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Oliver - 27 Months, Baby Rude #2 - 24 Weeks

2011-07-30T20:58:00.000-07:00

Summer has finally arrived in Oregon! We've had several nice, sunny days and it has been great to enjoy the outdoors. Oliver frequently asks to ride his tricycle and bicycle in the backyard and he also loves running around and playing in the dirt. We got a little wading pool for the really warm days and he LOVES getting wet. The latest for little Oli include an obsession with most things mechanical - cars, trains, keys, tools, etc; playing independently for longer amounts of time; singing "Jesus Loves Me" and the "ABC Song"; helping daddy at his office and around the house; and talking non-stop. He's fearless on the playground and is very strong when it comes to climbing, swinging, jumping, etc. Perhaps we have a little athlete in the making.

Rude Baby #2 continues to grow and I am blessed to be feeling really well. After the 2 months of nausea at the beginning of the pregnancy, it is a big relief to put that all in the past. This kid is another very active little boy and I am continually kicked and jabbed throughout the day and night. I'm not feeling like a total whale yet and I continue to sleep fairly well so that has been a blessing too. It seems like this pregnancy is going quickly so far, but don't quote me on that when it comes down to the last few weeks! Here are some pics of our latest adventures.

Family pic during a trip to the Rose Garden.

Just past week #20.

The basement gets a coating of spray foam insulation.

David's new ride.

A recent trip to Rocky Butte.

Oliver at the Camp Yamhill Campfire.

Oliver does some climbing and swinging during Challenge Camp.

David and his "baby" brother at the slip n' slide. (Thankfully that hairdo was short-lived.)

Picking berries with the Garretts on Sauvie Island.

My boys at Kruger Farm (Mt. Hood was supposed to be in the background, oops.)

My men working in the backyard.

Baby Rude #2 is Almost Halfway Here!

2011-06-22T21:46:00.000-07:00

We are 19 weeks into the pregnancy with Baby Rude #2 and boy is it great to feel like myself again! I was like a carsick zombie for about two months and I didn't realize how bad it was until my hormones finally regulated themselves. I can't imagine feeling that way for the entire pregnancy - thankfully it was (relatively) short-lived! Eating is no longer a chore, I don't have to carry a barf bag in my purse, and I don't have to spend every evening wishing I could melt into my couch cushions. Hallelujah!

We had our major ultrasound last Friday and we confirmed our suspicion that Oliver is going to have a little BROTHER mid-November. For each of my prenatal exams, my doc does a quick ultrasound check so we had a peek at the goods a couple weeks ago, but we didn't want to share until we knew for sure. We are so excited to be adding another little boy to our family. It will be fun for Oli to have someone close in age to beat up on and show how to get in trouble.

Speaking of the big brother, Oliver continues to be a joy for our family. He loves going to Bible class at church, "singing" various songs, reading the same books over and over (Things That Go is currently picked most often), playing outside, doing things independently, and using anything with buttons or a touch-screen. He now regularly uses the potty for #1 but is having trouble with #2. Really we need to just pick a week this summer to work on it. He knows most of his colors and can sometimes count to 10. He can sing parts of the ABC song, and "EIEIO" is his other favorite tune on repeat. Sometimes we just marvel at how quickly he has become a big boy and we hear lots of remarks about how tall he's getting.

Here are a few pictures to enjoy!

About 18 weeks along!

Sweet little profile!

Oli loves to help outside!

Ready for more sunny summer days!

Oliver's 2 Year Checkup

2011-05-09T21:41:00.000-07:00

David took Oliver to his 2 year checkup appointment this morning and we're happy to report that he received a glowing review. Oliver is a healthy, growing boy and we are so thankful for that fact. His current stats include a height of 2'11" (62nd percentile) and weight of 27 lbs 9 oz (42nd percentile). His vocabulary is growing exponentially and I am amazed daily at the things he is able to communicate. He frequently uses the toilet for "pee pee," and when we get into some warmer weather we plan to tackle some official potty training business because he seems to be very ready for it. He had to have one vaccine this time and when my boys came to visit me at the office after the appointment Oliver told me about it. I asked him how it was at the doctor and he said "one poke leg." David said he hardly batted an eye about it and he enjoyed the orange bandaid he received afterward. He's certainly braver than I when it comes to shots! I told him I was proud that he is such a big boy and did so well at the doctor. I think he's on his way to being a great big brother!

(Of course, he still has some growing to do!)

My Baby is 2!

2011-04-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Our sweet, sweet Oliver was welcomed into the world 2 years ago today and we can't imagine our lives without him. Each day we learn something new from him as he grows, and he continues to bless us with his energy, curiosity, humor and joy. He is our precious firstborn and we love him so much.

April 20, 2009: A day that changed our lives forever!

We knew we were in for adventures when he started walking before 10 months.

He was a great travel companion to the East Coast last spring.

Despite his almost complete lack of hair at the age of one, we think he is still the cutest little guy ever in the history of the world.

His dimples continue to be irresistible.

We always have fun together!

And there's never a dull moment!

We look forward to celebrating many more of your birthdays to come!

Happy Birthday, Big Boy!

An Almost-2-Year-Old and a (9-week-old)

2011-04-16T16:34:00.000-07:00

My life since my last post has mainly consisted of work, sleeping, puking, trying not to puke, crying, and looking forward to being over this morning sickness! I hate to be dramatic, but I'm finding the hormones to be quite challenging this pregnancy. I am taking naps every lunch break and after I get home from work and snacking as often as I can get food past my gag-reflex. So far I have only thrown up once at work and I've only had two days when I left early because I was just getting too run-down to be productive. Thankfully, I am most sick in the evenings when I can at least be in the comfort of my own home.

David has been incredible through it all - taking care of Oliver, letting me nap on the couch, doing the grocery shopping and cooking most of the meals. He brings me a wet washcloth when I'm throwing up and consoles me in my moments of crazy tears. On top of it all, he is busy with his own job and working on our house as well. I'm so blessed to have his support and love. :)

We had our first prenatal appointment this week. The nurse practitioner I saw with Oliver is on an extended leave so I scheduled with the next available doctor - a man this time. I was a bit unsure how comfortable I would be, but I reminded myself that a male midwife delivered Oliver and there really isn't a lot of privacy or modesty involved in pregnancy appointments - whether it is a male or female doing the exams. David was with me for the appointment and Dr. Traynor's nurse was present for the exam as well. He is very professional and David and I both felt very comfortable with him so I think we'll continue to see him for future appointment.

It was exciting to have our first ultrasound and see our precious little baby blob. The heart was fluttering and we saw arm buds and the beginnings of eyes and a mouth. He/she is about 9 weeks and the size of a grape - so tiny! All these crazy hormones are caused by something so miniscule at this point - it's crazy! I will have to scan the pictures the doctor took for us. So far I've compared this baby's appearance to an alien and a hand puppet. :)

Oliver is still growing and learning everyday. His 2nd birthday is next week on the 20th. He's speaking in full sentences and new words are added to his vocabulary constantly. He's as active as ever and it's a challenge for him to "play gently" now with mommy and attempt to be quiet when I am having rest time. He likes to rub my belly and talk about the baby getting "bigger, bigger, bigger!" He's already asking for him/her to come out and I have a feeling it will be a loooong wait for him. He gives the baby "kisses" and talks to him/her too. It's very sweet and I think he'll be a very good big brother (under close supervision to make sure he doesn't help by throwing brother/sister out a window.)

