Saturday, December 18, 2010
Owen's chores
Owen LOVES to do anything we do. Daddy was vacuuming up some styrofoam pieces that came out of a box and Owen needed to help. He also signs "done" at the end. Hard working AND smart kiddo!
Our first BIG snowfall
This past Wednesday the news made a big deal about the pending snowstorm. Enough for majority of the public and private schools to announce they would be closed on Thursday. Some daycares even closed, but Bundle of Joy was not on the list. Four to six inches of snow was being predicted, as well as some freezing rain around 5pm. ICK.
We dropped Owen off at school on Thursday morning as normal and went to work. The snow started around 9am and was coming down steadily, accumulating on all surfaces. At 11am, we got a call that BoJ would be closing at noon. No problem! Half a snow day! Wohoo! Daddy picked Owen up at school and came home just in time for Owen's nap. We had lunch and enjoyed watching the snow fall. After Owen woke up and had a snack, we all (Nash included) went out to check out the snow. Daddy shoveled his first driveway while everyone else ran around in the backyard. Owen didn't know what to think. He walked a little bit in the snow, but then started to cry. He kept looking down at his foot that was not coming cleanly up off the ground. Owen didn't last very long outside, so he and Mommy came inside to warm up.
We did get a few pics and a quick video of Nash:
We dropped Owen off at school on Thursday morning as normal and went to work. The snow started around 9am and was coming down steadily, accumulating on all surfaces. At 11am, we got a call that BoJ would be closing at noon. No problem! Half a snow day! Wohoo! Daddy picked Owen up at school and came home just in time for Owen's nap. We had lunch and enjoyed watching the snow fall. After Owen woke up and had a snack, we all (Nash included) went out to check out the snow. Daddy shoveled his first driveway while everyone else ran around in the backyard. Owen didn't know what to think. He walked a little bit in the snow, but then started to cry. He kept looking down at his foot that was not coming cleanly up off the ground. Owen didn't last very long outside, so he and Mommy came inside to warm up.
We did get a few pics and a quick video of Nash:
Santa's visit to our neighborhood
Santa came by our neighborhood a week ago on a fire truck! It was a chilly Thursday night, but you couldn't miss the sirens and lights! Many neighbors were out to greet Jolly St Nick, including ours - Al and Kitty. Owen enjoyed being held by Al, and although he was bit fussy with the cold...he quieted right down when Santa drove by.
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
THINK PINK!
Most of you who read this blog already know our latest news...but I still need to blog about it for the record!
Last Thursday we had our 20-week ultrasound and found out Baby McR #2 is a GIRL! We are super excited. Of course, we would have been ecstatic either way, it will be fun to have a little girl around the house!
The ultrasound tech said our baby girl was 'well behaved' and allowed the tech to get all the necessary measurements she needed to conclude that Baby McR #2 was doing very well and growing right on-track. However, she wouldn't show her face and kept covering it with her hands. So, at my 24 week appointment we will take another peak to get a good picture of her face.
Her HR was 154bpm and she is still scheduled to be here at the end of April.
Can't wait to buy pink and dresses! And maybe pink dresses!!!
Last Thursday we had our 20-week ultrasound and found out Baby McR #2 is a GIRL! We are super excited. Of course, we would have been ecstatic either way, it will be fun to have a little girl around the house!
The ultrasound tech said our baby girl was 'well behaved' and allowed the tech to get all the necessary measurements she needed to conclude that Baby McR #2 was doing very well and growing right on-track. However, she wouldn't show her face and kept covering it with her hands. So, at my 24 week appointment we will take another peak to get a good picture of her face.
Her HR was 154bpm and she is still scheduled to be here at the end of April.
Can't wait to buy pink and dresses! And maybe pink dresses!!!
Monday, November 29, 2010
Owen and Santa 2010
We took Owen to Bass Pro Shops on Saturday to let him wander around, see the fish and sit with Santa. While waiting in line to see Santa, Mommy took Owen over to color. He was not happy when it was our turn to see Santa, as that meant he had to leave his coloring. Hence the reason Owen is holding a crayon in Santa's lap.
Sunday, November 28, 2010
All moved in
As you can see from some earlier posts, we are all moved into our home in Richmond VA. Gram and Pappy were here for the first eight days after the truck arrived. We don't have the words to express how grateful we were for them being here to help out. By day four, we were completely out of boxes and for the most part organized. Pappy put his electrician hat on and installed several light fixtures that the previous owners took with them, as well as many dimmers (that are invaluable in the baby's rooms!!). Gram made sure we kept our energy up by preparing wonderful meals several times a day. She also stocked our freezer with many meals (adult and kid size!). Gram and Pappy also enjoyed spending some quality time with Owen. He is so interactive these days and just loves showing off his playing skills to everyone.
