News and Updates from 2007!
4/24/07:
Mommy thought it was time that I start a new page on here to keep people updated on what I'm doing, so here it is!
There are some new pictures on the Pictures of Me page, and a new one on My Pets. This week I learned how to pick up my pluggy and learned a new sound - mamamama. I already know oooo and thththth. I can do raspberries pretty well now too! Mommy says I'm drooling like a faucet, and chewing on everything, but I can't help it, my mouth hurts from those teeth that are going to come in someday soon!
5/2/07:
I decided Mommy and Daddy were getting too much sleep, so I stopped sleeping through the night. No sense in them sleeping if I can be awake and eating!! I figured I'd be nice though and wake up to eat only once or twice during the night and go back to sleep right away. I like Mommy better with the bags under her eyes anyway.
My new trick is grabbing my pluggy, putting it in my mouth (if I don't hit my eye), biting down and yanking it out of my mouth - it makes a fun popping noise! It feels pretty good on my sore gums too.
I got to see Preslee in her first band concert last night - I even behaved and didn't cry until the very end - but it was 8:30 and I was really tired by then. She did really well playing her flute!
5/10/07:
I went to the doctor yesterday for my 6 month check-up and I've gained 10 pounds 3 ounces and 9 inches since I was born!! I'm trying to grow really big and strong. Daddy held my hands down so I wouldn't swat at the doctor when she gave me the shots - that made me really mad and I screamed and screamed and screamed!! Now I have four little bruises on my thighs. Mean doctor.
She did say we could start solid food, but so far the only thing I have had was a taste of Mommy's water ice at the fair tonight. It made me pucker my lips a lot! We had fun at the fair - I went on my first ride! Daddy tried to get on the ride with me, but he was too big and didn't fit, so they let Preslee hold me so I could ride. Mommy got some good pictures - they're on the My Events page. I went with Sharon, Mackenzie, Kylie, Mommy, Daddy and Preslee.
Preslee won't be with us for Mother's Day, and since her present to Mommy was hard to hide, she gave it to her today when she got here after school. Since she gave her a present, Daddy let me give Mommy my Mother's Day present early today - he took me and Preslee to the place you paint your own pottery last week and I made her a mug with my footprints on it in her favorite color - purple! It says "RJ, Happy Mother's Day 2007". Mommy got tears in her eyes when we gave it to her and gave me and Daddy each a big kiss! :)
5/22/07:
I'm growing big and strong - this week I grew into 6 month clothes, size 2 diapers, and Daddy had to adjust my car seat straps because I was getting too big! Mommy gets a little teary eyed about it, but she's just silly. Back when I lived in the plastic box in the hospital I bet they never thought I'd get so big! Daddy's telling me all about hockey - he bought me an alphabet book this week called "Z is for Zamboni" and gave me a hockey glove to play with (pictures are on the Pictures of Me page)
5/27/07:
This week I started eating solid food! Mommy gave me rice cereal mixed with milk. I wasn't too sure at first and I let it just run back out of my mouth, but after a few tries I figured out to open my mouth for the spoon and swallow it. I think I like it! Every time I eat some, they make it a little thicker, so it's less like milk and more like real food! Of course, Mommy and Daddy have been videotaping. Daddy got a good shot of me hitting the spoon out of Mommy's hand and getting cereal all over her - ha ha! Not next week, but the week after, they'll start me on veggies - the doctor wants me to eat orange foods before green foods, and veggies before fruits, so it'll probably be squash, carrots or sweet potatoes.
Mommy bought a baby pool and it was so hot today that Mommy, Preslee and I decided to try it out. Mommy got me blue swim pants that I wore for the first time. The water was cold, but it was fun!! There was just enough water for me to float a little if Mommy held my head and shoulders up and I kicked and kicked that water! It felt really good becuase it was so hot outside and I was sweaty.
6/13/07:
I'm getting really good with this solid food thing. I've had cereal, carrots and squash. Mommy says today we'll start sweet potatoes. Whatever - I like it all!! If they could just get it in my mouth a little faster I'd be all good!!
Dr. Nelson is sending me to a special doctor at CHOP becuase I'm having some problems with my lungs, or at least that's what they tell me - I seem to be breathing just fine - I just make a lot of noise and breathe fast! Mommy says it's nothing major and I'll be fine, but they just want to check it out. Better safe than sorry, right?
Tonight we're going to cousin Anthony's graduation from kindergarten. He holds my hand and sings to me when he thinks no one's looking - I like him a lot. Daddy and Mommy have been really sad this week becuase they gave Darby to a new home. She was being a bad dog too much, even if she was sweet. They say she'll be happier with someone that can pay more attention to her. Daddy's taking it extra hard so I've been trying to make him smile a lot. They said that when I'm older maybe we'll get another dog for Balu to play with. At least now they can put some rugs down so I can get on the floor and learn to roll and crawl!
