Weekend Update - Someone Turned 4!

On Friday, I worked from home because Baby had a doctor's appointment.  I'll put that in a separate post, but all went well.  He's growing well, and we're all just preparing for his surgery next month. 

On Saturday, we went to Nephew's 4th birthday party!  I can't believe he's 4 already.  Time flies.  It was a Toy Story birthday, and the kids had a lot of fun.  After the party, we stayed to go into the pool.  We then had dinner and overstayed our welcome.  The kids did well in part to the full moon and the sugar rush.  We all fell promptly when we got home.  Everyone in the house slept until 10:30 on Sunday. 

On Sunday, we took the day slowly (as it happens when you sleep the morning away).  Then, I took the kids to get portraits done with Nephew.  My parents wanted portraits of the kids.  Nephew wore a full suit.  Little Miss got a new dress, and the baby had a little "suit" onesie.  Totally adorable.  After the portraits were done, we went to Outback for dinner and came home. 

Weekend Update - The Fourth of July

We had a lazy Fourth of July.  We had a nice, little family lunch and then head to Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law's pool.  We stayed for dinner and ventured to the roof to watch fireworks.  We met up with a friend who lives in the same building, too. 

On Saturday, we all slept late.  Husband went to play golf and, despite best intentions, the kids and I did absolutely nothing.  We were so exhausted after doing nothing, I took a nap once Husband came home.

On Sunday, I met a friend for brunch and pedicures while Husband made pancakes with Little Miss.  I came home and had a quiet evening after that.  It was a glorious long weekend that went too quickly.

Out of the Mouths of Babes

Yesterday, things were just not going our way.  Husband got increasingly more and more aggravated.  Things were thrown, doors were slammed.  We got into the car while he finished packing the trunk.  I turned to Little Miss to see if she was ok with his display of temper.  She seemed unaffected and then said, "Don't worry, Mommy.  He's not mad at us.  He's only mad at you."

Well, great then.

Weekend Update - Goodbye, June

I went back to work the last full week of June.  It was bittersweet.  I missed the Baby, but Husband stayed home with him, and I know he likes his time with the kids by himself.  I liked getting back into the swing of things and interacting with adults.  This does not mean that I did not appreciate the weekend when it came though.

On Saturday, Husband stayed home with Baby while I brought Little Miss to a birthday party at the ice skating rink.  There was pizza, cake, and what seemed like hours of ice skating.  Little Miss missed skating, and she did a great job.  We all kind of crashed when we got home.  I took a lovely nap with Baby.  I think we both missed our maternity leave naps.

On Sunday, Husband went golfing while I took the kids to my parents' pool and met up with

Sister and Nephew.  My mom met us at the pool and then we went back to the house to see my dad.  Husband met us at the house as well as Sister's boyfriend.  We made some dinner and celebrated Father's Day and Dad's birthday.  It was simple meatball sandwiches and salads, but it was a pretty good day and a great weekend.

My Favorite Picture Today

Week 10

I finally have pictures of Baby smiling!  He's been smiling lately, mostly at his sister.  He thinks everything she does is funny.

This week, he finally caught the ick that we all had.  Poor little guy is congested and that causes him to spit up a bit.  Plus, he's clinger than usual.  He's a trooper though.

He's becoming so strong.  He's been trying to roll over and settles for a lot for scooting and little baby crunches.  He loves to hang out in the Baby Bjorn even though he acts like we torture him when we strap him into it.

He has been eating a little more frequently, but I think the sucking helps soothe him while he's not feeling well.  Or he's growing.  Or both.  So far, he is still sleeping well overnight at least.  

So, no complaints.  He's really just a good little baby, and I'm not just saying that because he loves me so.  We are entering my favorite part of babies, too.  I love it when they start to have personalities and can start doing things or even just using their hands or following you with their eyes.  It's like, at some point, babies just start liking you instead of just needing you which makes things more worthwhile.

Week 9

This week, Baby is very needy.  He's sleeping less and less during the day and really loves to be snuggled.  He does sleep well at night so I can't complain.  He "talks" quite a bit and has some infrequent smiles, not all related to gas.

The surgeon visit went well.  He's progressing.  His surgery is scheduled for August.  His recovery is unknown until he starts to make it, but we are hopeful.

He is absolutely taken with Little Miss.  He loves looking at her.  She loves having a captive audience talking to him and has been so helpful with him.  She can get his food and feed him.  She'll watch him briefly while I'm showering.  She makes sure we all wash our hands or that he always has a clean pacifier.  

