Saturday, March 26, 2011

Rice Cereal

When we returned from traveling we decided it was time to start Liam on rice cereal. He's been so interested in what we're eating (and strangely he is obsessed with watching me brush my teeth - maybe because he sees me putting something into my mouth?). While I thought I might exclusively breast feed him until he was six months old, I decided to go ahead and start the rice cereal anyway.

Rob missed the first time I fed him and I couldn't wait for him to be there the second time because Liam was so funny while he was eating. As you can see in the video below he is like a little bird, eagerly anticipating each bite. He eats the cereal like a champ and always acts like he wishes there was more. One of the funniest things in this video too is that he was wearing a bib, but when he was finished the bib was almost entirely clean, but we were wiping cereal from behind his knees. Ironic I know.

We love this child so much and I'm so thankful for him. He makes us laugh everyday, especially as he's getting older and developing his personality so much more.

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

Liam + Webster

This video is just too precious not to post separately from my last post about our visit to Pennsylvania.

Liam of course did not remember my parents dog, Webster, from our last visit so this time he was a bit skeptical of her when we first arrived. She can be a bit pushy and she was curious about him too. He would look at her as if to say, "what are you and why are you trying to touch me?"

But then one evening out of nowhere he suddenly found her hysterical. As you'll see in the video mom was swinging him around and he was laughing like I've never heard him laugh. I happened to be on the phone with Rob and Rob thought he was crying he was laughing so hard.

Since we've been home we've been trying to get him to laugh like that again, but with no luck. Apparently Webster is magical in that way.

Enjoy!

Pennsylvania Visit

Liam and I returned from our second spring break trip to visit my parents in Pennsylvania on Saturday. It was such a good week and as always, I cried when I left. Mom cried too and one of her tears got on Liam's face so it looked like he was crying too. In actuality he was probably just trying to chew on her sweater. He really had no idea what was going on.

After getting home from Cayman we had a great weekend chilling with Rob. He took Saturday and Sunday off since he'd been working so hard and we had good family time together. Then bright and early Monday morning we were off to the airport again for two quick flights to Chicago and then Philadelphia.

{I would like here to make a shameless plug about Southwest Airlines. They are efficient and on time and hello, let's be real - free checked bags, choose your own seat, they still give snacks and best of all, family boarding. The great thing about choose your own seat is only really nice people who liked babies sat next to me.}

The week with mom and dad went so fast. We got to see two of my aunts and my uncle, my cousin Heidi, a great family I used to babysit for (hi Sansons!) and lots of mom's kids at school and her teacher friends. We always do the rounds there to show off Liam.

Liam got all dressed up in adorable clothes to go see Grammy Love at school. Mom got him a shirt with a tie printed on it that is so cute and she bought him the black chucks for Christmas. He was styling!

Mom and I also went to pilates class at her YMCA one evening and shopping another night. Both times Liam stayed home with Pops and watched basketball in the "man cave." The first night went great, the second night was a bit harder as Liam was tired and got pretty upset before we came home. Poor dad did great, but in all the world mama is best.

Liam is buds with his Pops

And with Grammy Love

Liam and mama enjoying a beautiful spring day

The whole week was relaxing for me too because it was like being in my own home, but without chores and cooking. Plus, Rob got a ton of work done while we were gone so that was good. The next few weeks are crazy for him so it is good for us to be here now to encourage and support him.

Monday it was back to the reality of our day to day life here - laundry and cleaning and cooking. I am so thankful though that we got to go on two vacations this spring and see so much of our families. Next year maybe Rob can go with us.

Thanks to all of you who prayed and encouraged us and spent time with us these past few weeks. I'm already looking forward to the next time we are all together!

Saturday, March 12, 2011

An Island Vacation

Liam and I returned yesterday from a lovely visit to Grand Cayman Island. It was so good to be in the sun and be WARM after a long Indiana winter. We had a beautiful condo right on the beach with an almost empty pool most of the time. We relaxed, I read two books, we watched our favorite shows on tv, went out to eat, took pictures of Liam and had a great time together. Liam was a champ most of the time (he had his freak out moments) and I think he had a good time. I know I did. It was so nice to have extra hands to help with him and keep him entertained. I'm sure he will expect the same from me when we are back into our normal routine. But really he did well overall and he was definitely the center of attention most of the time. We said he had a troop of "paparazzi" after him all the time (ie. my in-laws :).

