Saturday, August 4, 2012

Five Months - 6/18/12

6.18.12
Weight: 17 pounds, 9.5 ounces
Height: ?? (We didn't go to the doctor this month!)
Size: a few 3M, but mostly 3-6M, 6M, or 6-9M

So...I thought Hudson was busy during his last four months, but this month was CrAzY busy for all of us! Within 96 hours, LIsa and Dave got married, Claire and Aaron had a baby, and Nick got a new job! That is a lot of excitement for a little guy (and his mama!)! Somehow he found time for other activities, and he...

Continued to love Moo Moo...

Hung out in his bouncy seat...

Read some books...

 

Ate some books...

Flew in the air...

Made cute faces...


Played with Mini Moo Moo...

Rolled on his side...

Napped...

Smiled...

Started wearing size 3 diapers...

Held Mama's hand...

Wore a hat as part of his dandruff treatment...

Slept through his first road trip (to Wichita for Hayley's graduation party!)...

Hung out with Pappi...

Slept in the car...

Tried on his tux for Lisa's wedding...

Chewed on his teething rings while sitting in his high chair...

Went for some walks...

Chewed on his hands...

Got wrapped up in his swaddle...

Got a little milk drunk...

Played with his ball...

Had a sleepover (with Mama and Daddy!) at Grandma and Grandpa's...

Worked on his upper-body strength...

Was reunited with Auntie Lisa...

Took some baths...

Tried to grab Cookie's nose...

Celebrated Mama and Daddy's anniversary by screaming on the changing table...

Hung out in the Moby wrap...

Giggled with his aunties...

Checked out Great-grandpa George...

Helped prep for Lisa's wedding,,,

Went out for lunch...

Stuck his tongue out...

Went to Lisa's wedding...

Had a viral infection (which may have been hand, foot, and mouth disease!)...

 * NOT PICTURED *
He had HUGE blisters all over his face! 
You can see it in some of the other photos: (


Took some cute family photos...

With his Mama and aunties!

With his Mama, aunties, Niamh (Lisa's niece), and Eowyn (Mama's cousin)!

With Uncle Dave, Aunt Lisa, 
Niamph (Dave and Lisa's niece), and Sylvester (Dave and Lisa's nephew)...

Visited Aunt Claire in the hospital when Arlo was born...

Helped Mama with her make up...

Giggled (and hiccuped!)...

Celebrated Father's Day...

Met his cousin Arlo...

Tried to make Cookie pay attention to him instead of Arlo...

Challenges
- exercise: With all of the excitement this month, I STRUGGLED to get in all (read: most of) my workouts! There was even a two-week stretch where the only exercise I did was play one game of kickball. SO not like me, but I made decisions to spend time with family instead. I watched what I ate and tried to find other outlets for my stress - and tried not to stress more about not working out (ha!).
- sleep: Hudson continued to struggle with sleeping: ( He had a hard time falling asleep at night, and he woke up several times each night to nurse.
- at the office full time: I went back to the office full time. I was working full time before this; however, I was at home on Mondays and Tuesdays. This saved us some money, and it helped ease my transition back to the office. Being in the office full time has forced us to restructure some of our routines, and it seems like we definitely have a long way to go before we will have a routine that works well for us!

Successes
- stayed sane: This month really was hectic for us! For the most part, Nick and I dealt with each day as it came and managed not to be TOO overwhelmed.

This Months Must-Have Baby Items
- Hmmmm. I really can't think of anything. Hudson really began to enjoy some of his books and toys this month, so I guess I would say that age-appropriate books and toys are important!

Fun Stuff
- Lisa and Dave's wedding: One of my beautiful sisters, Lisa, had a wedding this month! SO SO SO fun! 

Her super-fun, yet low-key, bachelorette party...

...was followed by her amazing wedding 
(complete with Roosevelt the wedding donkey!)...

Lisa worked so hard to include special details in their day! It was the most intimate wedding I have ever been to, and I truly enjoyed every minute of the ceremony and reception. Dave and Lisa are a perfect match, and it makes me happy to know that they will spend the rest of their lives together! 

- Baby Arlo arrived: The day after Lisa's wedding, my other beautiful sister, Claire, needed some extra back and belly rubs...

It turned out that after some sleeping...

... and dancing...

...Arlo Maxwell was ready to make his appearance 
on June 11 (Grandpa's 83rd birthday!), 3.5 weeks early!

I'm SO SO SO proud of Claire and Aaron, and I cannot wait to see them grow as parents and as a family! I look forward to all of the days ahead as our little guys grow up together, become lifelong friends, and...cause trouble!

Mama Claire and Baby Arlo

Sweet face (with some "battle wounds")!

Family!

My turn to hold Baby Arlo for the first time!

Arlo-flavored Burrito

- We did other "fun stuff" this month - like celebrating Father's Day with some rad dads and spending time with family we don't see very often - but not much can compare to one of my sister's getting married and the other having a baby!

Milestones
This is some of what Hudson was up to during his fifth month:
- grasped toys
- rolled on his side
- liked being held up to stand
- smiled and laughed - A LOT!!!
- played with his hands and feed
- turned toward sounds
- practiced sitting
- drooled 

Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Six Months Today!


"...For never before in story or rhyme 
(not even once upon a time) 
has the world ever known a you, my friend, 
and it never will, not ever again...

Heaven blew every trumpet 
and played every horn 
on the wonderful, marvelous 
night you were born."


On the Night You Were Born
by Nancy Tillman

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Someone is on a roll...

A couple of weeks ago, I talked with Marilyn (Hudson's daycare lady) about how close I thought he was to rolling over, and she mentioned that he had rolled over once (front to back) at daycare that week. Until a few days ago, he continued to kick his legs and wave his arms...but Nick and I still hadn't seen him roll over. That all changed this week!


On Monday night, Nick saw him roll over. Then, I saw him roll over on Tuesday morning. I mentioned it to Marilyn when I got to daycare, and she said he rolled over on Monday at daycare!


Now he is really on a roll!!! (I know...I'm SO funny!) This morning, I put him down on his blanket. He looked like this...



He proceeded to roll over and off his blanket! I cheered, and then I went back to making my grocery list. When I looked back up, I saw that he had managed to grab my gym bag and had started chewing on the leather strap...




This afternoon, he rolled four more times. I caught one roll on tape...


I think it is safe to say that we are on our way to having a truly mobile baby on our hands! In addition to rolling, he is also scooting himself across the floor! Video and pictures to come soon, I'm sure...

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

The Electrical Closet

A friend of mine was just talking about how she might write a book about all of the awkward/random/unpleasant/etc. places she had to pump during the time she was nursing her son. I told her that I could submit my own chapter for sure! For example, today I pumped in an electrical/storage closet. 



Since tomorrow is a holiday, the lady who gives me the keys to the "official" lactation room (a.k.a. a very small empty office with a table, lamp, and unattractive painting) apparently went home early. Because I am lucky to work in a breast-feeding friendly office, I already knew I had the lovely electrical closet as a back up - ripped up chair and all: ) - so I didn't have to panic or resort to a public restroom!


Even though pumping can be a pain in the booty, it is all worth it for this cute little dude...