Thursday, November 29, 2007

Thanksgiving in Harrisonburg & Eating Like a Big Boy...




Well, other than the screaming for over an hour when we first got there, and oh yeah, the disgusting poop attack that required a full change of clothes in a gas station on the way home in horrible traffic, everything went just fine for Seven's first real road trip. He got to meet his aunt and uncle Josh & Keeli for the fist time, and his cousin Brant. Brant is a real character...so cute and funny. He actually goes into hiding to do his business, and he's only 14 months old. How clever is that? Here's a cute pic of little Brant...




Seven is now eating oatmeal and fruits like peaches and pears at least 2 to 3 times a day along with his formula. So far, so good, he really likes it and eats off of a spoon like he's always known how. He no longer is satisfied with just a bottle, and he seems to really like the food...in fact, he gets a little hateful if he doesn't get a bite fast enough. Were so thrilled with him - he's just the best little guy, and is starting to develop a real personality. He's a flirt for sure, and though it's kind of cute now, he's a Mama's boy. Today especially, I had to be holding him pretty much every minute. Of course I LOVE that he loves me, but it does make work a little impossible. Just ask my Mom, who has to step in and do everything at te store because I am tied up with a baby who just wants Mommy to sing to him. Again.




I also just want to say a heavy hearted goodbye to our best friends Nicole and Adam, who are moving to Raleigh today after being with us for 11 years. God. 11 years. So much has changed since then. Weddings, babies, buying houses together. Vacations to Europe, cruises, football games. Lots of happy times and not so happy times. But we've always been together. Now you'll be just a little farther away, I keep reminding myself... But that's just so I can breathe. We love you and miss you two already.


That'll Be a Big Negative, Mama...

Just wanted to share a quick video of Seven in the swing at the store this week. He's just figured out his hands, and therefore loves holding the giraffe made out of fuzzy material (or in many cases, eating the giraffe). Check out the hand sign he gives me in response to my question at the end of the video...subtle, yes, but I think he makes his point.
Stay tuned for more videos of someone eating "real" food, laughing at inappropriate times, and pics from his family day Thanksgiving in Harrisonburg.

Saturday, November 24, 2007

Let's Go Mountaineers


Today has been a good day in the Whetzel house when it comes to football. VT rallied to pull off a big win against UVa, and WVU beat the snot out of UConn. No pics of little Sev in his Hokie sleeper, as it was just too small (never leave Daddy alone to dress the baby) BUT he did look super cute once he changed into his WV jersey that one of my favorite WV clients sent him. He's sleeping away now, even though it took a few extra verses of Hushabye Mountain to get him to sleep tonight. i think maybe he's just excited by the prospect of meeting all of his Daddy's family in Harrisonburg tomorrow. Wish us luck in the trip - hopefully he will be on his best behavior. Fingers Crossed.

Sunday, November 18, 2007

A day of family portraits...















Today we had our friend/photographer Nikki come to Mom and Dad's house to take some pictures of us for the holidays. Seven wasn't much of a happy camper - he fell asleep on the 1/4 mile trip over, and waking up wasn't what he had in mind. But we got a couple of nice shots, I think. We had a group photo done for Mom and Dad of all of us - the folks, Jenn, Nick and the boys, and us. The dog kept distracting the boys, so not too many shots to choose from, but we'll work it out. Here are a couple of the pics we ended up with - one might wind up on our Christmas card this year...maybe.


Big plans for the week - Thursday is Thanksgiving at Mom and Dad's new house, which will be nice but a bit strange after being at the old house for so long. Then Black Friday, and I have to at least go to Walmart to see what I can get. Saturday Jon has some old old friends stopping by, and of course, VT plays UVA, so, that will be a crazy day. Finally, on Sunday we take Seven farther than he's even been - Harrisonburg - for Thanksgiving up there with Jon's family. Most of them haven't met Seven yet, not even Keeli and Josh - his aunt and uncle - so that should be fun as long as he stays sweet. Just gotta keep him fed and he should be alright. Last time I did a post he was sleeping about 8 hours a night, but we have weened him off of his late night feeding, so instead of going to bed at 11 or so, we have him bathed and in bed by 9, and he still sleeps until 7ish. Very nice. His new formula is part of the help, I think. Enfamil AR with Rice already built in instead of us mixing it in. More expensive but he's doing so well! And, thanks to Brittani and Wes who went to Target last night, he's loaded up with quite a bit of it, as well as lots of size 2 diapers. So thanks guys! (Brit saved me a fortune by confusing the cashier so bad that he let her use entirely too many coupons. Not on purpose, of course, Brit's not like that!)


