Sleep is Good...

After letting him cry it out a couple of times, Corbin has finally started letting me sleep at night! He wakes up just once - about 3 am. Four nights in a row, I've actually gotten enough sleep. He's also napping better. He's found his thumb and uses it to put himself back to sleep. I don't mind too much right now, but when it's time to break him of the habit...I'll worry about it when the time comes. I'm just glad to feel like I'm once again in the land of the living!

Happy Halloween!

This Halloween was the warmest yet! We enjoyed a muggy 85 degrees - enough to make anyone hot and sweaty. Eww! Friday night, Jeff and Bryant carved a pumpkin to go near our front door. I drew the faces on the poor little pumpkins "Jack" decided to have for dinner. Bryant liked getting his hands into the pumpkin guts. Jeff liked using his dremel to carve the face. I enjoyed not having to be the one cleaning up afterward. Jeff started off Saturday building a cabinet for his garage using the workbench he built earlier this month. (No more woodworking projects cluttering my kitchen counters - hurray!) Around 5:30, Bryant and Corbin got ready and posed for their shutterbug mom. Okay, Bryant posed. Corbin slumped and refused to smile. I think he was still irked that I woke him from his nap. In my defense, I think a three-hour nap was too long anyway! At six-thirty, wondering where all the trick-or-treaters were, we wandered outside and explored our neighbor's haunted house he set up in his garage. He seriously had ten to twelve life-sized Halloween figures that talked, moved and/or sang positioned between sheets of plastic. He even had a huge blow-up archway. Needless to say, they were the most popular house in the neighborhood. We had easily double the number of trick-or-treaters this year. They didn't really start until about seven, but I was out of candy by eight! I kept getting ambushed by groups of a dozen or more kids. Next year, I'll either buy twice as much or just hang out in my neighbor's driveway. That seemed to be where the party was anyway.
As for the rest of the month...Corbin had his two-month appointment and weighed in at 13 lbs, 7 oz. The kid is growing like a weed! He's started smiling for everything - bathtime, diaper changing, cuddling, etc. On Friday, he laughed his first real laugh. During his bath, of course, just like his big brother did. We've discovered a fun game for him. I build a tower of cups and put it within his reach. Corbin reaches over and carefully tips it over, then looks at me for approval. Once I start clapping, he smiles really big. He also loves to hold any toy that makes noise and wave it around. This kid doesn't stop moving!
Bryant and Corbin love to spend time together. We tried Corbin in an exersaucer someone gave us. Bryant would push the buttons to make the music play, then dance. Corbin absolutely loved it. He tried moving to the music, too. He thinks his big brother is really funny.
At Bryant's pack meeting this month, he received some more awards, including a couple of beads and a belt loop. He loves being in scouts. He especially loves being able to pass off something new. Only a half-dozen more things to pass off before he gets his Wolf badge! I'm so proud of him. And as a special note, he's almost finished reading the third Harry Potter book. He started the first one a few weeks ago and he's making his way through the series. Jeff just shakes his head in amazement and tells me Bryant is definitely my kid.
A couple of weeks ago, we took a drive out to Suwanee State Park. Okay, so we actually drove all the way to Valdosta, Georgia, but decided as we drove through town it wasn't a place we wanted to stop. However, Suwanee State Park was on the way home. It was a nice, cool day and low humidity, so it was perfect to get out of the car and take the stroller on a hike on a trail that was definitely NOT made for a stroller. Fun, fun, fun. Despite the adventure of navigating the stroller over and around giant tree roots, it was absolutely beautiful. We're thinking of going back with the fifth-wheel soon. That's it for now. I think I've pushed the limit on how long I can do something without Corbin fussing.

Chunky Monkey!

Corbin just keeps growing!
Tuesday, August 4 - 8 lbs, 2 oz, 20-1/2" (birth)
Thursday, August 6 - 7 lbs, 12 oz (2 days old - normal weight loss for a newborn)
Monday, August 10 - 8 lbs, 3 oz, 21" (6 days old)
Friday, August 28 - 10 lbs, 6 oz (3 weeks old)
Thursday, September 10 - 11 lbs, 6 oz, 22-1/4" (5 weeks old)
Monday, September 28 - 13 lbs (8 weeks old)
At his one month visit, he was ranked 90th percentile on weight and length. Bryant was only ever 15th percentile on weight and 50th percentile on length. What a big baby!

