Moving Forward

Last Tuesday morning (Dec 11), Nick and I were both home! Since this so rarely happens, Nick offered to let me sleep in and hang out that morning with Luke. When I eventually woke up, I was surprised to hear that Luke started "scootching" along forward. Here is some video footage to capture the moment.

While you're watching, please don't judge me on the fact that a) my son is playing with a dog toy and b) that his mom is still in bed at 8:30 am. Obviously I didn't win the "Mother of the Year" award this particular morning. But my little guy is starting to figure out how to move forward! Previously his movement was limited to rolling (like a log) from side to side. In other news, Nick won the "Father of the Year" award in our house for letting me sleep in! I so badly needed the morning "off".

Where Has the Time Gone?

It's still my intention to update my blog regularly. I've obviously been a little absent this past month - but having hardly been home, it's been challenging to keep up with the grocery shopping and laundry, let alone working on my blog. This week, I hope to catch up. Here are the highlights from the past month:

November

• Luke's second tooth (on the bottom) came in (11/1) - two teeth in just one week! 
• Leanne and Mike's wedding (11/17)
• Luke stayed overnight two nights with Grandma and Grandpa Moser (11/16-11/18)
• Luke stayed in Indiana with Grandma and Grandpa Keller (while Nick and I came back to Madison to see Jersey Boys) (11/19-11/21)
• Luke's first Thanksgiving (11/22)
• Then back to Indiana to celebrate Christmas with the Mosers (11/30)

December

• Moser Christmas Celebration (11/30-12/2)
• Luke's third tooth (on the top) came in (12/7)
• I hosted a huge Christmas Shopping Event with lots of my "mompreneur" girlfriends (12/8)
• Luke participated in his first research project at the Waisman Center (12/11)
• Luke continues to improve in the nursery at church! He played happily while I was at my bible study two weeks in a row without me needing to come and cheer him up. 
• Lots of rolling and scooting. 
• Luke's first ear infection... poor little guy didn't sleep well on a Friday night (our first indication that he wasn't feeling well) and then by Saturday afternoon he spiked a fever. A quick trip to Urgent Care and a 24-hr Walgreens, and he's now feeling much better. 

Pictures from many of these events to come! 

Sweet Baby Giggles

It's getting easier each day to get Luke laughing. Luke's new favorite game is "throw lamby in the air so I can laugh"! Here is my sweet Luke having so much fun with his daddy. (Thanks Aunt Leanne for the lovie!)

8 Months Old

Luke turned 8 months old. Stop growing! I just want to freeze each moment and milestone. But then he does something new and amazing and I'm excited about what's going to happen next.

Luke is no longer confined to the Living Room floor. While he's not yet crawling or even scooting, he's mastered rolling and attempts to follow me around the house by rolling along. He's started getting into some mischief (such as playing in the dog's water bowl) but it's been fun to watch him explore. Only one bump on the head so far after rolling into the corner of the wall.

While Luke and I were on a road trip to Chicago for my sister's bridal shower, he learned how to say "Dadadada" (on 10/27/12). I was bummed that Nick wasn't around to hear it for the first time, but now he repeats it constantly. I can't wait to hear "Mamamama" out of his mouth, but I'm sure it will come soon!

Luke is eating more and more solids. He even learned how to pick up Cheerios and Puffs with his thumb and forefinger and attempts to put them in his mouth. Sometimes he is successful but still more often than not he still has the food in his hand when he leaves his mouth. He gets frustrated about this and it won't be long before he's perfected feeding himself.

Luke is so happy when we clap our hands and say "Good job, Lukie!". He knows we're cheering him on.

Luke is primarily in 12 month clothing now! My big boy was 20 lbs, 3 oz when we took him to the doctor on 10/21/12.

Luke caught his first really big cold this month (on 10/20/12). He was super congested and coughing (though the cough only lasted for the weekend). Even with a cold, Luke mostly slept all night long. He just needed a little extra comforting once when his cough scared him. We had our first trip with Luke to urgent care on a weekend, but all was well and we didn't need any follow-up appointments.

Luke will not go to sleep without his lovie in one hand and his thumb in his mouth. Occasionally he'll wake up if he loses his lovie, but I just sneak into his room, hand it to him and then leave. He's immediately back asleep. I'm pretty lucky with a little sleeper! He sleeps from 6:30 pm-7 am.

The final big news is that Luke is cutting his very first tooth (on the bottom, middle). The tooth made it's first appearance yesterday (10/30/12) and is starting to bother him. But overall he's a happy baby who loves to play and be tickled by mom and dad. He's starting to laugh more and more and that's been so fun for our family.

