Baby Teo

So....... It's Been A While.

2010-09-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

And so let me begin with my apologies to My Little Buddy Teo, and apologies to all of you Teo-philes and fans out there eager for more news on Mr. Teo. I am sorry for the long hiatus on news and images, only of which a few bits and pieces were posted occasionally on FB. No more. I will be more diligent and faithful in my postings here.
But because of that long stretch, there is MUCH to catch up on, as so much has happened since our last post.
My how Teo has GROWN in that short amount of time (4-months). Well, I guess that "short amount of time" equates to about one quarter of his life, so it stands that a lot would happen in that time. Words have crept in - Mom (not "Mama" but a short, staccato-like verbal burst of "Mom!"), Dada (not the early 20th century art movement meaning of the word), cat, clock, Tanner (his older brother), grandma (from a recent 3-week visit from Grandma Connie), Elmo (more like "Melmo"), agua (he's bilingual!), and a very occasional "Good God" (I SWEAR it's true!), though we're certain that is not what he was trying for or meant to say, since neither of us use that phrase.
But as there IS so much to catch up on and photos to share (Father's Day, trip to Catalina, Candice's B-day, life in general), let's save the bulk of that for the next number of posts and get to the news that I know many of you are waiting for.
Teo and family made a visit to the Women's Diagnostic Center (to be exact) at St. Joe's Hospital here in Burbank to get an ultrasound done (performed? made?) on Candice to determine not only - and most importantly - if all is going well with the little baby inside her tummy, but also to find out what gender Teo's sibling will be.
Early in, Candice guessed girl, then switched to boy, then at the last minute back to girl (because the baby has been so mellow compared to Teo's constant thrashings). Gil originally guessed girl, basing that guess on the entirety of balance that seems rampant his life, but then switched to boy after a clinical explanation from Candice on time-of-conception and the survival-of-the-fittest behavior of spermatazoa. Yow. In any case, we both had the same 50-50 odds, right?
So right at the beginning of the appointment, literally a half-second after the doctor put the wand to Candice's belly, he said "looks like you're having a daughter." Wow.
Time to git me a shotgun.
(Please come back on Monday for more. Thanks for visiting again!)
(BTW, baby is due Feb 15.)

Teo Nearing 14-months old!

2010-05-25T20:50:00.000-07:00

Our little boy is growing. And getting smarter by the day, it seems. And his palate is expanding as well. I've never had a kid before, but I'm guessing there are few 1-year-olds out there that like Caesar Salad, mushrooms, dried cranberries, raw tomatoes, and a number of other foods I can't even remember, there are so many. And out some grapes or oranges in front of him and he will eat them one by one so fast he doesn't even have time to finish chewing the previous piece.
I wasn't sure how he'd adjust being back in the confines of his home after having spent over a week on a ship that was nothing but new and adventurous surroundings. I thought he'd get bored for sure. But other than losing his balance over the first few days from the after-effects of being on a rolling and rocking ship, he adjusted well. Life is an adventure for him, no matter what, so all is good. And for those of you who might not have seen the pics from the ship vacation on Facebook or the pic website, here it is: www.revdesign.com/Pics/MexicoCruise_May2010/index.html.
The ics here with this post are a few images taken recently. He turns 14-months on June 3, so we'll try and put up a few more pics then. Please check back. In the meantime, enjoy these pics!

New Images/Ready for Vacation

2010-05-02T09:12:00.000-07:00

Here's some recent images of Teo, who's growing up real fast. 13-months tomorrow!
Now I understand how children are the images of their parents - and siblings. Teo's mimic skills are unsurpassed. He is without question an amalgam of each of our (Candice, Tanner and Dad's) personalities, traits and mannerisms. Plus mix in his own burgeoning - and forceful - personality, and you have Little Man Teo.
He's about to embark on his first voyage at sea. We're leaving today on a week-long cruise to the "Mexican Riviera" - if you can call it that. (Apparently you can, no doubt the brainchild of some marketing wonk trying to find some attractive-sounding moniker for the Mexican Pacific Coast plagued by recent bad publicity. Or something like that :)
But I digress. Teo will be on the high seas for a week, and hopefully he has inherited the intestinal and seafaring fortitude of his mom and dad and won't get seasick. That would NOT be a fun week for the little guy. We are looking forward to spending a week with family, and hanging out on the beach and boat with the little guy.
Of course we will take lots of pics, so please check back in a couple of weeks for some cruise pics and Teo's trip to his cultural homeland. Well, at least a small part of Teo's homeland (being 1/4 Mexican). To complete THAT scenario, we'd also have to go to Poland, England, Wales and Italy. And maybe be one day we will.
Bon Voyage!

New Teo Pics; Grandma Connie Visits

2010-04-21T17:52:00.001-07:00

Here's some new pics of Teo, Mr. One-Year-Old (and a couple of weeks). He has really changed a lot in just these last couple of months. Amazing how much has happened in that little time. He went from just starting to walk (the day before his 11-month b-day) to currently no more crawling. He just motors all over the house on his own - and the yard - and the neighborhood. We help him with the bigger steps, when he's too lazy (or in too much of a hurry) to go down feet-first. Otherwise, he's quite self-mobile and prefers it that way.
Grandma Connie came for a visit for the week of his birthday. Teo enjoys her company especially because she will take him outside every time he wants to go out- which is almost every minute of every day. He's gotten to the point of understanding and throwing little tantrums to get his way, mostly to go outside; other times because we wont allow him to hold something that he has no business holding yet - knives, forks, misc pointy objects. Other valuables. BTW our cell phones don't fall into that latter category. He's thrown mine all over the place more times than I care to remember. I THINK I have insurance on it.
Anyways, here's a sampling of pics from his Grandma C's visit and other random Teo-time.
Enjoy!

Teo's Turns 1 Year Old!

2010-04-04T18:59:00.000-07:00

Teo had his first birthday party, turning 1 year old this past Saturday, April 3rd. Mom (Candice), Grandma Connie, and Nina (Sylvia) did a phenomenal job cooking, decorating and making everything resplendent and festive for all who attended, and the weather cooperated as well, with a sunny but not overly hot afternoon. Perfect, really.
Teo scored HUGE on the gift scene; we need a whole other room just to store them. He has managed to make his way through each one, though, on this day after. No clear favorites yet. Maybe the helium balloons!
A number of other kids were in attendance as well, so Teo enjoyed watching and observing them as they ripped open all of his presents at gift time, and then proceeded to play with them as well. Teo was more than happy to kick back and watch, just playing with his new miniature soccer ball.
As for his first large-scale ingestion of sugar, Teo did well, managing NOT to get sick, as I thought he might, after practically inhaling his birthday cupcake (which he enjoyed very much), a few bites of the chocolate cake that was made for the grown-ups (kids had cupcakes), and a small bite of marshmallow. No discernable sugar coma detected. He had a glazed look in his eyes at one point, but then he does that when he's tired.
Big THANKS to all who showed up to Teo's first - he and his family is/are very appreciative of all the wonderful gifts and cards and sentiments, and for taking the time to spend a part of your day on his very special one.
Enjoy the pics. More to come.

Teo Walks!

2010-03-03T07:25:00.000-08:00

Well, a huge milestone was reached last night. Teo suddenly decided to be brave and dispense with using the ottoman as a support and launched himself out into the open and took about 9 or 10 steps from the ottoman to his books that were on the floor. Well, that pretty much floored all of us! Immediately after, we took a few videos of him walking between Candice and Tanner, and it looks like Teo thinks it's just a game, judging by the huge smile on his face and his willingness to keep playing.
He had been sort of walking between the sofa and the ottoman, repeatedly back and forth, taking maybe two or three steps to get from one to the other. That was his game for a few nights. Then suddenly last night, as mentioned, he just stepped away from those crutches and forged ahead into the balance unknown.
Of course, we believe that his toy walker had much to do by way of helping him feel that balance more often and feel more independent and confident being upright. So here we go. Look out world!

Teo the (pushcart) Lion Tamer!

2010-02-19T17:14:00.000-08:00

Some of you may have already seen this video (via Facebook), but thought I would post it here for family and friends to see more easily.
This video was shot earlier this week in front of the house. Candice had bought Teo this little push-toy last week and he really loves to get behind the wheel, so to speak, and roll around the 'hood. He does it in the house up and down the hallway and into other rooms, but the out-of-doors provides so much more freedom - and distractions. He'll stop to pick up a leaf or a berry or a twig, check it out for a while, offer it to one of us, and then he's on his merry way again.
Since the toy's arrival, he's standing on his own much better, and for longer stretches. He's already taken a few brave steps on his own, as mentioned in a previous post, but still not quite walking. This ought to help his ambulatory skills quite nicely, though. I give it three weeks and he'll be steppin' out.
Enjoy!

Teo At 10 Months!

