Sunday, August 29, 2010
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Teagan is FOUR months today and is growing beautifully before our very eyes!
This past month she mastered rolling from her back to her stomach and remarkably along with that move has become a pro at holding her head up. We are still working on mastering the roll from stomach to back - right now we're not even close. I must say - the other day Diane said she rolled from her stomach to her back in daycare - no matter how hard we try Pat and I have yet to get her to do it again.
Tummy time has become more fun for her. She's holding her head up so nicely that Pat and I are able to get down to her level and talk face to face with her. She's interested in her toys on the ground with her, reaching for them, trying to move her body towards them. Up on her elbows or even her palms.
She's begun to reach for items of interest... your face, Cabo's hair, her toys hanging from the carseat or the swing tray, a toy in your arms, her bottle, etc.
It's been fun to sit and watch her explore her world. Whether it be the doctors exam room mural, herself in the mirror, Cabo walking by - those eyes of hers are always searching. She recognizes her bottle. If she's hungry and crying all you need to do is place her on one hip and start making a bottle with the other hand and she'll stop crying and watch. When you place the bottle down to burp or finish the feed she follows it to the side table and doesnt let it out of her sight (even if it's empty).
Her personality is really showing through. She's such a happy baby, constantly smiling and cooing. She can also be shy burrying her head in our chests.
She recently started rubbing her head in our chests when she's tired or laying her head on our chests to fall asleep.
Waking up in the morning is a very pleasant experience. Most of the time we wake to her "talking" rather loudly in her crib and are greeted with a huge smile when we go grab her.
She's just a joy to have in our lives and look forward to every moment with her - especially starting solids this month.
(4 month picture to come after Teagan wakes up from her evening nap)
This past month she mastered rolling from her back to her stomach and remarkably along with that move has become a pro at holding her head up. We are still working on mastering the roll from stomach to back - right now we're not even close. I must say - the other day Diane said she rolled from her stomach to her back in daycare - no matter how hard we try Pat and I have yet to get her to do it again.
Tummy time has become more fun for her. She's holding her head up so nicely that Pat and I are able to get down to her level and talk face to face with her. She's interested in her toys on the ground with her, reaching for them, trying to move her body towards them. Up on her elbows or even her palms.
She's begun to reach for items of interest... your face, Cabo's hair, her toys hanging from the carseat or the swing tray, a toy in your arms, her bottle, etc.
It's been fun to sit and watch her explore her world. Whether it be the doctors exam room mural, herself in the mirror, Cabo walking by - those eyes of hers are always searching. She recognizes her bottle. If she's hungry and crying all you need to do is place her on one hip and start making a bottle with the other hand and she'll stop crying and watch. When you place the bottle down to burp or finish the feed she follows it to the side table and doesnt let it out of her sight (even if it's empty).
Her personality is really showing through. She's such a happy baby, constantly smiling and cooing. She can also be shy burrying her head in our chests.
She recently started rubbing her head in our chests when she's tired or laying her head on our chests to fall asleep.
Waking up in the morning is a very pleasant experience. Most of the time we wake to her "talking" rather loudly in her crib and are greeted with a huge smile when we go grab her.
She's just a joy to have in our lives and look forward to every moment with her - especially starting solids this month.
(4 month picture to come after Teagan wakes up from her evening nap)
Monday, August 23, 2010
4 Month Checkup
Teagan had her 4 month checkup today - It started out a bit rushed with Pat picking her up from daycare, meeting me at the house and taking off right away to be there by 6:15pm. We got there on the dot and sat in the waiting room for about 10 minutes before being called back.
Teagan started her exam with the nurse -
Weight - 15lbs 12oz (95%)
Head - 16 3/4 inches (90%)
Length - 26 inches (95%)
It's then when the nurse says okay, doctor will be in in a few. Sure no problem - Oops we forgot a blanket to cover her with again (we always forget one) it's okay ... it cant take that long right? They're about to close aren't they? She'll be just fine with her diaper on. 45 minutes past our apt - I'm freezing so I know she's got to be cold and I contemplate opening the exam room door so we can let some of the cold air out of the room. We try covering her with cloth diaper burp rags - not working for our 15+ lb baby girl. I start thinking next time we're going to re-dress her to keep her warm in between the nurse and doctor.
Teagan really was a champ through all this waiting. We could tell she was getting tired, she always gets a pink tone to her face. But she kept herself busy - talking to us, smiling at us and taking in everything in the exam room - especially the arctic animal mural.
