Busy Momma

We have been keeping ourselves pretty busy this holiday weekend. I hope to get on at some point with a few more updates. Until then...I thought you might enjoy a baby's first Christmas sneak peek.

From Week 13

If only we could all be filled with such wonder and excitement!

Three Month Post

Harrison is three months old today!

In honor of Harrison’s monthly “birthdays” I thought it might be fun to document monthly baby milestones, important activities, like/dislikes, etc. To see the two month post click here.

From Week 11

Favorite Things: Talking (our house is constantly filled with baby talk), riding around in the moby wrap, putting things in his mouth, making spit bubbles, sneaking glimpses at the football game on TV, being sung to sleep by his mommy or daddy

Favorite Songs: Mr. Sandman, Blue Heaven, Sweet Baby James, Godspeed, Beautiful Boy, We Are the Boys (University of Florida Third Quarter Stretch Song), Boom Boom Ain’t it Great to be Crazy **Favorite song selection changing nightly!**

From Week 10

Least Favorite Thing: Having a cold, getting tired, being put down to sleep before he is completely passed out, Lilly kisses in the face or ears (this will probably be a favorite thing one day)



Tricks: Holding his head up, kicking really hard, getting close to rolling over, lots of “conversational” talking, falling asleep while playing with his toys (really big deal to parents of a baby that normally fights falling asleep)

From Week 10

Big Events: We have been very social this month. Harrison has gone to a few parties and even hosted a few small parties of his own. He is very social right now and loves being around different people. Unfortunately with all the extra exposure to people we also experienced our first cold this month.

From Week 12

Sleeping schedule: Harrison is a night owl just like his mommy. He is an excellent sleeper and usually sleeps between 8 and 10 hours a night. Unfortunately his bedtime is still a little unpredictable. On a good night he may fall asleep at 10:30 but most nights it is closer to midnight with a few 1 am nights here and there. He will sleep for at least 8 hours and then get in bed with mommy for a morning feeding and a nap for another hour or two. He usually takes a 30 minute nap several times a day and about once a week he will throw in a two or three hour nap.

From Drop Box

Evil nemesis: Nasal Aspirator

Getting Peed On...

Maybe it is the cold making our reflexes slower (yes, we all have the cold now) or maybe Harrison is getting faster but we have been peed on a lot this week. Actually I blame the new diapers. I thought I would save a little money and buy bargain diapers (Luvs) this week rather than our normal Pampers. The new diapers are a little smaller in size (even though the weight range and size is the same) and they are a little more complicated to open and put on quickly. This has resulted in a lot of little accidents this week. The other night I actually got peed on twice! You would think I would learn my lesson the first time?!?!

Pampers have been working great so why mess up a good thing? Normally I buy diapers in bulk but Harrison is on the verge of going up a size in diapers and Target didn't have a small container of size 2 Pampers. I thought this would be the perfect time to try the bargain brand. My first impression of Luvs is mixed.

Positives:
Really cheap
Cute illustration of dogs and cats (not really a quality factor but it makes me smile)
Blue tinting that turns bright when wet
Don't smell like pee when the diaper is really wet (after the morning nap)
No leaks so far even with super stinky diapers

Negatives:
Not as soft as Pampers
Feel plastic on the outside (makes me worry about diaper rash - we haven't had any with Pampers)
Doesn't seems to wick away wet as well (see diaper rash)
Smell more perfume-y than pampers
Not as roomy as Pampers (hard to get on a squirming little boy)
More complicated to open (results in baby boy sprinkler)


I think we will be sticking with Pampers for now. We have tried the Kirklands brand (sold at Cosco). Based on our very limited testing I think it is the best of the bargain brands. Once we get a Cosco membership we might switch over.

Wordless Wednesdays: Beating the Cold and the Cold Weather

From Week 12

Harrison's First Cold

Poor baby boy is sick today. I guess we over did it this weekend. Last night I noticed that Harrison's nose was a little congested and his eyes looked a little watery. I was pretty worried when I put him down to sleep that we were going to have a long night but other than a short crying spell at 2am he slept really well. He sounds really pitiful but has been in pretty good spirits considering he probably doesn't understand what is happening to him. He hasn't had a fever so I think it is just a cold.

