Hopes and Dreams

He's almost able to roll over from his back to his stomach !

When Erik and  I told people that we were having a little one the most common response was "your life is going to change forever, your not going to get any sleep, you won't have time to do what you want, and your going to have him for 18 years!." At the 3:30 feeding this morning I started to think about this advice and how that isn't what I would consider the life changing part of having a baby, that's just part of parenthood. What is life changing, worrisome, scary, and awesome to me is his future. I have all these things that I hope and dream he will be such as kind, thankful, hardworking, caring, grateful, happy, and a little tough :) We now have a little man that will look to us for guidance in life situations and hopefully we will have been good role models of these qualities. To me making sure that we are modeling these qualities everyday is the life changing part of having a child. I guess only time will tell if we were good models.

Two Month Check-Up

 

Erik and I take Oliver to his appointments at a clinic only four miles away. It is a small clinic that Aurora runs and Erik's primary doctor, Dr. Scott, practices there. Since it is a small clinic all the nurses  and receptionists remember Oliver and comment on how much he has grown. It's so cute and in a way comforting. At this appointment Oliver got his first round of vaccines which consists of three vaccines. The first is an oral and seemed to taste good to Oliver and all was well. Then the second nurse came in with the two shots. She took of the cap of those LONG needles and they both grabbed one and stuck him in in his thighs. It was awful ! Oliver face turned beat red and his face turned to angry baby (rightly so) and he held his breath until the nurse blew in his face to get him to take a breath again. Then he really cried and I teared up. I wish this was the last appointment for those shots but unfortunately it isn't. 

 

Dr. Scott also did his check up and overall health exam. Everything looks great and Oliver is still at the top of the charts for height, head circumference, and of course weight. The doctor even said his was a little tank.  :)  So Oliver's new stats are: 14.7 pounds and 24 inches long. It's amazing how quickly he has grown in such a short time.

Morning Chats With Oliver

Oliver has sure been chatting up a storm these days. I captured him talking this morning before we went out to breakfast this morning with my parents.You can even see him show off his dimples with a little smile.

How Much Has Oliver Grown?

Everyone is wondering how much he has grown this past month including myself. On the left I have started a new poll. Vote for what you think Oliver will weigh this month by selecting a weight and then clicking vote. Remember at birth he weighed 8 pounds exactly and at his one month appointment he weighed 11 and a half pounds.

A Growing Boy!

Bath Time!! 

Dressed like the locals for Clayton Fest

The Saint and Oliver looking outside.

Oliver has really grown this past month and I am looking forward to finding out just how much. His two month appointment is Friday and this is when he gets his first round of shots. YUCK! 

As Oliver grows things start to shrink around our house just like our kitchen sink. Oliver loves getting his kitchen sink baths but he kicks his legs constantly which poses a problem when you are trying to wash him. He kicks off the side of the sink and I can barely keep his head from hitting the back of the sink. Pretty soon I'll have to graduate him to the bathtub or find a helmet.

As some of you know my family owns a driveway sealing business which I have been working for since I was 5. I had dreams of retirement this year but circumstances didn't allow that so the Saint (Grandma Chris) comes over to watch Oliver when I'm working or need some time to run errands. I am so fortunate to have her help during the week and it's comforting to know that Oliver is being watched by someone who loves him. Gunner appreciates her too. If he is looking out the patio door for chipmunks and Grandma Chris pulls in I'll say "Grandma's here." Gunner's ears immediately perk up and he runs to the window wagging his tail violently until she walks through the door. I think he sums up the appreciation for all of us the best.

Soybean Toes

I spy a soybean. Do you?

This past week Erik has been working his regular job and helping out on the farm at night planting corn and soybeans. One morning I changed him out of his sleeper and loaded him into the car seat and there it was. Some how during the previous night Oliver got a soybean from somewhere on Erik clamped between his toes and slept with it between them during the night only to be discovered between them the next morning!



Oliver's Video Debut

Oliver has begun to "talk". There has been lots of a-goo's and cooing going on which makes Gunner really curious. Erik and I sure like the change from crying and content to now crying, content, and cooing. Today I captured a little of this but of course when the camera is in front of him he tones it down a little bit but he still did a little talking to the camera. As you watch the video you may see the Gunner in the background checking out the noise and then realizing that it's Oliver he heads to the window in search for the illusive chipmunk he's been after. You can also see him starting to exercise the little tongue. He'll go for long periods of moving it all around and sticking it out and discovering what it can do. It's quite entertaining to watch. I apologize for the video being tilted. I turned my camera to get a full view of Oliver and it won't let me rotate it back to upright. Well I hear the little man waking up and he isn't cooing!

Simple Things

Hanging out in the swing by the window

So content and relaxed

Oliver has become very observant these last few weeks. I think his eyesight has improved quite a bit since he now follows objects from across the room and is content sitting in his swing and looking out the window at the trees blowing in the wind. I always wonder what he is thinking when he is discovering things in the world for the first time and is trying to wrap his mind around what he is seeing. It really reminds me to enjoy the simple wonders in life. Just like the other day, Oliver and I sat outside and watched the sunset over the fields in the backyard and I thought, wow Oliver saw his first sunset. How cool is that!

Oliver is also starting to smile more and more when I talk to him but my favorite time is right before he falls asleep. It is the sweetest thing to see him with his eyes closed, peaceful, and then give the biggest smile right before he falls into a deep sleep.  I can't think of a better way to have him nod off into sleep then with a smile. I know he is at peace and all is well in his world. I just wish this continued into the waking up process.