Boswell Baby Blog

3x5 Folded Card

2012-01-18T19:16:00.001-08:00

Taped Thanks Boy Thank You Card

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Happy Birthday, Grandma!

2011-12-06T17:29:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011

2011-11-15T20:04:00.001-08:00

Very Merry Christmas Christmas

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Oliver is 18 months!

2010-01-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

Last week Oliver officially became a year and a half. It is just amazing how much he learns in one day. I keep thinking "I have to write that down! I can't believe he said that!" and then before I get to writing it down, he says something more impressive. Here are some of the things that have amazed me lately:

1. When you find a nuk around the house, you bring it to me so that we can put it “back to bed” (where it stays until nap or night time). You are such a big boy!!
2. Talking a blue streak – you repeat EVERYTHING and have so many useful phrases:
a. This week I asked you what happens when the alarm goes off and you said “I don’t know what.”
b. Thank you, Help Please, clean up, down, up, run, walk, race!, here you go, all done, more, play, here, shower, bath, phone, fun!, okay, alright, hi, bye bye, hey buddy, peekaboo, sleep, nuk
d. Yes, doh and no – not used correctly yet
e. Milk, Water – wawa, Eat eat eat!, cheese, Pizza (I think that is anything with bread and cheese), bread, orange, apple, applesauce
f. Show – for if you want to watch TV
g. Play dough, color, cool car, truck, fire (for fire engine)
h. Alarm sound for a fire truck, police car, or ambulance
i. Outside, Hallway
j. Lots of names
k. Lots of animal names and all animal sounds including new ones like the sounds for rooster and butterfly
l. Upside right – how you are supposed to put your milk when you are done with it
3. You are excellent at filling in the ending word in books. It is amazing the words you are able to fill in. You have special names for books that have to do with what you like about them. Perfect Pets is “pup”, Goodnight Moon is “something Moon” or “Hush”, Mr. Brown Can Moo is “whisper, whisper”, The Snowy Day is “crunch”, Moo, Baa, Lalala is “lalala”
4. You are very good at counting. You have the following numbers in order: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 8, 10. 6 used to be in the mix but lately you skip from 5 to 8.
5. You love singing and you just keep getting better. When you are by yourself playing you are often humming a tune – familiar and new. Your favorite songs lately are Twinkle, Twinkle, the ABC’s, Way Up High in the Apple Tree
6. You have a great imagination. You make your animals and cars talk to one another and you have a couple of different make believe voices you use. One is higher than your regular voice and one is kind-of a growly voice. You also make believe well with your baby dolls. You feed them their bottle and burp them by patting them on their back. You also sometimes cover them up with a blanket.
7. You are doing so great at church stuff. You sit so well during the children's time and try to copy the big kids. You also are staying in the nursery and only cry for a little while when we first leave and at the end when you are waiting for us to pick you up.

Baby Care

2010-01-06T20:03:00.000-08:00

We have been playing with Oliver's baby dolls lately in preparation for June. He is getting pretty good at feeding, but doesn't yet understand you don't just drop them when you are done! You might notice that he even makes eating movements and sounds with his mouth. This week we saw a REAL baby and he was just beside himself and kept getting close to the baby and giggling. It was so sweet.

Twinkle Twinkle

2010-01-06T16:50:00.000-08:00

Oliver sings this song a lot lately. And yes, he is playing with a box full of exacto knives - it is locked:).

The whole song...

2009-12-30T13:18:00.000-08:00

This is Oliver's newest favorite song. He walks around the house chanting his favorite line "I shoo da da da da da da da". The first time is soft, then medium, loud, medium, loud, medium, loud. He likes to just stay on that line instead of finishing the song after 3 chants.

No child was harmed in the filming of this video

2009-12-30T13:06:00.000-08:00

I just can't stop laughing every time I see this video. If Oliver had gotten hurt, I would not think it so funny. He starts "I shook that tree" with such enthusiasm every time, this time blowing him off the chair. I will post a second video of how he chants that part off the song.

He Proved Me Wrong

2009-11-30T13:37:00.000-08:00

I just got done telling many people how Oliver has not ever fallen asleep anywhere besides his crib, carseat or stroller since he was very little. The only exception was when he fell asleep on Grandma on the airplane flying home from PA. Until now. He proved me wrong.

A Musical Medley

2009-11-14T12:40:00.000-08:00

2009-11-14T12:23:00.000-08:00

I think it is so funny that he does this, but maybe that's just because I'm the mom. Anyway, I thought it was worthy of sharing!

You Are My Sunshine

2009-10-12T11:42:00.000-07:00

Last night I got home about 9 after bringing Amy back to school. Oliver was still happily talking in his crib, so I went in to say goodnight. He was warm and I thought I should check his diaper so I changed the diaper and put on a lighter pair of pajamas. I started singing this song and he chimed in with a new word "shine" - one of my favorite moments as a mom.

Cape Henlopen Beach Day

2009-07-10T19:24:00.000-07:00

Today we met our friends and the senior high youth from church at the beach - I saw and swam in the Atlantic Ocean for the first time! I picked just a handful of pictures to share of Oliver exploring the sand and water. I was amazed by how much he liked the sand, and how by the end of the day, he would crawl after the waves going out. He was pretty much speechless the whole afternoon, just taking everything in.

Our New Puppy

2009-07-07T06:48:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we discovered that when Oliver spots a dog, he will jump out of our arms to get it. He also barks back at them. Apparently dogs on TV have the same appeal!

First Steps

2009-07-05T10:37:00.000-07:00

For the past two weeks Oliver has taken a few steps between us, but today while he and Paul were in the kitchen he initiated steps on his own to get from the cupboard to Daddy. That makes it official in my book!

Thanks everyone for your encouraging words about our big move. I'll give details in personal emails later.

Moving Home

2009-07-04T11:31:00.000-07:00

Today is the day to break the news on the blog - we are coming home! And I don't mean just for a summer vacation. Mid-July Dad and Mom are flying out to help us pack and load a trailer, and then are flying back with Oliver while Paul and I drive back. We will be staying with Dad and Mom for awhile as we wait to hear if a potential post-doc opportunity comes through at the U of M, and look for other jobs. I am feeling a lot of excitement to be with and near family again, and to spend some time regrouping and recouping. We are looking forward to helping out on the farm - cooking, cleaning, mowing, and chopping (Paul is excited about that last one - not me). It has been hard to tell my friends here, but they are completely rallying around us with encouragement and offers of help. We are really going to miss them. Please keep us in your prayers during this transition time.

