Milestones

Sometimes I find myself starting the sentence, "I can't wait for when Luke is able to...". Well because of that I now have a baby rolling on to his belly aaaaaaaaaaaaand teething. What? No. I can wait! Geoff recalled tonight that it was just a minute ago when he was rubbing my back in the tub during my labor while we anxiously awaited seeing our son for the first time. Now he's sprouting teeth? Our baby is becoming a boy. A little big boy :(

look he even taught himself to dig his heels in, lift his butt up, and drop down to the bottom of his swing

Luke no longer enjoys viewing the world from his back. He fusses, twists,  and rocks his way over to his belly and flips his head up quickly with a smirk as if to say, 'TA DA!!". We can tell he's very proud of himself. He's happy to lay there on his belly for quite awhile just babbling, grabbing, drooling, and pounding his hands on the floor. Since this milestone, we found that he is happier on the floor for longer stretches of time, which of course comes in handy when Dad and I want to... eat, flip the laundry, change our clothes, or say hi to our pets. You know... stuff we did before we had a baby.

rolling comes with side sleeping. neat!

Just as soon as he discovered this new found ability, he rushed right on to chewing his hands, chewing the blankets, chewing our hands, drooling, drooling, drooling, and the cutest thing ever... gumming (I will post a clip of this in his upcoming 4 month video). The guy started teething in a hurry it seems. You may have noticed in some of Luke's pictures that he is wearing a rather sassy neckless. Although he actually does look incredibly adorable in it, the neckless is actually 100% baltic amber which is used medicinally in lots of different cultures for it's healing properties due most in part by the high concentrations of succinic acid this variety of amber contains. Very granola of me, I know (I still shave). It's a natural pain reliever as well as an anti-inflammatory. Sure, why not. Well I wanted to get the darker color neckless but supposedly the lighter the color the more potent it is?? I dunno.

chew chew chew

As far as the rest of the week goes, Luke and I have been walking to the clinic from our house every day, actually ever since I started work back up. I'm that lady with the backpacking pack on my back and the baby on the front. Rain or shine! (As long as it's still warm out). I figure if we were to wait for the sun to come back out, we would never walk. That being said, we walked in a downpour this week haha. 

S.E. Alaska tough.

Luckily we are getting our heat wave back and today Geoff, Luke, Ruger, Max, and myself hiked the newest extension of Carlanna Lake. Needless to say we are all conked. Here's to an entire week ahead of us full of sun and heat!

See ya next week!

-The Hageman's

Spillin' the Beans

So I just have to come out and say this to everyone and anyone who still reads this. I have to confess that I, Shalie Ann Hageman, have been DEPRESSED (postpartum) and going through some vicious BABY BLUES responsible for some vicious STRESS and ANXIETY making me the least enjoyable person to be around. Period. And I have to apologize to family, friends, strange passers-by... that I am sorry. I'm sorry if I made you feel neglected or unloved. In short... I do love you and you are important to me... except you strange passers-by, I don't know you.  That being said though, I currently feel fabulous... (Melanie: insert weird llama video here...)  :) I am crediting that to being back at work actually. Weird huh. Most people dream of being at home with their beautiful minis, every day, every second, literally every waking moment, and that doesn't exclude me, but man does it help to put your mind to work, busy, mind absorbing work, just to escape. I know! That sounds wrong! Work is not my escape but... it helps! Please let me be clear here though, I seriously never ever intend to "escape" from Luke, ever. If anything, time with Luke has been my mini escape from all things negative. He is the greatest, most incredible, happy and positive creation to ever roa... lay and squirm on this earth. I think it's more so the stress of being at the house all day with chores staring me down, or stressing about school work, or timing my shower with one of Lukes naps. It's without a doubt hoorrmmoonness,  but also....eh hem, getting the eff out of my maternity wardrobe someday. Oh and hair loss?! What the hell man! Postpartum is kicking my ass. As a matter of fact this whole pregnancy/postpartum stuff wasn't smooth sailing at all. But well worth it. Let me show you...

Relaxing homework time at the park before shift

Helping Momma work

Look at my little happy spud.

Family hike/fire and dogs. Sorry Luke lol.

