Happy Baby Filled Weekend

This was a terrific weekend. Connor was a dreamboat. It was probably his best behavior over 3 full days that we have seen since his birth, 3 1/2 months ago.

Friday, we stayed in and watched "State of Play" on DVD. It was good. I'd recommend it. Connor fell asleep like a good boy.

Saturday morning, Jeff gave me a little break and took Connor to the grocery store while I got a little more sleep and took a shower. After Connor got up from a nap, we headed into Houston to the University of Michigan Alumni football watching party at a local bar.

Michigan was playing in-state rival Michigan State, so there was quite a crowd, but we found a nice spot in the back. We got a few looks bringing a baby to a bar, but Houston bars are non-smoking and once everyone saw Connor decked out in Michigan gear they welcomed him with open arms. I mean, how can you deny those chunker cheeks.

Football games can last over 3 hours, so we weren't sure how long we'd be able to stay, but we worked it out so we stayed the whole time. Jeff even took some time out and got him to sleep 30 minutes in the car. For the most part though, Connor was awake and content. I think he liked all the action.

I guess staying off of dairy is really helping his temperament. Case in point, when Jeff was gone with Connor taking a nap, one of the other Michigan fans turned to me and told me what a good baby I had. She said that he was so cute and couldn't believe how good he was being. I almost laughed out loud, but to be honest, had I seen Connor on this day, I'd probably say the same thing. He was a perfect angel.

He didn't even seem to mind when the crowd cheered, as is evidenced by the video Jeff shot of us right after Michigan scored the game tying touchdown to get us into overtime. He kind of just looked around in stunned silence. Michigan ultimately lost in overtime, but I'm still glad we went. It was a fun family adventure.

When we got home, Connor took a nap and I scooted off with my friend Andrea to get manicures and pedicures. It felt good to indulge and have some girl time.

Even though it had been a full day for the baby boy, we still had one more event. We went over to a friends housewarming party. I had planned to just stop by and leave to get Connor home to feed him and put him to bed, but Connor fell asleep for about 45 minutes at their house, so I stuck around while. When he woke up I took him home, fed him, and put him to bed.

Connor slept pretty well Saturday night and woke up jolly. It was so cute. Normally Connor alerts us that he's awake by crying. On Sunday morning, I heard him and I started to get out of bed when Jeff said, "I think he's just talking." Sure enough, he was just cooing and sucking on his hand. It was adorable. Since he seemed pretty content, we left him for a bit until he started getting a bit worked up. When I got to his room he was crying, but as soon as I leaned over him to pick him up, he gave me a big smile. It totally started my day off on the right foot.

It was a rainy morning, so we hung out inside until naptime. Once he got up from his nap, we decided to take Connor to church for the first time. We were worried we were pressing our luck, but we took him anyway. Luckily, he did really well. He sat in the pew for a while and when he got a bit fidgety I fed him a bottle.

He never got fussy, but he has been pretty "talkative" lately so we needed to use the pacifier to keep his ooing and ahhing to a minimum. He even came up with us when we took communion. While we were up there, Jeff told Connor that before he was born, on that very same spot, we prayed that he'd be healthy and happy and that our prayers were answered. It was so sweet.

After church, we spent the rest of the day just hanging out. After the rain stopped, the sun came out and I took Connor for a walk. I was thinking that the rain might have ushered in some cooler weather but boy was I wrong. It was about 85 degrees with 99% humidity making it feel like 95. When I got back, I was coated in sweat. Ugh. I usually love Texas in the fall, but this weather is rediculous. Supposedly, the weather reports say that it will feel like 110 degrees tomorrow. I guess Texas didn't get the memo that it's October.

Overall it was a fabulous weekend and I know Jeff loved having a weekend with his family be such a positive one. We know Connor will still have bad days, but it does seem like he may have turned a corner and for that I am very grateful. I sure love this little guy on good days and bad, but a good day with Connor just can't be beat.

Looking over Daddy's shoulder on his way to bed Friday night.

