Daycare looms.......... (Week 21)

Adam, Christa, and Henry

This week brought with it the Henry's impending attendance at daycare. As you might imagine, the Bogart household was not a calm one throughout the week! I'm not going to tell you that Laura cried a lot during the week (but she did). His first day was to be Tuesday, but Laura took advantage of a big snow on Monday to excuse him from attendance! Upon Reggie saying it was up to her, it took all of about 0.00005 seconds for her to say, "He will stay home then!." Laura and Jen took the day as an opportunity to break out the exersaucer that we received as a shower gift. He absolutely loves sitting in it. I would imagine it is because there are lots of things for him to slobber all over. He did make it to daycare on Wed. Here are some pics of his daycare, exersaucer, and Jerrod, who came to visit during the week as well.

What do I love more, my exersaucer or my hand????

Henry loves Jerrod's beard. Probably b/c his dad can't grow one!

On Sunday, Reggie had received Chiefs playoff tickets from his work, so he and Laura went to the game while Aunt Jen and Henry's NEWLY CROWNED girlfriend Sara babysat at the house and watched movies. Forgetting the fact that the game got out of hand, it was really fun for the two of us to be able to get away for a few hours.

Developmentally, Henry is sleeping much better now, but has started flipping onto his stomach to sleep for some reason. This makes us a bit uneasy based upon what we have heard about how your baby is supposed to sleep on its back, but there is no stopping this kid! Also, he has developed a great need for us to hold his hand as he goes to sleep. It definitely warms your heart when he does that. Also, we found out that 1) you can scare a baby, and 2) babies don't like to be scared! While Laura was holding Henry, Jen jumped out from around a wall, which immediately frightened him and led to some substantial crying! Upon arriving home from work, Reggie kicked Jen out of the house :) Finally, he is getting good at grabbing things and bringing them to him (to be placed in his mouth). He will even bend over if he needs to to be able to reach something.

Our kids. Love that he was putting his arm around Bella!

Happy New Year! - Week 20

The Jerrys - Stef, Tim, and Ella

The week between Christmas and New Years is always great, because work isn't too difficult (if you even have to go) and you have a chance to get some random things accomplished. This was certainly true for the Bogart clan. Reggie took off on Wednesday from work. No, not to lick the wounds of yet another installment of "Mizzou Disappointment Theater," but so that we could make a Will. We went up to Liberty to meet Reggie's friend Joe Gagnon to get it set up, followed by dinner with his family. You know, making a Will makes you realize a few things, such as "I must be getting old to make one of these" and "sorry Henry your inheritance isn't larger, but mom really needed those leggings" :)  Anyways, it was pretty painless, and was great to see Joe and his family. Their oldest son, Max, is apparently a Star Wars expert. He kept asking Reggie throughout the dinner if he knew who various characters were!

Happy New Year!

Elizabeth and our guy

This was definitely the most chill New Year's Eve we have experienced. We went over to Laura's friend Elizabeth's home at 4:30 for a very kid-friendly celebration. Everyone in attendance had a child under the age of 5 I think. Around 7, we went over to Dave and April Sifford's home for a nice dinner, dominoes, and football. Henry could only make it until around 10, at which point we put him down on a bed upstairs. Overall, it was as fun as any other year when we have gone out on the town! We even stayed out until 1:30am!

"Godmother April's belly is getting bigger!"

Mac, Henry, and Ned at Elizabeth's

The next morning, as you might expect was slow going. Laura's cousin Kristy was to come over for breakfast. on NYE, Laura had texted her to just call once she was up and going since we would be up so much earlier. NOT! Thanks to some very good sleeping by our little guy, we didn't get out of bed until about 11:15. And guess what, Kristy had already called us twice! So we rushed around and did "breakfast" at noon. Kristy is an avid cook and photographer, so Laura and Jen got lots of tips on both subjects during her visit. Laura even ended up making her guacamole later that night (which was great)! Her and Henry really got along great, and I'm sure it made Aunt Colleen (her mom) very jealous.

Kristy and Henry

After a night of partying, a guy needs a coffee!

