Declan - 4 months

(only a week late...not too bad!)

A quarter of a year old..... holy hannah!! I'd better get to planning your 1st birthday :)  

who am i kidding its already planned!

Weight:  13lbs 13oz

Length: 24in. (still just in the 25%)

Head: 16.25 

You are a growing boy!!! I swear in the last week you doubled in size!!! But from the way you've been eating that is no surprise!!! You've been wanting to eat every hour and a half, 2 hours if we're lucky!!  We've added in a formula bottle every now and then, it seems to hold you over a bit longer.  (Mom just can't keep up!! And you're tearing through my freezer stash super quick at that rate!)  I think we'll hold off on cereal for another month if not two. We shall see....

June was a busy month for you!  You had several doctors appointments in Wichita and KC so we were on the road A LOT!  I'd like to say you did well....but I'd be telling a little lie.  You just do NOT like your car seat!  I really wish we could travel with you in our laps sometimes...but that's against the law (and totally unsafe) and us McGuire's NEVER break the law :)

**Edited to add:  You're last trip to Wichita you did MUCH better!! Apparently you just need an iPad and a bottle and you're good to go!**

You're still wearing size 1 diapers, but it seems like you could switch over soon.  We do have quite a few 1's left so I'm going to try and get those used up first!!  As far as clothes go, we are FINALLY able to get you in those 3 month pants/shorts.  We were stuck in an in-between phase for a bit and it was just no good.  Still wearing your 0-3, and 3 month tops.  I feel like we may always be a size behind.  (Although with your recent growth spurt, and the way you've been eating, we may just catch up!!)

Your first father's day was a success!!! We spoiled your father something fierce!!!  You gave him a new driver, a shop vac, a kstate shirt, a sprinkler timer, golf club cleaner, and the above frame!! Out of all the gifts you gave him, this one was by far the favorite!!! We'll do it every year...and eventually I'll put together a book for him!  

You are still sleeping like a champ!! You usually have your last meal around 830-9pm and then off to bed you go! Sometimes you'll stir around 4am, but will go right back to sleep if i put your binky back in!  I LOVE that you're a good sleeper.  Momma likes her sleep so THANK YOU SWEET BABY!

(you obviously have your papa wrapped around your little finger.  that man just lights up when you are around....it's pretty adorable!)

You are doing such a great job at sitting up (with assistance of course), and you LOVE to look around. You love to watch the TV (or iPad) if it's on, and lights are pretty much your fave.  You also REALLY like to be outside.  You and Gramme spend a lot of time out on the deck watching the trees.

(You really love bath time!!! I think you'll be my little swimmer when you're older!)

Your eyes are still a little gunky in the mornings, which drives me bonkers...but the doctor still says that's perfectly normal.  (riiiiight)  I really hope it goes away soon.

Speaking of your eyes...still the most beautiful shade of blue!!! You my son, are going to be a heart breaker with those big blue eyes.  

You think you're a pretty big boy, and hold your own bottle sometimes.

Granny K came this past month and visited you for a whole week and a half!!! We really loved having her here...she was here during a few of your appointments so she was a big help with traveling and taking care of you!  We really miss Granny K and wish she lived closer :(

Aunt Sadie came for a visit from the big ol Windy City!!! We've been a little spoiled and have seen her a couple times in the past few months, and we'll see her again on the family trip to Colorado!!  You got lots of kisses and snuggles from one of your favorite aunts....

We went swimming at the Country Club for the first time.  I had a feeling you'd love it, since you love bath time.  You were just in a daze the whole time....basking in the sun i guess :)  (and yes, your father has your binky in his mouth, he's a weirdo)

I have a feeling we'll be spending a lot of time at the Club next summer.... Can't wait!!!

I'll leave you with this video.  We tried out bouncing on the knee for the first time, and you my son...LOVED it.  I was crying because it just was too flipping adorable.  You are such a happy baby and that makes me such a happy mommy.  We love you kiddo....to the moon and back.

Declan - 3 months

Well...another month in the books! Another month we've survived being first time parents, another month of falling even more in love with you you!!

