We finally made it to the doctor for his four month check-up Monday and found out that he now weighs 15 lbs 8 oz and it 25 1/2 inches long. As his doctor put it, he is perfectly average (barely above 50% in both categories).
Friday, October 5, 2012
What's Up With the Letters?
A lot of people have asked me what's up with the letters in Joseph's monthly pictures. Well, you know how many people put their babies in onesies with corresponding numbers for their monthly pictures? And you know how I like to do things slightly different? Well, I'm spelling out Joseph's name. So far, he's my little Jose :)
We finally made it to the doctor for his four month check-up Monday and found out that he now weighs 15 lbs 8 oz and it 25 1/2 inches long. As his doctor put it, he is perfectly average (barely above 50% in both categories).
We finally made it to the doctor for his four month check-up Monday and found out that he now weighs 15 lbs 8 oz and it 25 1/2 inches long. As his doctor put it, he is perfectly average (barely above 50% in both categories).
Tuesday, October 2, 2012
Tuesday {Ten} Baby Edition
I decided a Tuesday Ten Baby Edition was in order since I haven't written a Tuesday Ten in a while and many people have asked me about baby items, both for themselves (some
have asked me directly, some have published blanket questions to anyone
that will answer) and as gifts (these have been direct questions) since Joseph joined our family. Since we were unwilling to buy too many baby items before Joseph arrived, I relied heavily on friend recommendations and appreciated them helping us out (true story - I had a minor freak out as we were driving to the hospital for a false alarm during which I kept saying, "We don't even have a car seat!" Sam assured me that he would buy a car seat for us before Joseph was ready to leave the hospital. Since it was just a false alarm, we bought one on the way home the next day.). So, without further ado, here is my list of top ten baby items. Some are common "duh" items, some aren't, but all of them have been used and loved by our little family.
1.} Moby Wrap ~ Yes, I am a baby wearer. When Joseph was little, he was in the Moby wrap all. the. time. It gave us bonding time that I hadn't been able to have the last nine months and allowed him to feel comforted while I had my hands free to do stuff. I still use the Moby when grocery shopping and such. One big perk of the Moby is that strangers touch him less than they do when he's in his car seat. At first the Moby seems a little intimidating, but after you watch the online video a couple of times, you will be a pro. It also grows with your child by offering different wraps/holds as the child reaches various weights and developmental milestones.
2.} Muslin Blankets ~ As far as swaddling blankets go, muslin or gauze is the way to go! They allow you to get an awesomely tight swaddle (even if you don't know what you're doing). Also, since they are a light weight material, you don't have to worry about the blanket adding too much extra warmth, just dress the baby in appropriate clothes (this is extra helpful in the summertime). We used the Aden and Anais brand (I know they are available at Target and boutique stores), but I'm sure other brands would work fine too.
3.} Car Seat Caddy ~ Since we bought the car seat spur of the moment, we didn't bother getting the entire travel system at the time. I'm so glad we didn't because we talked to some friends and did a little research and decided to just go with the caddy (some brands call it a snap and go system). I love our caddy! It's small enough that it easily fits in the back of my Forrester and light enough that I can easily get it out and put it back in the vehicle. I even ran with it the other night (long story short, a spontaneous out of town run with friends turned out to be an awesome night) and was impressed with how well it did.
4.} Dirty Diaper Bags ~ Dirty diaper bags are a must, especially when you have a little one that poops as much as our guy. I use them often including when we are on car trips and will have to carry the diaper with us for a little way and when we are visiting people (because really, who wants to smell dirty diaper every time they open their trash can.). They even come with this handy little dispenser that clips onto your diaper bag and are lightly scented.
5.} Mesh Bumper ~ Our little guy moves a lot in his sleep. As in, when I go get him from his crib he has ofter spun 180* and is pushed up against the side.
Luckily, he started doing this while he was still sleeping in the pack and play so we were able to do a little crib bumper research before we moved him to the crib. I knew that we wouldn't be leaving the plush bumper in there, but I was worried about him getting an arm or leg stuck through the slats. We found the perfect solution for us in a mesh crib bumper. I know, I know, technically you aren't supposed to use a bumper of any sort, but I assure you my husband and I both pressed the mesh to our faces and had no problem breathing through it. At this point, I am more concerned with him breaking one of his little limbs.