I'll see what I can do about adding some pictures to this graphic-less post. :)

Back to the Blog

2011-03-25T20:26:00.000-07:00

Obviously it's been more than a little while since I've written a post on my blog. I figure that since I'm stuck on the couch for a few hours each evening, I may as well keep this thing better updated. Why the recent friendliness with the couch, you ask? Well we are due with baby #2 this November and this nausea has started hanging around every night. Morning sickness is not really an accurate term for me since I'm okay for most of the day, but starting around 3 or 4 in the afternoon, things start to go downhill for me. Blech. I've had to pass already on some fun activities because I'm just feeling steamrolled and like I'm going to have to go puke any second. But enough about that!

We are truly excited to be welcoming a new addition to our family later this year! We've started talking about names, discussing adjustments we will need to make to accommodate another little person in our household, David is working frantically to finish the remodel project in our basement, and we're introducing Oliver to the idea. I'm pretty sure he doesn't really understand much yet (he'll be 2 next month!) but we tell him there's a baby in mommy's tummy that will be at our house in a little while. Sometimes Oliver pats my tummy and says "baby" but a lot of the time he likes to pretend HE is a baby and does this super fakey cry until I hold him and rock him. This lasts about 3 seconds and then he is off running to more of his big-boy adventures like climbing, throwing, torturing Tucker, yelling, breaking things, etc. :)

Since it's been many months since a post, I will recap with a few pictures of events since my last update...

Annual Wilson family camping trip 2010 - this time to Salmonberry Campground.

David's mission trip to Mexico, August 2010.

Helping at our church's annual Vestal School cleanup service project.

Basement window well project - this was a big one and took about 3 months to complete! Since we are adding 2 bedrooms in our basement, we had to install egress windows. This meant cutting through our concrete driveway and foundation, digging the wells to allow enough room for the crank windows to open, building frames and pouring concrete to make the new structures and installing the new windows. My dad and Ben came to help with part of it and a couple of other friends helped us remove all the debris afterwards.

We attended a few Halloween parties as cave people with our pet dinosaur.

November 2010 family photo shoot.

Quick trip to Coeur d'Alene, ID for Great Grandma Teen's funeral.

David frames walls for the basement rooms.

We celebrated Christmas 2010.

We flew to Dallas, TX for New Year's to celebrate Ben and Haley's wedding and see our Rude family.

We waited in line for a couple/few hours in downtown Portland to take our "No Pity" Timbers family portrait.

David redid all the electrical for our house including installing a whole new breaker panel and main. (This guy is amazing.)

David and I celebrated our birthdays in February 2011 with a weekend trip to Yachats.

Stay tuned, more adventures are sure to come! :)

A Midsummer Night's Post

2010-07-23T21:00:00.001-07:00

I can't believe July is almost over now and it's been FOREVER since I wrote a post on my blog. David's on his way to Mexico, Oliver and Tucker are sound asleep, and I've already done the dishes, so I guess I can take a moment to load a few photos. :)

Oh drat. I guess I forgot how to load these properly so they are in backward order. It's like our summer in reverse. Fun. :)

Enjoying a bonfire before the teen camping trip.

David makes a new doorway to our basement (and a big mess).

Oliver eats Cheerios with a fork.

David tears out walls in the basement.

Oliver obsesses about shoes.

Enjoying Challenge Camp at Yamhill.

Baby pool time.

Installing all new plumbing at our house.

4th of July Party.

Church camping trip.

Cleaning up our back yard.

Happy Father's Day!

A little date with Edward Cullen.

One of David's crazy hair stages.

Karaoke date night.

Oliver and his girlfriend in Sunday School.

I have high hopes for updating in greater frequency!

More Oli Adventures

2010-05-31T17:20:00.001-07:00

Helping in the yard.

Loves to "vacuum"

Hugs for Tuck Tuck.

Geocaching with Jamie.

Most of my pictures of Oli look like this...

...or this.

Brothers.

Yes, that is a toilet plunger. No, it has not been used in a toilet.

He also likes to show his love by ripping our faces off. :)

That's our Little Rude at 13+ months. :)

1 Couple, 6 Years, Lotsa' Fun!

2010-05-22T21:29:00.000-07:00

David and I celebrated our 6 year anniversary earlier this month. My mom came up for the weekend and watched Oliver for us so we had Friday night and all day on Saturday baby-free! We borrowed a motorcycle from a friend at church and took a drive on the Historic Columbia River Highway through the gorge on a beautiful, sunny day. We stopped at Crown Point and toured the Vista House before making our way to Multnomah Falls. We had a relaxing lunch at the foot of the falls and then took a short hike to the bridge. (Yeah, we were too lazy to go to the top that day.) We cruised back to Troutdale and spent the afternoon browsing the little shops in the downtown area. It was then time for a sushi dinner and YoCream for dessert before strolling through Ikea and picking up a couple little items for the house. All in all, it was a very enjoyable day and it was very nice to spend some quality time together. Here are a few photo highlights from the day:

Birthday Boy

2010-05-17T19:54:00.000-07:00

Oliver turned 1 a month ago, but I still haven't shared the pictures from his party! Here are some highlights:

Birthday snacks!

Playtime!

Cupcake!

Guests!

Games!

Presents!

The relay race winners.

Oliver plays with Zoe.

The balloons were a big hit!

Happy Birthday little Oli!

Spring has Sprung!

2010-04-27T21:29:00.000-07:00

The dogwoods are blooming and there is MUCH yard work to be done!

My Baby Turned One

2010-04-27T21:10:00.000-07:00

We just celebrated the completion of the first year with our wonderful baby boy. Here are some of Oliver's 1-year-old pictures captured on a rare sunny day in Portland.

East Coast Trip - Part 2

2010-04-21T17:21:00.000-07:00

Here are some additional pics to round out our trip through 5 states on the East Coast.

Oli on his first airplane ride.

Siblings and cousins.

A family-friendly farm in Brookhaven, PA.

Oliver and cousin Micah with Grandma Rude.

Riding the train to Philadelphia.

We had to get cheese-steaks while in Philly!

Oliver became quite familiar with the stroller.

The first US Post Office.

The new Constitution Center.

Oliver takes a turn pushing.

Weeeee!

A swinging good time.

Oliver climbs on the play equipment.

Playing with Grandma and Grandpa Rude.

Oliver helps Grandma Rude with her knitting.

Oliver explores around the Washington Monument.

The museum of American History.

Julia Child's Kitchen!

Oliver outside the museum - clearly thrilled to be there.

Four generations.

The Natural History Museum.

The Hope Diamond. *bling, bling*

Gyros for lunch.

A government building we ate lunch inside.

On the long flight home.

Our camera battery died so the photos of the Lincoln Memorial, White House, Air and Space Museum, and Virginia are all on my phone. One of these days I need to get them on the compy...

East Coast Picture Whirlwind

2010-04-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

I've been a bad, bad blogger. Much has happened since my last post but I don't have time for a full update at the moment. Here are some of the "touristy" highlight photos from our recent trip to the east coast to visit David's family. More details, stories, pictures, news, etc. to follow! (soon) (I hope)

Uh-Oh Toys!

2010-03-11T20:45:00.000-08:00

Hmmm... this is an old video post that I forgot to publish.

Oliver "drops" his toys.

He's Walking!

2010-03-08T22:00:00.000-08:00

Watch out world! Oliver has two wobbly little legs and he knows how to use them!

Playtime

2010-02-22T16:54:00.000-08:00

Oliver doesn't take any steps on his own in this video, but he does push his lion around and throw Tucker's toy elephant. These are the things this guy does for fun!