Michigan Mommy with her Michigan baby at the football watch party in Houston.

Connor was a happy little camper at the football watching party.

Nothing says Father/Son bonding like football. Oh and that's not Connor's beer, I promise.

Jeff was able to get Connor to take a little nap. What a peaceful sleeper.

A funny video showing the Michigan fans celebrating after Michigan scored a game tying touchdown with just 2 seconds left on the clock. As you can see, Connor just chilled in my arms throughout all the excitement. What a good boy.

Saturday night at the housewarming party the Aggies were playing Arkansas, so Connor had to change gear and represent. Gig 'Em.

Jeff gingerly walked Connor into church. We were a bit nervous, but he was a trooper.

Jeff playing with his happy boy on Sunday afternoon.

How big is Connor...sooo big!

Gotcha...roll and roll back

Today I caught on film Connor rolling over and then rolling back. You'll see in the video one failed attempt, but then he went back for more and had success rolling both forward and back. Good boy. He now rolls so much more. Before it was only so often and now it seems like he likes to try his new trick almost every time he's on his back. Sadly, he can't roll back that often, which annoys him, but I'm sure he'll figure that out soon enough.



Honestly, I do hope that happens soon, because lately he's been squirming out of his swaddle and rolling over in his crib at night and for the first time today during a nap. The picture below shows how I found him today during his nap. It's just scary, because he rolls up next to the bumper and can't roll back and then he gets frustrated. Plus, I know sleeping on the stomach is a greater SIDS risk, so it just scares me a little, but I can't stop the kid from rolling, so I'll just get used to it. He always seems fine.

Today, we met our friend Andrea and her son for a stroll around the neighborhood. Andrea and 5 week old Mateo live in our neighborhood so they walked over to our house, Connor showed off his rolling skills, and then we took a walk. It was such a gorgeous day and as always it was nice to have some company during the day. Connor was in good spirits so that helped as well.

Little Mateo taking Connor's bouncer for a spin during his visit today.

Trying to get Connor to look as I took a picture of him, but he was too fascinated by his feet. The boy loves them lately.

What Mom? I love my feet. Photos later.

Another fun weekend at home

We had another weekend at home, but no matter how free and clear we expect it to be, it always seems busy somehow.

Saturday morning we watched the Michigan game and played with Connor. We tried out his new jumperoo. He didn't really like it, but we have a feeling he'll warm up to it soon enough. See the photos below. On Saturday, he showed Daddy his rolling skills for the first time too.

Later in the day, we took a "fun" outing to Costco. I say "fun" in quotes because Connor wasn't feeling our little outing. He did fine, but towards the end, I had to take him out of his carseat and hold him and push the stroller seperately. Not the easiest thing to do around a mega store, but we made it out with lots of groceries and goodies. Costco is so dangerous.

After Costco, we went to a lovely apartment overlooking the Houston skyline to meet Jeff's boss' son, Samuel. Samuel is 2 months younger than Connor and he's a cutie. Samuel was adopted and his story is absolutely beautiful. He really was a gift from God to his parents. It was a fun party and Connor did pretty well considering he'd been out of the house since 2:30pm and we were at the party until his bedtime.

Sunday morning started off pretty well. The whole family went to the park to take a walk/jog. It was a very warm morning so we had really worked up an appetite, so we decided to try and have breakfast at IHOP. Connor started out very well, but soon after the food arrived, he started getting very fussy. First Jeff took him outside and then we swapped and I took him outside. We both ate our meals, but I certainly wouldn't call the meal a success.

This was sort of the beginning of the end for Connor. The rest of the day Connor was in a terrible mood. He was fussy and squirmy and generally unruly. During one screaming spell, Jeff and I got desperate, because he wouldn't nap, so we took him for a 30 minute drive to finally get him to sleep. It was rough, but he went to sleep that night and Jeff and I exchanged a high five after having made it through a tough day with a little baby. He certainly knows how to push our buttons when he wants to.

