Rebel

Owen got "kicked out" of baby Sunday School today. We were in church and 703 (his # for the morning) flashed up on the screen in the corner, meaning we were needed. His first rub with authority. Some thought he might be hungry, others tired, or that he needed a passy. He was just being (unpredictable) Owen, and he needed a little mommy. Luckily, there is no three strikes and you're out policy or anything...so he'll be back. :)

Adventures with Rice Cereal

Our voracious eater now has something new on his menu...Rice Cereal. Yippee! We gave Owen his first taste of something w/ a spoon last Saturday and it went well. He gobbled it right up. He wanted to hold the spoon himself but that only made it more difficult. A+ for effort. You can't see it, but his bib says "drool" and that was very appropriate.



In other news (still about Owen, surprised?), I feel like I can't keep up with all the new things he does on a weekly basis (so forgive me if I repeat myself)...Here are some "what he's doing now" updates:

He's really into sighing a lot these days. Still squeals when he's happy or we're playing, but now he also has these really mellow sighs when he's just hanging out (say, in his swing, or in bed in the morning after he wakes up but before I come in and get him). Surprisingly, he'll lay there in the morning for quite some time just "talking" (sighing) to himself. It's really sweet.

He's also started loving to play with our faces. If you stand him up on your lap he can't help but put his hands all over your face (beware if you have glasses--they're coming off). It's good motivation for me to keep his nails trimmed!

Also, he's getting closer and closer to sitting up unassisted. His "tripodding" is getting steadier and he really likes to sit in between our legs and play.

He has started playing with his duck in the bath and actually splashing about a bit (in an attempt to grab the duck, which he can't because it's wet and it moves around when he goes for it).

And he has another fun toy...we borrowed a bouncer/"johnny jump-up" that goes in the door. He hasn't quite figured out he can bounce it himself (he sort of just spins/slides around w/ a little bounce here and there) but he really likes it when we help him. Oh, for the moments when he plays unassisted!

He spent his first Sunday in the church nursery and the sweet lady who kept him said he did great. He was asleep when I went to pick him up. Somehow, I don't believe her (that he didn't cry), but it will make it easier to leave him there next week. (To clarify, I'm not worried about him as much as whoever has to deal with him if he has a melt down!)

Whew, that's it. We're hoping to take an actual little hike w/ him tomorrow (if the weather is nice and Kyle has an easy call night)...we'll let you know how it goes.

Firsts

Owen had two firsts today...

1) He rolled over (tummy to back) by himself. It was definitely an accident--he had no idea what exactly happened, and couldn't repeat it, but it happened nonetheless! Mobility is just around the corner! (Be afraid, be very afraid!)

2) He laughed a real-deal laugh! It was great--not a baby coo, but a real laugh. I'm learning that for Owen (most babies?) there is an inverse relationship between the amount of clothes he's wearing at a given time and the likelihood of lots of smiles/coos and in this case laughter...

Play Time (New Toys!), Bee & Owen's First Cold

So, we've had a very eventful few days...most notably, some new things at play time, a visit from my mom, Bee, and Owen's first cold.

Here he and I are last week (Valentine's Day--waiting for Bee) after a few minutes of playing in what was left of the snow. I think all he knew was that it was much brighter outside than usual and he wasn't really a fan.

Oh, how long we've been waiting to use this toy! His exersaucer is such a hit! He's technically not quite big enough for it. We put a little towel in his seat to help support his little body a little better, and have one of Kyle's biggest anesthesia textbooks under his feet so they touch the bottom. But with these minor adjustments, he's good to go and LOVING IT! For Owen, the only improvement would be if he could somehow manage to get these new toys into his mouth! (Smiling at Bee.)

Tummy time, tummy time! (Smiling at Bee.)

The other toy we've been waiting to use for a while is the baby backpack we got ourselves for Christmas! Kyle has been especially excited for its innaugural voyage! Owen took to it like a little champ and happily endured quite a long walk around the neighborhood.

Of course, it's easy to endure almost anything if you can sleep through it (which he did).