I think she was about ready to hit a breaking point by the time the doctor finally stepped foot in the room. We sat and talked, he asked questions we answered, he examined her, tickled her checking her reflexes, looked at her roll over and raise her head, etc - she's perfect. He ended the visit with a quick chat about starting solids over the next two months. We should start with cereal and move to fruits and veggies. Which Pat and I are really looking forward to!
The visit finally ended with Teagan's 4 month shots. She took them like a champ (screamed as usual) but afterwards enjoyed her bottle and fell asleep on the car ride home.
AND NOW HERE'S PATS VERSION OF HOW THE NIGHT WENT****
So... that was awkward... well not really. My side of the story is not much different. There were a few things I noticed and would talk about that Kelly didn't.
First of all, I think we waited for like 15 - 20 minutes before we got called into the room. I vaguely remember seeing the clock at 6:30ish when we went back to our exam room. Either way, there were like 4 cars in the lot. We sat in the waiting room with one person. As this accounted for 50% of the total capacity at the facility, I expected the visit to go quick. Hmmm.. I was wrong.
The nurse whisked us through the normal routine of weights and measurements and informed us that Dr. Patrick would be with us shortly. I am not quite sure what universe doctors and nurses are educated in, but I had always been pretty sure shortly meant quickly. Apparently "shortly" is code for 'really, it will be a while, but we are going to be polite and act like we will rush to see you and your baby.'
The only good thing that came out of this finally have a response when I tell Kelly I will be coming up to bed shortly and I stay downstairs for another half hour. I just need to say I am on Dr. Patrick time.
So while we waited, Teagan got to watch some blinds open and close. She was loved on by mom and dad. She met a walrus, a penguin or two, a sea lion, a polar bear and a seagull. She spent time in our arms, sitting, standing, laying down. She played on the exam table and rolled over a few times. If I am not mistaken, Teagan made friends with either the white paint on the wall, the little critters on the wall or window that only kids can see, or she saw a ghost/spirit that made her smile. At first I was upset. I was thinking to myself, what does this wall have that mom and I don't? It isn't shiny. As a matter of fact, it is pretty dull and dingy. But then I noticed what we really had. A good 5-10 minutes of tummy time with a happy baby. No fussing.
As Kelly said, Teagan was pretty much spent when the doctor finally came in. Funny note, Teagan and Cabo have another similarity. Not only does their hair color match, they both turn pink when they are tired. Teagan's eyes get red. Her eye lids get pink and her face gets flush when she is about to pass out. When we play with Cabo or take him to the dog park and get him lots of exercise, his nose, eyes, tongue and paws get pink.
The doc gave her a pretty good exam. He checked reflexes by poking and tickling her. He checked her flexibility, and then checked her skin over. He did pause for a few minutes as he looked at her herniated belly button. He looked.. he thought... he looked.. he thought... then he poked a couple of times before moving on to the next part of her body. The doctor dismissed it and was good with what he felt when he poked it and never said anything about it. If he isn't concerned, neither am I. He picked Teagan up to see how much she would mimic him. He smiled, she smiled. He made a face, she made a face (different than his, but still made a face). The one thing that bothered me is that Dr. Patrick tried to get her to stick her tongue out but she wouldn't do it. WHAT!?!?!?!?! I thought we had this covered long ago! Does she need a refresher? Well, now that I think of it, she will be starting solids soon. She doesn't need a refresher.. she will get lots of practice when she starts rice.
Nothing much to report on the shots. She obviously cried. No changing that. There was one thing that came out of it. It was another first for Teagan. She finally shed her first tear. It was a small tear that did not even roll down her cheek. It sat on her lower eye lid, but it was definitely a tear. Now that we know she has got her tears, we will see how often she turns the water works on. Hopefully it is only when she is actually in pain and we will never see them. I know wishful thinking.
All in all, it was just another visit. We are on the right track. We are helping her develop into a wonderful child. She is happy, healthy and full of smiles. We will help her develop into a teenager and young adult, but first we have to get through crawling, walking and the terrible twos.
Stay tuned!!! Plenty more to come... maybe with pictures too!
Kelly and Patrick
Teagan started her exam with the nurse -
Weight - 15lbs 12oz (95%)
Head - 16 3/4 inches (90%)
Length - 26 inches (95%)
It's then when the nurse says okay, doctor will be in in a few. Sure no problem - Oops we forgot a blanket to cover her with again (we always forget one) it's okay ... it cant take that long right? They're about to close aren't they? She'll be just fine with her diaper on. 45 minutes past our apt - I'm freezing so I know she's got to be cold and I contemplate opening the exam room door so we can let some of the cold air out of the room. We try covering her with cloth diaper burp rags - not working for our 15+ lb baby girl. I start thinking next time we're going to re-dress her to keep her warm in between the nurse and doctor.
