Raymond Russell Park

We had a blast at the park two weekends ago. Can't wait till the next time.


He loves his swing



Picnic Time!

Our Spread

Tunnels



Since Great-Meemaw and Great-Pawpaw were nearby, we went to be with them as well.



Multi-Tasker

Saying cheese and getting situated on the slide is harder than it looks y'all!

Sunnies

First experience with Mom's sunglasses. Glad the weren't expensive ones. Once I got them back, they were nice and greasy, Gross!

Water Hose

Yesterday since it was 106*, we decided to experiment with the water hose. It was Andrew's first time plaing with it. It took him a little while to become comfortable with the water but once he did, you couldn't take it away.

Mother's Day

Since Andrew had the "poop" incident, he is needing some everyday shoes.  After work today we went over to La Cantera to meet Clay and get some new shoes for little man.  Andrew usually gets fed dinner at 6:00p and we still had about an hour before then to browse and shop.  During that time, Clay thought it would be great to celebrate my Mother's Day while we were out and eat at PF Changs.  YUM!  I did not argue with that decision one bit.  It was not that busy inside so we were seated very quickly.  We sat Andrew down in the highchair like normal and he sat there like the sweet little boy that he is.  I looked over to my right and a little girl maybe a few months older than Andrew was sitting there eating her rice and chicken so calmly and quietly and I was thinking to myself, Andrew is soo good.  He can do that also and more.  I swear he heard what I was thinking because I had just turned to him to give him a kiss and he turned on me.  The sweet little angel that was just sitting there became unhinged.  Rice was flying, you had to duck from the broccoli and he was inches from tumbling out of the highchair. So to alleviate the situation, I opted to take him out of the restaurant to calm him down a bit.  We walked outside for a while and when he had regained his composure, we went back in.   As I tried to set him back in the highchair, all hell broke lose.  He started writhing and screaming.  No food was helping ... that just went on the floor.  We try to respect the other diners and not be "those" parents that have screaming kids in a restaurant, so Clay started getting everything ready for a quick get-away when I kept on telling him that Andrew was fine and he just needed to be talked to in a soothing manner.  I think my delusion of the sweet little girl from across the table kept me from not packing it in right then.  But as if on cue, Andrew threw himself into me, mind you he was already sitting on my lap, and clapped my jaw together. 

That was it.  My patience had reached its threashold.  My brain usually can multi-task when needed but when there is a screaming child involved it zeroes in on that child and that is its sole focus.  So while I am focusing on Andrew, Clay was telling me to take him home.  My brain is not computing this correctly and I am still thinking that we arrived together in one vehicle (which we did not) and in my brain, I am cursing him saying 'Where the f*** would you like me to go? We came in one car.'  He just looks at me crazy and I grab Andrew to take him over to the hostess stand to put him in the stroller.  As I am trying to turn it around to put him him, it starts to tip over becuase we have too much weight at the handle.  OMG!!! I am about to lose it.  I seriously am going to put this child down and start screaming in the middle of PF Changs!  I call Clay over to help me before I do and we are off.  Andrew and I are off to my car and he is golden now.  No crying or wiggling just perfect.  WHERE WAS THIS IN THE RESTAURANT?!  ARRGGH!

We get to the car, I unlock the doors and proceed to take Andrew out of the stroller but as I do, the stroller starts to tip back again because of the weight.  Holy Lord!  I am going to kill something.  I jerk my purse of the handle and it lands with a thud on the road only to spill out everywhere.  Yeah, that just happened.  While I take Andrew out of the stroller and try to pick up my belongings on the road, Andrew starts to wiggle.  Oh, no!  This wiggling does not stop and now he is pushing my face away with his hands.  I didn't realize it until I had everything in hand .. purse and Andrew, that he had wiggled so much it rolled up my blouse almost up to my boobs and my muffin top was fully exposed.  On Full Display!  I am mortified!  I take a few very deep breaths, click him into his car seat, throw the stroller and all of the bags in the car, pull my blouse down and we are leaving.  I have never been this out of control and I didn't like it one bit.  The whole way home I had to take deep breaths just to calm down and not call Clay just to get mad at him. 

