Happy Birthday, Little T

One week old!

One year ago today, my life was irrevocably changed in ways I never could have imagined: I had a little boy. I never really thought of myself as a mom; I wanted to be cool Aunt Krista, but I'm finding motherhood is so much better and so much more rewarding than just being a cool aunt. It hasn't all been sunshine and roses (please, he's a baby, not a cabbage patch doll), and I've spent a lot of time obsessing over what was "normal" and the "right" way to do things, but I've learned that you just gotta do things the best that you can, and hope that your kids forgive you for any mistakes you make. Because you will make them.

As I reflect on this past year, I'm still amazed at how fast it went, and I find myself agreeing with the advice that I continually got from random strangers: hug and kiss them now because it doesn't last long!

So, happy birthday, little T-Rav. It's been a great year (cuddling, cooing, smiling, laughing, cuddling, talking, walking, cuddling...); I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did (other than the diaper changing, and the crying, and the uncertainty, and the fall from the shopping cart, and the crying).

Remember this hair? (3 weeks)

I hope the next year is twice the fun with half the angst! Let's meet back next year to reflect on year two!

At daycare--Merry Christmas! (4 mos)

A day outside (6 mos)

Swinging and laughing (6 mos)

Camera Lover (9 mos)

I survived the first year! (12 mos)

Happenings and Changes!

On our morning walk by the river

Earlier this week, Ken, who has never met a stranger, helped a lady at Loewe's who was fixing her lawnmower. She happened to work for the Hyatt Lost Pines Resort right here in Bastrop, and invited us to visit, so we decided to treat ourselves as a celebration. Though it's only about 10 minutes away, it felt like we were miles away from home. We naively believed that we'd be one of a couple of families sharing the pool, so we were super surprised by the number of people and kids everywhere!!

My great guys

However, we had a great time. We got an upgraded room (with a balcony), and after we ran into Cynthia the next morning, she bought me a coffee and comped our breakfast, which was a delicious buffet! I hope that Travis is as outgoing as Ken--he always meets the nicest people!

We traded off getting massages and playing with Travis in the pool. He was one tired baby, there was so much going on that he would not fall asleep for anything! After 2 hours of trying, he finally fell asleep about 10pm, but woke multiple times to throw up...of course, waking us up in the process. Poor baby got so overheated that it made him sick. He's fine now, and has slept most of the day to catch up on his sleep, and now we know that 3 hours by the pool in this heat is a bad idea. For some reason, we forgot to get photos of us in the pool, but we did get some others.

Sleepy, sleepy baby

Ready for a nap!

We had to visit the horses:  Julius and Cesear

Travis seems to really enjoy the water, though the Hyatt was not his first swimming experience. Last Saturday, we were invited to a pool party, and had a great time with some of Ken's co-workers from ASI.

In the pool!

Sylin' with hats

Bob and Travis meeting

Tuesday, May 24 was my good friend Bob's 60th birthday, and we were invited to a surprise party at the Oasis. Boy, was he ever surprised! I can't help but feel that we were the highlight of his day. As soon as Bob saw that we were there, he made a beeline straight towards us, and Travis went right to him! Later that night, I heard Bob introduce me as his daughter, which, I have to say, made my day! I used to work for Bob, and when he and his wife Candy decided to move to Austin, TX, they brought me along as part of the family, which I've been ever since. Candy passed away several years ago, but I think of her every time I use my sewing machine because it was once hers. I feel that everything I make on it is a tribute to her.

Me, Bob and Trav

Finally some of you may have already heard that Ken has accepted a position with a company called RackSpace. It is here in Austin, and promises to be a new challenge, which Ken is looking forward to. I know that he'll miss his friends at ASI, but we're excited about this new change in our lives.

Picture Day!

I have been so tired the last several days, and I'm not sure why. I'm wondering if it has to do with Travis being extra cranky lately. He has 4 upper teeth starting to cut in, and he's obviously in pain. I think we'll start spending time outdoors more, that usually calms him down. For now, I'll just take the easy way out and post a bunch of pictures.

This is the sight that greeted me when I went to get him out of bed this morning.

Here's a picture from yesterday where Travis was standing up!

Today, we went outside, and had our own little photo shoot. What do you think?

Mmmm...

Hey, what are my sunglasses doing on the ground?

Right, let me just sprinkle a little fairy dust...

Pondering the meaning of life

Pensive

Chillin'

Artsy Fartsy

Check out that action shot!

