Welcome Sweetpea!

Welcome, Sunshine

2011-09-24T16:51:00.000-07:00

Andrew was thrilled to meet his new little brother two weeks ago. He arrived in labor and delivery to visit Thomas 1 hour after he was born. Upon learning that it was a new brother, not sister, Sam stuck his lips out and said "I wanted it to be a girl." Andrew heard this and enthusiastically said "I like boys." :) Andrew also started playing "This little piggy..." immediately on Thomas' little toes that were sticking out. We had to stop the last little piggy from running all the way home, though, until we have more time to talk about how to be gentle around little babies. Andrew seems to be enjoying the big brother role and insists on just calling Thomas "Sunshine" (his in-utero nickname) for now.

Andrew at nearly 3 years old

2011-09-24T16:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a while since I blogged, so I have several updates on Andrew and what he's like just a month before his third birthday.

First of all, this kid is a talker! He is extremely verbal and amazes me with his command of not just vocabulary but grammar as well. He's mastered his past tense and plurals for the most part and I think after being corrected about the few parts he gets wrong, he really does remember the next time.

That's probably due in part to his amazing memorization skills. He's been reciting grace at dinner time for about 6 months now ("Bless us O Lord, in these thy gifts...") and never fails to amuse me with the special voice he adopts for such renditions. I still need to catch it on video... He's also well on his way to memorizing the Lord's Prayer we say at bedtime as well, with "trespasses" among the words he nails every time. He's also singing songs from memory and definitely has most if not all of our Curious George books memorized. It's just amazing to see in this little guy 33 inches tall. :)

Andrew also adores his big brother. They were the best of buddies over the summer as we had time off from coop preschool and they were each other's primary playmates. Sam does a pretty good job of playing nicely with Andrew and I've noticed in particularly recently that Sam manages Andrew quite well. Andrew will still tend to cry or kick when he gets upset, but Sam can usually talk him down from it and distract him in a way that leads them both back towards cooperative play. It's pretty neat to see.

Andrew's dexterity has also improved a lot. He can put together the little Lego pieces and cut out pictures like Sam and put on his own clothes when properly inspired. Despite some concerns about putting his socks on the wrong feet, he does quite well putting on his own socks and shoes.

He's also very adept at expressing his emotions. We visited my family in the Bay Area in August and one particular conversation sticks in my mind. We saw my brother in the street as he was getting ready to leave for work and his sons waving from the sidewalk. Andrew saw his cousins and said "I'm so glad to see them!" Then he saw his uncle and I explained he would come say hello but then he has to leave for work and Andrew said "That makes me so sad." His stories now often recount how he was sad and happy by various things.

Lastly, Andrew seems to be quite the thrill-seeker. He loves swinging super high in the swings and even though some of the 4-D shows at Legoland scare him, he requests to see them over and over. It works well since Sam usually doesn't want to try something new for the first time and Andrew is usually happy to jump out in front. We'll see what happens once Andrew is big enough to ride the roller coasters...

Improve Your Productivity Blog

2011-07-15T15:24:00.000-07:00

Hello Friends,

I know many of you through working with my company, Telaeris. Others will know me during my prior years with Cubic Corp. Or maybe it was from college, playing ultimate frisbee (disc, for those in the know), basketball, or even ballroom dancing. I'm writing to you because I think what we at Telaeris are doing will be valuable and that you might be interested in following along.

We started Telaeris with a simple idea: use RFID technology to make businesses more efficient. Though we have expanded the technologies we use, the idea of improving productivity is still at the heart of what we do. There's a programming idea out there called D-R-Y. It means "Don't Repeat Yourself." Improving productivity is like that. If you have to do the same thing over and over, make it as efficient as possible. Get back to the important stuff in life. Create. Build. Play.

So in this spirit, we are re-launching our company blog at: http://blog.telaeris.com

We will mostly be talking about productivity and sharing tips to make you more efficient. How to not to get stuck or waste time on things that should be simple. We'll certainly talk about some of the technologies Telaeris knows, but we will also include lots of good stuff about building a business and what we are learning about marketing and sales. Things you might have had to learn from the school of hard knocks and wish you didn't. And boy, let me tell you, we have had our share of knocks.

We would love it if you would follow us. You can add us to an RSS feed such as Google Reader, or alternatively, follow us through one of the social channels: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, or YouTube. Anyone out there use Google Plus yet?

Lastly, if you have ideas or want to submit lessons you have learned, we would love to share those as well. Connect with us and we'll connect with you. Please pass it along to anyone that might appreciate it. And hopefully, we can make the world just a little bit easier for everyone.

-- Dave

PS. In the next couple weeks, we will be releasing a free e-book called Productivity for People written by an uncle of mine who has since passed away. Even if you choose not to follow us, I'd highly recommend stopping by the blog to download it – it is really a great read!

