Someone found his thumb!

3 Months!

Austin turned 3 months on Wednesday.  It is hard to believe he has been with us that long.  He has grown so fast and changed so much just in a few months.  To sum up the most recent development - when I picked him up from school earlier this week, his teacher, Miss Lora, said "Man, this boy loves to talk!".  We have a loud mouth on our hands.  He blabs and blabs pretty much non-stop when he is not eating or sleeping.  It is such a joy to hear these noises!  He also got a note on his daily sheet at school this week that said he was smiling at himself in the mirror during tummy time.  These happy things make me feel better about leaving him all day.  I know that he is happy there and acting the same as he does at home.  He is holding his head up better, but he is still not completely stable.  We have tried out the bumbo chair a few times as a way to practice.  When he plays on his activity mat in the mornings and evenings, he moves and kicks his legs so hard that I think he might bruise his heels on the floor.  This week he has started grabbing the dangling toys in the activity mat all by himself!  He has come close to a true laugh too.  I need to take a new video and post it soon - maybe this weekend.  He still love his hands and his teachers always comment on how he holds his hands in fists in front of his face (like he is boxing) and blabs away.  Today was picture day at his school so we dressed him in his best (see below).

Let's just call it a big, tough adjustment

Last Tuesday, November 1 was my first day back at work.  I am going to be working full time and Austin is going to "school" at Bright Horizons.  It is about 6 minutes from my office and about 2 minutes from David's office.  It is nice to have him so close to both of our offices so that either of us can take him or pick him up.  I can go during my lunch break to nurse him and then I send 2 bottles for the mid-morning and afternoon feedings.  His teachers are Miss Mira and Miss Jaime and he has received good reports so far.  He has been napping as usual and they say he is an easy baby, which is how he is at home, so that makes me feel good.  There are 11 "infants" in his room and three teachers.  They are around his age through 18 months, which is a wide range.  He is doing great and I am taking it one day at a time.  Last week was a short week since I started on Tuesday and Wednesday was a snow day for his school.  David and I split the day - I went to work in the morning and David went to work in the afternoon.  Thursday and Friday were rough since there is so much work to do and not enough time to do it in.  I just want to leave right at 5 every day so that I can see my little guy for a few hours before he goes to bed.  I definitely stress myself out about work since I want to still perform at my best, but I know that taking care of Austin is much much more important than my job.  There is just so much work to do and not enough time to do it in.  Please pray for me to realize that the work will get done and Austin will do great at school.  I think I am almost making myself sick thinking about it.  I was sick when we were in Houston - not sure what it was, but it might have been nerves.  And today I have felt sick most of the day.  I trust that God will get me through it and my little guy will be just fine.

This weekend was fun - we went to dinner with Christy, Corrie, Dianne, Hayden and Maddie (David's cousins and aunt) on Friday.  Austin slept the whole time and then also slept for 9 hours Friday night.  That was nice except that I barely saw him awake on Friday :(.  On Saturday we rooted for the Horns and did lots of laundry.  We went to our first birthday party - at Gymboree!  It was my friend Pippa's, daughter Hannah's 2nd birthday.  Today I went on a long run to Wash park while David stayed with Austin and Savannah.  And this afternoon we went to our friends' Brandon and Christina's housewarming party.  They just bought a house and had about 25 people over to eat, watch football and just hang out.  Austin was not the only little one - Brody (9 mos) and Kaylee (3.5 months) were there.  Good times!  Here are a couple of recent pictures.

 Tie-dyed baby

 Family photo (for the bulletin board at Austin's school)

 Take 2 - found the hands

 I enjoy being naked!

Boo! Or should I say, moo?

Happy Halloween!

 What am I wearing?

 I guess it's alright

My hands are the coolest

Houston - Meeting 100 new people in 4 days!

First I had to post a picture of Austin in the bath tub the night before we left Denver.  My mom and I strategically placed the rubber ducky.  Austin loves bathes as a way to calm down before bedtime.  He gets very serious and quiet in the tub; no splashing or playing yet but I am sure he will soon. 

My mom and I flew to Houston on Thursday 10/20.  Austin did great on the flight.  The hardest part was getting through security and the airport with all of our gear.  I carried Austin in the baby bjorn and my mom pushed the stroller with car seat and its base and the diaper bag.  We arrived at the airport about 2 hours before our flight, which was plenty of time.  I nursed Austin as we were taking off and then he was awake for about 45 minutes after that.  He fussed a bit when he was ready to nap and then fell asleep in my lap for the last 30 minutes or so.  Our flight was completely full so we did not get to bring his carseat on the plane, which they let you do on Southwest if the flight has open seats.  Ricki and Stephen picked us up at the airport and Ricki was kind enough to come inside to help my mom with Austin and our stuff while I went to the car to install the carseat.  My mom gave Austin his first cold bottle while sitting baggage claim.  He still drank it all, but we could tell he did not like it as much.  Warm milk is better.  We got back to my mom's house around 9pm.  Austin had his own room (Stephen's old room) and a pac 'n play crib that his cousins Ben and Summer used when they were babies.  On Friday, aunt Marilyn came by the house to visit. She brought Austin a "first Thanksgiving" outfit that we he will wear when we go to Georgia in a month.  That afternoon, we went to Ellen, Davy, Ben and Summer's house to play in the yard.  Ben and Summer were so excited to meet their cousin.  Summi even held him!  We had a great time just relaxing outside...until the mosquitos showed up.  Austin got his first bite, but he didn't seem to mind.  After meeting his cousins, Aunt Lauren arrived from Austin (the city!) and gave Austin his dinner-time bottle.

