Highchair

I need highchair recommendations. I have been researching and reading reviews for the past several months, but have waited until now to really get serious. Orim will need a highchair in the next few months once he starts babyfood. It seems that I find one in my price range, but then it gets a mix of good and bad reviews. I suppose that will be the case with all of them. Anyways, are there any good ones worth recommending or staying away from?

Acorn Squash

I have started making baby food for the little man. I figured since I have a deep freeze and I have time in the summer, I better get busy and stay ahead of the game.

I want to be sure to document what I started with and how much I made, so these posts will occur periodically throughout the next several months. Thanks to my sister-in-law, Corinne!! She has walked this road twice already with her two boys, and she has really given me a lot of advice and knowledge when it comes to making homemade baby food.

I bought two acorn squash, cut them in half, and put them upside down in a pan with water. After steaming them 20 minutes at 350 degrees, I let them cool and then scooped out the squash. Pureed it in the blender with the water from the pan.

Two acorn squash filled 22 ice cube servings. My next adventure will be sweet potatoes.

Sega

After several hours of playing in one day, I can officially declare that I’m just as addicted to video games as my husband.

Yesterday, Ryan bought the Xbox 360 game that includes over 40 Sega Genesis games. Including Sonic the Hedgehog!!


Remember Sega??


Brings back good memories from childhood doesn’t it??? We got a Sega from Santa one Christmas, and my brother and I were glued to the Sonic games. We still drag out the old Sega Genesis at my parents house about once or twice a year.


So when Ry saw this game, he thought of me and bought it. He knew I would love it!! It even has the same graphics and sound. Amazing!


And after many hours of playing, saving, and carpal tunnel, I can now say that I have beaten Sonic the Hedgehog!! It only took me about 17 years and the save option to do it, but I did it!! And I’m very proud.

Dr. Robotnik is no more!

Rice

Baby boy started eating rice cereal tonight. He had been waking earlier in the morning and not sleeping as long as he used to, so we thought it was time to give it a try.

He didn't quite know what to think. It was basically like serving him milk on a spoon. He was a mess. The cereal was all over his chin, his nose, and his eyes. I think he ended up getting about half of it in his mouth.

Towards the end, he started bucking his back as he sat there eating. Let's hope he doesn't fight the cereal as much as he does the milk.

Here are a few pictures to document the experience.

Grandpa Orin

So awhile ago, I mentioned that Ryan and I were working on a blog post about Orin’s name and why we chose to name him Orin Dale. As many of you know, he is named after my grandpa, Orin, and Ryan’s grandpa, Dale. We had the post started, but we stopped for fear that it was starting to sound too much like an obituary. So I’m taking a different approach. I want our baby boy to know how we chose his name and how incredible of an honor it is to carry two very special names.

My grandpa, Orin, is a very special man. In fact, he is way too extraordinary to put into words. This post only covers a fraction of the kind of man that he is and will always be in my heart.

Husband- My grandparents have been married for over 50 years. My grandpa provides for and takes care of Grandma. Grandma cooks and cleans for Grandpa. It works for them and they are a living example of a committed and loving marriage.

Dad- Grandpa has three children who look up to him and love him dearly. He talks to his kids at least once a day.

Grandpa- Any of his nine grandchildren would tell you that he is the most caring and loving grandpa anyone could ask for. We always looked forward to seeing him at our sporting events. We also loved going to the slumber parties at Grandma and Grandpa’s house, even though we lived in the same town.

Great-Grandpa- He loves you baby boy more than you will ever know. He felt so honored when he learned of your name. You are a very special boy in his heart!

Family man- Seems like there is always a Sunday meal happening at my grandparent’s house. He loves to have the family over. Nothing makes him happier than his family.

Farmer- He is still farming with his brother. This is his way to provide for him and Grandma. And he still enjoys it and works hard.

Fisherman- He is an avid fisherman. On vacation, he spends most of his time with his grandsons fishing on the lake. It brings him much joy to be with his boys and with the fish!

Strong- Grandpa has huge, strong hands. He is a worker, and he works hard.

Honest- Gramps will tell you what he thinks. Not in so many words, but you can tell what he is thinking and how he feels about something just by the look in his eyes.

Hat collector- He has boxes and boxes of hats. He loves hats. He’s always on the lookout for a new cap. But don’t dare wear them backwards in his presence!