David.Carta@Telaeris.com
Phone: 619-940-6533

Telaeris - Tracking Systems

Improve Your Efficiency

Sharing a room with brother

2011-02-28T22:40:00.001-08:00

After a couple of escapades of climbing out of his crib, Andrew is slowly moving into the twin bed in Sam's room. On our recent trip to Tahoe and Oakland they did a great job of sharing a room (despite Andrew's falling off the end of the bed at Tahoe...ooops!). So, when we returned, we continued the momentum by giving Andrew a bed (with railings) in the room with Sam. He's been sleeping there every night since and though they talked for quite a while the first night, it seems to be working marvelously. Andrew just moves around a bit and then drifts off to sleep while Sam either looks at books or listens to music for a bit longer. They don't seem to bother each other in the mornings, though Andrew hasn't yet figured out he can come over into our bed once it's light, like Sam now does. I still put him to nap in his crib but will change that soon. Next we move his clothes downstairs and stop referring to the upstairs room as Andrew's and the downstairs one as Sam's. Sam is taking it all very well and seems to enjoy the company. Sam is excited to have his clothes move into drawers under his bed so he can get himself dressed in the morning and for bed. We are blessed to have two boys who enjoy each other so much.

Andrew at age 2

2010-12-08T01:14:00.000-08:00

Andrew celebrated his second birthday at the end of October. Way to go, Andrew!

He continues to be an active, engaging, friendly and mischievous little boy. He adores his older brother and enjoys playing with any wheeled object. He's fearless when it comes to leaping onto pillows on the floor and enjoys climbing ladders of any height.

He is incredibly verbal and has been speaking in full sentences since about 22 months of age. Some of my recent favorite sentences are: "Mommy, I don't like my pillow" (said grumpily at the end of a nap), "Look, you don't have your glasses on" (said as I put him to sleep, wearing contacts), "Mommy, you don't like the skin?" (said to me as I zested a lemon for cookies).

Andrew is extremely good-natured, and whether he's meeting new people, being knocked about by Sam or brought along on errands, he's generally quite happy. He has continued to enjoy the co-op preschool he attends with Sam and likes playing with the other 2 year old siblings. He participates in in free play and snack time with the 3 year olds, so I suspect he'll be staying for all of circle time by the end of the school year.

Over Thanksgiving break from school, Andrew became potty trained (woohoo!). Mom (or Dad) has to remember to take him to the bathroom frequently, but he goes without much fuss and remains dry in-between times. He particularly likes his underwear with the character Mater from the Cars movie. Mom just gets a kick out of the fact that his underwear is smaller than the size of one of her socks.

For Halloween this year, Sam was a road (his request) and Andrew was a street sign. We chose the sign "No Stopping Anytime" for him. That just about sums up Andrew at age 2.

Sam's Preschool

2010-09-30T21:28:00.000-07:00

Sam, Andrew and I began a co-op preschool three weeks ago. Sam is enrolled, but Andrew is allowed to attend and can participate in most aspects. While his attention span is still a little short for circle time, he plays well around the big kids with the wheeled toys, sandbox, Legos and other areas. The first day that we went was a whirlwind of learning new things (all Moms work at a station and all the new moms have a lot of learning to do to keep the school running). However, Andrew jumped right in with two feet and LOVED playing there. At the end, I said it was time to go, and hoped to excite him with the prospect of a sandwich in the car (after all, ending at 12pm brought us to lunchtime and very close to his 12:30pm naptime). Andrew stubbornly told me, "No car, no sandwich, no home." He wanted to stay at preschool! I think since then he's started to realize that it's a place we will go back to frequently but most days when I announced we're going to preschool, he says "Yay!!" and claps his hands. :)

Who's boy?

2010-09-18T23:54:00.001-07:00

At church the other day, Dave was holding Andrew and someone came up and said to Andrew, "Are you Daddy's boy?" Andrew replied, "No!" Then they said, "Oh, are you Mommy's boy?" Andrew's quick response was "No, Sam's boy"

Needless to say, Andrew adores his older brother and they have great fun playing together these days (when not being territorial about toys). When people ask him his name, his first response is still "Sam." We've gotta work on that one before he confuses too many more people... :)

Sentences

2010-07-11T00:13:00.000-07:00

Andrew is now starting to string three words together, so I think we can officially say he's speaking in sentences at 20 months. First he put two together and said "Slow down" as his brother went careening around the house on a ride-on car. He also proudly says "big truck," not just truck.

My favorite, however, was his first three-word sentence: "Thank you, Mommy." Awww, now doesn't that just warm your heart?

"18-month" statistics

2010-06-21T22:38:00.001-07:00

Andrew's 18-month doctor appointment happened when he was more like 19.5 months, but nonetheless, here are his stats:

Weight: 23 lb 14 oz (20%)
Height: 33.25 inches (68%)
Head circumference: 47.75 cm (44%)

So he's still a tall and skinny munchkin!

Seeeek!

