The Sawyer Show

I just put Sawyer down for his nap. Naptime has become one of my favorite parts of the day (and not only because I get some "me" time). I love to watch him transform from a twisting and turning ball of energy to a snoozing little angel. We read three or four books, sometimes more, sometimes fewer, depending on his disposition at the time. He usually tries to eat the books so I give him his keys or another book to occupy his interest. I put him in his Sleep Sack and rock him, his eyes fluttering like butterfly wings until he finally gives up and they close, his sweet breath escaping his tiny mouth. I love to stroke his smooth skin and baby-fine hair and feel his warm body snuggled up close to mine. Sometimes it takes all that I have to place him in his crib and leave him alone to dream his sweet baby dreams. It's like falling in love all over again, in a very different but just as glorious way.

He rode in his new car seat for the first time Wednesday but there wasn't any napping. He seems to be doing fine, even though for some reason he didn't seem interested in a catnap. I think maybe he was taking the time to get used to his new digs. Lorne had to install it on the other bucket seat so now he's on the other side of the Tahoe which will take some getting used to on my part. He's still rear-facing until his first birthday though so that's the same. I went and had it inspected and the inspector said that she had to move the anchor point because she looked in the Tahoe manual and couldn't verify that part of the front seat as an official anchor point. Of course Lorne got home and found in the manual that the way he had it was completely acceptable. Lorne loves it when he's right!

We had Denise, Jeremy, and Sophia over for dinner Friday night. Sawyer and I went and picked up Denise and Sophia since Jeremy drove he and Lorne to work that day. I went and got Dickey's BBQ for dinner. We took some pictures of the kids while we waited for Lorne and Jeremy to get here.


Sawyer got this cute little outfit from Rick and Priscilla for Christmas. I thought the coveralls would be too short so I was surprised that they're fitting tightly already.


Sawyer and Sophia. It was funny to watch them try to grab and chew on each other.

We exchanged Christmas gifts after dinner because we hadn't gotten to do that yet. Denise and Jeremy's birthdays are next week so we also had birthday presents for them. We had a good time together. Denise tried to put Sophia to bed in our Pack 'N Play in the spare bedroom but she wasn't going for that so they had to leave earlier than they wanted, but we still had a good time. They got Sawyer this cute blow up duck that goes in the big tub. That way the baby can move to the big tub without feeling overwhelmed at the size. It makes a quacking noise when his beak is squeezed...too cute! Sawyer seemed to love it so I took some pictures.


I made sure this photo had a G rating. :)


Check out my rolls!

We try to put Sawyer on the floor every chance we get. He is still mostly rolling many times in a row. We try to have him get up on his knees but they usually just fall right down. It appears that he doesn't quite have the lower body strength he needs just yet. All this floor time definitely allows for some cute pictures.


EVERYTHING goes to the mouth these days!


My favorite part of this picture is the drool. :)

I just remembered that I'd promised some Cheerios pictures. He tried them for the first time on the 18th and he was not at all impressed. He acts like he's gagging when he tries to swallow them. That has freaked us out so much that we've decided to put a hiatus on the Cheerios for now. I bought some Gerber's Fruit and Veggie Puffs instead. He has tried the banana and sweet potato. He practically inhales those (sans the gagging) so we'll stick to them for now. I also experimented with some "real" food this weekend. We had a pasta dish with zucchini Saturday so I boiled some zucchini for him without salt, pepper, or butter. I also gave him some pasta that had been boiled without the salt. He didn't seem to take to it very well though. I tried again last night with green beans and he seemed more receptive to them so that's a good sign. Everyone tells me that once he gets the hang of the table food he won't want baby food again so I'm taking baby steps.


The only reason he's smiling here is because his daddy was standing behind me getting him to smile at the camera. Cheerios are no laughing matter for this little man. :)

Matthew and Jackie's Party

It's Monday so that means that it's time for another post. We had such a great weekend in Van Vleck. Matthew and Jackie's party was a blast. We got in around 9:00 Friday night. Sawyer did great in the car. We figured out from our Christmas trip that Sawyer needs me in the backseat with him during the last half of the trip. I was able to keep him entertained with various toys and even a couple of cookies. He doesn't seem to need us for the first half because he is usually napping. We left around the time of his afternoon nap both times so that seems to work out really well. I think we'll do that when we go back next month.

