First Date

On Thursday, May 10, 2012 Conor had his first date.  We invited his friend Adelle and her mommy over for the day.  This was the third little friend that Conor has invited over but the first young lady he has brought home.

I'm having a girl-friend over today but first I have to change into my 'date' clothes.

Conor's friend arrived and they got down to some serious playing.  Adelle is 2.5 months older than Conor and he enjoys trying to keep up with her.   Adelle has been sitting up for about a month now and so Conor wanted to show her how good he was getting at sitting up while they played with toys.

Adelle was worried about Conor so she held onto the back of his shirt so he wouldn't fall over.

The kids played for a few hours then they each napped while the moms talked and ate lunch and then they played some more before we took pictures to remember their first date!

Sweet Baby Love - Hands holding and everything!

Conor truly loves spending his time with Adelle and we hope that she will come to play again soon!

xoxo
Erin

My First Mother's Day

While 2011 was technically my first Mother's Day as I was 2 months pregnant with Conor - it was a day of mixed emotions.  I was excited to share with our families that we were expecting but that excitement was curtailed by my Dad having an emergency and the uncertainty of whether he would get the opportunity to learn that he was going to become a grandparent.  Within a few hours of Dad's emergency things were settled down and we felt pretty confident that he was going to be ok and we were able to enjoy the Mother's Day weekend. 

Mother's Day Gifts for the Mothers......Announcing Conor :)

The Mommy & Daddy to be ....... 2 months pregnant

And now - one year later we are in a very different place.  Dad is doing very well and instead of announcing the arrival of our little one - we are celebrating Mother's Day with him!

The day started off with Conor and I getting up around 6:30am and sharing some snuggle time downstairs.  Then it was playtime before Daddy and Hunter came downstairs.  Once they woke up and came downstairs we shared in some family time before Conor and Daddy took me out to breakfast at Blast from the Past!

Conor fell asleep moments after we pulled out of the driveway and slept through the entire breakfast but my pancakes were still yummy! 

Someone slept through Mommy Day Breakfast at the Diner!

Our first Mother's Day Photo - 5 months old

After breakfast we went back to the house to pick up Hunter and we headed up to Freeport to do some walking and shopping (my gift was to pick out a new outfit).

Conor wanted to do the driving but we had to tell him he wasn't old enough.

But, he was happy to sit in the back and spend some extra time playing with Mom!

We spend 2 hours walking around the town.  I didn't purchase an outfit because I wasn't in the mood to actually shop but it was so nice just to spend the quality time with my family.  No phones, no computers, and no distractions - just me and my loves!

When we got home Daddy mowed the lawn while Conor and I started working on transitioning our gardens from spring tulips and daffodils to a blank slate for our veggies that will go in within the upcoming weeks.

Then it was time to rest......Conor was so tired he couldn't even wait for me to get his jammies on before he fell asleep on his playmate in the middle of the living room!

After a quick naptime it was time for dinner and then a little bit of playtime before bed.  Conor loves to play and play hard before bedtime - its almost as though he really needs to wear himself out in order to go to sleep (we start bedtime at 7:15pm with a diaper change and nursing and he's usually out by 7:30pm).  He was laughing and having such a good time tonight that we caught it on video.                  

Conor and Mommy playing on Mother's Day.

I truly can't believe how life can change so much in just one year.  Conor - thank you for making me a Mommy and for loving me unconditionally.  You have truly changed my life for the better and while you have only been here for five months I can't imagine my life without you.

Thank you Daddy for making my first Mother's Day a day I will never forget - I very much enjoyed getting to spend the day with just my guys and while breakfast out isn't always easy for you - I LOVED going out to breakfast!!!!

xoxo
Erin

PROM?

Dear Conor,

You are so smitten when your Auntie Danielle and when you heard that her prom was happening you told me you wanted to be her date.  So, the morning of her prom we sent her this picture.



Unfortunatly, you are a bit too young to go to such a big dance that lasts into the night (well, you are!) and so your Auntie had to go with someone else.

SHS Prom 2012

You weren't happy that she picked T over you but she had no choice since I said you were too little to go.  Doesn't your Auntie look beautiful??? 

Someday when you are old enough to go to prom I am quite certain that you will look just as handsome as T and your date, though she will try, will never be as beautiful as your Auntie!

xoxo
Mom

A Movie & A Baby

Dear Conor,

On April 29, 2012 you went to your first movie.  We took you to see the Disney Nature movie "Chimpanzee".  It was a movie about a family of chimps and what happens to one particular little chimp during his first year.

