Owen just LOVES the pumpkin basket that Grandma Marsha bought him!
Category Archives: Grandparents
Don’t miss this video!
Or should I say THESE videos…
December 5, 2009
December 25, 2009
Grandpa Mike and Grandma Linda brought Owen his first sled! He loved being pulled around inside the house!
December 26, 2009
In the middle of Owen’s first sledding experience. The actual sledding videos are jiggly and headache-inducing to watch, so this is what you get!
Fun with chopsticks!
Grandma Linda got Owen his own chopsticks for Christmas…and he LOVES them. As soon as you get them out, he smiles and laughs—and he loves it when you click them together. He will even take pieces of food from you!
I dropped a puff (hey, give me a break—I was using my left hand because I had the camera in the other hand!) and he tried to give it back to me (the chopsticks)!
Owen likes lobster!
Well, his lobster teething toy, that is. (Thanks, Gramma Jean!)
Matching shirts for Papa and Owen!
I couldn’t resist getting this shirt for my cookie-loving father…and his lil’ buddy, too! It’s called “The Binge” and it’s from Woot!
Christmas in Grayling
We went up to Grayling for the long holiday weekend. We went over to Kalkaska on Christmas Eve Day to have our Christmas with Marsha and Rob and then Christmas Day we exchanged gifts with Marge, then my dad and Linda came over for lunch and Owen time. Here are some of the best shots:
Grandpa Mike brought over a sled for Owen, in which he THOROUGHLY enjoyed being pulled around the house!
We were able to finally take him sledding outside later in the weekend. Cousins Isabelle and Gabrielle were there to help! Here are some of the best shots:
It was great being able to have the entire family together again (the last time was actually just in July, when we all vacationed together in Kentucky). Here’s the annual group shot and the Christmas shirt photo with a new inductee:
Weekend with Grandpa and Grandma
Tom and I went away for a long weekend (the first time I’ve been away from Owen for more than one night!) so my dad and Linda came down to watch Owen. We told them he was a REALLY easy baby, and after the weekend, they wholeheartedly agreed and gave him an A+ report!
He can now clap and make noise (before he just kind of clapped silently) and just does it on his own without our “Clap! Clap! Clap!” prompting. It’s adorable.
He can also now drink from his sippy cup pretty well on his own, although he isn’t quite able to tip it up as far as he sometimes needs to. He also can now eat an entire puff at once—as by the time it gets to his mouth it’s usually pretty wet (he doesn’t quite have the pincer grasp down yet, but it’s getting close).
Dad and Lin were telling us how they took Owen to the park and ended up on the swings next to Lily. In talking with her mom, they found out Lily was 12 months old and almost 20#. The mom, of course, thought Owen was MUCH older than he really was, and was surprised that he wasn’t even eight months yet—but weighed more than her daughter. We have only been guessing what Owen weighs, so Tom finally weighed him and he was 22# (meaning he’s gained about 2.5# in two months). Hoo boy! (Similarly, a mom in my group has an 18-month old that weighs about 20#!) He’s definitely a big boy!
First watermelon and wading pool!
Watermelon (it was hard to grab, but he enjoyed it):
His own wading pool (thank you Gramma Jean!):
Banana!
We’ve been avoiding giving Owen fruit, because he hasn’t been eating his vegetables—and it’s common practice to always give veggies first, because once they taste the sweet fruit, it’s much harder to get them to eat their veggies. But we’ve wanted to give him fruit! (I even wanted to let him taste a dill pickle, but Tom said no!)
So Gramma Jean had some banana in her cereal that she didn’t want, and of course Owen was eyeing it (which he does with most food we eat) so she mashed up two tiny cubes and gave it to him (with my okay, of course!) and…he LOVED it! We ended up giving him maybe two small slices in total. And kept our fingers crossed that it didn’t ruin him for veggies!
A boat for the boy…and a trip to the lake!
Since we were up in Grayling, Gramma Marsha came over to visit. She also brought Owen a gift—a blow up boat, complete with leg holes and a horn! It was perfect, as we were planning (hoping!) to take him to the lake (for his first big water experience) that weekend.
What was funny, though, was me reading the box: “For ages 6 months to 12 months. Up to 20 pounds.” 88| That meant we had better use it that weekend, otherwise he would be too big! (Yes, he is only six months old…but remember, he weighs as much as a 12-month old so he was already at the max weight!)
