Our Little Long

wish me luck this works

2012-01-10T20:34:00.000-08:00

so Logan's real cute singing Twinkle Twinkle. He got a bit shy with the camera on, so I had to edit this. Wish me luck that it works. It was my first attempt.

2012!

2012-01-08T19:46:00.000-08:00

So here we are in a New Year and the last time I posted was July. hmph. We've been quite busy with lots of awesome travels and wonderful visits from loved ones. Tonight, I'm posting some pictures tonight from early January and late December. I may post some more from Christmas Day separately; there were just too many for me to wade through before I move on to Data Analysis (yay!) later tonight. I'd also like to post some videos soon, so keep your fingers crossed that I actually get to edit and post! And in my dreams, I'd like to go back to November while the Tillemas were in town and when Mimi and Grandy brought Cat for a visit (but we'll see how that goes!). Wish me luck that it doesn't take until July 4th to get his birthday pictures posted.

Preparing for Christmas...

In adorable outfits handmade by Lollie...

...notice the death grip Logan's got on his candy cane?

Visiting Santa (for the third time)...

With new trains on Christmas day...

Visit with Peepaw and Grandma Marsha for New Year's Eve kept me giggling for days...

Just hanging out tonight. Yep, Logan smiles and giggles this much on a daily basis. Love this kid.

July 4th

2011-07-06T21:04:00.000-07:00

Well is there any other way to start the holiday than a package of homemade goodies from Lollie? Isn't this shirt adorable?!

This year I took some extra time off before/after the weekend to spend some time in our new trailer. Check out the spot we got!

Isn't it super cool? Logan clearly thinks so! Here he's standing on our "bed". Our spot was so near to the creek, we could've extended our bed out over the water. It was absolutely the most calming way to fall asleep.

I mean, does this kid get cuter?

After a wonderful day (and an hour at the spa down the road--thanks, honey), we headed to Creede/Little Squaw to spend the 4th with Mimi and Grandy.

On the fourth, we all went to Creede to watch the parade. It was really awesome.

There were so many things that reminded me of those we love who we weren't with.

There were tons of beautiful horses that always make me think of Mom. This little horse and carriage reminded me of Mom because for a while she was looking for the perfect carriage for her horse to pull.

There were antique cars that I know Dad would've loved. arrrugaa

There were clowns, which remind me Grandma.

There was this hilarious river rafting group atop a school bus that reminded us of Justin.

There was this cool old firetruck that reminded us of Uncle Steve and Eric.

Oh and the best part? Well, you'd have to ask Logan. But I'm pretty sure he thought his very first lollipop was friggin awesome. Thank goodness it was blue (and matched his shirt).

The next day, we hung around the cabins mostly. Here Mimi is introducing Logan to deer through the window.

The Long family had one heckuva Fourth of July. Thanks to Mimi and Grandy for having us to the cabins. We enjoyed our visit and miss you already.

Summer Trip to Texas

2011-07-06T20:35:00.001-07:00

Summer has been a time for travel! Micah and Logan travelled to Texas to visit family while Jen was at an all week work thing. Oh the fun they had!

First, they went and played at Uncle Johnny's and Aunt Angela's. They had so much fun. John sent me the cutest video of Logan playing with their cat. Due to "technical difficulties", I can't upload the adorable stuff we got with them. Here's two second cousins playing in their pool, though. Jessica saved the day by "swinging by" to grab up my clan. She brought Victoria, so the kids enjoyed some fun in the sun. (Thanks again, Jess!)

Next, Micah was off to see Lollie and GPops. They had invited all the family over for a delicious brunch, so everyone could meet Logan. Lots of family came. Micah said he had a great time catching up with everyone. The Blackburn boys sure have grown up, and Micah enjoyed chatting with them. Aunt Tricia came and Kayleigh who Logan enjoyed playing with. I loved watching the videos with all you guys and sure was sad to miss out on all the fun!

Next stop was a quick visit in Hempstead to see Dada and Wanda. They sure do love Logan, although I'm not so sure their dog does ;-)

Then, the boys went to Bertram to see Grandma and Grandpa. Logan had so much fun with Grandma's puppies.

He also had a wonderful time exploring the land. He saw his first tarantula and was so at home he fell asleep on the Cub (the 4 wheeler Mom has to manage her land).

Then, Micah and Logan went to Dripping Springs where he spent lazy days by Mimi's and Grandy's pool. Logan had a great time playing with Grandmommie, the cousins, Aunt Hollie and Uncle John.

Cameron was such a natural at watching after Logan, Micah tells me we're trading babysitting for a day on the mountain! Any time, Cameron! Well... you might want to wait until winter ;-)

At some point, Micah got to sneak away to surf behind Ian's boat. The boys had fun together. Wish I was there, but I'm glad they got some time just the two of 'em. I've got a great pic of Micah ridin' the waves, but I can't find it. If I do, I'll upload it later.

And here Logan is at the end of the trip, helping Grandmommie clean like a good little mini-Micah. :-D The boys also got to hang out with Eric, who was able to sliver out a little bit of time between work and studies.

For those they missed, next time, we hope to have more time to see you too! A special thanks to Grandmommie for making this trip possible!!!

WOW! has it been 4 months already?

2011-04-12T19:58:00.000-07:00

Whew! What a busy time! January came and went.

February, we celebrated Logan's birthday together with Mimi, Gramps & K, and Uncle Johnny and Aunt Angela. Thank you all for making the trip!! It made his first birthday super special. Logan LOVES his Uncle Johnny! He loves it when he beat boxes. Logan can be mid melt down & Uncle Johnny beat boxing brings him to giggles. He also really loved playing "noggins" with Uncle Johnny, where they would rub their foreheads together while saying "noggins". Goofy Uncle Johnny is a perfect match with sweet Aunt Angela, whose charm with all the kids is ever present and amazing.

Check out the robot birthday cake I made! (But the real hit of the party was the slide Gramps & K got him.) Logan's birthday was the perfect excuse to throw a nice little party. I miss so many of our friends and family. With the hustle and bustle of parenthood, we never seem to make time to spend with those most important to us. We love you all and are so thankful that you took time out of your schedules to be with us!

In March, we had the opportunity to travel to Miami Beach to visit Gramps & K. It was quite an awesome visit. Logan got to meet Great Grandma Shirley and Aunt Aileen & Uncle Mike. He also got to meet Mitch & Marla. I'm going to have to post pics and stories from this trip separately. I've got videos I'd like to include too. I'm just too tired to do it tonight and it's on a separate camera :-(

April has been crazy busy for us. Roan's 4th birthday was on the 2nd.

(check out the outfits Lollie made in this pic)

The Moms came to town for the occasion, which was a really awesome visit. I've been missing MommieToo, and it was really wonderful getting to see her. She had quite the magic touch with Maddox. She gave Heather the best present of all time - the night shift! She also was instrumental in getting Maddox to sleep longer stints through the night, so I know Sis is super thankful for her mommie touch. Lollie stayed with us. It was great getting to visit. She dotes on Logan (and the Vaughan kids) so much. She has made them some really incredible outfits. I can't wait to post pics of Logan in his Easter outfit!

Of course Lollie isn't the only one who spoils the kids. Logan got an awesome toy and this adorable, telling bib from Grandma.

And Maddox officially has a fan club. Grandma, of course, tops the list. Logan is also super into his cousin right now. I'll see if Lollie can send me a video of Logan hugging Maddox. Those boys are so darn cute together.

The second weekend of April, we got to celebrate baby Culligan with Monica's baby shower. I had a really great time hosting her wonderful friends and some of our co-workers at her beautiful home down in Littleton. Lots of fun. Thanks to all who helped!

