H-H-Here We Go Again

The beginning of December I started feeling kind of icky and extremely tired. I thought it might be the onset of the flu, but decided to buy a pregnancy test...just in case. I had this little feeling that this ickiness and exhaustion were strangely familiar. Although, for months I've been joking that I'm going to start a show as a spin off of the "I didn't know I was pregnant" show and call mine "I think I'm pregnant but I'm not". I would have gas and it would be the baby kicking; or one of the many other multitudes of symptoms that can occur during pregnancy. So when I took the test I was almost positive that it would be negative. It wasn't. At all. That second little line popped right up in the window. Michael was downstairs preparing his breakfast before going to work. I told him I took the test and showed it to him. I think we were both in such disbelief we didn't know how to act. Once it settled in that this is real, we were happy and excited...and a little scared. Oh no, what did we do? Two kids under two? But we wanted our kids close in age and it really only happened a few months before we thought it would.

Since I haven't had a period since February 2009 (pregnancy and breastfeeding), I had no clue how far along I was. I was excited to go to the doctor and find out. And to make certain I was actually pregnant. It's funny that the 3 home pregnancy tests I took would not confirm it for me. Or the fact that the nurse said that if the test was positive, then I really was pregnant. It wasn't until the ultrasound and hearing the tiny little heartbeat (at 7 weeks! if you can believe that) that it all became so real. I am now 10 weeks along and the due date is July 27, 2011. I've kept the news to family and some friends until this point. I was going to wait until after the first trimester and I knew things were safe, but it's really hard to wait that long. So here I go! Now you all know my business. :)

It has been a really rough month of exhaustion and morning sickness. It is like the first one, and so I'm thinking it's another boy. Which I think would be so great for Nate to have a little brother to play with. But I think it would be so great to have a little girl too. So, either way will be exciting. Michael keeps asking if we're still going to have 3 kids. I told him that he can't ask me during the first trimester. Wait until I'm feeling better and then ask, because right now I would have stopped at one.

I'm really excited to go through this journey. It's not new like the first time, but this time I know what to expect, so I can just relax and enjoy and marvel in the miracle that is a baby.

Playdate & Story Time

The last couple of days have been busy for us. Yesterday, Nate had is first playdate at the Herter's. I think we've have been trying to get the kids together since mid-summer and something always comes up. But yesterday we were able to go over to their house for a couple of hours to play. Nate had a really good time with all the new toys and "playing" with the kids. At this stage they still play next to each other instead of with each other, but that's okay. I think they did actually play together once when Aubbie was in the car and Joshua and Nate were helping push her along, or chase after her! It was my first time really getting to play with Aubbie or Josh, as I've only seen them at church. Aubbie took a liking to me right away, which I loved. She sat in my lap and held my hand while we watched Little Mermaid. Both the kids are adorable and I'm glad Nate got some interaction time with some kids. We will definitely be having more playdates!

Today Nate had his first visit to the library. We went for 1's & 2's story time this morning. It was really cute. The lady sang songs and read a couple of books. At different times the kids got to play with shakers and scarfs and even a box of snow (cotton balls). Nate did really well, but I figured he would. He sat on his mat and listened to the stories. He was too shy to go up and get a shaker or a scarf out of the box so I had to go get them, but when the snowballs started flying he got up and started dancing and then went and grabbed a bunch.

I forgot my camera yesterday and today. Such a bummer since I love to take pictures of this stuff. Next time, next time for sure!

Getting a Reaction

Recently Nate has started paying attention to how we react to things. It is fun to watch his watch us to see how we might react to something. It all started a couple of weeks ago when he was walking away and I told him to "get over here". He thought it was funny when I had to chase him down and now playing chase is his favorite game. Especially at bath time when he's naked and running down the hallway. But it's also created other games. He has a basket of little plastic balls in his playroom. I am constantly cleaning them up. One day I just finished putting them all back in the basket when he came over and dumped them out. I said in a high dramatic voice, "oh no, not my basket!" The next day we were playing and he went over to the basket. Instead of dumping it right away, he put one hand on it and then turned back to me, waiting for my response. As soon as he saw that I was looking at him, he got a huge smile on his face and dumped the basket out, which I of course had to reply as if I really was upset, both of laughing the whole time. Even the simplest of things turn into games. This morning I was cuddling on the floor under a blanket and he came over to me and took it off. I of course, said, "Cold, brrr" which he thought was funny and thus this pattern continued for the next several minutes.

Although this also makes it difficult to discipline. We are trying to get him away from the blinds in the kitchen as he has already destroyed several, but when we go over there and tell him no and take him away from the door, he thinks it's a game and laughs and runs back over to the door, pushing on the blinds. This is also a problem when he bites. I tell him "no bite" in a very serious tone, but he thinks it's funny and will continue to try and bite me. Not so funny for mommy.

He cracks me up, the way he looks at me now, waiting for my reaction to things and then responding to it or anticipating it. I'm amazed at how smart babies, eh hem, toddlers are, and how much they absorb and remember.

1 Year Check-Up

I took Nate to the doctor on Thursday for his one-year check up. Everything is good and right on track. He looks happy and healthy. He weighs 25lbs 2oz (80th%) and is 31 3/4 in. long (90th%). So he's still tall but starting to lean out. He still feels like he weighs a ton though!

He's walking like crazy and getting into everything! He has been able to get into the cupboards in the kitchen for awhile now, but has never been able to get into the drawers (no handles). He has finally figured it out and now nothing is safe! And it seems as though if something is off limits he wants it that much more.

But he's definitely a happy baby. As I write this he's walking around the room, laughing...at nothing. He's my special child.

He's still not waving bye-bye but the doctor seems to think he can and is just stubborn, since he copies other things. And he finally started clapping. We never thought that was going to happen. He's adding more words to his vocabulary, now he says 'good'.

And just starting yesterday, he is refusing to eat anything but mashed potatoes. He refuses his toddler raviolis. I even made him mashed sweet potatoes and he wouldn't eat them! I keep trying different foods, old ones that he's always loved and new ones, but he refuses to eat them. But just like the graham cracker diet, I'm sure it will end in a few days and he'll be eating normal again. Until then, he just won't be sleeping that well. Great.

Thanksgiving

We look forward to Thanksgiving each year, especially Michael, as it's his favorite holiday. I can't say this year was a complete bust, but it didn't start or end very well. We were getting ready to head down to Bedford for dinner when I noticed Sammy still had not come to the back door to come inside. I knew it would be bad because it was raining and there's no way she's going to stay outside longer than she has to...unless there is something of interest. And there was. One Mr. Bunny Rabbit. By the time Michael got to her she had made her way under the shed, so she was covered in mud. If there is a positive note in this, the bunny got out on the other side safely so there's actually two positives: 1, no bunny carcass to clean up and 2, Sammy came back out from under the shed willingly. But then it was straight to the tub to clean her up and then Drano the tub due to the hair and mud mixture. And then finally clean ourselves up and get out the door. Dinner at Michael's parents was good and his sister and her family came over later to visit. So the middle part of the day was good. However, we had to leave sooner than we had hoped because Nate was getting so tired and cranky he was terrible. It was hard for him to get a nap in there because of the noise and excitement, so he wasn't going to last if we stayed any longer.

So even though the day didn't go exactly as planned, as I reflect now on it (and even though I did not feel this way Thursday), I think I may not necessarily be happy that Sammy was a mess or Nate was a terror, but it means I have a precious son and naughty, but adorable dog, both part of my amazing family. And for all the downs that might happen throughout the days, weeks, or months, it just reminds me to focus on the important and the good. I am so thankful that I have people in my life that I love and that love me too.

Nate is One

So the day I've been dreading and looking forward to is finally here, Nate is one year old! While I'm so excited for this next part in his life and all the new things this means, he is now officially a toddler and I am sad that he is no longer a baby. Although I think he will always be my baby.

