First Week of Summer + My Birthday

Week 1 of summer was a success and I am looking forward to the next nine weeks of spending time with my favorite little boy. We were off work on Monday for Memorial Day and Tuesday was a teacher work day. After I had I wrapped up the 2012 - 2013 school year, I sprinted out to my car happy to have 10 weeks ahead of me to spend as I wanted to - mainly doing whatever I want to, with a few things I have to do sprinkled in. Wednesday and Thursday we mainly hung at home. RF has spent so much time on the floor crawling around that we rarely see him just sitting up playing with toys.

He is usually chasing (scooting toward) toys around the room. He gets frustrated when he gets almost to a toy and then swats at it only to have it move farther away from him. But to his credit, he is determined to chase after his toys and doesn't give up until he gets to it. He has even learned that if he can get the toy up against a wall or a piece of furniture that the toy will be easier to catch - smart boy :-). 

Since he is spending so much time on the floor (and outside), his clothes and his feet are getting those little dirt stains on them (while I hate doing laundry, I can't help but smile when I put dirty little boy clothes in the wash... :-). 

Thursday RA and I had to update our driver's licenses so we meandered down to the Satellite Courthouse in Fairhope with RF in tow. He enjoyed being out and about and of course, had all the ladies at the DMV smiling. 

Friday I had a meeting to attend, so RF spent his last official day with Lola as his caregiver. RA and I could never have asked for a more perfect caregiving situation for RF for the first seven months of his life. We are so thankful to Lola (and to Papa Tad) for taking her focus off of work most days in order to nurture RF. 

Today, I celebrated my 28th birthday. I woke up this morning to a smiling 7-month old staring at me, ate a delicious breakfast prepared for me by RA, enjoyed a cup of coffee while looking at a vase of beautiful morning glories from our backyard, scrapbooked while RF played with art sponges, spent time on the floor with RF playing, had time to make a weeks worth of baby food - including our newest food - green beans (which RF LOVED, by the way), had pizza for lunch, napped with RF and watched as he worked toward figuring out how a sippy cup works, had a homemade Mexican feast for dinner and Red Velvet cake ice cream for dessert. Quite a fantastic day, if I do say so myself. 

And He's Off...

We have a mobile 7-month old! For the past two weeks RF has been moving, moving, moving and he's getting really fast (this is one of his earlier 'move-it, move-it' videos). RA and I are getting ready to do the 'crawl-through' checking for those things that RF shouldn't get his little hands on (like the extension cord in the back of this video...). For now, he's under a watchful eye, although the main things he heads towards are things he can try and pull up on and the dogs. It's going to be a F-U-N summer!

End of the School Year + 7 Months Old

Oh happy, happy, happy day! Today is the last day of the 2012 – 2013 school year – my sixth year of teaching is a wrap (well, sort of – teachers have to work next Tuesday and then we’re really finished for summer).

RF and I have big plans for the summer – story-time at the library, play-dates with friends, lunch-dates with family, splish-splashing in Lola and Papa Tad’s pool, scrapbooking, and I’m sure we will find LOTS more to do together. I am so excited to have ten full weeks with my sweet boy. I have a sprinkling of meetings and workshops to attend this summer to gear up for next school year, but my main priority is that cute, chubby-legged boy that stole my heart back in October when ours eyes met for the first time.

Since the weather has been a bit warmer (although it is quickly approaching the sticky, nasty, hot stage) we have spent quite a bit of time outside. RF loves, absolutely loves, to be outside. Hopefully this summer won’t be too miserable and we can spend time outside each day – even if it’s just swinging on the front porch and listening to the birds chirp.

RF turns 7 months old today. He is closer to being a year old than he is to being a newborn – how crazy is that? I was asked the other day if I had started planning his first birthday party…seriously, I’m about to cry – I cannot think about that just yet…although I suppose I should start thinking about it, as once school goes back in August life will be back to crazy busy. Nope, not thinking about that right now – my priority right now is to hang with my little boy and drink in all these moments before he is walking, talking and going off to Kindergarten.

RF has begun mimicking the words we say more and more. I’m pretty sure he has no clue with the words mean, but he makes the sounds anyway. He really enjoys saying da-da (sometimes sounds more like ga-ga, though) and has recently realized that he can make a spitting noise --- that’s fun to deal with right after he eats.

He is also scooting around on his belly. He lays flat and then pulls himself towards whatever he is after – a block, a ball, a refrigerator magnet (I’ve mentioned that he enjoys odd items as toys, right?) or whatever happens to be in the floor (only baby-safe toys, of course). He hasn’t made it over to the dog bowls yet, although I’m sure that will happen sometime soon and mama will have a big ole’ little boy mess to clean up.

