Owen's 4th Birthday

Happy Birthday Owen!

I can't believe it has been four years since I first held my baby boy. I can clearly remember how it felt to hold his little fingers and to kiss his sweet forehead on that first blessed day. Now, he's four and he talks, laughs, makes jokes, plays, loves on his brother, tells stories, sings songs and makes up lyrics, he asks questions, and constantly amazes us daily with what he knows and understands about this world we live in. He falls asleep giving me sweet hugs as he whispers, "I love you mama" and every day he helps to make me feel like the luckiest mom in the world.

We love you Owen!!!!

Tucker is 14 months

Happy 14 month birthday Tucker!

Tucker is my
Totally sweet
Unique
Cute
Knowing
Energetic
Really really loveable
little baby boy.

He now has 3 1/2 teeth, long curly hair, little to no separation anxiety at day care, a major love for the outdoors, a clear ability to say Daddy which he seems to say for both mommy and daddy, a growing interest in books, a new bed in the room he now shares with his big brother, a new favorite game where he loves to stack blocks and books, a desire to climb on anything and everything, a serious love for going fast down big slides and jumping on trampolines and in bounce houses and going for rides on tricycles, an ability to understand his parents when they ask him to go get his shoes and his jacket or to run to his mommy or big brother for a big hug, an understanding that when the garage door opens after school he can run very fast to the door with his arms open and greet his Daddy, and luckily for his parents, a personality full of love and happiness and a fondness for cuddle time.

Tucker we love you so much.

Mommy, "I am going to break"

Today my first born, my little cutie pie of a boy turns 3 ½ year. I have no idea how this is possible. I love him so much it hurts. I don't understand how I can love him more and more each day, but it really is true. I feel so grateful and so lucky to be his mommy.

In honor of his half year birthday milestone, here is a silly little story from last night.It was almost bed-time and I was helping Owen change into his pajamas. As I helped him take off his shirt, he told me he was cold and then started to say, in an agitated manner,

“I’m going to break. Mommy, I’m going to break. I need my PJs. I need socks.”

We went about the routine… brushing teeth, putting on a night time diaper, finding his PJs. With intense focus, he kept on, "Mommy, I’m going to break.” Finally, to his relief, we start to put on his PJs. Very happily and with a very big smile he says, “Mommy, I have my PJs on now. Now I won’t break. I’m warm.”

Finally, it clicked and I figured out his reference. Three nights ago, after a bath, Owen was running around in his birthday suit. He was playing and having a grand-old time, but at one point, he stopped and gave me a hug. I noticed his hands and feet were icy cold, so I jokingly said something like, “Owen, you are freezing. You are like an icicle. You are going to break if you don’t get dressed and get warm soon”. We raced to get him dressed and never said anything more about it. I never thought twice about it, but Owen did. He was very relieved to be warm enough not to break! Ahhh, I LOVE this kid.

Oh yeah, and on my way out the door today after he ran over to give me a third hug. He sat back down at the table and quietly told his Daddy, "I love Mommy".

Happy 1/2 year birthday Owen!

Tucker's 1st Year Doctor Appoitment

On Monday, I took Tucker to his first year doctor check up. Overall, he is doing very well. He developed a cough on Sunday, but the doctor confirmed it was just a cough and nothing to be worried about. It was a typical check-up appointment, with a general health scan, measurements, and shots. He did cry for a quick second when he received his shots, but it was very short and he was quickly comforted. Tucker is growing according to his normal curve, but just like last time, the Doc was surprised by his weight; he expects Tucker to weight more than he does every time he sees him.

Unfortunately, Tucker became very sick on Tuesday. We are not sure if he caught a random fly bug or if he had a reaction to the shot, but he ended up with a terrible stomach bug which wiped him out and caused him quite a bit of pain and discomfort. We were very grateful that it didn't last much longer than 24 hours and that by Wednesday afternoon he was nearly back to his normal self.

Stats:

Height: 29 inches - 30% percentile (Owen 29.5 - 40% - hard to imagine how the 1/2 inch difference makes for a 10% difference, eh!)