2010-02-15T21:05:00.000-08:00

Wow. The time is flying by. Last time I wrote, Teo had just turned 9-months, and it's a few weeks later and he's 10-months old plus a week or two now. His first b-day is just around the corner. Yowsah!
Well, the 10-month high-water mark was Teo taking his first steps! He's done it a couple of times, but still hasn't done it near enough for us to say that he's walking; not quite yet. I think Candice and I almost feel he's LATE when it comes to walking already, since he's literally been standing on his own (assisted by furniture and whatnot, of course) since he was 4-months old, so I think we half-expected him walking by 8-months! I guess he's just taking his time with it. He does stand on his own (un-assisted) more often these days, and Candice also bought him a walk-assist pushcart toy that he can hold on to and push from behind and walk up and down the hallway, as well as outside. He loves it, and I think that it will further spur his desire to walk on his own. My next post I think we will have video of his venture into bi-pedalism.
And he continues to eat like a champ. Sometimes it seems we can't quite fill him up enough. If we're eating at any time, he just HAS to have a taste of what we're having. Of course we can't (and DON'T) give him just anything, but his palate is quite sophisticated for a little tyke, or so it seems to us. Well, maybe "sophisticated" isn't quite the word. "Adult" may be a more apt word to describe his tastes. He still eats the baby food, but after tasting a lot of it myself, that stuff is so bland I can see why he's always clamoring for our food!
Please enjoy these pics of our little buddy. He's cuter and more fun and playful and intelligent by the day.
BTW, Julie (Candice's sister) gave him his first haircut today. His bangs were so long and getting in his eyes, so he got a small trim. The picture of him kneeling between my legs looking up is him with his new 'do.

Teo at 9-months and Other Stuff

2010-01-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

Greetings Teo fans, followers, devotees, aficionados, adherents and admirers all. It's been a few weeks since our last post and MUCH has happened.
Teo turned 9-months this past January 3rd, and in a twist of tradition, Teo presented US with a gift - his first tooth! It took it's sweet time coming, and now it seems that maybe the floodgates (to go with his endless drool-gates) are open. A second has followed close behind. They're two bottom teeth, so he still has that same adorable toothless smile, but that may not be the case by the time he turns 10-months. Those front teeth are ready to appear, I'm sure.
The boy sure loves to eat (unlike his brother!), and has taken to the solid stuff quite happily. He still nurses, but generally in the middle of the night or early morning, more or less for comfort food. During the day, he can't POSSIBLY be bothered with taking that kind of time, or else he might miss out on something. The kid needs to see and be involved with EVERYTHING. He can barely sit still to eat. He might last 5-minutes in the high chair while eating, but then he HAS to stand up or climb all over the place while being fed. So Candice has acquiesced to his desires and now feeds him standing, crawling, or whatever he wants to be doing. At least he's eating. (Some faves: pasta with marinara sauce; PB&J sandwich squares; peas; baked sweet potato.) Are there any high chairs with straight-jacket attachments? E-bay!!
Grandma Connie came for a visit. They are getting along famously now. Aside from when she rocks him to sleep, every moment she is with Teo, she is constantly talking to him, as well as assisting him with his walking - which, thanks to her, he now prefers over crawling. He'll walk - with either our assistance or with the aid of whatever he can get his hands on - as much as possible, all around the living and dining rooms. Of course, he still crawls to get around, but he loves to be on his two feet. I give it another 4-weeks and then he'll be up on his own!
He is way more interactive and playful now. He likes to be chased, and will sometimes do the chasing. To hear his squeals of delight is one of the greatest sounds ever. He plays "throw" with Dad. I say "throw" because he can't play "catch" yet, but he is happy to throw things back at you (well, in ALL general directions, really) when you toss something his way. But he does make the throw. Makes a poppa proud! (Still uses both hands; no clear-cut use of right or left yet.)
He is DEFINITELY saying "mama" now, and he knows it's Candice. And he sometimes gets out a "num-num" for food, which Candice taught him to say, along with a few sign-language gestures.
His first Birthday approaches, and we will be having party here at the house, for those of you who may be interested in attending. Saturday, April 3. Save the date!
More to come. Enjoy the pics and short vid.

Teo's First Christmas

2009-12-29T17:47:00.001-08:00

Happy Holidays to all!
Teo experienced his first Xmas this year, and seemed happy as a clam with all his new gifts. Thank you to all who sent him his wonderful gifts.
Teo (as are we all) is loving his new home. Tons more room to get around, and I think as a result, he's gained some crawling speed, as can be evidenced in the video below, of Teo chasing - and ROARING - after Tanner.
I do have video from Xmas morning of Teo and Tanner opening their gifts, but it is a lengthy vid and I'll need to edit some before posting. But it might be fun to see, if for no other reason than to see Teo on his first Xmas morn and reacting to and playing with his new toys, plus a couple of pieces of art that dad created about 22-odd years ago, back in school, for a job for the Tucson Zoo. They were languishing in my art portfolio lo these many years. After getting it out of storage during the move, I looked through the portfolio once again to see how things were holding up, and saw the pics and thought that I'd like to give to my son as a gift for his first Christmas, trying to perhaps make it more memorable and special. I hope he likes them.
Candice bought him a new doorway jumper, since his previous one was so incredibly lame. This actually bounces up and down! He took to it right away, as he loves to jump anyways, while we're holding him. Now he can do it completely under his own momentum. As long as he doesn't hit his head on the top of the doorframe.
Teo's appetite keeps growing, and mom is trying hard to keep him satisfied and happy with new tastes and textures, though I don't think he'll put up much longer with the imitation gruel mom is feeding him (see picture). I guess he had some cheese quesadilla today and loved it. Guess that's his quarter-Mexican in him coming out.
That's all for now on the Teo and family front. More to come soon. Look for the Xmas vid in a few days.
A Happy and Prosperous New Year to all!

Made the Big Move!

2009-12-10T11:30:00.000-08:00

Sorry for long delay between posts! We are finally moved in to our new house, having spent the last 3-weeks packing, moving, being sick, more moving, and then unpacking. And inbetween that, entertaining guests (Teo's Unkie Norm from Tucson and Candice's dad Bart and sister what's-her-name-I-forget). Crazy, tumultuous, aggravating (moving out of storage), exciting, and in the end contentment. We are moved in, but far from completely unpacked and organized.
But we are are VERY happy to be in a bigger place in which Teo and the rest of us can move, grow, run around and have fun - in the privacy of our own home. The apartment was good to us, and there are a couple of amenities we will miss (hot tub, underground parking), but we'll enjoy the advantages of home living far more.
Since last post, Teo enjoyed his first Thanksgiving (thank you Cole family for hosting us and special thanks to Julie for a great dinner), and has moved on to semi-solid foods, turned 8-months old(!) and is just cuter in general. And he is a hungry little critter. No teeth yet, but we suspect very soon. You would think that with the amount that he has drooled over the last 4-months, he'd already have a full set of adult teeth.
Xmas is coming upon us rapidly, so Candice is in full decoration mode and we will have new pics to show with Teo in Holiday regalia and more.
Please stay tuned for more soon.

Teo Plays Peek-a-Boo

2009-11-22T16:36:00.000-08:00

Greetings all.
Our little man Teo has recently learned to play peek-a-boo, first starting in the car with Tanner and mom, on their way home from school, then in the tub, standing up and down on the side of the tub, and then, in the video below, on the floor just after his bath, except this time, he instigates the game and I was able to catch the last few peeks-and-boos.
The boy is now a speed demon crawler, getting around the entire house in no time flat. Good thing we're moving into a bigger place - LOTS more room for Teo to explore and motor about. And for those of you who do not yet know - we're moving into a bigger place. Our new digs are a 3-bedroom house, with a nice big yard for Teo and all of us to romp around, big adjoining patio with built-in (brick) gas BBQ area, veranda and a few fountains. Perfect for entertaining, which we WILL be doing. Super Bowl parties, holidays, upcoming anniversaries, 1-yr-old birthdays, weekdays ending in "y" - all good reasons for a party! We're scheduled to be in by the 1st of December, though our first actual night in the house will likely be this coming Saturday, the 28th. We are all looking forward to having extra room to move, live and play. And Teo gets his own room! For now. Til Lola arrives :) The she gets the queen treatment.
On other Teo fronts, not much new, other than he has developed a little appetite and his cheeks - top and bottom - are filling out. He's still chatters away now and then, and seems close to uttering his first word, though we feel like we've already heard lots of words come from his mouth, intended or not; they just happened to sound like real words. "Hi dada" comes to mind :)
LOVE that boy! Enjoy the pics and especially the video.

