5/52

"A portrait of my son, once a week, every week, in 2014."

Declan :: "Ou-side, ou-side." 

At this point, there is no place he'd rather be, and no one he'd rather be out there with than "Tee-tee."

***********

After waiting over half a year plus four weeks, I have finally joined The 52 Project. Started by Jodi of Practising Simplicity, it is a community of bloggers who portrait their children once a week, every week, for a year. The idea is to capture childhood in it's every day moments, to document development in beautiful snippets.

I'm so excited to start... Better late than never!

LIVE THE MURRAYED LIFE

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Don't Commit to White Onesies

Blog Every Day in May Challenge
Day 13/31 - Issue a public apology. 

Friends, I'd like to apologize on behalf of the Murrays (that's right... us), for sucking lately at weekly photos. It was one of the only things that people seemed to enjoy seeing on the regular and we totally fell off the picture taking wagon. They are now almost updated, so go back and take a looksie for old time's sake.

Self, I am apologizing to you for requiring the pics to be in a white onesie. I mean, changing a kid into a certain outfit for one little picture is just something someone who's never had a kid would think is reasonable. You'll know better next time.

And to Declan, you did exist in those missing weeks. I'm sorry for not capturing them in that basket and possibly making you wonder if we shipped you away here and there to get a little breather. I gotta tell you that I'm pretty sure if we made a graph the spottiness corresponds perfectly with your rising mobility level. Not that I'm blaming this on you or anything, but you know that saying "when the shoe fits...."?

All in all, they were fun. I'd recommend them. They let you watch your baby grow from a little glow worm to a toothy coot! But please, save yourself some sanity and go hog wild on the outfit, each and every week.

**Check out all our weekly photos on the tab above.**

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Weekly Photos - 48 Weeks

Friends.

Our baby is growing up. 

About to be one, growing up. 

True to current form, I am sitting here procrastinating instead of making his birthday invitations. Considering it's in two and a half weeks I should probably get on that. But instead, I'm searching through photos and grasping at straws trying to catalogue every last yummy morsel of babyhood. He has a bit more in him, but he's changing fast.

He's standing. 
Like legit, two feet balance, holding-himself-up-for-at-least-twenty-seconds standing. One day he caught the wave for a second or two and literally the next he was exponentially better.

He's crawling. 
No more free swiffer at this abode. Knees and hands, baby, knees and hands. He's my little robot. The crawling of course leads to sitting up and pulling up and rolling around. Basically there are no movements that he hasn't mastered.

He's playing peek-a-boo! 
There's been a love of "where's the baby?!" for the past few weeks, but now he's covering his OWN face. No doubt that this kid's a genius. Pulls the cover up, hears our sheer confusion, and snaps it down just for a quick peek-and-giggle then whips it back up again. He's gotten to doing it with anything he can get his hands on- towel, blankie, my scarf. Early addict on our hands.

His seventh tooth sprouted this week; his feet have got the whole left-right-left-right thing down (as long as there are hands to hold); his belly craves avocado, whole banana, and the bland mush they call cereal; his hands smack out a rhythm on any surface he can get and reach up high over his head when they're happy.

And those same hands gave his first wave today. A little opening and closing of a chubby fist with a big smile to match. He's getting it and the kid simply knows.

Then there's the 'tude. The toddler 'tude. He's got his game down. You'd think we cut off a toe when we take away the pen that he found or the enchanting bottle of deadly pills that he wants to shake. Or when we put him somewhere he doesn't want to be-- ie, on his back in a basket. He knows what he wants, and he knows how to get it.

He loves the cat, and the dogs, and the dogs' water bowl, and the boxes seemingly breeding throughout the house, and basically anything he can get his hands on that's not a toy. He's curious and soaking it in and really starting to get that he's actually one of us.

He's just simply amazing. This whole thing is simply amazing. 

**We missed about seven weeks of these during the whole moving process. I might find some and fill them in later, but for the sweet sake of straw-grasping I seized the now.**

***For past weekly photos, click here for posts and here for just pictures.***

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Weekly Photos - 26-40

Another week has come and gone without a weekly photo update. Add that to the other fourteen. 

And then call it a day, 'cause I'm here and all too ready to share. 

The last one I gave you was before Thanksgiving.  

Yes, literally almost two seasons ago... 

I posted a pic, packed up our things, and traveled north for six weeks, celebrating Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years before heading home. We then won the Super Bowl and bought a house. 

So you know, we've been a tad bit busy. 

And Declan? 

Man, Declan has changed a TON. So much so that I forgot what he was like fifteen weeks ago and had to do a little refresher (here). 