Weight: 21lbs 2 oz -30% (Owen 19lbs 8.2 oz 8%)

Head circumference: 18.5inches 75% (Owen 18.03 inches - 33%)

On a side note, Tucker has been experiencing separation anxiety at day-care. Over the last month it has been pretty bad, with more days than I care to admit where I know he cried an awful amount at school. It started to improve last week, when he transitioned into the toddler room full time. I think the fact that there are more things to climb on and the fact that he actually goes outside daily and can play (walk around and climb on equipment, etc) makes a big difference. Every day it seems to be getting a little better, but it has been rough on him and on me! I have stopped going to day-care at lunch now that he's in the bigger room and on the toddler schedule (I miss it!). He can eat lunch at the table with his pals and now nap on the cot. He's still learning how to fall asleep on the cot with gentle pats from his teachers, but he seems to be getting the hang of it. I hate that he's had so much anxiety, but I have to say, that I'm impressed with the level of care he has received and I feel much better about his last few days. The doctor reassured me that the behavior is "normal" and not cause to worry about anything serious.

Owen & Tucker playing in the bus at school this week. There is no anxiety on the bus!

Tucker's first year

Happy 1st Birthday Tucker!

Dear Tucker,

We love you. We love you. We love you. We can't express how much we love you.

This year has been so incredibly special because you joined our family. You are precious. You are sweet. You make us laugh and bring us joy. We especially love witnessing the growing bond between you and your brother who is very smitten with you. He sings, "I love Tucker" songs repeatedly throughout the day and gives you big fat kisses and hugs.

In a flash, you have changed from a teeny tiny little baby to a walking, toddling little boy. You have two teeth and the most innocent smile in the world. You have dozens of expressions and we are constantly surprised by how much you understand and how well you communicate with us. You make sounds for mommy, daddy, oh-oh, hi, on, and off. You have started to sign "more" though you usually only do it when prompted. You walk! You climb the stairs in seconds flat and you know how to get off beds or couches or even the stairs by turning around on your belly and sliding down (of course we do our best to only let you test this skill of yours in safe places). You often walk directly to your high chair when you are hungry. Yesterday you completely surprised us. We had the highchair set in the lowest position because earlier in the evening you sat next to Owen at the kids' table. As we were putting/playing, you quietly climbed into the high chair and then made a noise to let us know you were sitting there, hungry, and ready to eat. You did the same thing this morning for breakfast!

You continue to be comforted and nourished when Mommy nurses you, but you enjoy most of your meals on your own, with finger foods. You love to feed yourself and seem to like just about everything you have tried, with the possible exception being chili and plain broccoli. There is no doubt, however, that your favorite food is green beans.

You love to dance and are still soothed by rock'n'roll. Death Cab for Cutie is your favorite, but you are happy with just about any type of music. The second you hear it, you start to dance and bop and usually you end up with a huge grin on your face. You also love to climb on things and to play outside. You dart for the door every chance you get. You are happiest when you are walking around with something in your hand and you really like to play with toys... the play kitchen, cars, books, musical instruments, and loud toys are your favorites right now.

We look forward to watching you grow and change, but it is also difficult to say goodbye to this last year. We will forever remember what it felt like to hold you for the first time and how it feels to cuddle you in our arms today. You like to gaze into our eyes and touch our faces with your soft tiny fingers; these gestures surly comfort you, but we wonder if you understand that they comfort us more. You warm our souls and remind us daily that we are blessed to be your mommy and daddy. We all love you so much. Happy Birthday!

P.S. We had some major technical difficulties this morning so this slide show is missing a few pictures at the end from today. I'll will repost it once I get it fixed.

Potty Training

This post is long overdue. It feels like we have been potty training for months, and well, that's because we have. There are so many stories on the internet, from friends, and in books that describe potty training as something simple if the timing and tactics are right. I have no doubt that's true for many folks, but we have not been so lucky.

