When Rudy plays with Shmu

Rudy can't wait for Shmu to grow up a bit in order to be old enough to really play. Ru's going to be great at that. He's so creative and is a kid at heart, himself. Shmu's lucky to have such a fun dad.

For now, Ru's having to hold himself back. These are the fun kinds of things I see when Ru plays with Shmu...

It starts out like this.

Then animal friends come.

Then Mr. Binks finishes it off!

Kyle stayed like this for a half an hour, quiet as can be, while we got ready for church. Don't worry, we kept a close eye on him.

Then, for entertainment, Ru found a shoe box and threaded an extension cord through a hole in the box, to make a leash of sorts. Shmu was pulled all around the house looking like this...

Meet the "Mister!"

As promised, the photo that captures one of our son's many "looks."

MISTER MAN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

We think he looks like a worm or a lizard when he gives his mister look. If you don't, you'll just have to see him in action to know what we mean. I'll try to get it on video but for now, just roll with us. You should see him do this with his little wormy hat on. It's a little cap with a bing-bing on top. It's priceless! (Are we new parents, or what?)

Kyle's 2 month check up

I'd been kind of dreading this day, knowing that Kyle would get his first vaccine shot. I know this is just the beginning, but I can't stand the thought of my son feeling pain. I know I'm going to have to get used to it. He's going to live and life has pain, right? Yeah, I know. But it still hurts.

Fortunately, Kyle did so well! We were so proud. As hard as it was to see him cry out in pain and turn bright red, I had him calmed down in record time and that was so affirming to me. Even the nurse was surprised at how quickly he was asleep in my arms. It makes me feel so good to know that we know each other well and that Kyle can be comforted by me and my touch. I mean, the first 5 or so weeks we were trying to understand him, get to know what soothed him, etc. By now, I really feel like I know him and can understand his cries and am meeting his needs more effectively. Before I sound like I'm tooting my own horn, I think parents try to do the best they can and sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. It just felt good that it worked this time. I'll still be worried every time we go in (we're on an alternative schedule that will be having us make more trips spaced out over a longer period of time).

So at two months, Kyle is weighing 9 lbs 11 oz and is 21.5 inches long. That puts him at the 10th percentile (pretty darn small). However, after asking the doctor about it, she looked at his corrected age (figuring in that he was three weeks premature) and that puts him at the 50th percentile. Our pedi said that he'll be a small baby, but by 2 years old, he should be all caught up to what he "should" be.

Rudy commented that it was nice hearing how relaxed our doctor was about minor colds and sickness for Shmu. At his first appointment with her, she was much more serious about any suspicion of illness. That means we're over the most critical phase of his early life and he's built up enough antibodies to lessen our worries. Gosh, who knew being a parent would be so scary! Tomorrow, Ru and I are going to get our own flu vaccinations. I hate to admit it, but I'm kind of scared myself. Poor Shmu, who doesn't understand what that pain is or why he has to feel it.

Momma's Birthday!

I had such a great birthday! I was so happy that Rudy had the day off from school and we had the whole day to do whatever we wanted to do! It was also really memorable, because it was my first birthday with my son. Kyle had a really good day and was a champ wherever we took him. Thanks to everyone who called. Your thoughts, texts and calls really made me feel special and loved. Thank you!!

We started our day on our bed. All three of us hung out for a while and then opened a few presents. I love doing that. (It reminds me of Christmas and opening my stocking on my parents' bed.) Thank you, Esther and Gina, for your thoughtful and fun gifts! I also got a note from Kyle. :) Just looking at it made me cry, thinking about when he really will hold a pencil or crayon to write me notes or draw me pictures. So stinkin cute!

We then went to my new favorite breakfast place in town called Alta. It was perfect. The food, coffee drinks, and atmosphere are exactly what I like and I hadn't been there since the day Kyle was born.

