Visit with Santa

Today we took Jared to visit Santa. He did great! This picture looks a little funny, but he didn't cry at all. He sat there like a good boy, but wouldn't let us get a good picture. Oh well, this is a pretty classic Jared face anyway.
Now on to updates. Jared is still army crawling around the house, but he's getting a lot better at it. He's actually moving all over instead of staying in one little area. So far he hasn't gotten into much that he isn't supposed too, but I'm keeping a close eye on him. The other day I had the dvd cabinet open and he saw a dvd case and went right for it. He's definitely going to be getting into everything soon. He also learned how to go from laying down to sitting up. Jon found him the other morning sitting up in his crib. That's definitely a new development. Neither of us have seen him do it when he's playing though, so it might be a while until he realizes he can do it.
We hope you have a great Christmas!

Catching Up on Videos I Never Posted

I found several videos that I realized I never posted.
Here's Jared's very first video ever.

Now Jared's first meal.

My little musician already taking after his dad.

And now for a recent clip.

Yep, Jared is crawling!!!!! Life as we know it has definitely changed!

Thanksgiving Update

We enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving this year. We stayed in Indiana and visited with Jon's family and mine. The day started out at Grandma Vela's with the Boggs clan.
My sister got Jared a super cute Thanksgiving outfit that he managed not to get too much food on. It was so fun to see him eating all the good food. The kid certainly can eat! He had turkey, sweet and mashed potatoes, corn casserole, and pumpkin pie. The Boggs kiddos and Jon also tried to help Jared learn to crawl.
I like to refer to this as Crawlfest 2009. Speaking of crawling, I'm sure it won't be too long, although Jared is much more interested in standing and walking than crawling. Lately he's been spending more time on all fours and rocking. I'm not so sure that I'm ready for him to be crawling yet. Today he was being brave and tried to "walk" from his toy to the coffee table. Good thing I was there or else he would've knocked his head on the table pretty good. He's a little too brave for his own good.
Back to Thanksgiving. After Grandma Vela's we went to Mimi and Pop's house where we had another delicious dinner. Jared even got some steak and dumplings along with the normal Thanksgiving day fare. I think his favorite was the chocolate cake that Mimi fed him the next morning. =)
Overall, a great holiday.

Milestones

Little man is growing up! About a week and a half ago he signed for more while I was feeding him. He did it 5 or 6 times, but won't do it anymore now. Apparently he likes to show off and then refuse to do it again. He is also saying bye and mama. We're working hard to get him to say dada, but so far no luck. Recently he's also started enjoying time on his tummy. I'll sit him up and then he'll lean over until he's laying on his tummy. He's also started pulling his knees under him and he even scoots around a little bit. So far he's not moving very far, but I'm sure it won't be long til he's crawling. His other favorite things include: standing, playing peek a boo, and eating table foods. He gets mad every time I eat something in front of him. The kid will eat anything! It seems like he's getting a bit of a belly too probably because he eats everything in sight. Well, there's an update.

A Touch of Fall at the Boggs House

Here's a little taste of fall in our humble abode:

This is a shelf on the hutch in the kitchen. I hope to be able to do the whole hutch in fall stuff someday, but for now I enjoy looking at my beautiful glimpse of fall while smelling my pumpkin spice candle.

I've also had some fun with fall/Halloween foods. I got this recipe out of a Halloween booklet (the ones that are near the checkout at the grocery store). Yummy chicken fajita pizza with a spider on top.

Here's my pumpkin spice dip for Halloween. I also made the fall shaped crackers out of tortillas. Yum! Yum! Yum!

And finally the little family trick or treating.

6 Months

Well, the little man is 6 months old. He is now 14lbs 9.6oz and 27 inches long. The dr. said he's gaining weight well, but he's just gonna be long and lanky. He's got some chunky thighs, but that seems to be about the only place he's really gaining weight. He is such a happy little guy. We are all thoroughly enjoying our sleep now because Jared is sleeping through the night. He's so funny now because sometimes he wakes up around 6 am and then plays/naps until 7 or 7:15. I'm enjoying getting to sleep in most of the time.
He is also sitting like a champ. The little guy will sit and play for 30 minutes at a time sometimes. He is also loving playing games like peek-a-boo. Today he was cracking up when we were playing. His little laugh is so sweet!
Still no teeth, but I'm assuming we'll get some soon. He's been a little more crabby than usual the last few days and he's making chewing motions even when he's not chewing on anything.
Jared is also loving his food! So far he's had sweet potatoes, avocado, rice and oatmeal cereal, pumpkin, butternut squash, apples, and bananas. I think that's it. I'm getting ready to start him on some new foods, including meats. I'm really excited that Jared will be able to eat an approximation of the Thanksgiving meal this year.
I think that's about it for the update.

