Freddie's First Christmas

You started your day digging in Gammie's cabinet.

Mama didn't take any pictures today, but I think that's a sign of a good day, filled with chasing you around.


We spent lots of time cuddling too. You are such a love.


You got lots of goodies: books, toys, a bike seat, and a helmet.


You were into the books.


The helmet? Not so much.


Your mama is a real skier now with fancy new skis and boots. We're off to the mountains and I cannot wait to get you into the snow.

43 Weeks + 1 day

Well, dearest, I missed your Thursday photo shoot so we're a day late. We are in Denver this week for the holidays so things have been hectic. You're handling everything in stride.

Most notable at 43 weeks:

• You are a waving maniac. You sit straight up in your stroller at wave at each and ever person we pass in the park. It's the queen's wave.
  
• I am sure if these photos do it justice, but you flash a cheesy grin as soon as you seem the camera. You're a ham.
  
• You're carrying on conversations with your babbling, complete with expressive hand gestures. Is that the New Orleans yat shining through?

That's all baby doll. It's been a long day, and we're enjoying every minute of you.

I just love my guys

We Love the Hornets

Our team's not so hot this year, but they've got time yet to warm up I suppose. We still like going to the games, complete with beers and hot dogs. Tonight we made it in time to meet James Posey before the game and listen to some Trombone Shorty at the pregame festivities. Tonight's celebrity sightings: Kim Kardashian and Deion Sanders. Surely both are in town for tomorrow night's big Saints v. Cowboys game. Reggie Bush better have been at home in bed, resting for tomorrow's game, leaving Ms. Kardashian to find fun in NOLA by herself!

Visiting Santa

Freddie and Ian visited Santa at the mall. Last year Ian would not go near Santa. This year he was perfectly fine sitting with him and I think it was because he was highly entertained by Freddie wailing over on Santa's other knee.

The photographer was able to get Freddie to stop crying just for a bit but then when he looked up at Santa he just lost it again. No love for Santa this year.

42 Weeks

It's official...you will not sit down, or sit still, at all. Period. Not even for a picture.


I'll make do since you're just so darn cute.

Jamming in another goldfish

I will go ahead and say that I think you've got the Mama and Dada applied to the right folks. I also think you say "Heeeeeeyyyyy!" and "dog" but I am not certain of that just yet. You are certainly saying something and your eyebrows are just a going along with your mouth, moving up and down.


You are interested in everything, especially the tiny stuff. You spot something and you make your way to it and slowly pull out your right index finger to examine it. I am very interested to see what you'll do in the snow next week.


You're still dancing and my favorite move is the "shake a leg". IF you are crawling along and hear a beat that you like you'll stick your leg out and wiggle it around before moving on. You'll also get your head a bobbing. I, of course, get right to dancing when I see you doing it.



You love your Daddy and I love watching you love him. Everything stops when you hear him come home in the evenings. You lean over and crane your neck to try to get a glimpse of him as he comes around the corner and into the room. And then when you lock eyes...oh boy.

Christmas: Part I

Since we'll be out of town for Christmas day and there are a few gifts under the tree for Bug we decided to start spending some time over the next week unwrapping.


He was *very* interested in tearing off the wrapping paper.


Sometimes it was large pieces at a time, but a good bit of it was his precise placement of his tiny little fingers on the edge of the paper and taking just a small piece at a time.


He knew exactly what to do when he saw his gift from Santa.


Music video release date pending, but you know it's coming!

Advent calenders

So, I know the season of "Advent" is the beginning of the church year and the Advent calender is symbolic of the anticipation and hope Christians have for the new year. I've had many years of religious education and colored my fair share of advent calenders and wreaths in elementary school. But hey, who's to say I can't reinvent a new use for the trusty Advent calender?

It appear as though the toothbrush is replacing the spoon as his favorite toy.

We've been trying out an Advent calender filled with little treats as we search for some traditions for our family. It was tough to find small treasures to fill each of the 24 hats/mittens. Those are pretty small little spaces. Maybe when Freddie gets a little older it will be easier to fill with magic. After all, what a young child finds to be interesting and magical is rather abundant, and more often than not, teeny tiny. Think shiny pebbles, sparkly rings, interesting string....things that would certainly make him happy now but would make Mama fear he'd choke. Thie year it was mostly finger puppets and tiny trucks.


Note to self: each child will need his/her own calendar. Nope, maybe the kids can share but Charlie will definitely need his own calendar.

