Fun + All = Fall

Fall weather means fun days as their is so much festivities to look forward to. Dried leaves, winds, dirt, fruit, and ticks, I mean come on! Who doesn't like parasites? Our fall started with a lovely trip to a Renascence fair (did I get the word right?). Lucian loved the costumes, shows, food, and games. He did not like an audience screaming at falcons flying through hoops. He he, funny story there. We also took advantage of the wind as you can see and flew kites. It would not be his first time! We do it as often as possible as windy and sunny days usually to not come together. Near the middle of the season we picked pumpkins and raspberries. This time when we went it was apple picking time. It was very fruitful. It took the three of us about six minutes to nab twenty pounds. It is easy to say that this kid is an outdoors man like his parents. He loves to dig in the dirt, swim in the creeks, and pick at wildlife. Sometimes bring them home too ( :( ). As the days grow shorter, we find new ways to stay busy. For the holidays, we bought him this wicked out door play thingy. I cleaned it off and it now is in the living room for his winter enjoyment. Other than that, we sleep! Well, by "we" I mean him and the cat. I try to squeeze in but jeez, they are bed hogs. If you have any request for snow activities feel free to let us know. We are always looking for an adventure!

He has really picked up on "Peek-a-boo". He not only knows the game, but plays it on you! He hides behind mommy and sneeks his head around the left side, then upon your discovery, he peeks his head around the right side of her! When we shop, we do not use carts, but bring his wagon in and use that as a shopping cart. The stores do not seem to care, and it keeps him from tearing things of the shelves. On time in Micheals, we forgot the wagon, so he wanted to use a basket. The best part is, it was somebody elses! They seem to left a basket of stamps at the end of an isle. So Lucian jacked it and dragged it around, eventually crawling into it. Don't leave your things unattended, their are crazy people out there. ;)

Nappy Time

The boys are having their nap time. It's too cute. Daddy and Lucian passed out together. I get to take a lazy break (always enjoyable). I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving so I can take one of those I-ate-too-much nap crashes. Maybe Lucian will pass out with me. Regardless, Mashed potatoes plus pumpkin pie equals count me in.

Lucian has really been getting more into his books. I'm glad he is showing interest. His book collection has grown tremendously thanks to GGM and GGP. Now that we have all these cool books I can't wait to get some more words out of the little guy. On the bright side, he no longer rips the pages out. He actually turns the pages now. He also will sit in my lap and let me read to him for a little bit, or sit there and turn the pages. I love how the little things change. I was talking with a lady at the grocery store yesterday about letting kids be an individual. She said she was surprised and happy to see that I let my son walk around and help push the cart at the store because she never sees people do that. I was surprised. I never really thought about it; I thought everyone let their kids do this. Even though he'll go down an aisle and pull things off the shelf, I just laugh about it, put the stuff back, and go on our way. He likes to help carry things too. Yesterday he helped Daddy carry the paper towels down the aisle. My good little helper.

Thanksgiving is Coming

Thanksgiving is around the corner and it's officially coat weather. Lucian is the new Houdini of coats! He has discovered how to take them off. I'm getting the feeling he doesn't like to wear his jacket :/ No big surprise. I'm looking forward to Thanksgiving and letting him try some new foods. Plus we get to be thankful in the company of family. Never a bad thing in my opinion.

We went to a few craft fairs so far this season. We participated in the Chinese auction and won a new broom. Wohoo! Now Lucian can sweep the floors! Okay, okay he can attempt to sweep the mess into a bigger mess and wait for someone else to clean in up. Tomato, Tomaato.

Well, the little one is getting upset. Must be off for now.

Warmig Up Yet Cooling Down

It's been getting cooler and cooler out. The worst part is the wind, which seems to have doubled in speed. Looks like I'm going to have to find my winter hat; not looking forward to that. I tend to put my hair up in winter to avoid the majority of static; it doesn't fit well in a hat. At least we can still enjoy the playground since we haven't had anymore snow. We took Lucian to the playground down the street the other day and tried out his wagon. Of course, he loved it. He rode in it for a little bit, then he got out and played on the playground, then he rode in it a bit more, and, of course, he pushed and pulled it himself because that's what he likes to do. He does it very well. All in all the wagon was a success. The playground was fun too.