Weight:  11lbs 11oz

Height: 23 in. (total guess)

What you've been up to:

-Sleeping ALL night!!!! This makes momma SO happy!!!! We put you down after your last feeding between 9-10pm and you sleep until 6:45am usually!! Sometimes you'll stir around 4 or 5 in the morning, but usually giving you back your binky fixes that.  If not, then I'll bring you back into our bed with us (bad i know, but if it gets us a couple more hours of sleep I'm doin it!)  Momma likes her sleep...so THANK YOU!

-  You nurse 4 times a day from me.  Once in the morning, once at lunch, and then twice in the evening.  All the other times Gramme feeds you 4oz.  There for a while you decided you needed to eat every 2 hours, must of been a growth spurt!  You're back to eating great from me.  Again, THANK YOU! It was so frustrating to fight you ever time you were trying to eat! 

- You're still quite the story teller.  You just get to jabbering and it's the cutest thing! 

- You obviously smile quite a bit too :)

-Gramme said today that you belly laughed.  I'm going to pretend that didn't happen so i can be the first to hear it...k?

-Still wearing size 1 diapers.  Thinking you'll be in these for a while...especially since you're a little guy!

-Clothing.  Ugh, still having a little bit of an issue, but it's getting a little better.  0-3, and 3 month onesies are fitting great.  BUT pants...not so much.  They're bare able finally, but at least 1/2 of your collection is still too big.  Needless to say, you wear a lot of the same bottoms!

-STILL having issues with your ears.  We met with an Audiologist in Garden City this week, and she referred us on to a specialist in Wichita.  They think it's a super easy to fix issue, so that's a blessing.  Apparently having super small ear canals isn't a good thing for drainage!  We'll get ya fixed up don't worry!

-eyes still blue!! HURRAY!!!

-You're balding.  Boo.  You have a U shaped bald spot.  On the back, because that's how you sleep, and then on the sides of your head because you like to nap on your tummy and turn your head.  But at least you don't have flat head!!!

- You took another long road trip! This time we went to Denver to spend a few days with your Aunt and Uncle (Bre and Ben)  You did GREAT on the way there...not so much on the way home.  You just do NOT like your car seat all that much! 

-Your dad seems to have the magic touch lately.  If i can't seem to calm you down, i pass you over to him and you immediately calm down (more times then not).  That's fine...but you're still going to be a momma's boy.

Here's some pictures from the past month....

This just melts my heart :)

Striking a pose!! Such a ham!

Rockin the sunglasses on a run with mom!

Our not so little buddy James!! (to be fair, he is 2 months older then you!)

Our other little buddy Easton!! (also 2 months older!)

Uncle Ben has the magic touch!!!

You're first time at Avery Brewery in Boulder!

Mom...stop taking my picture!!

We found our hand...and now constantly want to it in your mouth!!

Love those baby blues!!!!

Declan - 2 months

I can't believe you're already 2 months....Slow down big guy, mom's not ready to send you off to college just yet :)  (PS:  you'll be going to K-State, in case you were wondering)

Weight:  10lbs 6.5oz.  (20%...you're a wittle guy)

Height:  21 inches.  (apparently you were mis-measured at your 2 week appointment)

-  Still a good little eater...well for the most part.  Every now and then you get a little fussy while eating.  You pull away and cry, and then slam your face back down.  It's weird...and frustrating, but we manage!  I've heard it's somewhat common after kiddos start going to daycare and are getting a bottle.  I'd be frustrated too if I had to work harder for my food half the time! You're still eating every 3 hours during the day (4oz of breast milk in a bottle while with Gramme) and at night we just let you go until you wake yourself up.  Last night was awesome.  You went down at 10:15 and didn't get up until 6:15am (and technically i woke you up!!)  Good work big guy!

-You're quite the talker!!! You love to tell everyone and anyone stories and sometimes you get quite excited about them....it's pretty adorable.

-Smiling's your favorite :)  If we get you going you'll just SMILE so big....Gramme and Poppa saw it the most at first, which made me a little sad....but we finally got you going good at home this past week!

-Still rolling from tummy to back.  It's probably happened ohhhh I'd say 5-6 times that's we've seen....you're so advanced and gifted...well at least I think so :)

-You LOVE, i mean LOVE to kick your legs.  You ran with me so much while I was pregnant I think you're itching to get out there and do it yourself!!! Either that or you'll be a swimmer....

