Category Archives: Daddy

Happy Thanksgiving!

I arrived in Utah after my bedtime on November 25. But I still had some smiles for Grandma Peggy and Papa Paul!

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The next day, I discovered a room full of toys! Grandma Peggy watched me play and play and play. I had so much fun. Daddy came that day too. I was very glad to see him.

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Mommy told me that the next day was Thanksgiving. We went to a restaurant. I looked carefully at the menu. I saw my cousins and aunts and uncles. We all ate a lot. I didn’t have any room left for pumpkin pie, not after all that turkey and the potatoes and sweet potatoes. I didn’t like the stuffing, but everything else was tasty.

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We took a family photo. But I ate too much and had a tummy ache. Besides, I wanted my nap. That’s why I have a funny look on my face.

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I also got to see some of my other cousins. Cousin Samuel didn’t really know how to walk yet, but he watched my good example and started to figure it out. Cousin Leah turned three years old. She is such a big girl! I was there for her birthday party. And my great-Grandma was there too. She is so nice!

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Grandma Peggy made sure I had plenty to eat all weekend.

And I met more cousins. I can’t wait until I’m a little older; then I’ll have lots of fun with these boys.

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Then we took more family pictures. At least I could cuddle with Daddy.

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And then I got to smile by the Christmas tree.

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Whew! That’s a lot of pictures to tell you about! I hope you had a happy thanksgiving too!

My First Easter by Paul

I didn’t wake up for my breakfast until 5 a.m. I didn’t know what time it was, of course, but Mommy seemed so happy when she came up. She kept saying, “I just slept for six hours straight!” with amazement. I ate eagerly and then decided to go back to sleep.

Before I knew it, Mommy was waking me up and putting my white shirt on me. Then Mommy immediately put me in my car seat. There wasn’t time to spit up on anyone at all! Daddy carried me out to the car and put me in the back. I sat in the car seat for more than an hour as Daddy drove us around. Mommy came and sat by me for a while and so did this other guy we picked up. I was sleepy so I didn’t feel like talking much. I just stared at the side of the car seat.

Finally, we got to church. I wasn’t sleepy anymore. Mommy took me out of my car seat and held me on her lap. There were so many people to look at. People kept coming by and telling me I am cute. Do such obvious things even need to be said? I just giggled and ate my tie.

I sat on Mommy’s lap as she sang songs. I was pretty happy to be awake. The whole meeting was about Jesus. As Daddy passed the sacrament, Mommy told me about how Jesus was resurrected. I was happy.

I went with Daddy to the Gospel Essentials Sunday school class and took a little nap. Most of the lesson was in Chinese anyway, so I didn’t feel too bad sleeping through it. I’m having a hard enough time with English these days!

When I woke up, I was in Relief Society with Mommy. A lady at the front of the room was talking, and I wanted to show everyone how I can talk too, so I started speaking up! Did you know I can make really loud noises with this voice of mine? Really loud noises! One lady sitting in front of me kept telling me I was cute, but Mommy was trying to shush me. She walked around the back of the room, but I was so excited about my noises that I wanted to see how loud I could get. Besides, I was tired of being held. I wanted to kick.

Finally, Mommy stopped shushing me. And then everyone else was moving around and talking, so no one could hear my noises. How disappointing!

Before I knew it, Mommy was putting me back in my car seat. At least Mommy sat by me again. So did one of the other guys we had picked up, Shawn. He kept making faces at me, trying to get me to smile, but I didn’t feel like humoring him. I decided to make loud noises again. I was getting tired, though, so I wasn’t very energetic.

I think I feel asleep because the next thing I remember, I was in my crib at home. I didn’t want to be all by myself, so I called for Mommy and Daddy.

Daddy played with me for a little while and tickled me. I love my Daddy! He rubbed something dark brown on my bottom lip, and Mommy was quite concerned. She kept saying, “Don’t give him chocolate!”

Grandma Peggy called to wish me a happy Easter. I was so amazed by the voice coming out of the telephone that I didn’t say anything to her.

Mommy and Daddy found me some toys and put me in my playpen. I ate my cloth book and hit myself in the head with my rattle while Mommy ironed a tablecloth and Daddy made pear sorbet.

After a little while, Daddy was putting me back in to my car seat. “Where to now?” I thought. We headed all the way back to Shawn’s house and then back to the church. I did not want to be in my car seat any longer, and I tried to tell Daddy, who kept driving. But Shawn and Mommy just told me I was cute. Shawn told me that it was his first Easter too.

After another long while, we were back at church. Mommy read to me from the Book of Mormon Stories book. I sat with Mommy and Daddy as we listened to pretty music. After listening to some talks in Chinese, we went and watched Shawn baptize William. Mommy told me that I’ll be baptized in 7 years, 6 months, and 15 days. I’m so excited!