10 Months

2010-02-21T18:26:00.001-08:00

Oliver is 10 months old now and it seems that he learns something new each day. He's able to take up to 4 or 5 shaky steps on his own now which is exciting and scary at the same time. It won't be long before he's running! He still loves books, making messes, throwing things, rearranging furniture, and playing with our dog. He give hugs and his vocabulary is constantly growing. His 6th tooth has finally come through and he's currently battling what seems like his millionth cold - we keep kleenex with us at all times. Here are some pictures from the last couple of weeks. I'll try to see if I have any videos of him walking but it's been tough to catch him in the act!

Vocab Lesson

2010-02-21T18:15:00.000-08:00

*Notice that instead of "mama," Oliver says "dada." He can make the sound "ma" but anytime I ask him to say it, he gives the same response. Little stinker.*

Bottoms Up!

2010-02-15T21:09:00.000-08:00

Oliver likes to vary his crawling a bit, and I think he feels faster when he gets up on his feet rather than his knees. We don't tell him that it makes him look a little ridiculous though. :)

This Old Lady

2010-02-11T20:32:00.000-08:00

I know I'm only 28 now, and Lord-willing we'll have another child or two in our family, but why do I sometimes feel like I'm too old to keep up with this boy of mine? He is a pure ball of energy, and a joy for sure, but wow(!) he can keep me on my toes! I think we are notorious at church due to Oli's enthusiastic singing/yelling outbursts and his theatrical escapes from our pew at great speeds. Every meal is a great adventure and every day brings something new. It really has been a delight to see his personality developing and to share in his accomplishment of new stages and milestones. I truly want to cherish every moment we have with him!

Oliver Teases Tucker

2010-02-01T19:29:00.000-08:00

Oliver and Tucker are starting to "play" together. Mostly this consists of Oliver grabbing Tucker's toys, pulling his fur, or "yelling" at him as in this video.

Oliver has started saying "dar dar" when referring to the dog and we're not sure if it sounds more like Tucker or dog dog. Either way, it's pretty cute!

Christmas, etc.

2010-01-19T20:46:00.001-08:00

"I'm ready for presents!"

"Can I open them now?"

My santa baby.

Toys!

The wrapping paper is exciting.

Oliver gets a chair/cart cover from Grandma Rude.

David's new shirt.

Ribbons!

A new book from cousin Micah!

Christmas with my fam.

Serious game time at Aunt Laurie's.

Oliver with (3rd?) cousins.

A white post-Christmas!

This post was about a month late, but you know what they say. :)

Pre-Christmas

2010-01-05T18:32:00.000-08:00

I realized that I hadn't posted on my blog recently, but I didn't think it had been almost a month since my last update! Hmmm... where to start?

How about some pre-Christmas pics!

David loads our bargain $15 noble fir onto the wagon.

Oliver helps David water the tree.

On the move.

Wrestling with dad.

Tucker supervises the decorating.

Ta da!

Family Christmas photo.

Fun in the tub!

Gettin' crazy!

Feeling festive.

Baby in a Basket

2009-12-07T22:02:00.000-08:00

One of Oliver's favorite places to play right now is in a laundry basket. The toys go in, the toys go out. He goes in, he goes out. It also is a great place for Oli to practice standing up and balancing.

Oh yeah, he also like to make some interesting noises. And I might be wearing zebra-striped pajama pants. :)

Getting His Land Legs

2009-12-07T19:19:00.000-08:00

David took a quick video of one of the first times Oliver stood up on his own.

Obviously, he's still a little shaky, but at just past 7 months, I think he's doing pretty well!

Latest Trick

2009-11-17T06:19:00.001-08:00

Oliver is almost 7 months old and can already wave "hi" with his pudgy little fingers. It's so cute!

Cutest Laugh!

2009-11-07T23:23:00.000-08:00

Fall Fun

2009-11-07T21:53:00.000-08:00

We are now well into the month of November and Oliver is 6 1/2 months old. Here are some pics of our recent adventures and accomplishments.

We love stroller rides!

No shirt on!

Oliver loves to chomp on this lion!

With his friend Elora.

Toys are fun!

Oliver still loves to make noises!

He's trying many new foods.

The floor gym is played with in different ways now.

Oli's such a happy baby!

The squirrels planted a pumpkin vine in our front flower bed and this was the result!

Doesn't he look like a big kid dressed up like this?

Oliver can sit very well on his own now for long periods of time.

I'm pretty sure we'll have some crawling footage very soon! Yikes!

Halloween 2009

2009-11-06T22:18:00.000-08:00

This was Oliver's 1st Halloween and we celebrated at our church Harvest Party. David and I have always enjoyed couple costumes, and now with our little boy it's even better to have family dress-up fun! We found a bee costume for Oliver and then David and I got the necessary props to be a beekeeper and a flower.

"Buh, buh, buh"

2009-10-24T21:32:00.000-07:00

Oliver practices his new noise while he plays in the Exersaucer.

A Laughing Baby Makes Your Day!

2009-10-21T18:36:00.000-07:00

Exterior Paint

2009-10-20T06:20:00.000-07:00

David determined that the exterior of our house needed to be painted before this winter so we've been scrambling to get it done. As you can see in the pics, it will be quite an improvement (when we're finally finished.) The jasmine plant growing on the front of our house had to be seriously trimmed back and David did a lot of scraping and prepping. We labored over the color choice and finally decided on some that we thought would be fun - the green is "Mother Nature" and the brown is "Cocoa Chocolate." We still have some trim to paint and David has to re-hang the gutters but we got the bulk of it done before the rains started!

Before picture:

Primer:

The North Side:

The South Side:

Having loads of fun (that's my bro helping):

Making progress (my mom braved a ladder):

More Baby Noises

2009-10-03T18:45:00.000-07:00

Oliver was laying on the floor in my office next to David and they were waiting for me to finish up a quick project at work. Oliver starting making some noises for attention and I grabbed my camera to catch some of his sounds.

Date Night!

2009-10-01T06:50:00.000-07:00

Oops. I loaded these pics awhile back but never published the post. David scored free tickets to a Timbers game and Jamie stayed with Oliver so we could go watch it. Our team lost but it was still fun to go out and cheer them on!

Autumn Updates

2009-09-28T06:45:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that September is already drawing to an end! Winter is swiftly sneaking up on us and I know I'm not ready for the cold and rain. If only summer would last a little longer.

My new job is keeping me very busy but I'm really enjoying it at the same time. I've had to put in some extra hours in the evenings and worked over a couple of weekends too - all that and I still have a lot to catch up on! I sure look forward to seeing my baby every afternoon when I get off work. I appreciate our time together all the more now that our days are spent apart. He's still growing and changing before our eyes and it is so fun to watch him learn and try new things.

Oliver can sit very well with his back supported and even for a few seconds unaided.

Although he's only done it a few times, he can now roll over both ways!

Solid foods tried: rice cereal (getting used to it), carrots (not too tasty), bananas (willingly opened his mouth for more), and peas (big yucky face, can't blame him!)

His feet continue to be a source of entertainment and his socks never stay on for long!

Oliver recently was reacquainted with his friend Zoe who is only a week younger than he is.

He was mesmerized by her!

Two weekends ago was our church family retreat at Camp Yamhill. Oliver had his first experience on a camp mattress.

And David enjoyed the bouncy house.

Oliver and I just watched. :)

David teased Oli when he wore this outfit. I thought the lion was kinda' cute.

Stay tuned, more adventures are sure to come!

Squeaker

2009-09-22T19:19:00.000-07:00

Oliver loves trying out new sounds and his latest is a high-pitched little squeaky noise. I can only imagine what he is trying to communicate!

Busy Baby

2009-09-20T21:20:00.000-07:00

Oli is 5 months old already and it seems that he changes every day. He sits up very well now with support, and he can balance for a little while on his own. He will lean very far and reach for things but hasn't started scooting or crawling just yet. He continues to "talk" and squeal and it's fun to imagine what he might be trying to tell us. Of course we try to take as many pictures and videos as possible so we can always remember these precious moments.

Oliver - 4 1/2 Months!

2009-09-09T17:16:00.000-07:00

I've had a gap in my blog updates and my only excuse is that we've been BUSY! I don't know how I ever thought I had a packed schedule before I had to deal with working full-time, supporting David in his ministry, AND juggling the details of having a young baby. I can't even imagine what it will be like when we have more children! I suspect that the craziness and joy will just grow exponentially!

Anyway, our sweet Oliver is continuing to grow and mature and we enjoy each day with him. He's making some new sounds (that I describe as hooting and blowing his lips) and still working on his teeth. His hands are constantly in his mouth or trying to grab onto his toes, and sometimes his toes end up in his mouth too (ew!) He likes to play in his exersaucer and does pretty well on car trips. Here are some recent(ish) pics:

"Solids"

2009-08-30T22:15:00.000-07:00

At Oliver's last appointment, our pediatrician gave us the okay to start introducing solid foods. We've tried rice cereal two nights in a row now and it actually went pretty well. He seems interested in eating but he's not very sure of the flavor and texture of the cereal. Well, you can see for yourself in these pictures and videos!

Oliver - 4 Months

2009-08-25T07:20:00.000-07:00

I can't believe it's been 4 months since Oliver came into our world! Time just seems to be flying by! Little Oli had his check-up with the doctor yesterday and we are glad to report that he is growing and developing (and as adorable as ever!) His length is 2' 2" (in the 89th percentile - maybe he'll be a tall boy!), his head circumference is 16.5 (in the 38th percentile - small hat size like his dad?), and his weight is 16 lbs 12 oz (in the 82nd percentile - he's solid.) I am back to work now full-time so David took him to the appointment and he said that Oli did better with the vaccinations this time - poor baby. The pediatrician gave us the go-ahead to start solid foods so I imagine we'll try to introduce rice cereal in the next couple of weeks.

Oliver continues to be such a joy in our lives and he really is a good baby. He's still got the remnants of the cold that hit our whole family. His poor tiny nose is still pretty stuffed up but he doesn't seem to be too fussy over it. He's also started the adventure of teething. One of his bottom teeth was just starting to poke through a couple days ago but it seems to have retreated for now. Oli is constantly gnawing on his fingers, hands, toys, blankets, and about anything else he can get his little paws on. Hopefully his little pearly whites don't give him too much trouble coming in!

Milestones

2009-08-21T06:46:00.000-07:00

Oliver has now successfully rolled from his tummy to his back twice! His arms are getting much stronger and he pushes himself up and from side to side. His legs are also continuing to develop. He can "stand up" while we are holding him and he loves to play bouncy interactive games with us. He is also getting better in his exersaucer - pushing off his feet and moving around to the different toys. He can scoot and turn a little bit now too. Some mornings I find him facing the opposite end of his bed or pushed up into a corner of his crib. It won't be long now until he's mobile!

Giggle Baby

2009-08-20T06:32:00.000-07:00

As you can see in this video, Oliver is starting to be more interactive and fun! He likes to "stand up" and play tickle games with us. We love to hear his little laugh!

Sutton Lake Trip

2009-08-17T21:38:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we enjoyed spending time with my extended family at our annual camping trip reunion in Florence, OR. This trip is a long-standing tradition that we look forward to each year. The weather was really nice for us (thankfully there was no rain), and we all really enjoyed ourselves.

The only bad part was that David and I both caught Oliver's cold so we started to feel a bit under the weather. Perhaps all the fresh air did some good for our recovery, but I know the campfire smoke wasn't helpful for our congestion!

Story Time!

2009-08-13T07:17:00.000-07:00

Oliver is learning to love books at an early age - just like his mom!

First Camping Trip

2009-08-10T06:10:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our church camp-out at Metzler Park. I was a little worried about how it would go with a baby, but Oliver did just fine. The weather was cooperative (no rain) and the temperature was mild and comfortable - just right! Oli woke up twice the first night but went back to sleep pretty quickly, and he only woke up once the second night. That's not bad considering we were in an unfamiliar place! We are also going camping this coming weekend with my family so we will all be getting a healthy dose of the outdoors!

Testing out the camping chair.

Dad and son at the campsite.

Sunday morning worship.

Happy campers.

Chillin' in the tent.

At least our little guy hasn't learned how to eat dirt and bugs yet. We've been told that's when the adventures really begin!

At the Columbia

2009-08-09T14:50:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went with our friends Shaun and Jamie to cool off at the Columbia River. Shaun brought his dog, Goose, and they helped encourage Tucker to actually get in the water and swim a bit. (I'm convinced that Tucker is really a wiener dog, because he is scared of almost everything!) Oliver also got to take a dip and then we played in the shade. A fun time was had by all!

Next time, we'll have to remember to bring some floaty toys!

Working Woman

2009-08-04T20:25:00.000-07:00

Today was my 2nd official day to return to the the world of the employed. First, let me say that it is going very well, better that I expected actually, and I am thankful for all the prayers that God has answered for our family. I think we have really turned this whole situation over to Him and He has worked things out better than we could have on our own. He certainly has exceeded our expectations!

When it was announced last November that Cascade College would be closing at the end of the 2008-09 school year, I was saddened for so many reasons. I was losing my alma mater where I learned so much and made so many great relationships, I would have to say goodbye to a job I really loved, I worried about others who would have to find work or education elsewhere, I thought of the negative impact it would have on churches in the area, and I mourned that this place that was a blessing to so many would be no more. Compounding my emotional reaction to this news was the fact that I was due to have our first child just weeks before the college would have its final graduation ceremony.

What a bittersweet time I had this past spring! Oliver was born at the end of April and quickly became the center of the Rude universe. (It's funny how a little baby will change your entire world!) As planned, Cascade had a celebration/reunion weekend to coincide with the graduation events and we got to see many of old friends who came from far and wide for the closing ceremony. David and I started to fill our summer with church and family activities and I adjusted to being a stay-at-home mom to a newborn - an adventure in itself!

I have thoroughly enjoyed the last 3+ months at home with my baby boy and I truly find joy in being a mommy. All along, however, I have known that my housewife status was only temporary - our mortgage, student loans, and other bills simply can't be paid with a single part-time youth minister's salary. David's ministry is important to both of us, and we have agreed that I will need to work outside the home to help supplement his income for our family. As the summer progressed we continued to pray that God would open up the right doors for us so we could clearly see where He wanted me to be. Should I try to find a job watching another child (or children) so I could continue to stay with Oliver? Should I find something part-time so David and I could stagger our schedules to be with Oli? What kind of work should I be seeking? How long could our finances last without me bringing in an income? There were many questions to be asked, but in all of it, we remained unworried and turned the situation over to God.

Well, I didn't even seriously begin my job search when the perfect opportunity presented itself out of the blue. (Isn't that how God seems to work many times?) I received a call from a former co-worker who asked if I might be interested in a position at Columbia Christian Schools and could she pass my information along to the person who would be doing the hiring. I was pleasantly surprised by the offer and excited about discussing the opportunity. Bill called me the next day, we met the following afternoon, and I accepted the position of Office Manager the following week. Everything just fell perfectly into place. I got to start in August (which was the soonest I wanted to begin working again), I am working for a Christian school which I wholeheartedly support, I am doing a job very similar to the one I had at the college, I am working with a great group of staff members and teachers, my commute is less than 10 minutes and my office is right next to the church where David works.

The prayer-answering didn't just stop there though! David was able to rearrange his schedule so he will be home with Oliver on Monday and Fridays and will take Oli with him to the office on Wednesday. A very nice and generous woman from our church volunteered to take our baby into her house on Tuesdays and Thursdays and that has been going great so far! I don't have to worry about the little guy at all while I'm away from him - he's in very good hands! Also, my employers are very supportive of family life and encouraged me to take the measures I need to in order to continue breastfeeding and providing care for Oli. The blessings just keep coming!

You know, I find that it always encourages me to look back at situations in life and to see how God truly does work things out for the good of those who serve Him who have been called according to His purpose. I hope that I always appreciate the ways He cares for us and that I will look for opportunities to share those joys with others.

On a mostly unrelated note, I've found that it's never really fun to learn a new computer program, especially when the one giving you the instructions is not very familiar with it herself! Just one of the joys of acclimating to a new job!

Warmness

2009-08-01T21:25:00.000-07:00

We've been trying to stay cool in the Portland heat wave by keeping our fans blowing, visiting places with A/C, avoiding cooking with our oven, and going swimming. We've been surviving pretty well so far. One of the perks of the warm weather is that Oliver can hang out in little summer outfits or even just in his diaper (*gasp*). I love to see more of his precious little chub rolls!

He doesn't look too pleased that I am taking these photos!

Expressions

2009-07-31T07:06:00.000-07:00

It is so fun to be able to interact more and more with Oliver each day. He smiles freely now and just recently started laughing out loud. Of course, he also communicates with us when he is tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, uncomfortable, etc; but he is generally a baby in a good mood. I caught some of Oli's funny expressions on camera while we were playing the other day:

He's such a lovable little guy!

Concert in the Park

2009-07-25T07:25:00.000-07:00

Our friends Eric and Niki stayed with us last weekend, and while they were here we all enjoyed a saxophone jazz concert at Rose City Park.

A crowd was already there when we arrived.

The stage.

Oliver and Xander "play" during the concert.

Xander cheats in wrestling with a knee-biting move.

The boys are still friends afterward.

A good time is had by all.

Time Off

2009-07-24T21:56:00.000-07:00

Please pardon my brief time away from blogging, but I have a legitimate excuse! No, I did not get a note from my doctor, but I have really been ill recently. David and I both got steamrolled by a mysterious sickness or food poisoning and it took a couple of days for us to recover. Boy was that miserable! It doesn't seem that Oliver has been affected at all and we are so thankful that he has remained healthy. Thank you Lord!

On Tuesday we took my siblings and some local teens out to Lincoln City for the TNT (Tuesday Night Teens) youth rally being held there. David's symptoms started that morning (read: he woke up by expelling all the food matter from his body) but he thought he might be getting over it so we decided to go. As we were leaving, I thought that my stomach might be getting upset too and then I thought that I was just feeling carsick, but as the day went on, we both felt worse and worse. We let the kids do some souvenir shopping in the town and took them for dinner at DQ while David and I took turns laying down in the van. We alternated holding Oliver and taking trips to the bathroom during the youth rally and then I skipped the bonfire and s'mores altogether and opted to sleep on one of the van's back seats while Oli napped too. I have no pictures of the trip because I felt too darn sick to even pull out my camera!

In more upbeat news, Oliver has graduated to sleeping in his big boy crib in his very own room. Our baby handled the transition like a champ, but his mommy had a little trouble adjusting. That first night was so strange not having him right there beside our bed and I have to admit that I cried a bit over the fact that he's growing up so quickly. Everyone warned me it would happen, but of course you never really know until you're experiencing it yourself! 3 months have never passed so fast!

Here are some recent pics of our rapidly changing little man:

He always gets so serious when I pull out the camera!

New Friend

2009-07-18T17:46:00.000-07:00

The Arnettes are up from California visiting us this weekend and Oliver got to meet their son Alexander for the first time. Xander is almost 6 months old and is much more expressive than Oli, but they were both able to get acquainted with one another.

We think they'll grow to be great friends!

Heat Wave!

2009-07-18T11:19:00.001-07:00

Okay, so it hasn't been totally unbearable, in fact, it isn't event that bad, but Portland has been experiencing some legitimate summer weather this past week. Yesterday it got up to 95 degrees! Our house has been staying relatively cool which is very nice. The highest it has been indoors was 79 degrees and that is without air conditioning - not bad! It's nice that the evenings are still cool so we can open all the windows at night and let in the fresh, cool breeze. Oliver has been doing just fine in the heat and we are having fun dressing him in his warm weather clothes (more chance to see his pudgy little legs!)

Blazers Fan!

2009-07-16T08:59:00.000-07:00

It's funny how clothing sizes for babies vary so much by brand and type. Oliver has outgrown newborn size, 0-3 months, and much of his 3M stuff too. Some of his 3/6M clothing fits him perfectly but a lot of the 6 month things are still too big for him. I kept meaning to sort through his dresser to pull out his too-small items and I finally got around to it yesterday during my super productive streak. One of the outfits he was almost too big for is a little Trailblazers set that some friends from church gave us. It was too big for him during the team's active season but now his little belly tries to peek out from under the shirt and the pants are becoming more like high-waters.

I still think it's pretty cute on him!

Grabby Hands

2009-07-15T05:04:00.000-07:00

Slowly but surely, Oliver is learning how to better control his arms and hands. Right now he is able to get both arms up and bat around at a particular toy. The challenge for him is to open his hands so he can actually grab onto an object. He likes to keep his little fingers curled up in fists most of the time. Lately, however, he has been able to relax his hands, and it is fun to watch his surprise as he gets a grip on a toy and moves it around.

Playing can sure be hard work!

Day at the Coast

2009-07-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

David was working with a youth group from Texas all last week on a Bible/soccer camp and other service projects, and while they were still here on Friday, we drove out for a day at the coast.

David and Oliver at the Astor Column.

The ocean is behind us.

Beautiful Astoria!

In Seaside it is Oli's first time on the beach!

In the Carousel Mall with my saltwater taffy.

Oli and I waiting in the back of the rental van.

The Cheese Factory in Tillamook!

It was a fun day at the coast and the weather was mostly cooperative - it only started raining while we were having dinner in Tillamook. Oliver did really great with all the driving and we hope this means we have a good road trip kid!

Chatter Boy

2009-07-10T02:12:00.000-07:00

Oliver was supposed to be eating, but I guess he was in a talkative mood because he just kept chatting with me!

12 Weeks!

2009-07-07T17:00:00.000-07:00

I can't believe little Oliver is 12 weeks already! It seems like he is growing and changing everyday and I want to capture every little moment and milestone because they are passing so quickly. Oli gives out smiles freely now unless he is busy "concentrating" on something - he likes to spend time in serious study of his world at times and it can be tough to break through his intensity. He had his first official laugh for his dad last night after bath time. What a happy squealing little sound it was! We hope to hear a lot more of his giggles! Oliver is also gaining better hand-eye coordination and likes to bat at his toys in his bouncy seat or on his floor gym. We also try to read books every day and he doesn't seem to be completely bored by them. =)

Some recent-ish pics of our little man...

4th of July

2009-07-06T05:45:00.000-07:00

Oliver sports a festive holiday outfit.

At our friend Michelle's house - view of Blue Lake Park.

We're ready for the show!

Okay, none of the firework pics turned out well...but it was spectacular in real life!

Happy Independence Day!

Camp Conclusion

2009-07-05T23:55:00.000-07:00

Some final pics from our week at Camp Yamhill...