By the time we reach the house, I have gained my composure and am about to take Andrew out of the car seat until I notice that he is fast asleep.  Poor Little Lamb ... he was just tired.  How am I supposed to know that?  He usually gives me signs ... rubbing the face, yawning, crying .... there it was.  The crying.  I had completley overlooked it thinking it was him throwing a fit and he was telling me he was tired.  I felt awful! 

Happy Mother's Day to me!

Poop on YOU!

... and we are BACK!  It has been a while since I have caught y'all up on anything going on in the Ochoa household and I figured this particular story was the right one to kick-start us off again.

So, Andrew turned 15 months on the 26th of April and I am not sure if that automatically flips a switch within toddlers brains to go from acting cute and silly to trantrums and squirmy.  But here were are in the full throws of toddler-hood and he is everybit of that and more.  His latest feat is to not be laid down to change his diaper.  Nothing short of a head-lock is keeping this guy from flipping over. 

So on Tuesday morning, after he was bored watching his shows on Baby First TV (sidenote: if you have Direct TV it is Channel 293, awesome station for little ones), he comes to find me in our bedroom as I finish fixing my face and getting the girls (Sophie and Lexi) off the bed.  I see him come in the room as I am on the opposite side of the bed and he wanders in our bathroom for a brief second before I telling him to "come on" time to go to school.  He follows me out and we walk to the spare bedroom to put the girls up.  I try not to let him in the room as Lexi gets a little territorial in her kennel.  I have learned that when you tell a toddler no and try to move them out of the way, a tantrum ensued.  I picked him up, looked at the time (running late, of course) and then I smelt it.  That smell that I always get when I have about 5 minutes to leave the house on time.   Yup, you guessed it, POOP!  Every. Single. Time I am about to leave the house, there it is.  Really?!  Sometimes, I get so lucky to actually get him almost in his seat when I smell it.  I think he does this to spite me.  It is just too coincidental. 

Anyway, I carry him from the spare bedroom to his room, which is right next door, and proceed to lay him on his back to change his diaper.  This does not go well.  He starts to cry and kick me in the stomach as my stomach is perfect height to his feet.  While this is happening and I am trying to calm this child down, I notice that this smell has completly gotten stronger, enough to where I am thinking he just completely poo'd his pants and it is just everywhere.  That would have  been the easy way out.  I look down at his feet and to my utter dismay, his shoes are covered in dog poop!!!   Not just barely stepped in or a little bit, but picture fresh mud .. now step in it.  When it smushes on your shoe it covers your shoe, front back, sides, everywhere.  This is the case with the poop.  How this child managed to do this, I will completely be at a loss.  I remove his shoes, look at the poop (yes, I have to look at it) and this poop has sunflower seeds and what looks like popcorn in it.  WTH!?  I am so confused at this point, but to make it worse, my blouse that I just put on has a perfectly nice smear of poop from where Andrew was kicking me, and from where I was carrying him, it was on my black pants.  ARE YOU KIDDING ME!?  This has to happen right now?!  Ugh! After about 10 minutes of panting, sweating and crying from both of us, I finally managed to change him, put new pants and shoes on him and send him on his way only to plow into the bathroom and find the closest wash cloth and soap to clean my pants.  I had no time to change the pants, they had to endure my harsh scrubbing in order for me not to smell like a Port-O-Potty, but i was able to slip on a new blouse.   I went searching through the house for the culprit but the only clue I could find were just his little steps leading from the hall to his bedroom.  No big clumps or logs, just steps.  Either way, we were clean, nasty shoes are in the garbage and we are off.   I try to put this whole scenario away in the back of my head until I get to work, and look down at my feet.  I have a huge spot of poop on the cuff of my pant.  OF COURSE!!  I will never win against this thing called POOP!  Great start to Tuesday morning!

