Monday, December 27, 2010

Saturday, November 27, 2010

From Head to Toe

Winter Wonderland

Even as I am sitting here, the snow is falling in huge, fluffy flakes. Winter in Central Oregon has officially arrived. OK...so, I'm a bit behind the first snow fall blog of the season...it actually happened weeks ago. But I guess since it's Thanksgiving weekend, and I've spent a lot of my time in the past couple of days baking, cooking, and pretty much being a domestic goddess, it felt right that we woke to snow falling on this beautiful Saturday morning, hence, the feeling that Winter has finally arrived.

I promised myself that I would be better at taking more photos this year. Especially since Connor is at an age (well, almost) where he will actually react to different things rather than sit immobile and simply stare at the pretty blinking lights. I have already failed with my promise. We got through two wonderful days of celebration---Thanksgiving AND an epic Oregon win---without a single photo (Insert sad, disappointed smiley here). 


So, to make up for my lack of documentation, I thought I would simply post a long (7 minute) video of Connor's first true experience with snow. At least I was able to get my head out to actually capture that, right?!?


Monday, November 22, 2010

Relief

There was never a question in my mind that I was fully prepared and felt ready to have a baby. I had spent so much time around babies and small children throughout my life that I felt confidence in my decisions.

But it's not possible to plan for everything.

I never suspected that we would have to worry about Connor's weight. Now, I knew that he most likely got his petite genes from Brian's side of the family, but I had no idea how much his weight (or lack of) would cause so much anxiety (for me and Brian) and scrutiny (by nurses and doctors).

Connor began his life in the 25th percentile, and has, over the past year, dropped well below the norm and into the low single-digit percentiles. Because of the tracking system, it was not uncommon for nurses to shake their heads, mutter under their breath and make comments like, "He sure is little, isn't he?" or "He's way below the norm." Not only does this kind of comment stab a mother in her heart, it opens up a need to defend every waking moment of her child's life.

It all came to a head at Connor's one-year appointment. He had been having trouble drinking cow's milk and was therefore drinking rice milk while eating solids. More than once, I called the pediatrician's office questioning the rice milk and wondering if we should be supplementing. The same answer came from the nurses each time, "If he's eating solids, there isn't a need to supplement. The rice milk is ok, as long as it's not his only source of nutrition." So, imagine my surprise (and Brian's, since he had to take Connor to his appointment) when our doctor thought Connor was malnourished and needed to be weighed every two months until we could prove we were taking care of him.

Shocked, pissed off, and worried, there was nothing to do but work hard to fill our little boy up as much as possible. We switched back to whole milk, supplemented with soy milk, and didn't deny multiple snacks during the day or ketchup & ranch to dip his chicken in at dinner. Nighttime bottles were also encouraged if he made a single fuss at 2 a.m.

Over the past two months, we couldn't be too sure if he was gaining enough. His clothes were still big-- he was wearing 6-9 month pants, but he seemed more solid when we held him. The true question was going to be whether or not he had gained enough to not only please our doctor, but to give us a peace of mind.

Much to our relief,  Connor weighed in today at 19 lbs. Since his last weigh in, he had gained one pound, seven ounces. And our doctor was more than pleased.

I never thought, in a world where petite and thin are in, that I would have to worry so much about how little my little guy was.

Saturday, October 16, 2010

Canned Whipped Cream (FYI...Daddy was the one who initiated this)

Just more random cuteness...






He now knows what is in that can and will reach for it when the fridge is open. What a smart kid!

Feeding Himself

One of the most awesome (and messy) things to have happened around our house lately is that Connor is beginning to feed himself with a spoon. The spoon has proven to be trickier than a fork, since it is rounded and food tends to fly off a spoon more quickly and easily than a fork. But his teachers have been working with all the toddlers, and I think he's starting to get it.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

Cupcake!

Connor's First Birthday Party

Although it was raining, we were able to squeeze all of our guests into our house to have a birthday brunch for Connor. He was sleeping when his guests arrived, and he made a very good transition into the crowd once he woke up. He loved having all the kids and people around. Here are some pictures from his big day.









Aunt Haylie made his beautiful cupcakes and birthday cake! 





He was probably more interested in the wrapping paper than he was in his gifts





Balloons!
































Tuesday, September 28, 2010

Walking

Ok. So I've been seriously slacking on the blogging part of my life. With the onset of a new school year, a four-day Dave Matthew's concert camping trip, a series of baby showers, and, not to mention a first birthday to plan, blogging didn't even cross my mind. But now that I am able to sit down and think about it, a lot has happened in the month since my last post. The most important being that Connor turned one, and he is a walking fool (seriously, sometimes he looks like a drunk fool!).

