Catch up

Hi Joey,

Darn your mommy - it has been a really long time since I wrote on your blog.  The good thing is that I am too busy spending time with you & your brother to write on your blog.  The bad news is that when I don't do it everyday, I forget those small details that I always want to share with you.

As I write this, you are 2 days short of being 2 months.  You are starting to develop a personality.  You are smiling more and smiling "socially."  Oh my goodness, when you smile, it lights up the room.  Your smile is so big and so addictive.  My heart melts each time.  You will get excited and chuckle.  It is so darn cute I can hardly stand it!

You are such a good sport with your brother.  He loves you so much and he is always ready to love you up.  He "tap, tap, taps" on your back to help us burp you.  But, that also turns into "taps" on your face.  You rarely cry and are even starting to smile at him.   

Unfortunately, you are still having tummy issues.  We are trying to get your medicine regulated and I am hoping it helps you.  When you get pains in your tummy, they turn into screams.  You have cried each time we have left you with a babysitter - Gramma Debbie, Auntie Becky, Grampa Keith and Auntie Val.  We are running out of sitters because they are so frazzled by the time we get back.  3 of those sitters have handed you to me at the door with a sigh of relief that their job was over!  So, we are going to have to figure things out or we will be running out of sitters!!

The past week, I have spent most of our days just looking at you.  I have enjoyed cuddling with you, watching TV with you and just watching you.  I am having a very difficult time with you heading to daycare tomorrow.  It isn't that I don't trust Mary - I know you will be totally cared for.  But, I just feel that you are not ready.  I know how to fix you - your tummy, your cries, your quirks.  Mary won't know how.  She won't be able to sleep with you and know that she just needs to pat your back when you cry & you will go back to sleep.  I know that she will figure it out and you will be just as happy as Elijah but it makes me sad that you have to go so quick.  That NICU just screwed us both, baby.

We went to the dr. on Wednesday and you were over 14 lbs this time!  WOW - you sure are growing and growing quickly.  We go back to the dr. on Wednesday for your formula study & then on Friday for your 2 month check up.  Lots of appointments.

Our big event these past 2 weeks was your baptism.  Holy smokes kid, it was so darn hot in there that every photo of me is just pouring out sweat.  But, you were a champ.  You didn't fuss at all.  We laughed because when you got the holy water splashed on your head, you liked it.  It was so hot that it was a relief to you.  As part of the ceremony, you were exorcised.  It was the only time you made any noise and we all kind of laughed like you had a demon in you!  It was a nice service then we had cake at Grampa's bar.  

We had our first road trip this weekend.  We went down to Missouri to see all your cousins on your daddy's side.  You did great in the hotel and with all the family but you had a hard time in the car.  You get so hot in that seat and you hate sitting in it for too long.  It is so hard for me to hear you crying in the back seat and knowing there isn't anything I can do about it.  If I hold you, then much worse could happen if we got into an accident.  Our options are to make a lot of stops or have you cry it out.  We did both!!

Well, buddy, I can't remember much else to share with you.  I hope to do better in the future but with going back to work, my remaining health issues and trying to raise 2 boys, I am not sure how good I will do.  I will leave you with some photos & scrapbook pages.

Few daily photos...

 I can't be sure but this may be the first photo of you with your daddy & brother.

Our last visit to Dr. Bonebrake.  We won't be seeing him again since there are no more babies coming!  You did a great job of burping right in his face.

At your cousin Mila's shower.  I love watching you when other people hold you!

My favorite picture of you at your baptism.

Some random photos I took of you on my iphone.

You are the only one in this house that loves the big boy bed.  :)

Big smiles in Missouri.

Quick Post

Hi Baby!

I know I have been missing for awhile.  We are going out of town on Thursday and I hope to take my motion sickness pills and get you all updated on the last few weeks while we are driving.  For now, I will share some scrapbook pages.

Past few days

Hi Joey!
We have had a busy few days.  Of course, we are trying to fit sleep in where ever possible but we have had a lot of activities going on.  On Monday, Gramma Debbie hung out with you while I did some cleaning then Gramma Debi D came over to say goodbye.  On Tuesday, we took you for your KELLEY RYDEN PHOTO SHOOT.  You did great and sweet Jesus, I can't wait to see those photos.  Today, we went to the pediatrician and you have gained a full pound!  I can't believe it.  I am so scarred by the NICU experience that I think you are going to lose weight and have to go back.  I was so nervous and couldn't believe you gained so much in two weeks.  We also got great news - you qualify for a study that will pay for your formula for 17 months.  We love Dr. Macklem  :)

You are much more expressive now and talking a bit.  You are starting to get more of a personality.  Physically, we are so excited you haven't lost all your hair yet but we could stand to lose the ever-present ear hair  :)

Kelley let me take one photo with my phone so I will share it with you now along with some scrapbook pages I did during your shoot.