11.5 Month Skills

2009-07-03T07:18:00.000-07:00

Since I haven't posted for awhile, I put everything in one video. Yesterday Oliver surprised us by saying his name - it is my all-time favorite sound!!

Father's Day 2009

2009-06-23T08:32:00.000-07:00

Dear Dada,
This Father's Day I am 11 months and 1 week old. Here are some of my favorite things to do with you:

Run through the house with you when you say "Ready? Go!"
Read books, especially Mr. Brown Can Moo
Crawl and have you crawl after me
When you throw me in the air.
When you drop me on the bed.
Tickles
Kisses
When you sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider" and I flap my arms up and down
When you roll me around
The things you teach me like "Bye Bye", Dada and your Itsy Bitsy dance.
Riding in the stroller when you run - it makes me so relaxed.
Riding on your shoulders, especially int he mall.

Happy Father's Day, Dada!
Love, Oliver

I'm so thankful that I get to parent with Paul. He is such a caring, attentive and fun dad.

Happy Father's Day, Dad

2009-06-21T09:36:00.000-07:00

If you knew my Dad, you'd know that if you have a good mechanic, you can keep an old car running for a LONG time - and that definitely beats a new car payment.

You would know that you should find a job you enjoy and do your best at it, but that sometimes employers don't have your best interest at heart. Because of that, you should always find things outside of work that give you purpose and that remind you of your true value.

You would know that sitting down to drink coffee is an essential part of every work day.

If you knew my Dad you'd know that having time for your family is better than taking the fast track. Time with family, serving, and being reliable, responsible and trustworthy is far more important than money, wealth, fame.

You'd know someone who has won over scores of high school students with one verse of "Single Cells".

You would also know the best real-life Tetris player in the world. He can pack a van, a relo-cube, or a trailer better than anyone else.

If you knew my Dad, you'd know someone who doesn't let you down, who's there in the tough times, and loves my Mom more than anyone else.

You'd know all these things because of what he does, not what he says.

Happy Father's Day Dad!

(a Father's Day post for Paul to follow - the other VERY important Dad in my life)

Look What I Can Do!

2009-06-16T10:52:00.001-07:00

I think you will be impressed with Oliver's waving, one-armed "So Big" and bouncing. If not, just be impressed with my 3 posts in two days!

11 Month Highlights

2009-06-15T18:54:00.000-07:00

Last year at this time I didn't know how I could stand to wait another whole month to meet little Oliver. I can't believe his one year birthday is just around the corner. We have made some great progress this month, so here are just a few of the highlights:

regularly and appropriately says "dada" and "mama" - "dada" came long ago and I've been trying to get a video of it to declare the news, but I still don't have one!
waves bye-bye and occasionally says "baba" along with the the wave
raises at least one hand when saying "How big is Oliver?"
sometimes stands without holding onto anything, but only when he forgets what he's doing or really, REALLY wants a toy or food in both hands
has cut all 8 of his front teeth and from the looks of today's ear-rubbing and gum-poking in the back of his mouth, the molars are on their way
he loves to climb things, so stay tuned for a slide show of all the dangerous things I've caught him climbing (and trusted him enough to snap a picture before helping him down)

Here is one of his favorite activities:

Fun with Friends

2009-06-15T18:26:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite things about being Oliver's mother is watching him interact with other kids. Today we had a busy house with a sweet 15 month old girl that I watched for our friends, and this little boy (in the picture above) and his mom who came over this morning.

When I picked Oliver out of his crib after his nap and turned to the door, 4 little eyes were watching us intently - they looked very happy to see him. The little boy, G., is always a sweetheart with Oliver. He lets him use his shoulder to pull himself up, he laughs when Oliver crawls over him, and he is so good about sharing toys, snacks, and a lap when reading a book. And I have a soft spot for their matching outfits. Oliver loves to follow him around and check out everything he is doing and gets excited as soon as he sees him. He practically jumps out of my arms and starts crawling after him.

The little girl, S., always calls Oliver baby, though we have been trying to teach her to say "Baby Ollie". Today, out of nowhere she pointed at Oliver and said "Oler". Then she climbed up the chair to my scrap book, pointed at a picture of O. and said it again. She gives Oliver lots of kisses and he doesn't mind a bit. They were both getting sleeping at about 1 today, so we all piled onto the recliner and read lots of books together.

I didn't notice before how much babies like other babies and kids. Oliver doesn't need me to do a thing when we are around other kids, except maybe protect them from his pinches and grabs. He is so curious about what they are doing and the things they are playing with.

Out of the Woods

2009-06-12T06:37:00.000-07:00

I took little O to the doctor on Wednesday because the ear infection from the beginning of May seemed to still be around from all the symptoms of not napping, being extra fussy and clinging and rubbing his ears a lot. As it turns out, he tricked me!! In all of my concern for his ears, I forgot to stick my finger in his mouth to feel one last little tooth coming through before the molars arrive. The ear infection fussiness turned into fussiness from a cold which turned into teething fussiness. Ahhhh. Now I can breath!

I am always surprised how tired and worn out I am when we go through a bout of sickness, teething, or a new stage. I feel like I'm already tired because even though I can honestly say Oliver is sleeping "through the night" and sleeping consistently well at night, we still have a 5am feeding. (I think that crying that one out is just around the weekend for us.) Its the missing naps that just put me over the top. I rely on them for a little breather, or a chance to get ahead on my internship or work around the house. Nap time is essential to me. One of my friends has quiet time every day where her school aged kids lay down and just have some rest and independent quiet play. I am totally taking that idea - Thank you Jenni!

Tonight I am looking forward to scrapbooking with a friend. Last week 3 of us got together and I finished 15 pages!! I had lost enthusiasm, but working together with someone makes me really motivated, and as I put the book together, I think about how much we are going to enjoy looking through it and reading about this family adventure when Oliver is older. I'm already forgetting so many details and memories that I'm glad I'm writing them down right now. And it is so fun to remember moments like these...
And as a point of comparison...

Good Enough

2009-06-09T17:59:00.000-07:00

The dishes are done...but not dried or put away.
The floor is swept...but not mopped so it's still sticky.
The living room is picked up...but has needed to be vacuumed for at least 3 weeks
My scrapbooking, VBS craft planning, thank-you note making is covering the dining room table and every surface around it.
We have lots of food in the house but nothing to use for making a sandwich except PB and J.
The laundry is washed, dried, folded and put away...except for a load of darks that will be two by tomorrow morning.
I give up!!!

I love how his mouth is stuffed with banana and is double-fisting it, waiting to fill the next available nook. A boy after my own heart!

