Ah the ever anticipated day for professional shoppers! Yes, I choose to be among those that are insane and get in their cars well before dawn to head toward the mall and stores with doorbuster deals, why? Because it truly is the beginning of the Christmas season! What better way to kick off Christmas than buying gifts at great prices. Now to be honest, often deals can be found for similar prices on average sale days, and so you truly have to research the need to head out and into the madness and more importantly stand in line to check out – those prices better be worth it!
Today not only marked the kickoff of Christmas in the Scrooge* household, but also was a new first for our family. I left Ace home with his dad. Yup, I ventured out for Black Friday all by my lonesome! For the first time in Ace’s 3 month 5 days of life on this planet, I left his side more than just a room away. I left here at 4:30am and returned around 7:45am – he slept for about half of that time, and Loving Husband did excellent with him during the awake time, but that little boy really doesn’t like the bottle – so I came home at a good time to feed him. But it was wonderful to meet Vanessa at JCPenny at the bleary hour of 5am and shop – we were able to take the escalator! That never happens anymore. :) We then ventured to our second stop Fred Meyer (for all you SoCal folks it’s like Target with a full grocery store.) It was an excellent time to spend with Vanessa and some good deals were found along the way.
Today (well the 28th, I’m still awake so the day isn’t over yet, hehe) also marked one year that we have been in this house. We closed on our house and came here and one year ago we put up our Christmas tree. I had been bursting to do so – since traditionally we put up the tree the day after Thanksgiving, but due to the closing date being the Wednesday after Thanksgiving – I had to wait. So one year ago we bought our house. So tonight as we were putting up the tree on the very same day a year later it was fun to look and see how our lives have changed. Watching Ace discover the ability to grip things and getting so close to crawling. It’s been a wonderful year.
I cannot wait for this Christmas season and today was a wonderful day to kick that off.
* name changed to protect the guilty.
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Saturday, November 29, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Three Months Old
Ace is a quarter of a year old! How did this happen?! Soon he will be crawling and there will be no stopping him. He already is “talking” up a storm and his smile gets bigger and bigger every day.
Milestones and first for this third month of life include: his first holiday, his first presidential election, his first visits with extended families, the discovery of his hands, his first laugh (almost), and he’s now rolled the other direction from tummy to back.
Ace is a very agreeable guy. He likes just about everyone who holds him and is happy to be wherever people are (as long as mom is near by.) He is happy to be held and smiles at many people – although the grandparents like to believe he’s only smiling at them :) Unlike many babies Ace loves people with facial hair, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about meltdowns when family and friends with full beards go to say hi to him. In fact his “Uncle” G (Loving Husband’s father’s cousin’s husband) has a fully beard and lots of hair and Ace stared at him and smiled contently with him for a long while yesterday at CPK. We had a long day on Saturday with visits and family and was very content being held by his Aunt A, Grandma Carol, Gran, and Pop Pop (along with mom and dad in that mix too!) He did very well with all the people and only was a tad overwhelmed at the end of the day.
Ace also takes after his mom and is so not a morning person! I’m sure if we adjusted his schedule he’d adapt just fine… but since I don’t have to work – I appreciate a baby that enjoys sleeping until 11am or beyond! :) This of course occasionally poses a problem with the issue of bedtime. There are nights he doesn’t want to go down to sleep until 1am (when we start trying at 9:30pm) but those are rare in comparison. So on days when we have to wake up at 7:30am to start activities early --- another sign that he’s my child is shown: the glare/frown. Yup it is distinctly the same one that I have and adorable at least currently when it’s not really being used against me. :)
Ace enjoyed his first holiday during his third month of life: Halloween! He was an adorable giraffe and an air freshener. He looked adorable and he enjoyed both costumes, this year he wasn’t a boy who fussed and couldn’t stand whatever we were putting him in. This time he was content and cute as ever in them. Thanksgiving is this week – and we had a trial run of that holiday this past Saturday with Gran’s family, which was wonderful to meet all of them. Ace did beautifully with all the people and was dressed appropriately in his “gobble gobble” shirt. He will wear it again on the actual holiday when we join Troy and Jackie for a delightful meal at their home.