Surgery

Yesterday, Andrew had his very first surgery.  Thankfully it wasn't a serious one but nonetheless an important one.  He had been getting ear infections pretty regularly and when I say regularly, we knew that at the beginning of the month every month he had one.  When he first started getting the ear infections, his appetite would start to slow down, slow down enough to where we would become concerned.  After a couple months, we noticed that as soon as he started to get congested and have runny noses, he had an ear infection.  The sad part was that Andrew had become so immune to having the pain in his ears it didn't bother him anymore.  He would just fidget with whichever ear it was that had the infection.  Finally after have ear infections for 3 months straight and getting prescribed antibiotics for it, it was time to see the Ear Nose and Throat doctor.  No offense to our pediatrician, who is really great at what she does, it just seem that we were waiting far too long with no real solution for his ear infections.  We saw the Pedi ENT on Tuesday, by that afternoon we had a surgery scheduled for the next day, Wednesday and he was back in daycare on Thursday.  Whew!!  I had to rest just saying that!   Tuesday's appointment went smoothly, but one look at Andrew and his ENT knew that this kid needed ear tubes and quickly.  Luckily there was a cancelled slot open for that Wednesday and we took it.  I was a jumble of nerves and anxiety-stricken.  Andrew and Clay were as cool as cucumbers.  Both his MeeMaw and Mimi and two Aunts were able to come and be with us as he was having the surgery.  He went in to the OR very strong and without a whimper.  Clay and I were told to wait for him in the recovery area and I kid you not, from the time we were directed to that area and just sat down, he was out of surgery.  It was THAT quick!  We couldn't see him just yet because they had to monitor him for a while but once they let us back there, I was in full fledge Momma-mode.  He was laying on his back with the air-mask barely over his little mouth but once they moved it he started waking up and he was frantic.  He didn't know where he was or what had happened, he only knew that his ears hurt and he felt wierd.  He cried for a good two hours straight with eating little bits of yogurt in between crying fits.  Then as if it was right on cue, he stopped and was back to happy Andrew.  What a day!  But from that day forward, he has been able to walk better, eat better, talk more.  It has been amazing!  He sure did hurt for quite a while before those tubes but we are all the better for it once he got them in.  He is one strong little boy!

Chucky Cheese ....

one of the many places that we will be venturing to in the years to come.  We took Andrew there this past Sunday to celebrate his cousin Jaxon's 3rd birthday.  He was very taken by all the noise and the lights!  Everything was soo new and exciting to him.  He didn't mind the yelling, loved when the older kids (I say older but they were between 5 and 10 yrs old) would run and jump in front of him and of course when he saw Chucky for the first time.  I only took a few pictures of the day but the ones I got were pretty cute

First meeting

He loved the steering wheel and kept moving
while the car was in motion.



.

I now pronounce you ... The McAvoys

I am a little late in posting this but better late than never.  The weekend of the 7th was a big weekend for us (mostly me).  Our very best friend married his lady love in Austin and since we went to the wedding that meant Andrew had his first sleepover without Mom and Dad.  Oh Lord! 

Since Clay was the best man, he had to leave a day early to perform his best man duties (ie: attending the rehearsal dinner, helping the bride and groom with odds and ends and last minute errands).  No problem, that will give me time to spend with Andrew before I drop him off.  Our night was really good, he didn't give me too much trouble and I was able to pack him up without problems.  The next day (7th), I packed all his belongings up (I mean ALL his belongings) and drove him to Meemaw's house.  Everything went really well, I set up alot of his toys and playpen before I left, answered any lingering questions and kissed my little man goodbye for the night.  I was doing really great until I called Clay driving home.  The first thing Clay asked was if I was doing ok and then the floodgates opened.  I cried all the way home and when I got home I put some of Andrew's dirty clothes away and I couldn't help but smell them.  I know crazy right, not for this lady.  I missed my little man and I just dropped him off.  I couldn't help it.  I had asked his Meemaw to send me some pictures throughout the day just to update me and she went well beyond my request.  He was doing amazing and I didn't have anything to worry about.  This wedding was going was going to be awesome and my little boy was in great hands, what more could I ask for?!  Well, hoping my liver didn't fail me was high on my list as well.  I have not been out and about since before Andrew was born (over a year and a half) so being in a situation that compromised it was a little un-nerving. 

I have been to numerous weddings before, not to mention my own, and I have seen the whole display of love, nervousness and excitement. I have been to the receptions filled with dancing and music and silliness. And I have witnessed the relief and stress of what a day can do to the two people who just want to be one.  I saw all of that with exception of the stress.  It couldn't be less stress-free if you tried.

