Hey big boy!

26.5 inches, 19.1 lbs., 17.5 in. head

Our doc doesn't like to talk percentages, but I caught them on her computer screen this time...

98% on weight, 92% on height, 95% on head

It is funny because he started out on the small side and now his x is just barely on the chart. Doc said that they don't know why, but breastfed babies tend to get really large at this age and stay really large until they are about 2 years old. After that, breastfed babies thin out and have a much, much lower rate of obesity, but they get pretty big as babies. We love our little chunky monkey...wouldn't have our healthy baby any other way!

4 months old!

I just looked at his 2 month pictures...my how things have changed in 2 short months! It is really unbelievable. Joaquin turned 4 months old on Sunday and celebrated by army crawling on his own. Nate put him belly down and he wiggled his way over to his blanket. Since he has discovered playing with his hands he has been fascinated with them and likes to use them. He often looks at them while he is nursing and he has taken to holding on to some sort of blanket or rag most of the time.

A cute story...I propped him up on the couch while I was folding laundry and he had begun to like having some sort of rag with him, so I gave him a piece of clothing. He watched me folding clothes and took his piece and kind of handled it for a minute or so and then set it to his side and made a loud noise. I gave him another piece and he helped me 'fold' several pieces of clothing : )

Joaquin has his 4 month old appointment tomorrow with those awful, heart wrenching shots. On the plus side, we'll get to find out his height and weight...I'm thinking 24" and 16 lbs.

A drawback?

So our first drawback of Joaquin's leaps and bounds week...

We meet Gideon for lunch as usual for our Sundays.  Joaquin now has a new found interest in this...first trying to touch my chicken, then the knife and fork, and finally throwing some slaw on the floor.  Oy!  I guess we'll be having some different dining experiences in our future!

Another big day!

More firsts! He discovered his hand today and spent all morning looking at it. Like that look only baby's make..."Hey...that's my hand..." He also played his first game with me. Put his head in my lap, look up, big grin...: )...over and over, like a little bit of hide and seek or peek a boo.

My mom also reminded me that this week Joaquin discovered Bailey. I don't think he noticed her before and now he definitely sees her and watches her. Huge week!

Big week! 16 weeks...

This week, Joaquin rolled over on Wednesday and started reaching out and grabbing his toys on Friday. On Wednesday, I had left him propped up on my pillow in bed while I brushed my teeth and found him next to the pillow on his belly. He wasn't really freaked out by it...just looking around.

Then today, we were on his playmat and he started reaching out and grabbing his toys and hitting them against each other! He had started tentatively grabbing a week or so earlier (mostly his ball and we have been playing drums with chopsticks and an ice cream carton in the kitchen), but he has never really actively reached for something and he certainly hasn't grabbed anything.

He still has a fascination with kicking and his feet though...I think we're going to have alot of soccer games in his future (yeah Tita Leslie and Uncle David, right?). He likes to be held up so he can kick his ball standing up and he catches the ball with his feet if you throw it from above. If he is not done with his ball and you try and pick him up, he will simply squeeze his feet so he can take it with him!

He also tries to sit up by himself all the time now and likes to use our hands to pull himself up into a sitting position (especially for a kiss) and with Gideon, all the way to standing up! Can you believe it? This kid wants to stand and walk something fierce...

Yesterday was his 16 week birthday which means I am officially off payroll and into my last 6 weeks of maternity leave....boo... He has decided to hunger strike more often when I am out now (mostly for class once a week), so let's hope that's a 6 week or less phase.

Chris Tucker's biggest fan

We are watching Rush Hour 3 right now and Joaquin is enthralled by Chris Tucker. Every time he comes on the screen he talks and gets really animated...hilarious, off to Netflix more Chris Tucker movies I guess!

3 months!

August pictures are up. Wow, September already...it is super hot in the day and cool at night. Our guavas are coming in and we're trying to get our last major house project (outdoor landscaping) off the ground.

Joaquin is currently trying to figure out laughing and grabbing things. He is just exploring reaching or things and making the connection that HE is touching them. We spent a good half hour today on the swing with him touching the ropes. And his laugh is funny...it is kind of a deeper 'huh huh' instead of a baby giggle.

I have started school and it is rough...1-2 hours of work every day as a minimum to keep up. I fear it will only get worse. I have been reading Joaquin my journal articles. Gideon has finished the kitchen floor and we are putting in the rest of the cabinets.