We promised everyone we would post some pics from the party and send them the link, so here it is (http://picasaweb.google.com/purdrew/AudreyLaurenS3rdBday#):
Monday, September 6, 2010
Labor Day & Celebrating Audrey & Lauren's 3rd Birthday
We spent Labor Day in the Houston-area (Sugar Land) celebrating Audrey & Lauren's (our nieces') 3rd Birthday. Erica (Drew's sister) planned a really fun Dora the Explorer party. Audrey & Lauren had to go on a short adventure as Dora (complete with backpacks) to find their birthday candles that the evil, sneaky fox, Swiper had taken from them. We also played pin the tail on the donkey, participated in sack races, and ate some delicious carnival food (snowcones, hot dogs, corn dogs, caramel apples, etc.). Great job, Erica, planning a fun party!
We promised everyone we would post some pics from the party and send them the link, so here it is (http://picasaweb.google.com/purdrew/AudreyLaurenS3rdBday#):
We promised everyone we would post some pics from the party and send them the link, so here it is (http://picasaweb.google.com/purdrew/AudreyLaurenS3rdBday#):
Saturday, September 4, 2010
A few videos to share...
This video was taken with my phone in low light, so it is not the best quality. Luke likes making animal sounds---specifically, puppy sounds. His favorite stuffed animal is his puppy, which he sleeps with every night. You can see in the video that he is carrying his puppy along with him. When Luke cruises around the furniture, he never likes to venture off alone--at least one of his toys comes along with him:
And lastly, here's a video of Luke walking behind his push-cart. Luke's balance isn't perfect yet. And, it's probably because he loves to walk and stand on his tip-toes like this:
Our City, Round Rock, named one of the top 10 family-friendly cities in the US
We read in our community newspaper last night that the city in which we reside, Round Rock, was recently named one of the best places to raise children in the nation. With its miles of walking trails, sports facilities and friendly atmosphere it is easy to see why. Family Circle magazine released its annual roundup of the top 10 family-friendly cities based on affordable housing, quality schools, access to healthcare, green space, low crime rate and financial stability.
Here is a link that goes into a little more detail:
Family Circle Magazine Top 10 family-friendly cities list
Yeah, Round Rock!
Also, Ohio State played its first game of the season on Thursday night. So, Luke had to get decked out in his Ohio State Gear. I thought I'd share a couple of pics that the Ohio State fan division of our family would enjoy:
Here is a link that goes into a little more detail:
Family Circle Magazine Top 10 family-friendly cities list
Yeah, Round Rock!
Also, Ohio State played its first game of the season on Thursday night. So, Luke had to get decked out in his Ohio State Gear. I thought I'd share a couple of pics that the Ohio State fan division of our family would enjoy:
Our Trip to Seattle--Luke's first airline flight
Drew, Luke and I decided to take our first long family vacation together to a place far away--Seattle. We have had so many questions from friends asking us why we chose to go to Seattle. So many people ask us, "Do you have family there?" Well, we actually purchased two airline tickets last year on September 1 for Thanksgiving to go to Tulsa, but we ended up canceling the flights so that we could drive up instead. This meant that we had a credit on Southwest that we had to use before September 1, 2010. So, Drew and I discussed going somewhere cooler, to vacate the blazing, Texas heat. We landed on San Francisco, San Diego or Seattle as our choices (after a review of weather.com). We eventually chose Seattle as neither one of us had been before.
We were very glad we chose Seattle. The weather was AWESOME! Highs were in the upper 60's every day, with just a few clouds, a light breeze and lots of sunshine. We stayed downtown, near the market, and we didn't even need to rent a car. We did TONS of walking, and used public transportation when we needed to travel far.
Luke was a perfect traveler. Since the flights were not full, Southwest allowed us to bring our car seat onboard. Our family took up an entire row, and Luke slept through the flights to and from Seattle. We were on the go nonstop once we arrived in Seattle, and Luke just went with the flow.
We had a wonderful time there and thought we'd share some of our pictures with our readers. There were too many to post here, so here is a slideshow of the photos from picasaweb:
Catching up on Posts--Luke's first Shiner :-(
So, I feel like a terrible mom! Luke got his first shiner under my watch and care :-(.
I know we can't possibly protect him from ever getting hurt, but I didn't think it would be so soon in his life. This is how it all went down..... I was upstairs changing the sheets on a guest bed--Luke was in the room with me. As I finished putting the new sheets on the bed and placed all of the decorative pillows on the bed, I started to go to the other side of the room where I had placed the old sheets, so that I could grab them, grab Luke and then head back downstairs. At the same time, I saw Luke pull up on the side of the bed. A little voice in my head said, "Heather, remember there is a metal bed rail that Luke cannot see, hidden underneath the thick comforter. What if he hits his head on it?" I replied to the voice, "I am just going to run over here quickly to grab the sheets and then I will grab Luke on the way out of the room. It will be more efficient that way, and SURELY nothing could happen in that little bit of time." Well, I should have listened to the voice. As soon as I reached down to grab the old sheets, I heard a loud bang and then a scream. As Luke was bending down to go back to a crawl position from his standing position, he slammed his poor little supraorbital foramen (bone just above the eyelid) on the metal bed rail. Why didn't I listen to the voice? (Now, I think it was probably the Holy Spirit).