I have been trying to keep him as happy as possible. I gave him a nice warm bath earlier (I always enjoy that when I am sick) and have been keeping him wrapped up in soft cuddily blankets. We also went out tonight and got a humidifier for his room. We have been using saline spray and the aspirator. The latter does not help with the happiness factor but is a necessary evil.

Hopefully the little guy will start feeling better. I really hate seeing him like this!

Wordless Wednesdays: View from a Walk

From Week 10

From Week 10

From Week 10

From Week 10

Let there be sleep...

I am almost scared to post this since it is probably one of those things that is easily jinxed but I am going to go ahead and say it anyway. Harrison has been a REALLY good sleeper for the last few days. He has been taking nice long naps and then sleeping at night for up to eight hours at a time. I think Sam and I are better people as a result! It is amazing how much better we all feel with a full night sleep.

On Saturday night (after a really busy day) he fell right to sleep at 10:00 and then slept until 6:30. At night he sleeps in his crib but we usually bring him into our room when he wakes up in the morning. I fed him in bed and then put him in between us for a couple of hours. We slept on and off until about 9:00. It was heaven! I thought it might just be a one time thing since he was normally only sleeping about 6 hours straight but he has been following the same schedule all week. Maybe he is just going through a growth spurt but we are going to enjoy it while it last!

From Week 10

Good night and sweet dreams to all!

Wordless Wednesdays: Couch Potato

From Week 10

Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween from our little lobster!

From Projects

Mom and Dad had to have costumes too!

From Week 8

Two Month Check Up

We tortured the baby today. Poor little guy had to get three shots and one oral vaccine today. He liked the oral vaccine (he loves anything that can be eaten) but wasn't as crazy about the shots. He turned bright red and screamed really loud. Luckily he could be comforted really quickly and within a few seconds seemed to be back to his normal happy self. I have heard him cry much worse in the past so I don't think it was that traumatic for him. I think I was probably more worked up over the shots than he was. I cried a little this morning just thinking about what he was going to have to go through.

Other than the shots, he really seemed to enjoy the doctor. He only fussed a little when they measured his length and again when the doctor checked his leg and hip movement (I don't know why that bothered him so much). Most of the time he was happy. He loved the exam table and really liked Dr. Miller (who wouldn't - she is really sweet and super cute). He smiled a lot, kicked his feet in excitement and talked our ears off. I am glad he was so happy. I don't think there was any doubt that he is developing socially.

Here are the stats from his check up:
Weight: 14lb 8oz (95%)
Height: 22 3/4 (50%)
Head: 40 1/2 (50% - 70%)

That's right, you read the weight correctly. He really is a chunk! Dr. Miller wasn't concerned about his weight but did suggest that we be a little more strict with his feeding schedule. She was thrilled that I was still breastfeeding and said that it is really common for breastfed babies to put on a little more weight since it is hard to monitor the amount fed. She said to try to limit his feeding during the day to every 3 hours. We are getting close to that but there are times when he insists on eating every 2 hours. Once he gets over the shots I will try to be more strict about the feeding schedule. I am not looking forward to it. I am pretty sure I will need to invest in some heavy duty earplugs!

All in all we have a healthy little boy. He seems to be handling the shots well so far. He fell asleep on the way home from the doctor's office and has been sleeping ever since. The doctor said that babies are usually either really fussy or really sleepy. I am hoping since he is sleeping so well that he won't be too fussy. I have heard him crying softly in his sleep but he hasn't really woken up much. I just went in to check him and he felt a little warm so I am going to give him a little baby Tylenol just to be on the safe side. Hopefully he will have a nice peaceful day!

Happy Birthday Sam!

I just wanted to wish Happy Birthday to the best new dad in the whole world!

From Online Edits

Thanks for sharing your life with me! xoxo

Wordless Wednesdays - Killer Smile

From Week 9

This time last year...

This post is a couple of weeks late but it is something I have been thinking about a lot in the last couple of days. This time last year I was recovering from a miscarriage (October 15th). Because we have so much joy in our lives, I am happy to say that the one year anniversary passed us by without sadness.

