Monday, June 11, 2012

Happy Half Birthday Declan!

It really is hard to believe that Declan is 6 months old (well, almost 7 months old at this point!  But the pics and letter were taken/written closer to the 6 month mark).  Time definitely goes by more quickly with your second child.  I often have to remind myself to soak in all of Declan's "baby-ness" because its going to fly by in the blink of an eye.  So when I'm feeling frustrated because I'm feeding Dec what seems like his millionth bottle, or I'm spending 20 minutes trying to rock him to sleep, I silently tell myself that these days will be over before I know it, and I'll be fighting to get this cuddly time back.

Declan really seems to have turned a corner in the last few weeks.  He's developed a lot, and I think its made him a happier baby, which in turn has made us a happier family.  Instead of surviving the days, we're spending more time actually enjoying them.  We're starting to find our groove as a family, and that's really important for all of us!

Below is Dec's 6 month letter, as well as his 6 month pics and a few random pics from around the same time.

Dear Declan,

Happy half year birthday!   

In last month’s letter, we said that your 5 month old theme was “just keep swimming.”  Well, that means your 6 month old theme should be “Yes I can!”  What a difference a month makes Declan! 

Last month you couldn’t quite sit up by yourself.  Now you can sit by yourself longer and longer every day.  If you do fall over, instead of screaming and crying, you usually just roll over and keep playing like its no big deal.

Sitting up on your own means there is a whole new world of toys that you can play with now, and we’ve already noticed that you have favorites.  You really like the bumpy orange football, the pretend car, and the stackable rings.  You still love your baseball rattle and the squishy blocks.  You’re also starting to let Mommy read you a short book while you’re sitting up, although you think it’s just as fun to taste test the book as it is to read it.

Last month you weren’t eating “solid” foods yet (by solids, we mean mashed up carrots, bananas, sweet potatoes, etc).  Just recently though, you seem to have gotten the hang of eating solids Declan.  You’re only eating one meal a day (dinner), but you’re actually eating that dinner, not just spitting it back out!  You do seem to enjoy some solids more than others.  Pears look to be your current fave, and you like bananas and peas as well.  Mommy tried to introduce a second meal today (breakfast) and you weren’t interested.  But as we’ve learned as parents, we just have to keep trying!

Another skill you’ve really mastered Declan is rolling over.  We knew you could roll over last month because we would see the result, but not the actual roll.  Now rolling over is your primary mode of transportation (other than riding on Mommy’s hip that is!).  You can easily roll from one side of the room to the other in pursuit of a toy or big brother that you want to play with.  And you’re so much more tolerant of being on your tummy.  Sometimes you will happily play on your tummy for 10 minutes, instead of the 10 seconds you tolerated before!

While Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you for achieving all these gross motor milestones Declan, we’re really excited about the fact that you are finally sleeping through the night!  Much like your Mommy and your brother, you’re a man of routine Declan.  So we can rely on you going to bed between 7-7:30 and waking up at 4:30.  You’ll usually go back to bed at 4:30 after Mommy or Daddy give you your pacifier, turns you over (you’re usually on your tummy) and turns your music back on.  But this is only a temporary fix and you’re usually ready and raring to go by 5:30.  Maybe your 7 month old goal can be to sleep in a little later?  J

It’s already hard to remember your “baby days” Declan!  When we look back at those pics of you from 6 months ago, it seems like we’re looking at this little tiny baby we don’t even know.  You’re growing into such a big boy with a wonderful personality.  Mommy, Daddy and Gavin are all looking forward to getting to know you better as you learn to move and communicate with us!  Happy 6 months Declan, we love you very much!

Love,
Mommy & Daddy
Aw, you can tell Dec is a little sad in this pic.  He wasn't enjoying the photo shoot at first...
 ...but then he found it hilarious!
 Our cute smiley boy.
 Mr. Poopers is growing up!
 A happier standing up pic
 A few random jumper pics, taken just after the 6 month photo shoot.
 "Why hello Mr. Frog.  I am about to spin you into oblivion."
 Deep Thoughts by Declan Gillespie
 A collage of Declan from birth to 6 months old.  The green Bumbo chair pic is 3 months old, and the drooly tongue out pic is 4 months old.  I would have liked to arrange the pics differently, but this is what you get with a free trial program!  Still kinda cool to see Dec grow up all in one picture.  (NOTE: Click on this pic to see the full image, it gets cut off when you view it as a part of the blog).




