Baby's Christening

We had been looking forward to this day for months now. Shaye was baptized at St. Thomas More Catholic Parish in Irvine on Sunday. She is officially a child of God! We are so thrilled to begin this journey with her as it will open so many doors. We chose my uncle and aunt, Jeff and Lourdes Wharton, to be her godparents. They were an easy choice; they will be such wonderful spirtual mentors for Shaye. We were blessed to have so many family members in attendance at the church for the ceremony as well as at our home afterward for a luncheon celebration. I also received the best surprise ever - Kara showed up at our house on Saturday! She previously told me she couldn't make it out from Colorado but later decided she needed to be here, so she made it happen! That was the best gift I could ask for. Shaye and Aunt K bonded on Sunday and Monday which was adorable. Back to the ceremony...it was long! 10 children were baptized which made for a tough time. Shaye gets upset around groups of people that are focused on her so she cried through half of the ceremony. The spirit was there with her because once she was baptized, she was fairly mellow for the rest of the day! It was a special ceremony, but admittingly, Ryan and I were glad when it was over (a little stressful for the parents!). The afternoon lunch at our house was fabulous. My mom, Joyce and Helen helped so much with the preparations. Thank you to everyone that supported us and Shaye on this momentous day!

Hearts and Arrows

So far, Valentine's Day is one of my favorite holidays. I enjoyed a long weekend with Mommy and Daddy. They said I am their Valentine. I received some cute cards from Grandma and Grandpa Netro & Flower and got to bake cookies for Mommy and Daddy. They must have liked them because they are almost gone. We spent a lot of time outdoors in the sunshine. Here I am, enjoying my first Valentine's Day!

4 Month Check-Up

Shaye is actually 4 and a half months old now, but we went for her 'Well Visit' at the Pediatrician's office yesterday. She has stayed consistent in regard to her measurements for her age. Currently, she is 15 lbs 2 oz and 24 3/4 inches. This puts her in the 66th% for weight, average height and at the 35th% for head size. So, her head is catching up! I'm actually glad that the formula we use (contains starchy rice cereal) hasn't beefed her up too much. We will wait until she's 6 months old to start foods. Shaye got more shots and cried quite a bit but she was brave. She checked out good. The doctor was impressed that she sleeps through the night so well and was impressed that her legs are so strong (she prefers standing most of the time). All in all, a good visit!

Our challenge this week is weaning off the swaddle blanket. She has kept us up all week at night breaking out of her tightly wrapped blanket. And yet, she wants to be in the blanket so she cries when she is out of it. With the help of the grandparents, we are transitioning her to the sleep sac, with her legs zipped up, but her arms are free. So far it is going very well. She moans and whimpers throughout the night, but she has gone two nights now without a blanket on her. Naps are a little more difficult, but I have only had to wrap a small blanket around her toward the end of the nap just to let her get some sleep. But, we should be able to complete the task this weekend! Shaye has been a super good baby going through this process!

Surprise!

We got him good. As mentioned in previous Blogs, my dad retired on January 29th. We decided to throw him a Surprise Retirement Dinner Party with a few close friends and family members. About 12 of us were at the house to surprise Dad and Mom when they came over (supposedly to have dinner at our place with my Grandpa). Dad was thoroughly confused for a few seconds, not understanding what the party was for. He got it and was very happy! The house was decked out with 'Happy Retirement' decorations, balloons and a yummy dinner including appetizers, Creamy Gruyere Shrimp Pasta, grilled asparagus, field greens salad, rolls as well as a double chocolate layer cake & vanilla ice cream for dessert. I said a few words during a champagne toast along with my grandpa, Joyce, and Kara (via a note that I read). Lots of fun was had by all! Here's a few photos. The rest are located at the link to the right.