Water Baby :)

We made it! Oliver and I are in Georgia, and today Oliver got to go swimming for the first time! We can't wait for Daddy to get here so that he can splash with us too! We definitely have a water baby here. Time for bed...it's been a long travel day.

Oliver's 2 month Update

It's been 10 weeks today since Oliver decided to make his grand entrance into our lives and a little over one week since his two month birthday and check up.  Somehow we both survived his two month shots and a five hour car ride back to Rawlins. 

This pretty much sums up how it went....

Thankfully, the next morning Oliver was already feeling significantly better!

So here are the 2 month stats and fun facts about Oliver:

Weight: 10.74 lbs (26th percentile)

Height: 22.44 in (30th percentile)

Head Circumference: 15.2 in (17th percentile)

*He has such strong legs! When vertical, he loves to practice standing up and pushing off with his legs. If you have him horizontal, he could do bicycle kicks all day long. 

*He can lift his head, neck, and chest off the ground now during tummy time but still hasn't shown any interest in rolling. During tummy time, he mostly kicks himself over the boppy or kicks/scoots himself in circles.

*He laughed! A real, legit laugh, followed by a huge smile. Brian and I both heard it this time. I wonder what he was thinking?!?

*He was sleeping through the night (8hr stretches) before his shots but now he is all over the place. The last 2 nights he has woken up 3 times each. This is definitely our least favorite side effect!

*He is interacting more and more and tries to have conversations with us by making the funniest noises.

*He still enjoys baths and showers and has even been getting better about towel time. We have been practicing quite a bit getting his head and face wet, so he will be ready for the pool in a couple of weeks when we go to Georgia!

Blessing Our Baby

This past Sunday, on his 2 month birthday, Oliver Thomas Moote was given a name and a blessing in Grandpa and Nana Moote's ward. It was such an exciting day for our little family, and we were so grateful to have had parents, siblings, and friends there to share in Oliver's special day! 

I feel so blessed to have these two guys in my life!

While Brian was walking up with Oliver to bless him, I heard a little squeal and got nervous, but Oliver did great and quietly "listened" to daddy's voice through the whole thing. While I sat and listened, I had an overwhelming feeling of love and gratitude wash over me for Brian and the way he reveres and honors the priesthood he holds. Together with his earthly and Heavenly Father, Oliver was given a beautiful blessing. Some parts that stood out included:

*A memorable childhood with experiences to help you make good decisions later in life

*Ability and desire to make good decisions

*Willing to act on hope and receive testimony through good choices

*Courage to share testimony when the situation needs it

*Meet good friends who will lift you up and support you in choosing the right

*Find a wife who parallels your values to serve the Lord

*Feel parents love when you have made a bad decision

*Courage to turn to the Atonement

*Be a good example to siblings and family

Here are some photos from Sunday after the blessing. His outfit was a gift from his Nana Moote and Nana Jones. 

We Love Oliver

counting down the minutes

<-This is how excited we are to go to Utah this weekend! 

We can't wait for Oliver to meet his Aunt Lyndsey and godmother Amy for the first time! AND we get to see lots of other friends and family too! AND we get to go to Costco and Cafe Rio and Chick-fil-a and about a thousand other places that don't exist in Rawlins, WY. AND most importantly, we are blessing Oliver this Sunday on his 2 month birthday. We have been counting down to this weekend for a long time, and 3:45pm (our departure time) tomorrow could not come soon enough!

P.S The last 2 nights, Oliver has slept 7-8 hours! Pure bliss. :)

Oliver Update in Photos

Instagram has been great for quick ways to share cute pics of Oliver with friends and family, but sometimes it's nice to bust out the good (not so) ole' camera. Here are some pics of Oliver at 6/7 weeks.

At 6/7 weeks, 3 month clothes are mostly still too big (as pictured above.) Oliver mostly wears his larger NB clothes mixed with smaller 0-3 month stuff. He is a tall/skinny boy with long feet though, so we had to move him up to 3 month footy/sleeper pj's so his toes wouldn't be squished. :) We are on our last pack of newborn diapers and then we will move up to size 1. 

At 6/7 weeks, Oliver is starting to smile more and more! He responds to the faces that we make of him and is mesmerized by the mirror. He still sleeps at night in the swing in one 4-6 hour stretch followed by a feeding and then another 2-3 hour stretch. He is usually up and ready to go by 7:30am.

At 6/7 weeks, Oliver also naps in the pack n play bassinet. He has started to spit up more and more recently, so sometimes it's easier to just skip the onsie. He's still our "little dude," but we have also added "slobber monster," "buddy" and "stinker" to the mix. Of course, there is also "Ollie" and just plain Oliver in there too.

And here are some cute pics I took during tummy time yesterday. He can't reach out and grab yet, but he'll hold out tight to anything you put in his hands. It's so fun to see his personality come out more. He is also starting to find his voice and squawks when he is happy or excited. He still cries like a newborn with tiny "whaaaa" sounds and makes this cute little frowny face with a little trembling chin to let you know he is about to start.