Oh, last week we applied for Seven's passport...I can not wait to get it! Check out this little passport pic!



Hope you all like the pics!






Monday, November 12, 2007

A group of friends and Mr. Brad Paisley











For the first time in a LONG time we went to a concert last Thursday. I think the last concert I saw was Green Day? That was at least 13 years ago. before that, Milli Vanilli and The New Kids. Oh yeah, and Tiffany. And Vanilla Ice. HA. Funny but true. So anyway, Jon & I went with Nicole and Adam, Brittani & Wes, and Leslie and Eric to see Brad Paisley. He was touring with Taylor Swift and Rodney Atkins. It was a surprisingly good concert...we had a lot of fun, despite having to walk all the way from downtown Roanoke to the Civic Center in the cold. Taylor was good - I decided I liked her, and even more unusual was that Jon decided HE liked her, too. And Rodney Atkins won us over with his down home friendly sort of demeanor. Then of course Brad was great, a really elaborate set up, and he spent a lot of time singing - often without his band. He seemed like a real person, which is a big deal in his line of work.




Here are a couple of pics from the concert...my advice? Go see this concert if it is coming anywhere near you. It's definitely worth the ticket price.




Seven and I hang out on a boring Monday..

Today while Jon was working Seven and I just kinda did our own thing - baked some cookies but managed to forget about them until they burned, cleaned out the garage, visited rikki for a few minutes, and watched alot(a lot lot) of the Dallas Cowboy cheerleader tryouts. I finally got tired of holding him up, so I decided to try putting him in his BebePod. Didn't think that would actually work, but he loved it. He looks like such a little man sitting there by himself. He loved watching the cheerleaders, hopefully because they were so happy and not because of the big boobs (or worse yet, because HE wants to be a cheerleader) But he watched and watched and refused to take a nap.





We are doing great at night now, and with very few exceptions he is making it through the night for at least 8 hours. Then he'll eat and then konk out for another 2 to 3 hours. So he is making it pretty easy on me. Such a fun little guy. Awhile ago he kept yelling from his crib at Jon and I (not crying, mind you, it was as if he was just yelling to get our attention) so finally after about 10 minutes of the yelling, we both go in to see what he wants - and he just starts smiling and laughing at us. What suckers he has made us, and boy does he know it. I wouldn't trade that little brat for the world. :)

Saturday, November 3, 2007

What we do while Daddy is away...


Seven and I have been alone since Thursday morning, when Jon left for Atlanta to watch the Hokies play on Thursday nite. Because hes staying until Sunday, that leaves us alone for 4 days. What to do while your husband is away, enjoying "guy time" at the Hokie game and then the Bulldog game on Saturday (with sideline passes, no less)?? Put your kid in a swing and then video him talking to you. Or talking to the little blue bird that spins above the swing is more like it, but it feels better to think its me he is talking to.

I have also managed to keep "little bit" on a good sleep schedule...last night he made it from 1130 to 745. So that's really good. He did about the same the night before too, so maybe we are getting on the right track. Every night feels like a little game to me. I guess maybe I am stifled for entertainment, but I think its kinda fun. I managed to clean out all 3 of my closets, too, and even carted a huge pile of clothes to Goodwill today. I need to get all of Rikki's maternity clothes back over to her house and out of mine before I decide its okay to keep wearing them and forget about getting back into all of my own regular clothes. Good grief jeans don't fit the same after a baby, people. It doesn't matter if you lose the baby weight or not - which I did, thank you very much, and in only 2 weeks - they just DO NOT fit the same.

Well, enough of all that. Here is the video I took of Seven chatting with me, and also a picture of him and Aunt Brit on Halloween. Hope they make you smile!