Here are some favorite pictures from the month!

My pumpkin on the porch. Luke in his Halloween pajamas.

Little Man sleeps so soundly and in the funniest positions. This is how I often find him. Leg in the air and lovie over his face. 

Loving his time with Grandma Keller and Aunt Leanne

These smiles are so hard to capture on camera! Success! (Thanks Aunt Kristi!)

Luke is now actively trying to help feed himself. He often smiles and scrunches his nose these days.

Cuddles with Grandma in Chicago for Aunt Leanne's shower.

Luke went as "Snuggle Puppy" from his favorite book for Halloween this year. He wasn't so sure about the hood on his head...

Snuggles with Mommy.

The very start of a tooth is coming in (if you squint, you might be able to see it).

Luke still hasn't quite figured out how the Johnny Jump Up works...

Happy Halloween!

The Early Bird Special

This is a memory post. I want to remember to tell my kids about this time in our family's history. No cute pictures, just something to put a smile on my face in the future.

Nick works evenings. He has to leave home by 4:45 pm and then gets home again at 7 am. It's a really long night. We don't see a lot of him, but we want to have special times as a family when we can.

Since becoming a stay-at-home mommy, I've enjoyed meal planning and cooking. It's been fun to get involved again in the kitchen (and know before 5 pm what we'll be eating that night)! I like knowing that my family will have home cooked meals that I prepared for them. It's become such a satisfying part of my "new job".

Because Nick heads to work at 4:45, we eat dinner, as a family at the table most evenings, at 4 pm. Early? Yes. Worth it? Without a doubt. And since Luke goes to bed at 6:30 pm, we're able to eat together as a family when everyone is awake and happy.

Sometimes I feel silly making a meal at 2 pm. We feel silly whenever we spring for a meal out and go at 3:30 pm after the baby's nap for an early dinner. (BUT we get our choice of tables in the restaurant, and our little man isn't too distracting to the other customers!)

I'm glad for our afternoon times together. From 2:30 pm until 4:45 pm when Nick leaves for work, we're a family - sharing in stories, smiles, laughs and food.

Baby Dedication

This weekend, we had a wonderful blessing - our family came to Madison to help us celebrate Luke at his baby dedication ceremony at church. Nick and I had the opportunity at Luke's dedication ceremony to publicly present our baby to God and we made a commitment to bring Luke up in a Christ-centered home. It was such a special time with family and friends. Joining us this weekend were: Grandpa Ted and Grandma Judy Moser; Grandpa Greg and Grandma Anne Keller; Great-Grandma Mary Able; Great-Aunt Renee Captain; Aunt Leanne Keller and (almost) Uncle Michael Gonzalez; Uncle Brad and Aunt Melissa Moser.

On Saturday morning we went to church for a special and personal ceremony. So many babies were dedicated to the Lord. We were in wonderful company with several friends also dedicating their babies this weekend. Following the ceremony, we came home and let baby Luke finally take a nap. The grown-ups enjoyed lots of conversation and had an awesome lunch - lasagna, salad, garlic bread, grapes and Cheesecake Factory cheesecake!

The parents were invited to write a blessing for their children and to read it at the dedication. Here is what Nick and I read:

We pray that Luke becomes a man who loves Jesus and who loves people with a kind and generous heart. Our blessing for Luke is adapted from Psalm 119:73-80. Luke, the Lord’s hands made you and formed you, giving you understanding to learn His ways. We pray that the Lord speaks to you through His words in the Bible and that you use them as your inspiration and guide in life. May God’s unfailing love be your comfort, as He has promised us. As you face difficult times, let the Lord lead you through them so you may gain wisdom from them, wisdom you can then use to help others who are in need. May you wholeheartedly follow God’s ways allowing His light to shine through you, so that others will see this and will also follow Christ. 

Here are some of my favorite pictures from the weekend:

On stage with Pastor John Rosensteel. (Making some joke... no doubt!)

Our entire group onstage showing support for Luke and our family.

Special family moment at church before the ceremony.

The "Able" women - me, Mom, Grandma Able and Leanne.

Leanne and her fiance, Michael.

Opening a special gift from Grandma and Grandpa Moser. A bible! (Luke already loves opening and closing the pages. I love that I can point out baby Jesus, Moses, Noah, animals, etc.)

A good snapshot of Grandma and Grandpa Moser. (A bad snapshot of Little Man...)

Good morning! Here's our happy camper with his daddy.

Great-Aunt Renee has found another nephew to spoil rotten! She bought Luke the most adorable books - they all did something special (light up, pop up, puzzle pieces, textile pages, puppets and more!)

