Category: John Wicks

John Wicks,

You are a whole year old {well, actually 13 months…}. Wow, this year flew by! It’s hard to remember life without our Wicksie/J-Dub/Boo-Boo. How fun it is having you in our family, sweet boy! 

I love watching your little personality peek out as you grow and develop. You are so funny! You love to dance by twisting your shoulders, bending your knees, and shaking your little body. You do it almost anytime you hear music, and it’s hilarious.

You are very aware of everything that’s going on, and you don’t want to miss a thing. You do your best to keep up with you brother and get into whatever he’s doing. You are ALL ABOUT some food, and you watch me like a hawk from your high chair as I’m preparing a meal to make sure you don’t miss out on anything I pull from the fridge. You scream at the top of your lungs while I’m washing fruit because you just don’t think you’re going to make it during the one minute it takes me to get the fruit from the sink to your tray. You love cow’s milk and prefer it above juice. I’m glad that you’re such a good eater. You’ll eat just about anything. 

You think your brother is hilarious. You mimic every weird sound he makes, and he mimics your dinner table shrieks, which can make for some loud, obnoxious meal times. Learning table manners is a work in progress…for both of you. Your mama is experiencing a wild ride on this boy train! I love seeing you get tickled and hearing that little belly laugh, though.

You love stuffed animals, and you always lean your head down and press your wide open mouth against their soft fur to give them kisses {you give me some pretty sweet kisses too!}. You sleep with “lambie.” You love your paci. I still utilize it a lot because you’re quite the screamer when you get upset {you’ve got a temper!}. When you’re well fed and rested, you’re pretty laid back, though. 

You’re a sleeping champion. You sleep 12 hours at night and take a good nap or two each day. Most days you skip your morning nap or just cat-nap on the go, but some days you really need two full naps. 

 You’re cruising everywhere with your little “mailbox” push toy. I’m amazed at how you can maneuver that thing. You can back it up, turn it around, and always get where you want to go. You are cruising at top speeds, but you haven’t really gotten the confidence to take off on your own yet. You took your first few unassisted steps at your Nonnie and PawPaw’s house a few weeks after your first birthday, but you still mostly crawl  unless you have your mailbox or motorcycle push toy. 

You are into everything! “Operation destroy the house” could be the name of your mission each day. You pull books and frames off the shelves you can reach, and you splash in the potty if we forget to put the seat down. You love to shred toilet paper and paper napkins. You love my makeup bag and enjoy sitting on the floor with me in front of the full-length mirror {as I attempt to get ready} so that you can pull every single item out of the bag. 

You enjoy looking at books and listening to me read. You make a lot of weird sounds, and are starting to say more and more words. You’ve started saying “taint tu” {thank you}  every now and then when you receive your food. You were 50th% for weight and height at your 1 year appointment. 

{You raise your hands like this when we say, “Do touchdown Wicksie!”}

My earnest prayer is that the Holy Spirit would regenerate your little heart at a young age. I pray that The Lord would move in your heart as He did in mine, enabling you to see and understand the depths of your sin and your desperate need for grace through Christ. I pray that you would respond in repentance in faith. Oh, that you might be captivated by the beauty, majesty, and fulfilling glory of Christ! May he become your ultimate treasure in this life and forever more. I pray that God would shape you into a man of godly character and conduct, and that He would use you to build His Kingdom for the glory of His great name.

I love you so much, my precious second son. I rejoice in the privilege to bear and nurture your little life—to play a small role in God’s grand plan to redeem life in a world cursed by death. 

We praise the Lord and celebrate a year of life for you! 

Love you forever, 

Mama

Tomorrow, my baby boy # 2 turns one. I think on the the birthdays of my children now and for years to come, I will always look back and remember the birthday. And the birth experience. Because, honestly, the whole thing is life changing. One day and one experience (giving birth) changes your life in a very real way.