This week, Micah and I will celebrate our 5th anniversary two days before I hop on a plane to Arizona to begin my Global MBA program at Thunderbird. When I return the following Saturday, Micah & I get to go to see Lauryn Hill, so I'm pretty stoked about that. The next day is Easter and a few days later is my 33rd birthday. As you can see, April has been crazy! We're looking forward to a little calm in May.

Logan Facts:

- He is now cutting molars. What a big boy!

- He is talking up a storm, although we aren't always sure what he is saying ;-) Common words are "go", "more", "dog", and "down" (although he means up). I'm sure Lollie can post more common words. She was great at speaking his language and identifying his words!

- He loves giving Mommie and Daddy kisses. We got lucky with this one. He leans in with his mouth closed. It's so darn cute. I remember when John was a baby, he always wanted to kiss with an open mouth (common for babies, I think). It was worth it for his sweet baby kisses, but I do have to say I'm not disappointed Logan prefers the closed mouth technique! ;-)

Merry Christmas

2010-12-31T19:51:00.001-08:00

Boy oh boy the fun we had!

We pumped up the holiday spirit by going to Zoo Lights. Unfortunately it was Andye's awesome suggestion, but we couldn't seem to schedule anything that stuck before she left on her Chicago trip. Zoo Lights was the COOLEST! Actually, it was freeezing that night, but it did get us in the spirit! Even sister made it out! It was her first out of the house event since the baby. She was chauffered by GPops (co-chillin in a wheelchair) while Lollie was snapping these great pics. Arwen toted Roan (who got an owie on her knee) and Micah & I pushed the boys in strollers. It was a fun way to start the holiday.

Two nights before Christmas, Lollie, Micah and I took the big kids to see Santa. It was a lot of fun too. But before we could go, Roan "needed" a new Christmas dress. Can you believe Lollie had just the thing?! There was even a new dress for Baby Sarah!

Well, before we could head off to the North Pole, we grabbed a few shots of Sis and the kids by the Christmas tree.

Then off to Santa's abode we went! Logan did wonderfully. He didn't cry at all. I thinking taking the picture with his big cousin Roan really helped!

The next day was Christmas Eve. We began the celebration with decadent chocolate croissants Mom had shipped in from Williams Sonoma. YUM! The Vaughan family came over for a bit in the morning, then had some quiet time to themselves and came back for dinner that evening. We had a delicious dijon chicken shishkabob with rice and brocolli. Roan spent the night that night. After a good bath, the kids went to bed, and we had fun being first time parents on Christmas Eve. Man, it's a heck of a lot more tiring than it used to be! ;-)

In the morning, Roan was incredibly patient as she awaited her parents arrival. In the meantime, I whipped up a breakfast veggie frittata to accompany our Morning Buns (also a tasty treat from Williams Sonoma). Here's what the kids were waiting for...

Even Santa was there...

And then the mayhem of opening presents began!

Please do notice Roan with about 82 bows in her hair, wearing layers of new clothes. Priceless.

Speaking of priceless...

We had to take a short break for Logan to nap. When we resumed, we Skyped Gramps and K. It was really awesome. They even got to see Logan experimenting with his new firetruck. Thanks Gramps & K!

Later that day, we dropped Mom & Stephen off at the airport, but not before we made a lot of wonderful holiday memories.

YAY! Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas, too!!

The Arrival of Baby Maddox

2010-12-26T13:04:00.001-08:00

We had a great time preparing for little baby Vaughan's arrival. In the days prior, we spent lots of family time together.

The night before Heather went in for the scheduled C-section, we all sat around and reviewed the spreadsheet itenerary she had prepared for us. We were lucky enough to have an extra house guest. No not Lollie & GPops, although we were lucky to have them there too, but ROAN got to stay with us, so we had to know all about her busy schedule. To celebrate the coming day, we enjoyed some pink champagne left over from Thanksgiving (thanks to Andye & Gavin!)

The next morning, December 16, Lollie and I met Heather and Arwen at their house at 4:30AM! to head over to the hospital. I think Arwen was a little distracted or perhaps not awake yet. Here you can see he's wearing two different shoes. Silly Arwen!

And here my sister is preparing for the big (pun intended) event...

Scheduled C-sections seem like the way to go. Heather's appointment was at 7am, and the baby's birth time was 7:04! Surgery went without complication (whew!) and Heather was glad to not have labored this big boy -- 10 pounds, 3.4 ounces!

Heather was a champ throughout recovery in the hospital.

Here we are visiting her in the hospital.

Meanwhile, back at the ranch (home), Roan was putting on a magical Winter Celebration at school. Since her mommy and daddy were busy at the hospital, Lollie, GPops and I got to go check it out. It was adorable! The class sang songs together and then had brunch. It was a really great experience to meet her teacher and classmates.

The next day, Roan got to play with Audrey all day (thanks again, Scott & Molly!) while Lollie and I shopped. By the time we got to the hospital, Roan was sacked out. The two Vaughan kids look pretty snuggly.

The next day Heather & Arwen brought Baby Maddox home.

But the fun didn't stop there!

Lollie and I took Roan to a puppet show (for big girls only!)

Here Roan & Lollie are making their very own puppets!

We also enjoyed some delicious dinners over at Sis's house.

And then it was time to prepare for the babies' first Christmas!

Where is the PAUSE button?

2010-11-14T20:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight, he took his first succession of steps... one right after the other after the next. Micah and I were thrilled to be spending some family time together, so we both got to witness it! It should be noted his first steps were toward the loving arms of his daddy (the cutest thing ever to witness!)!! We'll try to get a video of him walking. In the meantime enjoy this shot of cousin Roan helping Logan, leading him around, trying to help him to find his footing. And just one day later, he did it allll by himself!

It seems our little man is just growing up so quickly. As you'll see from the pictures posted, all his teeth (he's up to 6 or 7 now) really change his look from baby to almost toddler.

Micah and I have really been enjoying this stage. So much so that I would prefer we stay here for a while. Too bad there's no pause button. This weekend we went to the community pool, where we all had quite a great time. Who could help but enjoy themselves to this little tyke figuring it all out, splashing about, holding on to the side, and giggling giggling giggling.

And here's some videos... (yes, this may've been the most over-documented moment ever, but we were having fun!)

The boys got to enjoy the last round of great weather at the free day at the Botanic Gardens.

They've also been hanging out at the free Aquarium playground. Here's a couple of candid shots Micah got.

Oh & how could I forget Halloween? Lolli came for a quick visit.

Grandma Carolyn sent the kids the most adorable holiday shirts.

And the cutest little monkey in town was hanging out all weekend!

Micah and I had a soiree. I went as a Gin (Jen) & Tonic with a splash of lime, and he was a flaming Dr.Pepper.

And look how adorable my sweet sister is!

Here's a couple more shots from the last couple of months. I really loved this one of the Long boys at the Science Museum, but I didn't download it off my phone for the last post.

And believe it or not, this was in no way associated with Halloween... just two wild & crazy guys...

NEWSFLASH:

2010-10-26T15:56:00.000-07:00

Logan is really cute and getting cuter by the minute!

Ok, so it's not a newsflash, but it doesn't mean it isn't true.

He's getting to be so much fun. We can chase him while threatening "Mama's gonna get you" and he'll squeal with delight as he warp speed crawls away. The cutest is when "Daddy's gonna get you" and he crawls over to me to hide between my legs. So cute!

He also really like to show how awesome he is at peek a boo. Go ahead, just ask him "Where's Logan?" So cute!