SORRY!!!!! / And Teo turns 7-months old

2009-11-11T11:48:00.000-08:00

I know - it's been WAY too long since last post, and "what else can I say? All apologies!" (A nod to Curt Cobain for those sorry words.)
So... what's been happening? Hmmm, not much, except that Teo is now TALKING!!
Well, sort of. It's more like a yammering of incoherent word-like sounds, but it is markedly different from his previous ooohs and aaahs, and very apparent that it is his attempt at talking. I'm trying hard to get a video of it to post to the blog, since I know none of you will believe my own yammering on about our Golden Child.
His first time "talking" happened all of a sudden at dinner on Saturday. We decided to try out a new Argentinian restaurant near our place, and we were in the back room where it was a bit crowded and loud. After Teo woke up from his nap, he was all eyes, all around the room, checking everyone and everything out. After Candice ate her dinner (we take turns watching Teo while the other eats), she decided to feed Teo. Once he had his fill from a jar of sweet potatoes (one of his faves), she thought he could use some liquid to wash it down, and so let him have a sip from her nice - and very adult - crsytal glass of water. He sipped like a champ and the moment she took it away from his, lips, then it started: "mum-mum-mum-mum-mah-ma-mah-mah..." On and on every time. It was one of those moments where we just looked at each other in amazement and just laughed, as it was something so different.
Now, he'll do it for complaining purposes (as it began), or if he's very content and just babying about in his usual way, as if carrying on a conversation with himself.
Other news: We spent Halloween up in Utah, at Nana and Bumpa's (Candice's parents) house. They had not had the pleasure of Teo's company for a few months, and in Teo's world, that would be half his lifetime. As with Gil's mom, it took Teo a couple of days to warm up to the grandparents, but once he starts smiling, he has them right where he wants them. Tanner had a great time trick-or-treating and playing with his cousins (other purpose for trip), but on the downside, we didn't spend as much time over at the Hansen household as we normally would, as the place was a veritable petri dish of flu germs, with children and adults in various stages of sickness, and we did not want to risk Teo catching the bug. How Tanner spent three days holed up in germ central and walk away unscathed (so far) is baffling.
That's all for now. Enjoy the pics. As before, I will TRY to post more often! And do check back for that elusive video of Teo talking. I'll stalk him like a rare nocturnal animal, 24 hours a day, if I have to.

Our Budding Buddy

2009-10-22T19:45:00.000-07:00

Welcome once again to the Terrifyingly Terrific Tales of Teo.
Updates since last post:
So you all already know Teo's been crawling for about three weeks now (terrific), and being the GOLDEN CHILD that he is (I warned all of you), he has it down pat and now has the entire apartment to discover and roam. And you all already know he's been pulling himself up to a standing position (since BEFORE he was crawling), and so now it seems as that has become his one goal in his little life - to stand at every opportunity he gets (terrifying).
Candice has now introduced baby food into the mix for our growing little buddy, so now he gets half a jar of pureed sweet potatoes or carrots (Candice tried peas, but that was not well received) after his visit to the milk bar. Today, though he ate almost a WHOLE jar of sweet potatoes and then had a milk chaser, so was truly stuffed. Part of it is to now supplement his milk feedings with other foods on his way towards solid food, and also to add some meat to his little bones and also - and the real hope here for Candice - to help him sleep for longer than two-hour stretches at a time. Last night he had a five-hour stretch of sleep, which is glory for Mom. So we're hoping the extra food makes digestion longer and makes him sleepy. I told Candice to get some pureed turkey - the tryptophan will knock him out for hours! But then the story (tale) goes that Leonardo Da Vinci slept two hours at a time, spersed throughout a 24-hour period, so who knows.
Golden, I tells ya' - GOLDEN!!

There's cute, and then there's....

2009-10-11T20:31:00.001-07:00

Candice and Grandma Connie took Teo over to a mall photo studio in Arcadia to get some shots of Teo in his Halloween outfits.
Here are the results. (Please click on the thumbnail images; you HAVE to see the full-size pics. That face! Those eyes! That button nose! That mouth!)
Since there are no words that can do them justice, I will let the pics - and your comments - speak for themselves.
New post to come in a few days with lots new photos.
Only news of note to date: Teo is 100% crawling; he makes his way all through the house already. Please send padding. Lots of it. (For the furniture, I mean. Although I guess it would probably be easier just to pad Teo.)

Our Growing Boy

2009-09-28T23:12:00.000-07:00

Teo is closing in on his 6-month milestone, coming up this Saturday. As stated before, and as known by all of you who are parents (with some many times over), it is a revelation to watch him learn and explore the world around, his own voice, his own body and motion - all too fun. Sometimes painful.
Our boy is perhaps a wee bit too precocious for his own good - and well-being. He is in the early stages of crawling and can almost sit up for extended times on his own, but his strength and his DETERMINATION to stand and GO are going to be reminders that he is maybe moving a touch too fast too soon. He is determined to stand every chance he gets, pulling himself up in his crib, next to the coffee table, Candice's leg, Tigger's cage, you name it; he either wants to stand next to it or climb over and on top or inside. That's fine, but the problem is getting down. He doesn't understand gravity and falling, but he's slowly learning what pain is, as he bumps his head here and there falling sideways into things or to the floor. Candice or I are constantly hovering over and around him as we let him explore, but we have to be ready to catch him at any moment, as he is still quite wobbly and not used to kneeling or sitting up, let alone standing.
Needless to say, the boy is already quite mobile and is ever so close to full out crawling. We'll probably have to cage him at that point. Or put him on a tight leash. (We are animals after all!)
As you can see by the pics, he is growing and filling out, and gets cuter by the day.
We have lots of pics and videos, but can only show a few at a time. I will try to post more - and more often - so you can bask in his cuteness, and I'll try and cut down on the verbiage and let you simply enjoy His Teo-ness.

Another Beach Day & Teo's Early Crawl Stage

2009-09-17T22:08:00.000-07:00

We enjoyed another fine day at the beach this past Saturday, going down to Santa Monica beach to help celebrate Auntie Monica's birthday with her and husband Ken and friends. It was a beautiful day, turning very cool - but refreshing - in the late afternoon. Unfortunately, Teo was sick and not having a good day at all; rough day for the little guy, and just as rough for mom. It's absolutely heartbreaking to hear such a sad and painful - and constant - cry coming from Teo. (He felt better the next day and is back in the pink, but now mommy is sick! Waaaahhhh!)
We played some volleyball, ate some good snacks and some amazing custard-type cake drenched in blueberries. Teo slept most of the day under wraps, and was awake for a brief spell to say hi to everyone and show off his incredible cuteness before we left. (BTW, the pic of Candice with Teo under the beach towel, in the background is the Annenberg Community Beach House, which is the newly restored house of the William Randolph Hearst/Marion Davies beach estate, quite massive for it's day back in the 20s-30s, and the only one on the beach at the time.)
Other random pics are from throughout the week, showing off some of Teo's new hats, him in his doorway jumper, and his cool shades.
As for this week's video, we submit evidence of Teo about to crawl, at 5-months old. We think it'll be a week or two before he is in full scoot mode, but for now, he's up on his arms and knees and is rocking back and forth, once in a while bringing one of his knees forward, just before he falls back to his tummy. But even since this video was taken, he's now even more up and so close to crawling.
Next post - things are really getting scary. We've caught Teo TWICE now pulling himself up to a standing position. Once in his crib and once over and into a wicker basket filled with his books. And caught on camera. Check back soon!

Labor Day Weekend/Dad's B-day

2009-09-10T08:24:00.000-07:00

The Juarez family shared a fun and relaxing holiday weekend, and celebrated Teo's old man's b-day.
Friday night (dad's actual birth day) we went dancing to the sweet (and hot) sounds of the Jonathan Stout Orchestra, one of the very best swing bands out there. They were headlining the night at the Sweet & Hot Jazz Festival, which is hosted every Labor Day weekend at the LAX Marriott, and wanting to get out and dance a bit, we put on our dancing shoes, put on Teo's new sound-dampening headphones and headed out. Teo had a blast as well, as there was plenty of space in the big ballroom to lay out a blanket for him and let him roam around while mom & dad danced nearby.
On Saturday, we headed down Santa Monica and Venice way, to hook up with Unkies Ken and Jeff and Aunties Monica and Chiaki (and Jeff's sister and husband) at Venice Beach for a quick stroll on the boardwalk, and then went to C&O Trattoria for some great Italian food and song. After 7pm, the whole restaurant patio breaks out in song every hour to the tune of "That's Amore" by Dean Martin. (See video below. We caught part of it.)
On Sunday, Tia Sylvia came over for dinner and a visit with Little Man Teo and brought over b-day gifts for dad, which were actually gifts for Teo, which is really a gift for dad.
Sylvia bought him a pair of sunglasses, which totally fit his little face, and are a total crackup. He doesn't seem to mind wearing them either. Plus she bought him a couple of cool hats, among other great items. Thanks to the good tastes of friends and family, Teo is one sty-lee little boy.
Next up: Auntie Monica's b-day fun at the beach this Saturday. Pics/vids to come.