Saturday was also a big day because I was away from Sawyer from 10:30-5:00. That's the longest I've been away from him since he was born. I went to the hall in Needville to help decorate with Jackie, her sister Brenda, Mom, Aunt Net, Tammy, and Tracy while Sawyer stayed with Lorne, Larry, and Velma. Everything turned out really pretty. Tammy is really a pro at decorating. She designed the centerpieces. I told her that it's a shame that she's a successful dentist because she could make a mint at decorating for parties, showers, and weddings.

I'm posting lots of pictures. I wanted to really capture the day since Dad, Aunt Tisha, and Uncle Larry were unable to be there. Mr. Gibbens walked in and my heart leapt in my chest because I just knew that Dad was close by. I found out later that he's been down for a week waiting to do some work in Houston. It has been great knowing that Dad isn't alone in Wyoming because the Gibbens' are there as well. It wasn't the same without Dad there but I think that it was still a fun day.


The color scheme was really beautiful.


The registration table included pictures of Matthew and Jackie and the sign-in book.


The gift table.


Mom lighting the candles.


Matthew and Jackie in front of her cake. The topper was a groom with a ball and chain.


Feeding the bride's cake.


Cutting Matthew's cake.


Feeding each other the groom's cake.


These are pictures of Matthew's first squirrel, first fish, a picture of he and Mark holding their BB guns, and pictures of him fishing with friends. They were part of the groom's table decorations.


Matthew and Jackie during Mark's toast.


Bottom's up!


The boys.


Mark, Matthew, Jackie, and Jennifer.


Tracy fixed my hair for the party. I think that she did a great job!


Kristi, Fran, Mom, and Norma. They were talking about Extreme Makeover Home Edition being in East Bernard this week.


I had to have a picture with my brothers.


David, Gunner, Nell, David T., and Grace. Gunner is three and Grace is three months. I've known David since I was four years old.


Mom and Dad's friends: Bob, Fran, Karen, Trevor, Gena, Ed, Mike, Vicki, Darve, Jordan, Norma, Mrs. Betty, and Joe. The ladies call each other the Magnolias from the movie Steel Magnolias.


Rachael and Tommy are getting married on February 11th. We're looking forward to it!


Sawyer with Nanny.


Sawyer gave Brittany a helping hand while she took this picture.

I didn't take many pictures once the dance began because I was having too much fun dancing. Mom, Aunt Net, Tammy, and Aunt Dodie watched Sawyer in the kitchen so that I could enjoy myself during the dance. I'll try to take more pictures of the family at Rachael's wedding. I mostly danced with Brandon. He is a former roommate of Mark and is like another brother to me. He is hands down the best dancer I know, although nobody waltzes like my daddy. :) He and his wife Deanna came down from San Antonio. Brandon told me that he would dance with me three times. It was great because I think we actually danced five or six at least. I would have been happy with just one. I told him that I had to share him now since he's married and all. :) Lorne loves when Brandon's around because that takes the dancing pressure off of him. I think that if Lorne had the choice he'd prefer a root canal to a night of dancing.

Speaking of dancing, I actually lead the grand march with Jackie's best friend Jennifer. It was a hoot! It was only a fraction of the kind of march that Mom's cousin Gus and his wife Joan normally lead, but we did our best. Mom knows how to lead but she wouldn't do it without Dad. I guess that it's hard to dance with someone else when you've been dancing with the same person for over thirty-six years.


Matthew and Jackie cuttin' a rug.


The father-daughter dance.


The mother-son dance. My camera was too slow to get a picture with both of their faces...darnit!


Sawyer and Jackie during the Dollar Dance.

We also had a good time on Sunday. Brittany, Tyler, and Jordan spent Saturday night at Larry and Velma's so Ty and Jamie came for lunch on Sunday. Mom was also there to spend some more time with Sawyer. He napped for two hours so we had to set the egg timer while he was awake so that everyone could hold him. Velma made a delicious pork roast with mashed potatoes with gravy, broccoli with cheese sauce, peas, and pineapple-upside-down-cake. I ate everything but the peas and the cake but the rest was wonderful! We took a few pictures before everyone had to leave.


Tyler, Brittany, Jordan, and Sawyer.


I like this pose better but Britt and Jordan are looking at Jamie and Tyler and Sawyer are looking at me.


Sawyer and Mimi.


Sawyer and Nana.


I hate to publish this with the drool all over my arm and shoulder, but Lorne and Sawyer look too cute not to. I was telling Sawyer to smile when Velma snapped the shot.

I hope that everyone has a great week!

