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.

Morning Rituals

In the hotel each morning, Nona reads the paper. Mommy reads on her phone. And now Mats “reads” his book!

Mighty Travels

Mats and I dominated our first solo long range trip together, mostly because he looks like this when he flies!

Today’s trip took us from Jacksonville all the way to Dublin, Ohio, site of this year’s Presidents Cup tournament. Along the way we knocked out his fifth and sixth states visited if you count airports (all before 12 weeks old!). I definitely was thinking in the last 24 hours that I had bitten off more I could chew. Garrett can attest to the tears and stress that hit hard last night as I faced packing both of us and the prospect of taking Mathias on my nine-day work trip, alone.

I shouldn’t have stressed so much. Between the two flights, we made friends, stretched and played together in the IAD airport (and mom even got to eat a little). Mats even got his first experience in first-class thanks to a United upgrade. Too bad it was literally a 44-minute flight! On both flights he did great, mostly sleeping and eating a little. Mainly though, he put up with my fumbling and cramming blankets and burp clothes and Boppy and baby in one single seat, with very little fuss. He’s now at the stage where he is aware of surroundings, so when I was moving through the airport (as long as we kept moving), he was content to watch everything around us with big open eyes.

I was so thankful the guardian angel I prayed for did appear in Columbus. Another mom, who was going home to see her one-year old after being gone for two weeks, was brilliant. She switched me seats on the plane, and then met us at baggage to help pull off all FOUR checked bags (three of them were for Mats. Just sayin’) and arrange them on a luggage cart, pointing me in the direction of the rental car garage.

It took me a little extra time to load in all our bags, install the car seat base and change Mats’ diaper before hitting the road, compared to last week when I went to Atlanta overnight on my own. But by the time I was steering a luggage cart into the hotel with one hand while packing Mats in his car seat in the other arm, I was thinking to myself, “Mats mom is a bad ass.” (I should have snapped a picture of the bags on the luggage rack!)

So now we’re settled into our hotel room, two beds and a crib and all of those bags we brought in a semi-organized fashion. I’m so grateful for a baby who loves to stretch out and watch, content with my talking to him as I criss-cross the room and sing along to our Raffi station on Pandora. We’ve both had our dinners and he fell asleep on his own tonight in the hotel crib. That alone is a huge win for the trip, and hop fill a good omen for the start, as I didn’t know how well sharing a single room with him was going to work.

Tomorrow morning we pick up Nonna (my mom) from the airport and will check out the golf course to get our bearings before the Presidents Cup week starts. If today was any indication it’s going to be a great week–not without its stressful moments–but one to build a ton of memories (and hopefully a few blog posts) to take away with us.

My DADventure Begins

What now?

Recently Lauren and I became parents to a beautiful baby boy, Mathias a.k.a. “Mighty Mathias, Buddy, Squirt, Mats”. We have suffered sleepless nights, frustration, absolute joy, and everything in between while learning how to take care of another human being.  I had read up a little before Mats arrived but it seems like it all went out the window when I was holding a screaming baby in my arms, bouncing up and down, and wondering, “What the hell do I do?!”.  Just as Mathias is learning about the world around him now, I am doing the same thing from practice and experience.  My trials and tribulations being a father are sometimes not that funny to me but when I think about it later it is pretty damn hilarious.

So… it’s with this new section of the blog that I will mock myself and give you the chance to do the same with a glimpse into my adventures figuring out what I am doing as a dad.  DADventures, get it?  Yes, I know that I am not that original but originality is so last year or whenever someone found out that A and D connect both words! On top of all the witty commentary I will also bring my own take on how I have dealt with becoming a new parent and the resources I have used to get by in a somewhat sane manner.

Anyways, stay tuned for discussions about diaper changing, all the other bodily functions that come along with kids, links to helpful resources and hopefully hilarious videos like this!