Teagan really was a champ through all this waiting. We could tell she was getting tired, she always gets a pink tone to her face. But she kept herself busy - talking to us, smiling at us and taking in everything in the exam room - especially the arctic animal mural.
I think she was about ready to hit a breaking point by the time the doctor finally stepped foot in the room. We sat and talked, he asked questions we answered, he examined her, tickled her checking her reflexes, looked at her roll over and raise her head, etc - she's perfect. He ended the visit with a quick chat about starting solids over the next two months. We should start with cereal and move to fruits and veggies. Which Pat and I are really looking forward to!
The visit finally ended with Teagan's 4 month shots. She took them like a champ (screamed as usual) but afterwards enjoyed her bottle and fell asleep on the car ride home.
AND NOW HERE'S PATS VERSION OF HOW THE NIGHT WENT****
So... that was awkward... well not really. My side of the story is not much different. There were a few things I noticed and would talk about that Kelly didn't.
First of all, I think we waited for like 15 - 20 minutes before we got called into the room. I vaguely remember seeing the clock at 6:30ish when we went back to our exam room. Either way, there were like 4 cars in the lot. We sat in the waiting room with one person. As this accounted for 50% of the total capacity at the facility, I expected the visit to go quick. Hmmm.. I was wrong.
The nurse whisked us through the normal routine of weights and measurements and informed us that Dr. Patrick would be with us shortly. I am not quite sure what universe doctors and nurses are educated in, but I had always been pretty sure shortly meant quickly. Apparently "shortly" is code for 'really, it will be a while, but we are going to be polite and act like we will rush to see you and your baby.'
The only good thing that came out of this finally have a response when I tell Kelly I will be coming up to bed shortly and I stay downstairs for another half hour. I just need to say I am on Dr. Patrick time.
So while we waited, Teagan got to watch some blinds open and close. She was loved on by mom and dad. She met a walrus, a penguin or two, a sea lion, a polar bear and a seagull. She spent time in our arms, sitting, standing, laying down. She played on the exam table and rolled over a few times. If I am not mistaken, Teagan made friends with either the white paint on the wall, the little critters on the wall or window that only kids can see, or she saw a ghost/spirit that made her smile. At first I was upset. I was thinking to myself, what does this wall have that mom and I don't? It isn't shiny. As a matter of fact, it is pretty dull and dingy. But then I noticed what we really had. A good 5-10 minutes of tummy time with a happy baby. No fussing.
As Kelly said, Teagan was pretty much spent when the doctor finally came in. Funny note, Teagan and Cabo have another similarity. Not only does their hair color match, they both turn pink when they are tired. Teagan's eyes get red. Her eye lids get pink and her face gets flush when she is about to pass out. When we play with Cabo or take him to the dog park and get him lots of exercise, his nose, eyes, tongue and paws get pink.
The doc gave her a pretty good exam. He checked reflexes by poking and tickling her. He checked her flexibility, and then checked her skin over. He did pause for a few minutes as he looked at her herniated belly button. He looked.. he thought... he looked.. he thought... then he poked a couple of times before moving on to the next part of her body. The doctor dismissed it and was good with what he felt when he poked it and never said anything about it. If he isn't concerned, neither am I. He picked Teagan up to see how much she would mimic him. He smiled, she smiled. He made a face, she made a face (different than his, but still made a face). The one thing that bothered me is that Dr. Patrick tried to get her to stick her tongue out but she wouldn't do it. WHAT!?!?!?!?! I thought we had this covered long ago! Does she need a refresher? Well, now that I think of it, she will be starting solids soon. She doesn't need a refresher.. she will get lots of practice when she starts rice.
Nothing much to report on the shots. She obviously cried. No changing that. There was one thing that came out of it. It was another first for Teagan. She finally shed her first tear. It was a small tear that did not even roll down her cheek. It sat on her lower eye lid, but it was definitely a tear. Now that we know she has got her tears, we will see how often she turns the water works on. Hopefully it is only when she is actually in pain and we will never see them. I know wishful thinking.
All in all, it was just another visit. We are on the right track. We are helping her develop into a wonderful child. She is happy, healthy and full of smiles. We will help her develop into a teenager and young adult, but first we have to get through crawling, walking and the terrible twos.