We officially started our first potty training session back in May, but with our influx of family visitors over the summer, potty training got complicated and never stuck. I'm sure a number of things we did impacted our mission. I personally hesitated to train him earlier in the year because it is a hard thing to do with a newborn in tow, especially in public. Even at home it was difficult; if the need for Owen hit while I was feeding Tucker, it was extremely difficult to rush Owen to the bathroom and help. So, we waited until early summer and when that failed, we waited a few more weeks and then started again and then again. We tried different tactics like bribes, prizes, charts, candy, loud supportive cheering, and anything else under the sun we could imagine. Finally, shortly after Owen's third birthday, something clicked and he decided he was ready to go to Ms. Kim's 3s class and that was that. We had a bag full of prizes and made a huge deal of every success and every attempt and pretty much over night, he was potty trained. It wasn't perfect, but after a few days and a long, messy week in his twos class, the next Monday, he was enrolled in the 3s class and very aware that he was potty trained. We couldn't have been happier. We were anxious for this milestone because we really wanted Owen to move up to the preschool class and he couldn't move up until he met this prerequisite.

Now, we've reached November and overall Owen is potty trained. We have just experienced one long week where he started to have a few accidents again. We realize we need to stay on top of the prize bag and bribing and mainly we need to continue to emphasize the new routines and habits.

For the record, we do bribe with TV shows. It works and it can't last forever. It just can't.

Owen's 3rd Birthday is Tomorrow!

My first born turns 3 tomorrow. 3 years ago at this very moment I was in labor, intense labor, and full of excitement and awe. I'm feeling awfully sentimental; maybe it's because a little while ago, while his mommy and daddy were busy putting around, my (big) baby Owen sweetly walked over to my little baby and gave him a big hug and said "I love you Tucker"followed by a big kiss. Or maybe I'm feeling extra sentimental because after he readied himself for bed with fresh PJs and clean teeth, he came up to me and gave me a big hug and said I LOVE YOU MOMMY! It could also be because earlier this afternoon, Owen & I played a very fun game of Memory and almost followed the rules. My talking, walking, running, playing games, helping to cook dinner, entertaining his baby brother, laughing, training to be a big boy with the "potty"baby boy is not so much a baby any more. He's a small kid full of love and a warm personality. He makes me smile on a daily basis and I love him so much it hurts, the good kind of hurt - like belly "pain" after a full blown laugh attack. Maybe this extra sentimental feeling stems from legacy postpartum hormones or maybe it is because it is the first time my little baby really truly understands that his birthday is tomorrow and that with this upcoming milestone he will be turning 3 - which means it will be time to hold up 3 fingers! Whatever the cause of these feelings, I will relish my opportunity tonight to snuggle with my little boy, who much prefers to be called a big boy, as he falls a sleep hugging me. I love you Owen. Happy Birthday.

Owen's 3rd Birthday Party!

Owen's 3rd birthday party was very special and a lot of fun. We tried to keep it small and focused on his good buddies from school, the neighborhood, and a couple of family friends' kids in his age group. We wanted a simple, low-key event that would give Owen the chance to play and give us a chance to just enjoy the festivities. We had perfect weather and a wonderful morning.

the kids played bean bag toss

practiced with the hoola-hoop and played soccer and catch

they also played "adventure"

in fact, one of our neighbors had to chase Owen down because he started to explore up the big hill on his own and out of sight (thank you Cameron)

the kids played on the playground and found a super fun firetruck to entertain them for awhile

and they took turns launching the "safe" rocket

they gathered for the rocket launch demonstration and chanted a countdown and cheered when the rocket successfully launched high into the sky (3 times!)

they sang happy birthday, ate a picnic lunch, and chowed down on a very weirdly decorated birthday cake... does this look a beach ball to anybody???

the babies even cooperated and performed for the camera

could they be any sweeter?

All in all, we had a great time and will forever remember the smile on the birthday boy's face

we love you Owen

Happy 6th Month Birthday Tucker!