Very Quick Update

Jared is gaining weight! We went to the Dr. yesterday and gained almost 2 pounds in 2 weeks. He's almost back on his growth curve. Hopefully when we go back in 3 weeks. Also, I've been able to keep nursing twice a day which is nice. We'll see how long it lasts, but I'm comfortable either way at this point.
He is also so fun right now. He is officially sitting on his own, but he throws himself off balance sometimes when playing. He is also giving kisses which is so cute. They are slobbery and open mouthed, but so adorable. He has also started fake coughing. It is so hilarious and he really only does it when he's getting his diaper changed. I don't know if I coughed once or what, but it's pretty funny. I laugh and then he just keeps doing it.
Well, there's the update. I'm sure there will be another one soon. He's just growing up so fast.

My Mind Won't Turn Off Tonight

Well, I'm having a bit of insomnia tonight, so I thought it might help to write out my thoughts. Purge them from my system so I can get some sleep. =)
I'm sad right now. I'm probably going to be done nursing Jared soon (like days) because he's not really interested since he has formula and so my supply is drying up. I'm not really sure why this is making me so sad, but I've got some ideas. I really wanted to nurse Jared for as long as possible (without it becoming weird), I was thinking a year. Because I'm not able to do this I feel like I've failed in some way. In my mind I know that I gave him a really good start (5.5 months), but I'm frustrated that my body crapped out on me. I know there are some things I could have done to prolong nursing (like pumping all the live long day), but I decided that spending quality time with Jared and relaxing while he was sleeping was most important for me right now. In the future there will be far worse things I'll look back on as failures as a mother, but this seems like the first big one to me. I wanted to be able to provide for him. I think this is also related to some overall guilt about the fact that he needed more food than I was able to provide for some time and I didn't realize it. Luckily he wasn't losing weight or anything, but he's definitely put more weight on pretty quickly (I'll know for sure how much on Thursday, but he's got a chubbier tummy and thighs now in only 2 weeks).
The other thing that is bothering me is that this feels like his first real independence from me. When I was nursing he needed me, which I'll admit was kind of annoying sometimes when I wanted to go and do things, but now he doesn't need me for that anymore. We had some built in cuddle time that I really enjoyed (not when it was at 3 in the morning, but it was nice overall). Wow, I better deal with these feelings now because he's only gonna move farther in that direction (hopefully).
I guess I'll just enjoy the time I have left, maybe a few times tomorrow when I'm not at work. I can't believe he is growing up already. I was just thinking the other day that I absolutely love him at this age. He thinks I'm hilarious and he's developing his own sense of humor and personality. Boy, being a mom is gonna be rough. =)
This is also making me realize that I need some stuff going on in my life that doesn't involve Jared. Yikes! I've gotten pretty wrapped up in him (as I should) especially because he was such a handful in the beginning. Maybe I can find a dance team to volunteer with. Anyone know someone who coaches out here in the suburbs? =) Jon and I have talked about how it's tough, because our good friends don't live real close. I don't really have people that I feel comfortable calling up if I need to get out of the house for an hour or two. I should work on that. It's probably my own weird insecurities about imposing on other people. Well, hopefully I can go to bed soon. Wouldn't you know that this happens the night before I have to go to work? Oh well, at least it's only for a few hours. =)