I got really sick after the move. A sinus cold had me down (but still working) for a few days and then a stomach bug hit right before Thanksgiving.
As previously mentioned we celebrated Daddy's birthday on Thanksgiving. Nonnie and Pop were here to celebrate and again, we can't say enough for all their help and support with the move. Pop and Daddy began the patchwork on Owen's ceiling (where Daddy accidentally put a foot through the attic floor) and installed baby safety gates at the top of our stair cases. Nonnie kept Owen entertained day in and day out with multiple trips to the park.
Pictures of the house to follow (maybe this week).
I got really sick after the move. A sinus cold had me down (but still working) for a few days and then a stomach bug hit right before Thanksgiving.
As previously mentioned we celebrated Daddy's birthday on Thanksgiving. Nonnie and Pop were here to celebrate and again, we can't say enough for all their help and support with the move. Pop and Daddy began the patchwork on Owen's ceiling (where Daddy accidentally put a foot through the attic floor) and installed baby safety gates at the top of our stair cases. Nonnie kept Owen entertained day in and day out with multiple trips to the park.
Pictures of the house to follow (maybe this week).
Daddy's big helper
Our yard is full of trees....and since it is fall....that means it is full of leaves.
Owen loves to sweep in the house, so we figured he'd like to help rake leaves too. Here is Owen helping Daddy rake leaves yesterday.
Of course, Nash supervised the whole time.
Owen loves to sweep in the house, so we figured he'd like to help rake leaves too. Here is Owen helping Daddy rake leaves yesterday.
Of course, Nash supervised the whole time.
Getting chilly!
It is getting chilly here in Richmond. When Owen goes outside (which he LOVES to do), he gets all dressed up in his winter coat and hat. He does not mind either...and looks pretty darn cute too!
Happy Birthday Daddy!
Clint shared his birthday with Thanksgiving this year. In lieu of the typical pumpkin pie, we had Clint's favorite birthday cake - Red Velvet. After Owen got up from his nap, we sang to Clint and cut the cake so Owen could enjoy some as well. Turns out....Owen loves Red Velvet cake too! He's his father's son for sure!
Owen's Accident
Several weeks ago, I posted about Owen taking a bad fall at school which led us to the ER. I promised some pictures...so here they are. These were taken after we got home from the ER and right before Owen ate lunch and then napped for the better part of the afternoon.
Smiling again.....
This was Owen the day after his fall. Notice the swelling on his left eye.
This was Owen a few days after the fall and just before Hallowe'en. No make-up required for Owen to be "Rocky" or "Frankenstein" for Christmas.
Smiling again.....
This was Owen the day after his fall. Notice the swelling on his left eye.
This was Owen a few days after the fall and just before Hallowe'en. No make-up required for Owen to be "Rocky" or "Frankenstein" for Christmas.
Owen (also) Loves Blackberry
Owen also loves our Blackberry phones. It is tough to check email, text messages or even answer a phone call on our Blackberry phones when Owen is around. I did a post on this earlier...but here is a recent picture of Owen and "his" Blackberry.
Owen Loves Remotes
Owen is addicted to remotes. We have a set of remotes with that don't work anything that he can play with all day long if he wishes. However..he is getting too smart for that. He knows when the remote doesn't change the channel or volume on the TV. But usually he settles down and starts "talking" on the remote (as if it is a telephone).
When we were in the hotel, he enjoyed the fact that there were TVs and remotes in each room. Often he would collect all the
remotes and carry them around like prized possessions.
When we were in the hotel, he enjoyed the fact that there were TVs and remotes in each room. Often he would collect all the
remotes and carry them around like prized possessions.
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
16 week check up
On top of all the excitement of moving out of the hotel, we went to the baby's 16 week check up today. Both baby and Mommy are doing great. The baby's HR was in the 150s and all of mommy's vitals were good. All a quick blood draw for some testing, we were out of there expeditiously.
December 9th is our next appointment, and is when we will have an ultrasound to find out what we're having. Exciting times!
December 9th is our next appointment, and is when we will have an ultrasound to find out what we're having. Exciting times!
