Welcome to the Jungle

12.17.10: Who is this Santa guy anyway?

2010-12-17T19:03:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, A.J. here!
Today, Mama and Daddy took me to see "Santa."
They made a pretty big deal out of it and got me all dressed up.
Apparently Santa didn't get the dress up memo. It looks to me like he's in his jammies!
To be honest, I'm not too impressed with this guy, but I hear he brings presents so maybe I should keep my opinion to myself...

12.12.10: It Snows in Wisconsin

2010-12-12T17:54:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!

If you've seen the news at all this weekend you probably know that we've had a little bit of snow this weekend. Mama has taken to calling it "Snowmageddon!" because of all of the talk about it on tv. Well, I am here to tell you we have a whole bunch of snow here, and it is very, very cold.

I know this isn't my first winter, but last year at this time I was too little to spend time out in the cold, so I missed out on the white stuff. This year, I am prepared with new snow pants, boots, and all the other necessary things to keep me warm so Mama and Daddy decided to take me out to see the snow for myself this morning.

Here's a look at my first taste of snow...

First, I got to open my first Christmas present of the year from my Anderson Grandparents. They sent me some snow pants, which I definitely needed for my snow adventure!
I don't have a whole lot of experience with opening presents, so at first I thought it would be fun to climb up on the box instead of opening it.

As you can see, getting me ready for the great outdoors took several layers.

Let me tell you, walking outside in the snow is NOT easy! That stuff is slippery and the boots and extra layers made me a little wobbly!

Thankfully my daddy was close by to help me get up when I fell down.

After just a few minutes outside, Mama and Daddy decided 30 mph winds and wind chills below zero were just a little too cold for a dude my size, so we headed back inside.

And while the big people were putting away all the snow gear, I took advantage of the alone time to climb up to the kitchen table and eat some leftover bacon from breakfast. All that snow time makes a boy hungry!

I hope I can play in the snow again soon!

In honor of Halloween...

2010-11-01T19:03:00.000-07:00

The blog returns from the dead!

Here are some pictures from our Halloween celebration. We started off the day with carving the pumpkins we picked out at Cuff's Farm earlier this month:

Then, it was time to put the pumpkins on the porch and take A.J. for his debut as Hamburger Homburg:

(with his buddy Batman)

Overall, AJ wasn't quite sure what to think about trick or treating. He didn't feel like carrying his pumpkin bucket, he wanted to run across the front lawn instead of walking to the door, and once he did make it to the front door he was more interested in letting himself into the house than getting any candy. We'll have to practice for next year...

In the meantime, Happy Halloweenie from The Homburgs!

05.25.10: Walking A.J.

2010-05-26T09:04:00.000-07:00

It's official. Our little monkey man is on the move!

He's kind of sneaky about it though. Walking around like nobody's business until I whip out the camera phone.
Here's a few steps I managed to catch yesterday while A.J. was helping me put away laundry!

05.09.10: Celebrating Being Your Mama

2010-05-09T18:31:00.001-07:00

My dear sweet baby A.J.,

Today we celebrated my first Mother's Day together and I couldn't be happier.
Thank you for the flowers, and the cards, and the coffee, and the dishwasher.
Thank you for the two good naps you took today.
Thank you for the smiles and cuddles before bed tonight.

But most of all, thank you for making me a mama.
Thank you for making my dreams come true.
Thank you for teaching me so much about myself.
Thank you for showing me how much I can so on such little sleep.
Thank you for helping me take life a little less seriously.

I love you sweet boy!

Sorry this blog has been quiet....

2010-05-02T18:05:00.000-07:00

It's because I've been keeping the grown ups pretty busy with all of my new tricks.
Check me out!

3.29.10: People We Love: Mirielle Mabel!

2010-03-29T13:35:00.001-07:00

Hi, guys! A.J. here! I know I've been quiet for the past few weeks, and I have a lot to catch you up on. But all of that has to wait for a little while because today I am here with a very special message for my girlfriend Miri! Today is her first birthday!!! Yes, that makes her an older woman! But really, we were supposed to be closer in age. It's just that Miri came a little earlier than anyone expected.

This is my first picture with Miri. Auntie Barb took it at the baby shower for Miri's mama. We planned to take another one at the baby shower for my mama, but like I said, Miri had other plans and decided to be born a few weeks early.

Here is a picture from our first big meeting. As you can see, I came on a little strong.

But I must have done something right, because Miri is quite clearly checking me out just a few minutes later!

And by the time we saw each other again in December, I knew to play it cool!

I was in Colorado this weekend when Miri had her birthday party, but Auntie Barb brought me back a goodie bag and a party hat so I could celebrate!

So, Happy Birthday Miri! I can't wait until we get to visit again soon!

2.16.10: People We Love: Grandma Joan

2010-02-16T05:19:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
Did you know that today is a very special day?
It's my Grandma Joan's birthday!!

Mama took these pictures of us when Grandma Joan came to visit back in November.
Can you believe I haven't seen her since then?
Good news though....

I'm going to see her again NEXT WEEK!!!
Can't wait to see you Grandma Joan!!
Happy Birthday!!

2.11.10: At Eight Months Old

2010-02-11T12:29:00.001-08:00

My dear sweet baby A.J.,

Eight months old! How is that even possible? You were born on a Thursday, just like today, and ever since each Thursday has felt just a little different. You are napping right now, and 8 months ago today I was trying to nap too, but you had other ideas. I decided to get my epidural at about this time then I was able to rest for a while until you were ready to come into the world. Eight months later and not much has changed. I still only get to sleep when you decide it's okay. :)

I have to be honest and tell you the last month of your life has not been my favorite. You've given us a couple of big scares and two Emergency Room trips in two weeks. That's two too many if you ask me! We know now that you have allergies and we're going to have to watch what you eat very carefully. I'd be happy to let you eat nothing but bananas until you're 18 if it means no more allergic reactions! You also had your first stomach bug and lost a bit of weight in the process. You are all recovered now, but because of the bug you're starting this month at 16lbs. (1 oz *less* than your weight at 7 months).

But, there have been some pretty fun moments in the past month. You have learned how to master the army crawl. Now that you are officially on the move, nothing is safe. You like to make a beeline for the things you are not supposed to have the second we put you on the floor. You are especially drawn to the laptop charger, the lamp cord, and the grown up books on the bottom shelf of the book case (because the pages wrinkle on those books but not on your board books). We spend most of our day hanging out on the floor together. You crawl towards something you shouldn't have and I try to crawl faster to head you off and redirect your attention. You'd think with all of that activity you would want to take some really good naps, but not so much. More often than not you'd rather practice your crawling in the crib rather than resting.

You are now up to SIX teeth, as all four top teeth you've been working on came in over the last month. We've never really had to tell you NO before, but I think you are quickly learning what that word means since biting seems to be a fun new thing for you to do. You certainly don't like hearing that NO word and show us with big temper tantrums. Sometimes it is hard for me not to laugh because you are especially cute when you're mad!

You are still my goofy, happy, smiley little boy. People comment about it all the time and I love it. You laugh at the funniest things, like when we say "Chicken" or "Ouch" and you really like to laugh during Mama's weight watchers meeting. All the ladies there love you, even when you interrupt the meeting with your goofiness.

Thanks for making these past 8 months such an adventure sweet boy.
Mama loves you!

2.10.10: Who needs a License?

2010-02-10T16:01:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
As you can see, I've been quite busy, working on my driving skills.
(It takes a lot of concentration, since sitting up is a pretty new skill for me)

Shifting gears. (As you can see, I brought Moose along for the ride!)

Here I am making a left turn.

What's that Mama?

What do you mean I have to wait 16 years to get my license?? I want to drive now!

02.08.10: Where, oh where could he be?

2010-02-08T12:04:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
I'm hoping you can help me out with something.
I seem to have lost my friend Moose.
You know, the guy with the purple antlers I love to chew on?
One minute he was hanging out on the floor with me and the next minute he was gone.
Mama keeps giggling at me and taking my picture.
I have a feeling she knows where he is!

02.06.10: On The Move

2010-02-07T17:21:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! A.J. here!
I haven't let Mama catch me on video yet, so this picture of me crawling will have to do.
Yup, it's true! I am on the move!
Mama says this means nothing is safe.
I don't really understand what the big deal is, and I can't figure out why I am not allowed to yank on the power cord for the laptop, or better yet put it in my mouth.

See those big red circles under my eyes?
Mama says they mean no more mangos for A.J.
I'm kind of bummed because I really liked the mango.
And at least I didn't do the puffy lip thing and make them take me to the hospital, right?
It's not easy being me!

02.02.10: Weekend Catch Up

2010-02-02T09:02:00.001-08:00

Hey guys! A.J. here!
Sorry I haven't been around much the past couple of days.
Mama, Daddy and I had a busy weekend.
That picture up there? Well that's me trying to figure out how my jumper works.
I was "looking under the hood" if you will.

Mama caught me! She wonders if I am going to like to fix cars when I grow up.

Speaking of growing up, I think I am big enough to feed myself now. The problem is, the spoon doesn't make into my mouth very often. Personally, I don't think it's a problem. Being messy is fun!

Having fun is pretty tiring! Mama snapped this picture of me when I fell asleep on the living room floor. One minute I was rolling around, playing with my toys and my mama and the next thing I knew I was out cold, napping in the middle of the living room.
It was a nice change of pace for me, but Mama says I really should be napping in my crib.

That Mama. She needs to loosen up!

1.31.10: Dear Miri: GET BETTER!

2010-01-31T10:42:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here.
This picture is old, but it one of my favorites of me and my girlfriend Miri.
She isn't feeling very good right now, so I wanted to post this and tell her that I hope she feels better very very soon.
Or maybe she read my post about wanting to be Doogie Howser and now she is doing the whole hospital thing to try and be smarter than me!
Whatever the motivation, Mama and I are hoping Miri is all better very soon so we can hang out together again!

1.29.10: My REVENGE

2010-01-30T05:40:00.001-08:00

Hi guys, A.J. here!
Today I want to talk to you about a very serious subject.
My mama and that silly camera.
I think I've been a pretty cooperative subject for several months now but a kid can only take so much.

So, effective immediately, I am declaring war on the camera!!

That thing will be mine!

Now I just need to figure out what to do next.

1.28.10: Mama Knows Best?

2010-01-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

My dear sweet baby A.J.,

Your mama is here to hijack your blog for today. I edited these pictures this afternoon while you were in your room *not napping.* I was listening to you on the monitor even though I really didn't need it. I could hear what you had to say quite clearly through the closed nursery door. You may not have any words yet, but you know how to get your point across. You started with, "Hey mama. I miss you. Please come play with me." and when that didn't elicit the desired response you changed to, "WOMAN WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?? DON'T YOU HEAR ME IN HERE??? I AM NOT HAPPY!"

What you don't know is while you were in there crying, I was out here shedding some tears of my own. This is the hard part of being a mama. A big part of me wants to run in and scoop you up and rock you in my arms until you fall asleep. I want to sniff your hair and listen to that cute little sleepy sigh you make. But the other part of me knows that if I do that I'll have to hold you for the whole time you are napping because you'll wake up when I transfer you to the crib. And then we'd have to start the whole nap routine all over again. So I let you fuss for a while, listening as the frustrated cries of an overtired baby quiet over a few minutes and then....silence.

(Until of course the mail truck drives by, Walker barks, and you are once again screaming. That's the way our life goes I'm afraid.)

So I guess the reason I'm writing this today is to let you know that I'm trying really hard to be the best mama I can be for you. Sometimes that means I have to make you take the icky medicine. Sometimes that means I can't let you eat bananas at every meal. Sometimes that means I have to let the doctors poke you. And sometimes that means you need to put yourself to sleep at naptime.

Bear with me baby boy.
I'm doing the best I can.
Love,
Mama

1.27.10: My Plan to Become Doogie Howser

2010-01-27T12:16:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
It's time I let you all in on a little secret.
Mama thinks I am going to be the pilot of Air Force One, but I have other plans. I am going to be a doctor! And since that's my goal, I've decided it makes sense to make frequent trips to the hospital. It will give me a leg up when it's time to go to medical school right?

Today's emergency room adventure was the result of breakfast. Mama made me cereal and bananas which I've had lots and lots of times before (mmmm bananas!) but this time she mixed the cereal with formula which she normally doesn't do.

(Are you seeing where this is going?)

Well, the formula has milk in it and apparently I am ALLERGIC TO MILK!!!