Oliver's Favorite Song

2009-06-05T05:54:00.000-07:00

I took video two different days to show that he does the same thing every time he hears this song. He looks up at the speakers, mouth open, not moving a muscle. The first time we put the CD in, we thought it was a fluke, but now we know it really is his favorite. I cut out parts of the video because he is just doing the same thing the whole time, except when he decides to crawl closer and pull himself up next to the speakers. My favorite part is when he sings along at the end.

Story-Linking

2009-06-04T12:10:00.000-07:00

I'm reading the book Real Kids, Real Faith by Karen Marie Yust right now and discussing it with my internship mentor. I just read a chapter that was fantastic and I want to share a bit of it here. Her work here is inspired by Walter Brueggeman, one of my favorite Old Testament commentators. The idea is that kids need to embrace stories from their faith tradition so that they see that the story is about us. He wants them to see the connection of the biblical story to their daily lives. The idea of story-linking is that children can connect their faith story with everyday stories. When I write this, it sounds obvious, but I don't think it is. If it was obvious, or easy to execute we wouldn't have so many teens, young adults, and older adults finding the stories of their faith irrelevant. We also would have churches and people of faith who are growing and changing and not stuck in the mud. I think the five aspects she lists show a holistic approach to telling the stories of faith.
Five Aspects of Story-Linking
1. Children need to be receiving the spiritual story of love and redemption through the compassionate care of their parents and faith community.
2. Children should be hearing the story of their spiritual tradition regularly in connection with the stories that make up their daily lives.
3. Children must be celebrating their stories of faith and personal spiritual stories through special holidays and the recognition of acts of charity and compassion.
4. Children need opportunities for telling spiritual stories in their own words, both to others and to God in prayer.
5. Children need ways of becoming "history-makers": people whose words and actions contribute to a more just and compassionate society an encourage others to do the same. (pg. 43)

I finally figured it out!

2009-06-03T10:21:00.000-07:00

Oliver is very focused on his new discovery of how to make the tractor sing.

Daddy's Tasty Nose

2009-06-03T06:03:00.000-07:00

There isn't much I can say about this video except that I think it's hilarious!

First 5K

2009-05-28T13:33:00.000-07:00

This weekend I ran my first 5K with other moms in the Mom's Club (I'm in the black shorts, pink shirt and white hat). It was a big accomplishment for all of us since either we hadn't run that far before, or it had been a while since we had! We started the "Couch to 5K" program back in March and ran together twice a week and once on our own. When I got to about the last 3/4 mile (which was all uphill) and was feeling pretty tired I saw a mom in the yard holding her little girl. It reminded me of why I'm doing this - I want Oliver to see me as a healthy and active mom. This week I've felt quite unmotivated and discouraged, so I'm blogging this now as a reminder of what I accomplished and what my goals are. This race I finished in 31 minutes and 16 seconds. I'm planning to run another one in June and hopefully between now and then speed up my time a bit!

Auntie Amy

2009-05-24T07:26:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun time with Amy here this past week. Oliver took to her very quickly and thought she was me some of the time. When we picked her up at the airport he was sleeping and she climbed in the back with him. When he woke up, he gave her smiles and seemed very happy to have the company…until we went through the drive through at McDonald’s and there was more light. Then he figured out it wasn’t mommy and cried. After that adjustment there were no more tears. I really appreciated Amy’s help this week – she changed LOTS of diapers, baked cookies for Paul’s lunches, cleaned the kitchen while we went on a date and spent many hours reading to and playing with Oliver. She also gave us a date every night so we went to a movie, out to eat, and did errands (I don’t think she approved of that as a date, but it felt like one to us!). Amy and I went to Amish country and took a buggy ride, shopped the outlets, went to Philly, watched a movie, took Oliver to the doctor and did some things with my mom’s groups. And more than the help, the company was the best!
(See the slideshow to the right - if you click on it, you can see the pictures larger and captions!)

Happy 10 months!

2009-05-16T07:58:00.000-07:00

I don't think there is a better age than 10 months old. Some of my favorite things at this stage:
1. When it is nap time or night time, he lays down on the floor for a moment before picking himself to go play again.
2. When we bring him into his room to put him down, he lays his head on our shoulder for a verse of "You are my Sunshine", starts to breath deeply, and then leans towards the crib.
3. He pulls himself on everything and then is so proud of himself.
4. He always wants to be close by - between my legs while I do the dishes, standing up by my leg when I'm on the laptop, climbing all over me when I'm on the floor.
5. The food shoveling at meal time: yesterday for lunch he ate a cup of northern beans, a cup of sweet peas, 2 egg yokes and 2 bananas. It is fun to see him eat so heartily and all by himself.
6. He gives kisses to pictures of himself or when he sees himself in a mirror.
7. I love the way he chases around other babies and toddlers. I had a friend with a 3 year old over yesterday and he chased Owen around like it was going out of style. If Owen was standing by the coffee table, Oliver would pull himself up and then look at Owen and smile and laugh. If Owen was driving the dump truck around the living room Oliver couldn't follow him fast enough.
I just can't get enough of his ambition and sweetness these days!

Another Game

2009-05-12T07:43:00.000-07:00

This video is a bit long, so don't feel obligated to watch the whole thing. Just notice how Oliver drops down and even scoots back when he thinks its time for Paul to pull him. We just couldn't get enough!

Making the Bed Like my Mother

2009-05-09T16:38:00.000-07:00

Back when I was young my mom taught me the proper way to make a bed. I did a great job following all of the steps until I went to college. Then I decided that it would save more time if I just put the fitted sheet around both corners of one end and then go to the other end and do the same. Maybe it was the lofted beds that caused this, but maybe not.

I have been making beds a lot lately. I figured out that if I don’t change Oliver’s mattress pad along with his sheet his sweet and soft little cheek starts to smell kind-of funky. All this bed-making has taught me the value of my mom’s technique: when you put the fitted sheet on opposite corners, it lies neatly and even with the corner seams without all the tugging and pulling – little did I know!

Having a baby really makes me notice all the things I do her way – the songs, the phrases, the constant reading. She taught me to be thrifty and crafty so I make toys, use cloth diapers, and knit little sweaters for my baby boy. She also showed me what it means for a woman to be an amazing stay-at-home mom and then transition into an amazing working woman at a job that uses her gifts. She’s on the cutting edge of all the best ideas for teaching Kindergarten and holds to the old standards that she just knows work the best. And it’s also pretty fun to see your mom to do this while being well dressed and not afraid to try the newest look.