Five weeks and five days
We did it! We all survived five weeks and five days in our two bedroom Residence Inn hotel room. Tomorrow we will be receiving our moving truck at our new house in Richmond! We can't wait. The hotel staff has been great and they have all been telling us that they will miss us (especially Owen). He has brought many smiles to their faces over the past month and a half.
We are pretty much moved out of the hotel. All we have left to do in the morning is dismantle Owen's crib. Then it and some last minute items (sound machine, changing pad, computers, etc.) will be loaded into the car. Since we've taken things up to the house on numerous trips this week, there will be plenty of room in the cars for Nash and Owen too. ;)
This time tomorrow we will be climbing into our own bed. Oh how we (including our backs) have missed our Sleep Number Bed!
We are pretty much moved out of the hotel. All we have left to do in the morning is dismantle Owen's crib. Then it and some last minute items (sound machine, changing pad, computers, etc.) will be loaded into the car. Since we've taken things up to the house on numerous trips this week, there will be plenty of room in the cars for Nash and Owen too. ;)
This time tomorrow we will be climbing into our own bed. Oh how we (including our backs) have missed our Sleep Number Bed!
Wednesday, October 27, 2010
More touring our home city
While I wait for Owen to wake up (I am letting him sleep in after his traumatic day yesterday, I thought I would blog about our recent adventure in Richmond last weekend. We have taken the opportunity to be tourists in our new home town over the past couple of weekends. Last Saturday, we headed into town to participate in a walking tour of the famous Hollywood Cemetery.
Here is a brief write-up on Hollywood Cemetery:
Hollywood Cemetery is a large, sprawling cemetery located at 412 South Cherry Street in Richmond, Virginia. Characterized by rolling hills and winding paths overlooking the James River, it is the resting place of two United States Presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler, as well as the only Confederate States President, Jefferson Davis. It is also the resting place of 25 Confederate generals, more than any other cemetery in the country. Included are George Pickett and J.E.B. Stuart.
Hollywood Cemetery was opened in 1849, constructed on land known as "Harvie's Woods" that was once owned by William Byrd II. It was designed in the rural garden style, with its name, "Hollywood," coming from the holly trees dotting the hills of the property.
In 1869, a 90-foot (27 m) high granite pyramid was built as a memorial to the more than 18,000 enlisted men of the Confederate Army buried in the cemetery.
Hollywood Cemetery is one of Richmond's major tourist attractions. There are many local legends surrounding certain tombs and grave sites in the cemetery, including one about a little girl and the black iron statue of a dog standing watch over her grave. Other notable legends rely on ghosts haunting the many mausoleums. One of the most well-known of these is the legend of the Richmond Vampire.
A place rich in history, legend, and gothic landscape, Hollywood Cemetery is also frequented by many of the local students attending Virginia Commonwealth University.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Cemetery_(Richmond,_Virginia)
On the tour, we did see the two presidents burial sites, as well as that of Ellen Glasgow (Pulitzer Prize winning American novelist) and many more.
Monroe
Tyler
In addition, there was a large "Lloyd" family buried there. The listing can be found here.
So...when you come to visit us...we will be happy to walk around the cemetery with you if there is interest. It was quite fascinating. A lot of history.
Here is a brief write-up on Hollywood Cemetery:
Hollywood Cemetery is a large, sprawling cemetery located at 412 South Cherry Street in Richmond, Virginia. Characterized by rolling hills and winding paths overlooking the James River, it is the resting place of two United States Presidents, James Monroe and John Tyler, as well as the only Confederate States President, Jefferson Davis. It is also the resting place of 25 Confederate generals, more than any other cemetery in the country. Included are George Pickett and J.E.B. Stuart.
Hollywood Cemetery was opened in 1849, constructed on land known as "Harvie's Woods" that was once owned by William Byrd II. It was designed in the rural garden style, with its name, "Hollywood," coming from the holly trees dotting the hills of the property.
In 1869, a 90-foot (27 m) high granite pyramid was built as a memorial to the more than 18,000 enlisted men of the Confederate Army buried in the cemetery.
Hollywood Cemetery is one of Richmond's major tourist attractions. There are many local legends surrounding certain tombs and grave sites in the cemetery, including one about a little girl and the black iron statue of a dog standing watch over her grave. Other notable legends rely on ghosts haunting the many mausoleums. One of the most well-known of these is the legend of the Richmond Vampire.
A place rich in history, legend, and gothic landscape, Hollywood Cemetery is also frequented by many of the local students attending Virginia Commonwealth University.
Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hollywood_Cemetery_(Richmond,_Virginia)
On the tour, we did see the two presidents burial sites, as well as that of Ellen Glasgow (Pulitzer Prize winning American novelist) and many more.
Monroe
Tyler
In addition, there was a large "Lloyd" family buried there. The listing can be found here.
So...when you come to visit us...we will be happy to walk around the cemetery with you if there is interest. It was quite fascinating. A lot of history.
Tuesday, October 26, 2010
Chicks dig scars....
This morning around 930am, I was on the phone with Clint getting the low-down on what was happening in Alabama when Owen's daycare called. I switched over knowing that what they had to tell me was probably not good. I initially thought "Oh dear, Owen has spiked a fever" (something we have not had since June!). I can actually say that I WISH they had told me Owen had a fever. Owen had fallen in the toddler room and hit his head on a small wooden shelf. Christy (the daycare director) told me that Owen cut is head in two places and that they were bad enough that she wanted me to come take a look and decide what to do (take him home, leave him there, take him to the ER, etc.). I could hear Owen screaming in the background (yes...it is true...you know your child's cry from anywhere!). My heart ached for him already. I told Christy that I would be there as soon as possible. I left the hotel and got some encouraging words from Daddy and Gram on my way to daycare. Thanks to you both!
I got to daycare, promising myself to stay strong and act tough for Owen....but as soon as I saw him, I lost it. He was literally a bloody mess. His face was red from crying and from the blood. His tears were not making things better. Owen, as Christy had told me on the phone, had two cuts on his face. One right between his eyes, and one above his left eye. We cleaned him up the best we could one final time before getting in the car. Owen screamed the whole way to the doctor. Once at the doctor, we were seen almost immediately. Unfortunately, Dr Falik said that the cuts looked too deep for him to fix in his office. So, he suggested we go across the street to the ER. Bonita, Falik's nurse, took us over there. Thankfully, Owen had started to calm down. At the ER, we were seen almost immediately. With a few brief pauses at all the steps (paperwork, vitals, awaiting the dr, etc.), we were introduced to the doctor who was going to fix Owen up. She said that although the cuts were deep, they were straight so he was a good candidate for glue. After getting some "reinforcements" (read: big dude to hold Owen down), the doctor made quick work getting Owen cleaned up and his cuts glued shut. We were sent home with instructions to monitor him this afternoon for any indications of a more serious head injury.
We stopped at Chick-Fil-A on the way home to get some lunch. Owen had his first kids meal today. Definitely won't be a habit....but it seemed like the right thing to do! Owen had a great lunch and then slept for 3 hours. After getting up, Owen was a bit sad. I am sure he had a headache...but nothing that a few goldfish and some apple juice didn't cure! Owen ran an errand with me after that and instead of everyone saying "WOW....what a CUTE little guy" or "He is some handsome!"...they said "Oh my...what happened to you?" or "What did you do to yourself? Poor baby".
Pics to follow. I won't have the cable to get them off my camera until the moving truck arrives.
Quote of the day:
"Don't worry sweetie (Mommy)....Chicks dig scars" - Daddy
I got to daycare, promising myself to stay strong and act tough for Owen....but as soon as I saw him, I lost it. He was literally a bloody mess. His face was red from crying and from the blood. His tears were not making things better. Owen, as Christy had told me on the phone, had two cuts on his face. One right between his eyes, and one above his left eye. We cleaned him up the best we could one final time before getting in the car. Owen screamed the whole way to the doctor. Once at the doctor, we were seen almost immediately. Unfortunately, Dr Falik said that the cuts looked too deep for him to fix in his office. So, he suggested we go across the street to the ER. Bonita, Falik's nurse, took us over there. Thankfully, Owen had started to calm down. At the ER, we were seen almost immediately. With a few brief pauses at all the steps (paperwork, vitals, awaiting the dr, etc.), we were introduced to the doctor who was going to fix Owen up. She said that although the cuts were deep, they were straight so he was a good candidate for glue. After getting some "reinforcements" (read: big dude to hold Owen down), the doctor made quick work getting Owen cleaned up and his cuts glued shut. We were sent home with instructions to monitor him this afternoon for any indications of a more serious head injury.
