Capturing the Kerrys: 5 Months!

Hi all,
This week's post borders on obsessive, but the cuteness cannot be contained. And it was Mother's Day, so this gives me the free-pass to love on my baby over the blog. It's been a strange week for us. Max is wrapping up baseball...we're suppose to be at a game right now, but someone's nap interfered with that plan! His last game is Wednesday. I have been working a lot. And Ryan has been leaving the infant stage behind to be a full-on baby.

In the midst of all this, Max and I have been toying with the idea of selling the house to move into the district he teaches in. We've done so much to this place and are finally finished so it's nice to just ease back and live in the house. However, the story we have to tell a potential buyer about all the new changes doesn't get any better than right now. Plus, we found a gem! A 100 year farmhouse in the midst of a neighborhood on close to an acre of land...and the price was just reduced $50k. It needs some attention, but it's weaknesses are all the strengths that Max and I have as home renovators. It's beautiful and the location could not get any better. We'll see what happens...Our next steps are to find out what we can get for our home given the improvements we've done and to see what's on the seller's disclosure for the new house. Stay tuned...And if anyone out there is interested in our place (or has a friend that's interested), speak up. We'd MUCH rather pass this place to someone who will love it as we have. And if we can do this as a private sale, all the better.

As for Mr. Ryan...He's 18 lbs as of today. No Joke! We had his monthly check-up (Yes, Dr. Bush said that we're his favorites, so he schedules us once a month. Then again, Dr. Bush thought frazzled old me with my sloppy pony tail was 24 years old last check up, so I cautiously wonder if the check ups are more about making sure I'm keeping up my end of the bargain as a "teen" mom! J/K) Anyhow, Ryan is now off the pro-biotics since the doc thinks they did the trick. We're staying on the reflux meds for now and seeing what happens. I am still off dairy just to keep from changing too many variables at once. However, Ryan is like a new child. He's happy and curious and clearly out of pain. We're so thankful he's on the mend. No solids for now until we get this completely cleared up, but those days are around the corner. Other developments with the little man:

- He's blowing bubbles outwardly
- He mimics us when we stick out his tongue. And when he smiles, his tongue twists clockwise.
- He fully roles from back to stomach in search of toys
- His favorite song is "I see the moon" as well as a song we've made up "I see the boy of my heart"...and yes, he also loves "Hello Dolly" but only when my mom sings it to him
- He recognizes who Daddy, Mommy, Cali and Jenny (his sitter) are and searches for us visually when asked
- Cali and him are completely into each other now. Unfortunately, Cali still howls when he cries.
- He loves playing peek-a-boo with daddy
- He hates his car seat (when strapped in), though that's where he generally takes his naps (not strapped in)
- He is in silent awe when we go outside. He's just on full alert whenever we're outside, especially now that he is happy facing outwards when I wear him in our front pack
- Checking our voice mail on speaker stops him from crying
- He's almost out grown his bassinet in our room and will have to move to his crib in his room pretty soon
- He's starting to sit up though needs support

That's all for this GR crew this week. Love to you all,
Court, Max, Ryan & Cali

My first mother's day. This was taken at my parents. Max surprised me with a 2-night stay at a bed and breakfast in Grand Haven next weekend. Our first family trip. Could Ryan look anymore like Max? I swear, all I provided was womb rental.

Mother's day: Aunt Kirstyn showing off a gift for me (read the bib). He's sporting his collared shirt and plaid shorts since we had brunch at the country club (I was tempted to put him in jean overalls to see if we'd get ejected for illegal textile wear, but thought better than to rock the boat this time.)

Ryan's getting the hang of the jumper and now bounces around, especially when Daddy sings "Jump Around," (Cyprus Hill) to him. He's destined to be a hip hop fan. (He still loves Jay-Z's "Unplugged", thank you Uncle Brian)

We call this "Me and my Dog". This is honestly how I caught Ryan sitting with his favorite new toy, courtesy of Uncle Eric and Aunt Kirstyn's trip to Disney. He's obsessed with the Pluto.

This is Ryan in what we call "The Frog Sessions". He love this toy and was rolling all over the bed to play with it. I went a little over-board with the pictures from that day.