Life is Sweet: 2012

Saturday, October 13, 2012

August 25, 2012 - Sam is 8 weeks old

August 25, 2012 -

Sam is 8 weeks old

Little Sam is already 8 weeks old. He's still has a bit of a cold/congestion that he got last week but is sleeping and eating just fine. He doesn't like when we put drops in his nose or use the bulb suction on his nose but he doesn't scream bloody murder when we do it. He has more and more awake time everyday, usually between 10-2pm with a little snooze somewhere in there, again around 4-5pm, and the minute we sit down for dinner (around 7pm) to 9pm with or without a catnap in that time. He's started to coo and smile much more often and I've included a video.

Sunday, September 23, 2012

August 23, 2012 - Round Rock Express Baseball

August 23, 2012

Round Rock Express Baseball

The 2012 Season is wrapping up and we went to our second to last baseball game for the year. It was an eventful time, the Round Rock Firetrucks were there, and a baseball game even took place.

Milestones - Sam's first appearance on the Jumbotron! Henry did the Chicken Dance. Jason caught a shirt that was blasted out of a gun by Spike (the team mascot).

I got us to the game and avoided getting Sam or I hit by all the fly balls that kept coming into our section. All the excitement wore Sam out and he snoozed through part of the game while Jason and Henry went to the play area and to get some ice cream.

Chicken Dance Video

Henry- 17 months old!

Slightly out of order but I didn't realize I hadn't published this yet.

Eating Habits: Eats nearly everything. Absolutely loves Rudy's BBQ extra moist brisket, he's getting pickier about his Rudy's meats. Eats oatmeal (whole rolled oats) with mom. Still doesn't drink much cow's milk, but we keep trying it. Like to feed himself with a spoon but hasn't figured out scooping yet.

Motor Skills: Can go down the stairs feet first on his belly and sitting/facing foward and scooting down step by step. Will sit down and go down the slides facing foward. Can kick a ball. Will spin around until he's dizzy and falls over, then will get up and do it again.

Sleeping Habits: Mostly sleeping through the night, though I can usually get him back to sleep by activating his mobile music remotely if he wakes up. Goes to bed between 9:15 and 10pm after he nurses and Jason reads some nights. Finished Lake Wobegon Days by Garrison Keillor and started Bold Fresh Piece of Humanity by Bill O'Reilley. He keeps testing out wanting to only take one nap a day and even went 12 hours without a nap one day, but it's better for everyone if he takes 2 naps. First nap is around 11:30 about 3 hours after he wakes up the second nap around 5:30.

Speech: Fish (ish), cheese (chiz), da, a very clear "bye bye", row row row, How I won (der what you are), wee (going down slide), MMMMM after eating something,

When asked what a cow says he says Moo!, sheep = Baa!, cat = Meow!, dog = rururur

Signs: Has picked up many signs this month and is putting them together. We also bought some of the Signing Time videos to watch.

Help, Milk Please, More Please, cracker, bread, cheese, Dad, fish, dog, hungry, thirsty, meat, eat, change, down, bird/chicken

Teeth : 10 teeth, another lower molar came through this month

Clothing: wearing mostly 24month/2T size (neck is getting small to get over his head) and a few 3T shirts and shorts.

Other: Went swimming in the Cat Hollow Pool, still taking swim lessons at AquaTots getting comfortable in the water and can climb out of the pool, but hasn't blown bubbles in the water on command. He is very excited to see Spike (Round Rock Express mascot) and has received hugs, played peek a boo with, gave a high five and had a pointing contest. Fights getting into his carseat lately.

Monday, September 10, 2012

Aug 11, 2012 - Sam is 6 weeks

Aug 11, 2012 -
Sam is 6 weeks

Sam went to his second baseball game this week. He slept through most of it but the weather was nicer (slightly cooler and breezy) that we spent the game outside instead of escaping to the air-conditioned Intel Club. His baby acne is at it's worst, he leaves oily stains on everything he rests his head on. He's starting to have more awake time and going longer between some feedings (4hrs) and shorter ones when he's awake. He has an awake period around 10am-12pm, another around 4pm (short in duration) and another one from the moment I sit down to eat dinner, 7ish until 9pm. It's during this later awake time that he eats nearly every hour. He wakes up to eat around 1am, 4 or 5am then again at 7am. He's started to smile this week but I have yet to be able to capture that cute moment on my camera to share with everyone else. He does really well with tummy time and will stay pretty content on his belly for 10-20 minutes. Henry always joins him on the floor.

