Emmett Joseph at 2 months

Sweet Baby Boy, you’re changing BY THE DAY. I'd bottle up your smiles and noises if I could.

·         You love baths—it’s basically a requirement for Clark children to enjoy water, soooo we’re glad you’re complying!

·         Daddy has been trying to figure out your nickname. He’s trying a couple out to see what sticks. (It actually bothers him that it’s taken this long to come up with a nickname, buuut in his defense, he thought you were going to be a girl!)

·         When you scrunch your forehead and furrow your brows, you look just like Daddy. Other than that, you have your own look. And I love it.

·         You will take a paci, but you’re certainly not addicted to it like your big brother was.

·         Emmett, you caught your 1^st cold (from Oliver) a few weeks ago. Fortunately, it was only a few days of snot and you were back to your happy self.

·         Speaking of Oliver, he decided he loves you! He puts little trucks by you and says “Show Baby Emmett play trucks”. He also surrounds you with balls and says “Play ball, Baby Emmett”. I hope you become best friends.

·         You’re smiling (for real now) and I cannot get enough! I routinely make goofy faces and absurd noises to encourage the smiles :)

·         98% of the time, you’re super chill and we could almost forget you’re here.

·         Around 5 weeks old, Daddy and I had had enough of your “sleeping noises” and decided to put you in your room. We’re all 3 sleeping better now and you’re down to 1 middle-of-the-night feed!

·         You currently have the look of a mini sumo wrestler. Chubby legs, a big belly, dark hair and lots of rolls…

·         We finally got to take you for your 1^st walk outside! You slept right through it and I expected nothing less!

·         You’re wearing size 1 diapers until we finish the current box, but size 2’s are right around the corner! I had to pack away some 3 month onesies already (which *never* happened at this point with your siblings!)

·         On your 2 month birthday, you weighed a whopping 12 pounds & 14 ounces, which put you at the 64^th percentile! At 2 months, you *already* weigh more than your siblings did at FOUR months.  You’re 23.5 inches long, which is the 73^rd percentile. And as expected, your head is large—90^th percentile. You, Emmett, are my first big baby and it’s been so neat to see you grow at your own pace (and at a much different pace than your big brother and big sister)

We love love love your squishy, happy self. 

Love always,

 Mama

Emmett Joseph at 1 month

Dear Emmett,

Sweet Boy—we didn’t find out your gender until birth and it was incredible to hear your daddy say “it’s a BOY!” We were completely shocked by alllll your dark hair. I mean, not only was your head covered with dark hair, you had dark eyebrows and hair allll over your back, arms and even ears (seriously)! At this point, you have a look all your own. 

• Your 1^st visit to the pediatrician was at 4 days. Your pediatrician commented “I don’t expect his genes to support him staying this big.” Your daddy, on the other hand, is hopeful you'll stay big! We also got newborn pictures taken at 4 days new—you slept through all of them.
• The nasty cord stump fell off at 9 days old and neither of your siblings pulled it off (not that such a thing has ever happened at our house before!) 
• So far, you’re pretty laid back—you grunt more than cry. Although, you have gotten red-faced mad a few times.
• You love to eat and your rolls prove it.
• Eleanor kisses you almost as many times a day as I do. She adores you. As for Oliver, he isn’t your biggest fan (or a fan at all, really), although we’re seeing glimpses that he might like you someday!
• You have the shortest legs of any child, possibly ever. We're optimistic that they will grow! You're currently "all body, no legs." :)
• You’re still sleeping in mommy and daddy’s room—we kicked your siblings out before now, so I’m not sure why we haven’t evicted you, too.
• You have a big dimple on your left cheek and yes, it’s adorable.
• For the first couple of weeks, you almost always had your left leg pulled up across your chest. I’m confident this is the same leg that was wadded up near my ribs for a solid couple months… 
• Some firsts this month included: going to church (8 days old), mama’s 1^st day alone with you and your siblings (10 days old), 1^st trip to the chiropractor (3 weeks) and 1^st trip to Illinois (almost 4 weeks).
• At 1 month, you’re nearly 10 pounds…9 pounds and 15 ounces if you want to be exact, which is the 67^th percentile for weight. You’re 21.75 inches long (78^th percentile) and your head is the 95^th percentile. It goes without saying that we’re convinced your head circumference means you're smart :) We packed away newborn clothes between 2 and 3 weeks, which was a first in our household!

