Jan. 27th - Feb. 2nd - FOOD!!!

If you are reading this you know Clint and I well enough to know we are obsessed with food. It consumes the majority of our time and conversation. I always thought it was a learned trait, but after seeing Sawyer I now know I can blame my weight struggles on genetics.

We started solids this week. Beginning with his first taste he was hooked. He now passionately screams anytime either Clint or I approach the kitchen table, and when he does eat he gobbles it up in seconds. Now I would like to say that Sawyer's first food was rice cereal and that I am following the baby books to the "T", but I have to be honest. We have let him try a few licks here and there, but I gave in this weekend. Friday he gummed on an Olive Garden breadstick, then he got a lick of chocolate, later the crust from a piece of pizza. He is already on the road to being an obese American, but anything to keep the kid quiet. He finally got his rice cereal. I am now prepared and take food with us when we go out in public.

As far as I go, I have been good. I have continued to cut sweets, alcohol, chips, cokes, and white bread out of my diet. In February I add saturated fats to the "no, no" list. I of course cheat every now and then (more like once a day) but the baby weight is finally coming off. Because I am an engineer I do have an excel spreadsheet and graphs for my weight -- I know I am dork.

Jan. 20th- Jan. 26th - Spa Weekend

Clint is awesome! He and one of his buddies collaborated on a weekend getaway for the mommies. My friend Kelli had baby Karsten (who is absolutely adorable) 3 weeks before Sawyer was born and our wonderful husbands decided we deserved a weekend at the spa. So Kelli and I made our bottles and said goodbye to our men. I could lie and say I missed my boys deeply, but I had so much fun getting pampered I didn't think about home much. We went to the Lost Pines Resort and Spa outside of Austin where we spent 6 hours getting pampered and relaxing at the spa, had a nice dinner, got a full nights rest, took a short walk in the morning, then headed home. I returned to a happy Sawyer and Clint so I am assuming they had fun without me. I felt refreshed and recharged which has thus made me a better wife and mother.

The spa weekend came at a perfect time. Stress of life, pending layoffs, moving, graduation, . . . had really gotten to me. I had turned into a totally narotic person which I had just assumed was how all working moms acted. For the spa weekend I brought along Calm My Anxious Heart by Linda Dillow. It is a powerful book that reminds us to put our trust in God and God alone, to pray about everything, and learn how to live a content life. Wow, God had a lot of work to do on my heart and mind. Clint has been so impressed with the peace I have been feeling as I give my fears and stress to Christ that we decided to do the bible study together. Now it is a book written for a female audience. It is interesting to see a man's perspective. They definately think differently.

I had to include my weekly picture of the little guy. So cute!

Jan 14th - Jan 19th - 5 Months

It has been pretty quiet around here for a few weeks. I am busy with work, Clint is busy with adding the finishing touches to his thesis, and Sawyer is busy growing up. We have enjoyed finally getting into a routine, eating healthy, being active, and doing some spring cleaning.

It is amazing how 5 months has flown and how much Sawyer has changed. He is such a boy. He is into everything. His hands, which are huge, are moving in hyper speed grabbing everything within reach. He can sit up on his own for quite some time, even without using his hands to support himself! He loves to rough house and has mastered every toy on his exersaucer. He also loves to drink from a big cup. He also is proud of some of the new sounds he can make. His favorite is to scream at the top of his lungs just because he can. He thinks it is hilarious -- Clint and I think it is annoying. He is getting really good at using his hands, reaching for stuff, and pushing up on his arms. Everyday he learns something new. He has grown out of all his clothes except his 12 months. Mainly because he is so long. Clint and I are both so in love with this little creature it is crazy.

In the pictures below Clint decided Sawyer needed a sweat band for some reason unknown to me. I guess because the Aichele boys like to wear them. So they are working out together. I think Sawyer looks like a contestant on the Biggest Loser.

