Camp Kinard

Camp Kinard is a Lutheran camp located about 5 miles from our church. It's a really nice camp with a campground, cabins, conference facilities, lake, paddle boats, kayaks, playground and a swimming pool. Our church has our 11am service out there once a year. It was really warm that day so we decided to put Blake in the pool. It was his first time in the pool and he was a little funny about it. A friend of mine bought him some little swimming trunks, but he is so skinny, they fell off of him so I just stripped him down to his diaper and a little "safari" hat that I bought him. At first he drew his legs up and whined a little. Then, he got braver and put his legs in one at a time and started to like it. We didn't keep him in but about 5 minutes because it was really sunny and we were afraid he would get sunburned. Hopefully next summer he will be swimming around like a fish!

The Animals and Blake

When I got pregnant a question I got asked a lot was "what are you going to do with your animals?" Dumb question. What do people think I am going to do with my animals? Get rid of them? You must be joking! Yes, I love my son, but i love my animals too and they were just all going to have to figure out how to get along. Didn't think I would have a problem with it and I was right. The animals like Blake and Blake likes the animals. Uno, our one-eyed cat, absolutely loves him and takes every opportunity she can get to rub up on him. Rusty, our brown dog, likes to be near him. One morning I put Blake in the bed with me because he was getting fussy and the next thing I know, Brown (cat) is laying next to him. I guess Blake liked the warmth because when Brown laid up against him, he quit fussing. It was really sweet. The pediatrician, and books I have read say that children are less likely to have allergies to animals when they grow up if they are introduced to them at a young age. That will be great if it's true! 

Blake's Baptism

Blake was baptized at our church on Sunday, August 17th. A lot of Brent's family was able to make it and a lot of my family from NC was able to attend as well. We are truly blessed to have such wonderful family and friends! After church we all enjoyed lunch from Shealy's in the fellowship hall. Mom and Dad have a brick wall on the side of their carport that has spaced out bricks. Well, Jody taught the "kids" (adults included ;) that you can throw tennis balls and if you're lucky or really good, you can get the tennis ball to sit perfectly in the hole. So after lunch, we all played "wall ball" which was a trip. It was a really great day.

Family meets Blake

Grandmother's funeral was the first time most of my Mom's family met Blake. Even though the circumstances were not the best, I was glad for them to meet him. He did really well that weekend. He didn't cry in the car on the way to NC and he really was good the whole time. The Lord blessed me with a good baby because it would be rough if he weren't so good.  I think my cousin Ann spent the most time with him. I kind of just handed him over when we got there and got him back before we left, hahaha! That was perfectly fine with me. I'm glad my family loves him as much as me.

Grandmother Allen

On August 6th, I lost my Grandmother Allen. It was a shock to all of us. I was fortunate enough to have her meet Blake. I am sad that he won't get to know her the way I did but I did take a couple of pictures the day she got to meet him. My Aunt Frankie and cousin Hayley brought her down on July 15th for the day to meet Blake. It was really funny because we handed Blake to her and she was rocking him (the chair doesn't rock so she was working hard) and talking to him. Hayley asked at one point if Grandmother wanted her to hold him and she said, "no, I've got it!" She was going to hand him over for anything. I had no idea it would be the first and last time she would meet him but I'm glad I got pictures. People always get tired of my picture taking and the phrase I always use is "you'll appreciate these one day!" I am appreciating my own pictures now. My only regret is that I didn't take more but as long as I have at least one to show him one day is okay with me. It is still hard for me to believe that she is gone and I will continue to miss her!

Mr. Smiley

Blake started really smiling at about 5 weeks. He still smiles a lot and likes to talk to his "friends." We call the animals on his mobile, swing and bouncy seat his friends. He looks at them and just "talks" away. Brent wakes Blake up in the morning while I am getting his bottle ready and he just smiles at his Daddy. It makes Brent's day. Then I get my smiles and when Grandmomma gets him, she gets her smiles. I was making noises back at him the other day and apparently did one that scared him because he got this really sad look on his face and started crying. It was funny and sad at the same time. I am adding some pics of Mr. Smiley!

First Shots

Ew, First shots unfortunately are an inevitable thing. While they may hurt for a little while in the beginning, I would much rather watch him get shots than sit in the hospital with him after catching some kind of funk from not having his shots. So, my first week back, and Blake is due for his shots. Double whammy. So, on August 1st, I meet mom and dad at the pediatricians office for the official "sticking." He weighed in at a nice 8lb 14 oz. Poor guy had to have five different shots of course warranting five different needle sticks. Three in one leg and two in the other. He also had to have an oral vaccine which he did fine with. Dad was helping the nurse hold him down while I took pictures. Am I bad or what? I'll add pics as soon as I can get them loaded from the old camera to this new computer. 

Back to work

So I have been slack keeping up with this blog but i'm going to try to do better. After staying home with Blake for 7 weeks, it was time for me to head back to work. My first day back was July 28th and everything went wonderfully. I was curious about how I would do leaving Blake for the entire day but I think I did really well. Of course it is always nice knowing my mom is keeping him. That way I know he is getting good care and by someone who loves him as much as I do. I managed to make it til lunch time and then had to call. As I expected, he and Grandmomma were both doing well. Hopefully I will continue doing okay leaving him.

First Father's Day

Brent barely made it, but he was able to celebrate his first Father's Day with a 9 day old son! Brent's Dad came over that day early, and they spend the morning putting together Blake's crib as it was a gift from Brent's dad and step-mom. After they finished, my parents, Mouse and Craig all came over and fixed lunch. It was a really nice and relaxing Father's Day.

First Bath

I kind of freaked out but Blake's umbilical cord thingy fell off only 6 days after he was born. We had gone to Aunt Mouse's house to visit and it fell off there. He has a pretty little belly button though :) Since his little cord fell off, mom and I decided to give him a real bath instead of a sponge bath. Blake got his first bath on June 12th. I took the sprayer on the sink and squirted him while Grandmomma scrubbed him down. He absolutely LOVED his bath. Mom said that I screamed when I was getting bathed as a baby but Blake loves the water especially when it's really warm. He has really sensitive skin and it tends to get red and splotchy anytime it's washed or cream is put on him. He gets that from me I'm sure!