He's 5 Months Now

Jared is doing well. He is a fun loving little boy who definitely does not scream as much (whoo hoo)! Jon and I are having fun watching him change. Recently Jared has started rolling from his back to his front, but it seems like he only likes to do it in his crib at night. He gets a little mad too because he hates being on his tummy. He's also blowing raspberries and talking up a storm. It's so fun to see him laughing and playing. Yay he's a fun boy! We're also working on sitting. He's able to hold himself up in a tripod (with his arms on the floor) for a little bit, so I don't think we're too far from him sitting on his own. Tummy time has also gotten better. He still doesn't like it very much, but he definitely tolerates it better.
Jared also had a Dr. appointment on Friday to check his weight. He still isn't gaining as much as he should be, but he eats like a pig. You should see him take down his solid foods. Well, the Dr. wants me to nurse him and then pump and feed him that after he nurses. The first night I did this with my freezer supply and he went through the whole thing. Oh! He is also finally using a bottle. I pretty much forced it on him on Friday. =) He doesn't fuss after nursing though, so I didn't think he was still hungry, but apparently I'm wrong. So, I'm going to try to pump during the week, but this weekend was no going to work because we had friends visiting. I offered him formula, but he didn't drink it. I wasn't sure if he wasn't hungry or if he didn't like the formula. Today he finally took some formula and had about 2 oz. and seemed done (he left a little in the bottle). Overall, I'm kind of sad that I'm not providing enough for him and that I've been denying him something for all this time. Hopefully he starts bulking up now. On a positive note, now that he will take a bottle, I can leave for longer amounts of time. We go back to the Dr. in two weeks to see how he's doing. Oh, we've also added another feeding so he's currently eating 3 solid meals a day. What a piggy!
Jon and I also started sleep training this week because neither of us could stand Jared waking up so much at night. Jared's done pretty well, but this has also coincided with Jared's turning onto his tummy at night and screaming about it. He does pretty well sleeping until about 2 or 2:30. Last night he woke up twice before that, but he went to sleep on his own without much fussing/crying. We do have a little trouble after that though. He wakes up sometime between 5 and 6 and has some difficulty going back to sleep. I don't think he needs to eat because it's only been 3 hours at the most that he's been sleeping. We'll figure it out eventually. I'd just love some real sleep. =)
Onto my life. I joined some mom's groups online to see if I can meet some people in the area and get Jared out of the house. I met with two different groups and I think that I'll be able to find people I connect with in both groups. One of the groups is only first time moms, so that's nice because we're all new at this and there are at least 2 kiddos who are very close to Jared's age. In the other group the moms seem to have older kiddos or more than 1, which is fine, but I just don't feel like I fit in there as well. We'll see as I continue though. At this point, I was just proud of myself for actually going out and meeting new people. I hate doing that! So far it's been good though.

Labor Day Weekend

The Boggs family had quite the eventful Labor Day weekend. On Saturday Ben, Brianne, Brayden, and Brookie came over and played for awhile. Then we went to the Kane County Cougars game. I was really hoping that Jared would sleep during the game since he normally goes to bed at 7 and the game didn't start til 6. He did fall asleep for a little while, but had some trouble staying asleep. I guess he can't sleep through all that excitement anymore. He seemed to enjoy himself though and didn't get too cranky. He even liked the fireworks. =)
Sunday we headed down to Seneca, Illinois to go boating with my family on the Illinois River. Sunday was a bit chilly, but we didn't mind. Jared seemed to like his time on the boat and took a nice long nap on Sunday. He also spent some time driving the boat.
We spent the night at a hotel in Morris Sunday night. Monday we woke up and took Jared for a swim in the hotel pool.
He definitely enjoyed it more than the last time he went swimming. No screaming at all. Then he took a nap while the rest of the family got ready for the day. We spend some more time on the boat, enjoying the sun and fresh air. Jared really seemed to love being out there. We were laughing because the bigger waves didn't even phase him. He was also a lot more comfortable with my mom and dad which was nice. They got to spend some fun time with him and I got a little break. =) Here's Nana and Jared.
I really enjoyed being out on the water again and I got to show off my sailor skills. =) Jon was very impressed.
In other news, Jared is so much fun now. He seems to be getting into more of a nap schedule and he's so happy when he's awake. The kiddo loves to laugh. This is definitely more of what I was thinking of when I thought of having a little guy in my life.
We're also still feeding him solids. He's had sweet potatoes, rice cereal, avocado, peas, and apples. He doesn't seem to have any preferences except that I get it in there quickly. I also think he's been gaining weight. His cheeks look a little plumper to me. Next thing on the schedule...celebrate Jon's birthday! =)

Can I Brag for a Second?

I know every parent thinks that their child is amazing and I'm no exception. Jared has been doing some pretty fun things lately and I'd thought I'd brag. First, the other day I brought out some stackable cups for us to play with. Jared was playing with them for awhile on Sunday and I noticed that he was transferring them from one hand to the other. I thought it was kind of early for this so I looked it up and it definitely is early. He's such a smartie! Then we were playing with the cups and I was being silly and balancing one on my head. He looked at it kind of weird and then lifted his hands up (with the cup in them) like he was going to put his on his head. =) He has also been "talking" up a storm lately. I can't wait for him to actually be able to tell me stuff.
Also, today Jared took 2 longer naps and is currently working on what I hope is a catnap. I left him with Jon's mom for a few hours today because I went to observe a group that I'm going to be co-facilitating soon. I fed him before I left and put him down for a nap. I was really hoping that he'd go a little longer than normal because I haven't left him with anyone but Jon and I wasn't sure how he'd do. Well, I got home about 2.5 hours later and learned that Jared had slept for a little over 2 hours! This is so amazing. He hardly ever sleeps more than 45 minutes. I might actually be able to get some stuff done (like workout) if he keeps this up. He still wouldn't take the bottle and only had a few bites of avocado while I was gone, but hopefully that will get better next time.
I'm done bragging now. =) My son is awesome! Okay, now I'm done.

