FINALLY!!!

We finally have figured out what the little monster's schedule is.. Or at least something close to it. And it only took us EXACTLY three months. whew! I know he will change it tomorrow now that I am telling everyone. He likes to sleep until 8 or 9, naps around 11-12 and again around 4-5, each for about an hour (two if I'm lucky!) He wants to go to bed around 9-10. WHOO HOO!! Now I know when I can plan things!! Also, now that he is getting enough sleep and his naps are more regular, he is a MUCH happier baby.. Well, I am blaming it on that, but it could be his new favorite toy. :)

I need to take a picture of him today. He is officially 3 months. 1/4 of a year. 1/3 of a pregnancy. Life goes by quickly!

Just my luck...

Today was absolutely crazy. The little man has gotten too heavy to carry in that silly carrier thing. So I got his "big boy" carseat all set up and we got him bundled in his winter coat and headed out to "test" to see if I just had to suck it up and learn how to carry a 15 1/2 pound baby in his carrier anyway. He hates the carseat as much as the carrier, but that was to be expected.
I didn't expect it to be as cold as it was though. We shouldn't have taken him out. We went to Toys R Us to get an exersaucer. (a toy like a walker but it doesn't move, and it is almost overstimulating..) We got there and I put him in the cart and he was a champ. He isn't sitting up on his own yet, but we shoved stuff on either side of him in front of the cart and he smiled the whole time. It was like he knew he was growing up and was loving the independence. We got the toy, and got it in the car.
I started up the engine, plugged it in reverse, hit the gas and nothing.. I hit the gas a bit harder.. still nothing.. Okay, not really NOTHING. Water, snow and ice was flying forward from my tires. I found a great spot. It was really close to the door and I wouldn't have to carry the baby out in the cold very far. I didn't realize it was a bad spot until we tried to leave. I found a spot that had potholes. Who cares, right? Well, that's fine until they fill up with snow and ice. Then put a front wheel drive car's tires in those snow/ice filled potholes and see what happens. Ha.
After a few minutes of revving my engine, I had my mom get in and drive and I got out to push. (Mom just had rotator cuff surgery. Don't think the PT would have approved of her pushing.) I had my heels dug into the sidewalk, and my arms pushed into the car so that I was leaning my entire body into the front of the car. Had the wheels gripped, I would have ended up with my face in the snow or my head would have cracked the curb. NO luck. the wheels didn't grip. We called my Dad to see if he could come help. His first reaction was to laugh at us. Of course I would find the stupid parking spot that I could get stuck in. Then he said.. "Okay, if I come out what should I bring?" NOW.. My dad is a mechanic. HE KNOWS WHAT TO BRING TO GET A CAR UNSTUCK FROM A PARKING LOT. I told him I didn't know whatever he thought could get us unstuck. He could bring a tow rope, a wench, a wrench, HELL BRING A FRIEND. I don't care, just GET HERE. At that moment, my mom spotted two guys. These were big burly manly men looking guys. They looked like they could don a leather jacket and ride into the sunset with the Hell's Angels on Harleys if they wanted to, but they were having a "preppy" day in new jeans, shoes and jackets. She asked them to help and they did. Each guy grabbed the bumper on the front of my Passat and lifted and pushed while I had the car in reverse. Miraculously neither one got wet and we did get unstuck. My dad got to stay home. From now on I'll definitely pay a bit more attention to where i am parking, and what I am parking in... Especially at Toys R Us. But if either of you "burly" men are reading this, thanks for helping get my car out. I wish I could write you a card, but hence, I don't even know your name.. And Gretchen, YES I used the word "burly" just for you... I couldn't manage to work "flip it out" or "fill his pants" into this entry. ;)

Is It Too Late for a New Years Resolution?

WOW! It has been one heck of a crazy busy week. I don't even know where the time went! It has been ages since I updated yet it seems like it has only been a day or two. The little man has been keeping me pretty busy this week. He has decided to change his schedule, or lack thereof. I guess the problem is that I have had a hard time getting myself into a routine. Sure, I go eat Chinese food most Monday afternoons, and Tues and Thurs I eat dinner with the in-laws as well as lunch on Fridays. Other than those things, though my life is utter chaos. It doesn't help that I recently started working again, which threw off what little bit of daytime routine we did have. So Here are my (one month late) New Years Resolutions:
1. Figure out a routine for the daytime. Include "office hours" when I will work, and "play time" for the little guy. The days might be slightly different, but there needs to be some sort of order. For my kid's sake!
2. Get the little man out of my bed and into his own bassinet, followed by his own crib (once it warms up enough. I also would like to get him back to sleeping through the night.
3. Get my room organized. (this one is the most likely to be broken.)

