Four-Month Check-Up

We just returned from Ryne's four-month check-up at the doctor's office, and things are going great! Here is a little update on his well being...

Ryne's head is 46.5 cm around, which is in the 97th percentile for head size(meaning, out of 100 four-month old babies he would have a head bigger than 97 of them). He weighs 16.6 lbs, putting himself in the 75th percentile for weight. And he is 25.5" tall (2'1"), which is in the 60th percentile for height. The doctor said that these were all excellent numbers! He is a big, and rapidly growing young boy.

We lucked-out with our near-last-minute babysitter find! The sitter loves Ryne. The other kids that go there love playing with Ryne. And Ryne seems to be happy every morning that I take him there. I can't imagine us being happier with our service from Sharon.

Prior to the little stomach bug that he recently had, he is eating quite a bit. He usually eats seven ounces every three to four hours. I put his high chair together over the weekend, and it may make its debut tonight. The doctor just told us that we could start feeding him rice cereal, and in a couple of weeks Ryne can advance to level one baby vegetables (yum!).

Mom and Dad had their first weekend away from Ryne, and it went well. We missed Ryne, terribly, but we had a lot of fun. It was, however, unfortunate that Ryne was suffering his stomach bug the weekend that we were gone.

On top of the stomach bug that I speak of, Ryne had a little cold previously. In his four months alive those are the only two times that he has ever been sick. He is lucky; Mom and Dad are lucky. Even when he is sick, though, he doesn't get terribly fussy. Aside from his diarrhea and loss of appetite you would have never known anything was wrong with him. He is always such a happy baby.

Ryne is learning some new tricks that he enjoys quite a bit. Rolling over from his stomach to his back is done fairly consistently. He can roll from his back to his stomach, although he always ends up getting one arm stuck underneath him. But his favorite new trick seems to be wiggling his way (much like a clock) around on the floor. We will put him down with his head facing north (for example) and before we know it he will have turned 180 degrees. Ryne thinks that this is quite an accomplishment, as he is usually laughing and smiling all the while. Mom and Dad think it is terribly cute (because it is).

Four-months isn't that long, but I don't remember what life was like prior to Ryne. Life is great with our little family of Ryne, Amy, and me.

A Lucky Little Guy

For those of you who don't know, I work at a Title One school. A Title One school is a school with a large low-income student population. The school where I work has approximately 90% of the students receiving free and/or reduced lunches (and breakfast). Grooming and hygiene is a big issue for a lot of the students that I work with, and the clothes that some of these students come to school in is often depressing.

I digress...Amy and I each have too many clothes. We like clothes, and we like shopping for clothes; it is somewhat of an addiction. Because of this, we are often cleaning out our closets and donating a lot of the second hand clothes to students at my school. I often end up seeing students wearing clothes that once belonged to Amy and myself for days on end. It is sad. Our worst things that we are willing to depart with become these students' best things.

Ryne is lucky. He is loved. He has two educated parents. His parents each have jobs that allow them to go without want. He has parents that are advocates for him. He has an extended family that loves him. He has plenty of clothing. He has a stockroom of diapers. He always has formula to keep him fed. He has plenty of space for himself and his things in his home. He has a ton of toys to keep him entertained. I could go on. He has everything that he needs; furthermore, he has parents that are able to provide him with the things that he may need, but doesn't have yet.

I see a lot children on a daily basis that are not this lucky. They aren't ever exhibited love from family members. They don't all of their family members involved in their lives. Their parents are distracted by the negativity that occupy their lives. These children come to school hungry. They come to school early and stay at school late because school is a much better place than wherever they call home. They never want snow days because that means they don't get to come to school; school is guaranteed to have the heat turned-on. They are crammed into small living quarters with brothers, sisters, cousins, and others.

The disparities are depressing. I thank my parents for raising me to work hard, and be able to work for what I need. However, more than the ability to work hard is needed in most instances. Too many children are born into situations that lack the resources that will allow them to prosper. And for that I thank God. I was blessed to be born into a great situation, and I am blessed to bring my son into a great situation.

Weekend Away

This coming weekend is going to be both fun and sad at the same time.

It will be a lot of fun because Amy and I are taking a two-day trip to Chicago, our favorite city. We have not been to Chicago since August, which is a very long hiatus for us. While in Chicago we don't plan on doing very much at all. We will stay right downtown where we will do some shopping, try-out a wine bar on Michigan Avenue that we held-off of going to while Amy was pregnant, dine at Sunda (where we will probably run into more than a few of Chicago's "A-listers"), eat brunch at a trendy spot that Amy read about in one of her magazines, watch the Blackhawks game and Derrick Rose play in the All-Star game from our favorite Chicago sports bar, and probably get some deep-dish pizza. We can't wait to get away and spend the time relaxing, just the two of us. Very excited...

You might have noticed, in the previous paragraph I mentioned that, "we can't wait to get away...just the two of us." That is correct. Ryne will be staying behind. We are not going to be introducing him to the greatest city in the world until the weather gets warmer (we have a mini-trip planned for June to take Ryne to the Lincoln Park Zoo and his first Cubs game!). It will be the first time that we are away from Ryne overnight. I am sure that it will be difficult for both Mom and Dad. However, we are very lucky to have very good babysitters (grandmas) volunteer (beg) to watch Ryne overnight; thanks.

Happy Valentine's Day

Valentine's Day is less than a week away. I'll admit it, previously this holiday has never been terribly high on my favorite holiday list. Actually, I'd probably categorize it with New Year's Eve and Halloween (ever since 2005 when I did not win the costume contest while dressed as an in-prisoned Pierre Pierce, I've been bitter) as my least favorite holidays. My question was always, what makes Valentine's Day so special? Shouldn't you show your loved ones love all 365 days of the year?

Anyways, I have a new respect for February 14th.

Last year, Amy and I decided not to get each other any Valentine's Day gifts; we were just going to take a little weekend trip to Galena, Illinois and fore go gifts. I, however, thought I was being: a) sneaky and b) a great husband by getting her a gift anyways. It was nothing major, just a lunch bag and matching water bottle that she'd mentioned at Von Maur. I was going to give her the gift while we were in Galena.

When Valentine's Day came, prior to going to Galena, Amy told me that she'd gotten me a gift! I was shocked (although not nearly as shocked as I was about to become). She brought me out a small little package that was very nicely wrapped. Inside was a book titled, The Expectant Father. I'm no dummy, I knew what this meant. I'd always wanted children, but we hadn't planned this. I was a little scared and trying to hide that as best as I could while exhibiting pure excitement as well. It isn't that I didn't want a child, I did, it is just that I don't always deal overly well with things that aren't routine. I had NO IDEA what to expect for the coming months.

As time went by, nerves turned to excitement and excitement turned to happiness once Ryne was born. Now, nearly one year after Amy informed me that she was pregnant, I look back at that moment as a great memory. How can she/we top that Valentine's Day? That gift? It is not possible. Finding out that Ryne was on the way is the best gift that I've ever received. I will always associate that memory with Valentine's Day, which puts Valentine's Day in pretty good graces with me. Therefore, Valentine's Day will forever be a day of ecstasy as that was the day that I first discovered that I was going to become a Dad.