A Little Modesty Please!

This last week or so has been a real whirlwind for Rooney. Beside the obvious reason of Christmas, Rooney has had some other somewhat exciting things happen.

Last Wednesday while I was feeding Roonster he sat up in my arms. I was so excited. He cannot yet sit up from a laying down position but when you hold him or he is in a laid back sitting position he often tries to pull himself up. I really have to make sure he is strapped in his chairs/changing table now. Often when he sits on my lap he has to be sitting fully upright or else he gets a little fussy. He seems quite strong & can easily pull himself up when he holds on to your fingers.

Rooney has also taken to sleeping exclusively in his crib. He has been sleeping so well that we just kind of made the move. We really didn't plan it but it seems to be working out well. We have not taken down the bassinet quite yet but I have a feeling it will be packed up soon. It is so nice to go to Rooney when he is in the crib. When he sees your face he gets a huge grin on his face. If the dogs waiting outside the bedroom door all morning didn't already make someone feel appreciated then walking up to the beautiful smile definitely would. Rooney has really been laughing alot more lately & when we finally get some video editing software we may be able to post some video of it on the blog.

Lastly, this really isn't exciting but more cute. I gave Rooney a bath in a little bath chair last week for the 1st time. His little feet refused to touch the water & they stayed frogged up to his chest the entire bath. I altered Rooney's photo for modesty. I cannot have him being totally mad at me when he sees this!

Rooney's First Christmas Part II

Rooney's first Christmas was great! Christmas morning started around 7 a.m. when Mom & Dad couldn't fall back asleep. Mike & I got up, had the traditional orange rolls & coffee for breakfast, put on some Christmas tunes & opened our gifts. We left Rooney's gifts for when he woke up and then we waited...and waited...and waited. Finally around 9 a.m., we decided to go back to bed. Around 10:30 a.m. Roonster eventually woke up and luckily the Christmas tunes were still playing. Rooney & Mom opened his gifts from Mom/Dad, Santa, Gma & Gpa Wade, Great Gma & Gpa Morse & Aunt Kristi & Uncle Andy (see picture of Rooney w/gifts in Part I). Opening all those gifts & posing for photos was really exhausting & Rooney went down to take his late morning nap. Later that day Grandma Peggie, Aunt Annie, Uncle Jim & Cuyler came over for finger foods & cake...and of course, more gifts.

Our little Rooney is such a good boy, and loves his Mom & Dad so much, that he decided to give us a late Christmas gift & slept 8hrs again last night.

I would say all in all Christmas 2005 was a great day topping off a great year.

Rooney's First Christmas Part I

Exciting Turns at 11 Weeks

Sunday night was kind of an exciting night for Rooney. He has been sleeping on his side basically since he was born. He would be swaddled & would end up on his side alot. So whenever I would see him laying on his side I was not particularly surprised.

Sunday night, around 12:45 a.m., I went into Rooney's room because he was making noise like he needed something. It was dark in his room, he was on his side & I was trying to give him back his pacifier so I had one hand on his side & the other hand was trying to locate his mouth. Well, as I was trying to give him his pacifier he rolled onto his tummy. Of course I asked him "Did you just roll over"? He didn't verbally answer me but I think he was pretty jazzed too so he proceeded to do it again! He may have been showboating for his ol' mom but it worked because I was so excited that I had to tell Mike right away.

I'm sure Mike would have been as impressed & excited as I was when I came in the bedroom to tell him...if it wasn't 12:45 in the morning.

As an additional bonus for us Rooney decided to laugh out loud again last night. It was so beautiful (and during waking hours). It was also wonderful because he laughed in the nursery, when the baby monitor was on, so the whole house got to hear it.

Camera Phone Pictures

Since our camera has been down I decided to take some pics w/my cell phone. I felt these were a few of the really cute ones.

Felix to the Rescue

Everyone can rest easy I showed Mike where we kept the larger jammies. Truth be told the selection was getting sparse though. Mike, Rooney & I went to Babies R Us this week to replenish his stock. I decided to use a little brains & bought the boy 2 pair in 3-6mo. & 2 pair in 6-9mo. I was looking @ the tags & the 3-6mo. only go to 26.5". Unfortunately that means Roonster will be out of them by tomorrow. But now we have 4 pair and that should cover us for a week or so.

That night I went through Rooney's clothes & pulled out all the ones that were too small. It was really sad. His drawers were pretty empty after that. I took out the clothes in reserve & put them in the hamper to be washed. They were so big comparatively. However, the family in Minnesota may soon be happy when they see a picture of Rooney in his Vikings outfit. I know Dad is excited.

