Troy is four whole months old and that is just wild! This month he has really started sitting up with minimal assistance and it just blows my mind that four whole months have passed since this kiddo entered our lives. I mean, I honestly didn't think that he was growing up that quickly, but realizing that four months have slipped by might cause a mental breakdown! 

He has a generous laugh, is quick to give anyone a smile, and his smooches are like Christmas gifts year-around. His hair is coming in and it is a beautiful white blonde. It is silky, semi-long peach fuzz basically and so soft! This little Santa suit was a gift from Grandma Sharon and I think Troy has worn it about 3 times a week because he is just so dang cute in it!

Troy is starting to discover puree'd foods. He still nurses like it is an emergency every time, but now he will also try out different foods. Surprisingly, he really loves squash puree, which tells me he will make questionable choices later on in life. I also forgot how much I hate baby poop when they start eating real foods. He is in 6 month clothes, wearing size 3 diapers, and still as jiggly as ever. His pediatrician, when I was getting Troy undressed to be weighed, said, "Holy rolls!" which this feisty little guy takes as a compliment. 

My sweet little guy is still a deep sleeper, a deep eater, and a deep lover. He brings so much joy into our lives. He is down for whatever and I feel absolutely confident to take him out and about in the world and know that we are okay. This baby can fall asleep anywhere and that is a blessing I wish I had. 

Troy has started the extreme drool phase of his life, so that is fun. Kisses are now slobbery mouth attacks. If he were a pokemon, he would be water-type for sure. A fat, watery pokemon that would disable you with his cuteness. 

At least, that's what he does to us.  

Click here to see Troy's 3 month photos in all his chunky goodness!

Zane received these pictures from Grandma Della for Christmas and he is OBSESSED with them. He loves Lego Batman and these cape/mask sets are just too much for his little two-year-old heart to take! He wears them constantly and so do I. We can't do anything unless we are wearing a cape, ladies and gentlemen.

Speaking of Christmas, Zane was SO excited anytime he saw a Santa Claus. We were at the store once and Zane got this look of shock and awe. When I asked him what was wrong, he pointed at the tiniest little Santa figurine up on a shelf and gasped, "There's Santa!!!" He's definitely caught on this year that Santa will be bringing him presents, which is fun. We actually feel inspired to get really creative for gifts this year and get him things that he will love and enjoy. 

Zane likes to pretend that he is going to work. When asked where he works, he says he is Batman, and then rushes off to work. He will then return from work only to suddenly rush back to work. Sometimes when he is "working" he will tell me he is in his classroom, which is adorable because that is where I tell him I am at when I go to work. 

Z has reached a new level of independence. He no longer needs help going to the bathroom or getting himself snacks apparently. His catchphrase right now (other than "I'm Batman") is, "I want to do it by myself!" At first that was really exciting, but now it means that I have to exercise my patience in ways I never knew were possible. Do you know how nerve wrecking it is to watch your two-year-old get themselves water from the fridge?!

This month, Zane has been very sweet and excitable about Christmas. He loves to see all of the Christmas lights around town. Any tree that has lights is a Christmas Tree. Any house that has lights is a Christmas house. He loves our Christmas tree and will tell us all of the time that it is beautiful. 

Zane loves the song Jingle Bells, and likes to say jingle bells over and over again until it is mind numbing. He loves watching all of the Christmas movies on Netflix and he especially likes to sneak presents from under the Christmas tree and try opening them without me noticing. Once, I looked over and Zane was lying near the tree with his blanket over him. When I pretended to "look" for him, he shouted, "No mommy! Don't find me!" so I knew something was going down. I pulled the blanket off of him, and there he was, with three or four unwrapped little trinkets from Grandma Sharon. He's a little minx. 

He is still tall as ever and trying to pass in 2T clothes, which makes him look semi-homeless, semi-hipster. We're figuring our crazy lives out one pair of 2T pants at a time, apparently. 

To see Zane's November pictures, follow this link!

Troy boy is 3 months old and still eating like a champion! He is the happiest baby and everyone tells us they can't believe how easy-going he is. He handles Zane's antics with patience that we can only hope lasts for many, many years to come. He is a patient, yet vigorous eater, and he loves to snuggle! 

