Thatcher's One Month Update

I almost missed Thatcher's one month update because I was a day behind in my brain, but luckily I realized it was the 29th this afternoon and pulled my life together. We even had his first little photo shoot with his new month blanket. Turns out getting the numbers and his body all in one shot, with him actually looking at the camera was pretty difficult!

Here's our huge, chubby, one month old!

Every month update I've ever written I want to say time has gone by so quickly I can't believe they are .... months old. It still rings true with this one's first month. Time has gone by so fast and it's been a wonderful month. He is a great baby and his brother's are handling everything well so I've been able to enjoy his first month much more than with the other two boys.

There's not much to report the milestone front. He's awake more now and has started making some cute baby coos, gees and goos. He is awake the most on the days that Rowan is at daycare and I'm here by myself with him. He sleeps the best in the middle of the craziness that is our house when we are all home. I guess he got use to that when he was in utero and now it's calming to him. He still hasn't quite mastered holding his head up, but we're getting really close. He has a huge head and to be fair he doesn't get to do tummy time very often because it's terrible unsafe to be in tummy time unattended with his brother running around. He's growing like a weed, already outgrowing his newborn cloths, and needing his car seat straps moved up to the middle notch. I might have cried when both of those things happened. I'm not dealing with his getting, even the slightest bit bigger, very well. Knowing he's my last baby makes every tiny bit of growing up so much harder.

Now for picture overload of the highlights from this month. My apologies in advance, I just could not choose through all the cuteness. You could argue I might take too many pictures of this kid. His face is changing and I think he's looking more like baby Rowan everyday.

First big event of this month, being born!!! What a great day.

Then we came home to his two very excited big brothers. These two could not love their baby brother anymore.

Dress up time with big brother happens everyday, but I'm pretty sure this picture is my favorite from this month!

 At about 10 days old little man had his newborn pictures taken. They are all amazingly adorable but the ones with all three boys are my favorite. Honestly all the boys newborn pictures look so much alike it's crazy. Here's little Thatch in his bow tie!!!

 Family of five

 Thatcher had quite a few firsts this month. First time to vote happened on day six.

 First Easter at about two weeks old.

There has been lots of baby boy thumb sucking, though less in the past few days. I think he might have given up trying to find it. The search was very frustrating and ended up with him punching himself in the face a lot. Maybe once he can control his arms he can try again.

Unlike our other boys Thatcher spent quite a bit of time sleeping in the cradle my dad made for us. He slept in our room for two weeks, which was lovely and I cannot believe we were able to tolerate it. I was never able to sleep, at all, when the other two were in the room. They weren't even as noisy of sleepers as little Thatcher, but I was always so concerned they weren't breathing so I'd go check on them every few minutes. With the third baby I feel noticeably much more calm and confident in all areas of parenting and always felt sure little man was breathing even when he was silent. After Easter though is sleeping, baby noises just got to much to handle.

This week he wore his first tiny little striped overalls. This is a big milestone for all Blakley Grandkids. The cuteness is way too much.

 

This is what most of little man's days looks like. Fast asleep as the world spins around him. He's content to be left alone, when he's awake or asleep. I often set him in his bed, thinking he's about to fall asleep, only to come back thirty minutes later to find him wide awake, making no noise, happy as can be, looking around his room. Being the third child he gets ignored a lot when there are a million other things that need to get done. But it's so wonderful to come back to this sweet little guy to snuggle.

His brother's spend lots of time cuddling, kissing, and hugging him everyday. I thought they might get bored or tired of him after awhile, but remain quite taken with him and check on him frequently.

This is what my day, just him and I, looked like this week. He was awake for most of it, but when he feel asleep briefly I let him stay next to me on the couch while I watched TV and folded clothes. He seems to be awake when Rowan is asleep pretty much everyday so he spends lots of time kicking on the couch while I fold mounds and mounds of clothes. I feel like my laundry has somehow doubled with such a tiny addition to the family.

Ok I'll stop with the pictures! Today we celebrated his one month birthday in classic Oklahoma fashion. I've never had a baby born in Oklahoma, but from what I can gleam you go full cowboy to celebrate milestones here. We went to the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum this morning to see all things cowboy. Then after naps we went to the Oklahoma Kansas Border Bash Rodeo at the Lazy E Arena. I'm sure Thatcher loved both! They were great Oklahoma fun that we got to share with Grammie and Papa who are in town meeting little Thatcher for the first time!!

First rodeo, one month old!!

 So that's the recap. It's been great, he's wonderful, we're head over heals in love. You get the idea! Next month with be the last one of just Rowan and Thatcher here everyday while I'm not working. The summer will definitely make things more difficult and our relaxing days, staring at his little face, might be few and far between. So I'm soaking it up, trying to remember every little thing. I know how quickly this all goes.

