28 weeks- My first Christmas

Andrew has a very eventful first Christmas with lots of family and lots of traveling.  Not only did he celebrate his first Christmas, but he also had his first flight to Houston.  We did a small family Christmas here at our house first, then proceeded to have Christmas number 2 over at the Owens' house, and finally his last Christmas was with the Dempsey family in Houston.  Needless to say, Andrew racked up on lots of fun gifts and had a great time visiting with all of his family. 

Andrews loot!

I am so excited!

Opening gifts

Another first for him happened on the 23rd of December.  We were leaving Jeremy's parents house and his Dad (Papa) was waving goodbye to him, and low and behold Andrew waved back!  It was so cute, and he has not stopped waving since! 

Andrew also had his first visit with Santa.  He did quite well, although I am sure next year will be a different story!

Meeting Santa for the 1st time with cousin Owen

Several posts below as well!

27 weeks

Not much to update at 27 weeks.  Andrew has been doing great with daycare, and I absolutely continue to love his teachers.  I pretty much want to keep him from crawling because that is the marker for having him move up to the next class.  I know we have to move on, but his sweet teachers (Ms. Cindy, Mrs. Pam, and Mrs. Ellen) have all been so good to him in different ways, and have definitely kept Jeremy and I on track!

He continues to be such a smiley baby, and is really starting to "chat" quite a bit these days.  He oohs and ahh and of course laughs all of the time.  He especially likes to hear mom sing a bad version of "The Wheels on the Bus" and "Pat a Cake."  I am working on getting him to wave bye bye!  We also got a new carrier for Andrew.  You will see a picture below of Andrew taking it out for a test run!!!! :)

Check out my Aubie pants!!

Daddy with his boys

Loving my new carrier!

26 weeks

I can't believe our little guy is half a year old!  Time certainly flies.  He went to see Dr. H for his 6 month check and shots, and received a clean bill of health.  Here are his numbers:

Weight: 19 lbs (75th percentile)
Height: 26 3/4 inches (75th percentile)

Andrew is growing like a weed, and never misses a meal!  He is really starting to enjoy all of his new foods and his puffs.  I don't think we have met a food he does not like yet!

25 weeks

Not too much to report this week for Andrew.  He continues to try new foods, and LOVES all of them.  I don't think we have tried anything that he does not like.  I started him last night on peach yogurt and he literally almost ate the whole container.  I think we definitely have a big eater on our hands; just like Daddy!! :)

We are getting geared up for Christmas around the house.  Yesterday we put up our Christmas Tree (next year Jeremy says we are getting a real one) along with all of the other house ornaments.  Andrew watched as Jeremy and I put all the ornaments on the tree with big smiles! 

In other news, we will be headed to Houston for Christmas with my family.  I am excited, although slightly overwhelmed with the task of traveling on a plane with a 6 month old.  Hopefully, however, all will go smoothly and we will make it home without any major meltdowns. 

Milestones and things of note (for Mom to remember)
* you are starting to get very ticklish. 
* your laugh is contagious
* you are starting to try and blow raspberries
* you really like to play with your link rings
* you are looking like you might want to crawl soon
* you LOVE your jumpy toy
* you are like to snuggle (you almost always fall asleep on my shoulder each night when I am 
   putting you to bed)
* you have cute chunky thighs ( I call them my little ham-a-lams!)
* you have a cold that refuses to go away!

We LOVE YOU little guy!

24 weeks

As the shirt says, Andrew is definitely "just like Daddy."  However, I am still hoping for just a little bit of me to come out!  He is continuing in his food endeavors, and has added squash to the mix now.  I think as of now this might be his most favorite food, but we have yet to try sweet potatoes, which I hear is always the crowd pleaser! 

He is so good at sitting up that we have ordered a grocery cart cover for the little man to use in the grocery store and restaurants.  I am more than thrilled to finally be able to leave the heavy car seat in the car. 

We are gearing up for the holidays around here, and can't wait to share his first Christmas with all of our families!

23 weeks

Just a quick post, but here is A's 23 week photo.  He is getting so big so fast.  I wish I could slow time down, because he is growing up way too fast!