He's become so strong.  If he's lying on his back, he can lift his upper body in little baby crunches.  Usually in anger.  He loves his playmat.  He can tire himself out just hanging out under that thing and kick and coo.

Yep, It's Monday Morning

Sometimes, Baby gets all sorts of worked up when he realizes he's hungry.  So, there's no way food settles in his stomach.  Usually, I give him an extra bonus ounce of food because I know some of it is coming back out.  This morning, the boy had perfect aim and missed the burp cloth so I got to clean the couch at dawn.   I thought I was safe an hour later when I placed him in his bed, but he saved it so I got to change the sheets on his bed, too.  At this point, it was time to get ready for work (or about ten minutes past time to get ready for work), and he just looks up at me and starts giggling.  Who can blame him?  I was in a state of undress, glasses askew, carrying a most unpleasant odor and running around like a crazy person.  I'd laugh at me, too.

Weekend Update - A Little Bit of This, A Little Bit of That

Last Friday, after the school party, we went to Target to pick up some birthday presents and Little Miss's reward.  Then, we had a quick lunch and head to Brother-in-Law and Sister-in-Law's house to hang out at the pool.  The babies are so much bigger than the last time we got together.  They amused each other on the play mat.  It was too adorable. The older kids also had fun together as well.  We stayed for dinner and then overstayed our welcome by about an hour.  We all went to bed when we got home.

On Saturday, we all got up early.  Little Miss had a morning birthday party.  Husband brought both kids.  I left around the same time to meet a friend for a birthday brunch.  It was delicious and always fun to catch up.  I came home and took a nap with Baby.  Husband went to hit a few golf balls.  Then, it was a pretty quiet evening after that.

On Sunday, it was fairly lazy.  None of us had plans.  I took Little Miss to the grocery store and then I took nap in lieu of the massive amount of cleaning I had to do.  In the evening, Little Miss went straight to bed after a busy weekend, and we just watched some television while I geared up for returning to work after 8 weeks.  Maternity leave went quickly!

Real Life

I'm back at work. It had to happen eventually. With Baby needing surgery some time this year, I wanted to conserve my allotted time off. I'm better immersing myself with work versus splitting my time. I don't feel that's fair to either my home life or my work life. Husband is at home with the kids for the next couple of weeks. 

I'm sure it's a great time, but Little Miss does know how to feed the ego. Every day, she tells me that she wishes I was staying and that she misses me - which is what she did when Husband stepped out for an hour last night, but that's not the point. Today, Husband emailed me the above photo. Totally cute, and it does make me miss the little munchkins.

Also, excuse Pinkalicious and her inappropriate behavior.  You give that girl one too many Pink Lemonades, and she's lying down with her dress up over her head.

Weekend Update - A Little Bit of Crazy

Last weekend, it was insane.  On Saturday, Husband went out with his friends to play golf and then go watch something - golf or World Cup or both.  The kids were a little crazy, but they pulled it together for the last baseball game of the season.  After the baseball game, the coach and his wife had everyone over for a end-of-season cook out.  There was a moon bounce and tons of food.  The team was full of great kids and parents.  It was enjoyable.  Everyone was so supportive even in a season full of rain cancellations.  The kids were given little medals and baseballs.  We bought team pictures as well.  It was a fun day.  Baby slept through everything.

On Sunday, I met friends in the city for brunch.  It was a lot of fun.  Then, I had to run home to bring Little Miss to her last skating lesson.  After skating, I met a friend for a birthday dinner.  I was definitely ready for some relaxation after that day!  The weather was beautiful though - not too hot or too cold.  So, we ate outside and had a really pleasant evening.

Comparison

We keep saying how much Baby looks like Little Miss.  It's hard not to compare the second child to the first.  Little Miss is closer to 3 months in the photo below where as he's not quite 2 months, but I was looking for pictures in similar poses.  They look more alike when sleeping, but you can still they're still siblings.  Either way, we create pretty darned cute kids if I do say so myself.

Week 8

Week 8 has been fun.  Baby has started kicking.  He makes some faces though they only really tell us what stages of gassy he is.  He makes sounds other than screaming.  Nothing is cuter than his little coos and chatter.  He is quite strong in his legs and with his neck.  He's started grabbing things though mostly accidentally.  He still eats and sleeps approximately the same amount as he has been.  