August 2, 2012 - Sam's 1st Baseball Game

August 2, 2012 -
Sam's 1st Baseball Game

Tonight was Sam's first Round Rock Express Baseball game, I don't know if they won or lost but it was a fun trip out for all of us.

Henry was a little shy around Spike at this game

Sunday, September 9, 2012

July 17, 2012- No Nap Henry on the loose!

July 17, 2012
No Nap Henry on the loose!

slightly out of order, trying to catch up on posting

Today is the second weekday since Grandma headed back to Wisconsin with just our little family at home. Jason is on paternity leave yet this week, but I'm trying to handle both boys on my own as much as possible so that I get used to taking care of them on my own and Jason has a chance to catch up on some work and home projects this week. Yesterday didn't go so well.

We spent a lazy morning snacking on a plate of breakfast goodies Jason makes for us each morning and watching a variety of kids cartoons. Sam has been pretty easy so far, mostly just needing a clean diaper, to be fed and put back to sleep with an hour or two of awake/alert time twice a day. Whenever I put him on the blanket for tummy-time, Henry lies on the floor next to him giving hugs, shaking his hand, finding his feet or rubbing his back.

By noon I was touched out. Breastfeeding the baby and having Henry crawling on me, pointing out features on my face, rubbing my hair, running trains all over my legs, arms, in my sleeves and attempting in my hair I just needed a little space and to get us both out of the house. The whole family packed up and headed to Mighty Fine for some lunch and some playtime on the playground. Henry has become quite adventurous on the playground equipment. The monkey bars there start with horizontal bars and end 8 feet up tilted to vertical. It's a little scary watching him climbing up that high even with Jason ready to catch him at any moment, but once he scaled it the first time there was no stopping him.

Running some energy off Henry was a good thing, or so we thought. He fell asleep in the car just as we entered our neighborhood. We quietly took him out of the car, carried him upstairs and once his body hit the bed he was awake. We read story after story but every time we'd leave the room he'd be upset and still awake. He fought the nap most of the afternoon and spent a lot of time reading his books. We let him out of his room for a bit figuring that we'd try the nap again in an hour or so. Tried again and nope, just wouldn't nap. We took down his toddler rail on the bed since he was just using it to make noise by pounding it against the bed and kick at it. We probably didn't need it anyways, he sleeps against the wall usually with his legs between the wall and the bed.

Dinner actually went well. Made him something other than white bread toast, mac and cheese, black beans or mandarin oranges (go to foods he'll normally eat) and had rotini and meatballs with tomato sauce.

July 31, 2012 - Day of Firsts and a goodbye

July 31, 2012 -
Day of Firsts and a goodbye

First Movie - Jason, Sam and I went to Baby Day at Alamo Drafthouse to see Batman, The Dark Knight Rises. Sam slept through all but the last 20 minutes of the movie.

First bottle - Jason gave Sam his first bottle. We decided to give Sam a bottle at least once a week so that he will take a bottle and we might be able to leave him with a sitter sometime in the next year. We learned from Henry not to start this process too much later or he might not ever take a bottle like Henry.

First tub bath - we finally progressed from sponge baths on the counter to putting Sam in the bathtub. After the initial shock of the water he calms and seems to like being in the tub.

Today my grandparents' retirement home was sold. I remember the long drive up to northern Wisconsin with my grandma when my grandparents moved out of their condo and into a little apartment waiting for their home to be completed. Though I haven't been there to visit in years the house holds alot of wonderful memories. Grandma's carefully planned, prepared delicious meals and desserts, bad jokes and stories from Grandpa, campfires, shooting fireworks off the deck, driving up there on my own, deer hunting preparations, when I was of legal drinking age ordering a drink at the bar with Grandpa when we'd go out for fish fry and so many more great times. So hard to believe it's been almost 7 years that Grandpa has been gone, 12 years for Grandma and that they'll never get to see me married and with two boys of my own.