He's walking now. He usually doesn't get too far before falling down, but he's always so proud either way. It seemed to happen just like that. He was taking a couple of steps at a time and then one day he just got the hang of it. He loves to walk and will get up after falling down several times just to keep practicing. Although if he wants to get somewhere quickly, he will crawl (like to Daddy when he comes home from work or to the dog food bowl because he still thinks he can beat me there).

He's also completely on cow's milk now too. Yes, I'm finally done with the pumping!! I cannot express how exciting this is for me. I officially stopped last Friday, and was down to only pumping once a day, but it felt so good to pack up the pump and put it in the closet. He won't take his milk right out of the fridge, but I am working on heating it less and less so now it's not even lukewarm but more of a room temperature. My plan is to slowly decrease it until he will take it straight out of the fridge.

He can also drink sitting up! This is a big accomplishment for him. I've been trying to teach him for awhile now, but every time he wouldn't know to raise the bottle up so he wouldn't get any milk. He would become frustrated and throw the bottle across the room. He can also drink out of a sippy cup, but only the soft spout type. Which is also an accomplishment because for the longest time he thought sippy cups were chew toys and would just chew on the end. So now we have to work on drinking out of a regular sippy cup.

I think those are the only big changes from last month.

How am I doing with him turning one you ask? I'm okay. If I think about it too much I will get sad. And I've been looking through all his old pictures lately. It doesn't help that I have baby fever again either. But I always try to remind myself that every stage is exciting and that I'm going to enjoy it all, and hopefully stop here and there long enough to really take it all in. Because I know that life goes by quickly and I don't want to take these moments for granted.

Nate's 1st Birthday Party

We celebrated Nate's first birthday on Saturday!

Lucas and Naurissa helping Nate open his presents

Landon "helping" Nate play (aka take away)with his new toys

Nate's Moose and Zee cake

enjoying his birthday cake

so messy!!

Nasal Infection

It's like a sinus infection. That's what the pediatrician told me. It would probably go away on its own, in time, but then we run the risk of ear infections and all that jazz, so now Nate is on amoxicillin for 10 days. I brought him in to the doctor yesterday morning because he's had a persistent cough and runny nose for over 2 weeks. I wanted to make sure it was just a cold and nothing more. I'm glad I did. The doctor also said a typical cold should only last 10 days and so now I know in the future about how long before bringing him in. He had a good day yesterday but he's back to fussiness today. I think he misses Daddy.

Fussy

He's napping so I'm going to take a few moments to sit back and breathe. He has wore me out today! The morning started very well. He woke up happy and when I brought him downstairs he was as happy as can be. It was short lived. The majority of the morning was spent whining. I know he's not feeling good. He has had a runny nose for quite some time and developed a nasty cough last week. So I think that may be part of it. But a small part. I think he is just being whiny. I've decided he has become too spoiled and has developed a very bad attitude. He will throw a nice fit when he can't have or do something he wants. It is now very hard to take him out anywhere because of this. I think it is in part because he is learning to walk and does not want to be stuck in a cart or stroller. But it is my fault too. I have spoiled him and given in to him and he knows it. So now my patience and sanity are going to be tried to the fullest as I attempt to retrain him. It won't be easy, because as I am quickly finding out, he can whine and whine and whine. You would think he would get tired of it, but nope. The hardest part is not giving in, which I'm not the best at, but I know I need to.

Weekend Retreat

This past weekend Michael and I went to Operation Restoration, a couples retreat for veteran's and their significant others. It was nice to get together with other couples that are dealing with transition and post-deployment issues. There were so many small details that made the weekend so special and memorable, but I won't list them all, I'll just say the VA did an excellent job. It was also nice just to get away. Even though it was just in Henryville, it felt like we were on vacation. It was our first overnight away from Nate (let alone 2 nights!) and even though it was hard for me to leave him, I realized how much I needed that break.

11 Months

Okay, so I'm behind. Nate turned 11 months October 23rd, and today is November 2nd. Better late than never, right? Not a whole lot had changed since the last month, but in the last week , there have been a few changes, so maybe there's a reason I didn't get a chance to update until now.

Nate is officially done eating baby food. After several time of having the stuff splattering across the floor because he pushed it out of my hands, I figured he does not want it! So after his refusal to eat baby food, also came his refusal to eat anything but graham crackers and milk. This was literally his diet for three days. But eventually he decided to start eating food, real people food! Although he is still refusing my scrambled eggs. So now he can eat dinner with us if it's something he can have, otherwise I bought little toddler meals. He loves them! He also loves mashed potatoes and I bet he would eat them everyday if I made them. But his favorite is still the graham crackers. After he's done eating his meal I'll give him some and he gets so excited when he sees it.

I'm also working on the sippy cup/drinking while sitting thing. He does not drink from the bottle while sitting. I try to show him that he has to tip the bottle up and his head back, but he just gets frustrated, screams, and throws the bottle. I've also been trying the sippy cup but he thinks the end is just for chewing on.

After 11 months of not sleeping through the night, I've decided enough is enough. No more night time feedings. I know this is my fault for letting it go on as long as it has. I just started and it's going okay. I've decided nothing before 5am. The other night he slept through the night and didn't request the bottle until 5am. Last night he started around 3am, and I think it's just going to be a hard habit to break. So he whimpered and cried on and off until 5am, I think he must have fallen asleep in between with periods of silence. But he made it until 5am without a screaming fit, so maybe he's learning.

It's fun to watch him learn and play. He puts the ball in the hole, plays peek-a-boo with his blankie (which is become his security and will instantly stop his crying), and walks around with his walker which he thinks is the coolest thing ever. He took his first steps and takes a step each day but one step is max. His favorite song is Twinkle Twinkle and his face just lights up when you start singing it. He is also getting quite the attitude and really lets it show when he can't have something (like the remote that he always wants), diaper changes, or getting dressed. But I'll take it because all I need to see is that baby toothy grin each day and it's all worth it.

Beyond Gross

I've dealt with some pretty nasty diapers since Nate was born. He's had some of the worst blow outs I have ever seen and in some of the most inconvenient places ever. Dare I say I've seen the worst? Would that just set me up for something even more horrible than his latest the last couple of days? Maybe. So I'm hoping this is the worst I will ever see. Ever. Now, if you have a weak stomach or hearing/talking about poopies is not for you, then stop reading. For the rest of you, be prepared, although hearing it is nothing compared to living through it.

Incident #1

I was down at Jaime's watching the boys. Lucas was still at school and Landon was taking a nap. So in order to keep the noise down, we went in Jaime's room to play. I smelled the stink and checked is diaper. Sure enough, some poo. So I laid him down and began changing his diaper. That's when it happened. Poo started shooting out like water out of a fire hydrant, all over the carpet and my pants. I tried to contain it (as it kept coming) so I cupped my hands down there so more wouldn't end up on the carpet. So there I was, poop everywhere, unable to touch anything because my hands were full too. And if you know Nate, you know where his little hands like to go during diaper changes. Somehow I got it all cleaned up without him playing in it. Gross. Beyond gross. Gag me gross.

Incident #2

Yesterday Nate was standing up by the fireplace playing with his books. I was sitting on the couch watching him play when I saw the eruption. It is the only way to describe it. I want you to picture lava erupting out of a volcano. Although this was not lava coming out of the back of his pants. And it just kept coming out, over the top of his pants and back down, pooling around his feet on the floor. At least my hands were not "full" this time. I picked him and put him in the kitchen, where anymore poo on the floor would wash up easier. Gross. So gross I want to puke. Gross.

Aren't you glad you read that? Now just be glad it wasn't you cleaning it up! I think his system is cleaning itself out. When I got sick last week I had to put him on formula for four days. I continued another few days, while I built my milk supply back up. He has been so cranky and needy and I believe the formula was just not settling right with him. I think it probably was giving him an upset belly or something because when I say cranky and needy, I mean cranky and needy. He has his moments when he's hungry or tired, but he's always been very good at playing with his toys. He wouldn't even play. I had to hold him and sometimes even that wasn't enough. But now that he's back on breast milk he is doing much better. I thought it might be because Lucas is here visiting and he adores Lucas, but even when Lucas was napping yesterday he played just fine. Stupid formula.

