In western New York

We are in NY state visiting family for about 3 weeks! It's great sharing my little boy with my family. Can't wait for the cousins, aunts and uncles to arrive next week. Here he is on his first boat ride, with Grams.


And with his grandpa ("Pops"), who is trying to come up with "the" nickname for Owen. So far he calls him the Little Monster, and RumpleChubbskin most often.

And charming the socks off his Great Aunt Gwen (not pictured).


He has changed so much in just the last two weeks. He's started to try to pull himself up! He is totally unsuccessful at this point, but we give him lots of help. He loves it...all of a sudden he wants to be upright as much as possible. He doesn't show any interest in rolling over, though. Here's a little montage of Grams helping him sit up. He really braces for it and tenses all his arm and core muscles...very good for him!



Other recent changes:

he has a full-on BELLY laugh, which is so adorable it's hard to even describe. It is still very selectively deployed.

he has more hair

he has really become aware of his surroundings. He follows voices and people as they come and go. he has also noticed the t.v., which isn't such a great thing.

he is sleeping GREAT. Usually from about 8 at night until between 5 and 6 in the a.m. (Now his mom has to go to bed earlier to get more sleep). He is also taking 2 and sometimes 2-1/2 hour morning naps and long afternoon naps as well.

he is getting better at finding his mouth with toys, hands, whatever

he has a new sound. I call it the mmm mmm sound (well, that's what it is...). He exercises it often!

he has started to notice FOOD. I have a feeling he will be wanting to eat solids sooner than 6 months.

He's laughing!

I'm still figuring the ins and outs of my new camera (this photo is too blurry). But I think you can see Owen's pure joy---this is a laugh! He mostly laughs at his mom nowadays, who will do almost any silly and bizarre facial expression to provoke him. I guess we're all born with a penchant for slapstick humor.

We went to the doctor today and Owen weighed in at 14 lbs 11 oz! That's a gain of 2 lbs in just 4 weeks! Owen's tummy is doing much better since his mom stopped drinking caffeine and the doctor is very pleased with his progress. He's perfect and healthy! He also got another shot today (HiB).
Here we are---mom (sans caffeine) looking a bit haggard. I have successfully gotten Owen to sleep through the night, not without some labor on my part. He goes to bed now at about 8 and semi-wakes at 3 or 4. Instead of feeding him I just soothe him, and he goes back to sleep (some nights more easily than others). Then he wakes up for good between 6 and 7 and gets his breakfast. He's doing really well! Pretty soon, maybe mom will get to sleep through the night, too (fingers crossed).

Uncle Visit

Uncle CJ paid us a visit this week and it was great! We had a cookout, and sampled one of RI's great clam shacks. Uncle Ceej exhibited amazing nerve by offering to babysit while I went to an appointment. Owen slept the entire time I was gone, of course! Here are some pictures from his visit, courtesy of the AWESOME new camera that CJ donated to me. I hope I prove myself worthy of its power!

Hand to Mouth

What fun! Owen is figuring out how to grasp his toys and bring them (sorta/toward) his mouth. These shots show a moment when he was particularly lucky with his aim. By the way, just look at those hands! And I think he just may be a lefty, like his mommy!

Here he is during his "tummy time" (looking pretty adorable, no?). He needs to spend more time on his tummy to work on strengthening his middle in prep for the all-important turning-of-himself-over that's supposed to happen sometime soon.


{Mommy, why are you doing this to me? I don't really like this position?!]

Owen Grabs a Toy

Owen grabbed (and caught) a toy today for the first time (and you can hear in the video how excited I am about this development). He's been working very hard at this all day now.

Baby Friends

Today was the last day of my new mom's group and we took a photo of the babes together. All boys and one girl---can you tell which one?


My friend Siobhan was in the group. Her son Liam was born 11 days after Owen. We put them on the floor together and it was adorable.

Here Liam is rolling on his side while Owen smiles and laughs, looking right at him.


They seemed to sense one another more by touch than by sight. They kept crossing arms and one time they inadvertently grabbed one another's hand!

Baby's First Airplane

Here he is, the world traveler, looking all dapper just before we left to catch the plane to Chicago. Mission: see the exhibition mommy organized at its second venue, but more importantly, see Grams and meet for the first time big cousins Finn, Tasman, Auntie Karen, and Uncle Andy. Owen was in prime 2-1/2 month cuteness mode: babbling, cooing, and squealing with delight.

Finn was a doting older cousin and promised to teach Owen lots of things when he's old enough to learn them. He did a good job holding Owen, too.

Uncle Andy remembered fondly the early years. :)


Grams was an awesome roommate, even during Owen's 4 a.m. feeds and changes. She kept Finn and Tasman busy while the rest of us viewed the exhibition, and she looked after Owen while his mommy went out for the evening with colleagues. Thanks Grams!


Look at those toddlers out-weighing skinny Uncle Andy!


Mission: Accomplished. Owen arrived home in Providence without incident. Here he is at baggage claim, where I have claimed him under "special packages." Seriously, he slept through almost both of the plane trips and didn't appear to blink an eye about the pressure changes. He loved that underpass at O'Hare with all the neon lights.