He still loves to be swaddled, but he is stretching out more and more and becoming more comfortable with his limbs being free.  He's still really good.  No complaints from us!  It's fantastic seeing more and more of his personality come through.  He's very easy-going, very affectionate.  I'd say he's impatient, but all babies are at this age.  All things considered, he's as patient as he can be.  To a point.  Next week will be another visit to the surgeon and the following week is his 2 month well baby visit.  Time is flying!

School's Out for the Summer!

On Friday, it was Little Miss's last day of school. I saw her off on the bus and then we all went to see her end-of-school-year show. Baby was really good. We brought some food, but he chose to sleep through most of the festivities. All of the children were fascinated with the baby and greeted him at the door.

The class all sat down, and the teachers presented individual awards to each student.  Little Miss received the "Daring Diver" award which meant she enthusiastically dove into new experiences and loved to try new things.  She also received a perfect progress report.  She had a few "P" (progressing) marks at the half-way point and received all "M" (mastered) marks at the end of the year. 

After awards were handed out, the class performed some songs and dances.  Then, there was lunch.  Everyone contributed for some sandwiches and snacks.  The kids got all hopped up on sugar.  It was a lot of fun.

As a reward, when we went to Target to pick up a few things, Little Miss was allowed to pick something for her good marks and hard work in school.  She chose a Play-Doh set.  That's proof we are proud of her.  Play-Doh was created by the Devil to ruin every fabric in the world.

Crib Time

Baby doesn't sleep much in the crib though we put him in there when he naps.  For the most part, he likes it.  He especially loves the mobile which Little Miss never noticed.  All these pictures were taken within about a minute.  

He still loves to be swaddled, but he can handle being unswaddled occasionally.  He will sleep more sound if he is swaddled at night and during naps though. 

Our Little Jets Fan

I, personally, like the crying picture.  I think that sums up being a Jets fan.  This was also taken during week 7.

Father's Day

This picture was taken the night before Father's Day.

Week 7

Week 7 was kind of status quo.  Baby did grow out of newborn pajamas, but he can still squeeze into newborn separates.  The 0-3 month clothes are a little big, but at least they fit.  He ate a lot and more often this week, but he was good.

We took a couple of trips to the doctor and to my parents' house and into work to say hello.  He did very well on the Metro and loves walks even if he hates any wind or breeze.  He also hates to be less than 4 billion degrees.  Still, we've been lucky.  He's a good eater and a great sleeper for the most part.  

Men are from Mars, Women are from Venus

While I was pregnant, women were the most likely to hold a door or give me a seat on the train.  Now that Baby is here, I find men are the ones who show the most interest.  They are holding doors, remarking how cute Baby is and asking how old he is.  It's kind of amusing.  Today, a man in the elevator chatted me up about Baby and told me his best friend and his wife had a boy, and he couldn't wait to spoil him.  At elementary school, the boys are the ones to come up and say how cute he is and how little his hands and feet are.  Even on the train, a little boy came up to peek in at the baby.  

Of course, this is far from a scientific poll, but it amuses me. 

The Stanley Cup

Well, if the New York Rangers don't win the Stanley Cup, it won't be for our house's lack of team spirit!

Weekend Update - Hello, June!

Last weekend, we had a busy one. On Friday, Little Miss was sick - again. She woke up throwing up. No fever though. So, Husband stayed home with her while I took Baby to the cardiologist. She recovered by the end of the day though.

On Saturday, Little Miss convinced me she was all better. I took the kids to get portraits taken. They came out ok. I liked a couple of the two of them together and fell in love with one of the pictures of Baby. I didn't buy too many however. After the portraits were taken, we hung out at the mall and then went to my parents' house. My parents watched Baby while Sister, Nephew, Little Miss and I went to the county fair. The kids had a great time riding the carnival rides. We stayed until we were about to melt and then went to my parents' pool. My parents stayed home with the baby while we ordered pizza. We got home quite late, but it was a good day. In the meantime, Husband had a friend and his wife over to watch the Belmont Stakes so I visited once we got home.

On Sunday, it was a lazy day. I think I took like four naps - with and without Baby. Husband ran some errands and hit some golf balls. Then, we took Little Miss to skating. It seemed like a busy day, but it wasn't - probably because we were all recovering from Saturday.