At 40 weeks and one day, John Wicks had not made his appearance Needless to say, I was large, uncomfortable, impatient, and in typical fashion, a bit dramatic. “I cannot carry this baby ANOTHER day,” I groaned to Adam night after third-trimester-night. 30+ extra pounds around the middle gets pretty heavy  as the weeks wear on. I went into labor on my own with Luke at 39 weeks, and I was hoping to go into labor at least by my due date with JW. But at 40 weeks 1 day, I had yet to feel a contraction. I went in to see my doctor on the morning of Monday, June 3. I think I was just 1cm dilated (maybe 2?), but my doctor was leaving town that Thursday, and he felt like my conditions were favorable for a successful induction if that’s what we wanted. Since I was new to the area and had only met and seen this one doctor during the last quarter of my pregnancy, I really wanted him to deliver. So, we decided that I would go ahead and be induced. The doctor told us to be back at the hospital at 10:30 pm that night. I remember thinking, “Oh wow. This is really happening. Like, soon.” I guess I was thinking he would wait until at least the next day.

We were excited as we left the clinic and headed home to get things ready. My mom and sister already had plans to come into town that night, so it worked out perfectly. We went and got frozen yogurt with Luke as his last “only child hoorah!” I remember feeling a little emotional about it being our last day as a family of 3 with just Luke. Of course, we were so thrilled about our precious 2nd blessing, but I knew it would be a big change. And, of course, all emotions are exaggerated during and after pregnancy because, well, HORMONES. I remember wondering if Luke was going to adjust ok and know how much we still loved him.

{Oreos all over us! I “treated” myself a lot during pregnancy.}

Mom and Jenny got to our house around 5. The plan was for mom to stay with Luke and for Jen to go with Adam and me to the hospital. At the time, Jen was about to start her first year of medical school, and she really wanted to be in the room for the birth (she was upset that she wasn’t in the room for L’s). She had watched my dad deliver a baby or two before but wanted to see her nephew make his grand entrance. Blood and fluid and the graphicness of birth are right up her alley. Which is why she’s going to be a doctor. And why I’m not.

Jenny makes everything more fun. I remember laughing a lot when she and mom arrived as I threw clothes and shoes in a bag. Of course, I overpacked because I always need “options.” Jenny was like, “How many options could you possibly need? You’re going to be lying in a hospital bed!”

We had about a 40 minute drive to the hospital and were running late, as per usual. Jen posted some extremely flattering (sarcasm) pictures of me on instagram while making fun of our minivan, which in the end, she admitted was pretty “pimp.” Call me soccer mom, but I love my van.

The hospital has the option for you to choose a room that you can deliver and recover in, so you never have to move rooms during your hospital stay. They pride themselves on the decor in these rooms. In each room, the hospital bed has a cute comforter or quilt to make the room more homey. They funny thing is, the nurse tells you to take a quick picture with your pretty bed as soon as you arrive, and then 5 minutes later they strip the bed of all the pretty because BIRTH is about to happen. And, honestly, the hospital is too proud of all their pretty comforters to let them get ruined. I have been very blessed with easy and even fun delivery experiences with both of my boys. During both, friends and/or family were present to keep me laughing and having a good time. When Luke was born, some of my dearest friends spent the night at the hospital, and even though Adam playfully resents having to sleep on the hard floor, we made some good memories.

When I arrived at the hospital for my induction with JW, one of the nurses asked me what my pain goal was on a scale from one to ten (meaning how much pain was I willing/wanting to experience). Without hesitation, I told her that my pain goal was zero. Yep, that’s right. Zero. I totally admire these women who want to see how far they can make it before pain meds. It’s great to give your body a physical challenge and push yourself. I totally get that. That’s why I trained for and ran 26.2 miles. But, then again,  I have never seen movies of marathon runners screaming bloody murder, either. These women who have gone all the way through with natural childbirth (including my mom)? Well, I will readily to admit that they are some kind of brave and tough. And I am NOT that kind of brave and tough. Frankly, the imagined pain of childbearing is more than my body can handle, and since we all know it’s important to listen to your body, I opted for as little pain as possible. I’m happy to report that the fine medical professionals at Crestwood Hospital did an excellent job in helping me achieve my pain goal of zero. I may have felt one or two very mild contractions.