Mama has some benadryl on hand this time and gave me some as soon as my lips started getting puffy. Then she called the doctor to see if I needed to go to the hospital. The nurse said because my mouth was all swollen they needed to see me at the hospital just to be safe. So Mama loaded me in the car and called Daddy on the way.

We had to stay for a couple of hours so that the doctors could make sure I was breathing okay and so that they could make sure the medicines they gave me were working. Now that I have had two ER trips for allergic reactions, I have to go back to the pediatric allergist for more tests. If you're keeping track that would be the same pediatric allergist who told Mama there was no way I could be allergic to milk when she took me to see him back in October. If you know my mama you know that she's just a little bit mad about that and is going to have to try very hard to be polite to that doctor when she sees him.

So there ya go. Just another day in my life.
Let's all hope I outgrow this allergy thing because Mama says ice cream is really tasty!

1.26.10: Sometimes You Feel Like a Nut

2010-01-26T18:07:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here.
Today was just one of those days.
Mama says I woke up on the goofy side of the crib.

Not that there's anything wrong with that!
It just makes it a little hard for Mama to take pictures of me when all I want to do is squint my eyes and stick out my tongue.

So this is what you get today. Goofy, nutty, A.J.

1.25.10: My New Favorite Toy: The Spoon!

2010-01-25T18:10:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
Today was a big day for me! Mama decided that since I like to hold the spoon so much, I could try feeding myself. Let me tell you it was really fun! I mean, I didn't actually get to eat very much, and I kind of knocked the bowl full of applesauce and cereal off my tray and into Mama's lap and the floor. But overall, it was a pretty good time.

When I was done eating, and Mama was done cleaning up the floor, it was pretty obvious that I was going to need to take my clothes off. The bib didn't do too much to contain my mess!

So, Mama stripped me down and hung out with me on the floor while Daddy got my bath ready. As you can see, I really like playing with Mama's glasses!

1.24.10: Did Ya Miss Me?

2010-01-24T18:57:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!

Sorry I had to go away for a couple of days.
My Mama and Daddy have been very busy the past couple of days so I wasn't able to get them to help me update this blog.

We've had a pretty good weekend around here. My tummy is still not quite right, so I get to eat lots of bananas. Doctors orders! That picture up there shows you how excited I am about those bananas!

Saturday was a really fun day for me! I got to see my Miss Amanda! Miss Amanda came to take care of me while Mama and Daddy were working at the bridal show.

Wasn't their booth cool? I just don't understand why they didn't put any pictures of *me* in the slideshow. So anyway, they went to the show and I stayed home with Miss Amanda and showed her all of the new skills I have since the last time she came to visit. I also showed her what an awesome napper I am, taking two 2 hour naps while she was here. I think Mama might be a little upset about that because she says I never nap that long for her!

And since I slept so well for Miss Amanda yesterday, I decided that I didn't need to sleep too much last night. I'm not sure why but Mama didn't seem too excited to wake up with me at 4:30 this morning. The good part of waking up so early was that we got to go to early church. Mama likes early church because I am at least 60 years younger than most of the other attendees and those older people seem to really like me. They don't even give me any looks when I make noises.

So that was my weekend.
Have a great week everyone!

1.21.10: Toys We Love: Moose

2010-01-21T13:35:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
I am happy to report today was a much better day than yesterday.
I am still feeling a little under the weather, and would like to apologize to everyone at Hobby Lobby for the very stinky diaper I made while Mama was shopping this morning.
But the good news is I SLEPT last night...for 10 whole hours!
(and I took a nice little nap while we were out running errands)

I want to tell you today about my friend Moose. He is currently my very favorite pal.
We roll around on the floor together and I like to take him everywhere I go, even to church!
The main reason I love Moose is because he has lots of spots for me to chew on. I find his purple ears especially tasty and his legs make a fun crinkle noise when I gnaw on them. Moose also has a couple of rings on his tail that are very easy for me to hold on to.

I think everyone should have a moose just like mine!

1.20.10: A Pretty Crappy Day

2010-01-20T17:43:00.000-08:00

Disclaimer: Mama says I'm not allowed to say crap or crappy. In fact, I often hear her say things like, "Oh Crap...A.J. you're not allowed to say crap..." But today she's making a "crap" exemption because it truly is the best word to describe our day.

That picture above is me at the doctor this morning. Mama brought me in after I did more than my fair share of pooping yesterday. We're talking like a dozen dirty diapers yesterday people! And then this morning I had 4 gross ones before 9 am! It didn't help of course that Mama was sick too, and Daddy was out of town for work. So Mama thought it might be a good idea to check in with the doctor.

It turns out I lost 7 ounces in the past week due to all of my diaper activity. The doctor wasn't too worried though. In fact, she told mama that I should eat lots and lots of bananas until my belly is better. Sweet! A medical excuse to eat my very favorite food!

And when we got home the day, quite literally, got crappier. Walker decided my messy diaper smelled interesting and while Mama was in the other room taking care of me, he decided to investigate. Mama made this picture black and white to spare you guys a little. Trust me when I tell you it was ***guh-ross!***

See, that's my "Eww gross!" face.
Mama says she is going to bed early and hopes tomorrow is much less crappy!

1.19.10: Rolling is my favorite mode of transportation

2010-01-19T15:24:00.001-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
You should have seen the look on my mama's face right before she snapped that picture.
I believe her words were, "How in the world....."
If you've been to my house before you can probaby tell where I am.
That's right. I was under the end table!
Mama left me in the middle of the living room floor so she could go use the bathroom.
When she came back, here I was just hanging out.
I know everyone keeps talking about how great it is to crawl and walk and stuff, but really I think rolling is a very effective mode of transportation!

1.18.10: A Lesson in Napping

2010-01-18T17:35:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here.
Mama is always trying to drill into me the importance of naptime. To be honest, I think it's kind of over rated. I mean, I am sure I am missing out on all sorts of fun things when Mama takes me into that dark bedroom and puts me down in the crib. In fact, sometimes I get quite loud in expressing my discontent about naptime.

But this afternoon, I missed out on my afternoon nap because we were at the grocery store and I was too entertained by the bumpy cart ride to sleep. As a result, here is what I looked like at 5:00 tonight:

Yes, I was a little tired. And a little crabby. And I really just wanted to snuggle with Mama so I missed out on my normal fun evening activities. Maybe I'll take this lesson into consideration tomorrow when it's nap time.

Maybe.
But probably not.

1.17.10: Life Behind Bars

2010-01-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, A.J. here!
No cute picture of me to share today. Instead I thought I would show you how mean my parents are.
Sure, they appear great on the surface, but need I remind you about the great Halloween Costume debacle of 2009? Mama showed her evil streak in the form of a banana I had to wear on my head.
Now, it's even worse! They're keeping me behind bars!!
They *say* they're concerned for my safety now that I'm rolling all over the floor and trying my hand at crawling. I'm pretty sure they just put the gates up to keep me from having any fun.
It's not easy being a 7 month old!

1.16.10: Movin to the Country...

2010-01-16T18:04:00.000-08:00

I'm gonna eat me a lot of peaches.

Hi guys, A.J. here. I'll be honest. I don't really know what the title means. We're not moving to the country. But Mama fed me peaches for the first time this morning and all day she's been walking around the house singing, "I'm movin to the country I'm gonna eat me a lot of peaches." and "Peaches come in a can, they were put there by a man in a factory downtown."

All I know is that my peaches did not come from a can, and they were put in my mouth by my mama not by some man in a factory. And I LIKED THEM! And, most importantly as far as my mama is concerned, I did not swell up like a balloon or break out in hives. No peach allergy in this house. You know she's a little crazy about this allergy thing now. I think she might be reading food labels for me until I graduate high school.

In case you were wondering, which you probably aren't, sweet potatoes and peaches make the contents of my diaper turn orange. I think Mama finds this a little disturbing.

1.15.10: Caption This Photo

2010-01-15T17:19:00.001-08:00

A. What?? Mama has updated this blog every day for more than two weeks and hardly anybody leaves comments??
B. What?? Daddy is making pancakes and sausage for breakfast tomorrow and I don't get any??
C. What?? Mama rented UP from the redbox this morning and she's not going to watch it until after I'm in bed??

Happy Friday everyone! Here's to a "balmy" weekend in NE Wisconsin. I think we're going to get close to 40! Break out the shorts and fire up the grill.
Okay, we probably won't do either, but it's possible it will be warm enough to take down the Christmas lights.

1.14.10: Just an Ordinary Day, Except for the Part where I Crawled

2010-01-14T17:31:00.000-08:00

Hi Guys! A.J. here.
After such an eventful week, I am happy to report today was pretty boring.
It was the normal Thursday.
Mama got up and showered while Daddy was still home to watch me.
Daddy left for work and I hung out on the floor with Mama.
And then, I crawled.
Well, sort of.
It was more of an army crawl with my legs dragging behind me, but Mama was still very excited.
I don't have the heart to tell her that I have no intention of doing it again any time soon, especially if she has the camera nearby.

Speaking of pictures, that's me up there after my bath all wrapped up in my monkey hooded towel. Tonight I decided that bathtime would be even more fun if I wasn't the only one getting wet, so I did lots of kicking and splashing and got Mama soaked too.

Like I said, just an ordinary day.
:)

1.13.10: About Last Night

2010-01-13T16:22:00.001-08:00

Hi Guys! A.J. here! Sorry about my, um, absence yesterday.
Now that I am feeling much better, I can give you the lowdown on what happened.
See that picture up there? That was *supposed* to be the picture Mama shared last night.
That would be me, sitting up like a big boy!

But just after that picture was taken, dinner was ready.
So, Mama put me in my high chair so I could watch them eat.
And Daddy asked if he could give me a new treat, a "biter biscuit."

So while the grown ups dined on garlic chicken, I gnawed on this little cookie thing. It was quite fun actually. I got to put my two teeth to work and make a bit of a mess in the process. Before I knew it, Mama and Daddy were done eating and it was time for my bath.

That's when I started feeling a little funny. My eyes got really itchy and I started rubbing them a lot. At first Mama and Daddy just thought I was really tired (it was almost bed time after all). But when they got me out of the bath they realized something was wrong.
My mouth started getting really puffy. And then my cheeks and eyelids got really puffy.

Daddy finished getting my dried off and into my jammies while Mama called the nurses line.

Daddy took this picture while we waited for the call back. You can see I wasn't quite looking like myself. Then, the nurse called back, asked some questions and told Mama that I needed to go to the hospital so they could give me special medicine for my allergic reaction. (Mama note: the nurse also said I should ride in the backseat with A.J. to make sure he kept breathing in the car. Way to freak a Mama out!!)

This is the picture Mama says "breaks her heart" Daddy took it right before we left and I was *trying* to smile at him, but my lips wouldn't work right.

So, we went to the hospital and everyone was really nice there.
The nurse even gave me a plastic syringe to play with.
Mama called it a souvenir, and then I poked my eye with it and she took it away.

I tried my best to smile at all the people who were taking care of me, but again my lips weren't quite working right. The good news is, everything else seemed to be working fine. I was breathing okay and I didn't have any other problems except for all of the swelling on my face.

The doctor gave me a couple of medicines in my mouth, and a shot that he told my Mama was going to probably keep me "up all night." Mama told him at least we would have a good reason for being awake as opposed to other nights.

But you know what? That doctor underestimated the power of my normally scheduled bedtime. Epi or not, it was past my bedtime....

I fell asleep in Daddy's arms and Mama used the cell phone to take my picture
Daddy transfered me to the bed until we got our discharge orders.
And then, we went home...by way of Dairy Queen.
After a diaper change and a snack, I was asleep in my crib by 9 pm and Mama and Daddy went to bed soon after.

So, that's that. No more biter biscuits, or wheat anything for me.
And now Mama and Daddy have the benadryl on standby for any future foods that might make me swollen and itchy. The doctors say I am more prone to this because I am "Eczema Boy"

Mama says she hopes the rest of the week is a lot more boring!

1.12.10: Rough Night

2010-01-12T18:46:00.000-08:00

No witty words from A.J. tonight.
Just his tired mama typing with one hand while holding a sleeping little dude in the other arm.
We just got home from the emergency room after a certain little monkey man had a bad reaction to a teething biscuit.
You can see some of the swelling in the cell phone pic above.
It had already gone down some at that point after a shot and some oral meds.
More details tomorrow.
For now...bed!

1.11.10: Seven Months

2010-01-11T17:59:00.001-08:00

Seven months. It is hard to wrap my brain around the fact that A.J. is getting closer and closer to being one year old. Soon he will have been on "the outside" longer than the length of my pregnancy.