Whoo hoo!

I was realizing that many of my recent blogs have been pretty negative. Life is not that bad I promise. It's just that the bad things stick out more. Well, today was an awesome day, so I'll share it with you. =)
Jon, Jared, and I went to Westmont to help our friends the Reimers pack up because they are moving to Kansas. =( The morning before we left was pretty normal. Jared entertained himself for a bit in the morning while Jon and I took turns getting ready. In the car Jared took two little tiny naps. He was sleeping when we got there, but woke up pretty quickly. I was a little concerned about his naps while there.
Well, he did awesome the whole time we were there! He was up for several hours without fussing. There were lots of little ones there because of other people that were helping, so he had lots to keep him interested. He also stopped eating every hour!!!!!! Whoo hoo! Maybe he's done with the eating part of his growth spurt. When he was ready for a nap he fell asleep really easily in the wrap and looked adorable. Then he played some more. He eventually got a little fussy, but was fine when I put him in the wrap. =) He fell asleep on the way home and then went to sleep in his crib for at least an hour and a half! It might have even been close to 2 hours. I'm not sure because I was napping too. =)
When he woke up he was super smiley. He ate his cereal and then was laughing at Daddy. He also figured out that he can't push the legs of his octopus hard enough to make noise, but if he pushes on Daddy's hand the noise will happen. He is such a smart guy!
He was absolutely loving his time with Daddy and I loved watching it! He stayed up a little later than usual tonight, but he was such a delight! He even went to sleep easily. Maybe, just maybe there will a little more sleep for Mommy and Daddy tonight. Well, we can hope. =)
Here's Jared and Charlie saying bye.
Here's Jared and Lillian saying bye, well kind of.

Bye Reimers. We will miss you!

Adventures in Food

Last night I decided to make a recipe that I had seen on Rachael Ray's 30 Minute Meals called Oven Baked Corn Dogs. I thought it would be nice and easy and there's a nice twist because there is a spicy kick to the corn batter.
While we were making dinner Jon and I also discussed out we were recently introduced to the blog of some friends of a friend and how they have awesome pictures of the food that they make. There's actually a whole section devoted to food.
Well, the corn dogs did not look the way Rachael Ray's did (does it ever?), but Jon and I thought that it would be funny to take pictures of it because they looked so funny. Also, I will make it known that this is definitely not one of our most nutritionally sound dinners. We normally have a little more color.
Here are our amorphous oven baked corn dogs:

Rachael Ray eat your heart out!! =)

Growth Spurts Are the Worst

I know I should be happy that Jared is going through a growth spurt since I want him to gain weight, but this is a crazy one! The little guy started waking up every 2 or 3 hours at night last Saturday and has been continuing up through now. It's probably a little closer to 3 hours now, so that's good. =) He is also eating like crazy during the day. Before this growth spurt he was eating every 2 hours, which should be spreading out, but apparently he's a snacker. He would eat when he woke up from his naps. Now he's eating before he goes to sleep and again after. Wow! No wonder I'm starving and tired. Hopefully the growth spurt won't last that much longer and he grows a ton (and not just in length). =)
Today we spent the whole day eating and napping together (the only way I can get him to take a longer nap). Yay for a "relaxing" day.
Also, something funny: Jared now loves getting his diaper changed. He laughs and smiles. He even grabs his toes and lifts up his bum so I can slide the diaper under. What a funny guy. =)