That night, our friends Adam and Christa came over for dinner and drinks. It was a short night considering how late we were up, and how late they were up on NYE (4am). We hadn't been able to hang out with them for a little over a month, so it was great to be able to catch up! Unfortunately for them, Henry was tuckered out from all the partying as well, and spent most of the night sleeping! 

Christa and Henry

Maybe he will be a race car driver. Get 'er done!

Developmentally, Week 20 can also be dubbed as 'Great Switch' week, since we are officially trying to switch Henry over to formula bottles. We are doing this now for a number of reasons 1) We want to fully transition him to formula by 6 months, 2) It won't be very feasible to make enough real stuff once Laura is back to work, and 3) Nursing is getting old! Also this week, Henry has really mastered the art of rolling over from front to back, and vice-versa. Therefore, we are no longer using the winged sleep sacks for him when he goes to bed. This has caused a small hiccup in his overnight sleeping, in that he has been waking up more frequently (we assume he flails his arms and hits himself, which wakes him up). It is also funny to watch his progression in and around the crib once he is down. For whatever reason, that boy loves to make his way over to a bumper during the night! We think it is because he loves to feel the felt on the tree on the bumper, but who knows. Additionally, he will essentially make a circle around the crib during the night, both in spinning himself around and in getting over to every bumper!

Henry and Bella are getting along better each week. We have continued to try and get him to pet her almost every day. At first Bella wanted nothing to do with that game. She would just lick him and then back away. She is now letting him touch/grab her some and will sit there and lick his hand or face.

He does this a lot now. He likes to try and chew on his feet!

Sarah, Ben, and Ned Wilson

Dave practicing for his own in April

Henry's 1st Christmas! (Week 19)

The Laffertys (Chalice, Matt, Lola, Annie) and Henry

Having fun with Grandpa!

As the title implies, this week was filled with tons of Christmas activities. We started off heading over to St. Louis on Wednesday night for all of Laura's family events. Henry slept the whole drive, so when we arrived around 10:30 that night, he was all set to stay up and watch a big MU win over Illinois! (we really didn't force/try to get him to stay up through the game, he just decided he wasn't tired; so no need to call child services :) ). Maybe he can be the good luck charm for another MU sports streak!

Learning to share....thanks Ella!!!

On Thursday, Laura took the little man to her dentist's office with Jen. Everyone at their office absolutely loved him, and of course he ate it up. This visit included Henry's first dental check for incoming teeth (there were none, of course!). We were able to meet up with Reggie's friend Stefanie and her husband Tim and daughter Ella (they will be featured on the Week 20 post). That night, Laura and Reggie left Henry with Grandma Kathy and headed out on the town with Laura's friends Heidi and Leah (they were previously featured on the blog). It is so odd now when we go out and he isn't there. On one hand, it is so nice to not have any "baby" responsibilities for a little bit, but on the other hand you continually keep thinking about him - what he is doing, if he being fussy, has he blown through his outfit, etc. When we got back, we found out that Grandma had stayed up until 12:30am holding him while he slept :)

Just loungin'. Being cute is hard work! Now where's my margarita!

On Christmas Eve we received an early present......SNOW! It snowed about 3-4 inches, which made everything perfect for Henry's first Christmas. That afternoon, we all loaded up and headed to church. Laura insisted on having Henry wear a buccaneer (skull and swords) stocking hat. You know, nothing represents the birth of Christ like attire that says, "Give me your booty, swashbuckler!" Plus, I think in the book of Leviticus, it talks about Jesus' pirate days....... Anyways, Henry was in no mood for sitting still for an hour, so Reggie ended up having to walk around in the lobby for about 1/2 of the service. When we were seated, there were two little girls behind us that were probably 4 or 5 years old. They would keep moving around so they could see his face and wave at him. It was really cute!

After church, we went to Laura's Aunt Pam's for her extended family Christmas (called 'Kirnaka'). It was the first time for Laura's Uncle Pat and Aunt Dana to meet the little guy (they are from Baltimore). Dana is originally from Kentucky, and has never lost her twang. As you can see in the picture, it was a bit confusing for our guy. I think he was trying to determine if it was English he was hearing :) An annual highlight of Kirnaka is the singing of "The 12 Days of Kirnaka," sang by all the cousins. It is a recap of anything of note that happened to family members during the year, and includes various props. One of the "days" in this year's song was 'one maid of milking' featuring Laura and her pump! Overall, Henry did good for a little bit, but went south quickly right as it was time to open gifts so Reggie had to take him into another room to try and get him to sleep (which only kind of worked). Luckily, pretty much everyone in the family got to hold him prior to that point - sorry Colleen!