Week 6 - Chunky Monkey

Baby is now over 9 pounds (his original birth weight was 7 pounds 5 ounces).  He went from eating every two hours to every four hours and has started eating every two to three hours again.  The boy can't stop eating.  Seriously.  I am not keeping up with him so we supplement.  Even with supplementing, he has become fussy and wanting to eat constantly.  When I can, I'll feed him and nurse him non-stop, but ain't nobody have time for that.  I mean, seriously.  Maybe if I wasn't going back to work soon, I would cater to his every appetite, but I'm trying to get used to the scheduled pumping and living a life though with mixed results.  

With his appetite increasing again, he is waking up earlier though he will sleep longer if we cuddle, but I don't want him used to that either.  

This week, we visited the nephrologist who practically gave the all clear on his kidneys.  She just needs to see the scans from the ultrasound last week.  We may need to see her after his surgery or after he begins potty training, but we're still looking at a ways down the road.  

Baby has started to really enjoy constant movement.  He does best if he's being rocked or walked or pushed in the stroller or moving in a car.  He did enjoy the baby swing today as well though he catches on to that quickly so it had mixed results throughout the day.

Week 5 - The Week of the Doctors

Week Five was pretty routine.  He started sleeping through the night (if you count waking up at 5:30 sleeping through the night which I sort of do even if I am cranky at 5:30 in the morning).  He's still a good sleeper.  He sleeps best in the evening and morning, but he generally likes to stay awake in the afternoon.

He's really a good baby.  He really only cries when he's hungry (or being dilated or naked - all fairly good reasons except for the naked bit, but I'm sure that's related to the dilation).  

Week Five brought some good news.  We received information from the geneticist saying that all the tests showed that Baby tested negative for any genetic markers related to the skin tag and inperforate anus.  We had an ultrasound on his kidneys.  He was diagnosed with some hydronephrosis and kidney issues are sometimes associated with the skin tag so it was worth following up.  He did not care for the ultrasound at all, but it was quick.  On Friday, the results showed that the kidneys were all showing within normal range.  (Side note:  I locked my keys in the car at the radiologist office.  My dad came and kept me company while we waited for auto assistance.  Baby was really good and luckily slept through most of the wait.  His food was in the car unfortunately, but I used Dad's car to nurse him - good thing I'm walking food and that my parents live less than a mile from the doctor.)

On Friday, we also visited the cardiologist.  At birth, Baby had what appeared to be a hole in his heart.  This is something that could be found in most babies.  Because of the inperforate anus, he was tested from head to toe.  Most tests came back negative such as the brain scan and numerous blood tests.  The assumption was this little hole would close up on his own.  His EKG came back normal, but the echo still showed a small hole which could be a PDA which would possibly resolve itself or a little extra vein leading nowhere.  I forget what that was called.  Either way, the cardiologist wasn't worried.  He asked us to follow up in a year which also proves that this is not urgent.  There's no murmur and he clearly is a strong and healthy boy.

Week Four

As I mentioned after Week Three, Baby was slightly below his birth weight. Well, between Week Three and Week Four, the little guy ate as much as he could, as often as he could and any which way he could. He gained a pound and a half in two weeks. He hit all his milestones, and the doctor was pleased. 

He had quite a good  routine starting.  With a fuller belly, he was becoming quite a good little sleeper.  He still woke up one time in the middle of the night, but I got some solid sleep before and after he woke up.  He pretty much ate in his sleep, too, so the middle of the night feeding went smoothly.  He still likes to be cuddled, and we both enjoy our nap time together.

Weekend Update - Goodbye May!

The week after Memorial Day was a little insane. Little Miss was given the all clear to go back to school right before Memorial Day, but we came home from Maryland with a UTI so she had to go back to the doctor. Then, on Friday, Baby had to go in for his well child visit. So, it was a week full of doctor appointments with no end in sight to additional visits. 

On Saturday, we had baseball in the middle of the day. Little Miss had her best at bat so far. She hit a fantastic straight hit. She was called out at first, but it was only because the throw was faster than her run. 

My parents made it to the baseball game.  After, we were heading to Fairfax for portraits of the kids, but we hit so much traffic, we had to cancel our appointment.  My parents took us out to dinner for our birthdays.  After a long (very long) wait, we had a delicious meal and some conversation.  Little Miss enjoyed the grandparents' attention quite a bit.  