Some Things I've Realized About Jared

I've had a rough couple of days with Jared, but it's helped me articulate some things about him, myself, and our relationship.
1. He is a very needy child and this is made more difficult by the fact that I am pretty laid back. I'm a very go with the flow kinda girl, but at least so far Jared is not this way. Most infants probably aren't, but I know that some are. I think this will be interesting as he grows. I will definitely need to adapt greatly, but what parent doesn't?
2. Jared wants to do things on his own already and gets very frustrated when he can't. Case in point, we started feeding him solids and he does not allow me to feed him in the way that most infants do. He must grab my hand that is holding the spoon and he will guide it towards his mouth. The other thing that goes along with this is that he is impatient. I mean super impatient. When he wants something he wants it at least a minute prior to when he thinks of it. He always cries when I feed him and have to switch sides and suddenly he'll decide that I'm not giving him his food fast enough. Once again, this will be very interesting as he grows.
3. He is so smart! My aunt bought him a toy when you push a button on top and balls inside pop around. He loves pushing the button. Sometimes he has trouble because his hand eye coordination isn't great yet, but you can see the wheels turning. This also goes back to number 2. Poor does he get frustrated when he wants to do something, but he physically can't yet.
Well, I think that's it for now. I know that many children are like this, but it's helpful for me to articulate what he is doing and why. It helps lessen my frustration with him, not always, but it helps sometimes.
What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. =)

4 Month Info

Jared will be 4 months tomorrow and I took him for his 4 month appointment yesterday. He is doing pretty well. The Dr. said that he was meeting all of his developmental milestones. He is a little concerned about his weight though. The poor little guy doesn't even weigh 12 pounds yet. The Dr. and I discussed what we should do and he suggested that we start solids and see if that will help at all. I think the Dr. was a little stumped because Jared is doing everything he is supposed to and his height and head circumference are still on his growth curve. So, I started by giving him sweet potatoes.

At first he didn't seem too excited and didn't really understand the spoon. Then I offered him the food on my finger and that went much better. After a little while he used to spoon. He even grabbed my hand a few times and pushed the spoon towards his mouth. Overall, I would say that it was a success. I have a video, but I'll have to upload it later. Our internet is too slow. =(
Back to his appointment, he was smiling and flirting with a lady when we walked in and the nurses. He was being really good until I had to lay him on the table and the Dr. started his exam. Then Jared started screaming and I mean screaming. He had a red face and everything. I got him settled down after the exam, but then he had to get his shots. He started crying while they gave him the oral vaccine and normally he likes stuff in his mouth. It kept getting worse and worse. The nurse gave him the first shot fine and then the second one wouldn't go in. She wasn't sure what was wrong so she went and got someone else. They decided that it was probably a bad needle. Poor little guy. He recovered really well though. He was definitely done crying by the time we left the room.
In other news, he appears to be cutting a tooth. He won't really let me look in there, but I think I see a white spot and I definitely feel a rough/sharp spot. He's doing really well though. I don't think it bothers him too much except when he's trying to go to sleep.
We also finally got the crib put together and in Jared's room. Tonight is his first night in the crib instead of the pack-n-play. Hopefully it goes well. Jon said he didn't seem to notice anything when he went down.

Things That Make Jared Laugh

1. Seeing himself in the mirror. The kid cracks himself up.
2. Mom clicking her tongue at him.
3. Having Mom tell him that he's cute while poking his cheeks.

I'm hoping to get a video of the third one soon because he was doing some great belly laughs. When I pulled out the video camera all he would do is look at it so I'm going to need Jon to help me.
So, my little man thinks that he is hilarious and cute. =)

Babysteps

Well, flylady is going well. I'm having trouble with one thing though. She suggests getting up early and getting ready and everything before the kids wake up. I'm thinking this would be easier for a) a morning person and b) someone who's infant is not still waking up multiple times a night. I'm trying really hard though and have woken up early about the same number of times that I've "slept in." My sleeping in days basically consist of me bringing Jared to bed with me around 6 and we both sleep until 8. My goal is to get in the shower and get ready after he wakes up for this feeding and before Jon leaves for work just in case Jared decides to stay up.
The little guy still does not have a very consistent schedule, but he's getting there. He normally wakes up between 8 and 8:30ish. Then throughout the day he's normally up for about an hour and then goes down for a nap. His naps still only last about 45 minutes (if you have any tips for how to make this longer I would love to hear them). Then we repeat. If we go out somewhere though and he has enough new stuff to keep him entertained he'll stay up longer without even being crabby. Sometimes this translates into a longer nap and sometimes it doesn't. Jon and I give him a bath every other day and then start the bedtime routine around 6:30ish. Jared is then asleep by 7pm (whoo hoo). Unfortunately at night his waking schedule has been pretty inconsistent. Sometimes he wakes at 10:30ish, but then sometimes he waits til 12 something. Then he's up again around 3 or 4 and then again at 6. Then the day starts again. Sorry, this is all a pretty boring post, but I just wanted to explain why I'm having trouble waking up at 6ish. I'm so ready for some uninterrupted sleep...maybe someday. =)
Otherwise flylady has been going well. I'm working on the babysteps and trying not to get ahead of myself so I don't get overwhelmed.
Also, for those of you not on facebook new pictures have been posted.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2054176&id=40802369&l=0914175f70

