Merry Christmas, baby.
Happy holidays from the Teague’s!
Mathias’ first Christmas [2013]
2013
A lot of people go to college for 7 years…
…but it only took Garrett three and a half!
Without further adieu, the moment his mother waited 29 years for.
Graduate March
Little man watching for Daddy
Yay, Daddy!
Our little family
Wanna be like Dad when I grow up!
So proud of him!
Worth the wait to see their graduate!
Brandon, Maria & Annabella came to celebrate with Uncle Bud.
“Say…M.J.” (JU soccer pals)
Life after the Klakring isn’t so bad.
Bigger Every Day
A funny thing happened midway through our ten days in Columbus last week. Without warning, Mats’ pajamas, the kind with footies, didn’t fit anymore. Never mind that he wore them the week before and I packed them just days ago. Suddenly, our pjs count went from four to two and having just two of anything is a dangerous game, in the case of a twelve-week old who has a tendency to drop the occasional blowout diaper.
The other clue I discovered that my baby was growing before my eyes came in the Presidents Cup golf shop. I picked up a warm onesie made of sweatshirt material labeled 6 months that looked HUGE on the hanger and even when I put it next to Mats. But sure enough, when Mats came to visit me in the media center with my mom wearing the onesie, it was barely too big, not even stretching past his toes. (As and aside, he was super cute and most of us were jealous he got to rock a sweatshirt onesie in our workplace.)
I forget how big Mats is getting until I look back at our weekly photos and compare them side by side. Here’s a look back at the little guy at four, eight and twelve weeks and how he’s grown.
Duets with Auntie Lee
Mighty Mathias comes from two very non-musical parents, but that doesn’t stop Aunt Alia from trying to share her talents with her favorite nephew. After a week of listening to “Auntie Lee Lee” play her guitar and sing him to sleep, Mats has started to chime in and harmonize with his own coos. It’s pretty adorable and hopefully shows he has more musical promise than either of us. Looks like our Rock Band, “Turtle Hunters of the Night,” might have a new lead singer!
[Click to watch the video below]
Six Weeks and Smiles
Mathias blew past the six-week mark of life this week. I still can’t believe how fast that went and its true that our Tiny Teague is quickly becoming not-so-tiny.
In the last week we’ve noticed so many changes with Mats. He’s much more aware of his environment, from sights and sounds to even smells (like those coming from a stinky diaper!). He’s getting really good at following back and forth with his eyes and moving his head from side to side to track an object or our face. He’s using his hands and arms much more actively, but I don’t think he’s quite figured out they are his hands yet. As seen in yesterday’s video post, he’s even stronger in the neck and core and not nearly as floppy as he has been.
By far our favorite new development has been the gorgeous smiles Mats is starting to share. The Internet calls them “social smiles” but we can prompt them in response to tickles, laughs…and even diaper changes!
Mats also loves being outside. We love that too, since the humidity saps his will to wail. We’ve been taking him out in the Bob stroller more and more, in parks and around Atlantic/Neptune beaches. Last night, Garrett started popping (small) wheelies with the stroller and it was a big hit…
Announcing Mathias
Mathias’ birth announcement hit mailboxes in this past week (big check mark off the to-do list!). The back of the card pointed to TeagueFC.com to follow Mats’ adventures, which Garrett and I will try to be more consistent about sharing. His first five weeks absolutely flew by and I sure didn’t get a chance to write down as many reflections as I had hoped. (His baby book is just as neglected!)
In an attempt to keep you distracted, I should point you to Mats’ newborn photo gallery on Flickr. As you can tell from the announcement, I couldn’t choose two or three photos to share…and there are many more online. Meredith Black did a phenomenal job and I only fear that making prints, books and other photo gear on Shutterfly is going to take over my non-baby hours (its better than Facebook, right?). As an example of playing around with his pictures, here’s a secondary (digital only) version of Mathias’ birth announcement. Enjoy!
Mighty Mats Shows Off For Dad
Who loves Tummy Time more, Mats or Daddy?
Meet Tiny Teague (he’s here!)
When Will Tiny Teague Arrive? Your Guess is as Good as Mine!
We’re counting down the last few days until Tiny Teague makes his debut. Silly me, like most naive new moms I was convinced he’d make an earlier appearance than the doctor scheduled (July 8). Alas, he’s quite content stretching my abdomen as far as it can possibly go.
We have to make these last few days interesting, so I’m starting a baby birthday pool. Place your guess for Tiny Teague’s birthday day & time in the comments. We’ll play Price is Right style (closest without going over) and I’ll come up with some sort of prize after he arrives!
A Bird, A Plane? No, A Belly!
Thanks to Meredith Black of Jacksonville Beach for doing our maternity session. It was quick, full of laughs and produced just the right amount of photos to allow us to remember the belly bump, as seen at 32 weeks pregnant (mid May). We can’t wait to return with Tiny Teague for a newborn shoot that captures our family just after he arrives.
Dear Little Man (week 28)
Hey little buddy,
Guess who we got to see today…YOU! Feels like much longer than two months since we last saw you on an ultrasound, and learned you were a little man, so you can guess how excited your Dad and I were today. We met after work, and I drank a little Coca Cola with lots of ice on the drive in to hopefully wake you up and get you moving on camera.
Unfortunately, you were pretty sleepy and all curled up which made it hard to get many good views or pictures. I’m sure there will be plenty of times in the future that I just want to watch you sleep quietly but today was not one of those!
