On the Verge of Mobility

2 months

Here's a fun comparison on little man's progress.  At two months little man was just starting to stretch and kick those sweet little footsies.  Now, he's scooting all over the place.  This is one of his favorite yoga moves.  He wants to crawl so bad, just has to work on building his strength to hold up his weight.  Hang on little guy, you're on the verge of mobility, in good time you'll get there.

 

9 months

Ready for Church

Yesterday we had our annual member photo taken at church so I couldn't resist snapping a few shots of little man before heading out.

My Beach Baby

Well, Tim and I have been discussing for awhile when we wanted to make the trip home to Maryland to introduce Sammy to the rest of the relatives, the beach, seafood and the beautiful Eastern shore.  Tim and his brothers all have photos of them as toddlers by the beach in their diapers.  They're some of the sweetest photos I have ever seen of little boys and I can't wait to have my own little beach baby boy.  With our new arrangement this spring, I will only have six days of vacation, so time is precious.  So it seemed appropriate that if we were looking at the summertime and a special memory for the three of us, we wanted to go back the week of our anniversary at the end of July.  Sammy will be 15 months which is (hopefully) a good time for air travel (at least it will be financially since babies under 2 fly free) and we will be celebrating our 8th wedding anniversary.  I can't wait to share our sweet little guy with our friends and family on the shore.  We won't book our flights until mid-March, but we're looking at the last full week in July for those who are looking at their calendars and planning ahead.  Can't wait!

It's 1 AM and I'm Awake

My nights as of late have been so mixed up. Last night I had evening duty while Tim rested in preparation for class and tonight's my night off and here I am blogging at 1 AM because I can't sleep. Hubby's asleep, baby's asleep, why not me? I have no idea. Am I coming down with the cold Sammy has had since Saturday evening? Is it work? My new schedule?

When Sammy cries, I get an adrenaline rush that sometimes is hard to get over. That's all I can think of. I don't even think I can write a blog of much value at this point but I so rarely have the opportunity, I thought, why not? I'm awake. Might be amusing to read later on (or not!)

So my son continues to teeth, I have no idea where all these teeth are coming from. Poor little guy has seven through the gum line and started excessively drooling the past two days, a dead give away that more are on their way. Then add in little man's second cold for the winter and it's hard for him to get a good night's sleep. (Although he's getting better zzz's than his Momma as of present).

Tim's class is going well and I'm enjoying the extra time with Sammy. Our pastor has mentioned a number of times that the first year as a parent is far more difficult than the adjustments of the first year of marriage. I would have to agree. Not that Sammy has been difficult, it's just such a huge life change! Nine months later and my son is three times what he once was and my little baby looks more like a toddler and I realize how quickly the time has passed. Just this week Sammy has started to clap his hands and will play catch with a rattle ball Racine made for him. So neat!

Ok, I think I'm going to have to recruit my hubby to try to give this exhausted Momma a back rub or I'm going to be a wreck in the morning. Hopefully I can get some sleep.

9 Months: Rolling, Babbling & Teething

Yup, that's one - two -
three - four bottom teeth!

Today Sammy turned 9 months old.  Little man mastered the art of rolling!  He can roll from both his tummy to his back and vice versa.  He also loves to scoot, so you have to keep an eye on him!  The last time my parents were down a few weeks before Christmas they brought a walker and he has loved exploring every crook and crevice in the house.  It's amazing how he has learned to back up, turn and drive that thing in such a short amount of time.  He is eager to crawl, but so far has only figured out a few scoots backwards.

Sammy loves to babble!  From the moment he wakes up to the time he goes down every night, this guys sharing his thoughts with us.  He says things like "dada", "baba", and "momma" but doesn't realize the connection, so no first words yet!  We've had some random Texas winter weather so a few rounds at the park this week have been a refreshing change from being stuck indoors for buddy boy who loves anyone who will push him in the swing at the park. 

Top two teeth are in -
one more about to cut through any day now

Thursday morning Sammy went to the sitters for the first time and did great!  He didn't cry when I left and his fan club (Cass and Lis) loved having him over as their adopted baby Sammy.  I even got a freshly baked scone out of the deal and the peace of mind that Sammy was with close friends and getting to play with other kiddos on a regular basis.  My Tuesday morning gig starts this week, so I'm pretty excited about my new schedule! 

