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!