Mother's Day

Well, you have to start somewhere. I'm trying to catch up on May postings so, hopefully I'll get bits and pieces done this week and give you all some new pictures to look at!

This isn't really a picture from Mother's Day other than I was trying to get a pictures for the Grandma's Mother's Day presents and came up with this cute one!

For my 1st Mother's Day I got to hang out with my baby a lot but I hardly saw my husaband. Mother's Day is a VERY busy time for the mariachi. It is the ULTIMATE honor to be serenaded by a mariachi on Mother's Day so LOTS of people hire the group. The group also tries to do a lot of things that bring hope and encouragement to those who are having a tough time. So, in addition to several paid performances the mariachi was out and about bringing hope to at nursing homes, a drug rehabilitation center for mothers, and serenading some moms that have had a tough year for one reason or another. Of course, the group often will serenade the moms of group members and they stopped by the H's house during a break to serenade Jeanette, Rowena and I (and get some food and water!). It was fun!

FYI - the Travel Log

Just a quick note. The "oo" on the travel log means driving miles. A "><" will mean flying miles. We'll see how quickly they add up! If anyone knows how to do some kind of a counter thing and could teach me, that would be GREAT!

The Trip

Well, the 2nd trip to Albuquerque was great. Jaden did great in the car again and was only upset the last hour on the return trip - not too bad of a traveler!!! The mariachi did a GREAT job at their concert on Saturday and at church on Sunday. For me it really is a very different experience sitting on the sidelines and hearing them play rather than being in the middle of it. I have to hold myself back from belting out the choruses on songs because I figure the people sitting around me probably want to hear the whole group sound, not just me in their ear!


While I was sitting in the car feeding Jaden while everyone else was setting up and getting ready for the concert I was talking to my mom on the phone. She asked, "Do you miss it?" I said, "no, not really" but I'm not sure that is entirely accurate. I don't miss loading and unloading the van and being one of the ones in charge trying to get everything ready. I enjoy getting to help out as much as I am able depending on Jaden's mood and if he needs to eat at the time. I get to be there - if not I think I would miss it TONS! I miss playing a little bit and I miss singing "Hacia la Cruz" the MOST! We'll see. Maybe I'll figure out how to work my way back into playing!


Anyway, here are some pictures for you!

It was a beautiful, sunny, not too hot day for the concert

Here is even a little video of one of our most popular songs! Vamos a Alabar al Rey (Let's All Praise the King) I happen to really like the singer! And look - they are all even DANCING!

And here's one of Jaden dancing with Grandpa H!

Jaden REALLY enjoys putting his fists in his mouth. He can't get too many other things into it yet but he really loves trying. He has been very successful at getting blankets and other fabrics in though. I wonder if he'll get some kind of fuzzball! This picture is an example of how Jaden tells me that he is DONE burping and ready for more FOOD!

Jaden loves his Grandpa recliner!

On the way home we had to take a break about 45 minutes before getting home because Jaden just was NOT happy in his car seat. Here is the "little man" taking a stretch with his tie on and everything! ;-)


Jaden is getting much better at tummy time but he was particularily smiley this day on mommy's lap, getting tickled. Maybe he was having fun and maybe he was just happy to NOT be strapped into the car!

Firsts

Well, it has been an exciting couple of days in the life of Jaden. He has had a lot of firsts...

Yesterday
1st time in a state other than TX
1st time in New Mexico (see above)
1st road trip (7 hours to Santa Fe)
1st night in a hotel
1st pastor's conference
1st bath in the big bathtub

Jaden - most (about 3/4) of the road trip.

Today
biggest poop of his life to date (I had a feeling it was coming but I had NO IDEA!)

Jaden and Grandpa H. near the Loretto Chapel in Santa Fe

Jaden has proven to be a great traveler. He mostly slept in the car. I guess the rhythm of the road noise is just to hard to overcome. But, even though he slept a LOT on the trip, he still had a really good night's sleep. In fact, one of the best so far. At the conference EVERYONE thinks is is SO CUTE and several people have threatened to take him home with them. He is so alert and just trying to take everything in. At the conference worship service we sat in the back and he had a good view of the violin and cello players. He LOVED it. And, he got his first taste of an organ (he had been around one at a Lenten service in his first couple weeks of life but he slept through the whole thing). He really seemed to enjoy that too. In fact, he was a bit fussy every second of the service EXCEPT when the music was playing!