He's also showing off his third (and almost also fourth) new tooth. Micah and I feel bad for the kid because between the two of us, our kids are destined to have those huge front teeth you only seem to grow into as you are graduating (COLLEGE!). Anyways, right now those two front teeth are just playing peek a boo with his lips, only showing themselves when he has one of those characteristic Logan smiles. So cute!

Watching this little man pick up a handful of tiny dried fruit, only to drop the ones that don't stick (from spit or food or whatever is already on his hands) so that one little piece of fruit dangles from a finger that he tries to carefully steer into his mouth, only to have that misguided and stick to his lip. but wait! as it loosens, it drops as though the food knows where to go better than Logan could guide anyhow but just then he catches it with the back of his hand & guides it in for final approach to the mouth. SUCCESS! Then, you get the pleasure of watching him gum it for eternity until it just dissolves. SO cute!

Um, what has happened to me? What has my life become? Can I seriously be so entertained by the mundane tasks of my child feeding himself? Is playing peek a boo seriously all the rage? I dunno, but I'd definitely say it was a Long time comin' (and I like it)!

So much to say, so few posts!

2010-10-13T18:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a while... I don't know how in the world my sister has managed regular maintenance of her blog for going on three years now. (Well, now that she's moving, pregnant and chasing a toddler, even she is a wee bit behind in updates). Regardless, I keep thinking "oh I can't wait to add this to the blog" or "man, my mom is gonna flip if I don't update soon", but somehow at the end of a long day, sleep seems so much more enticing. Well NO MORE!

Let's see... where to begin... where did we leave off? Yes, Logan is crawling (like a mad man, in fact). He even started pulling up just in time for Grandy and Mimi's visit.

Their car problems became our blessing because their short trip ended up being a couple days longer while they had to wait for their van to be fixed. We enjoyed many great meals together. We also got to spend some time with Angela and the kids, which is always nice. It was really great having them here, and it made me wish Logan had his grandparents nearby.

We also celebrated Conrad's birthday. It was a great time to sit back and have a few. The sangria was divine (no hangover) and the keg was pumpin. All the while the kids were hopped up on the excitement (or was it the caramel apple lollipops?).

We celebrated McKinna's third birthday as well. Unfortunately, we were all having so much fun in the bouncy houses that no pictures were taken. I wish I would've gotten a few of Arwen and Micah drenched in sweat after bouncing off the walls... literally!

We got another great visitor; this time PeePaw came to town. Although we missed Grandma Marsha, we had a great time visiting with Hoyt. His visit had perfect timing -- free day at the Museum of Nature and Science. I had never been and was super excited to go. We asked the Vaughan's if Roan could join us, and lucky us she did!

October began Micah's full-time Daddy detail. We're only on one day a week at daycare to give Micah a bit of a break and to keep Logan chillin with kids his age. Every other day of the week is spent with his daddy. Here's a pic of them at the park.

And in this one, Roan is giving Logan a good push on the swings. We've been able to watch Roan more often lately, which has been great for us (and good for her parents to move to the new place)!

Today, Micah took Logan for his first hike. They went to ElDorado with Hunter.

And here's a couple of videos because well, I think my kid is cute and you might enjoy them as much as I do...

Big Moves

2010-09-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

I can officially confirm the leak from littlebeansprouting.blogspot.com... Logan is crawling!!!

He can also pull up in his crib. And we expect that in no time, he'll be playing soccer... Welllll, that might be a little bit of a stretch, but I'm telling you this kid makes leaps and bounds in physical ability every day it seems like!

We've started SKYPE-ing (video calling) with Lolli & G-Pop. I'm not sure who has more fun: him or them! If you want to SKYPE too, our user name is Jen_Micah.

He's also eating more often, up to 3 times a day. He's soon to eat us out of house & home (already!).

And here's the latest Long jam session...

And here Logan & Hunter are learning to live together (no babies or animals were harmed in the filming of this video). Hunter has been INCREDIBLY patient and forgiving. Let's hope Logan can be the same!

He continues to be the smilingest baby ever. People stop us all the time to tell us how our baby is smiling at them.

Happy Birthday, Daddy!

2010-08-21T18:56:00.000-07:00

We celebrated Micah's birthday a couple of weeks early. First, Monica watched Logan so we could go to the Denver Cruisers on Wednesday. Denver Cruisers is this awesome grouping of bike lovin drinkers who get together at a bar in costume to start drinking, then bike to "the circle of death", which is where 90% of cyclist ride drunkenly in a circle with the other 10% riding in the opposite way & we try to avoid collisions. This week's theme was Sinners & Saints.

Then, on Sunday we went to Mile High Music festical where we saw Atmosphere, Weezer and Dave Matthews to name a few...

Daddy's little water bug

2010-08-21T18:51:00.000-07:00

Micah's been taking Logan swimming alot more often lately, which coincided with Logan taking big boy baths (and alot more of them due to the chlorine). Anyways, Logan REALLY has taken to the water. He doesn't mind being dripped with water over the face and he loves splashing about. In fact, each night when he starts to be a grumper that you can't soothe, just plop that naked toosh in the bathtub and wait for the smiles to reappear. It's absolutely amazing the effect it has on him. I would say calming but I don't think squalking and splashing about really qualifies...

He's such a big boy he can even bathe with his big cousin. Here they are enjoying bathtime together when Roan came over for a sleep over.

And because they were so cute together...

here's a movie clip. Notice the pile of toys surrounding Logan (we had to stop Roan from bringing him more). And listen close; Roan is so ready to be an awesome big sister. She's trying to make sure Logan plays with the hammer safely.

Half Birthday

2010-08-08T11:02:00.000-07:00

Yep, our little man has passed the six month milestone a few days ago. He weighs in at 18 lbs 7 oz and 27.25 inches long, (both in 75%). With each day that passes, he seems all the closer to crawling. (YIKES!)

We've been having a ton of fun with him lately. Here we are enjoying a picnic near Clear Creek after a really nice bike ride on Saturday.

Aunt Heather out did herself yet again. With all that she has going on... new baby, new house, etc., she managed to find time to knit him a half birthday present. Check it out! Isn't it adorable?

I think he likes it. What do you think?

Also, wanted to let everyone know that we updated our photo blog at jenandmicah.shutterfly.com to include all the pics since Logan was born.

Vacations

2010-07-26T18:08:00.000-07:00

We left out on Friday, June 25th and hit the open road. We didn't go far before we pulled over to camp. We got the very last campsite at the Sand Dunes, which was pretty awesome considering it's where we were meeting up with The Vaughan's & cell reception was laughable. We had a really nice evening.

We got to make up some campfire rice & beans and enjoy the sunset. We also got to set up our new tent. Our old tent wasn't big enough for our growing family ;-). The Vaughan's got there late but were wired on some good ol' fashioned fudge from a small town on the road. We stayed up for a bit visiting, but there's something about camping that makes me want to pack it in early.

Can you find Logan? He's wearing his camping cammo.... very stealth!

In the morning, we enjoyed the most stellar camp breakfast I've ever had... EVER. Heather whipped up a scramble delight to fuel us well for the ride to Taos. But before we hit the road again, we played in the creek at the foot of the sand dunes. It was really beautiful. We had a delicious picnic lunch before we started out to Taos.

When we got to Taos, I was super surprised how impressed I was with our friends' earthship. Made of recycled materials and completely off the grid, this comfortable home reminds even the most pampered that you can easily live without a huge impact to your environment. It was a really special place, and I wish we would've had more time to explore the neighborhood! (Thanks for the hospitality Jen & Conrad!!) Instead, we headed to the Rio Grande Gorge for a brisk walk and then onto dinner.