Jenny and Adam kept me entertained and laughing until the nurse gave me a sleeping pill about midnight. I got great sleep through the night as we waited for my cervix to thin.
In the morning, they started pitocin. I got the epidural pretty early. All the details get a bit foggy after that. Our families arrived at the hospital before the birth and we got to chat and visit and see Luke for a little while. About 3 pm, I was fully dilated, and the nurses told me to do a practice push. After one push, they frantically told me to “STOP!” Little John Wicks was-a-comin’. The doctor barely made it in time to deliver. It’s hard for me to put into words what it’s like to see and hold that little life for the first time— that little life that you’ve been carrying around for 40 weeks. It’s kind of this surreal moment when you think, “Oh, wow. Did that really just happen? There’s that little boy. He’s finally here after all that waiting, and he’s more precious than I imagined. What a gift.” I remember just being stunned at the amazingness of the whole thing, even though it was my second time.  I’m thankful someone captured those first surreal and precious moments in the safe confines of the hospital walls. Birth was the easy part. Two days later, as we drove away from the hospital and carried our sweet new baby out into a world filled with both beauty and pain, I cried like a baby. Because HORMONES. . . but also because my heart was so full of joy and thankfulness for this brand new little gift of life entrusted to us for a time that I thought it might burst. Anticipation of the journey ahead—sure to be full of both peaks and valleys—left me teary and clinging to a Savior whom I know is faithful and good.

He has given so much grace and given us so many reasons to rejoice during this first year. Glory to God.

We are so thankful for our little John Wicks. He is the perfect addition to our family.

I’m a month behind. Yet again. So, this will be a 10-11 month update. Honestly, I consider it a victory that I’m getting it posted before his 11 month birthday (May 4). Also, with Luke I somehow had time for elaborate monthly photo shoots with my “real” camera. With John Wicks, I’m just dumping all my phone pics and instagram posts on the blog for documentation. I think I’ve pulled the big camera out (maybe) three times since he’s been born. #2ndkidprobs. The camera battery, which has been dead for about two months, is currently charging so that I can do better.

{Oh, and sometimes I give him a bottle of tylenol to shake as a rattle, so he’ll sit still and let me take his picture. #momoftheyear}

This sweet thing is active. He’s crawling at lightning speeds and pulling up on everything. He loves to hang out in Luke’s room and pull himself up to the train table to explore all manner of vehicles. He also loves to pull up on the ottoman and get the remote. While I was cleaning up breakfast this morning, he turned on the TV. He is cruising in the grass with his little push toy but isn’t quite fast enough to do it on the slick hardwood floors yet. He is much more of a risk taker than his big brother. We were still bathing Luke in duck tub at 11 months, and he never once tried to stand up or dive out. We can’t keep John Wicks seated and safe in the big tub. He is constantly pulling up on the side and then falling. JW is definitely more advanced in terms of mobility than Luke was at this age. L was more advanced verbally, though. JW babbles a lot, and every now and then he’ll say “da-da” or “ma-ma.”
Power cords and the dishwasher are major Wicks magnets. If he sees them, he’s immediately drawn to them. He doesn’t pay much attention to the wall outlets, but he does want to touch and chew on lamp cords, phone cords, etc. I’m having to unplug things and try keep them out of reach. I also have to be careful not to put anything sharp in bottom of the dishwasher because he loves to pull out silverware. I know I’ve said this every month, but the child is a bottomless tank. He literally eats twice as much as Luke eats (currently), and at every meal I’m scrounging to figure out what else I can give him as he rapidly devours everything I put down on his tray. (He gets it honest, by the way. My brother’s childhood eating habits are practically legendary in Jackson, and my dad’s mother wrote in his baby book, “Little Norman is still eating like a little pig!” {my paraphrase}). I’m just glad John Wicks is a good eater. He is eating all table food now, and pretty much eats whatever we eat (just torn into very small pieces). He loves pasta, turkey, ham, cheese, Chick-fil-a nuggets and fries (we go at least once a week), eggs, rice, black beans, all fruit, carrots, green beans, cheerios…pretty much anything. He’s not too keen on being spoon fed anymore unless it’s something he really loves. Usually he bats the spoon away and gets food everywhere. He’s pretty much just nursing in the morning and before bed, and he is close to weaning completely. Dad gave me the ok to go ahead and let him try cow’s milk because I could tell he wasn’t getting much milk nursing and didn’t want to start him on formula so close to a year. The adjustment to real milk took Luke a while. John Wicks? Not so much. He sucked down an 8 ounce bottle the second time he tried it. And now when he sees me pull the milk jug out of the fridge, he hyperventilates because he’s so excited and panicked that he might not get it quick enough. He also pitches fits in his high chair when he doesn’t get whatever food he wants. It’s hard because he can’t tell us what he wants, so he just screams until we figure it out. I’m trying to teach him how to sign “please” and “more.” He either stops and smiles at me like, “You’re so funny, Mom!” or just keeps on screaming.
He’s a mama’s boy. Part of it is the age, I’m sure, and the fact that he’s been so attached to me his whole life. Lately he’s been such a snuggle bug, especially when he first wakes up in the morning or after a nap. He’ll lay that little head on my shoulder, cuddle with me on the couch, or let me rock him. I’m trying to read to him more and more. John Wicks got his first pair of shoes this month. He has the teeniest little rolly feet. His sandals are size 1. He’s wearing size 9-12 month clothing. Mostly 12 month.JW and Luke have a typical brother relationship. They love each other. They play together. They fight over toys. They feed off each other’s antics. They make each other laugh. They pester each other. There are times when Luke is so loving and cuddly. Then, there are times when he’s in the mood to throw toys and bang trucks into walls, and even though it isn’t purposeful (most of the time),  John Wick is sometimes in the path of destruction. So, then, when Luke decides he wants to get all up in JW’s face to “love” him, John Wicks is on the defensive. He’s gotten used to trying to protect himself from L’s wildness, so he doesn’t put up with much of the touchy/feely stuff. I think these two are going to have a lot of fun and make a lot of mischief together.
I can’t believe we’re creeping up on JW’s first birthday. It makes me happy and sad at the same time. I’m so thankful he’s healthy and that God has given Him close to a year of precious life. At the same time, it saddens me that it goes so fast. The days of cuddling and kissing those pudgy cheeks are flying by. I treasure them. Every. single. one.

