Happy Birthday to ME!!!

I have had such a blast this year learning and growing.  It all happened so fast!

I'm on the move and am the fastest crawler ever.  I'm also a pro at cruising the furniture.  I'm getting better at standing up without holding on.  I like to walk with my learn to walk train. 

I'm babbling like crazy, but no real words yet. 

I love eating big people food and have an outstanding appetite.  My tummy has successfully handled yogurt and cheese, so today I get to try whole milk.  I'm happy drinking out of my sippy cup, but I still prefer to have someone else hold it for me. 

I enjoy interacting with people and am also great at entertaining myself. 

I like to watch baby signing time.  It makes me smile.  :)

Still, my most favorite thing to do is suck my thumb...

I'm including pictures from my birthday party.  I only tried a taste or two of the frosting.  I wasn't that interested in eating my cake, but I sure had fun banging the heck out of it.  

Halloween

11 months...

I'm such a ham and am growing like a weed! 

I have 2 new teeth, which makes a grand total of 6. 

I've learned how to climb stairs and am quite proud of my accomplishment.  I'm cruising around furniture too,  and even stood up without holding on for a few seconds. Oh yeah, I've said DaDa a few times, but it's unrelated to my daddy.   

I'm eating big people food and really seem to enjoy chewing.  It's also fun to feed myself.  About a week ago, I decided I no longer wanted to drink from a  bottle.  I don't miss it considering Mommy was going to take it away from me once I turn 1.  However, I'm not too interested in drinking milk out a my sippy cup either.  I seem to enjoy water a little more.   Mommy's bothered that she's having to dump milk that her body has worked so hard to make.  I guess I can't blame her.  I will have to try harder. 

I love playing peek a boo, and so big is great fun too. 

I'm excited to celebrate my 1st Halloween next week. Tune in then to see me in my costume. 

XOXOXO

New house and teaching job

Dear all,

It has been a crazy 2 months!  Roy and I moved into our new home 2 days before I started teaching, it was a hectic time for sure.  We love our new home, the backyard is PERFECT for Blue and Luna.  We let them out two or three times a day to run around.  Luna is still a "baby" so we keep her only in the kitchen during the day, and our kitchen has a sliding door that leads right to the backyard so it is a great set up.  The house is so great and it is just the right size.  The master bathroom and the laundry room are huge!  I love the space, especially in the bathroom because sometimes we have the dogs sleep in there if they have upset tummies.  And Roy is very happy to finally be able to park his car in a garage!  I also have a great commute, I am about 10 minutes away from my school.  It's the best!

I am still adjusting to teaching.  I LOVE it!  But I have also found out that there is never a free moment in the day.  There is always something that needs to get done!  I really love my school and my students.  They are a great group of kids, I only have 3 students that have serious behavior issues and even now they are learning not to mess with Mrs. Serna! I am so surprised how quickly I have formed bonds with them, I really care about my students and their success in my class.  I am excited for the rest of the year!  Also I am one of the sponsors of our school's STEM club (science, technology, engineering and math).  That is lots of fun! 

Enjoy the photos of our home and Luna!

 

10

10 months it is! 

I love to crawl.  I'm now super fast!  I can even pull myself up to stand, then sit back down and crawl some more.  I don't really walk around furniture while holding on yet, but I'm close. 

I now have 4 teeth.  My 2 top canines just popped through.  I look like I have fangs and  Halloween isn't until next month. 

I'm still eating twice a day and continue to be a fantastic eater.  I've mastered drinking out of the sippy cup, although I'd rather have someone else hold it for me while I drink. 

I love to eat puffs!  The baby cheeto crunchers are super delicious too.

I'm a happy guy and love to laugh.  My giggle is contagious. 

I continue to suck my thumb.  It's my best friend. 

I still have a blast jumping the jumperoo, but my new favorite game is chasing around Evelyn and Isaac.  It never gets old.   :) 

