Bath Time

Conner loves taking baths. He can be super fussy, and you drop him in the tub and he calms down. He has a mesh shelf that sits in his tub so he lays on it and it props him out of the water. Several times he has fallen asleep on the mesh shelf during his bath. He loves it.

He's on a ROLL

Sunday night, after we got home from Michigan, we put Conner to sleep in his crib while we unpacked. I started hearing him on the baby monitor grunting up a storm. I was going to leave him alone until he started crying. After several minutes of grunting, I went to investigate. I found Conner at the very end of the crib on his belly. He had rolled over and his legs and arms were going crazy. He was trying to get back over. The crib sheet was covered in drool. He had rolled over when he was 2 weeks old, but we knew this was a mistake. If a baby rolls over at 2 weeks, it is because of disproportionate body parts. This was the real deal Sunday. On Tuesday, Michelle, Kelsey, Maddie, Jamie E., and I were in his room watching him sleep in his crib. We left the room and went to the kitchen. Madison came in a minute later and said that Conner's face was in the mattress. We went in there to find him face down again. He had done it again, probably as soon as we left the room. He doesn't want us to see him turn his tricks.

Michigan

On the day before Conner's 6 week birthday, we headed out for our first family of 3 vacation. We headed to Muskegon, Michigan for Steve's Cousin Brett's graduation party. It is an 8 hour trip normally, but we did it in 11 hours. We made 3 long stops to let Conner out of the Car seat to stretch and play. He was an awesome traveler. We visited with family for 4 days before heading North to explore some more. We visited Ludington State Park, Traverse City, and Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. The scenery was breath taking and Lake Michigan is always something great to see. After 2 days in Northern Michigan, we headed back to Muskegon for more family visiting. We visited Haufmaster State Park, Muskegon State Park, and Saugatuck. Friday, we headed East to Dearborn, Michigan near Detroit. While there, we decided to travel into Detroit and cross the Windsor tunnel into Canada on Conner's 7 week birthday. What a way to celebrate. Steve said Conner has put a lot of miles under his diaper already. On Saturday, we went to the Henry Ford Museum and then ended our 11 day escapade by traveling home on Sunday. Conner traveled through 4 States, and 2 countries. It was a great trip. We all needed a vacation and a change of scenery for a bit.

In Canada getting ready to head back through the tunnel to the USA.

Ludington State Park. Big Sable Lighthouse

Windsor Tunnel

7 weeks old today

Michigan Family

Something to Laugh About

Conner has been smiling for quite sometime now. He has always laughed and smiled during his dreams, But, Today, on his 6 week birthday, he let out the biggest laugh while watching Steve dance around. Then, he laughed some more, and some more, and some more. Now, he just doesn't stop. It is so adorable. He has also started to pout. The bottom lip comes out and I about want to cry. So pittiful. He is also very strong with his head. He has been getting stronger all the time, but now he holds his head up so well, for a long time and looks around.

Look at me hold my head.

Conner's Trip to Hooter's

Every boy has to experience his first trip to Hooter's. Well, Conner started early. We went for dinner Sunday night with my parents. Before we walked in, I tried to explain to Conner that what you see is not always what it appears to be. I told him that theirs are full of Saline and Mine are full of Milk. There is a difference.

Getting love from our waitress

The Boys at Hooters

First Bath

May 30, 2009 Conner's umbilical cord fell off, so it was time for his first bath. It happened in the sink of the camper. He was such a good boy and didn't cry at all.

First Camping Trip

May 29, 2009- On Conner's 3 week Birthday, we took the camper to Lincoln State Park for his first camping trip. Conner did really well and seemed to enjoy being outdoors. We were visited on Saturday night by Grandma and Granddaddy Payne, Aunt Steph, Aunt Andi, Uncle Tim, and Cousin Sophie. We had a great and relaxing weekend.

