Overdue updates...

Sorry, I've gotten a little behind in updating the blog. Blame it on lack of sleep. Good news, though! Evan has finally made the move upstairs to his own room and big boy bed! Ok, Mom and Dad are cheating right now and sleeping across the hall in the guest bedroom (BTW - our guests were right...that bed is HORRIBLE). It is only for a few nights until we are sure that we will not need to make 7 trips up the stairs throughout the night. Actually, Mr. Evan only woke up ONE time last night!! Wow, did that really happen?

We were also blessed this past weekend to have the female half of the Denver Gang come in town to visit us. Thanks to Tracey, Heather and Shannon for making the journey (Jenna was here in spirit). Amy, Evan and I had a great time catching up and spending time with the girls. I know that Amy needed the female time...since the boys out number her in this house.

Also, I updated a few more pictures on Picasa.

Week of Firsts and Lasts

With a baby around the house, every day is filled with new “firsts”. First bottle, first five-hour nap, first football tailgating. There are even a few lasts…like last time for wearing Newborn-sized outfits. This past week has been full with all kinds of activities and memories.

We were joined this week by Amy’s sister, Nikki. She flew in from Florida to visit with her nephew and help us out for a few days. It was really nice to have a third set of hands around the house to help with changings and chores. I think we could get used to the extra help!

Evan had his one-month checkup on August 27th. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 14.5 ounces (up 13.5 ounces from birth) and measured 21 inches long (up 2 inches from birth). Apparently he is a pretty average baby at the fiftieth percentile for height, weight, and head size. Overall, he is progressing just fine.

Last Thursday, Evan and Mommy visited Daddy at work for the first time. We were able to show him off around the office just before his meltdown. Amy and I were able to scarf down a quick lunch in my office before they left.

Later that same day, I had the highlight of giving Evan his first bottle! I was a little concerned that Evan might not take to the bottle right away, but it took him all of 5 seconds to figure out how to fill his belly from this new device. He downed 3 ounces in no time. As a new father, it was an awesome experience to feed my son for the first time!

This past weekend was also the official kickoff of the UofL football season (though we do not have high hopes for the team this year). With college football also comes the ever-famous tailgating event. The Keller family transformed the traditional tailgating grounds into a play area for toddlers and infants. Carter (9 months), Audrey (11 months), and Evan (6 weeks) played and slept in the shade of a tent set up for the little ones. It was DEFINITELY a transformation from the days of chips, burgers, and beer to the new era of toys, bottles of milk, diapers, and spit-up! That said, it was great to get out and show off little Evan.

As always, don’t forget to check out the most recent pictures of Evan.

Giving Up on Sleep

Life in the Keller household is slowly migrating away from survival mode (at times). Amy and I are still sleep deprived, but learning to cope with the bags under our eyes. I have even learned to catnap at red lights on my way to/from work. Hey, it is only slightly worse than those people who text while driving!

Evan still has not found his sleep/wake routine yet, but we have at least managed a few nights of sleeping in the same room together. He occasionally puts up a fight about going back to sleep after feeding. Other times, he completely sacks out. We just take turns rocking him back to sleep. I think I am going to wear out the floor from walking around in circles with him – the only thing that seems to work sometimes.

Amy let me off the hook for a few hours last week to attend fire department trainings on a donated burn structure. I think it only made me more tired, but it was nice to get out and put the gear on again.

Grandma and Grandpa Long briefly stopped by yesterday to get a quick “baby fix”. It was Dan’s first time meeting and holding Evan. They headed back north this morning, but there are rumors that we are going to see them again soon.

Check out the picture of Amy holding Evan (left). I would like it noted that I did not dress him that day…and therefore am not responsible for the fact that his pants are on BACKWARDS!

Except for the shortage of sleep epidemic that seems to have permeated into the Keller household, we are doing well and continuing to adjust. Evan had his two week (and 3 days) doctor appointment yesterday. He officially weighed in at 7 pounds, 14.5 ounces. He might have actually weighed more, but he dirtied and spit up about 1.5 ounces in the waiting room! Regardless, the doctor was pleased with his weight gain. All other body parts continue to check out just fine.

