Funny Daddy

Apparently, Levi thought Daddy was very silly for not only wanting to go but actually going shopping this morning - on Black Friday at the crack of dawn. Levi has been waking up every morning for at least the past week hungry and ready to eat at about 3 am. Kevin (I mean, Daddy) wanted to be at Kohl's when it opened at 4 am, so that meant picking up his aunt by about 3:30 (she went as the "line holder"). Since Levi has been acting like clockwork lately with that 3 am feeding, Kevin planned to leave when Levi woke up for his "morning" feeding. Imagine my surprise, when Kevin bolted out of bed at 3:20 without even a peep out of Levi. He said that he had woken up at 2:50 and went back to sleep thinking he'd relish those ten more minutes. Oops! Ten, thirty, what's the difference, right?? Thankfully (?), Kevin still made it to his aunt's in enough time to make it to Kohl's by 4. Guess we really should never count on a baby to be an accurate alarm clock. The little guy slept until 4:05!!

Black Friday

I know this blog is supposed to be all about Levi, but it is also a great way for me to share things about me with my family and friends.

Before.................................After


Yep, I finally cut my hair and donated it to Locks of Love. Besides Locks of Love being a wonderful cause, I had another reason for deciding to go ahead and cut it...

Daddy and Levi

Kevin did not have school today, so he had his first official day as Mr. Mom. So, you may be wondering how Mr. Mom and baby did today...

I received at least two phone calls while I was at work. One with Mr. Mom saying that he was learning all kinds of things, including that a whimper followed by a poot means poop will go up the baby's back. Levi's "too cute" pajamas were no longer looking "too cute", according to Mr. Mom.

I got to leave work early, and when I got home a little after one, Kevin and Levi were in Kevin's office - i.e. "the man cave". Kevin had moved Levi's pallet, exersaucer, and bouncey seat into the man cave, so that he had ready access to his computer and television. I asked what they'd done "all day", and Kevin replied (picture him pointing at each item mentioned) that they'd moved from the exersaucer, to the pallet, to the bouncey seat, back to the pallet, wet the diaper, pooped in the diaper, ate, slept, back to the exersaucer, pooped, pallet, pee-pee'd, cried, slept, pooped... Mr. Mom looked at me and said that while he loves Levi, he realized that he definitely did NOT want to be a stay-at-home dad.

I guess it was a good thing I was only at work for a half of a day!! The movies I added earlier were taken from my afternoon with Levi.

An Old Pro

Levi loves to roll over. He couldn't even stop himself from rolling over after he ate, which meant a good deal of what he'd eaten came up. Oh well. While Levi has become "an old pro" at something, I am still trying to learn about my "new" camera. They're not the best quality, but I thought I'd share anyway. Press the play button and enjoy!!

I didn't want my voice on this one, but it is there nonetheless - thus my delayed reaction.

Per Your Request

Since my dad asked so nicely, I thought I'd share some pictures.

Kevin set up Levi's high chair Friday night - after dinner. However, we couldn't resist trying it out. Levi sat up and looked around, so proud, although a little tired.



I put him in the high chair tonight and gave him a plastic spoon to hold. He had fun for a while and then got a little upset. He ended up sitting in my lap as I finished dinner. He'll get the hang of it, though, I know. :-)

Mama, Over-react??

Yesterday morning, Levi woke up with a terrible cough from his cold. Being the novice that I am, I could not tell if the cough was "in his chest", so I took the day off from work and took my little man to the doctor. Surprise, surprise, I over-reacted. It is "just a cold". Honestly, though, it makes a mama feel better to hear it from the doctor. A perk of going to the doctor - for me at least - is getting a weight check. Levi weighed a whopping 16 pounds, 4 ounces. I plugged those numbers into the Baby Center website infant percentile checker, and he's between the 50th and 75th percentile. Definitely a big boy!!

Tonight, Levi started getting a little fussy while Kevin and I were finishing dinner, so Kevin took him out of his bouncey seat so he could sit on Kevin's lap and see the table. He was SO cute, looking around like he was so proud to be "sitting at the table". Kevin and I had already talked about setting up his high chair, and that look on his face sealed the deal. We'll get his high chair ready tomorrow!!

Roll Over, Roll Over

Levi did it!! He rolled over this morning, from his back to his tummy, on his left side. He's been on the verge of rolling over for several days, but he could never get enough momentum behind him. He didn't quite duplicate this event again, though, without a little help. I put him on his side a few times, and he promptly rolled to his tummy. Anytime I tried this before, he'd fall right back to his back. So, I think I can claim to have seen his first time to roll over!!

Levi is still VERY talkative. He looks at you like he's really saying something important. If you don't respond "correctly", he will often repeat himself or try a different way of saying the same thing ;-), always at an increase in volume.

Levi received a few Veggie Tales books from his Mama K and Q this weekend. Four books to be exact - one each in the shape of Laura Carrot, Larry the Cucumber, Bob the Tomato, and Junior Asparagus. Levi is already very particular about these books. He doesn't seem to like the Bob book. Junior ranks third according to Levi, and he seems to enjoy Larry's book much more than Junior. Laura, though, is definitely his favorite. He is so cute with her; he reaches for the book as soon as he sees her on the cover. It is so cute!

