My Snazzy Dresser

That would be Merritt.   He knows how to put outfits together and no outfit is complete without accessories.  He has taken to wearing these really cool safety glasses as part of his outfit.  He'll wear them to friends' houses . . . and actually come home with them, not losing them at any point.

Evy matches by theme . . . shorts with palm leaves go with a shirt with an ocean, no matter the colors.  Stripes go with stripes.

Merritt matches with color and theme.

He loves hats, necklaces, watches, pirate patches, mustaches, and sunglasses.

He is a pro at getting into boxes of clothes that he has outgrown.  So, on occasion, I have to ask him to redress from his dresser, not from the boxes.

Just a minute ago, he found some new pajamas.  I've got to start hiding his clothes in another room. The top of the closet is his domain as well now.  He is so excited to be wearing "new clothes"--cracks me up as he begged me to open the door during naptime so I could see him wearing his new duds.

"So Awesome, MOM!"

Eavesdropping, Again

The boys and I had lunch with Aunt Lisa yesterday. We had an amazing time (eating in the gale force winds, running bases, and chatting.)


While there, Evy quickly took a little girl at the park under his wing as soon as she arrived.

"Hi, my name is Evy.  Wanna play?"

After which, he subsequently showed her the *best* places to climb and initiated a duo play session.

At one point in playing he said,"Let me show you my moves."  And, he then displayed artistic, nay, genius moves with a leg thrust in the air to the side, a shimmy of the body, a kick over of the hip, and all with equally interesting poses with his arms, hands, and face.  (I dare you to look as serious and as determined as he did while doing those same poses.)

A bit later he said,"I don't think you have met my brother Merritt, yet."  And, he remedied that situation by introducing them.

And, showing her the *bests* of the playground is not a limit to his consultancy repertoire.  "You know, it is really good to go potty before you go to bed.  That way you don't have an accident."

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His Video EEG was post-poned a week, thank you stupid scheduling staff.  Now, instead of the right amount of time to get used to the idea, buys snacks, ask questions, and count down.  He has many more days to become anxious.  There are worse things, but this is hard for a four-year old.

Tonight, Aunt Connie told him a bedtime story.  Tomorrow, he is going to the movies with his dad.  That is big stuff!

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Merritt discovered that he could make other people besides his family members laugh.

At the park yesterday, he did something, and the same little girl that played with Evy laughed.  He did it again and she laughed again.  You should have seen the delight on his face when he connected the fact that HE made Her laugh.  So pleased with himself.  It was great to witness!

Digging for Dinos

Everett digs in our yard for dinosaur remains on a regular basis.  Caught here on video was one such occasion.



Here is a video of Merritt. Mostly the Grandmas will watch this one.


Here is part two of the dinosaur dig on this day.

Merritt at 10 Months

Merritt is a pro at the stairs, playing in toilet water, flushing the toilet (you should see how fast he beelines for that commode), and getting into all kinds of mischief.

This is the slide he scales in seconds. He likes to tightrope walk the edges as he holds onto the windowsill.

We are having the best time seeing his sense of humor develop. He is already playing pranks on us and seeing what kind of reaction we give him. (His favorite is the "glass snatch" and he is working up to sneaking up and "surprising" us by attacking us.) We are sure in trouble!

(Going after Evy's toy. Trying to get it before we do. )

He loves our nighttime dance fever episodes and tickle fights. He throws himself right in the middle of it and can scream louder than the rest of us.

He loves cruising the furniture, crawling UP the slide in his brother's room, and crawling over anything that might be in his path (step stools, moms, dads, and brother). Lately, he has been into seeing how long he can stand by himself.

He left babyfood behind awhile ago. He hates cold food but we love the faces he makes when he tastes a bit of the chilled stuff. The less like "easy" food it looks, the more he likes it. He is all about doing what we are doing. He is almost fully weaned and prefers to have a sippy cup like the rest of us (having cups that is). Even though there are cheerios in this picture. He won't eat them anymore.




He remains to be very easygoing, especially if Evy is hanging out with him. On the couple of car trips that he took without Evy in the car, he had a particularly hard time.