4th of July and Martin's Cove

Our 4th of July this year was pretty low key. We had fun in the park, had an Indiana Jones marathon, went out for all american burgers and fries at Bucks, and watched the fireworks from our kitchen window.

Nothing will ever beat 4th of July in Peachtree City with the parade, swimming, bbq, homemade icecream and rootbeer, and firework show (I feel bad that most of it was rained out this year but kinda glad I didn't miss out...I know I'm a terrible person,) but I'm glad we got to have Brian home on a week day. And I'm grateful for our freedom and independence. Yep, I'm proud to be an American! :)

Then last weekend, we decided to get out of Rawlins and go up to Casper, stopping at Martin's Cove on the way. I guess I should have researched the church history site a little more because we definitely did NOT come prepared! (personal fail = I did not wear the right shoes for the occasion, parenting fail = I forgot to bring the moby or the ergo carrier) Even with the setbacks though, we had a tiring, rewarding day.

I love those big, blue eyes! Oliver is such a great baby in the car...most of the time. :)

Arriving at the visitor's center for Martin's Cove with Devil's Gate in the background.

There were deer and other wildlife all along the trail.

Oliver slept most of the way while Brian carried him on the trail.

The visitor's center is NOT right at the cove. To get to the cove requires a 5.3 mile round trip hike on a dirt trail!  Wearing 4 inch wedge sandals = so, so dumb. I couldn't wrap my head around the idea of driving all the way there and not going all the way, so hiked the whole thing with me in these shoes and no baby carrier. I figured if the pioneers could do it the snow without shoes, we could suck it up and do it too. We were slow, and I have blisters on top of blisters, but we made it. I have such a deep appreciation for the pioneer's sacrifice, but man, oh man am I grateful to have been born now and not then! 

Wide open spaces! It's such a different world out here.

So here is the actual cove. We made it all the way around. Going to the site gave me a new appreciation for the saints.  Martin's cove is not close to SLC. I can't even imagine the dispare of getting stuck in the Wyoming cold and most especially the intense wind they have here with little/no supplies and knowing how much further they still had to go (It's at least 6 hours by car.) So grateful for their faith and for the rescuers who came to help them. So many miracles took place here.

Devil's Gate. By the time we got back from Martin's Cove, my feet were DONE! We didn't hike all the way to Devil's Gate, so this picture will have to do.

Half way between Martin's Cove and Casper is Independence Rock. I'm not going to lie, I was  expecting more for some reason. Somewhat underwhelming...

Casper seemed like paradise after almost a month in Rawlins. There were actually trees, and they have a Walmart! Because Martin's Cove had taken so much longer than we were expecting and because my feet were broken, we almost just went home instead of making it all the way. I'm glad we decided to go anyway. Not only did we get to see a double rainbow that became a full rainbow, but we got to eat some of the best ribs of my entire life at Golden Corral. I know...not where you would expect to find great ribs...but seriously this was maybe the best Golden Corral I've ever been to. They also had a chocolate fountain, great soft serve and regular ice cream, delicious rolls, and great mashed potatoes. Not a bad way to end a crazy, long, adventurous Saturday!

We Love Brian!

Since it's the last day of the month, I figured I should finally get around to blogging about Brian's birthday and first Father's Day. We must really like to double up on holidays because my birthday is right next to Mother's day; Brian's is close to Father's Day, and our anniversary is a week before Christmas. Anyway, Brian has been amazing this month and definitely deserves a shout out.

Brian, who didn't want to wake me up before he had to leave for work because he knew how precious sleep is right now, actually opened his presents (ipod touch, tools, The Advengers, and the last 2 James Bond movies) by himself. :( It was a busy day because it was both of our last day of work. I had to clean out my classroom, and Brian finished his a last day at the SLC office for Sinclair. After work, we met up with Brian's friends Alex and Jordan and their families for a bbq to celebrate and so they could all meet Oliver. Then we had to pack...not the funnest way to spend your birthday!

I love this picture!

 Brian was a good sport for Father's Day too. We moved out of Park City two days after his birthday and moved into our Wyoming home two days before Father's Day. There was a lot of transitioning, unpacking, and living out of suit cases going on. Still, it was such a great feeling to see Brian and Oliver together at church while we celebrated Father's Day. Here are 5 reasons Oliver and I love Brian/Daddy:

1. He is strong. He really did so much of the moving and heavy lifting by himself. He made several solo trips to put our things in storage before we left.

2. He can fix anything! Or if not anything...a lot of things. And believe me, since moving to Rawlins, a lot of things have needed fixing!

3. He has a good attitude. Even when I have been more than a little pessimistic, Brian is always there to lift my moods and give perspective. He has killed so many moths for me I have lost count. He knows how to make me smile when I want to cry and works hard to put his family first.

4. He loves Oliver. I have loved watching their interactions over the last 6 weeks. Brian is absolutely smitten! He is so good a calming Oliver, and when they cuddle, I just melt inside. Brian is also so protective of him. He's the one making sure everybody has washed their hands and that the car's AC has cooled down the car enough before we buckle Oliver in.