Poor Vaughan's. What I didn't mention about the earthship is its open floor plan. Seemingly cool and modern, I'm certain they would've preferred a door to shut out the crying baby in the next room. By 4am, we decided we might as well let them get a little sleep, so we left for Dripping Springs. We made it there by evening. It was pretty awesome. I have to say the hill country has peaked my interest. The vineyards... the winerys... and even the adorable town of Fredriksburg... we'll have to come back when we aren't in such a hurry. But hurry we did, so we could meet up with Micah's maternal side of the family. Even Justin's whole family was there. We got to visit a little that night and the next morning, debuting our fantastic little boy to many.

When they all left for a vacation on the coast, it was just the three of us at the Oasis, a place that somehow forces you to take a breath, relax and enjoy life just a little more, and let me tell you we did just that! We also took a quick trip to town to enjoy delicious Shady Grove and drove over to the Boles's for some entertainment of the Rock Star variety. Overall, it was just what the doctor ordered.

Then we headed for Dallas. It was John & Angela's wedding after all, and we wanted to be there early enough to help with any last minute details. We should've known better; they had all the details quite ironed out. That just gave us more excuse to visit and enjoy each other's company and hopefully took their minds (and nerves) off their upcoming nuptuals.

And let me tell you from the wedding was spectacular. From rehearsal dinner to the morning after the "I do"s, everything was perfect. Angela was unsurprisingly gorgeous. She glowed in a dress that fit her like a glove. John brought his style to the mix by sporting black patton leather Converse with red detailing. It was such an fun time. (Unfortunately, I was having so much fun, I didn't man the camera very well).

I enjoyed meeting and seeing so many of their friends and (Angela's) family! I was very honored to be chosen to stand beside them as witness to their committment. I can't even express how emotional it was for me to see my little baby brother as a man committing to his wife for all eternity.

The morning after the wedding Micah and I missed the festivities because we were in the car headed for Denver. I had to work on Monday, so Sunday was a day filled with driving. AURG!

A week later we hopped in the car again. Again you ask? Why yes, we say! We wouldn't miss hanging with Tresa & Andy in Creede for anything! And neither would Hollie, Sam or Cat! We only got to stay for a couple of days, and we missed Angela & her little ones, but we were glad to have made the trip. Creede really is a ton of fun in the summer. I saw a MOOSE for the first time in my life with her little baby moose. Oh soooo cute (until you remember how aggressive moose can be). Logan was intrigued by the chipmunks and ground squirrels and seemed to enjoy the outdoors alot but not enjoy the sleep so much. By the second night, I was literally sleeping sitting up using a ton of pillows (thanks for the sacrafice, Hollie) with him strapped to me in the Baby Bjorn. Soooo restful, I know! Poor little guy! On our last full day there, Micah, Hollie, Sam and I took an incredible 10 mile hike. It was SO much fun. We really enjoyed ourselves and each other, so THANKS, Mom & Andy!!

Logan Boy

2010-07-25T17:02:00.000-07:00

Yes indeedy, my baby is beginning the transformation to a boy.

Early July he began to sit. It's amazing how much more like a person he seems to be when he can sit and grab for things in front of him. This led to him rolling. He had rolled over last month, but it was only once at a time and very strenous. These days he's a rolling machine! Flipping this way and that... In fact now he's even started to lift his butt up when he's sitting, using his muscular thighs to push him up in the air. When he is down on his tummy, he can push all the way up now, which is pretty adorable. He hasn't quite mastered pulling his legs in under him to begin to crawl, so instead he kind of looks like he's swimming. Heather posted the MOST adorable video of him doing this, so check her post if it's been a while! We think he's on the verge of figuring it out. Our house will never be the same again...

Our little man also has not one but TWO teeth. He got his first tooth July 17 and his second on the 23rd. It's amazing how quickly things change. I wasn't expecting to get another tooth so quickly after the first. They are both bottom teeth, and he has been very kind to his mama, so no feeding rituals have changed.

Speaking of feeding rituals, man this kid can EAT! His diet now includes sweet potatoes, apples, pears, carrots, bananas (his least favorite), peas, and rice cereal. We're trying to avoid oats, barley and white flour his first year because of the siliac disease that runs in Micah's family. (Unfortunately, I already learned the importance of reading the label when I tainted him this week. I thought food marked "spinach & carrots" would be just that. Oh, what I have to learn! Apparently, it also included potato and barley (oops!).) In the coming weeks, we are looking forward to introducing squash, green beans, brown rice and blueberries. Anyways, he's eating a lot and growing bigger day by day.

He has also grown very aware of his environment. Hunter is one of the most interesting subjects in the house, and he really enjoys chatting with him. (Hunter says the verdict is still out for him - haha.) He learned while he was sick that coughing gets attention (or maybe he just thinks it's a super cool sound), so he does this hilarious fake cough allllllllllll the time. Oh & yesterday he was hanging with Sydney, Scott & Molly's newest little girl who is just a few weeks old, and they couldn't take their eyes off each other. It was pretty cool to see them both interacting with one of "their own".

We've been trying some new stuff lately. He's riding in his BOB (stroller) like a big boy. He seems to really enjoy his new perspective. He also got to try sitting in a restaurant's high chair for the first time a couple of nights ago. He did really well. We have a totally yuppy accessory (according to Arwen) that is like a playmat for high chairs & shopping carts. It's to keep a layer of cloth between him & the germs. But I gotta tell ya, that thing was a HIT last night. I'm sure it's only because it was new, but Logan kept himself occupied throughout the ENTIRE meal. (That's a little thing us mommies call a "miracle"!)

He's got his 6 month check up next week. We're betting he'll be darn near ready for his new carseat (which means over 20lbs). A few weeks ago when he had croup (a severe cough), they weighed him at almost 18!

Here's some pics from over the summer. Micah's been enjoying time spent with his little boy, I think. (Although, the last picture is hiking 4 14ers in one day with Arwen).

Here's a video of him chatting it up with a couple of cousins while we were on vacation...

Posting fairies

2010-07-25T16:48:00.000-07:00

I keep checking back here to see if any posting fairies came along to update our blog and can you believe it, they haven't! Dangit if it's not all up to me! Well, I'm working on downloading all the pics and videos so I can update everyone for the last month or so...

Keeping us guessing

2010-06-14T19:55:00.000-07:00

So as you all know, we started Logan on solid foods. The introduction of his second food coincided with the end of sleep as we knew it. We first assumed it must've been the avocado. But removing that didn't quell his tummy or get us any sleep! So then, we tried feeding him cereal at different times and at different thicknesses. Now, keep in mind we had three days prior to the introduction of avocado where we experienced blissful sleep interrupted by only one wakeup, so we knew it wasn't the cereal. Well, by Thursday after a week without sleep Micah and I decided to remove the cereal too, for good measure. Heck, I think I might've re-arranged his room to look like it did on Monday before it all began. ANYTHING, we would've done ANYTHING! On Friday I realized there was something else that happened the same day as the avocado - I went on a (supposedly) baby-safe antibiotic for a sinus infection. By the time we realized it was my breastmilk, we were out of a supply of untainted breastmilk, so we had to do formula. It sounds completely ridiculous and it's totally irrational, but it was REALLY hard to accept that I couldn't feed my little boy. I have a newfound sympathy for people who have a hard time breastfeeding. There's something so primal that made me feel like a total failure for not being able to provide for my son. Anyways, Saturday morning I found out I didn't need to take the last dose and since it had been 24 hours, I could feed my little man again. It wasn't until I also started taking a serious dose of a probiotic that Logan's belly calmed. Last night, the combination of the probiotic and the new strategy putting him down meant he only woke up three times in the night. (Sadly, this is what he was waking up before introducing any food and we thought "ohhhh this is terrible - if only he would just sleep through the night again". HA HA. After a week of no sleep, we gladly welcomed being awoken only three times in the night.)