John Wicksie boy, I love you so!

8 months, and this guy sure is a little delight!
*LOVES to eat. Nursing 5 (very quick) times a day and eating cereal, fruits, and veggies. Definitely prefers fruit over veggies. Starting to prefer finger foods. LOVES, LOVES, LOVES Mum-Mums, puffs and any type of bread. Tried cantaloupe, blueberries, and (solid) banana this month. Really enjoyed the cantaloupe. Looking like he may be a fruit fanatic like his mom and brother.

*Sleeping like a champ! Sleeps from 8 pm to 8 am most days. Took him about 7 months to get it, but he got it!

*Sitting on his own, rolling all over the place (won’t stay put on a blanket on the floor). Not much interest in crawling yet. Loves to bounce in his jumperoo and sit on the floor, pulling every toy out of the toy bucket.

*Loves his paci. Can take it out, find it, and put it back in his mouth on his own. If he sees it sitting on the table, he’ll reach for it (frantically).

*Has two teeth on the bottom and one coming in on the top. Teething hasn’t been too bad.

*Wants to get his hands on anything he can. Always reaching and grabbing! LOVES plastic things (wipe packages, packs of crackers, anything that makes a “crunch” sound).

*Definitely knows his name. Lights up when Adam sings, “Little Wicksie boy, little Wicks boy” to the tune of the Little Einsteins song.

*Thinks Luke is funny but doesn’t tolerate pestering.

*Mama’s boy for sure, but I guess that’s expected since I’m the one with him (almost) 24/7. And he knows who’s got the milk goods :).

*Loves to shake his head back and forth as if he’s saying “no!” Sometimes he does it randomly,  other times he does it appropriately—like when we’re trying to feed him peas that he doesn’t want. Cracks us up.

*Has learned to clap his little hands and will do it on command. It’s the cutest.

This one has no trouble kicking back and relaxing.

Sweet Wicksie, I know that sometimes it’s hard being the little brother. You get your hair pulled and toys snatched out of your hands. Sometimes you get whacked upside the head with a toy (it’s usually an accident…your brother is a wild man). You wear almost all hand-me-down clothes and play with hand-me-down toys.  I’m not able to give you complete one-on-one attention all the time and read to you before every nap and bedtime like I did with Luke. But you are such a little trooper. You hang in there with all the craziness, usually with a big smile on that sweet round face. I love the moments I do have by myself with you—nursing and rocking and (sometimes) reading before bed. You are so very loved, sweet boy. You bring us all so much joy, and we can’t imagine our family without you.  