Yesterday was a lovely day warming up to Grandpa. We weren't sure if Lucian was going to warm up to him in such a short period of time. After the second day, he was warmed up! All it took was a little help getting food into his little belly and some good old fashioned fun. I'm glad they got to spend some time together. It was fun to watch them bond. Lucian is enjoying his birthday presents as well (thanks again). Plus, I enjoyed seeing my Daddy. I love and miss him. Thanks for visiting.

Swim Swim Swim

We had our first parent/child swim class today. He had a lot of fun splashing around while I sang the songs. There were more people in the class than I was expecting, which is actually pretty nice. He definitely was not a fan of his face getting wet. He cried a bit, but it's something I don't want him to be afraid of (hence why we are taking this class). Plus it teaches him water safety. For anyone who has ever seen Lucian around water knows, he runs right for it because he loves to be in it. This way he gets to play, I get to sing badly, we learn safety, and we get to have fun together. Really it's a win-win. If he does well with these group of classes I think I will sign him up for the next group. It's nice to have something to do during the cold winter months. :) Thanks Gram.

A Success!

October was a busy month at our house. We had cleaning, decorating, birthday party, and job changes. It was downright exhausting at times. Lucian is officially 1 year old, and we all survived. Thank goodness!

Not that I had any doubts of making it through or anything. I would just like to mark it up as a success that we made it through a whole year; most importantly together. It was a fun month too. We got to pick our own fruit, ride on a hayride, go to community events, and taste some new foods. Lucian had his first experience trick-or-treating and, of course, his birthday party. Thanks to everyone who was able to come. I know the weather was a little rough (several inches of freezing snow and wind), but I think we still all had a good time. And even though we lost power half-way through the party, all the food was still warm and the sunlight was still peaking through the windows. I personally had a great time. I think Lucian did too (after he got past the shock of it all). So, again, thank you everyone for making it such a wonderful time on such a gloomy cold day!

Fall Fun

Yesterday Joe, Lucian, and Myself went to the orchard to get our Fall Pumpkins. We did get several pumpkins that we picked out ourselves. We also decided to pick raspberries while we were there since they are in season. Lucian absolutely loved this! Not only did he get to push the wagon through the bushes, but he also figured out that he can pick his own berries right off the bush to eat. At first he would take them out of our hands and eat them (he really likes them). In time he realized we were pulling them off the bushes. It was so neat to see him make that connection on his own. What a smart kid! So his first pick-your-own fruit and pumpkin adventure was a success. He was tuckered out after all the work and sunshine. He passed out before we got back to the car. On the downside, he was completely covered with raspberry juices. It was all over his face to the point that he looked like he was in an accident or that we beat him (would never happen of course). Still cute.

Later in the day we came home, cleaned everything off, and stuffed some scarecrows. We organized our decorations on the porch and went out to a little carnival. We were going to have our first hayride, but the wait was too long. If he wasn't so sleepy, we possibly would have went. At least we were able to enjoy some complimentary snacks and drinks. We also received a free photo of the three of us. It came out super cute. It'll have to go on the fridge. As the sun disappeared for the day, we had a really lovely time with some warmer weather. I'm looking forward to Lucian's birthday and Halloween.

Alternative Birthday Gift Ideas

Another gift idea for Lucian's birthday that I have been thinking about lately... Tickets to go to different places. Such as:

The Reading Public Museum (They have a year long family pass as well)
The Philadelphia Zoo
Swimming Class with Parent: Places I've found are Body Zone and Gold's Gym
Gymnastics/Tumbling: Berks Gymnastic Academy

Sniffles

Well, Lucian officially had his first cold. It started on monday :( He has snot coming out of his nose like a drooling bulldog. On the bright side it gave us an excuse to spend an extended period of time in a steaming hot bathroom. His energy level has gotten higher, but sleeping is still a bit rough. I can't blame him, it's not exactly easy to breathe while flem is draining down your throat and your nose is clogged. We are managing. It should pass in no time.

This gives him one more reason to get mad when I put socks on him. As a parent I'm naturally going to be the "bad guy." So be it.

Birthday Ideas

Lucian's 1st birthday is coming up so fast! A few people have been asking me about the types of things he likes to play with. Well, he isn't too specific. He typical likes things that aren't actually toys; such as water bottles, silverware, and boxes. But here is a list of things that he likes about objects. Maybe it can help contribute to unique ideas.

