Go Reid! Look at those strong neck muscles! We’ve had a few good tummy times lately but in all honestly sometimes the days go by and it’s bedtime and I realize we haven’t done any at all! Oops! But his neck continues to get stronger. Each day he seems to change and this week we’ve noticed that he is really following voices and people with his eyes much more. He also has been smiling more frequently in response to something you may say or do to him and he has many facial expressions. There is no doubt he is continuing to gain weight at a good pace as he just FEELS heavier when you pick him up. I call him a tank. We also moved the shoulder straps in his car seat up a notch as he is getting longer!
The work continues on Reid’s closet, but we are nearing the end! The drawer unit that Kevin built is in place and he is cutting and installing the shelves. Then it will be touch-up painting and putting things into the closet, yay! 
I love how Griffin wants to regularly cuddle with Reid. When in comes in our room in the mornings he is always excited if “Reidy” is awake and he can snuggle up with him. 
For the 4th of July we were invited to the Pilgrim’s home in Dublin. They have a fun gathering of food and friends and the evening concludes with a prime view of the Dublin fireworks which we are able to walk to directly behind their house! This year we took blueberry-amaretto squares which were delish. But I’ve decided that I need to make a half recipe as there is always so much leftover when there are many options at a pot luck! So I’ve been eating the leftovers here….yikes!
When we did tummy time this particular evening Griffin was so encouraging to Reid, it was really cute to watch. He was so excited for him when he got his head held so high!
We have a bit of a problem with our gutters! With all of this rain lately it’s apparent that our front gutters outside our bedroom window and the back gutters on the patio need some love. The screens on top of the gutters perhaps aren’t meant to take in the volume of rain that we’ve been receiving in this big downpours lately. So, another project for the list.
On Friday we headed to the new Duck Donuts near Polaris to pick up Saturday morning treats. I didn’t realize that you choose a glaze, topping, and drizzle and that the donuts are made to order! I stayed in the car with Reid while Griffin and Kevin went in and selected the patriotic assortment along with a custom one I requested :). Afterward we headed to Star Lanes for a couple games of bowling. Griffin has been asking to go bowling for two weeks so he was quite excited!
Saturday was another game of t-ball and also team photos. Thankfully we made it there early, with his glove, bat, and hat and a big smile! Also this week Finn got to be the last batter, which means his hit is a grand slam home run! I was able to record it, check out the video below. 
Brutus is happiest when he is touching a human or Lily! He regularly cuddles right up next to her or touches her body in some way when they are in the same room. He also loves the outdoors and constantly chews on sticks!
And check out this cutie! Again, filling out 3-month outfits really well 🙂
Griffin used to sleep in this exact same position!
Reid went to the doctor for his 4 week well check this week where he checked out great! Dr. Wilde remarked that his big belly and chubby cheeks are the telltale signs of a growing and thriving baby. He did get one shot in his thigh – the poor guy turned beet red and did the whole no-sound-making-angry-crying face for a minute or two before he calmed down and then he was just fine. He weighed in at 10 pounds 15.6 ounces (we had guessed 11 pounds at home for this visit so we were close!) which is the 78th percentile. He was 22.5″ long (92nd percentile) and his head circumference was 40 cm (99th percentile). We have ourselves a super healthy and big baby! We did have some concerns at this appointment as Kevin had noticed a marble-like lump off to the side under his right nipple last week. As it turns out it is a normal thing in breast-fed babies. Something about hormones from the mother….I’m just glad it is nothing to worry about and it seems to be going down already since last week when Kevin discovered it. He is really a happy and content baby a majority of the time. There have been some times though that I wonder if he has a bit of reflux or issue with something I’ve eaten. So I discussed that with the doctor who asked if he spits up much. I told him he hardly ever spits up and so he mentioned silent reflux when the baby may have some reflux and it is most noticeable when he’s feeding as it would arch his back, be really fussy, and pull off while he’s eating. Learning about that made me question if he does have a bit of reflux because he has done that at times, but the more I think about it I think in his case he just has a fair bit of gas as he will burp or toot and then calm down. He also has baby acne, which I’ve wondered if it is truly acne or a reaction to breastmilk (or a factor in something I’m eating). So I’m hoping both his complexion and gas get better and I’m working on not worrying about them!
This week Reid’s right eye was also oozing some yellow sleepies. I’m pretty sure he has a clogged tear duct so I’ve been massaging that and hoping it will clear up soon. 
One of the projects on my list has been to repurpose the loft into a more usable space and also less of a junk collecting area. This week I moved all of the leftover wood (blue boxes) from the middle of the wall down into the corner and I also moved my craft/work table up against the wall so the room is more open. We are going to convert the existing storage bookshelf from craft and miscellaneous storage into kids storage and also move the identical storage shelf from the family room up to the loft. I think Griffin will really enjoy having a carpeted playspace and Kevin and I will enjoy having the kids toys (read that as at times messy area) up in the loft. We are gradually moving toward improving our family room area so it will become a place where we spend our time as right now we hardly ever use it!