Honesty, I can barely keep up with these monthly update posts. I write one, blink, and it’s time for the next one. Is that just life with children? Am I going to blink and realize they’re grown? On the hard days, it sure doesn’t feel like it, but I fear that’s the reality. So, I’m trying to capture and savor it all. Like this sweet face . . .Because who would want to forget that?!? I’ve yet to take pictures of John Wicks with his 7 month sticker, but I did manage to snag a few of him in this sweet outfit that has been passed down through the Rice boy cousins. It was originally Bricen’s, who is now 13. {I’m guessing dressy clothes stay in pretty nice condition since they’re rarely worn, because it looks brand new to me.} What a funny little guy our John Wicks is! He is so physical. Loves to bounce, pull hair, swing his legs, bat his arms, roll everywhere {right off his blanket onto the hard floor}, and get his hands on anything and everything. He is seriously eating us out of house and home. The child can put away some baby food. I’m wondering how we are going to afford groceries when we have two teenaged boys. He usually eats 5 containers of baby food a day (broken up between 3 meals) with rice cereal at 2 of those meals. Still nursing 5ish times a day as well. I know. The child is a hoss. I completely missed his 6 month appointment {which fell in the busyness of the Christmas season}, so I’m not sure about his weight/height stats yet. Let’s just say, I’m hoping to have some firm arm muscles for summer after carrying the little chunk around for a year.
JW is very alert and aware of what’s going on. He smiles and laughs at Luke and acts very interested in whatever he’s doing. L has had some practice sharing a few of his new trains which, as you might imagine, can be a bit of a challenge for him. But he’s done pretty well. John Wicks is definitely showing preferences. He gets upset, acts disinterested, or just refuses to eat if he doesn’t like what I’m feeding him {typically the green veggies}. He gets frustrated if he loses a toy or can’t handle it correctly. He screams when I won’t let him chew on a plastic bag of wipes {LOVES wipes and the crunchy sound they make}.
He has two teeth that are almost completely in. You can sort of see them in the picture above. I feel like he has had an eternal cold. He has definitely been fighting one since before Thanksgiving. He’s also had some eczema issues. When the weather turned cold and dry, he broke out terribly on his legs, neck, and the side of his face. 2.5% hydrocortisone cream cleared up the first bad break-out, but we have to moisturize him with Aquaphor or CeraVe cream after every bath to keep his skin from getting too dry and out of control. Sleeping through the night {most nights}. We put him down around 8 and he usually sleeps until sometime between 6 and 7. I nurse him and try to put him back down, especially if it’s before 7. Sometimes we’ll put him in bed with us in the morning {a big no-no for us at night} to try to get him to sleep just a little longer  Every third night or so he’ll wake up crying because of congestion or because he’s flipped to his stomach and can’t get back over. Sometimes he wakes up crying several times a night, but I feel like it’s getting more rare. He’s still swaddled, although most nights he breaks his arms out.
Loves to babble and coo and “sing.” He can hold a note forever.  Started sitting up on his own shortly after Christmas. I usually sit him on a thick quilt and surround him with pillows because he still topples.  Seems to be pretty social. Loves people and attention. LOVED my parents’ dogs while we were home and didn’t even mind them licking him in the face. Both my boys love dogs. I fear there may be a dog in our {distant?} future.  Gets referred to as a “she” pretty often. When I correct it, the person usually says, “Oh, well he’s too pretty to be a boy.” Really? I guess that just makes him a pretty boy.  I’m so thankful for another month with this precious gift! Happy 7 months to our John Wicks!

John Wicksie bug, 

I can’t believe your 1/2 birthday has already passed us by! Man, it’s been a fast 6 months. 

