Flippin' over

We hope you all had an awesome Thanksgiving!!!!!  Ours was super fun and now I am looking forward to Christmas in Sioux Falls.  Shem's parents, my parents, Bob, Em and Ezra all came for Thanksgiving dinner.  Everyone was such a big help and everything turned out great.  Thomas and Ezra were on their best behavior as well.  It was so fun having the family around for the week.  While my Mom and I were in the kitchen, my Dad was chillin' with Thomas and I hear my Dad say in a weird tone "Sharon?"  Both my Mom and I thought the dogs pooped on the floor or Thomas was doing something gross but, when we went into the living room my Dad said "I think Thomas just rolled over for the first time."  So, we flipped him back over, and sure enough, he threw his little shoulder over, and flipped again.  He did this maybe 5 times and I haven't seen him do it since.  It is sad though because now I can't just leave him on the bed or his changing table.  I suppose it is just the beginning of him starting to be super mobile to the point where I won't be able to leave him anywhere.  He has started to laugh more and is busting out the super smiles these days.  He still is quite a serious little guy though.  When I take him anywhere, or take his picture, he never smiles.  Strangers do anything to try to get him to smile and all he does is stare at them.  Thomas is still loving sucking his thumb.  So much so that he will try to sneak it in while he is eating a bottle which doesn't work out so well.  I have been trying to get out and about and do more things with him as I have started to get a little stir crazy.  I have even recently contemplated getting a part time job but, it ends up mearly paying for childcare.  But, it is something I could do in the future maybe.  Shem is working lots.  Tuesdays he works for 12 hours which is hard because he doesn't really see Thomas unless Thomas wakes up early.  But, he is enjoying his job and we get to have fun on the weekends as a family.    I took a knitting class recently so, I am back into knitting.  My Mom's group also had a "Mom's night out" which was fun.  It was the latest night I have had in awhile.  I works out great that Thomas sleeps from 6:30-6:30ish because I can put him to bed and then head out.  Same goes for having a babysitter which is nice.  I always preferred babysitting for a sleeping baby when I used to babysit.   I thought we might try to do a holiday party this year (we had one last year) but, I don't think I am up for it.  So, we are just gonna go mooch off of everyone else's parties this year.   

3 months old!

Thomas has hit the three month mark....a week ago.  I am having a hard time posting these days, not only because things are hectic but, because I keep forgetting to take pictures of the little guy.  Thomas has been doing great.  He still is a sleeping champ, and is really happy and easy going.  He has started smiling when I come home and has "games" that he likes to play where he gives us some really big smiles.  He also smiles alot when Shem comes home from work.  So clearly he has figured out who his parents are at least.  We are still waiting for a real laugh.  He reaches out for things now but, isn't so great at grabbing yet unless you put something in his grip.  In that case, he never lets go....especially to my hair, which is becoming a bit of a problem.  He loves sucking his thumb to soothe himself these days.  He also is loving the baby bjorn and loves going places with us.  My friend Emily from Sioux Falls came to visit for the day and brought her baby Charlie along.  It was hilarious to see what Thomas will be like when he is 6 months old...Charlie was all over the place.  I am going to have to babyproof sooner than I thought! We have been going to a friends house every Tues. evening and she has bigger kids there playing which Thomas is totally fascinated by.  I look at those older kids and can't even imagine Thomas ever being that big.  Thomas got his first cold as well which was a bummer but, he didn't even seem to notice.  We even passed the cold along to his bff Ez unfortunately.  Next up we are having my parents, Shem's parents, and Bob, Emily and Ez over for Thanksgiving so, hopefully we will have some good pictures soon. 

Happy Halloween

We hope you all had a fun Halloween!  Thomas dressed up as a giraffe.  I didn't really want to dress him up...never really been a huge Halloween fan except when I was a little kid.  I ended up passing a store and the costumes were 50% off so, Thomas ended up enduring a giraffe costume for half the day.  First we went to our Mom's group party where all the babies were dressed up. We were late because of traffic and rain (the rainy season has officially started here) so, we missed the huge group photos but, I got a couple decent ones of a few of the babies.  Most of the babies were crying alot, I think because the costumes were so hot and probably annoying for them.  Thomas thought it was pretty entertaining.  The costumes were all so funny and all the babies were super cute.  Then we went around to a couple neighbors houses just to chat and hang out.  Thomas pretty much just looked around wide eyed all day and then crashed when we got home.  Someone lent me a witch hat and I had it on while we were trick or treating.  Effie took one look at me in it and started barking like crazy....she was terrified.  She wouldn't come near me until I took it off, and even then she was hesitant for awhile.  As you can see from the pictures, Thomas wasn't a giant fan of Mom in the witch hat either.  Hope you all had a fun holiday!!!!  