So, Bee got to spend time with Owen and his new toys while he was still healthy and happy on Friday (yea!) and help us take care of him for a few days with his first cold too. He really has been quite pittiful. Since he can't blow his nose, he's just a snotty, drooly, coughy, watery-eyed mess. He hasn't run a fever which is great, but he definitely hasn't been like himself. I'm noticing a slight improvement today, so hopefully he's through the worst of it.

FYI: If anyone needs help 1) making tasty but ugly chocolate-chip cookies shaped like numbers, or 2) help understanding the super-deligate situation, Bee is the person to ask! :)

What's Owen like these days???

Owen just keeps getting more and more active and fun.

Owen has definitely taken to sucking on his thumb. Sometimes it's the entire fist, but he definitely loves the thumb. He's adapted quite well to wearing a bib (because he DROOLS like crazy!) and he likes to sometimes put it in his mouth along with his thumb or fist. We think he likes the crinkly sound of the plastic. He has also started sucking on his lower lip--whatever works kiddo!

Still loving his baby armchair/throne. I think this was right before bath time. He wants to sit on his own sooooo badly. When he's laying down on his back and you're playing with him, he gets in this "crunch" position where his legs and head/neck come off the floor. He just can't stand being flat on his back anymore for very long. Sit me up man!
Can't go anywhere without Moosey or Monkey.
It's great when I catch him playing with other people (in this case, our friend Cary) because I can actually catch him smiling on camera. If he's playing with me and I whip out the camera, he gets so focussed on the shiny silver thing I'm now holding that the playing stops! (PS, gotta love his first pair of jeans!)
He loves "games of anticipation"...where he is starting to know what comes next. Examples: 1) when I inhale loudly, he knows I'm about to blow in his face, and he starts smiling and squealing before I actually do anything. Same for when I grab his hands and say "1, 2, 3"...he knows he's about to get to stand up, and he LOVES it!

His feet and tummy are becoming part of play time too! He likes it when I take off his socks or take his feet out of his footsie pjs and put his feet up towards his face and clap with them. He can't do it yet on his own, but he still likes it. He's also newly started reacting to my blowing on his tummy-a favorite pre-bathtime game.

He has definitely found his voice! The squeals and shreaks and almost giggles are endless when we play. It's so fun to listen to him express himself in this way! The other night Kyle was on the phone with an attending and he had to apologize for the background noise of Owen squealing and talking--it was so loud, and so much fun!

And even though we know he doesn't know it's him yet, he really likes seeing his reflection. He must be thinking--Who is that looker? What a handsome guy!

Bee arrives from TX late tonight for a weekend visit. With an extra set of hands, we'll definitely try to take some pics and videos. Signing out for now.

Visitors

We had the pleasure of having two sets of fun visitors this past weekend. Friday night my good friend Tanya (suitemate at Vandy) came to stay with us because her husband was in a business school competition in W-S. The boys (Kyle & Owen) hung out while we made two different kinds of cookies from a new fancy cookbook I got--neither turned out very good. Alas, even a bad cookie is a cookie!
Then, Saturday our dear friends Cary (also a suitemate from Vandy) and her husband Jason came to hang out for the rest of the weekend. We didn't get many pictures because we spent the majority of the weekend playing our new (totally-addicted-to) board game, Puerto Rico. (I didn't protest to the multiple games because I'm on quite a winning streak. Kyle didn't protest because it's his new goal in life to beat me at it, which he has yet to do. I should stop while ahead--I may never play again!)
We are so thankful for our wonderful friends out here in NC! We can't wait to see you all at THE BEACH!!!

4 months old

Owen had his 4-month check-up today (with shots). He did great. We love our pediatrician. Here are his new stats:

Height: 26" (75-90th %)
Weight: 15 lbs. 15.2 oz. (75th%)
Head Circ: 16.25" (25th%)

He's pretty much "the size of a 5-month old". He continues to sleep well at night but we were encouraged by the pediatrician to try to get him to take longer naps.

We have some fun company this weekend so we'll post pictures of Stinker with his surrogate aunts/uncles early next week.

(Oh, and Nana's surgery went well and she is at home recovering--thanks for your prayers.)