Cullen James is ONE!

A week and a half ago, this sweet boy turned a whole year old. Cullen is sweeter than ever and is learning and growing so fast these days I try really hard not to blink. He is in this really magical stage right now where he is so happy-go-lucky all the time and gets excited about pretty much everything. That being said, he is certainly growing into his own little personality and has a strong opinion about everything (and will share that opinion, usually pretty loudly.)

As is probably the case with most second children, Cullen sometimes feels like he gets the short end of the stick when big brother gets to do things that he can't (like use scissors or reach things on top of the counter). We try to involve him as much as we can which is also why this second child ingests far more Plah-Doh and paint than is probably recommended - but he's certainly getting lots of sensory learning opportunities!

Cullen's Favorites:
EATING. His current favorites are:
-meat
-beans
-grapes
-graham crackers
-ice chips
-yogurt
Blowing raspberries on everything (especially tummies)
Snuggling
Climbing
Chasing Avery
Mimicking Avery
Wrestling with Avery
Singing 'ba ba black sheep'
Being outside
DANCING
Bubbles
Waving
Swinging 
Remotes/cell phones 
Reading books
Drinking from a straw
Smiling and laughing
Getting what he wants. Right now. (like standing in the kitchen yelling until someone hands him his cup, or a snack)

Cullen Dislikes:
•Getting dressed/changed
•Not being able to do everything big brother can do
•Being hungry or tired

Cullen currently has 8 teeth, his hair is growing longer (and curly!) behind his ears, he usually has some sort of scrape or bruise on his face (he's a brut!), has the most perfect little toddler strut and THE sweetest little scrunched-up nose when he smiles.

   
And here are the final photos to wrap up Cullen's first year. I already miss my chubby little baby, but I'm so smitten by this sweet toddler that has taken his place.

This boy came into our lives on a snowy March morning and filled a void that we didn't even realize existed. It feels like just yesterday and forever ago all at the same time. I can't imagine my life without this sweet little soul in it and I know his daddy and big brother feel the exact same way. Watching how he and Avery have bonded and continue to grow together makes all our rough days in this last year totally worth it. No joke- this smile has magical healing powers:
 

Avery @ 1 Year

Cullen @ 11 Months!

11 months. I can barely wrap my head around the fact that this sweet boy is almost a whole year old. And if you were to watch him cruise around the house sorting toys  (un-sorting toys would probably be a better explanation) and jabbering away, you'd swear he was closer to two.

This month, Cullen has gone to some zumba classes, library story-times, a trip to the Children's museum in Indy, an indoor waterpark, spent a few of the warmer days strolling the sidewalks outside, and made countless laps around the house. He is getting so sharp and figures things out that I swear are too advanced for such a little person.

Cullen hasn't gotten any new teeth this month, but he insists on grinding the 7 existing ones he does have together- hard. (I swear he only does it to watch his mama cringe) He did catch a little cold while Avery was down the flu and I sat up with him one night when he was running a fever but thankfully, that ended up being the worst of it. *whew*

Poor Cullen fell and hit his mouth on a chair a few weeks ago and immediately started gushing blood from his mouth (head wounds are scary like that). As soon as I could clear the blood away long enough to see what had happened, I realized that he had completely torn his frenulum (the chunk of skin that runs between baby's front teeth) I freaked out a little bit because there was just a big flap of skin hanging inside his upper lip that was supposed to be connected between his teeth. I did some internet research and found this is pretty common and would heal on its own (eventually it would shrink away anyway to make room for teeth as they grow in) Once the bleeding stopped, Cullen wasn't in any pain and could nurse and eat just fine and now his front teeth have actually grown together more and the chunk of skin has all but disappeared, totally unnoticeable. *crisis averted*

This was the first month that he consistently started sleeping through the night (cue the heavenly choirs!) It sometimes takes him an hour or so to finally settle for the night, but once he does he's out until morning. He still nurses 4 times a day and naps once, sometimes twice (his nap schedule is really hit-or-miss)

Cullen has been much more of a willing participant in our weekly photo shoots than Avery was. (or maybe I've just lowered my standards and made less of an ordeal out of it than I did with Avery) Either way, Cullen is more than happy to pose on his back for a few minutes and flash me some cheese-ball grins, I rarely have to take more than 20 shots to get a good one- he's made it so easy!