Our second calender has really tiny pockets. They looked just right for notes so I filled it with just that. I think it's more like a gratitude calender, naming something I love about my life with Charlie each day. I suppose maybe this would be more appropriate in November as we approach Turkey Day, but I didn't get down the boxes with the calender until too late in the month. Maybe I'll make a Turkey themed pocket calender and we'll start another tradition. Anyone up for a craft project?


So as to not forget, this year's notes (Charlie, DO NOT READ THESE. You'll read them soon enough:

• Charlie’s big hair in the morning makes Erin smile. Even if she’s not smiling on the outside, she’s smiling on the inside for sure.
• Thank you for loving Bug so much. I so love sharing parenting with you.
• Thank you for understanding what makes me crazy and doing everything humanly possible to keep that side of me under wraps, but still being loving and caring when my crazy patch is showing.
• I know that Bug and I are your #1 priority. I can feel it and can see it in your actions and your choices. Thank you.
• Thank you for letting me sneak in an extra hour of sleep in the morning. It helps me feel better and I love hearing you and the Bug downstairs together while I lie in bed.
• Thank you for decorating our house and making our home cozy during the holidays. It feels special.
• Thanks for making us smile every single day.
• Thank you for doing the gross stuff…taking out the trash, scooping poop, bathing the dogs.
• I love your blue eyes.
• Thank you for agreeing to all of our self-portraits. I love looking back at all of them.
• You always tell me how beautiful I am just at the right moment. Thank you.
• Thanks for telling me all about your research. I love how excited you get, so it doesn’t matter if I understand what in the world you are talking about.
• You make the best pancakes, bacon, and bloody mary dinners!
• I like when you tell me I am a SUPERSTAR and that you are proud of me!
• Thanks for always asking how our day was and wanting to know all of the *details*.
• Thank you for asking about my seminar and how all of my planned activities went over. You’re a good listener.
• You make me feel appreciated when you tell me what a good mommy and wife I am.
• I like getting surprise text messages from you during the day. It’s nice to know you think about me.
• I love all of the jewelry you’ve picked for me, especially my wedding ring. (not a hint, really!)
• Thanks for turning on the heater in the bathroom before I get there.
• I like when we hold hands in the car. I even like your squeeze and release maneuver. It makes me smile.
• Thanks for insisting that I buy cute clothes and shoes for myself. I will be following those orders soon.
• I like when we play games. Of course I like to win, but it also makes me feel good to see you win every once in a while too. Love the competition!
• You give the best hugs. Thanks for making me slow down to enjoy a hug or two each day.

Lovin'

• Ornaments from our travels
• Baby toes
• Warm blankets
• Soups
• Dinners with friends
• Christmas cards
• Who Dat fever
• Christmas music
• The pitter patter of crawling knees
  
• Afternoons with nothing planned
• PJs all day long
  

41 Weeks

You are trying your best to climb lately and your feet are leaving the floor some days.


Give me my cup back, Mama. I worked so hard to grab it.


Now you'll let go of the furniture all together and stand for a second or two. It's all because you need BOTH hands to play or to remove the hat on your head.


Napping has been tough because you stand up in your crib s soon as I put you in and just stand there and pout until I come for you.



I do like finding you standing in your crib in the morning after a long nights sleep because you are standing on your tip toes, peering over the top of the crib, grinning at me.




You are officially hooked on being rocked to sleep. Yep, all my fault. I can't help myself. This week we took a nap in the chair together. It felt so nice to just close my eyes with you curled up on my chest.



Your new love is goldfish crackers. You really like to bang on your tray and watch them bounce around. It is even better to watch them fly from your tray to the floor if the doggies are nearby.



I'm thinking you're going to be right handed. I am also thinking you're going to have a thing for loud music. You love banging and dancing or banging and watching us dance is even better...it gets lots of giggles.



It is hard to believe that you'll be a year old in a few months. I have been thinking about that a lot lately. This has been the fastest year of my life. Sometimes I just want time to stop because everything feels pretty perfect lately.



We love you. You are my Buggers.

9 Months Baby Pictures

Evidently there is quite a bit of lint on my scanner from the looks of some of these scanned images. Sorry for the poor quality, but I hope you enjoy the cheesy grin.



I wish his top teeth were more visible in these photos, but he was on the sleepy side when these were taken so the mouth wasn't open as wide as usual.



Chantelle sent this sock monkey romper for him when he arrived and it is still a bit too big. I love, love, love it and am hoping he still fits in it this spring.


I can't believe the next time we go to the trusty ole KMart photographer Freddie will be a year old!


I wonder if he'll have any new props, because I think we've used just about all of them in this set alone.

Muppet

This would be our Muppey Dog.