OK, that's all for now. But, before you go...which is YOUR favorite, and why?

Day 3 of the Nursing Strike

So, here we are at day 3 of the nursing strike. It started Tuesday morning after Travis bit me 3 times, and I told him no and put him on the floor to play. I didn't realize it was a strike until Tuesday evening when I thought back over how little he ate all day and the big fit he threw when I tried to feed him dinner. We've been using bottles because any time he thinks I'm trying to feed him, he starts screaming and crying like he's being tortured. So here we are...and my heart is breaking.

Sure, I know he still loves me; he follows me around the house like a puppy, and cries when I get too far ahead. He crawls towards me when I'm on the floor, and wants to be held while he plays with his toys. I know it's not a rejection of me. I know he's scared, teething, and in pain, and doesn't want to keep biting me. But there's a difference in knowing all that, and then listening to his screams, and watching his little lip pucker and the tears start when I try to cuddle him. I'm trying to be patient and upbeat, but surely he knows something is wrong, and my distress continues to keep him away.

I had planned to wean early, but I hadn't planned to wean at 8 months, and certainly not like this. He still can't drink regular milk, and I worked so hard to get him off of formula in his first few months that I refuse to put him back on it for 4 more months (until he's 12mos and can drink milk). Since I am an information gatherer, I've already done tons of research to discover what is going on and what I should do. Babies don't self-wean before a year, so I know it's not that. It's likely that he got scared after he bit me and I yelped. The prevailing suggestion is to have patience. Great, just what I'm good at, but meanwhile, my heart is breaking and my baby is crying.

Dear God, please let this end soon, and please don't let me give up...

Well, I won't be winning any mother of the year awards...

There comes a time in every blogging mother's life when she has to 'fess up and tell an unflattering adventure story. My time has come...

 Life would be so boring if there were only happy baby adventure stories, and our lives needed a little spice (apparently), so let me start out by saying that Travis is FINE! This morning we had a little bit of a scare: Travis fell out of a Wal-Mart shopping cart. I won't go into the particulars, but it had something to do with not being buckled into his car seat, and the car seat not being buckled into the shopping cart, and my back being turned... All of a sudden, I heard a loud bang, and turned to see Travis on the ground, crying for all he was worth. I picked him up and calmed him down, and he seemed quiet but subdued as we headed through the check-out counter. However, the friendly Wal-Mart employee's suggestion that I not let Travis fall asleep worried me a bit, so I decided to call the Dr. Now, I'm not one of those moms who call the Dr. for every little sniffle or cranky night, but I'm not messing around with a potential head injury.

Since I didn't see him fall and couldn't say if he hit his head (great, now I feel even worse), the nurse recommended I bring him in just to check. However, I forgot to ask if I could let Travis fall asleep, so I assumed that I couldn't, and I had to use mean mommy voice to keep Travis awake for the 40-minute trip to the Dr.'s office. As if he wasn't having a bad enough day already. At the Dr.'s office, I have to tell the story of my negligence yet again, this time to a Dr. we hadn't met before, and then again to another Dr., who was brought in to consult. They weren't taking any chances with a potential head injury either. Turns out, he's fine. He let them poke and prod his bruise, shine lights in his eyes, and look in his ears. They decided that, based on his behavior and how he looked, they didn't need an x-ray of his head. For not having eaten or had a nap in 4 hours, he was surprisingly happy.

So like I said, he's fine (though he will have quite a shiner), and I have learned a valuable lesson: NEVER, NEVER leave baby unbuckled in a car seat and turn your back.

Video Diary

I just transferred some videos from my Blackberry to my computer, and then, of course, I had to play a few to see this ridiculously cute child (since right now he's asleep and it wakes him up if I watch him too long--just  kidding! I don't watch him sleep; that's creepy). Watching them reminds me all over again why I decided to stay home with this little bundle of joy. I can't express how grateful and happy I am that we are able to live on one salary. Ken, being a whiz with budgets and money, is amazing, and I probably don't tell him enough how wonderful he is. Honey, you're wonderful, and I'm so thankful that you are happy to have me and Travis stay home together, but we miss you, so retire soon and play with us!

Here are some of the videos that made me smile:

This one is before T could crawl - taken in March before our trip to Arizona. I love that hat, but Nana and Papa agreed that it made him look like a girl.

Here's one where Ken teaches Travis to drum - taken last week (sans girlie hat).

Here is a sampling of our day - taken this week:

First, we wake up, eat, change the diaper, etc. T is a morning baby, and he loves to giggle, so here we are giggling together.