After breakfast, we walked along the beach and let Kyle feel the water for the first time. I'm pretty sure he didn't like it, but we're confident he will someday soon! :)

Then, to beat the heat, we went to the mall to do some window shopping. We ate a late lunch at home before my sister came to pick me up and take me to a movie. It was really fun to just hang out with my sis and let the boys take a nap at home. We realized that the last movie Michelle and I had been to together was Beauty and the Beast! We decided that was pathetic, and I hope we go a bit more often! Right after the movie was over, we met up with Rudy, Kyle and my parents to eat at my favorite dinner restaurant, PF Chang's. Thanks, mom and dad, for a great dinner and a great time being together. Kyle slept through most of it and woke up pretty happy and curious. Lots of lights for him to stare at.

Now at home, I'm staring at my beautiful boy and am thankful for what this past year has brought us. My life is far from perfect and I could find a dozen things I wish I could change. But in spite of life's inevitable difficulties, I am filled with an intense joy. I am so in love with my family. My husband and my son are so precious to me and I thank God every day for giving me the chance to know and feel the blessing of being a wife and a mother.

Happy 2 Months, Kyle!!

Our little man is definitely growing up and developing quite a personality. His faces and expressions are hilarious to watch and he continues to delight us with every little new thing he does. Kyle's latest thing is using his voice and giving us his smile. Mom hasn't been quick enough with the camera, but one of these days we'll get it.

Kyle's still wearing his newborn clothes, but as you can see, they're getting tighter. We took these pictures just after he ate a big meal, so it's a little exaggerated but you get the idea. He did graduate to size 1 diapers and after trying a few brands out, we've found one that actually fit well. Kyle's exploring his world around him like crazy and seems to prefer the outdoors. He also likes to stand up tall and move in a climbing motion whenever he's being burped on our chests.

Here are his 2 month pictures. It was challenging to capture them in focus, due to his constant moving. He held still for a few and gave us some funny pictures, too!

Thanks, Aunt Cindy and Uncle Tom, for my new kicks!

We love the velcro that keeps them on !!! :)

And now, for a little video. This was captured after a huge smile, (of course!) and at 2:30am!! He was wide awake and wore himself out by moving around so much. Unfortunately, it didn't occur to me to get the camera out until he was almost done.

Visit to Grammie's!

I really enjoyed going "home" yesterday. It was good to see my parents and it was a really fun to watch them interact with their grandchild. Kyle was great, slept a lot and seemed to like exploring his new surroundings.

Yes, mommy's still here...

Aw, Grammie love!

Kyle showed us his first real, big smile! It was awesome!!!

This was after we got the camera out of course.

Did he perform again? Nope! :)

Then, Grandpa came home!

It was fun to watch the "men" bond. I think Kyle was curiously listening to a deep voice that didn't belong to daddy and was trying to figure out who this person was.

Then, after all the excitement, he was out!

Thanks, mom and dad for a great day and for a delicious dinner. One of my favorites for sure!

Last days being 1 month old

For those of you who just want pictures and more pictures, here's a few recent ones we took during his last days of being just 1 month old. Now he's a big, whopping 2 months today! I'll post those pics later on. Enjoy.

K still loves sleeping on us. It's one of our most precious moments/memories so far.

Kyle's new pack n' play. Thank you, Uncle Ron and Aunt Marilyn.

The "Mister" is finally getting more comfortable riding in his car

seat. Yeah for making progress!! :) Maybe it has something to do with filling out his seat more.

Slept through the night!!

Just had to post our first night of almost 8 hrs of sleep! :) Then, after eating, he went back to sleep for another 4 hours. I interrupted his snooze with a walk in the stroller, but after we got home, he fell right back asleep. Now if only he'll wake up in time for our trip to the library.

He's gone 5 or 6 hours kind of consistently, but this was the longest. It's so funny to be celebrating this, but after becoming a parent, this is big news!! Gee, the simple things we take for granted! :)

Chango

Our son sure has a rubber face and several "looks" to him. Sometimes he looks like a mister. Sometimes he looks like a captain (Captain fussy pants, Captain poopy pants, etc.). Today's picture is of him looking like a monkey. Doesn't he look like Curious George here?