Hello from the Brandon's

We hope that eveybody is doing great and enjoyed the summer and is ready for Fall. Hunter is doing great. He is growing like a weed, he is in size 6 clothes. He started a new preschool and he is doing really well and enjoys going everyday. It also has a daycare for when the baby is born. He is ready to be a big brother, but I do not think he knows what a big brother does and that the baby is here to stay. The baby is due to come by C-section on 9-23 at noon if he stays in that long. I have been feeling good and glad for the cooler weather. For those that do not know, our little guy has a congenital heart defect called Tetralogy of Fallot(TOF). This is commonly called the "blue baby syndrom". Thankfully, he has a minor case. TOF has a very broad diagnosis. It is made up of 4 things; 1) a hole between the bottom 2 chambers of the heart (ventricular septal defect or VSD), 2) a narrowing under or at the pulmonary valve, 3) an enlargment of the bottom right side of the heart, and 4) the aorta is lined up just over the hole between the bottom 2 chambers. Out of all that he has the VSD, narrowing of the pulmonary artery area, as well as the aorta that is lined up over the hole. With all that said we do not know how he will be until he is born. As of now with all the echo's he has had they are thinking that he will not be blue, and will act like a normal baby. He may sleep more and not eat as much so he will be small. The only treatment is open heart surgery. Since he has a mild case, the doctors are thinking that he will not need open heart surgery when he is born, but he will need it at about 3-4 months old. On the flip side, if when he is born and is having a hard time breathing or is blue then he will have to have open heart surgery immediately and have a shunt installed unitl his big surgery at 3-4 months old. At the birth, he will be born by c-section and then taken to the neonatal intensive care unit to be observed to see if can breath, retain proper color, and eat good. Because of the mild case the doctors are thinking that he will be able to come home with us. There are a lot of unanswered questions now. We and the doctors will not know all the answers until he is born. We continue to ask for your prayers that he will be able to come home with us, that his heart is better than what they are thinking and that he will need no medication, and grows strong in preparation for his 3-4 month surgery. As a side note, I am glad the movie Frozen came out. Hunter loved that movie and understands it very well. We tell Hunter that the baby has a hurt heart like Elsa and that he has to see a special doctor to get better (luckily not a troll doctor). For now he is happy with that. Sorry for the long and sad post, but just felt the need to get all of you informed in what is going on with our little guy. Love, The Brandon's

6

I can't believe I'm 6 years old today.  Time really does fly.  I just started kindergarten and I'm loving every minute of it.  I go 5 days a week from 8:30 to 3:00.  My teacher is so thrilled that I already know how to read.  I really enjoy learning and I'm so excited for a great school year.

I'm enrolled in gymnastics again and have been doing quite well.  What helps me is that I have no fear.  I'm great at doing cartwheels and front flips into the foam pit. 

I advanced to the next level in swimming lessons.  I'm quite the little fish.  I even passed the swim test so I can go down the water slide even though I'm not tall enough.

I lost my very first tooth.  The tooth fairy left me $5.  I have another one that is kind of wiggly. 

I just learned how to ride my bike with no training wheels.  You wouldn't believe how excited I am. 

Lately I've been able to tolerate some gluten without any ill effects.

I like to color, do arts and crafts, sing and dance, play with dolls and play on the iPad.

Hugs to all!

9 months

I'm 9 months old today!  I've officially been "out" as long as I was "in".  lol...

I'm crawling!!!  I'm new to the mobility world, so I'm not as speedy as I will be one day.  I'm working on my confidence and coordination.  I love the new freedom crawling brings.  I've also learned how to clap.  It's great fun!   I'm proud of my new skills. 

I now have 2 teeth!  I'm a drool monster too, so more probably aren't far off. 

I'm eating stage 2 baby food twice a day, with Puffs as a snack.  There are SO many food combinations with stage 2 foods.  Yummy, yummy, yummy!  Both rice and oatmeal cereal bother my tummy, in different ways.    The tummy doctor said I don't need to eat cereal since I'm not happy when I do, so Mommy isn't giving it to me.  I've tried drinking from a sippy cup once.  It was clear I'm not quite ready. 

I love to blow raspberries, scream, and mimic sounds.  I try to hold conversations with anyone who talks to me.  

4

Hooray!  Today I am 4 years old.  We celebrated my birthday yesterday.  Daddy took the day off of work so the family could watch me at soccer camp.  Then we went to the new McDonald's for lunch.  Next, we went to swim at the pool.  We had pizza for dinner.  Grandma and Grandpa joined us.  We ended the celebration day by going to the concert at the park in Hawthorn Woods. What a great time! 

I'm doing really well.  I'm still a super sweet boy.  I'm courteous, and aware of other people's feelings.  I'm good at taking turns and sharing too. 

I'm an awesome eater and sleeper.  I still take a nap a few times a week and don't seem to mind taking the break from playing. 

I like to play with imaginext toys by fisher price and 100 piece puzzles.  My favorite characters remain as Woody and Buzz.  I also still love the Amazing Spiderman, but Batman and Superman have proved to be quite cool too. 

I can write my name decently these days.  I'm not too interested in writing many other letters, or numbers, or coloring either.  That's too much sitting still.  I'd rather be moving. 

I start the 4 year old preschool class in a couple weeks.  I will go 3 days a week from 8am to 1pm.   I'm looking forward to it.   

   

8 is great!

I've been such a busy little man learning and growing since my last post. 

I'm doing a fabulous job eating!  I eat twice a day and eat everything without any complaints.  I open my mouth super wide like a little bird.  I've drank water a few times too.  It sure doesn't compare to milk. 

I can sit up all by myself.  What a new world!  I've been introduced to new toys that are easy to play with while sitting.  What fun! 