 On Sunday, I got up to get a much-needed manicure (and to use a voucher about to expire). On the way, I dropped off a gallon-size bag of lettuce that we grew. The elementary school has a program to grow lettuce for the school and to feed the local hungry. Our attempt failed miserably (or superbly, I suppose) in the fall, but we grew quite a bit of lettuce in the spring. We trimmed it down and continue to grow lettuce with great success. I got back from my manicure in time for Little Miss to go to her skating lesson where she graduated to the next level.

Movies Watched in May 2014

1. 21 Jump Street
2. Broadway Idiot
3. Red 2
4. White House Down

Still a pathetic time for movies. I recorded 21 Jump Street awhile ago on cable and finally watched it in an effort to clear out the DVR. I watched Broadway Idiot on Netflix. The other two were on cable. None of them required much brain power and all were fairly enjoyable for what they were.

Books Read in May 2014

1. Hope Ignites by Jaci Burton  (NOTE: This is part of her Hope series.  The order of which can be found here.)
2. Edge of the Enforcer by Cherise Sinclair  (NOTE: This is part of her Doms of Dark Haven and Mountain Masters series.  The order of which can be found here.)
3. It Happened One Wedding by Julie James (NOTE: This is part of the FBI/U.S. Attorney series. The related books can be found here.)
4. Catching Cameron by Julie Brannagh (NOTE: This is part of the Love and Football series. The order in which to read the books can be found here in the Novels tab.)

Decent month full of quick reads.  I'm enjoying my romance run.  All of the books were solid with great stories and characters.  June is not looking as promising so far though.

Words

Lately, Little Miss has been doing something and then randomly saying, "viola".  It just seems random.  My mom finally put it together.  She was saying "voila!"  I haven't had the heart to correct her.  It's too cute.

Weekend Update - Memorial Day Weekend

During Memorial Day weekend, Little Miss had fifths disease.  The school made her see a physician even though she wasn't contagious anymore.  We used that forced home time to leave early for the parents' vacation house.  We got there on Friday evening after a leisurely drive out there with my dad.  Sister, Mom and nephew followed shortly after.

On Saturday, we went to Wal-Mart and just kind of hung out.  Then, on Sunday, we played miniature golf.  Little Miss, Nephew and my dad washed the car and then the kids went into the hot tub which was on a low temperature.  We had a little cook out and had a quiet evening.  

On Monday, we all got ready to head back and hit a ton of traffic, but we finally got home!  Husband didn't go with us because he got to see the New York Rangers in the playoffs.  They didn't win, but it's always fun seeing hockey live.

Weekend Update - Back to Routine

We are settling in finally.  Two weekends ago, we had a fairly normal weekend.  We are still getting family visiting and scattered friends, but things are eater thing down.

On Saturday, it was our turn to bring snack to Little Miss's baseball game.  Then, on Sunday, Little Miss, Baby and I went to the Taste of Arlington.  We tasted some good food and played some games.  It was a lot of fun and the weather was beautiful.  Then, we had skating practice.  In between, we had some napping and cleaning.  Husband has done a ton of laundry.  So, fairly normal weekend.

Movies Watched in April 2014

1. The Hangover III

It's been a pretty sad movie year so far. I watched The Hangover III on HBO Go. I actually liked it better than the second (though that second movie was a big old mess). It was fine for a quick movie before bed, but I'm glad I didn't go see it in the theater.

Books Read in April 2014

1. Shadow Spell by Nora Roberts (NOTE: This is part of her Cousins O'Dwyer series. The order of which can be found here.)
2. Taking Shots by Toni Aleo (NOTE: This is part of her Assassins series. The order of which can be found here in the Books tab.)
3. Hope Flames by Jaci Burton (NOTE: This is part of the Hope series. The order of which can be found here.)

Decent month full of quick reads. I didn't know how much I'd be able to read when the baby was born so I tried to pick some quick ones. It turns out, I'm able to read at only a slightly slower pace now that the baby is here. Either way, I'm back on the romance genre bandwagon which is nice. I have a few mainstream fiction books that I want to read, but it takes more brain power than I currently possess so I'm putting them on the back burner.

Cousins

Nephew has been very good with Baby.  He's getting the hang of holding him, but he's very friendly and helpful.  He's taken to Baby much faster than with Little Miss.  Food bonds all kids though.

Here are the two newest cousins side-by-side.  It was Baby's time to eat, and I'm embarrassed to say that he tried to eat his cousin's face.  Luckily, his cousin is pretty chill.  