We were surprised to see you are in the breech position, with your head tucked up below my rib cage and curled up in a tiny baby-sized ball. Maybe that is what’s most comfortable for you when I’m at work all day, until I can stretch out horizontal. That would explain how I’m still feeling and seeing you up high. You weren’t too interested in moving but we did get you rolled over facing the camera enough to snap a couple photos. We also counted five fingers on your hands and got a good look at your feet, shoulders and spine. I’m in love with your full little lips and cute nose. Your dad and I have always joked about passing on either of our big noses, so no matter which side you take after, we are sorry.
We’ll try to see you again next weekend with the nice lady at Sneak Peek Studios. Hopefully in the morning you’ll be more active and less shy, especially with a little nudge from Bold Bean Coffee.
In the meantime, keep growing little bug, and don’t think about coming out anytime soon. You still have about 11 weeks to bake and your daddy and I have a very busy May planned. Starting with THE PLAYERS tournament here in Jacksonville, followed by a trip to Oregon to see all of your grandparents and more family & friends, and then I have to make one quick trip to NYC for work. And after all of that is crossed off, we’ll be able to set up your very own bedroom and be all ready for you to arrive. Right now your new things are taking over the dining room. It’s amazing how much stuff a new person needs, and we’re just getting started for you.
As I write this, you’ve been stirring and moving around, which I predicted as we watched you sleep earlier. Your rumblings are one of my favorite things, as I fall asleep to or wake up and enjoy them (and all those times in between). Better late than never, right buddy?
Xoxo
Whomp, There It Is
At 17 weeks, I can no longer hide the “lady lump”. Tiny Teague is growing and so is his/her home for the next 22-ish weeks. It’s about the length of an iPhone 5 and weighs about 5 ounces, according to most of the pregnancy reading I’ve done.
The Good: I’ve given into the comfort of maternity pants, specifically jeans and leggings. I didn’t even bother packing normal jeans on my trip to Palm Springs a couple weeks ago, and threw in extra dresses for the weekend in Cabo that followed. Belly bands help with dress pants, but I’m starting to opt for more dresses at work and the most comfy clothes I can find outside of working hours. Also, I discovered a dress in my closet works well for a fancy occasion (like a good friends’ wedding!) and hides the bump for a bit longer. Definitely will get a bit more use out of that one in the upcoming months.
The Surprising: I can’t deny the appearance of my baby bump anymore. Any thoughts I had about disguising it with loose clothes or layers went out the window while at DFW last week. I wheeled my suitcase to the luggage belt to recheck my bag to Jacksonville, and the airline attendant was not shy about commenting on my apparently noticeable bump. “Aw, what a cute baby bump” he remarked as he reached for my bag. WHA? The initial shock that someone I didn’t know knew I was pregnant quickly wore off and I immediately was glad (for that guy) that I indeed had a baby bump and not another kind of lady lump. (I know we all have stories about that!)
What’s to Eat? Pretty much over all food aversions at this point, though I’m still staying away from eggs and shrimp when I can. I always opt for acidic foods like pineapple, lemonade, citrus, strawberries and balsamic vinegar whenever possible. I like to say that this baby is growing because of the avocado I ate in massive amounts in Cabo (and again last night — superfood!). Somehow, I always find an extra gear for dessert when its offered, which my Mom and Garrett can both attest to. I’m up seven pounds in 17 weeks and continue to workout at my gym, Atlantic Beach Performance, without too many modifications yet.
Coming Up: The ultrasound to determine if Tiny Teague wears blue or pink is just over two weeks away, on February 14th! We’re already discussing how we want to share the news with family and friends, most likely in a video posted here not long after we find out. I’m totally ready to find out, since it will help me get my brain around the growing to-do list before this little one comes. Also, I’m looking forward to feeling the baby moving soon. I think I have felt it a couple times, but its only happened in a semi-conscious state where I think to myself “that must be what the baby feels like” moments before falling back asleep.
Teague FC Announces Roster Addition
TEAGUE FC ANNOUNCES ROSTER ADDITION
“Tiny Teague” set to join family in early July 2013.
Garrett and Lauren, founders of Teague FC, are adding to their “family club” in the summer of 2013. The proud parents-to-be announced the news to family and friends in person over the recent holidays, while visiting both Oregon and Texas. The baby is expected to compete for its parents and grandparents’ top affections upon its arrival in early July. A routine exam earlier today confirmed “tiny Teague” is healthy with a strong heartbeat at 14 weeks.
“The secret is finally out!” exclaimed Garrett, who enjoyed many ways of trying to point out Lauren’s baby bulge to unsuspecting family at Christmas. The dad-to-be will be juggling fatherhood with his last semester of college and a full-time position at JaxParks in the fall.
When asked about gender preferences, Lauren simply answers, “Ten fingers and ten toes is all I want,” though acknowledging the Teague family pressure to have a baby boy who will carry on the family name. The parents are finding out the sex of the baby in February, and Garrett is tasked with a creative way to announce it via video on this website. A name, however, will likely be undecided until the parents meet the little one for the first time.
Tiny Teague is the first roster addition since Teague FC was established in September 2010. Along with its parents, the baby is eagerly awaited by grandparents Roy & Mary Beyer of Prineville, Oregon, and Rick & Robbye Teague of Fort Worth, Texas, and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins (biological and honorary) across the country.
TeagueFC.com will be the exclusive home for all baby news, including bump and ultrasound photos, video updates and things Lauren & Garrett want to share with the world. Respecting your Facebook news feed, the parents will avoid posting ultrasound photos onto Facebook, but you can subscribe to TeagueFC.com to receive updates in your email inbox (top right on the homepage).
Lauren Teague 