No shots this time!

And the people said, "Amen."

Keagan had his 9-month check-up on Tuesday.  I don't need to explain my disbelief of how quickly time flies and how I now have a nine month old child.  You already know I cannot believe it...is it denial?  Nope, I truly think time flies when fun is involved!

So, Keagan had his 9-month check-up on Tuesday. He didn't have to have shots this time.  (Amen, again!)  Just an assessment of his developments and how he measures up comparatively. 

Stats:
weight: 19lbs 11oz (50th percentile)
height: 27.75 inches (25-50th percentile)  honestly I think he is taller...she measured quickly.
head: I don't know...something like 50th percentile!  haha...I don't care about this measurement.

He is a tad bit behind the curve as far as motor development, but that's OK with me because he is progressing.  It just happens to be on his own time.  The doctor doesn't seem concerned so neither am I!  He did have to have x-rays of his hips because his doc heard some popping/clicking.  I told her I heard this as well, had mentioned this to his previous doc who told me it was nothing.  His current pediatrician said it probably isn't anything to be concerned about but that because he was breech we needed to just be certain.  She suggested that if something is wrong with his hips this could explain why he isn't crawling or pulling to stand yet.  I think he is perfectly normal, just showing development at an 8-month old time scale (after all he really is only 8 months old!).

Likes: to clap (his belly), sing, talk, eat, play with his pup, play with mom's or dad's cell phone, snuggle with mom and dad in bed in the mornings, take walks, take a bath and splash, ice cream, Kung Fu Panda (yes, he still LOVES it)

Dislikes: meat in pureed form (either homemade or jarred), being left alone in a room, not getting his way, having anything taken away or put at a distance from him, having his fingernails trimmed, being ignored

The next series of pictures are him cracking himself up---and I was cracking up, too.  I wish I had a video rolling during this.   

 Playing with his puppy-brother... 

OH!  And Keagan is working on 4 teeth as we speak: The top two and the bottom two.  And boy are they stubborn little boogers!  You can kinda see the bottom two in this pic...the tooth on the R (his L tooth) is coming in quickly.  The other three and just being nasty.  But he is taking it in stride, I suppose...and so are we.

There's nothing like a baby...

...or your best friend's baby, for that matter. 

This past weekend Keagan and I drove to Lexington to visit Avery Cate, Lindsy's newest addition.  I would like to say that I went to help Lindsy with Avery and cook a meal or two for her, but it turned out to be more of a shopping trip/gab fest/nursing-marathon (between the both of us!) type of visit.  Lindsy is very blessed to have a wonderful church family that had lined up meals every day and they had an abundance of food.  So that "got me off the hook", so to speak, from cooking (I say this jokingly...I don't pretend to be a domestic diva and Lindsy is well aware of this!  But I would have looooved to have made her some of the famous Chimi-changas from my mother's recipe, if she had the room in the freezer!).  I also didn't get to help much b/c Lindsy pretty much had the situation under control...however I did get some baby-loving in!  I guess when you bring your own baby to help with someone else's baby, there isn't a whole lot that can be done.  BUT I did provide for conversation, girl time, and plenty of Atta Girl's as Lindsy bravely took on a full two days of errands with a 2-1/2 week old baby! 

Avery is a beautiful baby, it brings me back to when Kennedy (Lindsy's first daughter) was born.  This go-around, though, I have personal experience with a newborn and instead of wondering if I was holding Avery correctly, I was able to confidently hold her and marvel at how tiny she is.  How beautiful and perfect her little lips are, and how teeny her toes and fingers are.  I love a baby.  And I love the smells and sounds of newborns.  It is so amazing and perfectly God's work! 

Sadly my picture taking was pretty much null-and-void the whole weekend. My intent was to practice my photography on Avery....this really didn't happen. I did get a few sweet pictures on our last day when we went to lunch and then frozen yogurt at a MAGNIFICENT place called OrangeLeaf. Courtney joined in (always fun to have her around!) and got some good baby loving...

Keagan LOVED the frozen yogurt.  He clearly thought the whole cup was his (check out the video)....

Chillin' with the G-parents

This weekend Josh's parents (i.e. Gama and Poppy) came in to babysit Keagan while we went to see The Wizard of Oz Broadway play with our friends Jessica and Mark.  They haven't gotten much Keagan-time so I was pleased that they could spend a couple days with him.  He was perfect (despite cutting his two bottom teeth).  He snuggled them, played with them, and even reached towards them when being passed from one person to the next.  Such a sweet baby doll. 

I love this picture of Gama with her grandbaby boy!  It was a beautiful Spring-like day and Keagan and Gama picked his first daffodil.

A great day for a ride in his wagon!  And he LOVED it!  

Chillin' with Poppy!

Three Owens Men.  Keagan love love loves his daddy!  (and Daddy loves Keagan!)

Keagan and his Gama and Poppy.  A very nice weekend!

It's all about Sacrifice

Happy Ash Wednesday, everyone!  Today marks the first day of Lent, which marks the period from Ash Wednesday to Easter.  It is a time of sacrifice and imitation of the time in which Jesus spent 40 days fasting in the desert while enduring the temptations from Satan.  Being raised Catholic, I have observed Lent as far back as I can remember.  I would like to say that I observed it the way it was meant to be observed (soul-searching and repentance), however I would be lying.  I mostly observed it as a way to challenge myself, give up something I absolutely enjoy:  chocolate, candy, pizza, elevators, Mtn Dew, etc.  Sadly, this year is unlike any other.  I am, however, going to attempt to remind myself of the true meaning of Lent as I yearn for what I gave up this year:  BAKED GOODS. 

I have always liked sweets.  But the past year has been extreme.  It started with my cake cravings when I was pregnant, and baby showers always had good cake.  Well, the baby is now 8 months old and I am still having these cravings.  I have managed to find a reason to have cakes, cookies, brownies, etc, and this has GOT TO STOP!  So, I gave up baked goods for Lent.  Lord, help me.  Really. 

Yesterday was Mardi Gras, aka Fat Tuesday.  I always take Fat Tuesday seriously...to the point of making myself sick.  I ate so many cookies yesterday that today when I went to take a picture of the remnants I felt sick to my stomach (it could have been the fact that I knew I couldn't have them!).  No more yummy goodness baked goods.  No more sprinkles on cookies.  If Jesus can fast for 40 days, I can do without these (enlarged to show texture):

Pray for me!!! 

On a different note, I am training for a half-marathon.  I have been in training since January, but haven't wanted to broadcast it too much b/c of my fear of failure.  Josh got me a treadmill for Christmas and it has been both a godsend and a thorn in my side.  A love-hate relationship, if you will.  I hate getting on it, I love getting off it.  I have gotten up to 9 miles in my training, but I really need to get outside and get some long runs in.  The half-marathon is April 16th.  I am scared to death.  Luckily, my friend Courtney from Lexington is going to come and do it with me.  She and Lindsy ran with me during my last half marathon (November 2009).  I have about 4 more weeks to get ready....

Again, pray for me!