April 30, 2010
Welcome Sophia Anne!
On April 25, our brother Chris and sister-in-law Shannon welcomed their first child, a beautiful girl named Sophia Anne. She was born at 7:17am weighing 7lbs 11oz, and measuring 20in. We went down to Austin to welcome her into the world and to help them get settled in at home. Sophie is such a sweet, precious baby, and Ben was fascinated with her immediately. I think it's probably the first baby he has seen, other than the "baby in the mirror" he is so enamored with ;) We had a great visit and were so happy to meet our niece and Ben's cousin Sophie!!! I know they will have lots of great times together, being able to grow up almost the same age and share holidays, weekends, vacations, etc together.
April 23, 2010
Back to Work
My maternity leave ended at the end of March, and I decided to give "work-work" (as I like to call it ... differentiating from the "work" I do all day every day as a full-time Momma :) ) a shot on a part-time basis. Wasn't sure how I was going to feel about going back to work, and I still don't know how it's going to be, but I figured I will never know unless I try!
I have always wanted to be a Mom and have the ability to be at home with my child(ren), but then I had found a rewarding career in brand consulting and business development. Now I can see benefits to both these careers, and I think I may want to try and do both. But I hate doing things par or sub-par, so I want to be sure that I am not compromising anything by trying to manage both. We will give it some time and see how it goes.
For now, this is a typical scene:
UPDATE 5/10:
Being back at work part-time from the house is working out great! I really think each job actually helps me be better at the other one. Although it is challenging to manage my time and still get everything done that I would like on a daily basis, I do enjoy pushing myself to try and do more than I thought I could.
I will say though, I underestimated the dynamic of work deadlines versus personal deadlines. My new boss at home Benjamin doesn't tolerate being late for meetings or missing assignments, and he often doesn't give me a heads up about what is going to be expected of me on a given day - he's one of those bosses that decides he wants something and wants it 5 minutes ago - you know the type ;) Then work-work deadlines are hard and fast (i.e. we need this proposal done by the end of the day) and sometimes I don't have those hours to spare, depending on how my day job goes. So I have found myself doing work-work a lot in the evenings, and housework on the weekends to play catch up. Jeff has also been a huge help and support system, doing whatever he can to take care of Ben and the house when I am working against a deadline. I really think it's the right arrangement for us at this point in time, and feel very fortunate to have a great husband and company that are supportive and flexible for this arrangement.
I have always wanted to be a Mom and have the ability to be at home with my child(ren), but then I had found a rewarding career in brand consulting and business development. Now I can see benefits to both these careers, and I think I may want to try and do both. But I hate doing things par or sub-par, so I want to be sure that I am not compromising anything by trying to manage both. We will give it some time and see how it goes.
For now, this is a typical scene:
UPDATE 5/10:
Being back at work part-time from the house is working out great! I really think each job actually helps me be better at the other one. Although it is challenging to manage my time and still get everything done that I would like on a daily basis, I do enjoy pushing myself to try and do more than I thought I could.
I will say though, I underestimated the dynamic of work deadlines versus personal deadlines. My new boss at home Benjamin doesn't tolerate being late for meetings or missing assignments, and he often doesn't give me a heads up about what is going to be expected of me on a given day - he's one of those bosses that decides he wants something and wants it 5 minutes ago - you know the type ;) Then work-work deadlines are hard and fast (i.e. we need this proposal done by the end of the day) and sometimes I don't have those hours to spare, depending on how my day job goes. So I have found myself doing work-work a lot in the evenings, and housework on the weekends to play catch up. Jeff has also been a huge help and support system, doing whatever he can to take care of Ben and the house when I am working against a deadline. I really think it's the right arrangement for us at this point in time, and feel very fortunate to have a great husband and company that are supportive and flexible for this arrangement.
April 19, 2010
New Noises!
Over the weekend, we went down to Austin to celebrate Grandpa L's birthday. Benjamin always LOVES Grandpa's animated faces, and he seems to especially like talk about trucks, cars, airplanes and anything that goes fast ;) Anyway, this video really captures Ben's range of vocal talents at 3 months, 3 weeks old. At this point, he makes some noise throughout the entire day, but seems to have just 1 or 2 times during the day where he really lets loose and explores his full repertoire of noises. His occasional fussiness and fist chewing is also on display, thanks to the little tooth that's making its way out ... Thank you Aunt Shannon for taking the video and uploading it for us!
Baby Ben from Lee Productions on Vimeo.
Baby Ben from Lee Productions on Vimeo.
April 10, 2010
A Week of Firsts
Last week, Ben and I traveled to Hudson to visit my Mom, Dad and brother Patrick. It was a week of firsts for our little precious ... his first plane ride, his first LAUGH and his first TOOTH started cutting through! Wow ... we had so much fun, and it was neat to share these milestones with our family.
