I was doing laundry the other day and as I was folding socks, I couldn't help but notice the difference among the foot size of the three members of our family.
9.24.2010
9.16.2010
Adventures with Baby
Last weekend we took a family trip to southern California and since we took Owen with us, it was definitely a bigger adventure than just a normal vacation! We had so much fun staying with the Laings, visiting with people in Ventura, going to Disneyland and a baseball game and eating lots of wonderful SoCal In-N-Out and Chik-Fil-A (yummm!). It was a busy weekend even excluding the baby, but with Owen in the middle of it all, it was even more of an adventure!
It was fascinating watching how Owen dealt with change, new circumstances and being passed around from person to person all day. We are learning more and more just how social this little boy is! He loved being held by all sorts of new people, but he's very particular about how he wants to be held. His favorite position is to be held with his back against your chest in a sitting position - just like the big people! I think he already wants to be considered to be a big boy and he wishes he could do all the things that we can. He also loves people and is happiest when he's looking at someone's face and figuring it out. It's so fun to watch him learn!
There were many highlights to the trip, but one of my favorites was when we went to Disneyland. We spent half the day there and by the end of it, Owen did not want anything to do with our Ergo carry pack (it faces toward the chest so he couldn't see much while he was in it) so we ended up carrying him in our arms through Disneyland. It was like carrying a little puppy around. Every person that walked by would see him and their face would melt and say "Aww! He's so little!". Finally he fell asleep in my arms while we were waiting for the World of Color to start and we figured we could sneak him back in the pack while he was out... no luck. He woke up as we arranged him in the Ergo and started crying again so Nick took him out just as the show started. Owen was fully awake during the entire World of Color and he was really watching it. It was so amazing to see his little face study the color and be fascinated by all the sounds. It was an amazing show and it was so fun that all three of us enjoyed it! Though Owen will not remember that moment, I know I always will.
When we got home on Monday, we were all a little worse for wear considering how little sleep we got on the trip, how far off Owen's schedule was and the fact that Nick's car had gotten towed four days ago without us knowing. It was definitely a different experience traveling with an infant, but in my opinion, it was totally worth it. Plus, now that we've done it, I know we can do it again!
Thank you Laing family for hosting us! Thank you friends for being around to say hello! Thank you Jesus for keeping us safe and healthy during the trip! And thank goodness... we made it home all in one piece!
It was fascinating watching how Owen dealt with change, new circumstances and being passed around from person to person all day. We are learning more and more just how social this little boy is! He loved being held by all sorts of new people, but he's very particular about how he wants to be held. His favorite position is to be held with his back against your chest in a sitting position - just like the big people! I think he already wants to be considered to be a big boy and he wishes he could do all the things that we can. He also loves people and is happiest when he's looking at someone's face and figuring it out. It's so fun to watch him learn!
There were many highlights to the trip, but one of my favorites was when we went to Disneyland. We spent half the day there and by the end of it, Owen did not want anything to do with our Ergo carry pack (it faces toward the chest so he couldn't see much while he was in it) so we ended up carrying him in our arms through Disneyland. It was like carrying a little puppy around. Every person that walked by would see him and their face would melt and say "Aww! He's so little!". Finally he fell asleep in my arms while we were waiting for the World of Color to start and we figured we could sneak him back in the pack while he was out... no luck. He woke up as we arranged him in the Ergo and started crying again so Nick took him out just as the show started. Owen was fully awake during the entire World of Color and he was really watching it. It was so amazing to see his little face study the color and be fascinated by all the sounds. It was an amazing show and it was so fun that all three of us enjoyed it! Though Owen will not remember that moment, I know I always will.
When we got home on Monday, we were all a little worse for wear considering how little sleep we got on the trip, how far off Owen's schedule was and the fact that Nick's car had gotten towed four days ago without us knowing. It was definitely a different experience traveling with an infant, but in my opinion, it was totally worth it. Plus, now that we've done it, I know we can do it again!
 |
| The Laings & The Walkers (minus Jeremiah... he was napping in the van) |
Thank you Laing family for hosting us! Thank you friends for being around to say hello! Thank you Jesus for keeping us safe and healthy during the trip! And thank goodness... we made it home all in one piece!
8.24.2010
Love Grows Deeper
I love my baby.
No really. I LOVE my baby.