It's amazing that six months have passed since the birth our sweet Tucker. How is it that half a year has gone by quicker than a blink of an eye? Will I ever come to terms with this reality?

This month, Tucker has learned a few new things. He's learned how to roll over from front to back and back to front and does so now with purpose and glee. He's now had a month worth of non-maternal daycare - shared by his loving daddy, Aunt Jamie, Granny, Nana, and Granddaddy! Thank you helpers! He started rice cereal at the start of the month and has also enjoyed his first few days of carrots mixed into his cereal. Today, he surprised both Kris and I by happily taking a sippy cup full of breast milk! Woo! He has also started to play sitting up a bit more, although he can't do it on his own yet. He's teething, but he doesn't have any teeth. I keep expecting a tooth to break through the skin any day, but I have been saying that for over a month now, so we'll see how soon it actually happens; I'm in no rush, but I would like for this current wave of pain Tucker seems to be experiencing to disappear!!

Here are a few photos from this month...

Cousin Dylan, Tucker, and Owen in the pack n' play

He loves music!

Could he be any sweeter? This is Tucker's first time in his jumping toy and boy was it a hit. He wore himself out bouncing and actually slept like this for almost two hours.

quite possibly one of my favorite pictures

Tucker's 5 Months

Happy 5th Month Birthday Tucker!

Tucker is growing so fast. Even though we're not experiencing it for the first time, we're constantly in awe and amazed how quickly he develops.

He is very interested in his toys - especially those that he can stuff into his mouth or ones that make noise. One of his favorite things to do now is sit in his little exercise play toy, pushing all of the buttons to hear the different noises they make. He isn't showing any signs of teeth yet, but he does drools like a fool.

Like his big brother, he loves to fall asleep to rock n roll. His favorite music is Death Cab for Cutie, but really just about anything will do if he's tired. He is usually out within one to two songs, but he still has a hard time staying asleep if we try to lay him down. Maybe it's our crib mattress! Recently, he started to sing himself to sleep and the sounds are just precious.

In the last month, he's rolled over a few more times, but for now he seems to enjoy on his belly and spin himself around. He's done full 360 turns a few times- usually when Owen's moving all around him. He is always touching and grabbing whatever we have near us - so we have to be careful to watch him if he's in our lap while we're eating.

Tucker started baby cereal last week and has spent the last few days working on adjusting to his new schedule and routine. He also enjoyed taking a bath in the big tub with his big brother and taking a dip in the kiddie pool.

We constantly feel incredibly lucky and blessed.

Happy 4 month birthday Tucker

We love you!

Owen saying, "I love you Tucker" early this morning

on the eve of the big day

playing in the crib with big bro earlier in the week

swingin' in the yard last Saturday

Tucker's 4 month check-up

Officially, Tucker celebrates his 4 month milestone tomorrow, but we kicked it off today with his check-up appointment. We learned that we have a chunky monkey! Of course, we pretty much already knew this - his legs tell all, but still the confirmation is nice.

The stats - Tucker's listed first followed by a note about Owen:

Weight: 16lbs 4.5oz (79%) - Owen was 1 pound lighter but still very chunky, too

Height: 25 inches (56%) - Owen was just about 1/2 inch shorter

Head circumference - 43 inches - Owen was 40 cm

Tucker also received his shots and received a good bill of health! WOO! He and I both have mild colds, but the doctor isn't worried. And as far as milestones go, Tucker has started to roll-over from belly to back. It's only happened a couple of times so far- both times because he was in reach of a toy. He likes to stuff his toys in his mouth and continues to be very happy and mellow. He likes to sleep from about 8pm to 8am, but no- it's not straight - he still wakes 3-4 feedings a night. Oh yeah, and he's laughing now. He smiles and laughs at Owen all the time and it's seriously one of the most precious things to watch. Owen smiles and laughs and states that Tucker's laughing and keeps repeating his actions to make Tucker smile and laugh! I LOVE it!

I'll post Tucker's monthly photo tomorrow.

Happy Cinco de Mayo.