five weeks of age - already!

Kaemon Ze is five weeks old today... it's going so fast! Kaemon still has that sweet sounding infant cry. I told Jason we really should capture it on video - as it will not last long. Jason grabbed the camera and the timing was perfect - it was nearly time for Kaemon to eat - so he was able to capture some fun awake time and then... the cry. Too cute! Once we're through this week (it's a full one!), I'll ask Jason to download the video so I can upload it to the blog. Stay tuned.

It's been a full week for us. Kaemon had his first Thanksgiving... he acted very 'cool' about it, despite the fact that we dressed him in two special "My First Thanksgiving" outfits given to him by both his grandmas! He even slept through dinner - couldn't be bothered to rouse for Jason's family's antics. Heh.

Kaemon was held and loved by lots of people this week - both family and friends alike. He's one lucky baby!

I'm knee-deep and no-going-back into painting the dining room. It's going well... it's just taking time (even more time with the babe in our lives). Shannan, a friend of ours, came over last Saturday evening and helped us get the primer on the walls. Luckily, I got a really good one (Jason was muy impressed), so we only needed one coat. Tonight, we had Grandpa Joe Joe help buy us back some time by installing our new chandelier - he said there must have been 100 crystals on it, but I think it's closer to 30... but still. Heh! Grandma Karen came with to hold the babe so Jason and I could continue to work on the trim (so time consuming). Thank you Shannan, Joe Joe and Karen for all your help!

You know your baby's nursing a long time when... you end up with his ear-print on your arm!

one month of age

Wow!

We can hardly believe that Kaemon Ze is one month of age today!!

On Children
Kahlil Gibran

Your children are not your children.
They are the sons and daughters of Life's longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts,
For they have their own thoughts.
You may house their bodies but not their souls,
For their souls dwell in the house of tomorrow,
which you cannot visit, not even in your dreams.
You may strive to be like them,
but seek not to make them like you.
For life goes not backward nor tarries with yesterday.

You are the bows from which your children
as living arrows are sent forth.
The archer sees the mark upon the path of the infinite,
and He bends you with His might
that His arrows may go swift and far.
Let our bending in the archer's hand be for gladness;
For even as He loves the arrow that flies,
so He loves also the bow that is stable.

mama's getting creative...

Daddy's Lil Angel

Q & A for GumpappaD

Oh how we make ourselves laugh!
If you want Kaemon Ze to answer your "yes" or "no" questions, leave them in the comment field. ;)

sling shopping :)

Jason has Wednesdays off from work for the next couple of months (what a blessing that is!). He and Kaemon Ze accompanied me to my monthly chiropractic appointment this morning. We left early so we could swing by my coffee haunt and introduce Kaemon to the barista/owner who saw me nearly every morning during my pregnancy. Chuck smiled ear-to-ear when he saw us walk in, and as we left with lattes in hand, he commended us on a job well done. Heh.

Next, we swung by my friend Pam's house so she could meet our son. She sent an e-mail this week asking us to stop by if we're in the neighborhood and well, today was the day. It was so good to see her again. Pam (and the kiddos) gifted us with a super cute (and purple!) puppet (she said puppets are good distractors, especially when changing diapers, if the baby doesn't like that task). She had a bag of soft toys that were previously loved by her three kids. So sweet. Thank you Pam!

Then, off to the chiro's office where the staff ooohed and awed and beamed at us. :) :) My chiropractor held Kaemon and gave him a lil back massage which he seemed to really enjoy. The chiro said he could hold him all day. Heh.

Then we were off to Milargo's Boutique to find a sling that will work for the three of us. We finally settled on a Kangaroo, though we liked the Moby style very much too. The photo above is Kaemon in the Kangaroo, shielding his eyes from the bright store lights. We've gotten quite a kick out of his learning to cover his eyes around bright lights. It's very cute.

