Barrett Teaches Mommy...

Barrett will turn 4 months next week- a fact that I'm still reeling over, though I suppose every month that goes by still amazes me. In these past few months, I have learned a few things from my tiny boss that I think are worth recording.

*It is shocking how little sleep I can go on when it comes to one brown-eyed boy. And more than that...I'm usually excited to be awake and see my son! I have always been a girl who likes her sleep and could go to bed when the sun went down. 10pm felt late to me. Last week I went to bed at 12am, got up to feed Barrett at 1am, and then got up for the day with him at 5am. My how times have changed.

*It is not the baby poop that grosses me out. It is the baby GAS. I am dumbfounded by the stench that my little guy can produce. His diaper can be as clean as a whistle, but when I open the back a smell not unlike a rotten egg sizzling in hell comes rushing out. Needless to say, he makes his daddy proud.

*Plans? What are plans? Barrett has taught his "check-list mother" that some things just have to wait...or be forgotten. I still use my planner to keep some semblance of my week, but many days have seen to-do lists go untouched while Barrett decided to be held all day or forgo any naps. My life is much more rich when filled with random cuddles or a walk through the park instead of sticking to the book.

*I would trade any night on the town to hear my baby laugh. My life of freedom before Barrett seems so very small compared to the days I spend now as I watch the little person I created grow and explore the world around him. I will tirelessly make funny faces and sounds to get some sort of giggle out of my baby Bear. If I had dignity before, it has long since left the building!

*I admit that it's true what they say-once the baby comes along, your dogs become just dogs. Poor Maggie & Tex. Their cushy life of mornings in our bed, trips out to the lake, and wrestling time on the floor is a thing of the past.

*I can take the same picture of Barrett fifty times and still squeal in delight over each one. And you'd better look with me as if each were better than the last. After all, my baby is the cutest thing anyone has laid eyes on in the history of the world. Period.

*I am the mommy I was always terrified of becoming. I'm obsessed with my kid, I will resist food and sleep to cuddle him, I will tell you repeatedly about his latest developments, and my Facebook pictures are mostly close-ups of a baby. I am that mom. And I absolutely love and devour every minute.

Barrett Finds His Voice

In the last few days, my little munchkin has turned into one big talker. He now realizes he's got pretty important things to say and that he can do it at the loudest possible volume. I've been told that I'm a rather loud individual (insert sarcastic comment here) so I wonder if Barrett is mirroring what he hears all day every day. Either way, I'm pretty entertained by what used to be my sweet little lump of a baby. I've now got a dude with major things to say on my hands.

Here are Barrett's thoughts at 2 months of age. I'm shocked at the difference just a month makes!

3 months!

Amidst all of our moving madness, the littlest Qualley turned three months this week! It seems like we were just celebrating his two-month milestones and, yet, here we are! Despite the fact that we were packing up a house, saying our quick goodbyes, and moving into a new house, we stayed quite entertained with what I consider one of Barrett's most fun months to date.

Barrett's increased smiles and "talking" seem to be giving us glimpses into his happy little personality. He smiles from the moment he wakes up in the morning (usually the very early morning) to his bed-time routine while I read him books and put on his jammies. The smiles are usually accompanied by a constant chattering. He loves to intersperse his stories with raspberries and will raise his eyebrows in delight if I blow a few his way.

Barrett seems to have attracted the attention of the lady-folk...the older the better! We get stopped in the grocery store almost every trip by some adoring "mature lady" who wants a close look at my little stud. His signature look for them is a lowering of the eyes like he's scowling at them and then when they least expect it, he hits them with a great big grin. Bear started attending the infant nursery at church last week and the women there agree that he seems to already be a lady-killer. He entertained them with all kinds of chattering and flirty smiles.

It's not all fun and games with my little red-head. He's got a feisty side to him. When he's ready to eat, he has very little patience. Barrett will growl and scream until he's able to latch on and when he does, it is with a fierce CHOMP. If he doesn't feel like having his diaper changed, he will put his feet against anything nearby and push as hard as he can. He likes to go, "UGH!" as he tries to fling himself to freedom.

Barrett's new tricks:

• He's found his toes and likes to grab them


• He rolls to his side


• He sits in his Bumbo


• He finally does tummy-time without a fight (most of the time) and will lift his head briefly


• He can grab and hold onto rattles


• He turns his head from side to side and looks all around the room

Getting older can be serious business...
I often find him laying like this now. He's experiencing some tiny victory...

Ta-da!

Starting to fit into the "big kid" clothes and feeling good about it...

Happy three months, Bear-Bear! Thank you for our most fun month yet!