My mom has also mothered me so well since I became an adult. She never insisted that I do things her way or criticized the path I took. She has done so many things to support and encourage me in this young adult phase of discovering who I am. As I have muddled my way through stressful career, schooling and family decisions, she has listened, weighed in (when asked, of course), and prayed. She is a fantastic listener and has let me have a different opinion than her. She’s even allowed me to convince her of a new way of looking at something. My mom has taught me what to do when Oliver is my age, and I know I’m trickier to mother now than when I was a baby!

I’m so proud of my Mom.

Auntie Amy's Coming!!

2009-04-28T05:13:00.000-07:00

19 days until we get to pick her up from the airport - I'm SO excited!! Amy did secure her flight back in May, but I have a little rule for myself that I can't create an iGoogle countdown ticker right away because the first time I did that was for Christmas and I had to watch months tick by - not fun. We are going to enjoy Oliver, visit Philly, shop, and do lots of other stuff too. I can't wait!!!!!!

And another piece of news - Oliver slept through the WHOLE night last night for the first time: 8:00-7:30. I heard him squawk a bit at 4am, but it didn't last long. I could get used to this!

Busy Boy

2009-04-27T10:31:00.001-07:00

Is there anything cuter than a baby boy in Osh Kosh overalls? I know I always say this, but I really can't get enough - it is my true weakness.

Where is Oliver?

Got you!!! (About the blocks - this is Paul's project. He is making these super-sturdy blocks that an adult can stand on without smooshing them. Each one used to take him upwards of 2 hours, but I think he has streamlined his procedure. Oliver likes to knock them over when they are stacked up neatly.)

The things on our coffee table are no longer safe. Oliver can pull himself up quite easily.

My puppy.

Happy Birthday Paul!

2009-04-22T06:45:00.000-07:00

I love you so much!!!!

(This picture is of Paul at 9 months, just for fun)

Pop Goes the Weasel

2009-04-20T11:38:00.000-07:00

Ollie is not enjoying diaper changes these days so I'm experimenting with different toys and songs. I had forgotten about Pop Goes the Weasel, and it is a real hit!

Gone!

2009-04-19T09:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks everyone for your blog comments and emails. I really appreciate them, especially when the days and nights are long like they were this last week. We are finally done with the hives, and Oliver just has some brown bruises on his skin where they were. It was really hard to see him hurting and itching, and we are so glad to have our happy baby back.

(This picture was taken on Saturday morning)

(This picture was taken this morning - Sunday)

Hives - Going...going...

2009-04-17T03:55:00.001-07:00

This is a picture from Day 1 that I just had to post because he looks like a raccoon.

We've learned a lot of things about hives from this experience. First of all, the nights are the worst. On Wednesday night he could not sleep for more than 15 minutes at a time at first, and then eventually he slept for an hour and a half at his best. Yesterday during the day he took 2 really long naps (one 3 hour nap - I slept too, and one 4 hour nap). Last night I was hoping for a good night since he seemed to sleep fine during the day, but it was a rough one again. We put him to bed at 8 and he couldn't sleep, so we kept him up with us until 10. When we put him to bed at 10 he started vomiting for the next hour and a half or so. I slept with him so I could feel him fight the fever - it kept building and then it would go back down when I'd give him Tylenol. He needed lots of feedings, songs, and rocking throughout the night.(Picture taken on Thursday morning)

(Picture taken this morning)

The hives have left his face for the most part and he is much more himself this morning. There are some spots that look like they are bruising - like on the right side of his chest. It isn't too bad compared to some of the pictures we have seen on-line! He just went down for a nap and I'm going to catch a little more sleep too!!

Poor Ollie

2009-04-15T10:40:00.000-07:00

We had an eventful and kind-of scary morning. Yesterday Oliver was very cranky and tired and just hard to please. Last night we saw that he had some little red spots all over his body that seemed to keep popping out. We figured he was getting the chicken pox.
This morning when he woke up, he looked really bad and we soon decided it probably wasn't chicken pox. The nurse told me it was an allergic reaction to something that I needed to get Benadryl right away, so I ran out and got some. (I literally ran - down the stairs, through the parking lot, in the store. Then I realized I didn't have my wallet so I had to go home again and back to the grocery store.) He was so uncomfortable and he looked so bad. I've never seen hives on a face before and I was totally freaking out.

The Benadryl kicked in and he started to look a _little_ better.
The good thing is that he had his 9 month visit today and so we had an appointment set. So we got in the car, brought Paul to work, and headed to the pediatrician. This is Oliver looking a little more better.

He is probably allergic to penicillin because he was taking Amoxicillin for his ear infections, and his Grandpa Fredman and Grandma Boswell have the same allergy. I'm glad we are finding this out now, but the poor little guy!! The doctor said it might take 2 weeks or more to have the hives go away. The morning totally wore me out.

Explorer

2009-04-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

Sick baby

2009-04-06T11:16:00.000-07:00

I'm joining some of my blogging friends with a sick baby - so sad:(. Oliver woke up from his morning nap at about 12:30 and threw up twice. We're taking it easy, and I'm glad I only have one to clean up after!

First Discipline

2009-04-04T05:12:00.001-07:00

On Tuesday I called Paul from church to tell him I was coming home. He didn’t answer, so I called again. He picked up and said “Sorry, I was in the middle of a disciplining session”. I’ll try to tell the story Paul told me.

He was feeding him supper and all we had left were some of the Gerber carrots and sweet potatoes, which are quite runny compared to the stuff I had in the freezer and the finger food we just introduced. Oliver thought it was very fun to spit them out with a funny noise. Paul said “No!” in a loud, stern voice. Oliver didn’t know how to take it and thought it was funny. Paul gave him another bite and the same thing happened so he said “No!” again and took him out of his high chair and away from the food. Lots of tears ensued. Then they went back to the high chair and tried again. Oliver did the spitting out thing with the next bite. This time when Paul said “No!” a tute-lip came right away and he cried. The next bite went in and stayed in.

I’m glad Paul taught Oliver “No” because that evening he decided to start biting my shoulder. He always wraps his arms around me and puts his open mouth on my shoulder to snuggle in. Just this last week he started biting me when he would nuzzle. I had to say “No!” and his little lip turned under instantly. It’s like teaching a puppy not to nip.

Paul and I agree, after you see the tute-lip you want to take it back! Better now than later, I suppose.