22 weeks

Andrew is loving trying new vegetables each week.  In our last post he had tried carrots and since then we have added green beans and peas to his list of foods.  I think he has liked the peas the most so far, but we have yet to try sweet potatoes which I hear that EVERY baby loves! 

We also purchased a highchair for our big guy since he is sitting up so well.  We pull it up to our table each night at dinner so he can get used to being at the table with Mom and Dad!

Sitting in my new highchair

21 weeks

At 21 weeks old our little guy is certainly growing like a weed!  We have graduated from rice cereal to trying our hand at vegetables.  First up was carrots!  I decided to go with that first simply because I love carrots, and I am pretty sure I ate my weight in them while I was pregnant.  So, I figured we might start with something he may be used to from his "in utero" days! 

He did pretty well with the "real" food, but we are still getting used to textures and tastes.  Next on the list after carrots is green beans, then I think we will try peas.  I am holding out on giving him any of the fruits yet, because I want him to like the veggies first!

He continues to keep us laughing with his emerging personality.  He loves to look at himself in the mirror, and he continues to love his bathtime with his Daddy.  He is also getting very good at sitting up.  He can sit unassisted for a few seconds to a minute, and if supported, can sit up for quite a while.  It is amazing how quickly he is growing and changing; I want time to slow down!   I am not ready for this little guy to grow up just yet. 

Wearing my Auburn Hat!

20 weeks

At 20 weeks old Andrew had his very first Halloween party at school.  He was Woody from Toy Story, and despite the fact that his outfit was a little small, he still looked pretty darn cute!  Jeremy, Gram, and Papa were all able to make it to his parade and cheer him on. 

We also had a second outfit for our little guy for the "home" Halloween party. 

19 weeks

Sorry I am running a little behind on the blog these days.  Life is busy, and by the time I get a chance to sit down and rest, I usually just zonk out! 

So, on to the updates.  19 weeks has brought a few new milestones for our little one.  We finally had to stop swaddling him as he was getting a little big for it, and he was getting too good at rolling over in bed.  There was nothing wrong with him rolling over, it was just that if he rolled over while he was in the swaddle he couldn't get right side up because his arms were tucked in the swaddle blanket. Along with the end of the swaddle came the end of using the sleep positioner.  I know they were taken off the market about a year ago, but I don't care what they say, that thing is KEY to a good night sleep in the early months.  Thank you to Amanda R. for loaning hers to us for the past several months! 

I think Jeremy and I were both a little wary of the first night we were going sans swaddle and positioner.  But, the little man surprised us and did great!  Knock on wood, he continues to do great and sleep great.  I thank God every night that we have a good sleeper, because we all know Mom needs to get her sleep or she is not a happy camper!!!  We have continued with our nighttime routine of putting him to bed around 7:30 or 8 pm and he usually will get up around 6 am on weekdays and around 6:30 to 7 on weekends. 

Other points of note:
- moved up to a size 3 diaper
- loves taking a stroll in his new big boy stroller
- starting to really take notice of Ollie
- loves to laugh and SMILE
- moved up to taking between 7 1/2 and 8 oz in his bottle at school (he gets 2 BM bottles and 1 formula bottle)

 We are having so much fun getting to see his little personality start to develop.  He is truly a happy baby, and we are loving every minute of having him in our lives!

18 weeks

With 18 weeks came several milestones for Andrew.  First, he went in to see Dr. H for his 4 month check and vaccinations. 

Here are the numbers:
Weight: 15.6 lbs (75thpercentile)
Length: 26 inches (90th percentile)

He did very well and only cried for about 5 seconds after getting his shots.  Dr. H. said he looked great and we will see him back in December for his 6 month check. 

Next up, we officially have a baby that can roll over.  He rolls over from front to back and back to front.  I often find him on the opposite end of the crib in the mornings because he has managed to roll over a few times during the night.  This also means that we officially have to buckle him in to any and every toy and/or carrier, because he will do his best to try and get out now! 