This wedding is very near and dear to my heart. You see, Clay and I have alot of history with this couple, Will and Christine. At times it was shaky (alot shakier than I care to admit) but more often it is pretty freaking awesome! We have seen when this couple became a couple, when their affection went from "I really like you" to "I love you" or as one of the groomsman put it "went from immature love to mature love" (I loved that by the way Brad). Will has been in Clay and my lives since we all met at Fox and Hound in San Antonio back in 2001. Our friendship has lasted through the first apartment in Austin and the infamous Jenga game when Clay-came-back-home-with-a-hickey-that-he-swears-was-from-Will (yeah) to the "Frat House of Firewheel Hollow" to being there for me when my "Papu" died to to being the Best Man at our wedding to when Clay's "Meemaw" died to being the Godfather to our baby boy Andrew and now when Clay is the Best Man in his wedding. There are many more memories that I should put in here but those are the main ones. Our friendship with Christine has solidified in the recent years and she is someone I would have in my corner, no questions asked. She is thoughtful, creative, loving and passionate and most importantly she loves Will and will do everything and anything in her power to make him happy and protect him. It wasn't long ago when I had my reservations about her. Yes, yes, I have to admit I was not easy to get along with back when they first started dating (hard to believe, I know). My protective sister mode was on and stayed on far too long.  You see, my friends are very very important to me. I am not one to easily make friends with just about anyone. Clay on the other hand makes friends with strangers in the supermarket. I am more guarded with my feelings and who gets to be in my life. You can call me selective. But once you are in my circle of friends, I love and hold tight. You are my family now and I protect family, something fierce.

And on Friday, my family got married. I was over the top emotional. I have seen these two together many many times and have seen their relationship blossom and strengthen but it wasn't until the actual wedding ceremony that I really saw what their love was all about. I saw the raw emotion from Will, the willing to protect from Christine, the way they meant each and every word of their vows and the promise they made together forever. Usually every ones focus is the bride when she comes down the aisle but I couldn't resist a glimpse of the groom of when he first sees her. His face lit up with such love and emotion when he saw her, it was breathtaking.

Their wedding is definitely one for the books. It was classy and subtle with lots of laughter and sometimes tears (good ones), craziness and cupcakes (oh gawd, they were awesome). Great friends coming together, meeting new people and celebrating the meaning of love.

Will and Christine, I write this in honor of you.  You both are an inspiration to those who believe in fighting for who they love and the "happily ever after" that comes with it.   I wish you all the happiness in the world.  May you continue to support, learn and believe in each other.  Marriage is one tough cookie.  It takes both and as I am no expert, I am still learning everyday.   Everyday with your best friend is a blessing and not one to take lightly. 

I leave you with one of my favorite poems that sums up what I saw on your day perfectly.  I love you guys more than you know and can't wait to make new memories with the McAvoys! 
 

I carry your heart with me

by

E. E. Cummings

 

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in

my heart) i am never without it (anywhere

i go you go, my dear; and whatever is done

by only me is your doing, my darling)

i fear

no fate (for you are my fate, my sweet) i want

no world (for beautiful you are my world, my true)

and it's you are whatever a moon has always meant

and whatever a sun will always sing is you

here is the deepest secret nobody knows

(here is the root of the root and the bud of the bud

and the sky of the sky of a tree called life; which grows

higher than soul can hope or mind can hide)

and this is the wonder that's keeping the stars apart

i carry your heart (i carry it in my heart)

 P.S. please forgive the quality of the pictures, this smart girl left her memory card for the camera at home and had to take pics from her phone .. oh, and my liver survived and I stayed awake until 4:00am the next morning!  Uber proud of myself!

The Grooms kicks



First Dance



more of the first dance

Out of the House

I love Andrew being the age he is now (8 months) becuase not only can we get out of the house without worrying about rushing home to have him fed but he is old enough that everything is catching his attention .. I mean everything.

