This was Thor's first full week at daycare and my first week back at work. It was bittersweet. Bitter because I don't feel like 12 weeks have really passed since I had Thor, but sweet because I am grateful for a job that allowed me that time off, especially during these poor economic times.
Thor has a Bumbo, but I've never put him in it because I thought he wasn't old enough yet. But his teacher at daycare has used the Bumbo a lot thought he was ready (I hadn't told her not to). He can't sit in it for long periods of time because his tummy muscles are still developing, but he practices a lot. Here is his cute video:
He wasn't his normal happy self because he got the hiccups right as I put him in the Bumbo. He hates hiccups, which he gets numerous times a day, and ends up screaming to get them to go away.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
My Cuties
Ok, this is just a shameless post for sharing some cute pics of big sis Sabre (16 yrs) and little brother Thor (2 months).
Like Father, Like Son
Gary sleeps with his eyes open. Not dinner plate staring open, but cracked enough that you can see his eyes moving. Thor does the same thing. His eyes are don't fully close while he sleeps. And when Thor starts dreaming, he opens them even wider than usual. I finally caught it on tape. There's no sound except white noise, because I didn't want to disturb his dream. Keep in mind that Thor's fully asleep during this whole video.
Creepy, huh? He has such an expressive face, even when he sleeps. Wonder where he gets that?
Creepy, huh? He has such an expressive face, even when he sleeps. Wonder where he gets that?
Turtle Neck
The first sign we had that Thor was going to resemble me and not Gary as I had hoped was his neck. In Thor's 20 week ultrasound, the technician exclaimed, "look at that looooong neck!" And yep, even two novices like me and Gary could see that this little fetus had an unusually long, skinny neck--just like me. Thor's neck isn't strong enough to hold that noggin up for too long, but when he does, you can almost see it through the fat rolls.
He looks like E.T. in this one
Radio Silence
You can't tell in the pictures, but he's talking up a storm while I snap away. We finally got him to give it up on video. The first minute or so, there is radio silence. Then all of a sudden when he realizes the flash isn't going to go off, he starts jabbering away.Unfortunately, the file is so large that I can't upload it. I'll have to wait for Gary to show me how to compress it.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Sabre the Big Sister
Although you may not have been able to tell from the last few posts, I do have another child. And she is pretty great. Sabre is now 16. Although her first words upon learning she would be a big sister were, "I'm not going to babysit," she has turned out to be a great big sister, too.
Here she is proudly holding Thor on his blessing day. Those are the cutest two kids I've ever seen!
And here she is the week he came home from the hospital.
Sabre regularly helps out by holding him while I clean or cook. Thor sits with her while she watches TV and stares at her face. When Sabre laughs, so does Thor. He talks and coos at her with wide, adoring eyes. Sabre has also jumped right in to change and dress him. She carries him or pushes his stroller through stores. She is so sweet and careful with him. It makes my heart swell up (and sometimes my eyes) to watch the two of them together.
Sabre regularly helps out by holding him while I clean or cook. Thor sits with her while she watches TV and stares at her face. When Sabre laughs, so does Thor. He talks and coos at her with wide, adoring eyes. Sabre has also jumped right in to change and dress him. She carries him or pushes his stroller through stores. She is so sweet and careful with him. It makes my heart swell up (and sometimes my eyes) to watch the two of them together.
Thor's First Day at Daycare
On Tuesday, August 16 I spent the day interviewing ASU law students for a summer clerk position at Gammage and Burnham. And Thor spent his first day at daycare.
I really like the daycare I picked for him. You have to have a badge to get past the security gate to drive into the parking lot. You have to have a badge to access the building and then you have to have a code to get into the door of the daycare. The infant room has a phone so I can call Thor's teacher or she can call me anytime during the day. The big deciding factor for me was that the daycare has a nursing room for moms to come and nurse or pump.
So Thor's first day he was asleep when I dropped him off. Afterwards I thought I should have woken him up before I left because he fell asleep in his own car to wake up to strangers in a strange room.
At lunch I rushed over there to nurse him. He was awake sitting in a swing with his own blankey. He was gripping the blankey with both hands pulled right up under his chin. His eyes were as big as dinner plates. Poor baby Thor looked too petrified to even scream! It took a second for him to realize that it was me talking to him and when he did, I could tell that he was relieved. We spent the lunch hour in the nursing room rocking and nursing until he fell asleep.
When I came back at 4 to pick Thor up he was asleep again. He had eaten well and managed to have 2 blow outs in his diaper so he used both sets of extra clothes I sent.
I hadn't realized until that day how much I was going to miss him. And how tired I was going to be after going back to work! These last few days before the dreaded Monday we have been snuggling a lot together in between running errands. But I will always be grateful for the last 12 weeks of paid maternity leave.
