10,000 Reasons

This month our church is focusing on thanksgiving and using the song 10,000 reasons as a theme. Gaines is obsessed with the song and walks around singing it, humming it, and whistling it!

We caught this on video and their performance was featured in the church service. Gaines likes to add some country twang when he sings and as usual will just looks at his big bro on what to do next.

My prayer for these boys is that we can teach them what true gratitude and thanksgiving really means.

8 months

Ella Jo Odom, you are the light of all of our worlds! You forget how exhausting but happy a baby makes the world. 

At 8 months, YOU:

Weigh 19lbs 4oz 

Wear 12 month footie pajamas and size 3 diapers

Roll your little wrists and hands around and around when you want something.

Say the sounds that mimic "momma, momma or mmmmmm,dada, and ba,ba"

Still wake up around 3a or 4a and we try to let you cry it out. The earliest mommy will get up is 4am then you go back to sleep after nursing until 7:30 or 8am. 

Nurse every 3 hours during daytime

Eat baby food 3 times a day

Seem to love everything except peas

Love to be given a whole banana to knaw on

Have TWO bottom teeth and the top are trying to push through

Are up on all 4 in the crawl position, rocking back and forth

Try to pull up but have not succeeded yet.

Cry every time you are laid down for a nap and eventually you fall asleep. This can be for 30 minutes or 2 hours.

Celebrated your first Thanksgiving

Met your great-grandmother Nanny and your bestie Begona

Are still sitting with mommy and daddy in church- no nursery.

Wave your sweet hand like a pageant girl. We keep saying "bye,bye" but have no idea if you know what you are doing.

Have figured out that your little pink car gets you places and you scoot in it until your destination. Mommy is plotting out the baby proofing situation.

Ghouls at Grassmere

We packed up our Ninja Turtle crew and headed to Halloween at the Zoo tonight. We have always talked about doing this and it never worked out but tonight's fall weather was perfect for it. We were all pretty excited except maybe daddy to wear our Halloween costumes. Poor Ella Jo her first Halloween costume and she is a ninja turtle! 

The boys loved the carnival games and Gaines loved the special shows. I think this is because he loves any opportunity to get picked to come on stage. He appeared in the animal show and the magic show!

Will nailed the strongest man on earth game. He also took TWO pictures with a character. This is so huge for him. Now you will notice his brother is still in between the character and him but he still willingly took the picture. He said seeing Luke and Peppe Pig was his favorite. 

First two teeth

This pretty girl officially has two bottom teeth! Mamaw was the first to discover a few days after her 7 month birthday. Daddy noticed the second one last night. Let the teething commence.

7 months old

Ella Jo Odom,

You are closer to a year now that a teeny baby and it is so sad. I want to cuddle you forever. I look at how quickly your big brothers have grown up and I just want to hold you tight forever. I keep trying to hold them tight and they will let me sometimes. 

At 7 months, YOU:

Are eating food, supposed to be eating 3 meals a day. That is still hit or miss. 

Could take or leave cereal. 

Threw up and were sick for the first time, no fever. So sad and scary but despite no rhyme or reason for it I think it is oatmeal cereal. You have not had it since.

Sit up so well. You still cannot get in that position alone but you can stay there and play.

Keep trying to pull up but not there yet- thank goodness.

Sleep ok. You are ready for bed around 8pm and then you might wake up at 5a or at 1a, 3a, and 5a! We try to let you cry it out but sometimes you win with your screaming and I nurse you. 

Happy half Year Ella Jo!

Im not sure if celebrating half year is glass half full or half empty. It makes me so sad time is going by so quickly. I look at the boys and cannot even remember snuggling them. Every time I pick you up, I want to feel your chubby cheeks pressed against mine. When I lay you down at night I wrap my arms around you just a little longer. I love you so much baby girl. 

At 6 months, YOU:

Weigh

Finally are back to sleeping from around 8-5 but not without crying it out 1-2 times a night. I know you are not hungry but I think just want to be soothed.

Still eat around 5-6 times per day

Wear size 3 diaper and 9month in length clothes. You are so long!

Dive for anyone eating or drinking! Sometimes when you are sitting with your big bros at the table you get so excited watching then eat, words cannot describe your facial and hand motions- you just want it so bad!

Have tried rice and oatmeal cereal, carrots, peas, sweet potatoes, and green beans. You love the food but it has to be warmed. Temperature is key for you which is a terrible habit to start unless I have a microwave in my bag at all times! The food has not been consistent in the schedule just whenever it works with our day. 