After we watched the baptism, we drove home again. Shawn came with us, and so did a sister in the ward and her kids. I lay on my back in my playpen looking up, and there were so many smiling faces—two girl faces and a little boy face and Shawn’s face. I didn’t know who to smile at first! The two girls were very excited to smile at me and giggle and tickle me. I was happy to humor them. The oldest girl picked me up and carried me around the room.

The youngest kid, the boy, wasn’t quite sure how to hold me, but he sat down and he did just fine. Then he and Shawn played football in the living room with a stuffed bunny. I can’t wait until I’m a little older and I can run around like that!

I was so excited with all the people around that I didn’t realize how tired I was getting. When they all put me down in my playpen and sat at the table and started eating, I was very annoyed.

“I’m still here!” I tried to say. But, of course, all they heard was my noises. “Isn’t he cute?” they said to each other.

Finally, Mommy remembered me. She picked me up and took me upstairs. She changed my clothes and sang me a song and cuddled me. I was too tired to go to sleep calmly, but she helped me go to sleep anyway.

It was a good first Easter.

It’s Official

When Paul was newborn, I ran a poll asking you who Paul looks most like. The final vote was for Mommy, although Grandma Peggy mentioned that she thinks he’s a perfect blend of both of us. I think she wins the prize on that one. Here’s the result from when he was newborn.

Here’s the result as of last month, which is what I’ve been saying all along.

Paul looks most like Daddy, but Mommy comes in as a close second!

FYI, according to a similar test, he looks 10% more like Grandma Peggy than Papa Paul and he looks equally like Grandma and Grandpa Sorenson.

(P.S. Thanks to my sister for finding this fun link!)

Unphotographable

This is a picture I did not take of Daddy in pajamas during the early Saturday morning hours, sitting on the couch under a blanket with Paul in his arms, reading “AKLAT NI MORMON BABASAHING-AKLAT” (Book of Mormon Stories, in Tagalog), and showing him the pictures. Paul is staring at the book with interest and probably wanting to rip and eat the pages, and Daddy keeps reading in a loud and excited voice, all about Joseph Smith and the brother of Jared, who is called ang kapatid ni Jared.

(How I love that man and that baby!)

I got inspiration for this from www.unphotographable.com, which is written by a photographer who has missed some great shots either because it was against the law to take a picture or he did not have his camera or taking a picture would not have been appropriate or he just did not take the picture.

Your turn: what great picture did you not take?

Pressure

On Tuesday, Paul and I went to Mother’s Group for the first time in a month. It was intimidating.

Paul is the second oldest baby (out of 10 or 12). One baby had cut two teeth. A few babies were busy rolling over. Most babies were starting to notice the other babies. All seemed huge! A few babies are already wearing the Crawler-sized diapers; they’re mothers said they’re already 8 kg. Paul was content to amuse himself, he hasn’t started rolling over again, and there is surely no sign of teeth (not that I’m looking forward to the teeth bit…). Paul is still about 6 kg and wearing the Infant-sized diapers.

On Wednesday morning as we ate breakfast, I was explaining to Ryan how Paul seemed to be behind. Ryan went over to Paul, who was minding his own business on his belly in the playpen, and rolled him to his back.

“Good job!” he said. Paul was excited too. Then Ryan made Paul roll over a few more times. Paul didn’t seem so excited anymore. Ryan left Paul on his belly.

As we were putting away our breakfast dishes, Paul rolled himself over to his back again.

I was delighted. I guess it takes a Dad to teach these kinds of things.

(Paul rolled over a number of times Wednesday. Thursday he didn’t do it very much, but he also seemed quite tired and fussy. Maybe Wednesday wore him out!)

The Entire Reid Family

Here are all the Reids!

Alex took the picture using his remote control shutter release, which meant we could all be in the picture, we didn’t have to wait 10 seconds between each picture, and we only had to be trying to keep control of the kids for about 5 minutes. Here are the three best shots.

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If you want me to email you the high resolution, either send me an email at rebecca [at] reid [hyphen] family [dot] org or leave a comment. (I can see your email when you leave a comment.)

Two Videos

Don’t get excited about these two videos. Here’s why:

  • The videos are large files and so will take a long time to load.
  • Paul doesn’t smile or do anything cute, other than look at the camera.
  • Mommy gets distracted because Paul isn’t smiling and she looks at the camera and talks to the cameraman.
  • The cameraman tries to be funny and gets the viewer all dizzy.
  • Nothing happens in these videos, but the cameraman didn’t want to try again, so this is what you get.

Don’t say I didn’t warn you!

I’m Three Months Old!

I had my three-month checkup yesterday:

  • I am 5220 grams (gained 830 grams in one month; 10th percentile)
  • I am 59.5 cm long (25th percentile)
  • I have a 40.5 cm head circumference (25th percentile)

Here’s a rundown of my life these days.

I like to suck on my fingers—but I don’t suck my thumb because I don’t know how to get my thumb out of my fist. Sometimes I stick my whole fist in my mouth and I gag myself.

