16 months: Go, Go, Go!

How are we already writing the 16 month blog post?! I feel like the last months' moving details have d.r.a.g.g.e.d on, but somehow Owen's growth & development seems to have flown.

This month has delivered many new words:

• Ba Ba Ball (Mike thinks this is his take on basketball)
• Boo (It's very high pitched and associated with hiding. VERY cute!)
• GO, GO, GO. (It goes like this... Mom: Owen do you want to go in the car? Owen: GO, GO, GO!) 
• WOW. Ex: Said yesterday toward a ceiling fan at a bakery we visited.
• Vroom: Said when he is playing with his cars.
• BAP (Help)
• Na Na Na Na (incessant whine...not my favorite)
• Ca Ca (Cracker)

This month has delivered two new teeth:

• 2 top Molars
• Total =7

The Wade genes are shining through. Owen is now very interested in airplanes. If he hears an airplane, he points to the sky and says 'CAR'. Close, Owen, close =)  

Studying the technical details about airplanes.  

Owen is all of a sudden very interested in his blankies (must get that from his mommy). He has been dragging them everywhere.

The other day I couldn't find Owen... little stinker snuck behind the couch. Needless to say, it's a little closer to the wall now.

Haircut #2. He was a champ, again! He waved to everyone that came in the salon. This was almost a month ago, now, so the hair has grown out quite a bit!

He was so good at his haircut that he got his first balloon.  Mike & I laughed all afternoon watching him continually 'lose' the balloon as it floated to the ceiling.

We love to wave hi & bye to daddy as he commutes to & from work.

He still LOVES to climb, and the couch is his ultimate challenge. It's still rather high for him, so he requests 'BAP' (help). I help him up, he feels on top of the world, gets to throw a toy behind the couch, and we are entertained for 5 minutes. (Don't worry, I always stand by).

This week Oskee + Owen = me going crazy.

Owen is obsessed with Oskee, and he plows in to her, kicks, her pulls her tail, and laughs his head off. This is new behavior, and it's immune to my current disciplinary attempts.

Oskee in turn, is too stupid to walk away from Owen. She stalks him around in case he gets any food hand outs from me. She dislikes his aggression, but not enough to leave him alone.

They go around in circles all......day.......long.

He's getting smart; when we say it's time to take the dog out, he goes to get the dog's leash.

Owen and Amity on a play date. Wonder what they were talking about? He looks pretty enthralled with her =) Usually it's the opposite. She follows him around and he looks for a ball.

Climbing....

Climbing....

Oskee dreaming "PLEASE drop a Cheerio...."

Additional 16 month highlights:

• The child has mastered over hand throwing. I have not mastered over hand throwing.
• He definitely exercises control when it comes to meal time. He'll only eat vegetables or meat when he's with a nanny. He's smarter than me... he finds things if I try to hide them or cover them with cheese
• He eats so much fruit that he has what the pediatrician calls 'Toddler diarrhea'. I'm a nurse. I've seen my share of poop. His poop is gross. It's a 6 wipe process. I found "Fiberfied" cheerios at Trader Joes, and those seem to be helping some.
• We like to go to the park, but he's not interested in swinging any more. He'd rather walk!
• Still LOVES bath time
• He loves Cardinal baseball, and he claps any time the crowd claps =)
• He brushes his own teeth (we help get those molars)
• We are working on using a spoon. He's been able to get the food to his mouth on a spoon for quite a while, but now we're working on him getting the food to-the-spoon, to-the-mouth.
• We are in some transitions. We're sort of getting to the point where he gets bored at home, so we try to get out of the house at least once a day (hopefully to do something fun!) 
• We are also transitioning from 2 naps/day to 1 nap/day. It's totally appropriate for his age to be in this transition, but any nap transition is tough. It's affecting his night time routine... we've had a lot of late nights/early mornings. It seems like things are turning around some this week, though!

Thanks for reading! We'll just have one more Owen: Month-to-Month post from Seattle!!!!

Apples & Avocados

4/15/12: 15 weeks & Owen's Best Pouty Face

4/22/12: 16 weeks

Well I feel like I haven't given this pregnancy proper 'air time', so I thought I'd dedicate a little post to the growth & development of #2. We've been so distracted that we haven't even come up with a proper nickname for this wee one. Sorry little guy/gal. I promise we love you!

I am going to fashion this post after my friend Bao's blog (nguim.blogspot.com). She does a great job chronicling her pregnancy!

Technically this is what is going on this week

Week 15:

• Baby is ~ 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (an apple-ish)
• It can move amniotic fluid through the nose and upper respiratory tract.
• It can move all of it's joints and limbs.
• It can sense light & it's forming taste buds

Week 16

• Baby is about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces.
• It's legs are much more developed, and it is growing toenails (hopefully it will allow me to cut them more readily that Owen does).
• It's eyes have moved closer to the front of his head & it's ears are narrowing in on their final position. 
• How cool is it that it's heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day!!!! 

