Strummer's New Pal

Yesterday Strummer and I drove to Ankeny to go play w/Holly and Brayden! As I've said in a previous post Brayden is just 3 weeks older than Strummer so it was fun having them interact with each other! I think our first playdate went very well! It'll be fun getting together again, especially as the boys get older and having more of a concept of playing together! :P  Here are some pics from our day! 

Brayden was nice enough to share his toys

Strummer was concerned on why Brayden was upset

Happy Baby

Another happy baby!

Pals

Brayden wanting to give Strummer a hug!

(yes, Strummer is a bit taller!)

Fruits and Veggies

Hmm...

I don't know

I think it's good!

This is a bit strange

I like it! It makes me happy!

But why am I so dirty?

The past couple weeks, we have introduced Strummer do the new textures of baby food! He seems to enjoy eating these new things! The first week he had peaches, which he really liked. The next week he ate green beans. The face w/the green beans was classic! He wasn't sure what to think, but he still ate them! Also - a green food does not look to appetizing when it's all over, oppose to an orange color :P

3-Month Photo Shoot!

My extremely talented brother-in-law Brad took Strummer's 3-month photo shoot! (all though technically, he had just turned 4-months, but close enough....hee-hee-heee)

It was awesome! Strummer was a bit tired b/c he didn't take a nap that morning, so he wasn't as 'animated', however the photos still turned out REALLY well! 

Thanks again Brad!!! It's so fun having a photographer in the family!! I will be looking forward to our 6-month photo shoot!  

BTW - I would totally recommend Brad for your photography needs even if he wasn't family! His work is FABULOUS!!

Here's the link the Strummer's photos. The password is: grout

http://www.bradleyjensen.com/pickpic/gallery/jump.php

(You can also click on the title of the post to go to his website)

Have a terrific day! :o)

Meeting Holly, Brayden and Nicole

Holly, Brayden, Strummer and I

Sara with her nephew and godson

Getting love from Nicole

At the end of the night

I LOVE my sisters!!!

A few weeks ago Nicole had a Pampered Chef/Premier Jewelry party...and my sisters and I ALL attended!! If that wasn't awesome enough, Holly and Brayden were there as well! So Strummer was able to meet new people. It was a lot of fun. I don't think I have seen Holly since her wedding (as crazy as that seems) and last saw Nicole when I was like 8 months pregnant. 

So - it was a GREAT night of reuniting w/my wonderful sisters and friends I hadn't seen in a LONG time! 

It was totally fun being able to see Holly and Brayden! Brayden is exactly 20 days older than Strummer, so it will be a blast getting the little guys together since they are SO close in age!  

So - THANKS Nicole for having a party! We were able to see old friends and I was able to spend some time w/my sisters....at the same time! Which RARELY happens!!!

4 Months Today!

Playing in the ExerSaucer

Rolling around

Rolling Around

In the waiting room

Showing my toe-sucking abilities while waiting for Dr. Parsons

Somehow he fell asleep during the 2 min. drive home. He stayed asleep for nearly an hour!

Showing how strong my back muscles are sitting high in the Bumbo

The cool new band-aids after Strummer's shots were all done

Today Strummer turned 4 months old! It's crazy how fast things have gone! So here are his stats from his doctor's appointment! He is now measuring in at 27 inches which puts him at the 97th percentile for height and 'heaviness factor' is now 15 lbs - 13 oz. Which puts his weight at the 50th percentile for his age. SO - incase you forgot how big he was when he was born. He has gained nearly 7 lbs (off by 1 ounce) and grown 5-1/2 inches in 4 months! He seems to be changing every day. Strummer is a very happy and animated baby! I'm always amused by the different facial expressions he has! He recently started giggling in the last couple weeks and it's SO fun hearing him giggle, along w/his many conversations he has! Just lately he has really start 'verbalizing his thoughts!'. He just LOVES to talk-talk-talk! 

Other things he has started doing w/in the last couple of months is: rolling over - he LOVES to roll! Tummy to back, or back to tummy, he's mastered the skill! He also does the 'inchworm' as I like to call it. He doesn't quite have the crawling figured out, but he will certainly scoot himself from one point to the other. Our kid is just made of muscle! He LOVES to stand. Recently we have started holding him up by his arms and having him practice walking. He has taken a few steps. If he realizes what he's doing, who knows. However he will move his feet forward! It's pretty crazy on how much he can already do! It also sounds like he says certain words like "mom" and "hi". He probably doesn't know what he's saying, but it's still fun to hear! Another recent 'obsession' of his are his feet! When he's on his back, he is always grabbing his feet, and w/in the last week, has started sucking on his toes! It's pretty humorous! He is SO flexible!! :P   He has also started taking interest in his toys. He seems to understand if he presses a button, it will make a noise. We have also had him start playing in an ExerSaucer and he seems to enjoy that pretty well! He also enjoys reading. We almost always try and read to him everyday. As long as he doesn't fall asleep, beforehand I always read him a big b/f I put him to bed.

Hope you enjoyed the pics from today! :o)

A Day of Visiting!