Okay.. So those are my resolutions. I guess I can update you in April to see just how well those are going.

Bad Mommy, Bored Mommy

The baby is sleeping in my bed. Daddy is gone, I breastfeed. It is just easier. Not to mention, he STAYS asleep in my bed. It seems as though the SECOND I put him in his own bed he wakes up screaming. So what is a tired mommy to do? (some might say get off the flippin' internet and sleep, but I'm an addict. I admit it) It is also VERY convenient for that 2 to 3 am or so feeding.. I just roll over flip it out and go back to sleep. His bassinet is approved for up to 15 lbs. He weighs more than that now. I worry about his safety in it, yet I am not ready for him to be in a crib in his own room yet. It is COLD in the basement as well, and there isn't a heating vent in his room, so the coldest room in the house. So, those are my rationalizations. I do however know that I want him to be OUT of my bed in a few months.. by spring... So, we'll have to work on that I guess. This blog was not meant to be all about the baby, but it most certainly has turned into "shrine to baby R." Oh well.

In other news. My husband shook hands with the Secretary of Defense the other day. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on, but figured it out soon enough. It was an exciting day.

I am thinking I am ready to find a group of people to be around without the baby. I am ready to rejoin the adult world. I don't know exactly how to go about doing that. I guess the biggest problem, is that I don't really "fit in" to any group. (story of my life... kinda like jr high and high school) I am married, but my husband is gone, so it is awkward to be around couples (one reason I quit going to Lamaze class). Yet I am married, so the single crowd doesn't really work either. Factor in that I am a stay at home mom, but that I'm not the typical "soccer mom" and then who is left? I thought about joining a Yoga class during the day, but I have stereotyped the people that I think will be in that class and it led to procrastination. If I don't figure something out soon my husband will be upset. He knows me well enough that he forced me to find work of some sort in Virginia (and it wasn't for the money). If it weren't for daycare issues, I would find a volunteer job and try to do something to make the world a better place. For now, I will just rationalize my existence with the thought that I am raising my son to be a person who will believe in something and treat others with respect, honesty and kindness. There seems to be a shortage of those people, so that IS doing something for the world right?? right??

Teeth or Pearls or WHAT ever.

If this look doesn't say "I LOVE YOU." I don't know what does. He wasn't looking at me, I was taking the picture. He was looking at his Grami. It seems like the monster has grown up two months in the past week. He has started "chatting." I mean, really chatting. He makes sounds that are obviously talking, even though they aren't words. Through these "words" he tells me if he is upset or if he is happy. It is just too cute, and kinda sad. My baby is growing up. Such is life.



Other new events: He has been drooling like MAD, chewing on his hands, and anything we put in them, or in his mouth, he has been fussier than ever, and has recently started waking up in the middle of the night to eat. My guess: Teething has begun. I know, early, but who knows. I do see a little white spot on the front of his gums, but babies usually get their bottom teeth first. It could be a Bohns nodule or something like and Epstein's Pearls, but we'll find out. I want to get a third opinion on the matter, then I'll call his Doc to see if I can give him Anbesol or something.



Other than that, my life has been consumed by my "mommy board" and my new myspace account, and doing boring mundane day to day things, like showering and eating and sleeping. Lame I know, but hey, the women on my "mommy board" all had babies within a month or two of me, and we were all due in October, so we spent all of our pregnancies chatting and making sure that symptoms were normal, etc. We know each other really well by now. Well, as well as you can know anyone through the internet. My job has also started up again. Boo. I was hoping to get a little more time before they started bombarding me with work. Oh well. At least I can do it from home. And as lame as "sleep" sounds. It has become a new favorite hobby of mine. It feels GOOD. In fact, I think I will indulge in some of that now. The little monster is sleeping. :)

Prayers Please!

Okay, I know this might sound like I am asking for prayers for some third cousin's brother's aunt's whatever... But it is important to my mom.

My mom started working for some of the best people this past summer. She has become good friends with her coworker Erica... Erica's boyfriend proposed on Christmas, and they began planning their August wedding... On Friday, I took my mom to Physical Therapy for her torn rotator cuff, and we saw smoke.. Didn't think anything of it. Mom found out today that the smoke was from a car accident involving Erica's fiance. He has lost his kidney, broken all of his ribs, has multiple leg fractures, and the list goes on and on. They are saying that he might not pull through this. We know though, that prayers work, so I am announcing this to the world. Please pray for this couple. Pray for the Lord to give the strength, encouragement and hope. Pray for comfort if He decides that Erica's fiance should come Home.