Aqua Baby

2009-09-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

Here are some pics from Teo's first forays into large bodies of water - at least larger than the kitchen sink (which he has all but outgrown, we'll have you know) and the bathtub.
The first couple of pics are from the pool at our apartment. The water is fairly warm as to not shock his little system, but cool enough to provide some respite from what has been a very hot couple of weeks (not to mention occasional smokey days from the huge fires here; we keep him inside on those days). He seems to enjoy himself in the water. He'll splash around with his arms a bit, as well as his feet, and even if he splashes himself in the face (and eyes) he seems cool with it. Since Candice and Tanner and I all love the water, we're happy that Teo enjoys it as well.
The second set of pics are from a pool party/barbecue that one of my teammates from my Tuesday night volleyball league held this past Sunday. We ventured down to one of the rougher parts of town - Beverly Hills - to enjoy some good food and friends and let Teo frolic a bit more in the water. There were lots of kids around and they were definitely creating lots of commotion and splashing about, but it only served to pique Teo's interest even more. He'd just chill in mom/dad's lap and watch the goings-on. One of his favorite things to do lately - in the water and out - is to jump up and down over and over and over. We have to hold him, of course, but he pushes hard off of our laps with his little legs and goes up and down and up and down. And in the water, this really made it fun for him, it being a whole new sensation to create little ripples and waves and splashes.
We also put him up on a little boogie board-type thing and motored him around the pool a bit. There is a video of Candice and Teo cruising around our pool that's pretty cute (when ISN'T he cute?), but it's a bit lengthy. I'll try and upload in the next post.
Enjoy the pics!

Some good laughs

2009-08-27T17:26:00.000-07:00

Finally some good laughs from Teo caught on camera.
Not that we mind the growling (see previous post), but seeing and hearing him laugh is a real treat.
Some balloons that Candice had bought for Tanner's birthday had already lost their helium and were lying around on the floor, and I saw that Teo was eyeing them for a bit, so I took him over to check them out. Initially, he started to grab them with his vice-grip-like little paws, and I was afraid that with his razor nails, he would burst them in his face and he'd be balloon-traumatized for life. Not good for a baby with so many birthdays and celebrations ahead in life.
Instead, I lifted him a bit and swished his legs around in the balloon pile and he seemed to enjoy. Then big brother Tanner got in on it and started kicking them around and towards Teo. Seems the more they hit him - especially in the face - the more he enjoyed it and began to laugh. Candice caught a few seconds of it on camera.
Enjoy our little buddy's laughter. We love it.

An Afternoon with our Little Monster

2009-08-23T15:05:00.000-07:00

And I say "monster" in the most affectionate way possible. Adorable monster, even, as you will see/hear (video at the end of this post).
Let's see, news to tell about Mr. T... he's 4-1/2 months old now - a couple of days over 20-weeks. To put that into some weird perspective, dad is a little over 612-months/2652-weeks (give or take a couple of weeks -leap yrs and all that), and mom is (we won't say!). So when I say I'm 612-months old, somehow that doesn't seem quite as old as saying I'll be 51 in a couple of weeks. And as we all know, 612-months is the new 360-months! Woohoo!
I digress. Teo is as vocal as ever these days. He's definitely exploring the range of his vocal cords and the noises he is capable of emanating from his body - mostly his mouth! As mentioned above, aside from his cooing, oohing, aahing, and nascent word-forming (he does try to make words at times), he has very recently taken a liking to growling. Yes, growling. Where and why he picked that up, who knows. It' mostly hilarious, but when he keeps doing it over and over and over, I start to get scared. I think we may have a budding lycanthrope on our hands. Must run on the Payne side ;)
And it's not a sound from his throat; it seems to come from deep in his gut. Probably just an exploratory phase prior to his talking phase. But I did buy some wolfbane just in case.
And the other big news - the boy is definitely on the MOVE! He's learned to crawl. Early stages (we call it scootin' for now), but he is moving forward and is learning to use his arms and keep his head up at the same time. If he's on his tummy and sees something he wants, he goes for it. He can even do turns. I say in two weeks, we'll have to batten down the hatches and put everything that is 2-feet and below up on shelves or locked shut.
Pics and monster video here are from our breezy afternoon on a grassy knoll at Brace Canyon Park here in Burbank; no shots fired. BTW, the really good growl comes towards the end of the video (it's only 33secs long). And to all of you who thought my "Carnivore!" post of Teo was a joke - Beware the full moon. Teo knows where you live!

Teo Turned Four Months!

2009-08-06T22:44:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been a while since we last posted. (Since it's Teo's blog, I make him sit in my lap and, with my assistance, have him pound out the keys with his little fingers, and I guess he's been a bit sore from it, so we took a break.)
I kiiiid, I kiiiid, of course. A combination of being very busy, major computer crash and the resultant scrambling to catch up with client work, and then a brief but very fun respite from daily concerns spent at Camp Hollywood (a major swing dance camp held here in LA; best of the best, in my opinion). All made it difficult to make much time for posting pics and writing up a bunch of STUFF.
Anyhoooooos - Teo turned 4-months old on August 3rd! What can I say? Time flies, they grow so fast, blah blah blah. All I can say is that he is even MORE cute than before, which I thought impossible, and even more fun and ingratiating than ever. I LOVE the guy!! It's been nothing but fun and wonderment being around him, and watching him develop. He truly is a very happy baby. And no wonder, what with mom tending to his EVERY need, plus now that he's "co-sleeping" with us (more later), and not to mention the constant love, affection, attention and blah blah blah he recieves, it all makes for a very shiny, happy person.
The only inconvenient development from it all, for ME anyways, is that the size of my sleeping area in our bed has dwindled to approximately one-and-a-half of my body's width, precariously close the edge of the bed. You see, Moms and Buddy NEED that big area for their night-time bonding/feeding/sleeping frenzy. Which is all good, really, seeing how co-sleeping is a natural instinct and the greatest thing for Teo's development. I know it sounds like I'm being sarcastic, but it's all true. Candice bought home a very informative book on the subject (yet another exceptional tidbit of wise advice from her breastfeeding support group/class), and it all makes perfect sense that a baby should be as close to mom as possible, at all times throughout the day and night. Think of a monkey on it's mama's back, and why. That pretty much sums it up - except for the bigger brains and extra chromosome or two we have over those primates :)
So, a long-winded post. Due, since much time has passed. I hope to be more on top of it, now that I have a new, top-of-the-line Mac at my disposal, and Teo's fingers are fully recovered. Please come back soon for more pics and less blabbing. I know you all only want to SEE THE BABY! So, as an added little tidbit, here is a video of Teo on the floor at the hotel we stayed at in San Francisco on a recent trip. And at the end, he responds to a question I posed! I laugh every single time I watch it.

Teo Tops SanFrancisco

2009-07-19T23:49:00.000-07:00

Teo and entourage took a trip recently to San Francisco. Aside from a bit of a heat wave for a couple days (and we thought we were escaping the Burbank heat), the weather could not have been better: sunny, clear and with a cool, crisp breeze.
The city is a very beautiful and picturesque one, for sure. And hilly, as Candice will attest as we slogged up and down many a hill on our way to the various sight-seeing spots we had planned.
Our hotel was ideally situated, center of town and slightly North, so the Wharf was within walking distance, and many (MANY) restaurants were down the street, as well as a Walgreen's just down the block. Very convenient on a trip!
So Little Man Teo enjoyed the sights an sounds of the Wharf (always jammed, day and night), Golden Gate Bridge (we walked across; we were originally planning to bike, and pull Teo along in a trailer, but turns out he was too young; 6-mos minimum) and Sausalito, Chinatown, Union Square, Golden Gate Park (where they've held their "Lindy in the Park" weekly swing dance on Sundays for the last 13 years; very fun); and for you swing friends in-the-know, Club Verdi on Tuesday night, where Stompy Jones is the house band every week. (For those of you NOT in the know, Stompy Jones is one of the best - considered THE best by some - swing dance bands in the world. It was their song "Be Mine" that Candice and I danced to at our wedding for our first dance as a married couple.) Nice venue, great floor, but unfortunately Teo was not in his usual cooperative mood, so the night was cut a bit short, and mom spent most of her time caring for the boy. Mom and dad had a few dances, but not nearly as much as hoped. The sacrifices of parent hood. (Well, if that's as bad as it gets, then I will thank my lucky stars, right?)
The photos here are but a small sampling from the trip. There are MANY more, and some really great ones (as well as a couple of funny vids), and I will provide a link here to the rest of them in a few days. Please check back.

4th of July Weekend

2009-07-09T13:10:00.001-07:00

Went to Utah this past holiday weekend; short visit for me, but a nice extended stay for Teo and Candice, up to visit the rents and other family for the holiday.
On the Fourth, we went over to the Hansen's compound to watch Lt. Col. Don and his platoon of pyro-tastic children light off fireworks - which are legal in Utah (with some restrictions), for those of us in states more wary of missing digits and burns of varying degrees - and we weren't sure how Teo would react to the fireworks and loud booms going off throughout the day and especially into the night.

He seemed to be mostly fine with it. His eyes opened VERY wide for the big sparkly displays, with slight jumps when things got loud and crackly. After a while, though, he got bored with it all and fell asleep, and managed to sleep through the rest of the cacophony.

The other big trip news was that Teo LAUGHED for the first time. Not a coo, as he's been doing, but a real big laugh. His cousins (Daniel, Jenna and Sophie) and brother Tanner were making faces and chanting silliness, and being unable to contain his giant smiles any longer, Teo burst out with some laughs. He did it a few times, and on the last one, seemed to surprise even himself with this new sensation and then began to cry, but with a smile on his face. Too cute and way too funny to watch.
Next up for the boy - a trip to San Francisco, leaving tomorrow. Little guy gets around! Look for pics around this time (Thursday), next week.