Lastly, Dr H. gave us the go ahead to start rice cereal.  I would like to say that he is loving this new addition to his diet, but after 4 days he still is not much of a fan.  Hopefully he will take to it more in the coming days.  Dr. H. said we could also start on Stage 1 fruits and veggies towards the end of this month, so at least we have something else to try if he continues to hate the rice cereal!

I have included a video of him eating rice cereal for the first time.  Nothing exciting at all.  This is purely for us and for Grandparents! :)

No words necessary...

17 weeks

At 17 weeks old Andrew was baptized at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church.  I mentioned this in an earlier post, but I thought I would post a few pictures from the day in this entry.  We had a great time, and thoroughly enjoyed having our families here for such a special day.

The Dempsey Family and Fr. John

The Owen Family

He handled the "sprinkle" well with no major outbursts or breakdowns!

In other news, Andrew continues to grow and meet his milestones.  At school they do milestone checklists, and for his 4 month check Andrew had accomplished every milestone with the exception of eating solid foods.  Dad is taking him to the doctor tomorrow for his 4 month checkup, so hopefully Dr. H will give us the green light to start with rice cereal.  He is getting 2 (Mommy Milk) 7 ounce bottles and 1 (6 oz formula) bottle at school, so we continue to have a "healthy" eater! 

A few things of note (really for me to remember)
- Still loves to "chat", coo, and SMILE
- Loves to play in his bumbo and have toys to play with on his play tray
- Still a great sleeper!  Goes down between 7:30 and 8 pm and sleeps until 6 or 6:30 am. 
- I swear he knows the difference between weekdays and weekends because on the weekends he will sleep until 7 or 7:30.
- Has learned how to grab his feet
- Rolls over consistently now.  Can easily go from stomach to back, and usually can sometimes make it from back to stomach
- Can sit up very well supported

16 weeks

As I am tired from a long weekend, I am going to keep this post short.  Andrew gets more fun as we get to see his little personality develop over each day and week.  I would say that for the most part he is a very happy baby, and continues to give us big smiles and be his usual "chatty" self.  The only times he can be fussy are when he is hungry or when he is just so tired that he can't put himself to sleep. 

I will leave you with his photo!  More to come in the next posts!

15 weeks

Sorry I am a little behind on our weekly updates, but life is fairly busy these days.  I think we are finally getting into a good routine after a few weeks of figuring this new life/schedule out.

Andrew is doing great at school and loving his new friends.  His teachers all say he is very "chatty;"  he gets that one honestly!  He does well with his tummy time and will reach out for toys in front of him and bring them to his mouth.  He is VERY close to rolling over consistently and practices sitting up in his bumbo most every day.  He continues to LOVE his bath time and has a grand time splashing in the tub and getting Dad wet.  As for sleep, we are very lucky to have a good sleeper.  He goes down anywhere between 7:30 and 8pm most nights, and will sleep all the way until we wake him up at 6 am during the week and 7 or 7:30 on the weekends.  I hope that he continues this trend, because we love our uninterrupted sleep for sure!  The only issue we are going to have to deal with soon is the fact that he is getting too big for his swaddle blanket.  He has been swaddled to bed since day one and he really likes it.  I am hoping we can transition to a sleep sack, but I am not going there until we have to. 

In other news, Andrew was baptized on September 17th at Saint Francis Xavier.  He was very lucky to have both sets of grandparents, aunts and uncle, cousin, and great grandmother all present.  Brent and Holley are his Godparents and we are thrilled!  It was a beautiful day, and Andrew managed to do fairly well throughout most of the ceremony.  He did get a little fussy towards the end, but all in all he was a very good sport.  The smell of the scented oil that they put on his head literally lingered for about a week, so on Monday the ladies at school (he goes to a Catholic Church daycare) all knew he had been baptized just by the smell of him!  We ended that day with a low key BBQ dinner at the Owens' house along with a fabulous cake from Pastry Art. 

14 weeks

At 14 weeks Andrew completed his second full week of daycare.  He is doing very well and really seems to be having a good time with his teachers and friends!  I think we are all still trying to get into a rhythm and routine during the week, but each day we are getting the hang of it more and more. 

