Here Comes Santa Claus ...

Pudge had a great time with Santa!

Bouncing Colton

Colton has figured out his bouncer and it is sooo funny! This video makes him look like a little ballerina because his toes are all scrunched in his footed sleeper but he's now jumping flat footed and lifting his knees up when he bounces!

My Baby Vader

Well I had to take Colton back to the doctor on Friday because he sounded like a cat purring and he had a really raspy cough. He now has bronchiolitis and is on a nebulizer and Albuterol to help clear him up. This has nothing to do with his ear infection (which is healing up nicely) that they diagnosed on Monday. This is just bad luck/bad timing and he developed this after our first doctor appointment. He is a tough little guy though and has never acted like he doesn't feel well. He makes it about halfway through a breathing treatment session before he starts to cry but his treatment this morning went really well and he didn't cry at all. On another note, he has changed somuch this past week. He has had green beans twice and did really well with them. I don't think he cares much for cold green beans but he ate them anyways.

He's also trying to suck his toes (so funny!) and he is pulling his knees up under himself when he's on his belly. I think he's going to crawl ahead of schedule. We have also been able to sit him up by himself more often and he balances really well. He'll make it about 20 seconds before he falls over but he balances really well sitting up if you hold him in your lap.

4 Months!

Colton is going to be soooo big! He's 18.3 pounds (96th percentile) and 27.5 inches long (99th percentile). He is very healthy besides an ear infection but they gave him Amoxicilin to help with that. His congestion is just in his nose and throat so that was good to hear. We were also told that him waking up at 3:00 in the morning is probably because of his ear infection so let's all pray that is true! We have been given the go ahead to start on solid foods and we were told to make sure we have a convertible car seat by Christmas because he won't be in his infant carrier much longer. He got two shots and one oral vaccination today so hopefully those don't bother him too much tonight. We will go back for his 6 month checkup on January 29th and our goals by then are to be able to sit up and change toys from one hand to another.

Here's what Colton has been up to this month:

• He can roll from his back to his belly! Chad and I got to experience his first roll over together the Wednesday before Thanksgiving!
• He can roll over from his belly to his back if he's positioned just right but he doesn't like being on his stomach.
• He grabs hold of everything and won't let go! He'll reach for toys if they are dangling or out of his reach.
• He puts everything in his mouth!
• He can get his head and shoulders off the floor when laying on his back.
• He can roar (thanks Grand Dude ... yeah right ... by roar I mean he screams now!)
• He can sit on his own for about 15 seconds before falling over ... hey you have to start somewhere!
• He has been acting like he's cutting teeth but we don't feel or see anything yet.
• He eats 6 ounces every 3 hours but sometimes he'll eat 8 ounces. He also eats rice cereal on occasion but we were waiting for the doctor's go ahead to make it a regular thing.
• He has found his toes ... this started right after he rolled over from his back to his belly. He's even starting to tug on his socks.
• He watches daddy to learn how to use his toys and then imitates Chad's movements.
• He has learned peek a boo and will laugh when you show yourself.
• He has the best laugh ever! He really laughs when you blow razzies on his belly.
• He smiles a lot ... and loves to flirt with the ladies still!

*Such a cutie!*

*Genius in the making*

*Daddy's idea of babysitting*

*I've found my toes!*

We also had our first Thanksgiving together. It was nice but very stressful and lots of running around. I'm sure his ear infection had a lot to do with how fussy he was. We're excited for Christmas but hope it's a little easier for us!

Thanksgiving at Great Grandma Brown's Colton with Grandma Brown

Uncle Matt is actually holding Colton?!? J/K Colton with Great Grandma Paula Colton with Nana

Did somebody say food?

*He's really checking it out!*

So we just couldn't wait anymore and we tried some rice cereal with Colton on Sunday morning. He did really well and I think he even liked it! He looked so big sitting in his high chair!

*First Bite*

The first time we gave him cereal was after he'd already eaten and we just wanted to see if he'd even take it. He'd been pretty fussy in the morning (we think he's teething) so at that point we had to try something. The second time we gave him cereal, we fed him 2 ounces of formula, then fed him some cereal until he got fussy, and then finished off the bottle! He did a lot better the second time around and was opening his mouth when the spoon came to him and then was chewing what made it into his mouth!

*Not quite sure about this?!?*

We aren't going to make this a regular thing right now though. He's got his 4 month wellness check on December 4th and I want to get the doctor's opinion first before we advance any further. For now we'll stick to rice cereal as a snack.

*Daddy's Turn*

Colton's 1st Halloween!