CARNIVORE!

2009-07-02T14:07:00.000-07:00

Teo's developed a taste for meat.
That, or he's a vampire in the budding.

Teo is Walking!

2009-06-24T19:08:00.000-07:00

Teo is 2 1/2 months and loves to walk around our apartment. He gets a little better everyday. Enjoy this fun video.

AWESOME Father's Day

2009-06-22T13:20:00.000-07:00

I couldn't have asked for a better Father's Day than the one I had.
Thanks to My Little Buddy Mr. Teo and my beautiful wife Candice, I had an amazing first Father's Day (biologically speaking - I've had a couple of great Father's Day celebrations in Utah thanks to TannerMan!)
First: breakfast in bed. I didn't realize how good a cook Teo has already become! I know he's gifted, but...
Then: sleeping in. I really needed a nice, long sleep-in to catch up on all my zzz's.
After relaxing at home with my family, we headed out to the Griffith Park Observatory, in, where else, Griffith Park, a mere 15-minute drive from home. We were astonished by the number of cars on the winding drive leading up to the parking lot, so much so that the lot was closed off and we had to wind DOWN the other side of the road and park some distance from the entrance. We couldn't quite figure out why so crowded. I know it's Father's Day and all, but this seemed quite out of the ordinary even for that.
We parked and headed up the hill to the Observatory, where it was a spectacular day - sunny and warm but with nice and steady cool breezes to complement. (See the one image of Teo and Candice looking up at some trees that Teo noticed right after we parked; you can see his little face bracing for the wind.)
The Observatory is on a bluff overlooking the city, and for LA, it was a clear day and you could see pretty far into the distance. We walked around the grounds for a bit and then went up to the Observatory roof for some real spectacular city vistas.
Due north from the Observatory is a trail that leads up to the top of Mt. Hollywood, the sign of the same name of which you can see quite close from the trail heading up. Unfortunately, the sun was directly behind the sign on our way up (having had a late start to our hike), so all pics of the sign are blown out. (There is, though, one pic of Dad cradling Teo up on the Observatory roof, and if you look directly above Teo's head, you can make out the sign.)
The trail is actually a wide dirt road, so it made it easy to push Teo up in his 4-wheeling-capable Jeep stroller, absolutely MADE for this kind of terrain and hike. Parts were a bit steep, so we were more worried about the ride DOWN for Teo, even though he'd be strapped in pretty tight.
We made it to the top, and from the vantage point there, we were rewarded with a 360-degree view of the sprawling metropolis that is LA. We stayed for a short while to enjoy the quiet (considering how many people live in LA and that it was Father's Day on a beautiful sunny day, there were far fewer people at the top than I expected).
We decided to wrap Teo in the big Moby wrap for the trip down, since it was maybe a little too steep in parts, plus the fact that he had just eaten and we didn't want him spilling his guts out from the constant tug at his belly from the straps. Dad had the honor of carrying his son down the mountain (He Ain't Heavy, He's My Teo), back to the safety of the urban wildlife.
Afterwards, we ate at a GREAT Italian restaurant in downtown Burbank that we had passed many times on our way to and from the movie theater. Great food, great company, GREAT crying from Teo (we think he's in the first stages of teething), and the end of a truly great day. Thank you, my beautiful son (and wife).

Lil Life of Lil Buddy

2009-06-17T22:33:00.000-07:00

It's been a week or more since our last post, and a lot has happened in between.
There was Teo's Blessing/BBQ Party on the 7th, with lots of family from both sides coming to town for the occasion. He wore the same gown/dress that his dad wore at his baptism, and which 15 others in dad's family (cousins) wore on the same occasions througout the last 54-odd years. Despite Teo's screaming at the top of his lungs throughout the ceremony, Bumpa's (Teo's grandad) infinite patience made sure all was good with Little Buddy in the Big Guy's standing.
The party was no less fun, and many friends also pilgrimaged from parts far and near for their own blessing from the Golden Child, except for Dad's probably having put too early a start time on the evite, so that a few folks had to leave before said Golden Child arrived for the laying of tiny hands.
Heartfelt thanks to all who attended, and for all the unexpected gifts, which were all quite fantastic and as useful. Thank you cards will be arriving right behind the wedding thank you cards we're sending(!) (Teo might be 10 years old by that time.) Pictures of the party can be seen here:
www.revdesign.com/TeoBlessing_BBQ/index.html.
Other days of note: Teo had his first visit to the famed Rose Bowl last Friday. A Pasadena parish held their annual circus fundraiser at the Bowl, with many fun game booths for the kids, a Chinese Acrobat show, and food booths for the bigger kids. Teo, Mom, Dad, Tanner and a friend of his all went and had a marvelous time. For mom and dad, there was swing dancing later in the evening, so we parked the stroller inside the enclosed dance floor area and danced the night away, with Teo watching courtside from the confines of his stroller, popping out for a dance or two in Mom's and Dad's arms.
Teo was weighed again this past Tuesday. After going the two weeks prior gaining only 2-ounces in that time (we think instead of putting ON the weight, it was distributed to his height; he eats plenty all the time), he gained a whopping 12-ounces in 1 week! So on Tuesday he weighed 12lbs-15oz, though is probably 13lbs or more by now.
Next up: video of Teo walking! No kidding! You WILL be amazed. Stay tuned.

Teo Turns Two Months

2009-06-04T07:49:00.000-07:00

Yesterday (June 3) was Teo's two-month birthday. Two-months! Candice commented how it feels like ten-months. I guess if you had a small, living - and very needy - entity attached to you (literally and figuratively) for 2-months almost 24/7, then it would feel like that much longer. And not to mention the 9-months prior. Even from my perspective, it does feel much longer than that.
Watching him grow in size, awareness, recognition and motor skills is quite the revelation. He's so much more interactive these days. I know it sounds like a small thing, but it was truly a big change to see when he learned to turn his head in the direction that he wanted to look. Now he's looking everywhere. Big world out there.
Teo and dad have also taken to conversing quite a bit more these days. He's slowly realizing he can make sounds via his mouth, and he watches me intently when I make all kinds of mimicking baby sounds from my mouth. He then chimes in with his own two cents and we go back and forth for quite some time. What on earth we talk about, I have no idea, but it is incredible fun and funny, and to watch him seemingly struggle (and sometimes nearly start crying out of frustration) when he tries hard to make words and sounds.
His blessing and "coming-out/debut" party is this Sunday, and many family members and friends who weren't able to visit him at the hospital will have their chance to gaze upon and bask in the presence of the Golden Child for the first time.
We will have plenty of photos to post from that party. Please come back the middle of next week for more Teo (and extended family and friends) pics.

Teo By The Seashore, or "Dude for a Day"

2009-05-27T21:41:00.000-07:00

Teo and entourage (of two) went to the beach in dad's old stomping grounds in Santa Monica this past Saturday. This was Teo's first trip to the ocean to see a body of saltwater considerably bigger than the one he grew up in. It was a sunny and beautiful holiday weekend day, and despite a very late start (1pm; Teo - and our level of sleep - dictates the timeframe these days) and slogging our way through the holiday traffic, we made it to the beach, not very far from where I had proposed to Candice a scant two years and 3 months prior. Walking with Candice and Teo and pushing our great Jeep stroller (compliments of Steve and Sherry Tochihara - thanks! we love it!) down the boardwalk made me realize that I had personally come full circle in this aspect of my life. Many a time it was during my countless runs and trips to the beach as a single man that I envisioned doing that exact thing - pushing a stroller with my son or daughter in it, accompanied by my beautiful wife. And here I was doing it just as envisioned. A dream come true.
The Jeep stroller has big inflatable tires on it, so did fairly well being pushed through the sand and up to the oceanfront. We made camp, gently rubbed some sunscreen on the boy and enjoyed the ocean breeze and sun.
We took him down to the water and I put him on my knee for a closeup of the incoming waves. Much like the pictures on our wall and the moving images on the TV, he was mezmerized by the water rushing in and out, with the sea foam contrasted against the water and shadows. Next time I'll have to dunk his little feet in. The water temp wasn't too bad, considering it was only late May. Teo seemed to mostly enjoy himself - and his first beach feeding - as evidenced by the pics. Enjoy!
BTW, Candice weighed him on Tueday and he logged in at an impressive 12lbs.-1oz. 11-ounces gained in one week. Dude!