This week Kevin interviewed for his job as he had updated he resume and had to reapply for his current position. The state’s fiscal year begins each July 1st and this year Kevin is hoping to change the company he uses as a pass through for billing. So, I bring that up as he wore a tie to work for his interview. He looks so handsome, eh? Luckily a friend snapped this photo of him and he sent it to me as a typical work day doesn’t involve ties!
We enjoyed a quick dinner followed by family movie night on Friday. It was awesome – we were all snuggly and I loved that I was in bed at 8 pm, lol! We watched Trolls, which Griffin really loved. It had him up dancing and I loved watching that the best!
Saturday’s mean t-ball time! The kids this week were feeling more comfortable and getting the hang of how things work. It made for a smoother game where we made it through each of the batters twice in an inning and were able to play two innings this week. Each week there is a sportsmanship value that the coach teaches the kids and this week it was about sharing. At the end of the game the coach awards a player a medal for demonstrating the value and this week Griffin was awarded the medal for sharing! It was so appropriate as he is wonderful at sharing with others. Each time he makes a craft he wants to give it away to someone, or he gets a snack and will share it with someone, he regularly shares toys, and so on. I was super happy for him and I could tell he was proud that he had been given the medal by Coach Abigail.
Another fun Saturday afternoon spent with Cole and Cooper, complete with Mr. Brian making them all lunch!
Brotherly snuggles before we headed to the Powell Festival at Village Green Park. It was a beautiful night to be outdoors listening to live music, having dinner, and watching Griffin enjoy the kids play areas. 
Kevin pressure washed the porch and patio over the weekend and it looks a-m-a-z-i-n-g! The floor is so clean and the patio is also weed free as he used the flame thrower and burned them all up!
On Sunday we had a neighborhood block party that we helped organize along with 3 of our other neighbors. Our neighborhood hadn’t had one in a few years and we thought with the turnover we’ve had in the ‘hood and the new kids and families it would be good to have a gathering. Kevin was the grill master and we setup the bounce house in Brian’s yard, along with other outdooor games. We had a decent turnout and it was nice to meet new neighbors and others who’ve been here a long time but that we just don’t know! 
Check this guy out at almost 5 weeks filling out his new 3 month outfit from Grandma Beilstein. So big!
Lily always getting comfortable on the couch. I’m not sure how we’re going to teach her not to get up on the furniture once we replace our awful couch someday!
This week we made impressions of Reid’s hand and feet. They turned out really well, though we did have to round the bottom of the footprint. We had planned to have them be the same length but it turns out his feet are longer than his hands :). 
Griffin really loves to learn and has shown an interest in numbers and letters. He regularly asks what the letters he puts together spell and he’s been doing some addition here and there. He also really likes matching the written number to the number of objects or coming up with words that end in certain letters, for example, “at” (cat, bat, pat, rat, etc). 
Oh Brutus, he’s just killing me some days. He is the sweetest dog, but he definitely needs more attention and exercise that he’s been receiving lately. This week while rearranging the loft I was vacuuming as I was moving furniture around so the cord was all over the floor. He and Lily were laying on the floor playing with each other and I looked at them and realized he had chewed through the vacuum cleaner cord. Ugh! Killing me. He’s been ruining a couple of items a day sometimes, from Finn’s toys to Kevin’s Keen sandals, to my shoes, Griffin’s shoes, etc. He is all puppy. 
This video was put together by Google from various photos that I’ve taken over the years. I thought it was so cute I’m posting for everyone to see, not only the dogs through the years – but look at Finn grow up too!
Wow, I’d really like to hit the pause button! Time is just flying by and our little man is already 4 weeks old. He is changing all the time and as you can see from the first picture is continuing to show us new expressions all the time.
Brutus slithered under our bed from one side to the other one morning, despite his large size he managed to do it! I thought it would be cute to snap his photo and before I knew it Griffin was asking if he could get in it too. 
After all that I asked Finn to go pick out an outfit for Reid and he returned with a onesie that perfectly matched Griffin’s outfit. Go Bucks! And the picture of Finn’s white pants and feet, well, he took that. He’s really taking a liking to be able to take photos on my phone and after he takes one if he happens to like it he wants to show me and then has the cutest smirk. 
I’ve never been a great cook as it isn’t something I really enjoy doing. I think if I had more time once I got home from work or perhaps if I planned better I would enjoy it more. But I am trying to be more intentional about making meals and eating at home on a more regular basis. It’s kind of hard since we don’t have a regular schedule where Kevin is home at the same time each day so sometimes all of us are here for dinner and sometimes not. I snapped this pic to send to Kevin to let him know he’d have dinner waiting when he got home one night. I must say I was pretty proud of myself, having both kids and managing to make a pretty decent dinner at an early hour 🙂
We have started doing tummy time as the doctor mentioned he should be doing it 3-4 times a day for as long as he will tolerate it. I’ve noticed Reid tends to cock his head one direction when he holds his head up so I kind of re position him to get him to arch his head and neck the other direction. So far he’s usually looking to the left or the right and not much straight ahead. His little wrinkled old-man forehead cracks me up!
