Summer Has Arrived

Since Jude and I returned from our camping trip with Grandma and Grandpa... things have been a little difficult with my little "Honey Bear." For some reason he has been even more demanding of mommies attention. I've been quite exahusted. A few nights ago I tried again to get Jude to sleep in his crib. After four attmepts Jude had enough and would not even consider going back to sleep again for fear of mommy leaving him in his crib... alone. Each time he woke up in his crib he fussed, cried, screamed, and then started to gag and spit up on himself. After watching him on the monitor I then ran in there, cleaned him up, and rocked him back to sleep to try yet again to put him in his crib. I felt horrible after the fourth attempt and let him play and talk with mommy until he was ready to fall asleep again... this time in bed with mommy.

Anyway... my mom said to start putting him in his crib and starting his mobile every time I take him to the changing table in order to get him used to laying in it and feeling secure. I'm crossing my fingers and hoping he will one day fall asleep in his crib... WITHOUT the assistance of mommy.

The weather has also been getting very hot. For example, we just had a few days varying from 106-111 in some areas... which has zapped my energy and has caused concern with Jude. Today it was only around 96 but Jude had been spitting up all day. Every time I would feed him he would fuss and then spit up. Grandma and Grandpa recalled when I got dehydrated as a baby and sent me to the store for Pedialite. He drank one ounce at Grandma and Grandpas and since hasn't spit up once. Hopefully that did the trick. I've been giving him a little here and there to fight dehydration. I do not want to experience putting my baby in the hospital for something like dehydration.

A Camping Trip to Remember

As you can see I haven't got to type any new postings recently. Jude and I just returned from our camping trip yesterday and even though Jude did very well... I'm still exhausted. Nothing like coming home to a messy house and a list as long as I am tall that needs to get done. But besides the everyday clutter and the fact that our garage looks more like a storage locker.... Jude's first camping trip was wonderful.

Our camping trip started on Father's Day. I woke up around six thirty and started to pack the last of our things into the back of my mom's car while Jude lay blissfully asleep on the bed. By the time I got the car packed Jude had woken up in a very grumpy mood.... making mommy all the more nervous about taking him. Luckily by the time I changed his diaper, got him dressed, and put him in the car seat he was happy. Met up with mom and dad as they were hooking up the trailer. I decided to feed Jude one last time and we got on the road by eight.

The whole drive to the campsite was peaceful. Jude slept the entire time.... a whole THREE hours. I know you think I'm crazy.... but that was amazing. When we got to the lake he was up and I could hear him going to the bath room. By the time I got him out of the car it was too late. He had soiled his diaper, clothes, and part of the car seat. Great! After changing him of course he was happy. That boy loves the outdoors. Grandma held him while I got his corner of the trailer together. A few of the things Jude LOVED while camping was playing in his walker, watching mommy and grandpa play with RC cars, and going for adventures in his walker. Pretty much just being outdoors watching the trees and feeling the breeze was enough to keep our little man happy.

Nights were a different story though. Jude stayed awake until midnight the first night just playing and talking to mommy, and the second night he kept waking up every hour to snuggle. We woke up at six Tuesday morning and couldn't go back to sleep. I thought it would be best for us to take off a day early so that we could see Benny before he went back to work today. Leaving that early also ensured that Jude would go back to sleep and hopefully stay asleep the whole way home.... which he did. It took us three hours to get home Tuesday and Jude woke up right when I hit the driveway. What a wonderful trip.

The Second Part of Our Day

Today at around four thirty Jude and I went to Grandma and Grandpa's house. I showed Grandma the two quilts I had got her and unfortunately she sent me back to JCPenny to get the original quilt she wanted. She had the pleasure of Jude's company as I raced back to JCPenny to exchange one of the quilts for the original one. One hour later I returned to the house right when Grandpa was pulling into the driveway. I walk in the house and there's Grandma with Jude in her arms just crying with tears all over his cheeks. Didn't look like it went so well. On top of that she disliked this quilt too! Arhhh! After finally talking her into keeping the pretty blue one that yours truly picked out we decided to go swimming with Jude.

The rest of the evening was wonderful. Grandma already had Jude in his swim trunks and shirt upon arrival and all I had to do was change. After putting Jude to sleep by feeding him... I set him down in the car seat and ran upstairs to change. The booger was awake by the time I got back. So we grabbed some towels, went out back, threw his rescue boat in the water, and dove in. My little water baby stayed happy in the pool for an hour. When we got out he stayed happy just sitting outside in his towel for another hour. Grandma and I think he will do very well on our camping trip. He loves the outdoors.

Here are a few some pictures of Jude at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Somehow they always seem to get him the toys he loves the most. He'll stay Mommy's little angel at their house and turn into a monster the moment I get him home. The walker Grandpa got him is so cute with little teddy bears on it and a big bar across the front that Jude just loves to chew on. We plop him in it and put the walker in front of one of the big mirrors in their game room and he just sits and smiles at himself. Lets just hope he's this happy camping.