6/22/07:
Ok so today Mommy tried to give me something terrible to eat - green beans. Yeck!!! I took two bites and refused to eat any more. I was polite and didn't spit it out though. Then she gave me peaches and that made my face screw up. She thought it was funny, but I didn't want to eat all of them. Maybe tomorrow I'll eat some more, but no more green beans!! I like carrots, squash, sweet potatoes and peas though. I must be getting big becuase Mommy put together my highchair today and I have my own place to sit in the kitchen now!
I'm spending a lot more time on my belly on the floor these days and I'm scootching myself around in circles, and starting to crawl with my legs - but I haven't figured out how to do it with my front end off the ground so I don't go anywhere. Sometimes I get really frustrated and push hard with my arms, but then I just go backwards.
No teeth yet, but I wish they'd hurry up. My gums are swollen and they hurt. :(
Daddy's at a tryout camp in New York for NCAA Referees...I gave him a good luck kiss before he left. So did Mommy.
7/10/07:
I'm getting really good with this food thing - I like it a lot better than bottles! I've had all the stage 1 foods, and Mommy even has given me apple juice to drink - I LOVE that. We went to see the special doctor downtown and they put me on a medicine that is horrible...I refuse to take it. Mommy tried to wrestle with me, but she gave up - I won!! HA! I'm trying to crawl - I'm just not getting the hang of it yet. Soon though. Mommy and Daddy say that I'm just about there. I learned how to dance in my highchair now - so when I hear music I start waving my head back and forth - Daddy usually dances along with me and that's funny!
I was in the 4th of July parade up at MomMom and PopPop's house - it was a long parade, but Mommy pulled me in a wagon that MomMom decorated and Aunt Kim walked Balu with us. It was fun!! I wasn't scared of the noises and even the fireworks didn't scare me! I'm a brave boy!
My teeth haven't come in yet, but I wish they'd hurry up. I have two swollen, white bumps on my lower gums that just HURT. Mommy gives me a raw carrot to gnaw on and that feels good.
7/16/07:
I wish these silly teeth would come in becuase they hurt!! I keep trying to chew on things to cut them through, and Mommy and Daddy keep giving me baby tylenol becuase I hurt so much. I started to sort of crawl a little today - Mommy calls it "inch-worming" and thinks I'm going to be crawling like a big boy soon. I really like to hold people's hands and walk - forget the crawling, I want to run!! We are getting ready to go to the shore soon, and I can't wait to see the ocean and sand for the first time! I love splashing in the water in the tub and pool, so I think it's going to be fun. Preslee says so.
Please say a prayer for my cousin Ashley who got hurt really bad last weekend. I haven't met her yet, but she's my cousin and I love her! (www.ashleybilyeu.com)
7/20/07:
These gosh-darn teeth need to come in!!! They're really making me a miserable boy - I've been spending a lot of time crying and yelling at Mommy and Daddy. I'm really a happy boy, so I don't like doing that!! They give me tylenol and that at least helps me get some sleep at night. Mommy's been a little sad these past few days so I've been learning how to hug and that makes her smile. I like it when she smiles.
I'm still inch-worming along...I'll get the crawling thing soon. Mommy lowered my crib mattress, so now when they come in in the morning to get me when I wake up, I hold onto the bars and push my face up against the crib and yell like I'm in jail. They think that's funny. Mommy tried my halloween costume on me today to show Marisa next door and it just fits me now, so it's going to be too small in October! I make a really cute lobster - Mommy will put the pictures up soon. In the meantime we need to start thinking of new costume ideas.
Please say a prayer for my cousin Ashley who got hurt really bad last weekend. I haven't met her yet, but she's my cousin and I love her! (www.ashleybilyeu.com)
8/5/07:
We went to the shore! I got to play in the ocean for the first time and it was great!!! Preslee and MacKenzie played in the sand and water with me and I played so hard I fell asleep on mommy's towel. We went to the boardwalk and I got to ride a merry-go-round. Daddy got me a henna tattoo that says "mom". Mommy loves it! I got to spend a lot of time with Mom Mom and Pop Pop and I got to get to know Grandpa a lot better. He's really good with taking care of me! I'm crawling around like a big boy now but no teeth yet. I wish they'd come in already!! Nana comes home from Iceland on Tuesday and I can't wait to see her!
8/8/07:
I'm a big boy......I got a tooth!! Mommy and Daddy are really excited. It's still hard to see, but you can really feel it in there. Mommy and Daddy say it's sharp! I bit Daddy on the finger this morning - I'm getting tired of everyone sticking their fingers in my mouth to check. Mommy thinks I have three more teeth that aren't far behind, so I'll keep you posted! In the meantime I'm gnawing away on my frozen grapes in the mesh feeder. Mommy started me on a new medicine yesterday for my reflux - it tastes a whole lot better than the last medicine, so I take this one. We'll see how it works! Mommy's getting tired of me throwing up all the time.