Fun with Food

2009-04-02T10:24:00.000-07:00

Oliver has been really busy crawling and exploring. He has also been moved to finger foods and is getting much better at getting things to his mouth. There is no question he loves food!
This is flax all over his face and tray. I coated peach chunks so he can pick them up better. It works great but takes a LOT of work to clean up. I think there is still flax in the bottom of the bathtub from his bath!

Green beans go down a lot better than they used to!

I can't believe that it has been a week and a half since my last post! It has been a really busy couple of weeks. I started working in my new position as the admin to the youth director. Little did I know it is confirmation season and there are 52 kids being confirmed in a week and a half. Lots of meetings, work, and fielding questions. Also, we had to get our car inspected and then fixed before they will put the tags on. It has been to the garage 5 times in the last 10 days. A neighbor from church followed us to the garage and then took Paul, Oliver and I home. It has been a little tricky getting to where we need to go when we only have our one car half the time.

He's Crawling!

2009-03-23T11:41:00.000-07:00

Oliver started crawling in the last 10 minutes!! I was reading a book to him and he wanted it, so he just popped himself up and crawled after it.

Blink

2009-03-21T09:17:00.000-07:00

Oliver likes to communicate this way - I'm not sure how to describe it except to say it is a blink. He started doing it mostly with Grandma, but now he does it all the time with Paul and I. I think the best translation is "Hey!"

Yes!

2009-03-21T09:04:00.000-07:00

This is one of Oliver's favorite things to copy - he likes it the best when he starts it.

Too Short

2009-03-20T09:11:00.000-07:00

We had such a fun week with my mom visiting! It was way too short and hard to see her go. Oliver was sick last week with his ear infections and the teeth coming through so this week was a big one for development. He was so interactive and had so much fun with his new playmate. Every night Paul and I went on a date. We went to Barnes and Nobel, out to dinner, to a movie, and did some errands. I didn't realize how much I needed that time alone with him. Mom and I went on lots of walks, we shopped, played with Ollie, took him to get pictures, and talked. It was so nice for me to have help with all the things around the house and the company.We also went to the Dansko shoe outlet (picture above). Since all Danskos are hand-made there are imperfections in the leather, with the sizing, etc. The Outlet is a huge store and you grab all the shoes in your size of a style and try on all the lefts and rights to get the perfect match for your foot. Mostly the shoes are there because they are too snug to be sent to a regular shoe store, so you have to go up a size. Other shoes are discontinued styles. It is also a fun place to go because the whole store is eco friendly. They collect rain water from the roof to flush the toilets, they use wind energy, they have a green roof, and all the materials are recycled or can be recycled. It was a really fun outing.

A Double Ear Infection, 3 New Teeth, and a Job

2009-03-12T16:04:00.000-07:00

This has been an eventful week. Oliver had a tough time of it, which now we know was more than teething troubles! I took him to the doctor today after he had a fever yesterday (202.2!) and they found an ear infection in both ears. I gave him amoxicillin and Tylenol before his nap today; he slept for almost 3 hours and woke up a new boy.

The other eventful part of our week was the launch of my Seminary internship. On Thursday last week Paul and I had a serious talk about me starting my internship and later that evening I got a call from the youth pastor of our church asking me if I’d be his assistant. After a LOT of conversations with some key people, I decided to be his administrative assistant for 10 hours a week until the summer. It will be a perfect situation because I can take Oliver with me and do a bunch of the work from home. I put my resume together yesterday, had an informal interview today and am filling out my W2’s! I also asked the children’s ministry director to be my internship mentor – she readily accepted. I will work at our church in various capacities (mostly with the children and families) for 15 hours a week until next spring and I will graduate in 2010. It feels so good to have the ball rolling.

And it feels even better to know that Mom is coming in 2 days!!

Farmer Girl

2009-03-09T18:28:00.000-07:00

We had to find something to keep those little hands busy during diaper changes so we would not have to bath the boy with every dirty diaper. That is how "Farmer Girl" came to be. We tried other toys, but one look at her sweet little face and Oliver was smitten. Now she lives on the side of his changing table and he immediately grabs her when we lay him down. He used to look at her face before chewing on her hat but I guess now he knows what she looks like. This video captures it all:
1. He knows who Farmer Girl is, and when we say her name and can be distracted from almost anything.
2. When she is taken away he always resists.
3. Every diaper change ends with Farmer Girl saying some version of "Good-bye Oliver! I love you! See you later!" and lots of kisses. It makes him smile every time.

At the park

2009-03-09T18:10:00.000-07:00

Oliver loves baby swings. They make him so calm, and when daddy's along on the trip he giggles A LOT.

I promise, I'll stop talking about the weather someday, but today's not it!!

2009-03-03T13:50:00.001-08:00

Yesterday I was all cooped up. We got about 5 inches of snow in the morning and so my first "couch to 5K" practice was canceled and I was so disappointed. On top of that, Oliver is teething - 3 at once this time, and he is having a tough time of it. His nose is running all over the place and he has three swollen bumps where the teeth are either trying pop out or are going in and out. I try to stay home for his naps because they are vital when he isn't feeling well. After we had dinner I was going to get out of the house and go to JoAnn Fabrics. To my dismay, this was the sign on the door:
JoAnn Guests: The store will be closing at 2pm today due to the weather. We will re-open Tuesday at 9am. Sorry for any inconvenience.
And this was the weather:
So sad for a MN girl!! Then to top it off, my mom's group at church was canceled this morning because the area schools started 2 hours late. I was so bummed, but then one of my friends and her son came to visit. She was lucky I didn't lock her in!!

Shocking

2009-02-28T17:45:00.001-08:00

20 Days and Counting

2009-02-22T03:43:00.000-08:00

For Christmas my Dad gave my Mom a very creative gift. She opened gum, a toy car, a toy plane, a day planner with her spring break highlighted and finally a TICKET!! She is coming out to visit us in just 20 days. Oliver and her are bunking up together so she can do whatever she wants with him at night. Paul and I are both excited about getting to share that duty. We are going to the Dansko factory outlet to buy some new shoes and probably the Lancaster outlets too! The moms in my groups want to meet her, so we might do some of those events. Paul and I are going to go out in the evenings a LOT. I am very much looking forward to her visit - help with the housework, enjoying someone else enjoy Oliver, getting lots of dates in a row, and great company. Thank you Dad!

Army Crawl

2009-02-21T17:08:00.000-08:00

I took a nap today (yea!) and while I was sleeping Paul found a fun new game to play with Ollie. I got to try it out when I woke up. Fun times.