Summer Break - Week 1

As Gavin was singing at daycare last week, "School's out for summer!"

Summer break started for Gavin, Declan and I last Tuesday, and so far its been going pretty well.  We are definitely all adjusting to being home with each other (including Ryan, who works mostly from home).  Gavin is having the hardest time with the transition.  He is used to having buddies to play with and adults that tend to his needs pretty quickly at daycare.  But at home, many times he has to wait for something he wants or he has to cut short an activity he is enjoying because Declan needs a bottle/new diaper/nap/to be held/etc...

Summer is a big adjustment for me as well, especially this summer, since its my first time with two kiddos in tow.  Yes, I had two kids to take care of over my maternity leave, but that was during the dead of winter, and we spent a lot of time inside.  It's a whole new ballgame when you're venturing out into the world with 2 kids several times a day.  I'm getting better at it (read, I'm not being so type A about it), but there are some activities that simply can't be done with one adult and two kids under 3.  So we're learning as we go.

My goal for summer break is to post a weekly recap of our activities.  I won't always be able to take pics of everything we do, but I'll certainly try (another one of my goals is to take some more pics of the kids, especially Declan by himself).

This past week was a little short since I still had school on Monday.  We went to the zoo with my parents and hit up the mall for a much needed haircut for Gavin.  We went to the library and checked out a few new movies, and in the process created a new obsession for Gavin: Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.  Holy cow is this movie bad, and I should know because I've seen it 6 times.  Although it is super entertaining to watch your almost 3 year old sing and dance to Bad Romance by Lady Gaga.  We also played at Independence Grove (a really nice forest preserve in Libertyville with a lake, park and lots of room to just run) and went to Diamond Lake Beach with my parents.  Here are the pics from the past week:


As you'll hear about in Declan's 6 month letter (coming soon), Declan loves his jumper. But every time Gavin catches Dec jumping, he wants to put his cowboy hat onto Declan's head (which is so big, that it fits pretty well!)
 All that jumping knocks the cowboy hat out of place.
 Enforcing the family room law.
 I included this pic becuase that face Declan is making (with the pulled in lips) is one of his favorites
 Just some more cowboy cuteness.
 Even though school is over, Declan and I had some important work to do.
 Taking a break from work for a pic.
 Dec is getting better and better at sitting up these days!  I can now let him sit on his own (instead of right behind him) and if he falls over, it usually doesn't cause a fit of tears and screaming any more.
 Declan's new favorite toy, his pretend car.
 At the zoo with Grandma and Grandpa.
 A true Midwestern boy, Gavin LOVES corn on the cob.  He comes running into the kitchen yelling "CORN!!!" whenever we make it for dinner.
 Declan spent most of his time at the lake sunbathing with milk running down his chin. 
 Family pic.  Ryan had to work and isn't really into swimming anyways.  Gav on the other hand might actually enjoy going to the pool/beach this year.  It took my parents a half hour to convince Gavin to go in the water,but once he did he loved splashing and playing catch with me and my dad.
 Snacking on some fishies.
 Happy Declan with Grandma and Grandpa.
 Gav in our new kiddie pool.  It's huge and was a hit with Gavin (again after some convincing).  Gav and I played for 2 hours in the pool this weekend!
 Rocking his gymnastics shirt in the pool.  Gav is a little self conscious about his bare belly.
 Declan did not enjoy the pool at first, but had a great time splashing once he got over his initial distrust of the water.
 Gav showing Declan the wipe, wipe all better trick