He is easy going with strangers; doesn't mind in the least if they hold him. He loves to entertain people during Sacrament with his antics . . . nevermind I look like a frizzy haired harridan at the end of the hour of chasing him (not to mention there are two more hours after that one).


He received a shot at Erik's work last week. Of course he started crying until I turned him around and he saw four grandmas standing in line ready to smile at him. The crying IMMEDIATELY stopped and he started his cute posing and smiling for them, turning his head ever so slightly while smiling. What a Crack Up!

You'll notice that I have not added The Caterpillar's pictures. I just can't remember to take it. But he has grown tons and is a very "squishy" baby right now. We are having a great time with him.

At Months 8 and 9, Merritt Shines

Stats

Weight: 18 pounds, 9 ounces (10-25%)

Height: 28 and 1/2 inches (50%)

Head Circumference: 17 and 3/4 inches (25-50%)

Interview with Merritt

Moderator: Ladies and Gentlemen, Merritt is with us today filling us in on all that he has been up to recently. Tell us Merritt, what do you like to do best?

Merritt: I love to play with my brother and explore. I also try to copy my brother when he makes my mom laugh. We also sound really good together when we play the drums. Evy is so cool.

Moderator: Tell me more about what you like to explore.

Merritt: Everything. Mom finally created "bags" and "boxes" of stuff that she moves around the house to interest me since I love getting into the fireplace, crawling up the stairs, and finding all the "nono" areas. My favorite tub of stuff has CUPS of all sizes. Cups are cool.

Moderator: Your mom said that you are a flirt, what does that mean?

Merritt: Well, I love to smile and laugh at people. I make eyes at them, make eye contact, and then turn my head every so slightly to the one side because it makes me look even CUTER! I am really good at kissing.

Moderator: Really! Well, that is interesting. What is your favorite food?

Merritt: Mmmhhh, well, you should know that I talk when I eat. I make these chipmunk like sounds and make sure I keep up with the conversation. As far as what I prefer, I love finger things like cheerios. I don't like pureed pees. I LOVE bananas and mandarin oranges

Moderator: Is there anything else you want to share with the people?

Merritt: Well, I love to read books. Mom says I light up like a light when we read together. I am constantly getting into trouble because I am "risky." I climb up and go everywhere. That means that Mom and Dad have to get creative in keeping me in safe areas. I really like walks and spend most of my time looking at the ground as we pass over cool stuff. I don't like naptime. I have an uncanny sense of when it will be and I start crying the moment Mom takes me into my room. And, I am extremely ticklish and have a loud laugh!

Here is a picture you can share of me. I was the length of the caterpillar when I was born.

Some thoughts from Mom:

• Merritt is a happy boy. He is on the lighter side weightwise as he is burning calories all the time.



• He enjoys exploring and wrestling with his brother. He wants to be in the middle of the action all the time.


• I think I should start saving for orthodontic work for Merritt. He is constantly bruising his mouth, lips, etc. The dentist says not to worry but you can't help but wonder.


• When he is happiest, he makes these cooing noises like a dove.


• He doesn't like the hardwood floors or the ceramic tile on his knees. He has this crawl that is knee, knee, knee, foot. Pretty fun to watch.


• This one is ALWAYS on the move hitting milestones early, in an effort, I am sure, to keep up with his brother.


• He is a pleasure to be around and Everett is always making sure that he is safe. Evy watches to see how big the food pieces are that I give Merritt whenever we eat. They enjoy being together.


• Changing his diaper is akin to wrestling a steer.


• He loves to eat paper.




• Just yesterday he was standing by himself, without support. He kind of surprised himself!


• 6 teeth and counting.

At Months 6 and 7, Merritt Is a Slice of Heaven

Merritt has hit so many milestones so quickly.

At his 6 month evaluation, his stats came out as:

Weight: 17 pounds, 10 ounces (50%)

Length: 26 3/4 inches (50-75%)

Head Circumference: 17 inches (25-50%)

Merritt sprouted his first two teeth after several agonizing months of teething. The next ones are coming along, and we'll soon have some cute teeth to populate that smile.