Saturday we made plans to meet my sister for breakfast at The Guenther House downtown.  I kind of winced at the fact that I need to get up early on my day off but did it anyway.  Andrew sleeps till about 7:00 or 7:30 on the weekends so YES my much needed sleep time is what I was missing out on.  Anywho, we were up and about at 6:15 and out the door by 8:00am.  So far so good.  We packed up his food, bottles, diapers blankets (since it was a little chilly) and the stroller and off we go.  We arrived to Guenther House in record time and if you have never gone, I would totally recommend going especially getting there at 8:00am .. no lines and it just feels soo good.  My mother, sister and I went there one time prior when I was pregnant, arriving at 10:00 and had to wait for 45 min!  Heavens!  Being pregnant and waiting are not a good combo for this lady.  Thankfully like I said there were no lines and we whizzed on in.  Andrew sits in a highchair now so that helps a whole lot with us going out to eat.  Breakfast was amazing and filling. 



My guys at Guenther

Since we were downtown already we hit up the Farmers Market at the Pearl Brewery.  This is my sisters domain.  She is all about this place.  I haven't been downtown in I don't know how many years and it all looks so different.  My time downtown was usually spent at PolyEsthers, MadDogs or Howl at the Moon.  At night. Eons ago!  Learning new places to go is awesome .. I mental noted the places we went and sights I saw so I can take Andrew when he gets a little older. 

Did you ask for the small pepper mill?



Passed out

As we were leaving the Market, I asked Clay what time it was and he said "Guess".  I don't know about noon?  He said 10:30a!  Holy Crap!  We have done what felt like alot in only that small amount of time and it is still the morning!!  I gotta get up early and out of the house more often!  To early to go home and Andrew was coming up on his next bottle so we parked it in a parking lot for a few minutes to feed and chill, all the while little man is just taking it all in.  He lets us know when he is fussy/tired and we stop everything to let him rest and nap for a while. 

With Andrew fed and napping we decide to go shop at the Quarry.  Another place that I haven't been to in a


courtesy of Toms shoes

 while.  I forgot how much I loved it there.  First place we stopped into was Whole Earth Provisions.  This place is pretty cool, a little bit too hippy for my taste but Clay likes to check it out, so in we went.  We bee-lined it to the shoes and I found Andrew the cutest little Toms shoes ever!I had to restrain myself from buying him a couple more but seriously, have you ever seen anything cuter than these?!

Clay made his way back to us from checking out the mens section of shoes.  I was in the process of getting the shoes on Andrew to show & tell with Clay when out of nowhere, he asked me if I had farted?  Uhh, excuse me?!  No my dear you are severely wrong! was my response.  Like I would have the audacity to "fart" in Whole Earth Provisions!  Pfft!  But now I smelt it also.  We checked our shoes and nothing.  The only other thing was staring back at us in the stroller.  So I did the mom thing and pick him up and smelt his behind.  Nothing.  Next check was to open one side of his shorts and diaper to make sure there wasn't anything lurking by peeking in.  Well, lets just say I didn't need to peek in.  I had just flipped him over to check when I grabbed the inside of the diaper and my index finger caught the mush.  Jesus, Mary & Joseph, my index finger is covered in poop!!!!!  We were both either stunned or mesmerized by the sight of it .. ahem smell of it.  Holy Crap!! Literally!  Before any other patrons could see what just happened Clay whipped out a wipey and cleaned up the finger.  I, therefore, took Andrew to the restroom and cleaned up much more than the finger.  Lucky me!  Crisis averted and baby is clean again ... so is the finger.  Whew!

We contined on to out window shopping then eating at wonderful P.F. Changs.  We got settled in and started ordering.  In between ordering I was feeding Andrew his lunch.  He was getting pretty tired so we slipped him into his carrier covered it with a sheet to block out the light that was blazing on him and some of the sounds and while he slept, Clay and I had a mini lunch date.  It was amazing!  We hadn't gone out, just the two of us, in a while and even though we had Andrew with us asleep, it still was amazing. 

To cap off the day, we scooted into Old Navy to buy Andrew's Halloween costume which is a secret and then to Babies R Us for some neccesites, I mean toys for Andrew.  Ok, seriously how do people walk out of there and not spend over $150?!!  It's impossible! Even when you are not trying to, you still do it.  