We did sort of think he seemed like his tummy was upset and I had started eating dairy again, so as hard as it is, I am back off dairy. No cheese, no milk, no ice cream...no dairy of any kind. Ugh, it's hard, but it's worth it to not have a fussy baby. I guess his little stomach is just not mature enough yet. I've been off dairy since Sunday night and both Monday and Tuesday were good days, so I'm going to keep this up, no matter how difficult it is. Here's to hoping for more happy days.

Connor Saturday morning in his Michigan gear. Yeah for a 4-0 start to the season. He's a lucky charm.

Connor trying out his jumparoo for the first time.

Look at his cute little booty that pokes through.

Jeff noticed that Connor's bald spot was highlighted prominently in the back by his hat.

How funny is that?! No hair right in the middle.

More playing with the jumparoo. He got tired of it pretty quickly, but we think it has potential. Stay tuned.

Connor in his first real Aggie hat.

I guess he likes it. Gig 'Em. Aggies are 3-0. Keep the lucky streak going Connor.

Connor and Samuel check each other out Saturday night.

Jeff's boss Jonathan, his son Samuel, Jeff and Connor.

Connor loves his feet. He grabs them and is trying really hard to get them in his mouth. He can't quite do that yet, but it's really cute to watch him try. He kind of pulls them towards him with his mouth sort of open. You'll get there buddy.

Connor sort of liked being held over our heads.

Wow, I'm so tall.

A sly smile after completing a roll.

Milestone Alert!

It's official, Connor can roll from his back to his tummy and sometimes, but not always, can roll back onto his back from the tummy position. He had been trying really hard to turn over recently, but not until this past Saturday did he really get the swing of it. He doesn't do it on command and he doesn't even do it that often, but at this point, it's clear that he is intending to do it. There is no accident here. Connor can roll over.

I have a ton of pics from this weekend that I still need to post about, but I just had to share this news, since I finally got a video of the big roll. The video isn't the entire roll, (i.e. it doesn't start from the full back position), because I never know if he's just going to his side or if it will be a roll. If I started filming him on his back, the video would have the potential to be 20 minutes of him just rolling to his side and then back on his back. Anyway, so it starts from his side, but you can see the roll action from there.



The photo below is one I took right after his rolling performance. As you can see, he's very proud of himself.

Professional Pictures

As I mentioned last week, last Sunday we got professional pictures taken by my friend Andrea. Because she used digital, we were able to pick up the pictures on Friday. Her only request was that we come over for a visit so that Connor and her son Joaquin, who is 4 months old, could meet.

It was really nice visiting with her and of course seeing the photos. She showed all 254 of them to me in a slideshow and I was floored. They are really beautiful. It just makes such a difference when a professional takes the photos. Not only is their equipment better, but they know how to use the best possible lighting. I was very pleased.

Below, you will see a peak at some of the photos she took. The hardest part is deciding which ones to print and frame. Luckily, that is not a bad problem to have. Oh and if anyone in the Houston area would like her contact info so that she can take pictures for you, please let me know. I'd be HAPPY to recommend her. She was super professional and the photos are great!

Joaquin with friend and photographer Andrea Rodriquez Dulany.

Connor and Joaquin checking each other out. "Who is this boy sitting in my chair?", says Joaquin.

Ok, he's cool. Let's be friends.

Here is just a brief sampling of photos from our photo session.

Busy week

So far we've had a pretty busy week. Monday night, Connor and I met Daddy at a charity golf tournament. We got to attend the dinner portion of the event. It's an unfortunate situation, because the wife of one of Jeff's college friends was diagnosed with two types of cancer. It's really sad, and it makes you think, because she is a young, healthy women. This tournament raised thousands for her treatment. Our thoughts are with you Misty and your family.

Connor got to visit with a lot of people who he hadn't met yet, which was really nice. We were kind of pushing into his bedtime, but the little boy did pretty well adjusting and only had a few crying fits. For the most part he did great. Everyone got to see how much he spits up, that's for sure.