He has officially discovered his hands and is more and more everyday learning how to grasp and hold onto items. He’s started to suck on his hands on occasion and loves to put Nemo into his mouth now that he realizes that he can move Nemo. He also has started to get the use of his feet going in the aid to get things into his mouth. More and more he is starting to gain full control of his head and I think sitting up is just around the corner for this little guy. Ace still loves tummy time and is trying desperately to move! He can scoot pretty far now just by pushing off our hands, and he’s slowly getting his hand movement down – it’s just that milk gut that seems to be slowing him down. Hehe I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting to crawl before Christmas. He also has now rolled over the other direction and seems much happier that it isn’t such a crashing experience on his landing. :)
Milestones and first for this third month of life include: his first holiday, his first presidential election, his first visits with extended families, the discovery of his hands, his first laugh (almost), and he’s now rolled the other direction from tummy to back.
Ace is a very agreeable guy. He likes just about everyone who holds him and is happy to be wherever people are (as long as mom is near by.) He is happy to be held and smiles at many people – although the grandparents like to believe he’s only smiling at them :) Unlike many babies Ace loves people with facial hair, so I don’t think we’ll have to worry about meltdowns when family and friends with full beards go to say hi to him. In fact his “Uncle” G (Loving Husband’s father’s cousin’s husband) has a fully beard and lots of hair and Ace stared at him and smiled contently with him for a long while yesterday at CPK. We had a long day on Saturday with visits and family and was very content being held by his Aunt A, Grandma Carol, Gran, and Pop Pop (along with mom and dad in that mix too!) He did very well with all the people and only was a tad overwhelmed at the end of the day.
Ace also takes after his mom and is so not a morning person! I’m sure if we adjusted his schedule he’d adapt just fine… but since I don’t have to work – I appreciate a baby that enjoys sleeping until 11am or beyond! :) This of course occasionally poses a problem with the issue of bedtime. There are nights he doesn’t want to go down to sleep until 1am (when we start trying at 9:30pm) but those are rare in comparison. So on days when we have to wake up at 7:30am to start activities early --- another sign that he’s my child is shown: the glare/frown. Yup it is distinctly the same one that I have and adorable at least currently when it’s not really being used against me. :)
Ace enjoyed his first holiday during his third month of life: Halloween! He was an adorable giraffe and an air freshener. He looked adorable and he enjoyed both costumes, this year he wasn’t a boy who fussed and couldn’t stand whatever we were putting him in. This time he was content and cute as ever in them. Thanksgiving is this week – and we had a trial run of that holiday this past Saturday with Gran’s family, which was wonderful to meet all of them. Ace did beautifully with all the people and was dressed appropriately in his “gobble gobble” shirt. He will wear it again on the actual holiday when we join Troy and Jackie for a delightful meal at their home.
He has officially discovered his hands and is more and more everyday learning how to grasp and hold onto items. He’s started to suck on his hands on occasion and loves to put Nemo into his mouth now that he realizes that he can move Nemo. He also has started to get the use of his feet going in the aid to get things into his mouth. More and more he is starting to gain full control of his head and I think sitting up is just around the corner for this little guy. Ace still loves tummy time and is trying desperately to move! He can scoot pretty far now just by pushing off our hands, and he’s slowly getting his hand movement down – it’s just that milk gut that seems to be slowing him down. Hehe I honestly wouldn’t be surprised to see him starting to crawl before Christmas. He also has now rolled over the other direction and seems much happier that it isn’t such a crashing experience on his landing. :)
This next month will bring many new and exciting things. The house will be decorated in a festive manner and his mommy’s favorite holiday will kick off his fifth month of life in a wonderful way. He will have visits from his Cali grandma this month! My mom is coming up for a week mid-December and I can’t wait for her to get to spend some time with Ace! He’s changed so much from when she was last here. This coming month will prove to be a very busy one – as every Saturday is already booked with a holiday event (if not more than one in the day!) and many days through the weeks are also booked with festive fun.
Happy Thanksgiving Everyone! I’m sure there will be many blogs between now and his Fourth Month blog! Happy decorating!!! It’s almost allowed in our household!! :)
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
He's rolled over again!