We stopped by the house to let the dogs out, put up leftovers and feed Andrew his bottle.  Then a quick change and we were off again to eat dinner with Clay's family and a couple of family friends.  These family friends haven't seen Andrew since was in hospital when he was born so thier reaction to his was priceless.  Oooh-ing and Ahh-ing all over him.  He loves the attention.  He sat in his highchair for the second time today ... big time deal .. and was eating chicken and peas for dinner.  He kept looking around and sipping on his sippy cup of water.  What I failed to observe was that he was drinking more water than eating and he wasn't telling me that he was getting full.  After one more spoonful of this chicken and peas, his eyes started to glass over and drool began to pour out of his mouth.  I quickly recognized that, see that that is what I do when I know something is not right with my stomach and what went down is about to come right back up.   The rest ... well I will let my husband tell it as I went into panic mode and can't remember the details as well as he.

In the words of Clay ...
So we went to BJ's where my son decided he was too full and unloaded 5 gallons of turkey and peas on my chest and crotch.  No big deal, until I am walking around the restaurant (smelling amazing) trying to find the bathroom (which apparently is a secret) and my wife is running around like a chicken (sans head).   So she gets him cleaned up while I removed my soaked shirt (now down to a wife beater) and he is only wearing a diaper and this is how we make our exit.  I know all those people waiting in line are looking at me and Andrew going "who goes out in just a wifebeater and why don't they put some clothes on their kid".

All we needed was movie-ending music to cue the end of our very "filled" day.

After a bath and a good feeding, both boys were passed out by 8:30p.   To say we had an eventful day is a big understatement!  It was good, bad and ugly but lesson learned.  We will most definantly do it again, just hopefully with out the vomit.  Till next time.

Month 7

Dear Andrew,

You turned 7 months and all of sudden you a learning faster than I could have imagined. There are many milestones that you have conquered this month and every one of them has left momma and dadda speachless. In month 6 you were preparing your little body to start sitting on your own. It was a slow process, one which we had to keep the Boppy behind your little body for fear you would lose balance and topple over, hitting your head on our not-so-comfy carpet. Once your confidence caught up with your balance, there was no stopping you from sitting for minutes on end surrounded by your colorful toys and animals. It was a step that I was hoping for but not yet ready because that meant you were growing up.









When we had taken you to your 6 month checkup, the Dr. told us that we could start you on a sippy cup. That was great to hear. As soon as we got you home, a sippy cup was filled with cool water and given to you to try out. At first you thought it was a bottle and lunged for it, mouth open and hands to the sides. When you clamped down on it, nothing came out and it wasn't tilted up in your favor so you gave up, grabbed the handle and threw it to the ground. What a personality! So we abandoned the issue for a couple of weeks.  We finally decided to try again when you were being fussy and no toy or cuddle could comfort you.  As soon as you saw the cup, you had to have it.  You didn't know what to do with it at first, sucking on the bottom of the cup instead of the sippy, and waving it about like a flag.  But I showed you how to hold it by me doing it and "viola" you did it yourself.  Talk about monkey-see monkey-do.





Month 7 also broughth on your first infection .. the dreaded ear infection.

It started off as a regular old cold that that is how it stayed for a weekend until the next week and it became a full-fledged infection. You were pretty comfortable until we started you on the anitbiotics. Holy moly, was that a new experience for your mommy and daddy. They don't tell you about these things whenever you are pregnant, so we strapped in for the long haul. The moment we gave you the antibiotics, your fever skyrocketed to 103.5! We were scared! We had given you a lukwarm bath, had cold compresses on your little head and on your body to try to cool you off (it barely made a dent) and gave you cold water and Pedialyte to drink to keep you at least hydrated.



You are growing up too fast, my baby.  I can barely keep up sometimes.  Your curiousity is amazing even if it means trying to play with the dogs toys.  You are starting to sleep through the night and your appetite is growing.  Sometimes you get mad that I am not fast enough feeding you your fruit/cereal or your favorite sweet potatoes and corn.  Everyday is a new adventure for you but just watching you go through that new adventure is the best feeling I could ever imagine. 






Your reflection is the best thing.  The way you look at yourself, trying to figure out who that is looking back .. I can almost see the wheels in your brain turningl, learning all about you.



I love you little boy!  More than you know!

Can't believe you will be 8 months on the 26th!  I am ready to see what that month holds for us!

Love,
Mom

Moving on up ...

