One Month

It has already been one month since our family became complete. On November 18th at exactly 1pm central time Felix Jack Mogg came into this world. He weighed 8 lbs 5 oz and was 22 inches long (nearly a pound bigger than his brother and an inch and a half longer!). He has brought us nothing but joy and love from the moment he arrived and we feel so lucky to have him in our lives. Everything people had told me is true, your heart makes infinite room for your kids and you love the second just as much as the first. We never felt like anything was missing from our little family of three but now that we're four we realize we needed Felix to feel complete.

Halloween pics!

The evolution of art

Henry has always enjoyed coloring and painting and his designs have often been quite abstract. Very recently his art is beginning to take on shapes and through no prompting from us he has decided that faces need eyes and monsters need heads. So without further ado I present his latest works:

Swimming

I realized it has been awhile since my last swimming update. Henry loves the water and has absolutely no fear. He just switched from his class called "Little 1" up to "Little 2" and he's moved from singing songs and using floaties to actually swimming! He can now back float on a noodle on his own for the length of his teacher singing the ABCs and can swim forward with his face in the water. It is so exciting to watch him progress from week to week. We're so proud of him!
Here is his back float:

Swimming forward with "scoops" and kicks:

Showing off his "power pack:"

Happy Birthday Lil Man!

To Henry on his birthday,

You are strong and you are brave. You know you who are and what you want to do.

You are fast. So fast that there I times your pregnant mama can’t even catch you!

You are sensitive and caring. You notice when mom, dad, grandma or anyone that is important to you is feeling down and reassure them that it will be OK.

You are funny. Your timing is impeccable even though you rarely realize it. Your laugh is infectious and can cheer anyone up in seconds.

You are creative. Your imagination runs wild while you play. I hope you never stop telling us your stories that never end.

You are smart. You remember, repeat and understand nearly everything. You can count and you know your ABCs but it’s more than that. You know the way home from Monica’s and you know if someone takes you the “wrong” way. To you “yesterday” and “last year” are interchangeable and I love that about you. You ask really interesting questions and challenge us to find the answer. You teach us at least as many things as we teach you.

You are curious. You always want to learn more about absolutely everything. You ask why the clock can tell us what time it is and how planes get into the sky. You ask where you were at my and dada’s wedding (complete with follow up questions accusing us of leaving you home alone that day). You’re always thinking.

You share your toys and appreciate your friends and family. You say thank you without being prompted because you’re truly grateful.

You are three and everything that comes with it. I know you’ll be the best big brother anyone could ever ask for and you’ll teach your little brother or sister everything you know. When you asked me what your new little brother or sister would be like I said I didn’t know but that I was sure they would be awesome just like you. We’re all extremely lucky to have you in our lives and await each new day and each new stage with excitement.

Overheard

Henry (looking at Bill's bowl of cereal): "Dada I want some cereal too"
Bill: "You already have a waffle, why don't you just share some of mine?"
Henry: "No, I want my own bowl"
Me (from the other room but on my way out the door): "I'll get him some"
Bill: "No, I'll do it, you go ahead"
Henry: "No dada!! I want mama to get it"
Bill: "Why? I'll get it"
Henry: "Because mama is the bestest mama I've ever seen."
Bill: "What am I, chopped liver?"
Henry: "Yes"

Everything in it's place

So last night Henry and I were playing with his GI Joes (handed down from his dada) and were digging through the container picking out accessories etc when he came across a non-GI Joe in the box.

He held it up to me and asked: "Mama, what is this guy doing in the GI Joe bucket?"
I replied: "I don't know, someone must have been confused and put it in the wrong spot. Why don't you put it in the people bucket" (where he stores all non GI Joe people)
Henry: "OK!" (walks over and puts it away)

When he returned he said to me: "What do you say?"
Me (slightly confused): "Thank you?"
Henry (nodding): "You're welcome"

He is generally a very grateful kid and often says please and thank you without being prompted at all but apparently he's familiar with the proper way to get a thank you out of someone should the need arise.

Fun in the sun!

Over the weekend Henry, Bill, Grandma Deb, Grandpa Jack and I all went to the waterpark. Henry LOVED it all. Here is a video of him on the big slide and a few pics.

Waterslide! from Marci Mogg on Vimeo.