We stopped at Chick-Fil-A on the way home to get some lunch. Owen had his first kids meal today. Definitely won't be a habit....but it seemed like the right thing to do! Owen had a great lunch and then slept for 3 hours. After getting up, Owen was a bit sad. I am sure he had a headache...but nothing that a few goldfish and some apple juice didn't cure! Owen ran an errand with me after that and instead of everyone saying "WOW....what a CUTE little guy" or "He is some handsome!"...they said "Oh my...what happened to you?" or "What did you do to yourself? Poor baby".
Pics to follow. I won't have the cable to get them off my camera until the moving truck arrives.
Quote of the day:
"Don't worry sweetie (Mommy)....Chicks dig scars" - Daddy
Sunday, October 24, 2010
The move is progressing....
Clint flew back to Oxford AL today to meet the movers. Nonnie and Pop are going to be with Clint for the next three days in AL while the house is packed and loaded.
It will be a huge task, but hopefully it will be a productive and uneventful three days.
Good luck to all!
We close on our Virginia house THIS FRIDAY! We are so excited. Maybe my next post will have some more pictures of our new house.
It will be a huge task, but hopefully it will be a productive and uneventful three days.
Good luck to all!
We close on our Virginia house THIS FRIDAY! We are so excited. Maybe my next post will have some more pictures of our new house.
Random bits
Owen is doing some really funny things lately. So...I thought I would do a "Random Bits" post to capture them.
Here are some highlights of what our little man is up to:
1) Unless Owens really tired or shy around others...he likes to walk everywhere. He squirms to get out of our arms if we try to walk with him. The only downfall is....he goes where HE wants :) However...he KNOWS the way to the hotel breakfast (from our room door, to the elevator and to the eating area). It is amazing that he understands "Let's go get some breakfast"!!!
2) Owen is a scheduled baby through-and-through. After eating dinner, he knows that we get our shoes on, get his Chariot out, put Nash's leash on and go for a walk. The other night, we were cleaning up from dinner and Owen started pulling out his Chariot (we keep it in his room). It was too funny. He was up on his tippy toes, holding onto the stroller handle and backing it out of his room. He was ready to go for a walk. Of course, Nash is his best friend at that point!!
3) If there is a TV in the room, Owen will have it turned on in a few seconds. He used to turn the TV on, then off, then on, then off. But, he has started to figure out how to put the volume up and change the channels (either on the TV itself, or via the remote control). Typically he puts the hotel room TV on CNN. CNN is Channel 11, so it is easy for him to change it to that by pressing '1' twice (or over and over). But today, he found the GOLF channel and left it on there! Pappy would have been proud!
4) Since we have been in temp housing, we have been eating out more than normal. Owen has taken great interest in the check when it comes to the table and the credit card that goes along with it for payment. The wait staff is always amused that Owen 'pays' them for our meal.
5) Owen has started to take a great interest in pen and paper. We have some crayons for him, that usually end up in his mouth...but he does like to try and draw first.
6) Anything that looks like a phone is a phone to Owen. He likes to "talk" on them. He holds these items up to his ear and chats away. He then hands them to us so we can talk. Of course, if he sees our blackberry phones, he needs to hold or play with or talk on the blackberry too. We both have an app loaded on our phones called "Baby GO!". Baby GO! is a BlackBerry® application for a 0-2 year old. It keeps Owen entertained, helps him learn, and keeps our BlackBerry® devices safe. Owen loves pressing the keys, seeing colorful images dance around the screen and hearing the letter, number or name of the object being pronounced.
7) Owen is eating all kinds of things now...but his favorite by far is any pasta. The kid can eat some lasagna! But he also likes tortellini and alfredo sauce, ravoli and meat sauce and of course spaghetti. Owen has also started to take bites of things. He still only has his four front teeth on top and bottom (eight total), but he will bite off a piece of cracker, cookie or chip when offered. Yes...Owen eats chips. Not many...but I did give him a Pringle for the first time tonight (I was eating them and he thought he wanted one). He eat the whole chip without spilling a crumb.
8) For the most part, Owen and Nash get along well. Owen heads straight for Nash's crate when we get home and attempts to let Nash out. Of course, we have to intervene to help open the crate, as well as get Owen out of way so Nash does not stampede over him. Owen frequently gets a Nash-tail across the face or worse...bowled over by the 85 pound furry-spaz-dog...but they are still friends. Owen is into 'hugging'. If we say "give Nash a hug", Owen walks over to Nash and lays his head and arms on Nash. It is too cute.