After I had the miscarriage I talked to lots of different moms that had similar experiences. The two months before finding out I was pregnant again were very emotional. I tried to put on a strong face but my hormones were all over the place and I felt like I was on an emotional rollercoaster. My heart goes out to the moms that struggled or still struggle to get pregnant.

I had a dear friend tell me that she knew all our little angels were playing together in heaven. It fills me with such joy to think about a place where little angel babies play.

I feel so blessed that we were given a second chance so soon. I never imagine this time last year that I would be holding a 2 month old baby in my arms. It definitely makes me appreciate the miracle of life!

Two Month Post

Harrison is two months old today!

In honor of Harrison’s two month “birthday” I thought it might be fun to start a monthly post documenting baby milestones, like/dislikes, etc. Hopefully I can stay disciplined enough to keep this up.

From Week 7

Names: Harrison, Prince Harry (when his dad isn’t around), Tub Tubs, Rooter Tooter

From Week 6

Favorite Things: Mr. Jingles, silver rattle, rain maker, taking a bath, diaper changes (bonus if he pees on mommy), being outdoors, kisses on the lips, his play mat, staring at the ceiling fan and air vent

From Week 8

Least Favorite Thing: Getting out of the bath, being given his pacifier when he doesn’t want it, not getting fed the minute he decides he is hungry

From Week 6

Tricks: Smiling, making lots of noises and some little laughs, kicking his feet, standing (ok, not really but he is freakishly strong when he is fighting gas), turning his head so his mommy can kiss him on the mouth (I am going to try to get this on video soon), he rolled over from his tummy to his back the other day but I don't think he did it on purpose and I think it surprised him more than it surprised me.

From Week 6

Sleeping schedule: What schedule? Harrison has a mind of his own and likes to surprise us nightly. He consistently falls asleep each night at midnight. On a good night he sleeps until 6am. On a not so good night he wakes up at 4 am for about an hour and then sleeps for another couple of hours. He is a morning baby and is happiest right after he wakes up. After the morning feeding he likes to get in bed with mommy and sleep on and off for another hour or two.

From Week 8

Evil nemesis: Gas

Bathtime Adventures

Harrison has really started to love bathtime. If he is getting fussy just running the water is almost enough to calm him down. He is so happy in the tub. We give Harrison his baths in a baby tub that fits over the kitchen sink. He gets so excited that he usually makes quite a mess splashing the water around with his feet.

From Week 8

Sam and I have started a bathtime ritual. We give Harrison a bath at night. I have started using the sleepy time bath wash in hopes of encouraging sleep (no luck so far). Sam takes Harrison to the back to get him out of his clothes while I fill the tub with water and a little sleepy time bath wash. When I have the bath tub filled I let Sam know and he carries Harrison to the kitchen and puts him in the bath.

Tonight Sam got a little surprise when he was carrying Harrison to the tub. As he was walking through the den he felt something warm and wet against him. Yep, that's right, Harrison peed all over him!

I guess we will have to change our bathtime ritual a little to include diaper removal AFTER getting to the kitchen!

I Smell Touble

From Week 8

Harrison has gas.

During his first few weeks this gas was causing him extreme discomfort. Poor little guy would turn all red and scream, grunt and push. We tried everything we could think of to relieve his pain. Since I am breastfeeding I monitored my diet and tried to only eat bland non-gas producing foods. We tried giving Harrison Mylicon and Gripe Water. We tried warm baths and baby massage. Nothing seemed to help at the time.

Now that Harrison is a little older he doesn't seem to have as much trouble with pent up gas. While Harrison isn't crying as much, his gas is still producing tears.

Harrison poots all the time! I swear the little guy could clear a room. It is to the point that I am a little nervous about taking him out in public when he is gassy. I don't think anyone would believe that the sounds and smells could possibly come from someone so little. I am sure they will think it is me. How embarrassing!?!?

He doesn't seem to mind. In fact I think he is amused by our reaction to the gag producing poots. We have a doctor's appointment next week so I look forward to seeing what she has to say.

Date Night

Sam's parents were visiting this weekend so we took advantage of the free babysitting service and went out on a date. We had a really nice date. First we stopped by happy hour at Newby's to visit with Amy and Murph. It was so nice to share an icy cold beer with friends (thanks for treating us guys!). After drinks we headed over to Pacific Rim for sushi. I have been craving sushi since before I was pregnant so I was pretty excited. Pacific Rim didn't disappoint - we really enjoyed our meal.