Our backyard adventurer wanted to climb some trees one night this week. Griffin really enjoys being outside with Brutus, typically in the back corner of the yard where there is sometimes a muddy area. He and Brutus can always be found nearby one another it seems both because of Brutus’ curiosity of what Finn is doing and because Finn loves to climb and snuggle all over Brutus. He really is a giant baby, though his bark would have you believe he is a vicious guard dog!
These pictures are all from the backseat of the van in the Target parking lot! I was running some errands and Reid needed to eat. And afterward he has the happiest expressions, well, mostly 🙂
This week was a pretty emotional one for me as it was the second anniversary of Nathan’s birth and death on June 15th. It was a date I’d thought about endlessly as it approached and also having a newborn this year I find myself thinking so many different things and how this year has been so different from last year and the year he was born. I spent the day at home with Reid and Griffin, though Debbie took Finn on an adventure for part of the day while Reid and I ran a couple of errands. I found myself full of tears many times throughout the day, especially when I arrived home to a thoughtful flower arrangement from Mom and Dad. One yellow rose for Kevin, me, Griffin, and Reid and one white rose for Nathan. After Kevin was home from work we went to the cemetery. Griffin knows he has another brother, Nathan, and he asks questions especially today when we explained where we were going. Trying to get a four year old to understand that his brother isn’t at the cemetery (though his body is) but that he is in heaven with Jesus is a hard thing. Griffin found a white flower in the grass and wanted to put it on Nathan’s grave. We don’t yet have a head stone for Nathan or our family plot so it was difficult for him to understand Nathan’s grave compared to the others there which do have head stones. I feel terrible that we don’t have his head stone yet but it is one of the things highest in our budget for the coming months. We hope to have one before winter. 
As I’ve said many times before, Griffin loves to snuggle, particularly with me. He can’t seem to go to bed unless we’ve snuggled a bit. And first thing in the morning he comes into our room and cozies right up next to me. This morning he was so cute, he just wanted to wrap his legs through mine. 
I have a to list that I’ve been adding to while I’ve been home from work. It’s my goal to mark something off my list each day. Reid’s closet has been quite the undertaking. It turns out it’s not too easy to paint without long stretches of time! On this day I had tried to put Reid down for a nap and he wasn’t really having it. So I ended up putting him in his car seat, out in the garage, and even then he’d wake up fussing. So Griffin would rock him in his car seat so I could keep painting. This went on for awhile and I had many boards and the drawer unit Kevin built that needed painted. But in the end I got it done and even Finn helped me put on the final touches. 
Here is Reid with his snuggly bear that we received as a gift this week from my cousin and her family. I love that his name and birthday are embroidered on it. 
I took both boys out for our first solo adventure this week to the zoo. It was a warm and sunny day and we were able to see and feed the giraffe’s (Finn fed Logan), get a great view of the cheetah’s, and watch the polar bear baby!
We had a long afternoon at the zoo so we rushed home to get ready for our Friday evening dinner at Cap City to celebrate Father’s Day. It was the perfect night – a delicious dinner, which Reid slept through until the end, and tasty desserts all while having fun and celebrating Kevin and the joys of being a Dad. 
Yes, Kevin dunked Finn’s face into the giant chocolate cake 🙂
Another Saturday morning spent at Finn’s t-ball game. I love watching Kevin coach the kids, especially Griffin!
After his game we headed to Enon for a couple of hours where Finn enjoyed the outdoors as he played soccer with Grandpa and Daddy. He came inside a bit of a sweaty mess!
Griffin picked out a fitting batman Father’s Day card and a bag of Reese cups because he says “his favorite dessert is Reese cups!” as we were walking through Target. He also wanted to get him a shirt and “shoits”, which he learned to pronounce shorts as shoits from Grandpa Beilstein. 
On Father’s Day we were home since we’d been to Enon on Saturday and Dad was out of town on a hosta trip. Chad Ackerman hosted a cookout at his place so we enjoyed a long dinner with good friends. The Howard’s gave Finn and Reid some awesome OU apparel and Chad and Nicole gave Finn and Reid some great OSU apparel and gear (baseball/bat/chair for Finn!) so it was a cute rivalry of the OU-OSU that we regularly have in our house already! The baseball and bat were used the entire night by all the kids playing together. 
And here are a few from this week of Finn’s adventure to Library park to play baseball with Debbie. He’s got a great swing! They also found a baby bird in our backyard and made colorful glitter slime this week. 
Here’s a throwback to a Clippers game in 2014 that we went to for Father’s Day. Look at how little Finn is and that long blonde hair! 