6.} Mabel's Labels ~ So these totally aren't a necessity, but I still love having them. Even though he doesn't go to day care, it's nice having Joseph's name on his belongings when I drop him off at the nursery. The labels on his bottles have already been through multiple steam sterilizations and still look brand new. I actually got a back to school value pack, but haven't used any of the clothing or shoe tags yet. I'll let you know how those work out when the time comes. Since I bought a discount certificate through Mamasource (a deal a day site for moms), they were very reasonable priced (just be forewarned that Mabel's Labels is a Canadian company, so you might get a call from your bank asking about an out of country purchase :).
7.} Backpack Carrier ~ One of my husband's only requests was a sturdy backpack carrier. We went with the Chicco version and both my husband and Joseph love it. In my opinion, the best part about this carrier is that my husband is willing to wear it.
8.} Car Mirror ~ A car mirror is such a simple thing, but I didn't think about it until I finally started driving with Joseph in the car and wanted to be able to check on him (more often than not, he's giving me his mad face in the mirror).
9.} Dreft Stain Remover ~ The mom of one of my students last year introduced me to this amazing item. It works wonders on those stains little ones are known for making. Now that Joseph drools all the time, I seriously spray the neckline of all of his onesies as I put them in the washer. In case you are wondering, the Dreft stain remover is located in the baby section, not with the laundry products.
10.} Pack and Play ~ This is a fairly common item, but I'm still including it because we use it a lot. Joseph slept in it for the first three months and still uses it at least a couple times each month as we tend to travel a lot. It's very easy to put together and pack up, provides a comfort zone for him since he is familiar with it, and solves the problem of us having to figure out where he will sleep while we are traveling. We got one with a newborn sleeper level which was very convenient when I was getting him out multiple times per night at first. Our pack and play also had this cool little attachment that would vibrate it, such a lifesaver.
And there you have it, my top ten baby items. I also love our Go-Pod, but don't feel that we've used it enough to include on this list. Oh, and our swing. I don't know what we would have done without our swing those first few weeks. J still naps in it daily. What are your favorite baby items?
1.} Moby Wrap ~ Yes, I am a baby wearer. When Joseph was little, he was in the Moby wrap all. the. time. It gave us bonding time that I hadn't been able to have the last nine months and allowed him to feel comforted while I had my hands free to do stuff. I still use the Moby when grocery shopping and such. One big perk of the Moby is that strangers touch him less than they do when he's in his car seat. At first the Moby seems a little intimidating, but after you watch the online video a couple of times, you will be a pro. It also grows with your child by offering different wraps/holds as the child reaches various weights and developmental milestones.
This is 3 week old J in the Moby while I got my thrift on trying to get stuff for his nursery (I promise I will post about it someday).
2.} Muslin Blankets ~ As far as swaddling blankets go, muslin or gauze is the way to go! They allow you to get an awesomely tight swaddle (even if you don't know what you're doing). Also, since they are a light weight material, you don't have to worry about the blanket adding too much extra warmth, just dress the baby in appropriate clothes (this is extra helpful in the summertime). We used the Aden and Anais brand (I know they are available at Target and boutique stores), but I'm sure other brands would work fine too.
3.} Car Seat Caddy ~ Since we bought the car seat spur of the moment, we didn't bother getting the entire travel system at the time. I'm so glad we didn't because we talked to some friends and did a little research and decided to just go with the caddy (some brands call it a snap and go system). I love our caddy! It's small enough that it easily fits in the back of my Forrester and light enough that I can easily get it out and put it back in the vehicle. I even ran with it the other night (long story short, a spontaneous out of town run with friends turned out to be an awesome night) and was impressed with how well it did.
4.} Dirty Diaper Bags ~ Dirty diaper bags are a must, especially when you have a little one that poops as much as our guy. I use them often including when we are on car trips and will have to carry the diaper with us for a little way and when we are visiting people (because really, who wants to smell dirty diaper every time they open their trash can.). They even come with this handy little dispenser that clips onto your diaper bag and are lightly scented.
5.} Mesh Bumper ~ Our little guy moves a lot in his sleep. As in, when I go get him from his crib he has ofter spun 180* and is pushed up against the side.
