Look at this guy. He seems different after coming back from vacation. His face is changing to look a little less baby-ish and a little more toddler. Even our daycare lady says he's changed so much in a week. He feels humongous, but that's just my tired arms talking.
Seriously?
Geoff the Giraffe is delicious
He laughs all the time, and sometimes he even cracks himself up. We can't help it; we're a funny bunch. He's unbelievably ticklish (sorry, Bug, you get that from me) and Daddy takes full advantage. Tummy time is going much better, and he can roll from front to back sometimes when conditions are right. He hasn't figured it out enough to replicate the process anytime he wants, but he can do it. His arms and torso are a lot stronger and he often looks like he's making early efforts to crawl. He can definitely sit up on his own and loves the freedom to grab at things within his reach (or just out of reach). My favorite new trick is the "high-five." That one is a crowd pleaser.
Solid foods are going well! Right now peas are his absolute favorite thing. He likes everything he's had so far, but peas are top notch. I'm liking the process of making baby food. I haven't done much yet with mixing, but I think we'll have introduced enough that I can do that fairly soon.
The Adventure Continues: The trip home
We were glued to the t.v. to find out whether we had a shot at getting home that night or not. The big question: do we take the first flight to Denver or wait at Gramma and Grampa's house in South Dakota? The bonus of having to stop in Denver is that we'd get to see Uncle Ken and Aunt Glenda. Despite finding out our second flight was definitely cancelled, we decided to take our chances in Denver.
After landing in Denver, we went directly to the customer service desk to find out our chances of getting a flight into the Bay area...anywhere in the Bay area. The next confirmed flight out of Denver wasn't for another 4 days, but we could try standby for the next night. We left the airport with the assurance that we were first and second on the standby list and we were already checked in and ready to go.
Luckily, Ken and Glenda had done some last-minute scouting and scored us a pack-n-play for our visit, and it was nice to see some familiar faces after the flight. Owen did just fine, but was pretty exhausted and ready for bed as soon as we arrived.
On our day visit, Owen discovered Uncle Kenny is almost as funny as Daddy is. Aunt Glenda took us on a beautiful walk around their neighborhood, and the day was just really lovely. Nick made a few attempts throughout the day to triple check our standby status, but both the phone and online approach provided no information.
Uncle Ken and Aunt Glenda
Nick and I knew it was possible that only one seat would be available, so we decided I would go home with Owen and we packed the bags accordingly. I would need the car seat as my checked luggage, but the big bag would have to stay with him in Denver if we were separated (I couldn't handle all of our luggage with Owen by myself). Upon check-in, we had to trust that our bags would be handled accordingly for our flight status despite the check-in lady's advice to send the bags regardless of whether we made the flight (I'm not sure she understood the baby car seat necessity). We also learned that we had somehow dropped from first and second on the standby list to fourth and fifth, and now the flight was overbooked. *sigh* What can you do? At this point, the airline is struggling to recover, people are upset and want to get home, and I knew we would be OK if we had to wait it out. Nick was quickly losing his patience, so we decided that I would go to the gate and try to make sense of our standby status while he went to the service desk to find out if there were any alternatives.
At the gate, I met a guy who had heard the same promises and had now been bumped to a lower spot on the list. I knew at that point our chances of making this flight were slim to none, and I had accepted that we might be staying in Denver for a few more days. While Nick was still at the desk, I went to ask the woman at the gate what she thought our chances were for making the flight, and she didn't sound very positive. We had now been dropped to seventh and eighth on the list on an overbooked flight. On a holiday weekend. After a plane crashed and cancelled a bunch of flights. Yeah, I'd say more like one out of a million.
Well, nothing to do now but wait. Nick didn't have much luck either, but we'd probably have to bite the bullet and purchase another ticket on another airline if we wanted to get out of there anytime soon. We waited until they boarded everyone and closed the doors. All right. Game over.
But wait! Our name was called over the load speaker followed by two other names. Hooray! It was like being on the Price is Right. Come on down! Holy crap, so we ran up there, quickly adjusting all of our things so we had our carry-ons, our stroller ready for gate check, Owen asleep on my shoulder, and we emphasized that we had two checked bags that definitely needed to be sent.
Our seats were not together on the flight, and both were near the back of the plane. No probs, we were just excited to be going home. We got to the first seat on our ticket and someone was in that seat. OK, so we went to the next seat and someone was in that seat as well. Duplicate tickets. Awesome. The flight attendants walked from the front and the back of the plane looking for other empty seats and none were available. I heard the stewardess say, "I'm sorry guys," and it was all I could do to keep from bawling in front of all those people. I made a focused effort to avoid guilt tripping the other passengers, but I'm sure they could read the expression on my face despite my efforts to avoid eye contact.