Aunt Dana and Uncle Pat

Henry and Santa (a.k.a. Uncle Tim)

Christmas morning was great as always, and Henry absolutely cleaned up. He got lots of clothes, puzzles, toys, etc. However, as you would guess, he had no idea what was going on. But, boy did those ribbons and boxes taste good! After brunch, we headed back to KC to do Christmas with Reggie's sister and mom. As you can see in the pics, it has become a bit of a family tradition with Reggie's mom for everyone to wear funny looking hats while they open their gifts. Unfortunately for them, Henry's schedule was so messed up by the time we got back to KC that he was pretty fussy for most of the time we were all together. Luckily, Grandma Janith got Henry some work stations that played music and lit up, so that consumed him for about an hour. It was just too bad we had to listen to those kiddie songs throughout our gift opening!

Mmmmm, presents!

This year's hats!

Grandma and Santa's Little Helper

Coolest Book Ever! Each page progressively spells his name!

There weren't any big developmental accomplishments this week. Henry has continued to discover his feet, and loves that he can just about get them into his mouth. Actually, in general, anything that can go into his mouth is now seen as "cool" in his book.

Boy do I hate the Cards!

Merry Christmas from the Bogarts!!!!!

The Great Girlfriend Debate/Catfight

(Note: As you read this, you need to be playing Rocky's 'Eye of the Tiger' in your head to fully enjoy this post)

Due to aforementioned hostilities that Henry has been experiencing amongst his ladies, he has decided to become a one-woman guy. Thus, he needs your help! Read below and vote on the poll as to who he should choose! One thing is certain....the guy likes blondes!

Sara and Henry (Week 13ish)

VS

Emily and Henry (Week 3ish)

Name: Sara Condreay

Hamburger Mary's

Hometown: Cornshuck, Nebraska
Height: 5'7"
Weight: No woman discloses this information; N/A
Job/Way to support Henry: Commerce Bank M-F; Barnum and Bailey Circus Clown Sa-Su.
Relationship events to date:
Pro:

• One breakfast with Henry; three total visits to the house
• Went on a dinner date with him to Hamburger Mary's (complete with drag queen)
• One night meeting out at Kona Grill (though that could be construed as spying)
• Actively defends her claim as Girlfriend #1

Cons:

• Potentially spying on Henry's activities with other girls (ask Chalice Lafferty)
• She's from Nebraska
• Visits are becoming more sporadic, focusing more on phone check-ups
• Occassionally gets a little mouthy with Henry's Dad
• Already buying Henry pajamas, which seems a bit forward for a 4 month old!

Check out my Polo PJ's - Thanks Sara!

Dinner date!

Emily Kinder
Hometown: Flyover, Indiana
Height: 5'8"
Weight: No woman discloses this information; N/A
Job/Way to support Henry: Hallmark Cards M-F; Mascot for Liberty Tax Services Sa-Su. (you know, those people that dress up like the Statue of Liberty and stand on the side of the road)
Pros:

• Two dinner dates at the house; three total visits
• Has the "bounce" that calms Henry down
• Lots of baby experience from nephews/nieces
• Doesn't call Henry's dad at 3am to push her out of the snow (in front of a driveway!)
• Finds Reggie's juvenile humor somewhat funny (or at least says that to his face)
• Taught Henry's parents how to use the carseat without using the base
• Brought Henry's mom (and thus Henry) lots of treats while she was pregnant

Cons:

• Not a KC sports fan (prefers Horse to Indian)
• No carseat, so Henry has to be driven "Brittany Spears style"
• Peyton Manning will always be her true love

A Festivus for the rest of us - Week 18

Henry and Emily - a.k.a. Girlfriend #2

Week 18 for our guy was the official start of the holiday season. On Wednesday, Laura took Henry back to Nordie's Cafe to meet up with the other Hallmark mom's that are currently out on maternity leave. As you can see, Henry was much more well behaved than the last time. However, those rings that he is holding below were stolen from Katelyn, who is sitting next to him. That must be why Henry looks as if he is bracing to get hit, and Katelyn looks like she is winding up for a right-cross!