Stay tuned!!! Plenty more to come... maybe with pictures too!
Kelly and Patrick
Tuesday, August 17, 2010
Dad Rants About Decisions
Decisions! Decisions! Decisions!
Who wants to make them? When the decision is what to wear, it is pretty easy to make. One must consider the occasion and the environment. Is it hot or cold? Formal or Casual? Morning or Evening? It gets even easier when it comes to something like "Should I stop to get gas?" How can you mess that one up right?
But what about when it comes to something like... "why is she crying?" You can check for obvious physical issues. You can rationalize hunger. You may even be able to tell if the child is bored, tired or gassy. The question is what do you do to make it better? Time for a decision.
What about making a decision to go out to a pool or concert or air show or picnic? Will she be exposed to too much heat, sun, noise, pollution, germs? How do I figure out what is the right thing to do? Do we become hermits until she is older? How old should she be? Time for a decision.
Up to this point, there are some major things to contemplate, but they all have reason or facts that can be considered prior to making a decision.
I once asked why manufacturers always state things like "Ages 6 months to 2 years" or "Do not use on infants" on their packaging. The only rational explanation I have heard is "Who wants to test on a infant?" With that in mind, how do I justify making a decision on something like "Should I use sunscreen on my child?" My first response was... OF COURSE IDIOT... it is probably easier to deal with a small rash than with a total sun burn. But lets test a small area first. Holy cow... Decision made.
The newest decision we have on our hands... do we try to extend her night time feeding gap? Do we try to give her a bit more food in hopes that she will sleep longer? WOW! Does that make me a total A-hole? Am I potentially torturing my child for my own needs? Is she still to young to expect her to move toward sleeping for 8+ hours? How do I know what is too far? I know she will let me know when she is hungry, tired or uncomfortable, but how can I be sure if I am making the right choice?
Much like other things in life, I guess you just need to find information and make the best possible decision you can. Find out some facts, pay attention to details, and don't be afraid to have to try something else. It would just be so much easier if someone else could make the decisions for us.
I am reminded of something I heard Michael J. Fox say... Am I doing the next thing right? or am I doing the next right thing? Maybe that should be our guiding principle. maybe then decisions would be easier.
Thanks for listening...
Patrick
Who wants to make them? When the decision is what to wear, it is pretty easy to make. One must consider the occasion and the environment. Is it hot or cold? Formal or Casual? Morning or Evening? It gets even easier when it comes to something like "Should I stop to get gas?" How can you mess that one up right?
But what about when it comes to something like... "why is she crying?" You can check for obvious physical issues. You can rationalize hunger. You may even be able to tell if the child is bored, tired or gassy. The question is what do you do to make it better? Time for a decision.
What about making a decision to go out to a pool or concert or air show or picnic? Will she be exposed to too much heat, sun, noise, pollution, germs? How do I figure out what is the right thing to do? Do we become hermits until she is older? How old should she be? Time for a decision.
Up to this point, there are some major things to contemplate, but they all have reason or facts that can be considered prior to making a decision.
I once asked why manufacturers always state things like "Ages 6 months to 2 years" or "Do not use on infants" on their packaging. The only rational explanation I have heard is "Who wants to test on a infant?" With that in mind, how do I justify making a decision on something like "Should I use sunscreen on my child?" My first response was... OF COURSE IDIOT... it is probably easier to deal with a small rash than with a total sun burn. But lets test a small area first. Holy cow... Decision made.
The newest decision we have on our hands... do we try to extend her night time feeding gap? Do we try to give her a bit more food in hopes that she will sleep longer? WOW! Does that make me a total A-hole? Am I potentially torturing my child for my own needs? Is she still to young to expect her to move toward sleeping for 8+ hours? How do I know what is too far? I know she will let me know when she is hungry, tired or uncomfortable, but how can I be sure if I am making the right choice?
Much like other things in life, I guess you just need to find information and make the best possible decision you can. Find out some facts, pay attention to details, and don't be afraid to have to try something else. It would just be so much easier if someone else could make the decisions for us.
I am reminded of something I heard Michael J. Fox say... Am I doing the next thing right? or am I doing the next right thing? Maybe that should be our guiding principle. maybe then decisions would be easier.
Thanks for listening...
Patrick
Friday, August 13, 2010
100!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Being the busy father/husband that I am, I tend to miss some of the things I want to do. For instance, I knew we were getting close, but I did not realize we needed to get in several more posts to get to the 100 post mark. Unfortunately, I totally missed posting the 100th post on the 100th day that my daughter was on this earth.
