Beckett is 3 months old!

The only benefit of having to pump is that it forces me to sit down and catch up on pictures and blogging!  I finally catch up and then Beckett turns 3 months old!  Time really is flying by with this sweet boy.  We have been in a really good routine the past month.  He takes one last bottle around 10:30 pm and usually sleeps until 7 am and sometimes a little later.  One morning he slept past 8!  He is staying awake for about 1 1/2 hours after he eats and then taking an 1 1/2 nap.  

During his awake time he really loves laying on his mat and looking up at the cow mirror and owls.  He also likes his swing and mobile in his crib.  But I'm sure his favorite is when he gets held or when Hayden makes funny faces at him.  He really smiles big when we play with him.  That's the hardest thing with the 3rd...MAKING time to engage with him instead of letting him hang out on his own.  There is always so much to do, but I am trying to soak up these baby snuggles because they won't last long!

Beckett still really struggles keeping a pacifier in his mouth and sucking it.  I have tried about 3 other brands and he gags and refuses to suck them.  I really hope I don't have another picky eater with "texture" problems!!!  

He is also chewing on his knuckles a lot.  He often breaks out of the swaddle blankets and has his  fists in his mouth when I find him.  

He still sleeps well in his car seat which is convenient since we are on the go a lot. 

Hayden and Reid's eyes had both turned blue by now, so I think this kids eyes are staying dark.  I have mixed feelings about this.  I love the blue eyes on my other two kids, but it will be nice to have someone look a little like me!

Sometimes I think he looks like me because of the darker eyes, and then I see this picture and only see Paul!

knuckle chewer!

 I started trying to get some 3 month pictures, but then I realized I just took a lot on his blessing day which is basically 3 months and called it good!

tummy time

Reid sure loves, "the baby" he still refuses to call him "Beckett" but every now and then I hear him slip!

Beckett's Baby Blessing and Valentine's Day

We finally got around to blessing Beckett!  He is almost 3 months old.  It just so happened to fall on Valentine's Day which is pretty fun, I will always be able to remember when we blessed him.

We didn't have any family in town since they had all just come to help after his birth, but we still had a good day.  Our friends in a different ward the McCrary's came and of course the Housers were there.  In the circle we had Josh McCrary, Zach Houser, Bishop Lau, and the 1st counselor Brother Fuller, Brother Skeem and Brother Waterson from the bishopric as well.  Paul did a wonderful job as always.  Afterwards all the men in the circle told me that Beckett just looked up at Paul throughout the blessing and smiled the whole time.  Yep, sounds like my Beckett!  I was a little worried that he would cry because he was sound asleep in his car seat and I pulled him out seconds before the blessing.  But he did great!  Here is Paul's blessing:

Our Father in Heaven, in the name of Jesus Christ and by the power of the Holy Melchizedek Priesthood which we hold, we take this infant in our arms to give him a name and a blessing.  The name by which he shall by known on the records of the church and throughout his time here on earth is Beckett William Pratt. 

Beckett, at this time we give you a blessing.  We bless you that you will have many opportunities to grow and develop talents that will allow you to serve your Heavenly Father and your fellow men.  We bless you with the gift of testimony and the gift to believe on the words of others.  We bless you that you will come to know your Savior, Jesus Christ, through your study of the gospel and your service towards your fellow men. 

We bless you that you will have a burning desire to serve a mission and take the love of our Savior to others.  We bless you that when the time is right you will be able to enter the temple with someone who is worthy of you to be sealed for time and all eternity.  Beckett, we bless you that through your honoring of your covenants you will be an example to your brother and sister and your parents and to all that know you. 

We bless you that your body and mind might be strong, and that you will have a desire and aptitude to learn the knowledge of this world and use it to help others.  We bless you that your physical abilities will open up doors for you to improve the lives of others.  Beckett, we bless you that you will have the gift of discernment to choose good friends and by so doing and using all your talents you will be able to identify the broken hearts and the people who are in need of assistance.  We bless you that through your talents and influence you’ll know what to do and what to say to remove their burdens and draw them closer to their Savior. 

We bless you, Beckett, with the love of our family and of our Heavenly Father.  We give you these blessings, and all others that our Heavenly Father sees that you need at this time, and do so in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

11 year old Mia took this picture during sacrament meeting and it is one of my new favorites!  Those eyes!!!

 I managed to take some pictures after church, there was no way I had time to take them before church getting everyone ready on my own by 9 am!

 Reid again didn't want his picture taken, to his defense he was tired and ready for a nap!

That afternoon we opened some small Valentine Gifts and got ready for the Housers to come over for dinner.  It was a good day!

 This year we started a new tradition and put a heart on their bedroom doors each night and told them something we love about them.  It was fun and definitely something we will do again!

We got Hayden her very own alarm clock that crows like a rooster!

The train obsession continues!

