Saturday, July 31, 2010

Teething and Shots

Raf is currently dealing with the dreaded first year molars. He's in a lot of pain, poor baby. I am kicking myself for not yet ordering an amber necklace, which are meant to be really helpful, so teething tablets and baby medicine are what we have.. and, oh, cuddles, too. Sleep is interesting right now, and this morning I was so tired (a week with 7 or 8 wakings) that Rich took Raf downstairs at 6ish (I'm usually up by then) and I slept until after 7:30am. This is very unusual! Boy, I am hoping these teeth come through soon. As I type Raf is asleep on me.. let's hope he catches up on his disrupted sleep.

Added to the teeth, Raf has a vax yesterday at his one year check up. We've been quite anxious about his jabs and have been getting them done slowly... We caught up on one yesterday but we put off the MMR. The link between that and autism is pretty much discredited, but you can't help but think 'what if...'. On the other hand these are horrible illnesses. Measles can be quite dangerous, and mumps can leave little boys sterile, so we are planning on getting it... Any words of wisdom would be welcome!

Here are the stats from yesterday:

Weight: 22 pounds 8 oz (around 43rd percentile)
Length: 30 inches (around 50th percentile)
Head: 19.5 inches (yes, huge! 100th percentile!)

He looks much bigger than he is, I think, as people often comment on how big he is yet he's only around the 50th percentile, so quite average :) My guess is that it's the head!!!!

Finally, here are a few pics from our photo session a couple of weeks ago. We went and picked some prints out yesterday (blew the budget, of course), but they were very sweet! What can you do... ?



Thursday, July 29, 2010

3 things.

1) We have found a nanny!

2) Raf says 'ball' (ba) and today he said 'bye-bye' (bi bi) and waved as Jess left.

3) Raf rolled off the bed last night.. poor baby.

Saturday, July 24, 2010

Chariot.

I've already mentioned that Rich and I are training for some multi-sport events. I have a tri and Rich has a duathlon coming up. Finding time to train for these isn't easy, but we're trying to be supportive of one another because it really feels important to everyone that we have something else to focus on - outside of work - otherwise it would be easy to be consumed by Raf. That wouldn't be a bad thing, perhaps, but I do think I might go a bit bonkers.. so, to preempt that we're making the time to run, bike, and swim - though swimming is hard to do.

We're mostly able to do as much as we do because of our beloved Chariot. This is a run stroller that can run, walk, hike, and, with the right attachments, it can be used as a bike trailer and as a ski-stroller. Seriously, you can by a ski adapter and x.c ski or snowshoe. Now this cost more - much more - than my first second hand car(!), but it's been totally worth it. We do most of our runs together - all three of us - and at least a bike ride or two a week. Biking is quite nerve wracking, though, as you have to ride on the road to get to some nearby trails. Until yesterday I would be the one to pull Raf (who is by no means a lightweight!), and Rich would ride behind us, making sure cars didn't come near us. That was my job last night and this morning... and I felt like a mama-bear protecting her little cub.

Tuesday mornings are our favourite session (are they yours, Rich?). On most Tuesdays we're out the door by 6-6:30am to run intervals around the block. We warm up by pushing the stroller and then, as one of us runs an interval, the other person walks with Raf... and then we swap. We really get an excellent workout this way, and it's efficient. The other fav is our long run on the trail. Raf usually falls asleep, but by the time we reach the end he usually wakes up and we take a dip in Otter Pond.

Today I wanted to get a long ride in on my bike, but I didn't fancy like being out for 3 hours without Raf, so we headed out all together for 22 miles. Raf LOVED it.. he would laugh and wave every time I rode next to him. When we all arrived home I headed out on my own for 90 minutes to make for a nice 50 mile bike ride.

I spliced a couple of clips together...



This is a picture of the first time we used the Chariot... we ran round the block and the wheel fell off! We actually caught it on film, which i'm sure I'll get around to posting one day. It was quite funny.


Yesterday we got another connector for Rich's bike so that he was able to pull Raf. It was very nice just riding beside them, I tell you!




Raf loves the Chariot... he often sleeps in there, but today, whilst I rode beside him when I could, he laughed and smiled and waved every time he saw me!

Monday, July 19, 2010

Where have we been?!

Gah, it's been a week since I posted any thing.. Life is very busy, and, oddly, it seems even more busy than when I';m at work full-time.. We have so much going on and it's hard not to feel the absence of family who might be able to help out here or there. But, it's all good, in spite of the stress... so, WHAT have we been up to?!

1) We've been 'enjoying' something of a heatwave this past 2-3 weeks, which means that we've been spending quite a bit of time at the lake - both Sebago Lake (where we got married) and Otter Pond, a beautiful pond near to our house.



2) I'm training for a triathlon and Rich is planning on a duathlon. I'm wearing so many hats these days - from mama to department chair - and I sometimes have the sense that my life will revolve around meeting needs, so this is something I do in the hope of creating a little more balance. Frankly it's hard to find the time, and it causes its own brand of stress, but it's totally worth the sacrifices for both of us, and we manage to take Raf in the stroller and trailer at least 3-5 times a week so that we 'train' as a family. Raf loves the running/cycle trailer, which is very good news! This evening we rode to the lake and I had a quick dip but had to come home because a thunder storm was brewing... Raf LOVES to be in the water (did I write about his swim class?), and when I say 'kick those feet' he really seems to know to kick them as he lies on his tummy.

