Catherine & Josh visit!

Three weeks ago my dear friend, Catherine, and her son came to visit us in Oklahoma City. We had so much fun. Catherine's son, Josh, was a blast. Josh played the great older brother. He gave us updates on "Baby Clark". You can tell Catherine and I are both mothers, because we only took pictures of the boys and not of us!

Clark & Tiger 3, 4 & 5 months

Mark and I are taking a picture of Clark each month with his stuffed tiger. Here are the pictures from three, four and five months! He is getting so big!

Clark's successful surgery

Clark had an aborted circumcision when he was a day old. Long story, but that meant a trip to the urologist and a scheduled circumcision revision at 6mo under general anesthesia. He had this surgery on 6/10/11.

Here is Clark pre-surgery, continually happy and charming the nurses left and right...

Here is Clark post-surgery, still happy and completely focused on the mask used to put him to sleep.

Quotes from strangers during his visit:

"I've never seen a baby his age smile so much with the gas mask being held on his face!" -surgery room nurse

"If he stayed any longer in the recovery room there would have been a fight between the nurses for who was going to take him home." -recovery room nurse

"Kids his age usually fight and cry so much more when I am doing their vitals post-surgery." - step down unit nurse

Overall just like his vaccinations so far he took the day like a champion. He did get his first dose of Tylenol in his life after surgery but that is the only pain relief he needed. He spent the majority of that day taking naps, but otherwise he was smiling like always.

Clark thinks sneezes are funny!

Mark and I always joke that once we get Clark to laugh at something we will continue to do it. It doesn't matter what it is. For the past few weeks, Clark has thought that sneezes were funny. I shot this video while Clark sat on my stomach. Hence the sideways view. It is adorable!!

Clark and hiking

We went to visit our good friends the Sipniewskis in Fayetteville this past weekend. We were able to enjoy our first hike with Clark. This summer we are going to Estes Park for a family reunion, so we need some hiking practice with a baby. I love the series of pictures of Clark on the hike.

Clark thanking Dad for agreeing to carry him on the hike. He is a little nervous about mom's balancing skills due to a fall he experienced as a fetus!

Clark is so excited about the hike!
Clark - "Seriously - more trees! This is getting boring!"
Clark - "I am done! Let me catch a quick nap!"

New addition to the Poges...

The Poges are not master landscapers by any stretch of the imagination, but there were some unsightly dying evergreen trees/bushes at the front of our house that needed dealing with. Initially there were 3 and one had already died and our neighbor's nephew (professional contractor) cut it down for us about a year ago. Ellen and I love planting trees so I had to cut down the other 2 to prepare the way for our new tree. It was my first experience with a chainsaw (rented from Home Depot) and I managed to cut down the other 2 without losing any fingers/toes. Special thanks to our neighbor Katy for helping get the chain back on after it fell off at the start of the cutting.

Then Ellen and I had to clear out all of the overgrown weeds and ivy which was no easy task.

Everyone, meet Bernice (named after my grandmother). She is a Little Gem Magnolia. Should provide us with lots of large white flowers all summer long.

Bernice is welcomed to the family by her older sister Delores.

Happy Easter!!

Clark went on his first easter egg hunt yesterday! He collected four eggs with the help of his kind parents!