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.....

The Good, The Bad, and The Cute

The Good News is....9 hours again last night. It's suddenly like clockwork.....eat around 8, really sleepy by 8:30, sleeping before 9. Wake up at 6 - ready to eat again.

The Bad News is.....Here's our little fella at 9:30 tonight. It appears the streak is over, or at least the schedule has been altered.


The Cute News - OF COURSE HE CAN'T SLEEP! It's Christmas Eve! We opened our presents tonight - and he got lots of things he's excited about! Plus, we told him Santa is coming tonight, and he has other Christmas parties the next two days. Who can blame the guy for not being able to go to sleep???

Merry Christmas Eve everyone!

The streak continues

Two nights ago......9 hours for the second straight night. Last night......9 hours for the third straight night......
THREE STRAIGHT NIGHTS our little baby has slept around 9 straight hours. Didn't help me out much last night, because KU played at 10 - so I was up until 12:30 anyway.....but good for him!
That makes about a week now that he's slept 7-9 hours.

Tomorrow is Christmas Eve. I just tried to talk Anne into us opening our presents today....but she said we have to wait until tomorrow night. I think I caught Fenn snooping under the tree yesterday.

Today is December 23rd.....Fenn's 2 Month Birthday! Happy Birthday Buddy! Two months ago.....this is what we were doing: