Staying Warm

Nonnie visited this past week and weekend, and we had lots of adventures with her. Most importantly, Jonas turned 6 mos old during her stay. We went to our 6 month visit with the pediatrician, and Jonas received his scheduled immunizations, except for Hep B, which I declined. He is now 27 inches long, which means he's grown 2 inches in the 30 days. No wonder nothing fits! Also, Jonas has another tooth coming out on the bottom, and one on top. In the past 6 weeks, he's cut a total of 4 teeth. He's added prunes and peas to his food repertoire, and is still not sleeping through the night, although he managed to go 4 hours at a time last night rather than the usual 2. I'd say that's progress.

On Friday, we decided to venture to an outdoor activity here in KC known as "First Fridays" which basically involves art gallery hopping within a 20 block area of midtown. Here's how we dressed Jonas for the chilly event:


Does he look warm enough? He was really laid back (pun intended!) the whole evening. Because he'd had his immunizations, I was worried he was having a reaction. But no. As soon as we took him out of this warm, comfy snowsuit, his default (active) personality returned. I think this suit restricted his movements and kept him so warm that he was forced to relax! I wonder if we can get one in his Poppa's size?

Surgery Day

From Nov 1, 2008

So here's how it went down. We had a sleepless night before the surgery. I had insomnia until about 12:30, and Jonas woke at 3:00 a.m. screaming. We think it was gas. Ed got him back to sleep around 4, and we woke at 5:00 to get to the hospital by 6:00. We met with an anesthesiologist who told us his grandson had had this same operation. He kept mentioning a caudal, and I finally asked him to spell it and explain it. It seems to be similar to an epidural in that it blocks the pain in the lower body. Jonas was to be "gassed" to sleep, then have an IV inserted into his foot, and then the caudal would be administered. When I asked the anesthesiologist whether he was glad his son had the surgery, he said "well, his mother was ecstatic with the results." How weird this seemed to me.

We then met Dr. Woodruff, a medical resident from Little Rock. He looked 18 but had a softer demeanor, not as aloof as the other docs.

Jonas finally fell back asleep right as they took him into surgery around 7:00. I had changed him into a tiny hospital gown (tied in the back) with blue hospital baby socks. He looked so pale and small wrapped in a warm blanket. It seemed strange to hand him over to the nurse who tucked her paperwork under her arm and simply carried him away from us.

We waited in a family area at the hospital until 10:30 when the doctor came in to tell us all was well. This doctor has no bedside manner, and had been very abrupt. When I asked him to re-explain the procedure to us earlier that morning, he was short and impatient. He used the words stint and catheter interchangeably, which initially confused me. It was a possibility that the repair would involved leaving a catheter / stint in the urethra. It would (and does) look like a piece of spaghetti. It's not connected to anything, and the urine flows out of it into the diaper. We have an appt to remove it (if it doesn't fall out on its own) next Monday.

I was so glad to finally have him back in my arms around 11:30. We waited for him in the hall (they call it "Reunion Alley") and when they carried him out, he was groggy, pale, and seemed bloated. I tried to nurse immediately, since his last feeding had been at 3:00 a.m. He only nursed for a few minutes. The nurse then took out his IV, and we changed him back into his footed sleeper. We were home by 12:30.

As a funny aside, while we were at the hospital this morning, our tree trimmers (7 men, 3 chainsaws, 2 trucks and one giant semi with a motorized claw) showed up un-announced. We came home with our delicate bundle in the midst of their work. And the wood for our house renovation was delivered and left on the driveway. AND all of Ed's credit cards were swiped from his wallet WHILE HE WAS WEARING IT. We didn't discover this last tidbit until he went to pick up Jonas' prescriptions.

Boy did we feel overwhelmed. The whole family napped from 3-5:30 and we all felt better.

New Tricks

Jonas did not get any candy for Halloween. His only treats were the carrots his mother pureed for him. But he has learned lots of new tricks.

He's pretty much sitting up on his own, although he's still a bit wobbly. He grabs everything within reach, including mom's hair, poppa's nose, eyeglasses, drinking glasses, the remote control, the phone, and any nearby food. He's learned how to spin his Leap Frog toy - I'm not sure what it's called, but it seems like an ABC oriented slot machine. He can now read the daily newspaper. Well, it's more like eating the daily newspaper. (Don't worry Nonnie - Ed says it's soy-based ink). And speaking of eating, he is a pro with the spoon now. He loves his rice cereal, and has enjoyed squash, peas, carrots, and pears. He is not fond of apples.

Some of the things we're not so proud he's learned include: sleeping with mommy and poppa and not in his crib. Waking up every two hours for feedings. Taking 20 minute naps.

He still loves to smile at strangers, and can make his mom's heart melt with his lopsided grin. Like this one...


Yes, that was one of his Halloween costumes. I called him my little penguin. (Thanks for the t-shirt Aunt Desi!) But he was also a pumpkin (Thank you Nonnie!) This was the perfect outfit for bowling with his Poppa and fellow engineers: Andy, Erin, Dan, Chase, and Matt.


After his busy day of bowling and photo shoots, he was ready to hand out candy to the neighborhood kiddos. Next year, though, he'll be working the sidewalk, knocking on doors, and earning that candy!

A letter to my son

Dear Son:

I have waited so long to share my life with you. It is important to me that I be all things to you, and for you. I do this out of love and do not regret or resent a thing. Among the many things I am for you....

• I am your personal shopper; I hand select your clothing.
• I am your serenader; I sing you to sleep and distract you when you're crying with silly songs.
• I am your entertainer; I play games with you and make sure you have the best toys.
  
• I am your educator; I read you poetry and explain the world to your wonderous eyes.
  
• I am your valet; I coordinate your outfits and make sure they are dye and fragrance free.
• I am your nurse; I measure your medication, and make sure you get enough but not too much; I monitor your temperature, intake, output, etc.
  
• I am your private chef; I make organic babyfood from select fresh produce and store it in the most BPA-free way I can.
• I am your chauffeur; I bring you to countless doctor appointments and stroll you in sunshine; I carry your 20 lb bulk in an awkward carseat and never leave you alone in the car.

But one thing I am not.

I am not your teething ring so please STOP BITING MY NIPPLES.

And while you're at it, stop popping my bra strap too.

A mother's rant....

Jonas just had his first medical procedure, a surgical repair for hypospadias. Hypospadias is a condition that occurs in approximately 1 in 125 boys. The penis develops in utero between 9 and 20 weeks. Sometimes, the development of the penis stops before its complete. The result is that the urethra opening is located on the underside of the penis rather than on the tip. In Jonas' case, the opening is in the distal area, right under the head. And rather than having a complete foreskin, he only has a partial foreskin on the top of the penis. Apparently, his penis head looks like a shovel instead of a nicely rounded head. It hasn't affected anything practical like his ability to urinate.

In this procedure, our pediatric urologist extended the urethra to the tip of the penis (it has previously been located just under the head) by pulling together skin. He then completed a circumcision of the partial foreskin. When I changed the first diaper, I was horrified at what seemed to be a barbaric butchery of my son's most sensitive and delicate area. I was stuck. I felt like a bad mother for exposing our son to this pain when his penis and urethra seemed to work just fine. But all the doctors we consulted (I asked 3) told us this was medically necessary, and he would be emotionally scarred for life if we didn't do this.

When I was in law school, I wrote a paper in an international human rights class about genital mutilation, specifically, female circumcision. Basically, certain African cultures believe that a girl's genital area should be surgically altered in order to fit within social and cultural norms. How is this different? Ed would be quick to remind me that our pediatrician mentioned potential fertility problems for Jonas as an adult if no repair were performed. But I don't really buy that. His urethra was just below the penis head. How could this significantly affect sperm from fertilizing an egg?

The whole event felt traumatic. I'm not sure it was the right decision. However, once he's healed, and I know everything will be okay, I will probably agree that it was the right decision. Right now though, I'm very torn.

Daddy Dressed Me Today

It's a cold, rainy day here in Kansas City, so when I asked Ed to dress Jonas, I thought I was being helpful by providing with the appropriate outfit. I didn't think it merited an explanation, but alas, I was wrong.

Here's how Jonas looked when Ed left for work:


Notice the front snaps. His shirt is splayed open like some 70's porn star. These snaps belong in the back, of course. This would be obvious to most people for many reasons. Like the tag inside. On the medallion on the back:


Rather than trying to undress and redress him completely, I tried snapping the front closed. Maybe that would work. Nope. This is what I got:

Hmmmm. Maybe a bit too 007. "My name is Vogt. Jonas Vogt."

Yes, I had to do it. I undressed and re-dressed him.

Toes anyone?

Within the past weeks, Jonas has discovered his feet. He seems continually frustrated by the fact that winter cold has hit the Midwest and we now keep his feet bundled up in socks. Would you believe that his feet actually smell? It's not strong, but I can tell that when he hits adolescence, look out world! He also seems to produce an amazing amount of ear wax. No matter how often I clean his ears, the next morning, there's more wax.

Okay, that's enough of the gross stuff.

On a lighter note, Jonas is now enjoying a few veggies with his rice cereal. So far, we've experimented with peas (not his favorite), sweet potatoes (oh yeah baby!) and squash (a lukewarm reception). He eats it warm or cold and doesn't seem the least bit finicky. I'm amazed at the volume of food he ingests, especially since he only poops about every 3 days (more gross stuff, sorry!). Ed is generally the solid food feeder, but I enjoy watching it. Jonas will grab the spoon and bring it to his mouth because Ed is not moving fast enough. In fact, he screams in impatience between bites. By the way he acts, you'd swear we were starving him. Ed has become quite proficient, and most of the food ends up in Jonas' mouth, with very little on the bib. However, there is plenty to wipe off of his face at the end of the meal - Jonas' face, that is.

Jonas has also started to grab at everything near him. If he's on your lap and you try to drink something, he will grab it. He's fast, and pretty accurate, so it's something to watch out for! He's grabbed the dog's chin hair, and tried to grab the cat, who is fortunately too short-haired to catch. I'm relieved that we have good-natured pets.

At a recent doctor visit (for a rash), we learned that the j-boy is now 15 1/2 pounds, and about 25 inches long. He rolls over very quickly from his stomach to his back, and we are no longer leaving him on the bed or sofa unattended. So far, there haven't been any accidents.