Grandma Gina took the best "mister" picture of him and we'll try and post that and other "looks" soon.

Snapshots of our cutie!

Can't help but take hundreds of pictures. I'll let them speak for themselves this time...

We are SO THANKFUL for our adorable and so far, healthy son!

Story time at the library!

A friend of ours invited Kyle and I to our local library's story time/music and craft session. If I thought it a bit early to introduce this to Kyle, I don't anymore. I was pretty surprised. He was alert and fascinated by it all. He focused on a number of things, but especially liked looking at the other children in the room. For those of you who think I must be exaggerating... we started eye stim cards at 3 days old. Trust me, the boy can focus!! (Thanks Grammie!) We listened to a few stories and sang a few songs with hand motions and shakers. This picture shows us shakin' it with Elsie, our friend's daughter.

During craft time, Kyle was busy staring at everyone around him. Today I learned that the distance he can see has grown quite a bit. Earlier in the day he was able to "see" me quite a ways off before I spoke to him. It was pretty cool to watch.

Library time was really fun and it looks like we'll be making this a regular part of our week. They also offer bilingual sessions and family sessions. We'll try both out and have Rudy come with us, too. I've invited my new neighbor from England to join us as well. I haven't blogged about it, but we've got quite a number of small children either just born or just moved in to our apartment complex. It's nice to have the community around us match where we're at right now.

I'm really thankful to be home and able to take my son to things like "library time." As hard as it was to be laid off, I'm really thankful for it and know that God has something planned for us just around the corner. In the meantime, I'm treasuring every second of this. Ok, let's be honest... not the crying ones. Everything else, yes!!

Nap time!

Today is a my kind of day. The weather is cooler, which means it's finally comfortable in the apartment without any air conditioning and we're having a quiet, lazy afternoon as a family. After coming home from a baby shower this morning, Kyle and I took our first nap together! :) I've always wanted to cuddle my baby this way and today it finally happened. (We've fallen asleep together many times after a feeding, but I've never cuddled him quite like this, or made myself stop whatever else "needed" to be done to just rest.)

After our nap, Ru made us a late lunch and we all ate together on the bed. Ru's lunches are always the best! Then, while mommy got some organizing done (another favorite activity of hers), she happened upon Shmu's next nap with daddy.

Now, for my little Houdini... he was swaddled and placed up high in between his "bumpers" as we call them, and after just a few minutes I found him like this...

... the kid is definitely starting to move.

In case you thought I was exaggerating...

So in my last post, I mentioned Kyle not liking his carseat/stroller. Here's the proof. This one was a "zero to sixty" moment. Parents out there, you know exactly what I'm talking about. :)

Like Father Like Son

One of my students' favorite "Rudy stories" is about our bike rides around the neighborhood and on local bike trails. I tell them about how I like to ride my bike in a straight line and that that is enough adventure for me. Rudy, however, tries to liven things up by doing anything but going straight. He slaloms right and left, up hills and down, skids on the dirt, etc. Our "romantic" strolls through town aren't ever quite what I imagine them to be, because I'm usually left somewhere in the dust watching Rudy do his thing. I don't mind though, because he usually gives me something to smile and chuckle about. Watching him, I've always imagined our "future" son and what he'd be like.

Well, yesterday Rudy suggested we take Shmu out for a walk in the stroller. I have yet to do this with Shmu (so far, I've only walked while wearing him in a wrap) because he hates his stroller, or rather the carseat that attaches to it. However, because Rudy was going with us, I felt much more optimistic about the whole thing. We weren't out for more than a minute before Rudy was slaloming Kyle up and down, left and right, and all over the place. There were a few skids, drifts, and wheelies, too. I had to chuckle because there was mom, walking in a straight line with dad up ahead doing anything but going straight. And the best part... Kyle was only happy when daddy entertained him so. The minute Ru started walking in a straight line (to actually walk with his wife) Kyle would start crying. Watching Kyle's arms moving all around reminded me of how it felt to carry him in my womb. His hands and fingers were constantly moving and tickling me. His feet were constantly kicking, too. It totally makes sense that he's rolling over, climbing up my chest and standing whenever given the chance to do so. He's already just like his father and I love it! :)

What did I eat?