Once we got home, the baby fell asleep after I fed him. Jason and I dashed to the bedroom so we could grab a nap while the baby was asleep -- just like the books and all the experienced people tell us to. Heh!

One last thing. Some of the folks at Jason's office have started to bring us a meal a night, for the next couple of weeks. How nice is that? Tonight was the start of that generosity. Kathy brought a linguine dinner on behalf of Clara (Kathy lives in our neighborhood) - complete with monster brownies for dessert! Yum-me! Kathy said she's making the meal on Friday - jambalaya, with a special homemade dessert (she wouldn't tell us what).

What are you having for dinner this week? :)

Kaemon Ze is three weeks of age!

Let's see... more firsts today: Kaemon Ze went with us to the grocery store and later that afternoon Daddy trimmed his nails - a first for both! Heh

home... at last!

We arrived home late tonight after being in California for a week. We loved seeing everyone again and we are loving being home again. It's amazing... Kaemon will be three weeks of age tomorrow and of that time, we've barely been home a week between hospital visits and the trip to California. It just amazes me. This mama is looking forward to settling in and finding a routine.

On the way home today, we made a quick stop in Salem so Jason's grandparents could meet their first great-grandchild. Kaemon Ze slept through the visit, but Marsten and Truth seemed to quite delighted to see him anyway. Marsten gave us a copy of his one and only baby photo - there is some family resemble in the photo. I told Marsten we'd put the photo in Kaemon's baby book.

Speaking of baby photos - it's amazing how much Kaemon Ze looks like his daddy's baby photos. I've been saying that the only part of Kaemon Ze that's strictly "me" is the top of his left ear, which looks like one of my ears - that's it. All I get is the top of one ear. *laughing* Perhaps he'll get my non-physical features like my stunning personality, sweet disposition, and raucous sense of humour. hehehehe :)













Jason's grandpa Marsten, estimated 6 months of age.













Jason, 2 weeks of age, 1972.













Kaemon Ze, 2 weeks of age, 2008.

away...

We've been in California for nearly a week to attend Grandma Lisa's memorial service and spend time with Jason's dad and family. Will update the blog when we're home again.
Love,
g, J, and KZ
:)

oh the love!

Kaemon Ze met so many uncles, aunties, great aunties, and his "GumpapaD" on our trip to California, who doted on him and showered him with love. There were always arms to hold and cuddle him in our nearly week-long stay. With the passing of his Grandma Lisa so fresh in our minds, Kaemon reminded us all of the eternal cycle of life. The above collage is merely representative of all the family who held him that week. :)

meeting the reno cousins

While we were in Grass Valley, my cousins from Reno drove the two hours to come meet Kaemon Ze - and they brought my daddy with them! :)

Left-Right: Daddy, Bonnie, Kyle, me, Rowan, and Beckey.

Beckey holds Kaemon Ze.






Me... with my daddy.



Isn't he cute?

Kaemon Ze is two weeks of age

Today Kaemon is two weeks of age - and still more "firsts". We're traveling to Grass Valley, California to attend Grandma Lisa's memorial and to visit Jason's dad (Darwin) and his family. It's a 10 hour drive, normally, without a two-week old and a 19-year old miniature dachshund in tow. Heh! So we split the drive into two days. Here's Kaemon Ze with daddy in his first hotel room. Oliver is still snoozing on the bed. *grin*

On the way to Grass Valley, we were able to meet up with my long-time friend Sara, and her beautiful children.

Here's Darwin, Jason's dad, holding his grandson for the first time. "GumpapaD" looks pleased as punch, doesn't he? Darwin also thanked me for having him... just like Jason and Joe had both done. Those simple words, given by these three men, really touched my heart.

hello Grandpa Joe Joe!

Tonight Grandpa Joe came over to hold his grandson for the first time. Joe Joe melted my heart as he was holding Kaemon and thanked me for giving birth to this lil guy. :) My heart melted when Jason told me the same thing.

i'm one week old!

So much learning in so few days!