This month, Cullen:
Loves Avery, cell phones, remotes, any toy with wheels, Bella's food/water dishes, books, music, splashing in the bath, climbing the stairs, clapping, waving, drinking from straws/sippy cups, rearranging the refrigerator, cuddling, playing peek-a-boo, the Little People zoo, being tickled, eating EVERYTHING.

Dislikes: diaper changes, clothing changes, being tired, being hungry, being alone, having toys ripped away from him, being told 'no'

Favorite foods: Beans, ham, eggs, avocado, yogurt, noodles, green beans, crackers, fruit (all of them)  He continues to be a great eater and eats pretty much everything the rest of us are having! He's also learning to use utensils while he eats and he's pretty proud to be drinking from a cup.

Cullen is just the sweetest little cuddly ball of baby, I could snuggle him all day long. I can feel him growling leaner and longer by the day and soon those cheeks will deflate. But for now, I'm going to squeeze those thighs, smooch those cheeks and breathe in that sweet baby breath like it's my job (I guess, technically, it is!) He applauded when I came into his room to get him up this morning. Is there any better way to start the day? I'm one lucky mama.

I've started preparing for his first birthday party (seriously one of my favorite activities ever) and I know it will be here before we know it. We are already excited to have some friends and family over, it's been a long few weeks spent isolated in the house! (and due to the nasty flu that made Avery miserable, we had to cancel our superbowl party that we had been looking forward to for weeks...) So bring on spring! We are ready for some warm-weather adventures.

 Happy Valentine's Day! I hope your day is full of love and fuzzy feelings :)

Avery @ 11 months

Cullen James - 10 Months Old!

Cullen continues to grow and become more charming every day. He is just the sweetest little lover and has reached the point in his babyhood where his looks are changing by the minute and he's trading in his sweet baby cheeks and thighs for a much longer, leaner big-boy look. Parenthood is such a time-warp; I've been by Cullen's side almost every single minute of his 10 months on this Earth and as I look back, I still can't fathom how fast he's grown.

This month, Cullen: 

Enjoyed his first Christmas morning at home followed by a 10 day tour of Wisconsin and lots of holiday fun with family. Unfortunately, he didn't sleep well AT ALL during our time away which was a bit stressful for all of us but now that we're home he's back into his normal routine and we're all a little less cranky :)

Is a mama's boy, through and through. He does best when I am in his line of vision at all times but when he's hungry, tired, or not feeling well, nowhere but in my arms will do. I truly don't mind it because I know all too soon the snuggles won't come so easily. 

Has 7 teeth! SEVEN! Lucky number 7 broke through just a couple of days ago after a week of him generally being uncomfortable.  Babies teething is pretty much the worst thing ever.

Is so brave! He is an expert climber and has just about mastered climbing back down the stairs (climbing up is one of his favorite activities...yikes.) 

Started WALKING! He still usually thinks crawling is the fastest and most efficient way to get from place to place, but he's very stable on his feet and will walk up to about 15 steps at a time if he's motivated enough. It's amazing how fast babies master a skill after trying it for the first time.

Has finally started (usually) sleeping through the night! Last week he had a cold with a cough that woke him up numerous times during the night (along with that seventh tooth causing him grief) but now that he's on the upswing of both of those, he's making up for lost sleep :) Cullen naps twice a day, once in the morning and once in the afternoon and almost always the complete opposite of Avery's nap... I'm hoping they will start to overlap a bit more in the next couple of months. 

Is obsessed with electronics (computers, phones, remotes, etc.) If he gets his hands on one, I pity the person that has to take it away. He does NOT take kindly to that at all. 