Our days fly by and I am so incredibly lucky to be able to spend almost every day watching A.J. grow up. Sure, there are days where adult conversation is hard to come by. There are days when all I want is to sleep past sunrise or to take the kind of long hot shower that steams up the mirrors and uses up all of the hot water. But even on those days, I am blessed to be A.J.'s Mama.

Here are a few "stats" I want to remember as A.J. turns 7 months:

16lbs 1oz (11th percentile)
26.75 inches (63rd percentile)
Head circumference in the 81st percentile
two front bottom teeth, with two top teeth working their way down
Moved to his crib full time on 12.28.09
bed time is 7pm. Depending on the night we are up once, sometimes twice. Wake up is between 5:30 and 7am.
two naps a day on good days. Some days no naps. Some days lots of cat naps in Mama's arms.
turning into a tummy sleeper.
talks himself to sleep and wakes up babbling until we go in and get him from his crib.
two meals of solid foods a day.
Tried avocado, brown rice cereal, banana, pears, applesauce, prunes, sweet potatoes.
Favorite food is bananas, followed closely by anything mixed by bananas
Least favorite food is prunes.
Still nursing 5-7 times a day.
Loves to jump in his jumperoo.
Pushes up and is attempting to army crawl.
Moves across the living room by rolling FAST.
Loves to stand with assistance.
Able to sit unassisted for short periods of time but has no interest in doing so.
Experiencing a little separation anxiety. Likes to know where Mama and Daddy are when he's with someone else.
Smiles at everyone.
Loves to laugh.

Mama loves you sweet boy!

01.10.10: A.J. Meets THE SNOWMAN!

2010-01-10T11:38:00.001-08:00

Hey guys A.J. here!!
What a weekend I have had! Mama and Daddy took me to see an 18 foot tall snowman!
Now that is something you only see in Wisconsin!
This snowman is so famous, he even has a facebook page. According to the facebook page the wind blew Frosty's hat off right after we left. It's a good thing we weren't there when that happened. A baby could get hurt with a hat like that flying around!

Mama was a little worried about having me outside in the cold, but I loved it! I giggled when the wind blew and I thought it was hysterical that Mama was running with me to get me back in the car. The only downside was having to wear socks on my hands because I apparently don't have any mittens and the snowsuit I was wearing didn't have mittens attached.

Meeting the giant snowman is exhausting. I think I'll spend the rest of the afternoon napping!

Happy Saturday!

2010-01-09T10:58:00.001-08:00

Just a few seconds of my favorite sound ever: A.J. giggling. Apparently Daddy is a pretty funny guy.

A Special Request from Grandma Joan

2010-01-09T10:00:00.000-08:00

These pictures are from December but never got posted to the blog. Here's a look at A.J.'s first SNOW DAY:

With Mama as the snow was starting to come down

With Daddy at the beginning of the snow storm

Family Portrait!!

All bundled up with Mama the next morning.

Not sure what to think of this white stuff

There was enough snow on the patio table to build a snowman bigger than A.J.

01.08.10: My Life as Eczema Boy

2010-01-08T14:53:00.000-08:00

Hi guys, A.J. here.
Is it chilly where you are? It seems like everyone have cold weather these days and Wisconsin is no exception.

In addition to making it tougher to take me outside, the cold weather also makes my skin very itchy! Mama and Daddy do their best to put lots and lots of moisturizing ointment on me, but it only helps a little bit. So it looks like I'll be spending the winter dealing with this itchy rash and Mama will spend all winter losing track of how many times a day she says, "A.J. DON'T SCRATCH!"

This afternoon Mama decided to take some pictures of me and post them without editing out all of my red patches and scratches. I'm still pretty cute, right?

Teething makes my eczema rash worse, so I always have very rosy cheeks.

Here I am checking to see if Mama can take pictures and say "A.J. DON'T SCRATCH" at the same time. She can.
Yet another scratching outtake. I also think this will be my album cover if I ever decide to pursue a career in rap music.

So there you go. Now you know what I look like when Mama doesn't spend lots of time on the computer trying to make my scratches go away!

01.07.10: 30 weeks

2010-01-07T16:21:00.000-08:00

Hey guys A.J. here!

Do you know that I was born 31 Thursdays ago?
Mama says it doesn't feel like it's been almost 7 months.
I am definitely getting bigger.
Here is a look at the very first picture we took with my monkeys back when I was just one week old:

Crazy, right?
Who is that little baby and why doesn't he have a neck?

What did YOU have for dinner?

2010-01-06T18:59:00.000-08:00

Me? Well, Mama made me sweet potatoes. Despite what this picture might appear to indicate:
a. Plenty of puree made it into my mouth
and
b. I liked what I tasted

I'm really enjoying this new food stuff. It's fun to try new things. Now, if only I can convince Mama that Grandpa Mark should take me for my first Publix Deli Sub when we visit Florida in a few weeks!

01.05.10: People We Love: Grandma Kristine

2010-01-05T12:22:00.000-08:00

Hey Guys! A.J. here!
Did you know that today is a very special day??
It's my Grandma Kristine's Birthday!

Mama took this picture of us together over Christmas when we got to spend lots of time snuggling together.

My Grandma Kristine is great for many reasons. She gives awesome gum massages, which are very important to teething babies. She has her own collection of baby spoons which came in handy when I was showing off my solid food eating skills. And she even let Mama go back to bed a couple of mornings while we were visiting and I wasn't doing so hot on the sleeping front.

I am sad that I can't see my Grandma Kristine on her birthday, but hopefully she will check this blog and know that I love her (and Mama and Daddy do too!)

Happy Birthday Grandma!
See you soon!!

01.04.10: Life with a MWAC

2010-01-04T14:04:00.000-08:00

Hey guys, A.J. here.

Today was just your ordinary Monday and so you'd think my mama wouldn't have any pictures to share. But you'd be wrong. Sometimes it's not easy living with a MWAC (that's Mama With A Camera for those of you who are not in the know).

My mama takes pictures of EVERYTHING. Really. I can't even drool in peace. This constant photo taking is really motivating me to learn to crawl. I need a way to get away from the camera.

In the meantime, here are a few pictures Mama snapped this afternoon while I was trying to roll my way across the living room floor.

Happy Monday everyone!

01.03.10: Foods We Love: Applesauce

2010-01-03T17:53:00.001-08:00

Mama made me a tasty new treat for dinner tonight. Brown rice cereal made with pear juice and mixed with bananas and apple sauce. As you can see, I loved it. Actually, I love anything with banana in it. I am a monkey after all. But Mama says I need my bananas mixed with other fruits so that I "stay regular." Whatever that means....

01.02.10: People We Love: Auntie Barb

2010-01-02T18:52:00.000-08:00

Auntie Barb came to visit me today. Well, she actually came to scrapbook with Mama. But I distracted her with my overwhelming cuteness and my new tricks. I even showed her how quickly I can down a bowl of brown rice cereal, pears, and bananas.

Dear 2010: I'm here for the party

2010-01-01T09:12:00.000-08:00

Hi guys! A.J. here!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!
I hope you all are feeling great about 2010 because I think it's going to be a pretty awesome year.

Mama tried to put me to bed before midnight last night, but I was determined to be part of the celebration, so I woke up for a snack at 10:55, just a few minutes before East Coast Midnight. I may not be able to count yet, but I got to participate in the countdown and score my first new years smooch from Mama.

So far 2010 has been pretty good to me. I had a yummy breakfast of brown rice cereal, bananas and pears. Then Mama stripped me down to my diaper and took some goofy pictures of me. Now I'm chilling in my jumperoo and hoping Mama forgets to put me to bed on time tonight so that I can stay up and cheer on the Gators in the Sugar Bowl.

I hope you will come visit my blog often in 2010 because Mama says she is resolving to post more often so my friends and family can keep on all the ways I'm changing!

Bring it on 2010! Show me what you got!

Thanks for the Memories 2009

2009-12-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

My dear sweet baby A.J.,

In just a couple of hours, the clock will strike midnight and we will say goodbye to the year 2009, welcoming in 2010. You, thankfully, have been asleep for a few hours now and with any luck will not wake up until the new year is at least 6 hours old. Before you went to sleep for the night, I made your daddy take this picture. Our standard self portrait, the last picture of our family taken in 2009. The grown ups look scruffy (we're on vacation after all), the baby looks dazed, and you can see that taking down the Christmas tree is still on the to do list. This is us, right this very minute. And I would not change a thing.

I'm not sure I've ever loved a year the way I loved 2009. The first six months were full of challenges and anticipation. Daddy and I went on our last vacation just the two of us (for a while anyway). I got my gestational diabetes diagnosis and learned how to give myself insulin several times a day (good thing you helped me get over my fear of needles). We spent lots of time picking out the things we would need for your arrival. We took the hospital childbirth class and tried not to worry that we would forget the important stuff when it was time for your arrival. We celebrated the birth of babies that will hopefully grow up to be your good friends (Miri, Nash, Charlie, and Charlie). Mama turned 30.

And then June came. You arrived and our world changed more than we could have ever imagined. We weren't quite sure what to do with you when they first sent us home from the hospital, but thankfully we are quick learners. You threw us a couple of curve balls there in the beginning with the jaundice (you spent a couple of days on the baby tanning bed) and then the seizures (you looked so tiny in that hospital crib). Your first week felt like it lasted a month, and there were moments that I wasn't sure I was smart enough or strong enough to be your mama. I know you won't remember those early days, but I will never forget them.

Now, you are approaching seven months old. You sleep in your own bed. You're experimenting with big people food, putting those two teeth of yours to work. You are so close to crawling and sitting up all by yourself. You smile and laugh all the time and I am so proud to be your Mama especially when someone comments on what a happy baby you are.

You are always up for an adventure and I can just imagine all of the adventures 2010 has in store for us. This time next year you'll be walking and talking (at least a little bit) and you'll have a new cousin to teach all sorts of tricks. I'll probably be here writing you another letter talking about how much I loved the past 365 days. And I'm sure I'll make Daddy take another silly picture of us just the way we are.

Happy 1st New Year baby boy!
All my love,
Mama

The first of many family Christmas self portraits

2009-12-25T08:55:00.001-08:00

Rest assured, there are plenty of "real" pictures of us together. But this one is just us. Our crazy little family of three with our signature self portrait.

Wishing all of you a happy, safe, merry day of family friends and love.
Happy Birthday Baby Jesus!

Our Santa Baby

2009-12-24T11:01:00.000-08:00

We have no doubt that A.J. will not remember any of this year's Christmas activities. But we also know this is a year we will never forget. A year to continue old traditions with the next generation. A year of firsts for all of us. A year to be thankful.

Santa came early for the Homburgs.

World Tour Wrap Up

2009-12-10T11:37:00.000-08:00

Hello All! A.J. here!

I'm happy to report we all survived my big world tour over Thanksgiving.

It was a little touch and go towards the end (whose idea was it to put me in the car for TWELVE HOURS in one day?) but we all had a great time visiting!

Here are a few pictorial highlights from the trip (see that big word I used there? Mama helped me out!)

Tennessee:

Mama and Daddy took me to Panera where they would not let me have a bagel, but they did let me cuddle with Miss Janelle. She is one of Mama and Daddy's former brides and one of Mama's good friends. I like her very much because she is a good snuggler and she has long hair which I enjoyed pulling on very much!
This is Auntie Lee Ann. We stayed with her in her beautiful new condo while we were in Tennessee. I wore my sweater with the penguin in the pocket just for her because she likes them. She was so nice to us. She let Mama and Daddy sleep in her bed, and she let me take a bath in her tub!

I also got to spend some quality time with my girlfriend Allie. She is almost exactly three months younger than me. We actually went to Disney World together when we were still in our Mamas bellies. We go way back! We are already planning our next big adventure together in January 2011 when Allie's Mama is going to run a marathon and a half marathon in two days. My mama thinks that's a little crazy, but it's still a good reason to go to Disney World!
While we were in Knoxville, Mama took me to visit the station she used to work at. She let me sit on the set, but kept repeating over and over "A.J. you do not want to work in television. The pay is terrible and you don't get to have a life. You will be much happier if you grow up to be the pilot of Air Force One." Okay, Mama. Whatever.