Official residents

2009-02-21T07:48:00.001-08:00

This morning we went to the Driver's License Center and switched ourselves over. I was so sad when she punched a hole in my MN license. The one benefit is that in PA you don't list your weight!! Now we just have to switch our van plates. It is kind-of humorous how many people recognize our minivan and honk and wave. I feel like I'm a real local, but I think the plates really stand out. We will see if we get as many friendly honks when our plates look like everyone else. Have a great weekend everyone!

Oliver and His Little Friend

2009-02-19T10:09:00.000-08:00

Aughh! You're invading my space!
Oh yes, a smile for everyone who is laughing at us.Mmmm...I want a taste too. OR Mmmm...I want to taste you!

Paul's on the Train

2009-02-17T04:12:00.000-08:00

Early this morning Oliver and I took Paul to the train station. He is going to DC for a power supply conference. It's so strange to me that we live close enough to just go to DC for the day! I don't think he's ever been there and neither have I, so he's scoping out the trip to see if we could do it easily as a family sometime. My family did an east coast trip when I was in college but I didn't go with them. I wish I would have!!! At this conference they will be presenting their new power supply technology so they are doing a presentation and have a booth in the exhibition hall. It should be a fun day for Paul, but a long one. I'm lamenting the fact that he isn't going to be home until 9 tonight, and I have to give credit to moms whose husbands travel a lot. I think I found another mom who is going to meet us for dinner tonight which will definitely help me out.

Playing Blocks on a Sunday Afternoon

2009-02-16T08:04:00.000-08:00

Oliver and Paul have a lot of patience for doing this over and over again.

Rubber Ducky...take 2

2009-02-16T07:49:00.000-08:00

Oliver splashes so much that by the time he's done I have to ring out my sleeves! He has figured out that once the duck gets close he can't lung for it, but he hasn't figured out that all of his squirming, pushing and flailing do not bring the duck closer. Crawling is on the horizon!

Motherhood makes you foggy-brained

2009-02-15T20:02:00.000-08:00

When we got home from church today I couldn’t think. I felt stressed over my not even formulated to-do list and it made me wander around the house not getting anything done at all. I didn’t even want to do the things I enjoy. Paul, knowing me as well as he does, sent me off to Barnes and Noble. While I walked I talked to Mom and Dad and they filled me in on all the details of Peter’s birthday weekend. Then I spent the next hour or so reading. The fog lifted. I organized by to-do list in a few minutes and realized it was totally manageable. The cure for my foggy brain is getting some space from any mom-type responsibility and dusting off the critical thinking part of my brain.

I just finished reading a book that does a great job affirming this and other aspects relating to work and motherhood (Also a Mother: Work and Family as a Theological Dilemma). Miller-McLemore talks about the fact that mothers are not writing in the midst of their mother simply because to do so would require them to step away from time playing, tending to children's needs, etc. She says that in order to do creative or productive work we must have physical and mental space from our reproductive work (mothering and fathering). Both men and women have a need to do both productive work and reproductive work because both are essential to our development. When your body and energy are so consumed by the joys and challenges of caring for children, it is easy to lose sight of the bigger picture and that fog just keeps getting thicker!

Before becoming a mother I had high hopes and expectations for what I’d accomplish during nap time. It was my intention to get most of the house work done other times of the day so that nap time could be dedicated to creative work like reading, writing – essentially thinking. Now I realize that even when Oliver is sleeping well, one part of my mind is dedicated to listening for him, thinking about him, anticipating him. I often feel like my nap time break is squandered because I am tired or not thinking clearly enough to stop doing the work that is never done (laundry, cleaning, cooking). I’m learning to accept this reality and also ask for and appreciate the times when I can go off by myself and have physical and mental space. These times do make me a better mother.

Tithe and Taxes

2009-02-12T10:31:00.000-08:00

Last night I started volunteering with Pioneer Clubs at our church. I am a helper in the 3rd-5th grade room. The kids earn reward "money" for doing things like getting caught being kind, learning their verse, wearing their club shirt, etc. Once a month or so they get to use that money to buy things from the store. The store has toys and also items for the Lord's Pantry like shampoo, toothbrushes, or soap. Before the kids go down to purchase items of their choice, they get in a line according to how much money they have. The teacher helps them figure out how much they should give away as their "tithe" and that pooled money is used to purchase things for the Lord's pantry from the whole class. As the kids were handing in their dollar or two, one boy says to another "You know where that money goes, don't you? To the government."

I really enjoyed being around these big kids last night. I liked watching them, seeing how they interacted with each other and the teachers. There were some who had already caught on to flirting and that made me smile because it was so clumsy! I found myself watching the boys especially, wondering what sort of 4th grader Oliver is going to be and looking forward (without wishing time away) to parenting him when he's that age.

And a picture of Oliver just because.

Rubber Ducky, you're the one!

2009-02-02T13:58:00.001-08:00

The ducks are the most motivating toy Oliver has. He will lurch and dive, sputtering and coughing water the whole time just to get their yellow rubber heads in his mouth. He hasn't learned that the more desperate he gets the quicker they float away!

Do It Yourself Diaper Sprayer Tutorial

2009-02-02T08:00:00.000-08:00

For anyone who is interested, here is the link for instructions on the diaper sprayer. Paul figured out that the reason they use the "Filter Connecter Splicer" is because they don't sell the pipe connectors with two female ends at regular hardware stores. He figured out how to it another way, so if you want the details, just email me and I'll get the specifics! This sprayer is fantastic. I highly recommend it.
http://gidgetgoeshome.com/2008/08/25/diy-tutorial-make-your-own-diaper-sprayer/

What we did this week:

2009-01-28T16:45:00.001-08:00

1. Finally put away Christmas decorations.
2. Lots of eating and trying a couple new foods.
3. 3 Nebulizer treatments every day.
4. Playing and cutting teeth (do you see the two on the bottom? I think more are on the way). Grandma Boswell sent this water mat and Oliver had quite the time trying to figure out why he couldn't get the sponges in his mouth.
5. You can't really see what's going on here, but Paul made/installed a sprayer that attaches to the toilet to spray off the diapers. It is essential to cloth diapering!

Something else please? These make me sick!

2009-01-28T11:26:00.000-08:00

By request, here is the video of O eating green beans. (I thought they were peas because when I made up a bunch of baby food I didn't label them.) I would like to happily announce that he now eats them without all the drama! I wouldn't say he likes them, but they go down just fine:).

Applesauce

2009-01-24T07:51:00.000-08:00

I was feeding little O applesauce this morning and trying to describe his reaction to mom on the phone. A video will do a much better job!