I tell people that you’re 6 months going on 6. You think you are such a big boy. You’re dying to get into the mix with your brother. You try to grab absolutely everything within your sight and reach. You want to get your hands on anything you can, and you love to play with anything that makes a crunching sound. You may be the youngest, but you make sure that you are heard loud and clear. You’ve got pipes, boy, and when you scream, you SCREAM!  You love one-on-one attention and are typically happy when anyone is talking to you. You’re quite the little flirt.
You love to sit up and see the world. You’re almost sitting up on your own with no support, but you still struggle with balance and topple forward a lot. You love to bounce in your jumperoo and are happy there for long periods. You are rolling from back to front all the time (lots during the night in your crib), but you have trouble rolling the other way–from tummy to back. You usually cry until I come and roll you back. 
You’re a good sleeper for the most part (most would say you’re a GREAT sleeper, but I’ve been spoiled by your brother, the sleeping champion). You go to bed around 8, and on a perfect night you’ll sleep until about 6, nurse, and go back to sleep until 7:30 or 8. On a not so perfect night, you’ll wake anywhere from 1 to 3 times, and we’ll have to come re-swaddle you and put your paci back in. You’ll usually go back to sleep pretty easily, but every now and then you’re inconsolable. One night, after an hour of trying everything (cry-it-out, paci, nursing, diaper change) we finally took you into the living room and turned on the TV. That broke the cycle, and your daddy finally got you back to sleep. You keep catching colds, and when you’re sick you wake up crying more. 
You still love to eat. You wolf down your baby food and are nursing 5ish times a day. Most of the time, you do not prefer green veggies (translation: you scream bloody murder when I give you a bite of green beans), so i’ve been mixing them with sweet potatoes or carrots. You take them just fine that way. Bless you, if you’ve inherited my sweet tooth. It’s a curse. 
You are very entertained by your brother (who wouldn’t be?) and are often smiling when he’s in the room. The two of you are starting to interact more, and I can’t wait until you can play together. Luke usually calls you John Wicksie or John Wicksie boo-boo, a nickname he picked up from your crazy mama.  You’ve got two teeth poking through on the bottom, and they’re the cutest things. I don’t think Luke cut teeth until 8 or 9 months, but how typical that you’re doing everything earlier?!? 6 months going on 6, trying to grow too fast. 
Mommyhood is certainly more challenging with two, but you are such a blessing and joy to our hearts. I pray that Christ will change your heart at a young age and that you will repent of your sin and place your faith in Him. I pray you will grow to be a man of integrity, wisdom, courage and humility. I pray you will follow hard after the Lord for all of your days and that your life will bring Him glory. 

You mean the world to me, my sweet second child! Happy 1/2 birthday, little Wicksie boy. 

It’s hard to believe we’re creeping up on the half-year mark with little Dub. It doesn’t seem all that long ago that I wrote Luke’s 5 month update. I don’t really have time to dwell with nostalgia on the days of old or the swift passing of time, though. Most days, I feel like I’m just hanging on for dear life. It’s wild around here, I tell ya. WILD.
That said, John Wicks is still the sweetest baby. He’s calm and happy for just about anyone and really only fusses when something is legitimately wrong…tired, hungry, etc. Poor guy has been super congested with a terrible cough and cold. He’s also had a minor ear infection, but he’s been a trooper.
Reading back through Luke’s 5 month post, I noticed that he had just started cereal at about 5 months. John Wicks is on full-out baby food. Fruits, veggies, cereal {just one thing per meal} and nursing 5 times each day. What can I say? The boy likes to eat. And that’s absolutely fine with me, because a full tummy makes for a good night of sleep. And for that, we all say, “hallelujah and amen.” He goes down about 8 pm and sleeps until about 6:30 am most nights. I nurse him, and then he goes back to sleep until 8:30 or so. He loves being swaddled and sleeps much better if he’s cozily bound {aka…velcroed in the straight jacket}. Otherwise, he flings his arms about and wiggles from one end of the crib to the other in all manner of restlessness.  He loves a paci. I’ve been trying to remember when Luke switched from paci to thumb, and I think it was at about 6 months. I don’t ever remember L taking a paci as much as JW, though.  John Wicks has gotten very interested in exploring toys. I’ll hold a small toy in front of him, and he’ll take it from my hands. He gets very frustrated if he drops it or can’t handle it. He loves watching his brother play and tries to grab anything within his reach, which Luke loudly protests. I’m thinking, “Really? At 2 and 5 months you’re already bickering over toys?” We have some good opportunities for lessons in sharing.  John Wicks has rolled from front to back a few times, but he’s not super interested in trying to roll often. He’d rather just wiggle and scoot around on his back.
He is super ticklish and has the most darling little giggle when tickled. I could listen to it all day. And that smile. It lights up his whole, little round face. I love when he recognizes me and smiles. He’s even started smiling at his brother instead of having that wide-eyed look of terror when Luke comes near.  We get varying opinions about who JW looks like. Some say me, others say Adam. Multiple people have said they think he looks like my dad. Then you have my brother who says, “He doesn’t look like anyone. He looks like a baby.” I have to somewhat agree. He just looks like a little John Wicks to me.  Sweet boy, I am so thankful for your little life. I love that you are your own little person. You are perfectly YOU. I pray that you will grow in grace, wisdom, and integrity. I pray that you will one day recognize your need for a new heart—your need for a Savior. I pray that the Spirit will open your eyes and that you will be broken over your sin and respond in repentance and faith. I pray that the glory, majesty, beauty, splendor, kindness and goodness of Christ would capture your heart and satisfy your soul supremely. I pray that your life would bring glory and honor to God. 