This is Miss Erin. Let me tell you a little about Miss Erin. She is crazy, just like my Mama and my daddy. She carries around a BIG camera (again, just like my folks) and she takes lots and lots of pictures. When I first met her I tried to pretend I didn't know how to look at the camera, but I finally gave in and let her take some pictures of me. You can't see them yet because Mama says it's a Christmas secret. I'll spoil part of it for you though...I'm really cute. Pretend to be surprised, okay?
Before we left Knoxville for the next leg of the world tour, I met my new friend Sydney. She's got a few months on me and man is she cool. She has more teeth than me, and as a result she gets to EAT REAL FOOD. I watched her have dinner and I was very jealous. She also gets around much better than me. I'm hoping the next time I see her I can show off some new
skills.

Virginia:
We spent a LONG time in the car on our way to Virginia, but when we got there I was very excited to see my Goofy Grandpa. He made me laugh even though I was a little tired and crabby.

I was also quite happy to find that my great Aunt Lorri spared no expense in her kitchen...including an olympic sized sink! Perfect for taking a bath!
Gradually, over the course of my stay in Virginia, all of these people showed up. Mama says I am related to all of them. I think she's right because they all seemed a little crazy to me.

Michigan
On our way home we stopped in Michigan where I got to see my Grandma and Grandpa Homburg AND I got to meet my great grandma! It was very fun but I was very tired of traveling and also working hard on cutting my second tooth so I wasn't the best company!

Indiana:
Technically we only drove through Indiana, but we stopped for gas in just the right spot so I could see my Auntie Stacy! Please ignore the irate look on my face. I believe Daddy snapped this picture right after Mama made some comment about getting back in the car.

So there you have it! My world tour in a nutshell. Mama says everyone needs to move closer because she can't do another trip like that ever again. I think she's just being overly dramatic. It wasn't *that* bad. I mean I know she went partially deaf from my screaming for 3 hours in the car one day, but I'm sure she'll regain most of her hearing.

On that note, I'm off to get dressed for my big evening with the Ossmann family. Something about presents! See ya!

From Ours to Yours

2009-11-26T09:22:00.000-08:00

We have so much to be thankful for this year, our first as a little family of three.
A.J. is thankful for lots of arms to hold him as we celebrate the holiday with extended family.
Mama is thankful that morning sickness won't disrupt Thanksgiving dinner this year.
Daddy is thankful he can watch the Lions play the Packers because the Amidons have Directv at the farm.

From our little family to yours, Happy Thanksgiving!

November is a busy month

2009-11-18T11:38:00.001-08:00

Hi Guys! A.J. here!

I may only be 5 months old, but I'm already learning that the holiday season means things are really really busy. We're only half way through November and I've already been very busy. Here's a peek at what I've been up to:

Visiting Miss Sara: Mama and I drove down to Brown Deer to celebrate Miss Sara's new engagement. Mama is always telling me what a funny funny girl Miss Sara is so the moment I saw her I decided to show off my ability to giggle. I think the giggling made up for the fact that I made a really stinky diaper at her house!

Showing off my new tricks for Grandpa Mark: The last time he saw me, I was only a week old and, honestly, a pretty boring kid. I mean, I tried to stir up some drama with my visit to Children's Hospital, but when it comes down to it newborns just don't do much to entertain their visitors. Now that I'm 5 months old, it's way cooler to hang out with me (if I do say so myself). I showed Grandpa how I like to sit up, stand, and play in my exersaucer. I also smiled and giggled at him a little bit which I'd like to think makes up for the beard pulling.

Snuggling with Grandma Joan: Mama had her wisdom teeth pulled last week and Grandpa Mark and Grandma Joan's visits timed out so that they were each here to hang out with me while Mama recovered. Grandma Joan and I spent lots of time snuggling while she was here. You see, I started getting a bit fussy a couple of days into her visit. You might be able to guess why by the fist shoved all the way into my mouth in that picture up there. My first pesky tooth decided this was the week it wanted to really try to come in. That tooth made me crabby and tired and fussy. It also made me want to stay up all night to snuggle with my Mama instead of sleeping. Good news though! As of this morning, the tooth is in!! It's not hurting me nearly as much as before, and last night I actually slept 7.5 hours straight which I haven't done in a week!

So, there you have it! I've been a busy boy the past few weeks! And life isn't slowing down any time soon. On Friday we are packing up the car and starting a really big road trip! We're going to visit Mama's old friends in Knoxville before we head to Virginia for Thanksgiving with Mama's family. THEN on the way home from our big adventure, we're going to stop in Michigan to see my Grandma Kristine and Grandpa Fred. It's going to be a crazy couple of weeks but I'm really excited!

Catch ya on the flip side!

Halloween Costume Test Drive

2009-10-26T12:34:00.000-07:00

(Alternate title: My mama has lost her mind, please send help!)

Hey folks, A.J. here!

I come to you with a terrible tale of humiliation and torture. You'd never know it by looking at my mama, but she has an evil streak. Sure, she seems like a good parent. She keeps me fed and changed and happy most of the time. But this morning, she showed her true colors.

I present to you Exhibit A:

Do you see this?? Mama says all babies dress up for Halloween. I don't know what "Halloween" is, but why on earth is there a BANANA on my head??
You put a banana on my head and then you want me to smile??? What is wrong with you woman?
Perhaps if I put on my really really cute face you'll take pity on me and get me out of this getup!
No? I have to stay in this thing? And wear it again this weekend? That's it. I've lost the will to live.

Psst...

2009-10-12T12:32:00.001-07:00

Hi Guys! A.J. here...

Guess what?

I'm teething.

I'm not quite sure what that means but I do know that it makes my mouth hurt. And it makes me drool a lot. And it makes me prefer cuddling with my mama instead of sleeping.

So Mama says she's sorry that this blog hasn't been updated in a while but she's going to do her best to get some new entries up this week.

In the meantime, here are a couple of pictures to remind you all that I'm still really cute...

Someday We Will Tell Him...

2009-09-11T08:58:00.000-07:00

Someday we will tell him why this day is important. We will tell him about the people who went to work one day and died just because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time. We will tell him about the police officers and firefighters who went running in while everyone else was running out. We will tell him about the heroes who gave their lives to help strangers.

Someday we will tell him that Mama worked in t.v. back then and talked to congressmen as they were being evacuated from the capitol. We will tell him that there was a lot of work to do in the newsroom and no time for tears even though we were all scared. We will tell him that Mama's coworkers will always be some of her closest friends because of what happened on that day. We will tell him that his Grandpa Mark was in the hospital that night and Mama talked to him on the phone for a long time when she couldn't sleep. We will tell him how quiet it was for a few days when no planes were allowed to fly.

Someday we will tell him how the world was different in the days after 9/11. We will tell him how people from different faiths all came together for candlelight prayer vigils. We will tell him about the flag pins, and the fundraisers, and how the people of East Tennessee raised enough money to buy the Freedom Engine, to replace a ladder truck that was crushed by debris.

Someday we will tell him that a few weeks later our country went to war. We will tell him that brave men and women left their families to go protect our freedom. We will tell him that some of those brave soldiers didn't get to come home. We will tell him that the ones who did come home were thanked and hugged by strangers in the airport. We will tell him about the yellow ribbons and the care packages and the parades.

Someday we will tell him all of these things, but not today. Today we will cuddle him a little closer, and give him a few more kisses. Today we will be thankful for his smile and his laughter. Today we will pray for the wisdom to raise our little boy in this scary world.

Someday we will tell him to never forget.

My First Labor Day Weekend!

2009-09-08T13:56:00.000-07:00

Hey everyone! A.J. here...

Being an almost three month old, I didn't really know what Labor Day weekend was all about. Here are a few things I can now tell you about holiday weekends.

It means:

An extra day at home with Daddy.
A smaller crowd at the Farmers Market (and no Auntie Barb...so sad)
Lots of editing for Mama since Daddy was around to hang out with me.

Here are some pictures from my first three day weekend:

Saturday, we went to the Farmers Market without Auntie Barb (SAD!) The market was pretty quiet since a lot of people were out of town for the holiday. I was also bummed that Daddy refused to share his fresh hot donuts with me. They smelled really yummy!

Sunday I had a fun date with my Auntie Trish. Mama and Daddy had an engagement session to shoot, so I spent the morning with Auntie Trish and Lauren. I had so much fun that when I got home I had something to eat and then slept for almost three hours!
Monday was my extra day with Daddy (it came at a good time, since he's going to be on a business trip for most of this week!). Since I'm getting to be such a big boy, we all went to Babies R Us to buy me a special chair so I can learn to sit up! Mama took some pictures while I tried it out:
I'm still a little wobbly, but I'm really excited about looking at the world from the upright position!
Mama also took some other pictures of Daddy and I playing together. Mama says please excuse the piles of laundry on the couch. There was lots of cleaning going on this weekend too!

I bet you didn't know I was SUPER BABY!!!

That's about all I have to share today. Auntie Barb is coming over for dinner since Daddy is out of town. I hear the girls are having stuffed chicken breasts and Greek Salad. I have a feeling they are not planning to share with me. It's rough being the baby!

Love,
A.J.

It's Great to be...

2009-09-04T05:44:00.000-07:00

A FLORIDA GATOR!!

Hi Guys, AJ here!

I'm very excited to be wearing my orange and blue on this college color day. Mom says we wil send these pictures in with my college application to be a part of the University of Florida class of 2031. We're hoping this improves my chance of getting a scholarship to help with out of state tuition.

Hey, maybe Tim Tebow will read this blog and send me an autographed football. How cool would that be??

Happy Labor Day weekend. And remember, if you're not a Gator you're.....

GATOR BAIT!!!!
(P.S.- I'm still working on my game face. Mama says I have plenty of time!)

Trying Video

2009-09-03T18:30:00.000-07:00

Just a test to see if this works

Thirteen Thursdays

2009-09-03T17:40:00.001-07:00

At one week old:

At 12 weeks:

He's a keeper :)

September 2nd: Another Then and Now

2009-09-02T14:23:00.000-07:00

Hey guys! AJ here!

Did you like yesterday's pictures? Wasn't it cool to see how much I'm growing? How about another comparison?

Here I am chilling in my playmat when I was just about 6 weeks old:

That was the first smile Mama ever caught with the camera. Six weeks later I am smiling every day...

As you can see, I still love my playmat!

September is here!

2009-09-01T18:56:00.001-07:00

Hi guys, AJ here!

Mama says she can't believe it's already September. This is the month I turn three months old! It's also the month of my daddy's birthday AND my first plane trip to Colorado. We are all very excited about the month ahead.

Our first day of September was pretty boring. I spent a lot of time in my swing while Mama tried to get some editing done. While I was swinging, Mama decided to take a picture so everyone can see how much I am growing and changing every day.

Here I am in the swing when I was just about 2 weeks old:

Now, here's what I looked like swinging this afternoon at almost 12 weeks old:

Pretty crazy, huh? I'm really getting to be a big boy. Ignore those scratches on my face please. My fingernails grow quickly and sometimes I scratch myself before Mama gets a chance to trim them!

Okay, time for a quick snack before bed!
Night!

Just Ducky

2009-08-28T10:02:00.001-07:00

Hi Peeps! (Peeps...ducks...get it?)

AJ here... Just checking in to let you all know that everything is fine here in the jungle. We're still working on find a routine.

Well, actually, I think our routine is just fine as it is. I wake up, mama feeds me, then we play, then I sleep in her arms, then I wake up when she tries to put me down for a nap, then I eat and play some more. Sounds great right? Mama seems to think she needs to "get things done" and that I need to "nap in my crib" but I'm pretty sure she doesn't know what she's talking about.

I mean really...look at how cute I am all wrapped up in my ducky towel. Why on earth would she want to put me in my crib when I'm clearly quite comfortable sleeping in her arms?

So, if you're checking the blog for updates, or waiting for an email or a phone call from my mama....please be patient. She can only do so much in those 15 minutes I will sit in my bouncy chair.

Love,
AJ

Happy Two Month Birthday Little Monkey

2009-08-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

How is it possible that you're only two months old? As I type this with you laying on my chest (which isn't easy by the way) I really can't remember what it felt like without you in our family. I'm pretty sure I slept more, and I know for a fact that I was able to take longer showers, but that's about all I remember.

Even though it feels like you've been with us forever, I remember the day you were born like it was yesterday. I remember when I found out you were a boy, just like I thought. I was so excited to finally have my Anderson James. I remember telling you that I saw you when you were just a follicle! I guess that's one of the perks of the fertility treatments we went through to bring you into the world. I really can say I knew you from the very beginning!