Separation Anxiety and Screaming

It's not enough that Michael is gone, and I'm already left to do it all by myself for two weeks. Or getting the flu I guess wasn't enough either, because Nate decides this week to give mommy some more. He has always been a mama's boy, needing me very much. He recently has had a problem with me leaving (like when he was at daycare) but that was about it. He has never had a problem in the church nursery or anywhere else. That changed today. He didn't want me to leave and started to cry the second I set him down. I didn't get paged out of service (because they are wonderful in there) but he was fussy and needy the entire time. He never has a problem there, able to play with all of his friends and all the new toys. So I guess this is the start of his separation anxiety. When I was sick on Monday, it was the longest he has gone without me and maybe it just really freaked him out. Combined with the fact that Daddy hasn't been home in over a week and that he is a baby that needs structure and routine, and he's all out of whack. So I'm hoping that this is temporary and that soon he will be able to go back to playing without me. Fingers crossed.

The separation anxiety is nothing compared the night we had on Friday. If I knew the day was going to be a preview for the night to come, I would have ran far, far away. Nate fought going down for both his morning and afternoon nap. It was a struggle, and after crying for longer than he actually slept, I started questioning if he still needs a morning nap, or a nap at all. But I know he does. Even if it's a short morning nap, he gets very cranky without it. So without a lot of sleep during the day, he was cranky the rest of the afternoon and evening. He went to bed just fine and I started thinking I had lucked out. Until 1am. Then the fun began. He started crying. Usually I can just go and plug him back up with his pacifier. This did not work. He was then angry that I left the room and started screaming and jumping on his bed. And when I say screaming, I mean screaming. It was the worst I've ever heard him scream. For the next 2 1/2 hours I tried everything; medicine (if his teeth were hurting), a bottle (in case he's hungry), the fan (maybe he's hot), no fan (maybe he's cold now), music, and holding him until he would settle down just to cry again when I put him back down. Nothing was working. So he stood in his bed jumping up and down screaming while I lied in my bed crying. He would stop screaming, start whimpering, and then there would be silence. I thought he had gone to sleep, but it would only last around 5 minutes and then the cycle would start all over again. At 3am I had had enough. I took him out of his crib and rocked him until he finally fell asleep at 3:30am.

Maybe I should have just left him from the beginning, but that always seems to be easier said than done. It's hard to listen to him cry if I haven't tried something first. I can't just lay there with him screaming if he really is in pain or hungry. I guess this time it was none of those things and he just wanted mommy and decided to throw a tantrum until he got what he wanted. Well, the episode left us both tired and cranky the next day. And since he was tired he decided to whine and cry almost all morning and into the afternoon. It's absolutely exhausting. Thank goodness he slept last night (he woke up a few times but went back to sleep after being plugged or fed) and slept in this morning. So hopefully those black circles and bags under my eyes will start to disappear....one day.

The Flu

The Flu has reared it's ugly head in the house and directly on me. And while I rather have it be me that gets it then Nate, it would have been nice if it didn't show up at all. Monday morning around 3am I woke up with intense abdominal pain and vomiting. I writhed around in pain until 6am, which I thought would be a safe time to text Jaime, letting her know and asking her if it could be my appendix. The pain was in the center, not off to the side, so I didn't think it really was, but the pain was horrible! Combined with the vomiting, I just wasn't sure; and then being alone made it a little scarier. She called me and said she was coming up, but that she wanted me to call the nurse. So I called the ER nurse and she said I should come in right away, not to wait for Jaime to come up (which would be at least another hour). So Jaime called my friend Wanda and she came over with her daughter Corry. Corry stayed at the house with Nate while Wanda drove me to the ER. On the way there I thought I was going to pass out. The pain was horrible and I thought I was going to throw up everywhere. We finally got admitted, and when I say finally I mean after the lady admitting me finally got around to after talking about some party and other miscellaneous details with her fellow coworkers. They started an IV and got some anti-nausea meds and pain meds running and I felt better quickly. They did a CT scan just to reveal--nothing! Well, not exactly nothing, but definitely not my appendix needing to be removed. I had the early onset of the flu. That's all folks. The pain I was experiencing was caused by a large amount of fluid in my intestines that, as the doctor said, I should be expelling soon. Yay. Part of me feels so stupid for going to the ER for the flu, but I'm telling you, the pain was BAD! And Jaime told me later that the nurse said I was pretty dehydrated so I probably would have ended up back there anyway. It was also good because I learned that I can't be giving Nate any of my milk, so he has to drink formula for four days. So I was released back to misery. As soon as they took the IV out, the pain and nausea returned and I was miserable. I spent the entire day in bed, in and out of consciousness. Wanda and Corry stayed here all day, taking care of Nate and me and I don't know what I would have done if they didn't. There is no way I could have taken care of him. I woke up Tuesday still feeling a bit icky and weak, but okay enough to get through the day. Luckily Nate was content on playing on the floor in the living room most of the day (I think he missed me). I've been napping when he naps and slowly getting back to solid foods. Getting over the flu is much harder when there's more than just me to take care of, and like I told Michael, he is not allowed to go away to school anymore!

Ethnic Expo and Duck Race

I've lived in Columbus for a few years and have never been to either. I always hear about them every year and this year decided I was going to go. Michael is in Wisconsin, finishing up another phase of BCNOC (leadership course for the military) and Jeremy had drill at Ft. Knox this past weekend, so it was just Jaime and I with all the kids.

Our first stop was the duck race at Mill Race Park. We didn't actually buy a duck (they're rubber duckies that are "released" via helicopter into the pond there. It raises money and the top prize was a new car. The most exciting part of the race was the release because it wasn't a race at all, the finish was over before we even knew it, and it was all very anti climatic. Oh well. Lucas had a good time watching the copter drop all the ducks and make friends with a lady and her dog.

From there we went downtown to the Ethnic Expo. At this point, everyone is hot and we just wanted to get something to drink. Lucas, practically melting on the sidewalk, almost didn't make it, so I put him in the stroller with Nate. The expo was neat-a band was playing and there were tents all lined up, selling food from different countries. It smelled so good. We got a couple bottles of water, watched Lucas play in the bouncer for a bit, and then decided to just head home. Probably an activity best done without little ones...or on a cooler day.

But I'm glad we went and I was finally able to see what all the fuss is about. I feel like I need to go to more events and places to feel more "local" as I still don't feel like a Hoosier or a Columbusanite...or whatever the word would be for someone from Columbus. :) I think Columbus has a lot of great things to offer and especially now that we have a kid, I'd like to become more involved with all the city has to offer.

Eating & Sleeping

It might be his teeth, it might be his age, but either way, the last few days Nate has not been eating as much in his bottle as he used to. It seems as though he wants more jar food. Along with the baby food, I've been trying to introduce "people" food. It's been a struggle as he spits most of it back out. He seems very particular about the texture of his food, doesn't like jello, etc. He will eat crackers and anything crunchy. But I keep trying and it seems to be working. He will now eat (and loves) mashed potatoes and applesauce, two things he refused several times. Last night he ate mac n cheese and loved it! Although I did try pancakes again this morning for breakfast and he wanted nothing to do with them, again. But did eat a couple of Kix, which he wouldn't eat before. So I think slowly but surely (and with some determination) he'll be eating "people" food soon enough. Looking forward to not buying jars of baby food anymore.