Is pretty adamant about taking part in whatever his big brother is doing. This means that we now have a list of activities that we only bring out during 'Avery and Mama-time' when Cullen is napping (Play-Doh, board games, crayons) We still try to do at least one fun/messy activity every day that he CAN take part it, but some things are just easier for Avery to enjoy if Cullen isn't trying to eat them.

Knows what 'no' means but often tries to be sneaky and dig in Bella's water bowl (or the toilet, which he can completely open on his own) when he thinks nobody is watching.

 
Cullen's favorite foods include sweet potatoes, beans, meat, bananas and frozen yogurt-covered blueberries. He has a great appetite and will eat pretty much anything, especially whatever he can swipe off of big brother's plate :)

I really enjoy spending my days watching this little boy learn and grow into a personality that is all his own. I'm sure it's because I've gone through this all once before that I really know how fleeting these moments are so I try to be mindful and soak up every moment, the easy ones and the tough ones, and take advantage of every opportunity to kiss, squeeze, snuggle, play and laugh. Isn't this what life is all about?

xo

Avery @ 10 Months

Cullen - 9 Months!

Cullen had his 9 month checkup at the beginning of the week and the doctor confirmed what I already knew: This child is growing like a WEED. Honestly, I swear I see him growing in front of my eyes most days. Literally. He's growing right now.
His 9 month stats: 
22.7 pounds (90th percentile)  
29.5 inches (90th percentile) 
He's almost exactly the same height as Avery was at 9 months, but 2 pounds heavier.

At 9 Months, Cullen...
Loves:
Anything Avery is doing/playing with
Opening & closing doors
Climbing everything, especially the stairs
Being put down in his crib on his side
Eating (sweet potatoes and cheerios/puffs are his favorite)
Swinging
Digging in plants
Bathtime!
Waving
Clapping
Drinking from cups and straws
Ripping -and eating- magazines 
Pushing walking toys
Music and Dancing
'Driving' cars and truck, sound effects included
Talking "Bah Bah, Dada & Mama"
Mimicking sounds (especially funny ones that Avery makes)

Dislikes:
Diaper changes
Getting Dressed/Undressed (imagine trying to wrangle a very strong octopus)
Being alone 
Not being allowed to eat dog food
Not being allowed to eat Play Doh
Not being allowed to eat paper 
Not being allowed to eat [insert any non-edible item he gets his little scavenger hands on]
 

In the early morning hours of December 4, Cullen woke up in the night with a scary barking cough and labored breathing. I spent the rest of the night lying vigil next to his crib listening to his raspy breathing pattern and jumping up every time he got quiet. It was torture. A doctor's appointment the next day confirmed my Google diagnosis: Croup. 

He was given an oral steroid that helped relieve some of the swelling so he could breathe easier. Although the steroid did its job, it also made him WIRED so we spent the next 2 nights sitting up with a baby who only wanted to crawl in circles and bang on the wall. By day 3, this mama had about lost her mind due to worry and lack of sleep and Cullen could barely keep his eyes open so we discontinued the steroid and all finally got some rest. Cullen has now finally made it to the other side of this sickness and with some souvenirs: THREE new teeth to balance out his lone snaggle-tooth on top. (because apparently being uncomfortable with the croup wasn't quite enough, he had to be cutting new teeth too... poor guy.) It was pretty much miserable to see my happy-go-lucky boy so lethargic and sad. Thankfully he's finally back to his sweet self and seems happier than ever.
  
