it's hard work being a baby.

From the look of this guy, you'd think he sleeps all the time.

but the truth is, he sleeps great at night (for a newborn & 1month old) - he just doesn't like to nap during the day if we aren't holding him.  It makes for long days, but I know I'll miss holding him when he's sleeping in his crib soon enough.

We haven't left our house much lately.  It is some serious work to take all 3 of my little guys anywhere alone, so I just haven't done it.  We are blessed to have lots to entertain us at home & it just makes for an interesting season of ours.  Just call us 'homebodies'.  but at least we have a gorgeous view.

This little man is going to grow up tall, dark & handsome.  I have no idea what color his eyes will be, but watching them is one of my favorite things.  They are currently almost navy blue around the edges & lighter in the center - almost grayish.  Then again I'll look and I think they could be olive green!  haha, one does have a brown fleck or two, so for now, my bet will be placed on hazel.

best thing about being 5 weeks old??   SMILES.

best thing about this pic?  Calvin = mini Matt.

Keep smiling little bro, no one can make you smile as much as your big brothers can.  and no one is more excited about it, except maybe mommy.  ;-)

my.THREE.sons.

these three. we are learning.  hilariously, just getting in the car feels like an accomplishment.  photo worthy even.  ;-)

and even our evening walk is... exciting.  James wanted to push his baby bro, so he ditched his trike & middle bro stole it for a ride.  So here we were: boys, wagon, stroller, dog, trike.  Should we consider ourselves some kind of procession?! haha

my.boys.  Lovin' on their baby bro.  Everytime he comes in the room, they say, "hiii baby Calvin!!" "mom, can I see Calvin??"  These moments are not alway very convenient, but they are so worth the time it takes to stop, and get on their level, and let them just be little, together.

all three monkeys in our bed.  "let's all tuck in"

We have had our moments.  were we lose or patience. our tempers. and have our own tantrums, myself included.

But our sweet, handsome, crazy, smart, funny, wild, precious little boys always found a way of reminding us how blessed we are to be in the midst of this stage of 3 little boys 3 years old and under...

Trying to remember HOW LITTLE they are. and how quickly they change.

But we'll keep smiling (and frowning) through all our hard, wonderful, exhausting, precious days.

Memorial Day.

My bro, the baby whisperer, and his family came to visit us for Memorial weekend & meet our new addition, Calvin Dean.  Seeing our kids playing together & Calvin in my brother's arms was precious to me.  My nieces were just dolls & James and Hayden just about burst they were so excited.  We had such a great visit - probably one of the sweetest visits we've ever had.

The little girls just gushed over the house & food & boys & toys.  Just lovely, sweet, hilarious girls.  I love having a few more girls around the house... ;-)

The baby whisperer in action!

I could just eat them up.  Their little personalities are all over each face.

It is AMAZING how fast they change.  Dec. 2011 vs. May 2013.  (5 months, almost 2, 4, and almost 6) vs. (almost 2, 3.5, 5 and 7)

Corrie & Madeline holding baby Calvin, 1 month old.

Aunt Darcy & little baby Cal.

These faces just make my heart skip a beat.  So grateful for family. big&small.

1.month.old.

Ray Lamontagne singing, "I wanna hold you in my arms" has been the sweetest tune to me while I rock this baby boy morning, noon & night.  I have no idea what the rest of the song says, and I'm not the least bit bothered by the obvious romantic overtones.

I could hold you forever.

I think everyone feels that way about you buddy.  Just wanna hold you in my arms.

You did great for your 2 week check up.  9lbs 1 oz and I was amazed.

You did throw mommy&daddy for a loop though.  Around week 3 you got a heat rash. :-( In my defense, see the temperatures for the day.  Silly mommy kept you all wrapped up and when it hit the heat of the day you were obviously not in need of the hat, blanket, or swaddle.  Poor guy - didn't even hit 80 degrees and you got heat rash.

I thought it was just really bad baby acne, because it was what they call prickly heat rash which looks like pimples and shows up on your face as opposed to places covered in clothes like normal heat rash.

So I took you to the dr, and he said it was something else.  We treated you for that, and you had an allergic reaction to the cream he prescribed.  Luckily for us, we got in to see a Pediatric Dermatologist, and she could help us solve our mystery.  Some strong cortisone and you healed right up.  My poor baby.  As you can see, I still didn't know it was heat rash, and had a light weight blanket over you. :-(

But, my sweet boy, you forgave me & smiled sweet smiles in your sleep.  And I quit trying to keep you warm enough, because obviously you are a warm blooded boy.  You still got heat rash even in just a onsie (but of course you are prone to it now).

Your face cleared up just enough for me to get a picture of you for your 1 month mark.  poor baby.  I am so thankful for my heat sensitive fella.

1 month old - 10 lbs 3 oz & growing fast!  loosing your 'newborn look' but boy, little boy, did we soak it in as much as we could.