-Can be spun manually
-Has pages (he'd rather rip them out while trying to turn)
-Involves water
-Makes noise (not electronic, but in reaction to what he is doing such as shaking)

Here are some ideas that I came up with:

-Wagon
-Soccer Ball (actual size, he likes balls)
-Bath Toys
-Shoes (size 4 or 5)
-Socks (size 12-24 months)
-A small slide for the small backyard
-Small child books; board or regular
-Small chair for the living room

I am pro second hand. Rather from a yard sale or consignment shop or from the old collection in the garage. They grow out of things so quickly it just seems silly to always buy things new. We got him a little push car at a garage sale this past weekend for very little money. Pretty sweet deal I think. Anyways, just wanted to throw some ideas out there. Regarding clothes: he is currently in size 12 months. I'm excited about getting his party ready!

Time is Swift

Oh how time goes by. I'm sitting here watching my little baby sleep. Everyday he grows bigger, his hair grows longer, and his feet get larger. He constantly surprises me with new emotions, new movements, and his memory. I can't believe how much he has grown in such a short period of time. Seems like only yesterday I found out I was pregnant, felt him moving around and kicking in my belly. It was almost a year ago that I set eyes on the most beautiful thing in the world that I had created. I remember seeing him for the first time; I was blessed. Taking him home seems like a blur now. We've been together ever since. Looking back, it seems like he was always here. Though he will always be my baby, it seems like he is growing out of it quickly. I love my baby boy.


Likes: remote controls, window blinds, pets, and phineas and ferb

Dislikes: changing diapers, not being able to climb into the bathtub whenever he wants, and his car seat

Sneaky Sneaky

So there he goes, out of the corner of my eye I sneakily watch him maneuver. He crawls to the corner of the bed and then dissappears to the other side. I follow behind him to see what he is up to. He was going straight toward a cup that was sitting on the floor. He crawls right up to it, pulls it toward himself, and sticks his hand straight into it. Luckily I made sure it was empty beforehand. Just goes to show smart he is getting. Sorry bud, no ice cubes today!

Baby Steps

Well, it finally happened. My son took his first steps. It was beautiful. He has been standing on his own, walking with assistance, and pulling himself up. But this morning was different. While we were all in the kitchen, I was holding his hand so he could walk around like usual. I was talking to his Daddy when all of a sudden he let go of my hand. Instead of doing his usual, standing there or maybe attempting a small step before falling on his bum, he took several steps to the middle of the floor. Then he just stood there. I don't think he even knew what to do next. I was sure he was going to fall onto his butt. Already we were amazed by his accomplishment. But this time, he didn't fall. Daddy went to the other side of him and called his name. Out of pure excitement he finished his walk all the way into Daddy's arms! We immediately picked him up, had a big family hug, and congratulated him on his first real steps. What a way we have come in such a short period of time. Got to love it. I know I do.

The Closing of Summer

I had a great time with Lucian in his first summer. He is almost one; I can't believe it. He was able to experience a lot this summer with his Daddy and myself, and for that I'm grateful. We've gone to several different playgrounds, flown kites, chased balls, swung, went to flea markets, went to farms, swam in the pool, picked plants, chased animals, and took a lot of pictures. It was unfortunate that I lost many early pictures with my computer, but I have taken many more since. I'm going to attempt to upload some more from Joe's phone. I haven't connected my camera yet to upload any. But I have been taking advantage of getting digital prints. I'd like to learn how to use my camera a little better so I can take better quality pictures. As for now, it was a great summer regardless of the heat wave and humidity. I'm looking forward to fall. Lucian's birthday will be coming up, along with halloween, and, of course, apple picking. How else am I going to make homemade apple dumplings and cider? Time to get out the juicer! Thanks everyone for enjoying the summer with us.

2 Feet, 1 Hand, and a Mysterious Mushroom

Lucian is getting closer to walking. He has been walking (assisted) for a few months. Well, now he walks while holding only one hand. He will occasionally let go of both of our hands to find his balance. His record for standing by himself is approximately 11 seconds. Not bad for a little guy like him. By little I really mean half of my own size. Yes, he is getting quite big. He's getting smart too. He knows how to try new things to get what he wants. Like throwing a fit? oh yes. Those toddler years are looking a little scary right about now. We will tackle that when the time comes.