SPOILER ALERT

The chimp's mother is separated from the group during an attack by another family of chimps and because of her injury she is left vulnerable at night and is attacked by a cat (not the nice kind that live in people's homes but a wild cat) and she is killed.  The little chimp is left an orphan and none of the other lady chimps will take care of him because they already have chimps of their own.  So, the little chimp followed around the big male leader of the group and eventually this leader adopts the little orphan chimp and because of this the baby chimp survives.  Its a story of survival and what a little bit of hope, perseverance and love can do for a family and a baby.

It was a beautiful story and the filming was amazing!  You loved watching the screen and seeing the Chimps running through the jungle and playing with each other.  We watched the Mom chimps teaching their baby chimps how to get food and we also watched them nurse just like you and I do.

You did grow fussy at times.  Once because you needed a diaper change and another time because you were getting tired and you tend to fuss before falling asleep.  But overall you did very well at your first movie!

To commemorate the event we took picture of you in front of the movie poster.  We had to wake you up to do so and the sun was in our eyes so they aren't great pictures but just a little reminder of a wonderful day your Daddy and I got to spend with you!

This is Mommy's ticket because techinically you didn't need one but since I wore you into the movie we decided it was your ticket too!

Looking down to avoid the sun.

I promise you weren't mad - you were just unhappy about the sun in your eyes!

xoxo
Mom

Family Time

Conor is just 4 days shy of being 5 months old.  I seem to say it a lot but I truly can't believe how quickly time is flying by.  While I intend to continue to supply most of Conor's nutrition it is time to start introducing him to the wonderful world of food.  In order to do that I had to do some thinking about how we would go about this. 

Growing up we always ate dinner as a family at the table.  It was a time to reflect on the day that had passed and talk about things that were coming up.  While there are certain memories of the dinner table that are not fond (like sitting at the table until bedtime because I refused to eat my meatloaf), most of my family dinner memories are good ones.  I specifically remember when Danielle was little and she would sit in her high chair eating while we ate and she just talked and talked as she tried to be apart of our conversations about math class, hockey practice, and reading circles.  Dinner was simply a time when the TV was turned off and we just focused on each other.

I very much want this same experience for Conor.  Currently Josh and I do not sit down at the table and eat together (we usually eat in the living room while working or watching a show).  But, in order to give Conor the best that we can, this habit must change.  But first, Conor needs a place to sit!

I had originally wanted a booster type high chair but after playing around with it a little a realized it is not what I wanted and therefore I returned it and now searching for just the right highchair to meet our needs.  I would like a chair that allows Conor to be apart of our dinner experience and one that will be easily cleaned (so many of the plastic ones have too many places for food to hide!).  I have been looking at wooden high chairs that will be able to grow with Conor as he gets older but is still too small to sit in a regular chair as it is important that Conor always feel apart of dinner time.  I have my eye on a few and can't wait to make the final decision.

Once I do then it will be time to reveal our new dinning room and prepare for Conor's FIRST family dinner!

xoxo
Erin

Portland Children's Museum

Conor,

Today we went to the Portland Children's Museum with some of your friends from Tuesday Group.  We had never been before and were a little nervous about whether it would be appropriate for you since your not walking or even crawling.  But - it was awesome!  Daddy came with us too and this was his first playdate!

The museum has a toddler section like the New Hampshire Museum.  It was located in the middle of the museum floor and you could see many of the other exhibits from this spot.  There were so many things for you to do.

There as a round padded circle that babies could sit in - you enjoyed it so much you invited your friends in to play.

First came H.  You guys are just learning to reach for each other and you ended up holding hands.

Hi Dad!  Did you get a picture of me and H?

I should have known you would :)

This is a great photo of part of the area - its set up like a tree house/club house and a fountain.  There is air keeping the beach ball in the air!

Playing in the circle with H and A

After playing in the circle you decided to play in the tube.  There was only standing room and you stood in the tube for a while and everyone was amazed at how long you were able to stand.

You stood in there for so long that your friend B came to try to help him out - but you weren't so sure you wanted help getting out.

Nope - I'm loving this thing - Daddy will you buy me one?

This special area was just for 'infants' or non-crawlers and Conor had fun hanging out in here for a bit.

You even invited Daddy into the treehouse to play!

After the treehouse we went to play with the air fountain.  You loved standing and holding onto the cone and watching the scarfs fly into the air.

Getting ready to let it go.....

WOW - look how high it went!

Conor's turn!  Just Kidding - you didn't fly in the air but you made some funny faces when I held you over the air tube.

Reaching for your friend Q and telling her a story.

Posing under the Rainbow for Daddy.

And peeking through the cloud in the rainbow!

Two leprechauns over the rainbow!

Where's Conor?  (You loved that tube!)

Baby Stew - playing with your friends just before it was time to go (Q, A & C).