Dedication

Tonight was our Parent-Child Dedication. The night was completely centered around the Dedication. It was a very sweet service. We are very blessed to have such a thoughtful church. And we are even more blessed to have such wonderful friends and family. My parents made the trip for the service. Kevin's parents and aunt were there. Several of our friends from our Sunday school class even came. Kevin and I were overwhelmed by the show of love and support. Levi is definitely blessed beyond measure. Kevin and I are even more so.

Visitors

This weekend Levi's Mama K and Q came for a visit. He was definitely the center of their attention. I think he's got them wrapped around his little finger. What do you think?

Levi does have a little bit of a cold, but he is still a very happy baby. He was all smiles for his Mama K and Q.

What's in a Name?

Names are very important to me.  Kevin and I chose the name Levi for several reasons, but the meaning of his name is the biggest reason I liked the name.  It means joined or combined.  Levi's middle name is very special as well, as it is my grandfather's middle name and my great-grandfather's first name.  Even though my poppa passed away about 18 months before Levi's arrival, Levi will hear of him often so that he might understand the strong character that his middle name brings.  

I have read in several places about the importance of speaking an infant's name often.  Yet, Levi's daddy loves to call Levi little nicknames: Poot, Little Poot, L.P. (for Little Poot, not Levi's initials), Punkin, Squirt, Scooter.  Poot, though, is Kevin's favorite nickname for Levi.  *sigh*  I have never been a big fan of nicknames, and I can honestly say that Poot doesn't make me like them more...

Tonight, I was talking on the phone with my mom and dad and said Levi's name.  Levi was playing with his Ocean Wonders gym, and it was like he stopped playing to look at me when I said his name - I promise!!  Hopefully all those nicknames really haven't (and won't) confuse him.  How horrible if he thought his name really was Poot!!

Movin' and Shakin'

Levi LOVES to move.  The other day, Levi was on a blanket in the sunroom, and he turned himself 180 degrees.  He has figured out how to push off the floor or off of our hands to move himself around on his blanket.  Today, he even pushed off my hands while on his back and flipped himself to his tummy - he was trying to get to one of his toys (a lion).  Levi was very close today to turning over from his tummy to his back.  When Levi decided that story-time was over today (he still loves the Veggie Tales book, God made you special), he attempted to push himself away from me to "dive" for his lion.  Levi is also very rarely content anymore to just listen to me sing certain songs.  When I sing "Rise and Shine", I move his little legs like he's doing the twist.  When I sing "I'm in the Lord's Army", I help Levi march in the infantry, ride in the calvary, shoot the artillery, and zoom over the enemy.  When I sing "Father Abraham", Levi gets some help from Mama to move all the right body parts at the appropriate times.  If we listen to other music, we move Levi's little legs with the beat.  Kevin said that Levi kept the beat on his own yesterday!  Perhaps that's just a daddy's wish that his son will have a little more musical ability than me!!

Sixteen Weeks

It is hard to believe our little man is sixteen weeks old.  When is it we will stop counting the weeks and move to months?  Really, we have started saying Levi is 3 months old, but keeping up with the weeks is fun, too.  There may be some of you reading this who might not believe this, but Kevin and I can both be worriers.  Saturday afternoon, Kevin and I were giving Levi some tummy time.  I had recently started "rolling" Levi from one end of a blanket to the other to show him how to roll over - a concept he still hasn't quite grasped.  Kevin asked when Levi should be able to roll over; I thought rolling over was something he should have already grasped because so many people ask us if he does it.  So, we started worrying that Levi was developmentally delayed but decided we better check the book, What to Expect the First Year, to see where Levi stands.  So, here goes.  

By the end of the third month (and Levi still has a little less than two weeks to get there), Levi "should be able to": lift his head 45 degrees while on his stomach, check; follow an object in an arc about 6 inches above his face, check. 

Levi "will probably be able to":  laugh out loud, check; lift his head up 90 degrees while on his tummy, check; squeal in delight, only sometimes; bring both hands together, check (this is relatively new, he's reaching for everything, even his paci, which he tries to put into his mouth or helps me put it there); smile spontaneously, check; follow an object in an arc for 180 degrees, check.  

Levi "may possibly be able to": hold head steady when upright, check when he is alert that is; raise his chest supported by his arms while on his tummy, check; roll over (one way), nope; grasp a rattle held at the backs or tips of his fingers, check; pay attention to a very small object, haven't really tried that one.  

Levi "may even be able to": bear some weight on his legs while held upright, check; reach for an object, check; keep head level with body when pulled to sitting, working on it; turn in the direction of a voice, sometimes; say ah-goo or similar vowel-consonant sounds, check; razz, not quite.  

Well, I guess you could say that Kevin and I slightly overreacted.  We actually got a good laugh at ourselves.  The joys of being first-time parents...  Truthfully, we are continually amazed at our little boy.  The Lord has entrusted us with such a wonderful gift.  We are so blessed.