He's 14, arthritic, and trouble. The grouchy old man and Boo Dog managed to hit the streets last night, unattended, for about 20 minutes. When Charlie realized they had slipped out the gate he hopped in the truck and found them high tailing it through the neighborhood, 4 blocks from our house.

When they arrived home, after a thorough lecturing, we realized Muppet was bleeding in several spots, was missing another tooth, and had brush burns along his belly and chin. Not at all surprising that he managed to get into a tousle with something while he was away, but his breathing pattern seemed irregular and labored. I had imagined he endured some sort of blunt force and feared he had punctured a lung or had other internal injury.

Off to the emergency vet we went. The vet surmised from his road rash that he had been hit by a car.


An IV, xrays, pain medication, an overnight stay for observation and monitoring, and $750 later, the grumpy old man is back at home. He got a Drew Brees #9 bandage and some pain meds. He's not interested in eating, so I know he's not feeling well. He's obviously sore, hobbling around.

This little incident gave us the opportunity to talk about how far we are willing to take medical care for the dogs. While our pockets aren't infinite we both agreed to "reasonable" care to give each a few more years.


Since Muppey is 14 we've already discussed how we'll know when euthanization is the most humane choice. Charlie was afraid Muppet was going to miss out on his "last rites," an Abita Amber and Parkway's roast beef poboy at The Fly.

I think we may be at the fly this week with both dogs, Bug, and a picnic dinner. You can never be too careful.

Lead

Talked to the nurse this morning.

Freddie's lead level is up. It's 6. Three months ago it was 3.

I am feeling very anxious but am trying to hold on to that medical standard of it needing to remain below 9 before we worry.

It upsets me more that it is rising than it does that it is 6, if that makes sense. I'd probably be hysterical if I didn't have such a rational husband.

We're going to try to be even better with our previous list of precautions and amp them up as well...more mopping, more dog bathing. But I really wish I knew what the true source of contamination was. Maybe testing the floor for lead dust just to get an idea of the lead on the floor on an average day would help. Perhaps there is another source? I am also curious what the "average" lead level is for babes. I know it should be 0, but how common is a level of 6 in a 9 month old?

40 Weeks

40 Weeks! It's up late tonight, but I didn't forget. It's just that the days seem to be escaping me and it is bedtime before I know it.


So here you are, 40 weeks old and fresh out of the tub. I can hardly get you to sit for a picture anymore. You seem to know the routine and give me a few clicks but then you have got to get moving.


Especially since you know the bow I took from you is on the table next to you.


You have been very cuddly lately. Your Daddy likes to get you from the crib in the morning because you like to give some snuggles when you get scooped up. The two of you spend a few minutes in the rocking chair before the two of you come crawl back into bed for a few minutes of family cuddles before we start the day. I love that part of the day more than anything.

Um, what are those flashes? I am trying to read my book.

Oh, you want me to cheese it up? Got it.

You're really moving around the house these days, cruising from item to item and sometimes finding yourself stuck and having to call for help. This week you did abandon your walker to crawl in the interest of saving time. You are also beginning to be more willing to plop down on your bottom to explore things on the ground, but you usually decide that you need to stand right back up.

What in the world did Aunt Jessica send me???

You have started to make your kissey noises whenever we see a dog at the park. Most dogs acknowledge you but if they don't you start flapping your arms and screeching. You will not be ignored.

That's my boy!

Lovin'

• Advent calenders
• Cool nights
• Football cheering
• Reading stories
• Folded laundry
  
• Anticipation
• Clack, clack, clacking of the walker
• Mailing packages
• Snowsuit bundled babe
• Organized closet
• Hot coffee
• Jabbering on long walks
• Reading recipes

Brownie Candy Cups

I've seen this on a few blogs, but I think most of the variations can be linked back to Bakerella for the inspiration.


This recipe may mean I need to get a mini muffin pan! These were WONDERFUL and very easy.

Ingredients:

• 1 box brownie mix
• Eggs, water, and vegetable oil (in the amounts listed on your brownie package)
• Mini Reese's cups, frozen, then unwrapped
• Reynolds 2-inch aluminum foil mini cups for muffins

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place foil muffin liners on cookie sheet. (About 25)
   
2. Combine brownie mix, eggs, water and oil according to mix directions.
3. Fill each liner with 1 tablespoon of brownie batter so that each is about 1/2 full.
4. Push a peanut butter cup into the center of each.
5. Bake for 15 minutes and remove from oven.
6. Let cool completely.

He's still alive

Beads in his belly have not affected his ability to run through the house and shake that booty. Love that he got his own beat going with the banging and had to give a little shake before moving on. That boy loves to dance.