Lastly, Jonas is very close to sitting on his own. He can do it for about 5-10 seconds, but then sways to the side and often falls forward on his face. I'm sure my mother will be horrified to read this, but I feel like it's an unavoidable part of the learning curve. Jonas is a tough little dude, and so far the tears have been minimal. And Mom, there are no bruises, scratches, or red marks. No marks at all. None. See the picture above? He's fine. No marks! And I keep him close by when he tries this.

In any case, we can't wait until he can sit on his own, and even start crawling.

He is truly well on his way to making us more alert, diligent, and nervous parents, and we love every minute of it!

Croup

Okay, so the cold wasn't a cold. There was no runny nose or chest congestion. When Jonas developed a low-grade fever, I got out the Dr. Spock book. Yes, according to Dr. S, Jonas likely had croup.

I quickly learned that croup is a virus that babies catch which causes swelling below the voice box. It's a scary thing to hear. Their cough sound horrible - like a barking seal.

Because I didn't figure this out until 1:00 p.m. on a Saturday, and our pediatrician's office hours ended at noon, off we went to urgent care at the local children's hospital. We were quickly whisked in to an exam room, and within an hour, Jonas had downed a shot of Decadron to reduce the swelling. I'm relieved to report that it worked.

We have been using a cool mist humidifier and monitoring him closely. He really seems fine.

Lately, Jonas has been hanging out with me in the kitchen while I clean or make a meal. In this photo, he was helping me make coffee. Yesterday, he watched me make a cake. He seems especially entranced by anything going on in the sink.

He is gradually beginning to discover his feet, and actually using them to pick up objects or move them closer to his hands. However, he has yet to grab them with him hands, or put them in his mouth. He came close to doing that this morning though, so I know it's just a matter of time.

He is really into his toys now, and can play independently for 10-20 minutes at a time. He is super observant, and watches Ed and I constantly to see what we are doing. He loves to look at himself in the mirror too.

I'm not sure whether I've shared this before, but Jonas has hypospadias. Here's the online definition: an abnormal condition in males in which the urethra opens on the under surface of the penis. This apparently occurs in 1 out of 150 boys and is easily repaired.

We have scheduled him for surgery on 10/28 and have been informed that it is a 2 hour procedure. Keep your fingers crossed that Jonas stays healthy so the surgery won't have to be rescheduled!

Cereal!

I love this stuff all the way down to my toes
Originally uploaded by vogted

So much is happening in Jonas' life! Just in the last week, he popped a tooth and tried cereal. We still can't actually SEE the tooth, but we can feel it. It's on the lower left. He's trying to put everything in his mouth, and is mostly successful. His arm and hand movements are less spastic. He now rolls quite easily from back to stomach, but seems to have forgotten how to go the other way! When he gets to his stomach, he cries like the world will end. In fact, I just had to pause in blogging to go and pick him up. Turning him back onto his back is not enough to console him. He has to be held and cajoled back into comfort.

This morning, his cry sounds hoarse. He doesn't have a fever but seems to be coming down with a cold. He slept for an unusually long time last evening - a 4 hour nap from 4 - 8 p.m. We actually woke him up because I was worried. Plus, he had to watch the VP debate with us.

He is also starting to grab things and knock things over. While sitting on my lap during lunch with my mother, he turned my whole salad over, covering us both with lettuce and dressing. I even found a piece of lettuce in my underwear that night! Yes, I know - TMI. He loves to grab at my mouth and Ed's nose, and he's pulled some hair (including Buddy's beard) and earrings. I've pretty much stopped wearing jewelry most of the time, so hopefully this won't be a problem.

For more photos, check Jonas' flickr site at http://www.flickr.com/photos/vogted/sets/

The littlest Democrat visits Atlanta

Jonas and I traveled to Atlanta to visit his Nonnie, Aunt Desi & Uncle Joel. Plus, he'll get to meet his Aunt Tara. Aunt Desi is the one responsible for this onesie.

The BIG NEWS is that Jonas has started rolling from his back to his tummy. In fact, he now just rolls around the room. He can really cover some ground with this new trick so we'll have to be super-observant to make sure he stays out of trouble.

Meanwhile, Nonnie is busy working up a fresh batch of loving names to call him.

Pumpkin & Poppa

Before she left, Nonnie bought Jonas an adorable onesie that says "My First Halloween" and came with a pumpkin cap. Jonas decided to try on the cap today, and his father was inspired to wear his own. Why do they have such similar wardrobes?

While here, Nonnie illustrated an impressive array of endearments for the baby, including:

• Booba
• Sweet Little Boy
• Tiny Little Boy
• Angel Baby
• Sugar Bee
• Sweet Baby
• Turkey Bird
• Tiny Whiney
• Sugar Baby
• Tootsie Wootsie
• Warm Bear
• Honey Bun
• Monkey
  

Not to mention the requisite "cher bebe" that every Cajun grandmere resorts to. My personal favorites are these:

• Love Boat
• Sugar Booger

Not sure where she got those, but aren't they fun?

By comparison, Ed and I have a dismally short list:

• Son
• Little Boy
• Love
• Boo Boo

Pretty unimaginative, huh?

Speaking of imaginative lingo, there are tornado watches here at the moment, and the meteorologists are whipping themselves into a frenzy, using terms like "rain wrapped tornado" and "dark wad of scud clouds." This is the land of "thunder snow" after all. My theory is that they have a serious case of hurricane envy.

