Blake ~ Month S.E.V.E.N

Blakey/ Blake/ Bubba,

As I am writing this, we are trying to be "strong" parents by getting you to be a weee bit more independent...that being said you are up in your crib raising hell because you're not ready for bed. As I told your daddy...I think we've created a monster :) Since you're at Miss Tobie's all day every day except the weekends, we LOVE cuddling with you when you're sleepy...but NOW you won't go to bed on your own! Tough love I tell ya...it brings tears to my eyes to hear you cry...and your dad, he also has a hard time just letting you cry. No one wants to see bubba sad!!

This is how you like to sleep in our room...just like Daddy :)

This month you've grown like a weed! You are eating more and more "real" food...you're facial expressions are the best! Every texture and food is different, but one thing you REALLY loved was Grandma's pumpkin pie from your first Thanksgiving :) You cried when there wasn't anymore left HA!

Your cousin Macie...she LOVED holding you :)

Not only are you crawling everywhere...still mainly to Wendy's dog bowls... but you are now pulling yourself up! I even remember the conversation with your daddy. It went something like:




me - he's going to pull himself right out of that crib with how strong he is!
Daddy - I know... we need to lower the crib
me - lets do that tonight before he goes to bed...

Well needless to say that didn't happen and where did mommy find you in the morning?!?!! Behind the door! You got RIGHT out of there (I try not to think of exactly how you managed to do it)! So needless to say, the VERY next day your crib was lowered and well you haven't been able to get out just yet... its only a matter of time :)  HERE is the video of you first learning to stand up in your crib.

First we found out what the drawers do...

Then we found out how to climb on them...

Then we found out how to stand and look in the toy bin!

Then we stood in the crib!

Then we get up at the table ALL by ourself!

You're crawling everywhere, so we've had to make a "baby jail" as we call it. Its not quite jail considering EVERY toy you have is in there and you play for quite some time. We're mean parents I know...but you're pretty cute when you peak over the edge of the baby jail :)

You had your very first Halloween!! You were just the CUTEST little elephant and the Mitchell 3 Ring circus wouldn't have been complete without you :)

Still haven't said many words, although you are VERY alert when Wendy is in the room...you LOVE peek-a-boo! You have 3 whole teeth (2 bottom and 1 on top) and I'm sure there are plenty more coming in based on all that drool! You are getting more and more daring... now when you're standing up you decide to let go! There have already been a couple of bumps and bruises but I'm sure that's just the first of many!

Can't wait for your very first Christmas little man! Love you to pieces!

~Mommy & Daddy!

We've Been Busy!

As some/most know... we are officially crazy and are expecting our second little one already :) Little Mitch is due March 12th, which seems to be going by pretty quickly! Just wanted to give everyone an update that we've found out we're having ANOTHER little boy!! Its just crazy to think I'm going to be outnumbered. Dustin even feels bad and considered trying for a third someday haha... we'll see how bad these two take us through the ringer first.

Lil Mitch has been given a name! Brody Jack Mitchell. This name is just as important to us as mr. Blake, but this time it pays tribute to my late grandfather Floyd "Jack" Hall. This was my dad's dad and really the only grandfather I had growing up. So it was easy for us to pick a role model for Lil' Mitch's name. Brody doesn't have any significance within our family directly, but D and I just really liked the name...AND it just so happened to work out that Brody is also 5 letters just like BLAKE! It is ALSO another B name and well both sides of our family have ALL "B" name grandchildren so that is kind of fun!

Since we have been so busy watching Blake scoot, crawl, and roll just about everywhere now, we haven't done as much planning as we did with Blake. For right now we're just planning to baby proof the house before Blake shows us exactly WHAT needs baby proofing :) The good news is, it is another boy and well we already have most things! I'm anxious to start planning for ANOTHER nursery...still hard to imagine and think about! But I have some ideas up my sleeve and well since having Blake and it still so fresh in my mind, there are definitely some things I'd do differently in Brody's room. Stay tuned to find out :)

Look forward to keeping you all updated on our craziness!

~Rachel

WAYYYY Over Due - Blake 5 & 6 Months

Blakey, Bubba, Buddy, B,

Your mom sucks...plain and simple :) Although I have a very good excuse for it all, but that is besides the point.

