Birthday Bash

Kirk and I took Ian to his first birthday bash today to celebrate the 4th birthday of Harris Spinks. I can't believe this kiddo is four years old already, seems like only yesterday we were going to the hospital to see his cute newborn self. Where does the time go!!??? Ian did great at the party and spent the majority of the time just hanging out and taking it all in. I didn't get any pictures of the birthday party but I did get some pictures of Ian all dressed up for it which I will post below.

Ian will be 12 weeks old on Monday. He is very alert these days and very interested in everything around him. He is holding his head up well and looking all around at everything. He's smiling all the time, "talking" up a storm, and trying out all kinds of new noises. The best part of my day hands down is getting one of those big gummy smiles so I spend the majority of my time these days doing any and everything I can to encourage one. We are having so much fun watching him grow and develop.

Unfortunately he is still not sleeping through the night. We're keeping our fingers crossed that it'll be soon but honestly I'm starting to think I will never sleep through the night again. Everyone assures me that it will happen but as of right now I'm just not convinced. Things had gotten better for awhile once Kirk and I really developed a bedtime routine and stuck to it until a few nights ago. I'm convinced the kid knows something is up (i.e. Mama starts back to work on Monday) and is trying to throw us for a loop. Here is a quick glimpse into our night here last night:

7:45pm Kirk and I eat dinner
8:00pm Kirk and I give Ian his nightly bath and get him dressed and ready for bed
8:3opm nightly nursing session
9:00pm I put Ian down for the night
10:00pm I go to bed in preparation for a long night telling Kirk that I hope this is a better night than the night before.
11:30pm Ian wakes up for his first feeding. I tell Kirk this is shaping up exactly as the night before.
1:00am Ian wakes up again and Kirk hits the vibrate function on the pack and play and thankfully he is down for the count once again.
2:30am Ian is awake yet again and this time no amount of vibrating on the pack and play will do him. He gets up for another feeding. A short time later I discover that he has blown out a diaper and will have to have a wardrobe change. I lay him on my chest and maneuver the dirty onesie over his head without smearing him with poo (a skill I have become very good at lately with all the up the back blowouts we've been having. While he is still positioned on my chest and I am attempting to get re situated I hear him "talking" and the next thing I know he is holding his head up perfectly with those big blue eyes shining and giving me that all familiar gummy grin that melts my heart every time. At this point I'm thinking it looks like this kid is now no where near going back to sleep but I have to laugh because he is so darn cute.
3:00am After getting Ian cleaned up, dressed, and fed he is back "down for the count"
6:30am Back up for yet another feeding. I'm impressed this time at the luxury of a 3.5 hr stint and am grateful that this night did indeed go better than the night before when we had several two hour stints.
8:00am Ian is awake again and ready to start his day so we get up. What an eventful night. I can't help but think of one of my coworkers telling me that her son who is over a year old is still not sleeping through the night but I reassure myself that surely this will not happen with my child and I keep my fingers crossed that maybe tonight will be "that magic night" but I don't hold my breath.

Here are some of the latest and greatest pics of our little guy:
Dressed in his party attire a Kenneth Cole Reaction outfit from his great grandparents. Too cute!!

Can you tell I love my outfit from Aunt Sue??

Put up your dukes

down for the count