And speaking of that, please keep your fingers crossed and your prayers offered for our friends in Texas! Go home Ike!

Jonas in the buff with a grin

Jonas in the buff with a grin
Originally uploaded by vogted

And how could I forget to post this?

Quick Update

I know it's been awhile since I've posted. The past two weeks have been wonderfully full of time spent with Jonas and his Nonnie. Here's some of what we've been up to:

• Painted living room, including trim.
• Sewed and hung fabric cornices.
• Set up a new changing table in the nursery so Jonas can start sleeping in his crib, which we had been using as a changing table.
• Shopped for winter clothing for Jonas.
• Shared lots of meals with wonderful people.

The most fun, however, was a brief hour spent at the photography studio. Here's my favorite:


But I like these too:

We plan to return to the photography place with Jonas' poppa in the near future, so be on the lookout for more pics. I hope Jonas doesn't go blind from all of the flash photography! It's amazing how he looks more and more like Ed each day.

Jonas has really been growing like a weed. He is now 24.5 inches long (2 feet - woohoo!), and weighs over 14 pounds. Yes, he has officially doubled his weight! We are still breast feeding, and will start cereal sometime in the next 2 months. He is using his fingers and hands more each day, and can now grasp items and bring them to his mouth. He's still trying to work out the coordination, though, and it's hard to watch him struggle. He loves to watch your mouth move. It's so much fun to watch him try to move his mouth and tongue in mimicking your own. He laughs regularly when tickled, or when you make outrageous sounds and movements with your mouth. I'm often a bit embarrassed by the weird noises I'll make in an effort to get him laughing. He laughs more for his Nonnie than anyone else.

Jonas had his 4 mos check-up last Friday, and I finally broke down on the vaccinations. He got DTaP, Prevnar, and Rotavirus. I opted out of hepatitis B, polio, and HIB. The last two aren't real risks these days (no active cases in the US), and the hep B can wait until daycare or nursery school. This decision caused me much inner turmoil. Although Ed was okay with the scheduled vaccinations, he let me hold back a bit on the number and timing. Jonas will eventually get all of his vaccinations, but I want to take it slowly, and ask lots of questions along the way. I hope this is the best decision, and the right one for me. It was a difficult appointment, and I'm glad Nonnie accompanied us. He cried only with the 2nd and 3rd shots, but was soothed easily. He did run a slight fever, and was a bit cranky that evening. Otherwise, he seems to be in perfect health.

Nonnie was gracious enough to babysit while Ed and I also enjoyed a night out - dinner and a movie. I didn't miss Jonas for the 1st hour. Then we walked into a restaurant and I heard a baby laugh. When I looked over, the child was about Jonas' age, and I missed him acutely at that moment, as well as for the rest of the evening. I never seem to tire of time spent with him. It's like a drug, and I can't get enough. Sick, isn't it?

Catch Up

I have been a negligent blogger. My mother arrives this morning for a 2 week visit, so I need to post something before I get distracted with all of the projects we'll be doing (painting the living room, making curtains, playing with Jonas, etc.)

Much has happened since my last entry. One special joy was a visit from my very best friend, Angela. She shared little pearls of motherly wisdom with me, and Jonas was totally taken with her. Here's a pic:


Her son, Mark, will be 5 years old this November. I can't believe it! Mark was born the day after I first met Ed. Some good things were happening in the cosmos that week of November, 2003.

Developmentally, Jonas continues to thrive. He is really discovering his hands now, can pick up objects, and bring them to his mouth. Although he rolled over quite a bit at first, he has slowed down on this. His neck and upper body are strong, and he holds his torso up for quite a long time when placed on his stomach. He coos and babbles throughout the day, but especially in the morning. We love to chatter back and forth with him. Even though it's just gibberish, it feels like a conversation! This is such a fun age for us and we continue to gaze at him like he is a most marvelous invention. Our time with Jonas is so joyful. He is evolving to be a happy little person, even in the midst of a mild summer cold, which he came down with on Sunday night. We've monitored his temp and been to the doctor who wasn't overly concerned. Nevertheless, I made a trip to CVS for nose drops. While there, I got him some vitamins and teething gel. He's been drooling and gnawing, but no teeth have shown up yet.

While we were in Ohio for Bill's funeral, I met Ed's Uncle Karl and Aunt Ginny. This is Ed's mother's brother and his wife. They were consumed with the fact that Jonas' birth announcement outfit was from LSU. You see, they are Buckeye fans. Anyone remember the trouncing that LSU gave Ohio State? See why they were perturbed? Since I can easily be bought, I told them to send me some Buckeye clothes and I'd put Jonas in them. Within a week, this arrived in the mail:


Anyone else want to send us their favorite sports team clothing? Maybe we could just rent him out for advertising like people do with the printed wraps on cars and buses. Might be a good way to raise funds for college.

Another fun camera day was with this outfit, given to him by Sue and Dan from Texas:


I love this outfit! He looks like a little pumpkin in it - all round and cuddly. He is 14 pounds, 2 ounces, as of yesterday, and today, he turns 4 mos. He celebrates this "birthday" with his Nonnie, who's real birthday is today. Happy Birthday Nonnie!

