12-Month Stats

We were a little late in going to his 1-year check-up at the end of last month, so here's the low-down.

Owen is wearing 12-mo and 18-mo clothes. He's pretty tall, and there's the head issue, so a lot of 12-mo clothes are getting harder to fit. He's still in size 3 diapers for now, but can wear size 4 fine too...just have to cinch a bit more!

At his check-up, he was:

Weight: 22 lbs 14 oz - 50%
Height: 31 in - 80%
Head: 80%

He is so active and loves life right now. Being one certainly agrees with this little guy! He has recently fallen in love with playing ball. He has small, medium and large rubber balls that he will pick up and walk around the house with. He can get get them when asked and even throws them to you as well. He is also saying, Mamma, Dadda and now BALL! He's a genius. He chatters all the time now too!

He has started playing chase with me too. It is SOOOO much fun! I'll say, "I'm going to get you...," and he takes off! He has the funniest laugh lately that sounds like a little Tarzan. Silly boy. He still stalks Ryker and tackles him often. Poor dog. He loves hanging with his dad outside and taking bubble baths together. We have pretty well child-proofed the house, because this kid gets into everything! The cabinets, the toilet, climbing the fire place, climbing stairs at others' houses, climbing the wall (ok, maybe not)...This kid will not let life pass him idly by! No, sir!! 

So far, Owen is still a pretty good napper with two naps most days. He's eating table foods and whole milk like a champ, and down to two nursings a day. The END IS IN SIGHT!! We have quite enjoyed having afternoon snacks together and we do pretty good at restaurants if we don't stay too long!

I have to say, I love this new stage in Owen's life. He's learning every day. He is funny and clever. He is strong-willed (not so fun all the time) and determined. He can figure out things very quick (again, hard for mom and dad to stay on top of some days!). Here's to a great 2nd year. You're amazing kiddo!

Thanks, Lydia @ LMNovations for the great photos!

One Great Year!

My baby, my little OwieBear, squanchy baby, little fud is ONE!

Some days I just marvel at the passage of time. How can one event seem so long ago one moment and so, so short the next. This year has been filled with more ups and downs, trials and jubilation than I ever thought possible, all because a little boy came into the world one year ago!

I remember being so over being pregnant, so excited to meet our son and so frustrated that we still didn't have a name for him (because everyone still kept asking). I remember being frustrated the hospital wasn't ready for us when we arrived for our induction after they told me I couldn't eat, I remember being so nervous when the contractions started. I remember being in horrible pain when the lovely epidural stopped working. I remember feeling the strangest sensation and awe when Owen Daniel O'Brien finally made his way into the world.

The next few days, weeks and months were filled with the joys and frustrations of new parents trying to figure out how to continue being productive human beings, while learning to care for this little baby who seemed so vulnerable and changing. Slowly, we got the hang of different things. And slowly we understood we never would get the hang of others, and we'd all manage to survive.

Slowly our love for this little guy grew and grew and grew, to where it is hard to remember not knowing him and having him in our lives.

Owen, you are a true treasure. Your strong will is evident when you try to climb or open something you can't quite do yet, but you keep trying. Your sense of adventure is evident now that you can walk where ever you want by yourself. Your sense of humor is evident by the way you chase after Ryker and bury your head in his soft fur and laugh. Your love is evident when you walk up to one of us and give us an honest-to-goodness hug.

Happiest First Birthday, sweet boy. We love you more than words can say!!

And We're Walking

For a little more than a month, Owen has been taking independent steps and cruising around the furniture. 

But while we were on vacation, we got to hang with some friends and their 13mo baby girl showed O what to do! Here's a bit of Owen walking across the room!

11 Months and a bit of Denial!

Happy 11 Months, Mr. Owen!

I am amazed every day the things you learn, all you can do and how much you've grown. This months seems to have been very busy for you.

Owen is wearing 12 and 18 month clothes, and still in size three diapers, but maybe not for too much longer. He is somewhere around 22 lbs from our at-home weigh-ins and is quite tall (ahem, we haven't measured). O now has 2 bottom teeth and 4 top teeth!!! And more and more fuzzy white-blonde is coming in every day!

A few of this month's accomplishments have been pulling up to a stand in our crib. This is so neat when you go to get him in the morning and he's ready and waiting! This is so not neat when it's time for nap or bed time and he fusses, fights and stands up defiantly.