He also did fairly well on the flights and I was thankful for that. The trip down was better than the trip home yesterday as we had a long layover in Miami made even longer by delays for mechanical problems on the plane. We were also patted down (yes, Liam was patted down) by security in Cayman so that was a bit of a frazzling way to start our trip home. But we made it. When I saw Rob waiting for us at the airport I let go of the stroller which contained a screaming Liam (Rob heard us coming before he saw us) and while I embraced Rob the stroller kept rolling away into a potted tree. No harm done, but I think some other passengers were a bit alarmed at us. I was just so happy to see Rob that I completely forgot about Liam!

The hardest part of the week was being away from Rob. I really missed him and it felt so unfair that I was relaxing on the beach while he studied at home. But he had a good week and got a lot done so that was good. He also passed out of his Italian class (yay for no more night classes!) and got accepted into the PhD program while I was away so that was a relief. He has a lot more studying to do this coming week, but he's well on his way.

Whenever we travel I'm always so thankful to come home to a husband who loves me and is happy to see me.

I'm also thankful when we travel for a mother-in-law who has a great camera and as much as we complain sometimes, takes great photos so I don't have to. All these are to her credit.

The view down our beach in front of the condo

Our beach at sunset

Liam and mama hanging out on the beach. Lori bought him the sunshade thing which was really nice so I could still sit on the beach with Liam playing in the shade. You can also see the big cruise ships that would come in and dock everyday.

Liam being a happy baby

Liam really liked the sand. He liked to walk in it and of course put it in his mouth.

Liam hanging out with Aunt Lauren and Mimi

And with Boppy

I thought Liam would really like the pool since he loves his bathtub so much. But it was a bit cold for him. His favorite part was to stand on the stairs with just his feet in. I don't think he could really decide what he thought of the frog floatie.

He liked the ocean a little better, I think because it was warmer. One afternoon we sat like this for about 45 minutes and he was very calm and content.

Liam sporting some island wear before dinner one evening.

Mama and Liam being happy together

Liam turned five months while we were in Cayman. He's almost sitting up on his own. A few more weeks and he will be.

Our last night out to dinner and the only picture of all five of us. We missed Kayla and Rob!

We're home for today and tomorrow and then off to Pennsylvania on Monday to visit my parents for a week. It is a lot of traveling and we will miss Rob again of course, but I'm really looking forward to spending time with mom and dad. Rob has spring break here from IU so he will be studying the whole time anyways so it's just better if we leave.

Thanks to all of you who prayed over our trip. We really felt the prayers, especially when traveling. Keep them up as we travel again this week!

Friday, March 4, 2011

Traveling

Liam and I are about to embark on our first big adventure tomorrow. (Wait, maybe the first big adventure was his birth? Yes, probably. :) This adventure involves an airplane and many hours until we end up in a warm, tropical place. It does not involve papa however which is very sad. Papa has to stay home and study for his masters exams while Liam and I go on vacation with Mimi and Boppy Bedinghaus and aunt Lauren.

It's really not fair, but Rob encouraged us to go so he can really focus and study at home. He has a lot of work to do and while we will miss him a lot, it will be good for us to be gone for a bit.

Pray for us tomorrow as you think of us. I am a bit anxious to fly with Liam by myself, especially since we have long layovers in Miami on the way to Cayman and on the way back. I am trusting the Lord will go before us and with us and we will have a smooth journey, but your prayers would be appreciated.

We'll be back on Friday, Lord willing, with lots of pictures and hopefully video of Liam's first trip to the beach! I'm excited for him to experience the pool especially considering how much he loves his bathtub.

Once we get back we'll be home for a weekend and then traveling again to visit my parents in Pennsylvania for a week which we are also really looking forward to. I'm secretly glad to be missing that much of March in Indiana, but I hope my tulips and daffodils don't bloom while I am gone...

Thanks for your prayers and check back with us soon to hear all about our adventures!