So tonight we re-introduced food. This time we made him some delicious steamed yams, sweetened naturally with a little mommie milk. It's really impressive watching him eat. He grabs the spoon and guides the food in. This is almost the only way we can get him to open his mouth. He's really good at it. We tried to get it on video tonight, but he became distracted with the camera and stopped eating. Anyways, keep your fingers eating sweet potatoes crossed with our new fabulous sleep time strategy will ensure our first night of uninterrupted sleep in a month! (Ok, maybe we're shooting for the stars on that one, but keep your fingers crossed anyway!)

Oh & guess what else? Daddy took his little boy for his first swim ever! I'd love to post pics of it, but he didn't take any. :-( But the boys had a ton of fun. Logan held onto the side of the pool at the stairs and stood for 25 seconds alllll by himself. He floated on his belly and on his back and made a really funny face when he tasted pool water. He then got to experience his first shower ever, which was a little freaky and confusing. He didn't cry, but he didn't really get it either.

Oh & guess what else? (How in the world could I have not posted in two whole months when so much happens in a week!) He has begun teradactyling (a nickname from the Vaughan's for bizarrely loud but still happy sqwaking). It's pretty adorable.

Oh & today he also learned how to spit. Amazing that in just a few days with his daddy at home, he's already learned this new "skill".

all giggles

2010-06-09T20:28:00.000-07:00

YUMMY!

2010-06-08T19:22:00.000-07:00

His first meal...

His second food...

And here's a little something from Lolli... Giggles with GPop

Boy oh Boy

2010-06-06T20:18:00.000-07:00

So much has happened in the last two months! I can't believe it's been so long since I've posted. (sorry!) Let's see if I can hit all the highlights...

- I went back to work to a new job in Finance (same company) that I'm really enjoying.

- Micah & I had our fourth anniversary and enjoyed a delicious bottle of champagne and our new family.

- We had Gramps (aka my daddy) and Great Grandma Carolyn in town taking care of Logan. In Dad's *free* time, he refinished my furniture! Yesss! (Many who know me know that this is quite the good news!)

- Got a visit from Mom & Andy that got cut short due to Andy's brother. Our hearts are still with you, hoping for a healthy recovery for Beno! Mom made Logan the most incredible quilt with so many adorable colors and animals. I'll try to post pics.

- Took our very first airplane ride with Logan. He was freakin' awesome (no surprise)! We whirlwinded Texas to see our friend get married and to celebrate Angela's upcoming nuptuals to my little bro and to celebrate my very first Mother's Day with both my moms.

- Got a visit from the Tillema family. Aidan (Christina & Jan Mendelt's boy) is a year old now and quite the firecracker. There's no stopping that little one from movin! He's super cute, and we enjoyed their visit. We were super thankful they vacationed in Denver, so they could take care of Logan for the week.

- Mom & Stephen visited and took care of Logan, too. This was Stephen's first time meeting his grandson. I think they took to each other quite well. And Mom couldn't have doted on Logan any more. Thanks so much for the new swing. It's saved us several nights! And for the new shoes (all three pair) and for the clothes and for, well just everything!

- Logan got his first cold. Poor little guy has been super congested, but you'd never know it with his happy demeanor. Once he gets decongested, we'll move him back into his crib. Until then, he's swinging the night away.

- Working on getting a new roof, new gutters, and repainting the house. What are we in for??!

- Soon to be headed on our first road trip (to Texas) to watch Uncle Johnny & Aunt Angela get married. Yea!!

Logan updates (oh yeah, that's why you all tune in!):

- He's now 16 pounds, 2 ounces. (75%)

- He's 26.5 inches long (90%).

- He just got the taste of his first solid food. (The doctor recommended us putting him on cereal to help him get back to sleeping through the night. By the way, Mommie Too said so a month ago, but who ever listens to their parents :-P) He had rice cereal while out for First Friday on Tennyson, listening to music and chilling with family.

- He TURNS OVER!!! Well, so Arwen saw him do it (from tummy to back) about two weeks ago, then Micah saw it this past week, but it wasn't until today that I saw him for my very own eyes!! I was having a crappy day until I saw him turn (from back to tummy). It's just amazing how one little turn can totally turn your whole day around! Then, later he was hanging out in his crib and when I came back in, he had turned over again, so it's looking like it's becoming routine for this big boy.

you gotta be kiddin'!

2010-04-04T19:56:00.000-07:00

Two months have gone by since our adorable bundle of joy arrived. He now weighs in at 13 pounds 1 ounce (80th percentile) and is 2 feet long (75th percentile). Not only that but guess what he gave us for his two month birthday? Sleeping through the night! I hope I'm not jinxing us, but he's done it two nights in a row now. YIPEE!!!!! Keep your fingers our little bundle isn't teasing.

He's been pretty awesome for Gramps & K during their visit. This morning he turned on his side & everyone was convinced he just might make it all the way to his tummy. Here's a couple of pics of Gramps with his grandkids on Roan's birthday!

And check out these two cuddling.

For those times he isn't so happy and seems to be inconsolable, we have found his secret fix. We call them the German birds. It's a mobile Mimi & Grandy brought back from Germany that we placed over his changing table. He can be calmed by looking at them & is happy to stay there for quite a while. Since they are magnetic, we even considered taking one off to carry with us in case of emergency while out of the house.

By the way, he had his two month checkup and he's doing great. He got his first round of immunizations. He was fussy that night, which had us a little panicked. He didn't get a temperature & once we figured out the Tylenol dosing to help with his pain, he slept like a rock!

Smiles to Lollie

2010-03-30T19:33:00.000-07:00

Lollie, we are thinking of you.

It's a SNOW DAY!! yea!!

2010-03-24T14:03:00.000-07:00

I thought this morning was going to be a rough one, especially considering I stayed up late working on a surprise for Micah and Logan decided he needed to eat every couple of hours. (He usually lets me have at least one good long break at night.) So I'm trying to get every z I possibly can when Micah wakes me up to tell me the "bad" news. I braced myself and thought, "Oh no! Buck up, Jen, because this is looking to be one helluva day at it's only 7am." And then he whispered the sweetest words ever! "It's a snow day! I get to stay home!" "yeaaaaa! Can you take the next feeding then? Yesssss!"

Anyways, here's some pictures of the last week or so. We've been going from snow (and temps in the 20s and 30s) to gorgeous sunny days (with temps in the 60s to 70s even!). This is a pic of Logan playing. He can actually grasp the rings on the butterfly! He's clearly so brillant (no bias or pride there). Oh & by the way, his daddy put his pants on backwards (in case you were wondering).

Six Weeks

2010-03-21T18:47:00.000-07:00

Logan has been really awesome lately. He's smiling at mom & dad. He's playing more. He even grabbed a toy! Hope you enjoy this quick video. I'll try to post more (they take FOREVER to upload).

One Month Old

2010-03-04T18:07:00.000-08:00

Here's a funny pic, especially for PePaw & Grandma Marsha.

My goodness, how time flies!! I can't believe it's already been a month since we brought our little bundle of joy home.

We are a super happy family these days, adjusting well to parenthood, I think. Logan sleeps for at least 4 hours at the first round of sleeping, giving mama a full 3 hours of uninterrupted sleep! He has also graduated out of sleeping in the papasan and into sleeping in the bassinet. He's super adorable in there (so cute, I had to snap a quick pic (or 12)).

