5 months!

Dear Seth-
On April 4th (Easter Sunday) you turned 5 months old! This past month has got to be the biggest as far as milestones go. You love reaching and grabbing for anything you can get your little hands on. Your favorites include: the remote, your yellow giraffe, the laptop, the spoon mommy feeds you with, and your books. You're feet are now flat when you are in your excersaucer...a month or so ago you were on your tip toes! We had to take you to the dr. for spots on your head which have cleared up and we found out you weigh in at a whopping 16lbs. 15 oz. and you are still in 6-9 months clothes! You go back to the dr. in about a month for your 6 mo. checkup! You are also rolling from your back to your side and you are so close to rolling all the way over.

Mommy is really ramping up the solids this month. You didn't really take to them last month, so we just held off for a while. Right now your favorites are oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and peas...you open your mouth like a little baby bird for these foods! You don't really care for bananas right now, but we'll try again later.

You are still a really good sleeper- you take 3 naps and usually only wake up once at night. However, we've started to try something new during naps--not swaddling. You now sleep in your sleep sack and since your arms aren't swaddled mommy gives you a blanket to hold, which has worked ok so far. We still swaddle you at nighttime in your miracle blanket and probably will for the next week or so until you get used to not being swaddled.

You also are so much more verbal and love to make all kinds of noises. Our favorite has been your little growl (which we got on tape and love to watch over and over). You also like to blow bubbles and raspberries with your mouth. You love to go on walks with mommy just about everyday...pretty soon we will get you a jogging stroller and then you can come running with mommy! You love being outside! You still are not mobile yet, but we know you will be a happier baby when you are. And the biggest milestone this month is that you can sit all by yourself for a long period of time! You are happiest when sitting up or when we are helping you stand up.
Below are some pictures so far of your 5th month!

5 months!!
love that sweet smile

distracted by one of his toys!

going 'godzilla' on the blocks!

growling at daddy! (yes that is drool coming from seth)

waking up from our first nap unswaddled and in our sleepsack

below are 2 videos: one of you growling at your toys and the other trying to eat the camera!

Happy Easter!

April 4th we had 2 reasons to celebrate: our risen Savior and Seth's 5 month birthday (which I will blog more about later). Seth wore the outfit that Gran got for him in Tennessee, it fit perfectly and he looked so cute! Here are some of the pictures from our day!

Seth got his wings

This past week Seth got to fly on an airplane for the first time (destination Memphis, TN), in mommy and daddy's opinion a one hour flight is so much better than 8-10 hours in the car. Seth was such a great traveler, I was afraid we were going to be 'those people'...you know the ones with the screaming baby. But I really dont know why I was worried, Seth is not that kind of baby anyway. We usually don't use a pacifier, but we did while traveling this time so his ears wouldn't hurt too bad during take off and landing...which didn't even phase him one bit and neither did the turbulance on the way back...which made mommy a little nauseous! This trip was bittersweet in that we got to see our Tennessee family, but the reason for the trip was a funeral...Spencer's pacaw Gary. Spencer preached at the funeral while our sister-in-law Kassie sang and cousin Nicole played the flute...all of which were beautiful! We are so glad that Pacaw was able to meet and hold Seth this past Christmas. He was so good with him. He loved kids and it defintely showed! He was such a great Christian man and I really enjoyed his stories when we would go to visit and I know Spencer misses him even more.

Seth really had fun with his Tennessee family and exploring outside with Pop and Gran and playing with Great Gran, aunt K and uncle Stew. We cant believe Seth will be 5 months old tomorrow! He gets to wear his Easter outfit that his Gran got for him...he's going to look so cute! Below are some pictures from our trip

Seth laughing with Great Gran

Future Beethoven

Playing with Aunt K

Seth's first plane ride

He loved exploring outside with Gran and Pop

Waiting patiently to board our plane

And the award goes to....

SETH PLUMLEE FOR BEST SLEEPER!! Thats right our little boy slept through the night (or all the way to the end as I used to call it when I was little). This exciting event happened Friday night after a day full of fussiness! We put him to bed at 6:25pm and he slept until 7am!! However, just because baby slept through the night does not mean mommy did! It all started at about 3:30am when I heard him start to fuss, not cry but just fuss and kind of move around. Usually this ends up with him crying and needing/wanting to eat....so I got up and started making a bottle as usual. When I turned the water off, I heard him start to quiet down, so I just stood in the hallway outside his door for a while and listened for any sign of being awake...NONE! That booger went back to sleep! Ok so I took the bottle with me back to the bed and put it close to me so I would have it ready for when he did wake up. I just knew that as soon as I got back into bed and comfortable he would start crying and be ready to eat like he sometimes does...its like he knows! But he never did! However, mommy kept waking up every hour until 7am anticipating his cry. But he slept til 7am and was so happy when he woke up! Now I know that this will not be an everynight occurance, but here's hoping! He usually only wakes up once which is fine with me! Here's to a full night's sleep!!!!

Gran comes to Texas!