Baptism and Blessing

Today, my boys are eight years old and eight weeks old. They're getting so big! Bryant is such a great big brother. He loves to hold Corbin and play with him. He insisted on me getting a picture of the two of them. Corbin loves Bryant, too. The other day, Corbin was lying on our bed and Bryant was acting crazy. Corbin was loving it! He kept giving Bryant the biggest smiles.
We've had a crazy month. Bryant and Corbin got to have all of their grandparents visiting at the same time. Boy, were they spoiled - I mean, loved. Corbin was cuddled and held all weekend long and my poor arms got to have a break. For some reason, Corbin decided the only guy he liked was his daddy. Every time we handed him to one of his grandpas, he would get upset. Once, we just mentioned handing him to his Grandpa Meibos and his face puckered up and his lower lip stuck out a mile. What a funny little boy!
On Saturday, September 5th, Bryant was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. It was a great service. His grandmothers each spoke and his grandfathers witnessed. Even Corbin was very good and slept through the whole thing (much to the disappointment of my grandma, who was on baby-tending duty). Afterwards, we had a barbecue and Bryant opened a few presents - a baptismal plaque from Grandma and Grandpa Meibos, a new tie and some cool Legos from my parents and grandma, a CTR tie tack from Marshelle, and a new set of scriptures from Jeff and me. We're so proud of our kid!
Corbin had his blessing the next day at church. He slept through that, too. The tux was a little big on him, but he was so handsome! There was a mix up with the bishopric and they almost forgot to announce not only Bryant's baptism, but the blessing as well. The primary president had to send up a note with her son to the stand during the sacrament to remind them. If they hadn't done that, we would have just done it later. It's not like Corbin would have known the difference anyway. Of course, he wasn't too thrilled to have to wear the 'monkey suit', especially the jacket.
Bryant started school on the 24th of August. He's in the third grade now - can you believe it? I tried to get a good picture on the first day of school, but he kept looking at his brother, who decided he didn't want to be in the stroller at the bus stop. It was so nice to get back on a schedule. And Bryant is doing so well with his schoolwork. Most of his homework is done online and he's usually done in an hour or less. His Friday folders are filled with tests he's gotten 100% on. Oh, and I can't forget - he's read the first Harry Potter book on his own and has started the second. I've seen such an improvement in his work already. He's more focused and excited about what he's learning. It's going to be a great school year.

Baby FAQ's

How old is he?
Corbin is now 2-1/2 weeks old!

How big is he?
At his last doctor's appointment (at 6 days old), he weighed in at 8 lbs, 3 oz. His doctor says he rarely sees babies get back to their birth weight so quickly. Obviously, he's a good eater! As for size, he's still in newborn-size clothing, but just barely.







Who does he look like - you or Jeff?
He definitely got the Meibos chin and the Cox cowlick. Other than that, we're not too sure. His ears are smaller than either Jeff's or Bryant's and his eyes are currently a steel gray, but we know eye color can change. I think he got the Meibos hands, too. He looks a lot like Bryant did as a baby (once Bryant put on a little fat). You can certainly see the resemblance.

How does Bryant like his new brother?
He adores Corbin! Bryant has to tell everyone about how he's now a big brother, even the lady at the McDonald's drive thru. Today, at his school orientation, he had to stop by every teacher's room to show off his new brother. We were, of course, a huge hit. Bryant also offers to hold Corbin or play with him to keep him occupied when we have to get stuff done. He loves to pick out new outfits for Corbin to wear. Bryant is an excellent helper, especially with dishes and laundry.

Is he a good sleeper?
Is any newborn a good sleeper? He has times where he'll sleep for three or even four hours at a time, but the norm is usually between two and three. He's a very noisy sleeper! Jeff and I will lie in bed and laugh when we hear some of the noises he makes. Fortunately, we've learned to sleep through most of them. Especially Jeff.

Is he a good baby?
Of course he is! He has his cranky moments - usually when he's hungry - but he's very sweet. He turns toward the sound of his brother's voice, fusses when his dad stops talking (especially when he wants attention), and lets me know when he wants me with a warning "Waah" (it's like he's saying "Hey!"). He loves to be held close. I think he just likes hearing the sound of our hearts beating. He also loves to look around and prefers sitting up in our laps when he's wide awake.