Race for the Cure

2008 Team Hell on Wheels LaValley
Originally uploaded by vogted

Jonas participated in his first race this past Sunday. Our 7th annual Team Hell on Wheels LaValley convened for breakfast and Jonas was passed around. He enjoyed all of the attention immensely and slept well that night - all night - a record 7 hours! Yahoo!

The red ribbons and red manicures are in honor of Bernie Campfield, who lost her battle with cancer this past February. We love and miss her dearly!

"There were four in the bed...

and the little one said 'Roll over, roll over.' So they all rolled over and one fell out. There were three in the bed...."

Know this little song? I sing it often to Jonas, mostly because of our crowded bed (the cat makes it four in our bed). We are currently shopping for a king mattress set.

But I digress. The point of today's post is to share the news that Jonas is rolling over! Even though he's rolled over on occasion over the past month, he did it about 6 times in a row last night. I think that makes it's official. He's also beginning to bat at objects with his hands. He can grab things, but he's still clumsy with his fingers. He loves to watch faces and smiles more and more every day. What a little ham he is! Sometimes when he smiles, he cocks his head to one side and looks at you sideways while he grins.

Bad Parenting 101

Time for some confessions. I've been a bad mother. Done things the books say not to. So here are two recent sins. (Must be the Catholic in me that necessitates such a public confession).

1. Automotive Breastfeeding

On the way home, we drove for 13 hours at night through pouring rain only to reach rush hour / flash flooding traffic in Kansas City. We crawled through crowded interstate lanes at 5 miles an hour for about 40 minutes with a wailing child. Jonas doesn't like his car seat, and traveling by car continues to be a trial. I had the option of using my hand-held, battery operated pump to prepare a bottle of breast milk for him. But this would take lots of messy maneuvering within the car, and we'd be almost home by the time the bottle was prepared. I told Ed to drive carefully and lifted Jonas out of the seat to feed him directly. All in full sight of the morning commuters. I haven't engaged in such risky and immodest behavior since college.


2. Alternative Sleeping Arrangements

When we got the bad news about Ed's dad, we packed hurriedly and headed to Ohio. We didn't know where we'd be staying or for how long. Most logical parents would bring the pack-n-play. That's what it's really for, right? And we bought that Subaru Forrester so we'd have plenty of room. Well, that's not what we did. I just didn't think we'd need it; don't ask me why. So, when we got to Ki's new house and discovered beautiful hardwood floors (but no rugs) and a comfy (double) bed, we were grateful to have such great accommodations. But where to put Jonas? This was our best solution, and it actually worked out quite well. Yes, that's my suitcase. Who knew it could be so useful for such a variety of purposes? For you worriers, please note: Jonas was well supported by a pillow, and I put him sideways so he wouldn't fall into the crevice on the side.


I worried about him all night for the first 3 nights, and used by iPod as a flashlight to check on him. We were staying in the cornfields and there was no light (except moonlight) to see by at night.

I hope Jonas appreciates being a guinea pig. It's the honored spot of the oldest and/or only child.

Vogt Family, July 2008

Vogt Family, July 2008
Originally uploaded by vogted

After 15+ years of battling melanoma, Ed's father, Bill, passed away on Wednesday, July 23rd. He had been wheel-chair bound and at home for the past two years under the excellent care of his wife, Karla, and some kind people from Wayne County Hospice. Although the cancer had spread significantly, he seemed to never be in pain.

We traveled up to Wooster for the Catholic funeral mass and military funeral, just returning back home today. Ed's 4 siblings convened from various scattered points throughout country (San Jose, CA, Pittsburgh, PA, and Greenwood, AK) resulting in an impromptu reunion. Jonas got to meet them all at once! This is a photo of the clan at Ki's home. Ki (short for Karla) is Ed's twin sister. She's posed next to her yellow lab, Molly. The other lab was Bill's dog, Maggie. Ki and her husband John (the tall fellow with hair) just built this bright and spacious home in the middle of Ohio Amish Country, complete with corn fields, panoramic views, and no cell phone coverage.

Although everyone was really sad about Bill, it was nice to be so surrounded by family. And the Vogts are a family that know how to gather close. There were many funny stories shared about Bill, including his limited baby sitting ability. Hopefully, Ed's sister Betz will send the narrative she wrote up about this soon. I'd love to post it here.

Jonas meets great grandpa JC

Jonas meets great grandpa JC
Originally uploaded by vogted

On our last day in Louisiana, Jonas traveled to the big town of Arnaudville to meet his only living great grandparent - Paw Paw JC. Although now 87, that hair on Paw-Paw's head is really his own, and it's not even gray! Sadly though, Paw-Paw has serious trouble seeing and hearing, which is why it was wonderful to be able to hold and smell his great grandchild. Thankfully, Jonas chose illustrate his projectile vomiting skills an hour AFTER our visit with Paw-Paw.

Sleep. Precious, precious sleep.

I'm so excited! Jonas slept from 11 pm to 5 am last night. That's a record! He generally sleeps in 2-3 hour blocks, so this is a HUGE step. I'm not foolish enough to believe that it's the beginning of a trend, though, and here's why. The real reason he slept that long is because he exhausted himself crying. Generally, when he cries, someone (mostly me, Nonnie, or his father) is there to comfort him immediately. There is one exception - the car seat. Jonas is a cranky traveler. He does not generally like his car seat. I have learned to sit in the back with him and bottle feed him breast milk when he cries. Of course, this is impossible to do when traveling alone, which is what happened yesterday.

