Tuesday, July 17, 2007

First day of school

Getting ready to go to school

Yes, I know it's the middle of the summer, but today was your first day of school (aka daycare). Mommy was a total basket-case last night getting you ready, but actually did ok today while you were at school (I didn't call once to check on you - no news is good news!) and when I got to school to pick you up you were all smiles and laughing, enjoying a book Miss Pat was reading to you. You had a great first day, looking around at all of your new baby friends and even took two naps! (granted they totaled less than two hours - but it's a start). I am so proud of you and know you are going to love going to "school."

p.s. thank you for the beautiful flowers...they made my day!




Come on mom...let's go!


end of a long, but fun day


Tuesday, July 10, 2007

Let's hit the road Jack...

July 8, 2007

what a great little traveler you are (knock on wood) -- you and i drove solo to connecticut this past weekend for aunt maureen's bridal shower. you slept 75% of the way there and 75% of the way back and probably only fussed for a total of 5 minutes, keeping yourself entertained by looking in your mirror and taking your paci out and putting it back in...in and out...in and out...keep it up little boy, we've got many more miles ahead...

Monday, July 2, 2007

Jack Attack...take one...

A self-proclaimed horrible journal keeper, I figured might as well give the online world of blogging a try and see if we make out any better. To that end, a recap of the past four months (has it already been four months!).

Thursday, March 1, 2007 - feeling especially large and pondering how late you would arrive, mommy settled in to watch a few episodes of the Wire on DVD (courtesy of
aunt maureen) -- not appropriate for babies to watch, but a very well-written drama exploring the underworld of the Baltimore drug-world -- I digress -- after 6 episodes, you decided this would be the day that you started your journey to the outside (very punctual - as your due date was March 2nd) and around 3:45 in the afternoon started making your decision to enter this world known. 19 hours and about 20 minutes later, we got to 9 cm without an epidural (CRAZY MOMMY!), 1 cm with an epidural -- you, little boy made your grand entrance at 10:04 am on Friday, March 2, 2007 - right on time. And now a much briefer recap of the past 4 months.

March 2, 2007

March 2007
One week after you were born, mommy was back in the hospital with multiple infections (kidney, uterin, bladder)...not a good start to our life together. You were a trooper though, settling in with nana and daddy for a few days while mommy got better. And a funny thing happened while at the hospital, we discovered your love of the vacuum as a soothing sound, after spending a long day at the hospital you were upset (rightfully so) and wanting to go home, daddy was helping me get setting in my hospital room, you were crying and then the cleaning lady started vacuuming -- you were quiet, she stopped vacuuming to come see you, you started crying - quick - "TURN ON THE VACUUM!" we then strategically placed vacuums and dust busters throughout the house to calm you in your most upset moments and now, you are lulled to sleep with the sound of the vacuum playing on your CD player - whatever works, right? During those first few weeks I made the first of many "first time mommy mistakes"(hereafter known as FTMM)...waking the sleeping baby to eat. They tell you in the hospital, don't let the baby go more than four hours without eating, wake him up...well, I think you gladly would have gone longer had I not frantically watched the clock in the wee hours of the night and woken you up to eat - dumb mommy. Month one was relatively uneventful, punctuated by visits from lots of friends and family, lots of sleeping on your part and not so much on mommy's part! We capped off your first month of life by attending a housewarming party for Chris Schmalz -- and with it the first sign of the nap "trouble" to come -- you just did not want to close your eyes, instead preferring to stay awake and join the party -- more on naps to come.


April 2, 2007
April 2007
Eat, sleep, poop...repeat...much of the same and during this time another big FTMM -- naps -- one thing they do not tell the mommies and daddies in the hospital (that they should) is that not all babies just ma
gically close their eyes when they are tired and go to sleep -- no, instead some babies (yours truly) have to learn to take naps...well, mommy just assumed you wanted to be awake -- not true -- the result was that at the end of month two we had one OVERTIRED and cranky baby on our hands, time for some new nap guidelines...no more than two hours awake and then down for a nap. Speaking of naps, some would consider it a FTMM others just say "go with it" - for better or worse little boy, you are a motion junkie -- moving (swing, car, stroller) = nap, not moving = awake cranky baby - has made for some interesting naps (more to come in month four on that)...definitely a nap theme developing in this post. Other highlights from month two - smiles, you started handing them out during month two and haven't stopped since - and what a great little smile it is - i love it and enjoy every minute, knowing that you won't always smile for mommy. During month two you were also diagnosed with acid reflux, we put you on some baby Zantac...it got you through until you felt better (around 13 weeks) -- on to month three...

May 2, 2007
May 2007
Definitely our most difficult month together so far - but what doesn't kill you, makes you stronger!
There were lots of tears on both our ends this month as you stopped napping, choosing to only close your eyes for 30 minute stretches (even in your swing), developed what we think was a lactose problem as you screamed as though all of the devils in hell were stabbing you with hot pokers pretty much all day -- however we then switched you to a soy formula and you stopped screaming. Not all difficult times though- you started "talking", you slept through the night (once), "sitting up" with the help of mommy or daddy is a favorite pastime, went to your first softball game, watched baseball with daddy on TV and settled into a nice bedtime routine. June was great, so rather than dwell on the turbulent month of May, let's move ahead to better times.

June 2, 2007
June 2007
My favorite month with you so far...after deciding to spend one more month at home with you before going back to work, we had a great time throughout the month of June - your smile and laughter are infectious, definitely mommy's little boy, you greet each morning full of smiles and laugher ("GOOD
MORNING MOMMY!!!!) and by 8:00 pm are ready for bed. This month was full of firsts...you took your first road trip up to Connecticut to visit Nana and Pop-Pop - and you did great, dozing most of the way (you also caught your first cold while up there, but didn't get too out of sorts), first time in a pool, you also attended your first wedding (of many more to come) and you were a perfect gentleman, first trip into the city - other than to go to mommy's work and most importantly (according to some) made your first trip to happy hour. Your motion habits continue, with Nana and Pop-Pop literally swinging your hammock for an hour and a half at Aunt Kris' wedding to keep you asleep -- we figure you'll grow out of this eventually, until then, swing away little man, swing away. You are also destined to be a traveler -- we traveled out of town twice in June and both times you slept through the night - then once back home it was back to your normal up once during the night sleeping habits...you had your first cereal eating adventure, with 90% of it ending up on your face and 10% in your mouth. And on June 25th, mommy headed back to work and you and aunt maureen passed the time playing together, practicing rolling, having tummy time, taking long walks and even some longs naps.


July 2, 2007

And now, at four months old you continue to delight and amaze me every day, last night you spent 20 minutes blowing raspberries at daddy, aunt maureen and I, followed immediately by vomiting all over yourself, then laughed...happy four month birthday little boy.

love,
mommy