You are a gift. I’ll hold you in my heart forever. 

Oh, how fast the months fly! {Especially with #2.} I can hardly believe our Wicksie has been here four whole months. He is such a sweet, good baby. He’s absolutely delightful, in fact. Bless his heart, I’ve hauled him all over the Southeastern United States in a month, and he’s just rolled with it.

He has the bluest eyes and the chunkiest thighs you’ve ever seen. At 16 lb. (75th %) and 25 in. (50th%), he’s still a hoss child. Those rolls are just so darn kissable, though. He’s got the cutest, open-mouthed smile that lights up his entire little round face. He loves when people talk to him and flirt with him. He has the sweetest giggle. I just love when he gets tickled. He loves to roll from his back to his side {hasn’t made it all the way over yet} and look around. He’s started grasping small toys, most often the rattle hanging above his playmat. He’s started playing in his jumpy car and jumperoo.

John Wicks is so alert and seems very aware of what’s going on around him. He definitely knows when I leave the room and usually doesn’t like it. He watches his brother play with a look on his face that tells me he’s dying to get in on the action. {Although, sometimes I’ll bet he’s thinking, “WOULD YOU PLEASE LOWER YOUR VOICE?!?!” Or maybe that’s just what I’m thinking.} JW thinks his daddy is absolutely hilarious.

Most nights lately, he’s been making it from 8 p.m. to 5 or 6 a.m. without a feeding {He goes right back to sleep after this feed, though. We do not start our day at the crack of 5 a.m. because GOD FORBID}. However, he usually cries at some point in the night. I’m not feeding him when he cries because my pediatrician assured me he does not need it nutritionally. We are trying to let him learn to soothe himself back to sleep on his own, but we usually end up going in and sticking the paci in his mouth after he cries for a while. That usually does the trick. He has no problem falling asleep on his own. I put him down awake for naps and bedtime, and he goes right to sleep. He just seems to need some comfort {paci} when he wakes in the night. I had stopped swaddling him pretty early on, but I’ve started back again. He seems to really like it {doesn’t fight it}, and I think it keeps him from waking himself up flinging his arms around.

Unlike his brother at 4 months, Wicksie boy is a great napper when we’re at home. I put him down in his crib and he usually goes to sleep without a whimper. Luke would scream and scream and fought naps FOREVER it seemed. Then again, he slept 12 hours through the night without a peep. Why did I think they would be basically the same person? Silly me.

I’ve started introducing our littlest man to some solids. He’s tried cereal and a few fruits and veggies. I’m not going to lie, I don’t love the baby food phase. I probably would have put it off a little longer, but his ped and Doc thought it would help him sleep longer at night if he went ahead and started some solids. He’s still trying to figure out eating from a spoon, so right now feeding takes a while, and baby food gets all over him. But he’ll get it soon enough. And I’m so glad he seems to be more satisfied at night. He’s still nursing five times a day.

I’m so thankful for our second boy! John Wicksie {as Luke and I call him} brings so much joy to our hearts and fullness to our family. We can’t imagine life without him. We love him so and pray for many more months and years together.

Three months is that magical time when I feel like we start to emerge from the deep waters of newborn newness and slowly move out of the “survival mode” required to stay afloat in those waters. Our life feels like it’s slowly regaining some normalcy. Well, our new normal.