-And because you love to kick your legs so much, you move...a lot.  Even while you're sleeping.  You start out swaddled up and in the middle...and end up sideways up against the wall.  I don't hear you moving in the middle of the night so who knows what you're doing!  Last night at Gramme and Poppa's you were napping in the pack n' play (in the middle)on your tummy and you pushed yourself in one swift kick up to the top, ramming your head into the mesh and scaring the crap out of yourself. Your dad laughed at you....I of course did not :)

-Clothing wise, you're still in between.  We've been trying to get you in more of the 0-3 stuff, but some of it just looks too big!!! You def. can't wear the 0-3 pants, they're ginormous.... but you're a short little guy so that's not surprising!

-Diapers;  We're still wearing a 1.  It's big, but we haven't had too many blowouts so we just keep trucking along with those.

-Still stuffy.  Dad asked Dr. Presley today when that would go away, and he said when you are 5.  GREAT!  It's common at your age I guess, so we just keep suctioning it out and doing what we can to make you not sound like a monster!

-Still having some fluid issues in your ears.  We go back to the specialist in a few weeks, so hopefully we'll have that all fixed up soon!

-You seem to be loving the triple D (what i like to call my mom's house; Debbie Doll Daycare).  And Gramme seems to be loving it as well!  She did complain that you sleep too much and are too easy....so start throwing a few fits, make her life a little miserable!

-Next weekend we'll have visitors.  You buddy (and fellow wolf pack member) Easton will be coming up with his Mommy and Auntie Mel!!!! I'm SOOOOO SOOOOO SOOOOO excited to get you two boys together!!! I see a great friendship with you two!  Plus i sorta like his mommy and Mel so I'm excited their coming too.  It'll be a nice little Saturday for sure.

-Your eyes are STILL blue.  They've actually gotten a little lighter.... so i hope (fingers crossed) this means they'll stay blue!! Everything I've read says 6 months... so we have 4 more months to see what their permanent color will be, but I'm really hoping they stay blue!  Your daddy has brown eyes, and I guess I just assumed you would too....so blue would be a fun little surprise!

And some pics from the past month....

Seriously mom....

2 month photo shoot bloopers...i die at the face plant :)

Road trip to Garden wore little guy out! (Those eyelashes...seriously!)

They're going to poke me with WHAT????

Smiles for Gramme!

Matching shirts with daddy out at the Feed yard!

Going for a walk in your big boy stroller!! You loved not having to be in your car seat! Plus the sunglasses are just too funny.

Sleepy little guy...

Loving some bath time at Gramme's.....

Lately.....

My oh so observant husband keeps pointing out that I need to blog.  I keep saying I will when D's 2 months old (Saturday) but doesn't seem to think that's good enough.... so here ya go RICHARD!

Things around the McGuire household lately......

- I went back to work.  The transition really wasn't too bad.  It helps that I get to see him every day at lunch...and if i REALLY need a fix my mom will send pictures/videos or heck she could even bring him by the office if i got that desperate!  He's in great hands....well except for the fact that i had to instruct my mother to wake him up to eat! She'd let the poor child go forever (like 4.5 hours!) without food, all because he just looked too cute sleeping!! Geesh....

His first day at Debbie Doll Daycare

- We made our first weekend trip.  We headed up to Wichita to see fam, and to meet our nephew Gage!! It was a nice little weekend...so good to see everyone! I hate that we live so far away from Kyle, Bridget and Gage (ok, really just Bridget and Gage :) )!  I have such close relationships with all my cousins, and that's because we all lived in the same place...it makes me sad that these boys are so stinking far apart.  I hope they can still form a close bond...or at least just like each other!

They were super stoked!

- We're slowly starting to get a schedule figured out.  I love schedule's...and lists.  But mostly schedules.... so not really having a set schedule was tough for me.  I'm not super happy with the schedule we're on now, but it'll work for the time being (mainly i would like for the kiddo to sleep through the night...and i'd love to be able to get to the gym in the morning again!)