Ben did great on the plane - I nursed him on the way up and way down so the pressure in his ears would equalize. Then he slept or just hung out the rest of the time. Several people came up to me after the flight and said what a good baby he was - and I swear I could detect a sense of relief that they didn't have to listen to a screaming baby during the flight. Or maybe I just imagined that because that would have been me pre-baby.
The big belly laugh happened on Tuesday, and hasn't really happened again since then (5 days later). My mom had him on the changing table and started tickling him up his stomach to his neck. He was smiling and cooing and gooing, and all of a sudden, CHUCKLE CHUCKLE CHUCKLE! My mom and I freaked out and both started laughing and crying at the same time because it was the sweetest, most unexpected expression of happiness from Baby Ben. It was sooooo cute. I immediately grabbed the camera and tried to record it, but he only made half-chuckle sounds after that one big outburst.
The next day he was pretty fussy, and he had been drooling a lot, so we tried to get a good look at his lower gumline, and sure enough, there is the tiniest speck of a white tooth bud peeking through! We got some oragel and teethers at the store, and have continued to monitor its progress. I can't believe my little baby is already getting a tooth! It makes me think he is growing up too fast already! Once he has teeth in his smile he won't look like an infant anymore.
We had a full week of activities in Hudson ... we went for a hike, a run, lots of walks, out to a yummy pizza dinner, and my mom even had a bunch of friends over one night to meet the baby and have a party :) My Grammy made her first trip in a few years and came up to see the new baby. It was very special. I think Benjamin loved meeting his Great Grammy! One thing is for sure - this babe is very loved, and has several new admirers in the state of Ohio.
It was an awesome week and we miss them already! Can't wait to get back up there in June for Patrick's graduation from OSU!
Ben did great on the plane - I nursed him on the way up and way down so the pressure in his ears would equalize. Then he slept or just hung out the rest of the time. Several people came up to me after the flight and said what a good baby he was - and I swear I could detect a sense of relief that they didn't have to listen to a screaming baby during the flight. Or maybe I just imagined that because that would have been me pre-baby.
The big belly laugh happened on Tuesday, and hasn't really happened again since then (5 days later). My mom had him on the changing table and started tickling him up his stomach to his neck. He was smiling and cooing and gooing, and all of a sudden, CHUCKLE CHUCKLE CHUCKLE! My mom and I freaked out and both started laughing and crying at the same time because it was the sweetest, most unexpected expression of happiness from Baby Ben. It was sooooo cute. I immediately grabbed the camera and tried to record it, but he only made half-chuckle sounds after that one big outburst.
The next day he was pretty fussy, and he had been drooling a lot, so we tried to get a good look at his lower gumline, and sure enough, there is the tiniest speck of a white tooth bud peeking through! We got some oragel and teethers at the store, and have continued to monitor its progress. I can't believe my little baby is already getting a tooth! It makes me think he is growing up too fast already! Once he has teeth in his smile he won't look like an infant anymore.
We had a full week of activities in Hudson ... we went for a hike, a run, lots of walks, out to a yummy pizza dinner, and my mom even had a bunch of friends over one night to meet the baby and have a party :) My Grammy made her first trip in a few years and came up to see the new baby. It was very special. I think Benjamin loved meeting his Great Grammy! One thing is for sure - this babe is very loved, and has several new admirers in the state of Ohio.
It was an awesome week and we miss them already! Can't wait to get back up there in June for Patrick's graduation from OSU!
March 30, 2010
March 25, 2010
Three Months
Precious Benjamin,
Today you are 3 months old!!! My what a smart boy you are. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you as you learn, grow and change each and every day.
It's the end of your "fourth trimester" so the baby scientists would consider you to truly be ready for life outside the womb. And right on track, you seem to be wanting to explore your surroundings and discover things around you more each day. You are sitting up on your arms now, and you kick your legs around and try to get up on your knees like you want to crawl. You have started responding to your name, and you whip your head around when you hear a noise or want to look in a different direction. You stand up on your legs straighter than before, and Daddy is convinced that you could stand on your own if you just keep a wide base and could keep your balance a little better. Personally, I am content with you being a non-mobile baby for the time being :)
You just slept through the night for the first time ... went to bed around 7:30, ate in a dream state at 10:30, and slept til 7:15! When Mommy woke up at 5:30am, I ran to your room and slept the rest of the time in the rocking chair because I couldn't believe you were actually OK sleeping this long. It was nice, and good for you to get such good rest.
You also just started grasping at things. When we hold a toy near your hand, we can see your brain calculating your next move - see object, open all fingers, move arm, close all fingers around object - SUCCESS! You hold onto it tightly for a while and then make a throwing motion and let go, or just drop it unceremoniously because your attention has shifted elsewhere.
You are making lots of wonderful noises, ah-goos, bffs, and every once in a while, you test your vocal range with a squeal to the upper octaves.
You are sunshine in our days and our brightest star at night. Our love for you knows no bounds. We feel blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy and help you realize all the amazing potential that lies within you. We love you angel!
Today you are 3 months old!!! My what a smart boy you are. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you as you learn, grow and change each and every day.