I immediately got onto my phone's internet as I cuddled my little baby, trying to search for what I should do. Many thoughts went through my head, almost simultaneously... How serious is this? Should I take him to the ER? Could he lose his vision? If I take him to the ER, is someone going to call CPS on me? We are going on a trip to Seattle next week on Southwest--is the flight attendant going to try to take Luke from me since he has a black eye (I had just heard a blurb from a news story where this happened: click here to read.) So many things were going through my head, and I now know just how much I was overreacting! Based on what I read, I tried to put ice on the eyebone. Luke didn't want ANYTHING to do with that. In fact, after a few minutes of crying, he wanted down to play. But, mommy was still feeling terrible.
I lost a lot of sleep that night--trying to figure out if he was going to be ok--if I should call our insurance company's 24 hour nurse hotline, etc. In fact, I finally decided to move him from his crib in his bedroom upstairs to the pack n' play in our bedroom, so that I could more easily listen to him breath.
Luke is such an explorer. I know that this is not going to be his last injury--and, I know we probably will eventually have to go to the ER. But, in the meantime, I am going to pray for his safety and listen to the little voice in my head!
I know we can't possibly protect him from ever getting hurt, but I didn't think it would be so soon in his life. This is how it all went down..... I was upstairs changing the sheets on a guest bed--Luke was in the room with me. As I finished putting the new sheets on the bed and placed all of the decorative pillows on the bed, I started to go to the other side of the room where I had placed the old sheets, so that I could grab them, grab Luke and then head back downstairs. At the same time, I saw Luke pull up on the side of the bed. A little voice in my head said, "Heather, remember there is a metal bed rail that Luke cannot see, hidden underneath the thick comforter. What if he hits his head on it?" I replied to the voice, "I am just going to run over here quickly to grab the sheets and then I will grab Luke on the way out of the room. It will be more efficient that way, and SURELY nothing could happen in that little bit of time." Well, I should have listened to the voice. As soon as I reached down to grab the old sheets, I heard a loud bang and then a scream. As Luke was bending down to go back to a crawl position from his standing position, he slammed his poor little supraorbital foramen (bone just above the eyelid) on the metal bed rail. Why didn't I listen to the voice? (Now, I think it was probably the Holy Spirit).
I immediately got onto my phone's internet as I cuddled my little baby, trying to search for what I should do. Many thoughts went through my head, almost simultaneously... How serious is this? Should I take him to the ER? Could he lose his vision? If I take him to the ER, is someone going to call CPS on me? We are going on a trip to Seattle next week on Southwest--is the flight attendant going to try to take Luke from me since he has a black eye (I had just heard a blurb from a news story where this happened: click here to read.) So many things were going through my head, and I now know just how much I was overreacting! Based on what I read, I tried to put ice on the eyebone. Luke didn't want ANYTHING to do with that. In fact, after a few minutes of crying, he wanted down to play. But, mommy was still feeling terrible.
I lost a lot of sleep that night--trying to figure out if he was going to be ok--if I should call our insurance company's 24 hour nurse hotline, etc. In fact, I finally decided to move him from his crib in his bedroom upstairs to the pack n' play in our bedroom, so that I could more easily listen to him breath.
Luke is such an explorer. I know that this is not going to be his last injury--and, I know we probably will eventually have to go to the ER. But, in the meantime, I am going to pray for his safety and listen to the little voice in my head!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Ahhhhhhh sleep--how much do I love thee!
I was recently at an Austin Area Strategic HR Forum meeting, where we had a speaker who mentioned that getting less than 7-8 hours of sleep per night will affect your IQ. She said the first thing that you should tell an employee whose productivity has dropped is to get more sleep!
So, this prompted me to do a little more research of my own. Personally, I have come to really LOVE and cherish my sleep. I think this feeling has grown since the birth of Luke--probably due to the fact that I got none shortly after he was born. There were days during those first couple of months after he was born that I felt like a zombie. What was really scary were the days that, although they were filled with lots of activity, at the end of the day I could not even tell Drew what had occurred. The whole day was a blur. So, when Luke began sleeping through the night, I began to appreciate sleep significantly more than I had prior to his birth. I began to crave it throughout my day. I know there HAS to be something to this research.
Here are some of the interesting facts that I have found. (info. from http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm)
Just as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness, so is sleep. The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight. Lack of sleep affects your judgment, coordination, and reaction times. In fact, sleep deprivation can affect you just as much as being drunk. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort as sleep!
Understanding sleep
Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body and brain shut off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing a wide variety of biological maintenance tasks that keep you running in top condition and prepare you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you’re like a car in need of an oil change. You won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.
The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. As you start getting the sleep you need, your energy and efficiency will go up. In fact, you’re likely to find that you actually get more done during the day than when you were skimping on shuteye.
How many hours of sleep do you need?
