Loving vacation

We are loving vacation!!! Patrick is doing great! I think it's helping us feel more comfortable taking him places and not being so nervous! And he seems to love being on vacation! He must be a beach baby just like his momma!!!

Merry Christmas and happy 4 months

I started this on my phone the other day and it wouldn't let me type anything. So here we are a few days late. Our Christmas was spent in route to Florida. Patrick did fantastic on the drive and flight. Only a few minutes of tears on the plane. And he slept so well Friday night. Poor little guy was so tired!! So far he's enjoying our beach vacation. Sleeping in the stroller or baby bjorn as we walk the beach is a favorite pastime. And hopefully the weather will cooperate and stay nice!! I'm sure the rest of the week will fly by!!

Christmas eve was spent with the in laws. I don't even know where to start with them so I won't. I swear they get weirder and weirder every time they come over!

And Patrick is 4 months old!! He goes back to the doctor a week from tomorrow. I'm curious about his weight. He still is wearing some 0-3 months clothes but mostly 3 months. Some 3-6 months, but not many. So he has a limited wardrobe right now. He has started grabbing things and putting them in his mouth (mostly toys and wash cloths). And he has learned how to grab the handle on the pacifier and take it out and sometimes get it back in. And he LOVES to suck on his hands!! He'll even suck on my hands or arms if his mouth is close enough to them.
Sleeping continues to baffle us. Some nights he goes to bed really easy and sleeps all night and other nights he seems like he'll never fall asleep or he wakes up once or twice. I realize we are very lucky. He mostly sleeps all night or only wakes up once. And when he does sleep all night its 12-13 hours, but I hate guessing what the night will bring. So far on our trip he's done really well (knock on wood). I hope it continues!!!
He's getting really good at sitting up and holding his head up. He loves to sit on our laps and look at books or the tv or other people. He doesn't seem to like to be facing us anymore. Apparently we're too boring. But he seems to really enjoy looking at books. A few weeks ago he wouldn't really tolerate them for very long. But his attention span is getting longer and longer.
In my mind I always assumed he'd start on solid foods right after we got back from Florida since he'd be 4 months old. But the more I read about it, I don't think he's ready. He does seem more interested in what we're doing when we're eating, but I don't think he's interested enough to sit up on his own and eat from a spoon. And the last thing I read said that once the baby doubles their birth weight, they are ready. He's no where near doubling his birth weight. So I think we'll lean towards waiting until 6 months or so. He's still nursing every 2-3 hours but my supply is fine and he seems to be getting all he needs. So I don't want to mess with that yet. And he'll be 6 months before we know it! I will ask the doctor what they recommend though.
He seems to have a little separation anxiety starting. I'm not sure if that is because one of us is always around or if that is just an age thing. But if we leave his line of sight, he starts fussing. We are trying to not hold him or carry him around all day to avoid what we affectionately call 'lap colic' but it's hard! Working in the morning and then being home with him in the afternoon, you'd think I'd have plenty of time to get stuff done, but that doesn't seem to be the case! Some days I feel like I get nothing done!!! But I also know that he will only be this age once and if I don't get the floors vacuumed or kitchen cleaned up, who cares. I get to spend time with my baby and that is all that matters!!! And I'm thankful that I'm able to do it!
Overall he's growing well and learning everyday. He's a great baby and a wonderful addition to our family!! We fall more and more in love with him everyday!!! Who knew being parents would be this amazing!!!

Busy busy

Christmas is coming...less than a week away! Means we have too much to do! Work was busy last week. I have friends coming for a visit tomorrow. Meeting up with out of town friends on Tuesday, Christmas with the in-laws at some point, and Florida on Friday. I spent today re-arranging my kitchen cabinets. Why? I don't know. I should have been cleaning for guests, baking cookies, packing, resting....anything but that. But at least it's done and I feel better about it. I have a little more cleaning to do for tomorrow. I will start packing probably Wednesday. I'm off Thursday so I can work on it then too.

Patrick will be four months on Friday...I can hardly believe it. His 4 month appointment is two weeks from Monday. I'm curious about his weight. We've been tracking it on the wii fit plus and it doesn't look like he's gaining much. But he eats plenty and he is healthy, so I'm not worrying about it right now. He also almost turned over yesterday. Dean caught it in a succession of pictures. He said it was funny. He got all the way on his side but then couldn't figure out what to do. I was bummed I missed it. The downside to being at work! But hopefully when he rolls for real I'll be home. He's also learned to squeal. He squeals when he's happy and when he's not. And it can get LOUD!!! It's sort of funny, but still loud!

I realize I didn't do a 16 week post, so this is sort of making up for it. I probably will be better at just doing monthly posts now. The weeks are running together for me. I will hopefully update when he learns something new! But as for now, I need to pump and go to bed.

