 7:57 am on Friday, June 6, 2014 weighing 8 lbs and measuring 21 inches long.  We are smitten!

It's hard to believe he has already been here a little over two weeks!  We're adjusting well and loving him more each day.  His brothers adore him and so far he is as easy going and laid back as can be.

Life is busy and full, but in a wonderful way.  So thankful right now...

Give praise to the LORD, proclaim his name; make known among the nations what he has done.

~1 Chronicles 16:8

Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.  Like arrows in the hands of a warrior are sons born in one's youth. Blessed is the man whose quiver is full of them.  They will not be put to shame when they contend with their enemies in the gate.

~Psalm 127:3-5

Celebrating Pop

Over Memorial Day weekend we had the honor of celebrating my dad's birthday with him.  He does not like to be celebrated, but there was no way we were going to let him get away without a little party and singing.  Everyone deserves a birthday cake!

This year was a quiet Memorial Day weekend.  My mom was away in Scotland and with both of my sisters living out of town it was pretty mellow.  We ate pizza, which he insisted on bringing... and ate cake and he played with the boys.  It was sweet time with a man who deserves so much more, but who would never take anything.

You see... my dad is quiet and extremely humble.  He is committed, he is hardworking, he is a former Marine and he's my hero.  My boys absolutely love him.  Everyone loves him.  He quickly attracts people with his quiet spirit and love for Christ.

We are truly blessed beyond measure to have him in our lives.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful dad and our sweet Papa!  We love you!

Happy Birthday Ethan George!

Look who's two!

How is it possible that my sweet little boy is already two years old?!  You hardly resemble this tiny little peanut with a head full of black hair!

Dear Ethan,

You are turning into such a little man.  You are talking up a a storm and running all over the place.  I frequently say that when you're awake, it's go time!  You are the sweetest, happiest, most content little boy.  Unless you are mad about something... and then you're really mad!  You definitely have a strong personality and you completely live up to your name.  But we love your passion for life.  You are full of fun and energy and such a joy to be around.  You are very outgoing and quickly capture the heart... and attention... of anyone around you.  When you go to bed at night I often collapse onto the couch with utter exhaustion.  And when you wake up in the morning I love to walk into your room and hear that sweet little voice say, "Mummy".  I can't imagine a day without you in my life.

You have grown leaps and bounds this past year and it tugs at my heart a little bit as I realize how much you will continue to grow.  Time just keeps going faster and faster and while I can't wait to see the man you will become, part of me just wants to keep you my little boy forever.  

Some of my favorite "Ethan-ism's" right now include:

gank gu Mommy = Thank you or no gank gu when you don't want something

watee = water 

where Jay go = Where is James?

carry too = carry me please

kwinkle = Twinkle Twinkle Little Star (you're favorite song)

show me = I want to show you something

You are such a bright little guy and very curious about everything.  I don't dare leave you and your brother alone for more than a couple of minutes because you two quickly find all kinds of mischief.  You understand much more than you can communicate at this point, but you sure try to say everything!  We went for your two year check up last week and you weighed 32 pounds 6 ounces, which puts you in the 90th percentile for weight.  You were 35 inches tall, which is between the 75-80th percentile for height.  No doubt, you're a bruiser.  There is nothing gentle about you... a real bowl in a china shop! Our new nickname for you is "the lunchbox".  Ironically you don't eat that much and you are definitely pickier than your brother.  But you're a big and solid boy destined for athletic greatness... or so daddy hopes!

This year we had a small Elmo party to celebrate.  You love Elmo, whom you affectionately call "Lala" or "Melmo".  You loved being the guest of honor and enjoyed opening your presents!

Happy 2nd Birthday to our sweet boy!  We love your more than you will ever know!