It began just days before Brian and I went to the Gorge for a few days. It started out as a timid scoot, keeping one leg firmly planted while the other scooted him in a circle. Two or three small steps followed. Now, only weeks later, he is practically running around the house, gaining more confidence with every step. He even carries various toys in his hands, and can pivot quickly and change directions---especially when he knows I'm after him to change a diaper or wipe his nose.

He is incredibly proud of himself---as you can see...


Sunday, August 22, 2010

Connor Loves to Groove

This isn't his best dancing performance. But I sure thought he was pretty cute this morning 

Friday, August 20, 2010

September

It's astonishing to think that it's nearly September. The weather is cooling (a bit), and the hustle and bustle of summer is coming to a close. Summer bbq's, pool time and scheduled trips have come and gone. Back to school clothing ads have reared their ugly heads (perhaps too soon), and parents are scrambling to keep their children occupied for a few more weeks.

September has always been an exciting time for me. Throughout my childhood and adolescence, I looked forward to school more than summer break itself. I LOVED (read: still love) to shop for new pens, pencils, paper, books and markers...Oh, the thrill of it all!..organized and intentionally packed in my backpack weeks before school even started.

Not much has changed.

So, here we are, a few weeks from September, and it's happening all over again. As a school teacher, I have stocked my classroom with supplies: new colored pencils, pens, binders. As of this afternoon, everything is neatly placed, ready for Monday's big start. I was so excited this afternoon that it's almost impossible for me to wait the next couple days to start.

September is coming. The leaves will change color. The mornings will be cold. I will pray my pumpkins don't frost before they're ready. I'll have to wear pants and bring a sweater to work. It's the same every year.

But with this realization that a new year is beginning (teachers think very differently than the rest of society), I have also become so very aware of how much everything has changed.

Connor will be a year old in September. It's hard to imagine we have a child that is nearing the one year mark. What a difference a year makes!  This fall, my weekends will no longer be filled with lazy mornings of coffee and football. We will have an active one-year-old tornado who wakes at 6 a.m. no matter what day it is, and we'll be lucky to catch a few minutes of a game.


So, here's to September. The month that will always hold a special place in my heart.

Friday, August 13, 2010

Sharing

Connor's teacher at school says they have to spread all the little ones out when they're eating because all they do is try to give each other bites. 

Monday, August 9, 2010

genius



now if only I was a genius and didn't video sideways!

Saturday, August 7, 2010

good eats

Connor has always been a good eater. As an infant, he was an efficient nurser. Once solids came around, he would eat anything from applesauce to broccoli with cheese. But something has happened.

Brian was surprised how well he ate whole green beans, steamed broccoli, and every fruit under the sun."He's more you than me," he'd say, on a regular basis. You see, Connor refuses to eat cheese, tortillas, or noodles...pretty much everything Brian loves. I would sit in my smug glory every mealtime, silently gloating our child's likeness to me. At least there is a part of me in him, even if it is just my ears and my love of broccoli, I thought.


Well, as you can imagine, my sense of connection soon faded (not that we have no 'emotional' connection...I mean my...'haha, he's more like me' connection). Doomsday was upon me. It all started with a weird look. Then my worst nightmare: HE SPIT OUT HIS BELOVED BROCCOLI. Um, WHAT?!?

My rationalization: He's just showing off for daddy (insert my husband's huge grin right about now); he'll eat the next floret. 

yeah, right, keep dreaming, mama...

and daddy just kept on smiling...

It snowballed from there: he refused applesauce, threw chicken off this tray, turned up his nose at graham crackers. Graham Crackers?! This kid was really pushing limits.

 Now, he won't touch anything but toaster waffles (with syrup!) and saltines. Um..excuse me kid, but I'm pretty sure that's unacceptable!

While I may be exaggerating a bit..those are the only two 'go-to' foods I have up my sleeve. And I'm thinking I'm pretty much screwed from here on out.

Wednesday, August 4, 2010

taking the camper out for a spin (2nd anniversary trip)

This past spring, our family purchased a new camper. I'm pretty sure the idea stemmed from the fact that Brian and I are going to see Dave Matthews at the Gorge Labor Day weekend, but it is useful for other trips, such as Connor's first trip to the Oregon Coast!

We decided to take this opportunity to stop in Eugene to visit Uncle Andy, Aunt Katherine, and Cousin Rylee. It was so wonderful to see Connor and Rylee play! Connor loves to play "chase" and Rylee was the perfect "chaser."