Doesn’t being a parent seem fun?  I’ll also dig down into my emo side and share all the changes in my life that don’t involve getting poop on my hands on a daily basis.  That’s right, we’re going to talk about feelings gentleman. This is a safe place!  I hope this can be a thoroughly entertaining view of life as a dad that can be used as a resource for those preparing to get in the trenches or those already standing with me.  So stay tuned for more real dad tips and share some of your own in the comments.  Us dads can use all the help we can get.

Here we start our Journey!

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…

The Neck is Strong With This One

Look what our kid can do (at six weeks old)! And that sweet smile is the icing on top… #proudparents

Mighty Mats Shows Off For Dad

Who loves Tummy Time more, Mats or Daddy?

Tiny Teague’s Newborn Photo Preview

Sorry for the delay in sharing news and photos about our newest love in our family, Tiny Teague aka Mathias Robert. We’ve been wrapped up in figuring out parenthood, following the rule of rest when he naps (easier said than done!) and enjoying having both of my parents here for a long weekend to help with the baby.

I have every intention of starting a 365 photo of the day countdown that I’ll post here once I figure out the best way to share photos in an album. (Trust me, we have plenty of pictures!) But in the meantime, I wanted to share a preview of Matty’s newborn photo shoot. His expressions that crack us up daily shined through, even when he was sound asleep. Our photographer, Meredith Black of Jacksonville Beach, is fantastic and she got all of the poses and props we had wanted. I’m so excited to see the final photos, but you can see the preview on her blog.

More to come, soon!!

A Bird, A Plane? No, A Belly!

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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.

Tiny Teague’s 3D Photo Shoot

Tiny Teague was much more cooperative last Saturday when we made our second attempt for a 3D/4D ultrasound. The morning appointment (or the half-caf americano from Bold Bean Coffee) did the trick. Little Freddie was in a great position for photos, and very active. In case you didn’t know, the fourth dimension of a 3D/4D ultrasound is not smell (sorry, Garrett). It’s actually the dimension of time, so we watched him move around for a good 10-15 minutes of the appointment. In between, we counted toes, fingers, and re-confirmed he’s still a Frederick, not a Josephina. And, we fell even more in love with the little features that are so defined like his nose (still determining which parent he’ll get a huge nose from) and perfect little lips.

Freddie was hanging out in the “Frank breech” position, meaning he’s sitting in a V-shape with his feet next to his head. Little man is way more flexible than either of his parents! You can see the legs and feet in the upper right side of a couple of these photos. At 30 weeks, he’s  likely about 17 inches long and weighs three pounds. No wonder he’s all folded up in there — Mom doesn’t have much room for him to stretch out!

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Thank you to Sneak Peek Studios in Riverside for a great experience seeing our little man. The second appointment is included when the session doesn’t go as well as hoped. We recommend Sneak Peek for anyone in Jacksonville who is looking for a 3D/4D ultrasound experience. There’s plenty of room for family to come along, and the evening/weekend appointment times are perfect for working parents!

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

Dear Tiny Teague (week 27)

Dear little man,
I’ve been watching for you all day. Early this morning, your dad and I laughed out loud seeing my belly moving with your rolls, kicks and punches. Every week you’ve gotten stronger, and now it seems that every day I get a bigger jab or more activity as soon as you get room to stretch out. Your movements still catch me by surprise and even as I write this I find myself stopping to watch and feel for one more shudder or thump. On this stay-at-home Sunday, I’ve been stopping a lot and watching for you more and more. I don’t get a lot of opportunities to pull up my shirt just to watch my belly, but today I found myself doing it more than ever. At one point I tried to prod you into moving when I had the video ready to roll so I could show your Nonna and Nonnie, but apparently you’re camera shy. I’m sure that is fleeting, knowing what your dad has planned for your home movies…

You’re most active late in the evenings, sometime after I’ve made dinner, ate with your daddy and then collapse on the recliner (leaving him to do all the dishes). Usually that lasts until I reach the bed and try to find a position where both of us are comfortable and can sleep. (That gets more difficult as you keep growing, but I try not to complain.) During the daytime you still prefer when I stand or walk around rather than sitting up or forward. There will be a lot of both this week, as we have to go to Augusta for work. I’m going to try my best to get a badge and walk around the course on a break to make up for the 5-hour drives to and from Jacksonville. We did pretty good together last week driving from Texas to Florida over two days in Dad’s new car, so I’m hoping you’ll put up with me for just a couple more trips.

