Otis | 7 Months Old

This may be my favorite age on you so far, Otis Perry. Your hair seems to be turning more and more red and you're still looking just like Daddy (but my nose!). And you are still sporting that smile nearly all the time, but your little puckered up crying face is cute too so you really can't win for losing. Sorry, my littlest bud. 

This month you went from army crawling all over the place to real deal crawling in a matter of days. I've been looking for some baby gates that don't hurt my eyes with their lack of coolness (they don't make any!), but we're just free-styling until then. You've got yourself two new teeth - the top two middle ones to match your two bottom middles - chomp, chomp! And as if your own mobility isn't enough, you are constantly being picked up and hauled all over the house by your big sister. So far, you love the attention and don't seem to mind the brushes with death training in toughness and resilience. 

You have a thing for my ponytail (which I just cut off - oops) and funny enough, you get scared every single time you see me with a towel wrapped up on my head after I get out of the shower. Every.single.time. But I think in a crowd you'd still pick being held by me over anything, towel or no towel. My sweet little guy, you are something else. We just love you so!

P.s. If you wanted to turn a magical corner on sleep this next month that would be great. Not a condition of my love, but I think I could step up my mom game with another hour or two each night. Just sayin...

Love you more than all the sleep filled nights though, sweet boy of mine!

Otis | 6 Months Old

As if the ridiculous photoshoot doesn't portray it enough - your little personality is not so little as of late. You have grown in me such graciousness that I get to have a front row seat to these sweet [albeit sometimes maddening] stages again. 

Otis - you are all boy. Our very own Anderson boy. You are still content around your people, easy going until you want something and then you want it that instant [patience was a long shot, buddy because I've got none to pass along]. And still so smiley! And I also have a sneaking suspicion you will soon be a shameless little flirt. 

You have liked every single food we have tried, but haven't let that stop you from wanting to nurse. You are snuggly, but don't want to miss anything so it seems like you're always torn between the two. Your smile still melts.freaking.hearts and sometimes when Daddy and I get you and Wren to bed we look through pictures and just melt all over again. Modern day parenthood.

And because your HALF BIRTHDAY sent me on a little sappy trip down memory lane, I wandered upon a little snippet of sentiment that I wrote back when I was 24 weeks pregnant with you; before I knew you were you and before I knew you, my sweet boy.

"In some ways I can already feel that you are going to calm us down and keep us locked in on the simple joys of the present instead of tending to hold our gaze on the "just beyond." I already appreciate that about you."

And there you have it...feeling to fruition. You make us better already, Otis. We love you so big, brother!

Snow day | 1.19.18

There's something magic about daddies and daughters. And snow days really just take it up a notch. 

Otis | 5 Months Old

Otis - brother Otis - BROtis - you sure have come on strong this past month! You're still the most smiley dude, although now such a blur because you are kicking and wiggling constantly. You can't stand to miss a thing so the days of you snuggled up in my neck feel long gone. I can just tell that you want to be on the move! Lawd help when that day gets here. 

I keep trying to pick up on little bits of your personality and so far I think you're going to be pretty laid back but high energy (just like Daddy), talkative but maybe not quite as outgoing and social as your sister and a little on the sensitive side. We can't wait to see what else!

You really are cute on cute and we love you so much it hurts. Keep growing big and strong, my sweet boy.

Otis | 4 Months Old

You are just the smiliest little dude, Otis! Daddy and I have decided that Wren wasn't quite as smiley at your age and we are soaking up all the extras. You're also still such a mess 99% of the time, but you are not bothered by it one bit. You continue to talk all the time and still want to be right with us, especially hanging outside. I can't tell if you prefer to watch Wren (we call it Wren TV and it is by far your favorite show) or have all of my attention to yourself (a rarity) but both of those go straight in your happy tank. And as you can see, she's just as into you sometimes too. Sweet sibs.

In the last month you have started rolling over from front to back, acing tummy time and grabbing toys with more focus and dexterity. And oh boy - I forgot how much fun it is to tickle a defenseless baby and all of your sweet first giggles go straight into my happy tank. 

We're still working on a little tightness in your neck when you look towards your left to avoid any more head flattening, but so far you've been cleared by all the doctors and specialists. We are just grateful that you're hitting your marks and milestones just fine. 

You are a joy. Our joy. And we love you immensely sweet boy!