9) Owen understands A LOT and will respond to many commands ('bring me a book', 'do you want a snack', 'where's your ball', etc.), but he doesn't say much. His vocabulary consists of "Uh-oh", "Bye-bye", "Hi", "No", "Nigh nigh" (for night night) and "Mo" (for more...which we know means "more" because he signs it too)
10) Sometimes we don't really know where Owen learns things...but the funniest surprise to us lately has been Owen's reaction to "Do you want to take your shirt off?". Of course, we used to just ask that when it is bathtime, or when his shirt is really messy and he needs a change. However, when he started lifting up his shirt and pushing out and tapping his fat belly....it has become a question we ask often to get a good laugh. Probably not something we should encourage...but it is quite amusing!
I would try to get pictures or videos of some of the above, but I have trouble doing that these days because when the camera comes out, Owen thinks he needs to play with it. Perhaps he will grow out of that soon?
Here are some highlights of what our little man is up to:
1) Unless Owens really tired or shy around others...he likes to walk everywhere. He squirms to get out of our arms if we try to walk with him. The only downfall is....he goes where HE wants :) However...he KNOWS the way to the hotel breakfast (from our room door, to the elevator and to the eating area). It is amazing that he understands "Let's go get some breakfast"!!!
2) Owen is a scheduled baby through-and-through. After eating dinner, he knows that we get our shoes on, get his Chariot out, put Nash's leash on and go for a walk. The other night, we were cleaning up from dinner and Owen started pulling out his Chariot (we keep it in his room). It was too funny. He was up on his tippy toes, holding onto the stroller handle and backing it out of his room. He was ready to go for a walk. Of course, Nash is his best friend at that point!!
3) If there is a TV in the room, Owen will have it turned on in a few seconds. He used to turn the TV on, then off, then on, then off. But, he has started to figure out how to put the volume up and change the channels (either on the TV itself, or via the remote control). Typically he puts the hotel room TV on CNN. CNN is Channel 11, so it is easy for him to change it to that by pressing '1' twice (or over and over). But today, he found the GOLF channel and left it on there! Pappy would have been proud!
4) Since we have been in temp housing, we have been eating out more than normal. Owen has taken great interest in the check when it comes to the table and the credit card that goes along with it for payment. The wait staff is always amused that Owen 'pays' them for our meal.
5) Owen has started to take a great interest in pen and paper. We have some crayons for him, that usually end up in his mouth...but he does like to try and draw first.
6) Anything that looks like a phone is a phone to Owen. He likes to "talk" on them. He holds these items up to his ear and chats away. He then hands them to us so we can talk. Of course, if he sees our blackberry phones, he needs to hold or play with or talk on the blackberry too. We both have an app loaded on our phones called "Baby GO!". Baby GO! is a BlackBerry® application for a 0-2 year old. It keeps Owen entertained, helps him learn, and keeps our BlackBerry® devices safe. Owen loves pressing the keys, seeing colorful images dance around the screen and hearing the letter, number or name of the object being pronounced.
7) Owen is eating all kinds of things now...but his favorite by far is any pasta. The kid can eat some lasagna! But he also likes tortellini and alfredo sauce, ravoli and meat sauce and of course spaghetti. Owen has also started to take bites of things. He still only has his four front teeth on top and bottom (eight total), but he will bite off a piece of cracker, cookie or chip when offered. Yes...Owen eats chips. Not many...but I did give him a Pringle for the first time tonight (I was eating them and he thought he wanted one). He eat the whole chip without spilling a crumb.
8) For the most part, Owen and Nash get along well. Owen heads straight for Nash's crate when we get home and attempts to let Nash out. Of course, we have to intervene to help open the crate, as well as get Owen out of way so Nash does not stampede over him. Owen frequently gets a Nash-tail across the face or worse...bowled over by the 85 pound furry-spaz-dog...but they are still friends. Owen is into 'hugging'. If we say "give Nash a hug", Owen walks over to Nash and lays his head and arms on Nash. It is too cute.
9) Owen understands A LOT and will respond to many commands ('bring me a book', 'do you want a snack', 'where's your ball', etc.), but he doesn't say much. His vocabulary consists of "Uh-oh", "Bye-bye", "Hi", "No", "Nigh nigh" (for night night) and "Mo" (for more...which we know means "more" because he signs it too)
10) Sometimes we don't really know where Owen learns things...but the funniest surprise to us lately has been Owen's reaction to "Do you want to take your shirt off?". Of course, we used to just ask that when it is bathtime, or when his shirt is really messy and he needs a change. However, when he started lifting up his shirt and pushing out and tapping his fat belly....it has become a question we ask often to get a good laugh. Probably not something we should encourage...but it is quite amusing!