Your daddy made fun of me in those first couple of days because I just kept saying you were amazing. I used that word over and over because it was really the only way to express the way I felt when I looked at you in my arms. Two months later I'd say the label still fits. You amaze me, even at 3 in the morning when I'm changing your diaper with my eyes half open. Your smile makes me forget that I'm tired. Your daddy will tell you that's pretty amazing since I'm normally very grumpy if I don't get enough sleep. You amaze me when you fall asleep laying on me in a position that looks anything but comfortable. You especially amaze me with your uncanny ability to poop right after bath time. :)

In honor of your two month birthday, I thought I would document a few details about your life right now...

At 2 months...

You weigh 11lbs 13oz (55%)

You're 23.25inches tall (65%)

Your head is 40.cm around (72%...big head big brain right)

You are becoming a great sleeper giving us six straight hours on most nights and sometimes even 8 hours.
You still sleep at night in the pack and play next to our bed. I love having you close, but I won't miss all of your loud sleeping noises when you move to your room.
You are swaddled by Daddy every night at bedtime. We call him the swaddle master because he does a much better job than mama.
You take one good nap a day in your crib. You go down anywhere between 10:30 and 12:00 and you wake up between 1pm and 3pm.
You catnap during the rest of the day in the carseat or the swing, or your very favorite place....on mama's chest.
You started smiling at 6 weeks and now you smile every day. You're especially smiling in the mornings, which makes it a little easier for Mama to wake up.
You love to be in the car, but would prefer it if we could run through stop lights and never had to stop for gas. Sometimes I hear you sigh happily when we accelerate onto the highway. Even at 2 months you have a need for speed.
You get two bottles a day so we can give you your anti seizure medication, but other than that you are exclusively breast fed. Like a typical breast fed baby, you look at anyone holding you as a potential food source and you get a big smile on your face when daddy passes you off to me to eat.
Your opinion on baths seems to be changing. Daddy made the water a little warmer and now you seem pretty content to hang out in the sink for a while. You still hate the getting out and drying off part though.
You spent your first afternoon away from Mama and Daddy on 8/2. You hung out with Auntie Trish so that we could shoot an engagement session.
80% of your clothing is monkey related.

Until next month...here are a few pictures from your two month birthday...

We love you little monkey man!

Rub-a-dub-dub...

2009-08-10T17:38:00.000-07:00

Photo shoot in the tub...well, sink actually. Here's a few shots from tonight's bath. It seems our little monkey man is deciding bath time might not be so bad after all.

not so sure at first...
Thinking this is kind of nice....
Hey, what's with the camera?
Put that thing down and wash me!!!

Another Week and More Pictures

2009-08-05T16:27:00.001-07:00

Hi guys. A.J. here!
Did you know it's already August?
Mom says summer is really flying by and she can't believe I'm going to be 8 weeks old tomorrow.

Want to see what we've been up to around here? Here are a few pictures from the past couple of weeks...

Mom says this is her new favorite picture of me even though it's a little blurry. I call this my "KISS audition face"

Also on Mom's "favorite picture list": pictures of me showing off my newly discovered smile

Here I am smiling because I kept Mom up all night and she looks very tired.
And here I am smiling because Mom is about to feed me some breakfast. I'm a growing boy you know!
And here I am smiling because I'm wearing my miracle onesie that was made just for me. I'm trying not to let it go to my head.

In between smiling, I've been doing some other things too...
I took a trip up to Green Bay to say goodbye to my favorite weekend morning anchor, Jenn Karlman. Apparently not even my cuteness was enough to keep her from moving to San Diego!
I also entertained Daddy by letting him take pictures of me while Mom was trying on some jeans at the store.
A boy can only stand the camera for so long you know!

I also entertained my Auntie Trish, who apparently really really likes to hold babies. We had a special date on Sunday while Mom and Dad went to go shoot an engagement session.
I also entertained the girls at Sam's baby shower. Every ladies only event needs a token male guest right?
And finally, I entertained Mom with my funny faces while waiting in line at Woodmans. I may take up a lot of room in the cart, but Mom says I make grocery shopping a lot more fun.

Now you're all caught up on my week. I'll be back with more pictures and more stories to tell soon.

Another Photoshare

2009-07-28T18:26:00.000-07:00

Hello all, AJ here! It's been a busy week so we've got lots of pictures to share with the blogging world!

We'll start off with a couple that slipped through the cracks when my mom was updating last time:

This is me with my Grandma and Grandpa Homburg way back over 4th of July weekend. I look pretty small in these pictures.

Back then I was only 9lbs 12.5oz. I'm much bigger now! The nurse weighed me yesterday and I'm 11lbs 2oz. That means I've gained almost 2lbs since the day I was born. Not bad for 6 weeks old!
Now that we've caught up with those older pictures, let me show you what I've been up to lately.
On Wednesday night my dad came home from his first business trip since I've been around. Mom and I had a good time while he was gone, but we were both very happy to have him back!

On Thursday, Mom and I had a very busy day. Mom had her post baby doctors appointment, so we brought cupcakes to all of the nurses who have been so nice to us. Everyone was very excited to meet me because I'm so cute.
After the appointment we headed to the Copperleaf hotel to meet the Andersons! We went to dinner at Fratellos and then came home to get some rest since everyone was very tired!
On Friday, we went to my first drive in movie! Here I am with mom and Grandpa Anderson before it got dark enough for the movie to start.

I know I don't look very excited, but I had a really good time! I was really nice and let my mom and dad enjoy the movies. I only cried once and spent most of the time just sleeping in Mom's arms.

On Saturday, Aunt Barb met us bright and early to go to the farmers market. We were very excited to see her since she's been gone for a while!
When we got home, Mom found a package for me in the mail with this awesome bib in it! It came from Mom's friend Sharyn who is Finnish and also understands that Sisu is mom's favorite word she learned in the U.P.
On Sunday, Mom and Dad had some friends over and made lots of food. I'm too young to enjoy it, but I wasn't left out of the cook out fun...
Here I am sleeping the afternoon away in my swing that Dad put under the tarp outside. It's important for babies like me to stay out of the sun, but I still got to enjoy the warm weather!

We decided to take some family pictures before the Andersons left on Sunday afternoon. Little did the grownups know...I had a surprise for Grandpa Anderson!

I decided to make a nice big diaper for him while Mom was taking pictures. I guess he wasn't too excited about my gift. Dad wasn't excited either when Mom informed him it was his turn to change the diaper!
New diaper and one last picture to wrap up the weekend. We had a lot of fun this week, but now I think it's time to rest. I've got a lot of growing to do before my big two month doctors appointment in a couple of weeks!

Catching up on Photos

2009-07-22T09:48:00.000-07:00

Good News...AJ has decided maybe it's not too terrible to nap in the crib this morning. That gives me an hour or so to catch up on my to do list. And near the top of that list was to post some more pictures of the little guy over the past few weeks.

So in no particular order, I present the past 3 weeks of life with AJ:

Walker and AJ chilling after a long day of driving their mama crazy. Please note AJ is sporting nothing but a diaper. That boy LOVES to be nekkid.
Sleeping through Luke's first birthday party. Believe it or not he wasn't the youngest guest. There was a baby 5 days younger there too!
Wishing everyone a happy 4th of July.
First date with his long distance girlfriend Miri. As you can see, AJ came on a little strong and Miri had to tell him to "talk to the hand"
With his future mother in law? :)
Mama and baby courtesy of Auntie Em.

Chilling out on his cool playmat from the WBIR folks. Please note the cool onesie from Auntie Em. Proof that my son does in fact own clothing that doesn't have monkeys on it.

A look I expect to see a lot more of in the coming months. "Mom why is that camera in my face AGAIN?"

Checking himself out in the mirror. It's so cool to watch him discover things.

I think he looks like his Uncle Stephen in this one.

Thanks for the reminder buddy. :)

One month old birthday celebration at Dairy Queen. Blizzards for everyone...except AJ.

"My momma is so mean. She made me wear a hat AND socks to the farmers market just because it was a little chilly outside!"

The farmers market is boring when Aunt Barb isn't with us!

And on that note, Mama is off to hop in the shower while AJ is still sleeping. More pictures to come soon! Happy Wednesday!

What a difference a day makes...

2009-07-21T12:03:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had smiles...today a different emotion:

Furious. Hysterical. An emotion we not so fondly refer to around here as "snorting mad." Now what on earth could put our sweet little baby into such a terrible mood?

The evil torture device known as the crib. Apparently the only acceptable place for naptime today is laying on Mama. Nowhere else will do.

A Picture Worth One Thousand Words

2009-07-20T16:02:00.000-07:00

There's no mistaking it. The little monkey man is officially smiling! And today I finally caught him with the camera!

AJ at 2 weeks

2009-07-01T19:42:00.001-07:00

Okay, so this is a little late, since AJ will be 3 weeks old tomorrow, but we can't miss this milestone!

Here are the stats from the big 2 week dr appt.

Weight: 9lbs 1oz (2 oz shy of birth weight) 60th percentile
Height: 21inches (.5 inches taller than birth height) 62nd percentile
Head Circumference: 37.5 cm 60th percentile

Dr. R says AJ is perfectly proportional and growing well! He's still wearing newborn diapers and newborn or 0-3 month clothes.

We're also happy to report the little guy also lost his umbillical cord stump this week.

Here I am!

2009-06-24T09:00:00.000-07:00

Tap...tap... tap...is this thing on?

Can you hear me now?

Good..

Okay, so it's been a while since anyone wrote on this here waiting for Monkey blog. Why, you ask? Well, that would be my fault...

Allow me to introduce myself...

My name is Anderson James Homburg...also known around these parts as Monkey! I arrived at 9:05pm on Thursday June 11th. I shocked my parents and the doctors by weighing in at a plump 9lbs 30z. Mom says she's glad she didn't know how big I was going to be!

I've been keeping my parents busy the past couple of weeks so they haven't had time to blog. They've been trying to keep up with pictures though, so here's a quick look at a few of the things I've been up to in my first two weeks of life. I promise to be back soon with more stories and pictures. These are just the ones Mom had easy access to.

So, first, I was born. I met my mom and my dad, Dr. Kaldas and a couple of nurses. Then, I got to meet my Aunt Barb. She came right away because my parents desperately needed food. She held me while mom ate a cheeseburger and dad scarfed a big mac. Then, she used Mom's camera to take this picture. Our first as a family!

The next morning I met my Grandpa Fred. He was in Wisconsin for work and drove a little out of his way to come meet me. He is eager to take me fishing. I guess that means Mom and Dad need to buy me a fishing pole.

I actually had lots of visitors that first day in the hospital. Aunt Barb came back and she brought Brad and Angie. Toni and Jason came to introduce me to my new friend Lily. Sam Fredlake came to see us too. She's carrying a new friend of mine in her belly who I'll get to meet this fall. Later that night I got to meet the Ossmanns!

I got sprung from the hospital on Saturday, which was very exciting. Unfortunately for me, I was feeling a little yellow by Sunday morning and so Mom and Dad had to take me to the doctor. The dr said I had jaundice and so I spent the next two days chilling out on this thing. The doctors call it a billi blanket, but around here we referred to it as the baby tanning bed.

Monday was a big day. I met my pediatrician Dr Riddlehoover. Despite my sassy face, I think she's quite nice. She has three boys of her own, so I think she's pretty qualified to be my doctor.

Then, when we got home, I met my big brother Walker. Mom says he's a crazy dog, but so far he seems to be pretty happy to have me around. He guards me in my crib and makes sure Mom and Dad know if I'm crying.

Tuesday is where things started to get a little scary around here. Monday night Mom noticed I was "twitching" a few times when I was awake and alert. She decided to call the doctor on Tuesday morning and the doctor decided we should go to the hospital to get checked out. Here I am sporting a big blue bandage on my arm so I wouldn't accidentally take out my i.v. I found the bandage made a pretty good pillow.
Wednesday morning I had to have a test on my brain called an EEG. But before they could do the test I needed to be awake for 2 whole hours! That's a long time for a baby as little as me. Mom did some pretty mean things to me, like tickling my feet and playing with my legs, to keep me awake for that long.
Then it was time for me to go to sleep while they watched my brain with those 25 electrodes. While they were watching my brain I started twitching and the doctors decided my twitches are actually seizures. They put me on a special medicine that I have to take every day until I hopefully outgrow the seizures.

The doctors let me go home from the hospital on Thursday, just in time to take a one week old picture with my monkey friends! Mom and Dad want to take this picture once a week so we can watch me grow.

For my first weekend home, Mom decided to give me a bath. I thanked her by peeing all over her when she took me out and wrapped me up to dry off.
My little pee routine was quite funny to my Uncle Steve and my Grandpa Mark. They were quite proud of me for already driving Mom crazy!

Lucky for me, my mom is very forgiving and once she changed her clothes she was ready to take me to my first block party. My mom is one of 5 women on the block having a baby this summer so I will have lots of friends to play with as I grow up.
Sunday was very exciting since we got to celebrate my dad's first Father's Day! We went out for breakfast (my dad's favorite meal) and then I gave dad his gift...a deep fryer. He promises to make me lots of yummy things when I get teeth.

So far this week things have been pretty quiet. I'm learning lots of things about my new home. I spend a lot of time in Mom's arms, but when she has to put me down to do something Walker is great at cuddling with me on the bed.

And when Mom has to do some work downstairs, I get to hang out in my swing! Pretty cool, huh?

So I think that catches everyone up on my first two weeks of my life. Mom says she's hoping the next two weeks are a little more quiet. I'm not making any promises.

Final Countdown: June 10th: The Day Before We Meet You

2009-06-10T17:35:00.001-07:00

Dear Monkey,

I can't believe we're really here. If all goes as planned, this time tomorrow I'll be holding you in my arms. We'll finally know for sure if you're a boy flavored monkey or a girl flavored monkey. We'll be able to call you by your name. We'll be able to see if your cheeks really are as chubby as they appear on the ultrasound. We'll count your fingers and your toes and fumble to change your first diapers.

I wish I could bottle this feeling I have right now. It's like the night before Christmas meets the first day of college meets the night before my wedding. And yet it's like none of those things, because all of those things came easily compared to what we went through to get to this day. Every moment of the last 39 weeks has been a little surreal. Tomorrow will be surreal too, I'm sure.

I don't know how I'm going to sleep tonight with all this excitement but I know I'll need my rest.

Can't wait to meet you!
Love
Mama

Final Countdown: June 8th: The Last Weekend

2009-06-08T05:55:00.000-07:00

Good Morning Monkey!

It's quiet here in the house as I'm typing this morning, much different from the craziness you would have heard a few hours ago. You see, we had a thunderstorm last night. If there's one thing you need to know about your big brother Walker, it's that he *hates* storms. He thinks he needs to protect the family from that loud scary thunder. It makes for a loud and long evening when those storms happen overnight. Nobody got much sleep around here until the storm ended at around 4 this morning. Now, of course, Walker and your dad are sprawled out in bed, but Mama can't seem to sleep anymore.

Our last weekend before your big arrival has been a busy one, with lots of errands to run and last minute things to catch up on before you arrive and turn this place upside down. Saturday your dad shot a wedding while Mama stayed home and focussed on not having a baby while he was gone. I did get out for lunch with Barb and Brad at Panera before coming home to wash and fold some itty bitty baby clothes while watching the RedWings game.

Sunday called for more housework and some photoediting before Aunt Barb came over for our last girls night before your arrival. She brought the coolest album for us to fill with photos from your first month on the outside! Then, we had a very yummy dinner at Fratellos before heading over to the Performing Arts Center to see Grease! You seemed to really like it, or else you were kicking the daylights out of me in an attempt to get someone to turn down the volume. Grease was the last show in our season of tickets which worked out to be perfect timing.

Now here we are at Monday morning. Our last doctor's appointment before your arrival is in just a couple of hours. It's hard to believe that we're having our last NST after all of these weeks. Let's hope you once again prove to be a rockstar.

Oh, and if you decide you want to come out today, that would be just fine with us!
Love you!
Mama

Final Countdown: June 4th: The Day Mama Gained 10lbs

2009-06-04T18:27:00.000-07:00

Dear Monkey,

One week from today you will be here. You've got 6 more days to pick your own birthday, because come next Thursday, Dr. K is issuing an eviction notice. That doesn't sound very fun does it? It involves this nasty thing called Pitocin that Mama is very afraid of. So let's shoot for sometime before June 11th, okay? Sunday sounds good to me.

Today we went to our 38 week doctors appointment, even though it felt like we had just been at the doctor. Oh, wait. That's because we DID just go to the doctor on Monday. At this rate we should have our own parking spot right near the door! The appointment wasn't very exciting. You were a rockstar on the non stress test, which was a big relief after the worries of Monday. Mama stepped on the scale. It wasn't pretty. According to the scale, Mama gained 10lbs in a week! It's pretty easy to see why. Mama no longer has ankles, or calves, or knee caps. The doctors say swelling is to be expected at this point in the game, but 10lbs is a lot of water retention. No more salt for Mama.

Dr. A also checked to see if things were progressing and delivered the bad news that nothing has changed in there since last week. So, we're still waiting on you Monkey. The bags are packed, the car seat is installed, and if Mama's feet get any bigger she'll have to walk into the hospital barefoot. Lets get this show on the road, okay?

Love,
Mama

Final Countdown: June 3rd: The Day to Honor Aunt Barb

2009-06-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

Dear Monkey,

Today I want to talk to you about someone very important: your Aunt Barb. Now, don't be confused. She's not *technically* your aunt, not in the biological sense, but you should consider yourself very lucky to have her around. Not only is she very smart, and very talented, she keeps your mama at least partially sane...which I think is important for both us!

If you are a girl flavored Monkey, Aunt Barb will turn you into a fashionista by sharing her deep love for furry boots and puffy vests. If you are a boy flavored Monkey, we'll skip the boots and vests and Aunt Barb will teach you to love things like cupcakes and risotto. She'll also share her love of reading and learning and she'll probably try to sneak in some lessons about eating organic and recycling. We'll go with Aunt Barb to the farmers market this summer so you can learn all about the joys of the tomato people, and the dangers of buying flowers that might contain spiders.

Another reason you are lucky to have an Aunt Barb? Because of her, we'll probably wind up celebrating your half birthday. Aunt Barb loves a reason to celebrate! Today is actually her half birthday and we'll be celebrating with Dairy Queen later tonight. (Don't worry...I'll eat your share too!) It's probably too late for you to actually arrive on Aunt Barb's half birthday, but she did say she would be willing to share if you wanted to be born today. That Aunt Barb sure is generous.

Aunt Barb can't wait to meet you Monkey, so whenever you're ready, feel free to come on out. The bags are packed!

Love you!
Mama

Final Countdown: June 2nd: The Day of Decisions

2009-06-02T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hello there Monkey!

Today has been a big day around here as I, your mama, finally clicked "buy now" on some items for the walls of your nursery. I'll tell you it wasn't an easy decision, even though I'm pretty sure you won't even notice anything on the walls around you for at least a couple of months. Mama felt a lot of pressure to find just the right things.

Of course, I'm fairly certain the items we finally ordered today won't arrive before you will. That's what I get for procrastinating. Here's a look at a few of the items soon to arrive on our doorstep:

Something similar to this will go above your crib. The "trend" right now seems to be to put the baby's name in letters above the crib, but your dad nixed that idea. Apparently he's a nonconformist...who knew? But the monkey will be just perfect for your room, and maybe looking at this every night will engrain in you that it would be a bad idea to try and escape from the crib!

These two prints will hang above your changing table. I hope they make you smile as much as they do for me! We're also going to hang some pictures of all of us together once you arrive. I'm sure you've figured out by now that you won't be able to escape the camera once you're on the outside!!

Now these next two prints haven't been ordered yet because we need to know the specifics on your arrival:

Don't worry, if you're a boy flavored Monkey we'll make sure it's not pink and orange!

And no, we're not going to name you Maxwell, even if you are boy flavored!

So there you have it Monkey. Maybe now there's a little more incentive for you to come out and play. I know *I* feel better now that these decisions have been made!

We can't wait to meet you!
Love,
Mama

June 1st: The Day of the False Alarm

2009-06-01T18:14:00.000-07:00

(As we enter the "final countdown" until Monkey's arrival, I thought it would be fun to record some of my feelings in these final days as a preggo.)

Dear Monkey,

You earned a new nickname today. Drama Queen (or King as the case may be)! This morning started just like many others. Since it's June 1st, I reminded you that you couldn't be born today. Your Uncle Stephen doesn't want to share his birthday, and since he was kind enough to not come on my birthday some 24 years ago, I figured it was only fair to honor his wishes!

We made our way over to the hospital for our nonstress test appointment at 8am. It's becoming pretty routine for us. I'm even learning which channel is which on the hospital's cable system. Daddy didn't come with us this time since he had his monthly conference call at work. No big deal since the test is pretty boring for everyone involved.

Today, though, was not so boring. In addition to watching your heart rate on the monitor, I was also watching my contractions. It was kind of weird to watch them as I was feeling them and then watching what the contractions were doing to your heart rate. You did a good job of poking me plenty while the monitors were on. I was pretty sure we'd be cleared to go when the nurse came in to bring the strip to the doctor.

But today wasn't like the other days. Today the doctor who was filling in for Dr. K didn't like what she saw on your strip. She said there were some "variables" that could be nothing, or could be a sign that maybe you were getting low on amniotic fluid. I tried to act like I wasn't panicked when the nurse told me I'd need to come back in a couple of hours to get an ultrasound. I held it together until I got outside to call your Daddy. He ALMOST didn't answer his phone (he was on that conference call, remember?) but he picked up on the last ring before voicemail. When I heard his voice, I started to cry. I managed to tell him that he needed to come to the hospital with me because today might be the day to have a baby.

We met up at home and used the time before the ultrasound to get all of our bags packed and your carseat in the car. You'll learn once you get here that sometimes we tend to procrastinate. Well, the non stress test scare was just what we needed to get those last minute things done. We packed up the car and headed to the hospital all the while wondering if we would be driving back home in a couple of days with you in the car seat!

The ultrasound went more quickly than any other ultrasound we've had before. After causing problems during the non stress test, you were a rockstar for the biophyiscal profile ultrasound. The tech was making sure you were doing important things like practicing breathing and moving. She also checked to make sure your fluid was okay. Everything looked great and you scored an 8 out of 8 in ten minutes. We got to see your little face once again and this time you didn't have your hands blocking our view! My favorite part though was seeing your foot on the ultrasound as we watched it poke my belly on the outside! The tech was amazed by how hard you were pushing on my belly!! I told her you do it all the time! They sent us home with a clean bill of health just a few minutes later.

So Monkey, June 1st will now be known as the day of our false alarm. I guess we're kind of lucky, since many women have their false alarm in the middle of the night. At least we got to have ours while we were already awake.

Our bags are still in the car by the way...just in case you decide to come before June 11th!

Love you,
Mama

Our Little Gemini

2009-05-21T19:13:00.000-07:00

S/he's not even here yet, but Monkey is already showing two sides of his her personality.

Behold:

Sweet, smiling Monkey
and..Tongue sticking out Sassy Monkey!

Both of these images came from our 36 week growth scan this morning. According to Dr. Larmon, Monkey now weighs in at a whopping 6lbs 11oz. That means he/she is measuring about 8 days ahead of schedule, which is good news and means the gestational diabetes isn't turning Monkey into Gargantuan Baby! Babies gain an average of 1/2 lb a week at this point, meaning if I went all the way to 40 weeks, Monkey would weigh around 8.5-9lbs. But because of the gestational diabetes, Dr. Larmon doesn't want me to go past 39 weeks, so if I haven't gone into labor on my own, we'll be looking at an induction around June 11th.

But...Dr Larmon is pretty confident that I'll go into labor on my own before then. My first internal check this week showed I'm currently dialated 1cm, 50% effaced, and Monkey is at -2 station. Since we're already making progress, Dr Larmon believes I won't make it to 39 weeks, which is good for me. I've heard nasty things about inductions...

So that's the story from here. The doctor gave us the all clear to go up to the U.P. for the weekend, so Karl and I will get to visit with the Homburgs for a couple of days. I have been quite clear with Monkey that I don't plan to deliver a Yooper, so there will be NO BABY this weekend!

It's May....

2009-05-01T09:40:00.000-07:00

Also known as the month before we have a baby. Or, maybe even the month we HAVE the baby. I know the norm is for first babies to be late, but well....I don't tend to be normal. You know those "rare side effects" they talk about with drugs? They could be replaced with a blinking billboard that says "Hey Steph...this is what's going to happen to you!" I should have known back in 2006 when my surgeon told me that within his practice only one gall bladder patient needs to be operated on without laproscopy every year. Of course that patient would be me. So yeah, I would totally not be shocked if Monkey decided he/she wanted to share a birth month with Mom. We'll reach 36 weeks right before my 30th birthday.