I have a tooth!  I wasn't even cranky or have any trouble sleeping while it was growing.  I'm also working on my second one. 

I really enjoyed the fireworks on the 4th.  The parade was exciting for me too.

I'm loving my sprinkler pool.  I've gone swimming in the big people's pool a few times too and can't get enough. 

I still LOVE my thumb!  You wouldn't believe the difficult time Mommy had taking pictures of me today.  I could barely keep it out of my mouth long enough for her to snap some shots. 

I've been interacting with people more and it's fun to touch their faces.  :)

Hugs to all... 

New Job and Puppy

Dear all:

I have 2 pieces of good news!  After much searching and interviewing I finally have my first teaching job!  In August I will start at Taylor Road Middle School teaching 4 classes of life science and 1 class of earth science.  I am so excited!  Taylor Road was one of my top picks, it is very nearby and has great reviews.  It is about 2 miles from Shawn's school to give you a reference point.  I have started to buy supplies for my classroom and content specific books, I'm so excited! (and a bit nervous) This week we have added another addition to our family, our new puppy!  Her name is Luna and she is 8 weeks old.  I love her so much already but she is exhausting.  Roy and I have not slept through the night since we brought her home, and during the day she loves to get into trouble.  I feel like I blink and she's gotten into something else!  She is a whirlwind of energy but we believe that she will make the perfect companion for our older dog, Blue.  They already love to play together, I know that they will be inseparable soon.  I will keep you updated as she grows, right now she is 7.2 pounds.  The breeder thinks that she will hit 50 pounds once she is full grown.  Can't wait to see the dog she changes into! 

Lucky 7

Seven is today's magic number!

I'm feeling great, gaining weight and am a happy little man.

I'm eating cereal once a day and have cut down to only drinking 4 times per day.  I tried peas with no complaints.  Today, I'm going to try carrots. 

I'm still working on sitting up all by myself, but I'm getting closer and closer to independence.   

I love talking and screaming.  I also enjoy cooing.  Some times, it sounds like I'm doing a bird call. 

I like to go swinging on the swing set.  Playing peek a boo is super fun too.  I'm still a huge fan of stroller rides.    

               

Way to go Evelyn!

We have another 2014 graduate!  Evelyn graduated from preschool on Sunday.
The theme was The United States of America.  All the classes sang a song naming the 50 states.   Each class recited a popular piece of American history and sang a song.
Evelyn's class recited part of the Gettysburg Address and sang God Bless America. 

Sami's Graduation 2014

Here are a few pictures from the weekend.

1/2 a year...

 I'm getting to be such a BIG boy!  I'm gaining weight beautifully and my doctors couldn't be more pleased.  Mommy is taking me for my 6 month checkup on Wednesday.  Then, I'll start to eat cereal. 

Move over thumb...I've discovered my feet and like to grab them and put them in my mouth, although my thumb still does give me comfort. 

I'm a champ at rolling over and will roll across the floor to reach anything I may have my eye on.

I'm still learning how to sit up by myself.  I do very well with help and practice everyday.   

My feet finally touch the floor when I'm in the jumperoo and I've been getting the hang of jumping.  It's great fun!

I can't get enough of stroller rides.  I love being outdoors and smelling the fresh air.

  

5 months!

5 months, one more month and I'm a half year old!

I'm certain I'm the happiest baby on the block.  I've mastered smiling for sure and my smile is the sweetest, most genuine there is.

I've found my left thumb and it's the most amazing thing, I love it!  Whenever I get upset, I just jam it (or half my fist) in my mouth and start to feel much better.

I'm a rolling machine now that I've learned how to roll over.  Now tummy time is no problem!     I've sat in the Bumbo chair a few times but am not sure I like it, especially because I always spit up when I sit in it, it's the strangest thing. 

I've been enjoying the Jumperoo more and more even though my feet still don't touch the ground.  I've been starting to reach for things and even am able to grab and hold on.

I continue to be a fantastic sleeper, except when Evelyn and Isaac wake me up in the morning.  Then I just play quietly in my room until Mommy gets me up. 

 

