To Baby Tyler Jordan

Adverturers

Thu, 04 Jun 2009 05:10:03 GMT

Well, baby boy, the day after tomorrow we start our journey out of Albuquerque. You'll get to meet all kinds of new people and see some amazing new things. All of your family is excited to finally see you for the first time and I'm sure your Daddy and I will have lots of pictures to add here of you with them too.

It seems that you have decided you like showers much more than baths. I don't know if it's because the sound is more womblike, or if its the skin on skin contact you like, or maybe just the feeling of the water running on you, but it seems that for a while Daddy and I are going to be making sure you have plenty of them.

You are finally getting used to sleeping in your own place instead of in the bed with Daddy and I. He will probably tell you one day that it was his plan from the begining to have you in your own bed, but I just couldn't bring myself to have you sleep so far away yet. It may sound strange, but I really miss having you inside me. When you were inside you were always with me, I could feel you kicking, I knew you were safe. Now you are out in the big wide world. Not that you aren't safe anymore, but I have much less control over your environment.

You are getting to be such a big boy, rolling over on your own, blowing bubbles, crying real tears, reaching up for your bottle, making little cooing sounds... It's all just so wonderful. And the way your eyes are glued to your Daddy most of the time is just adorable. I can tell already how much you love him. He's even found himself holding you close, hugging you, closing his eyes, and just feeling the love he feels for you. I'm so very glad that I get to be a part of your life, baby boy.

1 month!

Thu, 21 May 2009 17:42:38 GMT

Yesterday, my handsome man, you were 4 weeks old. Tomorrow is your 1 month birthday. Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Daddy and I are beginning to read to you. So far it's nothing really exciting, just random things from the internet, but we want to make sure that you have plenty of auditory stimulous, as well as being exposed to every word possible. They say that the more we read to you, and talk to you, the sooner you'll begin speaking.

Until you do begin speaking we plan on you being able to communicate with us via hand speak or sign language. We're starting with the signs for milk, diaper, tired, sick, and hungry. You probably won't begin to use them yourself for another 5 months or so, but it's never too early to start.

You are able to fully roll from your back to your stomach and vice versa now and I'm finally starting to learn the difference between some of your cries. You're also spending more time awake and alert, which give me lots of time to tell you how much I love you.

Virgo Mom & Taurus Baby

Thu, 14 May 2009 07:14:44 GMT

You and your noble little bull will get along famously. This quiet, peaceful baby will be very satisfied with a mom as courageous and wise as you. And you'll be over the moon when you see how easy it is to please baby Taurus. When other moms complain about late-night feedings and persistent fussiness, just nod like you know something about that. Challenges may arise when Taurus grows out of those onesies. While you go to any length to accomplish a given task, Taurus always prefers to keep things just as they are. Use your creativity to hoist Taurus out of a rut. Your child has a long attention span and will pay close attention to the things you say and do -- great news for an instinctive performer like you! Your tot shares your ability to stick to something once it's started, so you'll have no trouble finding games and puzzles to work on together. Bringing out the best in this baby will be a blast.

3 weeks old!

Thu, 14 May 2009 04:59:02 GMT

Look at you, Little Man. You've only been around 3 weeks and you've managed to steal so many hearts! You are getting so big. It's amazing how much you've grown already. You've also started making sounds other than your cute little grunts. They are almost cooing sounds, but not quite. And I *think* you blew little bubbles with your lips yesterday, but I'm not sure. Yesterday you also discovered Xavia. You didn't quite know what to make of her and you stared at her mesmerized for a good 10+ minutes.

Photo taken earlier today. You sure are a wiggle worm! It's awfully hard to get a shot of you that isn't blurry.

