5/52.

Three things that make Franz, well, Franz: 

1. his fuzzy hair that sticks straight up
2. his tongue that is constantly sticking out between his lips
3. those chubby, oh-so-kissable cheeks

I love this boy.

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we've got a roller!

Hi guys, guess what! I rolled over this morning during tummy time! I surprised myself, because when it happened, I didn't know what to think! And when mama tried to get me to do it again, I couldn't muster enough strength to do it a second time! Whew! Tummy time wears me out! I think mama is going to have her camera at the ready at each tummy time session now until I do it again. She's a weirdo. Stay tuned for a video!

Love, Franz

4/52.

Even though I'm a little late with this, I've decided to start taking weekly portraits of Franz this year using a real camera instead of my iPhone. I've taken so many pictures of him with my phone (posted to Instagram), which isn't a bad thing, but I want to take some with my real camera, too. 

Lately, Franz has taken to sucking on his fists, like, all day, every day. He's also getting sooo wiggly. This was taken after a diaper change, before I put some clean clothes on him. 

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franz's first donut.

Just kidding. Franz slept through the whole thing. But one day he will experience his first donut, and he'll think we're the best parents ever.

Zac got home from school on Monday night and said, "I smelt Krispy Kreme donuts while walking to my car after class. We should go get some donuts for Family Night tonight." We're not in the habit of having Family Night consistently every week yet, but if it involves food, you better believe we're having Family Night.

So we went. And got 5 donuts, because the "hot now" sign was on. And it was amazing.

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two months.

My baby boy is two months old already, and he is getting chunky! He has the most kissable chubby cheeks like his papa had when he was a baby, and I kiss them all day long. He also is getting really good at talking! His favorite words are hi, goo, oh, and a whole slew of other random baby words. He says hi pretty consistently though, and we like to say hi back to him and pretend he's greeting us. :)

Another thing he's getting really good at is smiling! It melts my heart each time. He gives most of his smiles out in the mornings to his mama, and I even caught him giggling a few times last week!

In his second month, Franz...

• has gotten really good at tummy time. He went from laying his head down to keeping it up for a few minutes at a time.
• loves to look at himself in the mirror. After I change his diaper, we walk over to the mirror and I talk to him, and he just flashes the biggest open-mouth grins! He also has a mirror above his seat in the swing, and smiles at himself before he falls asleep.
• is getting barely too big for 0-3 month clothes, but not quite big enough for 3-6 month clothes. I can't believe how fast he's growing!
• wears size 1 diapers, and will wear size 2 soon enough.
• has gained 5 1/2 pounds since birth; he's up to 14 pounds already! (Stop growing!)
• has to be holding onto something when he nurses. It's usually my shirt, and sometimes my finger. He also tickles my back with his behind hand while he nurses, too. 
• is somewhat on a schedule. Every 2-4 hours, he'll eat, then get a diaper change, then play, then sleep, then repeat.
• is "sleeping through the night," in that he sleeps about 5 or 6 hours from the time we put him down for bed (around 6 or 7). After that, he still wakes up every 2 to 3 hours until morning. 
• loves to be held facing outward, so he can see what's going on.
• loves to look at lights on the ceiling, the Fleet Foxes poster above our couch, the books in his nursery, and the frames on our living room wall. 
• giggled for the first time, about 5 times in a row.
• has started putting his little fists up by his eyes when he eats, like he did in the ultrasound when I was pregnant with him.
• has his hands clenched in fists about half the time.
• has 2 sets of dimples! (We actually knew this when he was brand new, but now that he's smiling more, you notice them more!)
• has a sad little cough that is slowly going away.
• sleeps in his swing, and loves movement, like car rides (thank goodness) and stroller rides. Driving around in the car puts him to sleep the fastest though, I think.
• still loves to stick out his tongue! This kid's got the longest tongue I've ever seen.
• actually likes to be swaddled now, unlike last month. He takes a few daytime naps swaddled in his crib. 
• pinched Zac's nipple while Zac was rocking him to sleep one night.
• will only smile for his mama most of the time. He loves it when I call him "handsome boy."
• loves to wiggle his arms and legs! (See proof in the blurry pictures above)
• loves his playmat that Grandma Lynn got him for Christmas. He loves looking at the lights and listening to the music (and will get sad when it turns off), and he's starting to swat at the hanging toys.
• can usually put himself to sleep, but lately doesn't like being rocked to sleep by mama or papa. That makes me sad. :(
• has found his hands, and loves sucking on them.
• loves his binky, unless he's hungry.

This second month has been much easier. I feel like as time goes on, I'm getting more and more used to this whole thing, getting on somewhat of a schedule, and I can even distinguish his cries and what they mean now (a few weeks ago, that seemed impossible). 

