Settling in...

Dear Family and Friends who still check into this blog:

I am so sorry I haven't kept up with this blog. Things have been hectic with moving and getting settled in to our new rental house. But, we're finally getting all unpacked and hopefully within the next couple weeks I'll be able to get caught up on here.

T is doing very well. We had his 9 month check up last week and everything looked great. We got a new "lotion" for the eczema that isn't being helped by living in a dry environment; unfortunately we still have a very itchy baby. Other than that he's developing well. He wants to stand all the time and has started creeping along furniture, but he often wants to get to something quickly before we pull it away from him so he'll get on all fours and crawl as fast as possible...which is insanely fast as far as we're concerned!

Again, I'm sorry for the lack of updates and I thank you for continuing to check in on us!

-J

A few "Month 3" shots...

Just a few shots I got before we left for VA...

He LOVES this stationary jumper!

Trying some baby cereal...I know it was a little early but I decided my big boy was hungrier and he wasn't pushing the food or spoon out (clearly!)...and maybe I was desperate for him to start sleeping better. The cereal didn't catch on for a couple weeks. He stayed interested, he just didn't seem to like the taste much after a couple of bites.

Such a happy boy sporting his HMM 268 "Dragon Drool" bib!

Surprise!

T got to meet his Uncle Andrew!

A few days before we left for Virginia, my brother called me to tell he'd be flying into California on a work trip...well he's an AF C-17 pilot so when I say "flying into", I mean that. Literally. ;-) So he came to see me and meet T! It was a super short visit but in my opinion, it's not the length of time that matters, just that you cherish the time you had!

D's new hobby...

SURFING!

D came back from deployment having already comissioned this surfboard (see below) to be custom made (with a little help from me) it was done the week he returned. He'd surfed maybe once or twice during college but for some reason while being surrounded by dirt he decided he needed to be surrounded by water...a lot of it. Whatever his initial reasons for picking up this new (some times very time consuming) hobby it has become a great outlet to relieve work stress...and possibly some stress from his wife who's possibly annoyed that it can be so time consuming??? ;-)

D's custom made surfboard made by WaveWeapons

One of the few times I actually could snap a picture of D, knowing it was him I was taking a picture of!

In order to be spending time together those first few days back before heading off to Virginia we did a lot of beach trips so D could practice surfing... T and I made the most of it. He loves the beach I found out which is awesome since D and I have always loved the beach...but I definitely learned that going to the beach with a baby in tow is a completely different experience from our "Grab a couple towels and a book and hit the sand" days!! (And maybe I should add that I learned going to the beach with a baby you're responsible for is a new experience...I have definitely been to the beach with my nieces when they were babies...I just didn't have to be the one responsible for them!)

Of course, a beautiful sunset always makes the beach trips so worth it! :-)

Happy First Halloween!!

Daddy Time!

With Dave's return, T and I found ourselves at the beach, a lot! Dave came back with a desire to take up surfing. He said after months of being surrounded by dirt and sand, he wanted to be surrounded by water. We didn't mind so much since all that mattered to us was spending time together as a family!

Dave calming T down while we were grabbing lunch at one of our favorite Oceanside cafes. Dave quickly discovered that by singing to T, he'd calm down almost instantly (for Dave). I think it must of been here where T's love of a certain favorite song of Dave's began...

At Torrey Pines State Beach

Appropriate onesie I found that someone had given us!
At our friend's 1st Birthday party T fell fast asleep in Daddy's arms!

Dave's favorite bib for T "Wiggle Worm"

We didn't have much time to ourselves before we would take off to Virginia for Dave's post deployment leave for his sister's wedding! Therefore, T's "Third Month" is broken up into a few posts since a lot happened during his third month of life!

Tarleton's Photo Shoot

I figured since the link was long expired, I'd post some of my favorite pictures from Tarleton's 2 week old photo shoot! Enjoy!

Remember this picture?

TaDa!

Welcome Home Daddy!

October 18, 2009...

I had this intricate sign I was going to make...then I realized I just couldn't pull it off with all the last minute stresses that came with D's return (mostly the stress of the "unknown" since we had to relearn life together, now with a baby!) So anyway, I decided to let Boo and Luna help make the sign. This means that there are tons of smudges and paw prints all over the sign. ;-) I had this image of Boo racing across the sign with perfect paw prints but since I'd spent an hour telling him to keep off of the sheet, should I have been surprised that once I gave him permission he was confused?? Regardless, the sign served its purpose and I think everyone knew that at this house, a Daddy was coming home!!

