Jump Around

As previously mentioned, Henry loves to bounce in his jumparoo:

Sometimes he has too much fun and this happens:

Please excuse my video skills - its a work in progress...

8 Months

Whoa baby!  Henry is 8 months old today!  Here are some of our experiences this past month:

Back to work:  This is the biggest change for all of us this past month.  Now that we are three weeks in, I can confidently say that it has been a good thing.  Henry is very happy with Nana Gail, and so are Ryan and I.  Also, its really fun to pick him up in the afternoon and have him wiggle in excitement when he sees me :)

Talking:  Boy does Henry talk.  He talks all day, and sometimes during the night.  Ba-ba this and da-da that.  I'm really looking forward to the ma-mas.

Teeth:  Henry now has two bottom teeth.  The second one popped through just the other day.   And they sure are cute little teeth!

Bouncing:  Henry discovered that bouncing in his jumperoo is just the best thing ever.  He will bounce and bounce and bounce.  And then bounce and bounce and bounce some more.  He is no longer Farmer Henry.  Now he is Hank-zilla creating havoc over the farmland.

Eating:  Henry was a wonderful eater when we first started "real" solid food at Thanksgiving.  But after Christmas, things went drastically down hill.  Maybe it was the ear infection, maybe it was teething?  I don't know.  But things are slowly improving.  He did eat two cubes of apple sauce for breakfast and two cubes of sweet potatoes for lunch, which has been an unusually good day for us.  He's also working on feeding himself with puffs.  Most puffs end up everywhere except for his mouth, however :)

Naps:  We've pretty much dropped the third late afternoon nap.  He doesn't get one at Nana Gail's house, and he has been in just the best mood even without it.  So unless he really, really needs it, he doesn't get that third nap.

Crawling:  Henry is not crawling yet.  And I'm not sure if he is even close.  He can scoot himself backwards when on his tummy.  He can push himself up on his arms, and he can get his knees underneath him.  But he doesn't do this at the same time.  And I don't really care!  As the months have passed, I've become less and less concerned about milestones and when Henry is going to do this or that.  Henry will crawl when he is good and ready.

standing and playing some tunes

we've been making some silly faces lately!

going...

 

going...

gone!

Bed Head

I don't know how Henry did it, but his hair looked like this when he woke up this morning. 

And it stayed like this all day :)

First Tooth

My last post was kind of a downer, so how about something more fun?  Henry got his first tooth today!  This poor kid has been working on this tooth for months.  I've never seen so much drool!  But here it is at last.  One down, umm, a lot more to go...

Green With Envy

I was so proud of myself today.  I hopped out of bed, got myself ready for work, kissed Henry and Ryan goodbye and was out the door at a great time.  I even had a good day at work without one tear or pitiful moment on my part (I did have to share the video of his sock giggles a couple of times, though).  At 4:00, I got in the car and drove to pick up my Henry.

Everything was great, until I walked in the door.  Gail was giving Henry his last bottle of the day.  Nothing was wrong with this picture.  Henry had an earlier than usual bottle this morning, so it made sense to me that he would want a bottle around 4:45-5.  And I'm really happy with Gail and how she interacts with Henry and the other kids.  But I wasn't happy.  I was jealous.  I was bothered by the fact that I wasn't the one giving Henry his bottle.

I like giving Henry his bottle.  Its my cuddle time with him.  I hold his bottle, and Henry holds his toes.  I talk and give him kisses on his forehead.  Henry smiles and says "ga."  As I sat in Charlotte traffic this afternoon, I thought about our cuddle time and looked forward to his last bottle of the day.  And it just didn't happen for me, and this makes me sad.  I don't know, I guess its just one more adjustment I have to make to this whole working-mom thing.

Back to Reality

As most of you know, Monday was supposed to be my first day back at work since Henry was born.  This is what we woke up to on Monday morning:

This was probably a good thing because it gave me more time with my Henry and to recover from a pretty nasty sinus infection.  Fast forward a few more days, and today, Wednesday, was our big day.  We delayed heading over to Gail's (Nana Gail) house due to the ice so we had a somewhat less stressful morning than what I had originally anticipated for my first day back. 

I think the weather and my sinus infection these past couple of days threw me off enough so that I didn't really dwell on what I was about to do - leave my sweet Henry for the day.  However, on the drive to Gail's it really started to hit me.  I remained strong (and dry-eyed) through the drive and during our first few minutes at Gail's house.  But, of course, I started to cry while standing in her kitchen.  I was hoping that I'd at least make it until we left her house, but that didn't happen.  I kissed my sweet Henry goodbye and left for work.

The drive to work was uneventful, which allowed me to compose myself - with the hope that I wouldn't be a wreck when I walked into the office.  And I wasn't!  At least not at first.   But at the first mention of Henry, I started to cry again.  After a few hugs and wiping away some tears, I walked over to my desk.  And I'm happy and relieved to say that it felt like I had never left.  I work with some wonderful people who have been so great to me during my pregnancy and maternity leave.  But more importantly than that, they are great people that I'm happy to call my friends.  I know that they will help make this transition into a working mom an easy one.

I cannot put into words what its been like to have been able to stay home with Henry these past 7+ months.  I'm laughing at myself right now as I tear up (again) because, really, I'm only going into the office three days a week (you'd think I was leaving him for a month!).  I've just really enjoyed having him to myself and watching him grow and learn every day.  But I did have to smile when I picked him up this afternoon because I'm so excited for what he gets to do while I'm at work.  He gets to be cared for by a woman who clearly loves caring for children, and he gets to make friends who will also help him learn and grow.  I think this is going to be a great new chapter in our lives. 

*please excuse my appearance in these pictures - my illness hasn't been kind

Snow Day Sock Giggles

Socks are more than just footwear in our household:

Merry (Belated) Christmas

I guess I can no longer put off my Christmas post now that the holidays have come and gone.  We had a wonderful Christmas (minus some colds and an ear infection), and the holiday flew by so quickly.  I guess I should be used to time flying by now that Henry is around.  I guess some pictures would be the best way to describe our Christmas:





Our tree wouldn't be complete without a Sophie the Giraffe ornament



These four stockings mean the world to me

Henry and Bea under the Christmas tree

Henry learned at Nana and Grandpa's house that bows and paper are much more fun than the actual toys

A brothers-in-law holiday tradition

The birthday boy and girl!

Henry and Caroline

If you cannot lean on family, then who can you lean on?

Christmas morning!

The whole gang

Cooper and Jack playing with the stomp rocket.  I love that Cooper is wearing his helmet.

Henry and Mommy

Daddy and Henry - my two favorite boys!

Pretty girls with their pretty boots

Henry and Uncle Bus finally meet!

Anna Beth's fashion show.  I was the photographer

And Henry was the captive audience

Henny and Doot's new baby, Cotton.

I got these pictures from Mom and Avery.  Unfortunately I don't know why they are so small.





Doot and Henry



Jack, Henry and Anna Beth on Christmas Eve

It snowed (and snowed and snowed) the day after Christmas.  I can literally say that it snowed ALL day long.