Our tiger

Henry got his face painted at Como Town over the 4th of July weekend - it's too cute not to share!

What did you do today at work?

This has become one of Henry's favorite questions. Each day he asks us both how our day was and what we did today at work. We tell him random things like "went to a meeting" "talked on the phone" etc.

So today while we were having this conversation he asks me "Did you have any weddings today?"

My reply "What?" (not sure I heard him correctly)

Henry: "Did you go to any weddings today? Did you marry anyone?"

Me (laughing) "um, no I didn't"

A few minutes later Bill joins us and I ask him if he attended any weddings today. He of course, did not. So it's quiet for a moment or two and then Henry announces

"I went to a wedding and got married today"

Apparently he and Avery tied the knot today at daycare. Last week he told me he wouldn't always live at my house and today he gets married? This is all moving too fast for me!

Belly pics

Here are belly pics from 12, 16 and 20 weeks!

Henry in motion

It's all in the presentation

So this morning I noticed that Henry's nails were way too long and way too dirty so I went to get his nail clippers. I came back downstairs and announced that it was time to clip his nails.

Henry - "I don't want you to cut my nails"
Mom - "Girls really like boys with short, clean nails"
Henry - "Do really pretty girls like cut nails?"
Mom - "Yes, especially the pretty girls"

So he climbed in my lap and let me cut them. Why didn't I think of this strategy sooner?

Memorial Weekend

Auntie Sarah and Uncle Mike came to visit us over Memorial weekend and Henry had a great time with them. Sarah of course took some great photos of our little man that I'd like to share:
Having fun at Como Zoo and Park:



Playing in the sprinkler with dad:

Just being cute:


Action shot:

Just a minute Steve

Last night I was changing Henry's diaper and we had just hit play on an episode of Blues Clues (Blue wants to go to the beach, have you seen it?).

The show starts and Steve does his little intro thingy.

Henry: "Just a minute Steve I'm getting my poopy diaper changed."

I'm starting to think he believes that people live inside our TV.

Boxing and Sword Fighting

This is how we now spend our days, constantly dueling our little man in an epic sword battle or in the ring battling it out.

Sword fighting:
Equipment - foam swords (Henry is green, Dada is blue, Mama is red)
Rules - if you are stabbed under the armpit you are dead and must fall to the ground in a dramatic descent. The only way to be saved is if you are lucky enough to receive a kiss! (licks from Lucy don't count)

Boxing:
Equipment - boxing gloves or the Wii
Rules - apparently there are none. You beat the crud out of your opponent by punching them as hard as you can. This is mostly a Henry and dada game (though I do cheer him on while he plays Wii - and that kid is GOOD!)

I'll try to get some pics soon!

HT at Dinosaurs

Here is a picture of Henry attentively watching "Walking With Dinosaurs." He loved it.


 

Batter Up!!

Batter Up! from Marci Mogg on Vimeo.

Happy Mother's Day!

We want to wish all the wonderful mothers out there a fabulous Mother's day! It's a day for us all to appreciate all the wonderful things our mothers have done and do for us and also to appreciate all the things we gain and learn from having our kiddos.

Today when Bill brought Henry and I breakfast in bed the tray had a tulip in a vase that Bill cut from the garden. Henry picked up the vase and smelled it and announced that the tulip was sad. "Why?" we asked. His reply was simply "because it's inside and all the other tulips are outside." I love that kid's perspective.

Smash! Crash!

Henry has become quite dramatic lately and acts out entire scenes. Here he is in one of his most recent films showing a crash scene.

Smash! Crash! from Marci Mogg on Vimeo.

Big news!

Henry is going to be a big brother!! I'm due November 15 :)

As April comes to a close

I thought it would be a good time to share some pics of H.T. throughout the month!
The month started off snowy (I love the look on his face in this one):


This is his favorite look right now:

Then he attended his best-friend Zach's birthday party (and helped blow out the candles :)):

We met up with the Lehn fam on the Saturday before Easter so Henry got to swim while we were there:

He was so excited to be able to touch the bottom!

Think they're related?

Throughout the month he has gone to the park as much as possible, here are a few pics of that:




And last but certainly not least he graduated to the next level of swimming! Starting in June he'll be in the pool without mom or dad. (He's pictured here with teacher Travis):