Summer Fun!

We have friends in town and we have been having SO MUCH FUN! I feel like we rediscover San Diego every summer when we have visitors. 

Saturday evening we went to Swami's in Encinitas and played in the "tide pools" with Lauren and William. It was a blast and I think Andy and I repeated the same phrase over and over and over again: "why don't we take advantage of where we live more often." There is so much to do outside, literally just minutes from our house! We chased crabs, poked at the sea critters, ran from the waves and watched the sunset. 

Sunday we had a picnic in the park and tried out a new playground.

Lauren and William came over for dinner tonight and we took a pre-dinner cruise around the block in Austin's "new" hand-me-down car from Daniel and Addison. He loved it! I think we have a new evening tradition.

Much more fun to come in the next few weeks and this summer! I LOVE the summer. I love the warm weather, the long days and the playful feeling that comes with the season. If only work allowed for a full summer break like school ;)

8 Months!

You are 8 months old already! Time still continues to fly and you are so much FUN!

We didn't have a doctors appointment this month, so we don't have official height and weight stats. My guess is 18 lbs and 27 inches. People comment to me fairly often that you seem very tall. Finding clothes for you is going to be a challenge. Your waist is tiny and is probably 3 month sized, but you need 9 month size clothes for length.

For the most part you wear 6-9 month clothes and you still wear a size 3 diaper.

So, what were you up to this last month?

You cut your first two teeth. Little cuties on the bottom. I thought I would be sad when you lost your gummy baby smile, but you're 2 little teeth are pretty cute too.

You did a lot of rocking back and forth on your knees and scooting backwards, but no official crawling in the 8th month.

You are a funny little dude and you love to laugh - your personality continues to show the older you get. You're pretty happy most of the time. You like to play on the floor with your toys, banging them together, scooching them around, and studying them. You don't spend as much time in your jumperoo now that you're a little more mobile. You still like it, but we try to let you practice crawling as much as possible.

You also love to read your books. You get a huge smile on your face when you see your favorites and you love to sit and listen to them.

You still love to go for strolls in the Bob. I think you like the quiet time and you love to look around.

You really like your "brother" Dexter and smile when he walks by. Dexter puts up with you because he has to :) I think you like him more than he likes you at this point. Soon you will be best friends.

You still love bath time and I'm usually soaked by time you are done. You love to spash the water and play with you little bath cups. I think its time for some Mommy and Me swim lessons!

Your routine hasn't changed much since last month. You eat at 7, 11, 3 and 7 and have "breakfast", "lunch" and dinner in between. Thankfully, you aren't a picky eater and you like most everything we give you. We still disguise the peas a little bit with apples or sweet potatoes. You are a great night sleeper and a decent napper. You sleep from 7pm to 6am (sometimes 6:30 or 7) and nap around 9am and 1/1:30pm. You don't always take long naps, but we try, and we are just glad that you sleep well at night!

It was a great month and, as always, we are looking forward to the next. It is so fun to watch you grow and learn. Stay sweet, my little man!

Howdy Y'all

We just got back from another Texas trip on Sunday. I had a work meeting the in late May, so we decided to make it a family trip and tack on a week's vacation during the week of Memorial Day! So glad we did!

Andy, Dexter and my dad drove from San Diego to Houston and Austin and I flew. Dad flew out to drive back with Andy.  Yes, my dad is the best! They took the "scenic" route through northern Arizona (vs taking I10 the whole way). Dexter is crazy and doesn't sleep at all on the road trips. He sat in the back with his head up for 21 hours of driving.

Austin was a champ on the flight out. Thankfully, we sat next to two high school girls who thought Austin was the cutest thing they'd ever seen. Here are a few of the comments I heard from my new high school friends on the flight: "OMG! He smiled at me!", "OMG! I love babies. I'm going to have 5 babies!", "OMG! I could eat 10 burritos today - I'm so starving." I also talked one of them out of a tattoo. I told her it wouldn't look so hot after her 5 babies. It was hilarious and it made me feel so old!!! Our flight back to San Diego wasn't nearly as fun. Austin was a little fussy and our row-mates were boring.

