9 week progress report...

Being with him everyday, I may not notice how much he is growing, but I do notice when he learns new things and he seems to be full of progress lately. Yesterday, during some playtime on his belly, he was able to prop himself up on his arms, lifting his head and part of his chest up off the ground, all on his own. He is really starting to smile now...honestly...it isn't gas. He smiles most with his Daddy...no surprises there. He has also started to reach out to touch things. He isn't very accurate yet, but you can definitely see the intent, focus, and effort to reach mobiles hanging or toys right in front of him. He is also focusing and watching us and things much further away than he used to, and his color pallette has moved from preferring black and white only to a range of colors...still preferring a stark contrast of colors on an object. He seems to have an affinity for lady bugs. He migrates toward the one on his hanging gym and he likes to look at that side of his play cube too. One is 3-Dimensional and the other only a drawing. Just seemed like a neat observation to me. Anyway... here are a couple more pictures of our little play thing.

2 month check-up and best day yet...

As soon as I post this, I have no doubt that this day was just a fluke, but Fender was almost on a schedule today. In fact...the past THREE nights in a row, he has gone down for a four hour stint from 9:00PM to 1:00AM! Now...if I can just get that to be more from midnight to four, that would suit my schedule better. I'd prefer not to be in bed at 9:00, but I'll take it. I am definitely exhausted by 9:00PM. Let's face it...I'm exhausted when I get up in the morning. Today he fed, at 9:00AM, Noon, 3:30PM, and 6:00PM. I'm waiting to see if he makes it until 9:00PM to feed. Then it would be a true 3-hr feeding day... midnight for the next feeding (or 1:30am if things continue as they have been), a 3 or 4AM feeding and then a 6 or 7am feeding and we're up again. Sheesh...and that is with a schedule...no wonder I'm exhausted. The bad thing about today is that he slept a lot. We had some playtime and went to the grocery store, but he slept an awful lot today, despite me trying to wake him up for play. I guess when they want to sleep, they will sleep and if they don't want to sleep, they won't.

I managed to get groceries bought, put away, dishes put away and the sink cleaned out, a little play time with Sebastian, this website updated, and now I wish I was down for a nap. But hate to be sleeping when Drew gets in...which is also why it is so frustrating that I need to go to bed with Fen, if he goes down at 9:00PM. It just leaves so little time for us with "Daddy." Oh...how I love the weekends.

For now...here are a few pictures from the past few days. Oh...and he had his 2-month check-up yesterday, then we went to see Drew at work. Fun day...probably why he is so tired today. He had four shots yesterday...two in each thigh. :( He got a dose of tylenol before the shot and I gave him a second dose four hours later, but quit giving it to him after that. I thought it would be better to wait and see if he had any fever or side effects and actually needed the drug. He didn't seem to. Yea. What a trooper. He weighed 13 lbs and was 24 inches long. 75th percentile, whatever that really amounts to. He is doing very well. Doctor was pleased. I'm so proud of him. He's thriving despite the fact that his parents are fumbling through the exhaustion and learning as we go. :)

Big day for the dog...

So...not so much a Fender post, as this is a Sebastian tribute...as our "first" little boy approaches his 10 month birthday...it is time to have him "fixed." :( So he spent the day at the vet and Fen and I stayed home and played. It was oddly, a bit lonely without the big boy. So in honor of our baby boy, here's a picture and since this is primarily Fender's site, here are a couple of pics of our littlest boy too.

Christmas tree extravaganza...

Fen's first Christmas Tree hunting adventure. This year we were joined by my mom (Granmama) and sister (Auntie Lo). Hot apple cider, hay rides, and hundreds of trees were the theme of the day. Somehow, we managed to come home with THE BEST Christmas tree ever...once again. It is amazing how every year we really do have the most perfect Christmas tree, but it is true every year and this year is no exception. I think this one is probably the best one yet! Especially thanks to mom's magnificent light distribution. It took all of us to get the ornaments on and we still have some leftover that I will try to get on there somehow. For now, here are some pictures of Fen's latest excursion...

Our Christmas Tree "Before"


The tree comes down...Drew worked so hard! :)


See...the PERFECT Christmas tree...and two loving pups.