Physical

• Weight: Bao lists her weight.. probably because her weight at 28 weeks is only 2lb > than my starting weight. Nonetheless, I am choosing not to list the total weight, but I may log my weight gain. At my last OB appointment, the weight gain was 0lbs. I am sure it will not be the same when I go to my next appointment on Thursday.
• I feel remarkably better. I only have nausea with extreme fatigue.. which still happens several times a week, but it holds off until 9pm or so. (It's likely due to Owen's new routine of waking in the 5:00 am hour :/)
• I have great energy during the day, but once Owen is in bed, my body crashes too. So does Oskee's. Poor Mike comes home to a houseful of party animals.
• I am just now getting back enough energy to exercise. We cancelled our Y membership b/c of the move & the fact that we didn't go for 2 months straight. Hopefully Seattle will give me some decent weather to walk with the Os.
• My varicose veins are already rearing their ugly heads. I can thank genetics + extra blood volume for this. One can only anticipate their beauty in a humid Midwestern summer. I apologize in advance. ps: Is it dorky to wear support hose with shorts? ;) 
• My face is a mess (acne wise). At first I attributed it to the fact that I didn't wash my face at night for about 10 weeks straight. We are well past that now, and I think I can just attribute it to hormones.

Spiritual and Emotional

• I am definitely 'teary'. Common scenarios: Praise & Worship at church, Sweetsie stories on the radio, etc. However, I haven't had any full out raging hormone moments or big breakdowns...... yet.
• A few weeks ago, I was exhausted & overwhelmed by the moving/selling/detail organizing 'to-do' list, but we are making great progress, and I feel more peaceful. Now I am just antsy to get to StL!
• Oskee is in mega-shed mode & the sun is actually shining some. This equals direct visualization of dog hair all over my house. I feel like I can't keep on top of it!
• I know I was very good about the fruit/veggie pictures during my pregnancy with Owen. The last 3 gestational weeks have been a lemon, apple, and avocado.. these are all ingredients that we readily have on hand. I can't make any promises for turnips (next week), and additional weeks that require some creative shopping.

Jesus Paid it All

"Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.” So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”(Matthew 28:1-10 ESV)

This Holy Week Mike and I have been distracted. Shamefully, too distracted to really think about what this week means to us as Christians. Why is it so easy to forget the sacrifices Jesus made for us on the cross when we are caught up in the details of our lives that seem big and important? When thinking about someone dying for your salvation to forgive you of your sins... everything else should pale in comparison, right?

Fortunately we were able to watch the live stream of our church's Good Friday service on-line and attend an amazing service this morning. These gave us some opportunity to reflect again on the events that led to the Cross, and to pray together.

As a mom, I struggle with the over commercialism of Christian holidays. How do we let Owen have the same Santa & Easter Bunny fun while really helping him to understand the real meaning of the holiday? I think in general, I'll try to keep things small... not that he really understands this year anyway. (You'll find this sentence ironic toward the end of the post... stay tuned)

Here are a few highlights:



The Easter basket had books and SUMMER jammies (Midwest prep)

 He couldn't get the egg open, but he knew there was something in it (puffs), so he gave Mike the 'more' sign.

After church we went to the park. He literally walked half a mile. I'm not even exaggerating. He had a blast.

Everytime he saw dog, he pointed his finger high up in the air and of course shouted 'DOG'.

    He discovered gravel & dirt...  

 Oskee discovered ducks...

Throwing the rocks in the air.

      Getting his hands nice & dirty =)

After the park, we went to the Ford dealership and bought an explorer. So long to Daddy's car, 'Eugene'. You were good to us. We now need something we can fit more people in to.

Buying a car now was a strategic move for us in many ways.. I am happy to fill you in on the details if you are interested. But, it's too long of a story to go in to here.

I'll have to get a shot from a better angle, but she's pretty gorgeous. Now we'll need a nickname for this car. Owen put his finger prints on the 3rd row windows, so it's been officially Christened. So much for keeping things 'small', right? Thanks Mr. Easter Bunny.

Here's a quick shot @ 14 weeks. Officially the start of the 2nd trimester today. I could not be more grateful. I puked right up to the end of the 1st =) I am really thinking girl...

So baby is the size of a lemon. Apparently I am going to have to share my fruit this time around =)

Happy Easter to all of you. May God bless your weeks. Hopefully we can all continue to reflect on his saving grace.