We had to wait in the front of the plane for the jet way to be wheeled back into place, and someone offered one seat so Owen and I could go home. Such kindness! So Nick and I did a quick recap of the bag situation...we'd have to make sure that the bags DO make it on the plane so I would have the car seat. It was probably too complicated to split the bags, so we decided to send them all and I'd figure something out when we got home. Probably would have to be magic.
When the doors opened and the woman at the gate saw that it was Nick and I standing there, she immediately said, "No, these guys are definitely going. The last two names I called are coming off." So now, the two guys who also thought they caught a lucky break had to gather their things and stay in Denver. We apologized to both of them, but I don't think it brought much comfort.
I settled in with Owen and Nick was actually seated next to the guy who was going to give up his seat for us. At least we had the chance to thank him for his offer when nothing else seemed to be going our way. Owen and I pretty much slept for the whole plane flight. Next question: did our bags make it?
No more suspense. YES. Our bags made it, we made it, and we finally crashed in our beds at 1 a.m. The cats rejoiced. Nick and I took Owen to daycare as usual the next day but took a half day off to just...sleep. And it was glorious.
Oh, the dreaded plane flight. I know it's a right of passage for parents who live far away from family, but I was really nervous about the whole idea. Of course, the trip already looked exhausting on paper. Nick and I made these whirlwind trips home trekking across Iowa to South Dakota seeing friends and family along the way. It's wonderful to get to see so many, but also sad that we can't spend more time at each stop.
We decided our long-term plan is to try not to do the whirlwind trips with Owen so we can spend more time in one place, but we'll have to figure out an alternating schedule so we can see each family at some point during the year. Nevertheless, we made an exception since this was the first time the whole family would meet Owen.
Much of the preparation is exactly as you'd expect; holy crap there's a lot of stuff to remember. We packed the necessities, and then had to edit down to what was REALLY a necessity. Thank goodness it's summer and our clothes are smaller. I can't imagine what Christmas trip luggage would look like.
Owen actually did pretty well on the plane flights. He fussed for the first 10 minutes or so, but then settled and napped the rest of the flight. He seemed to do OK with takeoff and landing, and we had a bottle at the ready if he was awake.
Denver airport fun
Sleepin' like a baby
First stop: Tony & Sandra Hooper
We have an annual gathering of college friends which is usually a trip to watch the Chicago Cubs play ball. This year, it was decided to do a BBQ at home instead, which suited our needs much better. Tony and Sandra also have a new baby boy, Tyrion, so their house was well equipped with the baby stuff we needed.
We truly have the most amazing group of friends, and seeing them makes me miss them that much more. We had such a great time learning about the new stuff happening in everyone's lives and also sometimes falling back into those good ol' college days. Owen was a bit out-of-sorts as he was trying to adjust to everything, but he did come around to show everyone his good side.
Band nerds reunited!
Second stop: Uncle John & Aunt Kristyn & cousins
Back to Ames! A quick driving tour of Iowa State proved that I hardly recognize some areas of campus. Many new buildings and lots of improvements, and then there's the Physics building...just as we left it. I think Nick teared up a little. :)
We finally had a chance to meet new cousin Lila, and she is such a doll. The Mostek cousins are always such a fun bunch. Emma showed us her Ripstik (a version of skateboard) skills, and Leah rode a bike without training wheels. Anna opened up a bit more with both Nick and I and she went with me on a stroller walk around the neighborhood. Thanks to the girls for camping on the couch so Owen, Nick and I could steal their room for a couple nights!
Dude, what's the matter?
Best attempt at a posed photo....ever. This captures so much about these amazing girls.
Third stop: Grampa & Gramma Lamos
By this time, Owen was starting to get used to the crazy schedule, but was still having some trouble sleeping. Gramma and Grampa had a pretty sweet setup for us in the room upstairs with a mini fridge and a pumping nook so I wouldn't have to disturb anyone with my overnight pumping sessions. Awesome!
Nick got in a few rounds of golf with my dad, and Owen and I spent some time with cousin Rileigh. We picked up with her crochet projects again, and drew some animals from a book she had. Finally Uncle Mark and Aunt Aleshia came with Brody and Logan. We spent the afternoon and evening outside with the grill and then a bonfire. It's my favorite kind of day.