T-Roy is everything we could have asked for in a second child. He has such a sweet temperament that makes him so scrumptious! The rolls are still coming on, which makes him a chunky, scrumptious baby - everyone's favorite kind of baby. Those cheeks make you simply want to gobble him up they are so chubby. He thighs are like a pillsbury doughboy ad. And he has the cutest, puffiest little belly that just begs to be smooched. 

I adore this age where he is starting to discover things and gain his little personality. He cackles at Mitch and Zane and he smiles at me when I get home from work. He loves to have a visual on what is going on and does not like to be left out. He likes sitting in his swing as long as he can still see everyone and what they are doing. My favorite thing that Troy does is when he takes a bath, he kicks his little feet like crazy. He ADORES baths!

This chunky boy is constantly smiling and laughing. He has truly been an answer to my prayers as I decided to go back to work. He is a good sleeper, very patient with my downfalls, and gives me the biggest gummy smiles when I get home from work. He loves to co-sleep, and he actually sleeps! If every baby were like Troy, this world seriously would have a population problem.

I love him, I love him, I love him!

To see Troy's photos from last month, click here! 

Z has been such a champ about being a big brother and he genuinely loves Troy. What he does not love is sharing. It is as if we are destroying a horcrux he has placed in that one, very specific, yellow lego block when we give it over to Troy. He is fine sharing food, sharing germs, all of that good stuff mothers love being passed to an infant, but the legos are a no-go. He is like me after all!

One of Zane's proudest moments this past month has been building with his legos. He loves to build and it has been so cool to see a little bit into his brain when he tells us what he is making. Sometimes it's a house, or a snake, or a gun. Other times he has made us a delicious lego meal. /but every time he plays with his legos he comes up with something to build. Lately he has been obsessed with the LEGO movie, so we hear about Emmett often. In fact, he named one of his legos Emmet! 

Zane is a warrior for justice and hates to see anyone's feelings hurt (unless it is Troy in the above-mentioned lego scenario). If Mitch and I are teasing each other, Zane will quickly quip in and tell either of us to be nice to one another. If we are eating something tasty, he wants Troy to be able to join in. He wants everyone to "make good choices" and be kind. He does not like angry tones of voices or mean looks.

Another fate Zane has had to accept is the home-made haircut. Zane is always up for an adventure and to him, a haircut is some magical, mysterious thing. So one day he kept begging me for a haircut so I finally gave it to him. He was not a terrible fan, but I'm pretty proud for literally grabbing scissors and going to town on a two-year-old. 

And the last fate Zane has had to accept is no longer getting treats every time he goes potty, which he is handling well. He has had some accidents, but is mostly potty-trained. It has been so nice to see him get up from playing and get himself on the toilet. It is like a quick little pat on my tired mama back each time. 

This little guy is seriously the sweetest and we are so lucky to have him! 

Zane is still obsessed with pumpkin patches and asks us to go constantly. Click here to see the pictures from last month where this pumpkin-inspired love started!

Zman is continuing to grow and develop like crazy. I'm shocked at how articulate he can be. When he doesn't want to do something he will say, "Maybe later." When he is trying to get his way, he will take what you've said and twist it on you, adding an "actually" in there. For example, if I say, "No more juice!" he will quip right back, "Actually yes more juice!" Or he will tell me what to say. "Say more juice, actually!" When I call him sweetheart or dear, he will say, "I'm not sweetheart. I'm just Zane."

He is feisty and rambunctious as he ever was, but now he is also getting smarter and more clever. The things this boy comes up with to be sneaky amazes me. He will hide in his blanket with something hidden that he shouldn't have and when we ask what he is doing, he will tell us, "Just snugglin'..." or "Give me space!!!" 

Zane loves Troy and loves to help Troy play with toys. He will shove toy cars down Troy's pj's, try and make Troy grasp different action figures, and when Troy is non-compliant, Zane will just play with the toys on Troy. Apparently a two-month old makes a great tabletop. 