Blogging for the wi-ii-iiiinnnn. 

40 weeks vs. 25 weeks:

Working on 6th tooth 

(was working on first)

Sits up like a PRO 

(was wonky but really trying)

Rolling like it ain't no thang 

(figured it out in January... and honestly? he was having such problems before that I was pretty darn pleased that I could even do it. and now? ha.)

Crawling (army pull style) like a beast 

(started in January)

He. Wants. EVERYTHING. Curious does not begin to describe. And much more tactile. 

(was just learning paci maneuvers)

Still is fascinated by face grabs. 

(was fascinated, but no more shaky hands!)

And oooOoOoh, there's more! 

Started eating solids at Thanksgiving and was a pro from the get-go. 

Is now rockin' on finger foods too.

Talking up a storm-- "aaabbabbababa"-ing this and that and using his arms and inflections and screams.

He even grunts as he crawls along. Very, very expressive. 

No question who gave him these stellar genes. (#mamasrock)

Loves the dogs and cat. Like lights up when they enter the room loves. 

And pets and grabs and pulls loves, but what baby doesn't jump on that?

Has entered the reserved around strangers phase. 

A bit disappointing that smiles aren't given freely anymore, but if you get one? You earned it. 

And I gotta admit it's a little gratifying to see how much he loves us. 

You know, since we're there for him all. the. time.

It's been a productive four months to say the least. So proud of our little bugger. :)

Now those are what I call toofers!!!

**To see past photos, click here or here.**

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Weekly Photo - 25

First off, a HUGE thank you to everyone who voted for Declan. He came in second place out of almost nearly one thousand babies, and I am just so touched by all the people who really were getting into voting. I realized how much of a stay-at-home mom I really am when this became all-consuming. Yeah,  not doing that again for a while.

Now we can get back to normal business. Get the house cleaned. Get in our groove. And then get our bags packed since we leave for our six week holiday trip in just a week and a half! Eep!

Cold weather, east coast, friends, family, and food HERE WE COME! (Speaking of food, we shared our last half cup of oatmeal for breakfast sans milk this morning three mornings ago. I'm telling you, everything was put on hold for this contest. Helllo life, and hopefully grocery store.)

So now on to a State of Our Declan address. Weekly photo numero veinticinco:

{9 month onesies. long-sleeve now for fall/winter}

As for new developments, huge milestones are on the horizon but not quite here.
The rundown:

His first tooth is a-knockin'. ANY day now I will feel the razor blade of death. 

Tummy --> Back Rolling is a go.

Back --> Tummy... not so much.

Got a little yogi on our hands. He doesn't want to roll because he is enamored with his feet. Hit mouth for the first time the other day. And he's learning that even the best attempts sometimes fall short.  

Exhibit A:

B:

And C:

Every day solo sitting gets better, but there still are tons of flop overs. He is super strong in his core but needs to get that pesky balance thing down.

 He wants to crawl, you can see him ache to get to where you are, but just a bit of rocking and appendage flapping is all he can muster.

He is noticing objects much more. Even though he only gets a bottle when I'm out of the house, he recognizes anything in a bottlesque shape as something he might enjoy. He also grabs the paci from our hands within a second, making it clear that he's got this, then proceeds to only get the side in his mouth. Sometimes this ends up in frustration, sometimes with him happily munching.

Fascinated by faces and anything on them, he will grab your lip, beard, or glasses (hence this week's photo.) He carefully controls his shaky hands as they go up, up, up and grab those dark frames. Everything is so gentle until - WUP!... in the mouth. 

Basically our little man is becoming more and more independent. So bittersweet. But isn't development simply fascinating?

So grow, brain, grow! 

(And please, grow a bit more to the right. That baby's flat spot needs a bit of help.)

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Weekly Photo - 24

**Psst- It's day 3 of the contest and Declan went from 18th to 7th place yesterday because of ALL YOUR VOTES! 

Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU!

Link: http://photos.parents.com/category/vote/photo/1480162

It's not over yet though. We need to get him to 1st! So please will you vote again? 

Maybe email it to some baby lovers? 

Vote on multiple browsers? 

Vote on each device?

Just throwing those ideas out there...

As warned in the beginning, I will be annoying this week (sorry), but he is SO close and there are just a few days left. So please just take a few seconds and click. 

THANK YOU!

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Now on to the weekly photo! Aren't you just a bit proud of us for getting it done and posted in the same week? Don't worry, we've already patted ourselves on the back. No big deal.

This week we decided to use this one of him holding his little toesies because that is a brand new skill he's developed. He's always loved diaper changes, with laughs and giggles all around, but now he's added swinging his feet up for inspection to the game. So this is to commemorate our baby's first gymnast move at 24 weeks old. 

