Highlights of July...

• Celebrated 3 years married to my husband, 11 years together
• Surprised him with a sweet card hidden in the bathroom drawer (how romantic)
• Owen now says "Ma Ma Ma Ma" (I swear it's not just babbling, but a very intentional "mom" -- don't let anyone tell you any differently)
• Owen has tried 5 baby foods (sweet potatoes, carrots and bananas were not great, but loooved pears and apples - go figure, I ate these all the time while pregnant)
• A dear friend (over generously) donated the biggest bin of adorable boy clothes ever (I could cry I am so excited and thankful but also sad that he's actually going to be big enough to wear half of them)
• I feel like I'm turning more into my mom everyday (this doesn't stop does it?!)
• Owen had the best playdate with some jazzercise babies (let's be honest, it was more of a playdate for me. Owen just sat there, tried to poke Kenzie's eye out, nursed and pooped)
• And to end the great month of July, we are going to my best friend/roommate from college's wedding in NH (cannot wait to escape the Cincinnati heat wave). This mini vacation = Mom's stressed over what to bring, new toys to be packed for the plane and ibuprofen for that wine headache after Saturday night)

Happy Sweet Summer! <3

What's new with Owen?

At 5 1/2 months old... this is the latest and greatest in Owen's world:

• Trying out rice cereal. Loves it! Prefers to shove the spoon in himself along with you, and make sure it stays in his mouth by licking his hands. We will have to post pictures of the mess he makes! We have are getting into the habit of doing cereal time around 6pm or so, just before bath time & last nursing of the night.

• Sleeps 9 hours consistently at night. He is tired out from the day, and is ready for bed around 7:30/8pm. Makes the evenings I get with him after work short, but nice that we also have some down time before its Mom and Dad's turn to hit the hay. He will wake up around 4:30/5:00AM to eat (not awful, as Mommy is at work by 7AM during the summer anyway) but goes back to sleep in crib for another 2 hours. Usually takes 3 naps a day, one longer than the others - but it's different every day. Clearly he didn't get my memo that I like consistency. :)

• He poops in the car seat. Always. Not sure what it is - the motion, the privacy in the backseat... but it's not always convenient! :) More stories to come on this... cracks us up!

Loves: the exersaucer, swing (still has a nap there once a day, thought he would outgrow that by now but whatever works), reading books, kicking his feet in the tub where I'm soaked by the end, pulling my hair, "kissing" my face with his mouth wide open, drooling through several bibs a day (which has gone on since month 3 with no teeth yet), going outside, stroller rides, a new interest in the dogs who adore him, when Daddy calls him "stinker" and I call him "my sweets" (don't ask where that came from?!), when you snort by his ear, lotion time after his bath, when you greet him after a nap by saying "did you have a good nap?!", when mommy comes home from work (smile).

Dislikes: getting his pajamas on before bed (he knows what's coming next (milk) and loses patience in the bed time routine by this point), sometimes napping now is a struggle because he's SO interested in everything around him, when the milk is gone too soon (piglet!).

He is the most content happy baby I've ever seen. How did we get so lucky?! Owen, we LOVE you!

Pumping while I Post

So no one told me how annoying it would be to pump, especially at work. I pump once in the morning before I leave and twice during the work day. Between hooking it all up, cleaning the parts, dealing with bottles, transporting back and forth, consistent sanitation and air drying, feeling like a milk machine, the hands free bra (to me) is more of a hassle than it is helpful... you just get tired of it! But then I remember why I'm doing this in the first place. Liquid gold for Owen. Plus I'm sure they've come a long way in the pumping department to get to the double electric... I shouldn't really complain. It allows me to do something for my son even when I can't be with him. And to pass the time, I will continue to post on my blog, typing with one hand and holding my liquid gold with the other.

It's Friday!

My favorite day of the work week is finally here. And I had 7.5 hours of uninterrupted sleep last night to boot! Looking forward to spending some time with the husband and little one this weekend.

Jason and I made plans to go curling with his coworkers on Saturday night. That's right... my first evening away from the baby is not being spent sipping a glass of wine over a delicious meal out, just my husband and I (which we so desparately need) but instead we're going curling with a group of people we barely know. Forced social interaction. And who goes curling anyway? If this is the mental picture that pops into your head, you're right on:

                                                                        

Anyway. This curling "arena" is not close to our house, I'm going to miss putting my baby to bed, I'm going to feel like I can't leave early if I need/want to...ugh. I already feel the stress of what should be a non-stressful experience. Please tell me this is a normal part of motherhood?!

Now back to work I go...sipping on some cinnamon bun flavored coffee and hoping this headache goes away...and in the back of my mind, hoping Owen isn't screaming his head off at daycare. :(

Owen

Proud parents, Jason & Tricia, welcomed little baby Owen Chase Raiti at 4:39PM on Tuesday January 18th, 2011 at Good Samaritan Hospital in Cincinnati, OH. From that moment, our lives changed forever.

The following pictures inspired me to start a blog. I never want to forget all the little details from this experience... so here goes my attempt at capturing a bit of our new Raiti Family chapter. :)

More to come,

Tricia