Updates from Georgia

Dear all,

I can't believe it but this semester is already coming to a close!  Student teaching has gone by so fast, I only have two weeks left until I am done!  Graduation is still 4 weeks away but education majors submit portfolios instead of taking finals, so I have 2 weeks off before graduation.  I sent out the graduation invites so please be on the look out for them.  I put the RSVP as the house phone but feel free to RSVP anyway you want, you can call, e-mail or text.  I am so happy to announce that Roy will be starting a new job tomorrow!  He is so excited, his commute is only 4.8 miles away!  He will also have an hour lunch now (his old job was 30 minutes) so he can even come home to have lunch with me.  His new company, Coyote Logistics, is actually based in Chicago so if he is ever given the opportunity to move up in the company we might be heading to Chicago!  We are excited about that prospect but that is still a few years down the road.  Another bit of news, not only am I middle school certified but I just recently passed another state exam that certified me to teach high school.  If I take a high school job I would be looking for biology, which in Georgia is taken in 9th grade which works out great for me because I prefer younger students (especially since I still get confused for one!).  I don't think I could handle 12th graders!  Some of my sixth graders are already taller than me!  Another important update: Shawn has a new car!  She is now driving an ocean blue Nissan Leaf.  It is very cool and surprisingly spacious!  I am super jealous, it is very fun to drive and she never has to go to a gas station ever again!  You can check it out when you come down for my graduation or for Christmas.  Just an end note reminder: my graduation is May 10 at 2:00 in the Georgia Dome (where the Falcons play).  The party will be directly after in our home with lots of food and music.  Looking forward to seeing you all but I understand if you can't come, life is busy!   

4 months today...

Today is March 25th which means I am 4 months old.

I'm a pretty happy baby these days!  It seems the medicine is really helping.  I had a follow up appointment with the tummy doctor on Friday.  The bummer is I'm not gaining weight the way he would like.  He wants me to have formula on the days I drink bottles when Mommy is at work to add some extra calories to my diet.  Too bad I haven't learned how to spit up less.  :)  However, Mommy just discovered the main ingredient of the formula is corn syrup followed by vegetable oil; that has GMO written all over it.  She has a call out to the doctor to see what plan b might entail.  Mommy just wants to feed me more, so we'll see.  

I'm smiling nonstop and "talking" a bit more lately. 

I'm doing well with tummy time and on Sunday I rolled over!  I'm super close to rolling over from my back to my tummy.  It will be any day now.

I've been on 2 stroller rides which I have really enjoyed.  I would like to take more, but the weather isn't cooperating. 

Thanks again to all of you who made it to my Baptism.  What a fun time!    

Baptism Memories

My Godparents

A very big THANK YOU to all who came to my baptism.  I appreciate you making my day so special.  I hope you had fun!  :)

3 months old...

Today marks my third month of life.  I saw the stomach specialist a week and a half ago.  He increased the dose and frequency of my medicine and I seem to be feeling better.  I'm awake more during the day without crying.  I like to swing in my swing, play in my pack n play, or on my activity mat.  There's so much to look at.

I've learned how to smile, and it's quite charming.  I found my hands and like putting them in my mouth.  Sometimes, I even hold my rattle.   I'm beginning to interact with people, even coo a bit.

I love, love, love watching Evelyn and Isaac.  I can't get enough of them.

I'm drinking 5 times a day and continue to be a great sleeper averaging 9-10 hours a night.

Mommy went back to work last week, so I'm adjusting to life when she's gone.  Lucky for Daddy and nanny Donna, I'm a champ at drinking from a bottle. 

Love you all...

Double Snow Day!

The weather has gotten crazy down here in Georgia!  People have been referring it to "Snowpocalypse" with only about 1 1/2 inches of snow.  Yesterday the offices and schools let everyone out at the same time, 1:45, and the roads were instantly grid locked.  Nobody here knows how to drive in snow!  Pretty soon our roads turned icy and the craziness hasn't stopped.  It took Fred 8 hours to drive home from work and it took Roy 6 hours.  Luckily it only took me 45 minutes, but that was because I got a head start and left early.  Coming from the same school, my mom wasn't as lucky and it took her 2 hours to get home.  Thank goodness we had enough gas!  Most of the school buses couldn't make their routes so many students spent the night in their schools.  Now that we are safe at home we are starting to enjoy the snow, but we are one of the few families that made it home.  Many people spent the night at their jobs or wherever they happened to be when this started (grocery stories, restaurants, etc.).  Thankfully it will be in the 60's this weekend.  For my mom and I school is closed today and they are also closing for tomorrow, so it's a double snow day here!  Roy and I have been spending it outside enjoying the snow.  Blue loves it!  We played in the yard with her for a long time and then walked the neighborhood.  We took tons of photos that will be great for Christmas cards next year!  The rest of the day we will probably watch tv, play cards and play boards games because the roads are still to dangerous to drive on.  I still can't believe that all this has happened, I didn't even know we had a chance for snow!  One things for sure, I know I'm in Georgia now because our weather prides itself on being unpredictable. 

2 months old...

Today I am 2 months old.  Other than me growing out of newborn size diapers and clothes, not much has changed. 

I'm still  having tummy issues, but am a little happier.  My appointment with the stomach specialist isn't until the 15th of February.  How crazy it is that I have to wait over a month just to see the doctor. 

I've been sleeping in my crib for a week now and think it's pretty comfy.  My Illini mobile is keeping me quite entertained.  I'm averaging 8-9 hours a night which Mommy and Daddy are pleased about.  

Stay warm!