So you can't help but question what this mysterious mushroom is? It's his small backyard pool of course. What the heck were you thinking? I know he likes to pick plants and eat them, but give the kid a little bit of credit. He has an inflatable pool shaped like a mushroom. It's pretty neat and offers a decent amount of shade. It gives him a place to cool off in the hot blazing sun rays. It also gives Daddy a place to play with him when he is covered in food! Better than a bath :)

He has a wide palate of foods at the point. Not too shabby. He even has some of those pesky little white things that protrude from the gumline. what are those called? Oh yeah, Teeth! He has two on the bottom jaw. Several more are making their way out. I'm still waiting on that Chershire Cat smile. Soon enough, but not too soon I hope. He is growing up so fast. I love it.

Playdates

We would like to meet some people with babies around Lucian's age. Does anyone have any suggestions of where to find people? Do we look online or go to certain places?

I can't decide what foods to let him try next, any suggestions?

Bye Bye Computer

I apologize for the lack of posts. Not only are we all enjoying the fun of summer, but the hard drive on my laptop has crashed. So I am currently using Joe's computer. Unfortunately, it also means that I have lost my previous pictures. Sucks, but what can I do? Luckily, I was able to post that last selection. I have not uploaded June yet. I will have to select some to post and do it from Joe's computer. Good thing we he just got it this year! Lucian is getting bigger and redder (thanks sunshine). We are all doing well and enjoying the summertime.

Lets go for a walk!

Joe, Lucian, and I went out for a walk today since it's so nice out. We just walked down the street to the little store and back. It's the same place I used to go to as a kid. It still looks the same, but I was disappointed that they stopped selling rootbeer and cream soda popsicles. Those were the best! Anyways, we thought this would be a good time to try out the backpack carrier beyond just the house. He seemed to be alright with it. We had him all decked out in his cloth diaper, t-shirt, shoes, and sunglasses. Honestly, he looked like we were either going for a hike or taking a trip to the beach. Cute as a button though. Of course, he passed out on the way home. Rather than wake him up we decided to let him take his nap in there. (He's still in there right now and I can't help but smile). Now that he just woke up I guess I should give him some food.

Man I Love This Kid

We've been experiencing a lot of dreadfully hot weather (98-99 degrees). Thus, leading to Lucian's first swimming pool experiences. Those pictures should be coming sometime soon. He seems to really enjoy being in the water, kicking and splashing. He also likes throwing his hat overboard his boat raft. Then he tries to throw himself overboard; unsuccessfully of course. After a long bit in the pool, we have to walk around and discover everything. Maybe eat a little grass along the way. The little stinker has quite the personality these days with a little attitude (surprise, surprise). Every time you try to pick him up when he wants to walk around he bursts out in a crying fit, as soon as you set him back down - he stops crying. Is this a little glimpse into the toddler stages? I'm sure my mom is smiling right now... Is Lucian going to be a little temperamental like his mama? I'm hoping not, but at least I'll never be bored! Can't help but love the little guy.

Picture Update!

So I uploaded about 6 pictures while we were in Indy from Joe's phone. Apparently that didn't work since they are no where to be found! It's ok though. I have uploaded all the pictures from the trip and I am putting many on the page right now. They should be viewable in the next hour (hopefully). Unless they disappear into the internet web again. Thanks for the patience.


Add on:

I found the pictures that I put up while in Indy. They weren't showing up but they were still available on the page. I added them again in the same spot they were added before. It puts his pictures out of chronological order in that area; it's obvious that he is older in those pictures. They are still cute; had to keep them on. Enjoy.

The Boys are Back in Town

We all made it safely back to PA. Now it is time to unpack and settle in and maybe make some new friends with babies. It would be nice to have some playdates or something of the sort. He is growing fast. Getting bigger everyday.

Height: 26.5 inches
Weight: almost 19 lbs (I don't remember the exact number, Joe weighed him)

Likes: swinging, chasing the cat, playing piano
Dislikes: Iceberg Lettuce, Not being able to touch things, When daddy plays/sings Dracula's Lament

Now that we are home I have been able to charge my camera. I'm hoping to upload the pictures from Indiana this weekend and post some. Be patient, they will come. Feels good to be home... and to have a vehicle. Though Lucian has become quite the public transit commuter.