It's been a busy couple of weeks around here as we prepare for Monkey's arrival and the start of the 2009 wedding season. As Monkey's due date fast approaches we're spending a lot more time at the doctors office! Last Tuesday I had my first NST...that's dr speak for Non Stress Test. I quickly learned that NSTs really are nothing to stress about. Basically, it's my excuse to spend 30 minutes in a cushy chair with my feet up chilling with the monkey. Of course that "chilling" involves a contraction monitor for me and a heart rate monitor for the Monkey. I also get to hold one of those cool Jeopardy style buzzers and I have to press the button every time Monkey moves which makes a note on his/her heart rate tracings. The doctors want to see Monkey's heart rate go up every time he/she moves. It's actually really cool to watch. Our first NST was a great success because Monkey didn't like the heart rate monitor on my belly and spent a good 20 minutes trying to kick it off. The doctors got all the movements they needed to see and we were sent home with a gold star and instructions to come back in a week. The NSTs will be done weekly from here on out to make sure things are still going well in there while we deal with my gestational diabetes out here.

Thursday we had yet another ultrasound to check on Monkey's size. Gestational Diabetes babies can get too big, so we want to keep an eye on that. In typical Monkey fashion, we have very little in the way of cool pictures to share from the ultrasound. Not even having his grandpa present for the ultrasound could lure Monkey to show off his/her face! In fact, Monkey was so curled up and comfy it was tough for the tech to get some of the measurements she needed.

Here is what we did find out:

At 32 weeks Monkey was measuring 4lbs 12oz. That puts him/her in the 66th percentile for weight. Based on overall size, Monkey is about 10 days ahead of his/her due date.
Heart rate was once again in the 140s.
Monkey is still head down and expected to stay that way for the duration of the pregnancy since there's not a lot of room to move in there anymore.
Monkey's head circumfrence measured 2 weeks ahead. I told the tech she must be doing it wrong because that wasn't possible. She just laughed.

While we didn't get any face pictures (Monkey had his/her hands AND umbillical cord blocking his/her face) we do have a couple ultrasound images to share:

Pretty cool 3d view of Monkey's hand and foot. He/she is quite skilled in using those hands and feet to cause me some discomfort!

See those fuzzy lines in the middle? That's hair!! Monkey actually has hair already! I was bald until kindergarten practically, so this must be a Homburg family trait.

Now, Monkey and I are off to finish prepping for tomorrow's wedding. We're planning to pack lots of snacks for the long day and I've threatened to oink at anyone who gets in my personal space. Gotta keep the swine flu away!

A Break from the Gender Neutral

2009-04-20T09:53:00.000-07:00

Since we don't know whether Monkey will be boy flavored or girl flavored, there's a whole lot of green, yellow, and orange floating around our house these days. All three are great colors, and will make things easier when Monkey has to share his/her stuff with a sibling or two, but sometimes it is really fun to shop for a specific gender.

So with that in mind, we decided to purchase a boy outfit and a girl outfit to bring to the hospital for Monkey to come home in. Obviously only one of those outfits will get put to use in our family, but since we know SO many other mamas to be, someone else will happily take the unused outfit off our hands!

You know the package will be filled with goodness when it comes wrapped like this. Janie and Jack is normally out of our price range for baby clothes, but avid web stalkers can sometimes find a great deal. And really, you only get *one* going home outfit, so it's okay to splurge a little!

Here are the two options hanging side by side on Monkey's dresser. Which outfit will you wear little one??
A boy flavored Monkey will come home in this! Love the stripes and the little polo shirt collar...and the easy diaper change access snaps on the legs! But my favorite part is this...
There's a little frog prince! For those that don't remember, Karl proposed to me while I was wearing frog prince flannel pajamas.
And here's the girl flavored option, in a shade of my favorite color green.
And a closer look reveals another little frog prince in the girl pattern! Maybe we should be calling Monkey "Frogger" instead. :)

Showered

2009-04-08T16:45:00.000-07:00

I'll admit it. It's currently Wednesday evening and my living room looks like this...

Behold, the aftermath of shower weekend. And that isn't even all of it! We've continued to receive presents all week from folks who weren't able to make it to the shower on Saturday. Karl and I are amazed by the generosity (and in some cases sneakiness) of our friends and family.

For those who couldn't be with us, here's a pictorial recap of Monkey's shower...

Truth: I have the most creative friends. Trish made everyone these adorable place cards featuring my signature lime green, and the cutest little monkeys!

And because the place cards apparently weren't crafty enough, Trish also made these BANANA flavored monkey cupcakes. Almost too cute to eat!

Barb stumped the guests with a hardcore baby shower game. See those bags? Each one contained a baby item starting with the letters that spell out Monkey. I think the most anyone got right was 3. As for the mom to be, well we're trying not to read too much into the fact that I only guessed ONE of the bags correctly.

After the games were over, I was given a huge and emotional surprise. My friends from WBIR in Knoxville put together a video for me since they couldn't come to the shower. I wish I could share the video here, but apparently I am not tech savvy enough to learn the uploading process. Hopefully I'll rectify that before Monkey gets here. But suffice it to say, the tears started almost instantly. Even though it's been nearly 5 years since I left my Knoxville home, I still consider those people some of my closest friends. I can't wait to introduce Monkey to everyone in November when we make a pit stop enroute to the farm for Thanksgiving.

Now, while there are no pictures of the video from the CH 10 folks, you will notice something in the following pictures. I am NOT a pretty crier. For the rest of the evening my face was blotchy and my eyes were bloodshot. Such is life for the fair skinned blue eyed girl.

Who knew I would come dressed to match our new travel system from my dad and Adele? Monkey is going to learn to love lime green too!

In addition to the amazing gifts they brought, the guests also made onesies and bibs for Monkey. I have such crafty friends!

Here I am with the girls who made the whole evening possible. I am so thankful for their friendship and support. I may not have sisters, but I know Monkey will have some pretty amazing aunties!

Karl avoided the shower mayhem until the end of the evening when he was called in to help haul the gifts home. We had too much for just my Escape.
We also had help in the gift hauling from Karl's mom. We were so lucky she was able to spend the weekend with us, even if most of the weekend involved me propping my feet up to get rid of my horrible cankles.

So here we are 4 days later and our living room looks like baby central. My goal is to have everything put away before Karl returns from trip #356 to Minneapolis tomorrow evening. But for now I'm enjoying admiring all of the neat little things we have for our baby....

including beautiful handmade blankets from Angie's mom (green quilt) and my Aunt Lorri (white blanket with matching hat and mittens)

THE coolest print for Monkey's room from my friend Emily, who couldn't join us because she was busy taking care of her brand new baby (and Monkey's future BFF) Mirielle
and Karl's favorite three gifts...the "manly" diaper bag from Trish and the gang, the super cool baby playmat from the Channel 10 folks (I think he wants one in grown up size), and the crib soother that plays nature sounds and has swinging monkeys.

So that wraps up the big shower recap. It's hard to believe that I'll be 30 weeks tomorrow. Since we're pretty sure the gestational diabetes will mean Monkey makes an early appearance, that means we could be showing him/her all of this cool stuff in just 2 months!

Thank You Mystery Person....and Mystery Solved!

2009-03-27T17:05:00.001-07:00

This afternoon this super cool high chair arrived on our front porch. It matches the pack and play and swing we registered for and it goes well with our current decor. We love it. What we don't love is that it came without a packing slip!! So we don't know who was kind enough to send it for Monkey!

So whoever you are: THANK YOU! And please drop me an email or call me and let me know so I can send the proper thank you!

Update: This morning Karl decided to unpack the high chair so we could take the box to the cardboard dumpster. Upon opening the box, he discovered the babies r us folks had opened the box and placed the packing slip inside before carefully resealing it! So the mystery has been solved...the super cool high chair came from the Homburg Grandparents!

You're invited....

2009-03-27T09:07:00.000-07:00

There's been some more progress on Monkey's room this week so we thought we'd invite you in to see how things are shaping up!

This is the view from the doorway. Next time I take quick pics of the room someone should remind me it's very very bright in the morning thanks to that east facing window. I have a feeling Monkey is going to be an early riser!

That big comfy chair has been with me since my Knoxville days. I plan to spend lots of time snuggling a certain Monkey there! You can also see the super cool valance Karl made out of fabric we bought at Joann's. Just one of many monkey touches in Monkey's room.

Looking back towards the door now. The bookshelf already houses some really cool gifts Monkey has received in the past few months. S/he has monkeys of all shapes and sizes, and even a Sock Monkey Jack in the Box from Em and Spud! The bottom shelves will house books for us to read together as well as Monkey's first scrapbook!

You just knew Walker was going to squeeze into at least one picture, right? The dresser will also serve as Monkey's changing table. It's hard to see here, but the right side of the dresser is a cabinet for storage of diapers, etc.
The view from the corner of the closet. Can't wait for there to be a baby in that crib!!

So, we've still got more work to do, finding homes for everything and getting stuff up on the walls. It's hard to believe we're less than three months away from Monkey's arrival!

Well it's about time...

2009-03-23T11:25:00.000-07:00

I've said it before. There is something insanely funny to me about the child of two photographers being camera shy inside the womb. But that's the way Monkey has been from the very beginning: hiding his/her face behind arms and legs or flat out rolling over so there's no way to get a clear look!

Today's appointment started off the very same way. It didn't take long for the tech to tell us she was clearly going to be "earning her paycheck" with this baby! Monkey was quite comfy with his/her head down and tucked in towards my back. Attempts to move Monkey resulted in nothing more than me getting some very forceful kicks and punches!

But we were patient, and when Dr. L, our perinatologist, came in to continue the ultrasound, we tried a couple of different positions. We were rewarded with a couple of neat profile shots and the thing we've been waiting months for: a nice 3d face picture!

Look! Our kid has a face!!! It's a little shadowy because of how nicely tucked in Monkey was, but at least there there no limbs obscuring our view!

The first thing I thought of when I saw this one... I think he/she is going to have the Anderson mouth. That means if Monkey is boy flavored, he's going to need to grow a mustache to make up for the absence of an upper lip.

Apparently this ultrasound thing is boring. Here's Monkey yawning in profile.

One more profile shot. You can see his/her little hand coming up near the chin!

Other important info from today's appointment:

heartrate: 145 beats for minute. Still on the "girl" side of the old wives tale.
Approximate weight: 2lbs9oz
Measuring about 28weeks5days ( one week ahead of my due date)
Head measuring about 28weeks (the first time she checked it measured 30weeks2days. Cue panic on my part. Thankfully she got a better view the second time she measured!)

Since we're still keeping a close watch on growth because of my gestational diabetes, we'll get to see Monkey again in 4 weeks! The cool thing is that the next visit coincides with a visit from "Grandpa Anderson" so Monkey gets to show off in the womb!

Monkey's Future Home...

2009-03-13T08:07:00.000-07:00

When we last visited Monkey's room, we had paint and not much else in there. But yesterday three huge boxes arrived on the porch of Chez Homburg and just a few hours later....Monkey has FURNITURE!

Here's a look at the process:

The assembled crib with bedding! Karl wouldn't let me take pictures of the crib assembly. It was supposed to be a surprise.

I did sneak in for dresser/changing table assembly. Walker was also on hand to supervise.

Walker goes from supervising to looking concerned. What does all this new furniture mean?

Dresser is starting to look like a dresser, and the pile of foam packing pieces is growing!

The finished product this morning!

We spent much of last night measuring walls and furniture to figure out how to make the room work. It kind of felt like we were playing Tetris! This weekend Karl will be moving each piece into position, including the chair that's currently living downstairs. Next week we'll pick up a bookshelf to house Monkey's library and monkey related gear.

So now that we've covered Monkey's future home...how about an update on Monkey's current home, a.k.a. the belly. Here's a flashback to the last time we checked in on Monkey in the womb..

The bump at 23 weeks

Three weeks later, same sweater, the bump at 26 weeks.

This weekend the bump and I are hitting the road to honor another new mama to be, my friend Emily. Her baby, known as Spud and Monkey's future BFF, is due next month!

A week of getting ready for Monkey

2009-03-09T08:13:00.000-07:00

This year, I signed up to participate in a little thing called Project 365. Basically, it involves people all around the world who are documenting 2009 by taking a photo of something in their life every day. Neat idea right? And 2009 seems the perfect year to participate since so many big things are changing for us.

Sometimes I'll find that my weeks have unintentional themes. As I looked back at the first week of March I realized most of my pictures are Monkey related. So, without further ado...here's a look at the Homburg household's week preparing for baby!

