4 Month Update

We just had a check-up at the pediatrician's office, and Vincent is growing and developing just fine!  He weighs 15 and a quarter pounds, and is 25 and a quarter inches long.  This puts him in the 60th percentile in both categories, so he's taking after his daddy and Godmother in the average category.  Of course, he's only average according to the charts.  To us, he is AMAZING! 

Some of Vincent's accomplishments this month include smiling and laughing, believe it or not, a lot!  You wouldn't know it by the pool pictures.  He's also rolling over onto his belly.  He doesn't like it once he gets there, though.  He's found himself face planted a couple times in the middle of the night and woken up none too happy.  I, of course, missed the first time he rolled over.  I went into the kitchen to take care of bottles and heard him begin to fuss in the living room.  When I went to check on him, there I found him on his tummy!  I was so excited, I cleared the decks, removed all obstacles, and broke out the video camera.  Murphy's Law, he didn't even wiggle.  He clearly wasn't as excited as I was to demonstrate the new skills.  Oh well, another time.  We later discovered that he is cheating a bit by puling himself all the way over by grabbing toys-but still!  He's getting there.  We love to watch him flop over to his side.  He cracks us up.

Who's that handsome boy?

Other accomplishments are reaching and grabbing toys, more focused attention, putting things in his mouth, and babbling a ton.  Taking after his mommy quite nicely!  We love to wake up to his babbles every morning.  He lies perfectly content talking to himself for upwards of 20 minutes before we scoop him up.  And he greets us with the biggest smile.  It's the best ever.  Vinny continues to be a happy baby.  He rarely fusses.  Chewing on his hands, fingers, thumb, binky, mousie, and blanket keep him soothed.  He's beginning to drool a ton.  We discovered that Vincent really loves to snuggle with his fuzzy blankets.  It seems that as soon as he has the soft fabric in his hands and next to his face, he goes lights out.  I haven't had the heart to take a picture yet and have the flash wake him, but it's a Kodak moment waiting to happen!  And yes, I take the blanket away in his crib...no SIDS here!  

Vince also enjoys his jumpy chair.  He is discovering that some of the gadgets move and make noise, and everyday is a new learning adventure.  He doesn't exactly jump, but it's nice to have another option for playtime.  While he's in it, he loves to look up and watch Baby Einstein videos, or baseball.  Or anything really.  Let's be real.  He's 4 months old.  He' doesn't know.  He just loves the colors and I am surprised at his level of concentration.  But then again, he is a serious little guy.  He observes and studies everything around him like no other.  Take for instance the pool.

Watching TV

With the incredible desert temperatures, we've been heading over to Mommo and Boppo's  a bunch to visit and swim.  Mommo and Boppo can get Vinny to smile in a heartbeat...until they try in the pool.  He's so serious, it's hard not to laugh.  Vince is still not sure what to make of that water, but like we always say, he doesn't hate it.  And he's just so darned adorable all decked out in his swim gear.  

So these four months have come and gone so fast.  I have enjoyed my time home with Vincent, but it's already time to go back to school!  I know Vince will handle the transition just fine...we'll see how well I do!

Murphy loves to check on Vincent!

Happy Birthday Anthony...and Murphy!

Last night we celebrated Anthony's birthday with some good friends. For so long, birthdays and anniversaries were sort of empty. Sure, we managed to have fun, but we always felt like something...or someone...was missing. We often felt like we were defeating the whole purpose of getting older, when we didn't have a little one to show for it. This year, it is all different. Ant and I both enjoy celebrating birthdays and embrace getting older (although I am not embracing the recent stiffness in my shoulder and knees-ugh!), and we look forward to all the wonderful things that life has in store for us, now that we have Vincent!

Hmmm, what is THAT???

Seriously??? Is that my little boy flipping the bird? Already? What have you been teaching him Dave?

Of course there are 36 candles on that cake! Why wouldn't there be?

Come on Ant! Before the fire department shows up!

MMMMMM! First cut into the Italian Creme Cake. No photoshopping necessary.

Let us not forget that it's Murphy's birthday, too. She turned 10 years old yesterday. She's not been feeling all that well lately, but didn't turn down steak leftovers and a tasty Frosty Paw! Happy Birthday old girl.

Happy 4th of July Weekend!

After being in Connecticut for 10 days visiting so many friends and family everyday, things seemed too quiet and boring when we returned to Arizona.  So we were especially excited when Mommo and Boppo finally returned from their big cross country trip to KY and VA.  

It seems almost un-American to skip the fireworks on the 4th of July, but it was so blazing hot, we just couldn't survive the heat...and clearly, Vinny had had a long day.

We spent the next day once again at Bill and Joan's with a visit from Tom, Weez, James and Justin.  James is never out of arms reach of Vincent, which we love.  Here they are back in the pool trying out the new floatie raft.