Sleepy Boys

- I booked my flight to Chicago today.  I.AM.PUMPED!!! Bre, Sarah, Jess and I are all heading up to see Justing Timberlake and Jay-Z in July.  (Insert little girl like squealing!)  The concerts on a Monday night so we'll be up there from Saturday afternoon to Tuesday morning! It's going to be a blasty blast!!! Oh and the Rock N Roll 1/2 marathon just so happens to be that Sunday (I ran it two years ago) and i'm patiently waiting for my sisters to agree to run it with me!!  It's such a fun race series and i just KNOW they'd love me forever for making them do it :)

- We have a pub crawl tomorrow.  It's for cancer, so it's ok... Right?  Dec's staying over night with my parents....his first over night with out us.  I'm sure he'll be fine, but i still worry... I mean have you met my parents? They're sort of hard of hearing (partially selective i'm sure).  Lucky for them, Dec has a set of lungs on him, so he'll let them know when he's up!  he'll be fine....just not sure about steve and deb!!  

Declan - 1 month

Soooo this is a little late.  My bad :)

We haven't been to the doctor since your two week check up: 7lbs 15 oz, and 21 inches 

Most current weight (4/10): 8lbs 12 oz.  

Height:  I have no clue.  But my guess would be 22.5 inches.

What you've been up to:

- Eating.  Lots and lots of eating!  Your mom feels like a milk cow most of the time!! You've been eating every three hours, and sometimes I'll let you go a little longer at night (one night i didn't set the alarm and you went 6.5 hours!! Scared me!)  I still pump after most feedings to help keep my milk supply high, and to get some stored milk for Grammy to use when she starts babysitting you this coming week! (we have over 50 4oz. bags already frozen!)

- You LOVE tummy time.  If you get fussy, we put you on your tummy and all is right in the world.  You've been able to hold your head up for several weeks now, but we continue to work on it!

- Clothes...oh this has frustrated me!  For some reason you fit best in the Newborn clothes still.  Most of the 0-3 stuff is just too long still.  This baffles me.  And annoys me.... mainly because I'm totally over all those outfits and can't wait to get you into some of the adorable 0-3 and 3 month outfits we have!

- Speaking of clothes, you have more than your mother.  We may need to trade closets.  It's quite ridiculous really.  Mom just loves to shop for you....

-Diapers.  We just moved you into a 1 this week.  Mainly because we ran out of Newborns and I really didn't want to spend more money on any when we have quite a few 1's already!  They look big to me, but we haven't had any blowouts yet, so i guess they're doing their job!

- You're starting to be awake for longer periods of time.  Usually an hour... but sometimes (usually after your 8pm feeding), you're up for 2-3 hours.  You just babble away and look around...  you especially like to look at the lights!

- You had your first road trip already!  We actually left on your one month birthday!  We went with Grammy to KC to pick up your Aunt Sadie from the airport and spent the weekend shopping, eating, and lounging in the hotel!  You did better then i thought you would!  By the end of the weekend you were pretty over your car seat though...so the ride home was a bit rough.  Nothing a bottle of boob milk couldn't fix though :)

-You hate Wal-Mart.  Seriously.  You hate it.  I've taken you twice by myself, and each time you have FREAKED!!!! You wait until I've got you inside, and am just starting shopping....the only thing that calms you down is getting you out and holding you.  So there I am in Wal-Mart....holding you, dragging a big ol cart behind me, grocery shopping.  It's quite comical.  Safe to say, I will be making your dad come with us from now on unless it's an emergency!

-You seem to be stuffy all the time!  Especially after you've been laying down.  I'm not sure what this is all about.  You were better when we were in KC, so Grammy thinks its the dogs (she always has a theory).  We got a humidifier last week, and it seems to help a little. 

- You spend lots of time with Grammy and Papa.  They're quite obsessed with you little guy!  Papa won't go more then a day without seeing you.  He'll stop by after work, or during lunch!  You even have a Tuesday night tradition with him already...watching NCIS :)  They also get to watch you every Thursday night while me and your dad are in Spanish class!  It's really been a blessing to have them so close and able to help so much!  I just don't know what we'd do if we lived some where else!!!!

-I go back to work Monday.  I cry just thinking about it.  But don't worry buddy, we aren't just leaving you with some random babysitter.  No sir....only the best for you!  You get to stay with Grammy!!! We are so blessed that she offered to watch you full time!! There's no one else I'd trust more watching you everyday...i know you'll be taken care of (and super spoiled!)

-  You make the craziest faces....i love it. 

- here are a few pics.... (i only have like 600 on my phone!)

One of your walks with mom!

You def. have momma's nose!

You love your napper....

Your first walk

And here are some of the professional pics we had done....I LOVE THEM!!! (mainly because you're just too stinking adorable!)