So just in case the beach thing didn’t work out, we had a photo op at home beforehand:
So then it was off to Houghton Lake to see Rose and Jim at their cottage. They have lake access just down the street, so we all walked down there, cameras and towels and boat in hand, boy in the stroller, hoping for it to go well.
Things started off well, but then he wasn’t anywhere near the water yet.
Unfortunately, it was windy, which made the water a bit choppy.
And the water was cold, so it took about five seconds to register that he didn’t like it so we pulled him out.
But we still wanted to try the boat. And this picture pretty much sums up his entire first lake experience:
So much for my grand visions of a nice and warm day, with the sun having warmed the first two inches of CALM lake water, with us sitting next to the boy IN the water, watching him play and kick. |-|
Then it was off for a pontoon ride around the lake. Rose and Jim didn’t have a baby life jacket but they did have a kinda small one—which Owen didn’t really like, either (but then, he was hungry—so once the bottle was finished, he was much happier). That said, his helmet was really in the way:
…so we eventually took it off—and once the helmet was off and he relaxed a bit, things were better:
…and he eventually fell asleep! 🙂
Post-bath cuteness!
Owen just had a bath at Gramma Jean’s house…and he was just adorable afterwards!
And then it was time for standing (and leaning) with dad!
Size 3T jammies!
So when Gramma Jean was here earlier this summer, we hit some neighborhood garage sales. One item she bought was this pair of Cars pajamas. She bought them for Robert (another grandson) who LOVES the movie Cars. The PJs were size 3T. However, they had obviously been washed and worn and had probably shrunk somewhat over time. Mom looked at them and thought “You know, they look like they would fit Owen.”
Nah. No way. I mean, he was (only) five months at the time. Fitting into 3T jammies? Get real. I said we could still give them to Robert. And then we forgot to pack them on our Kentucky trip. So when we got home, we put them on Owen for a laugh…except we really weren’t laughing.
They fit. THEY FIT! The size 3T (meaning 3-year-old toddler) fit him! The legs were a bit too long, but not by that much. And the top fit perfectly.
Oh my.
But sooooooo cute.
Tickle Master!
Caption time!
Grandma Jean had to caption this photo as soon as she saw it:
“Mom says no cake.”
:>>
Dead mobile = shopping with mom!
I was on the hunt for a new mobile. For some unknown reason, the mobile we had downstairs on the pack-and-play (that Grandpa Mike and Grandma Linda bought) just died. I was in the middle of using it yesterday (during the mom’s group meeting) and the windup knob suddenly lost all tension so there was no music or rotation. Hoo boy.
So Tom and I went to find a new mobile after work. Since it was kinda late we just went to the local Babies ‘R’ Us. Well, they didn’t have much at all. We ended up with an electronic (i.e. needs batteries) mobile, with the thought that although it was more expensive AND would eat batteries…at least we wouldn’t have to get up and wind it every five minutes. Plus the new one had a remote! WOOHOO! That said, it turned out to be WAY too busy of a mobile and I think it actually kept him awake! :no: (FYI: it was the Tiny Love Sweet Island Dreams Mobile
So today I decided to hit the other bigger/nicer baby stores in Utica to look for a mobile that actually played the same song (Brahms’ Lullaby, pretty common with windup mobiles) and found one on clearance for $20. My plan was to just use the windup part (which plays the music) and attach it to the old mobile—so I didn’t want to spend $40 for a new one. So imagine my surprise as I kept shopping and found…the exact mobile! On clearance! :>> Apparently the company has disappeared—which would explain why I hadn’t been able to find any information about it online last night! For reference, it’s a Doodlebugs Musical Mobile by Dolly:
The product lists the website as www.dolly.com but it’s definitely NOT a baby website anymore. (It’s not an unsafe site, in case you were wondering. It’s about hand trucks and carts.)
So this was Owen while we were wandering about Babies ‘R’ Us…
And now I’m trying to get him to nap—with the new mobile—and he doesn’t seem to want to nap. Even though I know he’s tired since he has only napped for about an hour total so far today. Stinker.
Someone is ticklish!
Grandma Jean discovered that someone is ticklish!
I never thought a robe could be so cute!
Here is Owen sporting his new robe…thanks Grandma Marsha!
Owen’s First Swing & Slide
Grandpa Mike and Grandma Linda love taking the boy to the park…
Big boy outfit!
Thanks Gramma Jean!
No more swaddling…?!