3 Months...and Then Some!

Well, Vince is a few weeks past his three month birthday, and I am just now getting to the blog.  We had a very busy June, and there were so many pictures and memories to sort through.  It was all quite overwhelming, so when the tough get overwhelmed, the overwhelmed PLAY!  Since Vincent has been staying awake longer and playing harder these days, I find my time better spent on the floor giggling and wiggling with the baby instead.  It's so much fun, and I can't believe I have to start back at school in a few weeks!

So, some of the most exciting milestones that Vincent accomplished are tons of sleeping through the night (since the beginning of June), big time smiling, laughing, cooing, lifting his head while on his tummy, holding up his head pretty steady, grabbing and holding toys, and rolling over on to his left side.  Uncle Brian coined him Baby Zoolander because he prefers to turn his head to the right most of the time.  So why he rolls to the left is interesting...well, to me anyway.  Anyway, every morning we find him in the opposite direction we left him the night before.  And where as he used to wake up screaming for his bottle, he now talks to himself for a while and greets us with a smile and wiggle when we go in to pick him up.  So sweet.

Let's see, Vince is weighed about 15 pounds last week, and not sure about his length...but trust me when I say he's tall!  He is outgrowing his 3-6 month outfits already!  We'll take him to the doctor for his 4 month check up in a couple weeks and get his exact measurements.  

We've been spending most of our time indoors because it is so darned hot outside.  But we do try to go swimming in Mommo and Boppo's pool.  Vince is hard to read.  He doesn't necessarily show love or excitement for being in the water, nor does he appear to hate it.  He has yet to have a meltdown, and seems pretty relaxed in his floaty raft.  So I say he likes it!

Vincent continues to amaze us, as I suspect he always will.  I am enjoying being a mommy so much, and Anthony loves being a daddy more than anything else in the world.  It's the best ever.

Connecticut

We spent 10 whirlwind days in our hometown Windsor Locks, CT introducing Vincent to all the most special people that prayed so hard for his arrival.  Vincent is a gift from God to us, and he didn't happen without prayers.  Lots of prayers.  We felt so proud handing him over to everyone, but no one more than my grandmother.  Since my adorable nephew Blaise was born last May, Gram has been promoted to great grandmother status, earning the Polish title Babci.  She relished every moment of rocking Vincent and it made us wish more than ever that we lived closer to them.  Papa did a good job holding the baby, too...when Gram let him!

We arrived Friday evening after a long day of flying (Vincent slept the whole flight!).  Mom and Dad greeted us inside the terminal which cracked us up since up to this point we had always been told to follow the "call me when you get your bags and wait on the curb" protocol.  Since Vince's arrival we get the red carpet treatment!  Perks I guess.  Anyway, we barely got through the door when the pizza arrived along with lots of visitors.  Bill, Joan, Vincent's Godmother Missy, Ben, and Sammy drove all the way up from Virginia.  We hadn't seen Ben and Sammy in years.  My brother and his family came over along with my grandparents, Uncle Tommy, Auntie Diane, Uncle Dino, and cousins Danny and Kevin.  We had quite the houseful!

Mom and Dad had a huge party on Father's Day and it was especially sweet to introduce Vincent to Anthony's side of the family.  Other than Aunt Flo, we hadn't seen the them since Dampa's funeral.  The day flew by, and it felt like we only had a quick minute to visit with everyone.  I suppose it would have felt that way even if we lived right there, that's just the way big family parties go!  Since Missy couldn't be in Arizona for Vincent's Christening, we faked a picture in the official Hannigan picture taking spot by the wishing well.  I'd say no one ever had to know, but now you do!

The rest of the week continued with more traveling and family visits.  The end of the week included the 17th Annual Trainer Golf Tournament.  The Claffey Clan is our extended family, and we spend almost an equal amount of time with them as our own.  Sean and Kristy's little girl, Emma Rose, is only 3 weeks younger than Vincent, and we are already thinking of an arranged marriage.  Don't they already look married?

It's nearly impossible to look back on our trip and not have regrets about living so far away.  It would be so much easier if we were all still in CT, but if there's one thing we've learned it's that our life is far from easy.  But that just makes us appreciate the time we do have together, and the family that we have right here.  Vincent is so lucky to have Bill and Joan here in AZ, and since our trip, I find myself driving up the road a little more often.  There is nothing more special than a relationship with a grandparent.  Anthony and I were both very close with our grandparents and want that more than anything for our baby.  

Our camera got quite a workout, and these have been just a few of my favorite moments. Good-bye Connecticut!  See you at Thanksgiving.  Vinny's Godfather is getting married and we couldn't possible miss that!!!