5. He loves mommy. If the best thing a father can do for his children is love their mother, than Brian is going to be a great dad! He has been amazing. From supporting me in the hospital, to massaging my elephantitis sized swollen feet and ankles, to sharing in the responsibilities with Oliver, Brian has been my rock. I've leaned on him more than ever before, and he accepted the challenge willingly.

We love you Brian! 

we made it a whole month!

Our baby is growing up so fast! I can't believe it's been a month since our little Oliver was placed on my stomach, and I got to stare into his deep blues for the first time. I'm already forgetting exactly what it felt like to be pregnant. It has been over a week since accidentally reaching for my belly to feel his little kicks and movements inside me only to realize that those moments are gone for now. But what I have instead is so so much better! Oliver has truly stolen our hearts. Brian and I can just sit and watch him for what seems like forever.

Here are some fun facts about Oliver at one month:

* We don't have a scale at the moment, but we are estimating he weighs 7.5ish lbs now. He is still wearing newborn clothes and newborn diapers.

*He is a great cuddle buddy. He especially loves to lay on our chests and snuggle up into a ball. I hope he stays this way for a long time.

*Still loves to put his hands up near his face when napping by himself. He also loves to be stretched out. We only swaddle him at night.

*He likes baths and loves showers. He is so curious and calm in the water.

*He moves his head from side to side like a champ and tries to kick/scoot without much success during tummy time, but his favorite thing to do on his tummy is suck on his fist.

*He gets the hiccups at least once a day.

*His dry skin on his scalp is practically gone and he has just a tiny bit of baby acne.

*He can sometimes put himself to sleep and is sleeping in 4-5hr stretches at night. He is a great car sleeper, which has been a huge blessing with the move and such.

*Brian swears Oliver laughed the other day, but I wasn't there to confirm it.

*He is sometimes burping on his own now but has started spitting up a lot this week.

*He tracks and responds to our faces and still loves to stare at lights.

*His eyes are slowly turning a lighter blue, and he hasn't lost any of his newborn hair yet. We can't wait to see what he looks like in a couple of months!

changes and firsts

The last two weeks have been a whirlwind of change and firsts for the Moote family. On Sunday, June 9th, we took Oliver to church for the first time and then finished packing up the car and drove to Wyoming. It's pretty surreal to think that our time in Park City is over. Park City is what brought me to Brian. Park City is where I got to start my career as an educator. Park City is where I found out I was pregnant and where I brought home Oliver from the hospital. Park City is where I have spent the last 4 years of my life. There are so many precious memories attached to those 4 years, and I will always be grateful for my time there.

Here are pics from Oliver's first time at church. He got to meet our Snyderville ward family, and we got to say goodbye all at the same time.

Then we were off to Wyoming. Oliver was a great traveler and slept most of the way with just one stop at the Little America to nurse and get an ice cream cone. Our housing situation wasn't worked out completely yet, so Sinclair put us in an hotel for 5 days. It was kind of like our own mini vacation, except that Brian had to work all week and his car broke down. Friday, we were finally ready to move into our new home for the next two months. They had just put in new carpet, but the place was SO dirty! We didn't even unpack anything Friday because we spent the whole day deep cleaning. We still haven't been able to get rid of the old house smell. 

One thing about being in a hotel for 5 days is that you end up eating out a lot. It's kind of hard to lose baby weight when you are frequenting McDonald's, Burger King, Subway, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and KFC. (We seriously ate at all of them, no joke.) But we did splurge one night and try out a local favorite, Bucks. Definitely worth it after so much fast food!

Also during our time in the hotel, Oliver turned 3 weeks old. He is starting to fit into some of his larger newborn clothes, like the outfit below from Nana Jones. He struggled a little bit our first two nights at the hotel, but then got back to his usual calm and pleasant self. I think Mommy and Daddy's stress levels started to stress him out too. :)

Look how cute Ollie is in this Sunday tie! He slept through all 3 hours of church for our first Sunday in Rawlins. It was a great first Father's Day present to Daddy...and Mommy too. 

Oliver still loves his favorite sleep position. I think I'll be really sad if he ever grows out of it. Also, Whitney came to visit to two days this week. We went to museums, ate yummy Thai food and ice cream, watched movies, and hung out with baby Ollie. Aunt Whitney even babysat so that Brian and I could go see "Man of Steel." It was our first date night as parents.

So there you have it. Wyoming is Wyoming. We definitely don't want to live here forever, but it will be ok for 2 months. Honestly, as long as our little family is together, we're happy. More updates to come now that we have internet. 

Baby Oliver: 2 Weeks Old

I've taken to calling Oliver "little dude" a lot recently. And after today's appointment, the name is all the more fitting!

Oliver's Stats

Weight: 6lbs 12oz (8th percentile)

Height: 19.69in (17th percentile)

Head Circumference: 13.8in (14th percentile)

Good news is that my little dude is healthy, mostly happy, and has passed his birth weight...not to mention he is just so adorably cute!