Snowed In..

Well, I had planned on being snowed in. So I am saying that I have been snowed in all weekend. Really it is just too darn cold for me to venture out for very long or very far with a wee (or ginormous) baby. Friday I got my hair cut and Saturday night we had a waterski club party, but other than that, I have stayed at home and in my pajamas all weekend. I would say that is nice, but really I can do that any day I want these days.
Well, I guess this post is going to be short. The little man is crying... AGAIN... He has been doing a lot of that this weekend. I guess HE wasn't planning on being snowed in. I wonder when the whole Cry-it-out thing is acceptable.. All I know is that I let him cry for 10 minutes every morning and every afternoon at nap time.. Other than that, I cannot STAND to let him cry for any length of time. Here's hoping I get some sleep tonight!!!

Where did he go?

My baby got his shots the other day, and then his happy personality went away. He has done nothing but eat (and he wants to do that A LOT) sleep and cry. Okay, sure there are a few moments when he isn't crying and there has been a rare moment when he has wanted to play, but they have been few and far between. Poor little guy. I hope he gets to feeling better soon!!

My husband has officially made it to Bahrain, and I think he even found an apartment. I don't feel too sorry for him anymore.. Where he is going to be living is absolutely insane. His apartment is bigger than our house in Virginia was! Not to mention he is going to have all the luxury that goes along with a 2000 square foot furnished apartment, including a twice weekly maid service. I told him not to get too used to it, because the maid service ends when he comes back to the states!

BIG BOY!!

The little man had his 2 month check up yesterday.. and well, he's really big. NO WONDER I have back, shoulder and wrist pain! He is 15 lbs four oz already, and 25 1/4 inches long.. That is the 93 percentile and 96 percentile respectively.. He did pretty well with the shots... Although he did turn a new color of red while he was screaming.
The Doctor suggested that I MAKE HIM WAIT 3 hours between feedings now.. sheez.. That is going to be torturous for me.. I don't know if I'll be able to do it.. So far, we are at 2 hours 15 minutes.. He took a little catnap, but is thinking about waking up now... No rice cereal yet, just space out the feedings so I have time to accumulate some milk.. ha ha.. That sounds funny.

Okay, so here's the craziness. That is my kidney stone.. gross I know, but I can't imagine a man trying to pass that!! At least I know it was worthy of the hospital trip on New Years! The pic is blurry, but that is a penny... and a 6mm stone, when the ureter tube (the tube going from the kidney to the bladder) is about 3mm.. Yes, it felt a lot like labor.. and that is why men cry when it happens... That is why I threw up everything I tried to eat that morning.. Wow!!

Okay, enough of that.. I have to go because the little man is up and wants food!!

A New Year, and another New Week

The little man is getting old enough now that I have decided I have to be a "mean mommy" and try to get him into a more "mommy friendly" schedule. That's right.. A nap in the morning and a nap in the afternoon. That means I basically put him in his crib and snuggle him, turn on his music and leave. He cries for 10 minutes, I go in and soothe him and get him to stop crying and calm down a bit, and then I leave again. Yesterday it only took an hour of this for him to get a nap. We got him to sleep almost just in time to wake him up so we could watch my dad play Dodgeball.... Today, it only took one 10 minute session of crying, I went in, calmed him down and he went to sleep. Of course, he is sleeping on his tummy at naptime, rather than on his back.... He prefers to sleep that way, but at night he sleeps on his back. But playtime was quite fun today.. He sat in his Bumbo chair, and played with his mat... Yesterday I was really mean.. I made him wear his sheep clothes I bought for him in Scotland. Yes, terrible terrible touristy things, but hey... They are darn cute. :)

Happy 2007

Well, the man of the house is officially gone, and the little man and I miss him..

We had a great time celebrating the holidays together.. Except New Years.. let's just say that 2007 came in with a bang! Well, more like a groan and a lot of time spent in the hospital.. Time wasted. Daddy left on 1/2 and the two of us spent the day in the hospital because Mommy has kidney stones. Yay. What freakin' fun. I do have to say though, that the pain did rival, and possibly surpass childbirth for me.. We were mostly worried it was appendicitis, but got lucky?

We spent a great week at Platte River State Park in a cabin.

The little man has grown up soooo much too. It is amazing to watch him become a little person. He now laughs and smiles and will play some little games with us, and he's only 2 months old. It seems advanced, but I think all parents think that about their kids.