Long Time, No Post
Well, it has been quite some time since the last post. Don't worry. We're still here. We've just been uber busy!
The semester started off with a bang and didn't let up until just a few days ago. I have been busting my behind in order to stay on top of things, but more on that later. Let's get to the update you all REALLY want to hear about: Mr. KRUF's.
Kieran is changing every day. It's so hard to believe that the little guy is already six months old! Everyone told us before he was born that this would happen, but it's so hard to believe, especially when you're so anxious for him to just get here already. I suppose I should just start in on his list of recent accomplishments:
As you can probably tell, we're enamored with our wonderful son. KRUF continues to be an awesome sleeper. He goes down for the night at around 8 p.m. and doesn't usually stir until it's around 2 a.m. Then it's just a quick feed, usually done in his sleep! He's out for the count until 5 or 6 a.m., roots around to nurse some more and then continues to sleep until 8ish a.m. (sometimes later if mommy or daddy are lucky). We can't complain. His stellar nighttime sleep habits more than compensate for his short little catnaps during the day.
He's just so much fun now, too. He loves to play, read, and act all silly with us all the time. He loves it when Dad curls him up in his arms and blows raspberries on his belly, face, neck, and, well, everywhere! He thinks Mommy has some seriously hysterical dance moves, too. He cracks up when we dance to his favorite CD, the Curious George soundtrack by Jack Johnson. We're having so much fun with him, and I certainly think that the old adage is true: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I seriously think that I am a better mother and I appreciate my son more since I get to have some time away from him each week. School keeps me intellectually stimulated and provides me with an opportunity to spend time with other adults while still giving me a fairly flexible schedule so I can be home with my little guy a fair amount, too. It just seems so ideal.
Speaking of school, things are going well in that area. It has been stressful at times, and David and I have had to do a lot of negotiating and compromising (him more than me) in order to make this semester work. But working it is. I am doing REALLY well so far, and I anticipate that I will finish the semester as I had hoped I would. I found out two weeks ago that my independent study proposal for the spring was approved, which means I don't have to sign up for any other classes next semester! Then, last week I found out that I will definitely be teaching (a Composition and Literature course, no less!) in the spring on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I don't have to work in the Writing Center, and I also found out that my thesis prospectus (which I didn't realize had to be turned in on October 10th until the beginning of September!--long story, ask me to tell it to you when we talk next) had been approved! It was a very good week for me! It just reinforced the fact that all my hard work this semester is going to pay off in the long run (the long run meaning next semester at the moment). To cap off this really awesome week, I had hardly any homework, and my friend, Jill, offered to babysit, so David and I had our first official "date" (sans baby) since Kieran was born on Saturday. It was a really great time. This week it's back to the grindstone until the end of the semester (minus most of Thanksgiving break), but I thought I'd post before I get too wrapped up in my work and stressed out again.
David is also doing well, albeit stressed out also. His big Prelim (his exam he needs to pass before he can begin working on his thesis/dissertation) is in the beginning of December, so he is working very hard on that on top of all of the other research he is doing as part of his assistantship. He has really been wonderful this semester, sacrificing at times in order to allow me to get my things done. The first draft of his Prelim is due on November 1st, so he is working hard on that as often as possible. Keep him in your thoughts as he continues to prepare for this important event. In other Physics news, David has given two presentations this semester (one in front of a Nobel Laureate!), although I cannot relate what they were on. Just be sure to ask him about them when you see/talk to him next. I'm sure he'd love to share with you.
It's also football season, so Kruf and Kruf Daddy often head over to our friends', Chad and Jessica's, house on Sundays to watch some football while I work on stuff at home. David's still enjoying playing his fantasy football, and now that he has both Michael Vick and Kevin Jones back on his team, he's sure to win his tournament. Now, if only the current Hokies could do as well... I'm convinced that they're doing so poorly because we don't have tv to watch them on this year. But, that could be a whole other post, and time is precious 'round these parts, so I'm going to say ta-ta for now. As always, here's another fun pic of our little darling:
(p.s.- We have uploaded all of our KRUF pictures onto www.flickr.com/photos/krufstuff
You'll need to be added as a contact in order to view most of the pics, since we want to keep our pictures of the little guy private. Just send a request, or email me directly, and we'll figure out a way for you to get added so you can see all of his wonderful pictures. Okay, this post is really done now. No promises for more anytime soon, but who knows... Anything's possible!)
Well, it has been quite some time since the last post. Don't worry. We're still here. We've just been uber busy!
The semester started off with a bang and didn't let up until just a few days ago. I have been busting my behind in order to stay on top of things, but more on that later. Let's get to the update you all REALLY want to hear about: Mr. KRUF's.
Kieran is changing every day. It's so hard to believe that the little guy is already six months old! Everyone told us before he was born that this would happen, but it's so hard to believe, especially when you're so anxious for him to just get here already. I suppose I should just start in on his list of recent accomplishments:
- He's a champion at rolling over. He has figured out a way to roll from back to front in order to torque his body around to get to a toy or non-kosher item that he so ferverntly desires . He uses either his head or his bottom to pivot. It's really quite a scream. I'm sure you will get to witness this amazing feat, provided he's not already crawling by the time we head home for Thanksgiving.
