I'm Back!

Ok well, it's been 6 weeks since I've posted. I'm pretty sure my Mom is the only one that even checks this anymore, but I'll catch everybody up anyway! It's been a busy last couple of months. Here are some of the highlights!

We really enjoyed our first Mother's Day and Father's Day. We went to Loose Park (also where we decided what Fenn's name would be) for Mother's Day and got to spend time with both sets of parents/grandparents on Father's Day. It was kind of hard to remember that those days actually include us now!

Fenn has FOUR teeth. The bottom two are getting close to all the way in. The top two are both coming in - but haven't made it that far yet. This is good and bad. It's good because it means he's developing just like he should. It's bad because it's starting to make him look like a little boy instead of a baby. It's also bad because now he bites!

Fenn took his first long car ride when we all went to Tulsa with our good friends Travis and Amy to visit Travis' family. 4 hours both ways - and he did really well. He also go to go swimming for the first time on this trip. He seemed to really enjoy the pool, so we bought him his first little pool when we got back. We also stopped in thru Joplin to look at the tornado damage on the way to Tulsa. It was terrible. Impossible to describe.

Fenn also got to take his first weekend trip by himself to Clinton to stay with Grandma and Papa. We were both in Amy and Travis' wedding, so we dropped him off down there for two nights! It was the first time we'd both been away from him on the same night - and only the 2nd and 3rd nights that Anne has been away from him. From what we hear, he was very well behaved and Grandma and Papa didn't miss out on too much sleep. His top two teeth really popped thru down there though, so Grandma got to change lots of Teething diapers! Fenn got to spend some time with Uncle Tim, Aunt Liane and all his little girl cousins too.
He came back knowing how to set up on his own much better and had only gained a couple of pounds from chocolate chip cookies.....so it looks like they've earned another shot at full weekend babysitting! Which is good.....because Daddy needs a vacation.....

They also sent him home with a new toy that he just loves. It's a Bob the Builder tool box. You hit a button and it has a song plus several different sayings. Fenn LOVES the song. He'll use his little index finger to push the button until he gets to that song....then he'll put his arms in the air and dance around! He's already a better dancer than his daddy. It also has several tools with it....Fenn doesn't like to get too far away from his little hammer!

I'm pretty sure his first word was Kitty. At least I think he TRIES to say Kitty. I think he tries to say Daddy too.....but Mommy's not buying it. Kitty (aka Hula Hoop) seems to like Fenn, despite the many handfulls of hair he's borrowed from her.

Fenn just turned 8 months a couple of days ago. Still another few weeks before we go back to the Dr, so we're not sure how big he is. A neighbor told me yesterday that you are supposed to be able to see how tall kids will be as adults when the are 2 and a half for boys and 3 for girls. It's apparently pretty accurate. So, we have a little less than two years before we know how tall Fenn will be when he's 20.

He's eating lots of cereal and baby food now. Like all babies, he loves the fruit. His Mommy is determined to make as much food as she can for him. She's tried sweet potatoes, carrots, green beens, garbanzo beans, chicken, spinach.....so far he's liked the sweet potatoes and the spinach (well, the spinach was just this morning and Anne tells me he liked it as I typed this.....but I didn't get to see his face while he was eating it). The rest of it....well....let's just say it takes some getting used to.

Fenn's first 4th of July is just a week away.

And Christmas is 6 months from today! Better start shopping. Little Fenn is going to love opening Christmas presents this year!

Yum, Yum

Well, everybody, I'm up to 18 lbs! Well, at least I think I am....at my 6 month appt a week and a half ago I was 17 lbs, 15 oz, and 27 inches long. I'm in the 75th percentile.....but I'm not sure what that means....it's just what Mommy and Daddy tell me.
I got to start eating Rice Cereal last week. I'm not sure I really love the taste, but it's fun to play with. And the spoon is really cool.
I also starting having some formula a few days ago. I'm not really a big fan of it. It's kind of stinky. But I'm getting used to it. Mommy and Daddy really pressed their luck once and tried to make my cereal using formula. I gagged....several times.

Oh....I forgot to tell you. Mommy and Daddy gave me a sippy cup! It's kind of like a bottle....but it has boring tasting stuff in it. I normally just like to beat it on things and throw it around. But it's a nice accessory....makes me look like a big boy.

I got some cool new stuff for my first Easter. And I got to go to church with Grandma and PaPa Hager, and Uncle Time, Aunt Liane, and my cousins. They passed me around a lot during church so I didn't get too bored. I kept throwing my toys on the ground and making my cousins pick them up. It was funny. People pretty much do what I say.

Well, that's about all the news I can think of right now. I have to go - my kitty wants to play with me.

