A little more than 4 months:)

Hi everyone!

We apologize for not keeping you up to date! Ethan is now 17 weeks old and a lot has been happening:)

Here is a quick update on the little fella and our fam, as well as a ton of pictures!

• Ethan will be having his 4 month check up and shots tomorrow. We will find out his official height and weight then, but when he gets onto the bathroom scale with me, he weighs in at about 16 pounds. With the measuring tape he is 26 inches long! He is wearing 9 month old clothes and sometimes 12 month old clothes!






• He is now tolerating more tummy time and can hold up his head 90 degrees:) He has found his hands and enjoys munching on them when ever he is awake. He also likes watching his toes move but hasn't decided to put them in his mouth (Cameron's glad!).





• Ethan likes standing up (with assistance of course!) and walking around the room. He especially likes to walk up to the mirrors on our closets and then smile at the baby he sees looking back at him. Sometimes he will start screeching at the other baby as if to say "There isn't room enough for the two of us!"



• Cameron has started working again at the Advanced Care Hospital of Southern New Mexico but only twice a week now. Ethan stays with his Nana on Friday mornings through the afternoon until Andrew comes home from work and then Andrew is with him all day Saturdays as well. Andrew is now permanently on a day schedule at work and it is so nice because it is predictable and he is always home at night!





• Cameron and Ethan have been a part of a "Mother Goose Story Time" group, which meets every Wednesday at our local library. The group is made up of about 8 Moms and their babies and our group leader. We sing songs, read a story and then there is a time for the kids to play together while the Moms visit with each other. It is offers support, a chance to make new friends, an excuse to get out of the house and a place to share germs! Overall we enjoy it (in spite of the germs!).




• Our Sunday School class has become a huge blessing. Most of the couples in our class now have children and this offers a big support for everyone. It is a joy to get together every Sunday, share stories, learn together and relate to each other. After we had Ethan our class brought us meals a several times a week for a month- - - we never would have eaten so well during that time without them. It also offered stress relief not having to worry about making a meal for that day.




• Andrew continues to have opportunities to prepare and deliver sermons at the Baptist Student Union at NMSU and at First Baptist Church in Truth or Consequences. He hopes to enrol in seminary classes in the future and continue to take the opportunities to preach when they arise.



• Andrew also started taking an oil painting class at Hobby Lobby and made his first painting last month. See below for a picture of him showing it off:)

Thanks for keeping up with us! We appreciate each of you!

Chubby Cheeks at 10 Weeks!

So this last Saturday Ethan turned 10 weeks :) The Wednesday before he had a scheduled check up and Ethan was found to be weighing in at 12 pounds 2 ounces and is 23 1/2 inches long! Yowza! He is getting some super cute cheeks on him too and his eyes seems to be changing color. His eyes have been a deep gray blue since he was born but recently are starting to turn a light brown in the centers of his eyes. If you do a punnet square on what his possibilities are he has a 50% chance of having brown eyes and 50% chance of having blue or a blue green combo. We shall see!

On the 18th Andrew and I got to travel to Albuquerque for a Sam Bush Band concert. This was my Christmas gift to Andrew and boy did we have a great time! This was the first time that we had seen this new-grass band live and they are all very talented musicians. This was also the first time that we had left Ethan alone over night. My Mom stayed with Ethan and it sounded like they had a great time together. Although it was kinda sad to be away from Ethan for so long and Andrew and I talked about Ethan frequently while we were gone, we weren't worried and really enjoyed the alone time together.

Every year since we were engaged, Andrew and I started celebrating the length of time we have been together as a couple. We started dating January 25, 2004 and the tradition is that whenever January 25 rolls around we go out to eat at the Mall's Food Court and then take pictures in the photo booth. We have four sets of pictures now and Ethan got to join in on the fun this year. See below for how these pics turned out.

Ethan was given/bought a lot of fun "toys" after he was born, but didn't really like most of them up until recently. He no longer throws up every time we place him in the swing, but seems to enjoy it and will often fall asleep in it. He is staying in his bouncer for longer periods of time, which gives us both the opportunity to get ready in the mornings or clean and have him near by. He is also now falling asleep in his baby carrier when I place him in it. He will make this grunting noise for a while after I initially place him in it, but then relaxes and seems to not mind it.

I have been going nuts over all the great sales that have been going on lately and have bought some real cute cloths for the kiddo to wear down the road. He now has a winter jacket, a shirt/vest/tie ensemble, swim trunks and super cute cargo pants that have all been sized to fit him through out this year. Hey, I grew up hearing my Dad always say, "Be prepared, it's the motto of the boy scouts!" I can't help it:)

Great Grandma Shirleigh's Birthday-
it took my Mom and Grandma a couple tries to blow out THE candle, haha

Ethan meeting his Great Grandma Rosa and Great Grandpa Ramon for the first time- my Dad was treating us to dinner at Furr's, yum!