Then yesterday, Connor and I surprised Aunty Kendall and attended her birthday lunch at a restaurant in town. I think we surprised her, because she seemed totally shocked to see us. Again, Connor did great and the restaurant they picked was perfect because it was casual and loud, so even if Connor fussed a bit, no one really noticed.

After lunch we stopped by Daddy's office to say a quick hi. Connor was asleep but at least Jeff got to see him midday which is a treat. Then, we took a chance and went over to Pottery Barn Kids and got a shower gift for Jeff's boss' new son. Connor and Samuel are just 2 months apart.

Although Connor's naps were a bit off, he did really well. I'm starting to wonder if the reflux medication is beginning to work, because I would say he has had more good days than bad since beginning the medication almost two weeks ago. I'm keeping an eye on it, but we shall see. So far so good.

Today, we were planning to have a girls dinner, but we rescheduled for next week, so today is just me and Connor all day. It will be nice to get a few things done at the house. Ta ta for now.

Chilling with Daddy at the golf tournament dinner.

Connor is showing his support by wearing green which is the awareness color for kidney cancer.

Connor says, "Mom, stop taking me all over town. Won't you just give "peace" and quiet a chance?"

Ok buddy, we'll stay home today. Peace out!

Fun weekend

This weekend was pretty full, but for the first time in about 3 weeks, it did not include any traveling, so that's a good thing.

Friday evening, about 2 hours before Connor's bedtime, my parents (Grandma and Grandpa Roach) drove in from College Station. They were flying to New York early Saturday morning and lucky for us, spending the night with us saved them time to get to the airport so we got to see them. Of course the big draw was Connor, but they got to see me and Jeff too.

They got a little time with Connor and got to observe our evening, bedtime routine. They commented how the blog does not do justice to his cheeks. Ha! They were also impressed by how big he is. I see him every day, but when you haven't seen him in a while, you certainly notice how much he is growing.

After bed, we had a fabulous meal and great conversation. It's nice that they live close by.

Saturday, Connor and I were on our own as Daddy was golfing. Since it was a nice day, instead of doing our walk around the neighborhood, we drove to a local park and walked there. Connor fell asleep about half way into it, so I think that's a good sign.

After our walk and a little nap, we hung out and played in the living room with the Michigan game on in the background. Again, Connor was a good luck charm as Michigan won its 3rd game. Later we ran to Bed, Bath, and Beyond and Pottery Barn. Very exciting stuff, let me tell you. Saturday evening, Jeff and I were both exhausted, but we stayed up for a while watching some more College Football and then called it a day.

Sunday was pretty eventful too. Connor enjoyed being outside and watching Daddy mow the yard. I think he liked the buzz of the lawn mower. He still likes those types of noises.

After we all got cleaned up, we welcomed my friend Andrea over, who just so happens to be a professional photographer. It was really cool, because she hung out for nearly two hours taking mostly candid photos of Jeff and I interacting with Connor and lots of close ups of Connor just being himself. We did take a series of posed family shots, but I think some of the natural ones are going to look great too. Since the photos are all digital, we should get to see them as early as this week. I can't wait.

After the photo shoot, Connor took a nice nap and I ran off to the grocery store. Jeff cooked a yummy meal and then it was finally our chance to relax. Ahh, some peace and quiet.

It was a fun weekend and this week seems like it's going to be a busy one, so I'll be sure to update our blogging family.

Saturday morning, Connor, Maizey, and I took a walk at a local Sugar Land park.

Connor being a patient boy at Bed, Bath and Beyond Saturday afternoon. He is usually really good on our outings.

Saturday night, Jeff fed Connor by bottle. It was cute because he wrapped his little hand around the bottle. You'll be holding bottles and cups on your own soon enough little guy.

For Connor's final nap of the day on Sunday, Jeff got him to fall asleep outside on a towel.

Connor is looking very relaxed as he naps in the backyard.