Wordless Wednesday

The Other 3 Staats

Lately, the blog has just been about my favorite subject, Ronan Balonen. I thought that I should update everyone on the other 3 members of the Staat family.

Dana

I have been really enjoying being a mom. I always knew that I wanted kids some day, but I didn't realize how much I would love my baby and how much fun I would have with him. I have one extra work day off per week and that has become my favorite day! Ronan and I sleep in until about 830 am (he usually wakes up for a little breakfast at about 630 am). Ronan cracks me up on those days because he doesn't cry when he wakes up, he just jabbers away until I go in to get him. I spend the rest of the day doing laundry, putting things away in the house (not cleaning, but putting away our mess), feeding/taking care of RJ, catching up on my DVR, eating ramen noodles, maybe reading a bit, walking Nug, and various other activites. I still like my job and I am glad to work, but I think that 3 days/week would be the optimal amount for me.

Speaking of my job, some things are changing with my unit that are a little stressful/exciting. Our unit will soon house the Spectrum Health Burn Unit. This means construction, losing my office (but getting a new office with a window), new staff on the floor, and possible changes in which patients I cover. I am excited for the challenge, but I will be glad when everything is running smoothly again.

I have been reading a lot lately (as usual, really). I recently read "The Hunger Games" and thought it was very original and exciting. I quickly ordered the second book from the library (Catching Fire) and read it in about 3 days. Much to my dismay, the third, and last, book in the trilogy doesn't come out until August. I'm counting down the days again, just like with HP.

My favorite tv shows have been American Idol (loving Ellen), The Office, and Community. Ok, I admit it--I have been loving the new season of Kendra too. I have been singing a lot of Ke$ha to Ronan and he has been loving that. Jim and I have started watching movies again--now that Ronan goes to bed at 730-830 pm. Recently we watched Julie and Julia (I liked, Jim did not). We also watched Up, which I loved and thought was heartbreaking. I cried during a cartoon! It really was great. Enough about me--I could go on forever. :)

Jim

I asked Jim if he wanted to write his own section, but he thought he didn't have anything to write about, so I'll fill in some of what he has been doing (playing video games). Actually, Jim has been doing a lot. He has become the main house cleaner. He can clean so much faster than I can (not sure why).

Jim has been doing his usual sports watching (Wings, March Madness, Golf, etc). Once again, Jim beat me in our March Madness brackets. We both had very bad brackets, but his was bad minus one less badness than mine (did that make sense??).

Jim's job is going well. Ronan and I had a chance to meet him for lunch a week ago Friday, which was fun. I think that I can speak for Jim and say that he is also enjoying being a dad. He is looking forward to teaching Ronan everything he knows about sports. Jim is trying to get over the fact that Ronan doesn't seem left-handed.

Nugget

Pug has been a good big sister to Ronan James. She still doesn't really like him much. She hasn't given him a lick or shown any other affection to him, but she has never been mean to him either. She loves to sniff and try to lick his toys. She also gets down in her crazy stance to try to play with him and he laughs and laughs and screeches at her. Nuggie is so excited that the snow is gone. She goes outside and kicks and kicks. Jim is already mad at her for scratching up his grass, but she can't help it. She is showing Felix (neighbor's dog) that she is boss. she still stares at her food for about 5 minutes before she eats it. She also sleeps on her same old couch cushion. That poor couch has had to put up with a fat puggy poo on it for hours. She has also been loving her walks, marking her territory. She once peed 18 times in one walk (I am not exaggerating).

Wordless Wednesday

Bath Time

First Walk of the Year

7 Months!

Ronan James, you are 7 months old. What a month we had! You had your first bout of sickness early in Feb. You had a junky monkey cough, so I took you in. Dr. Mantia (best pediatrician ever!) thought you had RSV (you didn't get swabbed), but 2 other babies at day care had it. You did have a double ear infection. You tried your first taste of amoxicillin and sucked it right down like the good little boy you are.

You cut your first tooth (Chip) right at the beginning of Feb. Then tooth number 2 (Dale) made its appearance a month later. No more little gummy smiles :( Oh well, the little toothy smiles are cute too. You can just barely see your teeth in the picture below.

You really didn't like your pacifier for the first 6 months of your life, but now you love it. I blame it on the daycare ladies. I was kind of hoping you would suck your thumb like Mom and Auntie Lindsey did, but we'll settle on the pacifier.

Mom has really been enjoying her extra day off per week with you. I tried to gel your hair up in a mohawk. It worked for about 5 minutes and then your hair was back to your normally spikey hair-do.

You love to chew on everything. You pull off your socks and chew on them. (See below) I also caught you chewing on Nuggie's dog bone. I was riding on my exercise bike and could see if I leaned forward, so I checked on you and you had your little concentrating look on your face. I wanted to run and ge the camera, but the grossness of it forced me to grab the dog bone, which was wet and gummy on both ends. Apparently, you can creep to get something you really want. No crawling yet, but you can get to something with a lot of effort. You also got caught biting another babies toes at daycare. Your teachers told me you like to scoot around in the walker and visit the other kids. So you scooted over to one of your girlfriends and nibbled on her toes. What a charmer! You have now been banned from the walker. First you bite some toes and then you barreled around in it and almost ran over some of the other babies. We have a feeling that you might be a rough-n-tumble little boy.

More photos of Chip and Dale.

Grandma and Grandpa Pawlitz came to visit us for Gma's birthday. We ate a lot of cake. Gma didn't like to hear your little cough. I had to tell her you were just fine.

You weigh about 19 lbs. Your weight gain has really slowed down since you started using the walker at day care. You are in the 75 percentile for weight and the 100th percentile for height. You are tall, just like your Daddy.

You are such a good eater. After I had day care start feeding you solid foods at breakfast, along with the food we feed you at dinner, you became so easy to feed. You see your food, start flailing around cause you are so excited, and then open your mouth like a little birdie. You are now eating a stage 2 jar of baby food (with rice cereal mixed in) 3 times per day. You also drink 2-3 bottles of breast milk at day care (5-6 ounces each) and then Mom nurses you about 3 other times each day. You don't like green beans or peas, but Mom sneaks them in here and there. Every time you eat a banana there is a little bit of peas mixed in. You are totally oblivious to that, but try to give you peas by themselves and you gag. You love everything else, especially applesauce and sweet potatoes.

You have been sleeping so well. You go to bed between 730 and 830 pm. You usually will wake up around 6 or 630 am. Mom will feed you and put you back to sleep (if we are staying home). You will then sleep until 8-830 am so both you and Mom sleep in.

You have been so giggly and happy, especially these last few months. You smile whenever Mom or Dad walks in the room (and cry when Mom leaves). All we have to do is sing or dance or snuggle your face and you just laugh and laugh. Tonight you and Mom galloped around the kitchen and dining room and we were both just giggling away. Dad asked me what medicine we were on.

We have been having so much fun with you, Roanie Baloney.

Wordless Wednesday