Milestones a Plenty

I'm sorry that I have become such a bad blogger. I have the best of intentions of blogging while Sawyer naps, but I usually end up doing crosswords or watching TV instead. Such is the life of the stay at home mom. :)

I am such a TV junkie. American Idol is back for a fifth season so all is right with the world. :) Survivor returns in a few weeks too! I also love watching Desperate Housewives, Grey's Anatomy, Lost, Medium, ER, Ghost Whisperer, Cold Case, and All My Children. I was very excited that Lost and Desperate Housewives both won Golden Globes. I have the new Bachelor taped but I haven't watched it yet. I mostly wanted to watch it to see the scenery of Paris. That city will always hold a special place in my heart. The premise of the show itself is pretty old news though I think. I also have a feeling that it will be like when they were in New York and all they really showed was the Empire State Building and that was it.

Speaking of New York, Lorne's still waiting to hear from Will Shortz at the NY Times about his crossword. He found a website the other day that mentioned that it could take one week to four months for Will to get back with him depending on how busy he is so we're keeping our fingers crossed. We just mailed it last Thursday so there's still lots of time. I just finished Lorne's fourth puzzle yesterday and I think it was pretty challenging. He's going to send that one in once he hears from Will one way or the other.

We had a good weekend I think. I ran errands and went to Curves Friday evening while Lorne stayed home with Sawyer. I know that I should be enjoying my time to myself, but all I do when I'm away from Sawyer is wonder what he's doing and if he's okay. Lorne takes excellent care of him so it's not that, but I just feel like I should be with Sawyer all the time. I thought that starting the weaning process might help some since he's not completely dependent on me for nourishment, but I am still feeling anxious when I'm away from him.

I had lunch with my friend Kristy on Saturday. I was very proud of myself because I actually went to another county without Sawyer which I think was a first. It was so great to see her again. Her two girls were home with their daddy so it was just the two of us. We talked about our kids the whole time so I asked her what we used to talk about before we had kids. It's hard to think of what our conversations were about. I have a hard time even trying to remember how I spent my free time before Sawyer was born. I feel like my own life started over once his began.

We had Stephen over for dinner on Saturday. He and Lorne used to work together until about four years ago when Stephen left to make video games which sounds like a pretty cool job. He and his sister and mom have an antique store in Rockwall so he stopped by on his way home from there. We hadn't seen him since before we went to Europe last year so it had been forever. Lorne grilled a sirloin and I baked potatoes and made a salad. I also made seven-layer dip and a chocolate cake. Everything was really yummy! I didn't have any of the cake because I'm still not eating chocolate (how am I still breathing?), but the rest was good.

We were straightening up the house before Stephen got here. We packed up Sawyer's bouncer chair and it made me really sad. He wasn't using it anymore now that he has his high chair but it was tough just the same. Lorne wanted to pack up his Gymini playmat but I just can't yet. I am kicking and screaming inside at how quickly time is passing. We got his new car seat in last week and I took some pictures of him testing it out. I had to rob a small country to pay for it but it will pay for itself with the safety features I think. It is also good until 65 pounds so hopefully he will be able to ride in it until he's fifteen or so. :) I'm going to wait until we get back from Matthew and Jackie's party to put him in it. I have an appointment to have the installation checked next Wednesday. It will be such a change since this car seat actually stays in the car unlike the carrier he has been in for the past seven months. We'll also have to pack up his Bugs on Board that hang from his current carrier handle and that will be tough for me to do too. He loves playing with those bugs.


Sawyer in his Britax Decathlon. He has the Cadillac of high chairs so he might as well have the Cadillac of car seats too.


Looks like he is a future shot-putter.

He isn't crawling yet but I think that it is just a matter of time. He lifts his chest off the floor and kicks his legs but not at the same time. He's also going to be in size three diapers soon which are "Cruisers" instead of the "Swaddlers New Baby" that he has been wearing since the beginning. I cleared out his closet last week and packed up all the clothes that he has outgrown which was a lot. He'll be eating the "2nd foods" and meat baby foods soon too and that is a big step. I bought him some Cheerios to try for the first time this week also. I'll be sure to take some pictures of that big event. I bought him a booster seat and he ate his cereal and pears while we had Mexican food at Uncle Julio's on Monday. That was his first meal out in a restaurant so it was a big deal. He has six teeth now and he's not afraid to use them. He actually left bite marks on my arm yesterday. I thought that I was feeding him enough but maybe I should reevaluate. :) Big steps, big events, big deals. It seems like everyday there's another milestone around here.