We spent the night in our camper at the Rice's and then headed down the road to Beverly Beach. Thankfully, Connor slept most of the way and when he woke, I was able to get in the back seat next to him to play.

As typical Oregon Coast weather goes, it was cool (61) and misty. But we bundled up and headed to the beach. Connor had his first experience with seeing the ocean and playing in the sand. We drove to Lincoln City to do some shopping and ate at Mo's.

By far, this was the best "family vacation" we have ever taken. Connor is such a laid back, wonderful little kid. He's able to adapt easily which made traveling more wonderful. We can't wait to get back out there and do some more camping. Here are some photos and a video or two from our trip.












Thursday, July 29, 2010

rashes and fever and jelly...oh, my!

It has been a trying couple of weeks in the Vernon home. Connor has been sick before, but nothing like what we've experienced lately. It all started out with an upset tummy, which led to major diaper rash and then shifted to four days of fever that maxed out at 102 degrees. To say the least, he has had a really rough summer. Last night, while I was teaching a cycling class, my mom and sister had one of the worst scares...an allergic reaction to either peanut butter or grape jelly (he's had peanut butter before, so I think the culprit is the jelly) His entire face swelled up and he developed red bumps everywhere.

I know that there are many parents out there who have experienced their child being sick, or worse, really hurt or even more sick than Connor got, and it made me really think about how much having a child truly changes you. I have never been more worried for one person in my life than I was when he was sick (well, maybe more worried about Brian when he almost cut off his finger two years ago). And it also made me think about how lucky we truly are that he is a relatively happy, healthy little boy.

So, while my "summer vacation" four-weeks off didn't really go as planned (more time at the pool, park, and library), at least I was able to be home with my little one while he was going through all of this.

Thursday, July 15, 2010

peek-a-boo

Connor actually initiated his first game of peek-a-boo with Grandma Jenny


Thursday, July 1, 2010

Where curiosity can lead


It's been a while since I've posted anything, so here's a quick update. 

Connor had his nine month appointment last Friday.
He's a skinny kid...no baby fat and a six pack... 
16 lbs. 7 oz.; 28" tall 

The Little Vern:

  • crawls (mostly bear crawling) 
  • pulls himself to a stand
  • stands for a few seconds without holding on to anything
  • takes one nap a day...we found if he napped more than that, he was up all the time at night. it's been a hard transition, but it seems to be working well
  • claps
  • enjoys the warm weather. He LOVES to be outside!
  • gets into EVERYTHING! Brian and I are working on creating a space where he can roam (almost) freely without hurting himself. For your viewing pleasure, here's an example...









Thursday, June 17, 2010

9 Month Update

Today Connor is 9 months old, and I know that every parent says this but, "My, how time flies!" There are quite a few things Connor has mastered in the last week or so: waving bye-bye, clapping, and crawling like a maniac. I can leave him alone in the living room, and in 10 seconds he's following right behind me. HI eyes tell all... he's proud of himself. He is ultimately pleased with his new found skills.

He is also pulling himself to a stand. This started about 5 days after he began crawling. I think we're going to have some trouble pretty soon with him moving around so well! But, because he is moving around more, I had to start thinking "baby proofing." Brian and I have some shelves where we keep picture frames, books, and CDs. I thought I would try a little experiment. Instead of removing everything from our shelves that is in his reach, why not simply teach him not to touch? I admit, sometimes he listens, and sometimes he doesn't. But yesterday afternoon, I think he got the picture. Take a look:

Sunday, May 16, 2010

It has been a weekend of "firsts"

Connor has been a busy little boy the past week or so. A few of his "firsts" include ...


...eating a pickle...






...flying in an airplane...



...eating a pancake...



...and an ice cream cone...




and for the grand finale...


... munching on a cracker with no hands...






Pretty much everyday is the best day with our Little Monkey. He's really smart and continues to learn new things each and every second of life. 

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Connor is getting really, really close to crawling. This morning, Brian and I found him on his hands and knees in his crib, trying to pull himself up to a stand. But, what's even better than that is the strength in his core--this kid would be great at yoga or Pilates. Check out the "plank" he did this morning:






Monday, May 3, 2010

Connor's First Snacks

This was a couple months ago, but I'm just now playing around with posting videos

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Bubbles


A big 'Thank You' to Grandma Jenny for the bubble bath. 

Connor wasn't too sure about it at first, but then he couldn't stop smiling

Saturday, April 24, 2010

The Young & The Restless

No, I'm not blogging about a Soap Opera, although sometimes I feel there is enough drama in my life to make it one!