Jonas and I took a trip to visit my college buddy, Shelly (yes, same name, same spelling) in Lake Charles, which is a 75 minute drive from Lafayette. Here's a wonderful photo of Shelly, looking like a Madonna, and Jonas:

Jonas made it to 45 minutes before he started screaming. I was able to exit the interstate (there was stopped traffic - boy do I hate I-10!) after about 15 minutes to nurse and change him. However, on the way home, it was dark, and stopping was not an option. He screamed for about 30 minutes straight. I knew he wasn't hungry or dirty as we had just left Shelly's house. I talked to him, gave him his binky (yes, with one hand while driving) and even sang. Poor child. Maybe that's why he cried. I can't seem to remember the lyrics to any songs! I can sing about 10 words, then I start to make things up. Sad thing is, I'm not very creative so it comes out like "hush little baby don't you cry, momma's gonna buy you a pizza pie" and so on. Pathetic. So I resort to a religious song I know from high school. Although it's in Latin, there are only 3 words: Dona Nobis Pachem. It means "give us peace" but in my mind, I was thinking, "please child, give ME some peace!"

Bottom line: I'm not going to torture the child into screaming fits so he (and by default, I) sleep well at night. But it HAS entered in my mind.

Swimming Lessons

Last Friday, Jonas had his first swimming lesson! Nicole, a local swim teacher, was giving a private lesson to Ayden and her cousins (Ayden is the daughter of my high school friend, Yvette), and she asked to take Jonas in the pool for about 15 minutes. It was such a hot day, and he had a swim suit packed in the diaper bag, so how could I say no? The reality is that I had tried to introduce Jonas to a pool in my mom's back yard last week. She has one of those blow up pools that hold about a foot of water. After we got him all gussied up in his swim gear, I dipped his feet in the cold water and he screamed! Here are the after effects:

We took this picture with cousins Kerri Anna and Mia Renee' and their Aunt Jan. Can you believe I put my post-partum body into a swim suit? This is a testament to how hellaciously hot it is down here in the big swamp. I would rather BE cool than LOOK cool. Do not look too closely or you might become frightened. I keep my eyes slight averted and try not to think about it.

Well, of course he would scream at cold water. And I immediately felt like a terrible parent who tortured children. So I was feeling a bit insecure about the whole water thing, even though Jonas loves his bath time. Nicole's offer couldn't have come at a better time. She taught me some important things:

1) calm the baby by singing to him when you introduce him to the water
2) hold them under their arms with thumbs under their chin to keep their face out of the water
3) do not submerge their heads until after they've reached 3 mos of age; their ears just aren't ready for the water yet

As you can see, Jonas enjoyed this experience SO much more:
Thank you Nicole & Yvette!

Jonas Grins

Jonas Grins
Originally uploaded by vogted

This speaks for itself. Our boy is finally beginning to blossom into a little person!

How to survive the Louisiana heat

Jonas in hat with dad closeup 2
Originally uploaded by vogted

Wear a hat of course!

Actually, the real secret is to stay inside a well air conditioned building and move as little as possible.

This adorable hat was gift to Jonas by his honorary Aunt Patti. Smart girl that she is, she bought one with a snap neck strap so he can't rip it off.

If you look closely, you'll notice that Jonas is holding on for dear life.... to Ed's chest hair. Ah, the joys of fatherhood.

Jonas picks blueberries

Jonas with blueberries
Originally uploaded by vogted

Jonas experienced his first field work Monday night. With his Nonnie, Dad, and me, he went out to Venable's Organic Farm in Carencro to pick figs. Because the fig leaves can sometime sting tender skin, he and I stuck to the blueberry bushes. He rode in the desidou sling and helped me find the most beautiful, ripe berries. We sang while we picked, but had to stop for an explosive diaper, an SBD (silent but deadly) that really caught me by surprise. Shortly after his first harvest expedition, Jonas experienced another first - a diaper change in the trunk of Nonnie's car. Who knew that a Toyota Camry's back end would prove so useful and spacious?

Nonnie & Jonas with sling

Nonnie & Jonas with sling
Originally uploaded by vogted

Nonnie models Jonas, her favoriate accessory, in his sling. The sling is a "desidou" original, made by his Auntie Desi. (Check out desidou.com) His Nonnie manages do to all manner of things while wearing her grandson, including make dinner, clean the kitchen, do the wash, talk on the phone, etc.

Dexter, Ed, Shelly, Jonas in '22 Chevy

Dexter, Ed, Shelly, Jonas in '22 Chevy
Originally uploaded by vogted

Another first for Jonas! He met his Uncle Dexter today, and rode in his 1922 Chevrolet 490. This car was restored by Jonas' grandpa in 1973, and Uncle Dex keeps it in tip-top shape. It's a fun way to travel on a summer afternoon. Plus, it gets decent gas mileage - 20 miles per gallon, which is better than Dexter's (recent model) Chevy truck!

An Arranged Marriage

This is Jonas' first girlfriend and future wife. It's just the beginning of me trying to control his life. Isn't she perfect? Her name is Caroline.

Smiles & Laughter

Jonas is now smiling regularly, and it's not gas! I only have a moment because I hear him stirring in the other room. He wants to be held constantly!