When is his blessing?
We're doing the blessing and Bryant's baptism the same weekend since all of their grandparents will be here. Bryant will be baptized on September 5th. Corbin's blessing will be the next day at church. All of our friends and family are invited to come if in the area (I know it's not likely, but the invitation's extended just the same).

Here at Last!

Bryant would like everyone to know he is officially a big brother! Corbin Lee Meibos was born Tuesday, August 4, 2009 at 12:25 pm. He weighed 8 lbs, 2 oz and was 20-1/2 inches long. He's a cutie!

Hot and Busy

The thermometer is threatening to go on strike if it doesn't cool down soon. We haven't had a day under ninety degrees in ages. Even the water at the pool isn't cool anymore. Re-entering feels like you're getting into a hot tub. We've had a lot of rain recently, but I swear it almost immediately turns into steam as soon as it hits the ground. At least I don't have to pay for a sauna. (Ha, ha! That was a joke, people!)

Since Bryant's birthday was two days after school let out, we did his party the weekend before to ensure his friends would be in town. Instead of a big party at the park, as originally planned, Bryant opted to have a sleepover with his two best friends. They had a blast! Video games, Lego battles, fighting with swords, pillows, and balloons. For dinner, we had chicken fries, curly fries, and juice boxes (Bryant's choice). Dessert doubled as Bryant's birthday cake. Because we were going out of town, we did Warm Delights (individual cakes you 'bake' in the microwave) to avoid having leftovers. The boys loved them. They stayed up late giggling and talking, then got up early to play more video games. Bryant later told me it was the best birthday he ever had.

School let out June 10th and we took off just as soon as Jeff got home from work to Orlando to hit the Disney water parks - one last hurrah before our threesome becomes a foursome. Per Bryant's request, we went to Blizzard Beach on Thursday, then Typhoon Lagoon on Friday (his birthday). Bryant and Jeff went on the slides and played in the wave pools while I lazed about in the lazy rivers and took much needed naps on a lounge chair. We were very proud of Bryant when he went on a waterslide he was scared of at Typhoon Lagoon. After the first time down, he wanted to go down it over and over again! We splurged and got a funnel cake for a snack - so good! Dinner was at Red Lobster because it was too hot to cook. Bryant's overly-emotionaly mom teared up when the waitstaff sang Happy Birthday to him. On Saturday, we went to Downtown Disney and, of course, the Lego Store. Bryant and Jeff filled up their customary cup with loose Legos - only the cool ones, obviously. Then we had Bryant's birthday lunch at McDonald's.

After we ate, we went back to our fifth wheel to see if the power had gone back on (several blocks had lost power that morning). Fortunately, we didn't blow a fuse or anything when it did, but the air conditioning hadn't caught up with the heat yet, so we went for a drive to Clermont - one of Jeff's areas he served in on his mission. He showed us the beat-up apartment complex he stayed in and a couple of other places that have changed drastically in ten years. On the way back to the RV park, we found Lake Louisa State Park. The sign showed it had RV camping sites, so we paid the entrance fee to check it out. Not too far into the park, there was a parking lot with canoes and a dock. We stopped to see how much it was to rent the canoes and to admire the view. As we walked down toward the water, we passed a sign that read "Alligators in water". Bryant, always being ten steps ahead of us, piped up "Yep, there's one right here!" Sure enough, in the water just below us was a six-foot gator, just watching us. Unfortunately, we had left our camera in the fifth-wheel, but we watching him until he swam off. He wasn't the only wildlife we spotted that day. Later, as we were leaving the park, we saw a gopher tortoise on the side of the road. I will never again claim a turtle/tortoise is slow. That thing took off so fast! He disappeared into a burrow after dashing across the ground. We really liked the Lake Louisa area. We may stay there sometime.

The following Tuesday (June 16th), Bryant went to Cub Scouts with Jeff for the first time (for church, at least). He looked so handsome in his uniform! They made Father's Day gifts. Bryant loved it. He came back with the biggest grin. He's been working hard to pass off things so he can earn his Wolf Badge. He's already got his Bobcat badge (if you look carefully, you can see it on his shirt). We counted the other day and he had passed off twenty-one things. It's more than that now because he and Jeff went to the park and passed a few more off. We're hoping he'll get his Wolf Badge before the end of the summer so he can start earning belt loops and pins. Bryant is really excited about the pins, since he has a pin collection prominantly displayed on his curtain already.