Cullen has mastered his 'rascal' face: the little pursed-lip smirk he gives when he knows he's doing something naughty (plant digging, playing in Bella's water bowl, etc.) 
Don't tell him, but it's my favorite of his faces ;) 

While nursing Cullen to sleep, he will sometimes pull off and grunt up at me to see if I'm awake. If I keep my eyes closed and pretend I'm sleeping, he will go back to nursing and fall asleep :) If I'm nursing him when Avery is around, they play a game where Cullen pulls off and cranes his neck around to get a kiss from Avery ("Hi Cullen! Kiss? Okay!") then turns back around while they both giggle (this cycle then continues for 5 minutes) 

My baby boy is creeping ever closer to his first birthday and it makes me so sad thinking about how fast time is going BUT I'm doing everything in my power to take full advantage of these baby days. I am soaking up every squeeze, snuggle and giggle and I don't get too worked up about him reaching any of his milestones too early. Some of the happiest moments in my days are spent watching Cullen laugh and play with his big brother. Those two have just been best buddies from the start and I can see that bond growing every single day. Is there anything better than that?!

I took this photo ------------> at the beginning of the month and I feel like he's aged so much more than 30 days since. With all the moving he's been doing this month, he's already losing this round baby face and it's amazing how those top teeth change his entire look! (but so far, his adorable little head of hair is still as red as can be!)

There's something so wonderful about a baby's first Christmas and Cullen is at the perfect age to take in every little thing with such amazement. This boy, his sweet big brother and his amazing daddy sure make me thankful for everything I've been given in this life.

I hope your Christmas is filled with wonder and magic. Cheers to another great year in 2015! 


Avery @ 9 Months

Cullen the 8-Month-Old!

It's hard for me to believe Cullen has only aged a month since my last post, this month he has been on developmental fast forward. He learned to crawl, stand, and now takes steps along furniture and behind his walking toys. (Whaaaat?!) He's also had some of his fussiest moments this month, including a little sleeping regression and a separation anxiety phase. But who can blame him, that rapid growth and pushing out new teeth is hard work!   

This month, Cullen...

•Takes a morning and afternoon nap. Some days both boys will nap for an hour or so at the same time and other days they will sleep relay-style ;)

•Will occasionally sleep through the night but usually still gets up once or twice. These wakings usually happen before I go to bed or in the early morning so I'm getting some pretty solid stretches of sleep. Yay! He always nurses to sleep and shows no sign of doing it another way which is just fine with me. One of the things about having a second baby is knowing how precious these little moments are. Once they're over, they're over. I remember how sudden (and easy) it was when Avery stopped nursing to sleep, It was much harder on me than it was on him!

•Is all over the house! He moves so quickly, going from emptying out a toy basket to climbing the stairs to diving into Bella's water bowl all in a matter of minutes. 

•Got his third tooth but instead of getting one of his top middle teeth, which would be too predictable, he's got what we call his little 'fang', the one to the left of where his top middle would be. It makes for a pretty cute smile :) 

•Eats hearty meals of 'solid' food 3 times a day. He's a great eater and has upgraded to eating most of his food in chunk form. There isn't anything he doesn't eat, but prefers his food to not be super cold. 

•Love, love, LOVES Avery. They will sit and play together and have so much fun laughing and chasing each other around, I love to just sit and watch them. Avery has mastered redirecting Cullen when he gets bored or frustrated with something and is also really good at 'gentle wrestling'- it always makes Cullen giggle.

•Some days he doesn't want me to be out of his sight. If I walk out of the room for a minute, I can pretty much bet on hearing that pitter-patter of little hands speed-crawling up behind me a minute later. 

•Gurgles, babbles, and says 'dada' and 'baba' a lot. He also does a really funny low-growl and is a master raspberry blower.

•Dressed up for Halloween as the cutest little cow ever. What's funny is that Avery wore this outfit last Halloween at 28 months, and Cullen wore it this year at 8 months and it wasn't even too crazy big. We're thinking we likely have a future linebacker on our hands...

•Still has the cutest little head full of red hair that has really started growing these last few weeks.

•Claps when we say "Yay!" and puts up his arms when we say "So big!"  (Avery loves playing this game with him)

•Loves attempting to eat dog food and plants. I have 2 big pots on the floor that I didn't have when Avery was this age and I thought it would be a good experiment to see how long they would last. Well, leave Cullen alone for 20 seconds and it's safe to say he's probably found his way to those plants and has a face full of dirt. Rascal ;)

•Loves bath time. And who wouldn't, with a crazy older brother like Avery to splash around with! Bath time at our house is no less than a 45 minute ordeal and both boys are equally cold and tired by the end of it - the perfect pre-bedtime activity! 