This past week Spencer and about 20 college students went to the Dominican Republic on a mission trip! They all slept on small mattresses and cots in a church without A/C, but they served with great attitudes. They got to share the Gospel with lots of kids, teens, college students and adults in schools, universities, shopping malls, and markets. Hundreds heard the Gospel, some for the first time and they saw 11 salvations! God is really doing some great things in DR! But while Spencer was out of the country his mom (Gran) came to Texas to hang out and play with Seth, who loved her company!! We went on walks, outtings to Grapevine, and Target! She also gave Seth a bath every night and played with him to her hearts content! We also got to see Aunt K when she came to Texas to run her half marathon! Below are some pictures of Spencer in Dr and Seth with his Gran from Tennessee!! Thanks for such a fun and special week Gran!!! Spencer got to preach Sunday morning at a local church

the drum Spencer brought back for Seth from the Dominican

With Aunt K when she came to TX to run her race!

4 months

Dear Seth-
Wow, as of March 4th you are now 4 months old...it seems like only yesterday I wrote about you being 3 months old, time is really flying! You had your 4th month checkup at the dr. today but we took you to Einsteins Bagels before your appt. so mommy and daddy could have breakfast...we are trying to socialize you more and get you out in public to see and hear new things. Even though all of this was during your scheduled naptime time, you did really well. You now weigh 15lbs 11oz (75%) and are 26 1/4 inches long (90%)--we think you may be tall like your daddy. You also got 4 shots today which has made you sleepy and a little cranky and you just want mommy and daddy to cuddle with you. You also tried mashed bananas today, you didn't really know what to do with it, but you eventually figured it out and you loved it! You only eat solids once a day and still take a bottle at the other feedings--where sometimes you like to grab the bottle. We will try something different next week, maybe sweet potatoes.

You are a very curious little boy who really likes to look around at everything and see whats going on. So that means you are usually happiest when you are sitting up playing or playing in your excersaucer. You like try to stand on your feet (with the help of mommy or daddy) I guess it makes you feel like a big boy...maybe thats why you like your excersaucer so much, you can practice pushing down on your feet. You cant roll over yet, but the dr. said its ok and we don't need to worry for another couple of months or so. You can sit up unsupported for maybe a split second before falling over or falling forward. But you are also just content to sit in our lap and read a book or look out the window. Right now we are reading "where's baby's belly button?" and books about shapes and colors, as well as your baby Bible. We cant wait for the weather to get warmer so we can go for more walks in our stroller. You don't mind being in your car seat as long as you have your stuffed animal, "Patch." You are really cooing and babbling alot more and are making consonant sounds like "ba", "ma" and "da"--we hear this especially when you are playing with your toys, or when you are fussing. You are also very talkative when mommy changes your diaper, you also like to kick your legs alot when you're on the changing table. Your sweet smile warms our heart, especially when we hold you in front of our mirror, but sometimes you turn your head away or you bury your head in our chest like you are being bashful.

As for sleeping, you are doing great! Mommy and Daddy put you to bed awake but very tired anywhere from 6-7:30pm every night and you usually fall asleep pretty quickly and wake up one time anywhere between midnight to 3am then eat and then back to bed until 6:30am or 7am. You always take 3 naps a day which range from 1 hour to 3 hours! You still like to be swaddled to start off...everytime we go in to feed you or to wake up for the day, you have pretty muched ripped your miracle blanket to shreds by getting your arms and legs out. So for now we will keep swaddling you.

You can definitely recognize mommy and daddy's faces. And I will have to admit that I love when you follow me with your eyes when I move around the room or when you look for me when someone else is holding you...makes mama feel special! You get scared and start to cry at really loud and unexpected noises. You can also get overwhelmed easily, especially on Sunday mornings if I take you to see all the college students because there is just so much going on. You stick out your bottom lip and starting whining so thats mommy's cue to take you down to the nursery to have your sweet Sunday School teachers love on you for about an hour. You also met your second friend this week, Hope. She is about 5 months older than you. You didn't quite know what to think or do at first and sometimes when you started to pout so did Hope. But you quickly got over it and were content just to watch her play with her toys and explore the living room. You would study her a little when she came and pulled up on my leg to see what you were doing. She's going to be a fun play friend! You are such a sweet spirited little boy who is growing so fast! And we are excited to see the young godly man you are going to become! Mommy and Daddy love you!! Below are some pictures of you so far at 4 months!

Our traditional monthly birthday picture-this time with our friend 'Patch'
In our little hat

Hands and toys are going straight to the mouth

He really wanted to look out!

trying to stand like a big boy

trying to be independent and feed himself

eating mashed bananas!

he loves to look outside

such a happy baby!

got our 4 month shots- so sad!

Buddies

Seth met his first friend yesterday, Ethan Eaves who was born Feb. 8th! Neither one really had any idea what was going on but it was still cute! I will say that Seth was kind of cranky the whole time except for when I would hold him in front of the mirror and he would laugh, so that kept him pretty occupied. Spencer and I think its because he doesn't get out much around other people and places, so my new goal is to socialize him more! This Wed. he's going to meet Hope Spellman who is 7 months old. Last time Hope came to visit, Seth was asleep the whole time, so we are going to try again this week.