The Hauer Family

August… how did that happen? I have 5 days left until I go back to work. I am a cluster of emotions on that subject so it may just be best if I don’t talk about it 🙂

So, what have we been up to?

1. Cloth diapering. We are using the Flip system – have 6 covers and 17 inserts, and we do laundry every other day. Big fan so far. Interested to see what our water bill looks like though 🙂

2. Visiting. Such a blessing to be able to spend time with people I don’t usually see often and those I wish I could see this often — that’s including my mom!

3. Reading. Thankfully we are still at the age where I can read anything to him – The Bachelorette recaps from EW.com, MSNBC articles on the debt ceiling debate. All the important stuff. But mostly I read from his library of books.

4. Being silly. Best thing about having a baby is the ability to be silly. The things I find myself doing for a smile: saying “for-eh-verr” Sandlot style, playing “head, shoulders, knees & toes”, singing a random array of early 90’s hits and today’s favorites and generally just having one-sided conversations.

playtime with dad -- the source of many giggles

5. Taking naps. In the swing, on the couch, in his carseat, cuddled in next to Mom… and, maybe, sometimes, in his crib.

6. Being a heartbreaker.

rico suave

7. Celebrating Shark Week

8. And, for some sneaking reason, we have been waking up around 2 am for a midnight snack. I guess those long stretches of uninterrupted sleep that we had going for us were too good to be true 🙂

Til next time, Jack sends his screams and giggles your way!

We traveled to Cincinnati this past weekend to celebrate Jack — again (as always)! Because of the hectic baby shower schedule before Jack was born, and the fact that Grandma Bonnie and Aunt Andrea lovingly didn’t want to get out of hosting a shower, we decided to throw a shower after he arrived. What a blessed boy 🙂

delicious!

It was a great time, and the little man got more cuddle time then he knew what to do with. Thanks to all who came — it was great catching up with Karen, Joyce, Suzanne and Katelin — and to all who sent well wishes. Jack was such a good boy the entire time of the party (this may be, in part, due to the food coma I put him in before the guests arrived) — but this is what happened when I wanted to take a picture with him…

We continued to munch on the cake the rest of the weekend — Jack even got in on the action…

i can haz cake

As always, we had a great weekend hanging out with the Hauers. And Jack slept soundly in the pack and play – yay!

We got home just in time to take his 2 month old picture — 2 months?!?!

Jack, at two months old you still love to be cuddled (it is still the only way to get you to sleep – standard firstborn!), love playing on your activity mat — with all four limbs moving — and you are always talking. You have finally started to enjoy your bouncy seat, as well as sleeping flat on your back. There is spit up a whole lot more… we are moving through a couple of outfits a day, and Mom is feeling more Mom-like with her respective stains. As a result, you are getting baths more frequently 🙂  Dr. Church declared you a sweet little boy that is doing “just great” at your 2 month checkup.

And me, I love this Mom stuff…I’m trying not to count down the days until I return to work.

I just love it when the diaper change is complete and then I realize he has peed all over himself. Sadly, I only notice this after I pick him up and try to figure out why the back of his head is soaking wet. I still have no idea how this is possible. But, yes, it just happened.

And this may not have been the first time. Must be why he is all smiles on the changing table 🙂

Jack: It’s 110 degrees and Mom has me out shopping – in socks? Seriously.

Mom: socks will help regulate your body temperature.

Jack’s first Fourth of July. We had a packed weekend, hanging out with our small group on Sunday night and then hanging out with “the family” on Monday night at Joel and Holly’s house. In honor of our little American citizen, we actually purchased fireworks this year (I know, who knew I could be so frivolous?) and Granda John thought better of wearing his England strip to the party. Jack – changing lives already 🙂

our Louisville family

our passed out patriot

It was the perfect way to send Dad back to work! We had our first days without Dad at home this week; consequently, it was Jack’s first time entertaining himself on his activity mat. I think he liked it — he is definitely getting more and more interactive; there may have even been a couple of non-gas induced smiles 🙂

Being without Bill during the day isn’t as bad as I thought it would be, but I have found that I enjoy my son a lot more when I have at least 6 hours of consecutive sleep. And with a nap thrown in there…I can be downright pleasant. During the day, I’m calling on Nana to keep me sane and occupied — it is such a blessing to have my Mom right around the corner. And, let’s be honest, she keeps me well-fed.

