Owen is now seven weeks old and has really "woken up" to the world in the last week and a half or so. He is staring at us alertly and talking and smiling. I wasn't sure if every baby coo and goo would be as fascinating or exciting with the second baby, but let me tell you, it is! Brent and I sit there and hang on every sound with delight (well, maybe not the crying sounds!). Here is some video Brent took this past Saturday morning...
Going back a little bit...when Owen was 10 days old, we got some professional pictures taken in our home by Kaylane Crandall. She goes to our church and did an awesome job! She was so patient and so good with both Harper and Owen. Harper still talks about "Mrs. Crandall." :) Here are some of the pictures from that day...
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| How amazing to capture a newborn smile like she did! |
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Such innocent sweetness
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| Being silly :) |
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| Love those brown eyes! Still wondering what Owen's eyes are going to do. |
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| One of my favorites |
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Our sweet little boy!
In other news, Harper and Brent began a daddy/daughter project to start a small herb garden in pots. We have never been good at keeping things alive. We certainly desire to have a garden, but actually making it successful is another story!
So they began with some basil seeds and together potted it and watered it faithfully. They were so cute with their mutual dedication. The plant did sprout some tiny, (tiny!) leaves, but alas, it succumbed to the fate of practically all our other plants and died. We felt really bad since Harper was so involved with the project. When she asked about it, I just told her the truth and said it didn't make it.
I thought she might be upset, but she walked over to our only plant in the house and said, "Maybe Harper and Daddy will be in charge of this plant now." It's an ivy so I am hoping for the best! :) |
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Two determined gardeners with their basil plant
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| And this is the ivy which Brent and Harper now water together. This one plant has survived in our house for years, so I think its prospect is good. Hopefully someday we will grow something edible! |
Here are some pictures in the time span of one-month-old Owen to seven-week-old Owen...
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| Cuddling with Daddy in his little cocoon |
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| "Take that, tummy time!" Owen still doesn't love tummy time but will tolerate it for up to five minutes before fussing becomes crying. |
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| Official one month shot--love those little pulled in fists. At his one month appointment, Owen was 90% in weight, 75% in height, and 80% in head circumference. |
A few weeks ago, Harper began a two-day-a-week preschool program. She was so excited about going to school and wanted to talk about what she would do at school for weeks leading up to it. She was super prepared!
On the first day, Brent and I took her together. She had already met her teachers and seen her classroom the week before. So after a quick hug and kiss, she walked in and began working on a puzzle without a glance back. She has never been one for separation anxiety. Brent and I walked away and didn't shed any tears either. I guess all that talking about it ahead of time had us all prepared and ready for this new step. We are happy that she is loving it!
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| All ready for the first day! |
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| Finding her name in the hallway for her backpack |
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| Brent did capture this little moment of caution as she peeked in the room before walking in...awww |
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With her teachers, Ms. Jonna and Ms. Stephanie
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Something Harper has liked to do for a long time is watch the ice skaters at the mall. So we thought it would be fun for her to get to try to ice skate herself for the first time. Well, ice skating is a lot harder than I remembered! Brent and I both felt pretty inadequate and shaky as teachers. Harper was pretty unsure about the whole business too, but over the course of an hour, we made progress. By the end, she was walking around on the ground in her ice skates by herself and was getting okay with skating around holding onto the side. It was an adventure anyway!
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Figuring out the feel of the ice skates
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Shakily making our way around
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| Harper's Aunt Jenevieve was a good ice skater growing up. We mentioned several times that we needed to channel our inner Jenevieve...or else have her with us next time! :) |
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| Ready to take on the day! |
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| Owen is sleeping well at night, thank goodness. We will usually have a little awake time with him after Harper goes to bed, and I will feed him for the last time in the nine or ten o'clock hour, and then he wakes up in the five o'clock hour. I will take it! |
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Wherever Owen is, that's where Harper wants to be. She is a sweet, sweet sister.
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| "Thank you for my cute outfit, Mimi and T-pa!" :) |
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Harper wanted to wear the baby wrap that we wear for Owen and put her puppy inside. She is learning a lot about nurturing. Something funny she says when Owen is crying..."Maybe Owen wants his blue pacifier instead of his green one." It's a theory. :)
And finally, here is a series of photos I took of Owen waking up from a nap in the pack and play....is there anything cuter than baby stretches? |
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| Beginning to wake up in his swaddle... |
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| First big stretch!! |
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| And another!! |
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| "Oh, hi Mommy." |
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| Don't be sad, Owen! |
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| That's better! :) |