15 months: Pointing

How I have longed to right a post with this title: Pointing. Since i found out I was pregnant, I knew I would cry the day I first saw my child point... the first developmental sign that he does NOT have autism. I don't know why I held on to this little info nugget so tightly, but that I did. And, I heard a recent report on NPR this week that the CDC just came out with a new statistic that 1/88 children are on the autism spectrum. Can this honestly be accurate??? Any who, Owen is pointing! He wants us to see what he sees. I love it.
This post also could be titled: 15 months: clingy, but that just doesn't sound as nice. We have 2 molars now (total teeth=7), and these molars were the worst yet. We've had 2 'play dates' in the last week, and during both affairs, he cried and clung to my lap. the.whole.time. Also, last night was the first night he slept through the night in 2 weeks. I think I can thank vaccinations + a cold for that one =) Maybe he also knows that there are a lot of pending changes, so he is getting in his hugs while he can.

When I have the fridge open, he often sneaks in behind me and grab whatever he can. It's a very fun game. This day it was carrots.

Mad for March Madness. Sad for Mizzou's early loss... but at least he had a new friend & fellow Mizzou fan, Nathan Francis (http://francisfamilyfun-alison.blogspot.com/) born that same day... it made the sting a little less.

We took him to a 'Kids Quest/Fun Zone/Museum) that has a MILLION different and new toys to explore. He, of course, found these two 'BALLS', and wouldn't release them....

Until we enticed him over to the water area where he found another BALL.

Two balls... actually. He walked and walked and walked with these balls.

Until he put them back in the water in exchange for some smaller balls. He threw these smaller balls, and I have to say, the kid has an arm. He consistently throws forward and often further than I could throw.

We've been in desperate need of a hair cut... check out his rocking bed head.

There were lots of 'DOGS' at the StL zoo. It's so weird to actually see his skin (in shorts & short sleeves).

Last weekend the sun came out in Seattle, so I met Mike at the UW campus after work. We're trying to get a few 'last time in Seattle' opportunities in. In March, the UW's quad has 2 parallel rows of the most gorgeous cherry trees blossoming. It's a sight to behold. Owen LOVED to walk all over.

He walked...

and walked....

This is what he thought of posing for a quick pic.

'I want to WALK, mom'

 Cherry tree blossoms =)

Here's our little love on the 15mo bday. I was trying to get him to hold a 1 and a 5. It didn't work so well.

...but I did get a sweetsie smile.

Additional 15 month thoughts

• He eats well but not around Mike or me. If I want him to eat veggies, it has to be on a day when he is with a nanny. On those days he'll eat squash, carrots, peas, etc. I figure if  I can get them in him 3 days a week.. that's almost half.
• He loves walks, and loves to be outside. Imagine what he'll do when he gets to live somewhere the sun shines =)
• He's taken on a bit of a German accent. 'Aht' has transitioned to a guttural 'Acht'. 
• Also in language news, 'car' now sounds like car. 'Gock' is reserved for milk & walk. Seems fair enough to me. The only new work is 'Chee' = Cheese.
• When he's not clinging to my lap during play dates, he is now very into parallel play. He is not concerned with what the other toddler is doing.. unless it's a toy he also wants to play with.
• He tries to put on his own socks and shoes (by holding them in the general direction of his feet). After he gets frustrated with his own dressing abilities, he gives us an 'Acht', and we put his shoes on. Then he walks, and walks, and walks, and walks all over the house.
• He is starting to be able to remove his own clothes.
• He (like Oskee) rather enjoys eating toilet paper. What is it with these 2?
• My favorite, favorite, favorite thing about 15 months is that he waves to EVERYONE. When we flew home from STL, he waved to everyone on the plane (over and over again). He waves to people on the TV & out the window. I finally did take him to get his hair cut yesterday, and he waved to everyone who walked in the salon. It's quite cute, and most everyone responds pretty well.

And here are our 15 month stats:

Weight: 23lb 3 oz (25-50%)... our first time this high on the growth curve.

Height: 32 inches (75%)

Head Circumference: 18 inches (10%)

Top Five

I am sure there are several lists that explore the top 5 stressors in life. Here's my go at it.

1. Changing jobs. (I started a new job in January, and Mike of course in May/June).
2. Moving Across the Country (yet to come)
3. Putting a crappy real-estate investment up for short-sale & ruining your credit (working out the details as we speak)
4. Marriage (fortunately we have this one under our belts).
5. HAVING A BABY... yes, that's right, #2 is on the way. We are THRILLED. She/He is due to debut on or around October 7th. It's a good thing the Cardinals won the world series last year, because I may not be able to focus on October baseball so well this year =)

I need a nickname =)

Here's "it's" first picture at 7 weeks. We're now officially 12 weeks, hopefully past the point of anything scary happening. At our check up this morning, the heart beat was strong and fast at 155. I had gained not even 0.1 lbs....if that gives you any indication of how the 1st trimester went. Fortunately, I'm through the worst of it. Still exhausted, but I think that might have more to do with the above list & a 15 month old than pregnancy. I am also entering in to the "MUST EAT MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF FOOD NOW" stage, so I am sure the next 4 weeks will lend to a bit more weight gain =).