It is really funny how much Sam and I had to talk about over dinner. I don't think we have talked so much to each other since we first started dating (ironically we went to Pacific Rim on our first date). I don't think we realized how little we have talked in the last 6 weeks. Between tending to a crying baby, feeding a hungry baby and playing with the baby I admit that I probably haven't been the easiest person to carry on a conversation with. When you combine that with the revolving door of house guests (which we have really appreciated and enjoyed) and alternating sleep schedules, there hasn't been a lot of time for quality conversation. It was really nice to take some time just to focus on us.

We headed home around 9:00. I was pleasantly full and a little tipsy from my glass of wine with dinner. It was really nice to just be a couple for a few hours and to have a little break from being parents. It was also really nice coming home to our little baby. When we got home it was really hard not to rush right to Harrison and squeeze him. I used a little will power and waited about 5 minutes to rush over to him and squeeze him. :-)

Play Date

Harrison had his first play date and I am happy to report that he did really well. We went over to one of our new friend Anu's house. She has a 17 week old little girl named Arya. Ayra is a sweet petite little girl and our little 7 week old is just about the same size as she is. It is pretty funny to see our little one next to a baby that is 10 weeks more developed and mature.

Obviously the play date was more for the grown ups than for the babies but I think we all enjoyed ourselves. Harrison seemed to enjoy the new surroundings and had lots of fun playing with Arya's toys. I really enjoyed seeing Ayra and how much she was already doing. It really makes me look forward to seeing Harrison at that age. I also really enjoyed comparing mommy notes with another mother. It definitely helps to talk about things with someone else that is going through the same experience.

I think we are going to try to have play dates on a regular basis. Even if the babies are a little too young to really appreciate them, I think they do the adults a lot of good.

Sleeping Arrangements

From Finished Nursery

Harrison slept in his crib last night for the first time. Up until last night he had been sleeping in a moses basket in our room. Since he was starting to sleep longer at night and since he was starting to look a little big for his moses basket we decided it was time for him to graduate to his own room.

Harrison did really well and slept like normal. The baby monitor was another story. At one point the battery indicator went off so we plugged it into the wall. Throughout the night it continued to make mysterious noises. We still aren't exactly sure what caused all the crazy buzzes and beeps but my guess is interference. There are multiple channels so I guess we will have to play around with the settings.

The monitor hardly seems neccessary since Harrison's bedroom is right across the hall from us. That combined with his amazing lung power makes me think that we wouldn't have any trouble hearing him should he wake up in the night.

My biggest problem is hearing phantom baby cries. I have heard other moms talk about this in the past but I didn't really understand it until recently. Harrison often naps in his room during the day. Since our house is small, I can easily hear him from our den. At least once a day I will turn off the TV volume because I swear that I hear him crying. Nine times out of ten Harrison will be sleeping peacefully. These imaginary cries can make you a little crazy especially when they wake you up from a peaceful night's sleep. My mom says that these kind of things never stop and I really feel bad about all those late nights I probably kept her up worrying when I was out on the town.

Harrison is sleeping peacefully in his crib as I type this so I am off to my bed for (hopefully) a nice long (I am praying for 6 hours) sleep.

Grown Up Night

Sam and I went out on our first adult outing since Harrison was born. Our friend Matt was celebrating his birthday so we went over to his house for a party. Other than my morning at work, this was the longest that I had ever been away from Harrison. My mom was still in town visiting so I knew he was in good hands but it is still hard leaving your baby behind. That being said, it felt really good to get out and visit with friends.

After getting a beer and greeting all the other guest I did what any new mom would do - found another new mom to talk about babies with. I think it only took us 15 minutes before we were on the computer sharing the latest pictures of our little ones. We also set up a "playdate" on Tuesday. I am sure the childless people at the party were laughing at us and I don't really blame them. This time last year I probably would have been laughing at me too. You truly do not understand what it is like until you have one of your own.

We stayed at the party until 9:30 then headed home (we are party animals!). It was nice to spend time with friends but it was also nice to come home to our sweet baby boy!