October 2008 at a wive's meeting when we were discussing squadron gifts for new moms, I made this comment that it would be cute to have little flight suits for the babies. I added that if I could find a flight suit I'd bring my child home from the hospital in it...little did I know that a couple weeks later I'd be pregnant. I did not bring my son home in a flight suit but I decided it would be more fitting for him to wear one when his Daddy came home. ;-) A great neighbor of mine even had a real name tape made just for T! Our sign. Yes, I bought $75 worth of beer, and yes, I did go buy $10 worth of tacos THAT morning for my husband...at 8 a.m. ;-) But who could think of Beer or tacos when all we cared about was this moment...

HOME!

The pass off... ;-)

....home...

SO happy! I think D had gotten T to smile here and that's why I was especially happy...giddy really if you couldn't tell.

Our new little family!

Meeting his Lela & Pop Pop!

Just before T turned 2 months old, I took a trip back home to South Carolina to introduce him to his Lela and Pop Pop and the rest of my family. I was very nervous about flying with him so early but excited to be making the trip... T did a fantastic job on the flights. We took a red-eye for the first one and it worked out really well for me to get a couple hours of shut-eye while he slept. The take offs and landings didn't seem to affect him at all! I think on the very last flight coming into San Diego the descent finally affected him. I was so proud that I didn't have "that child" on the plane! ;-)

I arrived to SC just in time for my brother and BL's baby shower for daughter #3! They knew I was coming but my nieces didn't and I love surprising them when I come into town! We only stayed a week and I wish we could have stayed longer. I loved being "home" and sharing T with everyone.

Unfortunately we ended up in the emergency room with the little guy since we woke up Monday morning (we'd arrived on a Saturday) and he had a raging fever. Turns out he had bronchiolitis and an infiltrate of pneumonia. :-( How's that for your first "vacation"? It was a good thing we were only intending on visiting with family since we were stuck indoors for 90% of the week after that diagnosis. It was awful having to experience my sweet baby so sick for the first time but I was thankful that I had such experienced, helpful hands around.

Here are some of the snapshots from our week. I tried to take so many while we were there and I wish I could post them all but I think it might be overwhelming!

Dressed in his "Little Pilot" sleeper for his first plane ride!

BL modeling a cute outfit for Baby M!!

BL was very excited that we made it to the shower. Look, nephew and Auntie coordinate!

Lela pushing T in the outside swing that he LOVED! Cousin E was occasionally helping push as well ;-)

Not quite big enough really, but he just loved being outside. I got him a swing just like this when we got home!

I didn't realize that the weekend we arrived was Grandparent's Day. How great, right?!

Here's Lela and Pop Pop with their grandbabies (minus Baby M who would make her arrival in a couple months ;-)

Lela and Nini (my aunt) and a sleepy baby boy.

T rolled over for the first time while we were at my parents. Of course we missed that very first time since I'd put him down and then looked away and when I looked back he was on his back! I grabbed the camera and for the next several days kept trying to capture it but he just wouldn't do it as long as there was a camera ready! He even has a "What?" kind of look here doesn't he?

Cousin M admiring T. Poor little guy spent a lot of time in his car seat since it elevated him so he wouldn't be so uncomfortable with the gunk in his lungs.

Chillin' with Uncle M. The boys had to stick together with all the ladies around!

We made it out of the house one day so we could go see my Godparents who were anxious to meet T! He slept the whole time we visited but I'm sure next time we see them he'll be much more active and awake!

I got so excited the day it rained because I swore T would probably not see rain again for a long time since it hardly ever rains here in SD. HA HA HA! It's rained so much since that trip back home!!

Pop Pop had picked out this "Prince Charming" onesie. Pop Pop was very smitten with his first Grandson!

We made it out to see one of my niece's soccer games and my good friend J came and met us at the game so she could meet T! I wish we'd remembered to snap a picture before it got dark and we'd been sitting in the SC humidity for a couple hours! Sweet baby is again, sleeping...as he did so much the whole week! I was so happy to see J though, even if only for a short visit.

The Friday before we left, I went and had lunch at my niece (and Goddaughter's) school with her. She's in fifth grade and just turned 11...and she's already taller than me!!

T slept his nights at my parent's house in the cradle that my brothers and I all used when we were babies!

E loved T and was always wanted to hug and kiss him!

Saying goodbye for now to my brother and the girls (minus my niece, M).

The tree is MY oak tree that I convinced my parents to buy when I was probably 12 years old. It's grown A LOT!

:-D This picture pretty much sums up how wonderful and special a trip it was!

We can't wait to go back and visit again!