Then we play for awhile with T's toys. Sometimes T plays cheerfully by himself, and sometimes Mama likes to play with him (but always there is laughter at his crazy antics).

Now that T is mobile, a lot of our day is exploring the house. So sometimes we follow Mama, and sometimes Saige (and sometimes we like to go off and explore on our own, but that's another story). Look how good he's gotten at crawling!

Then Abbi comes over after school, and we just hang out and pretend we aren't anywhere near tired. (here, Mama was entertaining Travis while Abbi finished her homework).

Sometimes, we just like to sit and play with our toys. Here's one where T learned that he could bang things together and make lots of noise. I keep trying to teach him to clap, but it's not nearly as fun because it doesn't make much noise.

So there you have a sampling of our day; looks fun doesn't it? Sometimes we go shopping or to lunch with friends, but we enjoy our days at home, which are anything but quiet and boring! I'm constantly surprised at how busy we stay, and how the house can remain cluttered even though I'm continuously straightening up throughout the day. Oh well, I suppose life is meant to be lived, not cleaned. Anyways, I hope you have enjoyed our video diary of life at home with Travis.

The Wonder of Parenthood

Today I had lunch with a good friend who is expecting her first child in a few months. Talking to her brought back sweet memories of my own pregnancy, and how eagerly I waited to meet my child. It was like someone gave me a Christmas gift in March...but told me I couldn't open it yet...and then dropped hints each week as to what was inside. But nothing could have prepared me for the awe and love that overwhelmed me (once the pain meds finally kicked in) when at last, I opened my gift, and held my son. Watching him sleep, watching him nurse, feeling his warmth cuddled up next to me, holding his hand all made the long months of waiting and wondering (and, let's face it, the uncomfortable swelling) worth every moment.

Even now, God's gift to us is a mystery. What does his life hold? Who will he be, what will he accomplish, what failures will he experience? I feel like our journey into parenthood is just beginning, and I can't wait to see the man my son will grow into. Sure, I have hopes and dreams for him--I want him to be content, to respect his elders, to help those less fortunate, to be generous and kind-hearted. But mostly, I want him to love God, and to seek his own path in life, just like I wanted a happy, healthy baby at the end of my pregnancy, no matter how he arrived.

I don't want to forget the joy and the anticipation that Ken and I felt, or that first moment of awe when we met our little Travis. Even with the wrinkled, old man skin and the mohawk hair. He was so tiny and delicate. I had always been scared of babies; they were loud, tiny, and so fragile. I was never willing to hold one, what if I dropped it? Looking back, I'm sad that I didn't have more experience with babies, but I also believe God leads us down our own unique path. Luckily, it didn't take me long to learn how to hold him, swaddle him, change his diaper. It's amazing what love gives you the strength to do!

I am so thankful to be given the opportunity to watch and help my fragile little baby grow into manhood. I know that it will be a challenge, but I'm looking forward to the journey. Stay tuned for our adventures...

Fun in the Sun

Our Fam at the AZ Sonoran Desert Museum

Recently, we drove to Tucson, Arizona, to visit my family. Travis got to visit his Nana, meet his great-grandparents, his Tata, great-aunts/uncles, cousins, second cousins and some of my good friends. Luckily, he is such a sweet, happy baby and traveled really well. He is really starting to move around, and scooted around Nana and Tata's house, and we walked around the neighborhood where I grew up. It was so fun.

We traveled through a cave (Carlsbad Caverns), which Travis seemed to enjoy, and drove through the Saguaro National Monument to see cactus (apparently, it is a hot destination for out-of-towners). We got this awesome backpack that Ken used to carry Travis around all over the place. It was nifty.

The Coolest Backpack Ever!

We went shopping with Nana, traveled to Bisbee and the Arizonan Sonoran Desert Museum. T-Rav was a hit wherever we went, and I found myself so proud of our great baby. I'm glad that he also got to meet my grandparents. It was so sweet watching them together...

Travis with Nana

Travis with Grammy

Travis with Grampy

Travis with Nana and Tata

Movin' and a-groovin'

So Travis is getting more mobile, and starting to get into everything he can get his hands on!!  Unfortunately, the word 'no' doesn't have meaning yet, but it's likely to be his first word. As I watch him scoot around, and pull the cord on the lamp for the third time, I think, "wait a minute, I was the GOOD kid! I don't deserve this!" Guess I should blame Ken! He was probably just as bad. Just recently, I was taking some photos to send to his Pappaw, and Travis decided to launch himself right off the couch. Luckily, he launched himself right into my lap!

He's been crankier than normal, refusing to eat or relax for bed, so I took him to the Dr. yesterday. Turns out, he has two ear infections so he's now on anti-biotics. The pediatrician recommended giving him Advil as well, though it hasn't slowed him down any! I'll be glad when he doesn't cry every time I put him down or walk away.

He's also beginning to talk more. He has a high-pitched sing-song voice that he uses to talk to himself when he wakes up in his crib, but isn't ready to eat yet. He can say da-da, though it's much like ga-ga, and i-yi-yi; it doesn't hold any meaning for him yet. I keep trying to get him to say 'ma-ma' or 'pa-pa' but so far, nothing.

He has finally decided to enjoy taking a bath, though he still hates getting water in his face, and holds his breath when I have to wash his hair. He's such a cutie.

Travis Marlin Scooter-Butt

Travis has been trying so hard to crawl; the best he's managed is a scoot/army crawl. Here's a video showing him moving with the proper motivation: Mama's phone. It won't be long before he's crawling!

Roly-Poly Travis

I was going through our videos of Travis, and found this one that I took earlier this week. He's finally learned to roll over both directions--yay!

My First Day

My first day as a stay-at-home mom started out great. Travis and I ate breakfast together: me-coffee and bagel, Travis: sweet potato. He made an absolute mess and loved every minute of it. Afterwards, he needed a bath, so he got one. Then, we headed to Wal-Mart for a few things. I put him in his kangaroo pouch so he'd be close and could look around if he wanted to, which he did! He then played on his mat for a while. So far, he can only go backwards and sideways, so most of the time, he just spins in a circle, but he has fun! He's learning to take the pieces apart, and loves to roll off the mat, so he needs constant watching. No telling what kind of trouble this boy will get himself into!

This afternoon, we went for a walk and the trouble started when we returned. He had only taken short naps, but that's not uncommon for him. He ate, and got very drowsy, but once I tried to put him to sleep in his crib, his little eyes popped open and he started yelling fit to wake the dead. So, I picked him up and rocked him gently. Put him in the crib--boy, those eyes popped open again, the bottom lip quivered, and the tears started. Well, maybe he's not really tired, I thought, and moved him to his swing in the living room, where he happily played until I disappeared into the kitchen to get some work done. He started screaming so loud, I thought he was hurt, but as soon as I came back into sight, he stopped crying....hmm, I thought. All afternoon, once I stepped out of sight, the crying started. Finally, I brought him into the kitchen where he sat in his high chair and happily played while I finished cleaning up. I tried to put him down for naps several times, but then the crying started. Finally, I just sat and rocked him. When he seemed calmer, I put him in his crib, where his eyes popped open and he started to cry. No, I told him firmly. You need to sleep. Then I walked out, and closed the door, hoping it would work. He cried (and screamed) for about 5 minutes...and then there was total silence. So, of course I checked on him. My little man is now sleeping soundly, swaddled up tight like a PF Chang lettuce wrap. All in all, not a bad first day, but tomorrow: longer naps.

Staying Home

So, after much prayer, discussion, and budget revision, Ken and I have decided that I will stay home with Travis for the foreseeable future. I have already put in my notice at work, and we have informed the day care. Starting February 1, I will be a stay at home mom!

Though I enjoy my job, I miss Travis more throughout the day and I feel like we never get enough time with him. God entrusted this little guy to us, and it bothers me that his best (and funnest) hours are spent in the company of someone else. We really like the day care we picked, but nothing and no one can take the place of his parents. We decided that I would stay home with him for a year, and then we'll review and make sure we're continuing to do what is best for our family. We've also decided that we will stay in Bastrop, and not move to Austin for the time being. Our neighbors are so wonderful, and we just love living in the country. As long as one of us is here to shop, run errands, etc., the commute isn't so bad.

I am excited to be able to play with Travis throughout the day, and watch his first attempts at crawling and walking. I can't wait to find other moms and other babies for Travis to play with. It will be an adventure for sure, but I feel at peace finally knowing what God wants for us. 

Merry Christmas!

As Christmas comes around this year, I can't help but compare with this time last year:

1. we had just found out we were pregnant, 
2. we still didn't know if we were having a boy or a girl, and 
3. we weren't sure when to start sharing the good news. 