2010-05-26T13:44:00.000-07:00

Andrew is now 19 months old and he loves to play hide and seek just like Sam does. But he really only has one hiding spot - behind the blackout curtains in our bedroom. He tucks himself in and all you can see are a small bump and two little sets of toes peeking out. It is an ideal spot, though because you still get a great view out of the sliding glass doors and he'll hang out for a good 5 minutes at a time given the opportunity. The other day he even wandered downstairs by himself, brought a chair into the curtains with him and sat down. He cracks me up. :)

Gab gab gab

2010-04-06T23:04:00.000-07:00

Andrew has been picking up words left and right and is turning into quite the talker. I've lost count of how many words he can say...at about 16 months Sam and I counted 30 words Andrew could say but now at 17 months, I'd guess he's up at 50 or 60 easily. Many center around food (yogurt, crackers, cheese, milk are favorites). He recently added "Grandma" and "Sam" to his vocabulary, though Grandpa and Aunts and Uncles are also called "Grandma." Refrains of "Mommy, daddy, mommy, daddy" are his favorite, along with shouts of "some" or "bite" if you are eating or drinking anything intriguing. Last month he started to throw tantrums occasionally, but either it didn't work or his communication has improved and he's less frustrated with getting his point across. Overall he's a happy, jovial toddler who is inquisitive, affectionate and clever.

the best thing about overalls....

2010-02-27T00:02:00.000-08:00

You have a Picture Mail from telaeris24@pm.sprint.com

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I never thought how useful overalls were....built in big pockets!

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Andrew's 15 month stats

2010-02-26T14:38:00.000-08:00

Weight: 21 lb 10.8 oz, 15%
Height: 31.75 in, 75%
Head circumference: 46 cm, 20%

No wonder I get so tired running with them in the stroller...kid weight alone is 58 lbs!

Andrew at 15.5 months

2010-02-19T23:48:00.000-08:00

Andrew's climbing is starting to mellow out a bit as he approaches 16 months. He is now quite steady on our couch and understands not to roll off unless there are pillows under and he is playing 'leaves' with his brother. He adores doing anything his brother does and also going for long walks around public places. Occasionally he looks back for Mom or Dad, but generally he just keeps going. He's a fairly good eater and has taken a recent interest in milk, much to his Mom's delight. He is happy-go-lucky by nature but will let his brother know if there is something that he really doesn't want taken away. Andrew and Sam enjoy laughing with each other and Andrew seems even to enjoy the little 'wrestling' matches they have on occasion. It's not exactly a fair fight yet and Mom often intervenes to prevent perceived threat of injury, but Andrew could care less about possible danger. He has an increasing passion for buckles and doesn't let an unbuckled buckle pass him by. He loves bath time and also his swim lessons, even if he's often shivering by the end (he needs more body fat!). Andrew continues to delight us in new ways every day and we are blessed to have him in our lives. As Sam says when he hugs Andrew: "I love you soooo much Andrew."

The climber is back

2010-01-21T15:55:00.000-08:00

Early on Andrew worried me with his climbing ability, then it tapered off. Well, in the last week Andrew has mastered going up and down stairs safely, climbing onto our couches and just now, climbing onto our dining room chairs. I even tried to push the chair all the way under the table to make it difficult (or so I thought). He still climbed up and just stayed low under the table on the seat. Crazy! He seems to have a fairly good sense of balance and how to avoid falling, but he's not quite 15 months old. I can feel my gray hairs forming as I watch him run along our couch.

Quite a talker

2009-12-18T21:53:00.000-08:00

Andrew is very adept at repeating what we say and his vocabulary seems to grow each day. He's had "mama" down for quite a while but also says (in his own way): daddy, bye-bye, night-night, this (a favorite word), all done, Sam, ball, phone, trash (this is quite a favorite), shoe, sock, cup, bag, sit, spoon, raisin, down, dog. It seems to be a lot for a 13.5 month old, even if his diction isn't very clear and is just so fun to hear.

Andrew's 1 year stats

2009-11-10T22:27:00.000-08:00

Weight: 19 lbs 13.6 oz (15%)
Height: 29.5 in (45%)
Head circumference: 45.5 cm (25%)

Further supports his recent moniker of "Little one" around our house.

Talking

2009-11-10T22:24:00.000-08:00

Andrew began talking at 11 months and has continued to add new words each week. His first official word we understood well was "Stop." Hopefully not indicative of his future relationship with his brother, he did indeed pick it up from Sam who enjoyed saying "Stop, go, stop, go" at the time and frequently tried to prevent his brother from stealing toys by saying "Stop, Andrew." This word was quickly followed by "mama", "dada", "night-night" and "ball." Most are not intelligible to anyone but his immediate family, but he is speaking!

Comprehension

2009-09-22T09:51:00.000-07:00

Andrew is now 10.5 months old and it has become obvious over the last couple of weeks that Andrew can understand nearly all that we say. Okay, maybe not our debates about health care reform, but simple directives and sentences dealing with physical objects or actions. It's amazing to see that even though he can't talk, he understands our words.

