If you can't stand the heat... buy an air conditioner

So we did. It has been blazing hot and we do not have central air. Usually, in Oregon, we get just a few days a summer where the heat drives you crazy - it is typically 80's and sunny from July-Sept. On occasion, like this past weekend, it gets into the upper 90's. Our house can stay cool if it's just 80's, but when its scorching, the house really heats up. Our bedroom and the nursery are upstairs, so it's even hotter! On Saturday, it was so hot, we had to sleep downstairs and Ben had a really rough night - Not much sleep at all - just fussing. So, Sunday we got a new window mount air conditioner for the upstairs. After much messing around, we (Andy) got it installed about 11:00PM, and then we were able to sleep up there last night. Yeah!

On the Ben front... He had a pretty big weekend.

He had his first bottle - Andy gave it to him when his family was over for a cook out on Saturday. Ben didn't even bat a eye - He downed pretty much the whole thing (3 oz)! Now I know to freeze more than 3 oz servings.

Also, we got Ben to show his first "REAL" smile.

Happy face and happy places

Yes, our days and nights have been a bit better. There are definite good ones and bad ones... Ben has had some type of rash that has progressively been getting worse over the past week. I wasn't sure if it was contact dermatitis from some detergent or soap, or baby acne or a heat rash, or something else, so I took him to the doctor today. The nice doctor informed me that it is a heat rash. Poor Ben. It doesn't seem to affect him too much, but this could be the cause of the fussiness from this week.

This is Ben's "happy place".

This is Ben's "happy face." Another of Ben's "happy places". (I know, he shouldn't be sleeping on his tummy, but he is so happy there.)
Ben's heat rash

Also, Ben weighed in at 9 lbs, 10 oz at the appointment today (at 4 1/2 weeks - again about 50th percentile) No wonder a few of the onesies have been getting tight. I'm happy that the weekend is here - Andy had to work very late several days this week - I didn't have a whole lot of "me" time.

Yup, I jinxed us...

After stating that we had "turned the corner", we had a pretty rough evening and night last night - I think I got a total of one hour of sleep in the bed and about an hour in the rocker with my neck all torked... Here's hoping for a better day today (with naps!).

4 weeks old!

Ben turned 4 weeks old on Sunday!

We had a nice weekend, and I feel like we have turned the corner on figuring out Ben's needs (although, I'm probably jinxing myself by saying this...) Lately, we've had a few good nights and days, too. We're just starting to see the signs of a pattern developing. He's now back to about 3-4 hours between feedings, with definite periods of sleep and alertness. It sure helps having Andy around on the weekend. We made a venture to Babies R Us last night to pick up a few remaining necessities (more burp rags! diapers, a mobile, some good socks that will hopefully stay on, etc.)

Here is Ben enjoying his swing (thanks, again to Jim and Deb - and Levi!) Look how tiny he looks!


Daddy reading Richard Scarry to Ben

Ben at 4 weeks
In his little slugger outfit (Grandpa Ron should be happy)

We thought we were getting the first signs of smiles from Ben, so out came the video camera... I don't think that they are "real" smiles yet, but based on what we've seen, he sure will have an incredibly adorable smile once they do come! We can't wait!

Congrats to Ami and Riad on the birth of their son, Dylan, last week - We can't wait to meet him!

Anybody need a pile of honeybees?

So, yesterday, I'm doing laps walking around the outside of our house with Ben, when I hear a commotion in our next door neighbor's yard (not the meth house ones, the other side - the neighbor that looks like the Incredible Hulk - pre-green). The Hulk and some guy in a bee suit jump up on the fence to say "Hi!" and explain that there is a massive hive of honey bees in our neighbors tree, right next to our fence. It's about the size of a sack of groceries. The bee guy planned to climb up a ladder, place a bee-box (I'm sure there's a more proper name for it than bee-box - is it an apiary?) under the hive and knock the bees into it - He said that the rest of them would enter on their own because there was already some honey inside. I filmed this from our yard about 25 feet from the tree.

The bee guy came back at about 10:30PM when the bees were "sleeping" and took the bee-box, presumably to some orchard nearby. Crazy days in Oregon...

On the baby front - I've had a couple of pretty good days at home with Ben. He's continuing to eat about every 2 1/2 hours - although last night I think he had a 4 hour stretch... Yeah! I even made it to the grocery store in the evening for a huge $175 trip - we were long over-due.

Happy Father's Day!

Happy Father's Day to All!

Let's see - Ben turned 3 weeks old on Sunday, and we went to a family picnic about an hour away at a State Park. Ben did very well for the family - slept through most of the picnic, but awoke for the last 1/2 hour with open eyes. We did pay for that later, as Ben was awake and fussy for most of that night.

Here are some pics from the picnic and the past few days...

Here is Ben - Post-bath, pre-spit-up..

Ben's first drive-thru car wash! (He slept through it)

Here is Ben wide awake on his way home from the Father's Day Family Picnic

Here's How He Stands

At his well-child visit yesterday, Ben was

21 inches (40th percentile)

8 lbs 4 oz (50th)

Head circumference of 14 inches (25th)

All is well with him - he cooperated well for the doctor - (except for peeing all over the scale!). They did not take his second heel stick for the PKU tests because the paperwork had not made it over from the doctor in McMinnville yet... We'll have to go back soon for that not-so-fun visit. :(

Today, I have MY follow up appointment with my doctor - Another car ride for Ben. He is being very kind this morning and let me take a shower and eat breakfast while he slept the morning away in the crib. Thanks, Ben! Andy had to go into work today - kind of the first real day at home for me by myself. Andy has been working half days and doing some work from home so far, but soon enough, he will have to be back at it full time...

We have had a few rough nights with very little sleep, but lucky for Ben, he's so darn cute. He makes up for it all with his cute little face and squirming random arm movements. Can't wait until we get the first "real" smiles!

You can see in the pics that Ben's cheeks are certainly filling in!