Life is certainly different this year, and I must say it has changed for the better. We're spending our first Christmas with our new little boy, who we are both head over heels in love with! He is the sweetest thing in 11 counties, and is so much fun. I never realized how wonderful babies could be.

We want to thank you all for your love and support, and for reading our blog even when I don't update regularly (I do hope to change that)! God has truly blessed us with a wonderful family and we are very thankful.

We wish each of you love and joy this year, and a very merry Christmas.

All our love,
Krista, Ken, Travis, and Saige

Oh, Baby

I can see that this blog is turning into a baby blog, where I mostly post about the kid. Have you noticed I blog a little bit more since we've had him? I guess there just isn't anything else of interest in our lives! This blog will be no different!

Baby Milk and Alcohol

We had our first party and Travis had his first babysitter this last weekend. Ken's work Christmas party was at the Mansion at Judges Hill - a beautiful, old hotel. We decided to treat ourselves and stay there with Travis. We stayed in the Magnolia retreat, which had a beautiful King-size bed with drapes hanging from the ceiling and floor-to-ceiling French doors that opened up onto a balcony overlooking a lovely garden. We even had a mini bar, where we were able to store Travis' milk, which just shows how much our lives have changed.

Aren't we cute?

Our good friend, Ashley, from work came to stay with Travis while we went to the party. Travis wasn't very interesting for her, he fell asleep before we left, but he did wake up a little later and she was able to feed him a bottle, and he seemed to be happy hanging out with her. We had fun at the party, and felt confident that he was in good hands, so it was a very positive experience for all of us. It helped to know that we were only a few staircases away from the boy. Maybe next time, we'll go a little farther away!
It's hard not to be completely in love with this baby. I confess that I'm completely happy to have my life revolve around him right now. In fact, I miss him even when I'm at work. I know he has a great day care, and it's obvious that it has been good for him, but it's still hard to leave him!
The other morning, he just looked so cute that I had to take pictures of him. I try most mornings to take pictures, but it doesn't always happen.

Ken and Travis playing

And before I sign off, here's a picture of Ken playing with Travis in his activity gym in front of the fire. I love watching the two of them play - it is the cutest thing. Right now, Travis loves Mama more than anything else; I can almost always get him to smile, and he follows me around the room with his eyes if I'm not right there with him. But I know that this time won't last forever, and soon Papa will be his favorite person, so I'm enjoying this time with him as much as I can and storing up every precious moment.

Cutest.Boy.Ever.

Travis has been trying to sit up lately, and has been getting annoyed that we keep him on his back, so I got him a Bumbo chair, which is supposed to support him so he sits up better. It came in the mail tonight, and he really did seem to enjoy it. He's also started grabbing and playing with toys, though I'm not convinced he knows what he's doing yet. We think he's starting to teethe: the slobber is uncontrollable, and everything goes right to his mouth!

Here's a video of him sitting in his new chair, playing with his spin and play. Seriously, I am so in love with this boy it's not even funny.

Also, note that I hung a toy on his foot...it made sense at the time, I thought it'd be easier to reach if he wanted to grab it. But it just looks funny, and I can't stop laughing every time I see it dangling there.

Day Care Update

As expected, Travis did great his first day at day care! And because I have such a caring husband, they called me at his request to let me know that Travis was doing well. I, on the other hand, was so busy with projects so that I wouldn't notice how empty my arms felt! It sure doesn't take long to fall in love with those little cuties, especially when they start sleeping longer than 3 hours! ;-) It's hard to believe your heart can hold so much love. I'm so glad that God created us with the capacity to love so strongly - it reminds us that His love for us is even stronger, and that's a thought that fills me with awe and brings tears to my eyes. I understand better now how hard His sacrifice really was when Jesus went to the cross for us.

I miss Travis' little arms around my neck, and even his frustrated cries when he's doing tummy time. I'm saddened that I won't get to take tons of pictures throughout the day as he does cute little things, like smiling and laughing. But I know he's fine, and is getting to see other babies and the world in a different way. He is such a social baby; I think he likes being around others, and he still loves Mama and Papa best!

I'll try to remember to take some photos of him at day care to show his new environment. For now, let me feed your Travis addiction with the photos below.

For Halloween, we took advantage of Travis' crazy hair and dressed him like Young Frankenstein. We took him to Ken's office to Trick-or-Treat and he got a couple of candy bars. We had more fun just walking him around and showing him off - and I knew Ken and I would eat the candy, so I tried not to get much!