Here are all 4 cousins on Husband's side of the family.  We are going to take pictures of the three cousins on my side of the family this coming up weekend.  It's so cute that I'm surprised the cameras didn't just break from the high level of adorbs.

Below is Little Miss with her new cousin, and Nephew with his new cousin.  Both have taken to their new roles as big sibling very well.  I'm so proud of them both.

Visitors!

My grandparents were in town last week so they came to visit during the week.  Then, later in the week, we went out to my parents' house to visit them again.  Baby was nice enough to be awake when they visited, and Little Miss really enjoyed the attention.  We saw them three times while they were in town which isn't as much as we'd like, but it was more than we usually see them during their visits just because of location.

Week Three

Baby turned 3 weeks this week.  I dressed him up in some little outfits my mom made.  The caterpillar one is a little big so he'll be wearing that one again.  He actually liked wearing them because the kid loves to be swaddled.

At three weeks, he now eats more and more often.  I'm doing my best to keep up with him.  This will probably be a trend from now on - me trying to keep up!  I'm not a big eater, and we don't have a lot of snack foods so that's probably hindering things as well.  I've been ok with keeping hydrated, but I could be better.  I've improved today so I hope to keep that up.  I just need to be better about eating. 

He loves being snuggled and held.  He loves his pacifier or his fist in his is mouth, much more than Little Miss ever did.  He needs to be swaddled.  He hates to have his food to be delayed.  He hates being naked or having his diaper changed.  Still, he's a good baby and settles down quickly no matter the circumstance which is nice.

Pediatrician visits have gone well.  He's just shy of his birth weight.  His surgeon appointment went ok. We need to backtrack the dilation and go back in a little over a month to talk about surgery perhaps in the Fall.  We just want him to have this all behind him (no pun intended).  Poor little guy has been through a lot!  No doctor appointments next week at least!  

I had my follow-up appointment today.  Everything is as it should be.  I'm one pound higher than my pre-pregnancy weight, and I'm close to being able to wear pants again.  In the meantime, I'm wearing a tight pair of maternity pants and all of my dresses.  I prefer to wear dresses anyway especially now that the weather is more mild.  They're comfy and better flatter and accommodate the post-baby body.  The last time, it took approximately 6 weeks to get back into pants and look somewhat normal again.  We'll see how this time goes.  It doesn't help that it's also close to bathing suit time.  Ugh.

There was measles exposure at the hospital, but there was little risk with any of us.  As of today, because none of us have had any symptoms, we are in the clear!

Weekend Update - Happy Mother's Day!

By the time the weekend rolled around, Baby had been home for 2 days so we were still trying to figure things out.  On Saturday, Little Miss had a 9am baseball game.  So, we did that and then, in the afternoon, my mom, sister, and nephew came over to see Baby.  As they left, friends came to see him. It was nice to show off our good little boy.

On Sunday, Little Miss gave me a classroom "cookbook" in which she and her classmates gave some "facts" about their mothers and how to cook their favorite meals.  Luckily, mine wasn't too embarrassing.  She also made me an apron and gave me a giant balloon and plant which is still alive miraculously.  In the afternoon, we got to go to the hospital because Sister-in-Law had a baby!  So, I officially only have nephews.  He is absolutely precious, and it will be so much fun to see the boys growing up together.  Little Miss is more excited than it looks like below.

Week Two

Week Two has been going well.  It is still a transition of course.  Baby has been sleeping well now that he can be swaddled.  He is a great eater though he gets the hiccups quite a bit.  He screams like he's being skinned alive every time we change his diaper, but other than that, he's quite a happy little baby.  

As with most babies, he sleeps most of the time and screams when he's hungry and then goes right back to sleep.  He's pretty flexible and nurses well, drinks from the bottle or drinks formula.  He's not too picky.  It's like he heard the doctor say she wanted him to put on some weight.

We have a nice week-long reprieve before he goes back to the pediatrician.  Then, we have a few other appointments to the eye doctor, cardiologist and nephrologist along with a follow up with the surgeon.  So, we all appreciate the break to find a routine.  

Tomorrow, Husband goes back to work so I'll have to go it alone during the day.  I've been trying to handle the nights to get into the practice.  This morning, we all accidentally overslept and only miraculously got Little Miss to the bus on time.  I only forgot her library books which is minor in the grand scheme of things.