My first sneeze scared the beejeezus outta me .
The second sneeze kinda surprised me.
The third sneeze was a non-event.

From the moment I arrived, I had my parents wrapped around my little finger and now, one week later, they are at my beck and call. I know it's ALL about me! :)

Happy One Week Birthday to Meeeeee!

In Loving Memory

of
Grandma Lisa

As we were preparing to leave the birth center this morning, we got a call from Darwin, Jason's Dad, who shared very sad news: Lisa, his wife, had passed away unexpectedly earlier this morning.

Grandpa Darwin and Grandma Lisa

May 2008

Grandma Lisa was very much anticipating the arrival of her first grandchild and could hardly wait to, as she put it in an e-mail to me, "take that child in to our arms." Blessedly, Lisa got to see the first photos of her grandson this week and in her last e-mail to me she asked, "has the child been named and no one told me? I'm fine with calling him beautiful boy jaxon forever." She did learn his name before she passed and quipped in her last e-mail to Jason, "what you Ze?"

Lisa and Darwin were planning to visit us and meet their grandson at the end of November. It deeply saddens us that she will not be able to hold this darling boy and smother him with kisses. We're planning to take Kaemon Ze to the Celebration of Life next week to meet his "GumpappaD" and the rest of the "famby".

Lisa is survived by her husband, Darwin, her two grown daughters, Chelsea and Halley, and her brood of grown step-children: Jason, Ryan, Greyson, Ben, and Briahna.

(Most of) The "Famby"

May 2008

We love you all so much. Our hearts and thoughts are with you.

With much love,
Jason, Gigi, and beautiful boy jaxon forever

space baby

On Thursday afternoon (Kaemon Ze's fourth day of life) my Dad went with the babe and I to his first pediatric appointment. The doctor noted his yellow legs and had us get his blood tested that evening at a local hospital. Good thing he did... the low-level jaundice he had when we were released from the birth center spiked.

Gramma Lin and Grandpa J.C. get Kaemon ready
for his ride back to the birth center.

Within a hour or so, we found ourselves back in the birth center (hospital), suitcases in tow, so Kaemon Ze could be treated from anywhere between one to four days. We were commended on how well he looked, compared to other babies who come back for treatment (not dehydrated; not lethargic), and was warned that the light treatment therapy machine would probably be too bright to have in the room with us at night (to sleep) and that babies really dislike it (read: cry a lot), which causes parents to take the baby out to soothe him/her; and that the hospital usually supplements with formula.

Space Baby!

Jason and I must seem so resilient to the staff - we made it clear that we wanted Kaemon Ze to be in the room with us; that we wanted to breastfeed; and amazingly... the babe was such a trooper and adjusted to his environment like a pro. The few hours Kaemon Ze did fuss each night, Daddy stayed up with him to comfort him. We could touch him, change his diaper, and when it was time to feed, we could remove him from the machine to do so.

Daddy reads "Where the Wild Things Are" to Space Baby

This morning at 6am, after two nights at the birth center, the pediatrician came in with the latest lab results - Kaemon Ze's numbers came down and he said we could go home. Whoo hoo! He also said he heard I was pumping enough breast milk to feed the entire ward. *laugh*

Happy Mama with her 'drunken monkey'
after a feeding.

One of the blessings to having to go back to the birth center was that we got lots of time with the hospital's lactation consultant and learned several new techniques to help both Kaemon Ze and I really get the knack of breastfeeding. Another blessing was that we were just beginning to teach Kaemon Ze to nap in the bassinet (especially after those late night/early morning feedings). Being under the lights... our lil guy did such a great job of self-soothing. Tonight we'll hope to continue that trend. :)

We're back home - getting used to a new routine, without the help of my parents who left yesterday to fly back to Reno. We're so smart though... on the drive home we called in Jason's mom to come over to hold the baby while we napped and then showered... needless to say, we didn't have to bribe her. :)

Thank you grandparents!!

Love and Joy to you all!