Anyway, Thursday Rooney saw his cousin Felix & received a huge bag of clothes. It was like a little pre-Christmas and his drawers quickly filled up again. It was hard to say goodbye to some of the sweet little outfits Rooney had. I know where each one came from and most have nice memories attached to them. Some seemed to wait in the nursery so long for him & now they're too small and moving on.

In other news, I noticed Rooney trying to sit up in his papasan. He didn't make it but he was definitely trying to pull himself up. He has also started to turn himself 180 degrees in bed. Sometimes when we walk in to check on/or get him he is laying vertical. It's kind of funny to see because I think he may be a little longer than the crib is wide- @ least he looks squinched up. I feel that he is on his way to rolling over too. We always find him turned on his side. He hasn't really laughed much since I wrote about it. He did giggle once since & thankfully Mike got to hear it.

As you can see (or should I say can't see?), our camera has broken down. We did order a new one & it should be here right before Christmas. Thankfully, once we receive it we will be able to post pictures again.

The Shadow

We ended going to bed really late last night as a result of trying to get some paperwork in order. As a result, Rooney spent the night in the crib in his nursery. Whilst it was nice to actually see the nursery getting used at night for more than feedings and diaper changings, it was still weird not having him in the bassinet next to me. I missed the "little" guy.

This morning, when I got up to feed and change him, I discovered further evidence of just how much older and bigger he is getting. I sort of realized it had been happening, especially lately when he hasn't been able to fit as nicely on my legs when I rock him when he is crying. Without gong into too many details, I decided it was probably a good idea to change him into a different sleeper for his mid-morning nap (the one that typically runs from 8:00-10:00, and is not to be confused with the late-morning nap which runs from 10:30-12:30). So I opened his changing station trying to find a new sleeper to put him into, and discovered... nothing that fit. I guess maybe I'm out of the loop as to where his clothes are to be found; I'm sure Susan has some ingenious system that makes complete sense if I just thought about it, but I haven't figured it out yet. All I could find were sleepers for <3 months, and weight 8 - 11 pounds. But that's all I could find, so I went to cram him into one. He was pretty close to fitting, but I couldn't quite bear to button the top button. He seemed to be okay with that: I guess he wanted to show some chest-hair, to "let the stallion roam free", as it were.

Unfortunately, our camera is currently on the fritz, so I won't be posting a new picture. That means three straight posts without a photo; I hope you are all getting by on the older ones.

(Also, my apologies for the title of this post; it sort of made sense with my original plan for this post, but that changed as I was writing this. Still, I think it was high-time that more obscure Alec Baldwin references are added to this blog.)

My Son Paul Bunyan

Rooney went for his 2 month MD visit today and I found out my son... is a giant. Obviously I am exaggerating but he is in the 95th percentile for height. He has grown 3" from his last MD visit & now towers in @ 26"!!! He is 1" away from being out of his 3-6mo. clothes! Yikes. He is also 13lbs 7.5oz- that puts him in the 90th percentile for weight, but seems to me he is a little light for his height.

This height advantage should serve him well I imagine. I know some of you may have been worried that he might get teased because of his name but now we know when (or should I say if they dare) any little Bob, Mike, Tom, Steve, Jim, Jason or John try to tease him about his name he can take his big Rooney hand & crush them.

I'm just kidding I'm sure he'll be a gentle giant.

Also @ his MD appt. Roonster got his 1st set of shots. This was a pretty unpleasant experience for us both but he seemed to recover well. I don't think he'll be smiling @ the MD again any time soon though. One last interesting thing to note is that Rooney again slept a solid 8 hours through the night. We're hoping this is the start of a trend, but it's not like we could complain about the 6hrs/night he was sleeping.

Laugh In

Yesterday was a big, exciting day for Rooney & I. I am still sick, so we didn't go anywhere & I am still unable to kiss him (which is very difficult). Doesn't sound very big & exciting, right? Well yesterday was the 1st time I heard Rooney laugh out loud and it was great!

I wasn't sure if I actually heard him laugh @ 1st. I heard it once & when I turned around he was just smiling. Of course I run over and start asking him if he laughed. Would I have been more surprised if he laughed again or if he answered me back? At that moment I don't know.

What was he even laughing at? I don't know. Nothing was going on. He wasn't even looking at his favorite Salvador Dali. Then not too much later he did it again! This time I got the fantastic idea that I should record it. I grabbed my cell phone, quickly taught myself how to use the voice recorder, shoved it in Rooney's face & waited. I sat there poised & ready to record for quite awhile, but sadly he didn't laugh again.

Even if I couldn't get it recorded and share it, I am happy with it just being a wonderful moment, between Rooney & I. And believe me when I tell you my son has a beautiful laugh.