Our big boy lost his umbilical cord last week. Speaking of big boy, he has grown another quarter of an inch, so now he's a full 22 inches long. We weighed him at The Giggling Green Bean (a baby store in the hood) and he weighed 11 pounds 3 ounces. Now, when we got home we found that he may've had a pound in his diaper, so this was certainly not as precise a measurement as we get at the doctor. All this weight/height means mama is hurtin! Not only is he growing but he's become increasingly uninterested in sleeping anywhere that doesn't involve being held (at least until the evening, when like I said he's a champ in the bassinet). Anyways, that's left mama's neck and back tired! (Here's a pic of us snuggling).

Mama's not the only one adjusting... I think he had some "growing pains" (i.e gas), so we discovered the wonderful world of Gripe Water, an herbal fennel-something mix that seems to work wonders. He's also had a little difficulty with his sinuses (probably from the dry climate here), so we drop a little salt water in his nose which seems to do the trick. He wiggles and squirms in protest, but it helps him sleep better. I totally need to get a video of his snorts and grunts - cutest thing ever.

He's still a pretty perfect little baby (even with occassional bouts of fussiness). I mean thank GOODNESS I procreated with Micah because without Logan inheriting his easy going disposition, this baby thing may be a heck of a lot more difficult.

He loves tummy time and is quite the awesome dude at it! He can lift and turn his head like a champ. He LOVES getting some leg exercise. He has the cutest legs - his quads are defined. I've never seen definition on baby legs. I'm used to the chubby legs covered in rolls, but this kid is an athlete in waiting! Sometimes when he's laying on my tummy, if my legs are up he'll push against them to do a sort of baby downward dog (think butt in the air if you aren't familiar with yoga).

He's also been smiling when we coo at him. NOTHING in this world could melt your heart faster than those cuter than hell dimples. (This picture isn't the best, but it's darn hard to catch the smile in action.)

2 Week Update

2010-02-17T19:06:00.000-08:00

Pics from Mimi's & Grandy's visit a week ago:

Check out my new rattle!

We went to the doctor this week. Here's the updates:

- He's now 9 pounds, 4 oz. (Yes, he gained an entire pound in a week!) He's in the 75% for weight. He's also 75% for head circumference. Not sure why they measure that but whatever.

- He's now 21.75 inches long. That's 90% for height.

- We are allowed to let him sleep as much as 5 hours at a time in the evening. That's 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep - oh YEA!

- We can bottle feed up to 2 oz. at a time daily to get him used to what's coming in 3 months when mama goes back to work.

- No need for a liquid multivitamin. (Vitamin D is a concern for breastfed babies, but since we live in like the sunniest place - even more sunny days that Miami Beach supposedly - we need not worry about supplementing).

Here's pics of me with my parents:

We also have experienced the following firsts:

- First Bath

this is the 2nd bath w/Dad

- First Walk with Hunter

- First Weekend without Daddy (Condolences to Grandmommie. Granddaddy will be missed and will forever remain in our thoughts).

- First Sleepover with Cousin Roan

- First Playtime/Tummytime

Here's some more pics of handmade goodies my biggest fans gave me. Thanks again Aunt Heather, Christina & Lauren!

Logan has oh so perfectly slept the entire time it has taken me to upload & post this blog. But let's face facts, dinner is ON! Love to you all! Thanks so much for the wonderful wishes for new parenthood. We are all doing much better.

P.S. Here's a pic of Micah from when he was a baby. Whattaya think? Does Logan resemble anyone?

Logan update & slideshow

2010-02-09T08:47:00.000-08:00

Just a quick update. Baby Logan and Mama are doing great! They have been home since Saturday evening. They had a couple rough, sleepless nights at first but now things seem to be on track. He had a checkup at the doctor's office on Monday that confirmed he's gaining weight! Yippee! Now that he's getting a full tummy he seems to be able to sleep for longer stretches. Jen and Micah are just amazing with him, which I'm sure comes as no surprise. It has been so wonderful to spend time with their sweet family.

Whew!

2010-02-08T21:24:00.000-08:00

What a ride it's been!

Here's a pic of Logan on his way home from the hospital in the bonnet made from Grandma Keller's handkerchief. And another pic of his takehome outfit (with a different hat for warmth).

Arriving home, seeing his room for the first time...

And hangin' with his Gramps...

Updates:

Logan went to the doctor today.

He had lost alot of weight (from 8lbs 14 oz. when born to 7 lbs 7 oz. when we were discharged from the hospital). I'm happy to report, his weight is up! 8 lbs 3 oz today. Yea!

Dr. Bacon (yes, Bacon - Micah was super excited about her after he learned of her name) gave him a clean bill of health.

My milk has officially come in.

This has really helped our routine. Since he's not just starving all the time, we now have some awake time not filled with crying or nursing. It's been really fun today getting to play with Logan. Mom & Sis & Roan were just beside themselves playing with him and fussing over him. Roan officially nominated herself as the Pacifier Minder. She was ready at all times with Logan's paci whenever necessary! From what I heard from the next room before I drifted to sleep (still trying to catch up), the three of them had quite the time.

So, we are trying to stick to the EASY rule (eat, activity, sleep & you time). We're hoping this will make this evening a little more tolerable.

more photos & an update

2010-02-05T11:46:00.000-08:00

I'm glad to report both Mama and Baby are doing better. Looks like Logan will be released from NICU tonight, and the family may be able to go home as soon as tomorrow. He is a great eater, he's very alert and strong, and you can tell he just can't wait to show off his personality.

he's here!

2010-02-04T09:06:00.000-08:00

Our Little Long, Logan James, was born Wednesday February 3rd at 10:30 AM. He weighed 8 lbs 14 oz and was 21.5 inches long.

It was a bit of a rough journey getting him here. Jennifer started feeling contractions Tuesday around 11 AM. She labored at home like a real mama goddess for a while. I tell you, I was really in awe of her. She was the picture of tranquility, strength and determination. By about 3:30 or so her contractions were already 1 minute long and 2 minutes apart. The rule of thumb is to go to the hospital once they're been a minute long and 5 minutes apart for 1-2 hours. But since things were moving so quickly, her doula Regina made the call that we should go ahead and go in.

Just as we were leaving the house, Jennifer's water broke. When she got to the hospital we learned she had about a 101* fever, which was disconcerting. They started her on IV antibiotics right away. She was feeling pretty nauseous, occasionally throwing up. We weren't sure if that was because she was sick or just part of labor. Her contractions remained intense and frequent. She soldiered on naturally for quite a long while.

About midnight she made the call that it was time for the epidural. It was so amazing to see her go from the fog of labor back to her normal hilarious personality. She had the nurses and us in stitches. It was a relief to see her pain reduced - although not gone entirely. It allowed her to get a little intermittent rest from midnight to the wee hours. And the epidural also had a pretty immediate effect on getting her dilation to progress. She went two more centimeters almost right away, and continued steadily through the night to 10 cm by morning.

But the baby started to experience some heart decelerations, so they put her on oxygen and he evened back out. Then later he gave us a couple scares with some big decels. At one piont a whole cadre of nurses ran into the room to make sure all was well. Everyone kept a close eye on the little guy, but for the most part he really hung in there. As labor went on, he seemed to get stronger.

Things started heating up Wednesday morning around 6 or 7 I think. After being up all night it's a little fuzzy for me. Jen's normal doctor wasn't able to be there because her child was home sick throwing up, so we met a fellow OB from her practice named Dr. Z. He was a real wisecracker, and helped keep the mood light. I think by 8 or so she was ready to start pushing. It was such an incredible privilege to be a part of this amazing time with Jen and Micah. Jen pushed with such strength and determination it seemed for sure that baby would be here in no time.