Giggles with Aunt "Leelee"!

On our way to church on Sunday morning! Luke with his new bible.

Eating Cheerios with Grandpa Keller.

Home Business, 1 Month In

Exactly a month ago I posted that I was taking a huge step and going into business as an Educational Consultant with Discovery Toys. I'm now a month in. So far I have:

• Received 25 toys, games, puzzles and books in the mail for my own personal inventory. Luke is having a blast. And we have more toys on the way, too! (Keep in mind that Luke is only playing with the the toys that are age appropriate - we have lots of games, puzzles and big kid toys that he's not ready for yet.)
• Started my own Facebook Fan Page. This is huge for me, since until Luke was born, I wasn't a consistent Facebook user. Now I leave my laptop on my kitchen counter and check in whenever I pass through the kitchen. Visit (and "Like") my Fan Page at facebook.com/discoverytoysinmadison. 
• Hosted a Grand Opening party - so many of my friends in Madison came to support me or ordered online. Thank you, ladies! My greatest pleasure so far with my business is hearing from you about how your children love the toys! I'm glad they love the toys as much as Luke and I do. 
• Booked 3 parties for October! We're going to have so much fun playing. 
• Reached my Month 1 Selling Goal. We don't have quotas at Discovery Toys; rather they help you set attainable goals for your first three months and reward you with bonuses of free toys and supplies (such as catalogs, order forms and various business necessities). I received a coupon for $75 in free toys and used it to purchase Christmas gifts for my lovely nieces and for Luke. 
• Had a blast! My whole family has been having such a fun time playing with the toys and seeing what the products are all about. I'm so relieved that the Discovery Toys of today are just as awesome as the Discovery Toys from when I was a kid. They come with a lifetime guarantee and really encourage exploration and learning through play. 

Nick is helping assemble MarbleWorks. He had a blast.

Finished product. (It has a ramp and the marble flies through the air! So cool.)

My new home office. All my goodies are ready to travel to a party in my rolling duffle bag .

Now that Luke is Mr. Roly Poly on the floor, the Pillar Pockets toy is his favorite. He rolls into it, with it, lifts it up and down and he laughs and laughs and laughs. I love this toy because it's as big as he is!

7 Months Old

My baby boy is growing faster, faster, faster!

He's 7 months old today. He's such a little boy, and less and less of a baby each day.

Luke is now rolling both tummy to back (which mastered a while ago) and now back to tummy (which he did for the first time yesterday at library story time)! Our living room is now his playground. He rolls across the floor and I attempt to keep out of his way! He's rolled under the chair and needed a little help, but otherwise is really moving around.

Luke is also starting to eat some finger foods. At dinner tonight, he ate Cheerios and small chunks of string cheese. (He ate lots of pureed fruits and veggies earlier in the day, but was more interested in finger food for dinner.) I suppose I'm going to need to figure out what other finger foods to offer him next!

Today I thoroughly washed and put away his baby bathtub after he swam circles in it last night. He loved his bath tonight in the big tub. He kicked and splashed merrily (as I dutifully sang Row, Row, Row Your Boat).

We also lowered the mattress in the crib and put away his mobile today. Apparently the mobile was supposed to come down at 5 months...

Here are some pictures from this week.

Luke rolled over on his own!

It's the eyes. They get me every. single. time.

 Did I mention the eyes?

He's a thinker!

At the library. I don't know why he sits in his stroller like this. He does it all the time. It's weird.

Baby Model

I think my kid is pretty cute. No, not cute. Adorable. But, I'm biased (or so I've been told). Here are some of my favorites from Luke's 6 Month Photo Shoot (taken on 8/26/12).

All photos pictured here were taken by Magnified Joy Photography (http://www.magnifiedjoyphotography.com/) in Madison, WI. Check them out!

Travelling with Baby

This weekend, we're again in Indiana. This round we're here for my cousin's wedding!

Friday night, Luke had another first... first night without Mommy and Daddy! We couldn't take him to a late wedding since he'd end up crying and cranky the whole time. We knew we'd have a better time and he'd have a better time if he didn't come along. So we asked Grandma and Grandpa Moser to babysit for an overnight stay. (Thanks, Ted and Judy!) Luke was a trooper after being in the car all day and then quickly being dropped off at Grandma's house. He even had happy moments during bath and in the morning the next day. I, on the other hand, was so antsy in the morning to see my little man.