He is crawling, rolling, scooting, and chasing after most things. He does sit, but I think he actually gets to a sitting position mostly to change directions . . . he'd just rather be moving right now. He loves sippy cups and cups of all shapes and sizes. When he sees a cup or a car on the floor, he gets the most determined look on his face and goes to town to try and get it before we can stop him.

He loves songs, has been caught bouncing to the music, and really enjoys books--tasting, turning, tearing, and reading.

I know you remember The Caterpillar. Remember, he was that long when he was born.

The first person he looks for when he wakes up is his brother. Everett and Merritt are quite a pair when playing with toys, fighting over space, or wrestling.

He has some great giggles and belly laughs. But he also has this Baby Chewbacca laugh. It is pretty funny to listen to and we are always on the prowl to make it come out.

He loves to smile at everyone, but he saves his biggest grins now for the people he knows. He has started squealing loudly when he sees his dad.

We know when he is upset or hungry because he squeals or babbles REALLY LOUD! He loves to eat. He cannot wait until he is eating what we are eating. He just watches us from plate to mouth in all our "nonbaby food" consumption.

He uses his feet as much as his hands when he plays and explores. Kind of makes you wonder where your own flexibility went.

When someone first meets Merritt, without exception, he always gets a comment on his blue eyes which his father is very quick to attribute to himself. Erik will even take off his glasses so that others can get a better look. (insert grin)

Overall, he is a pretty mellow kid. He has his rough days like we all do, but he is very happy and it doesn't take too much time hanging out with him before you see that.

In this picture, he refused to let me get a shot of his teeth. But, interestingly, you can see how his nose is kind of orange (you'll notice in some of the other pictures). That happens whenever he's had several days in a row of orange food. I am not lying. It goes right away when I stop giving him orange food for 2 days. What a crack up! (and, no, I am not giving him food with food coloring. He just has very fair skin, just like me.)

Merritt at 5 Months

STATS

height--27 inches long

weight-19 and a half pounds (by our very inaccurate scale)

clothing size--6 to 12 months

Mr. Merritt loves to MOVE, MOVE, MOVE! He'll still do some rolling back and forth (mainly to get a view of the action, particularly the tellie). Right now he wants to stand and bounce on his feet. He is a fan of the neglectasaucer or exersaucer, and he wants to be doing his own thing now, not content to just follow along with the gang.


He laughs and laughs, particularly when we tickle him. He enjoys telling a good story with squeaks, squeels, and jabber. His latest move is to throw himself with a terribly strong arching movement to see the ceiling or in protest of the nap.


He loves attention, evidence of this is that he wants attention in the middle of the night. If you are holding something, he wants to have it, too and put it in his mouth to check it out.

The start of solids (and "smelly poop" as Erik said). It took a couple of weeks to get used to it, but he is enjoying the food.

One of my favorite parts of the day is when I go fetch him from his bed. Usually, he has this great big smile on his face. He loves to smile at people and will smile until he catches your eye almost like he wants to make sure you see how happy he is to be with you.

Merritt Turns Four Months

STATS

Height: 26 inches (90%)

Weight: 15 pounds and 11 ounces (75%)

Head Circum: 16 1/4 (25%)

Merritt is a very happy kid. The past several weeks have been hard on him with the nebulizer treatments, but he is back gaining weight and we are working on getting him off the treatments over the next several weeks.

One of the things I love most about this time is when we smile at each other spontaneously at the same time. It is like we are sharing a secret joke and find it very amusing.

Merritt is ROLLING these days. He is constantly moving from tummy to back and has been successful in getting from his back to his tummy several times. He loves to sit-up and enjoys his bumbo seat.

How Big Is He?

This boy is LONG! When his legs are straight, his toes reach the end of The Catepillar. His feet are just now peeking over the side of his car seat (sigh . . . another one of those big boys) and is already pushing the 6 to 9 month clothes in length. He does NOT have the inherited big head from his mom; so tops are much easier for this guy.

I expect that he would weigh more if he hadn't lost some during this "wheezing" sickness. But, he looks just right by me.