Teo's First Swing Dance Event

2009-05-20T01:17:00.000-07:00

Teo made it to his first swing dance event this past Saturday. When time/life permits, we usually go to the Pasadena Ballroom Dance Association's swing dance on Saturday nights, the place where Candice and I actually first met, though she doesn't remember meeting that first night. She was too busy looking good, in her short little swing dance skirt (bright red) that showed off her terrific legs (what calves!) with matching red Keds and 10,000-watt smile.
I digress. This is TEO'S blog. Anyways, Candice wanted to go dancing Saturday night and that meant bringing the boy. We bought some moldable silicon earplugs that we put into his ears, plopped him in the stroller and made our way into the venue. We got about 10-feet in before the Teo-onslaught began. Folks kept coming up to ogle him and talk to us before we could get into the dance area proper. Of course we were happy to oblige all. They had seen Candice pregnant many times at the dance and now here in the flesh was the fruit of our... flesh.
Teo was awake and flashing those big brown/blu-ish eyes and once we started into the dance hall with the stroller, Teo's entourage grew exponentially. I turned around and there were like 8 people following us.
Despite being held by at least 4 or 5 different people (all his surrogate "aunts" and "uncles"), Teo was very calm and generous with his time. Auntie Rhonda was especially helpful and her watching and holding Teo allowed Candice and I to get a bunch of dances in. Plus we enjoyed watching the Teo phenomenon from afar - people coming up to him and cooing and wanting to touch him. He IS a cutie!
We stayed for the whole dance (til 11:30), but that meant feedings at 10 and 11, so Candice did have to bow out a couple of times. All in all, a great time out doing one of our very favorite things, and getting to share it with our little pride and joy. Plus all of our many good friends got to meet and see the Golden Child. I'm sure Teo bestowed good karma and energy to those deserving.
A special thanks to Gene Hashiguchi, for taking the pictures and sharing them with us, so we could commemorate the occasion and share it with you. Thanks Gene! Teo says "Blagrfgoogooluuowstflurp!"

3 New Posts! Be sure to scroll down.

2009-05-18T09:32:00.000-07:00

I know- we've been a bit lax with posting to Teo's blog - but we blame him! He's just way too much fun to leave and do other things.
Please be sure to scroll down after the topmost posting with the video. There's some great new pics and some noteworthy info. Well, that's stretching it, but at least check out the pics.
More to come very soon! (Teo's first swing dance event.)

Playing with Daddy

2009-05-17T18:20:00.000-07:00

Behind our living room couch is a set of family photos from Hawaii and our wedding, which Teo LOVES to stare out. We don't know what it is about those photos that he loves, but he will stare at them for quite a while (in baby time). So I had to video Teo playing with his Daddy, a game now that they play with the pictures behind them. Enjoy!

The Moby Wrap!

2009-05-17T16:17:00.001-07:00

This is a new product I bought at the Pump Station on my last visit. It's called the "Moby Wrap." I wanted something to carry my baby in when going for a walk. Sometimes it's just too hard to push a stroller and hold the dog's leash as I walk. So this lets me be hands free.

It is 15 feet long and I had to take a class on how to wrap it around my body. The instructor talked about how at the beginning of time, babies were always attached to their mommies so this is a very natural place for them to be. The baby likes it because he is squished up next to me and can hear my heart, which is reminiscent of being in the womb. On sunny days I can cover him COMPLETELY to protect him from the sun. It feels great on my back and can be worn for many hours. I can do laundry and the dishes while holding him.

I'm still trying to get used to all the positions you can arrange your baby. But so far, Teo likes this position the best.

It was $40 something and I got it for $19 with Jeanie's discount. She has been saving me a lot of money! My shopping spree that day at the pump station was over $300, but I left only paying $144!

Three cheers for Jeanie's discount. Hip Hip Hooray!

The Golden Child Evolves

2009-05-17T16:11:00.000-07:00

Hello all you Teo lovers out there. And that means EVERYONE, since Teo brings out love from all who meet him. Who could resist, anyways?
When Candice went to her first breastfeeding support group, she weighed Teo on their DIGITAL scale (unlike our Neanderthal-equipped pediatrician's office where they weighed him with stones and measured him with marks in the dirt) to see if he had gained any weight in the last few weeks. At that time, as posted here, he weighed in at 10lbs. Well, a week and a day later, Candice weighed him again and he came in at a hefty 11lbs 2-oz! That's over a pound in a week. Maybe all you veteran moms and dads out there find that ho-hum and normal, but that was startling to me. I knew he was growing like a champ, having witnessed the number of times he is fed every day, but I didnt expect that number. I suspect he'll have gained at least another pound when she weighs him this Tuesday, provided he fits on the scale anymore. He's already outgrown all of his newborn clothes and is into his 3-month-old wardrobe. Although the new weight gain could just be his GIANT BRAIN, since his head and face have really filled out quite a bit. There are times that I swear I see a change in him literally overnight. Candice warned if I blinked too many times, I'll miss something and he'll be 3-years old before I realize it. Now I know what she meant.
The pics in this post include a recent bath that he had - the second one he's had in his cool little whale-shaped tub, so he no longer has to suffer the indignity of being bathed in the kitchen sink disposal.
Candice also re-introduced him to the bottle again, as he really hasn't drank his mother's super juice from anything other than her "hormonally influenced glands" (Teo says 'Thanks for the mammaries, mom!'). He did drink formula from a bottle at the hospital, and once since he was home, but this was his first with the real juice. No complaints, as you can see by the pic.
And then just a couple of Teo chillaxing in his Boppy. He's our little Bopper - soon to be Big Bopper.
NEXT UP: Teo goes to his first swing dance!

Live Long and Prosper

2009-05-13T17:31:00.000-07:00

This week Teo went to his first movie debut.

Tanner got to tag along as well . . . I told him he could skip ONE day of school to stay home and help me with the baby. This seemed like the perfect day.

We went to the mommy and me movie matinee on Monday (nice alliteration). We got there early to have plenty of time to pack, unpack, strap in the carseat, get the stroller ready, make sure we have plenty of diapers . . . all the things you have to do in order to leave the house.

I LOVED it! To my surprise, the majority of mommies were actually daddies. I couldn't believe how many dads there were with their little babies and bottles in tow. I wanted to ask what they all did for a living to be off work at 11:00 on a Monday. I was also impressed by how well everyone kept their babies quiet. I was expecting lots of crying and toddlers running all over, but everyone was very conscientious about keeping the movie ambience.

I changed his diaper twice during the movie and feed him twice as well. He slept for about half of it. But pretty well behaved most of the time. Tanner was a great help pushing the stroller, watching Teo so I could go get popcorn, and just an overall good companion. I'm glad he's ten and not two.

The movie was great too! Mondays, I'm sure, will become one of my favorite days.

A Teo of Two Cities

2009-05-06T15:34:00.000-07:00

Burbank and Toluca Lake, to be exact. These are the only two cities that Teo has been to. (Technically, he's also been to Arcadia [Kohl's] and drove through a few others on the way, but for the purposes of my clever play on his name, these are THE ONLY TWO!) Or that he is at least vaguely familiar with. Burbank for the obvious reasons of being born and living here and baseball games and shopping, but he and mom (and dad, once) have been on very scenic walks/stroller rides (he rides) through idyllic Toluca Lake, which is our immediate neighbor to the west, across Pass Ave. No sidewalks, only well-watered and manicured lawns fronting mostly beautiful houses, a neighborhood very much resembling the Truman Show set.
Teo was weighed this past Tuesday and logs in at an impressive 10lbs. already. I'm sure that his brain has also gained another pound as well, since we find that he puts his pacifier in his mouth for himself, which, since we never see him do it in our presence, we assume he does telekinetically. But the throbbing and glowing veins in his semi-transparent skulll are another giveaway.
He has a new bathtub, which he seems to prefer to the SINK DISPOSAL. OK, technically not the disposal, but a kitchen sink? Please. Find me something a tad less trailer-trashy, thank you! (But kudos to Candice for improvising.)
That's it for news on the Teo front for now. In the next blog post, we will upload a few more of the professional pics that we had taken for us. All suitable for framing! But DON'T print them and give them to us as Xmas gifts, Thank You!

Family Pics

2009-05-02T23:20:00.000-07:00

As previously mentioned, we had family pictures professionally photographed a couple of weeks ago by the same person that did our maternity shots, as well as our wedding pics. Well, it seems she really outdid herself this time around - or am I saying that because the subject matter (namely Teo) is so close to my own heart I can't see objectively anymore? Maybe, but I think if I were to see these on another person's website, I would say that is one friggin' adorable baby. But then you'll have to judge for yourself.
There were 308 pics total, so after a few edit rounds, we've whittled it down a bit to our favorite 200. Kidding of course, but there are quite a number of great ones. Plus we have pics in a variety of different poses and with varying combinations of each of us with Teo, so have lots to show, lots to send. I may have to put them all up on a separate site so you can go to pick a few and send in your order :)
These here are but a very small sampling of our favorites. Please click on the small images to see the larger ones - Teo's even more spectacular and cuter in close-up.
Enjoy!
BTW, Teo is one month old on Sunday! ¡Feliz Cumpleaños, mijo!

Teo-G at 4-weeks

2009-04-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

Our littlest, best-est buddy turns 4-weeks old today (Friday, May 1). Not exactly a month yet, but only a few days shy of that mini-est of first (of many) milestones.
Aside from seemingly gaining another pound (he's like a little cannonball now), he is definitely more alert with his eyes; I think his clear vision has kicked in. He REALLY looks around a lot more now, and can follow your movements closer. And he is acknowledging people a bit more. Well, that's a gimmee with Candice. He's attached to her (literally) for a good part of the day. But there is NOTHING that melts the heart more than looking right at him, saying "hi" (or some other crazy baby talk) and getting a smile in return.
He's been out a number of times, going to Tanner's baseball games, chillaxing in his stroller, fully cocooned, or going on walks (he rides) to the park with the family.
We expect our professional photo pics to arrive today or tomorrow, so please check back soon, as I will post the best of the bunch.