Rooney's 2 Month Celebration

On December 3rd Rooney turned 2 months old. On one hand I cannot believe it's been 2 months already & on the other hand it's hard to believe there was life before him. I hear that alot from other parents also. We won't know exactly how much he has grown until Friday when he has his MD appt. He fits very well into 3-6mo. old clothes, so I imagine he has grown alot. Scares me though because he'll be out of those very soon. I've been sick all week with a cold so not much has happened. To celebrate Rooney's 2 month birthday I decided to post some previously unposted photos.

Rooney Gains an Aunt

This past week we heard the very exciting news that Rooney's Uncle Dan had proposed to his girlfriend Kim, and they are now engaged. I am excited for many reasons...the most obvious is because I am just genuinely happy for them. They seem like a great couple & I feel I would really like Kim as a sister-in-law. The less obvious reason (I won't go to deep into it as to not put any undue pressure on the new couple) is what this could mean for Rooney or his future sibling(s). Thankfully there is Felix, who is just 6 months older, and the possibility that there may be other familial playmates is exciting.

But I know I am getting ahead here. I'll just end by saying congratulations to the happy couple & can't wait for the wedding.

Hark! The Herald Angels

*****WARNING: Mothers with babies may not want to read this post********************

Tuesday night was a big night for Rooney. It was my night to get up with him & I was really dreading it. When I have to get up w/Rooney I just don't sleep well. There are the obvious reasons that baby crying & stumbling around in the dark can be very disruptive to your sleep, but I also have problems actually falling asleep. Also, since the bassinet is on Mike's side of the bed, we switch sides & let it be known, Mike's side of the bed really isn't very comfortable. I understand now why he desires my side so much.

Oh I'm getting off track- let's just say the whole night is generally shot for me & I'm very tired the next day.

Tuesday night Rooney must have sensed my apprehension or the gods of sleep must have been smiling down on me or someone slipped my son a mickey...Roonster not only slept through the night (6hrs) but he slept a solid 8 hours!!!

I actually checked his breathing a couple times to make sure I was just lucky. To top off the whole glorious night...his diaper held up and there was no leak through (I can hear the angels singing)!

Best Buds

Felix and Rooney are modeling matching Tigger outfits courtesy of Sunlight & Gil

Additional Cute Photos of Rooney

Whole Lotta Firsts

Thanksgiving week was a week of a lot of "firsts" for Rooney. My mom, Grandma Peggie to Rooney, came in on Tuesday. It was the 1st time they met. Grandma Peggie seemed pretty enamored. On Tuesday night, Rooney "slept through the night" for the 1st time. He slept solidly for 6-7 hours before he woke. Unfortunately, Mike & I cannot remember the exact time he fell asleep, but we do know it was @ least 6 hours. He has not repeated that feat again but has come pretty close.

Wednesday, Rooney met his Uncle Casey (my younger brother) & his cousin Aiden for the 1st time. Aiden is 4 years old & his 1st visit to WA. It was so nice to finally see him again. His visit also marked the 1st time all the cousins (or Grandma Peggie's grandchildren) were together. There were several bad photos taken marking the occasion.

Thursday was, of course, Rooney's 1st Thanksgiving. He slept through much of the festivities but was held nearly the whole day by either Aunt Annie (my sister) or Grandma Peggie. They held him so long I was getting a little lonesome for my little guy.

Friday was Black Friday and the girls went shopping.

Finally Saturday. There was more shopping to do & Mike needed to be sans baby to get some things done, so Rooney went XMAS shopping for the 1st time. I also had a first.

We had already hit a major store and Rooney was doing great. Before continuing on to other stores we decided to stop by Azteca for lunch. That is when I saw it...little feet started moving. As a mother I knew what that meant & I decided that since we were waiting for a table I would just go ahead & feed him before we were seated. As I was getting the diaper bag, my actions were previewing in my mind. By now I am a pro @ bottle making but I still do the checklist. Do I have the pre-measured packets of Enfamil? No, but I have the tub. I'll have to scoop. Water? Check. Bottle? And that is when a cold sweat broke out. I checked the bag feverishly but there no bottle. And that is when I screamed at myself...I forgot to repack a clean bottle!!!! And I knew that things were about to get desperate.


Rooney was starting to stir a little bit more & starting to get a little more fussy. All hell was going to break loose if this kid didn't eat soon. I was about to go home (while my mom & Annie had lunch), feed Rooney & come back to finish shopping. I looked down the street @ traffic & I realized I could be stuck a long time. Traffic was backed up, in the direction I would be heading, for quite a distance. If Rooney & I headed home now we would both be sorry. That left me with only one other choice...and so for the 1st time with the baby I had to call Mike to come bail me out. About 1/2hr later Mike came charging up to the restaurant like a white knight and delivered the goods. Finally, all was calm in the restaurant & Mike spread peace throughout the land.