His is eating more often but in smaller feedings. The books tell me he should be eating more milk but less often. Oh well. No one told him that. He is also spitting up a bit more. I've started putting a bib on him. This evening, when Ed came home, he noticed Jonas' bib - a yellow duck that says "I'm so cute!" Before I knew it, Ed had turned the bib around to that it functioned as a superhero cape. We named him "Super Burping Duck"

We are both still so enamored. We look at him and marvel at everything he does. He is the cutest child in the world to us.

By the way, in case the title doesn't make sense to you: Jonas is smiling and we are laughing.

In his own words....

And now for a report on some of Jonas’ first experiences, in his own words:

First trip to the post office so that Mom could mail photos to Grandma and Grandpa Vogt.

First lunch with the Randolph sisters at the Webster House; I was a model child.

First visit to a domestic violence shelter; Mom took me there to show me around to the folks she used to work with. I got to see a giant colorful butterfly, and stuck my hand down a lady’s blouse.

First set of chopsticks – got some “trainer” chopsticks when Janee’ and Amelia visited. Stuck my hand down Amelia’s blouse too.

First ride in a golf cart – from a nice man named Bruce on a hot June day when Mom took me to a gathering of work colleagues at the country club.

First church service attended – didn’t cry, burp or fart, much to Mom’s relief, and Dad’s disappointment; got to see a slightly older kid get baptized.

First explosive poopy – overflowed the top of my diaper and happened while Mom was holding me. No need to elaborate.

First brunch – had cheese blintzes and bagels (courtesy of Mom’s milk) at the Patton house in celebration of Colin Patrick Slatev, who is 5 months older than me.

First trip clothes shopping – went with Mom to a clothing store. She says that holding me makes her feel hot all the time, so she needed some tank tops to make it through the summer. I had a very messy diaper that Mom changed for me, and I wanted to be held the whole time.

First trip to a book store – Mom thought she needed to buy more books about how to take care of an infant. Seems to me that she’s doing pretty good, but I think that the books make her feel less nervous.

A few details....

Jonas is now over 7 weeks old. He is able to lift his head and hold it up. When placed on his stomach, he can move his head from side to side. From this position, he also lifts both legs up at the same time. When he lifts his head and legs at the same time, it looks like he is body surfing. It’s fun to watch him do this while on Ed’s stomach.

His repertoire of gurgles is growing. He makes an “arh” sound. His Nonnie says that’s his way of talking; I think it’s her favorite sound.

Physically, he is really fattening up. At the new mom’s group that we attended yesterday, he weighed in at 11 pounds, 12 ounces, with clothes and a diaper on. He looked like a giant next to newborn twins. However, the 7 month old girls could have beaten him up with one hand tied behind their backs. He’s a healthy eater, and burps quite loudly. The air he expels from his “other end” is quite loud as well, and sounds like it was produced by an adult!

He still struggles with gas, and generally only cries when he has pain from gas, or is overtired. We are trying to start a nightly ritual with 9:00 p.m. diaper and clothing change, gripe water (bicarbonate, ginger, and fennel), and pacifier. It takes him about 90 minutes to find a calm, lasting sleep. He wakes about every 3 hours to eat, but goes right back to sleep. Our pediatrician cautioned us to keep him in his bassinet on his back, rather than let him sleep in our bed, or on our stomachs. Even though he greatly prefers to sleep with us, we had managed to wean him to the bassinet. This week, however, he seems much fussier, and will only sleep with us. We are still trying to reinforce the bassinet, though, as our queen sized bed just isn’t big enough!

When he yawns, he makes a small “O” with his mouth which then grows to a full sized yawn. When I go to change his diaper, he stretches both arms and legs as full as he can. He is fascinated by the slats in his crib.

Some of Jonas’ new tricks

He grabbed a burp towel and brought it to his mouth. This may have been an accident, but I got excited.

He’s beginning to smile, but these moments are handed to us sporadically, and are still rare. When he’s entering REM sleep, he smiles often and even laughs. On Father’s Day, Jonas gifted Ed with a full blown smile that was not sleep-induced.

He has a small red birthmark on the back of his head. His eyes are true blue, and we hope they’ll stay that way. His eyelashes and eyebrows are blond, but his hair is a light brown, with some blond mixed in. It’s as soft as corn silk.

Family Walk + Photos

Please forgive the totally unoriginal title. All of my energy now goes into making milk and changing diapers.

Tonight we took Jonas and the dog out for a stroll. The walking trail near our home was busy, but the dog got all of the attention from the various people we encountered along the way. We walked quite a long route, and Jonas, who had been asleep since we left the house, woke up cranky about 5 blocks from home. A stop at a nearby park bench calmed everyone, and the dog even got to wade in the fountain. The weather here is muggy but just cool enough for comfort so we were able to hang out for awhile.

While at the park, Jonas really seemed to take in the world. The sky was still blue, and he gazed at it in wonder. Ed held him, facing out, upright against his chest. In trying to take it all in, Jonas' weeble-wobble head went back so far that he ended up looking at Ed with a surprised expression. Then, he didn't have the strength to move his head back. It was hilarious!