This is my little guy a few days before leaving town. He sure is growing! Some of you may have seen a previous picture of Jaden on the "I Spy" quilt so I thought I'd take a comparison. He was half asleep here, just lounging around!

Last Friday Jaden attended his first mariachi gig outside of church. He had a great time...

And he loved sitting with "mama hen" Beatriz

A Good Fit

Well, I just had to share with you all my good news! Last week I wore TWO pairs of pre-pregnancy pants! Today I just braved trying on another pair of jeans and THEY FIT!!!! Never mind that it's 3:30 in the afternoon and I'm just making my way into REAL clothes instead of pajamas/house clothes. THEY FIT!!! It's like discovering a long lost friend - it's like having NEW clothes. Okay - nothing quite so grand as either of those but - it is exciting!!! :-)

Playtime Fun

Like any baby, one of Jaden's favorite things to do is play! He's paying more and more attention to the toys and he often talks to them! The orange lion is by far one of his favorites. This week he even started grabbing the lion's mane since it crinkles a lot!

And, per doctor's orders we're getting more and more tummy time in every day. It is going much better now that Jaden hold his head up a bit. He doesn't get frustrated quite as fast! Today for the first time he had the holding his head up thing down enough that he had some mental energy to spare and decided to look around wide-eyed!

Of course, Jaden is always talking a lot UNTIL I get out the camera. Then he gets surprisingly quiet! He was having fun with his rattle and his fist in this video. Just yesterday he would actually see his fist from a distance while he was waving it in the air. His eyes would then get real big and that fist would find it's way right into his mouth! Up until yesterday the fist just seemed to find it's way to the mouth but without the eyes noticing! Baby steps right!!!???

I'll have to get some help and get someone to video when we're "exercising." That gets some of the biggest smiles that I've seen yet! ;-)

All Dressed Up

Maybe one of these days I'll actually do something besides (or in addition to) putting pictures of Jaden on this blog. But, as you can obviously tell, he is the bulk of my life these days. Little by little I'm getting the hang of this new adventure. Of course, the house is already messier than when my mom was here. (Don't worry though mom, it is easily picked up in about 10 minutes and I try to do that every day so I don't go nuts!) Stephen usually does the dishes at night and sometime during the next day I get around to putting them away. I'm getting a little work done every day (although maybe not quite enough yet - at least I'm staying on top of things). Mostly, I'm just enjoying this little guy!

We had some fun today. We tried "exercising". First we went on a walk with Daddy (of course, that was just down the road a few blocks to eat yummy hot dogs for lunch...hmm...maybe this doesn't count as exercise!!) But, after getting home Jaden just wanted to be held one way or another. My arms are getting sore from the traditional positions so...I tried laying on the floor with my knees propped up and sitting him on my "lap." He seemed to like that and I did a few "peek-a-boo" situps. Then we played a little bit of "airplane" and his eyes got SO big! I'll have to figure out how to get that on a video one of these days. Right now he's talking up a storm. I think he's trying to get the ceiling fan to stop spinning by yelling at it! ;-)

Anyway...enjoy the pics. I sure do!

All dressed up for church. This is what I like to call Jaden's "little man" outfit! It's still a little big but I had to have him wear it before it gets too hot here! Today the high is 80 and tomorrow it's supposed to be 88!!! Oh well, he'll probably be able to wear it a few more times with a short sleeved shirt underneath - or maybe (depending on how fast he grows) when we head up north soon!

Peek-a-boo!

Jaden playing with two of his favorite toys - the orange lion and the screwdriver rattle. He can get a good grip on this rattle since it's soft and he goes to town shaking it. Pretty soon he'll probably be able to handle some of the bigger ones. But, since he doesn't have TOO much control over WHERE he shakes yet, something soft bonking him in the face is probably nicer anyway!

That's all for now! Till next time!