"Hey you! Get off my lawn." ---Owen and Cousin Logan
Chillin' in the backyard
Fourth stop: Great Gramma McKenney
We were up VERY early (4 a.m.) to make the trip to my Gramma's house for the 4th of July parade. Aside from Grampa's speeding ticket (less than 10 miles from our final destination), the trip went pretty smoothly. The whole day was packed full of events and fun, lots of family and food. I think this was Owen's best day. I was skeptical that he would be able to make it through without an epic meltdown, but he did just fine. We watched the parade together (with him in the Bjorn) and gathered candy. We took stroller rides throughout the festival and park across the street. So many new faces, and he took it all in stride. I think he made it through the day on short power naps alone, but he slept pretty great that night.
Parade fun!
Owen chillin' with Gramma Lamos and Great Aunt Bonnie
Owen and Great Gramma
Happy First Birthday, Logan!
Bucket hat buddies
Fifth stop: Gramma & Grampa Mostek
It was nice to have a couple low-key days to unwind after the 4th of July. Nick golfed with his dad, and Owen got to spend some time with new cousin Breckin (who was very kind to let us borrow his toys for the weekend). Cousins Kadance and Camden spent the afternoons in the pool, and I had a chance to catch up with Aunt Krista.
Owen definitely enjoyed all of his Gramma and Grampa time, and I think he was good and spoiled by the end of the week. On the day we were set to leave, Nick's Uncle Duane and Aunt Dot drove up from Omaha to see us before we headed back to San Francisco. It was great to see them, but we didn't get to visit as much as we would have liked. Why? Well, a plane crashed at SFO closing the airport.
"Wait...what did you say?" --Owen and Cousin Breckin
I think Nick enjoyed his first Father's day. Owen and I made Daddy's favorite breakfast, including a Denver omelette and blueberry pancakes. That's right...be impressed. I'm pretty sure I haven't made breakfast in several years, but since I had Owen to help, why not?
Nick enjoyed a morning of softball, and we decided to introduce Owen to the redwoods that afternoon. There are so many hikes we haven't done in the Bay area, so we chose a new one here in the East Bay. It's been a while since either of us have hiked, though we're both eager to get back into it. Owen was the wild card. We know he loves to be outside, but who knows how long he'll be entertained and comfortable?
I have to say, if there's one thing I've discovered makes Owen comfortable, it's being carried in the Bjorn. He was such a trooper as we introduced him to lots of new things. Sometimes he doesn't really show much of a reaction with his expression, but he does show interest when we let him touch the soft fibrous bark of the redwoods or point out a colorful wildflower.
Scenes from the hike: Redwoods and Foxglove
That's cold!
Hangin' with Daddy
The weather couldn't have been better, and luckily the hike was mostly shaded so we didn't have to worry about his (or any of our) fair skin. The hike also pointed out how out-of-shape I am, which does make me a bit sad. I used to handle hikes with a heavy backpack just fine, but it's going to take a while to build up that strength and endurance. I'm determined to get there again, but I'm still not sure there are enough hours in the day while I'm still pumping. Hopefully with the introduction of solid foods, my pumping can decrease a bit. Hopefully...
Owen is pretty receptive to this whole "solid food" idea. Rice cereal? Delicious. Bananas? Also delicious. We're going to try apples next, but only because that's what we have in the house. I'm attempting to make our own baby food after talking with so many that have done it. It sounds like a manageable task for our lives right now, so I'm going to give it a go. I might miss some of his "firsts" since I'm working full time, but I'm looking forward to being there to see his reaction to different tastes.
He's definitely a big boy, but both Nick and I were chunky babies, so it makes sense. Although he was never bald, his baby hair has been falling out while the very white-blonde hair is growing in. He's much stronger now, and finally able to roll from back to front. At first this was not something that he was particularly excited about, but now he seems to be OK with it. He's working on rolling from front to back and also seems to be working on the crawling idea, but I'm not convinced he'll be crawling just yet.
He talks a lot, though we haven't heard any consonant sounds. He's much more into the sound of his voice now, which is pretty hilarious. Sometimes he just decides he wants to hear how a long "a" will sound for 5 full seconds. And then he flaps his arms and squeaks with delight. The squeaking is a new thing, and he cracks himself up when he does it. We have long conversations on the variations of each squeak pitch. He practices different sounds and works on the volume of his voice. It's really interesting to watch him figure out how speech works.
He still loves his jumper, and now he jumps as though he wants to launch himself out of it. Nick has taken this as a sign that he's ready to be tossed in the air, and it's Owen's new favorite game. It's quite a workout for Nick, though. :)
Ten years ago today, your daddy and I were married. It's a pretty neat milestone, I think. We've had so many great experiences together, and I think we have a lot more in store.