It's the end of your "fourth trimester" so the baby scientists would consider you to truly be ready for life outside the womb. And right on track, you seem to be wanting to explore your surroundings and discover things around you more each day. You are sitting up on your arms now, and you kick your legs around and try to get up on your knees like you want to crawl. You have started responding to your name, and you whip your head around when you hear a noise or want to look in a different direction. You stand up on your legs straighter than before, and Daddy is convinced that you could stand on your own if you just keep a wide base and could keep your balance a little better. Personally, I am content with you being a non-mobile baby for the time being :)
You just slept through the night for the first time ... went to bed around 7:30, ate in a dream state at 10:30, and slept til 7:15! When Mommy woke up at 5:30am, I ran to your room and slept the rest of the time in the rocking chair because I couldn't believe you were actually OK sleeping this long. It was nice, and good for you to get such good rest.
You also just started grasping at things. When we hold a toy near your hand, we can see your brain calculating your next move - see object, open all fingers, move arm, close all fingers around object - SUCCESS! You hold onto it tightly for a while and then make a throwing motion and let go, or just drop it unceremoniously because your attention has shifted elsewhere.
You are making lots of wonderful noises, ah-goos, bffs, and every once in a while, you test your vocal range with a squeal to the upper octaves.
You are sunshine in our days and our brightest star at night. Our love for you knows no bounds. We feel blessed to be your Mommy and Daddy and help you realize all the amazing potential that lies within you. We love you angel!
March 24, 2010
It's No Coincidence ...
... that the day after Ben slept the longest he has ever slept (6 hours straight), I went for my first run since, mmmm, probably 5 months pregnant. It felt good to go for a run. And by "good" I mean it hurt, but it was 30 minutes of free time listening to non-baby music (thank you Pink and Jay-Z) and I felt great once it was finished.
On the sleeping front, we are starting to make a more concerted effort to "train" Ben that he doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night. He has spent so long eating around the 3:30-4:30 hour that I think he is now waking out of habit rather than his body really needing to be fed at that time. At 3 months, he should physiologically/metabolically be able to go at least 8 hours if not longer between the last feeding of the night and the first of the morning, and I always feed him last at 10:30pm. So when he starts to stir, if it's before 5am, Jeff goes in to give him a paci. That's usually all it takes to help baby settle back to sleep. It took 3 nights of this process to get Ben to stop waking around the 2am mark, and now we are working on moving his habitual 3:30-4:30am waketime later too.
And no post would be complete without a picture ... so here are a couple to go along with the sleeping theme.
On the sleeping front, we are starting to make a more concerted effort to "train" Ben that he doesn't need to eat in the middle of the night. He has spent so long eating around the 3:30-4:30 hour that I think he is now waking out of habit rather than his body really needing to be fed at that time. At 3 months, he should physiologically/metabolically be able to go at least 8 hours if not longer between the last feeding of the night and the first of the morning, and I always feed him last at 10:30pm. So when he starts to stir, if it's before 5am, Jeff goes in to give him a paci. That's usually all it takes to help baby settle back to sleep. It took 3 nights of this process to get Ben to stop waking around the 2am mark, and now we are working on moving his habitual 3:30-4:30am waketime later too.
And no post would be complete without a picture ... so here are a couple to go along with the sleeping theme.
March 20, 2010
Bye Bye Swaddle ...
... It's been SO nice having you around. You've been there for us since the beginning, helping Ben feel secure, helping him get important sleep, and aiding him in the transition from the womb to the world. We will miss you!
Lately Ben has been gaining more control of his arms, and with this newfound skill, he no longer appreciates being swaddled tightly to sleep. Another sign he is moving out of the newborn stage - sigh. So now we put him in a "wearable blanket" that's like a long vest/sleep sack. It took him about a day to get used to it, but the process we've incorporated of sitting quietly with him before naps or bed to help him get into a sleep-ready mode has relly helped ease the transition. He's so ready to go o sleep by the time we put him down that he is not depending on the swaddle to help him feel secure.
March 18, 2010
Tummy Time: An Infant Workout
Ben has not been a huge fan of tummy time, but as he approached three months of age, we really tried to be more insistent that he spend increasing amounts of time doing this infant workout. He just reached a big milestone and raised up on his arms! We placed a mirror in front of him as incentive to lift his head up, and he wasted no time getting his arms underneath him to support his weight. He luuuuves that baby in the mirror ;) Way to go Baby Ben! Mommy and Daddy are so proud of you :) This pictures are of your first time getting up on your arms ... the first step to crawling and walking!!!
March 10, 2010
LeeAnn & Ella Come to Visit!
We had a super-fun weekend when my Aunt LeeAnn and Cousin Ella came to visit from SC! Ella was such a doll with Benjamin, and she did a great job picking out outfits, burping him and playing with him. She even read him stories!!!
We enjoyed a great afternoon in Grapevine, and had a fancy night out at my fave sushi restaurant Steel. We shopped, ate, drank, and visited all weekend, and it was awesome.
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