Where did October go?

It is amazing how fast October has gone. I feel like we have been so busy and gone a lot. We headed home a few weeks ago for Claire's dedication to church, then we drove over to Taylor for my 5 year class reunion at Homecoming. My mom, Shannon, and Claire came up to visit on Friday, and Wednesday is already Halloween! It's crazy!

Things are going well with us. Kent is really enjoying working at home. He has been able to get so much done for his different projects. I am finally at the hospital that I'll be at for my job (instead of where I was doing my training). I am loving my new job. The people I work with have been wonderful! I am also getting excited about doing some research projects.

Alex continues to grow and change every week as well. Last Friday on the way to Taylor, I found that Alex is getting his first tooth. He doesn't seem bothered by it, so I guess that's good. He's still rolling all around, but not crawling anywhere yet. Kent and I both think that whenever he starts to crawl, he is going to be off. He already acts like he just wants to be moving. The only time he will sit still on our laps is when he is really tired! Priceless. As everyone tends to say, "He's ALL boy!"

He has continued to enjoy his food, which you'll see more of in the pictures below! We know that he definitely loves to eat. After each bite he goes, "Mmmmm...." So funny!

We're excited for the holidays coming up this year. It will be fun to have Alex moving around and talking more.

All Smiles!!!


Keeping warm on a walk


Playing on the floor


Waiting for the Bear's game


Playing in the chair before bed


In the stroller at Homecoming


I love to eat!!


Think I'm tired?

6 months old

On Friday Alex turned 6 months old. It is unbelievable to think that he is already that old. While there are definitely days that seem like an eternity, overall the last 6 months have flown by.

He is changing so much every day it seems like. There are times that Kent will get him up in the morning and think he has grown an inch overnight. :)

Alex is currently rolling all over the place, scooting himself around, and trying so hard to crawl. He is getting close, but hasn't quite put things together. He has started to eat babyfood and has tried cereal, peas, green beans, and carrots thus far. I have to say trying peas was hilarious! He literally gagged when he first tasted them. Thankfully, everything since the peas, he absolutely loves! The funny thing with feeding him is that if you don't get the spoon ready fast enough, he starts to scream. We haven't quite figured out how to fix this problem, besides the two of us working faster to get the food to his mouth. We think he got his uncle Chris' eating habits. :)

We head to the doctor this afternoon, so we will post an update along with pictures last in the day. Check back.

In other news.....my new job is going great! I'm really enjoying my new boss as well as not driving around all day. The hospital has been wonderful. Within the next few weeks I should at the hospital I'll actually be working at instead of in "training." It has been fun though and I am enjoying it, so that's great news!

UPDATE:
Alex got another clean bill of health today at the doctor's. He weighed in at 17pounds 4ounces and was 27 inches long.

6 Month Professional pictures from Sears











Ready to run with Dad (it was raining, so Dad put me in a garbage bag!)


Love from Claire


Claire & Aunt Regan


Monthly picture in the corner of the couch

One more Picture

This is Alex taking a bath at Gma and Gpa's house. He loved being able to slip and slide around in the sink.

Firsts

This past weekend we headed to my parents' house for my neice's first birthday party. It was great to get away from the city and head home. We arrived on Friday late afternoon and headed out to the field to give Alex his first combine ride. He loved it during the first round, but on the second round, I looked down at him, and sure enough, he was sleeping. Grandpa was so happy to see him.

Saturday we spent the day with Grandma. Again, she was so glad to get to spend some time with Alex and see how much he has changed. We had a great time just relaxing.

The main reason why we went home though was to celebrate Claire's first birthday on Sunday. We headed to my childhood church in the morning where we were able to see my youth pastor, his wife, and little girls (they've been overseas for a little while now), then we headed to Chris and Shannon's for the big party. It is amazing to see how much a human grows and changes in the first year of life. At Claire's party we had a 2 week old, 2 month old, 5 1/2 month old, 1 year old, and 2 1/2 year old. Again, AMAZING to see how we were created. Claire had a great time with her gifts and of course her cake. She actually was pretty uneventful in eating her cake, but it was still fun to watch her.

Alex also began to eat cereal for the first time this weekend. It was an interesting first, but I think he now enjoys it. He is getting better at it everytime he has it.

Rachel came to visit Thursday


Claire and Alex playing together


Cereal for the first time


A new exersaucer at Gma and Gpa's


Claire playing with a friend


Grandpa and Claire


Eating her cake

5 month pictures

Okay, so they're one week late.

