Lady's Night

Our walk around the lake.  A couple of miles really lets you do some catching up.  Very good times (and adult conversation).

Shannon doing an admirable job with a squirmy baby.

Owen loves gumming Jen's shoulder. 

My cousins Shannon and Jen are in town.  It's great to see them and I'm happy they are able to meet Owen.  Carrie and I took them out on our nightly constitutional around Chaparral Park.  It's hot here but it's tough to argue with some of the sunsets we get.  With mild arm twisting action we got Carrie to part with Owen and go out on a girl's night tonight.   They're out at Carrie's favorite dive bar, The Coach House.  I'm waiting for the first phone call.

Chip Off The Old Block

After hearing that Owen looks so much like me when I was a kid, it looks like we have the photograph we need to make the determination.  Although he does look quite a bit like me, I think some of the similarity comes from the fact that a lot of babies look alike.  I'm glad we don't look exactly alike because (aside from that being just a tad creepy) it means that he's going to get some of his mom's traits too.  Plus, maybe he won't get this gene.  I have to admit, though, this side by side comparison is kind of a fun thing to be able to do.  

Chattin' It Up

Owen's latest thing is to start cooing when you engage him in conversation.  It's very fun and every once in a while he gets emphatic about something and it makes us smile.  This is happening more frequently these days.  It is kind of crazy how quickly he is developing.  He's going very fast and very slow at the same time.  I suppose that's the conundrum of parenthood.  There is never going to be a golden period of absolute awesomeness, it's always the frustrations intertwined with the rewards.  I think the trick is to manage the frustrations in a healthy, constructive manner while taking pleasure in the moments like this.

Owen's A Bad-Ass

Once you get that eyebrow thing down, everyone kind of gets out of your way.  Some people learn this early and some never do.  Owen has it and he's ready to crack skulls.  

Going, Going, Gone

Owen has started to enjoy sitting up.  He still needs assistance so we often sit him in the Boppy or prop him up against pillows.  He is getting pretty good at holding his head up but it can still be a little heavy for him.  (His "melon ball" as we lovingly call his head.)

We make sure to place Owen in the middle of the bed and keep a close eye on him because without fail, this is what happens:

He tips over.  It is adorable to watch.  He is sitting quietly and then his heads starts tipping slowly... slowly... and the next thing you know he is on his face.  The funny thing is that he doesn't get upset.  He just lays there like a little rag doll waiting to be propped up again.

Such a cutie. 

Open Letter to Mom and Dad

Mom and Dad:

I would very much like to discuss the topic of my cheeks and their quality of supposed "squeezeability."  First off, I'm not one hundred percent that squeezability is a word, so if you would, please refrain from using it as my cheeks' predominant characteristic.  Secondly, and arguably more importantly, please stop squeezing my cheeks.  As you can plainly see, it scares the hell out of me.  If I derived any enjoyment from this activity, I assure you, I would not bring this subject to your attention.  Unfortunately, this is not the case.  My hope is that this menacing activity stops for the betterment of our entire family.  

Yours,

Owen

P.S. Let's try not to get our attorneys involved in this.

Pudgy Babies Are The Best Babies

Man I love those chubby little thighs, chubby little wrists and (gradually forming) chubby little stomach.  Plus don't even get me started on those cheeks.  Absolutely squeezable.  

Owen Doing His Best Dr. Evil

I will blow up your city unless you give me... One Million Dollars!  Muah ha ha!

This One Goes Out to You Dave

The other day my uncle Dave asked me if I had held Owen up to the moon yet.  At first I thought he was on his paranoia of werewolves kick again, but he explained to me that he had held me up to the moon in a situation somewhat similar to this when I was born.  He also did this with my sister and his own son, Kyle.  My dad has pictures of these events somewhere, apparently.  Dave and I lived together for a while during my developmental years and I feel like he and I share a special relationship.  So, in honor of your birthday and your baffling notion that this is something that you do with kids Dave, this one's for you.  

Fine Tuning Needed

Owen has put together that if he points to his mouth he gets milk.  It's his new favorite gesture (well, it's his only gesture really), but he uses it a lot.  There is direct eye contact and a polite gesturing to his mouth.  If his request is not granted things get a little messy, but when recognized, life remains civil.  It's also pretty fun to watch his uncoordinated hands point to anything in the vicinity of his mouth.  Like his ear.

Happy Father's Day

I think every family has a picture like this.  Dad asleep with the baby on the couch.   This photo represents everything that a father is: patient, strong, quiet and always there when you need someone to lean on.  

Happy Father's Day.

He Doesn't Get That From His Mom

4 Days Old

7 Weeks Old

The kid is going to be tall.  Owen has Ed's looks and Uncle CJ's height. Owen had his two month doctor appointment yesterday.  He is almost 12 lbs and is 25 inches long.  He is in the 97th percentile for his height.  

Ed and I have a bet on when he is going to surpass me in height.  Ed thinks it will happen when Owen is 11.  I am betting it will happen when he is 14.   Come on! - I still have a good 3 feet on the kid. 

Our Nightly Ritual

It is officially summer in Arizona.  The temperature is consistently 100 degrees.  This makes it a little difficult to do things with Owen during the day.  Instead we have started going on nightly walks around 7:30 pm.  The sun has pretty much set and the temperature is a balmy 90 degrees.  We put Owen in the Baby Bjorn and walk around a neighborhood we live next to.  We love this neighborhood and the people who live there have started to recognize us.  Many people wave as they sit on their front porches and we have had quite a few conversations with people as we walk by their homes.  It seems no one can resist a dangling baby. 

The walk is followed up by bath time.   Owen is finally liking bath time.  After the walks we are usually a little sweaty so I think this feels good to him.  Plus he is slowly starting to have fun in the bath and splashes the water. 

Then we put his pajamas on and feed him while rocking in the glider.  About 45 minutes later, the above picture is what we see.  He is starting to sleep through the night and wakes up around 4:00 or 5:00 am.  I never thought I would see so many sunrises.  

After he is tucked away we pour ourselves a glass of wine and crash around 10:30.  And that is the nightly ritual of Ed, Carrie and Owen.  Life is tiring but pretty damn good. 

Smile-A-Thon 2008

Sorry about going nuts with practically the same pictures, but this guy was going crazy with the smiles this morning and I couldn't pick just one.  So... it would appear that we have a happy baby on our hands.  Enjoy.

What Are You Looking At?

Did you know that when babies are first born they can't focus more than 8-15 inches away? Plus they can only see limited colors.  True story.  Well Owen is beginning to see objects farther away and can focus more clearly. He has started tracking things and has become captivated by the ceiling fan.   

Ed's boss gave Owen that frog and the two like to have staring contests now.  The frog usually wins but Owen puts up a good fight. 

Just Because He Looks So Damn Cute

No story behind this picture.  He is just cute.  

Getting His First Taste Of Granola

We went to Owen's first farmer's market on Saturday.  Phoenix's public market is somewhat pitiful as of today, but they have stated that they have their sights set on Seattle's Pike Place Market.  Ambitious words, but considering that when we were living near the market and would go there it was little more than three booths strung together, it's making progress.  Through tenacity, determination and a healthy dose of public enthusiasm for revitalization, Phoenix will have a nice little situation on their hands sometime soon.  I've heard it said that you can tell how well a city is doing by the amount of construction going on.  If this measure is correct, Phoenix, with construction on every corner as well as down the center of the streets for light rail, is doing quite nicely for itself.  

 

As you can see, Owen was enthralled by the outing.  What are you going to do?  By the way, what do you wear to your first farmer's market?

Your Ralph Nader onesie, of course.