What he's like at 10 months

2009-09-03T14:39:00.001-07:00

Andrew is now walking everywhere he can. He still frequently drops down on his bottom for a sit, but will walk up to 20 or more steps unless something interests him along the way (which it often does). He's just starting to sleep from 7:30pm to 6:00am (with a little encouragement/ignoring from Mom) and babbles away quite happily. I really thought I heard him try to repeat "Night night" and "All done" last week, so I don't think words are too far away. He's got four teeth and loves to eat. The more solid the better and finger foods are a big hit. His latest sound is smacking his lips, which he will repeat back and forth with me with glee. He's made the leap into the "big boy carseat" (one we can't carry him around in) and has yet to make transitions from asleep in car seat to asleep in crib (unlike his brother Sam who can be carried in and fall back asleep). He's as strong and squirmy as ever and also incredible good natured. He's generally relaxed and likes following his Mom and big brother around the house. He's experimenting with biting toes (other people's, not his unfortunately) and loves to wave around his index finger. Fascination with other people's faces continues though exploration through tongue is abating. He's a master at drinking from a sippy cup with a straw though he still breastfeeds 4 to 5 times a day. He likes pina coladas and getting caught in the rain. Just kidding about that last part, he prefers Merlots.

He's walking!

2009-08-19T23:23:00.000-07:00

Andrew started officially walking around 9.5 months old (a week ago or so). He's toddling around, quite bow-legged and with little baby steps. Generally he strings together 6-7 steps before plopping down to investigate something. However, today he seemed determined to chase me around the upstairs. Not long before he'll catch me...

Andrew's 9 month stats

2009-08-08T14:02:00.000-07:00

Weight: 18 lb 2.2 oz (20%)
Height: 29 in (75%)
Head circumference: 44.5 cm (30%)

Better view up here...

2009-07-28T14:28:00.000-07:00

Andrew has been practicing standing up without holding onto anything all day. He gets quite the proud smile once he stands up and has been experimenting with lifting various toys with him. Several times he's looked like he really wants to walk once standing, but hasn't quite managed it all the way yet. A few steps have been seen here or there, but nothing we can officially call walking yet. Maybe tomorrow...

Clapping

2009-07-21T17:53:00.000-07:00

Andrew did some clapping today. At least, baby-style clapping where he just bashing his hands into each other. He's also getting much more balance and sometimes cruises along furniture while barely touching it. Last week he took a couple of steps to his Aunt Amanda but seems hesitant to really break out fully on his own.

Two teeth

2009-06-14T20:58:00.000-07:00

Andrew popped out two teeth last week after gnawing and drooling everything in sight. All considering, he remained quite happy, but now we need to watch out when he tries to bite. Luckily many times he's just trying to give us a wet, open-mouthed kiss.

What he's like at seven months

2009-05-27T20:57:00.000-07:00

Andrew turns seven months in a few days and is getting around really well now. He crawls everywhere (living room, under the dining room table, into the bathroom, kitchen) and pulls up to standing whenever given the chance. His favorite is pulling up on the couch, but he'll also pull up on the coffee table, dining room chairs, Sam's toy car, kitchen drawers, the Rody bouncy horse, the dishwasher, his brother...anything he can hold onto. He also just started saying "Guh guh guh" which Sam loves to repeat back to him. He's a smiley, happy baby though stranger anxiety is starting to set in slowly. So far he's "eaten" rice cereal, oatmeal and potato. I'm not sure if he really eats them or just swishes them around and spits them out.

Happy baby!

2009-05-17T15:24:00.000-07:00

Andrew is such a happy camper - just look at this kids million dollar toothless grin!

6 month stats

2009-05-07T22:02:00.000-07:00

Andrew just had his 6 month check-up and is doing just fine. Here are his stats:
weight - 16 lb 10 oz, 35%
height - 26 in, 35%
head circumference - 42.5 cm, 25%

Weekend of Firsts

2009-05-04T07:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend had a number of firsts for Andrew. He is just growing so quickly and he's only 6 months old!

1. First time pulling up to stand on his own.
2. First time crawling across a grassy field.
3. First bath with his brother.
4. First time sitting in a high chair
5. First time seeing his dad play grass ultimate. (I just hope I can still play when he gets old enough!)

We'll post pictures soon.

Dave

New joys

2009-04-27T14:14:00.000-07:00

We've been a bit concerned that Andrew's getting a few more knocks to the head and sore knees from learning to crawl in a house with hardwood floor. Sam got to get through the crawling stage while we were at a carpeted rental and Andrew is quickly able to move off our 6 foot square rug. However, today I noticed that he has a new joy available to him that his brother didn't - drooling on the hardwood floor and then finger painting with the drool. Let me tell you, he found it entirely engrossing for many minutes.

Sitting up

2009-04-27T14:09:00.000-07:00

A week after he started crawling, Andrew is sitting up on his own. He can get into a sitting position and out of it without assistance and only sometimes falls over. This means he's now fully free-roaming! I am writing this as I work at my desk in the kitchen and he has been crawling around the floor in the living room visiting with his toys and now he has crawled over to me in the kitchen to visit. We're back to gating the stairs again and keeping a close eye on everything on the floor!

Officially crawling

2009-04-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Andrew started officially crawling last Saturday, April 18th. While he can alternate his knees to move himself forward, he mostly likes to perch up on hands and toes and lie on his side and scoot around. He now explores all over the living room and targets any of Sam's toys left on the floor. It's provided new inspiration to his brother for cleaning up.