(To see past photos, click here)

and of course...

Happy Halloween everyone! 

What are you and yours going as? Any fun day of events that the littles (or bigs) can't wait for? Trick or treating with friends? Dressing the baby up for the first time?

We'll be back tomorrow with our family costume. We think it's pretty awesome so hope you do too. 

Be safe!

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Weekly Photos- 19, 20, 21, 22, 23

A little behind doesn't begin to cover where we stand on these. And the title is kiiinda fibbing a bit, (okay, 2/5 of the way) because weeks 20 and 21 don't exist. #hangsheadinshame

Oh well. If missing two weeks of weekly photos are the biggest problems I'm facing today, then I'm off to go win me some $$$!

{"Everybody was kung-fu fighting!" Little Bruce Lee in the making.}

{it looks very much like a careful first step to me. Plus pouty lips = <3 meltage}

And with that, I'd like to welcome the weekend with open arms. You know, because as a SAHM it's night and day from the normal grind.

Let's take a little of Dex's kung-fu energy and go CONQUER this Saturday. Whaddya say?

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Weekly Photos- 17 & 18

And with these, we are now up to date! Check out the double wrist roll. It's like a scrumptious freshly baked bun. yummmmmies.

He had his four month appointment the other day and is 85% in length and 50% (14 lb 12 oz) in weight. Right where that little munchkin should be!

And as a cute little extra, here is a video from Declan's first swim class a few weeks ago. I love taking him to these baby classes, whether here or yoga or music, just to have a fun baby community, but it totally takes me to the Babies documentary when the little hippy baby in California is trying to make a break for it from the music class as everyone sings all sweetly. I'll enjoy his immobility while I can. :)

(To see past photos, click here!)

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Weekly Photos- 14,15,16

Slackers, slackers, SLACKERS! There, I said it. Now can we please move on?

Actually we are way crazy slacking over here because the big guy is 18 weeks old now, not 16, so we still owe you two more photos! They'll be coming up in the next day or two. So in the meantime, enjoy these cuties, and go ahead and take a look at this giggle if you haven't (or even if you have!) already.

And of course, in the spirit of Tennessee-Florida game day, GO VOLS!

(To see past photos, click here!)

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Weekly Photos- 11,12,13

My boy hit three months last Friday. Three months of amazing changes and joy, smiles and hugs, diaper changes and naps. I can't believe how fast it has flown, yet I also can't see how fourteen weeks ago I had yet to feel his warm weight in my arms. So much has happened in this short time between the two of us, and I look back in disbelief that I didn't love him this deeply. But as I knew would happen, the more his personality shone through, the harder I fell. So keep it coming sweet baby. This is one fantastic ride.

And now some weekly photos:

Reminds me a bit of a white boy dance face. Just add a little "mmmche-mmmche" club beat. 

**Week 12 brought two big changes to the photos- he now dons a 3-6 month onesie and also sports a cloth diaper (making him have some mad booty).**

Happy Monday!

(To see past photos, click here!)

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Weekly Photos- 8,9,10

We're back and sliding into home life with a two month traveling hiatus. More on the trip to come, but here's a flash on his past three weeks. Declan was a champ the whole time, going on five separate flights without shedding a tear. I'd like to say that this is proof that he's becoming a great big boy (which he is), but know that actually it probably points more to his sweet babyness.

With the Olympics looming, he's been in the mood for training. Head holding is nearly mastered, as is pushing up onto his forearms in tummy time and holding almost all of his weight during assisted stands.  "Declan: Olympics 2028" gear will be available soon. Standing is currently his favorite, as he rocks the most serious face complete with lip pucker. In between these grueling exercises, his smiles are beginning to flow more freely and sometimes are even accompanied by a baby chuckle. We never realized just how amazing it is to hear a baby begin to laugh. It's a sound we all take for granted, but, like everything, has to be learned. He started with little coo-coughs and progressed to a more hearty "hehhh", each time looking at us for verification that he's doing it right. I think he gets surprised at how good it feels. Hopefully we will be able to catch it on video soon since we can't not share the goodness.

He is starting to notice sounds and movements to a new degree, turning his head to find each. Peyton's favorite discovery is how he mimics sticking out his tongue, which adds lots of fun to diaper changes. His grunty, stretchy phase is long gone and he is really realizing that his hands are controllable. We often find him with them clasped at his center or fisted near his mouth.

I could continue gushing on and on about these changes since something new happens every day, but realize that when you don't share his genes it's not quite as fascinating. But who doesn't love 'em some photos?!

(To see past photos, click here!)

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