Category Archives: Houston

He’ll Be 1 Before You Know It

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Houston’s first birthday is a week from today! Can you believe it? I cannot wrap my head around the fact that it was nearly a year ago when, after 32 painful hours of labor and 4 of pushing, our beloved Houston came into this world. The first year is such an amazing time, with our boy going from such a helpless little creature to independent boy in such a seemingly short period. We couldn’t imagine life without him … and soon we’ll feel the same way about the twins. It’s difficult to comprehend that we could love any other child as much as we love Houston, but by this November, our house will be filled with triple the love and joy!

Playing in the pool with Daddy in June 2008.  

On the pregnancy front, I had my last check-up on June 11. I had only gained a pound, but I was 10 pounds heavier at the beginning of this pregnancy than I was with Houston, so that’s no big deal; there’s plenty of fat to go around. Plus, now that I’m over my first-trimester nauseousness, I’m back to my old eating habits — quite healthy, to say the least. My uterus, however, was measuring large, which the doc says is totally normal with twins. Baby A (I suppose that would be Lefty, since he/she is located on my left side) had a heartbeat of 160 beats per minute and Baby B (Pancho) came in at a whopping 164. We will find out the gender of the twins on July 8 and my Clan Dillingham readers will be the first to know the news, so keep posted.

Also, I officially felt Pancho move on June 15 (he/she was saying, “Happy Father’s Day!” to Stephen) and Lefty move on June 16. There has been much activity since then, especially at night, as well as more cervical and uterine twinges than there were this early on in my last pregnancy. Again, the doc says this is to be expected with multiples. 

Hangin' with Adam (and the gun safe) in June 2008.

Here’s the lowdown on Houston’s recent happenings: 

  • Mommy and Daddy finally saw Houston take steps on June 1. He still isn’t walking per se, but he is taking 2-3 steps many times throughout the day, cruising like a champ, and of course, crawling around like a mad man. 
  • His pal, Gracie, taught him to clap his hands on June 4. Now he voluntarily claps to music and to some of his own stellar accomplishments — humble he is not.
  • Houston is obsessed with water! We bought a kiddie pool and have been playing in that on some of the hotter days. We have also been to a public pool on a couple of occasions with our neighbor, Heather, and her kids. There’s an area there that features geysers, sprinklers, trickles and lots of other aquatic-based fun for the kids. Houston thinks it’s great! 

Playing with Aunt Lisa in June 2008.  

  • “Uncle” Adam visited the family for a few days late last week. He helped out with feeding and playing with Houston, so that Mommy could run some errands.
  • On June 13, Houston had a play date at his friend Mason’s house. They frolicked inside and then headed outdoors to tackle Mason’s sandbox. Houston also slid down Mason’s sliding board with Mommy’s help. He was cautiously intrigued by the new activity. Check out the pics of that outing by clicking here.
  • Then Aunt Lisa visited over the weekend, so that Mommy could accomplish some long-standing items on her to-do list. Houston instantly bonded with his auntie, who constantly entertained him outdoors and taught him about leaves, plants, acorns, bees and ants. Houston got a weird poison ivy-looking rash that day, although it wasn’t the dreaded weed, thankfully. The rash never seemed to bother him and it’s almost totally healed. Click here to see pics of Lisa’s visit.
  • And yesterday, Houston and I babysat his pal, Jamie. He thinks she is one of the coolest things since sliced bread. So, he had a ball hanging out with her, exploring every nook and cranny of her house and drawing outside with her sidewalk chalk.

Playing in Mason's sandbox in June 2008.

We’ll have many fun and sunny pictures to share with you once we return from the beach. Till then, you can check out all the June photos.

“Mom, Dad: I Have a Drinking Problem”

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Yes, Houston would drink formula, juice and/or water all day long, if he could. You’ve never seen a baby chug from a sippy cup the way our son does; there’s lots of drama involved, including heavy gulps, gasps for air, intense baby talk about the drinking taking place and lots of sippy cup salutes (when he holds the cup up high, waving it in the air, as if he has conquered the drink within). I’ll get some video of it and hopefully Stephen will figure out how to put it up on the site soon thereafter.

Houston's first time solo swinging in late May 2008. 

Houston went solo swinging for the first time on May 31. It took us a while to actually find a swing, since the two closest elementary schools didn’t have them; my guess is that it must have something to do with an overprotective parent and a frivolous lawsuit. However, we found a nice swing set at a nearby church. He was totally fearless, as usual, and had a ball swinging in the warm breeze.