His sleep for most of September has been terrible. I know it's his teeth, but the problem is that he gets into the habit of waking up because of his teeth and then when his teeth aren't bothering him he still wants to get up in the middle of the night. So there's no really "working" on getting him to sleep through the night. I can't let him cry it out because sometimes he really is in pain and needs something. And other times he really is hungry and needs to eat (and as per the doc's instructions, I should feed him). So I've just been trying to figure out if he really needs me for something or if it's just habit. His teeth have been a little better the last few days and so I thought we'd have some good nights. I was right. The night before last he woke a few times and whined a bit but went back to sleep. He didn't wake up until 6am to eat and then went back to bed until 9:30am. Last night he woke up once and was able to go back to sleep once I put the pacifier back in. He woke up around 3:30am to eat and then he went back to sleep until 7:30am. So much better, especially considering he went to bed at 8:30pm. I'll take it! Compared to the last week of getting up and being up for an hour and half. I was getting too tired to keep doing that! So hopefully this will continue, but I'm not holding my breath.

We've also decided to not bring him to daycare anymore. We were taking him one day a week. Initially, it was to get him used to daycare for if and when I got a job. I didn't get a job and decided I would sub one day a week. Well, that hasn't been working out quite like I planned. The last time I brought him in he didn't want me to leave, following me and pulling on my pant leg. It breaks my heart and if I don't want to leave him and he doesn't want to leave me, then why do we do it? So now we're done. I liked the fact that he was able to play with babies and socialize, but we are just going to figure out other times and places for that to happen. So for now, he'll be at home with me everyday, just the way we like it.

Landon Turns One

On Sunday, we went down to Scottsburg to celebrate my nephew Landon's first birthday. I cannot believe it has been a year since he was born. It seems like just yesterday that Jeremy was calling me from the car (racing down the highway) letting me know they were on their way to the hospital, with Jaime screaming in the background. I always say if Jaime could go through childbirth naturally, anyone can! I, never intend to, unless absolutely necessary--meaning I have no choice!

Little Landon is so adorable and toddling around everywhere. It makes a baby seem so much older instantly when they begin to walk. After opening presents, with a little help from big brother Lucas, he got to enjoy some birthday cake. What a mess! But he enjoyed it (of course, he's his mother's child) and it was so cute to see him eating his birthday cake.

I'm probably the only sad to see the babies growing up. It's exciting to see them grow and watch as they learn new things, but I love babies and it's the time that I treasure, knowing I'll never get it back again. Nate kept standing up all night, for several seconds at a time, and it was so exciting. Michael and I would clap and he would get so excited, so proud of himself and he had to just keep trying. So I know it won't be long before it's his first birthday and he's walking around. Amazing how quickly the time goes by! Guess I better start planning his party now!

10 Months

Nate is 10 months old today. I cannot believe in just 2 months he will be a year old. Time goes by too quickly. Nate is quite the silly little man. He is beginning to have a great sense of humor, sometimes it is hilarious and other times not so much. Like when it's time to change his diaper, he thinks it is the funniest thing to roll over and crawl away. The more I struggle with him, the more he finds this task entertaining. But I have to laugh, because no matter how frustrating this is, he is still adorable. He thinks it's funny to bite your toes...or the dog. To pull all the paper out of the waste basket, to unroll the toilet paper, and to slam cupboard doors. I'm amazed at his memory too. He always knows right where to find Sammy's food and water bowls and I think he waits for moments he doesn't think I'm looking and takes off for them. How does he remember where they are? It seems to be his new favorite past time, playing in the water bowl. He still loves watching tv and I worry about how I am going to stop that before it becomes a problem, oh wait, it probably already has.

He's doing about the same at night, usually getting up around one time to eat (any time from 3am to 5am), but there are those occasional nights that he seems to get up every few hours. I think the quality of sleep he has during the day is a definite factor in how well he sleeps at night. He's still eating stage 2 baby food. He refuses to eat more than a few bites of stage 3 before acting like he's going to gag to death, which I know he can handle because he chows down on crackers and teether biscuits. He's funny about textures though, and I think that's the problem. If it's hard and crunchy, he likes it. If it's soft and slimy, he doesn't want anything to do with it. I've tried pancakes, eggs, jello--without any luck. Although I did get him to eat mashed potatoes the other night. I will just keep trying in hopes that one day he will just decide to start eating real food.

As the one year mark approaches, I look forward to it for a few different reasons. I can switch his daycare to the part time daycare. This will give us more flexibility. [On a side note, we've decided to stop the one day a week daycare for now. It was supposed to allow me to sub one day a week, but I am not getting the jobs like I thought and so we are paying for daycare we don't need. And two, the last time I dropped him off he clung to me and didn't want me to leave. If I don't want to leave him either, then why are we doing this?] He will also be able to go to classes that he can't now because he's not old enough. The gym and the library have programs but not for his age group. So I am excited to be able to start doing things like that. But I also dread it. That one year mark changes him from being my baby to being a toddler. I don't know that I'm ready for that step yet; I need more time with Baby Nate!

Playing Catch-Up: Doctors, Labor Day, Injuries...

I'm sure there's going to be a ton of stuff that I forget to write about. I really need to start doing this when things happen or on a regular basis. But oh well, this is how it goes. I really don't know how time passes by so quickly, but before I know it the day is done and my to-do list is longer than when I started.


Nate had his 9-month check up at the doctor. He's 23lbs 10oz and 30 3/4" long. Yep, still big. Shocker. He's in over the 100% for height and 90% for weight. So I guess he is slimming down some. Everything else looked good. The doctor is not concerned with his pooping (or lack of) as long as he is not in pain when he goes. This is still a hard one for me but I am going to have to deal with it. He's happy and if it really bothered him then he would probably let me know. He also got his 3rd Hepatitis B shot, this time however, caused him to break out in a rash the next day. It lasted a couple of days but no fever or any other reactions.

He amazes me everyday with how much he is growing and learning. He explores everything, turning things over or getting under them to "study". It's almost as though he is trying to figure out how they work. He is crawling like crazy and walking on the furniture. And he even stood up on his own and stayed up for about 4 seconds--we were freaking out! The doctor seems to think he'll be walking within the next month because he's so confident when he stands. I'm not sure about that one-he just started crawling! And I'm not in a rush at all. He already feels too old to me.

But now his mobility has caused him to get hurt quite often. He's always falling or banging into something. He's pretty tough though and can shake it off quickly. Michael tells me I need to not react (with my big gasps) but it's hard when he gets hurt; I'm working on it. He's already had two pretty good owies. He hit his face against the end table and got a little shiner on his right eye. And then last week I was drying him off after his bath. He always stands there holding the tub while I do this. Well, he slipped and cracked his mouth against the side of the tub. His mouth instantly filled with blood. It was horrible. Michael quickly got a wet cloth for him to chomp on and it was better. It stopped bleeding within seconds. It was probably worse for me than for him, seeing all that blood! My poor baby. But I guess this is the start of Nate injuring himself. He's a dare devil and I think he thinks he can do more than he can.

We had a nice Labor Day weekend. We went down to Michael's parents for a cookout. His sister and her girls were there. When I first entered the family her youngest was a baby, a few months older than Nate is now. Now she's in school. I can't believe how much time passes and how quickly. Before we know it, Nate's going to be going to school, then driving, then he'll be off to college. :(

And last weekend my sister and her family came up. I wish we could get together more often and I think we need to just make that happen. Every time I see the boys they seem so much older. Lucas is so clever and says the cutest things. He knows where everything is in my house and makes himself at home, going up and getting a movie or even a snack out of the pantry all by himself. And Landon is taking steps everywhere! He looks so big and I can't believe he's going to be one year old in just a couple of weeks!

Whew! Okay, I'm going to try and update this blog more often but we'll see how that goes...I think the only reason I'm getting to it now is because Nate is deciding to sleep in this morning!

He Crawls

That's right, Nate is finally crawling! And now that he is, look out! We started baby proofing the house awhile ago, since he's been able to get around by rolling and scooting, but you quickly find out all the other things you didn't think about when they can really crawl and pull themselves up. But it's fun to watch him crawl and follow me into rooms. He's really becoming such a big boy! His new favorite activity is sliding the kitchen chair back and forth. His second is playing in Sammy's water bowl. So I moved that so hopefully he won't find it, at least for awhile. We knew he'd be crawling, but just didn't know when. He's been scooting and rolling for awhile, so this wasn't a "he just started crawling all of a sudden" thing. The last few days he would move a hand forward and then his knees and then flop down. It was a learning process and you could almost see the gears working as he began to figure out the process. It amazes me how babies learn these things without anyone really telling them how. And it's not like I crawl around to show him, well, not that often.