After about an hour and a half, though, nurse Cindy noticed that the baby's head was having some swelling, and she was having difficulty getting him past the pelvic bone. That combined with Jen's fever and the presence of meconuim meant they had to keep a close eye on things. Dr. Z talked over the options with Jen and Micah and they agreed to try the vacuum extractor first. After a few pushes when it was clear that wasn't going to work they made the call that it was time for a c-section. Jen remained as she had been throughout - pragmatically focused on whatever was best for the baby's outcome.

Around 10 they wheeled her away for the c-section and we waited anxiously out in the hall. I have to say, I was really surprised throughout the process at how clueless and helpless I felt, even though it wasn't that long ago I went through labor with Roan. It is really hard to watch someone you care about be in pain and have so little you can do to help them. And once she was in the OR it was hard not knowing what was going on. I tried my best to stay focused on positive thoughts and not think about all the things that can go wrong.

Just before 11 nurse Cindy invited us into the recovery room, where we got our first look at the little guy. He was so mellow, he really seems to have his daddy's outlook on life. And his coloring as well. He got to spend some time with Dad and Mom in recovery. The c-section had gone pretty smootly, except that the little guy aspirated some meconium. They did their best to suction it all out, but knew they'd have to keep a close eye on him. Jen wasn't feeling well at all. Her fever was up and she was puking again. And the spinal was already wearing off, so her pain was increasing. Gradually she started coming back to herself though.

Around 4 hours after he was born, they did some tests and weren't happy with his numbers. They determined he'd have to go into the NICU for at least 48 hours for antibiotics and observation. Jen and Micah were pretty devastated to have Logan taken away just as they were finally getting to know him. But the great thing about the hospital they're at is the NICU there can provide top level care to Logan, and it's not far from their room. I think they can go in as much as they want. Although Roan will have to wait to meet Baby Cousin until he's out.

I just got an update from the hospital and it looks like Jen's fever is gone. She is taking her first walk. Logan has taken to breastfeeding and has already gotten in a few meals. He seems to be looking good. So hopefully the new family will be reunited soon!

Thanks everyone for your well wishes for Jen and the baby. All of the Longs greatly appreciate your love and support!

39 weeks and counting!

2010-01-20T20:29:00.000-08:00

We're READY!! The baby room is ready and our labor bag is packed! Welll, actually we are still missing our freakin awesome glider (total bummer), which will replace the high chair in the corner. We're hoping at this point that Little Long beats the arrival of his glider, which isn't due here until end of month or early Feb. (augh! Patience is not really my virtue in case you hadn't noticed...)

39 week update:

Getting bigger every day. Seems like he's dropped a bit (though not enough - haahaa). Getting hilariously out of breath by doing the simplest of tasks. Micah thinks it's pretty funny. We're trying everything to encourage our little man to come meet us. Hunter's enjoying the increased walks and I'm enjoying the reflexology (foot massages!) We're encouraging his arrival not because he's taken it so rough on me (comparably, I've heard some pretty awful stories), but because we just can't wait to meet him!

a weeeee bit more effaced. still no dialation. I hear the full moon is coming 3 days after our due date & that's supposedly a sure bet. Keep your fingers crossed for us that we don't make it to Feb!

Best Sister Ever

2010-01-12T20:25:00.000-08:00

This weekend Sissy far out did herself yet again. She hadn't seen me for a week or two and seemed shocked how big "little Long" has gotten lately. So we decided to make sure to take some pics. She took a ton. Here's a few...

Then, as if that wasn't enough, she offered to go grocery shopping for us. She mentioned prepping our food to make dinner time simpler. I thought she was talking about when we actually have the baby, so I was super surprised when we picked up groceries and everything was sliced, diced, and bagged by dinner. She has totally saved the week. The timing is amazing because I have zeroooo energy and don't want to go out either. Between her prep and Micah's willingness to cook, this mama is one healthy well-fed chica.

Oh & did I mention she's reworking the bassinet bedding? Yeah, she's a slacker. I just want to point out I know I did a thing or two while she was pregnant, but I had no toddler, no job, no husband to consider. Homegirl is putting me to SHAME and I LOVE HER FOR IT!!

38 week update: Dr.Offerdahl wasn't available today due to someone else's birth. Aug! The audacity of someone else giving birth when I clearly had an appointment!! Anyways, I met with Dr. Johnson again. She said no real change since last visit. So hopefully no news is good news? Perhaps her perception is different that Dr.Offerdahl's, so perhaps progress (currently a bit subjective) isn't being measured very well given I haven't seen the same doctor two weeks in a row. Regardless, she also said that effacement and dialation is no predictor of when we'll go into labor. Perhaps the new pain each day is a better predictor. If that's the case, it could be any day now! :-)

37 week update

2010-01-04T21:58:00.001-08:00

Guess I'm making up for lost time (or not so many blogs)...

I got to see our little man at my last appointment. Unfortunately, due to some scheduling conflicts, Micah wasn't able to be there to see him, but I brought him pictures.

The ultrasound tech did a formal measurement. He's in the 91% (I was super excited that he's already making As. Yeah, I'm old school because nowadays they don't do As, Bs, etc. but that's digressing). Anyways, our baby's a biggun. The UT suggested his weight to be 7 lbs. 11 oz. already (yes, with at least 3 weeks to go!). Speaking of how our boy is an achiever, he's already head down & has been for some time. (I hope the sarcasm of the proud parent of a fetus comes through in blogspeak).

Anyways, this ultrasound was much different that I expected. Since he's so developed now, it was actually more difficult to see all his parts. For example, his brain is harder to see because it's more dense & his skull is more formed. And when we looked at his heart, she had to peek a boo through his ribs. It was cool to see him though. When we did the 3D ultrasound, he was SO cute. Again it was hard to see (fluids are less than they used to be as is the space in there), but he was still mighty cute. I think he's got his daddy's nose - definitely the "Long" genes at work. He was also sticking his tongue in and out. I mean who woulda though that could be so adorable, but it is... You can see his cute little tongue and his chubby cheeks in these pics.

Then, I met with the doctor. She measured him & believed he's probably not quite as big as the UT said. She was guessing by her measurements he's probably about 7 lbs. 5 oz. (still plenty big if you ask me). She checked me for preeclampsia - I'm good. Got the results of the strep B test - it's negative (that's good). And my iron is up, so all around we got good news.

Now for the potentially TMI session - not for the faint of heart, so feel free to stop reading. Not dialated yet, but I have begun to efface. Now that I'm at full-term, the doctor said we could begin all kinds of things to encourage Little Long to come (like exercise). With my family history (my, sister's & Roan's births 2 weeks late), encouragement couldn't do any harm. She said if we get to 40 weeks, considering the family history, she'll probably see if she can stir stuff up down there to prevent having to induce.

Merry Christmas from the Long's

2010-01-04T21:58:00.000-08:00

Baby Showers Galore!!!

2010-01-04T21:10:00.000-08:00

Boy oh Boy! Did we have an incredible time being back home in Texas.

Mom & Heather threw Micah & I a great shower on Thanksgiving Day after lunch. We are so thankful to have so many supportive family and friends who were able to make it. Even those who weren't able to make it were surely there in spirit. We had a great time seeing family & friends we hadn't seen in waaaaay toooo long.

The games were so fun. The decorations adorable. Thanks, Mom & Sissy!!

Then, we went to Austin where we got to enjoy yet another fantastic Thanksgiving feast as well as another excuse to shower us with gifts. Angela did a fantastic job decorating Tresa & Andy's place. We had a really great time visiting with everyone - almost all the cousins were there (Justin & family, you were certainly missed!)