So, we’ve been swaddling Owen for bed at night. The practice was highly recommended, and we got used to it and enjoyed mixed results—he seemed to sleep well enough but was very Houdini-esqe and managed to escape frequently. Of course, the grandparents assumed this to mean he didn’t like being swaddled and was struggling to escape…and didn’t want us to swaddle him. And we just trusted the professionals and assumed he was a very wiggly baby and continued to swaddle him. (We did try NOT swaddling him a time or two and it didn’t seem to make any difference.)
So fast forward to Gramma Jean taking a night shift and not being too successful applying the swaddle…so I said we could NOT swaddle him if SHE chose because she would have to deal with the repercussions if he didn’t sleep well…and we could always go back to swaddling. So we didn’t swaddle…and we both got a big laugh out of his sleeping position (viewed from the monitor):
This was on Thursday, May 7.
Since then, we have continued…and for the most part I think it’s okay. But we we think it’s harder for him to go down—even if he seems TOTALLY out, as soon as we put him down, his arms shoot up and he flails around. I think when he was wrapped, he couldn’t tell as much that we were letting him go and setting him down. Secondarily, his little unwrapped hands get SO cold at night (the rest of him is warm and the room temp is at the recommended 68°-72° so don’t worry).
So we are still deciding what we’re doing, LOL.
Owen’s first restaurant!
We wanted to go out to eat with mom (Gramma Jean) before she left, so it was going to be Owen’s first meal out! I know, I know…we could have taken him out before this, but I was just always afraid it was going to end badly…yes, I’m a wussy first-time parent!
But it went very well—he slept almost the entire time, and we had a nice meal to boot!
He was still sleeping (or awake but calm!) when we left, so we decided to go grocery shopping as well (to show mom one of the great stores around here—Nino Salvaggios). He did well through that, too…good boy!
Look at my gorgeous sweater!
Grauntie Marge has been working on this amazingly intricate hand-crocheted sweater and bonnet set since we found out I was pregnant…and it’s done! Isn’t it amazing? Thanks, Grauntie Marge!
I love old pics…
Gramma Jean reading to Owen!
Great sleep!
So the first night Lin took duty, Owen slept for about 7 hours (for the first stretch anyway)!! YAY OWEN!
The next night we were a bit more worried, because he took a THREE HOUR NAP from about 6p-9p!!!! I gave him a bottle at 9:15 and he was out cold by 9:45—totally off his normal schedule—so it was either going to be very bad or very good.
I was in the basement again, so didn’t find out until the next morning that…Owen slept for 7.5 hours!!! YAY OWEN!
And then last night, when I was back on duty, I was SURE that Owen would keep me up all night…but he didn’t! He slept for EIGHT HOURS!
Of course *I* didn’t sleep for eight hours because 1) I got up to pee three times and 2) I was sleeping more lightly, sure that he was going to wake up at any moment. When I did get up to feed him, he wasn’t even really awake awake, but he had been making noise for a little bit, and I figured I might as well go in and feed him so *I* could get back to sleep. Unfortunately, he only slept an hour afterwards, so we were both up at 6:30.
But hopefully this night trend will continue!!!
See, this is more like it.
So Owen didn’t nap much today…and Lin had offered to take the nightly duties…so when 7:00 rolled around, I suggested she try putting him down.
Then I went downstairs to not listen, LOL, and read a magazine.
I went up at 8 or so to check (i.e. listen at the door) and to my surprise, Lin was already done and reading a book!
She said he ate the whole 6oz bottle and didn’t even burp and didn’t even move or make a peep when she set him down. He was out COLD.
YAY!
So now we’re both wondering just how long he will sleep.
And hopefully I won’t find out until tomorrow morning at a decent hour, since I am sleeping in the basement to try and avoid hearing him at all so I can get a decent night’s sleep.
Stay tuned.
FRUSTRATION!
So the grandparents got here about 6:30 and were of course sad when 7:30 rolled around and it was Owen’s bedtime…but I wanted to keep to our sorta-schedule.
So we went upstairs and he ate like he normally does and burped like he normally does and fell asleep on me like he normally does and woke up and fussed a little when I layed him in his crib like he normally does…
But then…he was awake. And I mean WIDE awake. Like eyes wide open and legs kicking and totally squirming wide awake.
For two hours. ❗
(Well, two hours total including feeding.) It normally takes 45 minutes to an hour, so I was losing my mind and getting VERY frustrated as it approached the 2-hour mark. I mean, nothing was out of the ordinary. He should have been going to sleep the same as always.
Except he wasn’t. :no:
So I brought him back down and jokingly thrust him at them and said “You take him, I’m done!” Then I went up to bed and promptly fell asleep.
