Inner Peace...Inner Peace...Inner Peace

This blog could also be named "I Love Kung Fuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!"

My child is special.  He loves Kung Fu Panda.  I think this is hilarious because he is only 11 months old.  But, and please do not think I am fibbing when I say this, he has LOVED Kung Fu Panda since he was 4 months old.  He knows the music and will stop at nothing to watch.  It is so funny.  So, of course, Kung Fu Panda 2 came out this past week.  And, yes, we were the crazy parents that took an infant to a movie theater!  But he did not make us regret this decision.  He was WONDERFUL.  Yes, he became a little antsy about an hour into the movie, but a bottle + puffs + position changes = we made it to the end.  He watched the movie and I think he enjoyed it.  Mommy and daddy enjoyed it, too.  A very good story. 

After Kung Fu Panda, we did a little shopping and Keagan got his first ride upon daddy's shoulders.  He truly enjoyed himself!  And the backview was pretty cute! 

Boys will be Boys

Is it innate for little boys to play like boys and little girls to play like girls at an early age?  I mean, Keagan is only 11 months old and he already plays like a boy!  I haven't taught him this!  It is so neat to watch him gravitate towards toys with wheels and things-that-go!  This is a video of Keagan playing with a helicopter that my mom and dad got him...he even does his mouth like he is making the "noise" the toy makes.  It is hilarious!  I have noticed him doing this with many other toys that have wheels.  It must be innate that this little boy knows just what to do with a toy that has wheels!  He even gets upset when the toy turns over and is no longer upright! 



Stay tuned: tomorrow we plan on taking Keagan to see Kung Fu Panda 2! We will see how it goes...

A Vast Comparison (11 months old)

Oh what a difference a year makes!  This time last year I was 32 weeks pregnant.  I was dealing with the difficult reality that I would probably have an early baby due to growth restriction, yet at the same time praying the doctor was wrong.  In my mind I still had a good two months to go.  The reality of our situation was fresh, new, still difficult to wrap my brain around.  And I was deep in denial!

I now have an 11 month old child. (note, I said child...not infant. He is a big kid!) Born a month early, and growth restricted with difficulties, an uncertain and scary time for us. BUT Look at this kid now! You'd never know it! We had a blast today doing his 11-month photo shoot. I also decided to get a little creative with my photoshop...still not that great with it, but I am learning. Enjoy!

Then....

Now...

 

Keagan is a V.E.R.Y. happy child.  But please don't misunderstand this to mean he is never unhappy.  He whines a lot when he is tired or hungry.  He doesn't like to be laid down to change clothes or diapers.  If he wants mommy to hold him, he stops at nothing to get his way.  He is stubborn.  He gets it honest. 

 

He is incredibly sweet and gives hugs, kisses, pat-pats all the time.  He loves to pat-pat the little babies at school and even laid his head on a baby he had just met at a restaurant the other day.  He is definitely a lover.  I hope this sensitive side sticks around-women love it!  :)  He likes to hold hands with other babies, and he is very sociable with other kids.  He always looks sleepy and/or serious (we hear this a lot from strangers) but I think this is a front...he just doesn't want to give his secrets all away in one motion.  He is much like his daddy in this regard.  A man of few words until you get to know him.  But like his mommy he loves to dance and will dance to ANY tune.  He even dances when mommy sings. 

 

Keagan plays well by himself, but he also plays well with others.  For this I am thankful.  I can get a lot done around the house while he plays.  On the flip side, he is now requiring a lot of visual attention as he is into everything!  He has a new-found freedom with crawling and things that were otherwise ignored a month ago are intriguing. He keeps us on our toes! 

 

Keagan will eat anything.  Just about.  He loves ice cream, lasagna, bread, french fries, strawberries, mango, kiwi, puffs, yogurt, anything on our plates (and this is just table food)...he continues to love his pureed food.  Keagan continues to nurse but we have weaned down to morning and evening/night only.  I like being "free" during the day!  As much as I am excited to have my body back for myself, I know I am going to miss the bond we have during nursing sessions.  It is ours and ours alone.  I have said I would like to be completely done by 1 year, but I am going to let him lead the way regarding the early morning/late night sessions. 

 

It makes me sad to see this sweet child of mine grow so quickly.  I miss the baby stage...but the big-boy stages are so much fun!  Being a parent is a blast, I am so thankful for this kid. 

