Owen one year

How did we go from this?

To this?

It is really amazing how much a baby grows in only a year!

This past month Owen has been getting into everything:

• pulling up and falling down
• getting stuck standing in his crib
• getting stuck standing anywhere!
• Learning new words: uh-oh when he drops something, k-t for light, ball, book just tonight he tried to say fan...fffffaaa!  
• pointing with his pointer finger at things
• pushing the button on his ball popper to start it
• pushing buttons on toys to start the music
• asking to watch TV
• loving to read books and turn the pages and open the flaps
• rubbing noses with mommy
• blowing kisses (ok only a few times so far)
• open mouth kisses while saying ahhhhh

I know there is way more that happened this past month!  

Sneak peak at tomorrows bday party

Smash cake made by Jeanna's cake shoppe!

Easter

Last year Owen was baptized at the Easter service at my mom's church. I am not sure what we will be doing this year but his Easter basket is ready. Talk about being prepared!! Since we are still on self imposed quarantine from our friends (sorry to those strangers who we were near at the dollar store today!!) we went shopping. I found the cutest balls that we can play with and also learn colors. The carrot bat with green ball was too funny to pass up and what kid can have an Easter basket with out a chocolate bunny and bubbles!!!! I threw in a wind up chick and bunny for giggles. I only spent $10! That is my kind of deal!

The basket came from an etsy shop I think it was Bridget's stitches if you want to get one I was really impressed with the quality! It is on the smaller side, but in the long run just means less basket to fill!

Any one else thinking about Easter? Because the stuff is already on the shelves at the stores.....crazy that for once they got me!

we survived a 10 day stomach virus

Let's see I left off on Tuesday when I took Owen to the doctor for diarrhea.  Lets just say that the rest of the days leading to his birthday got worse each day and then Friday night he started throwing up and had a fever.  This resulted in canceling the birthday party and his dedication at our church.  This was really hard on Chris and me as we each had family in from out of town that we didn't get to see because we got the virus too.  The pediatrician didn't say it was the noro.virus or not, but he did say a bad virus was going around in our area.

Chris started feeling bad Saturday at noon and his lasted until 6pm that evening.  I got it at 10:30pm Saturday night.  We were so thankful that we got it at a little different times and plus Owen slept through most of us being sick.  At this point when he was awake he was so snuggly, but I would rather have my happy healthy baby any day.

Here is what I would recommend any parent keep on hand during the flu season:

• Lots of Pedialyte: 
• I would have several different flavors until you know which one your child likes.  Owen hated the Walmart off brand fruit flavor, I agreed it was nasty; the blue one was pretty good.  
• Also, get some of the popsicles if you have older children.  These don't come frozen and by the time ours were frozen Owen was drinking enough of his milk again that we weren't forcing the pedialyte as much.  
• The juice boxes if your child drinks from a straw are the best, Owen feels like a big kid drinking from these.
• An extra bottle of childrens T.ylenol or your fever reducing medication. 
• Stuff for mom and dad just in case we get sick, as a parent it is harder to leave the house with a sick child when one of the parents gets sick:  Ginger Ale, chicken noodle soup, bread or crackers are what we usually keep on hand.   

Thankfully, Owen stayed very hydrated.  Keep an eye on the color of his skin, the saliva in his mouth and how often he has a pee diaper.  Updated to add a tip from a friend: dehydration and skin: if you press a meaty party like forearm or thigh and when you take your finger away it stays depressed and white they are dehydrated.  The doctors said if he had a fever longer than 3 days that he would need to come in, which Owen did.  If the fever went longer than 5 days we would really begin to worry.  

Sunday evening seemed to be the catalyst for Owen when he threw up multiple times in one hour.  He must take after me and do his main throwing up in the middle of the night.  After a bath and as much liquid we could get down his throat we put him to bed.  Chris was really smart and thought up the idea of putting the pedialyte in a medical syringe (no needle of course) that we could squirt into Owen's mouth.  We could only get him to swallow a 1/4th of a teaspoon at a time, but at least it was something!

Other random tips that I wish I would have known:

• keep a small bowl/bed pan nearby
• the bathroom is the best place to be when a kid is throwing up or the high chair; we had Owen vomiting in the bathtub that way he could just sit  in there and then we did an immediate bath.  
• towels towels towels...don't try and mess with vomit with paper towels; this is also good to place under the child as they are throwing up.
• there is no such thing as too much TV when you have a sick child

Ok, all this thinking about vomiting is making my stomach sour again.  We are getting close to 100%, but are not there yet.

Tuesday: 4 days till 1

This morning we all slept in till 8:15am.  You didn't eat all your breakfast or finish your milk.  We played on the floor for a while and you were being whiney so I decided a bath might be a great thing to do to pass time.  Usually, you will play in the bath till the water turns cold.  This morning after 15 minutes you began to whine and I really began to feel like something was up.  At this point it was a little early for your nap, but I went a head and put you down.  You slept great till 12:15 when I woke you up for your photo shoot with Aunt Jen.  She got some great pictures and you made all sorts of funny faces.

Here is a preview:

Then it was lunchtime, I tried to give you lunch but you were not really interested in it and cried most of the time.