Other news:

  • On May 23, a fourth tooth popped through his bottom gums, making his total teeth count a whopping eight.
  • Granny and Grumps visited over Memorial Day weekend, and Houston took his first steps with Granny on May 26, which just so happened to be his 11-month birthday. Unfortunately, Mommy and Daddy were trying to catch up on their sleep during this momentous occasion, but they finally got to see Houston take a few steps on June 1. He’ll be walking before we know it!
  • Also on May 26, Houston experienced his first time in a pool. It was kind of short-lived, since our neighbor’s pool is pretty big and Mommy didn’t have on her suit, but he ended up liking it nonetheless. He has since been back in the neighbor’s pool with Daddy and has been swimming in his own new pool a couple of times with Mommy.
  • On May 27, Mommy and Houston were playing in the back yard, when Houston made his way over to the deck stairs. Before Mommy knew it, her boy was effortlessly climbing up the stairs and made it all the way to the top. Mommy was in awe. Houston has since repeated the amazing feat, but with Mommy spotting him these times.

Houston showing his Scottish pride in May 2008.

  • On May 28, we had another scare. This time, Houston got his chubby right leg stuck in his crib above the knee. I was unsure if I could pull it out without injuring his knee cap. I didn’t know what to do, and as I stressed, so did Houston, crying and writhing about. I was going to saw the crib, but I didn’t want to leave Houston alone to go get the saw from our shed, and I didn’t want to kick the crib, for fear of hurting Houston. So after making a number of panicky phone calls to neighbors, Stephen and Gramsey, I knew I had to deal with this myself and that I’d better do something fast. So, I greased up Houston’s leg with Vaseline and shimmied his leg upward toward the ceiling. I don’t what is was about this vertical position — perhaps it was gravity or just the angle — but I freed my boy from the torturous position. He was a bit shaken, as was I and, of course, everyone I had called, but he was fine after a little ice and a lot of TLC. 
  • Speaking of chubby legs, Houston is one large boy. It’s not that he’s so much portly as he is long, long, long. He can wear 18-month shirts and shorts, but his onesies and PJs must be 24-month or else I can’t button them up. I did an unofficial weight check the other day and Houston came in at a massive 26 pounds. No wonder my arms are so buff!

All the late May photos are now up and ready to view in Gallery (the flag-waving and swinging pics are on the last couple of pages).

“I Like To Bounce!”

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Houston has spent a lot of time bouncing lately. His neighborhood pal, Gracie, has a Banzai Bounce and she had Houston and Dixie over to her house on May 15 to play on it. Since Houston can’t yet walk (and therefore, can’t jump) and the girls are both about 10 months older than him, I thought it might freak him out a little, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. He absolutely loved it!

Houston having fun on the Banzai Bounce with Gracie & Dixie in May 2008.  

Houston spent most of his time being bounced by Dixie and Gracie’s boisterous jumps. He also enjoyed leaning against the netting, playing with the balls and acting as a landing pad when the girls would tumble and fall.  To see all of the Banzai Bounce photos (courtesy of Gracie’s mom, Jessica), check out the last couple of pages of Early May 08.

 Houston, Gracie & Dixie on the trampoline in May 2008.

Then on May 21, Houston made his first appearance on a trampoline, which belongs to Dixie and her family. Again, I was a bit apprehensive, but my boy thought it was a hoot! He took a particular liking to lying down flat on his back, while Dixie and Gracie bounced him horizontally into the air. He would laugh hysterically, while the girls did all the work … whatta lazy bum!After our daily walk and before making their way to Dixie’s trampoline, the kids spent some time in Dixie’s front yard, eating snacks, blowing bubbles and frolicking in the grass. To see the neighborhood play photos, plus some more current shots, click Late May 08. 

 Gracie & Dixie blowing bubbles in May 2008.

 Here are more highlights of Houston’s recent happenings:

  •  On May 15, Houston did his first authentic wave. It was a “hello” wave to Donni and Milton (Dixie’s older siblings), who Houston absolutely adores. Now you can’t stop him from waving hi and bye-bye to anyone and everyone.
  • On May 18, Houston woke up to Aunt Ashley (one of Mommy’s oldest and dearest friends) sleeping in our living room. She had visited from the her home at the beach the night before and they got to play for a while in the morning before Ashley hit road.
  • That evening, Houston was playing at Dixie’s house. The two were holding on to the bottom of a low window, looking out into the yard, when Houston lost his footing and hit his top lip and gum on the sill. It was his first real injury per se, so Mommy freaked when she saw all the blood. Thank goodness I had some reasoned friends with me to help calm the situation. He suffered a slight fat lip for a few days and had to avoid citrus and salty foods, but he’s in tip-top shape now.

Houston eating a snack during outdoor play with Dixie & Gracie in May 2008. 

  • May 20 was Houston’s final breast-feeding. Since he was biting and playing with my nipples more than actually feeding and seemed pretty much uninterested in the entire process, I decided it was time to make the move to formula for the next month and six days, when he can then start drinking whole milk. Sure, I didn’t make it a year like I had planned, but being that my breasts were killing me from my pregnancy, as well as the aforementioned actions of my son, I’d say nearly 11 months is pretty darn good. We are both much happier now: I get to take a little extra hiatus from breast-feeding before the twins come and Houston actually thinks his formula is quite tasty.
  • Houston had a third tooth pop through his bottom gum on May 21 and then a fourth today, making his total teeth count a whopping eight!