Little Buddy at 3-weeks

2009-04-26T23:30:00.000-07:00

Teo celebrated his first 3-weeks on earth this past Friday.
Plus he had his first doctor's appointment the day before. And as we suspected, after watching him fill out every day it seems (especially his face, as you can see by the pics), and eat and sleep like a champ, he gained a pound-and-a-half. He now weighs 9lbs. Yes, he weighed 7lbs.-14oz. at birth, but he lost 1/2 of a pound by the second day in the hospital, so was down to 7-1/2 pounds, but has gained the weight back and lots more in these 2-1/2 weeks home. Doc says he's in the 75th percentile for weight gain. Plus he's grown a 1/2-inch, and is in the 50th percentile for reaching that mark. Guess mom's juice is jacked. And I can attest that Teo is HIGHLY addicted to the juice - so hooked is he that he even CRIES for it! Candice gives in every time, too. What an enabler.
He seems to love the light and contrast. He'll stare at the TV (that's just great), and loves looking at one of our living room lights, as well as the vertical blinds when the sun is cracking through.
His schedule is still a work in progress (in terms of obliging Candice and me with more than a 4-hour stretch of sleep here and there), but I think he is ever so slowly staying up longer and longer and sleeping a touch longer. I guess the whiskey I told Candice to drink just before his 9pm feeding is starting to kick in with him. Pretty soon we'll have them on the coffee kick to get him jump-started in the morning. It'll help in his walking training we'll be starting after he turns 4-weeks old.
And as you can see by the pics, he is our beautiful little buddy. I keep telling Candice HE should be the new face on all the Gerber packaging.

Various Stages of Attachment

2009-04-22T17:06:00.001-07:00

To say that Teo and Grandma Connie are bonding is an understatement. He really enjoys her singing to him and and bouncing him to sleep and holding and carrying him in various positions and the endless baby banter. And she truly loves her little grandson. We will have to be certain to keep a very close eye on Teo when Grandma packs her bags for her return trip home; she's indicated more than once that she's going to spirit him away from us back to Chicago.

The Flying Nun

2009-04-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Grandma Connie draped Teo's burp-cloth over is head while he slept, and commented that he looked like the Flying Nun - not that anyone under age 40 would even get the reference. Google it if you're curious (or incredibly bored).

Grandma Connie Visits

2009-04-20T09:50:00.000-07:00

Teo's Grandma Connie is here in SoBur, visiting with her only grandson. (When you're truly GOLDEN, only one is needed; any more is just overkill and pretentious - or needy or something.)
Anyways - needless to say, she is absolutely fawning over her little buddy. It's great to hear her sing and talk to him constantly, much like I remember her doing with me when I was about his age, with MY GIANT BRAIN being stimulated by her dulcet tones.
She's been having a great visit, and it is also been great and helpful for us (Candice and me). We even tried to go out for a quick bite to eat, thinking that if he was fed, we could leave him with Grandma and we could run out the door and have at least an hour to ourselves to enjoy a meal at a nearby restaurant (great burgers), but no sooner did we get our food, and literally seconds after I looked at my cell phone to see that no one had yet called, did the phone ring and were told he was screaming his little lungs out. Of course we expected him to be sound asleep when we got home, but being the considerate baby that he is, he was still screaming.
As Grandma C will attest, he is changing rapidly, with his little face filling out rapidly, his body seemingly growing LONGER by the day, his hair is a bit darker, and he now has little eyebrows and beautiful curly little eyelashes. Amazing to watch.
On Friday, Teo celebrated his 2-week-old birthday. After singing Happy Birthday, we took him down to the local tattoo parlor and all got matching "Teo Rocks!" tattoos.
Yesterday (Sunday), the whole family (Teo, Can, Tan, Gil and Connie) went down to Marina del Rey to get our family photos taken by the same woman who did our maternity pics (and our wedding pics). We were a little worried about the long drive for Teo, but he slept a good part of the way there, and all the way back.
The shoot went really well, not knowing how Teo would react to flashing lights and being bandied about like a little prop. But he did great, save for a few crying bouts that he had totally earned and was entitled to. As soon as we get the disc, we'll post a couple of the best images here. And I think there are some really GREAT ones, too. Please stay tuned.

Teo's First Outdoor Excursion

2009-04-20T09:27:00.000-07:00

His first outdoor excursion, other than the VERY first excursion he took from womb to reality, that is.
Last Saturday we decided to take a family outing to a nearby park that we like to go to, and since Teo is still a few weeks away from being able to be left at home alone, we took him along with us.
As you can see by the pics, he was pretty well wrapped up in the cocoon that he likes and is used to - though as of late that is changing (as is he).
It was a beautiful spring day here in SoBur (South Burbank, for you slang-impaired), with temps in the low-70s and a pleasantly cool breeze. Teo LOVES to look around at all the pretty things in the world - which for him has only been our apartment - so we thought his first trip outdoors would be a festival for his nascent vision and further stimulate his GIANT BRAIN, but alas, he slept through the whole thing, except for a brief moment at the park where he popped open his eyes for a few secs, just to see how boring everything really was.
Oh well, he still gets his glipmses of nature when I take him outside on our balcony and dangle him over the edge. He loves that! Plus it's a better view for him from there, what with being less than 2-feet tall and all.
He's been on a couple of walks with Candice since, and has even been awake for it. Guess he's figured out that he's in it for the long haul, so best that he gets with the program, boring or not.

The Incredible Multi-functional Boppy

2009-04-13T14:14:00.000-07:00

The lovely Candice Juarez is modeling the latest in breastfeeding/comfort/safety gear. It's not only a great infant support pillow for use during breastfeeding (and Candice highly endorses and loves this product in it's intended use), but we discovered that it also doubles and triples as a great in-flight neck pillow (in case you have an over-sized giant head), as well as impact safety protection - provided you turn your head sideways upon impact. And if you DO decide to wear it on the plane during your next vacation/business flight, please take a picture because I would like to see who the person is with not one self-conscious grain in their body.
Bad enough there's a picture online on the web, available to the entire world for viewing. (Oops! Sorry Candice.)
NEXT POST: Teo's first outdoor excursion.

100-percent True Story

2009-04-11T11:34:00.000-07:00

When Candice and I got pregnant, we originally thought (secretly hoped?) that we would be having a girl, and had a name picked out from Day 1: LOLA ISABELLA JUAREZ. We had come up with that name well before we even got pregnant, we were so excited to have a baby, and our little girl at that.
Well, needless to say, we didn't have a girl, and when we found out at the ultrasound that we were having a boy, there went the ONLY name that we had ever considered up to that point. So the long and twisty road to finding a name for our little boy began, which is a whole different story unto itself.
Fast-forward to Friday, April 3 and Candice and I are in the labor/delivery room at St. Joseph's Hospital at 7am in the morning. Our OB/GYN doctor, Dr. Pearson (the man who will be delivering Teo into the world), arrives about a half hour later and checks in to see how Candice is doing. Soon after his assessment, he gets up and leaves the room, apparently to check in with another patient who is in the room right next to us and is also in labor at the same time as Candice. And the last name of that woman next door, as told to us by our nurse? JUAREZ. (Wait - it gets better.)
So we couldn't believe it when we heard that in all of LA, in St. Joe's in Burbank on the exact same day and the same time that Teo was arriving, another Juarez baby just happened to be arriving in the room right next door, being delivered by the same doctor. What are the odds? If our last name was Smith or Jones, we might not have been as surprised as we were.
So after the joy and excitement of Teo's arrival, a couple of days later (still in the hospital), Candice and I noticed on the little cart/bed that Teo was wheeled around in had a fluorescent-orange label on it next to his little name card that said "Name Alert," and I asked the nurse if that had anything to do with the other Juarez baby being born at the same time, and she told us that was indeed the reason; the neonatal and hospital staff needed to be aware of which baby was which, and hence the tag.
So I aksed the nurse, out of sheer curiosity, if it wasn't too imposing on them if she could please find out what the parents had named their little Juarez baby. So she comes back about an hour later and tells us the name.
They just happened to have a little girl. And her name?
LAYLA ISABELLA JUAREZ. Are you freakin' kidding me? (My reaction.) Jeepers! (Candice's reaction.)
I think our little Lola couldn't bear NOT to be with us, so sent some kind of sign in spirit that she was around and waiting.
Thanks for the sign Lola/Layla, and thanks for watching over our little buddy.
Til we meet again... in the SAME labor/delivery room, though, and not next door!

There's cute...

2009-04-09T19:53:00.000-07:00

... and then there's CUTE.