8/15/07:
I got another tooth!! It's on the same side on the top. I'm growing fast now.
Our big news isn't my tooth though, it's that I'm going to have a new Aunt! Uncle Bobby asked Maddie to marry him tonight!! He gave her a really pretty ring and I chewed on it already - it's real! Nana was so happy she cried. I'm so excited for them!
9/18/07:
So I'm a big traveler now! We went to Maine with Nana, Uncle Bob, Aunt Maddie, Haley, Mommy and Daddy - Mommy's family has been going there for 30 years, but it was my first year. I didn't sleep too much....but other than that I loved it!! The water was cool, the beach was fun, it was sunny and I had ice cream!!
We came home for a few weeks and then flew out (my first plane ride!) to Oregon to see Daddy's family - Aunt Joanne, Uncle Ron, Aaron, Ashley, Brett, Jared, Karin, Mark, and Tony. I love Daddy's family. Tony and I hit it off really well, and I got to meet Ashley who had the bad motorcycle accident in July - she held me and she's real strong! Mommy and Daddy say she's a walking miracle.
From there we drove up to Seattle so Mommy and Daddy could go to Mommy's cousin Emma's wedding. Her aunts and uncles were there too, but I didn't meet them becuase we didn't have much time outside the wedding. I spent the day with a real nice babysitter who took me out walking. Mommy's family is all coming back in March for Uncle Bob and Aunt Maddie's wedding, so I'll get to meet them then.
I'm glad to be back in my own crib - I always sleep better there, but Mom and Dad said that I was a really good boy with the time change and all the disruption. I have four teeth now too. I'm going to get the hang of walking one of these days too!
10/28/07:
I'm getting good with this walking thing....I can't do it yet without holding on to something, but I'm getting really good at standing all by myself. I can take a step, and sometimes two before I fall, but it's much safer to crouch down and crawl somewhere when I want to go.
Sharon, Jena, Anna and Mommy took me apple picking last week and even put me in the big box of pumpkins - I didn't like that too much. I don't nap anymore, but Mommy says I still sleep well at night, so I figure that's enough. She'd really like me to sleep a little during the day since she says I get reall cranky by about 5:30 at night, but I'd rather play and explore than sleep. I learned how much fun getting into the cat food was last week. One of these days I'll get Balu's water bowl before Mommy or Daddy catch me.
This week is my first Halloween! I sat out on the porch with Mommy and gave out candy last year, but we were dressed as a pregnant lady, and I didn't get much candy - only what Mommy ate. This year will be much more fun for both of us! I have a puppy costume, and I even have 6 teeth of my own now to go with it. I really like to sneak up on Mommy and bite her on the shoulder - she screams when I do that. Hee! Balu doesn't bite Mommy, but he does carry things around in his mouth, which I've found is a really good way to do things. Daddy thinks I'm odd because I put my things in my mouth and crawl like Balu does.
Uncle Bobby babysat me today by himself for the first time - he thought he was going to get some studying done while I slept - I showed him!!
11/1/07:
Last night was my very first Halloween! It was fun, and I got lots of candy. Mommy and Daddy took most of it, but they let me have the lollipops, and Sharon got me a box of my very own animal crackers that I can have! Mommy and Daddy were getting me dressed and my costume's zipper ripped and they couldn't fix it, so Daddy ran out and got me an Elmo costume. I looked really good! I decided to walk last night too - I walked 5 steps to Nana, and later I walked 12 steps to Daddy's beer bottle...but I'm not going to walk again for a little while - crawling's much easier.
12/11/07:
I turned 1!! Mommy and Daddy threw me a big party and I had lots of fun!! Nana made me a cake of my very own that I could smash - it was yummy. I wasn't happy about the birthday hat, but when everyone started singing to me, I stopped crying and listened and giggled - it was so cool!! I got a ton of really wonderful presents and was one tired boy by the end of the night. I like birthdays!!
Sharon put up a tree in her house and I think it's so pretty!! No one will let me play with it though. I'm walking now too, so I sneak around to it when I can, but they keep catching me and pulling me away from it.
Last night was a big night for Grandpa - it was 10 years since his the accident that hurt his brain. I don't know what everyone's talking about, becuase he is great and I don't think there's anything different about him! He's just Grandpa to me, and I love him! We went out to Spaghetti Night and gave Grandpa his book of letters. My friend Dennis the Guitar Player even announced Grandpa's anniversary on the microphone and everyone clapped! Mommy, Aunt Maddie and Grandpa did a lot of crying which freaked me out a little, but everyone was hugging and loving each other, so I guess it was ok. :)