From this video you may think that he doesn't like the applesauce, but I guarantee you he is a lot more clear about what he doesn't like. Peas, for example, elicit a gagging response and he just holds his mouth open begging "Mom and Dad please take these yucky things out of my mouth!!" Eventually they just kind-of fall out and dribble down his chin.

The Happy Crouper

2009-01-22T11:34:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at about noon Oliver started barking like a seal. It didn't dawn on me that I should be too worried right away, but in the evening his breathing got quite labored. We fortunately have a 24 hour line where we can get in touch with nurses and doctors from our clinic. With a couple tries at the "foggy bathroom" treatment that didn't help his breathing the doctor advised us to take him into the emergency room. Even with that advisement it felt like a tough decision. I wonder if once you have two or three kids this decision becomes run-of-the-mill? He only got about an hour and a half of sleep total before 3:30am when he fell asleep in the hospital, but was really pleasant. This morning the lack of sleep caught up with him and I had one cranky baby! We've been taking it easy and feeling bad that Paul has to use his tired brain to debug software today.
Oliver liked chewing on the nebulizer they used for his breathing treatment, so the nurse let him keep it. After the breathing treatment they gave him an oral steroid that helps decrease the swelling in the airways. Today he sounds much better and is able to sleep without waking himself up.

Happy 6 Months!

2009-01-14T13:06:00.000-08:00

Today Oliver turned 6 months. At his check-up he was 19 lbs. 2 oz (78th percentile) and 26 inches long (59th percentile). The pediatrician is guessing that he is bulking up for a growth spurt. At 6 months he has one tooth on the bottom with another on its way. He is working hard at sitting up and is getting closer to being able to scoot. It is fun to listen to him experiment with consonants and enjoy his more ready giggles. Check out the new slide show on the right side.

Paul was home from work today because he got a really bad stomach virus on Monday night and has been slowly getting better. It is the first time I ever saw Paul stomach virus sick. We were very careful to make sure O and I didn't get it - we're still hoping.

Home for Christmas

2009-01-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

I'm adding a slide show to the side of all of our Christmas pictures. I'll have to get more from my parent's camera and Andy and Sarah's camera because they have great ones of Christmas Eve and the cousins.

We had a really good and eventful trip. It started out stressful because when we got to the airport 4 hours early, they did not know if they would have a seat for us. We learned that flying the 23rd is not the best because even if bad weather hits the day before, there are a ton of people trying to get home for Christmas. We got on the plane 20 minutes before departure and breathed a sigh of relief. They informed us that the plane was 20 people overbooked. Whew!

Paul stayed for 5 days and we fit in 4 Christmases, three different houses, lots of driving in the Fredman van, a 24 hr. flu and the start of three colds :). It was really fun to see family and especially to share Oliver with everyone. Last Christmas when we were expecting him there was so much hope and anticipation. This year we got to enjoy him and watch everyone else enjoy him.

I stayed for 5 more days and enjoyed relaxing and recouping in Pillager, seeing my college friends for a baby shower, shopping, going to a movie, spending time with Peter, Amy, Dad and Mom, and sleeping in. When I flew out again I was looking forward to the time at the airport and flying with Oliver because I hardly got to see him for those 5 days! Mom and Amy took care of all the diaper changes, baths and oatmeal feedings and Dad took care of the early mornings! (I had good intentions of waking up but Dad always beat me to it.)

The trip back went really well. It helps that I have done it by myself three times now, and that I now have the right equipment (Dad and Mom gave me luggage for Christmas). Also, people in the airport are so helpful. Oliver flies really well and when there are people to look at he is happy even if he's tired. We sat next to lady from TN on our way back and Oliver was smitten with her accent. Everything she said made him smile. She said "When I have kids some day, I sure hope they like me as much as he does!"

It was hard to come back here again, but it feels good to get back into our regular routine. On Sunday a sharp little tooth came through and next week is Oliver's 6 months appointment. We'll see how big he is now and how many more teeth are waiting to pop through!

Titus and his workbench

2009-01-07T08:52:00.000-08:00

I could watch this video all day. I miss my little nephews so much!!

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-22T10:59:00.000-08:00

On Sunday we celebrated our family Christmas. It was so fun. In the morning I made Paul's favorites (egg bake and sugar & spice puffs). He sugared and spiced them since that is one of his many skills. Oliver just had oatmeal and milk:). Then we had to wait while Oliver took a nap before we opened gifts. One part of my gift from Paul was to find a dual foot feeder for my sewing machine and to walk around JoAnn fabrics by myself for a long time. Our first Christmas as a family of 3!

My Google countdown clicker says 1 day, 9 hours and 51 minutes until we take off for MN. We are really excited to get home. We wish all of you a very Merry Christmas!

Belly laughs

2008-12-15T02:22:00.000-08:00

Happy 5 months Oliver!

Anonymous Posts

2008-12-15T02:21:00.001-08:00

Hi everyone! I did some more digging on the blog settings and now you can post as "anonymous", that is, without a google account. I thought I had it set up to do that, but apparently not!

Rolling Right

2008-12-05T17:46:00.000-08:00

This is Oliver's new favorite activity. He can only go to the right so when he reaches the end of the blankets I flip him over. The most difficult part of this is that if he rolls off the blanket he inevitably spits up on the carpet.

Keep out of reach of children.

2008-12-05T17:26:00.000-08:00

I can no longer leave Oliver in a room by himself. Paul's G'pa Boswell and G'ma Jean sent us a excer-saucer just in the nick of time!

I think his Christmas present this year will be a day where he gets to wear just his diaper. After we've let him play without his clothes, he throws quite a fit when we try to put on his pants. He kicks and cries.

So how are we doing?

2008-12-02T10:23:00.001-08:00

I don't want this blog to simply be updates about Oliver, though I know everyone loves to see videos and pictures of him! People have been asking how we are doing, especially with being away from home for our first major holiday so I thought that I would reflect a bit...a little for me, a little for all of you. At this point I feel like I can honestly say we are doing really well. We are developing some really great friendships. One of our favorites is the youth pastor, his wife and daughter from our church. Its so nice that we both have kids under 1 because whoever is hosting takes out the pack-n-play and both kids sleep while we play board games and eat dessert! We spent Thanksgiving with the family of a mom I met through my moms Bible study at church. They were so warm, made really good food, and had fun little ones running around to play with. I met with the children's director from our church last week and I am so excited about the volunteering opportunities coming up for us and rubbing shoulders with her to learn. She has been doing this for 7 years and the program is much larger than what I have worked with before (250 kids regularly). I think the fog is starting to clear - we aren't so tired anymore or stressed out. We are finding routines that we really enjoy and of course we are finding more and more joy in parenting Oliver! I'm so thankful for God's faithfulness.