Playing in his Jumperoo


5 Months Old


Unmoosekably Cute (that's what his shirt says that he got from Gma & Gpa in Alaska)

Half Marathon Results are in....

That's right, September 9th, I (Regan) completed a half marathon with my college roommate. It was definitely a new experience for me. Before beginning any type of training, I had never run further than 3 miles. With a 5 month old, it was difficult to train like I should have, but I was at least able to complete 8 miles before the race on Sunday. Kendra and I had a great time pushing each other further than we had previously gone. Now, I need to say that our goal was ONLY to finish. We were not at all going for time. It was warmer on Sunday than we were planning for, and unfortunately, the entire race was in the sun. While it was beautiful running on Lake Shore Drive, it was VERY hot!!! Literally, there was not any shade, except the last 1/4 of a mile.

Just to prove that we did actually participate in the race, here are some pictures

Jumping Away

Alex has recently learned how to Jump in his Jumperoo. He loves it. Turn up the sound when you watch this video. :)

So much news

I feel like I haven't really had time to update everyone on what we have been up to since we moved back in July. So, while Alex is taking a nap, I thought I'd sit down and send an update.

First of all, Kent is now working full-time from home on his own business. It is going very well and he is loving being at home. It definitely gives him more time with Alex and myself. He is doing a great job of balancing spending time with us when we're home and working when he needs to. He can't believe how much he is able to get done when he actually has time to work on the projects he has been trying to finish. I can't really post details, but I know he is getting a lot done and is very happy to be working for himself.

In other job news, I will be starting a new job a week from Monday. After keeping my options open since returning from maternity leave, I have found a wonderful fit. I will be working at Glenbrook hospital as their music therapist. The staff is really looking forward to having a music therapist again (they had one about 3 years ago). It is a smaller hospital, but seems like a great community. The hospital is part of a larger network of healthcare facilities. Because of this, I will be working with a team of 3 other music therapists. I will be the only music therapist at Glenbrook Hospital specifically, though. I will also only be working 3 days a week. (Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday I think) We are still figuring out those small details, but it looks like I will have 4 day weekends every week. WOOHOO!! That means I will have Alex on Mondays & Fridays, Kent will keep him on Thursday and the other two days, he will be at a daycare only 1/2 mile from the hospital. I will be able to stop in anytime to see him throughout the day. I think this job change will be good for my own sanity. I have been crazy busy the last few months and I am definitely wearing down.

Alex is growing and changing everyday. He loves to play with his feet right now. We find that he is responding so much more to outside stimuli including other people and just things that he sees in general. We spent this holiday weekend in Ohio visitng family. It was fun to seem him watch Sammy and Livi play and Kezi crawling around him. We're enjoying this more interactive stage. We know that in just a few weeks he will be crawling all over our condo. Stay tuned for those posts. haha!

Here are a few pictures from the last few weeks.

Playing in the grass for the first time


I love holding onto my feet


Sammy and Livi


Taking a nap


Playing with Grandma


Think I was still tired??


Waking up


Ready to run


Playing with my toys


Playing with Livi


I like my new toys


Going to run errands

Pictures Galore

I was informed that I have been lacking in the pictures category, so I thought I would do a post of nothing but pictures. Hopefully later this week I'll get a chance to update more on what is going on in our lives. For now, enjoy the pictures.


We got Alex's highchaire out for him so he can get used to sitting in it while we're eating dinner. He'll be ready for food before we know it. He seemed to like it and it kept his toys closer to him.


This is Alex's favorite thing to do while getting his diaper changed. He received this Alphabet feltboard from Great Aunt Pam and Uncle Geof. He loves it.


Getting him ready for our open house party. Kent likes to put his shoes on him. I have to agree they make him look even cuter. (Can you tell he found his toes?)


These next few pictures are from our open house party. We ended up having about 30 friends come for the night. It was fun to celebrate the fact that we are finally settled in our new condo. Looking around it made us feel like this is home now. We're so thankful for our friends in Chicago and beyond.







This was right after Alex got his shoes. Pretty cute, huh?


One of Alex's new favorite toys is his Baby Einstein exersaucer. He has finally figured out how everything on it works, although you'd never know it from this picture.


We have finally been able to stop swaddling him at night and for naps. It was a little rough at first, but I think we have finally fallen into a rhythm. He likes his teddy bear too.


So, after our last post you were probably wondering if we were able to get any sleep. This picture was actually taken right after I posted. Apparently we can see here who rules the house right now! Sleeping is going better. He is still waking up once at night, but is getting better at soothing himself back to sleep.


Kent & Alex. Notice the orange shoes. He is ready for ILLINI season.