Appearances are Deceiving

This morning was very tiring. Besides the fact that Jude didn't really want to go back to sleep until one thirty this morning after his late nap yesterday... we also had an early wake up call at eight this morning. As I got up to change Jude's diaper, thinking it would be the regular quick trip to the changing table and then back to bed we go, I walk out to the dining room to let our other babies out to find a mess in the kennel. We have three pomeranian chihuahua mixes that we love and cherish. Unfortunately our Chelsea is pregnant with her second litter and is due any day now. Just like with any pregnancy it makes it difficult to make it through the night without having to go to the bathroom. Poor Chelsea didn't make it... so after changing Jude it was time to clean the kennel. Setting Jude down and not feeding him and letting him go back to sleep was not the way to start the day. He screamed and was not happy in his crib with his mobile and rain forest sounds like he would normally be. By the time I got back to him and picked him back up he was wide awake with no signs of drifting off back to sleep. Darn.

After putting Jude in his jumperoo and letting him play for a while while I ate breakfast I thought I would surprise my mom with an early phone call... boy was she surprised. We are planning Jude's first camping trip and we plan on leaving fathers day. I only wish Benny was able to go but unfortunately he's stuck at work this weekend as he is most holidays due to working in the retail business. JCPenny was having a great sale and grandma wanted a new quilt for the trailer. Jude seemed pretty happy after eating at nine thirty and I thought now would be the best time to go. The mall opens at ten... and if Jude decided he wasn't happy in JCPenny it would be early enough that there would be few witnesses to hear his screams. I put him in the truck and he was fast asleep before I even got there. Yippie.

I found two beautiful quilts for grandma to choose from and I was at the register when Jude woke up from a dead sleep screaming. He must have had a horrible dream because he rarely ever screams like he did in this store. I got him out of the car seat and soothed his cries. The clerk asked how old he was and was baffled when I told her he was four months... well actually four and a half, but anyway.... she said he was a very big baby for his age. Why does everyone keep saying that? He is a perfectly healthy 17lbs. That remark stayed with me as we walked back to the truck. Everyone who has seen Jude always says he looks big for his age. Oh well. I think he's just perfect.

When we got home we both took a two hour nap and felt much better. I really think Jude's teething is getting worse. He is always chewing on his hand and tries to put anything in his mouth to sooth the pain. Teething pills are the only things that seem to work when he is crying with his fist in his mouth looking at me with tears in his eyes. Why does teething have to hurt so much?

One Busy Day

Today was one very busy day. It started with a happy baby in the morning and a wonderful breakfast that Benny made when he got home. Pancakes have never tasted so good. Jude played in his jumperoo while Benny and I enjoyed our breakfast and then I got ready for the day while the baby played with daddy. I love having an extra pair of hands. Now that I've finally gotten used to taking care of the baby at night and seeing Benny briefly in the morning and late afternoon, its going to be a change when Benny finally starts working days again next week.

After my shower Benny went upstairs to take a quick nap... he is off tonight... and I decided to try and get my errands done since I had a happy baby at the moment. I stopped by the bank and the minute I got Jude out of the car he started crying. Darn. Not going to be an easy trip. Luckily he stopped crying long enough for me to make my deposit and get out of there. I put him back in the car and decided today might not be the best day to stop by Walgreen's and pick up the last of my pictures. Wouldn't you know he fell asleep on the way home and I turned around to make my last stop.

My trip to Walgreen's was wonderful... he slept the whole time in and out of the store AND on the way home. I finally got my pictures to send my grandparents. I'm sending them a fathers day gift with a bunch of pictures and picture DVDs so they can still feel connected with Jude. I wish I could take him out there to see them. It's such a long trip out to Arkansas from California. When he gets old enough I'm going to hop a flight out there and see my grandparents and maybe even

stop by Malisa's house to see Scott, Emily, and

their new twins in South Carolina.

Well, besides getting my fathers day gift ready for grandpa, I also got the chance to vacuum and steam clean my entire house since Benny woke up and offered to take care of Jude for a while. I can't believe we've been in our new home for two months now. Here are a few pictures of our humble abode. Jude loves the pool... and his bathes. He is definitely the water baby which makes me very nervous. We will need to put a fence around the pool when he decides its time to walk. Benny and I especially love the courtyard out front. I'll have to post pics of the inside later.

I still need to work on a few rooms.

Making up for lost time

Today seemed like the perfect day to start this blog. I'm always reading my cousin Malisa's blog and it seems like this would be a breeze to keep up to date and make it easier to share photos with family all across the country. Granted... this will be my first attempt at blogging, but it seems fun and easy.


For those who I haven't talked to or seen in a while, our new addition is now nineteen weeks and three days old. Jude Randall Nguyen is quite the hand full and always keeps mommy on her toes. He is finally getting into somewhat of a sleeping schedule but is far from sleeping on his own. Jude loves to fall asleep on mommy and wakes right up after being set in his crib or bassinet. Right now he sleeps with me in bed while Benny has been working nights the last three to four weeks. Its been rough handling Jude alone. Benny usually gets home when Jude and I wake up, eats breakfast with us, and mossies upstairs for some shut eye. Working nights has drained all of his energy. Around four I'll usually walk Jude down to my mom and dads house for some much needed relief. If it wasn't for them I would probably be pulling my hair out... especially during his extremely fussy days.

Here is a picture of my handsome man in his new GT walker from Combi. He loves it. I have many toys around the house to try and keep his attention for ten-fifteen minutes while I try and throw a load of towels in the dryer or do the dishes, and this one is his second favorite so far besides my mom and dad's bouncer they have at their house. I have so many pictures to share with everyone.