My favorite thing that Zane has been doing is assigning himself "favorites". He has a favorite color and favorite songs and favorite foods. When a song he loves comes on, he will shout, "It's my favorite!" When we ask if he wants to take baths, he will tell me he needs to get his favorite toys. When we put on his clothes, certain items are his favorite. His favorite songs are "Sound of Silence" by Disturbed, "Take it all Back" by Judah and the Lion, and "Everything is Awesome" from the LEGO movie. His favorite movies are Minions, the LEGO Movie, and the live-action Jungle Book. Zmoney adores watching TV, which is funny because he never used to care about what was on the screen. 

Potty training is successfully complete, except for when it isn't and then Zane gets very frustrated too. His accidents are far and few between but they mostly happen when we, the parents, are too distracted to get him to where he needs to be and remind him that his toys will wait for him to get back. He loves his Spiderman underwear best and if he is ever crying, I can ask him what kind of underwear he has on and he cheers right up. Who knew undies could make somebody so happy?! Me,.I did. I knew. Because now I don't have to change two diapered bums. 

I love watching this kiddo grow. He is so smart and thoughtful, and gosh darn adorable. He is expressing himself better than ever, and I love hearing little glimpses of what is going on in that giant blonde head of his. 

Take a look at my "Just Zane" last month!

Here are a few pictures from our same pumpkin patch adventure, which Zane was OBSESSED with. He thought every part of it was spectacular and amazing. We had to pry him out of the corn kernel pit. And then threaten him to get back in the car. And then almost beat him to get him back in the car. And then we didn't because he realized that we had a pumpkin inside of the car, so all was well. 

Zane has also started winking and walking backwards, sometimes at the same time even, but he will say, "Look at me closing my one eye." "I'm closing my one eye mama!" rather than just tell us he is winking. If we ask if he is winking, he gets very offended, for this is obviously just him closing his one eye. 

Troy boy and I held a tarantula. I'm not afraid of spiders, so this was actually pretty cool. It felt like q-tips were resting on your hands, the tarantula was weightless. Very soft and docile. My inner dreams of being a Hogwarts professor were quite satisfied that day. 

Troy is two months old and the sweetest little thing. He is so quiet and peaceful that I check constantly to make sure he is still breathing. It is crazy, I know it is, but he seriously is so content when he sleeps that I check him constantly. I was never this paranoid with Zane, mostly because he was still dealing with his tongue tie and constantly hungry.

Troyster loves laying on his stomach. He has started getting his social smile and it has been so sweet to hear Zane say, "Baby Troy likes me. He is smiling at me." Troy follows the sounds of our voices and his sight has finally developed enough where he watches us move. The other day we tied a balloon to his foot and he was mesmerized watching it bob up and down as he kicked his feet. 

Fatylumpkin is famished all of the time, or so he thinks. He is constantly eating when he gets the chance - those chins aren't going anywhere anytime soon. Neither are the delicious little leg rolls he has going on his thighs. Changing him is like going on a long adventure with a wipe in tow. You have to get all of the little nooks and crannies, cause this guy's got loads of them. His belly could rival the well-developed beer keg of a newly retired man. 

Troy is also so snuggly and warm all of the time. He is quickly stealing hearts of everyone around him. He is making the ladies baby hungry left and right.

My favorite thing about Troy at this age is seeing him smile in his sleep and whispering to him while he just stares intently in my eyes. It is a good morning when I wake up and Troy is looking right at me, ready for my whispery morning breath. I can't get enough of this sweet little boy and his silky hair, deep blue eyes, and giant paw hands. 

He is sweetness through and through. Even when he poops and pees on me, sweetness. 

To see Troy's first month pictures, come right on over here!

No one enjoys asking how old your child is and hearing you say, "26 months!" At least, I don't... I'm all for hearing, "Oh, he's two." So I've decided now that Zaney-Baby is two years old, I'll still do monthly pictures, but they will instead be "September 2017" pictures rather than a specific "age" month. I mean, can I really keep track once he is like 93 months if I can't even keep 26 months straight???