I would try to get pictures or videos of some of the above, but I have trouble doing that these days because when the camera comes out, Owen thinks he needs to play with it. Perhaps he will grow out of that soon?
Shocktoberfest
Last weekend, we went into downtown Richmond to attend "Shocktoberfest". It took place at the 17th Street Farmer's Market.
The Market is on every weekend, but sometimes they pair it with another festival. In this case, the German Festival of Octoberfest melded with the market. It was a beautiful day. There was a fantastic turnout of people and some great German dancing. One of the highlights...we were interviewed for the 6 o'clock and 11 o'clock news! The cameraman/interviewer was very excited to hear that we were just moving to the Richmond area and asked us a bunch of questions about why we came down to the market that day and what we liked best. Since 6pm is a busy time for us around our house, we missed the 6 o'clock news. Clint stayed up until 11pm and woke me up to watch the news. Sure enough....we were on the news! TV stars in our new city within the first two weeks of being here. HA!
The Market is on every weekend, but sometimes they pair it with another festival. In this case, the German Festival of Octoberfest melded with the market. It was a beautiful day. There was a fantastic turnout of people and some great German dancing. One of the highlights...we were interviewed for the 6 o'clock and 11 o'clock news! The cameraman/interviewer was very excited to hear that we were just moving to the Richmond area and asked us a bunch of questions about why we came down to the market that day and what we liked best. Since 6pm is a busy time for us around our house, we missed the 6 o'clock news. Clint stayed up until 11pm and woke me up to watch the news. Sure enough....we were on the news! TV stars in our new city within the first two weeks of being here. HA!
Thursday, October 14, 2010
Richmond Folk Festival
Last Saturday, we went to the Richmond Folk Festival. We enjoyed the beautiful fall weather, walking around, seeing the crafts, listening to some bands and some bay chips (kettle chips sprinkled with Old Bay Seasoning). The fresh air made us all very tired...so it was early to bed for us on Saturday night.
15 months and 12 weeks...
This week has been a busy week for doctor's appointments. New doctors equals lots of paperwork and introductions!
Mommy and Baby McR #2 went to the OB yesterday for a 12 week check-up. Dr Dausch will oversee the pregnancy from here on out and deliver us in April. Dr Dausch was all smiles and full of energy. She was very excited for us and said that everything with Mom and baby was looking good. The baby's heart rate was in the 160s and mom's vitals were normal. The 16 week appointment is on November 10th, the day before we get our household goods from Alabama and our 20 week appointment is on December 9th. We will find out what we are having on that day! Sleep countdown will start next month ;)
Owen met his new pediatrician today. Dr. Falik was very nice and said Owen was perfect (which we already knew!). Today's appointment was Owen's 15 month check-up. Owen weighed in a 25lbs, 4oz....which puts him in the 75th percentile for weight. He was 32.5 inches long, which is also the 75th percentile. So....we have a growing boy on our hands! Dr Falik went through all the milestones that Owen should have hit by now....and he was able to check off all of them except one. Dr Falik wants Owen to be off the bottle completely...but he still gets one in the morning and one at night. We'll see what we can do after we move into our house. Too many changes right now to take away the bottle too! Other than that....Owen got a check mark for knowing some body parts, saying a few words, eating solid foods with his hands, walking on his own (and being stable while doing so), interested in books, and kicking/throwing a ball. Right on track! Yahoo Owen!
Mommy and Baby McR #2 went to the OB yesterday for a 12 week check-up. Dr Dausch will oversee the pregnancy from here on out and deliver us in April. Dr Dausch was all smiles and full of energy. She was very excited for us and said that everything with Mom and baby was looking good. The baby's heart rate was in the 160s and mom's vitals were normal. The 16 week appointment is on November 10th, the day before we get our household goods from Alabama and our 20 week appointment is on December 9th. We will find out what we are having on that day! Sleep countdown will start next month ;)
Owen met his new pediatrician today. Dr. Falik was very nice and said Owen was perfect (which we already knew!). Today's appointment was Owen's 15 month check-up. Owen weighed in a 25lbs, 4oz....which puts him in the 75th percentile for weight. He was 32.5 inches long, which is also the 75th percentile. So....we have a growing boy on our hands! Dr Falik went through all the milestones that Owen should have hit by now....and he was able to check off all of them except one. Dr Falik wants Owen to be off the bottle completely...but he still gets one in the morning and one at night. We'll see what we can do after we move into our house. Too many changes right now to take away the bottle too! Other than that....Owen got a check mark for knowing some body parts, saying a few words, eating solid foods with his hands, walking on his own (and being stable while doing so), interested in books, and kicking/throwing a ball. Right on track! Yahoo Owen!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
Successful House Hunting
Last week, Mom and Dad spent a week in Richmond VA looking for a house. It was a very interesting week, as we were introduced to a whole new market of housing.