Love,
Fenn

My First Vacation

Anne and I have always been a little big 'fly by the seat of our pants'. Little vacations, spending the night here and there. We finally decided to break Fenn in this weekend took our first family vacation. Ok, so we were only gone 20 hours.....and it was to Topeka....but we didn't want to press our luck.

We went to the Topeka Zoo. It's a small zoo, but was just about right. I'm sure he didn't get a lot out of it, but he did watch some of the animals, and it was fun to have him out and it was a very nice day.

Then we went to dinner and back to the hotel. Fenn slept very well in his pack n play - sleeping all the way thru the night while Mommy and Daddy quietly played cards and listened to the Royals game on the radio.

We got up Saturday morning and just decided to head home. We drove thru downtown Topeka on the way to the highway. As we drove by the Capitol building.....we heard a low rumble coming from the back seat. We both just looked at each other....with our eyes saying "Oh No!". We knew it was coming sometime. Fenn hadn't stinkied in about 4 days. That time was now. I quickly turned on a side street and headed for a McDonald's parking lot. When he waits several days.....and then has a blow out....you have less than a minute to get is clothes off or you're going to have a mess.

We made it into the parking lot.....Anne jumped out, took him out of his seat, and starting changing him.

10 years from now....I imagine that will be what we remember the most about our first family vacation. Changing Fenn in the back seat of the car in the McDonalds parking lot in downtown Topeka!

Here's a shot of Fenn and Mommy enjoying the zoo (I also have a shot of the McDonald's parking lot incident....but I think this one is more suitable for the public):

Ok, Now He's Done It

Fenn rolled over for me last week....and he's done it several times now. So, I guess I'll believe that he did it for Mommy a week or two earlier.

He's been a very good baby recently. Pretty easy to get along with and sleeps pretty well. We don't see any proof of teeth yet - although to slobbers all the time and chews on his hands all day.

Everywhere we go - people ask how old he is. When we say "5 months"....almost every time they respond "Oh, He's Big!".

He's been to church twice now - once with Grandma and Grandpa Hager (and Uncle Tim, Aunt Liane and cousins Sidney, Tori, Maddie and Kinzlie). He even got to go to pizza hut after church!
And we took him for the first time yesterday here in KC. He just about made it thru the sermon - but we went at naptime - so we were kind of expecting he'd have a short fuse.

Grandma and Grandma Donner watched him so that Mommy and Daddy could go to opening day. We were gone about 7 hours - and he did great (either that or Grandma Donner is just being nice)!

Spring is here - and Fenn is excited about spending more time outside. He's got his sunglasses and hat and he's ready to go!

Crib Notes

Well, Fenn has been sleeping in his crib, in his own room for a little over a week now. We were pretty nervous about it - because he's never liked being in his crib for more than about 5 minutes at a time. It's gone very smoothly though - he's done just as well there as he had before. Of course, we have the video monitor going in our room, so it's FennTv all night long.

Anne claims he rolled over once the other day. But I was out of the room, and he hasn't done it again. So I'm not sure if he really did or not.

He continues to grow into a big boy. We were at dinner the other night and a couple at the table beside us had a baby boy as well. He looked to be about a half of a Fenn. Turns out he is 9 days older.

His eyes continue to play tricks.....blue one day, brown the next, greenish another. And his hair has really started coming in. Still a bit of a comb-over, but it's much thicker than before.....and it's pretty cute.

I taught him a new trick the other day - he likes to watch TV with his hands in his pants like most men do. See!

Back To School

I was thinking this morning that taking care of Fenn is kind of like furthering my education. Every day I learn something new. And in a few years - I'll have a degree. It may not be an official one....I won't have a piece of framed paper to put on a wall....but it will be more valuable than that. The little guy teaches me much more right now than I teach him. Not only about raising a baby - but about myself. I learn things about patience, priorities and true fulfillment that I didn't really know existed.
I read a story the other day about a family that lost their two month old after a long journey of dealing with a heart defect. It really put things into perspective for me. Now, I remind myself to think twice every time I feel stressed by the every day things. I change my perspective from stress into blessings. I'm blessed every time my baby cries - because I'm blessed to have a crying baby. I'm blessed for every messy diaper and blessed for every hour of lost sleep. I'm blessed to have such a joyful higher education. And I'm blessed that my higher education....instead of a piece of paper....is represented by such a sweet, precious little face.

Take Two of These and Call Me In the Morning.....

Yeah, they don't do that for babies. Fenn has been experiencing his first sickness the last four days or so. Coughing, Rattling, Congestion. He seems to feel ok for the most part. It's probably harder on us than it is him. We've had the daily decision on whether he is better or worse, if he should go to the doctor, etc.