•Although he doesn't do this as much now that he moves around so much, at the beginning of the month Cullen would do this funny balancing act while he was sitting up. You would think he was going to fall over backwards but he wouldn't, he would just balance back on his tailbone with his feet off the floor. He was just working on his ab muscles ;)

•Has started getting awfully wiggly during our little weekly photo shoots. He can go from lying on his back all smiley-like to rolling the fabric into a ball and crawling away in 10 seconds flat. From here on out, the photo shoots are going to be more of a workout for this mama!

•Has SO many things around the house to keep him busy! When Avery was his age, he had PLENTY of toys but it was nothing compared to the variety that Cullen has available to him now. You want to chew on markers and long wooden sticks while waving around 4 feet of PVC pipe? Sure! Here are some Hot Wheels cars, see if you can suck the wheels of of them while you're at it. ;)  
 
Overall, this boy is just the sweetest child ever. He's the missing piece our little family didn't even know we were missing. I can't imagine our life without him in it. Although he's growing far too fast, I love seeing him grow and learn and interact a little more every single day. 


Here's a little video from a couple of weeks ago when Cullen first started walking behind his walker. He goes 10 times faster now, it's amazing how far he's come in just a short time. I love Avery's encouragement :) 

  
And I'm a softie for brothers giggling together:

Cullen: 7 Months

This month, Cullen:
•eats even more foods and now eats twice a day
•takes two naps, times and durations vary
•gets up once, sometimes twice, during the night
•popped out his first (and almost his second!) tooth
•barrel rolls and army crawls wherever he wants to go (and he's fast!)
•started wearing cloth diapers during the day
•enjoys giggle-fests and 'wrestling' matches with his beloved big brother every day
•wears size 12month clothes (and is busting out of some of them...)
•wants to chew on (eat) everything, especially anything made of paper 
•loves to stand - he can't pull himself all the way up yet, but loves to be propped up 
•is a side sleeper 
•is ticklish and loves to be tickled

I'm not exaggerating when I say that Cullen is THE most mild-tempered boy of all time. I'm sure I'll regret putting this in writing when he's 16, but I'm amazed daily at how well he just goes-with-the-flow and doesn't get worked up about much at all. Of course he has his moments and is starting to develop more of an opinion about what he likes/doesn't like. Avery is finding out fast that he can't just grab toys out of his brother's hands like he has in the past and Cullen doesn't hesitate to take what he wants either. 

The last week of this month was a powerhouse one for Cullen. He popped out a tooth and started moving across the room using a series of different techniques (barrel-rolling, army crawling, scooting, push-ups and a variety of other moves that resemble yoga poses :)  all in the same week. (which also happened to be the week Avery started choosing to use the potty regularly - whew!) He took these developmental changes like a champ, the only collateral damage being a few skipped naps and a little extra cuddle time. I'll take it.

I'm sure it has everything to do with the fact that this is my second time around but caring for Cullen just seems easier. This doesn't mean my days are easy by any means (far from it), I just have so much less anxiety about having a tiny person around and I know more of what to expect that it is easier to predict what his needs will be. I have Avery to thank for teaching me so much about how to me a mama and I continue to learn new things every day. 

This 'job' challenges me mentally, physically and emotionally like no other experience I've ever had in my life. It's downright hard some days in ways I never would've imagined but it's also the more rewarding than I ever could've dreamed of. I may have more wrinkles than I had 2 years ago, but I also have these two sweet boys to call me mama. 
Total win.

Avery @ 7 months here

Cullen - 6 Months Old!