While at my parents and in Houston we spent quality time with my parents, Austin's cousins, aunts and uncles and a few friends!

Cousins! Wish we lived closer!

I even braved the Houston traffic one day and drove down to Memorial to meet up with a few friends and their babies. Sadly, we didn't take any pictures :( But we finally got to meet sweet Rebecca Wilmoth, Andrew and Sarah Steeg and I got to visit with my friend Jacqueline who was coincidentally in town from San Francisco!

Poor Dexter...

Hanging with "Aunt" Haley!

For vacation we spent the week at the JW Marriott San Antonio Hill Country and it was AMAZING! The hotel was built in 2010, so everything is new and clean and they have "waterpark" in the middle of the resort with a few pools, water slides and a lazy river.

Making Smores at the hotel 

View from our Cabana! 

Grandpa floating the lazy river

Austin's first swim

Hanging on the balcony 

Our friends Genevieve and Jonny came up to the hotel to meet us for dinner. They have a baby, Gray, who is 2 weeks older than Austin. Gray is so so sweet -  I'm so glad we finally got to meet him!

Gray and Austin

Vieve and Gray came back the next day to swim us too :) Its a breath of fresh air to be around such great friends.

We had a blast in TX and can't wait for our next trip in September. Its always nice to be home and not living out of a suitcase. Austin slept in the closet at my parents (a very big one - don't call CPS!) and in the hotel bathroom in a pack and play, so he is probably glad to have his crib and room back too ;) Dexter went to bed at 7 tonight - he is either exhausted or depressed to be back in his boring house.

6 Month Pictures + A New Friend

I will post more soon, but here a few pictures from our fabulous photo shoot with Melissa Parsons a few weeks ago!

I got Melissa's contact info from my neighbor, Joy. Turns out that Melissa just moved here from The Woodlands, is an Aggie Chi-O, and has a husband named Andy too :) She is 4 years ahead of me so we weren't at A&M at the same time, but we know so many of the same people. Crazy, small world! What a fun blessing!

I am in LOVE with the pictures and am so happy to have a new friend too!

http://www.melissaparsonsphotography.com/

Happy 7 Months!

 

I'm a little behind on this post because things have been BUSY around here the last few weeks!

Austin, you are 7 months old already! I wish I could hit the pause button and make everything slow down a little bit. Every day just flies by. 

No height and weight stats this month since we don't have another check up until 9 months. You are still tall and skinny. 

You are wearing size 3 diapers and 6-9 month clothes. A few of the 6 month clothes still fit, but the pants are a little high water.

This has been a fun month. Your personality is really starting to shine and it seems like you learn something new everyday.  You starting sitting up a little after 6 months. Its nice that you can sit up and play with your toys now! 

You've been spending a lot of time on your tummy and you are working towards crawling. You can scoot around on your blanket to get to your toys and you are all over your crib during the night, but no official crawling. No rush, buddy!

You've also become quite vocal this month. You started off by saying "ah-guh" over and over again. Then the next week it was "dadadadadada" and now you "say" all kinds of things you scream when you are excited. You still are a smiley little guy and you love to laugh. 

You've taken more interest in Dexter lately and you smile at him and watch him walk around the house. Dexter likes to join us for bath time and you think its hilarious when he licks you on the forehead. Speaking of bath time...you love it! You splish splash around and get excited when you can tell I'm getting you ready for the bath.

Your eating and sleeping schedule has been pretty consistent over the last month. You go to bed between 7 and 7:30 and usually wake up around 6:30/7am. Then you take a morning nap around 9:00 and an afternoon nap around 1:30. You nurse or get a bottle at 7, 11, 3, and 7 and you eat solids for breakfast, lunch and dinner. You a pretty easy going eater. So far, you eat most everything - sweet potatoes, squash, peas(only if they are disguised with other things), carrots, mangoes, apples, bananas, peaches, pears, etc. 

You're trying to grow hair, but since you don't have much and its so blonde, you look bald :) We like you like that! 

I had my first trip away from you and it was so sad to leave! I had a work trip to Chicago last week (thus the lack of blogging and the busy schedule) Your dad (and Jessi and GranJan) took great care of you, but it was hard to be away. Your dad even took you to a birthday party while I was gone! 