Sam Bush Concert

We do everything we can to make Ethan smile on a regular basis and can get pretty goofy.

We love this kid!

Our annual Mall Photo Booth picture.

Happy New Year!

We are ringing in the new year as a family of three and thank the Lord for getting us through the first few weeks of this transition! Ethan is not AS fussy these days, which has really given us the opportunity to just enjoy him rather than always trying to find ways to sooth his crying. We are so grateful for this change in his attitude.
Ethan is now 7 weeks old and counting! He is growing up daily and we are doing our best to soak up every minute that we have with him as well as cherish him at every stage of his life. We measured him last week and found that he is now 24 inches long (he was born 19 inches) and although we don't have an official weigh in, he has bulked up all over and is heavier to carry:) His cries have become more distinct based on what he needs. For example he has such a sad/pitiful little wail when he is bored or lonely- - - like a weak cat with a dry throat. He often provides us with this cry when he is going down for a nap or when he is in his car seat but doesn't want to be there. I just want to scoop him up and cuddle him whenever I hear it, but often I have to just let him get that little cry out and then he is fast asleep or I provide a pacifier and he calms right down.
I have been trying to spend time daily with Ethan playing on the floor, which lends itself to spending time on our bellies:) Ethan kinda fusses the whole time that he is on his stomach, but is getting stronger at holding his head up. When you place him on your own chest while lying down, he can lift his head about 80 degrees. He also practices holding his head steady when we hold him upright. We get so excited over these accomplishments!
Another fun milestone has been watching him offer us a smile here and there as well as sweet cooing. When Ethan woke up from his last nap today he was all smiles! He also puts on a show stretching his limbs every which way right when he wakes up. What a cutie!
Ethan has now celebrated his first Christmas as well as New Year. He cried most of the day on Christmas (maybe all of the family being over was too much stimulation for him?) but was pretty calm for New Years Eve. We had a few good friends over for Chinese food and games. We had a great time and were so glad that they were able to celebrate with us. Ethan slept for most of it both in his crib and then later in the arms of one of our friends:)
Right before Christmas my younger brother Pierce came into town. It had been a year since we last saw him and it was great to have him here. The day he came to stay the night at our house a huge tumble weed came to visit us! A pic is included to show you just how big it was! Then my big brother R.J. came into town to visit and see his nephew:) I love having family come to visit.
Here are some pictures from the past month:

Great Grandma Freda holding Ethan


Rolling, Rolling, Rolling...

Who do I look like?

Many folks have been commenting on who Ethan most looks like or what facial features reflect which parent, and so we have decided to post a few pictures from when we were itty bitty along side some pics of Ethan. Tell us what you think:)! Usted Decide


These Pictures are of Cutie Patootie Andrew
These are of Cameron




And here is our Little Mister

Ethan is one month old tomorrow:)

Hi all!

Well it has been a crazy past four weeks! What an adjustment and learning experience it has been for all three of us. Let me bring you up to speed: Right after Ethan was born, Andrew took off two weeks from work and stayed home with us. Boy was that needed! I could not have functioned physically or emotionally without him having been there learning, stressing and losing sleep alongside me.

Ethan has had two doctors appointments thus far and has done real well. The PA who has been overseeing his health has reported that he is growing just as he should and has been so helpful in answering all of our first-time-parent questions. I always look forward to doctors appointments and knowing that everything looks okay to a trained eye.

Ethan has learned how to breast feed, but has had some problems with gas! Poor thing- he will twist and turn and cry when he can't burp or have it come out the other end. We have tried all different kinds of suggested remedies, but he still has difficulty. He is, however, getting enough food into his system as displayed by how frequently we are changing diapers and the fact he is gaining weight. He also has to be held upright for about 20 minutes after feedings if we don't want to see it come back up again! When this happens he also cries:( He is just a fussy baby and we are learning what cries mean what... well, kinda.

Thanksgiving was celebrated at Cameron's Aunt Terri's home in El Paso this year, and Ethan did real well:) What a great meal and time with family. The following day Andrew's family came down from Santa Fe to celebrate the holiday and Brenda cooked a wonderfully tasty meal as always:)

Andrew has since gone back to work and Cameron's Mom has been up to Las Cruces a couple times a week to help with the baby and this crazy messy house. It has been a huge help! Everything just seems a little less stressfull and more manageable when she is here.