Sisters getting cider. And me and Fen searching for the perfect tree.

First Turkey Day...

And Fen keeps meeting more and more family. We enjoyed family, friends, and a great thanksgiving feast over at his Great PaCurt's. And for the first time in about six years, we had all the kids together at my dad's this year too. What a wonderful year...and so much to be thankful for! We are really enjoying the holidays with our precious little bundle...who is growing like a weed already. Here are turkey-day weekend photos.

Papa and Granma's family... all together at last.


Fen's Turkey Day Lunch Look...and his nighttime playtime.


Fen's cousin, Whit and Thanksgiving lunch with Mom and Dad.

So many to love and loved by so many...

More pictures from this weekend.

Grandmother with Fen; Tia (Auntie and Godmother Lo)


Mom gets Fen dressed for Christening; and Dad comforts Fen at lunch (post baptism).


Drew, June, Grandmother, YiaYia with Fen; Sisters: Loren and Candice

Fender's Baptism

Difficult to keep the updates coming lately with all the fun going on. Last weekend we had the MLS Cup and this weekend we had Fender's Baptism. Now we have Thanksgiving coming up this weekend. Fun Fun Fun.
Mom, Dad and Fen

The baptism couldn't have gone any better. Fen was quiet the whole time. His eyes popped open when the water was poured onto his head three times, but not a cry to be heard, not even with the "musical people" (getting passed from one person to another). His Godmother, Manassa processed him into the church. His Godfather, Garrett, held him while Fr. Bob gave him his blessings at the front of the church and he carried him to the back of the church. His Daddy held him by the baptismal fount and gave him to Fr. Bob for the christening, then his Godmother, Loren, processed with him back to the front of the church, where I held him as Fr. Bob announced the new member of God's church to the congregation. It was all so beautiful, especially because it was shared by so many! Fender had TWO greatgrandmothers present, three grandmothers, great aunts, cousins, and friends present to witness his birth into the church and the beginning of his spiritual journey through life.
Godparents: Garrett, Loren, Manassa
GreatGrandmother and Great YiaYia

By the way...Fen was 6 weeks old last Wednesday, at which time he was 24 inches long and at my appointment today, he weighed 11 lbs even. Yea. He has his two month check up in a couple of weeks.

First sporting event...

Fen's first excursion to a sporting event just happened to be the MLS Championship game in Frisco, TX yesterday. He was SOOOO great and wasn't any trouble at all, but I paid for it as he didn't want to rest much last night and I got about 1 total hour of sleep. I'm a walking zombie today. But yesterday he was great. He rested through the first half, then needed a little 15 minute walk around with Drew to settle down, then he wanted a feeding, but was awake and quietly taking in all the sounds, smells, and bright colors and images float around all around him through the rest of the game. He fed again after the game, just before we all went out for a family dinner, and to my shock and relief...he slept through the entire meal. I SOOOO didn't want to be the "mom with the screaming baby" and had been seriously dreading any dinner "out." And just because this one went well, doesn't mean I'm not still dreading each and every "dinner out." But did I mention how great he was last night! ;)

Here's a couple of pics from this weekend's events. Ted (Pops), Susan (Nana), Chad, and Riley were in town and stayed with us, and we met up with Bobby in Frisco for the game and dinner. It was such a fun weekend...and Sebastian really enjoyed some quality play time with Riley!

Election Day...

Placing our votes... the girl forgot to focus before she took the picture, but you get the idea.

One month size comparison...

Wow... look how much my head has grown:


Home from the hospital, less than one week old.


Getting ready to go vote, almost 5 weeks old.

Getting dirty and cleaning up...

Making handprints in clay is messy business...


But cleaning up is fun...

4 weeks old...

Halloween was chaotic, but fun. Between Fen's need for attention, Sebastian wanting to lick all the trick-or-treaters silly, Drew studying, phone ringing, and dinner... there was never a dull moment for the couple of hours we handed out treats.

Today Fender is 4 weeks old and cute as ever. He is just over 22 inches long and our best attempts at weight measurement without a baby scale, show he is approaching 10 lbs now. We won't know an accurate weight again until his 2 month appointment.

Here's a picture of Fender today at 4 weeks old.