We checked out the rest of the museum and there is so much to do that we will have lots of fun here for years to come!  This is the reading nook in the camping section - its a little log cabin.

Your Daddy and I had so much fun playing with you and your friends at the museum. Your Daddy was the only Daddy that was able to go and he wanted me to make sure that I wrote that he had an 'awesome' time. There is a whale exhibit and the whale was supposed to be lowered at 3pm - we waited around to see it happen but it didn't lower so we left and went to Whole Foods.

You were so tired after all that playtime that you were asleep before we even left the parking spot and when I took you out of your carseat at Whole Foods you didn't even wake up. I wondered why everyone was smiling at your Daddy and I while we were shopping and when I caught you in the mirror asleep on my shoulder I knew why.

When we got home we gave you some naked time - which you loved.  You enjoy naked time and Daddy even gave you a lotion massage to calm you after your very busy day.

And a little naked time when we got home to help unwind from such a busy afternoon!  You rolled over twice today but I wasn't able to catch it on camera.

I am so glad that we are able to take you on these little adventures and I hope that you love them as much as we love bringing you on them.

xoxo
Mom & Dad

Oh What a Night!

Dear Conor,

Today you are 4.75 months old and I can't believe how much you have grown and how many firsts we have experienced together.  Well, last night was yet another first.

As I have written before - your sleep has not been great since you turned 3 months old.  You have fought to stay asleep during the night and when you woke the only thing that would soothe you back to sleep was nursing.  But, with me working full time you were making me a very tired Mommy.

But your Daddy and I figured that you would sleep on your own when you were ready and we were not going to push you and fight what you weren't ready for.  Well, about a week ago you started wanting to go to bed earlier than your Daddy and I were ready for.  So, I started putting you to bed in your crib.  You would sleep until 11pm or so and then we would move you into our room for the remainder of the night.

Well, this past Monday night you had a terrible night and I noticed that your hands kept going to your face and that after a few minutes of this was when you woke up.  So, I decided that while you were teething (which you are now - I can see the little white bumps again) you would be back in a swaddle.  Therefore, Tuesday night (your Grandma Mary's brithday) I nursed you, took you upstairs to change your diaper, swaddled you, nursed you for a few more minutes and then put you in your crib propped on the Boppy pillow (you still need the incline due to reflux).  I had also bought you a sound machine/projector to help drown out the noises downstairs and those we made coming up to bed.  I put you down drowsy and went downstairs.

You fussed a few times before falling asleep but you did not need much comforting (just a binky re-insert) before you were out cold.  When we came upstairs at 11pm you did not wake up and so I left you to sleep in your crib.  You slept until 3:30am!!!!  At that time I brought you into our room and nursed you before putting you back down in the co-sleeper where you fussed a bit and then fell asleep until 6:30am.  I then pulled you into bed for snuggles and you fell asleep again!

Knowing this last night I made some changes to your room yesterday afternoon in preparation for last night.  I moved your rocker into your bedroom and took your activity mat and put it in our room (you will eventually have a little play corner in there for when we shower since it's further from the stairs than your room).  The rocker doesn't leave much space in your room for any playing so its a good thing that Mom and Dad have a space in their room for you!  Here are the new pictures of your room.

The big boy bed in your room with Mom's Cabbage Patch Kid - Clinton saving you a spot.

See your new shelf?  There is one on each side of the window!

And here is your rocker in your room with your quilt on the back.  Your camera and sound machine live on this shelf.  When you get a little bigger I will have to adhere the cables to the wall so that you can't pull on them.

Because we moved your rocker into your room - Hunter's bed got moved to the other side of your crib.  See him sleeping there?

This side hasn't really changed other than we are using your bassinet to hold your large stuffed animal collection.  Pretty soon we won't have room for anymore!

You went to bed last night at 8:00pm.  We went upstairs and I changed your diaper, swaddled you and then we rocked in your chair and I nursed you.  Then I put you to sleep and turned on your sound machine/projector (last night it was sea animals) and left you to fully fall asleep on your own.  You did fuss a few times but you were fast asleep by 8:30pm.  And you slept until 3:30am again!  I heard you over the ipad and so I came into your room, picked you up, nursed you in your rocking chair and put you back to sleep in your crib.  I had to stay with you for a few minutes with my hand on your chest but after a littlr fart you went to sleep and I was able to go back to bed too.  You woke up again at 6:30am and I brought you into our room to nurse where you slept until 7:30am.

I am so proud of you my little man for spending your first full night in your room.  While I am proud of you it also is sad because it means that you are growing bigger and soon you wil be off to college (well - not really but that's how Mommies feel sometimes!).

I love you little man.

xoxo
Mom