3) We are in the process of searching for a new nanny... Sigh. Jen is BRILLIANT and we absolutely adore her but the nanny share we're currently doing is a bit stressful. We share Jen with another couple who have a son Raf's age, but we have to drive to their house and its a long way away, so we're going to hire someone to come to our house. We're not ready - and I don't think Raf is - for Raf to be in a daycare type setting. We're interviewing a few people this week....

4) Jess our other baby-sitter (who also does some cleaning once a week) is working out great. She is very good with Raf and he is getting to new and different people. Rich and I have yet to really take advantage of the bit of time we have as we're always playing catch up with chores... or we go for a bike ride :)

5) On Sunday we had Raf's first year pics taken. We went to Pineland farm and spent a lovely sunny morning with the photographers who took his newborn shots. Trying to organize outfits was not easy! Can't wait for the proofs.

6) It's summer.. it's Tour de France time! Only a week left, but nothing is more summery to us than three weeks of cycling.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Raf's actual birthday... 7/7/10

We had quite the birthday week last week, and then rolled around his actual birth-day and we were pretty exhausted! Still, we had a super day and the weather was very good to us. We began the day with a quick bike ride for me(!), and the pups went to puppy daycare for the day (which is actually where they were when Raf was born last year). We then headed out into Portland for some breakfast. We visited the place where we opened the envelope to discover if we were having a girl or boy (remember the pic of complete shock and surprise?). We followed this up with a stroll around the Old Port were some kind woman in a very stylish boutique gave Raf a very lovely Birthday King hat! We nipped home and then went to Sebago Lake for the afternoon, which is possibly one of Raf's fav things to do. This kid just adores water... We finished off the day with a birthday tea and presents.

Morning, birthday boy...



here's our gorgeous child sucking on an orange slice...




En route home we drove by Mercy, where Raf was born.


We went to Sebago Lake for a swim in the afternoon.. Raf had a blast. He just loves the water. We spent at least 45 minutes in the water, and, at 4:18pm, whilst swimming around, we sang happy birthday to him. People might have thought we were a little bonkers.




Birthday Tea.

Happy Birthday (banana bread) cake!


Benny the Baby from Aunty M and Uncle S and his cousins Freya and Rors. He doesn't know quite what to make of it!


Birthday tricycle....


Raf loves to play with the magnets on the fridge whilst I'm cooking, so we bought him some magnets which he loves to try and eat.



A tired Raf :)

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

Birthday Week

It's hard to believe that a year ago today I was in the hospital, withering around in pain (not from labour but from some kidney issues), getting ready to meet our sweet poppet. I remember being given cervidil around this time, and being told that I'd probably have Raf on the Wednesday (the 8th). I remember being so excited, despite not sleeping for a few nights before this night, as though it were Christmas eve... And with all that excitement I could not sleep, and poor Rich, who was trying to fall asleep on the couch in the hospital room, kept being woken up by me who asked him frenetically if he was excited! I remember beeping the nurse, Megan, to come and talk to me because the anticipation was just TOO MUICH! And so she came and sat with me, and rubbed my poor swollen legs, and I drifted in and out of sleep as I sat in the chair, and Rich and Megan chatted, and I asked them to continue because it was so soothing hearing the chit chat...

A whole year ago. I can't quite believe it, and I feel a little melancholy that it's passed so quickly, and of course full of absolute contentment for this has surely been the most wonderful year of all our lives.

Our little boy is turning one.

And we have been having a lovely time this birthday week. Our party on Saturday went really well. I will say that these things make me quite anxious. I wonder if people will turn up, whether the food will be edible, and, indeed, if it will be eaten. I worry about whether people will have fun, whether the children will be bored, and on, and on. I needn't have worried for some of our favourite people came and celebrated with us, showering Raf with love and gifts! And what a lovely time he had, too.

Since then we've been in the clutches of a heat wave, so, in an effort to keep Raf cool, we've been to the lake and Otter Pond q few times. On Sunday we took a family bike ride to the lake and we all swam. Raf seems to love the lake, and he giggles and smiles when we float him around. Yesterday, another steamer of a day, saw us at Sebago Lake... once again he was loving the water. This evening, with temps at around 100, we walked down to Otter Pond and put a very naked Raf into the Pond for another swim... What a perfect way to spend these birthday days.

And tomorrow is Rafi's birthday..,,

Saturday, July 3, 2010

First Birthday Party!

Raf enjoyed his first birthday party (though we've celebrated quite a few mid=year birthdays, such as half a year, 2/3rds of a year, and so forth). But today we had a tea party and invited many of our friends to help celebrate. We had such a lovely time, though we're exhausted now and so I'll just post some pics of the day...

So here are a few pics of Raf, me, Rich, Jen, Sage, (another) Jen, Sierra, Kate, Dave, Eileen, Taylor, Thomas, Maggie, Greg, Beth, Scott, another couple also named Beth and Scott(!), Brian, Chris, Charlene, Bistra... did I miss anyone?!

Getting Ready!






Raf's friend, Sierra!


Everyone helped Raf open his presents. My favourite part was 5 year old Taylor telling his 3 year old brother, Thomas, 'No, Thomas, let the baby open them!".




Raf was quite shy for most of the party but when it came to singing Happy Birthday he just beamed and beamed the entire time! We even sang it twice :) I'll post a clip in a moment.