July 28, 2012 - Sam is 4 weeks

July 28, 2012
Sam is 4 weeks

July 27, 2012 - Henry is 28 months

July 27, 2012
Henry is 28 months

Loves books and has many of them memorized. Very Hungry Caterpillar, Very Very Busy Spider, I Can Read with My Eyes Shut by Dr Seuss and many others
only certain foods - orange foods lately - mandarin oranges, mac and cheese, cantaloupe, carrots and sweet potatoes
Doesn't like apples or bananas this month
Speaking more clearly and putting together 3 word sentences

Henry - 27 months

Here is the list I put together for our neighbor or my mother for when they had to take care of Henry while I was in the hospital.

Henry's schedule

Wakes up around 7-8am (closer to 8am lately)

Immediately wants Cheerios and his water cup (which he sleeps with and always has with him, usually wedged between the bed and wall if missing)

Will eat fruit (bananas, peeled apples, grapes, berries) must peel banana in front of him, no strings attached, will inspect fruit for faults and say no no no and hand it back if it doesn't pass inspection, pancakes, toast/bagel/english muffin with butter, donut holes... he's a bottomless pit somedays and will eat multiple bananas or apples, if you give him berries first that is all he will eat even if other fruit is available

Lunch - sometimes before sometimes after nap depending on how much he eats for breakfast, we tend to graze on breakfast most of the morning.

Nap (with a fight to get there) after a story or three, an animal and water cup around 1 or 1:30 for 2-3 hours. He will cry/fuss for maybe 5 minutes then head to sleep or babble reading his books for a while. If he doesn't succumb to sleep after 30 minutes and still fussing/upset let him be awake and try again later (after feeding him if you didn't do lunch before) or he falls asleep in some random place while playing. He has been waking up grumpy from naps. Usually wants a bit of cuddling time in my lap, not sure how this will work with someone else.

snacks - peeled apples, bananas, Cheerios, goldfish crackers, triscuits or yogurt drops and he always has water in his cup (red, blue or yellow topped playtex sippy)

Dinner - depends on the night, we try to have him eat what we eat. Cannot mix foods in his bowl. Otherwise hotdogs or meatballs cut up, steamed carrots, heated frozen peas or corn, black beans, slices or cheese (yellow only) or bread/dry toast. It's a toss up some nights and he will eat up to a cup of peas (or other single food group) and nothing else or a bit of everything. He doesn't like wearing a bib lately and we don't give him glass anything except for shot glass for juice or milk (tablespoon at a time) or milk and juice(watered down at least 50%) can go in the blue with green caps see through cups only, not his water cups.

Bedtime - 8:45-9pm, tell him it's "jammie time", change diaper, pjs, brush teeth (if you want that challenge, if not it's okay), read 2 books (one will be "I Like to Learn Numbers"), shut off lights and put in bed with his water cup, usually one of his books, one of his animals (bear, tiger or elephant), cover with blanket and head out of room. Some nights he'll go right to sleep or babble with his animals others he'll fuss for a few minutes, possibly kick at the wall but head to sleep soon after. Easier than nap time.

TV (favorites are Signing Time, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse, Blues Clues), toys, puzzles, books are great distractions for him. He also loves to color but we only allow him to color in his highchair with the washable crayons since he won't stay on the paper at all times. He will go through multiple pieces of paper per sitting.

July 23-27, 2012 - First Week on My Own

July 23-27, 2012
First Week on My Own

Jason's paternity leave is over, Grandma headed home last Saturday so Monday was my first day home alone with both boys. Henry was on his best behavior most of the day and Sam mostly ate and slept. By 2pm I had both boys in their rooms and taking naps! Not sure I'll ever be able to do that again but I'm hoping.

Trying to do what we can do get Henry to eat lately (other than the all carb diet he likes to eat) so I bought some divided trays to see if that would be more appealing for him and would keep everything divided since certain foods aren't allowed to mix. He liked it at first but still wasn't all that interested in eating dinner.

Some days are better than others. Henry has been fighting naptime and Wednesday decided he absolutely wasn't napping. No Nap Henry makes for a very grumpy boy until bedtime.

Thursday - Had to cancel Sam's playdate with Harrison due to AT&T repairman needing to come out and fix our TV and internet. It finally all works again! Jason took Henry to the pool for the first time this year and he was a bit more adventurous in the water than last year when I took him. Instead of staying on the ledge in only a few inches of water, he'd walk from the 2' deep section to deeper water until it would get up to his lips and he couldn't breathe anymore. As many times as Jason would take him back to the shallow water he'd keep heading out to the deep water. It might be time to start up swim lessons again.