Passing Time

I was wondering when it was going to happen. Saturday morning when Charlie went to get Freddie from the crib he was standing up, gnawing away at the sleep sheep strapped to the railing. He'd pulled himself up! I was a little disappointed I didn't get to see him standing there but happy Charlie got to see that moment since he's usually just hearing about it or waiting for me to recreate it.

This morning I heard Bug stirring in his crib around 6am and then I finally went in to get him about 7am when he was fussing. I hoped to find him standing there, but instead found him chewing on a beaded leg from the horse that's been hanging on his crib. It was a gift from someone in Charlie's lab from India. She explained it to be like the stork, a creature that delivers babies, and had given it to us when we were in the midst of fertility treatments. The talisman hung on the crib for a year before Bug was even conceived and it made me happy to see it there. Except, I should have known those beaded legs would be irresistible and within his reach.

Penny under a wooden bead for size reference.
It is bigger than the plastic beads.

He was really miffed when I yanked the thread from his mouth and did a quick finger sweep. I retrieved on bead and counted the others. Four were unaccounted for, two wooden and two plastic. The mattress was pulled up and the furniture shifted around. Still no sign of those 4 beads. I assume they're long gone, down his throat.

He's acted fine all day. No problems that I can tell. I've gotten one back, but still hoping to get the other three. And if I don't get the other three, do I take him in or do I wait for him to show some sign of distress or blockage???

** 7am Monday Update: One big wooden bead has made it through for sure and I am pretty sure the other has passed in parts. Scared the hell out of me this experience.

Celebration in the Oaks

Tonight we headed out to City Park to take in some holiday cheer. The lights were on this weekend for Celebration in the Oaks.

Checking out the trains. We must get one for under our tree.

We had a few margaritas and some yummy dinner at Juan's before heading over to the park.


We were trying to get a family photo for the card, but didn't do so well. I am not sure what I am going to do about that card.


We visited the spot where we got married. They had just turned the lights on for the season the night we got married. Bug was *very* impressed when I told him about our wedding.


We ran into the Hendersons, and Freddie got in some laughs at Uncle Lee.



Storyland is always my favorite part, probably since I remember many afternoons here as a child.

We visited the three little pigs.

And Pinocchio!

Freddie even got to tell Santa what he wants for Christmas. In the few seconds before he burst into tears he smiled for the camera and put in a good word for his Daddy.


That smile is the nervous "why is my Mama walking away from me" smile he gives moments before the tears. He did better than the two screaming kids in front of him.


It was different visiting the park as a trio. I think tonight will be spent lying in bed, smiling as we talk about this Christmas and the next and the next, and all that we wish and hope and dream for our family and son.

9 month well visit

Freddie's Stats:

Weight: 16 lbs 10 oz. (Below the 5th percentile)
Length: 27 inches (5-10th percentile)
Head Circumference: 45.8 cm (50th percentile)

Vaccinations:

• H1N1 booster
  

My concerns:

• Lead: We did another test. Should have results early next week.
  
• More solids, less breast milk: Freddie has been eating lots more solids and his nursing time with meals is decreasing significantly. And this is just what's supposed to happen, but we did spend some time talking about his eating habits since he has now dipped below his growth curve and has fallen off the charts. So when I told her he is still nursing 5 times a day and his breakfast this morning was 6 oz applesauce, 3-4 tablespoons oatmeal, 1/2 banana, and 4 oz yogurt after a vigorous nursing 30 minutes prior all of her concerns vanished. She said it isn't unusual for babies to bounce around their growth curve during this 9 month growth spurt and for small babies that means they may fall off the chart for a bit. She did find him to be rather active while he was there and assured me he is probably burning a lot of calories with his gross motor activity being on the upswing. His thunder thighs also helped allay any concerns. So his growth will continue to be monitored but no immediate interventions to consider now.
  
• Sleeping: Night sleeping sounds just right and recommended I should go with my gut feelings on naps, and thought it was typical to transition in to one longer midday nap.
  

She had no concerns about his development. She thought he'd be walking sooner than later. She asked about his poops, his babbling, his other motor development and thought all looked good. Healthy baby.

Only shot today was H1N1 booster and he cried as soon as he saw the syringe. When the cap came off the needle he wailed. A whole lot of drama that ended as soon as the band aid was on. He didn't seem phased by the blood draw for the lead test. It was a finger prick where he had to bleed 2 vials full of blood. Last time this wasn't so pleasant, but this time around he seemed pretty interested in what was going on but grew tired of having his finger held for so long.

Next appointment: 12 month well visit, February 2010