Like stealthy tumbleweed

2009-04-15T13:02:00.000-07:00

Sam and I are eating lunch at our dining room table and Andrew is playing on the floor. He's getting better and better at rolling as a means of locomotion and I looked over and he was rolling from his car seat to the blanket and then the table like a piece of tumbleweed blowing by. I have to keep a careful eye out on what's lying around now!

Fast progression

2009-04-08T07:41:00.000-07:00

Andrew is going to be fully crawling any day now. Over the past weekend he started to get up on his hands and knees and just this morning, he was doing the Brownian motion thing all over the living room. It is just a matter of time before he is fully directional crawling!

Brothers!

2009-04-03T23:18:00.000-07:00

Hello, tongue

2009-04-01T16:36:00.000-07:00

Andrew has discovered he can stick out his tongue and he can be seen practicing this several times a day. Good thing he's still at that age where it's just cute.

Phlbbt

2009-03-25T14:15:00.000-07:00

Andrew's favorite new noise is blowing raspberries. It's adorable to see him playing in his exersaucer or kicking in his chair and going "phlbbt" with little bubbles coming out of his mouth. It's just one of those things you can do as a baby that's cute that you can't do later in life. :)

Smiley happy baby

2009-03-23T14:15:00.001-07:00

I don't know if I've written enough about what a smiley, happy baby Andrew is. He's just a sweetheart and cheery and good-natured. So often he just looks up at you wide-eyed and then breaks out into a big grin with dimples. It just melts your heart.

4 month stats

2009-03-23T14:12:00.001-07:00

Andrew's almost 5 months, so it's time to post those four month numbers:
14 lb 11 oz, 50% for weight
25.5 in, 70% for height
41.5 cm, 30% for head circumference

Mobility

2009-03-20T16:04:00.000-07:00

Andrew is now a pro at rolling over on all sides and can scoot himself across the floor about 3 feet at a time. He doesn't move terribly fast, but is rather good at getting off the blankets I put him on. He's going to learn about hardwood floors at an early age...

Creation

2009-03-13T14:32:00.000-07:00

Last night I was struck again by how amazing procreation is. I held in my arms this little 15-lb baby that was formed in my body and has grown during the last four months with his only sustenance being from my milk. I remember holding Sam and thinking about how each cell in his body was made from my body, essentially. Quite incredible.

The Other White Meat

2009-03-13T14:20:00.000-07:00

Andrew has become quite the toe sucker. Sam took a passing interest in his feet, but at least at each diaper changing and many times in between, Andrew will grab his foot and just suck on it. I haven't counted how many toes he can fit in his mouth yet, but I'm guessing about four. Quite a big "feet" for such a little guy. :)

Coos and raspberries

2009-03-06T06:25:00.000-08:00

Andrew woke up rather early today (5:30am) but in a pretty cheery mood as he lay there blowing raspberries after his diaper change. It seems to be a new skill he's acquired and he's happy to practice it. Frequent awakenings at night appears to be another new skill he's acquired as he woke Mommy up last night at 11:30pm, 2:15am, 2:40am, 4:30am, 5:00am, 5:30am. At least I think those were all the times...the whole night is a bit fuzzy. Sometimes he was hungry, one time his diaper leaked and other times who knows - maybe he rolled funny and upset himself. All I know is I need more than 2 hr chunks of sleep! Oh well.

On the move

2009-03-03T12:52:00.000-08:00

Andrew has been rolling from his back to his front for a while now and in the last week and a half has also managed to roll from his front to his back (often getting up on both knees to do so). Yesterday for the first time he rolled from back to front to back all in the same direction to travel about 3 feet. A new experience for him! At barely four months he's a real mover and shaker. He rolls all around his crib at night and looks like he's laying plans for crawling even now. It will be an adventure with our hardwood floors (we were at the carpeted rental when Sam was at this stage).

Yummy toes

2009-03-03T12:51:00.000-08:00

Andrew is always moving around and twisting this way and that. Yesterday he discovered how to grab his foot and bring it to his mouth. Now not only does he chomp repeatedly on his fingers, but he can chomp on his toes!

Hair hair hair

2009-02-27T08:16:00.000-08:00

Every day Andrew meets new people or even people that know him, he gets comments on his hair. Pretty obvious why.... I call it his million dollar hairdo. -Dad

What's it like with two?

2009-01-26T23:00:00.000-08:00

I get this question a lot. I'd say the beginning was pretty tough. Caretaking for a toddler while sleep deprived was challenging and remembering the ins and outs of caring for an infant took time. Andrew's sleepy time is starting to lengthen and I'm getting used to my routines. Once you accept that there's a lot of time involved in moving the kids in and out of the car and/or shopping cart and/or stroller on errands, it's not so bad to go out with them. It's still an easy time when Andrew sleeps a lot and doesn't require much extra entertainment, nor does he move around much. Sam is learning how to be gentle with his brother and what not to do. The hours during the day just seem to flit away and now I'm just trying to figure out where time for me fits in.

Andrew updates

2009-01-26T22:58:00.001-08:00

Andrew continues to flash beautiful dimply grins and is now accompanying them with coos and giggles that are ever so cute. He has also rolled over another 4-5 times and this last time just hung out on his belly a while sucking two fingers. He loves to watch his brother and track him around the room. His hair continues to grow (it's about 2 inches long now?) and he turns 3 months this week. Last night he slept 8 hours in a row - a godsend for tired Mommy! He's just a delightful little baby and I can't wait to learn more about who he is as he grows.