Oliver and I wait for lunch in the Big Lodge.

David prepares for a campfire skit.

David tricks Jeremiah into sitting on a big wet sponge!

Oli keeps cool in the very warm weather.

All in all, we had a very enjoyable but tiring week out at camp. Oh, and so much for my excuses about needing to stay on the ground with my baby... I ended up going on the big zip line and it was a blast!

Camp Fun Continues

2009-07-01T19:51:00.000-07:00

David facilitates the Flying Squirrel event during free time. (Yes, he is sporting a "dual mohawk" this week, ugh.)

Oliver watches from his bouncy seat.

David takes his turn up in the trees.

Oli takes a break on our bunk bed.

Alyssa and Jeremiah start on the High Circuit.

Oli and I safely observe from below.

Lyss and Jere make progress around the circuit.

They're chillin' on the wire.

Tonight is S'mores night at campfire but since Oli is asleep, I wonder if I can get mine to go...

More Fun at Camp!

2009-06-30T14:17:00.001-07:00

It's Day #3 out at Yamhill and we're still having a great time!

View of the Mill Pond.

Oliver and I have fun watching the events.

David facilitates the "Staple Climb" element.

Lyss and Jere are rockin' the climbing gear!

Alyssa starts her climb.

She made it to the top (101 feet up!)

Jeremiah starts his climb.

Alyssa on her way down and Jere on his way up.

Jere at the top of the climb.

I actually made this climb last year, but I am perfectly content to stay on the ground with Oli this time. He makes a nice excuse for getting out of doing scary stuff!

Challenge Camp!

2009-06-29T20:40:00.000-07:00

The Rudes are out at Yamhill this week for Challenge Camp and having a grand old time. This is our second year with this camp (in the past we helped with jr/sr teen) and we've really enjoyed it. Jeremiah joined us this year as a counselor and we talked Alyssa into coming as a camper. The weather couldn't be better - in the 80's and sunny! Here are a couple of pics from the "Flying Squirrel" ropes course element this morning.

Jeremiah gets ready to fly.

He takes a mighty leap off the riverbank.

Alyssa is a tiny speck in the sky.

Oops, she lost a shoe in the river! (It was safely retrieved downstream by Jere.)

Oliver is the youngest "camper" out here this year and he's doing really well.

Doesn't he look excited to try out the zip line?

At Least We Weren't Going Somewhere!

2009-06-27T03:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday started out a bit challenging... As I was feeding Oliver in the morning, he started messing his diaper and I could tell it was a lot. In a few minutes when I went to change him, I realized that his diaper had not successfully contained everything. Somehow he managed to spill out both the leg-holes and up his back! I took my time cleaning him up and getting him dressed for the day. We were having a happy and fun time together, and I put him in a cute new outfit. When he was all fresh and ready, I scooped him up and was walking to get some toys. Suddenly, he started gagging and preceded to throw-up all his breakfast! I tried to react quickly, but we managed to get it all over his little body, down my front, on the rug, and made a big puddle on the hardwood floor! Let's just say I had to start the clean-up process all over again, and I was thankful that we were not in hurry to go somewhere! Messy little boy!

Although I give him sponge baths most often, he is enjoying his tub more and more!

He's just past 2 months old and already able to dirty things up quite well. I'm guessing there will be use of lots of baby soap and OxyClean in my future!

2 Month Appointment

2009-06-26T07:07:00.000-07:00

Oliver had his 2 month doctor appointment yesterday and all is well with him. He is up to 12 lbs 1 oz now and measuring just under 23 inches. This puts him right around the 50th percentile - he's basically an average dude now. Hooray! This is much better than being down at the 5th percentile for weight as he was for those early couple of weeks.

The only bad thing about this visit was the vaccines. First he had a nasty tasting oral Rotavirus immunization which he hesitantly swallowed. Little did he know that the worst was yet to come - he still needed 3 stabs in the legs! I'm so glad David came with us because he was the brave one to hold Oliver's arms down on the table while the nurse administered the torture. After the first poke Oli let out a big yell and then held his breath for a long time. The nurse had to wait for him to inhale again before she continued with the shots, and Oli cried the whole time. I couldn't watch this whole process but I heard what was happening and had to really fight to keep from crying. I kept telling myself, "This is better than risking the chance of him getting very sick."

Well we all survived the vaccination ordeal and little Oli slept for 3 hours afterward. When he woke up he was ready for his dose of Tylenol. The poor boy had the saddest little cry going on - complete with an overturned and quivering lower lip. After the meds kicked in, he was drowsy for most of the day so we cuddled and napped together through the afternoon. We just did one more dose in the evening when he got a bit fussy again and now this morning he seems to be just fine. Phew, we made it through another one of the challenges of infant life!

Here are a few pics of our growing boy:

We haven't yet told him that we'll have to make a similar visit to the doc in just 2 months. It's better to not worry him. =)

My Boys

2009-06-24T06:23:00.000-07:00

Oliver and his dad got to spend some quality time together last night. I made plans to meet up with an old friend for dinner downtown and David said he could stay home with the little guy. I had 3 hours of girl time (which was SO fun) and my men did just fine without me!

David packs Oli to the back yard to play fetch with the dog.

David is working hard to make Oli's first word "da-da."

I guess it's not so bad being outnumbered by the males in this house since they all get along so well!

Gym Workout

2009-06-22T20:23:00.000-07:00

I try to let Oliver have some time with his floor gym each day to work his little muscles and interact with the toys. He's working on controlling his limbs (they mostly just flail about) and he still loves to "talk" to his reflection. Here's another video clip I took of him playing.

Happy 2 Months!

2009-06-22T11:26:00.000-07:00

Oliver's 2 month birthday was on the 20th and I can't believe he's that old already! On the other hand, it's crazy to think that he's only been in our family for that short amount of time (not counting when he was in the womb since we didn't really know him yet.) I can't even remember what our life was like before he arrived, though I imagine we used to get a bit more sleep in those days!

Oli's 2 month doctor appointment got rescheduled to later this week and I'm curious to know how big he is now. He's started to outgrow a lot of his newborn clothes and is getting a bit long for the 0-3 month size too. He will have to receive some shots at this visit and David said he could take him for that part. I'm thankful for that because I can hardly handle my own injections. I think I'd be a mess trying to help Oliver get through the torture!

Workin' With Dad

2009-06-21T19:37:00.000-07:00

I had a meeting last week that I needed to attend sans baby so I dropped Oliver off at the church to hang out with David for a little bit. Oli "helped" his dad by jabbering with him, messing his diaper, and then falling asleep on the secretary's desk. You can see David here working on his computer and his son is in the "burrito wrap" next to him.

Oliver makes quite the adorable paperweight!

My New Friend, 3 AM

2009-06-18T03:05:00.000-07:00

Yep, as the title of this post suggests, I am finding myself more and more acquainted with the wee hours of morning. It's a little after 3:00 am currently, and I am feeding Oliver again. I fed him last at midnight after he had been fussing for about an hour on and off. I laid him back in his bed asleep at 12:45 am after he ate, but he kept waking up crying every 20 minutes or so. Maybe after this meal he'll actually be ready for some rest. I was getting used to having chunks of sleep ranging from 3-4 hours at a time, and I hope Oli is not going to lose that routine!

Doesn't he know that we'll all be a lot happier if he does less crying and more of this?:

He really does look peaceful and content in this pic from earlier in the day yesterday - sounds nice right about now!