 All around the majority of Texas and parts of the United States, little tykes are either starting/going back to school.  What that usually translates to is fun, fun, fun for the kiddos and tears and anxiousness of getting home for the parents, wanting to hear all about thier day.  Today I can proudly state that my little kiddo, Andrew, started his new "big boy" class in Nursery 2 at Bright Ideas Daycare yesterday.  His move up date coincidentally fell on the same day that public school started so it was a pretty cool experience, minus the headache of traffic.  He took to his new class like a fish to water and didn't look back and I have to admit, did pretty good with the transition. 

We have come a good ways from when he first started there at 8 weeks old.



First day at daycare in Nursery 1
3/26/11



Starting in Nursery 2
8/22/11

Since his first class only had 4 babies in there, it was relatively quiet.  This class has 8 babies between the ages of 7 and 10 months.  There is crying, screaming, crawling, babbling and everything you can think of.  Andrew was pretty much amused for the most part, just taking it in.  But as soon as it was time for him to nap, the noise became too much and he was fussy-pants.   Needless to say he slept a good while at home, so much so that I had to wake him up so that he would be able to drink his last bottle and sleep good all night. 

My baby is growing up ... too fast, I think.   

Bye Bye Birdie

He won't take a pacifier but he'll devour his pet bird



The Victim
Note: the top little feather is made of felt and the wings are his handle bars




Got It!




Look Ma, no hands




The bird is toast!

P.S. he doesn't neglect his other toys, no way, but as soon as he can see his bird in his peripheral vision he turns towards it and in the mouth it goes.

A Hard Lesson to Learn ... Twice

Babies need to come with manuals. Period. 

Read what you need to read and skip what you need to skip but right before you leave the hospital after you have that love-filled butterball, the staff needs to do give you one so you won't go insane by assuming all that can happen and then some.

I know, I know, parenting is a learning experience but please, I have learned and I don't like making mistakes twice which I did this past weekend.

Back in April, Easter weekend, we took Andrew to a luncheon at Clay's step-sisters house.  On the way there Andrew hadn't quite finished the bottle he had started so since he was in the sitting position in his carrier, I just assumed that it would be alright to let him finish the bottle that he had started, which he did.  Of course I was not able to get him out of the carrier to burp him as the vehicle was in motion so I just made myself a mental note to burp him once we get there.  After about 20 min. we arrived and with everything going on, saying our hellos, getting his stuff all set up etc. etc. I forgot to burp him.  He was doing really well, napping and just being Andrew when all of a sudden he started wailing!  I mean WAILING!  This was not any "I am wet" cry or " I am not being paid attention to" cry.  This was "THIS IS HURTING ME!  WHAT IS IN MY BELLY" cry.  We knew all too well what that cry meant, with him just going from one formula to another for his milk allergy.  It was not easy to hear him cry like that and it makes you powerless to know that you can do nothing for him but just be there, cuddle him and pat him so that he can burp out that gas.  After about an hour of crying (the longest hour ever!) he finally did burp out the gas and began to feel better.  He was 3 months then. 

Fast forward to this past Saturday.  All was going well, we were on our way to the 1st birthday party of Andrew's cousin, Bella, and he didn't finish his bottle while we were at home so I brought it with us.  We had just gotten onto the highway when he started to act hungry.  Against my better judgement and recollection of what we went through at 3 months, I fed him in his carrier.  It think it was me trying to convince myself that he was older now, he turns 5 months on Sunday, and can handle the gas because sometimes he burps on his own.  WRONG!  He drank the rest of the bottle and fell asleep until we arrived at the party.  It was deja vu all over again.  Everthing was great for the first 30 min when we got there then all of a sudden the wailing started.  We had to leave the party early because he was soo miserable.  We got maybe 5 min into the drive back home when I asked Clay to pull over so we could assess the problem and see if he needed to burp.  Mind you the whole 5 min we were driving, Andrew is letting out this blood curdling painful cry.  I have had gas bubbles in my belly and they are not fun nor is it a pleasant view.  The only way I know how to get rid of them is to lie down on the bed or couch with my butt in the air.  I told you the view is not pleasant.  I tried that with Andrew and nothing.  We tried to give him Colic Calm, gripe water drops, to see if that would help subside the gas but when we gave it to him he started to cry and almost CHOKED on the drops!!  It freaked me the blank out!!! (Insert whichever word you choose).  Oh Lord, we are trying to help our child and all we are doing is choking him!!  He finally swallowed a bit of the drops and it was starting to help.  We put him back into the carrier and got back on the road.  About 10 min after we left, we had to pull over again because during one of his crying spells he threw up and was starting to burp out the gas.  I pulled him out of the seat, sat him on my knee and patted him.  He burped about 5 times in between cries and felt better.  A little throwup on mom and the truck but who cares, he is better! 

