Three Months

I can hardly believe I am writing this... My baby is THREE MONTHS OLD today!  Three months~ that's a quarter of his first year done.  I cannot believe how fast the time goes, and there are moments when I am sad and want to freeze the time, but at the very next moment, I am giddy about the thoughts of watching him finally roll over (he is trying so very hard), of him reaching for and grabbing toys, of him getting around the room (though I am less excited about what this will mean for me)~ all of these exciting times to come that mean we must allow him to keep growing.  It is just hard to believe how fas the time goes.


Three months is the first month we get to skip going to the pediatrician as long as he remains healthy so no real updates.  But, since I missed month 2 (we didn't go until a week and a half after that so I didn't post), he was in the 96th percentile for length at just over 24 inches and the 94th for weight at 14lb. 9oz.  I am quite sure he has gained another 1.5-2 lbs since then too!  He has excellent head/neck control and only throws himself backwards on rare occasion (all the more scary as you are rarely expecting it).  He is beginning to settle into sleeping through the night though we still have the random 3-4 days here and there where he will wake up in the middle (and even twice a little over a week ago).  But, on the "normal" night these past couple of weeks, he seems to go down around 7:45 or 8 and sleep until 5:30 or 6~ it is lovely!  He talks and coos so much and loves to flirt with big smiles with anyone who will look at, touch, or hold him!

All in all, he is simply delightful!

Now to the 3 1/4-year-old :)  I love that their birthdays are so close that I can just add a three to whatever Ethan is :)  Coby has really turned it up a notch in cuteness, smartness, oldness, and everything these past few weeks!  He says the most wonderful/crazy things and makes me smile all the time.  Alain mentioned yesterday that he is in total mamas-boy stage right now since I have been home with them for three months now~ it is true, and I love it!  You can regularly hear him say, "I love you too mama" even when I haven't preceded it with an "I love you."  What a doll!  He is totally in love with all things fire truck/fire dog/fire related right now.  Yesterday, we got to watch firemen put out the last of a car fire in a parking lot, and he was so excited!  He is definitely ready to go back to school~ he will go for a 2 hour visit today, and when I told him he would be visiting, he said "no, I want to stay and play there not just visit."  I am definitely in shock that I will be returning to work in just a week and a half!

Father's Day Weekend: Firetruck Parade and Celebration

This weekend was a weekend to celebrate Dads~ and most importantly, the best dad around~ Alain!  We are so thankful for Alain and the dad he is to these two amazing boys!  He is a total hands-on dad that we love so much!  In honor of Father's Day, we tried to plan things for the weekend that he would enjoy!  We had a yummy dinner as a family at BRASA, we watched a movie, we let daddy take a long nap, we grilled out, Coby and Daddy even built a birdhouse with real wood using a real hammer (thanks Home Depot)!  Thanks though to the Raleigh Fire Department turning 100, we may have had the most fun watching loads of fire trucks in the centennial celebration parade!

Coby awaited the arrival of the parade with great excitement and anticipation!
This may have been one of Alain's favorite parts!

Coby did such a great job waving at everyone!

Some of the trucks were old...

Others were new...

One of them was even pink...

Coby kept waving and the trucks kept coming~
the parade lasted over half an hour!

Ethan had fun too ☺

After the parade, there was a celebration party!  Coby was allowed to climb on several of the firetrucks, he got a fireman hat, and got to visit Sparky! 

All-in-All, it was a great time and a great way to celebrate fathers day!

Banks Photography and the Aguilar Family

Ethan Peter~ born March 28, 2012
2 months old and just PERFECT!

As part of my mother's day present (and part of a gift for Ethan from my wonderful grandparents), we had pics taken of the boys, and as our family while we were in Columbus with Banks Photography (my good friend Karla).  What wonderful fun we had!  Coby was a total ham~ he kept saying "take one of just me"~ we have some amazing pics of just Coby, and some great ones of all of us too!  And, some pics to mark Ethan's arrival with just him!  Thanks Karla~ you truly are fabulous!

and then I cut off most of that blond hair three days later!