• He loves to be in the middle of the action and talks LOUDLY if he isn't.
• When we put him down for his nap and sing him his nap songs, he gets upset if he knows that we are still up having fun. In fact, he starts crying as soon as I start singing the songs. Poor guy!
• He is refusing to take a bottle. I'm still working on that one.
• He is very even tempered, even for this very amiable age. When he is upset, his lower lip sticks out in a HUGE pout.
• He LOVES television. It cracks us up that he can spot it whenever it is on and know just how to get his head in the best position for viewing.
  

Enjoying a Game of Peek-A-Boo

Bonus Pictures of This Cutie!

Baby Talk



Baby Exercise

We Bought a BRAND NEW . . .

. . . nebulizer today. (I know you are SO jealous. Don't deny it.)

"Gosh, darn it, Cuz! That's a beau-ti-ful speciminey of modern machinery! My 1989 Ford Truck don' compare tu it at all!"

That's right folks! Close those dropped jaws and feast your eyes on this 0.25 horse power of an air compressor built to help those afflicted with BRONCHIOLITIS.

"Waz that? Whu has whut? Whut is that for?"

My thoughts exactly.

Baby Merritt has bronchiolitis, a viral infection that causes wheezing. He had a minor cough for a couple of days, like he coughed less than once an hour. No fever. Then, today, minor wheezing started, I mean, really minor wheezing. Still, no fever.

Picture thought bubble above Sheila's head: Do I take him in? He isn't running a fever. Cough isn't that bad. Hhhmmmm.

Her mom, a nurse, said,"you might want to."

Her sister, a nurse, said,"you might want to."

Wanna get in quick to the pediatrician around here? Say,"My baby is wheezing." The phrase is guaranteed automatic movement and opening on the schedule.

I don't think any of us expected that Merritt would need two nebulizer treatments immediately at the doctor's office with prescribed treatments around the clock at least through the weekend. I don't know if it is just his age, but this kiddo might be the kind that doesn't act sick until he is knocking on death's door.

When the nurse came in the room with the nebulizer and capsule of medicine, she said,"Okay, here we are."

I said, "What do you do? I confess, I am a Nebulizer Virgin."

She laughed.

And, yes, since we have some pretty fancy cable stations here in corporate housing, I've been indulging in too much HGTV. You could say I have OD'd on HGTV. No, I won't stop. Each show gives me something to critique and yell at the TV about--"oh, no you aren't using that color"--"you want to do what with your coonskin cap collection,"--wait, this is about Merritt.

And I quote the pediatrician,"Yeah, if I were you, I'd go ahead and buy a nebulizer. I bet you are going to need it on more than one occasion with this little guy."

At least it isn't throw-up.

Yes, Merritt in his young age already knows how to look calm for the camera, but OFF camera his wiggling makes it almost impossible for any of the treatment to get in his mouth or nose. Sure, look demure and perfect for the masses, Baby.

Merritt at 3 Months

STATS

Weight= around 15 pounds

Height= 24 inches

Merritt is talking and talking with giggling interspersed. He is just as ticklish as his brother and it is so fun! He loves the images on the TV. In fact, I have to make sure the TV isn't on when he is feeding.

He is starting to do stomach crunches, building that truck strength. He loves to sit-up, stand, and pull himself to sitting (with help of course).

Merritt is a snuggler. We started sleep training this week. No, not to sleep through the night but to be able to have the skills to get sleep on his own. I didn't know if the method I devised and used with Everett would be okay with Merritt, but, so far, it hasn't been too hard. I wanted to start earlier, but with the move, it wasn't a good idea. I just can't tolerate crying/fussing when I am stressed and super sleep deprived.

How Big Is Merritt?
I'd like to introduce The Catepillar. I had a hard time finding an animal that was the length of Merritt when he was born. (Most of you will remember The Bear that I used with Everett to visually track growth.) So, I took The Catepillar, made a quick cut to the appropriate length, and tada--The Catepillar was ready for the upcoming photo shoots.

You can tell from the picture that Merritt has grown quite a bit already!

We have enjoyed getting to know him and are enthralled with how he changes each day! The following pictures of him include some of the two brothers. Everett is quick to include Merritt in his playing and in making sure that Merritt is "OK!"

This one shows him just staring at his feet. Those socks really brought them to light.

Please excuse the various states of undress for the toddler. That is how this toddler rolls these days.