Watching the Hokies win!

Little Monster!

Cruisin at the grocery store... I like the way you ride!

Speaking of plain and simple...you are just simply getting WAY too big right in front of our eyes! I have to take a look back through all the pictures just to remember all of the things you have done in 1/3 of your life!!

Just in these 2 short months you have done so many new things! As of lately your newest thing is crawling!! But of course...first it was getting on all fours... and before we knew it you were OFF!! You love to chase Wendy and mostly her toy. I think we might start just buying you dog toys?? haha You've got the army crawl mastered and are working on actually crawling on all fours! SO exciting...yet SO scary for us :) That means we have to CONSTANTLY be on the look out everywhere you are, even though you manage to always catch us off guard at some point HA! You haven't said any words just yet...but lately its lots of "Eeee's & Oohhhs". I keep trying to get you to say Mamma first...but you just smile and think we're talking your language when Daddy and I say "mamma...daddddaadadada...mamamammaa"

This is what you think of your swing nowadays...

Howdy! 

Here are a list of all of the firsts you had this month...SO SO many!

* You began REALLY using your tongue and for a while...that is ALL that would stick out. It just makes us laugh seeing you with your little tongue hangin out!

Just like Daddy!

*You met your Great Grandma Tounget for the very first time and traveled to yet ANOTHER new state...IOWA! The great sea of corn :) You really touched her heart and she LOVED having a new little baby around... she secretly told you and us that you were her favorite. So sweet!

*While in Iowa...you had your first time playing at the playground! You went in the swing by yourself AND you went down the slide with your cousin Brinlee. You LOVED it and kept giggling!



*Since your tongue had been getting such a workout, we started you on your FIRST solid food...rice cereal and formula...YUMMM (not)! You weren't crazy about it, but with the help of Miss Tobie (daycare) you were scarfing it down in no time! You also started holding your own bottle, although most days you're still pretty lazy :)

*Not really a first.. but you went on your LAST camping trip of the season...can you believe in the 6 short months you've been alive you have already been camping 4 times?! The last trip was to Glenwood Springs and THAT is where your firsts are... you had your first trip to Glenwood... then your first trip to the hot springs! You LOVED it!
 
 
                                   

*Grandma & Peepaw got you your first exersaucer/jumper! You can jump in this thing for almost 20 minutes at a time! I guess you're really getting your workouts in! Check out the video HERE

*You met your aunt Lisa (not related, but might as well be) for the FIRST time! We have been best friends since we were a little older than you. She LOVED meeting you!

*You started to get on all fours and we would find you in your crib like that first thing in the morning. Such a fun sight to see :) See the video HERE

*You THEN started to sit up! You can't quite do it on your own just yet, but you are definitely getting the balancing act down!

*Mom and Dad FINALLY got smart and got you your FIRST high chair! You would hate not being at the table with us when we eat, and now you just hang out and play while we eat at the table. SO much better for us and you!  You just sat in your first high chair at a restaraunt too!            

*You saw your FIRST snow! It wasn't very much, but needless to say you caught your parents off guard again and we had to run to the store to get you winter clothes :)

*You really started to laugh these last 2 months...I mean BELLY laugh! It brings nothing but a huge smile to my face every time I hear it and it couldn't possibly ever get old!

*You had your VERY first haircut at Jack & Jill Salon... such a handsome boy!
Before...
After.... 

*You had your first Halloween & first Halloween party! You probably were wondering what the heck was going on with everyone not looking like themselves. You dressed up as an elephant and part of the Mitchell 3 Ring Circus. You were quite the hit at the party.

*Finally, you had one of the biggest first and well most likely lasts of your life! You found out you were having a baby BROTHER!! Mom can't believe it's another boy and is a bit scared of being outnumbered, but I know that you two will be best friends and of course your Daddy is thrilled!

Whew! That was a LOT to go over in these last two months...I PROMISE to do a better job of keeping your little history book of Blake updated in a more timely fashion :) Needless to say it has been HARD and TIRING taking care of such a cute but MOBILE little bubba AND being pregnant! Like I said...no excuses :)

 

Wouldn't be right without the spit up in the picture :)

Love you to the moon and back B!
~Mamma & Daddy!