According to the National Institutes of Health, the average adult sleeps less than 7 hours per night. In today’s fast-paced society, 6 or 7 hours of sleep may sound pretty good. In reality, it’s a recipe for chronic sleep deprivation.
While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more (see chart at left). And despite the notion that sleep needs decrease with age, older people still need at least 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap.
In my research, I also found a new study undertaken by researchers in the UK and Italy that suggested that an abnormal sleeping pattern may result in an increased risk of premature death. (http://www.psfk.com/2010/05/the-importance-of-sleep.html). The research took data from studies across Europe, the US and Asia over 25 years, covering more than a million people and over 100,000 deaths. There were two key findings from the research as reported by The Guardian.
So, this prompted me to do a little more research of my own. Personally, I have come to really LOVE and cherish my sleep. I think this feeling has grown since the birth of Luke--probably due to the fact that I got none shortly after he was born. There were days during those first couple of months after he was born that I felt like a zombie. What was really scary were the days that, although they were filled with lots of activity, at the end of the day I could not even tell Drew what had occurred. The whole day was a blur. So, when Luke began sleeping through the night, I began to appreciate sleep significantly more than I had prior to his birth. I began to crave it throughout my day. I know there HAS to be something to this research.
Here are some of the interesting facts that I have found. (info. from http://www.helpguide.org/life/sleeping.htm)
Just as exercise and nutrition are essential for optimal health and happiness, so is sleep. The quality of your sleep directly affects the quality of your waking life, including your mental sharpness, productivity, emotional balance, creativity, physical vitality, and even your weight. Lack of sleep affects your judgment, coordination, and reaction times. In fact, sleep deprivation can affect you just as much as being drunk. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort as sleep!
Understanding sleep
Sleep isn’t merely a time when your body and brain shut off. While you rest, your brain stays busy, overseeing a wide variety of biological maintenance tasks that keep you running in top condition and prepare you for the day ahead. Without enough hours of restorative sleep, you’re like a car in need of an oil change. You won’t be able to work, learn, create, and communicate at a level even close to your true potential. Regularly skimp on “service” and you’re headed for a major mental and physical breakdown.
The good news is that you don’t have to choose between health and productivity. As you start getting the sleep you need, your energy and efficiency will go up. In fact, you’re likely to find that you actually get more done during the day than when you were skimping on shuteye.
How many hours of sleep do you need?
| Average Sleep Needs | |
| Age | Hours |
| Newborns (0-2 months) | 12 - 18 |
| Infants (3 months to 1 year) | 14 - 15 |
| Toddlers (1 to 3 years) | 12 - 14 |
| Preschoolers (3 to 5 years) | 11 - 13 |
| School-aged children (5 to 12 years) | 10 - 11 |
| Teens and preteens (12 to 18 years) | 8.5 - 10 |
| Adults (18+) | 7.5 - 9 |
While sleep requirements vary slightly from person to person, most healthy adults need between 7.5 to 9 hours of sleep per night to function at their best. Children and teens need even more (see chart at left). And despite the notion that sleep needs decrease with age, older people still need at least 7.5 to 8 hours of sleep. Since older adults often have trouble sleeping this long at night, daytime naps can help fill in the gap.
In my research, I also found a new study undertaken by researchers in the UK and Italy that suggested that an abnormal sleeping pattern may result in an increased risk of premature death. (http://www.psfk.com/2010/05/the-importance-of-sleep.html). The research took data from studies across Europe, the US and Asia over 25 years, covering more than a million people and over 100,000 deaths. There were two key findings from the research as reported by The Guardian.
It found that those who generally slept for less than six hours a night were 12% more likely to experience a premature death over a period of 25 years than those who consistently got six to eight hours’ sleep.
It also concluded that those who consistently sleep more than nine hours a night can be more likely to die early. Oversleeping itself is not seen as a risk but as a potential indicator of underlying ailments.So, the moral of the story? I won't bore you with any more of the many research studies that demonstrate the importance of sleep. However, I would ask that you share this information with your loved ones who do not get enough sleep! It is critical for their success in their jobs, for their health/survival, and for them to be able to spend quality time with their families. I know that I am going to make sure I get enough!
Baby Signing
We have been working with Luke since he was about 5 months old on baby sign language. Obviously, the purpose of using sign language with your baby is to be able to communicate better with them before they are able to verbalize. Research also shows that babies that do baby sign language get a great start in life – with bigger vocabularies and more advanced cognitive skills even years after they have stopped signing.
Some of the signs we have been working with Luke on is "more," "all done," "eat," "milk," "hello," and "goodbye." Again, the purpose of using sign language is so that Luke can communicate to us his needs, desires, etc.
Well, I guess it doesn't really matter what the sign is, as long as it is something we understand, right?
Here is the baby sign for "more":
And here's Luke's sign for "more":
Some of the signs we have been working with Luke on is "more," "all done," "eat," "milk," "hello," and "goodbye." Again, the purpose of using sign language is so that Luke can communicate to us his needs, desires, etc.
Well, I guess it doesn't really matter what the sign is, as long as it is something we understand, right?
Here is the baby sign for "more":
And here's Luke's sign for "more":
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