Daddy with his little pumpkin

Mommy and Colton Our Little Monkey

We started Colton's halloween at Grandma & Grandpa Brown's house. He had a whole bag of goodies from them that wouldn't fit in his little treat bag. They got "him" some candy, some enfamil packets, and a Baby Enstein radio. He really loves the radio! He let us put his costume on with only a little bit of fussing and get some good pictures of him!

Grandma giving Colton his goodies

Look at all his candy!

He looks so big!

We love our little monkey!

His first halloween onesie!

He smiles just like his daddy!

He loves his radio!

Colton with his trick or treat bag!

Our next stop was at Auntie K and Uncie Matt's house. Matt actually got to take a break from studying to come down and have dinner with us! Matt is in law school and we are all very proud of him! Grandma & Grandpa Garrett came over to Kelly's house too to celebrate Kelly's first halloween in her new house. Colton got a book from Grand-Nanna & Grand-Dude. Colton apparently had too much candy (just kidding) because his tummy was pretty upset. I think he threw up on me 2 times and 3 times while playing on the floor. He didn't want to put his costume on at all over there so they'll just have to see his costume through the other pictures. We had a good time celebrating halloween with Kelly and Izzie looked adorable in her costume too!

Ten Timid Ghosts

Auntie K & her hot pocket

Uncie Matt, Auntie K, Izzie & Colton

Waiting for the trick-or-treaters

They can get down on the floor ... but can they get back up?

First halloween at Kelly's new house

Kelly and her little pumpkin

3 Months!

Colton won't have a wellness check again until 4 months so we decided to weigh him and measure his length ourselves. According to our measurements, Colton is 14 pounds 13 ounces and 25 3/4 inches long. It's been a busy month I'm not going to lie! Auntie K is planning her wedding so we do a lot of reception site visits and visits to the craft stores for ideas. Daddy is playing basketball 2 times a week. We try and see the grandparents at least once a week and we've decided in order to maintain a healthy marriage, we need a mommy-daddy night at least once a week. Oh and the funnest thing this past month was that we celebrated Colton's first halloween!Things about Colton at 3 months:

• He can laugh! We've heard him attempt to laugh when he was 8 weeks and he normally just inhales and makes a squeaky noise but he had his first real laugh at 11 weeks when we were tickling his belly! It's kind of a "huh-huh" and is so cute!
• His tickle spots are his arm pits, neck, belly, and feet.
• He can roll over with ease from his belly to his back.
• He steadily holds his head up and looks around while pushed up on his arms when doing tummy time.
• Sometimes he just gives up on doing pushups on his belly and just brings his knees up and puts his butt in the air. If he could just get those arms under him he might be up all on fours really soon!
• He loves his jumper (he went in a jumper at 11 weeks!)
• He rolls onto his right side from his back. He'll do this by either arching his back and falling onto his side or by pulling his knees up and rolling onto his side.
• He is super alert! He takes a 2 hour nap in the morning and then two 45 minute naps in the afternoon and that's it. He is always wide eyed and looking around. The daycare is absolutely amazed by how alert and strong he is!
• He sleeps from 8:00 PM to 5:30 AM all the time!
• He loves to watch TV (especially football)!
• He eats 6 ounces every 2-3 hours which has tapered off this month (thank goodness!)
• He puts everything in his mouth!
• He will hold onto toys but still isn't reaching for them yet.
• He loves bath time! He is almost too big for the newborn sling in his bath tub and he is started to learn how to splash!
• He puts weight on flat feet when you stand him up. You can even hold onto his waist and he is steady enough to support his upper body and look around!
• He still really loves music!
• He is going to be a talker just like his momma!
• He's been in 6 month clothing since he was 2 months old but they are starting to get a little snug!
• He hates laying down when you hold him! He always wants to be upright. The only times he'll stay laying down is when you change him, lay him down for bed, or put him on a play mat. If he's laying down, he can get his head and shoulders off the ground! If you grab his hands, he'll pull himself up into a sitting position and if he's feet are positioned just right he'll pull right up into a standing position.
• He loves to snuggle now! He'll curl up when you hold him and he'll curl up into you when he's laughing! So cute!

Things we are working on with Colton:

• Balancing while sitting up
• Reaching for toys
• Reading ... well not him but with him

Here are some pictures from over the past month! Enjoy!

The shirt says it all!

I don't know who he learned that from?!? Standing up Momma and Baby Watching TV Great Grandma, Grandma & Colton Showing off how he can stand Great Grandma brought Colton his first pumpkin Playing under the sea Grand-Nanna & Colton Grand-Dude & Colton Look how good I am during tummy time First time in my bouncer I love bath time! How can you not love this kid!