In hindsight, it is good that I missed the opportunity. For example, if I had posted on August 5th, I would not be able to sit here and laugh at the visions of my daughter rolling over. I would not be able to tell you that she is reaching out and grabbing my face during face time. I would not be able to tell you about the past week of family adventures.
First, Aunt Karen is watching Teagan every Friday in August. On the 6th, Uncle Alex came over too. They played with Teagan all day long and stayed over for a nice dinner. It is always fun to have family and friends over. Second, we all went to visit Grandma Rosario and Uncle Mark on Sunday. We also saw Aunt Amy, and cousins Taylor, Vincent, and Clara. Third, Aunt Nina (Kristina) came over on Monday and Tuesday to get some Teagan time in. We also had lunch with her on Wednesday when she came to work and did some hand modeling. On Thursday, we went to Papa and Nana's house for dinner. Again, we saw Aunt Nina and Uncle Alex. Teagan had fun giving everyone smiles and coos and she was also showing off her new moves.
The first 100 days have passed us so quickly. I somewhat miss the days that my baby girl would fall asleep on my chest while Cabo was at my feet. But I am so intrigued by the new days of a developing mind. It is truly amazing to watch Teagan. Just sitting back and watching her is a learning experience for me. It does not matter where we are. We could be on a walk, at a restaurant, or just sitting in a room with a few people. Teagan WANTS to see everything. She will gaze at people, listening to their voice. She will watch the leaves move as the wind blows through them. She gets wide eyed when you run her hand over Cabo's fur. She is absolutely engaged in a staring contest when you get in her face, smile at her, and talk to her. She is making more noise, smiling more, showing more emotions, and overall, just doing more. I love saying hello to her when I get home from work. She smiles and almost has an embarrassed, shy reaction as she coyly turns her face back to mom and buries her face. It is too cute for words. I will have to get it on video sometime.
Now that I have gone on and on and on, I must get running off to bed... just as soon as Teagan wakes up, eats, and goes back to bed.
Stay tuned.
Patrick
In hindsight, it is good that I missed the opportunity. For example, if I had posted on August 5th, I would not be able to sit here and laugh at the visions of my daughter rolling over. I would not be able to tell you that she is reaching out and grabbing my face during face time. I would not be able to tell you about the past week of family adventures.
First, Aunt Karen is watching Teagan every Friday in August. On the 6th, Uncle Alex came over too. They played with Teagan all day long and stayed over for a nice dinner. It is always fun to have family and friends over. Second, we all went to visit Grandma Rosario and Uncle Mark on Sunday. We also saw Aunt Amy, and cousins Taylor, Vincent, and Clara. Third, Aunt Nina (Kristina) came over on Monday and Tuesday to get some Teagan time in. We also had lunch with her on Wednesday when she came to work and did some hand modeling. On Thursday, we went to Papa and Nana's house for dinner. Again, we saw Aunt Nina and Uncle Alex. Teagan had fun giving everyone smiles and coos and she was also showing off her new moves.
The first 100 days have passed us so quickly. I somewhat miss the days that my baby girl would fall asleep on my chest while Cabo was at my feet. But I am so intrigued by the new days of a developing mind. It is truly amazing to watch Teagan. Just sitting back and watching her is a learning experience for me. It does not matter where we are. We could be on a walk, at a restaurant, or just sitting in a room with a few people. Teagan WANTS to see everything. She will gaze at people, listening to their voice. She will watch the leaves move as the wind blows through them. She gets wide eyed when you run her hand over Cabo's fur. She is absolutely engaged in a staring contest when you get in her face, smile at her, and talk to her. She is making more noise, smiling more, showing more emotions, and overall, just doing more. I love saying hello to her when I get home from work. She smiles and almost has an embarrassed, shy reaction as she coyly turns her face back to mom and buries her face. It is too cute for words. I will have to get it on video sometime.
Now that I have gone on and on and on, I must get running off to bed... just as soon as Teagan wakes up, eats, and goes back to bed.
Stay tuned.
Patrick
Sunday, August 8, 2010
On the move
The video speaks for itself.
From this moment, we now get to be hyper vigilant about where we leave this little girl. So happy to see her doing more tummy time... only now it is on her terms. She is getting an independent streak already.
Next up!!! laughing and talking. Stay tuned.
(This update brought to you by Patrick, Kelly, Cabo and the letter O)
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