6.} Mabel's Labels ~ So these totally aren't a necessity, but I still love having them. Even though he doesn't go to day care, it's nice having Joseph's name on his belongings when I drop him off at the nursery. The labels on his bottles have already been through multiple steam sterilizations and still look brand new. I actually got a back to school value pack, but haven't used any of the clothing or shoe tags yet. I'll let you know how those work out when the time comes. Since I bought a discount certificate through Mamasource (a deal a day site for moms), they were very reasonable priced (just be forewarned that Mabel's Labels is a Canadian company, so you might get a call from your bank asking about an out of country purchase :).
7.} Backpack Carrier ~ One of my husband's only requests was a sturdy backpack carrier. We went with the Chicco version and both my husband and Joseph love it. In my opinion, the best part about this carrier is that my husband is willing to wear it.
8.} Car Mirror ~ A car mirror is such a simple thing, but I didn't think about it until I finally started driving with Joseph in the car and wanted to be able to check on him (more often than not, he's giving me his mad face in the mirror).
10.} Pack and Play ~ This is a fairly common item, but I'm still including it because we use it a lot. Joseph slept in it for the first three months and still uses it at least a couple times each month as we tend to travel a lot. It's very easy to put together and pack up, provides a comfort zone for him since he is familiar with it, and solves the problem of us having to figure out where he will sleep while we are traveling. We got one with a newborn sleeper level which was very convenient when I was getting him out multiple times per night at first. Our pack and play also had this cool little attachment that would vibrate it, such a lifesaver.
And there you have it, my top ten baby items. I also love our Go-Pod, but don't feel that we've used it enough to include on this list. Oh, and our swing. I don't know what we would have done without our swing those first few weeks. J still naps in it daily. What are your favorite baby items?
Wednesday, September 19, 2012
Joseph is 4 Months Old!
Wow, where has the time (and my tiny baby) gone? It seems like just last week Joseph was a newborn and we were in the dreaded limbo period waiting for the adoption to be final. Now we have a sweet little guy who will pretty much talk to anyone that talks to him and gives smiles freely. He's very social and doesn't like to be left alone. He will explore independently as long as you are in the room with him, but the moment he realizes you stepped out, he starts crying (and will normally stop when you return and talk to him). So far, he's done a great job keeping up with our on the go lifestyle (seriously, we took him to campus for pregame festivities, the lake, and a football game this month alone and he was a champ at all of them).
He has finally started manipulating toys on his own and pulling them to his mouth. I've been waiting for this milestone so I am no longer his only source of entertainment.
He loves his jumperoo! We didn't have a jumperoo until last month, but decided that this little boy who loves to be vertical needed one. I'm so glad we have one for him now!
I get this look a lot! I think he's still trying to figure me out :)
Joseph discovered his feet mid-photo shoot yesterday. Let the fun begin!
Joseph - 4 Months
He has finally started manipulating toys on his own and pulling them to his mouth. I've been waiting for this milestone so I am no longer his only source of entertainment.
He loves his jumperoo! We didn't have a jumperoo until last month, but decided that this little boy who loves to be vertical needed one. I'm so glad we have one for him now!
I get this look a lot! I think he's still trying to figure me out :)
Joseph discovered his feet mid-photo shoot yesterday. Let the fun begin!
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Joseph's First Football Game
Although I realize he's too young to remember it, the opportunity presented itself, so Joseph attended his first OSU football game today. I don't have any pictures to document that he actually went into the game (I was sitting somewhere else with my girl Julia (why didn't I get any pictures of us?) when Sam's mom took him in to where Sam and his dad were sitting since they had a couple of extra tickets), but that doesn't mean it didn't happen. He didn't stay long, but he was a hit in his little football beanie.
After the game, Sam's dad requested a picture with Joseph in front of the OSU spirit rider, so we took a few pics of the grandparents.
Then decided to take a few family pictures. He's really into blowing bubbles and puckering his face as if he is sucking on sour candy these days.
And here's one more Joseph pic, just because he's a cutie. Is he rocking those glasses or what?
After the game, Sam's dad requested a picture with Joseph in front of the OSU spirit rider, so we took a few pics of the grandparents.
Joseph and Grandpa Parks
Joseph and Grandma Parks
Joseph, Grandma Parks, and Grandpa Parks
Then decided to take a few family pictures. He's really into blowing bubbles and puckering his face as if he is sucking on sour candy these days.