I don't think I knew what this meant when Owen was born. I mean yes, there was an amazement and awe there in seeing my child for the first time but I don't think I understood motherly love yet. There's just so much to take in when you all of a sudden become a parent. You all of a sudden have a whole armful of new responsibilities (literally!) and there's so much to learn. It becomes a bit daunting and the first few weeks for me were very instinctual: you take care of your baby because that's what you do. You don't have a choice because this child needs you to survive. But as the weeks go on, I'm finding much more joy and love in the whole process.
Now that Owen and I are experts at the whole breastfeeding process and he's establishing an awesome sleep pattern we've moved past the initial survival mode and things are becoming more exciting and enjoyable. Owen is so responsive and he really loves communicating with Nick and I so it's becoming much more interesting talking to him and interacting with him as he learns and grows. It's just amazing watching his little brain expand and take the world in as he stares in my eyes and works to figure out what it is I'm saying to him. He loves to smile at Nick and I even when we're just looking at him. I can't wait to see who this little man is that's waiting to blossom!
Owen is the most interesting little person I have ever met. He is, without a doubt, the cutest baby in the world and I just love watching him! I now understand those "mom looks" that my mom would give me that made me roll my eyes. I understand now that she was seeing me as the baby I once was and was recalling those past precious moments where I actually wanted to be snuggled by her and I needed her more than anything else in the world. I can already feel myself giving Owen "mom looks" and I know I will one day drive him crazy when he's a teenager and I'm still gazing at him as if he's still my little baby.
I guess that's part of being a firstborn. You are your parents' first shot at taking care of a little one. You are the guinea pig and therefore get the most pictures, the most attention, and the most mistakes (usually). I'm so happy that Owen is my firstborn baby boy and I am so excited to watch him grow and watch our relationship get stronger and even more filled with love. Every day I feel like I love him even more than the day before! It's so wonderful.
This also further puts God's love into perspective for me. Not only do I greater understand the love He has for us as His created children, but also the incredible relationship He has with Jesus and the unbelievable sacrifice that He made for us. Now having a firstborn and only son (...for now), I shake my head at the idea of giving him up to die for sins that weren't even his. What an incredible God we have and what an incredible love He has for us. We are SO LOVED. Through loving my son, I feel more able to accept the love that I am being given every day. What a beautiful world.
No really. I LOVE my baby.
I don't think I knew what this meant when Owen was born. I mean yes, there was an amazement and awe there in seeing my child for the first time but I don't think I understood motherly love yet. There's just so much to take in when you all of a sudden become a parent. You all of a sudden have a whole armful of new responsibilities (literally!) and there's so much to learn. It becomes a bit daunting and the first few weeks for me were very instinctual: you take care of your baby because that's what you do. You don't have a choice because this child needs you to survive. But as the weeks go on, I'm finding much more joy and love in the whole process.
Now that Owen and I are experts at the whole breastfeeding process and he's establishing an awesome sleep pattern we've moved past the initial survival mode and things are becoming more exciting and enjoyable. Owen is so responsive and he really loves communicating with Nick and I so it's becoming much more interesting talking to him and interacting with him as he learns and grows. It's just amazing watching his little brain expand and take the world in as he stares in my eyes and works to figure out what it is I'm saying to him. He loves to smile at Nick and I even when we're just looking at him. I can't wait to see who this little man is that's waiting to blossom!
Owen is the most interesting little person I have ever met. He is, without a doubt, the cutest baby in the world and I just love watching him! I now understand those "mom looks" that my mom would give me that made me roll my eyes. I understand now that she was seeing me as the baby I once was and was recalling those past precious moments where I actually wanted to be snuggled by her and I needed her more than anything else in the world. I can already feel myself giving Owen "mom looks" and I know I will one day drive him crazy when he's a teenager and I'm still gazing at him as if he's still my little baby.
I guess that's part of being a firstborn. You are your parents' first shot at taking care of a little one. You are the guinea pig and therefore get the most pictures, the most attention, and the most mistakes (usually). I'm so happy that Owen is my firstborn baby boy and I am so excited to watch him grow and watch our relationship get stronger and even more filled with love. Every day I feel like I love him even more than the day before! It's so wonderful.
This also further puts God's love into perspective for me. Not only do I greater understand the love He has for us as His created children, but also the incredible relationship He has with Jesus and the unbelievable sacrifice that He made for us. Now having a firstborn and only son (...for now), I shake my head at the idea of giving him up to die for sins that weren't even his. What an incredible God we have and what an incredible love He has for us. We are SO LOVED. Through loving my son, I feel more able to accept the love that I am being given every day. What a beautiful world.
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