Thomasland

Things are moving along quite nicely in the Klein household these days.  Thomas has started sleeping through the night!!!!  He sleeps for 12 hours straight which is pretty awesome.  He is loving his crib and even has a little duck friend that he sleeps with now.  It is so awesome to see him sleeping so well and he really is just a happy, mellow little guy because of it.  He has also become quite the "talker" these days.  He chats away in his own little language and seems to especially like it when we imitate him.  He is super smiley and giggling as well.  He does have a very serious side though too, like his Daddy.  He is laughing one moment, and then has his little scowl on the next moment.  We started using our cloth diapers a few weeks ago and they are so great!  I highly recommend them to anyone considering using them.  I dragged my feet a bit and they didn't quite fit him yet, but once we started I was surprised at how easy and nice it is.  We use Fuzzi Bunz...you can see Thomas in one in the pictures.  It feels good to not be throwing away tons of diapers every day.  

Two months!

Thomas is two months old today.  He is 12 pounds 7 ounces and when we went to the doctor for his first shot (sad!), he said because of his percentile in the length department, Thomas will most likely be at least 6'1" or 6'2".  I think it is weird they can predict that when he is only two months old.  I guess we will see!  We have just been chillin' these days.  It is starting to get colder which is a bummer but, I get to put Thomas in cuter outfits now.  Shem started a new job at his new job.  Now he has the weekends off which is nice...we can all watch football together!  Shem is actually at a movie as I write this.  First movie since we had the baby.  Now we just need to somehow manage to get out together.  I have been enjoying a great new babysitter once a week.  So far she has only come twice for a couple of hours but, it is pretty awesome.  I realize now why people move home...childcare!!!  It is a bummer not having either grandparents close by but, we did have great visits the last couple of weeks with them and everyone is coming out for Thanksgiving which will be fun.  Thomas and I headed to Santa Rosa for another visit with Emily and Ez.  Seeing the two of them together (Thomas and Ezra) is hilarious.  They are pretty much the same baby.  Aside from the fact that they were only awake for like 5 minutes at the same time, I think they had a good time.  Ezra was nice enough to let Thomas play on his play mat AND he let him sleep in his crib.  Sleep is going pretty awesome these days.  Not that anyone else probably cares.  I have never been so obsessed with someone's or my own sleep.  But, now we are settling into a routine.  Thomas is only waking up once a night which is pretty great.  He still hates napping for more than like half an hour but, we are working on it.  He smiles alot more these days and seems like he is gearing up for a true laugh or giggle soon.  He is talking alot but, I don't think he has really laughed yet.  He is into his new playmat and as you can see from the pictures, he is a little into Effie now.  She is certainly into him.  

6 weeks old and counting!

Alot can happen in two weeks in the life of an infant!  Where to begin....Grandma Arlene came to visit a couple of weeks ago which was super fun.  She stayed for a week and it was a great help.  She cooked lots of good meals, ran lots of errands, and loved up on Thomas.  We discovered that she and Thomas had matching PJ's so, we took a picture of them one morning sporting their grey and white stripes together.  Thomas went to the doctor because he had a sudden rash (which just as suddenly went away), and he got weighed and measured while we were there.  He is already 12 pounds!!!!!!  He has also already grown an inch which shocked the doctor and us.  He predicts there is no way Thomas will not be tall.  We also started a new sleep program because Thomas had become a bit addicted to our finger (see previous photos), and was only napping for 20-30 min. at a time. (often with me hovering over his swing with my finger in his mouth to get him to go back to sleep). So, we have started him napping only in his crib and he is doing SO much better.  We let him cry a little and he puts himself to sleep now while sucking on his own hand which is a nice break for my pruning finger.  He is so much happier during the day now and he is sleeping for 5 hours at night, and then another 3-4 hours til he wakes up!  So, he is waking only twice now in the middle of the night which is pretty awesome!  He is also becoming much more aware of his surroundings.  He has busted out many smiles at this point too but, we have yet to capture a really good one on camera.  Grandma Arlene gave us an awesome video camera on her last visit so, we are hoping to post some videos soon too.  My Mom also brought along an awesome gift from my first grade teacher (who remains a good friend) Roxanne Aronson.  She makes quilts and she made a beautiful one for Thomas.  She modeled it after a craft I made her when I was in 2nd grade!!!!!  I couldn't believe she still had a gift I gave her when I was 7 years old, not to mention that she new where it was, and then made a beautiful quilt inspired by it.  We are so thankful!!!  Thomas's Grandma Charlotte is currently visiting which has been so much fun.  She is loving up on Thomas a ton and is so great with him.  We have been spending alot of time at home (because of trying out his new sleep schedule) and on the porch with his Grandma Char.  She takes him for lots of walks in the yard and is showing him all the trees and wildlife.  My brother Doug and his girlfriend Thia also visited today!  So, Thomas has gotten to meet alot of family in the past two weeks!  Doug was disappointed because Thomas wouldn't look at him.  No matter which way he turned him, Thomas would look anywhere but at Doug's face.  Maybe at Thanksgiving Thomas will be up for some more interaction with his uncle.