Friday - We met up with the RR MOMS 2 year old playgroup. It was great to get out of the house and meet up with some other moms with kids the same age. Henry had fun with all the toys at the house but is horrible at sharing. Typical 2 year old rules, if I touched it, it's mine. If I see it, it's mine. If I had it but stopped playing with it, it's still mine and I want to play with it NOW! Somehow Sam was able to sleep through most of the noise and chaos of 10 kids playing.

The first week went better than I expected. Coordinating the two boys takes some balance and everyone's needs aren't fulfilled the moment they need it but we are figuring it out. I love the Care Calendar that was set up for us for a few weeks of meals after Sam was born. We've been getting dinners delivered from the RR MOMS and Baby Mama friends on Monday, Wednesday and Friday nights, and having someone else plan dinner for us has been so wonderful. Soon I'll have to start planning and making our dinners, snacks and such.

July 21, 2012 - Weekend and Sam is 3 weeks old

July 21, 2012
Weekend and Sam is 3 weeks old

Oh the exciting weekends we have. Jason spent most of the day replacing the screens on the front of the house that were damaged during the crazy hail storm we had a week ago. Sam spent most of the day eating with a few naps in between. Henry had his normal weekend pancake breakfast, playing dinosaurs and Legos and watching Bubble Guppies morning, a 3 hour nap with brats for dinner and some time outside on his playgym.

Henry was very funny this evening while brushing his teeth. Every few brushes he would lean over the sink and pretend to spit. I think he's watched Jason or I brush a few times and is trying to imitate us.

Sam - 3 weeks old

Sam's - eats for about 20 minutes during night feedings around 1am, 4am and 6-7am, wakes up around 9am and will either go directly back to sleep for an hour after eating or have some awake time (about 2 hours) with Henry and I. During his awake times we try to put him on a blanket on the floor to play and some tummy time. Henry usually will sit or lay near Sam on the blanket during these times patting his back or talking to "Baby Sam". He loves the swing and will fall asleep in it. During the day he eats and naps about every 3 hours with another awake time period around 5pm. The last two days he seems to be eating much more often, growth spurt? He's nearly out of newborn size clothes but still in newborn size disposable diapers. He rarely cries unless he's hungry, needs to burp or has somehow peed outside of his diaper. Today I put him in his first cloth diaper. I can't wait to get him in them full time so that I can not spend over $70+ a month putting him in disposable diapers. We've gone through at least 200 diapers in 3 weeks (maybe 300, I can't remember how many boxes I've bought). He's also developed a bit of baby acne in the last two days. Other than random naps, last night was Sam's first night sleeping in his room rather than in the portable crib in our room.

July 19th - Everybody Naps!

July 19th
Everybody Naps!

Horray horray!! Everybody took a nap today.

After dinner the whole family went up to the park. Sam wasn't too impressed and napped in the carseat the whole time. Henry hadn't been to the park in a while so had lots of fun climbing, sliding and swinging while being chased around by Mom and Dad.

July 18, 2012-No Nap Day 2, Lawn care and Sam update

July 18, 2012
No Nap Day 2, Lawn care and Sam update

Today is Day 2 of Henry seriously fighting and winning the battle of the afternoon nap. After playing outside for a while in the morning, then a bit on the playground after lunch and falling asleep in the car again (for a few minutes).... the second he is put on his bed he wakes up and has endless energy. He fought the nap for almost 2 hours before Jason and I just gave up and let him out of his room (after going in a few times to read stories, take away books and animals and to make sure he had a clean diaper.

While we had some cloud cover and waiting for our dinner to be delivered from one of the Round Rock MOMS club members we put Henry to work on the lawn, edging, sweeping and weeding. He was most happy weeding and then running to the trash to throw them out.

Sam Update

Sam has had some jaundice since he was born and diagnosed with breastfed jaundice (just takes longer to clear up) at his first pediatrician appointment. He went in today for a quick nurse's appointment so they could draw some blood and get another bili-count to make sure the jaundice is starting to go away. His bili-count is going down, at an 11 this week from 14 last week. It should be in the 4-8 range but doctor isn't worried because he's eating plenty and not having any other problems. He's gained 12 ounces since last week's appointment, now weighing in at 8lbs 7oz.

Life is Sweet