It's Getting Hotter

It's been really hot outside this week. It's better than all the rain we've been having previously. Lucian gets to wear less clothes, which he likes. He doesn't always leave his hat on though leading to a little pinkish hue on his skin. Just makes him cuter.

Lucian gets bigger everyday and heavier. He is about 1/3 my size. Maybe not in weight, but in height it looks pretty close. I know I haven't updated the pictures since we've been in Indy. That is because I forgot to bring the usb cord with that connects the camera to the computer. Unfortunately, my camera later died. I did take a few on Joe's phone that I'm going to add right after I post this. You can see how much culture he has gotten already, including public transit, which he enjoys. People are always smiling at him and calling him cute - Ham.

Other than that, we've been keeping busy. Can't say we are completely lacking in vitamin D.

Six Months Old!

Yesterday, Lucian officially turned six months old. He's getting so big! I Miss him being so tiny, but watching him grow is exciting.

For his 6 months we celebrated with some butternut squash. He made the ewww face and spit it out everywhere. At least he got to smash it into everything. So Silly.

Easter Weekend

Today was Lucian's first Easter Egg Hunt. Of course, it had to rain. We walked from the apartment to the courthouse downtown in sprinkling rain; at least it wasn't very cold out. He fell asleep along the way; we thought he might sleep through the whole event. Luckily, a little kid screamed and it woke him up about 10 minutes prior to the hunt. That gave us a chance to take some pictures. Then the countdown began... here we come eggs! We took him out into the middle of a bunch of eggs and he picked one up. Yay! We were so proud of him. I wasn't sure if he would be able to or not, especially since they were wet. But he managed. Then he wouldn't put it into his bag to collect others, as expected. We showed him that there were others and he snatched up a total of 4! He also got a cookie (not that he could eat it). After all that excitement we wondered around town and he eventually took a nappy. It was a tough morning learning how to pick up eggs from the wet grass. He did so well :)

There is another one tomorrow, but I'm not sure if we will be going. We will see.

Banana Stealing Jumping Bean

So today was the first day to try out the new doorway jumper (thanks dad and kenette). I found out that it only fits into one doorway inside the apartment. It'll fit in more at the house though. So I put it together and managed to get it onto the door frame (not meant for short people apparently). Then I stuck Lucian in it. He was curiously watching me assemble it beforehand. I'm not really sure how much he liked it. He had a series of mixed reactions from "ahh" to "what's that thing" to "wow I can stand and touch the wall". I figure I'll give it a few different tries and see if it grows on him. Otherwise, I'll have to return it and get either a walker or an outdoor swing that I can hang along the porch at the house. I'm hoping he likes it though. It'll give him something different to be in - rather than the front pack, which gets a lot of use.

We also started some yams. I thought the vibrant orange color might be appealing. He mostly smashes food between his hands and enjoys playing with the cutlery/plates. At least he enjoys it. He did stick my finger in his mouth 2-3 times with a bit of yam on it. So he did get to taste it this time. Not sure if he liked it very much. He also enjoys stealing and breaking my bananas in half in the mornings. I don't think he tried to taste it yet.

In other regards...
New discoveries: food, pots and pans are easy to pull out of cabinet, water from faucets, plants can be ripped and tasted, holding himself up at computer with less support from mama

New milestone: smiling and recognizing daddy :)
He also likes strangers because he's such a little ham and they smile at him.

Rolling Over

I'm not sure when infants typically do this, but Lucian has been getting really close. He tends to go onto his side or really get his butt up into the air. Two days ago (Sunday 4-10-11) Joe said he turned over while having his diaper changed. I didn't get to witness it :( He hasn't done it since, therefore, I can't believe it until I see it ;-) Though, he has been very close with me watching. Yay.

Avacado Splattado

Little Lucian is going to be 6 months at the end of this month. He is so big :(

He has shown interest in food for the last several weeks, but I have been holding off for several reasons:
1. So Joe can be involved
2. Wait as close to 6 months as possible for better digestive flow
3. Not really necessary for breastfed babies until after 6 months old

Well, he has been trying to grab mama's food and utensils even more lately. He makes me feel guilty for eating in front of him without sharing. Therefore, yesterday with dinner Lucian had his own small bowl of avocado. Yes, he had his first solid food (April 7th, 2011). The first thing he did was pick the plate up and dump it on the blanket (expected). He made quite the mess and he had fun. He and the blanket were covered in smashed avocado. I wasn't sure if he even got any in his mouth! He did take a nibble off the piece i was holding; he pulled it into his mouth I was just holding it. We, of course, followed everything with a bath. It was a necessity at that point. I'm very proud of him; I know it was hard to grasp. Not sure if we will try again tonight or wait a bit. Pooping today was definitely a dreadful task for him. Lesson of the day for Lucian and mama: Solid food = solid poop.