Recently (I'd have to say the last month and a half) our little one has had trouble sleeping soundly through the night. We were doing very well, all of us getting a full night's sleep without interruption until Connor got a little cold. Since then, Brian and I are up with him at least twice a night. Now, I shouldn't complain, since many families out there are up more than that a night with their infants, but once you get used to something, it's easy to long for it to return.

It's not that Connor is in need of a bottle when he wakes...most of the time he screams out and once we get to his room, he's sound asleep again. Initially, we knew it was because he was stuffed up and had a hard time breathing because of his cold. But after he was better, we thought it was an ear infection--but out wonderful pediatrician said his ears looked perfect.  So, our last thought is that he's teething--but there are no teeth to show for it yet. We are at the point where we will try anything until it works.

So, here we are, early on a Saturday morning, exhausted, frustrated, and just down-right annoyed by the restless nights we are having.

Last night was the worst of them all. Connor woke shortly after I came to bed (yes, I am a Jamie Oliver fan and HAD to stay up to watch the new episode), and it was a quick fix of patting his back to get him settled again. Twenty minutes later, his sheets were soaked, he was screaming and I couldn't find any pj's that would fit him (I'm a little behind clearing out his dresser of things he's grown out of...I've learned my lesson!). Once he was dry and snuggled in a blanket there was still nothing I could do to console him.

Bottle time.

He fell asleep in my lap, and I continued to rock him for a half hour. Back to bed I went.

Thirty minutes later... more screaming!

Teeth coming in? Maybe...

Baby orajel, which he hates and begins gagging and crying.

More rocking and singing

As his sobs turned to deep breaths and his deep breaths turned to rhythmic breathing, I was so worn out and tired that I almost wanted to just sleep upright in the rocking chair.

While the most terrible part of the night was over, it wasn't OVER yet, because I got up with him another three or four times to calm him before he woke at 615 AM, ready to get up. Brian and I were so tired that we laid there, listening to him talk for a while. Finally, I gave in at 640 because he was scratching on the wall between our rooms, REALLY ready to get up.

As I am writing this, he has just fallen asleep upstairs for his morning nap.


I'm hoping it's a long one.

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

Sweet Tooth

Guess Connor's gonna be more like me than we thought. Brian thought it would be interesting to see what he would do with a little ice cream.



hm...pretty good


More please!

yum-o!

I need MORE!



We have created a monster!


Monday, April 12, 2010

PJ's

Ever tried to snap your screaming, squirming child into pj's? When Connor was littler (read immobile) it wasn't difficult to get him into his pj's at night, but things have changed. He is constantly trying to sit up, roll over, grab at the lotion, or pretty much squirm any which way he can manage. Putting on pj's has become a tremendous chore. It's amazing how long it takes to align 13-15 and successfully connect each (yes, I count them each time).  Why can't I find more jammies with zippers? Why is it that zippers are non-existent until size 2T? 





Wednesday, April 7, 2010

One Fish, Two Fish



Connor and I have swim lessons every Monday and Wednesday for the next few weeks. He seems to be unsure on Monday, but by Wednesday, he's all about splashing, screaming, and engaging with the other babies. Pretty soon he'll be swimmin' like a little fish!


There are a few wonderful things about baby swim lessons:
1. The pure joy in his whole body when we walk into the pool area
2. The quality time we get to spend together
3. The excitement of seeing him actually learn what to do in the water
4.  And lastly, the exhaustion that follows--
Brian and I were able to eat dinner before he woke from his nap!

Sunday, April 4, 2010

our first Easter



Today, the Easter Bunny visited, not once, but three times -- what a lucky kid. We had our family over for brunch, and everyone stayed until about 330 playing card games and lounging around. Connor was lucky to get some new clothes and many new books. Overall, it was a wonderful day.

Basket 2


new shoes

Saturday, April 3, 2010

Welcome to our Blog!

So, even with all my doubts and anxiety over adding yet another thing to think and worry about, I broke down and started a blog. Who knows if I'll keep up with posting all the time, since I find it hard to follow through with anything that seems frivolous. But I will put my best foot forward and attempt to keep everyone updated. First things first. Let me update you on the ins and outs of our Little Vern, Connor David: He is 6 and half months old and changes from day to day. My parents were not kidding when they said  kids grow like weeds. A few of his accomplishments to date are

  1. sitting up independently--although he topples easily 
  2. eating solid foods--he just started putting those little puff cereals in his mouth and eating them without gagging 
  3. scooting on the floor--he even gets his knees under his butt
  4. sitting up in the bath tub like a big boy
  5. sleeping through the night (well, most of the time) 
  6. singing along with music
  7. drinking out of "real" cups