As mentioned in a previous post, travelling with a baby is not entirely easy. This time I attempted to travel light. And by travelling "light", this included 10 outfits, 6 pajamas, a pack of diapers, 2 jars of formula (one large, one small), 6 bottles, toys, books, soap/shampoo/lotion, medical kit (in case of a fever...), nail clippers, lovie and blanket for bedtime, stroller, baby food, 10 bibs and, well, you get the idea. It's a little overwhelming! What did I forget? Dishwasher basket, bottle brush, and baby Tylenol. Looking back, I'm not sure why I thought I was travelling light. Probably because I decided that I didn't need to bring my own towels and washcloths. I hope it gets easier over the years to pack less and less...

We survived and have had a great time with family. Time always flies by, and before I know it, it's time to climb back into the car for another 7 hour drive through the country. Here were the highlights of this trip:

• Cousin Allison's wedding on Friday night. (It rained buckets, but we had an awesome time! If rain on your wedding day means luck, Allison and Marshall should play the lottery.)
• Shopping  with Grandma Able for a new TV. 
• Making homemade pizza with my mom. Oh, and then eating it!
• Addressing Leanne's wedding invitations. (The licking wasn't so fun... so I delegated that to Aunt Renee!)
• The Moser Famous BBQ Hamburgers on Sunday with Ted and Judy and Nick's brother, Joel and his wife, Jen.
• Our fire detectors going off in our house... in Madison! Neighbors alerted us and the fire department was dispatched. Nick's brother, Brad, was able to check on the house and unlock the doors before the firefighters broke down the door. Perhaps I need to pass out a few spare keys this week when we return to our home.
• Briggs (the dog) didn't get carsick! Can you believe it? I hope we get that lucky tomorrow on our return trip to Madison...

Being so busy kept me from taking pictures of my baby. (Gasp!) So, since that is why you're checking, here is a cute recent one from his 6 month photo shoot (taken on 8-26-12). 

6.5 Months Later

Today we had Luke's 6 month doctor's appointment. He's a healthy little boy. Here's what we know:

• Height: 27.5" (At birth he was 19.5". He's a fast grower.) This puts him in the 76th percentile in height.
• Weight: 18 lb 9 oz (At birth he was 8 lb 2 oz. He's a fast grower.) This puts him in the 62nd percentile in weight. 
• Head Circumference: 42.5 cm. This puts him in the 20th percentile for HC. 
• He's healthy, strong and generally a happy boy.

What is my boy like now? Well...

• He loves my face and my hair. Touching, reaching, grabbing. I love those sweet caresses. 
• He loves to hear me sing and read him stories, though he's very active and wants to move around a lot. 
• He laughs more and more each day. He's ticklish and laughs when I kiss his belly.
• Separation anxiety has already started. He's afraid of strangers and doesn't like to be with unfamiliar people. 
• He's not rolling around too much yet because he wants to lay on his back and kick around. Tummy time is non-existent because he immediately rolls around to his back!
• He talks to himself. A lot. Today he woke up from his nap early and talked to himself in the crib for 40 minutes. Eventually he talked himself to sleep, but I wonder what he was talking about! 
• When he gets really sad, tears stream down his face. It's the saddest thing I've ever seen. 
• He likes riding in the stroller. 
• I'm certain that he's a thinker. It amazes me at how carefully he examines everything. 
• He loves his lovely blanket. He cuddles with it at night and it brings him comfort. (I have an identical spare in the diaper bag for on the go!)
• He's 100% on formula now. It makes me a little sad - he's not cuddly when he eats anymore. But now his daddy can be more involved at mealtimes. Nick enjoys being more hands-on and I enjoy giving him time with his son.
• He likes to watch me work in the kitchen from his highchair.
• He's afraid of men with facial hair. It's weird. But we all have our quirks. 

Love this kid!

Discovery Toys

I've decided to take a giant leap. I'm seeking a new adventure. I've decided to start a business from my home. Wow!

When I graduated college 5 years ago, I wasn't even considering starting my own business. It seemed too big. Even a year ago it seemed too big.

But now as a stay-at-home mommy and wife, I find that I'd like to do something besides cooking (which I've really grown to like), cleaning (which I still dislike) and changing diapers. I want to utilize my organizational skills. I want to contribute to our family's income without paying for childcare. But mainly I want to do something that excites me.

When I was growing up, my mom held toy parties and earned free toys through the process. (We received LOTS of Christmas and birthday gifts from Discovery Toys, as the result.)

When I was visiting my parents recently, Mom pulled out some of our old Discovery Toys and they are still in incredible condition. We washed them in soapy water and I now have two of these toys in Luke's diaper bag and receive lots of compliments on them!