In unrelated news, the battle to get him to eat people food continues. And lately the battle to get him to eat stage 3 baby food continues as well. He won't eat the cut up fruit or the cheerios or the oatmeal. He will eat his teether biscuits and baby fish crackers and smooth baby food. And above all he still prefers his milk. I guess we will just keep trying. I think, like the crawling, one day he will just decide to do it.

9 Months

How has that much time passed already!?! I know I seem to write that at every monthly milestone, but it's true. I feel like my baby is gone and he's quickly becoming a big boy. He's still not crawling, but I think that's because he's figured out how to get what he needs without crawling. He will roll or scoot (he hops on his knees and then falls forward) until he can reach what he wants. And the most recent development is now he can pull himself up. And does he ever, on everything. He's not walking the furniture yet, but he sure can get around. He now says "mama" and "bo" and "ya". Okay, they're probably all just a bunch of sounds but it's fun to pretend he's talking back to me--remember I'm home all day, just him and me. He's a funny baby and laughs deep belly laughs and smiles all the time. He's absolutely adorable and I could stare at him forever (not bias at all). I'm going to start introducing more "human food". He's not one for textures or chunks, likes his baby food because it's smooth and easy to go down. And now I fear I've created this lazy baby. I was reading in the baby book that this may cause problems later. So today while grocery shopping I bought fruits and crackers and other things that I can chop up or that he can chew up to give him to eat. It's harder because I still can't give him dairy or bananas, but when we go to his check up next week we will talk to the doctor about all that. One year old is right around the corner, but not yet! So I will enjoy my baby Nate as long as I can and soak in all these precious moments while I have them.

Hello 30!

The day has been looming for quite some time and yesterday it happened, I turned 30. How did this happen? Wasn't I just 25? 18? 5? In the years leading up to this day I didn't think that I would have a problem with it at all. Just another year, just another birthday. Well, in the days leading up to it, it got harder and harder. What is it about turning 30? I thought about the past decade and all the changes. I joined the military. Deployed. Got out. Fell in love. Got married. Had a baby. Traveled, a lot. Went to school and graduated. Moved to Indiana. Bought a house. Adopted a puppy. And those are just the big things. Not enough time to mention all the small memories that can be just as significant. So I've decided that instead of being sad that my 20's are going, I'm going to look forward to my 30's, excited to see what is in store for me.

The whole weekend was a celebration, thanks to my amazing husband. On Saturday we went out to dinner at Joe's Crab Shack up in Greenwood. So yummy. It has been years since I've been to a Joe's. We had a good dinner (tried crab dip for the first time) and the environment there is perfect for Nate--he enjoyed the music and the bright colored t-shirts. Afterwards we headed over to Babies R Us, which seems to be our favorite store ever since Nate came along. We never get tired of looking at/buying things for the kid. We got a new front carrier since the one he has is too small (big surprise) and it's much easier to carry him around in the carrier than to hold him. We ended the night with a stop at DQ for some blizzards.

On Saturday Jaime, Jeremy, and the boys came up to cook out for dinner. Jaime and I went to get pedicures while the boys stayed at home (ah, freedom!). We also stopped at the outlet mall to pick up some clothes for Lucas. When we got home there were a few cars out front. I thought, I don't think it's just going to be a cook out today! I walked in to a house full of people all shouting 'surprise'! I found out later Michael had been planning this party for awhile and I had no idea. Sneaky man. It really made me feel special that he went through all the work to plan and put together this party for me. It was so good to see friends and family and have them here to celebrate turning 30 with me. There were balloons and decorations all over the house. Michael got two cakes, a regular cake and an ice cream cake. And now with our patio, it was nice to be able to have people inside and out, and the kids enjoyed the play set. It worked out really nice and I see many future parties/get togethers here.

It was a fantastic way to kick off the new decade of my life. I am happy and healthy. Life is good and I am blessed.

When Baby Fat Isn't Cute

Skimming through a baby magazine, I come across this mini-article. The first line: "Wondering why your little one is slow to crawl?" Hmmm....Nate is over 8 months old and still not crawling. Getting close, but not quite there. So I continue on. "If she's a bit on the chubby side, her pudge may be holding her back. A recent study...found that babies who have more fat lag behind leaner ones when it comes to mastering gross motor skills..." Okay, so I've heard this before from people, but it's good to see it in print, and from a study done at some university. To be honest, it's hard not to compare, darn that facebook where I can see all those other mommies bragging about their babies accomplishments. But then there's a part of me that doesn't care, knows he will crawl in his own time (unless he goes straight to walking) and is enjoying the fact that he's not all over the house yet getting into everything. So why does that little voice creep in and say, wow, your baby is not crawling yet? What's wrong? Nothing, I reply! And now I have an article that says so. :)

Wisconsin Trip

Our trip up to Wisconsin went really well. It was nice to see friends and family and to visit the place I grew up. While traveling with two families and small children is not always the easiest or stress free, we were able to do everything we wanted to do and had a good time.

We left late Wednesday night, figuring that the kids would sleep in the car all the way up and we were right. We stopped for gas around 3am and they woke up and were wide awake. Jaime and I thought they'd never go back to sleep. But as soon as we hit the road, they were all back to sleep. We left a little sooner coming back to Indiana, leaving after dinner. Nate fell asleep but woke up a couple of hours later. We stopped and fed the kids, but I knew the stop wouldn't be long enough for Nate, thinking he just had a nap, not down for the night. So it wasn't long after we got back on the road that we had to pull over again because he was not happy. The Toppes went on ahead as their kids were still peacefully asleep. We only had to stop once more on the way home, making it back home around 6am. So traveling, in my opinion, went much smoother than expected!

A run down of the things we did while we were there: We had a cook out at the park on Saturday and invited friends and family to come down. It was so good to see some faces that we haven't seen in years--some over a decade! We also were able to view the house we grew up in. It's currently for sale and the realtor let us in to look around. So many memories came flooding back walking through the rooms. We watched my brother Matt play a baseball game. Went out to breakfast with my Dad, brothers Kenny and Matt and Matt's girlfriend Tiffany. Went out to dinner with my sister Kathy and her family and Dad and Linda. Went up to Jody's house and met little baby Mason (so tiny!) and walked around the farm. Went paddle boating out on the lake a couple of times. Definitely a sight to see us out there paddling around! Went to the park, went shopping, went out for Friday fish fry. The highlight was going up to Jim Peck's Wildwood Zoo. We pet and fed goats and pigs and rabbits. Fed juice to a bear. Nate grabbed a deer's antlers. Just awesome.

I'm not sure if I'm leaving anything out. Of course in pure Nate style not only did he poop on my brother's rug but also all over my niece Katie. In his defense, that augmentin is not his friend. I'm really glad we went up and hopefully it won't be as long before our next trip up there.

Summer Fun

Now that Nate likes the water I'm finding every opportunity to get him in it. And as hot as it has been lately, it hasn't been a problem. We went over to Michael's parents on Friday night to visit. I brought the swimming gear and we took a dip in the pool after dinner. He loved it! It felt so good to cool off. On Saturday we went out on the boat on the Ohio River with my sister's in-laws down in Madison. Another good day to be near water as it was a scorcher! But as long as the boat was moving or we were in the water, we were good to go. It was Nate's first boat ride and I think he liked it--all the bounces and water splashing. He wasn't too sure what to make of the river once he got in it, I don't think anyone is when you're in the beautiful Ohio River, but once he started chewing on his life vest he was fine. We also got to ride in the "water elevator" or the locks for the first time. It was pretty neat to see how you actually get up a dam. After we stopped for gas and grabbed some ice cream we headed back home.