He is such a happy baby and keeps us all laughing with his sweet smiles.  I look forward to our morning drives to school together when we "chat" about what he is going to do that day.  I can't wait for the day that he can actually respond back! 

At last check he was weighing in at 14 lbs 9oz!  I can't wait to see what his other "stats" will be like when we go for his 4 month checkup in October. 

Hanging out with Mom

Why does she kiss me so much?

Look what I found!  Thumb sucker just like Mom was!

13 Weeks

This has been a big week of change for the Owen Family.  I started my new job on Tuesday and Andrew started daycare.  Our mornings get going around 5 am and I am out the door with the little man by about 6:45 in order to get him to school on time and me at work on time.  Jeremy takes the pick up portion of the day, and I am usually home to meet them at the same time or soon thereafter.  It is definitely a change of pace, but hopefully we can fall into a routine of sorts in the coming weeks. 

Labor Day weekend we headed to Lake Martin for a stay at the new lake house, and so that Jeremy and I could go cheer on our Auburn Tigers.  Another special trip was made to Greenville, AL so that Andrew could meet with his Great Grandmother Owen.  She was excited to meet him, and I think he was pretty smitten with her as well!

Other things of note....

• He gives big smiles when you sing to him.  Anything will do; we are not picky! 
• Still loves his big swing for naps
• Absolutely is in love with his Hippo Lovie.  Must have it for all naps.  (Mom has 2 others already for backup purposes)
• Has his teachers at daycare (Ms. Ellen, Ms. Pam, and Ms. Cindy) are smitten already.  They just love to dote on him, as they do all the babies in his class.  We are blessed to have such wonderful people caring for him each day.
• Is very "chatty" after bathtime each night.  Will repeat or copy "ooohhs and ahhhs"
• Is still a hungry hippo.  Never passes up a meal!

Meeting Great Grandmother Owen

Wearing his precious outfit made by Mrs. Carla!  So cute!!

Another "sizing up" situation between Andrew and Ollie

12 weeks

With 12 weeks we hit a bittersweet point in our lives.  I will start my new job next Tuesday and Andrew will start daycare.  We visited today for a few hours and he did very well.  Of course I cried like a baby when I had to leave him, but he was cool as a cucumber.  The teachers in his class are all wonderful, and I know he will be in good hands.  When I came to pick him up they had already taken a few pictures of him for the room, and he had completed an art project!  We won't get to see the completed art project until next week though. 

I am excited about starting my new job, and getting back into the world of Audiology.  Hopefully, it will be like riding a bike and it will all come back to me quickly. 

For our final weekend together, we are heading to Lake Martin with the Owen family for a little R&R.  On Saturday Jeremy and I will head down to Auburn for the opening game versus Utah State, and the little man will stay back at the lake with his grandparents.  He is sure to have a good time!

11 weeks

Well, another week has passed and Andrew continues to grow not only in personality but in size!  At his weigh in this Monday he was 13.05 oz; he NEVER turns away food!  He is so fun now, is always smiling, and recognizes Mom and Dad's voices.  He loves looking out the window while laying on his changing pad, bath time, and riding in the car.  It is so funny how you can really start to see a little personality under development.  Jeremy and I have decided that although he does not look like me, he might have inherited Mom's stubborn personality!  I like to say it is not stubbornness, but rather persistence!  You can see this at work when he has his tummy time and is desperately trying to roll over.  I think he will get the hang of it pretty soon.

Football season is upon us, and although the little guy will not be attending games just yet, Dad has made sure Andrew has proper "gear" to watch Auburn football.  I must admit that I can't wait for him to get old enough to go to Auburn and see the where he "potentially" could go to college one day.  I always say he can go to school wherever he wants to, but it would be wonderful to have him attend Auburn like Mom and Dad.

War Eagle!

I love my Hippo lovie.  Won't take a nap without it!

Meeting new friends.  Andrew (left) 11 weeks, Ellis Grainger (almost 3 weeks), Mason Wearren (21 weeks)

Ellie was not as thrilled about her male visitors as they were about meeting her!