Funny- Just the look on his face gets me laughing. His sound effects when something exciting happens. I could listen to him talk and tell stories forever.

Clever- He’s very smart and witty. Gramps is very intelligent when it comes to math, history, and reading maps.

Social- Even though he is private in some areas of his life, he is still a very social man. Gramps knows a lot of people. He could make friends with anyone.

Listener- He asks you questions, and he truly wants to hear the answer. He wants to know about what is going on in other people’s lives.

Servant hearted- Grandpa is so willing to help other people in need. He serves on a variety of committees in the community and the church. He also selflessly gives of his time and money when it comes to others, especially his kids and grandchildren.

Sly- He always gets a twinkle in his eye if someone says something funny. He may be hard of hearing, but I think he hears more than people think he does.

Grandpa is an amazing man. We praise God that Orin has had the chance to meet him, and we pray that he has many more years to witness and to experience how truly special Grandpa is to all of us.

New Baby Cousin

We went back to see Baby Tucker tonight. They were bored, so we brought pizza and hung out for a few hours. We all took turns cuddling the two babes. People always say they grow up so fast, but it really sunk in tonight after holding both Orin and Tucker.

The three men


Uncle RyRy and Aunt Katie loving on our new nephew




Orin spent part of the night cuddling with Uncle Adam. He seriously stayed like that for quite a while. He didn't move a muscle!


Here are the cousins. They are only 4 months apart. We have a feeling that they will be as thick as thieves.


Look at all the dark hair. We all know who will get the first haircut!

4 Months

Our Baby Boy was four months on Sunday! I want to remember what he was up to at this age. Not that all babies are the same or should be compared, but it will give us an idea of what to expect if God decides to bless us with future little ones.




Orin, this is what you are up to at the age of 4 months:

-You suck and chew on your fingers/fist and our fingers.
-You hold onto our fingers while you drink the bottle so that you can decide when the bottle is in or out of your mouth.
-Sometimes you hold onto the bottle so that you can control when you are done with it, and then you push it away with all your might.
-You still fight the bottle, but you will usually take 3-4 ounces each time and sometimes all 5 ounces.
-You love to talk and coo all the time.
-You laugh and laugh when we tickle you and when we play the “Boo” game.
-You poop like a champ, always during a morning feeding.
-You have rolled over from tummy to back twice (but not on purpose so you haven’t quite caught on yet)
-You enjoy your warm baths to kick and splash.
-You sit in your Bumbo seat from time to time.
-You really like to have Mama around or holding you. I don’t mind because before too long you won’t want to be cuddled and loved on.
-You get cranky if someone isn’t in the room to entertain you.
-You wrinkle your nose when you give really big smiles.
-You sleep from 9:00pm to 8:30am. Sometimes, you wake up between 7:00 and 8:00, but you will talk yourself back to sleep until 8:30.
-You always seem to have lots of bubbles and slobber!
-You get 5 oz every 3 hours…but you rarely drink the whole bottle. You will usually drink two 5 ounce bottles throughout the day. On average, you get 21 ounces a day.
-You love your jumperoo! Now you won’t just stand on our laps anymore…You have to - jumping up and down!
-You grab toys on your bouncy seat and playmat.
-You wear mostly 6-9 month clothes. And you are still in size 1-2 diapers during the day and size 2 at night.
-You are getting fussier in the car. You used to sleep as soon as we left the driveway. Now you have to have your pacifier in order to sleep.
-You will not sleep unless you have your pacifier. For all naps, car rides, and nighttime, there has to be a pacifier in your mouth!
-You really know your schedule. As soon as it is close to your nap times, you start to get fussy. We lay you down (with your pacifier), and you always go right to sleep.
-You have started to get mobile in your crib. In the mornings, I always come in to find that you have turned sideways 90° or you have done a complete 180.
-You like to rock to sleep with mama for your cat nap between 7:00 and 8:00.
-You enjoy the daily stroller rides with your friend Hazel.



I would have posted this on Sunday, his actual 4 month birthday, but I wanted to wait for his doctor’s appointment today. The 4 month stats are:

Weight: 15lb 6 oz (75%)
Height: 26 in. (95%)
Head: 42 cm (75%)



I think he is going to be one tall boy! We got a great report from the doctor. Doctor said he was very proportionate and healthy. She said not to worry about him fighting the bottle. He will eat when he is hungry and obviously, he is thriving and doing well.