Ten on Tuesday

1. Friday morning I magically had gotten up, gotten dressed (NOT in sweat pants), make-up on, kids up, dressed, and ready to go by seven thirty so I could get Zane to school and make it to my doctor's appointment by nine. This was a huge parenting success on any day, but the first with three kids. As I was putting on my shoes I got an email that Zane's school had been cancelled due to multiple power outages in the district. I forgot to mention there was a monsoon outside during this! My heart san at the thought of my next three kid parenting badge, all three kids home, with me, by myself on a rainy day! This proved to be as tough as I had imagined and I am now officially terrified for summer.

This was before the craziness started, look how cute and sweet they look!

2. Saturday the boys attempted their first fishing trip of the season at the pond by our house. Following the huge storm the water was extremely muddy and it was borderline freezing cold outside. They persevered for a little bit, but sadly they left without any fish!

Sweet sweet Thatchy baby didn't make it too long, but he looked adorable in his tiny jacket.

3. During our rained in day we had done ALL of the things by ten thirty. All the puzzles, all the board games, all the card games, made cookies, dance party, you name it, we'd done it. What are we going to do all summer??? Here's Zane with his puzzle, which he was very proud of, and is now asking for more "six year old" puzzles for his bday.

 4. This little boy is getting bigger everyday. He's more alert and awake and is making the cutest little faces. Upon further review I'm thinking his face looks like baby Rowan, but I'm thinking he might have the huge Blakley body like Zane. He officially grew out of his newborn clothes week (cue me crying about no more tiny babies wearing those cute little clothes).

 In good news, Thatcher out growing his newborn clothes meant that Rowan got to go throw all the next size clothes. He picked out this fancy pearl snap fancy shirt for him yesterday! So much cuteness and so so many adorable summer outfits to come. I sure hope Able and Kari have a baby boy someday so I can see these adorable little clothes one more time.

5. One of the last newborn outfits that I found that would still fit Thatcher was this tiny velour jumpsuit. This was what Brendan was wearing the first time I saw his tiny little face ten years ago. I had flown to D.C. to stay for a couple weeks to help Abbey and Brent out, since I didn't know what I was doing with my life at that point. He was a darling baby and I can't believe how many babies have worn this tiny little outfit with a mouse on the zipper. So cute! I told Brendan this lovely memory when he was here Sunday. His response was classic, and I quote "Ok." Classic BW, love him!! 

 6. Sunday afternoon Grandma brought us the wild bunny she had rescued from the mouth of her cat. The kids and the neighborhood boys had a great time checking him out and feeding him lettuce/carrots. The plan had been to let him heal here for a couple days. Monday morning Zane went to check on him and came back to say, "Well the bunny is dead. I swear I didn't kill him." After further Googling turns out wild bunnies always die when they are caged due to stress. So yes we murdered this sweet bunny. Rowan and Mom gave the bunny a proper Christian burial Monday in our back flower beds. Oops......

7. Sunday evening we usually have some sort of family dinner at Abbey or I's house. Not everyone makes it every Sunday, but this past Sunday was a great one. There were babies to cuddles, a pirate ship to play on, hot air balloons on the horizon (for unknown reasons), beautiful weather, a bonfire, smores, catch, and a few injuries to little Rowan (which is par for the course).

 Rowan now considers his baby brother a bit of a security blanket  now days. Every time he is hurt, or in pain, or in trouble he needs to cuddle his sweet sweet thatchy baby! "Where is my baby Thatcher, I love him!"So cute!!

 So many babies to cuddle and so many people who love them. It's adorable!!!!

8. This weeks tball game was fantastic. The wind was still blowing forty miles an hour and it was chilly, but Zane had a great game and loved it. He played short stop the first inning then one of the coaches requested he be moved to pitcher because, "he always knows what is going on." The world is turned upside down these days I swear. He is focused, he was telling the team how many outs they had (yes they get out now), and where the plays were. He even caught a fly ball, much to his surprise, almost turned a double play. He was sooooo excited after the game, it was adorable. I was quite a proud mamma.

 This week Zane had to get a new hat after his last one got filthy and covered in Gatorade. I managed to clean it pretty well, leaving Rowan his very own Lake Monsters hat. He was very excited. Below is Zane playing pitcher.

9. Today Zach was in Washing D.C. with his coworkers receiving the American Council of Engineering Companies National Engineering Excellence Award for their companies work on the huge Boeing building they designed in OKC last year. It was a black tie event and I really wish I could have gone, but way too many boy babies here and at four weeks post partum I wasn't really ready for a black tie event. Here's the man of the hour all dressed up in his fancy clothes. Rowan was very impressed!!! I'm very impressed with my brilliant husband!

10. This evening Maggie and Everett came over to play while their parents were signing on the papers for their new car. Maggie and Zane formed a band, which they names "What's in Your Pants Now." They rapped two songs, one "What's in Your Pants Now" and one entitled "Weather." Spoiler their were various animals and nature in their pants and the weather rap was about all forms of storms and precipitation. They had different outfits for both songs, here is their weather outfit, "fancy like weather men." It was hysterical!!!! Also, hours later, they told me that there was a Phineas and Ferb song called "what's in your pants now" so they didn't come up with that random name by themselves.