Last time he rolled over he was 6 weeks old. Today is 12.5 weeks old and rolled the other direction. The video is from my cell phone so not that fabulous - but still gives you the idea. It was far less jarring for him so he continued to do it over and over again - until he finally just wanted to rest on his back and play with the toys dangling down. Lately everything he can get a hold of and hang onto has gone into his mouth - the most frequented to his mouth has been blankets :)
This week we have been watching him closlely to see if he has an ear infection - a few times now he's pulled on his ear when he was extremely fussy - but for the most part he's been super happy and agreeable. Also this week we have procured a few more swings for our household. Currently we have 4! We don't need 4 so I'll be selling one on Craigslist (we probably don't need 3 but oh well.) I certainly have become the expert in cradle swings! I purchased the Ocean Wonders Cradle swing a few weeks back, in the hopes of having a more reclind swing for the boy... it was more than our original swing, but still not terribly reclined. So I went on the hunt for a further reclined swing. I came across two: the Fisher Price Rainforest Cradle Swing and the Boppy travel cradle swing. I found both for SUPER cheap on Craigslist. And so since one is a travel swing and very portable, we got that one - but it runs on batteries and the Rainforest one has the ability to be plugged in but it isn't portable.... so I was able to get both of them for under $80 which is less than the price of the Rainforest one by a lot - so I went ahead and got them both ! Now that we have the portable one - I'm able to shower when the boy is awake! Yay! So we now have a swing for every level of the house and even for on the go! It's the ever famous "whatever works" for keeping the babies happy and content - because this boy at least once a day gets sick of being held and so it's a happy place to be for him. He's super cute in all of them. :)
We continue to enjoy his new developments and his adorable smile. We hope you do too!
This week we have been watching him closlely to see if he has an ear infection - a few times now he's pulled on his ear when he was extremely fussy - but for the most part he's been super happy and agreeable. Also this week we have procured a few more swings for our household. Currently we have 4! We don't need 4 so I'll be selling one on Craigslist (we probably don't need 3 but oh well.) I certainly have become the expert in cradle swings! I purchased the Ocean Wonders Cradle swing a few weeks back, in the hopes of having a more reclind swing for the boy... it was more than our original swing, but still not terribly reclined. So I went on the hunt for a further reclined swing. I came across two: the Fisher Price Rainforest Cradle Swing and the Boppy travel cradle swing. I found both for SUPER cheap on Craigslist. And so since one is a travel swing and very portable, we got that one - but it runs on batteries and the Rainforest one has the ability to be plugged in but it isn't portable.... so I was able to get both of them for under $80 which is less than the price of the Rainforest one by a lot - so I went ahead and got them both ! Now that we have the portable one - I'm able to shower when the boy is awake! Yay! So we now have a swing for every level of the house and even for on the go! It's the ever famous "whatever works" for keeping the babies happy and content - because this boy at least once a day gets sick of being held and so it's a happy place to be for him. He's super cute in all of them. :)
We continue to enjoy his new developments and his adorable smile. We hope you do too!
Friday, November 14, 2008
A labor of love
It amazes me at how much history plays a part in our lives; how there can be meaning in such little things – and of course – in the big things. Small gestures of love, labors of love, and signs of love all folded into the history of our lives. And finally how quickly those gestures, labors and signs fade and turn into history. Tonight as I rocked my son to sleep in his cradle I was reminded of just such a history and the gesture, labor and sign of love that I was physically touching. For some 28+ years ago my grandfather labored and created a sign of his love for me – in the creation of that very cradle that I sat rocking tonight.
On Tuesday November 11th, for the first time we laid our son to sleep in that cradle for the night. Until Tuesday night he had slept exclusively in our bed. Now he only sleeps his first stent in that cradle, we bring him into our bed for the remainder of the night after he wakes up for his first feeding – sometimes that is 2am and once it was 6am! But tonight as I rocked him to sleep I realized that for the first time in 3 years I didn’t recognize the anniversary of my grandfather’s death until today. The date of November 10th was just another day in my life – it wasn’t an acknowledgement of the day he died, I wasn’t sad or even down that day.