Friday, September 14, 2012
Who Says Lake Season is Over
A couple of years ago, due to unseasonably warm weather and an away football game weekend, a group of us went on an impromptu trip to Lake Tenkiller. We had so much fun, that we have since talked about going again. We weren't able to make it happen last year, but this year Sam's older brother, Ty, took charge and planned a weekend getaway for us. Both times, we stayed at Fin and Feather Resort, a place that holds fond memories for me.
We had a few people back out last minute, so we ended up with two boats for 6 people and a baby. Oh well, we just took a different boat each of the days we were there. For those of you familiar with Fin and Feather, the rest of the crew (Sam and I had our own room since not everyone wants a baby crying in the middle of the night in their room) stayed in the cabin joined to the convenient store. I had always wondered if people ever really stayed there.
They had this awesome view from their front porch.
We woke up Saturday morning in our OSU pajamas and tried out the go-pod (which I love and will write more about in a later post).
Then changed into our Hoosiers style OSU outfit for game day since it was a little too chilly to go out on the lake that morning. (Who said dressing little boys isn't fun?)
When it finally warmed up, we donned all of our safety apparel and hit the lake (don't worry, we had the shade up on the boat and he was under it except for during this picture).
We didn't stay out too long since we had the babe, Kim was needing to head back to Tulsa, and it was super windy. When we returned to The Fin, Emily and I hit up the gift shop. I texted Sam this picture asking about buying this hat for Joseph. He had no choice but to say yes!
The day ended with the boys playing with a group of 7-11 year old kids in the pool for a few hours before everyone ate and crashed.
The next morning, the guys decided to go back out on the lake since it was both warmer and less windy than the day before. I opted to stay behind and enjoy this view.
As we walked around the resort, I realized that this place really hasn't changed. They still have the Fin Bin.
Which I'm sure still has the same games and miniature golf course from my childhood although I couldn't check it out because it was closed.
They even still have the same laundry carts, flowers on the side and all.
One thing that has changed is Soda Steve's. It used to be a little corner of a building, but now it is it's own restaurant.
I couldn't resist some cheese fries and a root beer float while Joseph was napping. My Uncle Don and I would always get root beer floats when we visited.
Since I didn't go out on the boat with them Sunday, I don't have any lake pictures, but I was told that a lot of wake boarding, snorkeling, and just hanging out happened. Instead, you are stuck with more pictures of Joseph because that's what I did while they were gone, played with and took pictures of Joseph.
In case you are curious what a series of Joseph photos looks like, here you go. I seriously took these three pictures consecutively. I have many picture files with series like this one on my computer.
When they finally got off the lake mid afternoon, we took a quick group picture (minus Kim since she left early) then headed home... tired, refreshed, and ready to do it again next year.
We had a few people back out last minute, so we ended up with two boats for 6 people and a baby. Oh well, we just took a different boat each of the days we were there. For those of you familiar with Fin and Feather, the rest of the crew (Sam and I had our own room since not everyone wants a baby crying in the middle of the night in their room) stayed in the cabin joined to the convenient store. I had always wondered if people ever really stayed there.
They had this awesome view from their front porch.
We woke up Saturday morning in our OSU pajamas and tried out the go-pod (which I love and will write more about in a later post).
Then changed into our Hoosiers style OSU outfit for game day since it was a little too chilly to go out on the lake that morning. (Who said dressing little boys isn't fun?)
When it finally warmed up, we donned all of our safety apparel and hit the lake (don't worry, we had the shade up on the boat and he was under it except for during this picture).
We didn't stay out too long since we had the babe, Kim was needing to head back to Tulsa, and it was super windy. When we returned to The Fin, Emily and I hit up the gift shop. I texted Sam this picture asking about buying this hat for Joseph. He had no choice but to say yes!
The day ended with the boys playing with a group of 7-11 year old kids in the pool for a few hours before everyone ate and crashed.
The next morning, the guys decided to go back out on the lake since it was both warmer and less windy than the day before. I opted to stay behind and enjoy this view.
As we walked around the resort, I realized that this place really hasn't changed. They still have the Fin Bin.
Which I'm sure still has the same games and miniature golf course from my childhood although I couldn't check it out because it was closed.
They even still have the same laundry carts, flowers on the side and all.
One thing that has changed is Soda Steve's. It used to be a little corner of a building, but now it is it's own restaurant.
I couldn't resist some cheese fries and a root beer float while Joseph was napping. My Uncle Don and I would always get root beer floats when we visited.