Thanks to everyone who totally spoiled us! All the gifts are incredible. Sorry those thank you notes are so delayed. We're getting there... but please know if you haven't received a thank you yet, it's not from lack of appreciation! Thanks to everyone, Little Long's room is coming along and he is sure to be well dressed upon arrival!

Here's a couple more pics of our fun TX trip. There's a ton of great pictures, but I don't have them all...

Mad Hatter's Tea Party (Little Long's first party!)

2009-11-11T19:21:00.000-08:00

Gotta say many many thanks to my ladies!!

Monica, Heather & Christina REALLY outdid themselves!

at the Mad Hatter's tea party...

the menu was enviable...

tea sandwiches (really delicious ones)
cupcakes
delicious sparkling punch

the decorations divine...

flowers galore
caterpillar (ok, he wasn't smoking a hookah, but kids were about)
a cheshire cat carved pumpkin
playing cards

the activities oh so fun...

finger painting for the kids
Alice & Wonderland themed coloring
tea tasting for the ladies

We also played a really fun game Heather designed called A Long Came Baby (get it? a LONG - heehee - this last name is fun). I have to say, I did have a slight advantage and yet I still didn't manage to win!

Meanwhile, the boys enjoyed bowling, brews and all things fried while the ladies enjoyed a lovely tea party!

I totally cannot figure out how in the heck to get any more pics on this post. I invite my "co-contributor" to post a few. There's a ton of adorable ones!

Did I forget to mention Mom & Stephen made it to town on Friday, but not before Dad & Karen surprised me on Thursday night!! Micah and I are so lucky to have such a supportive family. I think Christina was pretty stoked to see everyone (not to mention all the help they gave us getting ready for the party!)

Thanks to everyone who was able to come and make our first baby shower incredibly special. I'm so thankful to have so many wonderful friends and family! We know those of you who weren't able to make it were here in spirit! :-)

2 weeks until our 3rd Tri?!?

2009-10-21T18:25:00.000-07:00

WOW!! Has it really been so fast already? I can't believe we're almost in the home stretch (no pun intended). Seriously though, I've really enjoyed being pregnant lately - feeling my little one move about seriously makes me smile BIG. Looking down & seeing this big ol' belly even makes me smile (ok until I try to cross my legs or bend down to put my shoes on like I used to, but even that makes me giggle for now).

I don't know how I can possibly make time slow down, so I can enjoy every second (while speeding the clock up while I'm at work! haha).

Oh, and I gotta say, I can't believe I almost forgot... so the whole reason I wanted to start this dadgum blog was because I wanted to post the most adorable baby thing ever - little Long's new shoes! Brea sent us the CUTEST ever little boy shoes. Promise to post them soon. Their existence proves that it is possible to accessorize even a little boy with appropriate yet adorable fashion! Thanks, B!

One hot mama

2009-10-14T20:06:00.001-07:00

So last night, I was feelin' pretty silly, so I dressed with the intention to let this little guy show himself. ahhh comfy clothes... Micah thought I looked super cute (I think it's the heelarious face I've got), so he snapped a pic & sent it to his peeps... My favorite response came from my bro-in-law: "Whoa! Tell that girl to lay off the ho-hos. J/K! She's glowing right through the phone. One hot mama!" Thanks, Justin!!

24 week appointment updates:
- In case you can't tell, this little boy's gonna be a biggun'
- I'm allowed to paint (with ventilation)
- I'm allowed to maybe have a drink if I wanna. (I haven't found that to be all that great, though. I guess that's nature at work).
- I have a great husband that takes great care of me & makes sure I'm taking it easy (especially when I'm not paying attention).
- We picked a hospital - St. Joes.
- We found out about cord blood storage. Now, all we gotta do is call. (Thanks, Mom & Andy).
- In a couple of weeks, I have to take the glucose & anemia test.

Week 23

2009-10-05T20:03:00.000-07:00

To those needing the belly update...

Here it is. Funny... looking at this picture, Little Long seems so... well... little, even though he FEELS huge! Micah backs me up on this - he just said "That can't be from just now, you look so much bigger in person." (He's not being mean; I like having a noticeable baby bump). Seriously though, the other day I went to massage my foot with my leg stretched out & I could no longer reach without squishing my belly or bending at the knee.

Frighteningly, I reminisced on Heather's preggar pics the other day. My thinking moved from "ohh how sweet and petite" to "she was such a great pregnant" to "oh my god, is that my future?!" and "she looks miserable" and "how is it possible she is standing without tipping forward!" Cheers to the beginning (barely halfway through).

As for other updates, any sitting not totally straight or in an almost backbend leaves me achy at the top of the belly. What the heck is that? Pains in the belly and around where things seem to grow makes sense, but at the top? really? I guess this whole pregnancy thing isn't as obvious as I had thought it would be.

I recognize I may be a weeeeee bit hormonal and that Micah proves himself to yet again be the most laid back dude ever. I'm constantly obsessed with "THE LIST", and when enough progress on said list doesn't occur, there is unfortunate irritability that ensues. Even when I don't want to be frustrated, it's as if I have no choice. There is a hormonal requirement making me aggro. I'm working through it. Yoga helps. And so does having a great husband!

So perhaps it's the not knowing quite what to expect or perhaps it's the hormones, but the other day I had myself in a complete first time mommie panic. I had Micah call the doctor and when they returned the call and suggested I come in, I called Sissy in full on meltdown requesting she go with me to the doctor. No worries, by the way. Absolutely nothing unusual - just a first time mommie freakout. Sis came with me to the doctor and she got to hear his little heartbeat. It was fun & it was her first time to hear her very own first nephew!

One last thing... you gotta, and I mean gotta, help with this whole name thing. Calling him "Little Long" or "the baby" or her nephew or grandbaby or whatever is driving me crazy! What the hell is this kid's name?! Reply to Heather's post below to suggest something.

Wanted: Baby Boy Name Suggestions

2009-10-02T14:26:00.000-07:00

We are looking for ideas on baby boy names. Leave your suggestion as a comment to this post.

Mama Bump

2009-09-24T08:35:00.001-07:00

So here's to my first ever blog posting on behalf on the little Long...

uhhh... Hope you didn't come here expecting all the adorable anecdotes my sister seems to continue to entertain us all with.

Little Long (or Baby Cousin as Roan has named him) has grown alot in the past few weeks. Here's a pic from when I left for Canada two weeks ago.

I'll post another when I get back from Canada, but he's really grown alot in two weeks. One day, a coworker exclaimed "What happened to you last night?" Not used to this sort of exclamation and horrified that I had perhaps forgotten makeup that morning, she reassured me that I was looking more like a mommy every day! (That's a good thing, right?! haha)

Two nights ago, while working late into the evening, I unintentionally placed the laptop on my belly to balance. Little Long reminded me that is his territory by creating an earthquake-effect. Dazed & confused, not sure if the wave my laptop experienced was real or delusions caused by overworking, Little Long reasserted that he was making himself known by doing it again.

Ok, so this may sound hokey, it may be hormonal, but seeing him already impacting his environment and mine makes this whole thing real and even more exciting. That night while skyping (for the older generation, that means using your computer to phone) with Micah, it hit me that this little boy would one day have a girl that falls for him like I fell for his daddy. Wow, he's like real.

whoa.

It's a...

2009-09-12T20:51:00.000-07:00

BOY!!!

That small white arrow is pointing right to his junk!

Here's his little hand

And his cute little baby feet

And here he is in profile (his head is on the right)

Hello & Welcome

2009-09-12T20:20:00.000-07:00

Please permit me as a guest contributor to introduce Jen and Micah's new baby blog! What can I say, I'm an excited aunt-to-be! And I'm willing to be there are some other excited folks out there. Here's to Jen, Micah and soon to be Little Long!