Jan. 7th - Jan.13th - 4 Months

Sawyer actually turned 4 months December 19th, but we had his 4 month appointment this week. Everything looked great and he is off his iron now! He was 26.5" tall and weighed 19lbs. His is a big boy. He got his shots and hardly fussed at all. This month has been the hardest so far. He is so ready to play and is frustrated with himself because his lack of coordination. Also he got off his schedule over Christmas so we have had to fight going to sleep for bed time and naps. But we are back on schedule now.

He is all about laughing. Sawyer thinks Clint absolutely hung the moon. They are very much into each other. It seems they have a lot of fun together in the morning when I am at work. Here are a few pictures from just hanging out this week.

Dec. 31st - Jan 6th - "Lighten Up!"

I have been running a little behind on my blog entries because I decided that in 2009 I would make a little more time for myself. I have been using one of Sawyer's nap times to do something for me (not laundry, cleaning, cooking, blogging, or EATING) and it has been so therapeutic.

But it is now 2009. The best thing about 2009 is 2008 is now over. We had quite an eventful 2008 which ended up with Heidi in the hospital. We can say that all members of the family have been hospitalized and had our first IV's in 2008, Clint, Sawyer, Heidi, and myself. We don't do New Year's resolutions, but mottos every year. This year it is "Lighten Up". There are several areas we need to lighten up, but I have to start with the baby weight. My challenge for the month of January is to not eat my recent vices: alcohol, sweets (not including chocolate covered fruit -- that's just crossing the line), cokes, white bread, and chips. So far it is going pretty good. I may add saturated fats next month but I am not sure if I can give up cheese.

We had a nice quiet New Year's Eve and New Year's Day. Clint and I were tired of holiday food and Clint had a cold so we didn't want to go out; we stayed home and made the biggest baddest sandwich we could (ignore me in my sweats with no make-up on). On New Year's day we took a long hike. Check out Sawyer in his OSU hat. With it on backward I told him he looked like an OSU frat boy.

Dec. 16th - Dec. 30th – Sawyer’s 1st Christmas

We left town early to start our Christmas celebrating with Drew Johannes and Cassie Lewis’s wedding. It was a beautiful wedding with a handsome couple, but not as handsome as Clint in his tux. It was Sawyer’s first wedding and the latest he has stayed up, but we learned he is a party animal. He did great!

We then spent a few days at Grammy and Duke’s in Stillwater. Christmas morning Sawyer was super excited to get up and see what Santa Claus had brought even though Daddy did not get out of bed (he had done too much Christmas Eve celebrating). Clint decided he and Sawyer should match to open up gifts. They have become two peas in a pod.



On Christmas day we traveled to Arkansas to have Christmas at Meme and Kimbo’s house. It was a lot of fun with Sawyer, Jackson, and fetus Titus. That’s right Julie and Taylor are having a boy! There will be 3 boys cousins all the same age. Baby Savannah also got to hang out with the boys.

We had one quiet day and then the Wright family came over for the annual Christmas get together. We had an ugly Christmas sweater party the day before. Clint was the winner! Jay came in a close second. My mom had a great idea to have it at the Chinese buffet in Siloam Springs, AR. Sketchy. But sure enough she made us all sing Deck the Halls with Fa Ra Ra Ra. Embarrassing if you weren't already wearing an ugly sweater. My dad is one of 6 and this year everyone made it. Look at the pictures of the grandkids and great-grandkids. It was a crazy day.


Clint got a cold over Christmas and with all the festivities we were ready to get home. It definitely was a memorable 2008!

Week 17 (12/9-12-15) - Santa Claus

It has been a quiet, but crazy week at our house this week. We have been trying to get ready for Christmas like everyone else. The highlight of the week was Santa Claus came to our house a little early! Clint and I did not get anything in our stocking, we assumed we were naughty, but he did bring Sawyer some goodies.

This Saturday Sawyer started to get much fussier. He has never cried much at all, but he has been fussier the past few days. He doesn't appear to be teething and he doesn't act sick. The upside of the situation is he is also much more giggly and interactive. He also is starting to actually play with toys. Do any moms out there have advice or had babies who went through a similar phase around 4 months?