I am loving his mama gig. I love being with this guy all day, even if it makes me frustrated sometimes. This little boy is such a good baby. I love him!

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the nursery.

When we got Franz's newborn pictures taken, Heather snapped a few pictures of the nursery, and I just love them. I had the idea for this nursery in my head probably before I was pregnant, and slowly throughout my pregnancy, it came together, piece by piece. I'm quite proud of how it turned out, and I think it's my favorite room in our whole apartment.

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franz's blessing.

Today was Franz's blessing day! His papa gave him such a beautiful blessing, and we had a handful of family there to share it with. It was such a wonderful time. 

At the luncheon afterwards at our apartment, Franz got so overwhelmed with all the noise and people there, and started crying! It broke my mama heart, so I took him into his nursery and nursed him, even though I had nursed him just an hour before. I realized right then that he didn't want to eat, but he wanted to feel close to his mama, and that made my mama heart just about burst. It was really sweet to share that with my baby boy.

So enjoy these few pictures! I think my favorite is the one where Franz is sitting on my baby blanket from 23 years ago. He sleeps with it every night. :)

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highlights of 2013.

This year has been one of the best, and our Franzy boy may or may not have a whole lot to do with that. :) I feel like mine and Zac's relationship as a couple has grown so much this year, and I love him more now than I ever have, if that were possible. 

Here are a few of my favorite parts of 2013...

In January, Zac and I got our art on and found our new favorite Chinese restaurant just a block or two away from our apartment, took polaroids around downtown Provo in the freezing cold, and ate black and white food at a Martin Luther King Jr. party we threw with a few friends. We also found a couple of fox friends who would later hang out in the nursery, and got to eat for free at one of the best restaurants at Sundance to celebrate our engagement 2 years prior.

In February, we celebrated Groundhog Day with our friends from with a soda party, tried some fast food seafood that was actually pretty good, and spent Valentine's Day together at home with some Chinese take out. We discovered the world's most terrible wings while celebrating a friend's birthday, and got our dance on at another friend's wedding!

When March rolled around, we found out I was pregnant! We said goodbye to my sister, Rachel, when she moved to Texas, celebrated Zac's new job and my pregnancy with some really good food, had some pie with Erica and Wes on Pi Day, and I baked a mean chocolate cake for no reason at all.

In April, I celebrated Easter up at my parents' house without Zac. We also spent my birthday in Salt Lake City, and Zac's birthday in Park City. Spring finally came in all its glory, and we announced my pregnancy to friends and family!

In May, we threw a Cinco de Mayo party on the Seis de Mayo, discovered the best gelado we've ever tasted, and Zac ate way too much soft serve ice cream. Oh, and we ate the best pizza on the planet on our two-year anniversary!

In June, we started walking the trails at Bridal Veil Falls every Sunday, and my brother got married! We drove up to Squaw Peak one night to watch the sunset, built a blanket fort complete with popcorn and music, and went to the carnival for the second night in a row.

In July, we had family over for a BBQ on the 4th of July, indulged my craving of pizza and root beer, spent a day at the Farmers' Market. We road tripped to Bear Lake with the Swensons for a few days, and went to the rodeo with them a few days later.

In August, we went to see Ryan Innes with Jason and Abby, watched the Salem Days parade from my in-laws' driveway, and ate pizza and bought records with Erica and Wes one night. We played games and ate cake at Jason's birthday party, and I cut my hair so short!

In September, we spent a night up at the Swensons' cabin, watched my baby sister open her mission call, and had a pie party on the same day a huge storm hit and knocked the power out! We also drove up to West Jordan to say goodbye to Themlord before she left for her mission to Georgia!

In October, it snowed for the first time this season, and we walked through a corn maze with Erica and Wes, and ate some fire-grilled pizza after finding out that the truck was parked a couple blocks away from our apartment. We got our maternity pictures taken up in the mountains, and my baby sister left for Kansas, and I dressed up like trailer trash for Halloween.

In November, we celebrated my last day of work with desserts and balloons, Zac and I had our last big date with just the two of us at the same place we celebrated getting pregnant, I reached my due date, and then went overdue, and then welcomed our sweet little boy into the world! Franz turned a week old, and had quite the collection of visitors! We got pictures taken as a family of three, and spent Thanksgiving with my family.

In December, my baby boy turned a month old way too fast, and got his first cold with his mama. We spent a lot of days inside because of the cold weather, but ventured out on Christmas Day to spend time with family. Franz learned to like his binky, and we spent New Years Eve at my brother Matt's house with an appetizer contest and games.

It's been such a good year, and to be honest, after looking at all these pictures, I think I miss my pregnant belly. I've loved 2013, and I'm excited to see what 2014 brings! I'm excited to watch this little boy of mine grow up! Happy New Year!

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