Franklin Falls

Memorial Day weekend was wonderful.  Sunshine on Saturday, so we headed into the Cascade Mtns for a hike.  Our original plan flopped because Snoqualmie Falls is closed until 2013 - no hiking options there.  We drove further East to Denny Creek, and decided a 2 mile hike in to Franklin Falls would be awesome.  We were not anticipating so much snow!  But, after all the effort we were determined to have a family outing, so we pressed forward snow and all.  A little slippery, a little wet, a little whining, a little pottying in the woods, and we made it. : )  It was beautiful and memorable.  The kids are actually great hikers.  We'll have to do more of this in the summer w/o the snow.

On Monday Marcus was talking to me about the hike and how cool he thought it was.  Then he said, "Mom, if Grant were here who would carry him?".  Good question I thought.  I told Marcus truthfully that if Grant were here with us now we most likely wouldn't have Owen (not 100% positive on that, but pretty sure twins would have been enough for us to handle).  Then I thought for a moment about Owen's gentle and happy spirit.  How could we not have him in our family?  And I thought of Grant's selfless, tender spirit that exuded such strength the short time he was on this earth.  How could we not have him in our family either?  Tough questions from a seven-year-old.

Three months - Owen

Owen is a chub.  There is no two ways about it. [sorry little guy, but I have to post the naked picture...you just have too many cute rolls]. Clothing-wise he is barely fitting into the 3 to 6 month stuff.  Legs and arms are chubby and very squeezable.  He even has chubby cheeks – he kind of looks like Droopy Dog (the old cartoon).  He is sweet though and has a very sweet face.

Eyes:  Still blue

Hair:  Still in that funny balding phase.  I think he’s rubbed most of it off, except that little rooster tuft on top.  Hair that is growing back in is lighter.  Darker brown hair for the top tuft.  He has an oval shaped completely bald spot in the back – you can tell he’s a back sleeper.  

Eating:  Nursing still.  Typically goes 3 to 4 hours between feeds during the day, and usually only wakes once at night to eat.  Owen is a spitter.  After every feed he spits up tons of milk.  I’m surprised he is as big as he is.  This leads to lots of laundry and often lots of messes for mom to clean-up. But I’ll do it in a heartbeat because he is so dang cute!

Sleeping: Last night he slept all the way through the night (5/21), I fed him at 7pm, he went to bed around 8:30 and then slept until 6:30am!  What a blessing for me.  He naps about 3 times a day.  Not on a super regular schedule because he has to sleep when he can (in the car seat or the baby bjorn). : )  Poor fourth child.

  

Personality:  This little man is starting to “wake up” and enjoy his surroundings.  He will focus on people now, and is responding with smiling, laughing, cooing or blowing raspberries with his mouth.  Sometimes you can get him to giggle by tickling under his chin or on his cheek.  He is interested in looking at his surroundings, particularly drawn to the other children and to light.  When he gets excited he kicks his legs and wiggles his arms around.  Flying appendages, pretty funny because he has no control at this point.  He also is pretty much holding up his head on his own, at times can be a little bobble-head, but mostly does it on his own.  Owen no longer flinches when you burp him or pat him on the back.  He is adjusting to being held, loved, cuddled and at times overly-hugged by siblings. : )  He likes to “have conversations” and it’s pretty darn cute.  We feel so lucky Owen’s sweet and tender spirit is in our home and part of our family.  We love him and are eager for his personality to emerge. 

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the important women in my life.  I have learned so much from all of you and appreciate the love and support to help me become a better woman and mother.

We had a lovely picnic at the beach park today, excellent warm weather and sunshine made for a fun afternoon/evening shared with my parents and my sister and her husband.

The kids showered me with mother's day gifts. Breakfast in bed - delicious pancakes.  Lovely card from Marcus with special Mom coupons: my favorite "This Mother's Day coupon is good for: 10,0000 hugs and kisses"!  Yeah.  I love it.  Brooklyn made me a card at preschool too.  We had a lovely Mother's Day Tea at her preschool earlier in the week, and she said in her card "I love my mother because she lets us have Pirate Booty and she gives me cheese pizza and raisins when I want them."  I think the greatest gift was from Owen...he slept through the night last night (I mean really slept through the night...9pm to 9am....amazing!).  I'm so grateful for my family.  They bless me in so many ways.

Almost captured the cutest smile...

...but foiled by random child jumping in front of the camera. (Thank you Brooklyn!) Hope to capture cute Owen's smile soon.  He is getting to be so responsive and interactive.  Not to mention he is on top of his pop culture - loving Angry Birds already. : )

2 teeth missing!!

Bottom front two teeth finally came out (or were yanked out by dentist Dad) since the permanent ones were growing in behind....kind of like a shark with two rows of teeth.  I wasn't home when the yanking occurred, but heard there was some yelping.  I could see why as Aaron has no dental tools at home, only dental floss and a washcloth.  Ouch!  Tooth fairy came and sweet Marcus is $2 richer.  Way to go kid!  He's so grown-up.  

It goes too fast. 

Happy Easter

Owen at 1-month

Owen at one month.

Blue eyes. 

Dark brown hair, mostly a big tuft in back and "shaved" in the front according to Brooklyn.  

Started cooing.

Enjoys some tummy time, but mostly just likes to be held when he's awake.  Owen doesn't really know what to do when he's awake, so he mostly cries and then thinks he needs to eat.  

He doesn't really like the infant chair or swing or pacifier...working on all of those.

Loves to cuddle - still fits in my arms with his feet tucked under him (he likes to be in fetal position).

Sleeping: typically wakes up two times during night. Sleeps a lot still during day. Not really on a regular schedule yet, as we are juggling getting kids to/from places Owen has to go with the flow (i.e. nap in car).  

Eating: nursing still.  Spits up a lot - hard to burp.  Have to keep him upright about 1/2 hr after I feed him just to get all the air out.   

Weight:  at two weeks of age he was 10 lb. 2 oz, so I can only guess around 12 lb.??

Clothing: in 0-3 mo. size just barely.  He's so long he'll be out of it in no time.

First outing to park with mom and his 3 siblings.  Owen slept the whole time, although he did enjoy the sunshine from his car seat while mom watched him and the others.  

Enjoys when his Dad bounces/rocks him, being held by mom or anyone, looking around outside, nursing, sleeping, messing his diaper, bedding and everything else. : )  He's a wonderful baby!!  

We love little O, big O, our little Owee.