I had my Weight Watchers meeting today and I was up again. I have been gaining and losing the same five pounds and it's starting to get really old. I think part of the problem is that I got into this mindset that I am just going to be getting pregnant again eventually (hopefully sooner than later) anyway so what's the point of getting back to 160. Of course that is faulty thinking because I need to get back there to have the healthiest pregnancy and to make it better for my body in the long run. I wanted to be back by Sawyer's first birthday and that's going to be here before I know it so I think that I'm panicking. I also think that I'm having a tough time because I keep comparing this weight loss to last time and my body just isn't the same and my lifestyle has changed just a tad. The last time it was all about me. I went to grad school and lost weight and that was about it. I am determined to make a fresh start beginning today! I CAN DO THIS!!! The alternative is not something I would enjoy I know. I keep trying to remember what it felt like to weigh 273.8 pounds and how miserable that was.


I got the idea for this picture from my Texas Aggie magazine.

Sawyer is Seven Months Old!

Our little man is growing right before our eyes. It has been seven months, but I remember the day he was born like it was yesterday. Will that always be the case? Only time will tell I suppose, but for now I know that I will always be able to remember how it felt to see and hold him for the first time. Our tiny miracle was finally here after all of our patient (and sometimes not so patient) waiting and praying. It was such an amazing moment and I will treasure it forever.

I took fifty pictures of him this morning, trying to capture that smile (thank goodness for digital photography). It was nearly impossible to have him keep his hands off the bear so I finally stopped trying. I decided that it was cuter to have him try and eat the bear in the long run. I wish that I had a recorder so that I could capture his little laugh. He may not have smiled much but his little laugh just melts my heart no matter how many times I hear it.


Rick and Priscilla got him this cute onesie for Christmas.


This poor bear didn't stand a chance. It looked like it had been in the bathtub when Sawyer finished with it.


"Are we through yet, Mommy?"


Sawyer sans the bear.


I decided to resort to the old-fashioned way to get a picture of Sawyer and the bear too.

We had a good weekend. We went and had dinner with Conrad and Judi on Saturday. It was easier to get out at night after taking him out quite a bit while we were in Van Vleck. I'm getting to where I pack the diaper bag on auto-pilot, not thinking much about how it needs to be stocked before we leave the house. He did wonderfully except for when we first got there. I had to run out to the Tahoe to get something I forgot so I handed Sawyer to Judi. When I came back into the house I could hear him crying. He is apparently starting to be displeased when Mommy leaves him. He is also getting upset when I leave the room when we're alone. I keep telling him, "Even mommies have to use the restroom!" I don't think that he cares much, though. It's hard to make someone who wears Pampers 24-7 understand the need I think.

We finally got all of the Christmas decorations put up in the attic. The living room is back to normal thank goodness! Sawyer now has more floor space which is a good thing. I'm putting him on the floor more and more now that I have my carpet sweeper. It is awesome! All I have to do is run it over the living room floor and I feel much better about putting him down. I'm sure that there is some dog hair but not nearly as much as was there pre-sweeping. I'm also feeling better about having him on the floor with Rosie. As long as we pay attention to her too she could care less about Sawyer so that's good.

Lorne worked this weekend on revising his second crossword puzzle. He is working to submit it to the N.Y. Times so it is very exciting. It has a really neat theme. I worked it and I thought it was pretty tough. A puzzle is published each day but they get considerably more difficult as the week progresses with Saturday's being the toughest (I believe that is the case). I have a book of 250 N.Y. Times puzzles but I am only on Tuesday so that is what I'm using as a gauge. I'm loving working those puzzles! They are too much fun!

I hope that everyone is having a Happy Monday!

National Champions

It was so exciting to watch Texas win the National Championship last night, even though I'm an Aggie and bleed maroon as we say. Normally I root for A&M and then anyone who is playing Texas, but I have to admit that I was on the edge of my seat (well actually our bed) last night right along with everyone else. It's surprising to me that it has been thirty-five years since the great state of Texas has brought home a national championship. I just kept wondering how I would feel if it were A&M out there on that Rose Bowl field instead. I would be so ecstatic I know. Maybe some day...


Laura e-mailed this to me. I thought it was too cute!

Lorne went back to work Tuesday so it has been Sawyer, Rosie, and I for the past few days. I thought it would be pretty tough being on my own again after two weeks but we've settled back into our routine pretty well I think. I'm slowly but surely getting all of our Christmas stuff packed up. The living room always looks so empty once it's all packed away until next year.

Here's a picture of Sawyer because I can't blog without including one:


I can't figure out who he looks like here, but all I know is that he is changing everyday it seems like.