New Game Plan

Recently I was on babycenter.com and someone mentioned a website that helped them get organized and I decided to check it out. The website is www.flylady.net and I'm ready to start on it. Basically it's a way to get your life/home in order. I'm going to work on this for awhile and then hopefully get back to the food fun. You should check out the website, especially if you feel like your house is out of control and maybe we can encourage one another. I've just started, but I've already got a little routine going and my kitchen already is nicer and it does make me feel better. Hopefully I can use the baby steps to really keep this going. =)

What to Do? What to Do?

I just finished the book Julie & Julia which the movie that's coming out soon is based on. I love the idea. Julie decides to cook her way through Julia Child's cookbook in 1 year. It sounds like such a fun thing to do although I'm not sure that I would want to do the French cooking thing because she has to cook some really strange things.
Basically I was inspired by the book and would like to do something similar. I want to immerse myself in something and hopefully find out some cool stuff about myself and what I really enjoy. So, I'm looking for ideas.
I've thought of just using a cookbook that I have and cooking everything in it. That way I have quite the repertoire of foods. Do you have any other suggestions? I want something fun that will result in actual skills in the end. Baking might be fun too.
Let me hear your ideas.

Ohio

Well, we are back from Ohio. Overall the trip was great! Jared was great on the car ride there. We only had to stop 3 times.Jared has decided that he likes to suck these two fingers instead of his thumb. It was really cute. He played really well and only cried a little when he needed to go to sleep.

While in Ohio we stayed at Aunt Susie and Uncle Mark's house. Friday was a nice relaxing day. Saturday we recreated our Day After Thanksgiving Tradition Day. We met Aunt Cindy and Uncle Bob in Sharon, Pennsylvania so we could eat Wings and visit the mausoleum where my grandparents are. Jared seemed to enjoy the trip. This boy is 3 months old and has already been to 5 states. What a little world traveler.
Sunday we went to the Italian fest. Jared spent most of the time in his stroller and even fell asleep amid the music and noise of the crowd. We had some great food and I was able to have my first Elephant Ear of the summer, but apparently it's called a Pizza Fritta by the Italians.
My mom and her sisters really enjoyed spending time with Jared.
Jared did have a bit of a rough time in the car on the way home, but he did so well the rest of the trip that it was easily overlooked, at least by me.
Other info about 3 month old Jared. He loves to sit and stand (with support of course), he has said the word "hi" very clearly several times (I'm trying to catch it on video), he is less crabby (whoo hoo), and he's moved into size 3-6 month clothing because he's so long. Jared is also sleeping much better at night, which has been absolutely wonderful! Some nights I'm able to get 5 straight hours of sleep depending on when I go to sleep. He also seems to be transitioning to longer naps. He's been a short napper since we went to New Mexico, but lately he's been waking up after his normal nap time (45 minutes), but then acting tired or falling asleep while eating. This afternoon he's even taken an hour and a half nap already. Whoo hoo! Things are looking up.

Stranger Danger

Jared is almost 3 months now, which is crazy to me. I'm really hoping that the fussiness will start subsiding soon, but we'll see.
Lately I've noticed that Jared has started screaming when he's in the arms of other people. Rachel and my mom came to visit one day last week and he screamed when Mom took him. He warms up after awhile, but it definitely takes some time. I think he needs to go out more and meet some people.
Rachel stayed here for a few days and really helped out. I was able to get Jared on more of a schedule and I decided to start letting him cry himself to sleep sometimes. I bounce him like usual until he's drowsy, but he often starts crying when I lay him down. It was really nice to have Rachel here to distract me while he cried so I didn't worry about him too much. The crying has definitely lessened and he's learned that he needs to nap. Unfortunately, he is still only napping for about 45 minutes. He does seem to be better rested though. My sleep book that I've been reading says that sometimes babies who are extremely fussy don't show signs of tiredness until they are over tired. I've noticed that Jared has very subtle signs sometimes. He often transitions from smiling to screaming though with no real warning except maybe a pouty lip. Oh well. I'm still trying to figure the kid out as I'm sure I will be for the rest of my life. =)
Overall, things are getting better slowly, but surely. Our next trip is next week and we're going to Ohio to visit with family. Here's hoping that he adapts better this time around.

Videos and An Update

Here's the video of Jared's first swim in New Mexico.

Here's the video of Jared watching fireworks on the 3rd.

Well, I'm hoping that Jared is back to normal. He's been sleeping much better and even falling asleep on his own which has been unheard of as of late. I've figured out that he was not only having trouble readjusting from our trip, but he was also probably going through a growth spurt. Poor kiddo. Things have been getting better though. I'm feeling pretty well rested from the last few days and Jared seems much happier.
He has also started tolerating his baths. He doesn't actually smile or laugh during the bath yet, but he did cry when we took him out, so he's making progress. =)
I am really amazed at how frustrated I can be at him or with the situation and then how quickly all those feelings disappear when he smiles or starts "talking" to me. This whole parenting thing is pretty rough, but most days I really enjoy it (even when he's a complete fuss butt). It's a crazy journey that I'm on. =)

New Mexico and Beyond

Well, the Boggs family has had a very eventful time. We all traveled to New Mexico for Brad's (Jon's brother) wedding. It consisted of a lot of firsts for Jared. He flew on a plane and did fantastically! The first flight he barely made a peep. The flight attendant even gave him a pair of wings. We spent a whole week in New Mexico helping with wedding prep, attending the wedding, and hanging out with everyone. Jared also got to go swimming, but he didn't like it very much. I have a video that I'll post sometime soon. He also stayed in a hotel for the first time. He was good boy for the majority of the trip and it was great to have so much family around to help out while we were running around like crazy.
It was definitely a really good time, but boy did it throw Jared off. The poor boy couldn't sleep like he usually does because we were moving around so often. The time back has been really rough because of this, but today he has started sleeping again. Because he didn't get enough sleep he couldn't sleep well which is so weird. I was getting really frustrated because before we left he was sleeping for 7 hour stretches at night and by the time we got back he was only sleeping for 2 hours at a time. Last night he slept for 6 hours straight and has been napping the day away. He might be growing too, which will help him catch up on sleep. =)
Speaking of growing spurts, Jared has his 2 month appointment on Friday. He was really fussy for the whole thing (because of the sleep issues), but he recovered from his 3 shots pretty quickly. As of Friday he weighed 10lbs 12.8oz and was 24.25 inches long. The Dr. was telling me that he's in the 25th percentile for weight (where he was when he was born) and in the 90th percentile for length. The Dr. actually said, "He's just a long, lanky kid." Sounds like he'll be like daddy. It's actually kind of funny because we have all of these adorable shorts for him that we took to New Mexico and they were all falling off of him because he's so skinny. Luckily at home the cloth diapers are bulky enough to keep them up. =)
Jared has started some new tricks. He now "talks" using several different sounds and even participates in back and forth conversation. I'm amazed at how quickly he is developing and what he is capable of. He has also started putting his hands in his mouth constantly! The family has been wondering if he has started teething (I sure hope not!). He's also started drooling and chewing on things. Wow! They really do grow up fast.
Here's the link for pictures from New Mexico for those of you who are not on facebook:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2056355&id=40802369&l=ca07f5a01d

He's More Fun Now =)

Well up until now, Jared has been pretty boring in general. I love him, don't get me wrong, but he didn't do much. This past week he started playing with his toys. No, he's not suddenly grabbing toys and playing make believe, but he has started batting at toys which he hadn't done before. Now he recognizes that there are other things in the world. It's so fun! Every morning after he wakes up and eats we spend a little time playing with his toys. He's also started smiling a lot more. This morning when he woke up he gave me a big smile. It just melts your heart.
He is still fighting sleep during the day. Who wouldn't though if you just discovered toys and all the other fun things of the world? At night, he's sleeping for a decent amount of time, about 4 hour stretches. Also, some nights he will actually put himself to sleep. He has to be well rested from the day, but it's great when I can just lay him in the pack-n-play and he puts himself to sleep. Overall, he's a pretty great kid! =)

He Just Keeps on Growing

Jared is 6 weeks now! It's crazy how fast time flies. He is becoming such a boy now.
We've gone on lots of adventures this last week. Jared and I went to stay at my parents' house on our own last weekend. We visited with my mom, Rachel, Mimi, Pop, Aunt Linda, and Uncle Phil. He also got to meet Leslie and quite a few other people at an open house. He did so well during all this.