We also spent time trying out the floor play-gym. Jonas seems to prefer to be on his back, and is starting to notice the toys hanging down. When on his tummy, he lifts his head and bottom, sometimes at the same time. He manages to lift his legs and bottom totally off the floor, in an arch, usually fueled by irritation at being unable to move very much. He seems quite strong. Because he's not fond of his car seat, he will resist being placed in it by making his body rigid and bowed out so it feels impossible to force him in it without hurting him. Generally, I try to tire him out rather than force him, but he's a persistent little guy.

Earlier today, I tried to take some photos of Jonas for his birth announcement. Here's a sampling of how things went....

Initially, there were some distrustful looks:


And gurgles of concern:



Followed by general crankiness:




Then outrage: (maybe related to the wardrobe change?)


Outrage evolved to a sneeze:




And then there was the post-sneeze miserable look:



I finally took pity on the boy, and gave up. Well, until he fell asleep:


And for all his pain and suffering, NONE of these images were selected for his birth announcement. Poor fellow. He's only been here for about a month, can't sleep for longer than 3 hours, is constantly hungry, and has terrible gas. Does he really need a mother who keeps taking pictures with a flash?

Everybody Poops (and other developmental milestones)

Jonas is changing before our eyes. He has become a tad cranky, seems to be awake more, and wants to be held often. I pulled out two books and read (quickly!) last night while he and Ed spent time together.

According to the books, Jonas is probably going through the 5 week development changes. Because I'm quick to pick him up when he cries and haven't instituted a feeding or sleeping schedule yet, I felt validated by the "authorities" in those books when they said that he needs attention and touch at this point. Apparently, it will be many more months before he can become spoiled by such unlimited attention. Yeah! I love soothing him, feeding him, holding him.

This morning, Jonas showed Ed his ability to project his poop. It traveled at least a foot, landing on Ed's shirt, the crib, the mattress, and the carpet. What's truly revealing is that our first response was amazement. Then we were impressed and amused. Finally (when the dog showed interest in licking up the poop), we felt a twinge of disgust. Yes, this is poop after all.

Plumping Up

We're happy to report that Jonas is on his way to becoming chubby. He eats like a champ (with occasional spit ups) and has begun to visibly put on weight, especially in his upper thighs and belly. I'm concerned that I'm overfeeding him. My milk supply is quite generous and flows so quickly that he often chokes. When he detaches, there will often be a spray of milk that hits him straight in the face. Poor little guy! I think it's total irony though, as he gets ME in the face when I change his diaper.

Ed and I are consumed with curiosity about how much weight Jonas is gaining. We both thought him a bit too thin at birth. So how to you measure a baby? We tried the bathroom scale, but he doesn't weigh enough to register on it. Ed then suggested a little orange kitchen scale we have that will register up to 8 pounds. Unfortunately, it has a tiny little spot to rest the item which you intend to weigh. Ed's solution was to put Jonas in our tupperware popcorn bowl, then put the bowl on the scale. He was quite thorough in his approach, and even weighed the bowl first, so as to deduct it from the total. It would have worked, but we couldn't view the digital readout because the bowl was too big. Plus, the baby didn't fit very well in the bowl, as he is more oblong rather than circular.

We then tried my solution - place the scale near the edge of the counter, then sit the baby on the scale while gently supporting him to keep him from toppling over. I'm certain this really would have worked, but the scale readout fluctuated too much. We think he weighs a bit closer to 8 pounds now, rather 7 pounds, but this is pure speculation.

Besides putting on weight (we hope to post pictures of His Royal Chubbiness later), Jonas has become quite the traveler. We are now in Columbus, Ohio where Ed is participating in a water innovation workshop. We counted the states that Jonas has been in as we traveled yesterday. Born in Kansas, living in Missouri, and just traveled through Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio. That's 5 states under his belt, and he is only 3 weeks old!

Milestones

Jonas has filled the first two weeks of his life with lots of accomplishments:

1. He has learned to eat, burp, fart, spit-up, etc. He is best at farting.

2. He has an original video posted on youtube.

3. He has received official government mail, addressed to him personally (social security card).

4. He has his own gmail account: vogtjd@gmail.com. Feel free to send him an email.

5. He has read 3 books: 1) Are You My Mother? 2) Mike Mulligan and the Steam Shovel 3) Mother Goose Nursery Rhymes.

6. He has written his first "thank you" email (with Ed's help).

7. He has shopped at Target (twice), Bed, Bath & Beyond, and Babies R 'Us.

8. While on his tummy, he can lift and turn his head.

9. He has mesmerized his Nonnie (maternal grandmother)

10. He has been to the doctor twice and the blood lab 3 times, and conquered jaundice on his own.

Where are the pictures and videos?

Follow the link to see pictures and videos of Jonas. The sets are on the right hand side.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/vogted/

Meet Jonas

Our little JD was born on May 7th at 19.5 inches and 7 lbs. Nurse Sarah and Dr. Stone delivered him after only 1 hour of pushing. He's had many adventures in the short 10 days since his birth, many of which we want to share with you. This blog is intended to chronicle his childhood, so that our many relatives and friends who are scattered around the country can be a part of his life.

This blog also serves as a sequel of sorts to our journey through infertility, "Practicing Patience." After we post a final entry at PP, we will retire the blog, hopefully for good. We want more children, and hope we won't need to revisit that same path to parenthood called IVF.

Much more to come in the following days about the life and adventures of JD, including photos and links to videos.