We met 15 years ago in marching band camp at Iowa State. That's right, we met my first week of college in marching band camp. I think we each had an interest in each other at various times throughout the year, but our timing was always off. We each dated other people for a while, and then by the end of the year we finally decided to give it a go.
In 2000, your dad graduated from Iowa State and moved onto graduate school at Indiana University. I still had 3 years left at Iowa State, so we decided to try our hand at a long-distance relationship. I spent the summers in Indiana, and during the semesters we saw each other every other month. It was certainly difficult, but he was still just ... the right one.
We got engaged in the fall of 2002 when your dad came back to ISU for Homecoming. We took a walk on an old running trail where we strolled on our first date. There's a little stream and a bridge along that trail, and your daddy proposed. And the romance doesn't stop there. The construction and rainy mist provided a nice atmosphere for the occasion. I didn't mind at all, but I think he was a bit disappointed the setup wasn't quite as he remembered last time we walked it.
Finally, on Memorial Day weekend, May 2003, we were married. The whole weekend was amazing, and you can be proud to know that your parents (and grandparents) know how to throw a party: golfing, drinking, dancing, barbecuing, singing ... and recovering. It was one of the best days of my life.
Since then, your dad and I have done so much together. We played softball together every summer for the last 10 years. We traveled to some amazing places like Paris, London, Amsterdam, Hawaii, New Zealand, Jamaica, and cruised through the Caribbean. We hiked to the top of Half Dome in Yosemite and along the Milford track in New Zealand. He taught me to snow ski (though I'm still not great at it). We tried sushi for the first time together, and it was delicious. We developed our wine tasting from preferring white wine to preferring red wine. We had full conversations consisting of nothing but lines from the movie, Dumb and Dumber. We rode roller-coasters, cooked a 23 lb. turkey for just the two of us, and drove across the country. We saw fireworks in Washington DC, and walked through lots of zoos. We moved to California from the Midwest, and camped along the coast. Not bad!
Of course we fight; we can both be stubborn and irrational. Sometimes we let the stresses of the day get the best of us. We drive each other crazy at times. But no one challenges me, makes me laugh, inspires me to be better at everything like your daddy does.
We decided in the past few years that we'd like to share our adventures with someone. That's where you come in. I guess you could say that you are our newest adventure, but I'd rather think of it like us experiencing new adventures together. We're so excited to show you some of things we've seen, and find out what your adventures and interests will be. I can't wait to see what's next for our family.
Our "Little Bug" is really feeling not so little anymore. I don't have an official weight to post, but I'm guessing he's gained another couple pounds: approximately 16-17 lbs. I can definitely say that I'm getting better at maneuvering with a baby on my hip, and it helps that he has a lot more control to hold himself upright. Mom multitasking is no joke.
At this point, we're convinced that he's teething but have yet to feel or see an actual tooth. We call him "Spitz McGee" and he can shove his entire fist into his mouth. Sometimes he gags himself, and I just think that's funny. He has to learn somehow, right?
We usually have a pretty good time during his monthly photo shoots, but we don't always get the good smiles right away. I mean, to get to this guy:
We have to go through these guys:
Aside from a 5-month birthday, this weekend was my first Mother's Day. The boys did an excellent job at making me feel special. Nick offered to let me get away for a day if I wanted, but I definitely get enough "away" time during the work week. The weekends are family time right now, and it proved to be a great weekend to get out and about.
Mother's Day 2013
We decided to take Owen to the beach to check out the sand and dip his feet in the ocean for the first time. I can't wait until we can have a beach day and really dig in the sand and build sandcastles, but it's a bit early for that. I mean, a kid needs to eat dirt now and then, sure, but he's not even on solid foods yet. So, we decided to keep the sand on just his feet.
Lots of sun and wind made the day a bit more challenging, but we made it work. I think he enjoyed the sand. It was nice and warm and just feels good between the toes. He didn't like the water at first. We took one small wave over our feet and it was a pretty cold little surprise. However, after a couple waves washed over our feet the water didn't feel too bad at all. I think when he experiences new things or is in very stimulating situations, he doesn't cower and he doesn't smile; he has a real poker face. So, I suspect he enjoyed it, but it seemed more like he was taking the whole experience and analyzing it.
Mama, Papa, Baby
Beach? Yep, saw it. Next?
And one last, but certainly not least, cute Owen moment to share. We had some epic laughs that we were finally able to capture on video. Usually once the camera comes out, the laughs vanish. But Daddy's baseline to Tone Loc's "Wild Thing" was just too funny to contain. Oh, 80's music station, you do not disappoint.