Cullen got a clean bill of health at his 6 month well-baby checkup on Monday, weighing in at 
21 pounds, 9 ounces and 
28 inches long - in the 97th percentile for both! I know he's going to start to plateau one of these days, so I'm going to cherish those chubby cheeks and thighs before they turn into long skinny running legs like his big brother :)

Cullen's whole life thus far has been one big growth spurt and he is on the cusp of a few pretty
big developments. He's working on popping out a couple of teeth, he watches everything his big brother does very closely and will be fully mobile any day.

Cullen barrel rolls all over the place these days and can pretty much scoot his way toward whatever he sets his sights on (which is usually whatever Avery is playing with.) He can also turn a 360 on his tummy in 10 seconds flat (I timed it ;) and although I still put him

This just in: Cullen chews on
everything. EVERYTHING.

on a blanket to play, he finds his way off it in approximately 13 seconds and is off getting into something that I swear was far enough out of his reach. (Baby-proofing is proving to be even harder the second time around with a sneaky toddler depositing rocks, acorns and 'jewels' in every corner of the house)

Now that Cullen is all up in Avery's business during playtime, Avery has been doing a really great job being patient with his little brother and including him in whatever he's doing. This doesn't mean that Avery doesn't sometimes get frustrated or territorial but he's generally a very kind and gentle boy. Even when Avery does snatch toys away, Cullen is such a calm dude he doesn't even seem to mind (he sometimes even laughs when Avery takes his toys away (what?!) we'll see how long that lasts.) I love that they're starting to play together more, it's so fun to watch them interacting all on their own and the giggle fests fill me up with happy :)

 

Cullen is still smitten with his buddy, Bella and lights up whenever she comes near him.

Cullen and Avery take baths together and are so cute playing and splashing around in the water.

Cullen naps once in the morning and once in the afternoon (and occasionally once in the early evening depending on how his afternoon nap went.) Sometimes I'll get really lucky and both boys will overlap naptimes, but it's becoming more likely that they take turns. This doesn't give me much time for myself, but it's nice to have a little one-on-one time with each of them every day.
In the evening he goes down to sleep around 8, but sometimes wakes up 2 or 3 times before he settles into sleep for good. Once he does, he usually only gets up once or twice during the night before waking up at 7-7:30 am. AND he no longer sleeps in his swaddle! He moves around so much now that he was just feeling confined so I put him in a sleeper one night and *bam!* he slept just fine. I should've known he would be so cool with it, silly mama.

Cullen nurses to sleep and about every 3-4 hours during the day. He's a very efficient eater which is the biggest difference I notice between him and big brother. I swear I spent HOURS nursing Avery during the day, but Cullen is in-and-out in 5 minutes

flat. Even putting him down for a nap only takes 10-15 minutes, something that took WAAAAY too long with Avery.

Cullen has started to experiment with some purees. (I was REALLY excited to pull that Baby Bullet back out!) So far, he's had sweet potato, pears, peas, banana, and a little rice cereal. His favorite is bananas and his least favorite is the rice cereal (I couldn't even get him to keep 2 spoonfuls in his mouth, he spit it out! I didn't mix it with a fruit or veggie though, maybe that would help.) He wasn't super excited about eating 'solid' foods at first, but now he gets excited when dinnertime rolls around and we put him in the high chair.

Overall, Cullen is at a really fun age right now where he is just so happy-go-lucky about everything and is learning and growing way too fast. He has been having a few fussy days here and there which leads me to believe those teeth are on their way to the surface and Avery is keeping a close eye out for them ;) Stay tuned for updates of Cullen on the move (also known as Mama Get Your Running Shoes ;)

The happy boy with the last remaining evidence of his first bruise - right between his eyes
(thanks to a ill-placed lego block when Cullen took a dive for the floor one day)

Click here to see Avery @ 6 Months!

Cullen @ 5 Months!

I'm pretty sure Cullen is on track to pass his brother up on the scale. Weighing in at 21 pounds, he's only 8 pounds less than his 2 year old big brother and is currently wearing 9 month clothes (and already busting out of some of those)! I'm thinking he's got to start leveling off one of these days...