Maternity Leave Update

I don't know what day it is currently because I never leave the house. I am not complaining it's amazing, but it does mean I have no idea when it's Tuesday to do my weekly update. So here's an update from the Korenaks. Yesterday Thatcher turned three weeks old and is doing amazing. Three weeks later I was getting a massage while little man was hanging with Grandma. It was lovely and much needed.

This has been by far my easiest postpartum recovery, both physically and emotionally. Thatcher is a fantastic sleeper, he gets up once maybe twice (around 4:30 or 5:30 which counts as morning to me) a night. Not being terribly sleep deprived probably helped my recovery immensely as well as my older children not loosing their minds. Zane was an all out terrorist when Rowan was a baby, losing every ounce of his mind repeatedly. So far (knock on wood) both boys have been great, slightly emotional at times, but over all handling everything quite well. They are both very helpful and are much better with Thatcher than I'd expected. They have learned to give him some space, they can hold him without murdering him, and at times they might judge my parenting when I let Thatcher cry when I'm doing things for them. Parenting three means you are one hand short at all times, but my adjustment has been smoother than I thought it would be, praise God!!!

Sometimes the helping can go a little astray. For instance my first attempt at dying Easter eggs with all three boys, by myself. I had boiled thirty six eggs while Zane was at school and put them back in their cartons, in the fridge. So when Zane got home we dyed, what I thought were our boiled eggs. Turns out one of the cartons Zane had gotten out of the fridge for me were the left over, NOT boiled eggs. Mom figured this out after I had left all the eggs at her house (because my memory is completely GONE!!!) She went to eat a hard boiled egg which turned out was not hard boiled. Hey if that's the biggest mistake I make currently I'm doing amazing!!!!

In the last week or so Thatcher has gotten out and about much more than the other boys did. Rowan and I take short works most days, around the lake by our house mostly, easing my way back into some sort of exercise routine hopefully. Kari gave us a stroller someone had given her that is a huge upgrade and makes taking walks with baby much easier. Rowan usually rides his bike so we can't go too far.

T-ball started the week before Thatcher was born so we are officially back to going to the ball park a couple nights a week. Thatcher usually sleeps through the games while parents stop by to congratulate me and/or give their condolences on my three boy plight. A teammates mother, who also has three boys, said "Oh you have the same curse I do!" Who says that??? I'm so glad I don't feel that way at all. I know there are women or truly long for a daughter so I guess having all boys would be devastating to them. Below is Thatch cuddling Grandma at last weeks game. If only the blessed wind didn't blow 40mph everyday the games would be much more enjoyable.

Zane and the Lake Monsters are much improved this year, actually getting outs frequently, everyone knows where the plays are, and the other teams also usually know what is going on. Zane remains focused and seems to be enjoying himself. His favorite part remains sliding into home, so when he got out at second last night he was pretty devastated, but he did throw two balls in from the outfield stopping the other teams runs. The other parent's emotions/anxiety are starting to run a little high for me. It's six year old t-ball there is never a need to argue at a ref or scream at the children people. Get it together!!!

Today I bought two new pair of white pants because that's probably cheaper than the amount of Shout I need to get even a little bit of the dirt out after the games. I think this pair lasted four or five games, so hopefully the two new pair I got today will make it through the season. We also had to by a new hat after a red bottle of Gatorade spilled on the white front of his. Baseball is expensive, how am I going to have three boys playing??? Rowan CANNOT wait for the fall when it's his turn to step up to bat. I can wait and pray his enthusiasm decreases before then.

Thatcher is doing great. He is awake more these days, kicking around in his little gym, cooing, grunting, snorting, all the cute baby things. His eyes are getting bluer and his face is thinning out. He's getting bigger, which I cannot handle, and might have cried a little bit about this week..

 He remains very cuddly and I cannot stop looking at his tiny face when he's sleeping. He giggles while he's asleep, like Zane use to, and sometimes his little hand holds his ear like Rowan use to do.

Have I shown you Thatcher's tiny birth mark, that looks like a teepee, on his back. It's adorable and right on theme with his nursery décor!!

 He's not enjoying tummy time, but he's been working on picking his head up. Not yet..... soon!

Big brother Rowan continues to pick out Thatcher's outfits, and his accessories. This hat picture is the cutest thing ever and he looks EXACTLY like Rowan in this picture. I can hardly handle it.

Zane is in his final stretch of kindergarten. I  can't believe how fast this year has gone. He's grown up sooo much I can hardly believe it. Now that we're 26 days out from the last day of school their is officially a letter theme for every day that is left. I'm sure I won't screw that up with my utter lack of memory. Kindergarten teachers amaze me, how do they keep all these things pulled together with all the crazy kids. Rowan is going to school once a week now, I think he'd like to go more but we're trying to save money so I can stay home as long as possible on maternity leave. So that's how life is going here, time needs to slow down!