Orin Dale, you are the joy of Mommy and Daddy’s hearts. We love you so much, baby boy!

Tucker

Welcome Tucker Harvey! Born Wednesday, June 24 at 12:18 pm. 19 inches and 8lb. 6 oz. Tons of black hair and a cute birthmark on his belly.


His mom and dad went in Tuesday night to be induced. Ryan and I were let in on the secret and were asked to watch the kiddoes Tuesday night and Wednesday. I really only had Orin and Thatcher for most of the day, since Lilly went swimming with some friends. I was surprised at how well things went going from one child to three. It was wonderful being able to help family during this exciting and crazy time.

We ended up taking the kids to see baby Tucker tonight. He is such a precious little bundle! I can't believe that Orin was that tiny just four months ago! Doesn't seem possible! We thank God for this little miracle!

Cooling Off

I’m really enjoying my summer home with my baby boy. One fun thing we have started is swimming. We just got the baby pool, but he has been swimming twice. We took it to my parents’ house this past weekend, so he did some swimming there. He didn’t quite know what to think at first. Grandma had him splashing and kicking. He was laughing and loving it all!






Then today we invited his friend, Hazel, over to cool off in the pool. They were so cute! They had their little sun hats and swimsuits. They seemed to like the water on such a hot day! And the mom’s had fun too!

First Father's Day

We had such a crazy day, but we were able to celebrate Father's Day with both of our dads. My mom made a special Father's Day breakfast for my dad and Ryan. Orin made his daddy a special card with a handprint and footprint.




Orin gave Ryan the book, Raising a Modern-Day Knight and a game for his new X-Box 360. The book came highly recommended by Ryan's brother. The book teaches about a father's role in raising sons and leading them to become godly men. He's looking forward to reading it.


After breakfast, we traveled north to see Ryan's dad. We wanted to take his parents out to eat, but they insisted on ordering pizza and staying home. Whatever they wanted to do was fine with us. We had pizza, looked at all the flowers, sat outside in the beautiful weather, and Orin took a nap. Then we started our 4 hour drive home. Here's a picture of the three men!


Ryan and I are so blessed to have two great dad's who would do anything in the world for us. And Orin is one lucky boy to have a wonderful dad and two grandpas who love him so much.

Wedding Bells

It was a beautiful wedding, and Ryan really enjoyed seeing many of his college friends/roommates. But I have to admit, I'm rather glad it is over. I knew only a handful of people, and most of them were involved in the wedding which resulted in me sitting by myself for most of the night. I just really like having my husband at my side, especially for events such as weddings.

We snapped a few pictures together while he was all duded up.


These three were college roommates. The one in the middle was the groom.

Ryan made sure to help decorate the car for the lovely couple.

He's one good lookin' guy!

Weekend Plans

Another crazy weekend for us. Ryan is a groomsmen in a wedding this weekend. One of his college roommates is getting married. Rehearsal was Friday night, which we took Orin to. He did very well for having missed his nap. The only reason we even took him was so Ryan’s friends could see him. I left the dinner at 8:00 so I could make sure to feed him and get him to bed on time. His whole day was off with all the traveling, so we wanted to provide some consistency for the poor kid.

After he went down to sleep, Mom and I walked 2.5 miles around town. Maria and I missed out on our walk today because we had to leave town early, which happened to be during our normal walking time. So I’m glad I did some form of exercise today!

Grandpa and Grandma are going to babysit all day Saturday so we don’t have to worry about having Orin during the ceremony and reception. As much as I enjoy having him along, I just don’t feel like it is fair to him to have to adjust to a new environment and schedule for the whole day. Plus, my mom and dad are really excited to watch him. And we all remember how he behaved at the last wedding we were at! We don’t want that happening again!

They have big plans for the day. They want to take him on walks and go swimming in the kiddy pool I bought for him for $5.00. I just went to Wal-Mart on Thursday and bought Orin a blue pool to have for this weekend. Maria came along with us and bought Hazel a green one! I’m sure they will have fun swimming in their little pools.

I will be sure to post pictures from the weekend of fun once we are back at home again.

Speaking of being back at home...
We should have a new nephew very soon. And we live in the same town now, so we can really share in the excitement. We are so ready to meet the little guy!

Goodbye 7 Inches

This mama chopped her hair!! I was sick of all the length and thickness. All the curls were weighted down, and I couldn't really do anything with it. I think the new style will be good for summer!

Before:

After: