"I'm a big kid now!!"

My big boy is in daycare today...and neither one of us cried!!! He was not amused that I had to wake him up this morning to eat and get ready. I was not amused that he wanted to play instead of eat at 10:00 last night and then wake me up at 1:30 to eat again. And I shared this bit of info with him as he protested on his changing table this morning.

There was only one other baby in the room this morning so it was nice to drop him off in a quiet space. I know it will change in a few hours!

I can't believe the day has finally come. All the anticipation and preparation the last few weeks and now it's over....he's in daycare and I'm at work. Aaaahhh.....

*Side note....I have prayed for 2 things this last week. One: That it wouldn't rain. We have a 70% chance of rain today and I just knew it would be pouring when I dropped him off - 2 bags of stuff, carrying him inside and balancing an umbrella...not my idea of fun! Two: (don't laugh) That I would have a close parking spot at the daycare. Both prayers were answered. Although it's dark as all get out, it didn't rain. And when I pulled up to the daycare, a car was leaving a front row parking spot. God knew I needed all to go well this morning and it did!

New pictures

Kevin has a tooth!

Kevin's first little tooth came in yesterday. After lunch, he was biting on Ben's finger and he felt it! He called me in so I could feel it and sure enough, we were no longer feeling gums - he has a tooth!! And feeling the tooth wasn't enough for us, we wrestled him down and got a flash light so we could see it. He didn't seem to mind...he just thought we were playing with him.

Silly Saturday Story Time

Our local Barnes and Noble offers Silly Saturday Story Time every week at 11:00. We decided to go and check it out. Kevin loves books...so we thought he'd enjoy seeing other kids and hearing a story. This week, Clifford the Big Red Dog (who else?) was there. I have a phobia of people dressed up as characters so I stayed away but the kids loved him.

Here's Clifford...










And here's Kevin's reaction....









Yep, he slept through the entire thing! Better luck next week. And we must have really worn him out today because he laid down for a nap and so far he's been asleep for 3 hours!


And last but not least...Daddy and Kevin at Chili's enjoying lunch

Baby Food Strike

Kevin is on baby food strike. He said "no more" a few nights ago and we had to comply with his wishes....after all he is the boss! I don't know what his problem is but he is absolutely not interested in eating baby food. I have tried everything and finally got the okay from the doctor to put it on hold for at least another month. He's just not ready yet and that's okay!

He has also learned that he can put his hands on his bottle and push it away when he is full. We weren't sure if that was his sign so we would just work around his hands and put the bottle right back in his mouth. After spitting up quite a lot the other night - we realized that he is smart enough to tell us he's full.

One more week at home with daddy and then daycare here we come. He has started such a crazy sleeping schedule this last week so we think he's going to be waking up at 3:00/3:30 to eat and maybe allow me to sleep in just a little bit (daddy will take the early morning feeding). If it works, I will be thrilled, if not...oh well, it worth a try.

We will be enrolling Kevin in swimming lessons and they start in June or July. I am very excited about this. More details to come after we enroll him next month!

Look for me at Jesus' Feet

We are learning a new song in choir at church and it has really touched me. I think about the family members that have passed away during my lifetime... my great-grandfather, great-grandmother, both grandfathers, grandmother, aunt, uncle and father in law. When I think about these loved ones I like to think that one day when I arrive in Heaven we will have this conversation.

It will be 9 years on March 26th that my grandfather left this earth to be with his Savior. It is him that I think of when I hear this song. I miss him so much and wish he could have been here when I got married and now to see Kevin. Enjoy the words to the song.....



If I leave this world of sorrow
Sometime before you do.
Just look for me in Heaven
And we'll talk the ages through.
But if at first you fail to see me
Let me tell you where I'll be.
I'll be thanking Christ, My Savior
For saving a wretch like me

But if you should reach that city
Before my time has come.
Perhaps, you'd like to greet me
When my race down here is run

Just wait for I'll soon be coming
Across life's ebbing sea
And I'll tell you now, dear loved one
Just where to wait for me

Don't look beneath the gates of peal
Don't look on the streets of gold
Don't look by the walls of jasper
Nor among the many sights untold.

For I've been longing and I've waiting
For the Precious, Holy One to see.
There I'll be through the countless ages.
Look for me at Jesus' feet.

Daycare Meeting...Check!

We completed our meeting with Kevin's daycare on Friday. We got to meet his teacher and answer a few questions about his personality and eating/sleeping habits. We saw his room and all the fun things he'll get to do! My favorite part is that they have a curriculum for his age group. They do finger painting (hopefully more ends up on the paper than in his mouth) and when the weather is nice - they take them outside in a large stroller big enough to carry 6 kids. It's too cute. He loves being outside so he'll really enjoy that this summer. They will also start sign language with him which we are thrilled about. The facility and staff are wonderful and we couldn't be more pleased with our decision to send him there.

Kevin has explored the world of peaches and seems to really enjoy them. We're changing up his schedule a little bit to see if he'll eat more baby food. He's just too full after his bottle so we're going to try mid morning and mid afternoon "snacks". He is sleeping through the night and we've started waking him up at 6:30 to get him used to his new schedule. He now has no problems taking morning naps....long morning naps!!

Stomach bug for Kevin (and mommy)

We think Kevin has a stomach bug. I started feeling bad yesterday afternoon and so did Kevin.... He didn't want to eat much yesterday. He woke up at 2:30 this morning and was so hot. I took his temperature and sure enough - almost 101. He ate and I gave him some Tylenol. I stayed home from church with him this morning and so far he's only had 3 oz of formula and is sleeping again. Poor baby!!

We did take him to the park yesterday and he LOVED the swings. I hate that I didn't have my camera. He laughed the entire time. My mom got down on the ground and would tickle him when he would swing over her....he laughed so loud!

Here are a few updated pictures....

Loving my new hat...great for afternoon walks



Bring on the sweet potatoes



First bite...



I thought you said they were sweet? **he does like them..I promise**


Laughing and playing with daddy!


Wow! When daddy laughs, I bounce up and down...how fun!!!!

Couldn't wait!

I couldn't wait to post pictures of his baby food experience! Tonight we had pears...

Baby Food for Kevin

Yay for Kevin! He gets to start baby food tonight. Can you tell I'm excited? He's been watching us eat for several weeks and is getting bored with his nightly cereal/formula mixture. I just know he's going to love eating something with flavor.

We're getting a food processor from my grandmother on Sunday and then starts the fun of me making his food. Yes, you read it right - I am going to make Kevin's food!!! For those of you out there that doubt me (mainly because my breastfeeding went from 1year to 6 weeks), I am very serious about doing this. It's easy (thanks to my friend Elizabeth for explaining the process over and over again) and it's cheaper. His doctor did recommend that we buy some baby food to find out what he likes before purchasing the fruits and veggies to make it ourselves. And that's just what we did.

His check up went great. He weighed 14 lbs 12 oz and was 26 inches. That's 80% for his height and 50% for his weight. The doctor was amazed that Kevin could role over from back to front and then back again. He's so talented! He got 5 yucky shots, cried his little eyes out...tears and all....and then spent 5 minutes laughing at daddy while he got him dressed. Did I mention that when I pulled up the doctor's office, Ben and Kevin were sitting on the curb watching the cars drive by? I wish I had my camera. Kevin was sitting on the ground like a big boy with his hand on Ben's knee!!! They are so cute together.

I'm off to decide what Kevin will eat for dinner tonight! I'll post pictures of his baby food experience tomorrow.

Meghan needs a pacifier, too!

Apparently Meghan is getting a little jealous of Kevin and has decided that to get attention she is going to take Kevin's pacifiers! We have always left them around the house and she hasn't bothered them...until this weekend. We won't be making that mistake again!

Countdown to daycare....only 3 more weeks! We all start our new "routine" next Monday of getting up early. I think Ben is in for more of a shock. He hasn't seen 4am since January 1st!!! I have to have Kevin up by 6:00 to have him fed and ready for daycare so we're out the door by 7:15. Kevin hasn't seen 6am in several months. These days he sleeps in until 8:00 or 8:30. It'll be an adjustment for all of us.

Kevin's check up is on Wednesday. We hope to find out if we can start baby food since he's been on cereal for almost 3 weeks. I'd rather have the doctor's permission before I do it but if she says no, I think mommy and daddy are saying "yes"!!

Pray LIFE

This story really touched me...so I thought I'd share. Please remember the McGowan family in your prayers and pray LIFE for little Cohen.

Laughing

Kevin has learned that Meghan is a funny little dog. We crack up at him laughing at Meghan.

Snow in March?

Yes, it does snow in March...only if you live in Texas! Here are some pictures I took when I got home today.

Snowing at our house



Jersey loves it!













Meghan...not so much!

Kevin took a good nap while it snowed






24 hours earlier.....65 degrees! Again, only in Texas.

4 months

I am feeling better and finally back to normal! We are happy to report that Kevin is officially sleeping through the night. He takes his bottle, eats cereal and is out like a light. He starts daycare on March 31st and he is very ready....and so is daddy! We meet with his new teacher and the director next Friday.

We're having his 4 month pictures taken this weekend. I can't believe he's 4 months today!!! Time has gone by so fast.