Oliver Talks To Himself

2009-06-17T13:06:00.000-07:00

We recently introduced Oliver to his floor gym (thanks Ron, Toni, Jeremy, and Mandi!) and he seems to really enjoy it - at least for short periods of time. I started taking a video clip of him on it waving his arms around and kicking his legs, and then noticed that he started to smile and talk. He was interacting with his own reflection in the little mirror above his head!

Oli was probably thinking, "Who is that handsome boy looking down at me?" ;)

More Happy Faces

2009-06-14T12:26:00.000-07:00

Look out ladies - that dimple is practically irresistible!

Many Expressions

2009-06-13T13:44:00.000-07:00

I just thought I would share some pictures of Oliver that I took during playtime the other day...

Taking Time to Smell the Roses

2009-06-10T07:36:00.000-07:00

On Sunday afternoon we joined a few of our friends at the Rose Garden for a delightful picnic. The sky was overcast but it wasn't too chilly and we had a good time eating, chatting, and exploring the gardens.

David hauls some of our gear (and Oliver) down to the picnic site.

Sandwich construction begins.

Mmmm...smells delish!

David packs Oliver around.

A view of the gardens.

One of my favorite roses.

Me and the girls.

Oliver is exhausted after exploring the grounds.

We actually didn't have enough time to see all the roses because we had to get home to bake brownies for our Life Group meeting. We definitely need to get back while everything is still in bloom!

Chatting with Oliver

2009-06-09T13:09:00.000-07:00

When Oliver is in a happy mood (say after after filling up on his favorite meal - milk) he can be quite the conversationalist. We're never quite sure exactly what he means, but he sure has a lot to say! Note: please ignore the lady with the high-pitched "baby voice" in this clip, she didn't realize how silly she sounds!

Oliver and Family - 6 Week Pics

2009-06-05T08:33:00.000-07:00

Our dear friend Jamie volunteered her photography skills for us once again, but this time there were 3 subjects to pose instead of just 2 (and that 3rd tiny "subject" made things a bit more challenging!) We're glad that it was such a warm day because we made sweet Oliver pose sans clothing and diaper for some of the pics. He was a really good sport and stayed awake for much of the photo shoot. When he was finally too worn-out to keep his eyes open, we took some sleeping pictures - it worked out great! Here are some of our favorites... Enjoy!

...and for those who are wondering, no, he did not pee on us or any of the blankets while he was naked! Surprising, huh?!

Roses are Red

2009-06-04T08:45:00.000-07:00

I really don't know much about plants and I am terrible when it comes to taking care of them, but nevertheless, there are some beautiful flowers coming up around my yard. This is mostly due to my mom and sister helping us out when Oliver was born. I might share some other pics later, but here is a sample from the rosebush in our front yard...

A Babe in Slumberland

2009-06-03T08:11:00.000-07:00

Oliver was tired after having some quality tummy time and he fell asleep right where he was on the couch. He looked so cozy laying there that I decided I needed to snap some pics!

Genuine Grin!

2009-06-02T08:24:00.000-07:00

Oliver is slowly learning how to work his facial muscles into a smile. Various friends and family members have been cooing and making ridiculous faces at Oli for the past couple of weeks and it seems that he is finally willing to reward our embarrassing efforts. His Great Grandma Wilson got to visit with him for the first time this weekend and while she was holding him, he made his first official toothless grin!

They look so cozy together here!

I didn't catch his very first smile on camera but here is one of his happy faces!

I want to see more dimple action!

Sink Bath

2009-06-01T08:47:00.000-07:00

All babies need the experience of bathing in a sink, right? Well Oliver got his chance at my parents' house this past weekend. He wasn't quite sure about it at first (we usually do sponge baths for him) but after he got used to the idea, he seemed to enjoy it!

There's nothing cuter than a clean baby! ...except for maybe a baby who has made a big mess and looks guilty about it - that is pretty cute too!

Memorial Day

2009-05-31T21:39:00.000-07:00

Oops, a little behind on the blogging! Here are a few pics from the Memorial Day BBQ at our house.

David grilled burgers and dogs and we ate them out back until the breeze and the mosquitoes got to be too much for me and we moved the party indoors!

Our friends brought over their baby girl Zoe (8 days younger than Oli - she's tiny!) Here she is looking chic in her new sunglasses!

Some of the guys chill on the couch and Oliver is clearly the life of the party!

Almost Smiling!

2009-05-26T21:27:00.000-07:00

Oliver continues to be a joy in my life and I feel blessed that I get to hangout with him everyday. I'll admit that I find it tough to get much accomplished around the house and my "To Do" list hasn't seen much progress lately, but I feel like spending time with my little boy and watching him grow and change are the most important things I can be doing right now. He's already maturing so much and I'm just sure he's going to smile very soon! He's come so close and I'm ready to see his precious little dimples in action!

He does look to be grinning in this pic, but he was actually just making a variety of expressions and I caught him as he was opening his mouth. I hope to post some real smiles on here in the near future!

Still Gaining

2009-05-23T18:32:00.000-07:00

Oliver had a weight check yesterday and I am happy to report that he is up to 8 lbs 6 oz (still small for a 1-month-old but he is heading in the right direction!) I am continuing to pump and feed him by bottle after he has breastfed because he still isn't a very efficient eater, but he is making improvements here too. We are just happy that he is healthy and putting on more ounces.

He may turn into a little chunk yet!

1 Month Old!

2009-05-20T07:21:00.000-07:00

Today is Oliver's 1 month birthday! It's really hard to believe he's been a part of our family for that long already - the time is going quickly and he's growing and changing so much! We are so blessed that he is a happy and healthy boy and we're very glad he is in our life! Happy 1 Month B-Day little Oli!

Almost a real smile...

He looks so tiny in his big crib!

We like to call him froggie.

He's such a sweetie.

We are looking forward to more adventures in month #2!

Tummy Time with Oliver

2009-05-19T15:50:00.000-07:00

We make sure that Oliver has some time off his back each day and he is beginning to enjoy it more. His little arms and neck are starting to get stronger too!

Enjoying the Sun!

2009-05-19T14:45:00.000-07:00

We had a couple of days of sunshine in a row and tried to take advantage of the weather by being outside as much as possible.

Oliver models his new sunglasses. (He didn't actually wear these outside because they are too big for his head. We opted for a sun hat instead!)

Out for a walk near our house. Tucker bounds through the field and Oliver enjoys sleeping in the front-pack.

I wouldn't mind if the rainclouds stayed away a bit longer!

Big(ger) Boy!

2009-05-17T16:54:00.000-07:00

I didn't write any blog posts about this before (probably because it was a bit frustrating and worrisome for me) but Oliver was past 3 weeks of age and still not back up to his birth-weight. He was born 7lbs 12oz and got down to 7lbs 4oz in the hospital (normal for a baby), but at his 2 week check-up he was only back up to 7lbs 7oz. We came back for 2 follow-up appointments and he was stuck at that same weight. He wasn't losing anything but the doctor and nurses were concerned that he wasn't gaining normally.

The medical staff had several instructions for us to follow including an herbal tea and 2 additional supplements for me to take, waking Oli every 2-3 hours to feed 10 minutes on each side and then offering him an additional 2 ounces of breastmilk/formula afterwards, having me use a pump after every feeding (ouch), and increasing my amount of sleep (easier said than done!) Anyway, it seems that these methods have been very successful!

Oliver was weighed on Thursday and was still stuck at 7lbs 7oz. I started with the doctor recommendations after that appointment and my mom and I took Oli back in for a weighing that Saturday (2 days later.) I was so very happy and relieved when we discovered that he was up to 7lbs 14oz! He gained 7oz in 2 days! Hooray! Also, I fed him while we were there and he gained another 2oz so he was technically up to 8lbs! All the sleep deprivation and use of the suction/torture machine have been worth it!