Before school let out, Bryant participated in an Invention Convention. Each student in second and third grade had to come up with an invention and make a display about it. Bryant chose to do Sunblock Wipes. We took pictures of different kinds of sunblock available now and demonstrated how much easier sunblock wipes would be to apply. Bryant posed very nicely and in some cases, very creatively. As part of the assignment, he was required to stand next to his display and explain it to people as they passed. Instead of waiting for people to ask questions, he was flagging them down - parents, teachers, even the principal! He's quite the salesman. And yes, he got a good grade on it.

His end of school year party was a bowling field trip. Originally, Jeff and I were both going to chaperone, but the scheduling of the busses got messed up and they never showed. They rescheduled the field trip for the following week, but Jeff wasn't able to take more time off to go. Bryant was pretty bummed about it, but he still had a lot of fun. The manager at the bowling alley jokingly accused me of trying to smuggle out a bowling ball (ha, ha, very funny - no, not really). Bryant was hilarious to watch. He's played bowling on the Wii, so he thought it would be very similar. He would run up to the lane and throw the ball, striking a pose as he watched it make its way to the pins. His score wasn't the greatest, but we figured we could remedy that by making Jeff take us bowling another time.

After many headaches and phone calls, we finally got our XBox back from repair. Then we got a second one. Somehow they had messed up and sent us an extra. The representative helping us was very surprised when we admitted it and rewarded us by sending us an extra accessory - a new wireless controller. We would have sent it back no matter what, but it's always nice to know doing the right thing can pay off.

Corbin's room is finally complete. Jeff originally was going to build a dresser for each of the boys, but a few weeks ago, I was at Walmart and discovered they were clearancing out a lot of their furniture. I was able to pick up two really nice dressers and a desk for our office for the same amount it would have cost us in materials to build the dressers alone. And all Jeff had to do was assemble them. He was pretty impressed with the quality of the furniture. I'm just thrilled to finally have it.

Last Wednesday, Bryant had his trophy presentation for his soccer season. They had a barbeque at the amenities center. The kids swam in the pool while the food cooked, then received their trophies while still wearing their bathing suits. His coach said there are three things you could always count on with Bryant - he always wanted the ball passed to him, he was always hungry (no surprise there), and he was always good for great conversation. So true. He talks to anyone who'll listen. And every twenty minutes during the day, I hear "Mom, I'm hungry." Even if we just ate. Darn kid.

We finally have a fence on two sides of our property. Our neighbors got a golden retriever puppy and put up a fence for her. I'm now very jealous. Next year, we're hoping to finish off the back section at the very least so the neighborhood kids will stop using our yard as a thoroughfare.

After nine months of waiting...Bryant has finally lost another tooth! (What did you think I was going to say?) He was so worried he wouldn't be able to whistle anymore (a newfound skill), but nature prevailed and it came out this week. After wrestling with his friends. Go figure. We were both relieved when he could still pucker up and whistle a tune. He has two more ready to come. I love seeing his smile now. He's a bit bummed he can't eat corn on the cob for a while, but his new tooth is already starting to come in.

Only 5-1/2 more weeks left! We're excited thinking that we're finally in the month Corbin could be born in (if he's a couple of weeks early - please let that be the case!). We are so ready for it, too. My waist has finally surpassed Jeff's size-wise - a very depressing thought for me. Bryant and I go to the pool or the beach to cool down at least 2-3 times a week. We don't leave the air conditioning for much else. The baby clothes are washed, the room is done, we are ready. We've made arrangements for Bryant's baptism and Corbin's blessing (September 5th and 6th). Now we just need the kid to come. Why does time have to drag so slowly?

Bryant and Jeff have signed up to enter an all-ages, everybody welcome, pinewood derby for church. They'll be racing in the regulation round since Jeff isn't sure if he'd do so well in the cheater's round. I wouldn't want to try to face people who are talking about using open flames and CO2 cartridges, either. The actual event is on Saturday, July 11th. I hope my boys do well! Jeff is working very hard to make sure their cars look really good. He even went out and bought a small vice, files, and a few other 'necessary' tools - including a digital scale. At least I know he'll use them for years to come.

That's it for this month. I think I've gone on long enough, anyway. Official baby countdown - 38 days!