Mommy and Daddy's Day Out

Dear William,

Today Mommy and Daddy went to the theater and Papa and YaYa babysat you.  You had a blast, and Papa made you laugh a lot!  You took good naps and drank you whole bottles.  Papa and YaYa love you very much!  Here are some pictures YaYa took:

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

5 Month Pictures

Dear William,

Here are your five month photos.  You have grown a TON since your four month pics.  You can't even lay down in the glove anymore!

Mommy and Daddy love you.
Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Christmas, Christmas, Christmas, Christmas (Yes...FOUR Christmases!)

Dear William,

Mommy is finally blogging about Christmas, but doesn't really even know where to start!  We'll just go through them one by one...

Christmas #1: The Keune Family Christmas
Christmas at Papa and YaYa's was extra special this year because Uncle Roger and Aunt Leslie came to town.  The whole family was there: Papa, Yaya, Uncle Dave, Aunt Kristen, Cora, Avery, Uncle Mike, Aunt Jaime, Uncle Roger, Aunt Leslie and Great Grandpa Keune.  (Great Grandpa Pete wasn't there because he wasn't feeling well.)  Before we had Christmas at Papa and YaYa's we all met a photographer in the Grand Hall or Union Station downtown to have our picture taken.  We don't have the pictures back, but we'll post them once we get them.  After the picture, we went to Papa and YaYa's for dinner and gifts.  Papa and YaYa got you, among other things, a baby "laptop" and a book of the Christmas story that has their voices reading the story! Here are some pictures and a video (note the THREE different outfits because you spit up so much!):

Christmas #2: The Oesch Family Christmas
Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Oesch's was very exciting.  Cora was fun this year and very excited to open presents, as you are sure to be in a couple years.  It was great to have the whole family hanging out together, and to see Aunt Jenna, with Baby Emma in her belly! Grandma Oesch made chicken swiss casserole for dinner, a family favorite.  You of course didn't have any, but Mommy and Daddy will tell you it is very yummy!  Grandma and Grandpa got you, among other things, a fire truck to ride on, lots of books and a stuffed dog.  You love the dog.  Here are a couple photos:

Christmas #3: The Fuerst Family Christmas
We were at Babcia and Grandpa Fuerst's house on Christmas morning, so Santa delivered gifts there!  You are so little that you didn't really know what was going on, but there were TONS of presents.  You must have been a good boy this year... :-)  In the morning, you woke up early, as normal, but you took a good nap for Mommy and Daddy, so we were able to nap as a family!  Daddy was very sick while we were in Chicago, so he needed the rest.  We all did really, since you wouldn't go to sleep at night.  We ended up having to take you on a car ride to get you to go to sleep on Christmas night.  Twice actually, because when we got home the first time, Grandpa yelled, "Hey, Will!" and you woke up, so we had to go again.  Grandpa's can be silly sometimes!  Anyway, Christmas morning you got hungry right as we started gifts, so everyone had to wait, but it was worth the wait.  You got lots of clothes, a tool bench, a dragon to ride on and a kitchen, among other things.  Mommy did not take any pictures because she didn't think of is since Daddy was so sick.

Christmas #4: The Fuerst Ohio Family Reunion Christmas
Mommy and Daddy couldn't wait for you to meet Daddy's extended family from Ohio.  This year, the reunion was at a Staybridge Hotel in Toledo, Ohio.  Mommy and Daddy loved the hotel because there was a small kitchenette and we were able to easily wash your bottles and get them ready for you to drink.  Anyway, we couldn't wait for you to meet everyone, and the family didn't disappoint.  Mommy and Daddy look forward to seeing everyone all year!  Let's see, we'll just list some highlights:
1. You thought Hayden was hilarious.  He danced and made silly faces, and you just grinned and smiled and laughed!
2. Uncle Roger has baby calming skills!  Word had it that he can calm any baby, any time.  It certainly worked on you!
3. Jess made you an awesome gift.  She made you a plush book called "Silly Willy's Favorite Day." Mommy and Daddy can tell she worked very hard on it.  You love it.  The first time Mommy read it to you, you just sat there with your jaw open.  You really like penguins! (Silly Willy is a penguin...)
4. Mommy and Daddy signed you up to participate in the kids gift exchange.  You gave a gift to Brady, you got him a kitchen play set.  You received a gift from Uncle Tim and Aunt Toni, which was a tool bench.  We're very excited to have you play with it.
5. Mommy took pictures of everyone in our Ohio family, so you can learn who they all are for next year...if we don't see them before then.
6. Here are a few pictures:

Other Christmas Items to Note:
Your Mommy is the biggest dork ever...check out the first Christmas cards she ordered...