So far we've talked on the phone to two doctors....one nurse....and one urgent care (yes, I know it's obsessive....but hey, if you're going to be careful about something, it may as well be a 16 week old baby). But they all essentially say there isn't much to do. As long as he isn't running a fever, and as long as he continues to eat and fill his diapers (which sure isn't an issue), then it will just have to pass.

He isn't sleeping quite as good. I think he wakes himself up by coughing. Then decides he may as well get something to eat since he's up anyway! So, our sleep has been a bit harder to come by.

We're lucky I guess. He hasn't been fussing much - so we figure he feels pretty normal. He gets a little frustrated when he has a little coughing fit. As a matter of fact....I just took this picture of him....

Lesson: Have your kids in the Spring

Well, Fenn and I are on about day 6 of staying at home by ourselves. At first I thought I was going to die. Each day has gotten easier though. It's not too bad until around 5 or 6 pm. By then we've already been on our own for 10 hours, my back hurts, and he's getting the 'end of the day crankies'. So those last two hours are pretty tough every day - but we're working on that too.

Of course we spoiled him during his first three months. We just passed him back and forth all the time. Now he's addicted to Mommy and Daddy.....which makes it tough when only one of us is around. So, I've been trying to let him be on his own a little more each day - trying to make him a bit more independent. It's working out alright. Now we have to get him to be and independent daytime sleeper, and we'll really have something.

Even on the good days though.....I tend to run out of entertainment options. Bouncey Seat - Check. Play Gym - Check. Swing - Check. Car Seat - Check. Crib - Check. Reading Books - Check. Playing with Toys - Check. Sitting on Lap Watching TV - Check. Stare at Kitty - Check. Poop, Pee, Spit Up, Drool - Check, Check, Check, Check! And.....that's all by 10 am......

It sure would be nice if we could go outside and wander around, take walks, etc. Hard to do that in January though. I guess about a month from now, we may start getting an occassional day. If we would have had him in the Spring, it would be the middle of the Summer right now, and we could go to the Zoo and Royals games all week long! Even Worlds of Fun.....although I'm not sure he's tall enough to ride all of the good rides.

Who would have thunk it?

So, Anne and Fenn are in North Carolina. And I'm in Omaha taking my
"do something else so you don't worry" vacation. Ok, I won't blame it all on worrying - getting away is always fun.

But, I actually haven't worried as much as I thought I would. I went into the airport with them and watched them until they got close to boarding - so that I could see Mommy had everything under control (plus she had strict instructions to ask flight attendents for help with bags, etc). They were in Charlotte in no time. And then I started betting on dog races to take my mind off of the long, mountain drive!

What I wasn't really prepared for, was how soon, and how much I would miss Fenn. Of course I knew I would miss him. But by mid afternoon on the day we all left, it hit me that I really, really missed him, and that I was still 3 days from being able to see him. You get kind of addicted to looking at that precious little face all day. There had only been 1 day where I'd gone more than 3-4 hours seeing him, until this weekend.

But, Anne has sent me several photos on her phone of him having a good time in North Carolina. From what I hear, everybody seems to think he's pretty cute - which comes as no surprise - and it sounds like he behaves better on the road than he does at home!

So...thus far, Fenn's first vacation is a big success. Now, if only the right dogs would run faster, we'd all be in good shape. (and....for the record.....I miss Anne too....I just have more experience missing her.....)

I'm Learning To Fly, But I Ain't Got Wings

Well, it looks like Fenn is just 9 days away from his first plane trip. Daddy put it off as long as he could, but has finally given is authorization for Mommy to take Fenn with her to North Carolina.
I'm sure they will be just fine - because Anne will take great care of him. But, the combination of my own dislike of flight, mixed with being away from him for the first time has me a little anxious.

Times have sure changed. I think the first time I flew I was 12 or 13 - a trip to Florida our family took with the Norcross family (thanks Grandma and Grandpa Hager!). I don't think I flew again until I was in my 20s. Fenn will be flying when he is one day shy of 12 weeks old! Why do I have a strange feeling Fenn won't be 34 when he takes his first trip to Europe like his Daddy was?

Stella, one of Fenn's best friends and a potential future prom date, took her first plane ride a couple of weeks ago. So, one of the reasons Fenn gets to go is that I don't want his girls having more world experiences than he does. You can see his reaction when he heard Stella got to go on a plane ride:


In other updates - Fenn continues to be a great sleeper! In the past week, he has slept 11 hours straight one night, and 10 in another. He's no longer getting his arms tied down in his swaddle.....He's back to just regular swaddling. By morning he has usually got his arms lose and has turned around in his bed - but he still seems to be sleeping just fine.

Only 2 weeks before Mommy goes back to work. Only two weeks until Daddy becomes a stay at home Dad 3 days a week......for 13 hours each day......Only two weeks until Daddy's hair turns grey and he loses his mind.....