Malcolm at 4 months

Malcolm is growing up so fast! He is already 4 months old. He went in for his check up and weighs nearly 17 lbs and is 26 inches long!! I knew he was big, but that's quite fat. He's got lots of rolls on his legs and arms. I do love my chubby baby.

He has started teething so is drooling all the time and constantly has his hands in his mouth. He has also been having trouble napping during the day. He's been getting a lot of clove oil for his poor gums. He also really likes standing so we got out the exersaucer, which he doesn't find quite as fun as I thought he would. He really just wants someone to hold him up while he watches big sister play. Best part is he has reached the giggly stage. He will giggle at almost anything for surprising lengths of time. He is just so happy. 

Mmmm...thumb is pretty good for chewing

Seriously overtook the bunny this month

My two kiddos

Looking handsome as ever

He likes the book toy the best

Malcolm at 3 months

Malcolm has become so irrepressibly happy all the time. He loves playing with big sister, bats at his toys, and can sit up in the Bumbo seat. He greets me every morning with a big grin and very loud squeak. Very recently, he has started to squeak really loudly. He competes with his sister for loudest child award. He is also really close to rolling over in both directions. He is a very determined boy and will try to roll over for 30 minutes before whining to be picked up. He is getting very long, too. Some of his 3-6 month sleepers are getting too short already!! 

Smiling at Daddy

Inga's 3rd Birthday

Riding her new tricycle!

Inga is now officially a threenager! Everyday is an emotional roller coaster ride, but most of the time she is good natured. Last year, we were on vacation during her birthday and she didn't get a party so this year we threw a big one for her. It was a Jake and the Neverland Pirates themed party complete with a treasure hunt in the backyard. It was a chaotic party with four toddlers running around (and two older kids), but they all had a good time. 

Birthday girl helped frost the cupcakes

Pirate Malcolm

Three years old!

On a treasure hunt

These two are trouble!

Inga even got a pirate ship!

Finger Lakes, NY

About a month after Malcolm was born, I was feeling way too cooped up at home. I had spent way too much time at home waiting for Malcolm to arrive and then adjusting to our new family member. In a very last minute decision, we headed to the Finger Lakes region of New York to get out of Ohio. We'd never been to the Finger Lakes before, but heard they were really pretty. Sam was even able to turn it into a business trip by having lunch with one of Wiley's Finest's brokers who actually lives in southwestern New York.

Fox Mulder driving the car

We drove to Erie, PA in the evening and spent the night. The kids were so good in the car until after dinner. Inga was getting a little fussy so we played games like let Foxy drive the car. 

My breakfast dates

The next morning we drove to the town of Hammondsport at the bottom of Keuka Lake to have lunch with the Wiley's Finest broker and his family. The Finger Lakes is full of wineries similar to the Grand Traverse area in Michigan, but these wineries have been here for much longer (100 years plus). We ate lunch at the Bully Hill Vineyards. It's a rather quirky place, but the restaurant was pretty good and tolerated children very well. The wine was decent and super cheap. It was a gorgeous day and the winery grounds were very nicely landscaped.

Inga and Daddy enjoying the sun.

Keuka Lake is at the bottom of the hill below the cars.

 We actually stayed near Canandaigua Lake, which is closer to Rochester. We went to the public beach at the north end of Canandaigua Lake and has a picnic lunch. Inga had a fun time playing in the water and building sand castles. Malcolm slept in the stroller the entire time.

Enjoying his afternoon nap.

This girl loves to swim.

Perfect day for boating.

Sam and I were really wishing we'd rented a boat except Malcolm is a little young for boating. Next summer he'll be old enough, but one month old is a bit too early for wake boarding.

We left the beach and went to a park along the lake to find a waterfall. The region has lots of waterfalls on all the creeks that enter the lakes. When we got to the park, we realized the trail to the waterfall had been removed probably because it was too expensive to maintain due to seasonal flooding. That didn't stop us for hiking, but we didn't walk all the way up to the waterfall. Inga had a blast hiking and creek walking. I did a lot of creek walking as a child and really enjoyed introducing my daughter to all the fun.

It was a short trip and the next day we drove home. We ran into some really gnarly traffic on I-90 due to construction and a semitrailer catching on fire! Malcolm was such a good little traveler.

The Finger Lakes are really beautiful. Actually, the far western end of New York is beautiful and very sparsely populated. It is similar to the Traverse City region of Michigan minus the sand dunes. The wineries are suppose to be better, too, but we didn't really do any wine tasting. Definitely worth a second visit, but we'd need to rent a house and a boat next time.