I really like the daycare I picked for him. You have to have a badge to get past the security gate to drive into the parking lot. You have to have a badge to access the building and then you have to have a code to get into the door of the daycare. The infant room has a phone so I can call Thor's teacher or she can call me anytime during the day. The big deciding factor for me was that the daycare has a nursing room for moms to come and nurse or pump.
So Thor's first day he was asleep when I dropped him off. Afterwards I thought I should have woken him up before I left because he fell asleep in his own car to wake up to strangers in a strange room.
At lunch I rushed over there to nurse him. He was awake sitting in a swing with his own blankey. He was gripping the blankey with both hands pulled right up under his chin. His eyes were as big as dinner plates. Poor baby Thor looked too petrified to even scream! It took a second for him to realize that it was me talking to him and when he did, I could tell that he was relieved. We spent the lunch hour in the nursing room rocking and nursing until he fell asleep.
When I came back at 4 to pick Thor up he was asleep again. He had eaten well and managed to have 2 blow outs in his diaper so he used both sets of extra clothes I sent.
I hadn't realized until that day how much I was going to miss him. And how tired I was going to be after going back to work! These last few days before the dreaded Monday we have been snuggling a lot together in between running errands. But I will always be grateful for the last 12 weeks of paid maternity leave.
Saturday, August 13, 2011
Thor's Procedure
Aside: I've noticed that my posts have changed from all beginning with "my" to beginning with "Thor's ___." See what becoming a mother again does to a person?
Thor and I were having trouble with breastfeeding. The problem obviously was not that he wasn't getting enough food. But suffice it to say that there was considerable pain involved in the process. He was diagnosed with tongue tie. The best way to stop the problems was to snip the piece of skin holding his tongue down. Yeah, I know, ouch.
So yesterday I took him to Dr. Agarwal, a pediatrician that specializes in children's mouth problems, including tongue tie. I was asked to wait in the waiting room. Dr. Agarwal numbed Thor's tongue area with a shot, snipped the skin and cauterized it. Thor screamed bloody murder the whole time--I'm not even sure how the procedure was finished with that much screaming.
There was only one person in the waiting room with me--a cute boy about 14 years old. I just stared at some brochure about the national poison control hotline, the two of us listening to Thor howl, until the nurse called me back into the room.
Dr. Agarwal was trying to show me Thor's tongue, but Thor would have no more to do with him and I was so focused on calming Thor down I wasn't listening to him anyway. Nursing Thor helped soothe him and I could tell a difference right away.
When I finally walked out of the room, the 14 year old boy was in the hallway. "He's just a little guy," he observed, probably wondering how such a little guy made as much noise as he had heard earlier. I must have looked distraught with the memory. "Here, let me get that," he said as he opened the door to the waiting room for us. And then he ran ahead to the door leading out of the office and held that one open as well. "Have a good weekend," he said in parting. I'll never forget that boy and how he intuitively picked up on my stress. And how he kindly did what he could to alleviate it. I hope I raise a son like that.
Thor had a rough night--I just think he was traumatized, not hurting. This morning he is his normal self, laughing and talking his head off. Time will tell if the procedure was worth it.
Thor and I were having trouble with breastfeeding. The problem obviously was not that he wasn't getting enough food. But suffice it to say that there was considerable pain involved in the process. He was diagnosed with tongue tie. The best way to stop the problems was to snip the piece of skin holding his tongue down. Yeah, I know, ouch.
So yesterday I took him to Dr. Agarwal, a pediatrician that specializes in children's mouth problems, including tongue tie. I was asked to wait in the waiting room. Dr. Agarwal numbed Thor's tongue area with a shot, snipped the skin and cauterized it. Thor screamed bloody murder the whole time--I'm not even sure how the procedure was finished with that much screaming.
There was only one person in the waiting room with me--a cute boy about 14 years old. I just stared at some brochure about the national poison control hotline, the two of us listening to Thor howl, until the nurse called me back into the room.
Dr. Agarwal was trying to show me Thor's tongue, but Thor would have no more to do with him and I was so focused on calming Thor down I wasn't listening to him anyway. Nursing Thor helped soothe him and I could tell a difference right away.
When I finally walked out of the room, the 14 year old boy was in the hallway. "He's just a little guy," he observed, probably wondering how such a little guy made as much noise as he had heard earlier. I must have looked distraught with the memory. "Here, let me get that," he said as he opened the door to the waiting room for us. And then he ran ahead to the door leading out of the office and held that one open as well. "Have a good weekend," he said in parting. I'll never forget that boy and how he intuitively picked up on my stress. And how he kindly did what he could to alleviate it. I hope I raise a son like that.