Change each day - your hair is getting darker, your eyes more hazel - wondering if they will end up brown.

Are not quite sitting up but close.

Love to grab our faces and your poor brothers just let you squeeze and slober all over them.

Still do not have a consistent day schedule. Napping a little better but not without a good cry first.

Gaines's Big Week

This last 6 weeks of school has been a blur with Ella Jo's arrival. Believe it or not I miss my little routine of taking and picking up the boys. I love seeing them interact with their friends and teachers. I love hearing their friends get excited to see them. This week is bittersweet. Gaines graduates from Pre-School and has his Kindergarden night at Gladeville. He is so excited! I have not let myself really think or feel about all of this but I am super sad. As much as the boys annoy me to no end I love having the prove large of staying home and being a part of their lives. From this point on Gaines is never home again with me and I'm going to miss his 5 million questions starting at 5:55am and not ending until he falls asleep. Will is not going to know what to do with himself. He has never not had his big bro around. Gaines could careless how sad we are he is ready to move on and conquer the next stage of his sweet 5 year old life! He has learned so much this year in Pre-K and I am amazed and so proud. 

Off to Kindergarten

So many emotions as my first born heads off to kindergarten. It is hard to cry when Gaines is so ready and excited. We had our Phase In Day on Tuesday and parents stay for an orientation and to meet his teacher. He woke up and pretty much jumped out of bed. We had to vote on outfits for the first day. We had to look over the supply list to make sure we had it all about a 100 times. He listened intently to the orientation taking notes of all rules. School is Gaines's element I can tell already. His take away from everything covered was "when can I get here early to eat breakfast" and "no way am I buying lunch if they have broccoli." My other favorite comment of the morning was "Dad, there's Mrs.Davis! I recognize her from Facebook!" Garrick was trying to hush him from telling that Gaines and I were Facebook stalking his teacher. It is surreal being in the same hallways and library that I was in 27 years ago. I am pretty sure his classroom was my 2nd grade classroom many moons ago! I did tear up after they read this super sad poem in the end but Gaines pretty much ended that with "let's go!" I am so proud of my independent child. He had a great first day. He loved getting a tour and meeting all the support teachers. He loved all the little details. Mrs.Davis uses frogs as her theme and he zoned in on that instantly. He wants to wear all green his first real day of school for her. When I picked him up he looked so small with his giant backpack in front of the looking school. I think the hardest part for me is trusting that someone is going to love and watch over my child like I would. Letting go...

4 months old

Ella Jo Odom, you are the sweetest, strongest, most precious baby ever!

At 4 months old, YOU:

Weigh 15lbs 10oz (75%)

Are 25.5 inches long (88%) - soooo long

Have a small head 15.75cm (30%)

Wear size 6 months to 6-9months in anything with legs for length but for summer outfits I can still squeeze you into 3-6 months.

Wear size 2 diapers

Eat every 3 hours

Eat 6-7 times a day.

Mainly nurse but if you have a bottle it has to be warm or you have to be starving to take it. 

Drink 5 ounce bottles. 

Go to bed around 9:30pm or 10p and it just varies what time you will sleep to know sometimes 5am sometimes 1am but you always go back down. 

Wake up for the day all smiles and cooing

Swim - you roll to your tummy and lift your legs and arms straight out.

Recognize your people especially your big brothers. 

Have started to cry when certain people hold you, your lip starts to quiver...Nonni and sometimes Papa Jim.

Still have reflux trouble but the medicine seems to help the pain but not the volume. You spit up soooooo much.

Have dark hair, much darker than your bros.

Have Gaines's ears but you look like a mix of both of them.

Laugh but not as much as you smile and coo.

Love the bumbo and just started in the jumparoo. You figured out pretty quickly how to jump!

Really do not nap for any length of time. Maybe because we are always on the go with keeping up with your brothers schedules. 

Firsts: Rolled Over July 17

Ella Jo is 15 weeks old today (3.5 months) and rolled over! I love milestones but this is definetly going to complicate things. Now we are worried if she will roll at night to her tummy and end up in her spit up. Never ending worry! She rolls from back to front.

Ella Jo rolls over from back to front! 

10 weeks

Ella Jo,

It is 5:53am and I'm holding you in my arms and thinking about how lucky we are to have you in our lives. You already bring so much joy to each one of us. Your smile and grin lights up the room literally. Bright eyed and bushy tailed really does describe you. You are already so big and long not a newborn anymore. 

