Fourteen Months this May

Our little Jed is full of the dickens. We are seeing so many new personality traits. It's a really exciting time. Here he is playing peek-a-boo. Mischief-maker!

On May 18th, Vern, his parents and Jed went for a hike in the hills of Hacienda Heights. Vern got to try out his new baby-backpack, which was some good training for the 46 mile hike he will be going on (sans Jed) in July! Jed loved to look at all of the trees. He is most peaceful when he is outside.

Lee and Carol Oldham

This guy has got a million expressions. This one is "Did you just tell me no? I beg to differ."

On Memorial Day, our family went over to visit with Jed's grandparents. Jed didn't get a nap in, so he was in rare form. We thought maybe taking a dunk in the hot tub would calm him down, but he just got more upset. Poor baby. Here are his crying faces.

After his hot tub experience, he just wanted Mama. Here he is, all nakey, trying to understand why we are torturing him with Memorial Day activities.

He doesn't always cry, though! Here are some 14-month portraits Vern took of him in our front yard.

Look at that toothy grin!

His favorite word is "duck." He also likes to kiss his duck.

We purchased a push-toy walker for him, since he is aching to be on his feet, going places.
Here is a compilation video of his attempts at toddler-hood and his duck adventures.

Push Walker from Clare Meehan on Vimeo.

Jed's Baptism

On Sunday, April 27th, 2014, Jed was baptized at our local Catholic Church, Sacred Heart. Babies are required to wear all white, and when trying to find an outfit for him, I realized they came in all sorts of configurations, from intricate silk and satin numbers to simple cotton rompers. I went for the latter, and although I didn't plan on him wearing a hat, it came with one. He reminded me of a little baby pilgrim.

  

The sacrament was administered by the deacon. His name is Ron. It was a group baptism, so about nine babies, including Jed, were being baptized, and it took place after mass, at about 3pm. A neat side note: Jed was born the day the new pope, Pope Francis, was chosen (3/13/13), and the day of his baptism was the day that the Catholic Church gained two new saints: Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXIII. Somehow, it made the day even more meaningful.

Here Jed is during one of the blessings. I love the way he looked at the deacon. Every time the deacon came to Jed for a prayer or anointing, Jed would stare right back at him. The deacon commented multiple times about how beautiful Jed's eyes were. Jed's profile here looks like an advertisement for baptism--so cute!

We took Jed up to the fountain to be baptized. His Godmother, Ara Sustaita, is in the green and white dress, and Vern's mother, Carol, came up to stand with us. Vern's dad, Lee, took all of the photos. Our friend, Jose Franco, came as well, and he took some photos and video.

Jed got wet.

Here he is trying to get away from the water.

At the end of the baptism, Jed put his hand to his head and made a funny face. The congregation laughed. He's a funny guy.

It's over!

At the beginning of the baptism, Jed's chest was anointed with the oil of the catechumens. At the end, his head is anointed with Chrism, a holy oil (myrrh). This is the Chrism. It smells really good!

The symbolic lighting of the candle (and then, blowing it out): I love this photo, because Jed is holding the deacon's hand, and because Jed's Godmother, Ara, looks so proud.

Me, being blessed. Vern stood behind me, and then the fathers were blessed as well.

Our newly baptized baby! The church was decorated with dozens of flower arrangements, since Easter was just the week before.

Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Covina, California.

A photo that Jose took of Vern and Jed, after the baptism. They look like they belong in an old Western. I love this picture.

A photo of the family, from left to right: Carol Oldham, Lee Oldham, Vern Oldham, Jed Oldham, Clare Oldham and Aracely Sustaita.

Jed was so good during the whole baptism (an hour of prayers, water-dunkings, and oil-anointings) that I wasn't sure I wanted to push my luck and go out to eat. But Vern said he thought Jed would be fine--and he was! We went to IHOP with everyone, and Jed got some eggs and cheese. Yum!

A photo of Jose, Jed and Vern after our meal.

Jose took this video of the different parts of the ceremony. It's a little difficult to hear everything, because the acoustics in the church echo a lot, and the deacon had a microphone. But it gives you a feeling for the day. Happy Baptism, Jed David Oldham!

Jed's Baptism from Clare Meehan on Vimeo.

Jed's First Birthday!

     This last weekend, on March 15th, we had a party for Jed's first birthday (on the 13th). We decided that since it was so close to St. Patty's Day, we would do an Irish/St. Patty's theme. We mailed invitations to our family, his godmother-to-be, and our friends from Lamaze class.
      The day of his actual birthday, Jed had to go to the pediatrician for his next round of vaccines and a blood test for anemia (which he doesn't have, yay!). It was a hard day. Here is a photo of us at 3:41 pm, exactly one year, to the minute, from when he was born.

      The poor little guy had an awful time, with four shots and a TB test. Then we took him to the lab to get his blood drawn. He cried so much, he was nearly hyperventilating. His face got very red.

      Luckily, it didn't last forever. We took him home, put our sad little birthday boy to bed, and Vern and I commenced work on our gifts for him. I was doing a drawing of him and Vern was making an activity board for him, full of locks and light switches and buzzers. He also attached a music box that plays happy birthday.

   
 Once we were done working on his gifts, we cleaned the house and decorated. Here is a banner I made out of card stock paper, hung from the mantel with twine.

     And then it was party time! Guests were: Jed's grandparents, Lee and Carol; Jed's Aunt Natalie and her kids, his cousins Jack and Lia; Jed's Uncle Brad and Aunt Hai Minh and their kids, his cousins Leezza and Ian; Ara, Jed's godmother-to-be (in April!), and Chris, Liz and Alex, our friends from childbirth class. Unfortunately, Ara is in none of the photos because she was a sweetheart/life-saver and took all of the pictures. (She did mange to take one on her cell phone, thank God, which I have included here.) Lee helped taking pictures, too.
      Here are some photos of the festivities!

Natalie, Jack and Lia

Our one-year-old!

Jed and his godmother, Ara

Birthday head-pat from Lia

Our friends, Chris and Liz, and their son, Alex

Opening presents!

Jed loved my drawing! Here he is trying to kiss it.

Jed loved the board his daddy made him!

      After the gift opening, Jed got to taste something sugary sweet for the first time!  Vern had made Jed's cake the night before--white cake with key lime frosting. It was delicious!

      After the cake, Jed got to play with some of his wonderful gifts. Oddly enough, despite all of the cool things he received, he and his friend, Alex, decided the paper plates were the most interesting. This is baby "play" at its best.

"Wait! What do you have?"

"I want to touch those plates."

"These are the most interesting plates in the world!"

"I'm going to keep them now."

"Not so fast, birthday boy!"

     Ha! After all of the presents, and family, and friends, and cake, Jed conked out. He was so tired. But despite all of the hullabaloo, which can sometimes make a baby quite cranky, he was a little champ--our lucky charm--throughout the day. We can't believe it has been a year! We are so lucky to know our little Jed. Happy Birthday, sweet baby boy!