Another milestone

This time it was mainly a mommy-milestone, although it was also a first for Robbie.

We decided today was the day Robbie would be introduced to the church nursery!  In the past, we have been spending our Sunday mornings in the cry room, where Robbie can crawl around, eat cheerios, and play with his friend Riley.  It's nice in there - a big room with chairs and couches, TVs with a live feed of the service, and we can all be together.  But it's not the ideal worship-environment or experience, and Rob gave me the gentle nudge a week or so ago that maybe it's time to consider trying the nursery so that we could get back into the sanctuary for worship.  

Deep breath!...

I am proud to say that all of us did very well today.  I know, at this point you are laughing.  But come on - he is my first baby and no one except family (and Cheryl, who is considered family) has ever taken care of Robbie in my absence!  It's a big step.  The workers in the nursery were so sweet, and even though Robbie went in tired, I am told he did very well and even jammed an entire fistful of cheerios in his mouth at once during snack time.  Sounds to me like he enjoyed himself. 

I laughed so hard when we got home and I gave him a bottle of milk just before his nap - his eyes were rolling back in his head, he was so tired.

Now, if I could just find a babysitter that we aren't related to...!  Baby steps.

Close your eyes!

Today while I was feeding Robbie lunch, he did his cute little cheesy face while chewing and squished his eyelids shut tight in an effort to make me laugh.  Mission accomplished.  

Which got me thinking... Lately when I ask Robbie to identify things or mimic sounds or motions, he surprises me by following my commands.  So I decided to try a little experiment during lunch.

Me: "Robbie, close your eyes... like this!" (Me closing my eyes.)

Robbie - CLOSES HIS EYES!  And we repeated this command and performance several times, just in case it was a fluke.  He seems to recognize the command now even when I don't close my own eyes to prompt him.

Me: "Robbie, where's your hair?"

Robbie - touches his hair (with peas-and-carrots-fingers, lovely lunchtime idea mommy!)

I also think it's amazing that he locates the following things for me when I ask him where they are, either by pointing or just gazing at them: trees, balloon, birds, diaper, socks, toes, tongue, nose, juice, baba, winnie the pooh, blankie, paci, video (when we get in the van for a long-ish ride!), duckie and bath.

Aren't one year olds amazing!?

March Madness 2009 (aka Baby Madness)

This past weekend we got to see our friends Jeff and Becky Larson in Milwaukee, as we gathered at Jeff's parents' house to watch some of the games and just hang out together.  We had a great time, although this year's March Madness weekend looked very different than it has in years past!  It was mainly about the babies (as it always is - at least for the moms!), with food and basketball in between.  

My boys enjoying some male-bonding time as they take in the games.  That, or Robbie's being distracted by Cheerios so that he'll sit still.

These kids know how to eat!  It was a Cheerios, chex mix, baby-fruit-bar mess under the coffee table after snack time was over.  Charlotte was fascinated with the wrong side of Robbie's paci, and Robbie loved her fruit bar.  I guess you always want what everyone else has, right?!

Charlotte would try to love on Robbie as he'd crawl past her!!  How cute is this?!

More love (it's endless).  Ignore Robbie's expression - he LOVED the attention and loves this sweet girl.  She is kissing him on the back!

Then they started to run (and crawl) around the basement, and both of their shirts somehow kept getting stuck up on their bellies!

Funny moment when Jeff and Becky started yelling "GIRL GONE WILD!" as Charlotte ran around giggling with her shirt stuck up on her onesie!

Posing?!  This girl has so much personality - and she is the cutest sight, being so tiny and just walking around everywhere.

Playing by the window... trying to break free?

About to leave... both babies were very ready to see the outdoors!

Sweet little face.

Another highlight was when we put the kids in the bathtub together.  They kept sliding around and slipping backwards, and Becky and I were laughing so hard!  It was a disaster but lots of fun.  The wallpaper had to be wiped down afterwards.  I have a few snippets of video of the bath, but am not sure if I will be sharing it since Becky and I both felt like bad moms as we would watch (through the video camera) our babies falling over in the water!  It wasn't deep enough for them to really go under - don't worry (or think badly of us). 

Thanks again for such a great weekend guys!

Hanging out with Grandpa

Grandma and Grandpa stopped by this afternoon while they were in Wheaton running errands... it was one of those days that was sort of rainy and very windy, and I had nothing in particular that I needed to get done.  So we welcomed the brief visit as the highlight of our otherwise boring, home-bound day!

Robbie played in the foyer with Grandpa most of the time.  He particularly likes to look out the front door at the "tees" (trees) and bang on the glass.  