Little Miss loves her brother.  She only wishes she could do more and that he loved her just as much so soon.  Hopefully, things continue to just get better and better!

9 Days

On Monday last week, we were told there was an outside chance that Baby could come home on Tuesday but there was no reason why he couldn't come on Wednesday.  He ended up coming home on Wednesday, and it has been fantastic having him home.

His first night went ok.  His second night, he wouldn't sleep at all.  We figured it was because he needs to be swaddled so yesterday, we ran out to buy a swaddle sack.  With it, he can sleep for 4 hours on average.  He was difficult to soothe after the second nightly feeding - he usually gets fed before I go to bed and then between 3-4 am and then around the time the rest of the house wakes up.  We will see if there is progress tonight.  

We are all in love with him, and he really is a good baby.  He eats well and only cries when you take his diaper off.  This is partially because of the home dilation and his diaper rash.  We are much more relaxed having him home now though.  

Weekend Update - Still Waiting on a Baby

Baby was still in the NICU.  So, we had a long weekend.  On Saturday, we dropped Little Miss to the In-Laws.  She enjoyed hanging out with them and then went to baseball.  We visited the Baby but made it to the last inning of the game in time to see Little Miss score a hit and a run.

On Sunday, we drove Little Miss to my parents.  My dad did public skating with Little Miss and then they watched her skating lesson.  We caught the last 10 minutes of that.  

Little Miss has been awesome about dealing with us being with the Baby all the time.  If anything, she's just jealous that we get to see him everyday and she does not.  

Baby has been doing well.  Each day, he meets all the goals set.  We were hoping to possibly being him home today, but it is looking like tomorrow so fingers crossed!  He has been a great eater and sleeper, but he hates being unswaddled.  He screams his head off until you swaddle again.  He's also loves to snuggle which is great.  I hope he transitions to home well.

Week One

Baby is one week old today.  He had a rough day,  but he's a trooper.  Today, we spent the most time with him.  He was such a cuddler and was a great eater.  He, so far, surpasses his sister when it comes to nursing and eating.  When he's awake, he is a fantastic eater.  It's just a matter of keeping him awake through it all.  Nothing is as big of an ego boost than having a boy fall asleep at your breast.  Like I wasn't already self-conscious enough about them.

After 9 months of anxiety over having 2 kids, we can't wait to get him home.  We have a good plan to try to balance everything.  If anything, things should get easier once he's home versus traveling to Fairfax everyday to visit the baby and still being here for Little Miss.  It won't be a walk in the park, but it will be a different kind of happy stress versus crazy frazzled stress.  So, it's been a roller coaster of a first week so it can only go up from here!

Baby

Well, we made it!  April 28, 2014, we woke up and walked Little Miss to the bus and drove to the hospital.  We checked in and went through the calm process of a scheduled c-section.  It was completely different from the last time.

The spinal was easier when inserted during a contraction versus this time, but the surgery went well or seemed to on my end.  My blood pressure dropped quite a bit the first time whereas it didn't this time during the operation.  The staff was great offering to take pictures and letting Husband know when to do what.  Baby was born at 12:44pm and was 7 pounds 5 ounces and 20 inches long.  

Moments after birth, Husband went over to take pictures, and I heard whispers involving the words NICU, but they bundled up the baby and brought him over.  Husband explained that his digestive tract was missing an exit.  He may need surgery.  We'd know more later.  In the meantime, we were able to have a moment with him in the OR.  

I went to recovery where my blood pressure was very low, but I recovered much faster than the last time.  It was weird to not have a baby in recovery or in my room though.  We were allowed to visit as much as possible.

Progress seemed slow where the staff was trying to determine if he needed surgery or not.  They tested pretty much everything from head to toe.  He was passing everything with flying colors.  He also had a skin tag or an extra ear lobe on one side of I his head, but it's cosmetic so we weren't worried about that.  

It's a week later.  He has responded well to everything.  They were able to dilate an exit strategy for his poop, and his system responded well.  Poor little guy has to go through that twice a day.  He's had a rough time of this thing called life so far.  In 24 hours, the hospital has done a lot and has really made a big push to get him home which is great.  We are anxious to get our little man home.  Fingers crossed that he can come home sooner rather than later!

Five Days Old

Guess what? Baby is five days old!

Baby!

I owe a longer post on the last week, but there is a baby.  He was born on Monday at 12:44pm.  He was 7 pounds and 5 ounces and 20 inches long.