3.1.09: Packing up my scrap stuff from what is likely to be my final girls weekend before Monkey's arrival

3.2.o9: Karl is off to Minneapolis for work, but left behind signs that he's been hard at work in Monkey's room. This, my friends, is Whisper Yellow.

3.3.09: Walker hates the Fedex man, but I'm a big fan, especially when he brings Monkey's new bedding. Yes, its different than the original selection. But I love it, and it was on sale. Score!

3.4.09: Another great mail day! My super cool lime green shower invitation arrived. Do those girls know me or what?
3.5.09: Dr appt in the AM, pharmacy trip in the PM. The doctors have added a new type of insulin into my routine. Let's hear it for 4 more injections in my day. It's a good thing I'm not afraid of needles anymore.

3.6.09: Because my body likes to play tricks on me, my blood sugar actually went UP with the addition of more insulin. I was tempted to go drown my sorrows in ice cream just to see what my numbers would do. I took a long hot shower instead.
3.07.09: Weekend is here, Karl is home, and touchups are underway in Monkey's room. Totally digging the Whisper Yellow...and Karl wearing a Gator tee shirt!
3.08.09: I think Karl might be nesting. Here he is installing my Christmas present: a sink fit for washing a baby in! This was taken after he took Murphy's Oil soap to the cabinets. The kitchen is sparkling!

So there you go, we're just chugging right along here. Hard to believe that we'll be welcoming Monkey in 3 months!

Monkey Makes His/Her Presence Known

2009-02-20T11:14:00.001-08:00

It's been a big week around here. First, on Monday, Karl finally got to feel Monkey's kicks from the outside. I've been feeling the rocking and rolling in there since mid January. Every time Karl would try to feel it, baby would stop. But Monday morning the baby put on quite the show.

Speaking of show...I am officially sporting a baby belly. The kind that strangers notice and smile at. The kind that allows me to park in the Expectant Mother parking spots at Wal-Mart.

Hard to believe that in 15 or 16 weeks we'll be meeting the little person who's currently making him/herself comfy in there!

Monkey says...

2009-02-16T17:24:00.001-08:00

Happy Birthday Grandma!
Can't wait to meet you!
Love, Monkey

Away in a Manger No Crib for a Bed...

2009-02-12T11:07:00.001-08:00

I know it's not Christmas time, but that song has been sung quite a bit around these parts lately. Why? Well because until this morning, Monkey didn't have a crib. Not only did he not have a crib, he had no hope of his parents deciding on a crib prior to his June arrival.

We are researchers. Sometimes to a fault. We also tend to have expensive taste, without the ability to actually afford the items we like. Combine these character traits with a trend towards disposable baby furniture and you see our problem.

The good news is after a few false starts, including a trip to Babies R Us where I scratched the cherry finish off a crib with my fingernail and a close call where we almost ordered a crib involved in a recall, we have decided and ordered Monkey's home base for when he decides the womb just isn't cutting it anymore. (Which better not happen any time soon, kid! I said we ordered the crib, I didn't say the furniture was assembled or anything! Stay put for another 18 weeks or so if you wouldn't mind.)

So without further ado, a peek at what Monkey's room will look like soon.

Behold, the crib. The finish is called Espresso, which I think translates into dark brown that sometimes passes for black. Not the cherry we initally planned on, but I think this will look really clean.

The dresser that we will also use as a changing table during the diaper stage. The room is not huge, so we opted not to go with a separate changer.

And our bedding. Just picture it with the dark furniture and minus that yellow rug. The walls will be Whisper Yellow, which I hope will look nice and pale on the walls and not too sunshiney.

Once we get these items set up, we'll be shopping for a book shelf and a rocker to finish the set. What a relief to finally have that part taken care of! I can now stop worrying that the kid will refuse to come out.

Baby Homburg at (almost) 22 weeks

2009-02-09T16:53:00.000-08:00

Today we had what is fondly referred to as "the big ultrasound." Big, because for those that don't want to wait, the ultrasound tech can normally see if the baby is boy or girl flavored. But, we've already established that we won't be finding out early in the Homburg household, so no money shot for us.

What we did get picture wise from today's scan is....not much. You have to see the humor in the fact that the unborn child of two photographers is already refusing to pose for his/her close up. Much like our 14 week ultrasound, Monkey spent most of the scan curled up in a tight little ball, hands dramatically thrown in front of the face and legs tucked up so tight I think he/she could have sucked on toes if the thumbs got boring.

Here's the three shots we came home with:

Our curled up little monkey, showing of his/her spine and not much else.

Those two little blobs are the feet that have recently started poking me from behind my bellybutton.

And finally, our one attempt at a 3d image. What you should be seeing is a nice close up of Monkey's face. What you are actually seeing is the dramatic "I'm putting my hand and arm in front of my face so you can't see me. Now go away!" shot. Nice, huh?

So, a little disappointing on the picture front, but otherwise a great appointment. A few highlights:

Everything measured just as it should. Kidneys and stomach functioning properly and all four chambers of the heart visible.
We're currently measuring about 5 days ahead of the due date.
Dr. K. is happy with my gestational diabetes management thus far. No changes to my diet or my medications.
I'm cleared to start back up in my yoga class next month (the prenatal version anyway).

Because of the diabetes, we'll be seeing more of Monkey than we would if this was a "normal" pregnancy. I have another scan in 6 weeks, and a meeting with the perinatologist who works with my dr. I'll have at least one more scan to check on growth at around 36 weeks and my regular office visits will be more frequent. If Monkey keeps growing we may be meeting him/her earlier than our June 18th due date!

That about wraps it up on this front. I'll be back later this week to share the growing pile of cool stuff the baby has aquired from friends and family. And if we ever decide on furniture, I'll post pictures of our future nursery.

Oh Monkey

2009-01-20T19:22:00.000-08:00

Who needs ultrasound? Monkey continues to send boy vibes from the womb.

Today's example: We failed the 3 hour glucose test. The next 20 weeks will be full of blood sugar monitoring, a new diet, and probably some grumbling on my part.

I maintain that if Monkey were a girl, she would understand the power of carbs to comfort, the power of chocolate to lift moods, and the danger of a craving that goes unfulfilled.

Yup, definitely a boy.

At least the diagnosis comes *after* our big trip to Disney World. :)

Baby Homburg at almost 14 weeks

2008-12-18T18:27:00.000-08:00

Last appointment, Baby Homburg was a show off. This week, he apparently was feeling a little shy, or stubborn depending on how you look at it. The u/s tech needed a very specific view of the baby to get the measurement she was after. Guess who didn't want to cooperate.

I had to do lots of shifting and moving around and I'm pretty sure I may have bruises for how hard she had to poke to get baby's attention, but we finally got what we were after. And as a reward for our patience, we got sent hom with some pretty cool pictures!

We won't get to see Monkey again until sometime in February so these shots will have to las us a while.

Here he is deep in thought with fist to chin.

3d profile shot with fist visible.

Alien baby!!! We got to see the baby already has both hemispheres of the brain!

Another 3d image, this time a full body shot. The Monkey currently has a very bony butt!

Another cool profile.

Alien baby chilling in the womb.

S/he was doing all sorts of aerobics in there, complete with backflips and jumping jacks. The heart rate this time around was 173, which is faster than we've ever heard before. The old wive's tales say this means girl. I say the jury is still out.

Our Baby is a Show Off

2008-12-10T12:18:00.001-08:00

A few observations from today's appointment:

Apparently I send people into labor. I came to this conclusion while sitting in an exam room waiting for Dr K. this morning. After the nurse checked my bp and weight, she informed me that I would hopefully see Dr K. soon. Hopefully, because he had just been called upstairs to deliver a baby. Add this to the time Karl and I had to wait almost an hour in an exam room while Dr K. performed an emergency Csection, and the time we were called in for a weekend procedure only to find out we had to wait on the on call dr who was off delivering a baby, and you get my conclusion. I send people into labor. Now I just wonder what will send me into labor in 27 or so weeks.
I apparently have monkeys on the brain. When Dr K finally did arrive, I took one look at his tie and said, "You're wearing a Curious George tie!" Um, no. His tie had skiers on it. In my defense, the tie was yellow, the skiers were brown, and they were wearing red ski jackets. Skiers...monkeys....whatever.
And finally, the title of this entry. Monkey is a show off. At the end of the appointment Dr K had me hop up on the table to listen to Monkey's heartbeat. He warned me, of course, that it's possible we might not hear it, or that it might take a while to find it, since Monkey is still so little. But Monkey proved the doctor wrong. As soon as the doppler was on my belly you could hear his little heart beating away. We were at 160 beats a minute this week, up a bit from 154 the first time.

Next week Monkey will get a chance to show off once again, this time at our ultrasound appointment. Can't wait!

Tough Choice...

2008-12-06T12:53:00.000-08:00

As I sit here waiting for the Gators to take the field against Alabama for the SEC title and a ticket to the BCS championship, I'm very tempted to do a little shopping for the Monkey. We all know he has no choice. He will be a Gator fan, he will watch SEC football, and when he grows up, he'll make his home in Gainesville for at least 4 years..maybe more if he decides he wants to be a doctor. :)

12 down, 28 to go

2008-12-05T18:49:00.000-08:00

This week we reached the big 12 week milestone! I think I was kind of hoping I'd wake up on the morning of week 12 suddenly feeling awesome, with no morning sickness, no heartburn, and no "so tired I can barely keep my eyes open exhaustion"

No such luck. At least not yet, anyway. But I'm holding out hope!

It seems Monkey enjoyed thanksgiving in utero, judging by the fact that he let me keep both dinner and pie afterwards down. Monkey once again affirmed my guess that he's a boy by making me terribly sick during Black Friday. Boys are genetically predisposed to hate shopping!

But male or female, Monkey still came home with a little present to put under the tree.

Our next doctors appointment is next Wednesday, with another ultrasound the week after.

I'll post new pictures when we get them!

Surprise! And Welcome!

2008-11-19T07:55:00.000-08:00

If you're here, that means you now know our big secret. The secret we've been struggling to keep for the last several weeks.

We're having a baby!!!!

Just ONE baby, for those who are keeping track :) After a couple of years of fertility treatments, we weren't sure at first if we were going to be handed two for the price of one, but an ultrasound on 11/6 confirmed there's just one little monkey hanging out in there.

So you probably want details, right? Let's start with due date. We're thinking mid June. Somewhere between 6/18 and 6/20. Although 6/21 is Father's day so I suppose I'd be okay hanging in there until then.

When did we find out? Well I got my first positive test on the morning of 10/9/08. Except I told Karl the test was broken and that wasn't really a second line. Thankfully he made me test again a couple of times, and by the third positive test I was sure enough to call my doctor. We confirmed with a blood test on Friday, and another blood test on Sunday to make sure my hormones were doing the right thing. It is also possible I took several more home tests because it really didn't seem real.

We had our first doctors appointment on 11/6...which just happens to be my father's birthday. Karl and I decided we wanted to wait to tell everyone, but man was it hard not to spill it all on the phone to my dad. On Dad's birthday, we heard the little monkey's heartbeat for the first time...154 beats per minute! The ultrasound tech, Jaci, (who has become my favorite over the past couple of years) pointed out that Monkey was standing on his head and had little arm buds and a tail that would later become legs. She also send us home with some pictures, which included the one we sent out with the customized M&Ms to announce to our families.

Things we know about Monkey so far: He likes chips and salsa and tyson chicken nuggets. He doesn't like that his mom sometimes forgets to eat breakfast. He gets revenge by making me very very sick. He's also not big on the smell of Walker's dog food.

By now you're probably wondering why I keep calling the baby Monkey, and he. Well, the HE part is a force of habit. Obviously we have no idea what we're having. And we don't plan to find out. Well, I don't THINK we plan to find out. Karl has other ideas :) The HE comes in part because Karl calls the baby Stan (like Flat Stanley). The monkey part is all me. When I was little my stepdad called me Monkey. Now I'm having a monkey of my own. If you ask me, Monkey is a very cool nickname...and he did start off with a tail!

So I think that catches everyone up on the big stuff. Our next appointment is next month. As it turns out, we'll be having an ultrasound while my Mom is visiting over Christmas. How cool is that? And by then the monkey will look more like a baby..and less like a monkey. As soon as we have more pictures we'll be sure to share here.

It's been so hard to keep this secret from everyone. We're so glad you'll be able to join us for the rest of this crazy ride. Check back often before baby updates!

Happy Thanksgiving!