When the Cat's Away...

Mommy and Daddy will play!

This past Thursday and Friday nights, Keagan had a sleep-over with his Gama and Poppy!  I don't know how to explain the emotions I felt turning my baby over to someone else, but after we drove away I was quite sad.  I haven't really been away from him for two solid nights, except when he was first born and transferred to the NICU.

Josh and I went to Nashville for one night, and by the time we got settled into our room (which actually was a suite!  we got lucky on that one), I was feeling good, even confident about having an adult evening!  We had a great time:  went to Ruth's Chris for dinner and then out on the town for drinks and fun.  We went to bed at a decent time and "slept in" and then roamed about Nashville.  We hit up some fun places:  the Parthenon, Gigi's cupcakes, Green Hills mall, Trader Joe's, Bass Pro, Baja Burrito for lunch...just a really nice time and a "rekindling" of sorts for us.  We were a couple again-not just mommy and daddy.

Here are the ones we got, after MUCH consideration and thought.  Clockwise from top left: Wedding Cake, Margarita, Strawberry Shortcake, Peanut Butter Cup. 

All our loot from Trader Joe's.  This is a really neat store...wish we had one closer!  Their food is made with natural ingredients and lots of organic ingredients.

And I do believe Keagan had himself a big time with his grandparents.  Not sure who had more fun, Gama and Poppy or Keagan!  Keagan got to ride with Poppy in a track-hoe, visit with Great Granny, play with random stuff and Gama's home, take a bath like a big boy, and hang out with poppy....

Another Steal!

So, I have another wonderful deal for you!  Multiple blog posts in one.  Aren't you excited?  Again, we've had another very full weekend and if I wait to post any of these topics, they will no longer be relevant.  So, here goes:

FIRST:  We Marched for Babies (especially Keagan)
And we raised $800 for March of Dimes. THANK YOU! THANK YOU! THANK YOU! As I mentioned, this is a very personal philanthropy for our family and I am proud to announce that Team Owens raised the most money for a New Team! ("Top New Team" award!) We also were 9th overall in fundraising! So, while I wasn't doing this for any awards, I really do appreciate YOUR support. And so do all the babies who will be born early.  Please know it didn't go unnoticed.  We also almost won the t-shirt contest!! Thank you, Tassie for all your support in this endeavor and for walking with us. (Even though we only walked a little b/c of the thunderstorms...gotta love spring weather)

This was a special moment:  This is my friend (and sorority sister and college roommate) Dawn and her son Jackson.  Here is why this is special:  When I first found out that I was having problems in the tail-end of my pregnancy I had to go to Labor-and-Delivery to have steroid shots to beef up Keagan's lungs to prepare for an early birth.  While at the hospital Josh and I walked down to the Nursery and who do I see standing at the window?  Dawn!  She was looking at her new baby boy, born 5 weeks premature.  I was a mess, crying over everything that the Doctor had just told me and the fear of the unknown, and Dawn offered me a comforting hug and an "It WILL be ok" as she looked upon her own newborn preemie in the nursery, unable to hold him.  This was the last time I saw her, and then we met again (and our boys met!) at the March of Dimes walk.  It was a wonderful moment.  I cannot wait to get these boys together again!  Dawn, you will probably never understand how it felt to see you that fateful day, after not seeing you for over 5 years since college. 

SECOND:  Happy Mother's Day

This morning was not only Mother's Day, but Keagan's baby dedication at church.  From the day Josh and I decided to start a family, we knew we wanted our family to be active in a church.  We have been incredibly fortunate to find a church home here in Benton, and there are so many other young couples with young babies (BOYS!) who Keagan can grow up with.  Josh's parents were able to be here with us to experience this special day.  After church we went to Cracker Barrel to celebrate Mother's Day!

After all the festivities, Keagan went for a little swim!  He loved it!  I am going to try and get him into swim lessons this summer...

THIRD:  BELEW'S!!! 

Need I say more??  OK, probably for those who don't live here.  Belew's is a seasonal dairy bar and they have the best hamburgers...onion rings...shakes...ice cream.  I can't narrow it down.  It is legendary down here in these parts.  This was Keagan's first trip of many!  (It was also Gama and Poppy's first trip...)

Gama got some SERIOUS Keagan lovin' this afternoon!!! 

 Can't go to Belew's and not have ice cream!!