All I Want For Christmas

Sawyer got his two front teeth on the 17th, just in time for Christmas. He was a trooper once again. We hardly even knew he was teething if not for the huge amounts of drool and his constant chomping on his mother. His two side teeth are pushing through now.


Here's a partial view of his top teeth. He clams up like Fort Knox every time I try to snap a shot but Daddy is always good for a laugh.

I've started weaning him thanks to the teeth. Trust me, I knew he was teething! Looking back I probably should have persisted on reprimanding him or pumped and fed him from the bottle but I thought it was a good time to wean to the bottle so I went with it. We started on the 20th and he's now taking three bottles a day. I really didn't want to start while we were in Van Vleck but I was getting scared that he wasn't getting enough liquid and I was in so much pain. It didn't go so well at first but I think that he's warming up to the idea. I don't know how I feel about it yet. I wanted to nurse for a year but there's no turning back now I guess. I just keep telling myself that I have given him a great start. At least I still have the nighttime and early morning feedings so I'm just taking it one day at a time and enjoying it while it lasts since he doesn't bite then. It's taking some getting used to because the formula keeps him full longer. He's also having cereal three times a day so that's filling him up too. He's really packing on the pounds. I'm looking forward to the 12th when we go back to the ped so that I can see what he weighs. I think he gained five pounds over the holidays like his mommy, but that's another story.


Sawyer loves bananas! This cool contraption is supposed to deter choking. I froze a piece of banana and he devoured it (or as much as this thing allowed)!


Sawyer tried sweet potatoes for the first time. So far all he hasn't liked is peaches.

We had such a good time in Van Vleck. Sawyer was a champ but I knew (well I at least hoped) that he would be. It was so great to see so much of our family. I only wish that Great Aunt Tisha could have seen him too but she wasn't able to have visitors at the time. Everyone kept saying what a good baby he is. Dad said that he could be in a room with him and he'd never even know he was there he is so good. Dad said that those qualities weren't fair for a first child. I don't know how Mom and Dad had two more kids after me since I've heard stories of what kind of infant I was. Lorne and I are joking that we won't have more kids because we don't want to tempt fate! :) I know that God looked down on me and blessed me with this wonderful baby who seems to be raising himself he is so easy-going.

We stay at Larry and Velma's while we're there so that's where started Christmas day. Sawyer woke up and we moved him across the floor to all of his Santa gifts. I think we over-stimulated him because he was ready for a nap really early. Lorne put him down for a nap while we opened all of his gifts. It seems like he got enough toys to last him until his first birthday. I guess next year will be better as far as the unwrapping goes. He will probably do more than try to eat the bows and paper.


I'm excited that we now have our own pajama-clad, no makeup-wearing Christmas morning pictures.


Sawyer and his Drop & Roar Dinosaur.


Sawyer with his Move and Crawl ball.


I thought this made a cute picture with the three generations together with Papa looking down on Daddy looking down on his son.

Next it was on to Mom and Dad's. Dad barbecued chicken for Jackie and I and Mom fried oysters for everyone else. It wasn't the same without Aunt Tisha and Uncle Larry. We even had oysters left over since Uncle Larry wasn't there. :) I didn't take many pictures there unfortunately because I was playing Santa and handing out the gifts.


Dad opening his sausage stuffer from Mark.


Thanks for the Learning Puppy Uncle Mark!

Ty, Jamie, Brittany, Tyler, and Jordan came over to Larry and Velma's Christmas night and we opened gifts again. What a fun day!


Uncle Ty and Aunt Jamie showing Sawyer his Learning Tad.


Cousin Britt with the little man. Here's one for your screensaver Britt.


Tyler with his Star Wars Battle Set.


Jordan with her American Girl loot

Mom and Dad made it to Wyoming. They left last Tuesday and got there on Friday. What a long trip! Mom flew back on Monday. I talked to her last night and she sounded a little sad but she seems to be staying busy. Dad seems to be really excited about his new job. I talked to him the other night and he was already on the jobsite. He sounds so close on the phone. I know that I don't get to see Mom and Dad all the time but I know that I can normally see them in a matter of hours but now Dad is just so far away. It's like Mark all over again, not knowing when I'll get to see him again. I'm hoping that he'll make tons of money and be able to fly back to the Lone Star State soon.


Sawyer got to spend some time with Dad before he left for Wyoming.


Grandfather and Sawyer

I have lots more pictures to share from our time in Van Vleck. I also have pictures of Matthew and Jackie's ceremony so happy reading!