Oh my goodness, life has just been HAPPENING!

I don't know about all of you but life is just good these days.  Summer is in full bloom; my boys are growing, busy and so very, very happy.  There is a lot of joy going on in our household lately.  And you know what, it has everything to do with our new little Owen.  He was every bit the missing piece that our little family needed.  I don't think I have ever in all my life met a happier, more peaceful or more content little baby.  If you have spent any time with this little guy you would notice that he is the quite observer.

 a happy Owen, 5 months old

He takes in everything around him, while just waiting patiently for you to make eye contact with him.  Once that happens forget it- your heart has now melted from the ear to ear smile he just blessed you with.  As he is growing more and more independent, studying all that is around him, he is truly finding his "voice".  He isn't quite as quiet as he used to be, but he is definitely Mr. Mellow.  He let's the world roll off of his shoulders- very much as I would love to be able to do from time to time. Owen is so much like his Daddy, it is amazing.  I look at the boys and although I see Scott in Jackson's ever changing and growing features- his personality is me through and through!  It is like deja-vu at times.  And our Owen, my little face twin is his father's son.  I see those personality traits that my Scottie possesses- those same ones that made me fall in love with him, right here in my littlest guy.

6 months old

It is amazing how you forget those super early days with your first child.  I am so glad I wrote everything down with Jackson, because I am loving going back and reading all the firsts he had, when they happened and looking how Owen compares.  They might be brothers, but their personalities are so different.

my wish- they will always love each other this much. Or more.  

When it comes to hitting milestones the boys have been pretty much right on track with each other.  Jackson was an early developer and I see Owen is very much the same.  I think a lot has to do with the fact that they just don't want to be left behind.  Jackson as a baby was determined to be able to do whatever it was that his big cousins Anna and Sophie could do.  And now we hear Owen loudly protesting when he works so hard to get to where the action is, just to be left behind when one of us walks into another room.  I can almost hear "Hey!!  Wait up guys!!" come from his lips.  He is constantly reminding us- I will not be left behind!

Sweet angels, you two have a place in my heart- in my soul, that could never, ever be left behind.

We've got a crawler!!

On Father's Day, after a week of trying and trying, Owen finally figured out how to crawl!! The hand over hand while moving his knees at the same time thing is so tricky to understand. Sunday evening it started to click and he made a few actual forward crawling movements.  But as of Monday morning I plopped him on the floor and he crawled right away from me like he has been doing it for months! Jackson and I erupted into cheers, claps and even some jumping up and down! Such an accomplishement. Now two weeks later and he is all over the house. The baby gate is now a permanent fixture as he will follow anyone (especially the kitties) wherever they go. He is our little explorer.

Owen's Favorite Enticers 

(i.e. things Owen can't keep his hands off of while on the move):

cords- all kinds. He seems them, he will beeline to them and immediately tries to figure out how to get them in his mouth. Really great, huh?! Time to figure out some new cord control...

Stereo and Electronic Equipment- do they make screens to hide stereo buttons? Because that is the first place he heads. If Owen is in the living room, be prepared for the television volume to be turned off, stereo turned on (full blast and usually on AM fuzz- it sounds wonderful, let me tell you...) or all of the sound buttons pushed at the same time so you have no idea how to fix it until hours later....

The Cats!!!!!- Just like when Jackson was a baby, Owen just loves to follow the kitties. Memphis usually lets Owen get just close enough to touch and then he walks out of reach. This continues until one of them gets bored (usually Memphis). Ringo, the stubborn cat that he is, doesn't like to give up his house and has to be the center of everything. The poor cat is going to be hairless soon if he doesn't give in. Owen always has his fingers in his mouth, so they are wet and sticky. wet and sticky fingers + cat hair = gross.

Jackson's Toys- it doesn't matter what it is.  If it is Jackson's, he wants it.  And wants to put it directly into his mouth.  Jackson has actually been surprising good at sharing and making sure nothing too tiny is on the floor where Owen can reach.  I think the only thing Jackson really misses is being able to color in the living room on the floor.  But Owen just wants to eat the crayons, so for at least a little while, coloring will have to be done at the table.  

I think we have to loose the bumper...

I think he hates it.... 

but how am I going to sneak out of his room at bedtime if it is gone?! lol.

May Catch Up

ok, so maybe not flooding.... ehhh, whatever. What can you do. Life gets busy and I get bad at blogging. But I can not forget all of the wonderful milestones that my baby is accomplishing- and so fast too!! Every day I am amazed at this little guy. He is growing in leaps and bounds.  Bare with me, I am going to try and play catch up a little bit....

In May, Owen became a supported sitter, which makes life much more fun!  But it also means we have entered the world of head bumps (Owen) and the heart stops (for the rest of us!!)  Because of this, Jackson has become especially concerned that Owen is going to fall backwards and hit his head.  So he has appointed himself the job of making sure the Boppy is safely wrapped around him for support.

Aside from the head bumps, sitting up has proven to be super fun.  I love watching my little men begin to play together!  Jackson is such a good big brother, showing Owen how toys work and gently (usually, anyways) playing with and holding him.

A whole new world is opening up for him, and he is having a blast!

Probably the coolest thing for Jackson this month is that he has learned how to use the computer!  We have been having so much fun learning about dinosaurs, practicing our letters and playing all sorts of games.  He has gotten so good that he hardly needs me to even help him anymore.  Needless to say, he feels like such a big boy.

My boys are growing up so fast!