Zane is loving life and a really excellent big brother. He gets to do all of his favorite things, now with a side kick! He likes to put toys in Troy's hands, as if he is playing along. He also likes giving Troy kisses and sharing his blanket with him. 

Zane is seriously talking like full on paragraphs. It is incredible to hear how his little mind works. His imagination is also incredible and it is so interesting to hear his perspective on things. Zane can count to 5 (sometimes), knows his colors, animal sounds, and we are working on shapes and the alphabet. He is still taller than tall, skinny and trim, and wearing big boy panties almost all day now (except for when we go to the store or somewhere we know he will forget to go to the bathroom if he is overwhelmed). He has some accidents, but they are far and few between. 

Zane loves superheroes lately and his special favorites are Spiderman and Captain America. I don't care for Captain America though, so his love will be short-lived. The funny thing is Zane has never seen a superhero movie or show. He is simply basing his love off of toys we find at the D.I. or toys we have been given. I'm pretty sure he stole that Spiderman toy he has from his uncle, Henry, but who knows at this point. 

Zane does not like his clothes being dirty and has learned how to take them off even if there is a small drop of water on them. He also does not like "boogies" so he will pick his nose and wipe the boogies off on your hand if he can reach it. He's a real charmer. 

Zane loves to be a rascal and every day he asks to go to the park. He would live there if he could. I think the biggest accomplishment Zane has made recently is how articulate he is. He easily expresses himself and is constantly talking. The other day I winked at him and he said, "Mama, don't wink at me. I don't like your face when you wink. It looks mean." So, I've got that going for me.

Enjoy these pictures of Zane, who happened to spill some milk on himself at breakfast and now refuses to wear clothes. We choose our battles, and seeing his little buns in undies is not one of them. 

To see Zane's pictures from last month, head on over here!

Troy is one month old already and my little mama heart can't take it! He is the sweetest baby, and I feel so blessed to have him in our family. Troy has been the sweetness we've been missing and we didn't even know it until he was here!

Troy is a mama's boy (about flippin' time I got one of those!) and he loves being snuggled and held. We will see if he is still a mama's boy when he gets a little more responsive. It will only be a shot at my self-confidence, but I guess I can handle having both of my boys love their daddy irrevocably.

Troyster has put on the weight. My little one month old is already in three month clothing. Mitch is listening to The Fellowship of the Ring and there is a character who owns a horse named "Fattylumpkin" so Mitch has started lovingly referring to Troy as "Fattylumpkin" because he is just so darn round and chunky and lovable. A side note, Fattylumpkin in the book is a very intelligent horse, so we aren't 100% terrible people.

This month, Troy has mastered eating (obviously, given his new nickname), has already started sleeping several hours a night before waking up to do his favorite activity (eating), and is starting to mimic facial expressions regularly. He looks for us when we speak, he engages eye contact with us when we are close, and he has started to grab onto everything that he can. He likes his pacifier okay, but what he really prefers is to just be held. He doesn't care for our Mama Roo swing because of his main (and possibly only) love language, physical touch. That boy wants to be snuggled 24/7!

Much to Mitch's dismay, Troy loves to co-sleep. He starts off in his bassinet but try as I might, this workin' mama needs every second of snuggles I can get, so he usually ends up snuggling with me for the rest of the night after his first feeding. With Zane, I waited until Mitch left for work to sneak him into bed and co-sleep. Troy is just much more demanding. He prefers sleeping on his side or stomach as well, so I feel a little safer knowing he is right next to me than in his bassinet. 

My sweet Baby Troy is so loved by everyone in our family, especially Zane. He is always quick to get Troy a pacifier or a blanket, and I can tell already Troy is going to dote on his older brother. Also, what they say about you losing some of your fears and precautions with the second child is partially true: now my only fear is that Zane is going to smother Troy while giving him a classic "Zane-neck-choking-full-bodied-hug". Super sweet when he gives these to adults. Terrifying when he tries to give them to Troy. 

Troy has the most beautiful lips, the longest, meatiest fingers, and his toes could play Mozart on the piano. His eyes are deep blue right now, and his hair is thicker than it seems - he is just too blonde to tell in pictures. He is absolute sweetness through and through.