 Daddy thought that was a lot for you to live up to, so here's what we actually sent out:

Here is the card that Jess sent you in the mail. We think it was your first piece of mail!

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Back to the Crib - Daddy is the Baby Whisperer!

Dear William,

Up until two nights ago, you were still sleeping in your swing from when you were sick before Thanksgiving.  The doc had said you were congested enough that your head might be pounding from laying flat... Anyway, you are no longer congested and Mommy and Daddy realized before Christmas that getting you back in your crib was going to be difficult, because you pretty much cry every time we lay you down.  Mommy also realizes now that her cuddle time until you fell asleep in the evenings has pretty much created a monster.  Mommy loves our cuddle time, and really craved it after Mommy went back to work, because she misses you so much during the day! However, the cuddling to sleep has made you forget how to put yourself to sleep.

SOOO, yesterday we started working on sleeping in the crib again.  You are very very stubborn, and REALLY do not want to be in your crib.  When you wake up, you start crying and Mommy or Daddy have to go in your room and calm you down with just our voices.  When Mommy goes in, you just cry harder, but when Daddy goes in, you quiet down and go back to sleep.  Daddy is so proud of himself!  He is the Baby Whisperer!  Mommy and Daddy both hope you learn to sleep on your own in your crib again soon.  We are not used to having to get up through the night anymore, since you usually are an awesome sleeper.  Mommy and Daddy are confident you will learn how to put yourself back to sleep again very quickly, because you've been able to sleep through the night since you were about 4 or 5 weeks old. 

Just get to it.... we're tired!

We love you so much, even when you keep us up all night. :-)

Love,
Mommy and Daddy

Life Lately

Dear William,

It has been a while since Mommy posted to the blog because life has been very busy lately.  Holidays with an infant in the family certainly are very busy!  We'll talk about Christmas in another post, but for now, Mommy and Daddy want to highlight the main things going on lately.

1. First of all, you are still growing...FAST!  You seem to be in a constant growth spurt, and Mommy and Daddy can't seem to feed you enough.  Mommy and Daddy took your 5 month pics tonight, and you have grown a ton since your 4 month pics.  You are very chubby right now, and have a pot belly!  You are probably going to get longer very soon, because you usually chunk out right before you grow.
2. Mommy and Daddy are sick of being sick! Since the week before Thanksgiving, either Mommy or Daddy have been sick!  We've had a cold, then the stomach flu, and now Daddy actually has pneumonia!  Luckily, Daddy is off work this week so he is getting some rest finally.
3. You are still interacting with Phoebe a lot.  She even held still long enough for you to pet her.  Not long enough for Mommy to snap a picture though!
4. You LOVE to feel Daddy's hair.  Here's a funny video:

5. You have also decided that you like to pull Mommy's hair.  That is without a doubt Mommy's least favorite game right now.  You are also pulling Katrina's hair at daycare.  Hopefully this phase passes soon, but Mommy will probably just have to get a haircut!
6. You are now eating some rice cereal with every meal.  Here are some pictures from your first "solid" feeding:

7. You have discovered your feet and toes, and pretty much always have your feet in your hands, you look like a little Roley-polely, since you are so chubby right now.  It is adorable.
8. You are still talking, talking, talking.  You are using more inflection in your voice, and you repeat yourself a lot.  Mommy and Daddy make your sounds back at you and you love it.  It is like we are having a conversation.  Mommy and Daddy have a feeling that once you start talking, you are going to have a hard time being quiet!
9.  You still LOVE cookie monster.  Daddy sings the song and goes, "Num, num, num."  You will laugh from across the room.  You are seriously hilarious right now.
10. You are putting everything in your mouth!  It is like a gut reaction when you grab something....right to your mouth.
11. Here is a random cute picture of you:

Mommy and Daddy love you so much!
Love,
Mommy and Daddy