Tonight lying in my bed, rocking Ace to sleep in my grandfather’s labor of love I shed a tear knowing that Ace’s great grandfather and grandfather will never know this little buddle of joy. But I find it to be heartwarming that I chose the night of the 11th to finally try to have Ace sleep in the cradle. Although not the anniversary of my grandpa’s death, it certainly marked a new beginning for our family – having our baby not sleep exclusively in our bed. He’s growing up, history is being made. Ace is sleeping in a piece of history, a labor, gesture and sign of love.
My grandfather was extremely skilled in woodworks and there are signs of that all over my home – but the most important piece to me is that cradle. I slept in it as an infant (and as a kid amid stuffed animals) and now my son is as well. I miss both my grandfather and my dad so much and so wish they were around to know this new addition to our family. Ace has my dad’s eyes. There’s no doubt about it when he smiles. And so as time continues on – new signs, gestures and labors of love are being created – and as my dad said “history keeps moving on.”
Good night everyone.
On Tuesday November 11th, for the first time we laid our son to sleep in that cradle for the night. Until Tuesday night he had slept exclusively in our bed. Now he only sleeps his first stent in that cradle, we bring him into our bed for the remainder of the night after he wakes up for his first feeding – sometimes that is 2am and once it was 6am! But tonight as I rocked him to sleep I realized that for the first time in 3 years I didn’t recognize the anniversary of my grandfather’s death until today. The date of November 10th was just another day in my life – it wasn’t an acknowledgement of the day he died, I wasn’t sad or even down that day.
Tonight lying in my bed, rocking Ace to sleep in my grandfather’s labor of love I shed a tear knowing that Ace’s great grandfather and grandfather will never know this little buddle of joy. But I find it to be heartwarming that I chose the night of the 11th to finally try to have Ace sleep in the cradle. Although not the anniversary of my grandpa’s death, it certainly marked a new beginning for our family – having our baby not sleep exclusively in our bed. He’s growing up, history is being made. Ace is sleeping in a piece of history, a labor, gesture and sign of love.
My grandfather was extremely skilled in woodworks and there are signs of that all over my home – but the most important piece to me is that cradle. I slept in it as an infant (and as a kid amid stuffed animals) and now my son is as well. I miss both my grandfather and my dad so much and so wish they were around to know this new addition to our family. Ace has my dad’s eyes. There’s no doubt about it when he smiles. And so as time continues on – new signs, gestures and labors of love are being created – and as my dad said “history keeps moving on.”
Good night everyone.
Monday, November 10, 2008
Growing so fast!
This morning I woke up and got my son dressed in a 6 month old sized outfit. Now this isn't a rant on clothing sizes for infants (but I certainly could write an entire blog on the inaccuracies in sizing discrepancies for infantile clothing) but more a blog to discuss the rapid rate upon which he is growing. I mean I know he's not even three months old, but I mean when did my infant become such a big boy. It seems like just yesterday he was this big!
I have loved every second of the last 11 weeks and 2 days. Everyday has been a new discovery and a new milestone for our little guy. I was just looking at pictures of him in his car-seat and how his little noggin used to have ample space within the headrest. Now it just fits and soon won't even be necessary. And now today he's wearing a 6 month old outfit!
I have loved every second of the last 11 weeks and 2 days. Everyday has been a new discovery and a new milestone for our little guy. I was just looking at pictures of him in his car-seat and how his little noggin used to have ample space within the headrest. Now it just fits and soon won't even be necessary. And now today he's wearing a 6 month old outfit!
Since my last blog about everyone's favorite boy – he has discovered his hands. He chews on them in the car and hasn't quite gotten the concept of grasping items, but when he does get them in his little paws straight to his mouth they do go! His spit bubbles are adorable, even if messy :) and he has started to perfect blowing raspberries. He enjoyed Halloween and the festivities associated with that. He received his two month vaccinations (a tad late) on the 6th and was a trooper all the way. He still loves orange and his Nemo. And Ace has a wonderful smile.
So while my baby is still a baby, he certainly is no longer an infant.
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