Aunt Haydn graduated from high school this week – YEA, AUNT HAYDN! It was 10 years and 1 day from the day I graduated high school. As fast as time is moving with RF, it is really hard to believe that it has been 10 years since I graduated high school. 

The GRADUATE! The last of the Denson girls is FINISHED with high school!

All the sisters, Mom and RF 

Aunt Hartley loving on RF

A HAPPY little family :-)

5/24/13

4/24/13

3/24/13

2/24/13

1/24/13

12/24/12

11/24/12

10/24/12

Mother's Day 2013

What a perfect weekend....truly perfect.

My Mother's Day gift from RA was something I desperately have been needing - it was something that a mom (in my opinion) wants to have, but for those like me, can never find the time to get ---- a cleaned out car. That's right, folks - RA cleaned out my car, like detailed it, like waxed it and everything. It hasn't been this clean in 6 1/2 months. I am so grateful, especially since it took him four, ok maybe five, hours to take care of...thanks, honey - you're the best.

This morning RF slept in - he woke up at 5:30AM instead of 5:00AM. We all snuggled in bed for a little while before venturing downstairs for RA to make me some breakfast - pancakes - yummy!

We then got ready and headed over to Aunt Hartley and Uncle Michael's for lunch - Michael cooked, so it was a no brainer - Hartley mentioned last week, "I think Michael's gonna cook lunch on Sunday for Mother's Day, wanna come over?" No need to ask, sister. The answer is always - YES! Those who have been to Delish's Desserts and Eatery, know exactly what I'm talking about. Lunch menu consisted of roast, vegetables, hashbrown casserole, salad, bread and desserts - more yumminess!

Some sweet cards, a new Scout bag, a facial and the best present of all, RF's first art project - thanks, Aunt Hartley - it was perfect!

Happy Mother's Day, Mama! 

Mama and her sweet baby boy...

Hanging with Aunt Hartley...

Playing with Meme...

All smiles!

Playing with Zoey girl...

PERFECT Mother's Day present from RF 

T-I-R-E-D after all the Mother's Day festivities 

Our happy, little family :-)

Days Filled With Fun

Not a day goes by that I don't take a photograph of RF and all the fun things he gets to do. We are so excited for the school year to wind down - just 2 more weeks - and can not wait to spend the summer together. 

We recently had to lower RF's crib mattress because he decided it was time for him to pull up on the sides - talk about scaring his mama. I sat him in his crib with a few books, walked to our laundry room and back (I was gone maybe 20 seconds) and when I get back I see him standing up, holding on to the rails of his crib...yet another milestone that I cannot believe is happening. 

He has also realized that he can get on his hands and knees. It doesn't last long - maybe 5 seconds or so before he falls down, but for those 5 seconds he thinks he is big stuff. Once he's on his hands and knees he rocks back and forth - which RA did as a baby, too. 

Toys - RF has lots of toys. He has books, stacking toys, blocks, and teething toys amongst other things. We have come to learn that he enjoys new toys - things that aren't necessarily baby toys, but things that entertain him none the less. This past week that included: a paper plate, a small box, a whisk, a spatula, a measuring cup, a washcloth, and a cowbell. These are in addition to his love of the TV remotes, our cell phones/iPad and his computer keyboard. 

Everyday is new and exciting for him - it's a great reminder to appreciate the small things in life and to greet each day anew. 

He's a Hawk - loves to climb...

Enjoying the fresh air

Standing up 

He loves to be outside...he just sits and takes it all in

Being taken care of by Zoey girl (and Aunt Hartley) :-)

Zoey was a bit jealous of RF's blocks...

I put a little bit of water on his high-chair tray - he was amazed. 

LOVES to pull up on everything...

Hanging out at the office helping Lola and Papa Tad work

I'm naked, mama...why are you taking my picture? :-)

Apparently washcloths are fun to chew on...

Daddy walked in - this is the look on his face every time he sees his daddy...

Fun times...with a box...

6 Month Check-Up

Our bouncing baby boy is continuing to grow, grow, grow. RF's six month well visit today gave us another perfect bill of health physically and developmentally. 

Birth           10/24/12      9 lbs, 7 oz          21 inches long 

1 Month      11/27/12     11 lbs, 8 oz        24 inches long 

2 Months     1/9/13         14 lbs, 6 oz.       25 1/4 inches long 

4 Months     3/7/13         17 lbs, 2 oz.       27 1/2 inches long 

6 Months      5/1/13        19 lbs, 12 oz.     28 inches long 

Aunt Hartley accompanied us to our appointment and RF had the best time hanging out and talking to her while we waited. 

Chatting up our pediatrician

What mess, mama? I didn't make a mess. 

Curiosity

RF has become much more curious in the last few weeks. I'm not sure if it's the Hawk in him or just the developmental stage but everything is interesting to him - his hands, our hands, the dogs, his books, the TV remote, even the loaf of bread on the counter. We've found ourselves starting to push everything back on the table/counter so that things are out of his reach.