Even though you’d likely be A-OK if you happened to be born sooner than later, we want to keep you growing on the inside for as long as you can be…or 12 more weeks, whatever comes first! We also need that time to finish getting ready for you, like take a childbirth class, turn Dad’s office into your room, and unbox the presents your family is showering on us. I can’t believe this part of the journey is winding down, with a lifetime of love ahead.

xoxo,
“Freddie’s mom”

Team Frederick or Team Josephina?

Tiny Teague gets a little more “real” tomorrow. It’s our 20(ish) week appointment, and that means GENDER ultrasound! There wasn’t much debate on if we would find out the baby’s gender during the pregnancy. Garrett really wants to know, and I give in too easily 🙂

The terms of my compromise are that at least one baby will be kept a surprise from us (yes, this means we are planning to have kids, plural). Also, I don’t want to name Tiny Teague until I meet him or her once its born. I want to have at least one secret, even if that means my Jax friends can’t monogram initials on everything ahead of the birth (sorry, LL!) We have a list of names, and after tomorrow’s reveal we’ll only have to work on narrowing down half that list into the coolest initials we can come up with (TNT!), but that’s a topic for another day.

In lieu of a real name for Tiny Teague, we created awesome fake names that we will use for the next 20-or-so weeks: Frederick or Josephina. (Note: Best said in a hilariously awful accent for full effect). As I reassured one skeptical colleague earlier today, these names are just for fun and most likely won’t be anything close to what we decide for the baby’s name.

Just for fun, we wanted to put a poll out there and find out, ARE YOU TEAM FREDERICK OR TEAM JOSEPHINA?

Early tallies from today are two friends for Frederick and one (PGA TOUR player) vote for a Josephina. For the record, I’m on team “healthy baby,” while Garrett is leaning towards Frederick…

So you’re probably wondering how we’ll announce the news. Stay close to our blog, your email or Twitter (@laurentee and @hooligantx). We’re going to post a video on the blog sometime tomorrow, so everyone can find out at the same time. Hint: Subscribe to the blog with your email address (top right of TeagueFC.com) for an email the instant we post the video.

Now that we’re only hours from discovering if Tiny Teague is a Frederick or a Josephina, the whole baby thing is becoming as real as this bump I can’t hide with golf clothes much anymore. Trust me, I tried over the last 10 days at Pebble Beach and Riviera! Here’s the week 19 photo from this morning. Tiny Teague loves travel (or at least doesn’t hate me for five flights in ten days) and has been well-fed in many great California cafeterias and restaurants.

Don’t forget to share your pick for team Frederick and Josephina. We’ll see you tomorrow with the news!!

My Lady Lump

It’s official: I have a bump.

In the past few weeks, I’ve definitely been growing from the belly region, though I haven’t gained much weight yet (only four pounds so far). In Oregon, I was still able to wear leggings under my jeans, but by the time we left Texas the following weekend, I was rocking my new belly band. You know when that really comes in handy? Halfway through dinner when you need to unbutton your pants to finish your plate. (The baby was hungry!)

Fast forward one more week (wk 14+) and I literally didn’t wear a pair of pants this past week without that belly band support. Thank goodness for dresses, since a few will still fit for a while longer. Last night while packing for a week away, I literally tried on every single thing that went around my waist before adding it to the approved pile. Luckily my husband finds this humorous, as it gives him one more thing to make fun of me for. Finally I came to the conclusion that my favorite jeans were going to be too much to be bothered with, and swapped them for my maternity stretch jeans. Holy comfortable! (Yes, I’m wearing them now, in the midst of 10 hours of travel to Palm Springs.)

I get to see my parents on Friday, and I can’t wait to show them my emerging bump (or “lady lump” as Garrett calls it. Cue Fergie…). It’s already so much different than just two and a half weeks ago! More pics to come, but wanted to get these up so the comments can start!