*****For those looking this up as infant prickly heat rash, these pictures are filtered.  The rash was more red and pimply than it appears in the image.  I just hated taking photos of it.  It was on his cheeks, forhead, chin, and shoulders.  The initial diagnosis was for a similar fungal rash related to cradle cap, and prescription was for an anti-fungal.  He had an allergic reaction to one application of it, and his face was as red as a tomato, raised rash & hot to the touch.  It was awful, and we saw the pediatric dermatologist next, who prescribed a 2.5% hydrocortisone for it.  The cortisone heals the heat rash as well.*****

***Because this post has continued to get hits for 'infant prickly heat rash' I thought it may be helpful to see unfiltered pictures.***

Heat Rash is supposed to go away after you cool down, but this one was persistent, and our baby was so little, that we went to the pediatrician. 

This was how it looked at the dr's office.  Worse, raised & hot to the touch.  Started to have some white scales as you see on his chin. We were worried.

This was what it looked like after one application of the anti-fungal.  Raised, red rash.  Very hot to the touch, awful to look at.  Broke our hearts.  Our Pediatrician guessed it was a rash akin to 'cradle cap' on his face, which is fungal.  We went back to the Pediatrician immediately, and were referred to the Pediatric Dermatologist. 

After seeing the Pediatric Dermatologist, and one application of a strong Hydro-cortizone cream.  The rash turned brown and began to thicken, sort of scab like, until it healed.  My poor baby.  The Dermatologist told us to use the hydro-cortizone cream if we saw the heat rash again.  Our baby has 'contact allergy' or 'touch allergy' & many mild things will give him an allergic reaction.  Sun screen or too much sun or heat for example.

I hope this information from our experience has been helpful to you!  I am in no way a medical person, just a mom.

water&sand, sand&surf

big bros have been in need of some activities while we are home bodies for a while.  I have been so proud of their swimming this summer!  I can't believe my little James going all over the pool, and it.floors.me. to watch Hayden swimming, alone. (with his sammy on of course).  He even protests when you try to help, "stooop daddy, stooop."  The fearless one: Hayden.

Just check him out.  I will chuckle at this for many years & it will fill my heart with the memories of his chubby toddler years.

Daddy wanted to give the boys a sandbox, so he built one.  What a great gift for mommy too - these boys. in one place. for an extended period of time. not watching a movie. haha.

and mommy gets some sunshine & stillness.  We live in a beautiful place.

Ole Cal who wont sleep on his own anymore - 2.5 weeks old until probably 6 weeks (now, I'm being optimistic).  Thank goodness for the happy wrap.  My mother's day gift from Calvin.  ;-)

my.view.from.my.seat = bliss

my list of gifts is growing&growing.  What relief for a bone-tired-weary momma to have a chance for the heart to swell full of joy.  Recounting the tasks completed, the ones to do, the superheroes chased, the music sung, a sleeping babe, and sand.  Once I start I really could go on & on.  and it reminds me how even though it feels HARD it is so.sweet.to.taste. this life of mine.  and it goes well with a cup of coffee.  ;-)

sand&surf.  These boys love the beach.

Calvin's first trip = 3.5 weeks old.

amazing to see how big they are getting.  I am dumbfounded.

and so it begins...

5 days old.  Oh how tiny you were my baby boy.  Amazingly & mercifully, my prayers were answered and you were not as big as your big bro Hayden at birth - the Lord gave me exactly what I asked for, a little, tiny babe, for just a little while.  Never mind my bleary eyes... ;-)

you precious thing.  This was the hat I picked out for you to wear home, and you wore it almost non-stop for weeks until you got heat rash (bad mommy).  Aunt Natassja passed us this sleeper gown & I.love.it.  One of my favorites - and the blanket your bros both used.  nothing sweeter than baby nostalgia.

my 3rd little duck.  This was your bro Hayden's, but it is the.perfect.onsie. for you my dear.  'Follow the leader"...!

1st bath & you were a little upset... but you 'warmed up' to bath time & love it now.

your bros were pretty good for this transition time in our lives.  We had lots of help from Grammy & Mimi which kept their attention needs filled.

Mommy just had to hang out and enjoy this face.

First good picture of Daddy & his 3 little boys.  Calvin - 6 days old.

Mommy's first time doing all.3.boys. by myself.  How sweet it is to be your momma.  You wear me out fellas, but it is so worth it.

Your.brothers.adore.you.  I cannot tell you how much they just loved you every second they got.  I had to hold you down so they could see you & kiss your head & tell you, "hiiiii baby Calvin!!"  It has never gotten old.

sleeping like a baby.  You did this sometimes.  ;-)

and when you would sleep during afternoon naps, my world felt soo still & peaceful.  Sometimes I slept, but other times I just sat & enjoyed the quiet.minutes.  How many times will I have 3 sleeping babies?  I think that number is very small.

Your Mimi mostly had her hands full of the 'big boys' but she did get to steal some quiet minutes with you when they were in bed.

10 days old.  tiny little man.

Amazing how in 10 days you can change soo much.

never gets old.

 I got to start signing your name on all our thank you cards... our family of 5.  So glad to have you in it.