We also took Nate to his first basketball game. We got some discounted Indianapolis Heat (WNBA) tickets through the Guard and so we met a guy in Michael's unit up there for dinner and the game. A couple weeks ago we celebrated Lucas' birthday down at the YMCA in Scottsburg. It was going to be a pool party but the storms closed the pool. We had fun playing with balls and eating cake anyway.

And now we're looking forward to our big trip up to Wisconsin this week. Should be a lot of fun and we're looking forward to spending some time with family and friends.

Busy, Busy, Busy

We've been so busy but when my sister asked me what we were doing, I couldn't exactly say. I don't know what keeps us so busy each day, but there's always something. Isn't that life? Michael's parents came up last week and we cooked out and spent the afternoon playing with Nate and having good conversation. It was nice that they were able to come up. We still didn't have the canopy for the patio and it was too hot to eat out there so we ate inside. I am anxiously awaiting that canopy going up or cooler weather. Or both. We went down to Scottsburg on Saturday for Lucas' birthday party at the YMCA. It was supposed to be a pool party but it started to storm and so they had to close the pool. Afterwards we went back to Jaime and Jeremy's for some dinner and games. We also took Nate to daycare for the first time last week. It was so difficult. I cried before we took him, after we dropped him off, and then we went and picked him up early. If I was to get a full time job, I don't know how I could do it everyday. Everyone says it gets easier, but I don't know. We did enjoy a much needed "we" time that day though. We went out to lunch and went to a movie. Other than that, our days our filled with honey-do lists, cleaning, and other little tasks that seem to consume the day. We had to go shopping last week for a new car seat as Nate has outgrown his. It's crazy to see him in a big car seat; I'm used to his legs hanging over the edge. And I hate that I can't take it out of the car now so if he's asleep and can't just leave him in it. So while I feel like I should have a long list of things to tell you as to why we're so busy, either we're not really that busy or it's just all those little things. But I wouldn't trade it for anything--such a difference going from being lonely and bored to days filled with little tasks and conversation.

Let's Take Him to the Doctor

...just to make sure everything is okay. It's what I was thinking as I woke up to Nate screaming yet again in the middle of the night. He has some good nights and then he has had the nights where he's up so often I feel like neither of us slept at all. He started teething again in mid-June, but 3 of those little teeth have popped through and so I didn't think he should be in that much pain anymore. And then I read an article in my Parents magazine about how parents often mistake babies getting up in the middle of the night for teething when really there are other causes, such as an ear infection. While he wasn't showing a lot of signs of an ear infection--no pulling at the ears, temperature, extreme fussiness--he has been upset with me whenever I clean his left ear at bath time. So, after another long night this past weekend, I decided to take him in on Monday.

Sure enough. The doctor said it wasn't a full blown ear infection but he does have fluid behind the ear--which also explains his runny nose. So he's on amoxicillin for that. We also asked about his pooping. He was pooping more regularly but now it's just a couple times a week. And the thing that was most concerning is that it seems painful when he does poop and is the consistency of clay. I know, you love all the details! So it seems as though he's suffering from a bit of constipation. We are starting with dietary changes first, more fruits like apricots, peaches, and prunes and cutting out bananas and dairy. He needs to drink 4oz of juice a day as well. Hopefully this will take care of it, although it will be hard to determine if it is working now that he's on antibiotics, which may cause diarrhea. So we might have to wait until he is done with his meds and then see if the changes in his diet work. If not, then he'll have to start on miralax daily, long term. We're hoping it doesn't come to that. We also asked about his eczema. Some days it bothers him so bad he just scratches until his skin is bright red and almost raw. So the doctor prescribed some cream to put on twice a day. It will be a trial and error until we figure out exactly what strength cream he needs and so now he's on the medium strength. We also need to bathe him in different soap (Dove, Cetaphil, etc.) and the lotion needs to be mild (aquafor, eucerin, etc.) so no more smelling like baby lotion. :( But hopefully that will help his poor sensitive skin.

We Have a Patio

I've been wanting a patio for so long now, I can't believe we finally have one! The patio guys came out on Tuesday and surprisingly were done on Tuesday. It was a quick process, much quicker than I thought. They finished up cutting the lines on it this morning. It looks beautiful and is much bigger than I imagined (perfect for a dining set AND a firepit). It will be a perfect place to spend time outdoors.

Yesterday we spend the entire day in search of a patio set. Did we find one? Of course not. I was a little disappointed, but I'm glad we didn't just settle for something we weren't happy with. We found a couple that we liked, but one of them the table was cheaply made but the chairs were wonderful and the other one the table was beautiful but not sturdy and the chairs were not as comfortable. We decided that we didn't want to spend that kind of money, and we're talking some money, on something we're not completely thrilled about. We planned on eventually getting a picnic table so when we have get togethers there's a place for everyone to sit. So we decided to just go with the picnic table now and get a nice patio set next summer. Now all we need is a canopy for shade as the patio sits on the west side and is blazing hot in the evening. I can't wait to move the grill out there and set things up and have our first cook out on the new patio.

Arizona

Our visit to Grandma's in Arizona was WONDERFUL! I'm so glad we made the decision to go out there and see her. I hate leaving and miss her terribly again already.

On the way there we had a connection in Minneapolis. The plane was late getting to Indy and was delayed arriving in MN so that we literally had to run through the airport (picture me holding Nate and Michael pushing the stroller with all the bags loaded on it) to make our next flight. But we did, and that was probably the worst of all our traveling. Which was surprising, because I thought it was going to be a disaster traveling with a baby. Nate did so well. It took more work to keep him entertained and I was exhausted by the end of the day, but with only one minor melt down the whole time, it was amazing. So if anyone asks, you can fly with a baby, just be prepared!

We spent a week there. We didn't really go out and do much. One, it's just too hot, especially for little Nate, but most importantly, we just wanted to spend time with Grandma. We played Scrabble and card games, ate good food (really good food and too much of it--I think I gained 20lbs!), and had good conversation. Michael has never been out west and I wanted him to experience some of it, but he took one look at the landscape and said that it was everything he had been living for the last year and so it was fine that we didn't do any sightseeing.

We went to my cousin's hockey game one night. One afternoon we went to an art gallery. And we spent one of the days down by my Uncle Nicky; he cooked burgers on the grill and we went swimming in their pool. Desperate to make Nate a water baby I put on his swimming trunks and we went in. The water was as warm as bath water and so I thought he would love it. But we got in and he started fussing. I think it might be the sensation of all that water. So I took him to the edge to sit on my lap and slowly introduced him to the water, dipping his feet, then hands, then lowering myself so his butt was in it. Before long I had him back out in the pool, swishing around in the water. He really liked it. Success!

All in all, it was a wonderful week and exactly what we needed. Just some time to get away from our daily life and stresses and visit with Grandma.She makes everything good.

Benny

I knew I forgot something in my "catch up" post. We recently gave Benny to my brother Matt. Several reasons but the two big ones: he was constantly escaping the back yard (in the process tearing up the chain link fence) not to run away but to run up to the front porch so he could come back inside AND he has recently become aggressive. The vet said it might happen at this age, showing dominance. He was never mean to us or anyone he knew, but strangers, look out! And he actually bit a contractor we had come out to the house. That's when I said enough was enough. I wasn't sure if Matt would still want him, but he did. So last Friday we met him in a city just south of Rockford, IL. Which, on a side note was a good test run at having Nate in the car for a long drive before we make our way up to WI at the end of July (he did great).

So far it is working out well with Matt and he says he is doing good. I miss Benny and it's strange not having him here anymore. It was hard and it finally hit me when we got home that night. Sammy was sad for a few days, just lying around not wanting to do anything, but I think she's cheering up now, back to her old self. I think Benny will find a better fit with Matt and they will be best buddies. I hope so anyway.

The Zoo

We decided to head up to the zoo yesterday. It was cooler and just beautiful outside and seemed like the perfect day for something like that. So we packed up and headed up there in the morning. This is another reason that I love living where we live. We are close enough to all those fun things without having to live in the big city.