Here are some pics of our BIG boy!

Also, he quickly got tired of being propped-up in this position! =)

(I think this was a yawn... not screaming.)

Sleepy Head

2009-05-15T13:25:00.000-07:00

I think that Oliver got a combination of "sleepy" genes from David and I. You see, both David and I can basically fall asleep anywhere at anytime no matter what is going on. This is handy when you are traveling by car or plane or when you need to catch a quick nap at the office, but not so handy when you are sitting in a class or church and can't keep your eyelids open! It seems that Oliver has inherited this trait as well. I consider it a blessing when he can fall asleep quickly and remain in slumberland even when the dog is barking, David is using power tools in the basement, or some annoying car alarm is going off in our neighborhood. It does, however, make it tricky to keep him awake for important things like eating or being social when guests come to visit!

So peaceful...

Sleeping like a champ!

I guess it gives me new meaning to the expression "sleeping like a baby."

Mother's Day

2009-05-13T13:21:00.000-07:00

This past Sunday was my first Mother's Day to celebrate as a mommy. My mom and brother had been visiting for the weekend and helped us get all sorts of yard work done - so nice! I received a very nice card from David and Oliver and enjoyed the service at our church that morning. Then David made us a delicious lunch and I got to take a nice afternoon nap.

If Oliver could talk, I know he'd say "Happy Mother's Day!"

Oliver wishes he could enjoy some of our yummy lunch too!

David gets his turn with Father's Day next month!

Pond

2009-05-08T11:08:00.000-07:00

When we bought our house, it came with a cute little goldfish pond in the backyard. Well, it would be cute if it wasn't filled with mud and debris. David rigged up some makeshift cleaning tools and gave the little thing a thorough scrub. It was a nasty job, but he did well! (Notice the hip-waders, this was hardcore!)

The "after" picture isn't the greatest. It was actually a photo he took to list this lawnmower on Craigslist, but you can see the improvement in the background.

I think that 6 of the goldfish made the transition successfully from murky to clear water. (I guess we lost 2 this winter during the big freeze!) Now we need to construct some kind of fountain feature for the water pump and add some cool plants!

Reunited!

2009-05-07T21:23:00.000-07:00

This past weekend at Cascade College, I got to attend the final graduation ceremony and several other reunion events. There were so many people there celebrating this great school - I heard an estimate that over 1300 people were involved! I got to catch-up with many old friends and acquaintances from my college days and it was great to share in some of the memories from the past 15 years.

Specifically, it was wonderful to reconnect with 6 of my favorite ladies! I think the last time The Mag7 were all together was almost a year ago at Suzie's wedding. I love that we can always just pick up right where we left off though. These gals are the best!

We snagged a couple of pics while we were together.

This was also a big weekend for Oliver. He got to attend many of the activities with us (though he slept through most of them.) He also got to meet many new friends (though we don't expect him to remember everyone's name.)

It's still hard to believe that our Cascade is closing its doors, but we know that the School of Brotherly Love will Remain Forever in Our Hearts!

Oliver Has Hands!

2009-05-06T12:33:00.000-07:00

I decided to record another short video of Oliver because some of our family far away enjoyed watching the last one. He doesn't make as many fun noises in this clip, but he does demonstrate how he has discovered his hands and enjoys chewing on them!

Oliver is 2 weeks and 2 days old today!

Sleeping Like a Baby

2009-05-03T22:16:00.000-07:00

As I type this post, little Oliver is cuddled on my chest snoring contentedly. We have had a very busy (but good) weekend and I'll share details about that later. I really should lay him down and get some sleep while he's knocked-out... so I'll just share a couple pics and save the stories for another entry.

Oli with dad

Oli with mom

We can't believe he's going to be 2 weeks tomorrow! Time flies!

A Message From Oliver

2009-04-29T15:26:00.000-07:00

Oliver knows that he has friends and family out there that he has not been able to meet yet, and he wanted an opportunity to say "hello." It may sound like a sneeze, some hiccups, and various gurgling noises; but what he means is "I love you!"

One Week!

2009-04-27T09:48:00.000-07:00

Oliver is becoming a real man on the town. He's already had a trip to the doctor for a check-up, we went to the Fabric Depot and AT&T store, and on Sunday we made it to church and our Life Group. He really is a very good baby. He's learning to eat great, he isn't spitty at all, he's pretty easy to soothe and sleeps like a champ! It's hard to believe he's a week old already!

4 Days Old

2009-04-24T20:39:00.000-07:00

Having a baby and adjusting to a growing family are such surreal experiences. I feel so blessed to have a loving husband and healthy little boy. It's hard to believe that Oliver was born just four days ago - it seems like he's been in our lives from the beginning and I can't picture our family without him. What a joy he is!

Also, I think motherhood has officially turned me into an emotional wreck. I'm pretty sure that even cheesy commercials on TV are starting to pull at my heartstrings in new and unexpected ways.

Oliver Has Arrived!

2009-04-22T22:21:00.000-07:00

I won't leave a detailed update (sleep is seeming more important to me right now...) but I will announce that Oliver Keith Rude arrived on Monday, April 20th at 7:28 am. He weighed 7lbs 12oz and was 20 inches long. He is absolutely precious and we are completely in love with him! I'll add more pictures later, but here are just a few:

Baby Time?

2009-04-19T22:33:00.000-07:00

Amidst all the due date drama, and concern that he would arrive early, we really knew all along that Baby Rude would make his entrance into this world on his own time schedule. Despite all the tips from well-meaning friends and family members to help speed things along (most of which I did NOT try) we have come to accept the fact that we're just going to have to wait. Every day brings us closer to welcoming him into our family so at least we're moving in the right direction.

9 days overdue and still smiling. =)

I'm thinking that the waiting may be over sooner than we realize! I've been having Braxton Hicks contractions for a couple of weeks now, but starting yesterday they have gotten considerably stronger. The abdominal constriction and back pain continued to wake me up last night and I wondered if it was best for me to go to church today. I made it through the service and even the potluck afterwards (the Miehn spring rolls were SO worth it!) without making a big scene.

This afternoon I rested a bit as well as I could and I took Tucker out for a walk to enjoy a dose of the glorious Oregon sunshine before it was time to leave for our evening Life Group. At our group I tried to be as inconspicuous as possible with each contraction - focusing on the floor and breathing slowly while trying to relax. Only one of the ladies commented that she noticed something was up with me, so I thought that was doing pretty well.

I haven't officially been timing anything today, mostly because every other time I've done that, I've just been disappointed when the contractions eventually taper off. I would guess that throughout the day they have been ranging from 10-15 minutes apart. Now since we've been home this evening, I'm getting more and more uncomfortable and feel like I can't really function with each labor crunch. Since I've started timing about an hour ago, they are averaging every 6 minutes so I'm getting close to the 3-5 minute range. Whoopee!

Maybe this will be my last blog post for awhile - hopefully I'll be in the hospital soon!

Reunion

2009-04-19T13:23:00.000-07:00

One of the blessings I received at Cascade was a wonderful group of friends. There were lots of people I got to know there during my 4 years as a student (not hard to do with a student-body size of less than 300) and I am still in touch with many of them today. I am especially thankful for the Mag7. These amazing women are inspiring and encouraging and they know how to have lots of fun too!

Cascade's final graduation and big reunion weekend is coming up in two weeks and I'm excited that we're all going to be together again. Life after college has taken us all down a different path, but we still remain good friends and enjoy seeing each other as often as we can. I'm looking forward to reuniting soon! =)