Sunday, May 6, 2012

Weekend in G-town

A few weeks ago, our fam headed back to Geneseo to attend a fundraiser for the catholic school Ryan went to as a kid.  Ryand and I really enjoyed ourselves at the car party, and we all had a good time hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa and Bryce!  Here's some of our pics from that weekend:
Gavin and Grandpa invented a new game: horsie!
 A game of horsie involves a relaxing ride around the family room...
 ...when suddenly the horse starts to buck...
 ...and off goes the grandchild onto the couch in a fit of giggles and demands of "again!"
 Grandma is thrilled that Grandpa invented a game that Gavin likes more than the ping pong catch game!
 Bryce decides to join in on the horsie action
 Uh oh, that horsie is heading for the couch again!
 At this point, Gavin started throwing himself from the horsie in anticipation, whereas Bryce politely waited.
 Poor grandpa, this was probably the 15th horsie ride of the day, with no sign of Gavin tiring of this game!
 As usual, kisses from Mommy are gross.
 One of my new favorite pictures.  Now we know where Gavin gets his ability to make goofy faces from.
 My other new favorite picture, such a sweet pic of me and the boys in our jammies.
 When Gavin gets mad at home, he runs into our living room, lays down on the rug, and says "I'm mad."  When Gavin gets mad at Grandma and Grandpa Gillespie's house, he runs into the dining room, sits in one of the old rocking chairs, and says "I'm mad" while staring and rocking.  Its hilarious.
 Our goofy guy wearing a bucket as a hat while playing in the corner.

Catching up

Taking a 2-ish month break from the blog means that we're now behind on a lot of the happenings in the Gillespie family.  This will be my attempt to upload some of the best pictures from the last few months and fill you in on what we've been up to without writing the world's longest post.  I also can't promise that these pictures are posted in any particular order, mainly because with the amount of sleep I'm getting, I no longer have any idea what we did when!

This first batch of pics is from our impromptu trip to St. Louis.  Ryan's youngest brother and Gavin and Dec's favorite Uncle (jk!), Kevin, played basketball at North Central College, and this year he led his team to a berth in the NCAA tournament for DIII schools.  The first and second rounds were held at Washington University in St. Louis, so on a whim, we decided to pack up the kids and head down there to watch Kev play.  The trip was a total success.  The boys were really good at Kevin's games, and we had a blast at the Magic House and just hanging out in our hotel.  Here are some of our favorite pics from that trip:

Our fam of 4 posing on the court before Kev's second round game vs. Wash U.  NCC won!
 The Kevin Gillespie super fans on the court after NCC's win over Wash U.
 Declan enjoying our trip to the Magic House.
 I have to be honest, I thought it was fun to sit in the Cat machinery too!
 Toddlers at work
 Mommy and Dec
 Daddy and Gav having a blast in the shadow exhibit
 Neat
 All that fun at the Magic House wore Gavin and I out, time for a nap!
 "It's how many more miles back to Mundelein?!"
 All smiles after a fun trip to St. Louis!


This next collection of photos is from Easter weekend.  My school gets Good Friday off, so we spent that morning at the egg hunt in Mundelein.  It was kind of chaos, and my group of girlfriends have already decided to just host our own egg hunt in our backyard next year!  After that, we headed out to Geneseo for the rest of Easter weekend.  Gav was excited to see his cousin Bryce, since Shane and Karyn are back in town awaiting Kailyn's arrival.

Gav and his buddy Caleb ready to hunt for eggs!
 My friend Alicia and I staged this picture after the chaos that was the real Easter egg hunt.
 Gav and his buddies Olivia, Eli and Caleb.
 Bryce and Gavvers playing together.
 Dec and Uncle CJ battle each other for the "shiniest dome" award
 Easter morning!  Gav loved Easter this year, and still wants to "play Easter"
 Showing off his loot from the Easter Bunny
 Brycers gets in on the egg hunt action
 This egg took a team effort to find
 My three favorite boys
 The cousins spending some quality time with Grandma
 Bryce is not amused by Grandpa's silliness
 Bryce and Gav team up to take out Grandpa in a tickle war
Dec and Grandpa in their Sunday best for Easter mass 
 Dec showing off his style
 A nice family pic with Great Grandma at church
 Chillin with Uncle Bren