Thor had a rough night--I just think he was traumatized, not hurting. This morning he is his normal self, laughing and talking his head off. Time will tell if the procedure was worth it.
Thor's Weight
Thor weighed in at 10 pounds 5 ounces on Friday August 5. One week later on Friday, August 12, he weighed 10 pounds 8 ounces. He seems to be hungry all the time! Last week he decided that he needed to eat every 2 hours. At least he is sleeping through the night. Most nights he sleeps for 7 to 9 hours at a time.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
Thor's Voice
I've been trying to capture Thor talking and laughing on film. This is harder than it sounds. He talks his head off right until I hit the record button. Then, nothing! I call him "the frog" as in the Loony Toons frog that sings "Hello, my baby, hello, my darling, hello, my ragtime gal!" to his owner, but clams up every time his owner tries to show his talents to someone else. *SIGH* But here are some very close attempts at me catching his tiny voice.
In the first one, I manage to capture him taking a poop rather than talking. In the second, I manage to make him cry. And in the third I manage to get one "agoo" before, in true boy fashion, he farts.
One day . . .
In the first one, I manage to capture him taking a poop rather than talking. In the second, I manage to make him cry. And in the third I manage to get one "agoo" before, in true boy fashion, he farts.
One day . . .
Thor's Cousins
Besides meeting Olivia (who was eternally cute!) in Utah, Thor met his other cousins as well. They were all so good and kind to him. I am blessed to have such caring, sweet nieces and nephews! Wyatt was especially attentive to Thor. Every day he would ask me if he could hold Thor. This is my favorite picture of the two of them:
And of course there were others:
I have to throw in one of Trevor holding Olivia, too, just because they're both so cute!
The Drive-in
The last time I was at a drive-in movie was to see The Karate Kid. I'm not sure why I haven't been back. I love everything about the experience: you can bring your own snacks and drinks; you can sit in your own car or pick-up truck bed or lawn chair; you get to see 2 movies in a row; and you can talk and move around during the movie.
While I was in Utah, my mom, Allan, Stacy, Chantelle, Jeremy, Bekkie, and all of our kids went with me to the drive-in. We parked in the front row and Thor and I sat on a lawn chair in front of our truck--all my nephews and nieces laid on a mattress in the back of my pick-up. The sound came through the radio waves. We played games before the movie started while we waited for the sun to go down. And we ate more candy than I have all year!
We watched Cars 2 and The Zookeeper. Cars 2 was Thor's first movie. He stared at the screen, fascinated with the moving light. Every once in a while Thor would let out a few cackling, high-pitched laughs. I couldn't tell if he was laughing because someone else laughed or at some joke only he understood. Whatever made him do it, he was adorable!
Chantelle, Bekkie, Olivia, and Stacy
Baby Thor staying warm with grandma
While I was in Utah, my mom, Allan, Stacy, Chantelle, Jeremy, Bekkie, and all of our kids went with me to the drive-in. We parked in the front row and Thor and I sat on a lawn chair in front of our truck--all my nephews and nieces laid on a mattress in the back of my pick-up. The sound came through the radio waves. We played games before the movie started while we waited for the sun to go down. And we ate more candy than I have all year!
We watched Cars 2 and The Zookeeper. Cars 2 was Thor's first movie. He stared at the screen, fascinated with the moving light. Every once in a while Thor would let out a few cackling, high-pitched laughs. I couldn't tell if he was laughing because someone else laughed or at some joke only he understood. Whatever made him do it, he was adorable!
Chantelle, Bekkie, Olivia, and Stacy
Thor's Blessing Day
We went to Ogden, Utah to my parent's ward to bless Thor on July 24. Olivia, Thor's cousin (Chantelle's first baby) was barely a month old, but Jeremy blessed her the same day. That way all of our family could be there and share this special time with us.
After officially giving him the name Thor James Williams, Gary blessed Thor with many wonderful things. One blessing that stood out to me was the blessing that Thor would love his country. With all of the horrid things happening in the government today, this part gave me hope that maybe we aren't doomed after all.
Thor and his proud daddy
All the grandkids: (back row: Sabre holding Thor, Trevor, Paxton holding Olivia, Gavin; front row: Kysa, Josh, and Wyatt)
All of my family that was there
Thor (8 weeks) and his cousin Olivia (4 weeks)
After officially giving him the name Thor James Williams, Gary blessed Thor with many wonderful things. One blessing that stood out to me was the blessing that Thor would love his country. With all of the horrid things happening in the government today, this part gave me hope that maybe we aren't doomed after all.
Thor and his proud daddy
All the grandkids: (back row: Sabre holding Thor, Trevor, Paxton holding Olivia, Gavin; front row: Kysa, Josh, and Wyatt)
Thor (8 weeks) and his cousin Olivia (4 weeks)
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