Babe's first Hike

Last Saturday, we took Gabriel on his first big hike. We hiked Lower Table Rock which is about a 3.2 mile hike. It's an amazing view from the top and a relatively easy hike for kiddos because the trail is wide and well groomed. Gabriel rode up in the sling on Jayme and down in the sling on me. All of the kiddos went, so I am including all of our pictures here for family and friends that keep asking for pics of them.

Here is Jayme and Gabriel all the way at the top. You can see some of the view behind them. She is doing well for 6 weeks postpartum!

Here is Gabe and I posing at the top. The view behind is what I am trying to show though! How many 6 week old babys get to nurse at the top of Table Rock??? What a view! He is a lucky guy!
Here is Jacob, 3 years old, hiking down the trail. He was pretty worn out by this point, but still smiling! He's my happy boy!
We are all taking a well needed rest and water break, right on top of a rock that was made for sitting on!
Makiah (11) at the top of TR. She's trying to run from the bees who were attacking our picnic, but all the rocks in the way make that a bit difficult!
Auntie Katie (12) is smooching on Gabriel. Don't panic- we didn't let her get too close to the edge with him :)
Hannah (5) found an acorn! She had pockets full of them by the time we headed back down the mountain!

Hannah and Jacob found another way down off of the trail. They decided scooting was far easier then hiking. It worked until we hit some hard volcanic rocks! Oh ya . . . now I get to go back to Penneys for more jeans! Hannah and Jake were tired of carrying thier backpacks, so they made new and improved belly packs. Gabriel was in the sling in front of us right? It worked pretty well too!

So, this is just a fun and quick update. We are all doing well. Jayme goes back to school on Monday, Tony has been over to see Gabriel. Everybody is moving along just fine. I got the highest score in the class on our recent SCIENCE exam!?!?!?!?! Are you reading this Terra??? For those who don't know, I am getting my B.S. in Sociology, minoring in psychology and women's studies. I am so NOT a science person though . . . and have been whining non stop about having to do another science class. Don't tell anybody . . . its actually kinda fun!

So, life is ok . .. . . pics are ok . .. . . . love ya all :)
Kat

The Moose Man

Moose is growing at an amazingly rapid rate. The past two days I have put new outfits on him that have never been worn, and probably won't be worn many more times! Jayme left them hanging in the closet because they look so big, but they fit just right. He is comfortably fitting into a 3 month size and I guess he is close to 12 pounds by now.
While he is still qute a grumpy and serious little man, he is beginning to show signs of smiling and talking. For the most part though, he isn't happy at all unless he is tucked up on a shoulder being given an excess amount of love. Ok, so there isn't any excess with a baby, all love is justified but a half an hour of peace for dinner without incredible amounts of love and baby jiggling would be nice!
He is the most serious baby I have ever ever been around. He is always staring, always somber faced. It's almost as if he isn't sure he really wants to be around right now. I really am hoping that he gets a bit more happy over the next few weeks. He is almost 6 weeks, so maybe we are close. There are occasions he lets us put him down, but usually for less then 3 minutes.

Jayme has taken to doing her schoolwork with him in the sling in her lap. She can have a bite or two of whatever meal she is attempting to eat before he prompty screams his head off at her. Maybe he is worried that she will drop a glob of freezing cold ice cream on his head . . . again!

He still nurses quite often, sometimes cluster nursing in the evening and really is a crabby guy at night. I'm not sure if we just are an overwhelming crowd in the evening when we are all home or what?

But, of course, I am still madly in love with this crabby, grumpy ultra serious little boy. I love coming home in the evening and snuggling with him so Jayme can get a shower or just sit for a few moments. He does settle down a bit once everybody is in bed, he just gets quiet and stares at me.

Jayme is doing ok, she is trying to complete homework that the school has sent for her, and will be going back to school full time in a week. Gabriel will be able to attend the daycare center that is on the school campus. Anytime he needs to nurse or can't be comforted, they will call Jayme out of class. She is so lucky to have that support!

She has been out a bit lately with friends, just to lose some of her cabin fever. I think it is good for her to remember that she is still a teen, and needs to have fun. This past month has been so hard on her, dealing not only with postpartum stuff, Gabriels hospitalization and schoolowork, but also with Tony's stuff. He has been over a few times cursing at her and yelling about various things. It is sad, but she is recognizing it for what it is. Right now she and Tony have agreed on times for him to come and see Gabriel that work for both of them. It would be good for her to count on that time, not only for Gabriel but also for her own sanity and having a bit of a break. I hope that Tony follows through, he hasn't been over hardly at all to see the baby. My hope is for both Jayme and Tony to mature through this, and work together.

So, for now, things are ok. I think we are ending a rough period and there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I guess I never realized it would be harder after he would be born then before. It seems obvious, but sometimes I miss the obvious!

Kat

Moose is on the Loose

The moose is home! I actually was able to bring them home on Thursday but haven't caught a moment to update until this evening. Classes started this week again, and its crazy making. Between my own 5, work and school, sometimes I think I am nutso . . . anyway, Moose is loving being tucked into his sling and Jayme is learning she can accomplish much more with the babe in sling.

















Now that he is home more, his personality is starting to come out. He is LOUD! There are no soft newborn cries in this home, oh no! Gabe screams hysterically the moment he doesn't like something. No warming up, no mumbles and grumbles, just a pissed off shriek that wakes everybody (including our neighbors) at 3 am.

I have offered to give him a bottle of breast milk so that she can have a break but so far she isn't ready for that. I'm not trying to intefere but I do think Jayme needs more sleep. She is still teary each day, though I can hardly blame her, I would cry if my baby screamed like moose does too!

Jayme was supposed to have a home tutor, but Gabriel is now almost 4 weeks and the tutor just came for the first time a few days ago. He didn't have any work for Jayme yet, apparently the teachers are very reluctant to make packets for her. She is stressing because she is getting further and further behind, and is worried about going back to school in 2 weeks. I think it will be good for her to get out and about and begin living her life again though. We went shopping this weekend for school clothes and supplies, so I think she is beginning to get excited.

I'm back in school, and finding it hard to study with a screaming baby in the house. I try not to get too frustrated but as loud as he is, there is nowhere to escape the scream factor. He is a grumpy little guy, and certainly has every reason to be, but either way, its not a quiet home by any stretch of the imagination. He has settled into a pattern that looks somewhat like this . . . nurse for 5-7 minutes, stop, throw his head back and howl as loud as possible for about 10 minutes, get bounced and jostled for 15 minutes, then scream another 10-15 minutes, nurse again for about 5 minutes, doze off for about 7 minutes and wake up screaming to start it again . . . argggggggggg

Now that we are home though, things are settling in. Gabriel got some visit time today with "grampa" who isn't officially grampa, but the only "grampa" figure that lives close to us (my dad is 4 hours away and Tonys dad isn't really involved with him) and of course, I don't have a male partner so . . . Mr. Bill is stepping up to play Grampa . . . God help Gabriel!











Here, he is being sweet and smooching on his cute baby grandson






Here, he is awfully proud and ready to give Moose lessons on the art of riding a motorcycle and wearing glasses for protection

hehehe no wonder Gabriel has screamed all evening!!!