Big Days

Over the course of a week Paul has gotten an upgrade for just about everything!

Paul 2.0 looks something like this:

• New Big kid car seat
• New View - Paul rides in the front seat of the shopping cart
• Genuine outbursts of laughter
  
• Size 5 diapers (this was a reluctant upgrade, but after leaking out of every diaper he wore in a 24 hour period we knew it was time)
• Size 18 month pajamas (and the rest of his clothes for that matter)
• Big kid pacifier
• Crib lowered one notch
  
• Finally eating and enjoying it!
• Bedtime at 7pm and just two naps a day
• And a new trick! Watch Paul rock back and forth on his hands and knees:
  

The Big Boy Himself:


Paul's Big Pacifier:


Playing with his favorite toy - TV remote control:


Laughter:

Happy Half-Birthday Paul!

Paul's Half-Birthday was on Tuesday!

He is now officially 6 months old.
He weighs 21.5lbs, is 27.5 in tall, and is as happy as ever.

We celebrated his half-birthday with rice cereal. A lot of preparation went into the cereal. But in the end, well... you be the judge...



Lucky for Paul, rice cereal wasn't his only birthday treat.

("E. coli" and "neuron" stuffed toys)

Paul has been busy learning new things this month. He now rolls every which way, sits on his own, sleeps in his crib, rides around in the big kid stroller, and says "da da" and "tah tah".




But even though his parents think he is growing up too fast, he is still a Momma's boy and Dad's best buddy.

(hanging out with Mom)


(downtown with Dad)

"Professional" Pictures

Even with all of the coupons we get for free sittings and free 8x10's at portrait studios like Target and Sears, the whole professional portrait thing seems too complicated for me. Paul is great with a schedule, but I just have a feeling that no matter when the appointment time is, Paul will decide at that moment that he would rather be sleeping or eating (or even worse, spitting up all over himself).

So I decided to avoid the unnecessary anxiety and do the photo shoot by myself at home. I had a great time! I even downloaded a free trial of Photoshop so I could doctor up the results. While the pictures aren't quite professional grade, I think that the smiles I could capture (and the fact that Paul took a nap between the two photos shown below) were worth it.

February Update

So far February has been a fun and busy month!
Here's a quick survey of what we've done:

• Weekend trip to Ann Arbor, Michigan to visit our friend Dan
• Attended a lecture by none other than Reverend Jeremiah Wright
• Watched Paul learn to roll from stomach to back
• Went to the Auto Show
• Laughed a lot with Paul

While in Michigan we had some great food and conversation, toured the University of Michigan campus, drove through down-town Detroit and went to the Henry Ford Museum. Thanks Dan for a great trip.


(Paul in Dan's office)


(Ford Museum)


(First Presidential Limo)

Back home Paul loved the Auto Show!


Mom liked the Toyota minivan ... Dad liked the Nissan Maxima ... and Paul thinks he needs a Jaguar!






Because I just can't get enough of Paul, here are some of my favorite pictures of him.


(Yes, I let him fall asleep in a carseat with his cloth book.
It works, what more can I say.)







And in case you want to see Paul roll over, here's a video taken just after he figured out how. (Note how his belly has gotten so big that his overalls don't button all the way on the sides.)

Still Growing

Paul had his 4 month check-up and it's official, he's growing!

He weighed in at 18lbs 7.5oz and is 25.5in tall.
It is so fun to watch Paul grow. Here's a few things that he's learned this month and that we've learned about him.

1. Paul discovered that he can grab his feet!


2. I've confirmed that Paul does not like it when I eat dairy. So move over milk and cheese, there is a new boss in town.

3. In an effort to keep up with his ever changing sleep needs, I thought I'd try to consolidate two of his naps into one longer nap. But I couldn't quite keep him awake long enough to do so despite my efforts to keep him occupied.


4. Paul is a true Midwesterner. He hasn't complained about the cold, windy weather. In fact, I even ventured outside with him the other day and I think he enjoyed himself. Here are some pictures taken from our apartment (Can you spot our van?; Yes there really is a step down, not up, when you walk out onto the porch; and I'm not sure where the icicle is coming from but it looks beautiful out our bedroom window)



5. Finally, here's Paul's latest portrait.

Christmas Break

We had a wonderful time with family this Christmas break. Here are some highlights. Enjoy!

Paul's blessing day kicked off the break. All of Paul's Aunts, Uncles, and cousins were able to make it and we really appreciate their support. Here he is all dressed up and handsome in the same outfit his father was blessed in.

Paul has some great men in his life to look up to. Here he is with his dad and granddads.

With 21 cousins, we couldn't get a picture of Paul with everyone, but here he is with a few.

We're still trying to figure out where Paul gets his good looks. Lately we've been thinking he might look most like this great-grandpa.

Paul didn't quite get the whole Christmas day thing, but at least he was a good sport dressing up for us...and trying on his new snow hat.
And last but not least, here is Paul playing in his new favorite toy.

3 Month Mark

In honor of Paul's 3 month "Birthday" I've decided to post the following comparisons, mile stones, and firsts.

Growing Like A Weed
Paul is now 16lbs, wears 9month sized clothes, and is beginning to fill up his carseat. Here are the carseat pictures at 2weeks and at 3 months.


Vocal As Can Be
Paul can occupy himself for a good 20 minutes making noise. Sometimes I wonder who he is talking to. Look how far he's come since he first started "talking" at 3 weeks.


Reaching And Grabbing
It wasn't long after he discovered his hands that he discovered his toys.


Alert, Playful, and Happy
If Paul catches you smiling he'll smile right back. Laugh and he's right there with you.


Recognizing Family
While Paul will hold a "conversation" with just about anyone, it is becoming more and more apparent that he knows that there is something special about Mom and Dad (or at least that he sees them more than anyone else)


First time Flyer
You would have thought Paul had a first class ticket on his 4 hour flight to Grandma and Grandpa's for Thanksgiving. He made himself right at home and slept comfortably.


First Winter
There is something fun about bundling up Paul and getting him fitted for winter. Here he is in some of his new gear.