Pretty Priceless!

Mama's lil boy!

this is so one of my favorites!

♥ this little boy!

Life's a Beach!

Last week, Alain and I decided, what the heck, let's take a two day family vacation!  So, we booked a suite at Litchfield Beach and Golf Resort and packed our bags, and off we went.  It my just be the best decision we have made in a very long time.  We had a blast the four of us!  Coby was in sand heaven, and I couldn't have been happier than I was relaxing on the breezy beach with my sleeping babe!  Coby and Alain stayed busy busy building and knocking down sand creations~ what a joy!  We all agreed that this may just have to be a yearly trip (even just one night was worth it, though we all hope for at least two nights next year).  Each day since we came home, Coby has asked, "Can I sleep on my bed at the beach tomorrow!"  So cute!

Play Dates

One of my favorite parts of being on extended maternity leave are the more frequent play dates we can have with Max, Kate, and Anna (Natalie's wonderful kiddos).  When I am working, we are lucky to get a play date in once a month, but while at home, these happen almost every week and occasionally we even see them twice in one week!  It is FABULOUS! Last week, we played at Natalie's on a beautiful day~ so fun to get to play outside!

LOTS of BUBBLES!!!

Meanwhile, Ethan took a cozy nap in his carrier!

Coby LOVES all of the fun outdoor toys at "Miss Natlee's House"!

What a fun day!

Yesterday, I woke up to a wonderful surprise!  Alain had stayed up into the wee hours of morning surprising me for mother's day.  First of all, and believe me, this would have been enough on its own, he swept and mopped all of the hardwoods which were in desperate need!  But he didn't stop there... he and Coby had picked out a beautiful knock-out rose bush for my front yard.  I had mentioned wanting to replace another bush with this and he had planted the new rose bush in the dark of night (and replanted the other bush in the back where there aren't any lights at all)!  

 Then I came downstairs to find a jar of my favorite, PEANUT M&M's!  Along with this, a picture frame for my desk with the promise of pictures with Banks Photography while we spend time in Ohio later this month!  Cannot wait to see what Karla will do with Coby and Ethan!  Come back next month to see the results!  

 On top of this, he had cleaned up the garage and surprised me with the adirondack chair I wanted for sitting in to watch the boys (okay, Coby) play outside!  So fun!

Our day was great including a family breakfast at Foster's and a dinner date night at home complete with filets and special dessert!  I felt so special and honored as the momma of two amazing boys!  Thanks Alain~ you are the BEST!

Happy Mother's Day!

I am so grateful for the two little boys who will always call me Mom!  They are truly the best!  And, on top of that, I am so grateful for the daddy who I get to parent with~ you make my life richer!  I love all three of you from the bottom of my heart!

April 19, 2012~ I know, time to take more pics!

One Month

I simply cannot believe that my baby is already a month old.  He is growing like a weed and adding new tricks to his mix daily.  This week, he started to smile big smiles.  I wish I could say that I can easily make him do it, but not so much.  They come only when he is in the mood.  The past few nights he has been stretching out his feeding times (YAY!) to as far apart as 5 hours~ hopefully we can continue this trend!  During the day, he is starting to develop a bit of a schedule though it is still VERY flexible and changes often.  On most days though, he takes a long morning nap after a couple hours of wake time.  Then he wakes for "lunch" and will stay up for about an hour or so, then back to sleep with a longer wake time from dinner time until about 8 or so.  During the day, he cycles between cluster feeding and 2.5-3 hour eating times.  I love when things become a little more predictable!

In honor of the one-month milestone, Mommy staged a bit of a photo-shoot in the playroom...

Precious Little Feet

Here, I truly think he looks like Coby!

Here, not so much :)

We visit the pediatrician on Monday~ I am super anxious to see just how big he is!  I love each and every little roll and he is truly a delight to watch grow!  Love this little boy!


UPDATE: since publishing these pics, we visited the pediatrician... At one month, Ethan weighed in at 11lb.9oz. in the 90th percentile and measured 22.75 inches in the 95th percentile!  What a wonderful GROWING boy we have!