Rooney's First Sleepover

Saturday Rooney had his first sleepover @ Aunt Annie's house. Annie had mentioned wanting to do it a few times before and Mike & I decided, this weekend, we would be OK with it. Not to say it wasn't hard.

Mike & I went to dinner...and looked @ Rooney's pictures. Then we went to the movies, saw "Good Night & Good Luck" (that is a recommended movie) & looked @ Rooney's picture. Then I had to call Annie to see how it was going (and possibly hear Rooney in the background). She reassured me that Roonster was doing well. He slept alot, had eaten a couple of times & she had snuggled with my baby!

I had a hard time sleeping that night...I was thinking of Rooney. We, Rooney & I, were going to my friends baby shower the next day & I was thinking how I would hold him the whole time we were there... because I missed him so much. And of course, what outfit he should wear.

It was nice to have a night out with Mike, but I think it will be awhile before we do that again.

6 weeks...but who's counting?

Yesterday marked 6 weeks since Rooney was born. The day itself was uneventful and we didn't celebrate or anything. I did have time to reflect on how much he has already changed and grown though. It may seem, from the last 2 posts, that I have been preoccupied with his "baldening", but in actuality I've been obsessing more on how tall he is getting.

When Roonster was born he was 21". By his 2 week MD appt he had grown 2 more inches to 23". When Grandma & Grandpa Wade (Mike's parents) were visiting we measured Rooney & he was 24". He is long enough now to be in 3-6mo. old clothes!!! Ahhhhhhhhh! I still have a lot of cute 0-3mo. clothes I want him to wear! I've already found 2 outfits that are iffy. Maybe if he keeps his toes curled & his knees bent he can wear them a little longer.

We do not know how much he weighs right now. 4 weeks ago he weighed 9lbs 7oz & God knows how much he's gained w/Mike feeding him 4oz every feeding. We've had a little debate going about whether we should be feeding him 3 or 4 oz @ a time. We've recently conducted experiments but we are now disagreeing on the results. I think I'll continue to make 3oz bottles, Mike will probably continue to make 4oz bottles & with the compromise of the two Rooney will be adequately fed.

The Baldening II

In the time since my last post I believe Rooney's balding has become more ridiculous. However, he has become even more handsome (didn't know that could be possible).

I think he's starting to look alot like Harry Shearer in "A Mighty Wind". At least that is who I keep thinking of when I see the back of his head.

The Baldening

Wow! It's been a while since I've posted. Mike's folks came back from their week in Port Townsend and spent 4 more days with their new grandson. When they got back I think we all agreed...Rooney had lost even more hair.

I do not have a good picture, yet, to show "the baldening"
but let me describe. The hair started falling out in the front & on top. It has spread to the crown of his head & then a patch is missing from the back (where he lays). Can you picture it? He is almost naked bald on the whole top & sides of his head then starting @ the crown the hair almost seems long in comparison (minus the bald spot in the back). I think Rooney is the most handsome baby boy ever but even I have to admit this looks ridiculous. I'm sorry Great Grandma Wade but most his new pictures will include a hat.

I know this is completely normal. My nephew, Cuyler, looked like Ben Franklin when he went through "the baldening", but it doesn't mean I cannot be embarrassed or laugh about it. We all know that as pre-teens we go through an awkward stage & I think this must be the awkward stage for babies. I suppose I should think of it as nature being kind & not making us go through all the awkward changes @ once. Can you imagine the school pictures? We'd be mostly bald, save a few wisps, and have 2 big front teeth!!!

Halloween 2005

Last night was Halloween and Rooney had a great time. We carved pumpkins, passed out candy and then went to his cousin Felix's house. Below are some pictures of Rooney's wild night.

Rooney had such a wild time that by the end of the night he was zonked...
Finally Mom & Dad have been so busy with the baby & trying to sleep that they've now enlisted the help of Courage to keep up on the blog...

Happy Halloween!!!!

Today was Mike's first day back @ work. That month went quick. I really don't think I was ready for Mike to go back. Rooney & I haven't worked out a schedule yet & now Mike & I are taking turns getting up @ night with him. Last night was my night. Rooney only got up once, so I can't complain, but it's a challenge getting back to sleep. During the day Rooney seems to be taking cat naps more than solidly sleeping. I'm sure we'll work it out, he & I, but it took a long time to fully get ready today.

Tonight Rooney is going to dress up in a little pumpkin outfit & trick-or-treat @ Uncle Dana's house and pass out candy. We'll post those pics tomorrow. We were going to go trick-or-treating @ Daddies work but since Dad has been sick he didn't think it would be a good idea- dad felt there may be alot of talking involved. Seems Mom & Dad won't feasting on Rooney's loot tonight.