Evan has now decided that nighttime is the best time to cry and scream. If Amy even thinks about moving or trying to put him down after night feedings, you might as well break out the earplugs. He DOES NOT like to go back to sleep after those feedings. It takes a combination of walking around the house, attempting to swaddle him (he is Houdini with his arms), and rocking him in the swing before he will calm down enough to stop crying. Needless to say, most of these activities are at the expense of sleep for mom and dad.

Last evening, Evan got to meet his cousin Carter for the first time. Actually, he slept through the entire encounter, but the rest of us enjoyed a nice home-cooked meal at my parent’s house. Carter is now eight months old and growing like a weed! It is amazing how interactive and playful that he has become. I look forward to the day when the two of them can start playing together.

Our plan for the weekend: nap as much as possible!

Don't forget that you can check out the latest pictures of Evan on Picasa.

Settling In

The dust is finally starting to settle around the Keller household as we are all beginning to find our routines. I started back to work yesterday, which means that Amy is managing Evan’s needs all on her own during the day. She survived yesterday with even a little energy to spare. Needless to say, this is going to be a busy time for her.

Amy had her two week postpartum doctor appointment yesterday afternoon. Everything checked out fine and she is recovering more everyday. While she might not be ready for jogging yet, not much else slows her down.

Evan is continuing to grow back towards his birth weight. He is scheduled to visit the doctor on Thursday afternoon for the official weigh-in. We are crossing our fingers. The unofficial scale still shows him around 7 pounds, 11 ounces, so we still have about 6 more ounces to go over the next 3 days.

We are still trying to figure out this whole sleep/wake thing. Now Evan likes to stay awake after his middle of the night feedings. Amy and I are probably going to be caught up on the last eight seasons of CSI before he starts sleeping better.

Oh, apparently I have turned another year older today. The birth of our healthy son is the best present that I could ever ask for!

Still in Survival Mode

How can someone so little require so much attention? For someone who is supposed to be sleeping around 20 hours a day, we sure spend most of our waking (and sleeping) time focused around caring for this little ball of joy.

Seriously though, we are all doing well. The household is still mostly in survival mode (necessities only – showers can wait). However, we have been able to sneak a few moments of sanity – a family trip to Babies R Us, a walk each evening, a homemade meal, and even an entire movie for Mommy and Daddy! These moments remind us that the world is still rotating outside of our baby cave.

Amy is recovering from her surgery a little more everyday. She can no get in and out of bed and stand up from a chair without help from someone else (which makes a HUGE difference). We have ventured a little farther with each of our evening walks. Tomorrow is the big test for Amy, as I will be going back to work. I know that she will do great taking care of him on her own. Besides, I’m mostly the cheering section anyhow.

Evan is continuing to thrive. While it is not the official pediatrician scale, the lactation consultant weighed him yesterday at 7 pounds, 11 ounces. He is almost back to his birth weight. He continues to eat regularly and make plenty of dirty diapers (which I now know is important). We think that he might be a little confused about daytime and nighttime, but we are working on that flip-flopping the two. Last night, we were actually able to capture three whole hours of uninterrupted sleep! I never thought that three hours would sound like heaven.

Everyday is a learning experience for us. New ways to bath the baby, new ways to hold the baby, and new ways to sooth him to sleep (that’s an important one). I am trying to use every free minute to catch up on my reading of the parenting books. Nothing like a little late night cramming (just like college).

Happy 3rd Anniversary!!

I want to wish my beautiful wife a happy anniversary. It was three years ago today when we exchanged our vows and promised to love and honor each other. I could not be more proud of the family that we have become. Amy and I have an AMAZING marriage and an indissoluble friendship that is the foundation of our marriage.

These past three years have been filled with challenges and joys. We spent the first six months of our marriage commuting between two small houses, unable to move in together due to space limitations. Then, it was off to our first home together…if only for twelve months. After two months of a long distance relationship, we moved into a tiny temporary apartment in Louisville. The crux of our challenges was moving in with my parents (who were gracious to house us) for eight months while we built a new house.

We are finally settling into our new home with the addition of our beautiful baby boy. Things seem to finally be coming together. However, through it all, we have kept our sanity and sense of humor. Our relationship has grown with each of these hurdles and challenges.

I am blessed to share another anniversary with my wife and look forward to many more.