O has also mastered the crawl pretty well. He can get any where he wants pretty much, which again is great for him and sometimes not so great for mommy, daddy or puppy. However, we'd still rather walk anywhere than crawl still. And that is our major update!! Not only can we walk with one hand now, Mr O has EVEN walked a few steps and stood by himself. He is a lot better at it when he doesn't know he's doing it. Wow, it is just around the corner. I really do believe if he really wanted to he could walk right now by himself, but that's ok, I'll give him a bit more time!

What else...we still love to clap. We are an absolute pill on the changing table. We love to talk to other babies when when we're out and about. I've even seen Owen crawl over to Ryker to get willingly licked. I have a feeling these two will be all sorts of trouble together.

This month has been a hard month too. Owen wants so desperately to be more independent, but being a baby that is a hard thing to come by. So, mom and baby have suffered through many battles together. It is a hard, hard thing, this parenting gig. But when he smiles and laughs, oh, the whole world melts, I think.

So, denial. I'm there, that river in Egypt. I'm swimming in it.

One. How can my squanchy baby be one? We just brought him home a few weeks ago, right?

Are they still babies? I am excited about all the things O will get to do soon in his second year of life! But wow, I am so amazed at how time that seemed to drag day by day has rapidly turned into a year!

Happy 11 Months, O! Keep growing, learning and having a ball!

Busy Busy Beaver

Seems Owen is learning, doing or trying something new every day now!

This kid wants to grow up so fast sometimes, he can hardly keep up with himself.

On a recent Craig's List adventure, O and I found him a walker. Sometimes (like in the video) he is IN LOVE, and sometimes he finds it to be limiting, but I think it's a pretty entertaining buy for $15.

As of this past Saturday, Owen has also learned to clap. We LOVE to clap. We clap for Owen, we clap for food, we clap for puppy, we clap for joy. You get the idea! We clap! =)

10 Months of Craziness

I have a 10-month old. Did you hear that, 10 months!

Owen is walking (still with fingers), ALL over the place. BUT, on Saturday, he took some pretty sturdy unassisted steps between me and Joe. It was pretty cool!

O is wearing mostly 12-mo clothes, still in size 3 diapers. Joe's weigh-in puts him at around 21 lbs. We've upgraded to the full bathtub since he was trying to climb out of the ducky...he actually tries to climb out of the real tub too! Sheesh!

Little dude is wearing us out. He wants to walk everywhere; he is not content at all sitting. He gets very fussy very quick if you are doing something he does not like. His other new hobby is crawling/standing/climbing all over me (and usually fussing), which means none of us do anything too fun. It is hard to keep this guy entertained and mommy and daddy sane, so say a little prayer for that.

In other news, O has FOUR teeth! His top teeth have officially come in and the world of food has opened up as well. He is IN LOVE with grapes. He and Joe sit on the couch and have grapefest, which keeps him happy for a while. Banana bites he gets to feed himself are also a hit, and so is meat. Little dude would gobble up an order of fajitas by himself if we let him. I see our dining experiences getting a lot messier!

He is babbling and making all sorts of fun sounds and growls. O is also gesturing a lot more with his hands, which is always entertaining!

So, a recap -- O is growing, learning, entertaining and wearing us out! We love him dearly, but we are glad for a break when he goes to sleep.

I am excited to see what these next few months hold before the BIG ONE!

Remember how the bear used to be about the same size!!? What happened?

Bluebonnets and Babies

Babies and bluebonnets...does it get better?

Well, yes, you can throw a cute red dog into the mix and some very adoring parents, and you get a schosh better.

But, really, all you need is a baby and bluebonnets.

A baby with magical blue eyes, soft wisps of blond hair...and there you have it, the perfect recipe to melt the heart of anyone who looks upon this concoction!

Oh, how we love this kiddo. More and more each day! It's crazy to see the little boy he's becoming. We've packed up the bouncy seat and baby swing about a month ago. We've switched him to his 'big boy' car seat a few weeks back. We've added real shoes to the mix, and we've admitted we really need to start baby proofing. But it's not for a baby, it's for this miracle that is growing and unfolding before our eyes. Baby, no, not really. But, baby forever you will be, right mamas?