 We love love love you to pieces and it seems like you’ve always been here, Emmett. God knew you were exactly what our family needed.

Love always, 

 Mama

Oliver Frank at 2 years

2 year olds are truly some of the best people! They're opinionated, energetic, cuddly, and FUN. Oh, and they're often loud and sometimes disobedient. There's that :) 

•  You’ve grown up soooo much the last few months! You’re chubby face isn’t *quite* as chubby and your leg rolls that I love love love to squish aren’t as squishable anymore.

{18 months}

• You have so many teeth, but no 2 year molars yet. Fingers crossed, they arrive before your new sibling does in January 😉 

• Food is your love language! “Nack, nack, nack” is something I hear 27 times per day and you really CAN put the food away. Based on what you eat now, I can only imagine how much you’ll eat 10 years from now! Raisins, cheese sticks, fruit, broccoli, green beans and chicken are some of your favorites. “Bite, bite, bite” is what you say to anyone with food…because *everyone* should share their food with you!
• You love books--all books! Some of your current favorites are the little blue truck books, books with cars and tractors, animal books and elmo books (of course!)
•  Oliver Frank, there’s no shortage of words from you! You mimic a good many things we say (and sometimes, it’s funny what you repeat!). Speaking of words, you’re SO LOUD. You call your sister “Mae mae” and I melt just a little bit every single time I hear it! 
• You're my child with seasonal allergies, but that doesn't stop us from getting outside! We couldn't keep you inside even if we wanted to! 

If the garage door is opened, you'll find Oliver right here 

• You wore the same shirt to pumpkin festival that you wore last year—an adorable, brown, 12 month shirt with a tractor on it. There are perks to having runt-children and being able to wear clothes for more than a few months is definitely one of them!

• Sweet Boy, you’re our entertainer! You manage to make people laugh wherever we go and will often jump, laugh or say “hi guys” to get people’s attention. 

At the fair...July 2018 {scowling at Uncle Jeremy}

• You are determined to “fix” things around the house, using various tools and other objects. You recently removed one of the register covers (using your screwdriver), then proceeded to raise it over your head and beat on the window. I quickly put a stop to that, so you immediately flipped over your dump truck and proceeded to beat on the tire. Daddy is VERY hopeful that your Mr. Fix It little self will be put to good use someday! :) 

• You’re sleeping in a crib and we plan to keep it that way for as long as possible! You’re very attached to sleeping with a thin blanket. You snuggle into your bed, cover you up and you say "night night". I'm just hear to say that it sounds a little cuter every single night! 

• You’re a reckless little climber and don’t possess a healthy dose of fear! I'm thrilled (and a little surprised) that we made it to your 2nd birthday without stitches or any knocked-out teeth. 

• A couple of weeks before your 2nd birthday, you came down with pneumonia AND your 1st ear infection (a double ear infection, at that). Thankfully, you recovered quickly--amazing what steroids, an antibiotic and around-the-clock neb treatments can do! 
• For your birthday, you got a basketball hoop and it has been quite the hit. I don’t want to forget how you say “almost” every time you miss a basket or how you hold your arms straight up in the air when you make a basket (and say “basket” in your little voice). 

•  You’re definitely in denial in regard to your coming sibling. When we say “Where’s the baby?” You point to yourself and say “me baby”. You don’t like it when the baby moves when you’re sitting on my lap and will point at my belly and say “nooooo”. 

• At 2 years old, you’re wearing 12 month, 12-18 month and 18 month clothes, as well as size 5 & 6 shoes. You tip the scales at 22 pounds and 3 ounces and 31.75 inches tall, both 3^rd percentile. 

Love always, 

 Mama