- Along with the rolling over, Kieran loves to eat his feet. Chomp, chomp, chomp. Toes sure do taste good... He also LOVES to take a water bottle, put it in his mouth and jabber away. Here he goes, trying to get his favorite toy.
- Mr. Kieran is now also a champion sitter. He can sit up all by himself and maintain his posture for tremendous amounts of time. He has also learned how to lean or reach over to grab a toy and then return to his upright position.
- We do keep the Boppy (the 'C' shaped pillow) around him when he is playing upright because he hasn't yet learned that he can't arch his back and not fall solidly on his head yet. (I guess we can chalk this attribute up as well to something he may have inherited from his Uncle Albert, who always used to love to arch his back and fling himself in this manner.)
- As of Tuesday, October 17th, Kieran is no longer a gummy babe. His first tooth (front bottom right) broke free from its fleshy enclosure to join the world. Fortunately for us, he has not decided to use this new tooth as a weapon just yet.
As you can probably tell, we're enamored with our wonderful son. KRUF continues to be an awesome sleeper. He goes down for the night at around 8 p.m. and doesn't usually stir until it's around 2 a.m. Then it's just a quick feed, usually done in his sleep! He's out for the count until 5 or 6 a.m., roots around to nurse some more and then continues to sleep until 8ish a.m. (sometimes later if mommy or daddy are lucky). We can't complain. His stellar nighttime sleep habits more than compensate for his short little catnaps during the day.
He's just so much fun now, too. He loves to play, read, and act all silly with us all the time. He loves it when Dad curls him up in his arms and blows raspberries on his belly, face, neck, and, well, everywhere! He thinks Mommy has some seriously hysterical dance moves, too. He cracks up when we dance to his favorite CD, the Curious George soundtrack by Jack Johnson. We're having so much fun with him, and I certainly think that the old adage is true: Absence makes the heart grow fonder. I seriously think that I am a better mother and I appreciate my son more since I get to have some time away from him each week. School keeps me intellectually stimulated and provides me with an opportunity to spend time with other adults while still giving me a fairly flexible schedule so I can be home with my little guy a fair amount, too. It just seems so ideal.
Speaking of school, things are going well in that area. It has been stressful at times, and David and I have had to do a lot of negotiating and compromising (him more than me) in order to make this semester work. But working it is. I am doing REALLY well so far, and I anticipate that I will finish the semester as I had hoped I would. I found out two weeks ago that my independent study proposal for the spring was approved, which means I don't have to sign up for any other classes next semester! Then, last week I found out that I will definitely be teaching (a Composition and Literature course, no less!) in the spring on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so I don't have to work in the Writing Center, and I also found out that my thesis prospectus (which I didn't realize had to be turned in on October 10th until the beginning of September!--long story, ask me to tell it to you when we talk next) had been approved! It was a very good week for me! It just reinforced the fact that all my hard work this semester is going to pay off in the long run (the long run meaning next semester at the moment). To cap off this really awesome week, I had hardly any homework, and my friend, Jill, offered to babysit, so David and I had our first official "date" (sans baby) since Kieran was born on Saturday. It was a really great time. This week it's back to the grindstone until the end of the semester (minus most of Thanksgiving break), but I thought I'd post before I get too wrapped up in my work and stressed out again.
David is also doing well, albeit stressed out also. His big Prelim (his exam he needs to pass before he can begin working on his thesis/dissertation) is in the beginning of December, so he is working very hard on that on top of all of the other research he is doing as part of his assistantship. He has really been wonderful this semester, sacrificing at times in order to allow me to get my things done. The first draft of his Prelim is due on November 1st, so he is working hard on that as often as possible. Keep him in your thoughts as he continues to prepare for this important event. In other Physics news, David has given two presentations this semester (one in front of a Nobel Laureate!), although I cannot relate what they were on. Just be sure to ask him about them when you see/talk to him next. I'm sure he'd love to share with you.
It's also football season, so Kruf and Kruf Daddy often head over to our friends', Chad and Jessica's, house on Sundays to watch some football while I work on stuff at home. David's still enjoying playing his fantasy football, and now that he has both Michael Vick and Kevin Jones back on his team, he's sure to win his tournament. Now, if only the current Hokies could do as well... I'm convinced that they're doing so poorly because we don't have tv to watch them on this year. But, that could be a whole other post, and time is precious 'round these parts, so I'm going to say ta-ta for now. As always, here's another fun pic of our little darling:
(p.s.- We have uploaded all of our KRUF pictures onto www.flickr.com/photos/krufstuff You'll need to be added as a contact in order to view most of the pics, since we want to keep our pictures of the little guy private. Just send a request, or email me directly, and we'll figure out a way for you to get added so you can see all of his wonderful pictures. Okay, this post is really done now. No promises for more anytime soon, but who knows... Anything's possible!)