The rest of the way home he was all laughs and coo's like nothing ever happened.  He got extra playtime in the tub and slept like a champ that night.  I think I got more grey hair during that experience!  Hopefully they are just buried where I/noone can't see them.  

Lesson #452, NO MORE FEEDING IN THE CARRIER IF YOU CAN'T GET HIM OUT TO BURP!!!!

You got it!  Lesson learned the hard way for both Andrew and myself. 



It is black as tar but it helps sooo much!
Relieves the gas in baby's tummy very quickly.



Daddy's Day and Water Baby

This Father's Day was extra special for us here in at the Ochoa house, Clay got to really celebrate Father's Day.  This time last year we already knew we were expecting and for us, it doesn't count to celebrate the day until you actually have your child in your arms and can squeeze and snuggle him until he squirms to let loose.   We are very blessed and grateful that we get to celebrate with all the dads in our lives: Bill, Dan, Clay and my daddy, Roger and we remember those amazing fathers and grandfathers that have gone to look over us in Heaven.  We miss you Papu, Papo, PawPaw and Grandpa Ochoa! You are always in our hearts!

Father's Day started with Clay waking up to Andrew laying close to him on the bed (which is becoming a regular occurrence) and smiling at him. 

 

Happy Father's Day Daddy!  Nose pinch!

After a breakfast of champions from Shipley's (Sugar/Chocolate glazed doughnuts and Kolaches) we headed out to Sam's to pick up a few needed items.  Of course I was on cart duty since I tend to wander off and it didn't help that my sister Stephanie was there with us because when we are together we also tend to cause problems, amongst ourselves not with others. 

A full shopping cart (meaning whatever we could place around Andrew's carrier without falling) and a few samples of food later, we were on our way home.  If you haven't been to Sam's on a Saturday or Sunday, I would recommend you go.  Not only will you have achieved your quota of toilet paper and paper towels for the year but they have little food sample stations every other aisle.  You don't even have to eat lunch after that they have everything you need to eat ... your entree, sides, fruits and even dessert.  I know, I know, I am tacky but hey if it shuts my stomach up for at least an hour I will keep doing it.

We got home just in time to greet Clay's dad, Dan and Ciera, Clay's half-sister.  A few minutes after they arrived my parents and sisters arrived.  Full house and everyone wanted to dote on Andrew and he was just eating it up.

It was a beautiful day, HOT, but beautiful and breezy so we decided to make the most of it and head out to the community pool in our subdivision.  Not too many people were out there, surprisingly.  Andrew was out there with us but didn't get into the water, at least not yet.  My mom had offered to stay out with him while Clay and I along with my sisters and dad got in the water.  I cannot tell you how long it had been since we were in a pool last.  Too Long!  It was amazing.  I heard Andrew starting to get a little fussy so I asked my mom to bring him to the edge of the pool where the steps were and we sat him there in the water, shaded so the sun wouldn't beat down on him and he loved it!  Splashing and kicking his feet, he sometimes splashed the water in his face and would look around at us to see who the culprit was who did that to him.  He didn't stay in too long since it was hot and the chlorine was starting to dry out his little skin.  But I think its official, we have a water baby.  Soon after we got him out, Clay and I took him home and gave him a warm water bath to wash off the chlorine and sun. 

My parents stayed until around 9:00p in which we enjoyed ice cream and cake for the special day.  My mom and I catching up on the patio with Andrew and everyone else inside watching a movie.  I asked Clay at the end of the day when we were already laying down if he had a good day, and he said it was great!  It wasn't much but spending the time with your family makes it all worth it. 

I love you Clay, you are an amazing father and husband.  I can't wait to see you and Andrew growing together and creating trouble together, even if I am the guinea pig.