Apart from hanging out with Nana and running errands (errands of the caliber where I spend more time getting the babe in and out of the car than I do in the actual establishment — sigh!), Jack and I also got to hang out with Jessica and Jayleigh on Friday. JLB was ridiculously cute and gentle with “baby yak”; making sure he knew it was “okay” and telling him “don’t cry, don’t cry”. Such a sweet girl, and, as advertised, her mom makes a mean grilled cheese.

Can’t wait to see what next week will bring. Bill has his 2 week *summer break* from class, so the days will pass quickly I’m sure. And, one last note of cuteness…

Little Man and his Dad, or should I say Bill and his mini-me

Not really. But we did “trek” through the woods at Fox Hollow Farm this morning, taking advantage of the overcast skies and 70 degree weather. Jack loved napping in his Baby Bjorn, otherwise affectionately known as the Jack Pack,  and I just enjoyed the exercise 🙂

Snuggled up

Dad & Jack enjoying the view of the pond

We successfully mastered the timer on the camera to get a family picture 🙂

Mom & Jack

With all that fresh air (and Vitamin D), Jack slept for four hours and we were able to run errands and make a stop at Papalinos for pizza. It was a good little Friday.

And as my birthday gift to my mom and dad I will sleep from 10pm to 4am — a 6 hour stretch. You’re welcome.

Time is a funny thing when you have a newborn. It’s a cyclical time warp, you only know that days are passing because people are getting kicked off reality shows.

It’s time to feed Jack. It’s time to burp Jack. It’s time to change Jack’s diaper. It’s time to rock Jack to sleep. It’s time to put Jack in his straightjacket swaddle. It’s time to try rocking Jack again.  It’s time to watch Jack sleep. It’s time to start waking Jack up. It’s time to feed Jack…

And every other day around 5 pm we try to get ourselves (and the house) presentable in anticipation of visitors — who kindly are bringing dinner by. Side note: dinner being delivered is one of the best things ever.

This has gone on for one month; and, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

One Month Old

Happy Birthday Jack. We love you.

Month recap:

• grown 2 inches
• packed on approximately 2 pounds
• learned to hold your head up
• kept your full head of hair
• gone through 262 newborn diapers
• been on a road trip to Cincinnati

The "new" Hauer 3 || Ida (6), Kellan (4) and Jack (3 weeks)

What we’ve learned so far:

• never change a diaper at the first “noise” of dirty — it takes at least 3 said noises before “done”
• frustration can turn to bliss in an instant — usually triggered by a smile, noise or expression
• there really are different “cries” — so far the “i’m hungry” cry is the loudest.
• mom’s figure didn’t magically reappear after your birth. (big sigh)
• breast is best. but damn those first couple of weeks are not much fun
• mom and dad are going to love being retired

Family of Four

It’s a boy — is anybody surprised? 🙂

John Douglas Hauer — Jack — arrived in record time on Tuesday, May 17 at 10:15 p.m. Weighing 6 lbs. 10.6 oz. and measuring 19 inches long and with a full head of dark hair (I suppose that heartburn was for a reason!).

We were able to have a natural birth as we hoped. Granted, when we got to the hospital I was already 7 cm dilated. The labor and delivery went extremely rapidly and well — I won’t rub it in, but all in all it was over in less than 5 hours. Truly blessed.

Will write “the story” sometime soon; but for now, will leave you with photos of our little man.

Writing this post-baby…

Taken on a Sunday night, this is the last known picture of the baby bump. Taken after an evening out with the Boone’s at Wild Ginger for sushi and topped off with a Heath Klondike bar. By the way I savored that ice cream, I — we — should have known that Jack’s arrival was imminent!

39 weeks and still in stripes!