I was originally thinking girl because I was so much more sick with this pregnancy than with Owen. Also, with O I was just a bit nauseated in the a.m., and with this pregnancy I was out of commission from mid-afternoon on through the evening. However, I've been craving any large chunk of meat and baked Lays potato chips... old wives tales would consider that signs of a boy. We'll just have to see. I'll honestly be thrilled with either gender. I just want healthy. The jury is still out as to whether we'll find out the gender with this pregnancy.

I think I won't have any more 'reveal' blog posts in the next week or so ;) Also, I realize today is Owen's 15 mo bday. I haven't even begun that post, and normally it's something I work on gradually through the month. My goal is to work on it this weekend after we get his stats from his 15mo WCC on Friday.

Thanks for sharing in our joy. LOVE, Mike, Heather, Owen, & Oskee

Happy 60th Birthday Papa Wade

Last weekend we got to travel to St. Louis to celebrate Papa Wade's 60th birthday (insert exclamation point here... yes, it's still broken). We flew in on Friday and had dinner with my folks... thanks again mom for the delicious corned beef & cabbage. I think my mouth is still watering.

Saturday morning we woke up gradually (Owen only slept 40 minutes the day before so we let him snooze in). We packed the car and headed over to Papa Wade's house for the big birthday reveal. He didn't know we were coming in, and he also didn't know that Gaga Wade had a big birthday party planned for that night. It was great to have an entire day of celebration =)

Here's Owen having his morning milk and a nice snuggle with Papa Wade. I get a kick out of this picture. Owen is in his fleece jammies (I feel like I need to justify myself, but you all know that it's still in the low 40s in Seattle). Meanwhile, Papa is appropriately dressed for the 80 degree weather.

We soon stripped him down and let him enjoy the warm breeze of spring.... if you only get 3 days of spring, you should live it up right?

I think he had a blast playing on the porch. He kept walking to the porch door, standing on his tip toes, and trying to get out.

So the weather was gorgeous and the party was delightful. Gaga Wade invited about 30 people to feast and dine on amazing BBQ pork smoked by Uncle Bill & Aunt Bev Kinney (Gaga Wade's brother & sister-in-law). The food really was melt in your mouth.... I think Mike and I need to spend some time in Springfield to learn how to make some BBQ. We topped dinner off with this delicious and enormous cake from a place called 'Whipped Cream'.

I am ashamed at the lack of pictures I took at the party (and of the whole weekend for that matter), but here is a shot of the usual suspects: representatives from the Schusters, Borgmeyers, Wades, and Mulfords. We travel in a pack. Missing: the Coopers. They were at a wedding.

Look at this big and beautiful Baby Ava =) (And her gorgeous mama, too).

Growing up in Seattle, Owen is typically very offended by the sun. He pouts and shades his eyes when we walk on a sunny day. So, I thought I would get some sun glasses for our trip. I promise these are the appropriate size for his age, but his small (8th %tile) head makes them look like a part of a California Raisin costume.... does any one else remember the California Raisins??

We love every ounce of time we can spend with our family in St. Louis, and it is always SO SO hard to leave (especially anticipating 5ish hours of travel with a 15 month old).

However, we hope we'll not have to fly with Owen any more until he is much older because we are MOVING TO ST. LOUIS. We're ecstatic, thrilled, nervous, amazed, overwhelmed, etc...but mostly SO EXCITED. This has been in the works since about Valentine's Day. Mike received a call from the manager of his former group at Boeing St. Louis. He needed a great engineer, and he had Mike in mind. Mike still had to traverse the appropriate channels of big company hiring (job req, application, scary interview, etc), but he prepared well, worked hard and got himself a great job offer on Thursday. After lots and lots and lots of prayers and lots and lots and lots of discussions, Mike decided this is his next step in God's plan, and he gladly accepted the offer on Friday. We'll find out timing, start dates, etc next week, and at some point we'll get the ball rolling on how-to-get-out-of-this-crappy-real estate-investment we have. I asked Mike if we could please not tackle that last piece this weekend. My anxiety barometer is on overdrive, and it needs a little rest.

I've been desiring to write those words for a long time, and it feels very surreal. But we're already dreaming of a humid summer, Cardinal baseball, Fritz's ice cream, and the indescribable JOY that will accompany Owen being able to grow up knowing his grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Praise the Lord (exclamation point).

Signing off with love and exhaustion, Heather

A Day in the Life of O & the Norovirus

We Wades have been passing around the Norovirus. I'm so over it. Anyway... thankfully our Owen is pretty good at entertaining himself =)

Enjoy.