A Word from Mommy

I know, I know, I just shared a word last night...but I just had to share one more fun update. O is beginning to sign. He's been doing "more" and "all done" (almost the same) for a while. And of course, he now is refusing to do either of those signs. But his new favorite is "cracker". Can you tell we're raising a carb-a-holic??!! I'll try to get video of it soon. It's a very "advanced" sign...especially seeing as how he still hasn't ever done "milk" or "eat", but can do "cracker". So fun!

A Word from Mommy

I'm sitting here writing this officially as a mom of a walker! That's right, Owen has officially entered toddlerhood. It's fun. It's exciting. And in many ways, it's easier. But I'm sad. My "baby" is walking. I just ordered our first pair of real shoes for him. And he sat in a kid-sized chair at a table playing with a puzzle today. My baby's not a baby anymore.

I am happy to report, however, that "On the Night You Were Born" still brings tears to my eyes.

P.S. I am typing this at our desk in the loft, and what wonderous thing do I see as I glance around, but the straw cup I've been searching for for two days, up on a shelf of our bookcase...a mere glimpse of just what is in store for us with a "little" one that can now reach a little higher!

A Word from Mommy and Daddy

To our dear, sweet Owen,
It seems like just yesterday we were painting your room and wondering what life was gonna be like once you arrived. We made all our plans, attended our classes, stocked up on supplies, and then waited...and waited...and waited. And then you were here. We held your tiny little body in our hands and cuddled you close to our hearts. We rocked with you and read to you and snuggled with you. We watched you grow and grow and grow. And now we can't believe that an entire year has passed. You turned 1-year-old today. In a matter of minutes, you went from being a baby to being a toddler, even if you aren't officially "toddling" yet. We thank God every day for blessing our lives with your laughter, your smiles, your "will", your life! We love you more than you will ever know - right up to the moon and back!

you're a crazy ham

no need for a sign this month...your shirt tells
it all (thanks to lula, mo, and your cousins!)

we partied hard all weekend long...and tuckered you out

you're officially 1-year-old...and silly as ever!

We love you, O!

  

My, how you've grown...

A Word from Mommy...

Seeing as how this blog is being used for memory-keeping purposes (and will hopefully be made into a book!), here are a few updates from the past few weeks that I hope to remember someday, but am writing here just in case! I realize it's a little long, but these are those everyday memories that I don't want to forget.

1. Food - Little man has really progressed, both in type and consistency. Recently, he's furrowed his brow at turkey and lentils, scarfed down mac 'n cheese from Noodles&Co, eaten grilled chicken pieces like a champ, eaten an entire turkey hot dog, and added carbs in any form to his repertoire. He's now at 4 "meals" a day and loves to use his deft palmar grasp for whatever is in front of him...we definitely see a lot of chipmunk cheeks! Regardless, though, we have still never seen him spit out, throw, or otherwise not eat his food - we experience relatively clean eating!
2. Drinking - Okay, seriously, he acts like there's never enough water. He gets more excited about being given his sippy cup than his food. He's up to around 3 full sippy cups each day. Needless to say, we are now having to double every diaper, otherwise he leaks after about an hour and a half.
3. Growth - Although considered to be short and small according to "the curve" (20% weight and 45% height), he's developed a small pooch, a slight double chin, and round cheeks. He does eat alot!
4. Development - His cruising abilities are definitely increasing thanks to the new second-hand lion walker we got him. He's also beginning to study books more, and is getting into blocks via his wooden train. He can pull up really well now without having to use much leverage. He's still a little unstable on his feet and definitely can't stand without holding onto something. He's also begun realizing that he can open cabinets. He totally loves whenever we open the pantry door or the fridge. We also finally had to move the dogs' bowls out of the kitchen and into the bathroom.
5. Sleeping - His nighttime sleep is great! He generally only wakes up maybe once a night, wants to quickly nurse, and goes back to sleep. In more recent nights, he's only whined out a few times for 5 seconds or so, puts himself back to sleep, and made it through the entire night without needing any help from us. It's bittersweet for me. His daytime sleep, on the other hand, still is hit or miss. Without wanting to jinx anything, we've recently had a couple days have been a bit more consistent - short morning nap around 10, and 1.5-2 hour nap around 1:30 or 2. I never keep my fingers crossed, though. Each developmental milestone brings change in this department anyway!
6. Overall demeanor - Owen is still one of the happiest, easy-going babies (well, not so much baby anymore :( !!). He smiles and laughs alot, even when he's sitting by himself. Even the "black screen" in-between songs on the Baby Signing Time video makes him laugh. Anticipation or relief?
7. Favorite things - He loves playing with his sunglasses, grabbing the radio remote to chew on, pulling out whatever is in the office trash, standing up and having a snack on the ottoman, and taking a bath with his stacking cups. But his very favorite thing of anything he "owns" is his lovie (he loves the doggie and the elephant equally as much!). I can't even describe the beauty of watching him hold a corner of it over his face and rubbing it as he sucks his fingers just before going to sleep. Thank you, Angel Dear, for making such beautiful, sweet, super soft lovies! Simply holding one induces him to sleep-mode.