I'll Stand By You

Tue, 12 May 2009 04:36:37 GMT

Oh, why you look so sad?
Tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Dont be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
cause Ive seen the dark side too
When the night falls on you
You dont know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

Ill stand by you
Ill stand by you
Wont let nobody hurt you
Ill stand by you

So if youre mad, get mad
Dont hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide?
I get angry too
Well Im a lot like you
When youre standing at the crossroads
And dont know which path to choose
Let me come along
cause even if youre wrong

Ill stand by you
Ill stand by you
Wont let nobody hurt you
Ill stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And Ill never desert you
Ill stand by you

And when...
When the night falls on you, baby
Youre feeling all alone
You wont be on your own
Ill stand by you
Ill stand by you
Wont let nobody hurt you
Ill stand by you
Take me in, into your darkest hour
And Ill never desert you
Ill stand by you
Ill stand by you
Wont let nobody hurt you
Ill stand by you
Wont let nobody hurt you
Ill stand by you

water baby

Tue, 12 May 2009 04:05:39 GMT

I wonder if one day you will enjoy reading this. I hope so. If not at least I'll have all of my memories of you recorded. I imagine one day you'll actually grow up and be a man and I'll be able to look back and remember when you were still sweet and innocent.

Today you had your first real bath. Up until now, because of your belly button still healing, we'd just been giving you sponge baths. You absolutely hated it. I'm hoping you learn to like baths more once you're able to play a bit with the water and the water toys. I can't wait until you're old enough to swim so I can teach you all of the strokes. Swimming runs in our family. Your Grandpa G was on the swim team in high school and your aunt E and I swam on a team pretty much from the time we were 5 or 6 up until we were too old to be on a team anymore. Your Daddy swam and was on the diving team. We seem to be a family of water babies. Of course whatever extra-curricular activities you decide to do will be up to you as long as it's not too dangerous. Your Daddy wants you to play football and basketball while I happen to be pretty fond of baseball.

Today while you were napping in the bed Miss Xavia laid down with you on your blanket. I think she is already protective of you. MoonShadow, on the other hand, is simply used to you and hasn't gotten to the level where she wants to interact with you. I imagine she'll get there though.

You have a huge family of people and animals, both in person and online, who love you already. Looking at you when your sleeping or nursing makes me think of how much of a little miracle you are and how much you (or any child really - but especially you) deserve every little bit of love directed toward you. You really are just an amazing little thing and with all this love you are going to grow into an amazing young man. The whole world is out there waiting for you, baby boy, and I'm so happy that I get to be here with you and for you on your journey into it. Just don't get there too fast.

Thank you!!

Sat, 09 May 2009 01:35:52 GMT

Baby Tyler would like to officially thank Liz, Jason, Gramma, Dave, and Jenn for all of the wonderful baby stuff! He now has lots of onsies, cloth diapers, a diaper bag, a night light and snuggly turtle rolled into one, handprint keepsakes (more for mommie than Tyler), a Mister Monkeybutt and Nanerpus, baby swing and travel system, and lots and lots of previously loved baby boy clothes. Thank you all so much!!

2 week check up

Fri, 08 May 2009 08:13:19 GMT

Well, little man, you had your second MD appt today. Guess what?!? You've gained almost an entire pound since the 1st appt! You now weight 6 lbs 15.5 oz. Doctor says that's good, but personally your Daddy and I think it's a bit excessive. If you continue to gain weight this way you'll weigh almost 60 lbs by the time you're a year old and that's just not good at all. You don't have another appt until you are 2 months old so we'll see what your weight gain is like then, or, in the mean time, Jason suggested that we can always check your weight by putting you in one of the scales at the grocery store that we use for weighing veggies. I don't think that your Daddy likes that idea much, but I think it'd be awfully cute. Your length is now 19 and 3/4 inches. Your little plastibell has fallen off and Doctor says your circumsision site looks just fine. The little piece of chord on your belly button has also fallen off. It's really the one thing from your delivery that I wanted to save, but looking at it, I'm not sure I can bring myself to do so afterall. It's kind of gross to hold on to a dried up piece of umbilical chord. We'll see.

50 Simple Ways to Make Your Baby Smarter

Sat, 02 May 2009 01:31:28 GMT

Stimulate Baby's Vision

1. Make eye contact. Take advantage of those brief moments when your newborn's eyes are open, and look right into them. Infants recognize faces early on -- and yours is the most important! Each time he stares at you, he's building his memory.