He rolled over!

2009-01-22T07:33:00.000-08:00

Last night Andrew rolled from his back to his tummy for the first time. I was about to call it a fluke, but this morning, he did it again as he lay on his playmat. Not that he ends up too happy finding himself on his tummy mind you....

Discovery by mouth

2009-01-19T13:29:00.001-08:00

Andrew has started to grab things with his hands and make a slow progression to his mouth with them. It's hard to tell at first since he spends a lot of time waving his arms around and dropping things, but toys make it to his waiting gums too often to be just a coincidence!

2 month stats

2009-01-18T20:28:00.000-08:00

Andrew's 2 month stats are:

Weight: 12 lb 4.4 oz (50%)
Height: 23.25 in (50%)
Head circumference: 39.25 cm (25%)

Smiley guy

2009-01-17T20:27:00.000-08:00

Andrew continues to be very good natured and has been flashing more and more winning smiles. He gets a wry wrinkle near his eye, a smile crooks out of the right side of his mouth and then it just spreads until he has dimples in both cheeks! It's so joyous to watch. :)

Sleeping like a champ

2009-01-09T07:21:00.001-08:00

Andrew appears to be our champion sleeper. He can sleep through just about any racket his brother can create (with pots and pans at his disposal, he can make a lot of noise) and even slept through a mariachi band. He's starting to do longer stretches at night, and will do a 4 - 6.5 hr stretch each night. A week ago he slept from 12am - 6:30am for the first time and I woke up more energized than I had been in a long time. I'm hoping this trend continues...

Top 5 comments

2009-01-09T07:19:00.000-08:00

Here are the top five comments we hear about Andrew:
1- Wow, look at that hair!
2- What a head of hair!
3- He's got great head control
4- He's a strong baby
5- He's such a quite/calm baby

1 month stats

2008-12-17T15:30:00.000-08:00

We took Andrew in for his 1 month check up and here are his stats:
Weight: 10 lb 12 oz, 65%
Height: 22 inches, 60%
Head circumference: 38 centimeters, 40%

Also, to update, his hair is still as thick as at birth but has faded from black to a dark brown. His eyes are still grey but may be turning brown.

The Next Generation of Computer Hackers

2008-12-16T22:05:00.000-08:00

I got a smile!

2008-12-12T21:05:00.000-08:00

I elicited the first spontaneous smile I've seen from Andrew today. And it's quite a smile...let me tell you. :) I look forward to more in the future. So far Andrew has been a very mellow, relaxed baby. He doesn't cry much - just when he's hungry. He does a fair bit of grunting as his digestion progresses, but he's often content to sit and watch Mom make dinner or his brother bandy about. When he sits, he is always waving his little arms or looking around actively when awake. He still sleeps about 16 hours a day, so our routine is still eat, poop, get changed, eat, sleep, sleep, sleep, repeat. He's also quite strong and has incredible neck strength for a baby his age and doesn't object to tummy time like his brother. I'll post his 1 month stats soon, but I will say he gained 1 ounce each day from the time he was one week old, so he's growing healthily.
-Christine

Do other parents do this with their kids?

2008-12-09T17:41:00.001-08:00

Thanksgiving 2008

2008-11-30T23:18:00.001-08:00

First bath!

2008-11-22T20:37:00.001-08:00

Three weeks for a bath....does that seem wrong?

I could get used to this

2008-11-22T20:33:00.000-08:00

Jose and Andrew get some quality time together.

One on two

2008-11-21T16:21:00.000-08:00

This was my first week alone with the boys starting on Wednesday. So far I've survived and it hasn't been too bad. It has been lots easier because friends have brought over dinners this week and I haven't had to worry about cooking or grocery shopping. I'm learning the art of timing their sleeping so I can nap. Ideally I nurse Andrew and get him to sleep around 11:30am, just before I put Sam down for his nap so I can sleep for as much of Sam's two hour nap as possible. So far I've managed 0 minutes one day, 1 hr the next and 45 minutes today. The nights are still rough (asleep 2 hrs, awake 1-2 hrs, asleep 2-3 hrs, awake 1 hr, then Dave lets me sleep in 1 hr and I'm up for the day), but I'm managing alright.

Houdini Pee

2008-11-21T16:15:00.001-08:00

Andrew has mastered the art of leaking pee out of the middle of his back. Don't ask me how, but often just after you've finished changing his diaper, you go to pick him up and "Pow!" he's wet all over the middle of his back. Makes for lots of laundry...

I guess they are brothers...

2008-11-12T12:14:00.000-08:00

...the resemblance is a bit uncanny.

Good name...

2008-11-12T12:13:00.001-08:00

One Dimple

2008-11-12T12:04:00.000-08:00

I'll try to get a picture of Andrew smiling in his sleep, because one of the cutest things is he's got one little dimple in his right cheek, but none in his left. He's just charming when he smiles and flashes that one dimple.

No diet for me!