Daddy feeding Luke dinner while Momma works

Now I won't guarantee that all my days will be happy or stress-free. I can't guarantee that there won't be those days where I choose being at home on the couch over being on the beach with a campfire and friends. There will without a doubt be bumps in the road, but today, I was happy, and that's what counts. 

P.S. Geoffrey, I love you. 

-The Hageman's

Back to Work :(

My time is up. As of Saturday morning I have returned to THE FORCE!, as my best friend and I have been calling it. I really missed my work family and it's actually a really great feeling to be back. Although being away from Luke is no fun at all, I have been fortunate enough to score a fantastic part time schedule to where Daddy is his caretaker while I'm gone. How cool is that! My boss has even been gracious enough to allow Luke to hang out at the clinic during times when Geoff works late or pulls a fire shift. Our clinic is a house full of Mother's eager to hold and entertain Lukey so I really couldn't be happier with this whole returning to work thing. We really lucked out. Thank you John and Lani!!

Being away from Luke for a few hours each day does crumble my heart to pieces though :( So far he has had no clinic stays. He had a fun few hours at Grandma, Grandpa, Auntie M, and Uncle Jes' house (whew, mouth full) and a few days with Daddy.  Poor family has had to deal with my never ending 'just checkin in' texts (how are you guys doing? is he in a good mood? has he cried? did you feed him? has he slept yet? did he poop yet? don't forget tummy time. don't forget to burp him. don't forget to read him a book). I'm so sorry you guys. Good news is everyone is of course doing a fantastic job and baby is still kickin'! :D 

Uncle Jes' story time

I don't have too much to say this week on our family home front BUT we do have some exciting news about someone elses! Geoff's life long best friend, Jimmy, and his wife Angel welcomed their first child on July 8th at 3:47am. Mr. Jonah James Meek weighed in at 8lbs 14oz, and 21.1 inches long. Jimmy and Geoff have been best friends since they were in first grade and I like to imagine that one day our boys will become pretty dang close too. Congratulations you two, we all can't wait to meet your little man.

Jonah James Meek!!

Here are just a few random pics from this past week. Just soaking up the sun, sleeping, soaking up the sun and sleeping some more. Aww summer and maternity leave.

The falls of Lunch Creek Loop

Lunch Creek/Settler's Cove

Sleepy bug

Sunblock kid!

Third night swaddle-free free FREE!

-The Hageman's

3 Month Old Luke (VIDEO)

Absolutely wonderful visit with the Hageman/Holstad family this past week. I think we are all beat.  So beat that I am postingt Luke's 3 Month video (happy "month-day" baby!) 2ish days late. zzz-zzz-zzz.

Totems-Hageman's-Trolling(Snagging)

Sunday's a bad time isn't it? Let's try Monday for awhile. This Sunday business is exhausting. Summer has arrived and in full swing and weekends just aren't a good time for this blogging gig.

We've been soaking up some 70 degree bliss! I talk about the weather a lot. I KNOW. But the topic is a hit here I will have you know. I know I have only been living back here again for 3-ish years but I cannot remember the last time I experienced thunder and lightening here, yet we have had it a whole entire handful of times this month! Jesse even played a championship game through a thunder and lightening storm this week. It was stinkin 72 degrees (I checked) one moment and then pelting down quarter sized drops of rain and lightening bolts the next. It was a huge bummer since everyone wore shorts and flip flops, and as you know, Ketchikan doesn't have such luxuries as grass ballfields, we have dirt... and mud. The game went on. The days still manage to be "Ketchikany" in that they start off, 'oh for crying ou... ffffuu.. guess I'm closing the blinds for the day and eating like it's the end of days' to '*gasp!* shorts on!.... no sweatpants back on... shorts on! sweeeaa...SHORTS SUNBLOCK BABY RUN OUT THE DOOR NOW!'. Living on the edge is stressful man. But we got a few moments in there...

Totem Bight Historical State Park

regretting wearing jeans

regretting bringing Ruger... I'll explain later.

Is it just us or is this deceiving? I think Ruger obeyed the rules. 

Ken and Kari are here!

Magnificent Hageman -Magician. He is available for all clam bakes, ship scuttlings, square dances, and ash tray emptyings.

Permission to come aboard Captain Stubing!

bedtime stories

See ya after 4th of July sometime!

-Hageman's