I felt bad for getting frustrated with him…I mean, he’s really a good baby and he just happened to not be tired (it happens to all of us, right?) but…I’m a new mom. Cut me some slack—I get used to how things work and get thrown when things suddenly change for no apparent good reason. 😐
That said, I am sure it probably wouldn’t have been so bad had I not been so exhausted from the previous night (morning?)—remember, I was up at 2am and only got about a 2-hour nap! The last thing I needed was a kid who refused to go to sleep!
So they kept him up and (as I found out the next morning) Lin put him to bed…at 1am!!!!! The little bugger stayed up another three or so hours!!!! 88| Of course, I had no idea what time he went down, so when I heard him squawking at about 4:30am, I got up to feed him. So he had only slept about 3.5 hours!!!
WHAT ON EARTH WAS GOING ON? I wondered. But who knows with babies.
A Weekend of Firsts
There were a lot of firsts for Owen this past weekend…
First (hee!) was his first long car ride—three hours north to Gramma Jean’s for his Grayling baby shower! (We tried to have it before he was born, but time just got away from us, plus it was winter…and we thought people would like to actually see him instead of just seeing me pregnant!)
Second, daddy took care of Owen during the night!! Tom and I slept in different rooms (it’s just very hard for us to both sleep in a double bed when we’re used to a king bed)…so one of us got Owen and one of us got Maggie. Tom was generous and took Owen, since he could sleep in! YAY!
Third, Owen got his first sitting-in-water bath (instead of just being soaped up and rinsed off):
Fourth, Owen had pictures taken outside! With ALL his grandparents! And his Grantie Marge (the name we came up with for Marge, since we couldn’t decide between Grandma Marge and Auntie Marge!)!! And his parents, of course. Since everyone was there for the shower—and it was SUCH a gorgeous day out—we decided (well, I strongly suggested) that we should take pictures outside!!
Grantie Marge Len, Grandma Marsha Hudson, Jen, Owen, Tom, Grandma Linda and Grandpa Mike Smith, Grandpa David and Gramma Jean Schwalm
Fifth, gramma Jean took care of Owen during the night!! I innocently asked if she wanted to and she said sure (that she could nap Sunday)!! OMG! YAY! So we moved the pack-and-play in there (where there was more room anyway :P) and mom and dad both had the chance for a good night’s sleep! Gramma confirmed the next morning that Owen is a little chatterbox all night long…well, not chatterbox so much maybe as a noisebox. 😀
And sixth, after a few weeks of maybe only pooping once every few days, Owen pooped THREE TIMES today! 88|
I had a first, too…after almost a glorious year of no periods (minus about the four weeks of post-delivery bleeding), my period started this morning. XX( Technically I should have been expecting it at any time, even though the books say if you are breastfeeding, it might be a LONG time before you got your period back… but I had just gotten SO used to not having it that it was a big surprise.
First Overnighter
For mom and dad, that is. :>>
Grandpa Mike and Grandma Linda were here for a few days, and Linda offered to take the night shift…and since there is no way I would get any sleep if I was in the same house and could hear him, we decided to get a hotel. (That didn’t end up being the greatest experience, but it was nice to have a little break.)
Tom had to go to the exchange at Selfridge Air Force Base, so our time away started pretty early. Then we ate an early dinner and hit a few stores (including Buy Buy Baby—we had attempted to not do anything baby-related while we were out and about, but we just couldn’t resist since we were driving right by it).
I tried not to think too much about being away from Owen, because if I did, I would get a little sad. Not that I was worried or anything, it’s just that I have never had to leave him…while Tom, on the other hand, technically leaves him every day. Tom, sweetie that he is, took a short video of Owen before we left—and then brought the camera with us—so I could have a baby fix if I needed it. 🙂
We made it back home about 8am the next morning. (We would have stayed at the hotel longer, but we had to get ready to go to Reese for Easter.) We got the report that Owen pretty much kept the same sleep schedule (about 5 hours, then one hour, then one hour), so Grandma Linda got to experience the real deal. 😉
So, overall, I’m glad we did it—and we certainly wouldn’t be opposed to doing it again. 😀
Grandparents!
Dad and Lin have been here since Saturday and it’s been very nice… they take the evening shift, so Tom and I can go to bed around 9 or so and hopefully sleep until Owen is ready to eat around 1 or 2am. Needless to say some nights have been better than others!
In other news, dad claims Owen rolled over today. He was having belly time when dad shouted at me to come look, but by then it was too late…so I won’t believe it until I see it with my own eyes!