This month I've been trying to remember the little things, Cullen's quirks that will likely be replaced by something new next month. Like the way he squishes up his face and dives into my neck when he laughs, the way he kicks excitedly and rubs his eye with his free hand when he's nursing, the way he can go from whining to belly laughing in the same breath, the way he squeals at me when I peek in at him in the morning, the way he tucks his chin[s] in when he concentrates so hard, the way his eyes light up when he makes eye contact, the squeals and those rolls. Oh, those rolls.

Here's a little update on a few of Cullen's favorite things:
eating       
Cullen continues to be a very good nurser, although he's pretty distracted these days. He jerks his head around toward every noise he hears and wants to see everything going on around him, so nursing sessions that don't take place in his quiet bedroom are usually pretty short. (Short but efficient!) He's getting so big and so wiggly that I feel like I'm feeding a child much older than 5 months... *sigh* 

Cullen hasn't started eating any solid foods yet, but he does sit up in his high chair with us while we eat now and Avery has been up-graded to a seat on a big chair! 

sleeping             
Since the beginning of the month Cullen has been sleeping in his own crib in his own room. He still sleeps swaddled and with a fan for white noise. I can't for the life of me figure out how to transition out of the swaddle, so he may be sleeping in one until his first birthday!  Avery is a tummy sleeper so once he could roll over, I put him on his tummy to sleep and it's been [pretty] smooth sailing ever since but Cullen wants nothing to do with that tummy-sleeping business... 

Although his sleeping pattern has gotten MUCH better than last month, it's still pretty unpredictable. This last week, there were a few nights that it took me 2-3 hours to get him down to sleep (to stay asleep), but other nights that he was down for the count after only 20 minutes. He will typically sleep a big 6-7 hour stretch only getting up once or twice to nurse but every once in a while we still sometimes spend some long early morning hours awake together (when he thinks that 4 am is play time!) Overall though, my sanity is happy to report that sleeping continues to get progressively better. (After reading back on Avery's 5 month post, apparently Cullen is doing much better than his big brother at this age!)

Most of the time, tummy time is a group activity. Avery loves to roll around on the floor with Cullen and Bella never misses an opportunity to lay her head on the blanket. Cullen LOVES to stare at Bella and works so hard to creep towards her to catch a feel of her soft fur

playing            
Cullen's day includes lots of tummy-time, bouncing, sitting up working on his abs, learning lots of tricks from Avery, stroller/bike rides and many miles worth of airplane rides from mom.
Cullen rolls from his tummy to his back all day but isn't interested in rolling from back to tummy yet. He has a very strong core (or maybe it's the solid set of rolls?) and so his preferred position is sitting. In the last week or so he's gotten considerably more stable and can adjust his balance so he doesn't fall over nearly as much :) 

Even more than sitting, Cullen LOVES bouncing in the jumparoo. I think he would bounce in this thing all day if I let him. He's such a happy boy when he's in it and his chunky little legs just go, go, go :)

chewing         
This boy chews everything. All the time. His toys, his fingers, his toes, his bottom lip. Anything that nears his mouth goes into it. I don't see any teeth popping through anytime soon, but they've got to be working their way up! 

Hugs, kisses, belly-showing-off, and wrestling... so much brotherly love :)

avery          
Cullen continues to adore his big brother. As long as Avery is in his line of sight, Cullen is a content boy. His eyes lock on Avery and he laughs at everything he does. (In turn, Avery loves having such a responsive audience - "Cullen, look! Cullen! Cullen! Look, Cullen! CULLEN!" ;) Avery continues to be the sweetest big brother of all time. He makes sure Cullen always has something to chew on, loves to make Cullen laugh and gets really excited when he hears that he is awake from his nap. When Cullen cries, Avery tries to anticipate what he needs: "hungry, mama?" "nap, mama?" 
Avery and Cullen now take baths together! It's pretty cute watching them play and splash around in the water.

We have so many good days and some tough days too, but it is the highlight of my life seeing these two together and watching them grow. I sure am one lucky mama :)

Click here to see Avery @ 5 Months