First Flight

I know we have been here for a bit but I didn't get a chance to talk about his first airplane ride. He did pretty good. We even had a connection so we had two flights. The first flight he fell asleep before take off (I had my timing wrong apparently for feeding him). It didn't matter though because he was fine. About 5 minutes after we were in the air he woke up. He was observing everything and trying to wake up (morning flight) the two ladies that were on each side of us. We were in a middle seat - usually people avoid babies. He was cracking me up at least and the one guy sitting across the aisle that kept smiling at him. about 15 minutes after he woke up he gave me a big ole smile, and proceeded to take a giant poop. This was a 4-5 pusher; pretty big. I was sitting there thinking "hmm, how am I going to get up and take care of this? Especially with the bathroom continuously being full". Well, the sweet little Asian girl in the aisle seat woke up shortly, realized I needed out, and accommodated us. Thank goodness because he was stinky! So we made our way to the front of the plane, and, of course, the bathroom was occupied. That was the only one with a changing table. The flight attendant had us sit in a front seat that was empty - that lady was the one in the bathroom. It was a window seat. Lucian stood on my lap and gazed out the window in amazement. It was so neat. After dealing with the changing table monstrosity, I decided to get a window seat next time around. I snuck my way back into the center seat without waking anyone (go me), enjoyed some water, and let Lucian crawl all over me before he passed back out again right before landing. He was very good.

Even better for the short second flight, which I thought he would get all grumpy on. We sat in the window seat, and scared other passengers away from sitting next to us. One lady sat at the aisle seat; she was nice and chatted a bit. Lucian was awake this time and watched the plane take off out the window. He just stared in awe. Then he got tired and passed out. It was a pretty decent trip. We were exhausted.

Tomorrow = Bloomington

Am I ready for this trip? I'd like to think so. I've been hurriedly getting things together and slowly packing. I even made a list ahead of time in hopes to not forget any of the essentials. I hope it pays off. I'm nervous, but I think we will be just fine. Then I can get my camera back out and take more pictures to add to the website; I know they've been lacking this past week. Now that he is getting bigger and the weather is hopefully getting nicer, he can explore the outdoors a bit more. We can't wait to see Daddy and Newton. Though, I think I'll be due for a nap after we get there.

First Plane Trip

It's getting closer to Lucian's first airplane ride. I really hope that it goes well. I don't want him to be afraid of airplanes or flying. And since it will be only the two of us; I'd like to keep my sanity too. After all, traveling makes the day longer. We have to head for the airport at around 4 am for our morning flight to Indy with a connection :-/. Everyone who I've talked to gave me good stories about flying with babies his age, so it in theory should be no problem. Any advice?

Nappy Time

It's hard to be upset at the little guy when he lays down on the bed and falls asleep while holding your hand. How sweet. Love him.

Repeat

Lucian is in a stage of repeatedly doing things. Mostly swinging chunks of plastic in mommy's general direction. Just one more reason not to appreciate polymers. At least I'm not the only one, the cow takes a beating too. He also likes to be in a seated position as much as possible. When he becomes mobile - I'm in trouble. Secretly, I can't wait.

Countdown

Lucian and Mommy are making a trip to go visit Daddy! We are very excited. This will be Lucian's first long trip and on an airplane none the less. Hopefully, all will go smoothly.

On another note, Lucian is getting bigger everyday. He likes to sit and stand up (not by himself). He doesn't like to be laying down - back or stomach. It gets frustrating that he wants to do it constantly because he is kind of heavy, but at the same time it is fun to watch him do it. Plus, that means I can take a break from carrying him. I think it has been helping his arms get stronger too. I'm starting to look into walkers or doorway jumpers. I think something like that would be fun for him, and free up my arms a bit. We aren't mobile yet.