At 10 weeks old you:

• Have found your hands and across the room you can hear you sucking on them.
• Can see further distances and recognize voices.
• Have started drooling like crazy.
• Have found your tongue.
• Have slept until 5:30 this entire week and snacked for about 6-8 minutes and then gone back to sleep. Your mommy is not swaddling your arms during this sleep time.
• Visited the zoo for the first time.
• Can hold that little head up pretty well.
• Laugh and coo and kick your feet when you are happy.

We love you sister!

I just want to eat her up! Look at her little tongue!
Ella Jo at the zoo.
10 weeks old

Little Sister

Babysitters

When I say your big brother Will wants to be right on top of you - I mean that literally! He loves you so much and his love language is touch for sure.

Two Months Old

Ella Jo Odom, you are changing so much and way too quickly. I want you to stay little forever, time goes by way to fast and I am treasuring these sweet moments with you. You are so loved. 

At Two Months, YOU:

Have grown! No more worrying about weight with you.

Weigh 12 pounds which is in the 69th percentile.

Are 23.5 inches long - 91% in height. That's a first with the odom babies! 

Have a little pea head like your big brother Will 15cm - 46%

Have outgrown all newborn and most 0-3 clothes.

Eat 6-7 times a day usually all nursing about 10 minutes on each side

Must be efficient because most nursing babies eat 8-12 times a day.

Nap in the morning for quite a while sometimes two hours and at least an hour stretch two times in the afternoon, evening. 

Are so happy and content 90% of the time when you are awake. 

Have started "talking" cooing and squealing (7 weeks)

Kick your arms and feet- we have to buckle you in the swing and bouncy seat because I'm afraid you are going to squirm out.

Are a loud sleeper, moaning and grunting.

Love your activity mat and the fan.

Are drooling like crazy started right at 2 months and constantly want your hands in your mouth.

Sometimes just want to be held and cuddled.

Have been everywhere with us! Your brothers don't seem to realize you are a baby!

Have the sweetest face and smile that lights up the room. We love you Ella Jo!

Treasures

Today Ella Jo has had an off day. I think her tummy has really been hurting and of course we have been on the road to swim lessons and a friends house. We are finally home and she has eaten and fallen asleep. I very rarely just sit and hold this little girl unless she is nursing but today I thought she needed it. I love every moment with my little girl and am so thankful to be home and able to enjoy this time with her. I think we are both in our happy place!

Treasuring these sweet moments.

Singing Cowboys & Firefighters

The boys as much as the fight non-stop, they do play so well together. This week we have singing cowboys and firefighters. Gaines has turned his room into a fire station. I just shut their doors because they have pulled out so much "necessary" stuff for their adventures.

Tough firefighters

Look out fires...

Our next door neighbor, Mr. Barry, plays his guitar on his back patio every evening so the boys insisted on playing their guitars outside to watch the "beautiful sunset" as Gaines says. These two are a mess!

Pickin' and a grinnin'

Will is 4!

Happy 4th Birthday Will Odom!

You have grown up in a blink of an eye. I cannot fathom that you will start Pre-K in august. 

At 4, YOU

• Weigh: 43.8 lbs (93%)
• Height: 41.5 in (75%)
• 20/20 vision
• Love, love,love sports
• Just finished your second soccer season and scored almost every game.
• Are the best playmate. 
• Are very protective of your siblings and your little girlfriends at school.
• Mimic everything your daddy does or teaches you.
• Are a pretty good helper.
• Are still as intense as ever.
• Are cautious and a little timid with a few things animals especially dogs, riding your bike, parts of swimming, and still will not go near mascots, Santa, etc.
• Love school.
• Know most of your letters and numbers.
• Are starting to draw real things.
• Cannot go by your brother without hitting, pushing, or at least touching him.
• Have the best grin.
• Want to be as big as your bro so bad.
• We love you so much William Garrick Odom.

Will Odom from birth to a 4 year old.

Will's Official Birthday

Will woke up to his 4th birthday with balloons, a new shirt, and breakfast delivery from Panera Bread. We had a very busy day celebrating. Strawberry Patch with our church friends, swim lessons, and Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner. Turning 4 is not too bad!

Birthday Breakfast

Celebrating at the Strawberry Patch

Our buddies Luke and Lydia Blevins

Our church play group

Swim lessons

Luke and Will
These boys are getting so big and still pick up and play like brothers

Ella Jo gave Will his gift.

Wrestling and baseball cards and a football. What more can a boy want.

Will is 4!