It got me wondering. Does Discovery Toys still exist? (Yes.) If so, are there consultants in Madison? (Not that I found.)

 

I decided to look into becoming a consultant and discovered during that process that I really believe in their products. They focus on learning through play and supply super creative and educational toys.

Today I took the final step and made a phone call, which turned in to many phone calls, got some of my questions answered, and finally ordered my starter kit.

I think it will be a lot of work, but I'm really looking forward to the challenge. And if nothing else, I'll have some amazing toys for my little guy to play and learn with.

Contact me if you're interested in learning more. But keep in mind that here in the beginning, I'll be learning more, too!

Here goes nothing! Wish me luck.

Here is the a rattle/busy box toy from when my sister (who is now 24) was a baby!

It's one of Luke's favorite toys on the go.

 

Back Home Again In Indiana

Earlier this month, Luke, Briggs (our pup) and I trekked across the Midwest and travelled from Wisconsin to my hometown of Berne, Indiana for a nearly two week visit with my family while Nick stayed in Madison and worked tons of overtime. Travelling with a baby (who is still nursing) and a dog (who gets carsick) is not the most pleasant ride in the world, but we made the adventure and landed up at my parents' house in just over 7 hours.

While there we were able to visit with my family, Nick's folks, Great-Grandma Able, Aunt Renee and friends from my high school days.

Leanne, my sister, is planning her November wedding and I really enjoyed joining her at the caterer and stuffing her invitations. I successfully was able to purchase a bridesmaid dress; thank goodness for David's Bridal! My post-baby body wasn't sure how it would ever fit into a dress and look good, but I think we succeeded. We can check that "to do" off our list.

Now we're back in Madison and have finally finished the unpacking/laundry/resettling process. Luke misses seeing so many other adults who love on him, but he was so excited to see Nick. That was a really great reunion to watch. (Though, I don't remember Nick ever racing to see me in the car the way he ran to greet his son.)

We're glad to be back home.

Here are some pictures from our trip in Indiana.

So tired! Fell asleep in Grandma Keller's arms before our trip to Ft. Wayne

 

 

Playing with new friend, Lena

 

 

Luke discovered his tongue while in Indiana. He chewed on it the whole trip!

 

 

 

Teething Baby

At our house the last several days, Luke has been particularly uncomfortable. I've decided to blame it on teething! He's 6 months old (tomorrow!) and has yet to get a tooth, so I feel like I'm allowed to blame his not-so-happy attitude on teething. Nick and I expect that one of these days we'll see a little white pearl in our little man's mouth. In the meantime, we're offering hugs and kisses (and Tylenol) to our baby in pain.

Tonight, however, we had a five minute break and caught a happy, laughing baby. Here's my first attempt at uploading a video from our new camcorder.

Baby Food

Mr. Luke is now over 5 months old! I cannot believe how fast the time has gone. He's a happy baby (most of the time) and is happiest when left kicking around on a blanket with a toy or two. He talks to himself often, and Nick and I have a blast translating what he is saying.

The biggest new change in the life of Luke is that he now eats solid foods - and loves them! After receiving a Baby Bullet from my Aunt Renee as a baby gift, I decided to try making my own baby food. I quickly found that I loved this new project! It brings me comfort to know exactly what is going into my baby's mouth. I know he is getting the freshest, healthiest food available.

This summer, Nick and I joined a local CSA and receive fresh produce weekly. I didn't expect to use a lot of the organic, locally grown vegetables to make baby food! What a pleasant surprise.

So far I've made: avocado, peaches, pears, peas, green beans, summer squash, zucchini, rice cereal, carrots, bananas and sweet potatoes!

Here are some of my favorite pictures of my big boy.

Luke's breakfast today? Prunes and applesauce.

Luke eating his first "finger food", a rice cracker.

A New Blog

After adamantly saying I'd never start a blog, here I am! With no blogging experience, I've decided to give the blogging thing a try. I hope to update regularly, but I've no doubt that life will interfere and delay posts. I'll do my best!

In February 2012, my husband, Nick, and I embarked on a new adventure in life. We became parents. God has blessed us with a miracle, a son. I praise Him for our baby each day. I still cannot believe that we have been entrusted with such a beautiful baby boy.

The baby book I've started is lovely. However, rarely taken out of it's precious box, I fear I will forget the moments I'm determined to tell my son all about when he's grown. I plan to use this blog as a tool to document my son's greatest achievements, the funny moments, my learnings along the way and, of course, lots of pictures!

Introducing our "Leapling" - Luke Andrew Moser (taken on his birthday 2/29/12)