2008-11-07T22:51:00.000-08:00

Today Andrew was weighed at the doctor's and he's managed to regain his birth weight (8lb 9oz or 3.885kg) in 9 days. They usually want to make sure they do so by 14 days, so he's doing really well! It made me feel reassured because he has turned out to be a super efficient nurser. Babies take anywhere from 1o minutes to 45 minutes to complete a nursing and Andrew knocks them out in an average of 7 minutes. Sometimes he'll eat often, every hour or hour and a half, but other times he nurses for 7 minutes and then sleeps for three and a half hours! Not that I'm complaining, and apparently he's getting what he needs to grow. He's also a champion sleeper (knock on wood) and spends much of his day and night sleeping, with minimal fussing. So far he's been a really easy baby to care for, which is a blessing as I'm learning to balance caring for Sam and Andrew.

Sweetpea & Daddy

2008-11-04T23:37:00.000-08:00

I get such a feeling of peace and inner joy holding either of my children when they are asleep.

Cute...and part Klingon?

2008-11-04T23:33:00.000-08:00

Is it just me or does he look a little like Worf?

Homeward bound

2008-11-02T21:47:00.000-08:00

Andrew is coming home with us!

Real clothes

2008-11-02T10:01:00.001-08:00

No IV, no wires, no UV lights...
Woohoo!!
Just a hearing test to go.

Biliruben no more!

2008-11-02T09:10:00.001-08:00

No more club ICU for Andrew!

Coming home!!

2008-11-02T09:08:00.001-08:00

Biliruben at 11.5!
Its time to blow this popsicle stand!

Bililrubin is down!

2008-11-02T08:49:00.000-08:00

Bilirubin level is 11.2 - low enough!

Now we wait to talk to the doctor and see if he gets discharged this AM or PM. Yay!!

Goal 2 met, but struggling on Goal 3

2008-11-01T13:16:00.000-07:00

Andrew ate enough breastmilk through the night to significantly decrease the sugar solution they were feeding him through the IV, so he met Goal 2! However, his billirubin level was 15.2 this morning (he needs to be below 10), indicating he's still struggling with jaundice. So he won't be released today and they'll move him under the big lights in his own incubator. This is the "baby club med" that his brother Sam also visited in the NICU in his early days. The good news is I can start breastfeeding him in addition to the bottles and they'll take his billirubin levels again tomorrow and hopefully they are low enough they can release him.
-Christine

Goal 1 met & sleeping like a baby

2008-10-31T22:19:00.001-07:00

Andrew is now off the forced air and maintaining good oxygen levels, so goal one is met. He ate 35mL of breastmilk from the bottle, so he is making good progress on Goal 2. Lastly, he is snuggled up with his glow blanket and sleeping like a baby so hopefully bilirubin is decreasing. We will check back with him tomorrow at 9am after a night in our own bed. -Christine

Billiruben boy 2

2008-10-31T16:36:00.000-07:00

Not to be outdone by his brother, Andrew got into the spirit of Halloween by dressing up as a Waitmo Caves Glowworm. Notice that he no longer has supplied air delivered and is not in the warming chamber....all good signs. Hopefully the little guy can come home this weekend, just as long as his billiruben doesn't spike. -Dave

Breathe deeply

2008-10-31T16:27:00.000-07:00

Andrew is still breathing rapidly, but it is clear that he is breathing more deeply with each breath. We find out more later this morning, Regardless, Christine is being discharged this morning, so we will have to commute from home to visit the little guy. It is really a shame they discontinued the parent boarding program they had - it was really a great service to families, esp. for mothers that need to pump milk regularly.

Chest clearing and ok to eat

2008-10-31T13:42:00.000-07:00

After waiting all morning, we finally got to talk to today's neonatologist and the chest xray looked better, he sounded like he was clearing. Good news! That plus no sign of infection in blood means antibiotics are ending. Furthermore, the doc okayed nursing and bottlefeeding. Unfortunately, a little jaundice has set in, so he's going on a bilirubin blanket as soon as he is weaned off the forced air. Sound complex enough yet? My summary is this:
Goal 1: Come off forced air at 3pm and maintain high oxygen saturation.
Goal 2: Eat 45mL of pumped breastmilk every 3 hours which allows IV sugar solution to be decreased proportionately and eventually eliminated.
Goal 3: Reduce bilirubin levels so jaundice goes away and they will release him.

If all goes well, he could be home tomorrow, but keep praying. We'll update more as we know it.
-Christine

Resting and Waiting

2008-10-30T21:00:00.000-07:00

I'd forgotten how sore and tired you are after labor (not to mention helpless when you can't feel your legs after your epidural), but I'm steadily making progress and feeling better. Opting for some stronger pain medication made a nice difference. Perspective is a funny thing: I felt so civilized to be walking the hallways freshly showered in my pajamas and own underwear (as opposed to a hospital gown, robe and bizarre fish net disposable underwear...don't ask).