Spoiling the grandbabies.
Conner and Granddaddy

Conner and Grandma

Swinging outdoors

Snuggling in the cool night air

Night time stroll by Lake Lincoln

Conner's First Day of Work

Saturday, May 23, 2009 at just 2 weeks old, Steve took Conner with him to estimate a job. He is starting early for Elfreich General Contracting. I heard that he stayed in the house with the home owner and she loved on him while Steve was outside.

How Conner Got His Name

Everyone asks us how we came up with "Conner O'Neal." We started a list of baby names that we liked. Girls and Boys. Then every so often, we would go over them together. If one of us liked a name but the other didn't, it got thrown out. If one of us wasn't sure, it stayed on the list. Conner was a name I found when surfing the baby name website. I kept going back to it. I told Steve the name one day and he said, he liked it. It was really the only boy name we really agreed on. The day we found out we were having a boy, Steve started talking to my belly calling him Conner. It just kinda stuck. For months, we knew him as Conner. There was no changing it, now. He was Conner. The name O'Neal is a family name on the Elfreich side. Steve's middle name is O'Neal and his grandpa Elfreich's first name was O'Neal. So, that is how he became Conner O'Neal Elfreich.

Stephen O'Neal and Conner O'Neal Elfreich

Meeting Great Grandmother

May 24, 2009 We went to Rockport for Mass at St. Bernard's with Grandma and Grandaddy Payne. Then we went to my Grandmother's house for Breakfast. This was the first time Conner got to meet his great grandmother. Tim, Steph, Sophie, Aunt Carolyn, and Uncle Steve were also there.

Sophie looking at Baby Conner probably wondering why he is always sleeping.

Four Generations. Don Payne,Margaret Payne, Conner Elfreich, and Tammy Elfreich

Grandmother with two of her Great Grandchildren. Sophie and Conner. Grandmother has 21 living grandchildren and one deceased. She also has 12 great-grandchildren and one more on the way.

2 Week Check-up

Friday, May 22 was Conner's 2 week Check-up. He is doing really well. He has weighed 10lbs. 9 oz.. There is no question he is growing and eating well. He is also 22 and a half inches long. So, he has gotten even longer. He peed all over Dr. Voyle's exam table while we changed his diaper. He marks his territory wherever we go.

N.I.C.U.

May 15, 2009 After being home for only 3 nights, Conner had to return to the Hospital and was put in the NICU. He started vomiting on Friday afternoon and then his breathing got really scary by that evening. He would stop breathing. He just wasn't coming around like he had early in the week. He was very drowsy and didn't want to eat anymore. So, we went to the ER at 10:30pm Friday and came home on Monday. He was very dehydrated and having trouble keeping his oxygen levels up. They were getting very low at times and we were very scared. They said it was all Jaundice related and probably shouldn't have been sent home from the hospital the first time with such high billirubin levels. He spent time in the wonderful St. Mary's NICU and was as good as new when he went home. Jaundice free. What a different baby he became. He was so much more alert. He gave us such a scare on his 7 day birthday.

He had to wear those special glasses to prevent the photo lights from damaging his eyes. He couldn't see out of them. So, if he opened his eyes, it was like being blind. This was very hard for me to handle. I hated it for him. It also killed me that I couldn't hold and comfort my 7 day old who was scared and sick.

This is his isolet they had him in with the photo therapy lights to reduce the Billirubin levels.

Meeting his Family

Conner is very loved by his family. There was much anticipation for his arrival other than that of Steve and Tammy. When we called our parents and siblings Friday to tell them that the baby was here, everyone was excited. They headed to the hospital to meet the little man even though it was late. By the time Conner got his hearing test and his first bath, it was 9:30 P.M. before we got him back to the room and he got to meet everyone.Steve went to the nursery to get him and wheeled him to our room. Everyone gathered around as soon as he came in. Steve introduced him as Conner O'Neal Elfreich. This was also a surprise. We hadn't told anyone his name yet.

Sophie meeting Conner. She loves him and calls him "Baby Conner."

Granddaddy Payne

Grandma Payne

Grandma Elfreich

Grandpa Elfreich

Uncle Tim

Uncle Andy

Aunt Steph

Aunt Andi