Malcolm at 2 months

Malcolm is already two months old. He saw the doctor and checked in at 13 pounds and 24 inches. He is a long baby. He is also super happy in the morning. He smiles and coos when I get him out of bed and he loves being on the changing table. He is a very talkative baby. He loves to play on the floor with Inga. She brings him her dolls and stuffed animals to play with and he smiles and coos. He is also a total Mama's boy. He loves comfort nursing in a way Inga never did. In the evening, I am the only one he wants to hold him. It's a good thing I think he's so darn cute.

Working on smiling for the camera

Big yawn

Talking to Mommy

Hanging out with big sister

Malcolm at 1 month

Malcolm is one month old already. He sure does grow fast. Two weeks ago he was 9.5 lbs and 21 inches long so he must be over 10 lbs now and longer still. He is a much quieter child than his sister and definitely enjoys alone time in his crib. He doesn't require me to nurse him to sleep. In fact, he prefers to fall asleep with a pacifier either being held or just alone in his crib. It is quite strange for me because Inga would only fall asleep nursing. He is already really good at holding his head up as well and likes tummy time. He enjoys challenges.

Malcolm with the size comparison bunny

I had to do a size comparison stuffed animal for Malcolm just like I did with Inga. The bunny was a gift from a co-worker and has his name and birth date embroidered on the bunny's ears. It is very cute.

His usual look

Occasionally he chews his fist

Smiling for Mama

Picture taken by big sister

Inga helped with the photo shoot. She even took a few good pictures. She really loves to use my camera. Digital cameras mean even toddlers get to take pictures. Lucky girl. (I'm already doing the "When I was your age…").

Hocking Hills Hiking

A mère six days after Malcolm was born, we went hiking in Hocking Hills. My parents and brother were all visiting to the new baby and wanted something to do outside the house. Hocking Hills is only about one hour from our house and the best state park in Ohio. My parents actually met while attending Ohio University, in Athens, for graduate school, but had never visited Hocking Hills because they didn't own cars. We took the opportunity to show them a great part of Ohio forest. 

I was also feeling really great at this point, which was so different from Inga's birth. We had barely gotten home from the hospital at this point with Inga. I am so glad I did a VBAC in Columbus.

We drove down to Ash Cave and had a picnic lunch then walked the flat trail to the cave. Even though it has been a wet summer, Ash Cave was quite dry and there really wasn't a waterfall. It is still an impressive cave, but not as interesting without the waterfall.

Daddy carrying Malcolm because it was still too much for Mommy to wear the baby carrier.

Inga with her Uncle Morgan

The family at a very dry Ash Cave

After walking at Ash Cave, Inga wanted to do more hiking. We drove over to the Rock House, which I'd never been to before. My parents didn't walk down into the gorge, but the younger folk walked down to the Rock House although not all the way to the bottom of the gorge. It was a very interesting rock formation. I took Inga inside the cave and she was talking about how birds might live in the cave. At that point, a couple pigeons flew in and right over our heads. This totally freaked Inga out and we had to leave the cave immediately. It was pretty funny.

Our good little hiker charmed all the grandmas on the trail

At the Rock House after a nursing break

We don't think much of taking a newborn out on weekend excursions so close to home. However, we met a couple people who were surprised we were taking our newborn on vacation so soon. When we asked where they were from, they said Cincinnati. Umm…Hocking Hills is way too close to count as vacation for us.

Malcolm Edward

It's a boy!! Malcolm Edward finally arrived (9 days late) on July 10, 2014 at 10:14pm after way too many hours of labor. (I will be able to guilt both my children will long labor stories!) Anyway, we are all very happy he has arrived. Inga is really happy being a big sister and having Mommy home all the time. Here are some pictures.

Proud Papa with baby Malcolm

My wonderful birth team (L to R): doula Megan, midwife Pat, and almost midwife Ebonee (1 birth and a couple big tests away from her certification)

Clean, fed, and much happier with the world

Daddy and his two kiddos

Grandma Lindstrom and her two grandkids

Very proud big sister

Guess who?

Guess who?

Malcolm looks a lot like his big sister did when she was a newborn. They are very different people, but definitely look a lot alike. They both have the Wiley chin, the Lindstrom nose, and beautiful baby blues. 

The Stats:

8 lbs 6.6 oz 

20.8 inches long