Lawson, Katelyn, Henry, Audrey

On Friday, Laura had her annual ugly sweater party at Jenni's house. Thanks to some very appropriate gifts from Reggie's mom last Christmas, she was more than prepared this year, including her own Santa belt complete with cupholders! While she went to the party, Henry and Reggie headed over to Ryan Lorei's house for a 'guy's night'. His son Reece was already asleep, so Reggie and Ryan watched 'The Town' and took turns giving Henry life advice for a guy. For instance, if a woman tells you she will be ready in 5 minutes, go ahead and turn on the tv. It will be 30. Also, as a guy you always need to HYB (Handle Your Business)! Anyways, Laura and Ryan's wife Ashley came back from the party and we headed home around 12:30.

Getting home late didn't bode too well for the next morning, when we needed to be at Reggie's extended family Christmas 2hrs. away. In addition to the general slowdown that comes with having a baby, Laura didn't feel too well (I will let you determine why that was - hint: see above :) ). Anyways, we got to the Christmas an hour and a half late, but were in time for lunch at least! Henry got there and had a nice pile of presents from the aunts. As always, there were no shortage of people wanting to hold him! Following the extended Bogart xmas, we went to Reggie's dad's house for Christmas with that side of his family. Henry really enjoyed playing with his grandparents, and he got some great gifts!

Three generations of Bogart men!

Monday was a big day. For starters, we had Henry's orientation at his daycare facility. As I think has been written previously, he is headed to daycare in mid-January and in a room with a number of kids of friends of ours. As expected, this was an extremely difficult thing for Laura, as it symbolizes her having to go back to work and leave our guy. Other than a few tears in the parking lot and within the first couple of minutes of walking into the center, she did great and feels better about the whole thing afterward.



I love presents!!!



We did our family Christmas on Monday night. As you may have guessed, Reggie waited until Sunday to buy anything! It really is an odd Christmas for us (and I guess a number of parents) when it came to buying for Henry. Obviously, he can't open his gifts, or understand anything he is getting. All he wants to do is put whatever he gets into his mouth! So, we decided to each buy a couple independently so that at least the other parent would be surprised when the gift was opened. Thanks to good ol' dad, Henry now is a proud owner of a 6-9 month KC Royals onesie for April!!!!



Best. Gift. Ever.



On Tuesday night, our friends Chalice and Matt Lafferty (and Lola and Annie) came in from Chicago to visit. Chalice is one of Laura's good college friends from her sorority. She is an elementary teacher in Chicago, so it was no surprise when she showed up that she had a big bag for crafts for us to make our own rubber ducks for Henry! We took them to Kona for dinner, where there was a bit of scene caused. One of Henry's girlfriends, Sara (SEE I SPELLED IT RIGHT), was there and was none too happy that another woman was there with him. There was a bit of a catfight, but Henry was able to settle her down before Chalice lost too much hair!

"Don't mess with my guy!"

We took the Laffertys to Oklahoma Joe's for lunch on Wednesday. Luckily Henry was much better behaved than a few weeks ago. We were starting to think that he didn't like OK Joe's, which I would consider a parenting failure on our part!

Z-man/fry please!!!!

Developmentally, Henry had his 4-month checkup on Friday. His stats are 12lbs, 12oz, which is in the 20-25th percentile. He is 24.25 inches long, which is in the 50th percentile, and has a 17" noggin, which is the 75th percentile. What I deduce from this is that he is average height, but really smart. But then again, he is a Bogart, so was there any question he would be smart! :) Also, we found out that our little guy has a bit of a nubbin (i.e. 3rd nipple)! Essentially, it is just some extra tissue. It is barely noticeable, and will go away as he grows, but it was really funny! She said he is doing great, and it "following his growth path beautifully!"

The Laffertys

Keeping watch - Annie, Lola, and Bella



Chalice and Henry