colin meets cousins

Can you believe we haven't traveled anywhere in 7 months? We discussed a trip to Mammoth Cave in early March but I was hesitant to be far from home (and deep underground) while pregnant. Since then, traveling has seemed both risky and logistically challenging. Except for the 2 nights Dan and I spent at the hospital for Colin's birth, we haven't been away from home. While she takes it in stride, I feel bad that Mae has been isolated from friends and family so much. We finally decided to take a short visit to my parents' house, so Mae could play with her cousins and they could meet Colin!

We spent the first few days hanging out with Grandma and Grandpa. We went for walks around the neighborhood and on a nearby trail. We went to the city center a couple times for a little change of scenery and window shopping.

Unfortunately, a week before our visit, Christopher and Emily found out they'd been exposed to COVID. They were careful to quarantine for two weeks, and fortunately none of them got sick and they tested negative. Since one of our main reasons for traveling was to see them, we decided to extend our visit by a few days. They were able to finish their quarantine, and we had some fun playdates!

Auntie Em and Uncle Christopher got some great snuggles and smiles meeting Colin for the first time.

Oliver and Archie were very excited to meet him also. He loved being serenaded by them as they sang the alphabet song! They were so gentle and sweet when they held him.

The kids (and adults) had a great time making s'mores. I bet Mae could polish off a whole back of marshmallows on her own!

We also went to the pond in Christopher and Emily's neighborhood to try out Mae's new fishing pole that Grandma and Grandpa gave her. Uncle Christopher and Oliver fished with hooks while Mae practiced casting with a little weighted fish. The kids also had fun decorating the nearby cement culverts with sidewalk chalk.

I'm so glad we had this little chance to get away from the house for a bit. We had so much fun visiting Grandma and Grandpa, having playdates, and introducing Colin to his aunt, uncle, and cousins!

three months of colin

Happy three months, little guy!

Colin continues to be the happiest, smiliest baby. He is bursting with new sounds: coos, burbles, yelps, raspberries, and even the occasional laugh. While we eat dinner, Colin lays on his pillow next to the table and screeches along with our conversation. He especially loves when I loudly smooch his little fists and cheeks; that's when I get the most giggles!

He is getting more and more active and loves kicking his feet so it looks like he's running. He even seems to like tummy time (especially if he gets to watch "The Magic School Bus" with Mae during it.) He has grabbed his feet a few times (trying to figure out what socks are), but he hasn't pulled them to his mouth yet. Everything else he can get his hands on goes in his mouth, especially his burp cloths and the neck of his shirts.

He has rolled both ways, with a bit of an assist from the terrain. He rolled front to back on an uneven couch cushion that was slightly tilted in his favor, and he rolled back to front on the edge of the rug. Juuuust enough help to get him over that shoulder! He's moving around a lot, so I expect he'll be rolling like a champ soon. He also likes to scoot around his play mat by pushing with his feet while he's laying on his back, and we frequently find him in a completely different orientation in his pack n play when he wakes up in the morning.

Colin is sleeping through the night from about 10 p.m. until 7:30 a.m. when Dan feeds him before heading up to our office to start work. He's not on much of a daytime schedule, but he takes several naps during the day and usually a long one in the afternoon (Colin, not Dan). I think he wakes up at night but sooths himself back to sleep sucking his thumb. I'm not looking forward to trying to break his thumb-sucking habit in the future, but it is certainly convenient at 3 a.m.!

This month we had a visit from Grandma, Grandpa, and Aunt Kelsey. We also made the short trek to their house for a week to get away for a while since vacations aren't really possible at the moment. I have lots of photos from that trip to share soon!

Love you tons, little three-month-old!!