Hi there! I get asked from time to time what Marin's schedule is like. He really doesn't have a strict schedule. Since birth we've went with the laid back approach and kind of let him set his own schedule. Of course we've fine tuned it to meet ours, but more or less, he's in charge. The only thing we've worked on is getting a bed time routine down. It seems to work really well to feed him, give him a bath, and snuggle him (in that order). Works like a charm and he's out for the night. He is a GREAT sleeper. We were really worried when we first brought him home because he never slept at night. Here is how a day with him usually goes.

8 a.m.-Wake up, diaper change, bottle
8-9:30-Playtime, read books, play with toys on the floor on his blanket
9:30-Nap
10:30-Wake up from nap, take a bath (he gets two a day usually)
11:00-Lunch time
(He eats every 3 hours or so and always gets a fresh diaper right before eating)
11:00-4:00-More playing, running errands, more eating, etc., diaper change as necessary
4:00-Nap for about 45 minutes to an hour
5:00 or 5:30-More playing
6:00-Watch us cook or go out to eat
7:30-Start bedtime routine of bottle, bath, pajamas, snuggle/rocking
Usually around 8:30 or 9 p.m. he's out like a light giving Matthew and I a few hours of peace and quiet. He will sleep all night, not waking up till 8 a.m. Sometimes he needs a diaper in the middle of the night, but he sleeps right through it. He just wakes up whining a bit that way you know he wants changed. But, 10 minutes later he's back asleep. He only wakes up because he's too wet once a week or so. Every once in a while he'll get up at 7 or 7:30 a.m. to eat, but most of the time it is 8.

So, not to shabby huh? He's such a good baby and we just love him like crazy!

It is 1:20 p.m. on 7-28-09. Exactly 3 months ago, I had been a mommy for 12 minutes. Marin is growing so fast. He's already grown out of all his 0-3 month clothes and most of his 3 month clothes. His 3-6 month clothes fit perfectly and he's already wearing some 6-12 month shirts.

Matthew and I were talking about how having him with us seems so weird. It seems like he's been here forever and then it seems like time is passing by so quickly as well. That makes no sense to anyone that doesn't have a baby, I know. :)

We just love our little bundle to pieces. He's such a sweet boy and likes nothing better than being held and loved on. I'm sure the day will come all too quickly when he refuses to be seen with us, let alone will let us hug and kiss on him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not lamenting his growing up. I always thought it was bizarre when people mourned the fact that their "baby was growing up too fast". I plan on enjoying him just as he is, at whatever stage he's at, not moping over him not being a "newborn" anymore. Just a fun fact to throw out there: you become an "infant" when you hit the 3 month mark.

Marin is so fun these days. He loves to play with toys and loves it even more when you interact with him and his toys. He enjoys being read to (which his daddy and I are thrilled about). He still shows zero interest in our dog. He is crazy about his bath but hates his car seat. He smiles so much his little face must hurt. ha.ha. He sleeps like a champ, after screaming his head off all night for the first couple months. I guess you could sum it up as "baptism by fire". ha.ha.

Our little trio is just happy. Happy to be together. Happy to be a family.

While I haven't been as diligent as I hoped I would on posting on my blog, I do post from time to time on Marin's blog, so check that out when you get the chance. Matthew does most of Marin's posting and he is good about keeping the blog up to date so there is always something to read over there.

For the past 3 days Marin and I have been home alone. I didn't want to reveal that fact to 100's of total strangers on the internet, so I didn't say anything until now. Matthew is flying home from Dallas, where he has been on a business trip, as we speak. I am soooo glad he's coming back. Taking care of a baby on your own is WAY harder than doing it as a team. I'm used to Matthew taking over after he's done with work for the day and since he's been out of town, there was no taking over. I've been flying solo.

My sweet baby boy must have realized that I couldn't handle his normally rowdy self alone, so he has been excellent while daddy is away. He's been in bed by 8:30 at the latest every night and the earliest he's gotten up is 7. You can't beat that! I'm so happy that his sleeping schedule has gotten worked out because for the first couple months it was really rough. He would scream for hours on end, all night long. Now, he's out like a light. Normally, when Matthew is home, he tries to be a night owl and stay up till midnight sometimes. Not for the past couple nights though, thank goodness. He's napping right now, which is why I have the luxury of posting.

So, what have we been up to while Matthew's been gone? Well, the first day Marin slept till 9 a.m. Then I fed him a bottle and ate breakfast myself. After a bath for him and a shower for me, we hit the town. We did a lot of shopping (mostly window shopping) and I pushed him around Target in his stroller while I drank a frozen Cherry Coke. He did pretty well until around 6 p.m. and then he had a major meltdown in the drive-thru of Chick-Fil-A. I could barely hear the poor girl on the other end of the speaker. We both kept saying, "Huh?" and "Excuse me?" a lot during the ordering process. He threw a fit the entire time I ate my dinner and so I figured maybe he was hungry already and fed him again. That didn't work so I gave him a bath. That was the trick and he was out cold for the night. I actually got to visit with a neighbor for a while after that. She came over and we watched the talented and not so talented folks on America's Got Talent.