In the end, we found a great house two hours before we flew back to Alabama. We ended up in a small bidding war for the house with another buyer...but our real estate agent was a HUGE help and assisted us in 'winning' the house by putting in an escalation clause. What an experience!
Here is a picture of the house that we will live in later this year! SO EXCITING!
We will update everyone with the address as soon as we move in!
In the end, we found a great house two hours before we flew back to Alabama. We ended up in a small bidding war for the house with another buyer...but our real estate agent was a HUGE help and assisted us in 'winning' the house by putting in an escalation clause. What an experience!
Here is a picture of the house that we will live in later this year! SO EXCITING!
We will update everyone with the address as soon as we move in!
Friday, September 3, 2010
Ready for Aggie Football!!!
Daddy and Owen donned their Aggie gear this morning for work and school respectively. Mommy snapped this quick picture
before everyone had to leave the house for the day.
before everyone had to leave the house for the day.
Changes
The word is out....the McReynolds are moving to Richmond Virginia! We are so excited for the upcoming changes in our lives! We will try to blog throughout the move....but will apologize in advance for any lack of updates. It will be a busy few months.
Sunday, August 22, 2010
The water park in Oxford
At Oxford Lake, there is a little water park for kids to play in. We took Owen there today...a beautiful Sunday here in Alabama. We thought we would just run up there, let him get wet and walk around for a little bit and then head home. We figured he wouldn't last long....boy were we wrong! He LOVED it. He enjoyed watching the bigger kids do their thing, but he would also run through all the water spouts. He seemed to really enjoyed himself. Dad took one for the team and got soaked right along with Owen!
No pants!!
Since it is summer time, we often let Owen walk around with no pants on...mainly after he eats dinner and before his bath. Now that he is walking all over the place, we love seeing his chunky little thighs in action!
Owen LOVES the camera....and he tends to get pretty excited when he sees it
Owen LOVES the camera....and he tends to get pretty excited when he sees it
Activity Table
Owen still loves his "Bright Starts Around-we-go" activity table. We removed the seat several months ago (when he started pulling up), but he still bellies up to the table to play the piano or munch on one of the teethers. We also place snacks in the little tray....and then he really bellies up to it to eat! We have to watch both Owen and Nash closely, as Owen wants to walk with his food and Nash wants to eat Owen's food.
You can see here that Owen loves animal crackers!!!
You can see here that Owen loves animal crackers!!!
Leap Frog Fridge Magnet Animal Farm
One of Owen's favorite birthday toys (from the Johnston's) is the Leap Frog Fridge Magnet Animal Farm. It consists of ten magnets...five have animal 'fronts' on them, and the other five have the matching animal 'backs'. You can make up to 25 combinations with the puzzle, and it can be played with on the refrigerator or floor. When two matching pieces are inserted into the farm, a cheerful electronic voice says the animal name. If the pieces mismatch, the toy creates a silly name for that animal. Matches are positively reinforced and the toy makes mismatches seem funny rather than wrong. When set to music mode, Farmer
Tad plays five banjo tunes for a real barnyard hoe-down.
Mom and Dad like making matches (or mis-matches) and Owen enjoys pulling all the pieces off the fridge and throwing them on the floor. Someday he will enjoy it as intended!!!
Tad plays five banjo tunes for a real barnyard hoe-down.
Mom and Dad like making matches (or mis-matches) and Owen enjoys pulling all the pieces off the fridge and throwing them on the floor. Someday he will enjoy it as intended!!!
Water Play at school
Back in July, Owen moved up a class at daycare (to the transition room (transition between being a baby and being a toddler)). That meant that he could play with the big kids on Friday during "water play". Basically, the school set out baby pools and sprinklers and let the kids get wet!
Here was Owen on his first day of Water Play! Everyday is our CAPTAIN AWESOME!!!
Here was Owen on his first day of Water Play! Everyday is our CAPTAIN AWESOME!!!
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