Lucian the Big Boy

We had our 4 month visit to the doctor's office. I had a different nurse practitioner this time around - She was a lot nicer. I felt kind of bad because I didn't want to go due to our past visits and I kind of came off as a snobby butt. She was a lot more informational and she didn't nag me about anything; neither did the nurse. yay.

The kiddo is now 15 lbs 12 oz and 24.5 inches long. After all that we went for a little stroll around the outlets; it was colder out than I thought but still sunny.

I also found my usb cord and uploaded pictures, so new ones will be appearing shortly.

New Pics

So I've been wanting to update the pictures so everyone can see how much he's grown. Since the move I haven't been able to locate my camera's usb cable. I'll find it! Then I will be sure to update the photos. I'm sure everyone is anxious for new pictures. Also, tomorrow is his next ped appointment. I can't believe he will be 19 weeks tomorrow; it went fast.

Back Online

Well, we are back online. We just got internet in our place so I can finally update the news and pictures. Lucian's last weight measurement was almost 16 lbs! He is getting so big so fast. Hopefully I will be able to get my new set of pictures uploaded soon so I can post some. Hope you didn't miss us too much.

Pretty Kitty

Yesterday, for the first time, Lucian pet our kitty cat. They have had a long relationship. Lizzy, the very old kitty, incubated Lucian while he was still in the oven. Laying on top of the belly shelf was her favorite past time. I can't say that I always agreed with her on the aspect because, even though she is a relatively small feline, she still added extra weight. He would typically kick or punch her - she felt it was like a massage. Either way, she enjoyed laying on him. When he finally came home; she was intrigued but feeling neglected at the same time. All of the attention was going to the new arrival. She would always jump up and smell him to try to figure out what he was doing here. Well, yesterday, she jumped up onto the couch and demanded some attention, which I gladly gave her. Lucian, feeling left out, decided he wanted to be a part of it too. So I sat him on my lap while Lizzy was laying next to us on the couch. First, he reached his foot out and placed it on her back. She didn't seemed bothered by this at all. I wasn't sure how she would respond being such an old lady and all. Lucian leaned forward like he usually does while he is sitting, and I decided to see hat would happen. So I helped him lean a bit more towards the kitty. He reached his hand right on out like he watched mommy do and brushed along her fur. Then he became excited about this new discovery; petting and grabbing her fur. She loved every second and Lucian was covered in fur. What a glorious day! Can't wait to see how Newton is going to respond.

Welcome Feb.

Lucian has been doing more and more crunches in his eager adventure to be in the sitting position. I'm waiting for him to discover that he can grab his feet, which will later lead to inserting them into his mouth. Anyways, he does like when you support him in a seated position. Whenever I sit him up against something he tries to bend forward. He seems like he wants to do a forward tumble - I believe he is trying to face-plant. Luckily, it is never over hard surfaces.

Time to count down the days until Valentine's Day!

Approaching 13 weeks

Now that we are grasping objects we have some new favorite toys.

Likes: Dragonfly and Helicopter

Dislikes: Poor Mr. Snail, Dogs, Clashing pots and pans

I've been using cloth diapers on and off. They give him a cute little bulky pumpkin butt. Unfortunately, he tends to get mad at me when I put him in them. He likes his trim disposables at times. I think this may be a start to a complex... lets hope not. What a little stinker.

Comment

I updated the comment settings so anybody can comment on posts. I guess it wasn't working the other way. Also, I updated the picture section

My Own Entertainment

So I have been reading, for my own entertainment, a forum about vaccinations. I haven't quite made up my mind about them yet so I decided, during my research, to see what other parents are discussing about them. That's how I came across this forum that I have been reading. I'm not going to post the link because I'm sure there are several out there; this is a controversial topic. It is just interesting to see what people have to say about it and how several of them fight amongst each other about what is "best". Regardless of their opinions, it is reassuring to know that other people think about these things as well. I've seen several good arguments backed up by reasonable data (pro and against vacs) and I've seen several ignorant responses that show no use of common sense (I hate using the word ignorant, but some people will just do things without using their brain and sometimes deserve it). I don't believe that a doctor, regardless of their specialty, really have the vast knowledge about every single drug and vaccination out there to tell you what is and is not safe for whatever reasons. Honestly, they aren't really suppose to unless maybe they specialize in vaccinations or a certain category of drugs. I do expect them to be able to give me information and tell me where to look to get information on these types of things because they are a common occurrence. Unfortunately, that has not been my experience with the pediatrician.