He showed Grandpa how good he is at crawling up and down the landing step (more like slithering head-first down and landing on his knees with a thud, but still proud of himself).  Grandpa tickled him when he'd crawl close by, and Robbie loved the chase.  

This boy loves his grandpa!  

(I think the feeling might be mutual...)

The only other happening (not) worth noting was that Robbie tried hot dogs at lunch for the first time.  They were in our freezer and were an Omaha Steak gift-box item from Christmas, so I figured the quality was probably decent.  I made macaroni and cheese and diced up the hot dog, and Robbie and I enjoyed an all-American lunch together.  He loved every bite.

I sort of grossed myself out, but refused to think too long or hard about it.  I enjoy letting Robbie explore new flavors and textures, and am trying to keep him from being too picky of an eater by constantly exposing him to a variety of foods.

Pray for Stellan

If you have a chance, please visit MckMama's blog, My Charming Kids, and pray for her baby Stellan.  His birth was a miracle as doctors said he would not live inside his mother's womb long enough to be born due to a heart condition, but God completely healed him and he was born perfectly normal.  Thousands of people prayed for Stellan's health throughout MckMama's pregnancy with him.  He is in the hospital right now with alarming conditions related to / affecting his heart.  You can read the details on their blog, and pray specifically that his heart rate would come down.

Thankful (a look back)

I am so thankful for the health of my baby boy.

This is the only picture I have from the few days that Robbie was developing Pyloric Stenosis, but before it was diagnosed.  He was 2 1/2 weeks old.  My mom was out of town, and she had been my primary source of help (and sleep!) during the day.  Robbie had begun to throw up multiple times after every feeding, and was basically awake around the clock with bits of sleep in between vomiting.  I was exhausted, and getting scared at this point.

My sweet dad came over several times (even though he was dealing with some serious pain in his wrist - see the brace?) so that I could try and get some rest.  I am pretty sure this picture was taken on a Thursday night, the day before Robbie ended up being admitted to the ER after his diagnosis at the hospital.  My dad stayed overnight at our house and held Robbie on the family room couch from something like 10pm until 6 or 7am, caring for him completely - changing his diaper, holding him carefully while he projectile vomited, replacing soiled blankets and towels with fresh ones... I remember sleeping either on the other couch in the room, or on pillows laid out on the floor nearby so that I could be helpful quickly.  But I also remember sleeping so hard, because I knew Robbie was in good hands.

This picture, and the ones taken while Robbie was in the hospital before and after his surgery, didn't bother me before.  But now when I look at them, he looks so tiny and helpless!  They make me cry every time.  God was so good to protect us while he was sick - and to give us strength as parents to just see the situation for what it was and do what needed to be done for our son's sake.

I'm so undeserving but thankful that one year later, our son is growing and healthy and becoming the little boy God designed for him to be.  

Thanks again, Dad.  The words in this song, 'you never let go', are so fitting for this post.  You have demonstrated over and over again the qualities of our Heavenly Father to us, your kids.  This picture is just one tangible example of that, and I love you for it!

Somebody loves his daddy...

After Rob got home from work yesterday, we put Robbie in his pj's and went for a quick walk around the neighborhood with his new wagon.   It was almost 70 degrees here, and it would have been a crime not to make use of every bit of daylight!  Robbie enjoyed the jaunt, holding on to both sides the whole time and taking everything in.  He especially loved when we passed by dogs that were being walked, and would squeal at them and then look out of the back of the wagon until they were out of sight.  

Then it was time for some milk and snuggling with Dad on the couch before bedtime.  My boys were so cute that I just had to take a picture... which turned into two, then three, then a whole little photo shoot.  Robbie started to make these hilarious new faces.   I have a Nikon D40, and when it's auto-focusing, the flash light goes on for a moment or two before the picture is taken with a flash.  During this time, Robbie has decided that the light is too bright for him.  He started to close his eyes every time I was focusing and that light would go on, and he's never cared before.

 

Happy to be on dad's lap, with a belly full of milk.

Mom, your flash is so bright.  

(This isn't him blinking - he held this face for a few seconds!)

I will not open my eyes.

 And then the kissing started.

Robbie gives kisses to us when we ask, if he's in the mood.  Early in the morning and at night, just before bed, you have a pretty good chance of getting kissed.  Rob asked for a good-night kiss, and this is what he got.  

"I kiss him!"

So proud and loves his daddy.

Love bug.  Look out this weekend, Charlotte!  He's coming for you!