While I was in Chicago, you got your first tooth. The second one is starting to pop through this week. I've given you Motrin a few times and you don't seem to be eating as much, but you haven't been too fussy. 

Every little stage and milestone is so fun! It is such a joy to be your momma!

This next month should be a fun one! We are off to Texas tomorrow to see Grannie, Grandpa and all of your aunts, uncles, cousins and friends. I also have to squeeze in some work, but we are going to try to play, play, play, and relax! We need some downtime after the last month. 

We love you, little friend!!

Easter 2012

We had a nice low-key Easter this year. Chris, Steph and Riley were moving from Denver to El Centro the weekend of Easter, so most of the San Diego Family was out of town/on the road. GranJan came over for breakfast before she drove out to El Centro.  We ate a yummy meal and watched Austin "open" his Easter baskets. He got a sweet jet ski, boat, bathing suit, sunglasses, new clothes and his first screwdriver so he can start helping dad with projects. We are ready - bring on the summer!

In the afternoon, Andy, Dexter, Austin and I went over to his parents house to let Dexter swim and to try get a little sun. We had leftover ham and fruit and did a lot of relaxing and sitting around. Poor Dexter doesn't get out much anymore, so he had a BALL playing in the pool.

Austin's 6 Month Update

I sound like a broken record, but how did another month blow past us already? Austin Thomas, you are 6 months old now - half a year! Almost a teenager...ok, calm down...just kidding. But, really, it is going so fast.

Weight: 15lb 7oz (14%)
Height: 26.25in (43%)

You're still a little small fry :) You wear a size 3 diaper and we are on the verge of moving up to 6-9 month clothes. Your pjs are just a tiny bit too short now.

You continue to be such a cute, sweet, HAPPY little boy. You love to smile and are very friendly when we go around town or hang out in the neighborhood. You have these tiny little apple cheeks that rise up when you smile - so darn cute!

You also love to laugh. Sometimes I accidentally scare you by talking or laughing too loud and you jump, pause, then bust out laughing.

You just love to roll over (only to your left side) and you like to spend time hanging out on your tummy playing with your toys. Pretty much as soon as we set you down on your back, you immediately roll over, even in your crib. When you first started this, you hated when you realized you were stuck on your stomach in your crib. After a few rough few nights, you now prefer to sleep on your stomach.

You also love books! When I reach for Goodnight Moon before bed, your face lights up and you smile the whole time. You have a few other favorites - 8 Silly Monkeys, Hand Hand Fingers Thumb, Napping House, etc.

You're starting to sit up on your own. You can sit for 10-15 seconds before toppling over, but each day you get better and better! A week ago, I thought you were a month away from sitting up and within the last week you've almost mastered the skill.

You still love your jumperoo. You squeal and smile in it and can play for 15+ minutes happily, which is great in the morning when I'm trying to gulp coffee, eat breakfast and get ready for the day. You also love to bounce if we hold you on our laps. Busy little legs.

When we ask you "How big is Austin?", you can lift your hands over your head when we say "SO BIG." Your GranJan taught you this and we had no idea you could do it until a few days ago!

We started you on solid foods this month and so far, so good. You've tried squash, sweet potatoes, peas, green beans, rice cereal, oatmeal, avocado, carrots and bananas. I'm trying to be patient with the "wait 3 days before introducing a new food" rule, but its hard because I'm so curious to see what you will like.

Eating food has changed your schedule for the better. You now nurse or take a bottle 5 times a day - 7, 11, 3, 7 and 10 and "eat" breakfast, lunch and dinner too. You've been sleeping great - from about 8 or so to 6:30/7am. I even had to wake you up one time at 7:30. Naps are getting more consistent too. You usually sleep for an hour to an hour and a half around 9, then again around 1 and then you take a short catnap around 5 or 5:30 depending on how the afternoon went.
The doctor told us to drop the 10pm dreamfeed today, so we'll see how tonight goes.

This month you also celebrated your first Easter and your first St. Patrick's Day! The "first" holidays are so fun.

As always, we can't wait to see what this month will bring!