I picked the pediatrician office that I did because they took my insurance and they didn't have a strict vaccination requirement, which several other places clearly did according to their websites. Since I haven't made up my mind about the vaccinations yet, I decided it was better to go the non forceful route - or - so I thought. After the problems I had with the electronic filing they had in their office (that has constantly screwed up his paperwork since day 1), the pediatrician seemed really nice. I really liked him; he seemed passionate and was really nice. He didn't even ream me when I told him I wasn't sure how I felt about vaccinations. He gave me a list of websites that I could go to for information and was more than happy to answer any questions I may have. I told him I was hoping to discuss it more at his next appointment. He gave me the date for the next appointment and told me we would most likely see him (because I asked if we would have the same Dr since it was a big office) unless he was unavailable for some reason. So we went on our way. The next appointment, to my surprise, was with a nurse practitioner. No one decided to inform me about this at all. She was okay but very distant and talked to me like I was a lemming with no knowledge of the world. I dealt with it for the appointment and when I went to schedule my next one I asked for my original pediatrician. They told me that he doesn't see families that do not get immunizations. Well - That would have been nice to know! So I dealt with the nurse practitioner, she was okay after all and didn't nag me about immunizations. Actually, she didn't really even bring them up - I guess they assume I just said no in general as an all or nothing deal. That was until the last appointment I had. First off I had a different initial nurse than usual who did Lucian's growth information. She was kind of mean actually. Foreign looking with an accent. She wasn't even the nurse practitioner who does his check up and she was giving me a hard time about not getting the Hep. B at birth. She was astonished that I would choose not to have this done and demanded to know why. So I told her I didn't find it necessary at that time, that I was not completely convinced on the matter, and that if I choose to vaccinate it will not be until he gets a little older when his immune system has matured more and can handle such a thing. She then was pissy for the rest of the time and was basically trying to convince me I was wrong for thinking that my child has an immature immune system (and she was working in a ped office? sucks). So after she was trying to convince me to consider it she asked if I would like information on immunizations. Of course I said yes because I'm researching the idea - as I explained previously. Well, a few days later I finally got to read this information. It was total crap and answered none of my questions - Thank you. Not to mention the information on it was from back in 2007-8. At least give me some updated information! Not to mention my main interest was on contracting statistics per population, how it contracts, and how the vaccine/immunization works to prevent it. Every single one basically said that a child contracts it from coming in contact with someone who has the illness already. Yes, but... how is it initially contracted. Where does this viral or bacterial component initially come from? I'd like to know how to initially avoid this problem. Why is this the only information given to concerned parents? We are, after all, the ones that need to make these decisions for our children. We want to do what is best, which requires as much of the details as possible. Thank you US medical system and government for apparently not making this information available and "assuming" that parents want to follow the regulatory immunization schedule and receive every single vaccine without worrying about the side effects, the long term effects, whether they actually work, or whether or not the benefits outweigh any possible risks. Not to mention whether or not we feel them to be absolutely necessary. The only thing available is out of date information, inconclusive information, lack of research, and unbearable, overwhelming doctors who aren't always looking out for your best interest. Thank you for not making my job any easier.

Anyone have any useful resources or information for me to look into? I just needed to vent a little about what I've been going through regarding this situation. At least the forums are entertaining. Meanwhile, I'm receiving a new nurse practitioner at the ped office. I'm going to request a doctor, if they refuse I'll be going to a new office.

Getting a Grip

We have been working on the Lucian's hand grip. Though he prefers to keep his hands constantly in a fist as if he is trying to punch someone in the face (not sure where he got that from), I have been getting him to open them more. Yesterday, for the first time, I got him to hold one of his rattles on his own and swing it around with no assistance from me. It was so much fun to watch because he was gripping it and swinging it around for a decent amount of time before he got sick of it. He was in a "wow" moment. Mark one success point down for mama.

It's a New Year

Happy New Year everybody!

I was very ecstatic today when Lucian grabbed and held onto some rings that are connected to one of his toys on his floor activity mat. He has been hitting his toys that dangle in front of him, but has never grabbed onto one until now. Yay! We are figuring out how our arms work!

Thanks Uncle Matty and Aunt Jaime for getting him that awesome activity mat.