Since I didn't go out on the boat with them Sunday, I don't have any lake pictures, but I was told that a lot of wake boarding, snorkeling, and just hanging out happened. Instead, you are stuck with more pictures of Joseph because that's what I did while they were gone, played with and took pictures of Joseph.
In case you are curious what a series of Joseph photos looks like, here you go. I seriously took these three pictures consecutively. I have many picture files with series like this one on my computer.
When they finally got off the lake mid afternoon, we took a quick group picture (minus Kim since she left early) then headed home... tired, refreshed, and ready to do it again next year.
Monday, September 10, 2012
Orange Friday and Game Day
The Friday before the first college football weekend this year was called "Color Friday" and everyone was encouraged to wear their school's colors. I don't know who came up with this idea, but I would like to tell them that has been a tradition at OSU for as long as I can remember. It's one of the things they teach you at freshman orientation... the words to the fight song, left hand goes up for the "S," and wear orange on Fridays (especially if you are on campus and during football season). Joseph has already participated in many orange Fridays, but I decided to document the one before his first football game. I didn't get a good picture of his traditional OSU onesie, but you can see here that it was definitely orange (as are both of his taggie blankets :).
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He even wore his orange OSU pajamas to bed that night.
And changed into his OSU jersey as soon as he woke up in preparation for game day.
Since it was his first game day, we took him to campus to enjoy some of the festivities. You can tell he was thrilled to be at "the walk."
We didn't go to the game. Instead we came home, enjoyed some naked baby play time,
and watched a little football and a movie with some friends (our game wasn't on any of the channels we get :(.
.JPG)
He even wore his orange OSU pajamas to bed that night.
And changed into his OSU jersey as soon as he woke up in preparation for game day.
Since it was his first game day, we took him to campus to enjoy some of the festivities. You can tell he was thrilled to be at "the walk."
We didn't go to the game. Instead we came home, enjoyed some naked baby play time,
and watched a little football and a movie with some friends (our game wasn't on any of the channels we get :(.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
Two Blooms
I've been meaning to write this post for a couple of months, I just haven't had a chance or felt up to it.
When Aubrey passed away, we held a small graveside service for her. Nothing big, just family and close friends (really, we didn't call anyone and tell them, it was just people that heard and wanted to attend). As is common with most funerals, some people sent floral arrangements or potted plants. I have managed (barely) to keep two of Aubrey's potted plants alive. One is some kind of viney thing and about once a week I really wonder if it will make it to the next week. The other one is a Peace Lily. The Peace Lily and I have a decent relationship, although it seldom blooms for me and when it does, it only has one bloom at a time. Both plants live in our kitchen window and neither plant has a name, they are simply referred to as Aubrey's plants. Shortly after Joseph joined our family, I was washing dishes when I looked up and noticed two gorgeous white blooms on the Peace Lily (when we left for the hospital, it had none).
Some might see this as a coincidence, but I took it as a sign from Aubrey. It's hard to have a new baby join your family after a loss. You don't want to replace the child you lost, but at the same time you have to keep moving forward. To me, two blooms were Aubrey's way of saying, "Mom, you have two kids now. I know you won't forget me and I want you to know that it's ok to move on."
I like to think that Aubrey got to help God to choose the perfect baby for our family.
When Aubrey passed away, we held a small graveside service for her. Nothing big, just family and close friends (really, we didn't call anyone and tell them, it was just people that heard and wanted to attend). As is common with most funerals, some people sent floral arrangements or potted plants. I have managed (barely) to keep two of Aubrey's potted plants alive. One is some kind of viney thing and about once a week I really wonder if it will make it to the next week. The other one is a Peace Lily. The Peace Lily and I have a decent relationship, although it seldom blooms for me and when it does, it only has one bloom at a time. Both plants live in our kitchen window and neither plant has a name, they are simply referred to as Aubrey's plants. Shortly after Joseph joined our family, I was washing dishes when I looked up and noticed two gorgeous white blooms on the Peace Lily (when we left for the hospital, it had none).
Some might see this as a coincidence, but I took it as a sign from Aubrey. It's hard to have a new baby join your family after a loss. You don't want to replace the child you lost, but at the same time you have to keep moving forward. To me, two blooms were Aubrey's way of saying, "Mom, you have two kids now. I know you won't forget me and I want you to know that it's ok to move on."
I like to think that Aubrey got to help God to choose the perfect baby for our family.
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