4 month pictures and a video

Here are some samples from today's photos! Enjoy video of Patrick sticking out his tongue!

4 months

Happy Birthday Mr. P!


Wow, what a crazy 4 months. This month has been especially fun with all the new tricks that Patrick is learning along with really seeing his personality come out.

Drum roll please...

Patrick is now 14lbs 14oz. 24in long.

He grew more than a pound this month. He is 36th percentile for height, 56th for weight and 80th for head. Guess he is short, average and still very smart! The dr. made a joke about probably not playing center and Patrick went from smiles earlier to a big cry. The dr. said he was just kidding. I guess Patrick will just have to prove him wrong!

He is also very strong, he is now praciting sitting up. He still teaters to the side, but he is working on it. He still enjoys standing but now wants to bend at the waist to reach toys (or anything for that matter).

Patrick loves grabbing at anything within reach. Plates, napkins, knives(j/k), toys, paper, Ryan's arm hair, my hair etc. When he can't quite reach something he wants or if we take something away that he has enjoyed (choking hazards!) he gets a little fiesty. We just have to laugh when he gets all made at us. He is only 4mo and already showing some attitude.

Patrick was great at rolling over at around 2mo, but now, nothing. Go figure. He does lots of rolling side to side, but just doesn't seem interested in anything else. He has gotten his legs under him to try some crawling, but nothing yet. He does pivit though, that is funny to watch.

He smiles are just the best. They are full face and sometimes come with a giggle or laugh. It is easy to make him do this now and we do it all the time. He also likes to blow bubbles and stick out his tongue (see previous post).

3months

2months

1month

3 days

Visit to Grandma and Grandpa Bliss

Patrick made another trip out to South Dakota this past weekend. It was a quick one, leaving Saturday and returning Sunday. It was Great Old Uncle Rogers 60th B-day and Aunt Leah's (from Finland) 29th.

Patrick has a fun new trick lately. He loves to imitate others sticking out their tongues. It is the cutest thing and he is so proud of himself when he does it. Sometimes he laughs and tries to stick it out, tougher when you are smiling!


Here he is with his Aunt Leah, moments before letting out some really stinky gas.

All tuckered out.

Hanging with mom.

Making adults do funny things.

Playing

The car ride home.


We had Patrick's 4month appt. Any guesses on his weight and height? at 3mo he was 13lbs 10oz. I'll post the 4 month later this week.

poop, poop, poop

Before I was a mother, I didn't really think about poop much. Maybe my own if I wasn't feeling well, but typically not someone else's. Well, that changes.

Patrick didn't poop this week.
(He is so going to kill me for this in about 14 years!)

1 day, ok not too worried,
2 days thinking about it more,
3 days start trying things,
4 days should we call a dr?
5 days... time to go in.

15min before dr.'s visit, Success! We have poop. Another hour later... More Poop!

I really didn't think this would be my main thought for a week a year ago!

New toys

Patrick has had a fun week so far. He enjoyed his new highchair from Great Grandma Hilma. Daddy put it together this past weekend.


Patrick also enjoyed his new Bumbo seat from Grandma Bliss. He loves playing with his stacking toy. Although when he can't lift it all into his mouth he gets a little frustrated.



This picture is just for the smile of it. Enjoy!

Back to work ramblings...

I have some pictures to post, but they will have to wait.

I have been thinking of a lot lately during all this transition back to work and figured it was time to write more and not post a picture for a minute.

Working mom...
This term has always been interesting to me. For one, as a mom you are constantly working whether someone has paid you for it or not. Second, can you really be a "working" mom? When I first was pregnant, I knew I would be returning to work. I told people this and had mixed reactions.

"Do you have to?"
"I don't understand why people have kids if they don't raise them themselves"
"There has to be a way you can stay home"
"Do you think Ryan will quit his job?"

and so on.

Growing up I never expected to be a working mom. My mom mostly stayed home, my sisters all stayed home. In fact most people I knew stayed home. I didn't have a lot of models in front of me to understand what it was like being a working mom. Like other things in life I figured I would have to trod this path alone and figure it out.

Just to clear it up... Would I stay home if I could? Probably. Can I? I suppose I could if we had a different situation than we do now. Could I change my situation? sort of. that is a tough one. We would have to make some large changes in order for me to stay home, of which we aren't willing to make. yet.

I've been working for 13 days now. Yes I am counting. Some days have been better than others. Patrick has adjusted better than Ryan or I have. I am lucky, so lucky to have a fabulous husband. Ryan is great with Patrick and I am so happy to have him home with him these first months that I am back to work. I am actually ok being gone during the day. My job is good and I have a very supportive environment to work in. The toughest times are late in the afternoon and right before I fall asleep. I get very anxious later in the afternoon. I can't wait to see Patrick and feed him. (Pumping just isn't fun!) Night time is tough becuase I know I have to get up the next day and leave again. I am ok being away from him, but I wish I just wasn't away so much.

Today I called home and Patrick was having a crabby day. He had been crying for the good part of an hour. Ryan sounded a little tired, but was still in good spirits with it all. I knew I probably couldn't do any better for him, but I wished that I could be there to at least try. Also knowing that I was stuck at work while my baby was needing something more than he was getting, just plain sucked.

For all those parents out there who choose to work? Great. Awesome. I think if that is what you choose, your family is better for it. Your confidence in your decision is great. I wish I was as confident in mine.

Balance is a whole other issue I have been thinking of lately.

Mom, Wife, Housekeeper, Cook, etc...
How on earth have you all done this for so many years? Womens lib? Great, now we get jobs and still have to do all the rest. (Once again, Ryan is awesome and helps out a ton!! thank God for men of 2008!) I am seriously considering a meal service or a housekeeper. Because it isn't that I can't do it all, I just want to spend my time differently. I want to coo at Patrick and take long walks as a family in the evening. I want to go to bed at a decent hour instead of cramming a days work into 15min in the house. I want to eat meals that don't come out of a cereal box. Is it too much to ask?? ;)

ok, if you made it this far you are either bored or curious to see how it ends. I am curious as well. I know that change is hard, but with a baby that change happens every day, not just when you get a new job or move. I guess Ryan and I will need to take surfing lessons, because we are going to be "riding the wave" for a while...

Some pics to enjoy!

I can fly!