Austin's cousin, Summer, who will be babysitting before we know it (and Aunt Ellen, of course)

Lovin' being outside with his cousins and Mimi

Playing with Summi

I haven't seen you since I was 2 weeks old

On Saturday, my friends, Annie, Jenny, Sara (and baby Savanna), and Mallory came over to meet Austin and eat lunch.  Savanna is 9 months old and she was very interested in Austin except when her mommy held him.  She did not like that!  We had a great visit and look forward to seeing everyone at Christmas time when Austin can enjoy playing with Savanna more.  

Who is that pretty girl?

He sure is a cute little baby

I like Mallory!

On Saturday night, my Aunt Mary Carol and her family hosted a dinner for 30 family members to come and meet Austin.  He is one special little guy!  My grandmother and uncle and cousins from Austin drove to Houston to see him.  My dad and his wife came from Dallas.  My aunt, uncle, and cousins from Lufkin came too!  All of the Houston aunts, uncles and cousins were there too.  Austin tried to stay awake to meet everyone but did end up napping for some of the party. 

Hi Aunt Mary Carol! (pre-party outfit)

He was all smiles for his cousin Camille and aunt Jennifer

Party attire, check - with DiDi

And with Dad, who missed him after being gone a whole week

Enjoying a bottle with Michelle

Cousins Lisa and Mary loving on Austin

Christina, Lisa, Mary, mommy, and BB!

Thanks for coming to meet me, uncle Scott, Lisa, and Mary

Hanging out with Pop

On Sunday morning, we took Austin to aunt Ellen, uncle Tommy, and cousin Lizzie's house.  Austin has two aunt Ellens, one is David's sister and is his aunt, and the other is my dad's sister and is his great aunt.  We visited and said goodbye to BB, Scott, Lisa, Mary, my Dad and Michelle.  

Happy with aunt Ellen

and cousin Lizzie

and with Lisa and aunt Carrie

Austin always loves being held by great-grandmother BB

On Sunday evening we went to Mimi and Big Deal's (David's mom and dad) house for a BBQ dinner.  This was Austin's first time to meet Big Deal and he loved him!  We had fun hanging out with them and eating some Goode Company BBQ and homemade green beans, pinto beans, and brownies.  Austin had a blow out diaper the one time I didn't have an extra outfit so he was a naked baby for the rest of the night.  He loves being naked!  He was happy and playful most of the evening.  We can't wait to see everyone again at Christmas time!

Just before Austin had a blow out diaper on Mimi's white pants

Being goofy with big cousins Ben and Summer

Content, naked baby!

Chillin in Ben and Summer's baby swing

Napping with Mimi

Talking with Big Deal

On Sunday night Amanda and Cecile arrived from San Antonio just before bath time.  They drove to Houston just to see Austin - so sweet!  They stayed Sunday night and most of Monday.  Cecile helped my mom prepare for the Sip and See party that she was hosting on Monday evening.  We also had a special visit from Sara, my good friend from San Antonio.  David and I also took Austin to the church (MDUMC) to meet Steve, Sedonia, Mark, Carrie, Lynell and Kim.  

Meeting miss Sara

And hanging out with Amanda

The Sip and See party was at 5pm on Monday.  My mom invited her friends and Mimi invited a few friends too.  They came to meet Austin and Annabelle, his cousin (my step-sister's 7-month old daughter).  Of course, I tried to time it so that Austin would eat right before the guests arrived and then be happy and awake most of the party.  This plan did not quite work out because he only napped for about 45 minutes between feedings and woke up about 45 minutes before the party and was ready to eat.  So he only lasted about 30 minutes into the party, got fussy, and went to sleep on Mimi's shoulder.  We put him in his little lamb chair while my mom and Mimi's friends admired him as he slept.  The party was alot of fun and Austin was a big hit (even though he was asleep).  

All decked out for the party

Precious boy!

We flew back to Houston on Tuesday afternoon.  Austin again did great on the plane (he better get used to it because we will be flying alot!).  It was a marathon weekend full of meeting lots of new people and hanging out with family and friends.  We had a great time (despite me feeling sick most of the time).  We beat the snow storm, but as you read in my previous post, we only had one night at home before we had to go to a hotel for a night.  We look forward to seeing family for Austin's first Thanksgiving and Christmas!!