Ethan and I are getting into a schedule of sorts- - -slowly but surely. At least to a degree where he and I both get a bath several times a week and feel somewhat rested :) I am also no longer going the whole day in my pajamas and my hormones are leveling off. I know Andrew is thankful for that last one! Poor guy- - we both thought my mood swings were over once the baby came- - -no way Jose. But I am getting better:)

Today Andrew, Ethan, Uncle Stephen and I are going to be traveling up to Santa Fe for the annual "Dye Open House". Every year the Dye family cooks a bunch of good food and invites friends and family over to hang out and fill their bellies. I don't think we have missed one since we have been married and this will be Ethan's first "Open House" It will also be his first long distance trip (about four hours). I think that he is going to do just fine, but it is always a little nerve wrecking for me with any of his "firsts" until they are over.

SOOO, here are some more current pictures of our little mister:

Like Father, like son

"I am at ease, in the arms of a woman..."

"7 8 9?!!! That's why 6 is afraid..."

This video has a surpise ending.

He's Here!!!!

We are pleased to announce that, 2 weeks earlier than expected, our newest addition to our family has arrived!! Ethan Andrew Dye was born November 15th, 2008 at 6:45am. He is 19 inches long and weighs 7.5 lbs!

What started out as slightly more uncomfortable contractions at 10:45 on November the 14th, led to 20 hours of labor! Cameron called Andrew at work on Friday to let him know that she was experiencing slightly uncomfortable contractions. Andrew was excited, but did not really expect her to really be in labor. He asked her to call the doctor's office to explain what was going on and see if there was any reason to be concerned. By divine appointment, we had an appointment with one of the midwives that day at 3:40. Andrew had already planned to get off a little early, so was able to attend the meeting with Cameron.

The midwife put Cameron on a monitor for about 20 minutes to see what was going on. Our midwife told us that it appeared that we were going into early labor and that we should go home for a few hours until the contractions got more uncomfortable and then go to the hospital. After about 2 or so hours at home, we decided to go to the hospital.

Though we expected that we would have Ethan out in no time at all, he decided to make us wait for an additional 12 hours. Cameron was in labor for a total of 20 hours!!! 2 of those hours were Cameron using up what little energy she had pushing! Andrew is so proud of Cameron and has a new found respect for women who have to go through labor. Andrew was, of course, a big baby and couldn't stop crying when Ethan came out. Andrew kept saying what a handsome young man Ethan was and how perfect he is. Cameron was so exhausted that a lot of her celebrating Ethan's birth came later when she could process it. The honor and responsibility of having a son is overwhelming!

We are now home after staying another night in the hospital. Cameron really enjoyed the "room service" (cafeteria food), but Andrew was anxious to go home and sleep in a real bed. Cameron covets any nap that she can get, but loves just holding Ethan and cuddling him. We have included some pics, so that you can enjoy him as well! We will continue to post entries on Ethan's progress and news in our lives. Thanks for praying for us and cheering us on! May the Lord bless you for that!

Dad with son minutes after birth

Nanna (Cam's mom) with grandson

Grandpa Rudy with yawning Ethan

Grandmother and Grandpa Dye with Ethan

The proud new parents with son

Ethan Andrew Dye Looking around

We Moved!

Praise the Lord! A lot has been going on since we last updated you all and we are excited to fill you in:)

First: We have moved and have officially cut the cord with our apartment! Moving Day was super smooth with the help of so many family and friends. Thanks to each of you that helped- what a blessing. Moving started at about 8:30am and we were done by noon with about 12 people moving along with several trucks, a trailer and dollies. We have never moved so quickly. It has now been about two and a half weeks since we have been in the new home and we are still trying to empty all the boxes. We know this is to be expected, but we are eager to get them all cleared out and to feel a "moved in."

Second: A room for the baby has started to take shape!:) With only about three and a half weeks left till the Due Date this has been a topic that made us feel a little anxious every time it was brought up - until now:) Not only is there enough space for the baby to have his own room in this house, but he also has a brand new crib to sleep in as of yesterday! Cameron's Dad had insisted on purchasing the crib and mattress every since he heard we were expecting and frequently reminded us that the offer was still there. We searched and searched and eventually settled on one from Babies R Us in El Paso, TX. It is super cute and took about 30 miutes to put together. We decided where the other furniture would go last night, rearranged some things and then Cameron put more work into it today. It really is a sweet and calming atmosphere and we think that Ethan will enjoy it. It is not finished yet, but it is gettting there! We hope that the baby will go till the Due Date not only for his health but also to give us more time to get things ready!

Cameron continues to grow and has started working part time this week (two 12 hour shifts instead of three, per week). She will stop working all togther starting November 14th (two weeks prior to the Due Date) and is looking forward to the time to rest. She has started taking iron suplements due to an iron defficient anemia that was found during her last blood test and is feeling a little more energized. The midwife suggested just increasing the amount of iron being consumed in her diet, but Cameron wanted a supplement just to make sure. So far the side effects have been minimal;)