Some quick videos

I finally figured out how to upload videos so here are a few samples. I also added a couple videos to the "Generations" entry when JP met his Great Grammy.

Here's a quick video of JP napping in his bouncy chair. The kid is a loud sleeper, no doubt. It's adorable :)





And here is some post-bathtime goodness. He just loves being dried off.

The First Trip Away ...

This past Wednesday coming and going meant that JP had been with us for 8 weeks. It's hard to believe that it's already been two month, and I'm starting to get a sense of what people mean when they say that "it all goes by so fast." In those 8 weeks, I've spent a grand total of 1 night away from my son, and that was in Houston after spending all weekend with him and Lyzz in Houston, and returning home that very next afternoon. Right now, I'm sitting in the Washington Dulles airport lounge. I've spent the last two days with clients in the Virginia area - this is my first legitimate (read: on an airplane :)) trip away from my son, and man ... this sucks.

I really, really enjoy traveling. I've gotten to do a lot of it for work, and I obviously married into a family that's travel-mad. For whatever strange reason, the airport bar, the rental car counter, seat 21A (American Airlines, you know what I"m talking about) are all very familiar, very comfortable places for me. I look forward to trips, to seeing new places, to meeting new customers and clients, and to the general experience. Since having JP, I've been wondering if that feeling was going to change. The obvious answer is yes, it has changed. But that doesn't do the feeling justice. The last two days have proven that I still love to travel. The airport is still kinda fun. I discovered a new Sheraton in the Reston, VA area that's pretty cool, and I already have a return trip booked (for an upcoming show with this same customer). The beer I'm having right now still tastes awesome.

The change in the whole thing has nothing to do with travel. What I've realized is not that I don't want to travel anymore, which is how I used to articulate this to everyone. The change is that, MORE than I want to travel, I want to spend time with this guy. I mean c'mon, look at that face!

It's a fascinating thing to have happen. My priorities have shifted, but the OLD priorities are still in place. It's not a replacement of goals and desires, but a new set of goals has rocketed to the top of the list. It's sort of a neat feeling, actually, to know that I can still experience such massive personal change, and that I'm not limited in scope to what I already know, already believe, and already have decided on.


So I don't mind the travel, but I do mind the time away. In the past, I would have called you an idiot for saying that, because they seem like the same thing, but I know now that they aren't. Here's hoping I can do a good job of balancing them. I hope JP likes to fly, because that kid is going to be a world-wise traveler by the time he's 4. I've got all these miles to use, and there's no one I'd rather use them on that his cute face and his cute mother.

One more awesome picture, for good measure. If you're wondering what the significance of these pictures are - these are the pics that Lyzz keeps sending me on my phone, to make sure I don't forget what he looks like. She's nice like that, always looking out for me. They're probably the most meaningful thing I've ever received on my phone.

Generations

Last weekend Josh, JP and I ventured to Houston to visit family and meet JP's Great Grammy Hoffman.
We arrived in Clear Lake at about 3:30pm, visited JP's Great Grandmother Runte (their second meeting, yay!!) and then went to meet his Great Aunt Diane and Great Uncle Bo. They were suitably impressed with his cuteness and these people KNOW boys...they have raised two outstanding young men in Jake and Cutter. JP would be lucky to grow up to be like those Runte boys.
After our brief visit there, we went back up to Houston to check in to the Westin Oaks at the Galleria. Thanks to Josh's diligent attention to "Frequent Flyer" points programs, he is eligible for the free upgrades that Starwood Properties have to offer and we were put on the 19th floor with a fantastic view of downtown Houston.
We attempted to venture out for an impromptu date night at the Daily Grill but alas, JP decided to blow a fuse just as our entree was being served so we had them box it up and we went back to the room.
JP slept pretty well in the swing that we brought with us (thank goodness) and Grammy Cobb came by at 8:30am to pick me up and leave Josh to his conference call in the hotel room.
JP, Grammy and I headed over to the Hallmark to visit Great Grammy Hoffman. What a treat! We got to spend about an hour and a half visiting and walking around her floor showing JP off to the other residents. JP was great the whole time. What a blessing to be able to introduce James Philip to two of his Great Grandmothers. I sure do hope we have the chance to introduce him to his Great Grandmother Forsyth who lives in Ft. Myers, FL.

Here are some videos of Grammy and JP

Sleeping

Josh and I are believers in the "Happiest Baby on the Block" theory of the 4th Trimester. This is the idea that the first 3 months of a baby's life is really just an extension of their time in the womb. While most other members of the animal kingdom are born able to walk/run/etc., humans are completely dependent on mom and dad. As a result, babies are very responsive to their calming reflex. Dr. Harvey Karp says the way to stimulate a baby's calming reflex is through the "5 S's" Swaddling, Shushing, Swinging, Sucking and Side/Stomach Lying. Let me just tell you...this man is a damn genius. JP responds almost immediately to these steps. Dr Karp says some babies only need a few of the 5, some need them all. JP can go from clenched and screaming to wide-eyed and silent in seconds just by placing him on his side and jiggling (swinging) him a little bit. Dr. Karp's theory is that only about 10% of colicky babies are actually colicky. The rest just need to have their calming reflex stimulated. Honestly, when you watch his video, it's like magic. This guy is the Baby Whisperer. I would think it was all smoke and mirrors if it didn't work so well on JP.
I mention all of this because last weekend I bought a used baby swing on Craigslist to see if JP would sleep in it (Swinging). It comes with a white noise maker (Shushing) which we usually set to what sounds like static on a radio. The others are waaaay too annoying to listen to on 4 second repeat all night. yowza. We Swaddled him up, gave him his pacifier (Sucking...and Dr. Karp says this is an important part of the 5 S's but that we should, and will, take away the pacifier at 3-4 months...when the baby begins to "self sooth") and put him to bed with a full stomach.
Folks, this kid slept for 4 hours. 4 HOURS!!! In a row! That's twice as long as he had ever slept in his 4.5 weeks of life. This whole week he has clocked record times. Last night, in fact, he was asleep for 5 hours when I finally (and stupidly, I now realize) woke him up to feed him. Let's just say I was eh-HEM! really ready to feed him. Ouch.

Tomorrow morning Josh and I are heading to Houston. Josh has business in H-town on Monday and Tuesday and JP and I are going to visit family. My Grandmother Hoffman has yet to meet this little man and I am really looking forward to introducing them. We were hoping to meet up with Uncle John as well but alas, he has been summoned to Mexico for work. Dammit.
Anyway, this will be out first trip out of town since JP was born and we are taking this baby swing with us. Oh yes, it will be awkwardly carried up to our hotel room but boy will it be worth it. Even if he has a bad night and the swing makes no difference, at least there is a slight chance that he'll sleep for a long stretch and that chance is good enough reason for me to haul this monster machine to Houston.

I have also decided that my standard gift for any expecting mother will be the "Happiest Baby on the Block" DVD. I am a believer in the 5 S's. :)