So Kyle and I were having GREAT days together. He was so much fun and life just couldn't have been better. Then, bam!!! Kyle's not happy and our world starts to crumble! Funny learning who's really in charge here.

I don't know what it is specifically that is giving him gas, but he's had a lot of it and has been spitting up more. I have been a little creative with my cooking lately (something that will definitely stop for a while!) and I've got a few ideas of what it could be, but I am really hoping it's not dairy. The only dairy I eat is yogurt and cheese, but I LOVE my yogurt and cheese! And since I was eating dairy while Kyle was doing just fine, I'm thinking it's got to be something else.

Whatever it is, it's making our days and nights really difficult. The good thing is that Rudy is home for the rest of the day today and can help out. I'm in desperate need of a break!

A face from the past.

Last Sunday we got a text from our former adult ministries pastor who was the man that married us, saying that he'd be preaching at our old church and that he'd love to see us. Sundays are always a little tricky getting to and from church with having to coordinate Shmu's feedings. Anything with a specific time, like a scheduled appointment, can be pretty hard to get to on time. So on Sunday, it turned out Kyle was eating a little later than what I would have anticipated and it was super nice to drive a few blocks to church instead of the regular 15 minutes. It was also really nice to see Patrick again. He invested so much into our marriage and was eager to meet our son. Only after seeing this "face from the past" did we realize just how much time had gone by since we were at that church. It was kind of fun to visit a place we had spent a lot of time at while just dating. Going there as a family was pretty different and much, much better! :)

Sleeping Angel.

I don't know how it's possible, but every day that passes, I grow more and more in love with my son. I miss him while he sleeps and I admit that I hate to lay him down and out of my arms. I could stare all day at him and never get enough. He has been so much fun (throughout most of the day) and is sleeping well during the night again. We've loved introducing him to things in our apartment and seeing him stare at everything around him. His eyes are huge with wonder and it is so cute to see him exploring. Speaking of exploring... he's found his tongue! He enjoys twisting it, sticking it out and elongating his mouth to stretch it out. Also, today, he started cooing and making vowel sounds! We love the sound of his voice!! :)

Lately, it has been so hot that Kyle's been wearing just his diaper and because I think it looks absolutely adorable, I don't mind the heat at all! :) I think it reminds me of when we first saw him, held him and cuddled him. Precious.

When we took this picture, I had been staring at him for quite some time and marveling at how much I love him. I'd give up my life for him without a second thought. Rudy agrees, he'd do the same.

Happy Birthday, Michelle!

This past week my sister, Michelle, celebrated her 21st birthday. On her special day, Kyle and I drove up to visit her on her lunch break and bring her a fun cupcake. (Getting the cupcake was quite an adventure and a whole story of its own.) We celebrated yesterday as a family with a trip to Benihana's for lunch. I was excited to introduce Kyle to a few new food flavors, but it appears he wasn't ready for the added "culture" just yet. Later that evening, he was incredibly fussy and in pain and threw up an entire meal all over mommy. But, after a shower and a warm bottle (of breast milk), all was right in his world.

Thanks for a fun time together, Michelle.

Happy Birthday!

(p.s. So weird to call you by your real name!)

Hangin' with the boys

Kyle, Jonas and Lukas.

Kyle and I had our friends come over yesterday for lunch. All three boys were happy (most of the time) and enjoyed staring at one another. Their mommies also had fun hanging out, too. Kyle's face was so cute when he heard someone else (another baby) in his room with him. I was changing him while his friend Jonas was in the crib and by the look on Kyle's face, I could tell he didn't know what was going on, but that he knew there was some stranger there too. Fortunately, he shared his space and his things very well! :)