On the Move

2008-12-01T08:12:00.000-08:00

This weekend Oliver mastered the role from back to tummy. He often does the roll with more ease, but this video captures the essential elements to pass Uncle Andy's rolling specifications.

2008-11-24T09:49:00.000-08:00

Our friends borrowed us this "Bumbo" for Oliver to use - their daughter is too big for it now. He loves looking out the window and touching the animals on his stacker. He gets so quiet when I set him up like this. He is all ready for church in his sweater vest - oh the things my boy must endure before he can pick his own clothes!
A sleeping baby is just so precious!

Rice cereal makes for pretty good hair product!
Paul and Oliver always have their fun during diaper changes.

Kitchen table

2008-11-21T11:27:00.000-08:00

When we moved in, Mom disposed of some things in the garbage area and told me that it is very possible that I might find some good things that people are tossing out sometime. Well, back in October I found this great kitchen table set! Now we have a little breakfast nook in our kitchen. Last night all three of us had our supper in the kitchen - which is great because our dining room is carpeted. Oliver is doing so much better on eating his rice cereal and I think it might be paying off. Last night he took a nap from 6:30-8:30pm, woke up for an hour, and then slept from 9:30-5:30! At 5:30 he woke up to eat and then slept again until 7:30. Not a bad night of sleep for me!

Coughing Copycat

2008-11-16T17:09:00.000-08:00

Today Oliver kept coughing because he liked to make that noise. Tonight we checked to see if he would repeat it - adorable!! Also, he ate more than 2 tablespoons of cereal tonight, even moving his mouth towards the spoon once. He is way better at getting it down and actually seems to like it!

Happy 4 Months!

2008-11-15T15:14:00.000-08:00

Oliver turned 4 months yesterday! We weighed him on the Wii today and he is 18 pounds. Big boy!!

Fall

2008-11-10T11:50:00.000-08:00

Right before he decided to taste the leaves!

Oliver's First Food!

2008-11-07T18:58:00.000-08:00

We fed Oliver rice cereal for the first time today in hopes that a little more sustenance will help him sleep through the night. It was so fun to see his reaction to this new experience!

Giggles and Squeaks

2008-11-04T03:08:00.000-08:00

New Voice

2008-10-28T11:52:00.000-07:00

Sleeping on the job

2008-10-28T11:50:00.000-07:00

Ollie's New "Do"

2008-10-28T11:42:00.000-07:00

The top picture shows it the best. The hair line is the same, but look at the little halo of hair. I think it grew a half inch overnight!

An update...

2008-10-28T09:53:00.000-07:00

Since my last email things are looking up!

Paul is feeling much better, but is still achy and tired.

Oliver is going through a growth spurt. His hair grew about a half inch overnight and is now "voluminous" (you'll understand when you see a picture). His voice is also a bit lower and he is making new noises. I have been taking new pictures and videos so I will try to get one posted once I figure out how to download to Paul's computer.

We ordered a new computer for me. It has USB 2.0 so watch out Amy, we will want to web-cam every day! Until then, Paul is leaving his laptop at home for me.

Today one of the moms in my Bible Study invited us to go to their house for Thanksgiving!! This definitely lifted my spirits.

Bummer

2008-10-26T16:46:00.000-07:00

Oliver and I had a wonderful trip to MN - the best birthday present ever! I am so sad to share that the day after we got home I downloaded the pictures and videos from our trip and my hard drive promptly crashed. It is over $700 to get just the jpeg images off the hard drive by a reputable company. Fortunately at the beginning of October I printed pictures for O's scrapbook, but still a lot are lost. The thing I will miss the most are the short videos. I have to remember that they are just pictures.

Since getting home O and I have slept a lot. We both came down with colds shortly after getting to MN, and had trouble sleeping. Tonight Paul went to bed at 7:00 because he is coming down with something pretty strong - hopefully it is just the cold we have been battling. I am missing the faces and touches of family and feeling pretty lonely but holding onto the hope that we will find community soon.

Happy Fall!

2008-10-09T11:24:00.000-07:00

This adorable ensemble was knit by my friend Sue. She was making a pink sweater when I worked with her at Bethel last summer and she promised to give it to me if we had a girl. When we found out we were having a boy, she got busy again!

Best news EVER!

2008-10-08T12:27:00.000-07:00

I am SO excited - Dad and Mom are sending for me for my birthday!! I can't wait. I have a count-down ticker on my igoogle page for Christmas and now it just makes me smile because I no longer have to wait 76 days, 31 minutes and 44 seconds! My parents are the BEST!

Good Morning Oliver

2008-10-08T12:03:00.000-07:00

This is just one part of Oliver's wake-up routine. I think it is so funny how he ducks in his chin. The second part is a series of serious stretches. I have adopted his stretching style because it is incredibly satisfying. That will have to be a post another time.

Quilt project

2008-10-08T11:44:00.000-07:00

This week Great-Grandma Fredman came to stay with us. This was our project - a bright throw for our living room. She did most of the stitching of the binding and I finished that today during Oliver's long morning nap. I learned that quilting takes a lot of patient measuring, and this was an easy pattern!

Playing Peek-A-Boo

2008-09-23T18:59:00.000-07:00

I caught it on video!

2008-09-23T14:14:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Oliver flipped 3 times, but I couldn't find the camera. I found the camera today and he obliged!

Empathy

2008-09-19T17:33:00.001-07:00

When Oliver was 1 month old we took a buggy ride through Amish country with Grandpa and Grandma. A baby girl on the ride started crying, and Oliver gave the most adorable tute lip. I couldn't stand it and just had to cuddle him. Today we were in the store and he heard a baby crying and did it again. I am just amazed that as his age he is empathetic already.

Ollie's 2 month check-up and SHOTS!

2008-09-18T12:56:00.001-07:00

At his appointment today, we found out that he is now 14 lbs. 12 oz. and 24 inches long. The Doctor said he is thriving - good news!!

This is Oliver's classic tute-lip. He screamed for about 30 seconds after his shot and then gave me this look. Begs to be kissed!

When we got home today, Oliver was a bit fussy and very cuddly. He finally fell into a deep sleep. He got 2 shots in each thigh - you can see his little circle band aides.

A Little Sweetheart

2008-09-14T12:35:00.000-07:00

Dedicated to JoLynn and Natalie

2008-09-14T12:29:00.001-07:00

Oliver's first pair of converse shoes!