Back to bed you went and I scheduled a doctor appointment for 4pm because I just had to know that your little ears were ok.  At the dr we spent $65 to find out you probably just have a virus that is causing your poopy diapers and a low temperature.  Thankfully, no ear infection!





We came home and watched Yo Gabba Gabba and snuggled on the couch with some warm milk.








For dinner you ate yogurt (as dr prescribed), a french fry and some veggies until...(watch this video...so cute!).

Then we played until bedtime!

Monday: 5 days till 1

Today was a special day.  Daddy was able to work at home for most of the day so you got extra snuggles with him this morning.

Mommy was up and running around doing normal Monday stuff, finishing laundry, making breakfast, doing dishes and picking up around the house after somewhat of a lazy weekend!

While you took your morning nap at home with daddy, Mommy ran some errands and got to work out at the gym!  I got some last minute supplies for your birthday party on Saturday including balloons and table clothes!

Your naps are all off today as we laid you down at 10:30 and finally slept at 11:30 till 1pm.

Then you were up till 3:30 before you started whining and acting tired and back to the crib you went but you didn't want to give it up at all! Finally, I knew I had to check for poop and yup you filled the diaper again and now you have me worried.  So, I called your pediatricians office to see if I should take you in.

You ate a decent dinner of green beans, mum mum's and drank all your milk.  While Mommy and Daddy ate dinner you ran circles around us in your walker and then played with your house in the living room.

We are teaching you that the gate to the stairs is a no no.  It makes me feel bad to tell you no, but I am impressed that after a week or so you are really understanding and only sometimes do you really challenge me.  75% of the time you look at the gate then me, I tell you no, then you look at the gate again and then move onto something else or back away.  The other 25% of the time you keep looking at me as I say no and reach for it while looking in my eyes.  I know that you know what no means, that guilty look gets all over your face.

Since you were so off schedule today you went to bed an hour late (after ANOTHER poopy diaper) at 8:30pm.  We made sure to give you some extra liquids to keep you hydrated.  Thankfully, you went right to sleep and only whimpered a little a couple of times.

my baby bird

Sunday: 6 days till 1

This morning, when you woke up I went and got you and your woombie and put you in the bed with us.  You loved the extra snuggles this morning and even gave us some kisses....ok you gave Mr. Bear lots of kisses!

snuggles with mommy, woombie and Mr. Bear

snuggles with daddy, just pretending to sleep

mommy could do this all day

silly boy

After we got out of bed we all had breakfast and you had poop #1 of the day.  Once I changed that it was about 9:30am so I laid you down.  Sometimes you can get an hour nap in before church, but you were not having it today.  You kept standing up and talking or yelling for us!  By 10:30 I got you up and you blew me away with surprise and smell with poop #2 of the day!  By this point we were running late for church, but thats ok everyone understands and knows that just how things are with our family! After church was the monthly meeting where you tried corn on the cobb for the first time.

It was a hit!

yum!

You were a really good boy with no morning nap and by the time we got your home crashed in your crib ready for some sleep.  You slept from 2pm-4:45pm! GOOD BOY!

You played with Daddy on the floor till it was time to eat dinner.  Dinner was left overs from the pot luck at church:  spaghetti and salad for us and chicken, carrots, and spaghett for you.  Then it was back to playing with Daddy until Mommy hears!  

Is that poop?  YUP ITS POOP and I just stuck my finger all in it!!  

Daddy was so funny with poop all over his finger, see when he dug in for the check you were just full to the brim!  Mommy got to change that diaper and got reminded that you had corn for lunch!  HAHA!!!

PJ's and a clean diaper later it was time for bed!  You were so good going right to sleep and only cried once because you lost your woombie in the crib and as soon as Mommy found it all was right in the world and back to dream land you went!

Saturday: 7 days till Owen is 1

Ok, so Owen will be 1 in 7 days.  I just want a little record of our last week before he is one!

Saturday morning you and Daddy let me sleep in!  Yall got up at 8am and then I was up at 9am because I couldn't stand it any longer and had to be with you both!  After playing for a while it was nap time so I put you in your crib with your woombie and then headed to the gym and the grocery store.

Daddy stayed at home with you and worked on cleaning the hot tub (yes, again).  Then he worked on the trailer so that we could use it when we need it.

When I pulled into the driveway you both greeted me at the door!  Daddy fed you lunch and I started putting away the groceries and cooking chili to freeze for your birthday party.  Then it was nap time again.  After a great 2+ hour nap you were up and played in the bath till dinner time.

After dinner, we all played on the floor and just hung out around the house.  You wanted to be close to daddy!

one week till...

Owen is ONE!!

This year has flown by....not an original statement, but so true!

Right now I am watching my son sitting in his daddy's lap watching a video on one of Chris' bands playing.  They are so cute!

I have TONS left to do for the big birthday party we are having in a week!  Including some last minute work out sessions to tone up!  I was hoping to have lost all the baby weight by a year, I have about 10-15 pounds to go and as everyone knows those are the hardest to lose!

But I am not stressing today about the party...I am going to spend my day with my favorite boys.  Who knows what we will end up doing! I love these lazy Saturdays!