A Word from Mommy...

They've finally arrived! After almost 4 months of waiting...Owen has two more teeth! Unfortunately, the jack-o-lantern picture will have to wait until he loses his two front teeth because that's exactly what has come in now! So the count is up to 4 - the middle top and bottom teeth. Of course, there will be no picture for a while accompanying this development as he is very tight-lipped when fingers come near!

A Word from Mommy...

Just wanted to share some highlights from my special day. James surprised me with special t-shirts for the whole family - "Birthday Girl" for me, "Happy Birthday Mommy!" for Owen, and "Worlds Best Husband" for him. It was a fun way to celebrate together, even though I'm not much for bringing attention to the fact that I'm getting as old as I am!

My birthday celebration included scrumptious cupcakes from Happy Cakes (Mexican Chocolate for me and Apple Crisp for James), coffee at Common Grounds, and a little shopping (for Owen, of course!) at Real Baby in one of my favorite neighborhoods, the Highlands. We then spent our evening grilling hamburgers and veggies (although overcast, it was still a beautiful day!), and then enjoyed bathtime and bedtime with the little man. The day was completed with a friendly game of Qwirkle, which I appropriately won! All-in-all, the perfect birthday.

I may only wear it once a year, but it's still cute!
Too bad Owen will never be able to wear his again...
it will be far too small next year!

Trying to capture that perfectly posed picture...will it ever happen again?

Watching the world go by, the dogs play, and daddy grill...
all while figuring out what the screen is in front of him.

Some of the most delicious and decadent cupcakes!!

Thanks to my boys for such a great day!

A Word from Mommy

So we are nearing the 8-month mark and I thought it was time for some updates...you know, the ones that are a bit mundane and every day...those that don't make the blog posts on a regular basis. I can't believe we are already at this point. It's like having a totally different baby - I just can't believe 8 short months ago, Owen was a tiny, 7-pound newborn who took long naps on my chest and loved being swaddled. Now, he's eating real food, sitting in a booster seat, moving all around the house, sleeping less (yes, that's right, less!), and growing big.

Owen is a true boy...he loves to eat and isn't picky (at least not yet!). So far, he's eating avocado, banana, sweet potato, carrots, peas, green beans, tofu, millet, brown rice, mango, apple, pear, and, oh yeah, frozen yogurt - any flavor!! Although I often offer things to him as finger foods, he is proving to not like having messy hands. So his pincer grasp still has something to be desired! Even still, he loves to eat and groans at us if we don't feed him fast enough. He is quite demanding, but we're working on that. I am beginning to teach him a few signs, like "more", "food", "all done", and "milk".

Little man's crawling abilities have definitely improved, although it is still army-style. He gets up on his hands and knees alot, but drops flat to actually go anywhere. He's gotten so good that he is moving all around our living room and kitchen...making it difficult to actually get any work done.

A few weeks ago, Owen began talking a lot more and saying his consonants. It is especially cute (& unfortunately really funny!) when he is constantly going "bluh bluh bluh" throughout a fit of crying. It is so very difficult to soothe a crying baby when all you hear is *cry* bluh bluh bluh *cry*.

Sleep in our house has become a precious commodity over the last month or so. Whether he's waking up 3-4 times a night, or only taking 30-45 minute naps, Owen is definitely not sleeping as well as he used to. Sometimes, we can console him at night in 10 minutes, and sometimes I rock with him for an hour. We keep waiting to see another tooth pop through - thinking that would explain something - but he still has only the same two from December. Luckily, he is still a generally happy baby...except when he's groaning at me for being too slow with the food!

My final update is short, but definitely not sweet - pooping. It's real, it's sort-of-solid, and it makes him go red in the face!

Now, for something even more fun and way cuter...here's shots of our latest purchase for Owen!

Can you believe they make Pumas for infants?!!

I swore I'd never be one of those moms who buys things like this for her
baby...so unnecessary, so frivolous. But I couldn't resist the utter cuteness!

A Word from Mommy...

Well, it's been a while since I shared a few words. Time is flying. Our house is busy. And my sweet precious baby really is becoming a little man. Our nursing sessions are really short...he has much better things to do. He rarely wants to just lay with me and cuddle...he'd much rather roll all over the floor. And his sweet sucking on his paci his now non-existent...he totally prefers sophie, his hand, or whatever he can stuff in his mouth. Although I have loved and continue to love every minute of it, I can't believe five short months has brought about so much change. I sat with a group of mommies the other day all of whom have babies 3 weeks and under and couldn't believe how far Owen has come. Each of those tiny, fragile newborns were totally content sleeping in mommy's arms and nursing whenever they were hungry. Jump to me with Owen who was bouncing all over my lap, flirting with two preteen girls, and nursing for maybe all of two minutes just so he could get back to looking at everyone else.

I miss the calm, quiet, peaceful early days that were filled with holding, carrying, rocking, singing, nursing, and sleeping. Our days now are all about cutting teeth, rolling around, learning to sit up, playing, laughing, and sometimes fitting in eating or sleeping but only if absolutely necessary!!

So I continue to look back and feel a few pangs of sadness missing those early days, but I love the interaction and connection of the days we have now, and look forward to what's to come in the next stages knowing they'll be filled with more growth and action and craziness and love.

A Word from Mommy...

Moments. Sometimes that's all we get. And sometimes they're all we need.

Tonight, like the past few nights, the little man has had a bit of trouble staying asleep for longer than a half hour or so. In fact, it's been like that during the days, too. A "sleep strike" I think Sarah called it (that's Abel's mommy). And tonight followed suit. So after the first awakening, I went in and "rocked" him back to sleep...actually, it's simply lightly pushing the bassinet insert in our playard back and forth which simulates a rocking motion while allowing him to remain laying down. I am trying to resist always picking him up right away. Luckily, he fell back asleep.

Then, as I expected, the next awakening came within 10 minutes. Although he loves sucking on his thumb, fingers, or whole fist, he still has a hard time keeping control of his arm when he is crying. So I tried helping him. But it was to no avail. So I grabbed his paci and he took it right away.

Then we had a moment...one of those moments mommies live for and cherish always. As my totally exhausted son laid swaddled in his bed, he sweetly sucked on his pacifier and held my hand. Truly...he held my hand, not the other way around. Instead of rocking him, I thought I would just lightly rub his face and hand (we keep one arm out of the swaddle) to help him fall back asleep. But instead, he needed to feel my touch and began to "play" with my fingers, sometimes grasping one, then just lightly touching other parts of my hand.

It was amazing and wonderful and sweet. It was our moment. And it was all he needed.

A Word from Mommy...

Well, tomorrow's the big day...our first airplane ride! It's amazing to me how not simple it is to travel now. I'm one of those that likes to just throw a bunch of stuff in a bag and go. No more! I started making my packing list over a week ago and actually getting stuff out on Tuesday! And I don't think I've traveled with this much luggage since I went to England and Scotland for 10 days in college! Nonetheless, we're so excited to go and have the rest of our family and friends meet the little man, have him see all the balloons for the first time, and see how he does on a plane. Still, please pray for us...we're gonna need it!

A Word from Mommy...

This has been a rough week. Not for Owen. Not for James. But for me. I spent Monday preparing myself and my heart for Tuesday. And Tuesday was heartbreaking. The rest of the week was spent making up for Tuesday.

Yep, I started back to work. Well, actually, I started back last week, but this was the first week that I actually spent a day AT work. See, I am working a flexible part-time schedule - 10 hours/week in the office and 10 hours at home. And on Tuesday morning, my first day away from Owen, my heart ached as I kissed him goodbye. It was the first day in almost 9 weeks that I was going to be apart from him for more than a couple hours. I spent the whole drive to work in tears.

Fortunately for us, James also works at a wonderful place that allows him a flexible work schedule, too. He can work from home for one day one week, and have the same day off the next week. That means that James now either works from home or is off every Tuesday, which allows him to take care of Owen while I spend that same day AT work.

So although I was relieved that James was home...and I had full confidence that Owen was being extremely well-cared-for and loved...and Owen did come see me for lunch (something we'll do every week for nursing purposes and to minimize how much I pump!)...nevertheless, my heart still broke. The tears still ran. And the need for 4:30 to come quickly was overwhelming!

It amazed me just how much I missed him...just how much I ached for him. In that one day, I saw just how much I have come to need him, not just be needed by him. Driving into the garage that evening never felt so sweet!

A Word from Mommy...

I was overwhelmed again today as I sat in the chair, Owen in my arms, his head buried in my elbow (he's taken to that position this week when trying to fall asleep), and reading a book "The No Cry Sleep Solution" by Elizabeth Pantley (one I highly recommend to anyone with children under 2). Something she wrote hit me and made me tear up all over again.

"If you can, and when you can, put your baby down so that she learns she is able to sleep alone, as well as in your arms. And when you don't put her down, hold her with your heart, too, and relish every gurgle, flutter, and little sighing breath. Trust me when I say, 'You will miss this.' You will. Even the dark, exhausted nights will take on a certain romance in your memories, and they'll bubble to the surface when your "baby" drives off in his first car, graduates from school, gets married, has his own baby."

Lord, thank you for the blessing of this little man. May he grow in the knowledge of you as he continues to grow each day. And remind us daily to hold him with our hearts and not just our hands, relishing every coo, giggle, grunt, and groan. For we know all too well that it will go too fast and before we know it, he'll be a grown man. So thank you for today. Thank you for the special moments we had together. Thank you for giving him to us.

A Word from Mommy...

Bedtime was full of tears tonight. No, not Owen's...mine. I brought him upstairs, put him in his sweet sleeping gown, and turned on this wonderful cd gampa gave us called "Sleep Sound in Jesus". I then sat with Owen in the rocker and began to read to him. I barely got through the first line of "On the Night You Were Born" and the tears began to flow. I cried all through that book and the next, "You Are My I Love You". The love I feel for this little one falling asleep in my arms, knowing I carried him and gave birth to him, is sometimes just so overwhelming. Yes, I am a post-pregnancy-hormones-raging woman, but I am also a mom in love. Amazing...wonderful...blessed.

Thank you, Lord, for this gift.

A Word from Mommy...

...well, a few words actually. I am sitting here at the computer as my amazing husband puts our little man to sleep and beds him down for the night. He then brings in the monitor to me and we both listen intently as Owen coos with every breath, even in his deep slumber. I think it is the sweetest sound I've ever heard and could listen to it all day long. I can't imagine - almost can't remember - life without Owen.

Happy three-week-old birthday, our dear little one...