I still spit up a lot, but maybe not as much as before. Now I’m drooling a lot too. I like to eat Mommy’s milk (I’m still too little to eat food), but if I’m too tired, I’d rather sleep. I sleep really well at night, usually falling asleep at 8 p.m. and sleeping until 5 a.m., waking only once to eat. I only sleep that well in my own cot, though. At night I don’t like to sleep in my car seat, even if I’m tired. I sleep well during the day, taking two one-hour morning naps between 8 and 10 and 11 and 1 and a longer afternoon nap between 3 and 6 or so. I don’t catnap as often as I used to. But I don’t follow too much of a schedule yet. I like to do whatever I want. Every day is different. That’s what keeps life exciting!

I like to hold a toy so I can look at it and try to eat it, but I often let go of it and can’t find it again. I try to bring things to my mouth, but I don’t really know how my hands work—sometimes I’m lucky. I like to listen to music and I like to watch the flashing lights on my new rain forest music box from Grandma Peggy.

I really like to go for a horsey ride on Daddy’s knees; I squeal in delight. (But not when Mommy has a camera going! I stare at the camera because somehow I always see it.) When Mommy and Daddy hold me up, I can stand on my own two feet! I make happy noises when I do that—unless I’m tired. Then I whine.

I used to like rolling from my front to my back, but lately I just look around while on my tummy and then I get tired. I think I’ve forgotten how to roll over.

Mommy likes to read to me. Before bed, she feeds me and then reads me Goodnight Moon, which Grandma sent me. It is just the right length—by the end, I’m ready to go to sleep. Other times of the day, when she reads to me, I think she is talking to me. I look in her eyes and talk to her with my coos. She coos back. I really like that time.

I smile most in the morning. At 5 a.m., I really like to see Mommy or Daddy coming to get me. I am extra smiley then. For some reason, Mommy is not as smiley then. But I know she’s trying to be smiley. After my first morning nap, I’m very happy. I smile and giggle as I play.

I’m very content when we run errands. Mommy keeps me in my car seat and I eat my hand. Everyone thinks I’m very cute and tells me so. At church, I spend some time with Daddy and some time with Mommy. But really, they could just give me to the young single adult girls and I’d be fine. They all like me very much. It would be nice if, in 16 years, so many girls thought I was cute!

I’m feeling a lot bigger than I was before. I can’t wear a lot of my favorite outfits anymore—I’m too big. But that’s OK, because Mommy has a drawer full of new favorite outfits to wear!

Well, I’ve got to go spit up, so that’s all for now!

Paul’s First Christmas and New Year’s Eve

For Christmas this year, Paul and family took a trip to the High Country in rural Victoria. The whole family enjoyed the time we spent together. I think Paul especially enjoyed playing with Daddy all week.

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We stayed in Mansfield and Bright, which are down in the valley, and we went up the mountains for photography during the early morning and evening hours. Paul was a good sport with all the driving. When we went on the short 1-2 km hikes, he rode along in Mom’s front carrier. He tended to fall asleep!

Christmas Eve morning we went to Mt. Buller for the sunrise. Paul fell asleep, but it was all foggy, so he didn’t miss anything. That evening, we drove to Craigs Hut, which is a representation of the hut that was used in the movie The Man from Snowy River. It was a long and bumpy drive and Paul was tired of being in the car! He was fussy in the carrier. But by the end of the 2 km hike, he was asleep. It was very cold (nearly freezing) and windy on top of the mountain, but he was wearing a (borrowed) snowsuit, so he didn’t feel the breeze!

On Christmas day, the whole family was too tired to get up for sunrise again. We stayed in the apartment and had a low key morning. Then in the afternoon we headed back up to the top of Mt. Buller for the sunset. It was a perfectly clear evening and we got some great pictures! We took a family picture with a sleepy Paul while on the mountain top.

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The family hiked to the top of Mt. Buller for Christmas Day’s sunset.

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By the time the sun had set on his first Christmas, Paul was sound asleep in the carrier.

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On Boxing Day, we headed to Bright and Falls Creek. There, we got some pictures of the high country. It was a lot warmer that evening and Paul didn’t even need to wear the snowsuit to keep warm.

We began the drive home the next day. It was at least five hours of driving, plus we stopped for brunch. By 1:30, Paul had had enough. He wouldn’t stop whining. I didn’t blame him. It was a lot of time in the car! Thankfully, there was only another hour and a half of driving at that point.

All in all, Mom and Dad had a great Christmas this year. We think Paul had a great first Christmas too, but he slept through most of it so I don’t think he will remember much.

(I am working on processing my pictures and will post them on my page when they’re ready.)

Paul’s New Year’s Eve was not very exciting. He went to bed at 9:15 p.m.! This morning, he welcomed the 2008 with a “bang.”

He’s a very good, happy boy!