Camping and 4-wheeling

We love camping! We had our first trip out this year a few weeks ago. We just went for one night to start the year off. We went with some neighbors, Aaron and Star, and their 5 year old girl and 3 year old boy to a place about an hour south. We had a BLAST!!!! We took our 4-wheeler and they brought 2 adult ones and a little bitty kid one.

The day before we left we had to get Isabelle a sleeping bag and us a new tent. Mike's tent of 19 years died last summer. As he was duct-taping us in, me 5 1/2 months pregnant, he said, "Hope you don't have to go to the bathroom tonight" HA! Anyway, that was the last trip for that tent. When we were getting a new tent, it rang up as only 15 BUCKS!!!! We told the guy that was wrong but he gave it to us for $15 anyway. We really like our new cheap tent!

What's better than hot dogs, cheetos, s'more's and a camp fire? Not much! Isabelle loved every second. Jake did pretty good. We got there just as the sun was going down, so he kept going off to explore and with him being black, we couldn't see him even when he was there. The next day after running after the 4-wheelers he didn't wander once. We learned our lesson: Run him as soon as we get to camp so he's too tired to explore.

By time we got the tent set up and pack and play up, Michael was done. He put himself to sleep by getting a hold of his beanie to suck on, while waiting for me to get the sleeping bags situated.

It was a cold night. Michael ended up sleeping in the sleeping bag with me snuggled purely because I was sure he was cold despite his 3 layers of clothes. At some point early in the am, Isabelle woke up and Mike didn't care why and told her to get in our sleeping bag too. So from about 4 or 5 in the morning, we all snuggled together in the sleeping bag.

The next morning was 4-wheeling time!!! Isabelle got to drive the little one by herself. It kind of scared her, so Mike made sure to get her on to ride it with him. Then she was asking all day for a ride.

Getting ready to go...

Michael hanging out with his toys. Later in the afternoon he was getting fussy. I put him in the snuggli and took him on a ride. He LOVED it! It settled him right down.

Mike teaching her how to drive it

About to go

"Ride with Daddy!" was what we heard from that point on.

The kids playing around. They have a good time playing together.

These sunglasses crack me up! She refused to put them on the way they are supposed to be on. They had to be upside down. She ate like 4 bowls of Cheetos! Her face was perma-orange for the day. We had a fun time and I'm ready to get some more camping in.

My Mighty Man

Michael is now 5 months old! Where has this time gone? A little post about my cute little man. I started calling him mighty man when he was 2 weeks old and rolling over from tummy to back. His physical milestones continue to be TOO early in my book. He's physically very very strong. He loved to stand in my lap at 7 weeks. He started rolling over back to tummy 1 week before he turned 4 months. He's been sitting unassisted since 4 1/2 months, but still a little wobbly. And also during his 4th month started figuring out the army crawl. This kid is on a mission! He's now 5 months and getting into the crawling stance and concentrating on how to go forward. He can't stand to stay put. He has to always have a toy. Sometimes his hands or feet will suffice, but he much prefers a toy or someone interacting with him. He's so happy to play on the floor for quite a while.

We have figured out he is allergic to milk. After my 3 month post where I said he was being happy, I jinxed myself. He still was crying ALOT! He was still spitting up ALOT, and he was still tiny. He had some of the worst eczema I've ever seen and his whole body felt like a lizard. Thanks to Aveeno, we were able to help a little, but he would still just scratch away. When changing his diaper you have to be fast or else he scratches the heck out of his upper thighs. He also can't EVER be naked or he scratches his chest til it's bleeding. He does LOVE the bath tub and is too busy splashing to scratch. Since I have completely cut milk out of my diet (have I mentioned milk is in EVERYTHING that is delicious?) we have seen a huge improvement in his eczema, crying, sleeping, and overall happiness. He also looks like he might be gaining weight. He's starting to grow out of some of his 0-3 month clothes. He's finally becoming a normal baby.

He loves to be put to bed. He always smiles and makes a funny giggle when I snuggle him to rock him or put him in his bed. I lay him on his back and he immediately flips himself to his tummy and he sings to himself for a minute and out he goes.

He's discovering Jake. And Jake has finally decided Michael isn't going anywhere and has quit being naughty. Jake now hovers over Michael very protectively like he used to with Isabelle as a baby.

He likes to suck on anything BUT a paci. He has figured out how to get ahold of his car seat tent when nothing else is around.

His favorite person is Isabelle. She can make him laugh better than anyone else. His face lights up every time he sees her. She's overly loving most of the time, but apparently he likes that. She has even changed his poopy diaper without making a mess (they were both asleep, or so I thought). We're waiting a few more months before she gets full diaper duty. :)

He's gives out his smiles so freely now that he's not in constant pain! We love our little Mighty Man and his cute, determined personality.