Beckett's first Valentine's 

Reid's first buzz cut

Reid's calic has been making the back of his hair go crazy lately.  It seemed like each day I never got around to brushing his hair and making it look nice, so I finally gave into Paul's requests and we buzzed Reid's head on January 23rd.  Paul has wanted to buzz his head since the day he was born, so he was pretty excited that the day had finally come.

Reid did NOT appreciate the hair cut and cried through most of it saying, "all done" over and over again.  He can't stand the hair that falls on him and he only makes it worse by crying and wiping his nose with the hair that falls on his hands.

Reid also no longer wants his picture taken most days.  He is very much in the "no" phase of life, it kills me! I caught him checking himself out in the mirror, but he was not happy when he saw me snapping picture.

He grew up instantly with this hair cut and he seems so big to me now.  Watching him play with Hayden, talk, and being independent is crazy.  I swear he was just my baby a few days ago!

Beckett At 2 Months

This little guy has been my best sleeper!  He was sleeping 7 hour stretches for quite awhile and then right at about 2 months starting going to 8 hours and sometimes 8 1/2 hours.  It is not hard at all to make him smile.  He is one happy baby.

The shadows are horrible in this picture, but Beckett loves this mat just like Reid did.  His favorites include the cow mirror and the owl, he will smile and talk to them the whole time he lays there.  

This little guy sleeps great at night but for a long time slept much better in the swing during the day.  This is how he looks sleeping in the swing.  He cannot keep a pacifier in to save his life so we use the hat to help him keep it in!

Beckett likes baths okay.  He is happy if the temperature is perfect but then he screams bloody murder from the second I get him out until he is fully clothed again. This is one of my favorite pictures of Beckett.  Look at that cute face!

So easy to catch this guy smiling!

He is growing much better now that he is getting enough breastmilk through bottles.  These were his stats at his 2 month check-up:

12 lbs 15 oz (63%)

24 inches (87%)

16 inches head circumference (88%) my smallest headed child!!!

34!

How am I 34 years old?!?!  My birthday was made very special by friends and family both near and far.  It always makes me feel special and valued when I get phone calls, texts, Facebook messages, cards, etc.  The biggest shocker came when I woke up around 4 or 5 am to feed Beckett and realized Paul had driven over 10 hours round trip from Iowa to make it back for my birthday!  I was too tired to go down to the basement to scare the crap out of him like he did me!  I seriously thought someone had broken into our home when I saw a note taped to the fridge and a movie in the ice dispenser.  When I woke up again to get Hayden off to school, Paul came up and it was such a great surprise.  I was feeling sad that he wouldn't be home until late on my birthday. He made me a delicious egg breakfast and delicious bread. 

 My friends Amie Houser and Cathy Borders took me and my kiddos to lunch at Panera bread, I had visitors drop by with special treats and then at night Paul and the kids took me to Pitch Pizzeria, a new nice restaurant close to our house.  It was overall a great day.  Paul got me a new camera lens and camera classes that I am going to go to in April hopefully!  I really am a lucky girl to be surrounded by so many wonderful people!

We were going to watch the movie Paul got me, but we both fell asleep around 8 while we were putting the kids to bed!  Next year we'll have a party a little harder!

Aunt Michelle Comes To Visit

I was only on my own for a few weeks after the holidays and then my sister Michelle flew in for a few days and it was so great to have her here.  Michelle was great, she cooked, cleaned and gave me much needed company!!!!  We also celebrated my birthday a few days early and she took me out to lunch at one of my favorite places: Over Easy.

My cute nephew Theo, it's crazy to me that Beckett will be this big in a few more months!

Aunt Michelle and baby Beckett getting to know each other

Only 4 months separates these two!  I hope they can be best of buds when we get together with the Oldhams.

Reid immediately warms up to all men, but women take some time, I'd say by the look on his face that Michelle found a way into his heart by the end of her time here!

I had a sad few days after Michelle left.  She is a wonderful sister to me and knowing that all my visitors had come and gone and I was really on my own now.  I am so lucky that I had so much help and support after Beckett's birth.  That is one positive thing about having a baby close to the holidays, Paul had lots of time off.  I don't know how I would have survived without all the help I received.  

New Years Celebration

We decided to keep the Durham Museum tradition going and took the kids to the twelve noon countdown.  Reid was in heaven because it is a train museum and he is obsessed with trains!  We decorated hats and sparklers, got a party bag, and explored the museum until the countdown began at noon.  Reid was so young last year that he didn't really understand, it was so fun to see him so excited this year as the balloons dropped from the ceiling and the museum went crazy!

Reid throwing a tantrum because he wanted to see the trains and NOT stop to take pictures

Out to lunch to celebrate New Years Eve

That night we went to our friends the Borders home and celebrated with yummy food, games, and good company.  We made it to almost 11 pm I think, had a countdown for the kids and called it a night!

2015 was a rough year since I was pregnant and nauseous the ENTIRE time!  I'm excited for a fresh new year with my cute family.