2. Stick out your tongue. Studies show that newborns as young as 2 days old can imitate simple facial movements -- it's a sign of very early problem solving.

3. Let him reflect. Have your baby stare at himself in the mirror. At first, he may think he's just eyeing another cute kid, but he'll love making the "other" baby wave his arms and smile.

4. Make a difference. Hold up two pictures about 8 to 12 inches away from your baby's face. They should be similar but have one small difference (perhaps a tree is in one but not the other). Even a young infant will look back and forth and figure out the distinguishing features, which sets the stage for letter recognition and reading later on.

5. Blab away. All you may get is a blank look, but leave short pauses where your baby would speak. Soon she'll catch on to the rhythm of conversation and start filling in the blanks.

6. Go gaga. Your baby really tunes in to your silly cooing and high-pitched baby talk.

7. Sing a song. Learn as many tunes as you can, or make up your own verses ("This is the way we change your diaper, change your diaper, change your diaper . . . "). Play Bach, the Beatles, or Britney Spears. Some research suggests that learning the rhythms of music is linked to learning math.

8. Clue him in. When you announce, "I'm going to turn on the light now" before flipping the switch, you're teaching cause and effect.

9. Tickle her toes. In fact, tickle her all over. Laughter is the first step in developing a sense of humor. And playing games like "This little piggy" (finish by tickling her under the chin) or "I'm gonna get you" teaches your child to anticipate events.

10. Be a funny face. Puff up your cheeks, and have your toddler touch your nose. When she does, poof! Have her pull your ear, and then stick out your tongue. Make a funny noise when she pats your head. Keep to the same routine three or four times, then change the rules to keep her guessing.

11. Joke around. Point to a photo of Uncle Frank, and call him "Mommy." Then tell your child that you were being silly and laugh at your "joke" to build her budding sense of humor.

Bond Every Chance You Get

12. Breast-feed, if possible. And do it for as long as you can. It's a fact that schoolkids who were breast-fed as infants have higher IQs. Plus, nursing is a great time to bond with your infant by singing, talking, or simply stroking that delicious baby hair.

13. Make the most of diaper time. Use moments on the changing pad to teach body parts or pieces of clothing. Narrate to help your baby learn to anticipate routines.

14. Turn off the tube. Your baby's brain needs one-on-one interaction that no TV show, no matter how educational, can provide.

15. Don't forget to give it a rest. Spend a few minutes each day simply sitting on the floor with your baby -- no music, bright lights, or playful tricks. Let him explore, and see where he takes you.

Get Physical

16. Be a playground. Lie down on the floor, and let your baby climb and crawl all over you. It's cheaper than a jungle gym and lots more fun! You'll help boost her coordination and problem-solving skills.

17. Build an obstacle course. Boost motor skills by placing sofa cushions, pillows, boxes, or toys on the floor and then showing your baby how to crawl over, under, and around the items.

18. Shake it up, baby. Teach her to twist and shout, do the funky chicken, or twirl like a ballerina.

19. Play "follow the leader." Crawl through the house, varying your speed. Stop at interesting places to play.

20. Now follow his lead. As your toddler gets older, he'll stretch his creativity to see if you really will do everything he does, like make silly noises, crawl backward, or laugh.

Explore New Surroundings

21. Share the view. Take your baby on walks in a front carrier, sling, or backpack, and narrate what you see -- "That's a little dog" or "Look at those big trees!" or "Did you hear that fire engine?" -- to give your baby endless vocabulary-building opportunities.

22. Go shopping. When you need a break from your song and dance, visit the supermarket. The faces, sounds, and colors there provide perfect baby entertainment.

23. Change the scenery. Switch your toddler's high chair to the other side of the table. You'll challenge his memory of where things are placed at meals.

Play and Be Silly

24. Surprise her. Every now and then, delight your baby by gently blowing on her face, arms, or tummy. Make a pattern out of your breaths, and watch her react and anticipate.

25. Practice three-card monte. Grab a few empty plastic food containers, and hide one of your baby's small toys under one. Shuffle the containers, and let him find the prize.