None of us had ever been up to the Indy Zoo and this was Nate's first trip to any zoo. I was excited to see how he would react to the animals. Most the time he was more interested in his toys or the trees, but when we went to the ocean exhibit, he loved it. He kept trying to touch the fish through the glass and his face just lit up. I could have stayed there forever watching him. We saw all the different animals and went to the dolphin show. Next time we go up I'd like to feed the giraffes and see the elephant show.

He did really good all day (we were there 6 hours), napping in his stroller conveniently during lunch time so we were able to grab something to eat. I brought formula because I didn't have any stored milk to bring. Well, he wouldn't have it so I ended up finding a place off to the side and feeding him there.

And of course, it wouldn't be a complete outing with Nate if we didn't have a blow out. And this was the king of all blow outs. I bent over to check him in his stroller and, how do I say this without being too disgusting...well, let's just say that it was too much for his diaper to hold and had come out the side and out of his shorts into a big pile in the stroller next to him. He was sitting there looking around and playing in it. Yep, that's my son, playing in his poo. It was so gross. We immediately pulled off to the side of the path and proceeded to use every wipe we had with us (I'm so glad I packed an extra stack in the stroller before we left). Saying that the mess was everywhere does not even describe how large the mess was. But finally, after some sympathetic looks from other parents and disgusted looks from kids, we got him cleaned up.

Yes, it was a good day at the zoo, minus the poo. :)

Playing Catch Up

I thought when Michael got home, we would have a couple of crazy weeks and then things would slow down and we'd be trying to find things to do. That didn't happen. And I thought the same thing after we got back from Arizona, but so far it hasn't been slowing down at all. There's always something to do or some place to go.

So, I'm going to try and summarize the last few weeks the best I can.


We helped my sister move out of her house and into their rental house that they'll be living in until their new house is built. Jaime, Nate, and I stayed at the house gathering/packing the stuff up while Michael and Jeremy loaded it all. Nate did an outstanding job the whole day. And it turned out to be a very long day. They are all moved in now and getting settled. It will be weird to visit them in a different house, and although I am probably the only one feeling sentimental about the old house, I am super excited for their new house to be built. I know a lot of new memories will be created there as well.

Michael's cousin Gearry is moving to Georgia for a new job and so we went to a cook out at Lake Monroe. It was good to see family again and eat yummy food. It was SO hot so we went down by the lake. I dipped Nate's feet in the water and he instantly started crying. I knew he would the second I felt the water, it was nice and refreshing for me but I knew it would be too cold for him. Disappointing because I wanted him to be a little water baby and play in the pool all summer.

We got Nate's 6 month pictures done. I did wonderfully and we got several good shots. He's such a good, happy baby. We are very lucky. Now he's 7 months old. Still a big boy but I think his growth is starting to slow down. He's exploring things all the time and gets super excited to reach things. Well, he gets excited at nothing too. We joke that he's our simpleton because sometimes it doesn't take much to keep him entertained. He's not crawling and actually gets up on his hands and knees less than he used to. He is trying to sit and is doing a lot better with it, but still not good enough to leave him unprotected-still doing the faceplants into the ground. He's loving eating solids (well, most of them anyway) and I've been enjoying feeding them to him. It's a mess but so much fun.

We went to Arizona to visit my Grandma, but I will go more into detail on that trip in another entry.

My job search is continuing, but mostly just to reach dead ends. It's hard when there's over 300 applicants applying for the same job. I really want to work, I love teaching, but if it doesn't work out that way, then I will probably be staying at home again this year. Which I will love too. It's just hard to not get discouraged. I've never applied for a job that I really wanted or really loved before.

I know there's a million other things that I'm forgetting, but I guess that's the way it goes. I can barely remember what I ate for dinner tonight, let alone last night! Now we're just getting things done around the house--fixing the dryer and stove, repairing doors, putting up new blinds, etc. etc. The list is never ending and constantly getting longer. But it just means that have a home and family to take care of and for that I feel blessed.

Family Get Together

On Saturday we went down to Michael's parents for a homecoming cookout. It was really good to see family we don't see very often and catch up. Michael's dad opened the pool up and the kids all went in. I dipped Nate's feet in and it must have been a little too cool still for him because he would instantly cry. Hopefully he'll warm up to it because I had big plans for him and pools this summer (and his papaw bought him a cute little floaty I really want to use!).

I fed Nate mangos for the first time tonight and he loved them! He ate the entire jar, which I usually use one jar for two feedings. He's just like his big cousin, Lucas, who also loved mangos when he was a little guy.

A Preview of Our Life?

Michael and I watched my sister Jaime's two boys today. Does it make me want to reconsider having 3 kids? Honestly, no. The day actually went better than I had thought it was going to go. The hardest part was probably running on empty since Nate was up ALL night last night. I swear it's getting worse. Although it may be because I'm trying to get him back on a schedule AND I'm not giving in to his cries for night time feedings anymore. We had started that when he was sick because he was only eating a couple of ounces at a time and he needed his meds in the middle of the night. Since then it's just been easier to give in and I've decided we have to stop and get back to normal--not that he ever slept through the night, but he was definitely not getting up every 2 hours either.

The day was filled with arts and crafts, a walk around the neighborhood, some tv, lunch, play-doh, computer games, and toys. We balanced everything quite well and I was surprised how well Michael did. He helped make bottles, play with Lucas and the babies, make lunch and snacks. Especially considering this daddy stuff is still relatively new to him.

At one point all the kids were down for their naps. When Michael put Nate in his bed we ran downstairs and crashed on the couches. Our "naps" probably lasted a total of 5 minutes before the UPS man came ringing the doorbell. After that neither one of us could sleep. Oh well, at least there was peace in the house for a little while before they all woke back up.

It was a very full, non-stop day, but overall it went well. I love my nephews and was glad that I was able to spend some time with them.

On a side note, Nate's eye infection has had some lasting effects. His eye is cleared up and looks a lot better, however we did have to take him back to the doctor's office last week because he broke out in a horrible rash. The doctor said it was an allergic reaction to the medicine, which I didn't think about until later, but both Nate and I started and stopped our medicine at the same time so now I don't know if it was my Augmentin or his Clyndamycin that caused the reaction. It did clear up in a couple of days, but was extremely uncomfortable for him, making him itch like crazy. Another wonderful result of the antibiotics is a horrible diaper rash. I mean bad. It's starting to clear up now, but it was so red and raw and he would just scratch at it and kick his legs and twist his body; you could tell he was just so uncomfortable. We tried so many different ointments but the thing that seems to be doing the best is plain ol' Vaseline. Poor baby just can't catch a break these last few weeks.

Nate is 6 Months Old

Nate turned 6 months on Sunday. A half of a year has gone by since he was born and I cannot believe in that same amount of time he will be turning one. But I won't think about that just yet. :) He had his six month check up on Tuesday. It went well. His eye is much better and actually had his last round of medicine tonight. Thank goodness! He hates it and it gives him the poopies-bad. He's 20lbs 14oz, up only about a pound since his 4 month check up, and is 29" long. So he's still off the charts for his height but is now at the 95th percentile for his weight.

We have started him on foods! He's not much of a fan so far, but he usually finishes it. I've given him rice cereal and peas so far. He always seems to make faces when eating it but doesn't spit it back out and so he must not hate it too much. I think it's so much fun now that he's eating at the table with us for meals. I also haven't been producing as much milk, probably because I haven't had time or been making time to pump. So we've started supplementing with formula. I was afraid he wouldn't take it, but he drinks it right up! I usually give him a few ounces at the end of the night. Let's see if this helps him start sleeping through the night!

He's getting up on his knees and rocking now too. He may be doing this for awhile before he starts to crawl, but it's neat to watch the progression of skills. It's crazy how babies teach themselves how to do all these things.

That's about all that's new. He's just enjoying Daddy being home and all the attention!