I’ve been out and about with both boys a good bit {solo}. For instance, two Saturdays ago, I took them to a birthday party and then to Chic-fil-a for dinner while Adam was hunting. And we made it. Granted, I was bone-tired afterward, but it was doable. I’ve also made it through a big trip to Kroger with both, though I haven’t done it often. {Side note: I was extremely thankful that I only had JW with me during my last Kroger trip. The debit/credit machine denied my card multiple times for “insufficient funds,” although there was plenty of money in our account. My old credit card had expired, my new one had not yet been activated, and I didn’t have a checkbook in my purse. So, yes, I had to wait at the front of the store for my husband to come meet me at Kroger and pay for my groceries. It wasn’t embarrassing at all.} All that to say, it’s nice to finally be getting to that point where I can go out and do things with both boys on my own. 

John Wicks is still the sweetest little guy. Most of the time he’s easy going and relaxed. Oh, but when he’s mad he’ll let you know. And he can go from being happy as a daisy to fightin’ mad in a hot second. He has a piercing little scream that he uses when he really wants to get our attention. I’ve noticed that he gets most upset when he’s overtired and overstimulated. If I put him down in his crib for a nap before he reaches the point of exhaustion, then he can fall asleep on his own with no problem. If I wait too long, I have to go in and put the paci in a million times to try to get him to settle down and stop hollering. He enjoys his quiet time. He can handle lots of people for short periods of time, but then he wants some time to himself. He likes to lie on his playmat or in his crib, kicking, punching and sucking his hands. He’s found those hands and he’s obsessed with them.

John Wicks weighed in at 13 lb 15 oz {90th percentile} at his 2 month checkup {which, truth be told, ended up being 1 week shy of him turning 3 months}. He was 27 3/4 inches long. His big brother weighed the same amount at his 4 month checkup. Needless to say, JW likes to eat. And he’s got the rolls to show for it. And I’ve got the sleep deprivation to show for it. I kid, I kid. It’s not that bad. He’s going six to eight hour stretches at night, which I can’t complain about at all. He usually feeds around 8pm or so and then goes down for the night. I still give him a late-night feed before I go to sleep, usually around 11. He pretty much stays asleep while eating and then goes right back down. From then, he’ll sleep until 5 or 6 am, eat, and go back to sleep until 8:30 or 9. See? I can’t honestly call that sleep deprivation. It’s just that Luke was consistently sleeping solid 12 hour stretches (8 to 8) by three months, and its hard not to compare or ask myself what I’m doing differently this time. When I asked Adam that question, his nonchalant response was, “He’s a man-child, Sarah.” So, there you have it. I guess that was his typical man-like way of saying the same thing my mom said: “He’s just a bigger, hungrier baby. He’ll sleep longer when he starts cereal.” In all honesty, though, I don’t mind it too much. Every stage goes so fast. It doesn’t hurt to hold on to one a little longer. He started sleeping in his big crib this month. Most nights, Adam and I sleep on the guest bed in the nursery because I’m too lazy to walk down the hall to feed him at 5:30 am.

Sweet John Wicksie is still cooing and smiling at us like crazy. His head is getting so strong and he’s able to sit up in the boppy seat for short periods of time. When I prop him against a pillow, he always tries to pull his head forward off the pillow, like he’s trying to sit up straight.

He loves to sleep in a moving vehicle but hates when we stop. He doesn’t love his carseat. Loves his bath! He takes a bottle of pumped milk about once a week, usually during our Sunday night Bible study classes, and he has done fine with it. He has been going to the church nursery since he was about 1.5 months {much earlier than Luke…2nd child}. We are so thankful for our second little nugget and are excited to watch him continue to grow and change. I pray he will one day be a strong man of God, a warrior for Christ. I can’t wait to see more of the little boy he is and the man he will become.

If you’ve followed this blog for any length of time, you probably know that I took about 500,000 pictures of Luke in his first two years of life. Seriously over-photographed child. {However, I don’t think I’ll regret having so many images :)}. Little John Wicks may never catch up, though. I’ve been good about snapping lots of pictures on my phone, but I have barely pulled out the “real camera.”

A few weeks back, the little boys and I spent one last summer week at my parents’ house. JW and I had some quiet time together while Luke napped one afternoon {because the beauty of being with the ‘rents is that I actually have some down-time when I would normally be doing laundry and dishes and whatnot}. I thought it would be a good opportunity to pull out the camera for a 2 1/2 month photo shoot of the the little man. I was pleased. One entire wall of my bedroom is windows, and all that sunlight pouring in really helped capture the sparkling blue of his eyes. Picture #7 looks so much like Adam as a baby!