26. Play peekaboo. Your hide-and-seek antics do more than bring on the giggles. Your baby learns that objects can disappear and then come back.

27. Pick it up. Even if it seems like your baby repeatedly drops toys off her high chair just to drive you nuts, go fetch. She's learning and testing the laws of gravity. Give her several pieces of wadded-up paper or some tennis balls, put an open bucket under her seat, and let her take aim!

Teach Texture

28. Grab a tissue or two. If your baby loves pulling tissues out of the box, let him! For a few cents, you've got sensory playthings that he can crumple or smooth out. Hide small toys under them, and thrill your tot when you "find" them again.

29. Get touchy-feely. Keep a box of different-textured fabrics: silk, terrycloth, wool, and linen. Gently rub the cloths on your baby's cheek, feet, and tummy, describing the way each feels.

30. Feel your way. Walk around the house with your babe in arms, and touch his hand to the cool window, some soft laundry, a smooth plant leaf, and other safe objects, labeling items as you go.

31. Let your child play with her food. When she's ready, serve foods that vary in texture -- including cooked peas, cereal, pasta, or chunks of cantaloupe. She'll get to practice her pincer grasp and explore her senses.

Teach Language and Counting

32. Take a cue from Sesame Street. Dedicate each week to a letter of the alphabet. For instance, read books that start with A, eat A foods, cut up snacks into that shape, and write the letter on your sidewalk with chalk.

33. Count everything. Count how many blocks your toddler can stack. Or the number of steps in your house. Or his fingers and toes. Make a habit of counting out loud, and soon he'll join in.

34. Read books. Again and again! Scientists have found that babies as young as 8 months can learn to recognize the sequence of words in a story when it's read 2 or 3 times in a row -- this is believed to help them learn language.

35. Tell tall tales. Choose her favorite story -- replace the main character with her name to make it fun.

36. Go to the library. Take advantage of storytime, puppet shows, and rows and rows of books.

Make Memories

37. Make a family album. Include photographs of relatives near and far, and flip through it often to build your child's memories. When Grandma calls, show him her picture as he listens on the phone.

38. Create a zoo book. On your next visit, take photos of favorite animals to include in an album. Later, "read" it together, naming all the familiar creatures or adding animal sounds and stories.

39. Put her in the spotlight. Together, watch old home videos of your baby enjoying her first bath, learning to roll over, playing with Grandpa . . . Narrate the story to build language and memory.

40. Make a mug-shot memory game. Take close-up pictures of all the impor- tant people in your child's life, get double prints -- and you've got a set of matching cards. Lay them faceup on the floor, and help her find the two that are alike. As she gets older, you can alter the memory game by starting with the photos facedown.

Tips for Toddlers

41. Make more out of storytime. Point out little details in the pictures, and ask your toddler questions, ranging from the abstract ("Why do you think he doesn't want to try green eggs and ham?") to the concrete ("Have you ever seen a white dog?").

42. Play in the rain. Jump in puddles. Sit in wet grass together. It's a fun, albeit messy, way of learning about wet and dry.

43. Let him be the boss (sometimes). Build confidence by giving your toddler a choice between two items whenever possible: different-colored bowls at mealtime, for instance. He'll learn that his decisions count -- and get practice naming his colors.

44. Dress up. Let your toddler play with some of Dad's old shirts. Dig out old winter hats, scarves, or orphaned gloves. Put yourselves in pretend situations, and see where his creativity and imagination take you.

45. Play it again, Sam. Dig out the box of your toddler's old rattles and mirrored baby toys. You'll be amazed at the new ways he finds to play with them.

46. Talk feelings through. Cuddle up at bedtime, and ask your child what made him happy or sad that day. What made him angry -- or proud? You'll help him recall the day, understand the past tense, and label his emotions. This is an activity to keep up -- right until he heads off to college.

47. Hunt bugs. Look at pictures of harmless insects (ladybugs, crickets, butterflies) in a book or magazine, then go to the park to find some.