Andrew is still in the NICU due to his faster than preferred respiratory rate. His chest xray yesterday and today came back a little fuzzy showing 'wet' lungs but blood tests showed no signs of infection. Hopefully his chest clears up tomorrow or they may start him on antibiotics for fear of pneumonia and he'd have to stay in at least another 48 hrs. The saddest/most frustrating part is the doctors don't want him to eat while his respiratory rate is elevated for fear of aspirating so he's only had an IV of sugar solution since he nursed yesterday morning. What a welcome to the world! I've been pumping away and saving up a store of breast milk for when they allow it and am on call to come nurse. I get discharged from the hospital Friday at 10am and my guess is we'll still be waiting to get the word from the pediatrician on duty as to their orders for Andrew. We'll be waiting and praying until then.

As for the time being, I'm resting while Dave's out eating dinner and enjoying all the wonderful emails and blog comments we've received from family and friends - thank you so much! I spent time this afternoon talking to Andrew and passing along the well wishes from everyone. I can't express to you enough how happy and blessed all your messages make us feel. Thank you thank you.

Brothers

2008-10-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

Sam got to see Andrew for the first time today and was scared of him! I guess it is understandable - I think Sam saw all the wires and hoses hooked up to Andrew and thought we were going to do the same thing to him. He did not want to look at Andrew, nor stay in the room, so he left with Grandma. I brought him back 1 hour later and tried to explain that the wires and hoses were there to help Andrew. We sat and looked at Andrew for about 10 minutes and I explained what the wires were for and had Sam point out all of Andrew's fingers, feet, hands, toes, hair, and nose. We sang the Wheel on the Bus and the Itsy Bitsy Spider for Andrew which Sam enjoyed as well. Sam even said a nice "bye-bye" to Andrew as we left. -Dave

Best things ever for parents of the newborn

2008-10-30T15:11:00.001-07:00

So, it might seem a simple thing, but the best thing ever for parents (and especially the father) of a newborn at the hospital is to bring food. Kevin was great yesterday, bringing us taquitos and horchata for lunch right after Andrew was born. Boy was that fabulous timing - Christine was hungry, I was hungry and the nursing staff forgot to feed Christine. Oh yeah, he also brought us flowers, but it is awfully hard to eat flowers. :)

Then last night, Jetta and Peter brought us a virtual feast of sushi. YUM. Talk about a nice alternative to hospital food. I think the nursing staff and our neighbors were probably jealous.

Of course, having my aunt and uncle watch Sam when we went to the hospital and now Christine's mom and dad take care of Sam and the house (hooray! our new garden is going to be watered!!) is also an incredible blessing. It sure would have been a lot harder without their help.

Finally, it has been nice for us to have visitors. The hospital is a tough place - especially when we miss having Sam with us and have only gotten limited time with our newborn. The nursing staff is nice, but time seeing friends has been great.

Dave

NICU Thoughts

2008-10-30T14:56:00.000-07:00

You might think that after having Sam in the NICU when he was born, I would be more comfortable having Andrew there. No. Same impatience as to why they have him there when he looks fine, why they don't let us hold him, why they don't let us feed him. I'm sure that they know what they are doing and are trying to minimize all potential health risks to him, but it sure is not easy to watch, nor to easily accept. Something inside me thinks that the best thing for him right now would be for mom and him to be together, having him feed on mom's milk, and rest together. But inside the hospital, what either mom or dad think is not important. But the care that he is getting and the concern that all of the staff has show us in terms of explain what they are doing and why they are doing it, has been top notch. Guess I still have a bit to learn about patience....

Dave

Kid comparison

2008-10-30T12:23:00.001-07:00

Baby photos of Sam and Andrew...can you tell you who is who?

Mom and baby

2008-10-30T12:21:00.001-07:00

Christine visiting Andrew in the NICU. He's sleeping peacefully.

Intensive Care Unit

2008-10-30T12:04:00.001-07:00

Andrew's respiration has been running a little high, so he has been in the NICU since yesterday. All his vitals are fine, but he has to get his breathing rate below 50 before he can be released to us.

Andrew's Head of Hair

2008-10-29T14:43:00.001-07:00

He certainly has a good one!

tiny toes

2008-10-29T14:25:00.000-07:00

Proud Daddy and son

2008-10-29T11:52:00.001-07:00

What a blessing he is!

Tiny fingers, tiny hands

2008-10-29T11:48:00.000-07:00

Sleeping like a baby

2008-10-29T11:46:00.001-07:00

Great job Mommy!

Full body shots

2008-10-29T11:35:00.000-07:00

Resting peacefully

2008-10-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

And he only has one facial dimple...

Vitals

2008-10-29T10:52:00.001-07:00

20 inches
8lbs 9oz
big head - guess it runs in the family

Welcome to the world!

2008-10-29T10:16:00.001-07:00

Andrew Carta

Andrew David is here!

2008-10-29T10:09:00.001-07:00

Hooray!!!

Hair

2008-10-29T10:05:00.001-07:00

Is longer than Dad's....

Baby's head is visible!

2008-10-29T09:55:00.001-07:00

pretty soon now sweetpea will be here!

Pushing has started!

2008-10-29T09:36:00.001-07:00

stay tuned...

Resting peacefully

2008-10-29T08:25:00.003-07:00

Mom is resting peacefully before the final push.