We've always talked to RF - not in the baby-talk sort of way, but actually talked to him. We tell him what we are doing - if we're putting laundry in the washer or cooking dinner or sweeping up dog hair. We count, we sing our ABC's, we read, and lately we have begun to begin explaining things to him. We explained that we clap when we hear something that we like, that we say "thank you" and "please" to be polite, and today I found myself explaining that he couldn't grab the handle to a pan that was on the stovetop (it wasn't hot - the stovetop wasn't on) because it would hurt him. He's only six months old...we're weird. I know. I suppose it's the teacher in me wanting to teach him everything I can from the cause/effect of touching a pan on the stove to identifying animals and colors in his books. 

Look what I can do, mama...

If only I was a little bit taller...

What TV remote? I don't have the TV remote...

The camera in my hands is more interesting than his toys

Half Birthday

6 Months 

or 

26 weeks 

or 

182 days 

or 

4,368 hours 

or 

262,080 minutes 

or 

15,724,800 seconds 

of pure, unconditional, perfect L-O-V-E... 

Happy half birthday, my sweet little boy. 

4/24/13

3/24/13

2/24/13

1/24/13

12/24/12

11/24/12

10/24/12

The One Without Any Photos*

This past weekend was one that was largely 'unplugged' for us and it was d-i-v-i-n-e.

I was taking a photo of RF a few weeks ago and RA made a comment that resonated with me - he said, "You know you don't have to photograph everything he does, some things are ok to just remember." In the moment I was a little taken back - I wanted to remember everything and I thought that photographing those moments was the way to remember. But recently I have come to realize that being in the moment - truly IN the moment - provides a memory that is more powerful than a photograph.

Don't get me wrong - we have thousands of photographs of RF (yes, I do actually mean thousands...). Capturing his facial expressions, his movements, and his 'firsts' digitally is extremely important not only for us, but also important for RF. We want him to be able to look back at these times of his life one day and see all the fun, silly, and exciting things that he did. But more importantly we want to be parents who are making memories with our son, not just capturing the memories in a photo, but capturing them as a family, with our presence.

So aside from one photo on Saturday (I have so many photos of RF sleeping, but for some reason I can't not photograph him while he sleeps...it is so pure, so sweet, so...everything), I put down the camera this weekend and enjoyed being IN the moment with my little family.

We spent Saturday working around the house - cleaning and organizing and ordered a pizza for dinner before settling in to watch our family movie of the week - this week's choice Cleopatra. I am quite ashamed to say, as a history teacher, that I have never seen the whole movie.

Sunday we slept in and enjoyed a lazy, rainy morning. RF and I sat on the front porch and watched it rain for a little while before meandering back upstairs and snuggling up for a good ole' nap. RA and I had a first with RF this weekend - the first time in five and a half months that we both have been in a restaurant with him and only the second time since he was born that RA and I have eaten in a restaurant together. Some might find that bizarre, but we are the home-body type and proud of it. We all enjoyed ourselves at lunch and everyone that passed our table commented on either a) RF's cuteness or b) RF's good behavior - proud parents, definitely proud parents. Later Sunday afternoon we made our weekly grocery run as a family and of course, RF handled being out and about like a champ.

We are a bit overwhelmed by the fact that RF is a little over a week away from being six months old, but we are so excited to be able to watch RF grow each and every day.

*My friends who are "Friends" fans will understand the title of this post.
**For those of you who aren't "Friends" fans, do a Google search of 'Friends episode list' and you'll get it. :-)

Nom Nom Nom :-)

Baby food...homemade baby food. I have to admit, I was super skeptical about this whole 'make your own baby food' thing, but this past week I had time to try it out since RF is approaching 6 months. We got the go-ahead from our pediatrician at our last appointment, but I just wasn't quite ready for my baby to be eating food...real food. 

We started with some of the basic rice cereal, which RF was not a huge fan of, but he did well 'eating' it - mainly licking the spoon. After a trip to Burris Farm Market last weekend I decided to try a few new foods to see if RF liked them any better - we bought sweet potatoes, an avocado, plums, pears and apples. So far RF has tasted sweet potatoes and avocado - both of which he enjoyed. 

Saturday morning I woke up early to try a new breakfast-type food with him - oatmeal. I have never liked oatmeal, but after some reading about making your own baby food oatmeal seemed to be the consensus on a good first breakfast food. My research suggested using steel cut oats and milling them yourself before cooking the oatmeal. Luckily we got a Baby Bullet as a baby shower present so I went to work milling the oats, cooking them and then pureeing them with plums. 

He loved it and I mean L-O-V-E-D it. Instead of just licking the spoon he actually ate it this time. So, even though I have only made three foods, YEA for homemade baby food!