Nate's First Solids

We fed Nate rice cereal last night. He didn't seem to care for it too much and was more interested in chewing on the spoon than anything else (go figure). But it wasn't a complete disaster either. My goal was to feed him cereal for breakfast each morning and that already hasn't happened! I just hate to force more things he hates into his mouth--have I said how much he hates his medicine and giving it to him is the worst, I hate it and feel awful that I have to put him through that 3 times a day! And I don't know the rules on mixing the cereal with juice yet--I know there's the feed the same food 3 days straight to see if there is a reaction--so I'm not sure if I have to give him plain cereal for 3 days first. And, I also want to start him on vegetables...so I'm not sure if I can do that yet AND I don't want to put juice in his cereal and have him like the sweetness so much that he won't like the vegetables. Any suggestions?

Michael's Home

Michael finally arrived home from demobilization at Camp Atterbury on Thursday afternoon. It's still so new, like he's not really home, or he is, but just for a couple weeks on leave. It might take awhile to register that he's really home for good.

We've been enjoying spending time together as a little family, shopping or just playing at home. And of course, life doesn't stop and things still need to be done, so the focus today has been getting things back in order (like the jungle that is our backyard).

It's going to take a little while to get used to having him home (and having the extra help!) and it will probably take awhile for him to get used to being home, let alone being a dad and learning ALL about babies. But we are definitely enjoying having him home and all being together again.

Sammy and the Vet (again)

Seems to me I already have a post with this title! Sammy has been constantly licking her wound and acting strangely (lying behind the couch all day, needy, etc.) so I decided to bring her in the vet to have her checked out. Sure enough, the wound is bad, but not too bad. He said he didn't want to have to put her under for sutures, and thinks that a couple staples would do the trick. So that's what she got, along with a fancy e-collar. He said she was lucky, that if the bite was maybe an inch over it would have gotten her colon and been a lot more serious. So now she has to wear the collar, is on antibiotics (my counter top is now filled with medicine bottles as 3 of us in the house are now taking medicine), and has to go back in 10 days for a check up. It's funny to watch her try and manuever through the house with the collar on. She keeps running into things and getting stuck. It's pitiful.

Wild Weekend!

What a weekend! I still can’t believe all the events of this past weekend. It’s now Monday afternoon, but I’ve been exhausted and had limited typing appendages (we’ll get into that later) so I’ve had to take my time getting all this out on paper, er, screen (and it might take you just as long to read it!). I’m going to divide this weekend up into three different entries, the three big parts, otherwise all the stories will become jumbled and scattered—hmm, not much different than my thoughts are normally. J I just want to say a big thank you to Jaime and Jeremy for all that you did for us this weekend. I couldn’t have made it through the last few days without you guys and all your support. Love you!

The Doctor

Thursday night Nate was pretty fussy and running a low grade fever, typical of when he’s teething, so I assumed that’s all it was when I put him to bed. He was up a couple of times through the night but I let him cry himself back to sleep, thinking it was his normal get up a couple times through the night routine. However when he woke up at 4am and I went in there he was on fire. I took his temperature and it was 100.something, but he wouldn’t really eat much and wouldn’t stop crying. I thought something is different. He finally fell back asleep and woke again around 7am. Again, he was inconsolable and wouldn’t really eat. I knew something was wrong. So I immediately packed up and took him in to the doctor. The doctor and I both had thought it might be an ear infection, but after checking him over, he couldn’t find anything wrong. At this point, Nate was hysterical and the doctor was practically shouting over him to talk to me. He wanted to run some blood tests, thinking it might be sepsis or meningitis. I almost lost it when I heard that. So we packed up and went to the hospital for the blood work. I called Jaime to let her know what was going on and she immediately came up and met me at the hospital. The first blood work to come back was the cell count, which was okay, so we headed back to the doctor’s office to get a shot of antibiotics. The blood culture wouldn’t come back for 24 hours, so the doctor decided to start with the antibiotics, standard procedure. Well, during the time we were at the hospital waiting for the results, Nate’s right eye was beginning to get red and puffy. It was slightly red when we first got to the doctor’s office, but I thought it was from all the crying. After Nate got his shot, the doctor came in and saw his eye. He said if it would have looked like that a few hours ago, he would have diagnosed the eye infection right away. Sorry. That’s what he said, sorry. Okay, it was a scary few hours of not knowing what was going on, but it was better to be safe than sorry (although watching Nate get his blood drawn was so sad).
We needed to go back Saturday morning for a follow up visit. Friday night went okay. Nate slept okay but his appetite was still really low. His eye looked even worse Saturday morning, almost completely swollen shut at this point. The minute the doctor saw him she told me she wanted to admit him into the hospital for 24-48 hours. This time I did lose it. She said it would be best since he wasn’t responding to the antibiotics given yesterday. She wanted to run some more blood work and this time set up an IV to administer the antibiotics. So I took him up to the hospital and got him admitted in. He was in a big baby crib and even had to wear a little baby hospital gown. So sad. The nurses brought him in a room to have his blood work done and then tried to give him an IV. After two failed attempts, they decided to call the nurses from the birthing center to try it. So about an hour later they came up and tried, three times, with as much success. They tried his hands and feet but he’s so chubby that they couldn’t find the pathways or a good vein. So they called the doctor in. This time they wouldn’t let me in the room (at this point I probably had had as much as I could take watching them poke at him and holding him down while he’s screaming). The doctor tried a couple more times and even tried once in his head, all times failing. It was horrible sitting in his room and hearing his screams down the hall. Probably one of the worst experiences I have had. They decided to just administer the antibiotics in shots (which over the period of the next couple of days resulted in many more times being poked by needles) and orally. Jaime and Jeremy came up to help me with things around the house and to keep me company in the hospital while we were there. On Sunday, Nate’s eye was looking much better and since they couldn’t start the IV anyway, the doctor released him and sent us home with the oral medication and a prescription for eye drops. She wanted him to come back in this morning for his next round of shots. But this morning his eye was looking a ton better and when the doctor saw it she decided that he didn’t need more shots and that the oral meds and eye drops should be enough from here on out. Thank goodness! I don’t think I could take much more of that, let alone Nate’s poor little thighs have got to be so sore. So now we just need to keep an eye on it and finish up the medicine (about 7-10 days). This has been so difficult and like nothing I have ever experienced. Being a parent is so difficult when you see your baby in pain and you can’t take it away and they don’t understand what is going on. I’m sure there will be many more times like this, but this definitely has been a difficult weekend for me as a parent.

Michael's Homecoming

Yes, this is also the same weekend that Michael was scheduled to come home! Originally it was supposed to be Wednesday, and then it was moved to Friday afternoon. It was then changed again to Saturday evening at 6pm. Through everything that was happening with Nate, I wasn’t calling the hotline, checking on the flight arrival information, like I normally was a million times a day. Jaime called and found out that it had changed yet again, still Saturday night, but at almost midnight! Since that would be too late to take Landon out, Jaime took him back to the house to spend the night there, and Jeremy took my up to Stout Field in Indianapolis for the welcome home ceremony. I don’t think it really hit me that he was coming home until shortly before they arrived. Then I got really excited and as soon as they were dismissed I threw down my poster, jumped a chair and ran to him. It was so good to see him and hug him and have him hug me again. Normally all troops were to receive an hour with their families before heading to Camp Atterbury to out process for five days. Since Nate was in the hospital, Jaime and Jeremy contacted Red Cross and got a message sent up to Michael’s company. Poor Michael got the message as he got on the bus at the airport and didn’t know what was going on. So instead of staying up there for an hour, he was released to come back down here to go to the hospital. It was 2am and he didn’t want to wake up Nate, so he just looked him over through the crib bars and rubbed his little head. I can’t imagine what he was thinking looking at him, since the last time he saw him in person Nate was just a little newborn. He stayed until 4:30am and then had to head back up to Camp Atterbury. I’m so glad he’s safe and sound back in the states, but I am looking forward to Thursday, when he can home for good. It’s hard to sit here and know he’s so close and not be able to see him. Hopefully there will be a couple of evenings we will be able to go up there to visit.