One year ago...

...(yesterday) Dean and I got the best news of our lives. Who would have thought a year would bring the most wonderful, most challenging, most loving little being into our lives. I cannot imagine life any other way. And even though he's in there hollering on his play mat as I type this...I would not change one single thing. I love my family. My wonderful husband and sweet little boy. In my mind it couldn't be better. And I thank God everyday for this gift.

15 weeks old

As I sit here typing, my sweet 15 week old boy is upstairs in dreamland. He went through a spurt of not sleeping last week but that seems to be behind us now. He's back to his old habits. It's been a big week for Patrick. His first snowfall (YUCK!). I hate the snow, but love thinking of years from now when he will be so anxious for snow to go out and play.

He's growing like a week. Most all of his 0-3 month clothes are too short. I measured him the other day at 23 1/2 inches. He doesn't seem to be gaining any/much weight, so he looks thin to me. But he'll fill out. He is grabbing at his toys more and more. And when he touches one he laughs like it's the funniest thing on the earth. He is definitely developing lap colic. He HATES to be put down. I suppose because we love holding and cuddling him so much!! He has started stretching out his feedings to closer to 2 1/2 hours apart, which is nice for me. We are all decorated and ready for Christmas. I still have some shopping to do for the little guy but not much. We won't be going overboard since he's only 4 months old!! I plan on only getting stuff we actually need anyway.

And just to keep me on my toes...I started my first postpartum period today. Fun huh? Maybe that will explain my moodiness and lack luster attitude these days. Having so meting to blame it on just makes me feel better, even if it's not the reason! Maybe once this passes I can start to feel better mentally...we'll see. If not, I may be heading to the doctor. But for now I'm heading to bed and hoping that this snow will stop overnight so I can drive to work without freaking out!!! A girl can dream right??

The week from hell

As far as I'm concerned this week can be forgotten...never to be discussed again. My kid stops sleeping through the night, we put our family pet to sleep, I had a major mental breakdown in front of my mother in law, and got in a car accident....pretty much the worst week ever. Thank gosh it's the weekend. Thank gosh I don't have to go anywhere (not that I can, I have no car) and thank gosh my husband is the most wonderful man in the world!

I'm going to bed early tonight and will sleep in tomorrow. The sun will rise on a brand new day and it will be better than this one!!

Goodbye Rags

It was a sad day in our family yesterday. My mom had to put our family dog Rags down. As anyone with pets knows, this is hard on anyone. My poor mom was a wreck. She was sick from chemo and then made this decision. I felt so sorry for her. But poor Rags wasn't doing well and has been declining for weeks. My parents have always been fair to their/our animals and not prolonging life when the quality wasn't there. It's still sad. And I know she had a hard time today too. Constantly looking on the bed where she slept most of the day. Waiting for her to come to the dishwasher after dinner. And I'm sure the bed feels a little bigger without her there during the night. She was a good dog and a great pet. And now she's in doggy heaven chasing deer and rabbits to her hearts content!

I stand corrected

Patrick's sleeping schedule is NOT going well. He's been up the last 2 nights to eat and the night before this he wouldn't go to sleep. I'm hoping this is a growth spurt and he will go back to his normal sleeping schedule soon. I'm so tired and getting up to go to work is killing me!!

Anyone with any tips, stories or support please let me know...

14 weeks old

Yet another Tuesday is upon us and my sweet boy is 14 weeks old. I'm a little biased but I swear he gets cuter every day!! We've been working on the bedtime routine. He's been pretty good about going to sleep and staying asleep. Although last night he wanted to party at 3am and the night before he wouldn't settle down until 11:30. But I'm hoping that is a fluke and he'll go back to his good sleeping habits tonight. It's HARD to get up and go to work when I'm exhausted!! I don't know how some moms do it!! I am lucky he's a good sleeper.

He's learned that he would rather be sitting up than laying down. And preferably sitting up on one of our laps. I'm working on putting him in his bumbo or swing rather than laying him down. And trying to avoid holding him ALL the time. Although it's tough because he's such a good cuddler! And I know someday he won't want me to cuddle him.

Dean weighed him on the Wii fit plus today and it gave the same weight as his 2 month appointment (11 1/2 pounds). I initially was worried but am telling myself that it's a different scale and the boy eats enough!! Still every 2 hours or so.

I've been having some feelings of doubt or fear that I'm not doing everything I should be for him. I think I read too much and listened to too much advice and now it's all backfiring on me. I worry about his bedtime routine, sleeping through the night, eating - how often and how much. I think I inherited my grandmas worry gene!!

But despite all that he is growing and healthy. Couldn't ask for anything better!