Day 2 was rainy and just plain blah. We tried going out for a while, but it was just too wet out. Dragging his stroller, car seat, diaper bag, and him in and out of the car in the pouring rain was too much of a hassle. So, we came home and just vegged out. He was a little crankier on Day 2 than usual, but I think it was because he didn't get as stimulated by being out and about. He has to be on the go and see things. He hates being bored, just sitting around.

On Days 1 & 2, we did a lot of playing too. We read books and played with his rattles, rings, and various other toys. He loves to play and this usually wears him out and he'll nap afterwards. So, now you know why I like to play with him too. ha.ha.

Day 3 came today and Marin was back to his old self. He needs constant attention or all hell breaks loose. He cried while I folded clothes. He cried while I took a shower. He cried while I fed the dog. He just well, cried. The only time he stopped crying was when he was eating, being bathed, being held, or when I vacuumed. Don't get me wrong. He's not a "bad" baby. He just craves interaction with you and loves to be loved on. In other words he's spoiled. ha.ha. Thank goodness Matthew is on his way home. He doesn't know what he's in for!

While we didn't get to see our movie on opening night, Matthew and I did make it to Harry Potter this weekend! Thanks Mimi for coming down to watch Marin, so we could go on our date! For those of you that didn't see the post on Marin's blog, we were looking for a sitter so we could go out Wed. night and we didn't find any takers. So, my mom came down to watch him on Fri. We got to go out to eat by ourselves and then to not one, but two movies! The first movie, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, I would recommend. But, don't watch it unless you've read the first 6 Harry Potter books. The second movie, Bruno, I would not admit up to watching. ha.ha. Matthew and I have watched some pretty crazy movies in our day but this was a little much even for us. We didn't actually end up leaving the theater (2 other couples did) but we kept our eyes shut for half the scenes. Yeah, I'll just leave it at that.

For those of you that have discovered our blog because of the ultra funny M3's blog, we're glad to have you!

Having only had a baby for 2 months, I haven't had the opportunity to screw things up too badly (yet). But, as Matthew says, we've had "consistently declining standards" as the days go by. I thought he was exaggerating, until last night.

I think I was the most ticked off kid in the neighborhood that the fireworks had been postponed because of a freakish rain storm. I'd been sitting around the house all day, waiting to "do something" and that was the something that I wanted to do, go watch the fireworks. We live in a prime location as we can walk to where they shoot off the fireworks in less than 10 minutes. Not having to fight traffic and being close to a bathroom are two top reasons to go see the fireworks when they are shot off in your neighborhood.

We didn't let the rain deter our plans for steaks and a pint of Ben & Jerrys, but that was where the fun ended. Whether it was the thunder and lightening or the idiots who wouldn't let said thunder and lightening deter them from shooting off their roadside stand bought fireworks that kept Marin up till 1 a.m. we'll never know. But, when he finally crashed, so did we. It was my night to watch him (dang it). After only 5 hours sleep, he was up screaming. Nice. I drag myself out of bed to feed and diaper him and it is over an hour before I get him back down.

As I ease him back into his nest, I hear the dog flop her ears. Lexi doesn't bark to get your attention, as barking is strictly prohibited in this house and greyhounds don't bark much anyway; she flops. You know, when a dog is wet and shakes from head to toe to get the water off and the flopping sound that their ears make? Well, Lexi does this to get your attention even when she is dry. This usually means one of two things: I'm hungry or I need to pee. Unfortunately, today it was both. I fixed her food, fed her and sent her out. Instead of getting down to business and using the bathroom, she decides that early morning is the best time to get in a workout and starts running like a crazed fool in the backyard. If I would have been dressed, I would have went outside to pulverize her. But since I was wearing nothing more than a t-shirt and underwear, I was reduced to a hissing yell at her through the barely cracked backdoor. She knew I couldn't come out there and get her, so she just stands there looking at me. "Get your ass in here or I'm coming out there," I threaten. It was only 6 a.m. and I didn't want to wake the neighbors with the sounds of me beating my dog, but she didn't know I wasn't willing to take the risk, so she finally relents and plops down exhausted on her dog bed. And she immediately falls back asleep. Bitch.

I sneak back into our room, hoping against hope that Marin is still asleep. Matthew, who had said he was getting up early to go fly his planes, is out cold, hanging halfway off the bed with his arm extended in the general direction of his alarm clock which went off at 6 a.m. when I was at the backdoor having it out with the dog. It is now 6:30. I figure he has decided to sleep in instead.

I decide to take one more peek at Marin before I get back into bed myself and see that his right shoulder is covered in spit up. So is one corner of his mattress. He on the other hand, is fast asleep. I stand there looking over my vomit encrusted angel with a dilemma running through my head. Should I wake him and risk him not going back to sleep? Or should I enter into the world of bad mothers who let their children sleep in puke?

My pondering must have disturbed Matthew because at 7 a.m. he bolts upright in bed and asked an obvious question, "Did I sleep through my alarm?" Nope, you got up and turned it off. You didn't sleep through it. I was glad that he was awake because now I had someone to ask for advice about the spit up situation. Matthew hesitates for just a second before saying, "Nah, let him sleep." Happy in the fact that our standards were content to decline together, I sank peacefully back into bed.