New photo

Hi baby Joey!
We went over to the Lindberg's for a BBQ today and you were loved up by all  :)  But, the exciting thing is that we got a photo of the 4 of us where were aren't in a hospital, my hair is done and we are all wearing "street clothes."  :)

As of this minute, you are curled up in a ball on your daddy's chest napping.  We had a rough night last night sleeping so I am hoping that it doesn't lead to you being up all night.  You look so darn cute all curled up over there.

Week 5

Hi Buddy!
You are now 5 weeks old.  Daddy went back to work this week so it was just you & me.  However, we had lots of help!  Gramma Debi D came over in the mornings to hang out with you while I did things around the house, napped or even just took a shower.  You snuggled up with her and slept and let her spoil you rotten.

You are starting to make more noises and get a bit of a personality.  You love to be held and snuggled.  You are very good natured - mostly, if you cry we go through a check list:  Diaper, food, swaddle, hold.  You are starting to sleep a bit more at night too.  I love it when you smile!  I think you have some dimples that appear when crack a bitty grin.

When we pick up Elijah, the daycare boys are so happy to see you.  They all just circle around your car seat and talk to you, touch you & love you up.  They are just waiting for you to come to daycare with them.

We have a lot going on the next few days.  We have a pool party tonight, a BBQ on Sunday, you are getting your pictures taken on Tuesday, follow up dr. appointment next week and I have a dr. appt on Friday.  In there, I hope we have lots of time together to make up for that NICU time where we didn't get to bond.  I hope we get some nap time together too  :)

Here are some photos of you from this past week.

Hi Joey,
Holy schmoly - you were quite an unhappy camper last night.  Your tummy was so upset that you cried for hours.  Then, you woke up you brother and he cried too.  We tried Tylenol, Mylicon, sugar water on a pacifier, and got you started on your milk of magnesium.  Something worked as you eventually calmed down but mommy & daddy are exhausted....  This parent of 2 thing is much more difficult than I anticipated.  It got to the point that we just started laughing as you two boys screamed at us!

Few photos that I didn't post yesterday.
These are our hospital discharge photos.

We went to the library last night for toddler story time and I took a few photos of you in your car seat.

Today, we took some photos for your birth announcements and got those ordered.

Finally...an update

Hi Joey!
Well, you kind of already knew that you were in line for 2nd child syndrome but I never thought it would be this bad!  You have been home for almost 5 days now and I still haven't posted anything on your blog!  You are darn near one month old.  I can't even believe it.  Yesterday, the pediatrician said "He is almost one month" and I was quite shocked to hear that.  In my eyes, you are like 5 days old because I have blacked out those 3.5 weeks that you spent at the hospital!

I have to be mushy for a minute, buddy.  I hate that your first month was almost entirely in a hospital.  I hate that I feel like we didn't get to bond like we should have.  I hate that I don't have daily posts for you during that time telling you all about your life with us.  But, I do love you and love the fact that you are FINALLY home!

You are quite a joy, buddy!  You are very good natured and you only cry when it is necessary.  You will cry to tell us to feed you or to change you.  You will also cry when you are tired of laying in one position and want to be held.  You love being held and you love sleeping on our tummies.  Yes, we already do have some bad habits.  You are also great with your brother - you don't cry at him when he pokes you or pets you or grabs you.  Thank you for that, little guy.  He loves you so much but he hasn't learned boundaries yet  :)

We are having a hard time adapting with our new family of 4.  I don't think we were prepared for what an upheaval it will be.  You need a bottle, Elijah needs dinner, mom and dad need an extra set of hands each.  We also need to figure out how to get some sleep in this house!  You wake up every 2-3 hours and Elijah wakes up every night at 2 am.  We need to figure out where every one is going to sleep.  You can't sleep in our bed if Elijah does.  We don't want you to wake each other up.  Lots of strategic decisions to be made.

We went to the pediatrician yesterday and you got an all clear.  You gained 3 oz since you were discharged.  You also measured 2" longer - you were 24".  WOW.  She said never to wake you up to eat - you will figure it out yourself.  We were so worried that you would lose weight and be back in the hospital that we woke you up twice the first night!  Now, you can sleep as much as you want.

Well buddy, life really is good.  Your daddy and I look at you and are just in awe that you are here.  You have met most of your local family and everyone is shocked at how much hair you have.  Your brother loves you a lot.  I take your photo everyday and will have them all scrapbooked even if they are not posted here.  I love smooching you up.  Your dad loves loving you up!

I am not sure when I will be back to talk to you buddy but we talk enough in person.  But, I will try to get back frequently enough to fill you in on all your activities and changes.  Eventually, I will probably even get you some photos posted!  I will leave you with the scrapbook pages I have done for you so far.