48. Wear rose-colored glasses. (Or yellow or blue.) Pick a color, and ask your toddler if he can spot it when you go on a walk or car ride together. Then let him pick a color for you to hunt.

49. Put your kid to work. Little tots can help sort laundry into darks and whites. Your child may even be able to pick out which clothes belong to her.

50. Speak volumes. Gather a few different-size cups or plastic containers, and let your child pour water from one to another at her next bath. Sometimes she'll pour too much, other times too little. Talk about which cups are bigger and which are smaller.

1st doctor's appt

Fri, 01 May 2009 17:58:38 GMT

Well, Mister Man, you just got back from seeing the doctor for the first time outside of the hospital. You've gained all of your weight back plus 3 oz so you are now an even 6 pounds! Yay you. All of that pigging out over the past few days led to more than just extra poopy diapers for mommy to change! you've also gained 3/4 of an inch in circumference on your head and a little teeny bit in length. Your belly button is looking just fine and so is your circumcision site. The little plastibell will be falling off any day now, which means we will be able to finally give you a real bath! Today we found out that all of your cute little grunts are perfectly normal as are your hickups and the amnt that you are eating. Looks like getting over the blood sugar levels was the hard part and now you just have to grow and be loved. Goodness, life is easy for you little man.

Rajneesh

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 07:07:13 GMT

The moment a child is born,
the mother is also born.
She never existed before.
The woman existed, but the mother, never.
A mother is something absolutely new.
Rajneesh

Photos

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 04:44:00 GMT

April 29, 2009

Look! you're finally home and taking your first nap after a bit of a snack.

Is that a smile?

Milestones - Month 1

Thu, 30 Apr 2009 03:44:45 GMT

Lifts head for short periods of time
Moves head from side to side
Brings hands to face
Has strong reflex movements
Turns toward familiar sounds & voices

Your first week

Wed, 29 Apr 2009 22:06:47 GMT

In Progress

April 22, 2009 thru April 29, 2009

You're first week of life was really difficult - for all of us. Just a few hours after you were born they told us that you were having problems maintaining your blood sugar levels. They had to take you down to the Neonatal ICU to put in an IV to give you glucose to try to fix the problem. I'd only had a chance to feed you once and then you weren't allowed to eat for almost 24 hours. You did do a great job of nursing the first time though. You latched right on and ate like a big boy.

For the next 7 days we watched your levels closely. They went up and down for a while but in the end you were able to build up some extra fat stores in your body to maintain the levels on your own. Daddy and I were so proud of you.

You also developed a little bit of jaundice after day 2. I'm glad that you won't remember all of the little pokes that had to give you for various different blood tests. You had them just about every 3 hours. It seemed though that you cried more from having your feet held than from the actual poke.

You like to sleep on your side with your arms up near your face and your legs pulled up to your tummy. It's so very cute, and you sleep just like I do!

While you were in the NICU we spent a lot of time with you. We couldn't hold you much unless we were feeding you, which was hard, but we got to know your little expressions and sounds. Daddy continued to call you his little man, and watching him with you makes me smile. He held you and fed you every chance that he got. I'm pretty sure that you recognized both of us from what you heard when you were still inside of me.

You had one of the most awesome nurses while you were there. Her name's Andrea and she was pregnant too. She took the time to get to know you, Daddy and I and really did a great job taking care of you when Daddy or I couldn't be there. She's the one who told us that you seemed much happier when we were there than when we weren't. That suprised me. I didn't think you were old enough yet to really remember us. She's also the one who pointed out that you have my eyes, but she said they were a little sad.

All of the nurses just loved you. You were so calm and mello and really were cute compaired to babies in general.

The good news, if you can call it that, about your week in the NICU, is that it taught me to be grateful for the time you came home, for each time you woke up hungry or needing a diaper change. Instead of spending hours and hours in the hospital I could simply put you on the bed, change you, feed you and then snuggle with you while you fell back asleep. I spent a week wishing for the day you'd come home and it did finally happen on 4.29 exactly one week after you were born. Happy Birthday Baby Boy!