On Friday (February 20th) I had the day off. So - Strummer and I decided to go visit some friends! We headed out of the house by 8AM and first stopped at Ver Helst Chiropractic, where we saw Renee and Dr. Mark (Dr. Kurt was w/patients). They were excited to see Strummer, since they have not seen him since he was 2 months old! Then we were off to the office. Everyone LOVES it when Strummer comes for a visit! He always has so much fun and is always very 'helpful'. After that we were off to Jen Tevis' house! I had not seen Jen since I was like 5 months prego...I think. It's been a LONG time. So she had yet to even meet Strummer! We had a nice long visit and it was great seeing her and seeing her kids!!! Then we headed off to run some errands, while Shawn was running errands! The plan was to also meet up w/Sara, but unfortunately, that didn't happen. We certainly tried though! Our plans just didn't sync for the afternoon! Finally Shawn called saying she was back home! HURRAY! So then we headed off to Shawn's. Since we didn't meet until the afternoon, we also were able to see her hubby Matt and her other 2 boys Aaron and Noah! Matt had also not met Strummer! We stayed there for a bit to catch up w/things, and having the babies 'play'. Her son Micah is 4 months older. It was a busy-busy day in Des Moines, but we had even more fun to have later!  Once we arrived home and rested, it was time to head out again! We had a card party to go to! So, Brad, Strummer and I all went to the Johnson's house to play cards. There was even a special visitor! Nicole! My good buddy Nicole used to live in Boone, but just recently moved to Michigan after her hubby received a job w/the Coast Guard! She was back in IA for a visit and it was AWESOME! As the trend continues, she was the final person of the day to MEET Strummer! All in all, a VERY fun-filled day! Here are some pics from our day. (you can click on the pic to get a full size view!)

Playing w/airplane w/Natasha

Smiling at Sam while being held by Kelly

Helping Kelly w/her paperwork

Hanging w/Kailey and Kaiden

Playing w/Keziah and Jen

Posing w/Shawn

Chillin' w/Micah

Hanging w/Nicole

Hi-Ho, Hi-Ho, It's Back To Work I Go

I collage I made during work of pics that Sondra 

took when Strummer was at her house for the day

Our first official playgroup!

I think Strummer was 6 weeks old.

The babies were so little!

Jace!

Snuggles w/Daddy during the Superbowl Party

Playing w/Bosco 

(who also had an adjustment when I went back!)

A nap in the wrap

Visting Mommy at work...here he is

w/Jessica while I finished up jobs

All bundled up ready to go to Mandi's 

My first day back

I have actually been back to work for 5 weeks now! It's crazy how fast it has gone! I went back Jan 5, the same day Brad went back to school from Christmas break. Boy, was it a MAJOR adjustment! Not only did I HAVE to wake up early, I had to stay awake. While I was home, if Strummer woke up early to eat, we would both fall asleep later in the day. Well, not so much anymore! It was such a shock to the system that I got sick! It didn't help my husband was also sick, and then I find out over 1/2 the people at work are sick w/the same thing (it was a cold, sore throat, cough, fun things like that). THANKFULLY Strummer did not get sick! 

Well, like I've said, it was HARD going back! I was used to hanging w/my son all day, everyday, then all of a sudden having to be away from him for roughly 10 hours! (Basically, I see him before I leave at 6:15AM then see him when I pick him up around 4pm!)

One of the good things is that Brad drops him off! Thank goodness! I think if I would have had to drop him off, I would just be a wreck! Another thing I am most thankful for is that he does not go to a daycare! Our good friends, Joel and Mandi Benbow said they would watch him during the day (well, Mandi watches him, Joel has his own roofing company, so he works all day!) So, Brad drops Strummer off at Mandi's around 6:30AM on his way to work in Dallas Center. Strummer then gets to play all day w/Mandi and her sons,  Jude (who is 2) and Jace (who is almost 5 months old!) I think my adjustment was a lot easier, knowing he was w/someone I know and trust! (Thanks Mandi!). I'm also thankful for our other friends who are willing to step in when Mandi is unable to watch him! Strummer has also had a fun time w/Jennifer and her son Issac (who is 2), Terrie, Debby, Sondra and her daughter Amelia (almost 5 months) and Karla and her daughter Ella (who is almost 6 months!). I've also had the wonderful support of Laura (along w/her daughter Leah who is a few weeks younger than Strummer) and Kelly (who's son Miles is just 2 days younger than Strummer!). The last 4 ladies that I have mentioned are in my playgroup in Ames! We all go to Cornerstone and met at the baby class! It's been awesome getting to know these wonderful girls! Kelly was also my 'going back to work' partner! I'm glad I had someone else there who was going through the same thing I was! Love You Girls! 

This has nothing to do w/work, but what's totally funny is when Brad and I met Sondra and Andrew at one of the classes, I happened to be wearing a NWMSU sweatshirt. Sondra saw it and was like, did you go there? I said, yep, did you go there? We (Andrew, Sondra and I) found out we were all there THE SAME TIME! Had some mutual friends and went the same church! How nuts is that? So Sondra and I have this 'dream' that Strummer and Amelia will grow up together then graduate and go down to Northwest Missouri State and be Bearcats together! 

I do enjoy my precious time even more w/my little man and LOVE seeing his smile when he sees me in the afternoons when I pick him up!

What else is totally cute is anytime when Brad and I are gone w/Strummer the first thing Bosco does is wait for us to put Strummer's car seat down, take off his cozy-cover and then goes and licks Strummer's face to say 'hello'! I really need to record it! 

 

So - even though working is not my ideal situation, the next best thing is knowing I have good friends to lean on and to help out when I need it!!! 

More later!!