Teething pains are not easy for such a young one to deal with.  We use orajel, Tylenol and teething tablets on a regular basis but he does not like anything cold so no ice chips, no teething toys (except good ole Sophie to the rescue) to bring him relief.  Teething is a difficult phase on parents, our kids put us to shame with their sweet innocence and lack of memory when it comes to all-nighters like we've experienced.  Many times Tim and I won't even really remember that well, maybe one of God's strategies to blur certain things to ensure we don't become bitter toward our child for things that are out of their control.  Sammy's a little trooper!  Hang in there little man, you're doing great.

Since Sammy began teething everyone has been asking me how nursing is going.  Obviously he's learning that his gumline is not what it once was, but he has never tried to chew on my "na-na's" like they were a teething toy.  His appetite has gone down some just because of the discomfort, but I continue to offer and he continues to want it, so it's working out just fine.  Obviously when a tooth cuts the gumline, it's very sharp so there's a little bit of concern when I offer, but if he did nip me, it wouldn't be anything intentional.  He's always been very gentle with me, although as of late he has had a thing for digging his finger in my belly button.  Goofy kid!  Kids at this age are incredibly curious about anything and everything!

Sammy's 9 month stats - 25 lbs, 10 oz in weight, 30.5 inches in length (98% for both).

My Tuesday Morning Gig

When we found out Tim would be teaching at Southwestern this spring we began to look in to a sitter for Sammy. Of course our good friends and neighbors the Roths were one of the first on the list and Aunt Racine gladly accepted the Thursday morning gig. Then we began phoning a few other ladies from the church for Tuesdays. We weren't able to recruit anyone and then it hit me -- I could do it. God's blessed me with a great job and flexible bosses, let's see if we can't work something out. Several conversations later I found myself glowing with delight, as I had found a new happy medium in my career and my home life at one of the sweetest stages in Sammy's development. I am so pleased that Tim will have the opportunity to teach again and be able add another university to his experience and that I will be able to hang out with my little man for the next 12 weeks. Hurray for my Tuesday morning gig, I'll start January 24th!

Turning Thirty

Today, I turned thirty years old.  I've been dreading this day for a few weeks now, but now that it's here it doesn't seem as bad as it sounds.  I have had some coming of age moments this year.  Pregnancy, childbirth and the rearing of a child. 

First, I have found that I am more thoughtful in my nutrition and care for myself.  Much credit goes to Tim, who's recently really gotten in to learning more about nutrition and is always looking for ways to engage and enlighten his wife along the way.  For Christmas, Tim got me some topical magnesium gel.  Magnesium is an incredibly important and valuable mineral many women lack!  Your body needs it in order to absorb calcium, but it also balances calcium in your muscles.  It's also important for relaxation!  Because it helps with muscle relaxation, it helps you rest better and have more energy during the day because it enables you to rest.  What new mom wouldn't benefit from that?  I'm still a work in progress but I feel like I am gaining a little each day in this area as I continue to use the gel and Sammy finds his own rhythm and nighttime schedule.  I am also taking a cod liver oil supplement to promote brain health for both me and Sammy.  Some of the other items include vitamins B-6, B-12, C, and D along with my regular women's multi-vitamin. 

After reading Nina Planck's Real Food for Mother and Baby: The Fertility Diet, Eating for Two and Baby's First Food, I am more intentional in eating fish three times a week and brought dairy back in to my diet since Sammy seems to be passed his tummy pains.  I also found her personal stories on motherhood and nursing encouraging.

Just this week, a colleague asked if I had been doing something different with my hair and then Tim on a number of occasions has just turned to me and said, "Hunny, you look really pretty!"  The shine in my hair I think is a result of the supplement and diet changes I have made and I love it.  It's important to take time for yourself, even if it's five minutes of popping pills in the morning to start your day right. 

Second and more importantly, I appreciate my parents more and have found my birthday is not just about me, but honoring them for their love, support and care for me over the years.  Tim, Sammy and I got to Skype with my parents this evening and it was nice to be able to do something for them, knowing all that they've done for me.  As a new parent, the past year has been an eye opening experience to the sacrifices parents make for their children.  Mom and Dad, thanks for all you do and for being avid readers and followers of my blog.  I love you!

I look forward to all the Lord has in store for me this coming year.