The pic at right and the one posted here along with this post is Teo on Day 2 at home.
As you can see, Mom is really looking chipper and beautiful and beaming - part from being more rested and the comforts of sleeping at home, and part due to the fact she was able to shower. (Before you skewer me, Candice TOLD me to say that! I think she's ALWAYS beautiful, no matter what.)
When we took this picture, I half-jokingly asked Teo to smile too, and being the genius Golden Child that he is, he happily obliged. Can you spell CUTE? I think I might have to find Teo an agent and start finding work for him in the "business." (We do live in LA after all.) I was going to wait until he was 3 years old before I sent him to Tijuana to sell chicle on the streets like any decent hard-working baby should be doing by that age to earn his keep, but with that face and that GIANT BRAIN, I think he'll be a shoo-in for some commercial spots (like his mom!) to get the career going.
So if he becomes the bread-winner in the family, I can let the whole should-be-walking-before-2-months-old thing go.
Enjoy.

Teo Buddy is HOME

2009-04-08T14:45:00.000-07:00

Greetings all.
G-Daddy still here as mommy recuperates some more and tends to our little buddy.
Teo made his way home by way of his first car ride on Tuesday afternoon around 12:30. He had just been fed at the hospital before we left, so he slept through the whole ordeal of dad trying to figure out how to get him into his car seat. Once in, we drove the 4 minutes it takes to get from the hospital to our place, which is literally down the street a bit. (It was VERY comforting to know it was minutes away when Candice would be going into labor. I couldn't imagine being stuck on the freeway with Candice having contractions 4-minutes apart. Nightmarish for all indeed.)
We made it through the first night, mostly intact. Dad's got diaper duty along with Tanner, and that is proving to have it's own learning curve. Each change I/we get a little better at getting the position and adjustment just right, but because of first-timer fumbling and bumbling the first day home, Teo managed to pee/soil 5 blankets, 1 pair of jeans (mine) and my arm - 2-feet away!. Today is going considerably better :)
He got up at 2am for an hour of feeding/changing/cuddling and then again at 4am and at 7:45am. A little rough, but manageable. We'll see how the next few days and nights go.
I'm just a tiny bit worried about him, though, because he's not walking yet. He's IS the Golden Child after all, so I expected walking by now and then levitation at 1-month, but that's cool, because he did say his first word already, so I'll give him another few days for the walking thing.
Enjoy the pics!

Day 3 of Teo's TOE (Time On Earth)

2009-04-06T09:58:00.000-07:00

Images from Day 3 of Mr. Teo's debut.
Don't worry - it won't get to "Day 344 of Teo's debut" with images posted every single day. Well, at least I don't think so. TBD.
He already looks like he's 3-weeks old instead of 3 days, with such healthy looking skin and tone, and he's so alert with his eyes and responding to noise, most notably our voices. But then he IS the Golden Child, so I expect him to be walking by day 10, talking by day 21 and painting his first masterpiece by week 12.
Nina Sylvia (Gil's cousin) stopped by for a visit, as well as more family and a couple of Candice's friends from her previous location in Monrovia.
And in case you were wondering about the photo of Teo with the old looking doll, that is "Joshua Curmudgeon" I believe is his name, and that was the size that Teo's big brother Tanner was when he was born 6-weeks premature . So we placed the doll next to Teo for comparison of the two. What a difference 6-weeks makes!
More to come. Please check back soon.
G-Daddy

2009-04-05T09:19:00.000-07:00

G-Daddy here again.
Images from day 2 of Teo's time on earth (TOE).
Big Brother Tanner (10 yrs old) Nana and Bumpa (Candice's Mom and Dad, respectively - no age available), OLDER sisters Tatia and Julie (and two of her children Kylie and Griffith) came to visit, as well as Gil's good friends Unkie Ken and Auntie Monica. Dr. Pearson, the man responsible for delivering Teo, also came by to say hi, but also to whisk him away for a little snip-snip (for the boys only), which was one of the worst 10-minutes of my emotional life. My heart went out to my son as much as humanly possible as he wailed away in what must have been horrendous pain. Thankfully it was a very brief procedure.
Candice was feeling much better, and was able to get up and walk around by the late afternoon. And eat solid food, which made her MOST happy.
Much thanks to all who have sent well-wishing emails, and I apologize to those who didn't get the original email; please don't feel slighted whatsoever- it was hard to get everyone I wanted on the list. I was in a hurry to get back to see my wife and son!
More to come with Day 3 of Teo's TOE.

The Debut of Teo Gilbert Juarez

2009-04-04T08:32:00.000-07:00

Hi Everyone,
Gil here, subbing temporarily for Candice.
Teo has made his big debut into the world! He arrived yesterday (Friday, April 3) at 1:52pm, weighed in at 7lbs. 14oz., and at 21.25-inches in length. Many thanks to all of you for your calls and texts, sending well wishes and congrats.
Being completely (and impossibly) unbiased, he really looks fantastic - great skin tone, a healthy pink glow, and as beautiful as can be.
Mom is recovering nicely at the hospital. Due to umbilical cord complications and also that Teo was sunny side up (instead of the normal and preferred face-down), he had to be delivered via C-section. It was a long day, especially for Candice, starting and 4:15am, but she was the greatest trooper of them all. Despite the pain and endless rigors of the day, her usual sunny disposition shone through at all times, and never once did she complain. Our greatest concern was to bring Teo into the world in the safest way possible, for both him and mom. After witnessing yesterday's events, and not to mention the last nine months of what Candice went through, as I have told friends and family, if it were men that had to bring babies into this world, there'd be 6-million people on earth instead of 6-billion.
While I wanted to post every picture taken so far, I posted here what I thought were maybe the best views of our new little boy, and with his mom and dad.
Lots more to come, so please check back soon.
Gil (G-Daddy).

How to Induce Labor

2009-03-28T21:59:00.000-07:00

Here is a list of suggestions I got this morning at my Yoga class.

1. Drink red raspberry LEAF tea. The LEAF part was important - I guess it's different than just raspberry tea.
2. Climb stairs
3. Lots of walking (which I'm already doing every morning with Tigger, it hasn't helped yet)
4. Acupuncture - my Yoga instructor gave me the name of her acupuncture person who induces labor in pregnant women. I asked where was she going to poke the needles? She said probably in your feet . . . that made me feel a little better.
5. Eat a famous salad from Caioti Pizza Cafe - known for inducing women. I guess there have been many articles on this salad and the ingredients that make women go into labor. That one sounded fun to me. Gil can take me on Wednesday if I don't have the baby by then.
6. 1 TB of Castor Oil mixed with a little soda so it doesn't taste so bad. Drink it with a straw placed at the back of your mouth (again, so you can't taste it) and then follow it up with a peanut butter cup that will soak up all the residual oil in your mouth. The only down side to this one is that I hear it can make you spend time on the commode.

The problem I have now is that I would rather NOT have the baby on Tues, which is our anniversary (also the baby's real due date), and I really don't want to have the baby on Wed. because it's April Fool's day. So that means that unless I have the baby in the next two days, he has to wait until Thursday to make his debut. These next few days will be very interesting.

Saturday Night Dance

2009-03-25T20:46:00.000-07:00

Gil and I thought we could induce labor on Saturday night if I went dancing, but to no avail. Even after dancing - and I mean real dancing - I was moving around, the only thing that hurt that night were my feet.

This is a clip of what, I hope, will be our last Saturday night dance as a couple without baby. Next time he'll get to come with us!

The Name Game

2009-03-25T18:54:00.000-07:00

It is true, Gil and I get the same "confused" looking face each time we tell people the name of our baby. Then, after the confused face they always ask, "How do you spell that?" So here is what we have come up with:

Tayo
Taeoh
Tayoh
Teighoh
Taye-ough

and our personal favorite
Teigheau

ZERO Day!

2009-03-23T18:48:00.000-07:00

Today was a ZERO day at the Doctor's.

First I gained ZERO pounds during the week. It's a miracle! Now really that makes no sense because I ate just as much or even MORE than the other weeks. We (me, Gil, and Tanner) even went to Shogun to celebrate me making it all the way to Spring Break without having the baby. Needless, to say, however, this ZERO makes me very happy!!!

Next, I am still a big fat ZERO dilation and ZERO effacement. Now that I CAN have the baby, he just doesn't want to come. He is nice and warm inside his little home. I think I will definitely go past my due date. I think the April predictions are going to be the winners. I could take a goopy drink that includes Castor Oil to speed things up . . . hhmmmmmm.

Cast Your Vote!

2009-03-21T14:01:00.000-07:00

Now's your chance to predict Candice's delivery date and weight of the baby. Whoever gets the closest WINS!

Here's all the relevant information. I am 10 days away from my due date (March 31st). I've been having Braxton Hick's contractions for about 3 months. My feet are swollen and my Yoga instructor today said that it looked like I had "dropped" and that she didn't think she'd see me next week. Last Monday my Doctor told my I was 39cm (length of my belly) and I was -2 station, 0 dilation. This Monday is my next appointment.

Put in your best guess. Good Luck!

Happily Awaiting the Arrival

2009-03-14T18:54:00.000-07:00

First Photo

2009-03-14T18:45:00.001-07:00