So  last time I gave you an update, it was my 4 month letter to Colin. I made it to about 6 months and then I gave up. Or maybe the better word is gave in, to all the other things to just speed on by.

So in the last 5 months…Colin took his first plane ride to San Diego, CA…

There he had his first trip to the zoo – the San Diego Wild Animal Park

Lots of family came to San Diego to see us…all of my family from Vegas drove in…including my sister who met Colin for the first time!

And my Aunt Gail and Aunt Eleanor (who were there the day I was born!) came to meet Colin too!

Then he turned 5 months old…

Celebrated 4th of July with his very first boat ride…

Started eating in a highchair…

And enjoying toys..

In August he turned 6 months old…and becamed skilled in the art of squeals and noises…

And Colin's new girlfriend Meadow was born…

And also became quite skilled in yoga baby poses…

Such a happy go lucky baby…

We enjoyed going to the pool…

And it was especially fun hanging with new friends!

Before you knew it, he was 7 months…

In September, we headed down to Pensacola, FL for Labor Day Weekend and Colin met his other girlfriend Reese!

And we had our first trip to the beach with the Murray's…

Needless to say, that day was really exciting!

Later that month…Grandma and Grandpa Housley decided to move from San Diego and build a new house in Tennessee! So excited to have family here with us!

At the end of September, it was time for flight #2 and we were off to Vegas to see Nana and Papa and celebrate our 2 year anniversary!

Colin even stayed the night at Nana and Papa's for the first time and did so good!

After we left Vegas, we came home to my favorite season of all: FALL!

..more to come!

Colin, this month officially marks the month you turned from a newborn to a bouncing baby boy.

You have transitioned out of so many clothes now and the plastic bin for the attic is slowly filling.
So many 0-3 months and 3 months little onesies and shirts are in piles. I will miss so many of my favorite outfits. Now we're on to the 6 month wardrobe and there are new summer outfits to enjoy. Can you tell how much Mama enjoys dressing you? I seriously have a hard time deciding which outfit you will wear to school each day. Sometimes I even "save" outfits for an outing during the week to make sure it's clean for the event. :)

You have graduated to some new toys, the exersaucer and the bumbo. Each of them you're still feeling out and getting used to something new. Your head and neck is still a little wobbly but you are gaining strength every day. You are wide-eyed and taking everything in…such a good little observer are you. So easily entertained by your Mama and Daddy and you have turned into our little smily giggle man at every opportunity. My favorite thing is when you are stretched out on your changing table, you start to flap your arms around and kick your legs all excited like you're dancing. At the end of this month those giggling dance moves have really led to some squeals and fun noises. We have a feeling your jibber jabbering is about to get a whole lot more frequent…

You went on your first overnight trip this month. We drove out to the country – just you, me, Daddy and Rocco. It was such a relaxing weekend and you did great. We stayed at a cabin on a horse farm and spent the days outside while Daddy fished by the pond and you and I just sat and relaxed. We also headed down to Rock Island and spent some time on the beach. We can't wait to bring you back here when you're bigger and can build castles in the sand and play in the water. 

At your 4 month appointment, you tipped the scales at 17 pounds! Your height and weight are both in the 80 percentile and your head is in the 40 percentile. This month was a great month with not really any colds or illnesses which is a small feat since you have your hand or one of your toys in your mouth about 90% of the time (and your drooling face is just so darn cute!).

This time is going by so fast. You have turned into this little boy overnight and I realize this every time I put on one of your outfits that make you look like a little boy vs. just a little baby. Every day with every new smile and giggle and squeal just gets better than the next.  We fall more in love with you every day!

Love,
Mama

Dear Colin,

It's hard to believe that four weeks have gone by.
It seems just like yesterday you were placed into our arms at the
hospital. I am a few days late on your very first monthly letter.
Really, I started this letter a few times in my head on the days
leading up to your one month birthday. Usually late at night around
your 2am feeding when it's just you and me. It's just now that I've
gotten some time to sit and write this out. Sometimes I feel like your
Daddy and I are "winging this," if you will. We've read dozens of books
and magazines, took classes, and even then we were not fully prepared
for what life would be like for us with you in it. We are doing our
best and we thank you for your patience as we navigate this new role
for us. We are loving every minute of it!

You
are gaining weight (10.2lbs at your one month check-up) and you are almost out of your newborn clothes and
started wearing some 0-3 month outfits. Which is a welcome change for
me, since I see you in the same several outfits day in a day out. And it's
no wonder you're already moving up in wardrobe — it is as if you have
a little internal alarm clock when it comes to feeding. You are right
on key every two hours, sounding your little (adorable) cry to let us
know it's time. It has been tiring at times, but watching your sweet
little face and having this special time with you is unbeatable. I know
it will be tough when the time comes for me to go back to work at the end of next month.

By
the end of this first month, you started staring right at us while we
chat with you when you are in our arms. It hasn't been just one-way
conversation entirely; you happily grunt and make funny noises right
back at us. We've seen a few gassy smiles and we think we hear you giggle from time to time in your sleep, but we are anxiously awaiting some "real" ones. :)

We've taken you on quite a few outings now that the Spring
weather has arrived. You do great in Mama's little peanut sack, snoozing away while we walk around stores (to keep our cabin fever at bay during the weekdays). Everywhere we go people just love to stop us and
ask how old you are and tell us how beautiful you are. One thing just
about every person has told us, is how much of a blessing you are and to
enjoy every minute of it. We know how entirely true they are. We are so
very blessed. We can't wait to see what's in store for us in the next
month.

Love,
Mama