Jared was pretty crabby/fussy for awhile there and it was really wearing on me. I figured out that he was probably overtired, so I worked really hard to get him to nap better. He was fighting sleep during the day because he was so tired. It was really rewarding to be able to get him to sleep and see him become less fussy as he slept more. Jon and I haven't had to bounce him on the yoga ball for long periods of time anymore. Whoo hoo! Jon and I are also working on a bedtime routine which seems to be working (for the 2 days we've done it). I'm definitely ready to have some kind of a schedule. I'm currently working to move up his bedtime though and hoping that he continues to have long stretches of sleep even if it's moved up. It'd be great if the long stretch was after I go to bed, but I guess I can't be too picky.
Jared and I also took a trip to Target this week and he cried, but I had him in my wrap so I felt like I was better able to soothe him. Hopefully soon we'll be able to go out for longer periods of time without the thought of it stressing me out. It also helps that he's been calming down and being less fussy. He does seem to enjoy being out and about though so I need to make sure and have some kind of outing.
Jared is also getting super strong. He can definitely hold his head up for long periods of time. He's still a little bobby, but he is able to control it. I'm still working on getting him to like/tolerate tummy time. He won't stay there for very long and most of the time he doesn't even lift his head. I think he's working on his strength while I hold him up on my shoulder though. Hopefully soon he'll start to like tummy time. Speaking of liking stuff, I also hope he starts to like his baths. Lately he's stopped screaming through the whole thing, but he still freaks out afterwards. Maybe he'll be more comfortable once he can regulate his temperature better.
Jared has also started smiling. It's definitely not an all the time occurrence, but it's fun when it happens. Jon has also noticed that sometimes when he's holding Jared, especially when he's ready to eat, Jared will watch me leave the room. It's nice to know that he knows me, even if it's only for food. =)
I almost forgot to mention that I started using cloth diapers this week since our washing machine is draining correctly now. So far it's going well.
Now that I'm feeling more comfortable with Jared and being a mom. I really need to reclaim myself. Yesterday I went to get a pedicure which was nice and I'm looking into maybe joining a volleyball league. Jon and I are also hoping to spend some more time together reconnecting.

Life with Baby Jared

The last few weeks have been interesting around here. This last week Jared had some trouble staying asleep during his naps. I tried some different methods and after much trial and error feel that I made some progress. =) Today he's been sleeping tons, but that is probably because of a growth spurt. Yesterday I used the Happiest Baby on the Block techniques and he went to sleep so easily. Although it's tough figuring him out it's so rewarding when I do.
We've also had our first smiles. Jon and I both got one on the same day and my mom got one a few days before. He's also learned to use a pacifier. Whoo hoo! I'm still trying to figure out how much stimulation Jared can take right now. He doesn't mind lots of noise. Well, I don't think he does because he sleeps though it, but I guess he could just be way over stimulated. He doesn't seem to be able to handle much playing though. He doesn't like to spend much time in his activity gym and he has trouble playing on his tummy for more than a few minutes. All of this is probably normal, but I am trying to make sure that I don't put him through more stress than I need to.
Funny moment of the day:
Jared had just fallen asleep eating so I put him with his face near my shoulder so I could burp him. He stayed asleep so I just let him lay there. After some time his eyes shot open and I heard/felt a huge poop (it stayed in the diaper). He immediately went back to sleep and gave a huge smile. =) What a boy!

Time Goes On

It's so crazy that the little guy is almost 4 weeks old. Where did the time go? Everything continues to move along. Little Jared has had a tough time this last week. The whole family met at my parents' house last weekend and then I caught a cold, which I promptly passed on to Jared. The poor little guy was congested, but is sounding better now. He was also getting progressively more fussy throughout the week including not sleeping unless he was in someone's arms (probably got spoiled from visiting the family...someone was holding him the whole time). That made for some rough days because I couldn't really get anything done. Jon has been great though taking over when he gets home so I can have a little break from the fussiness/crying. We both had enough this weekend. It seems like I have a little more patience. I just feel bad for Jared because he is obviously crying for some reason. We did buy some gas relief drops. Jared might also just be overstimulated by the end of the day.
He is doing much better today though. =) I'm wondering if he's going through a growth spurt because he slept 5-5.5 hours straight last night. Whoo hoo! He's also been napping quite a bit today, which is also nice. Maybe he's gotten used to not being held all the time. He's currently taking his second nap in a row where I'm not holding him.
This whole time I've felt like his mom, but I think I might be feeling more like I've got a handle on things. Although Jared doesn't have a good schedule yet, he seems to be settling into one. He normally wakes up between 6:30 and 8am and then is awake for a little bit. After that our day consists of naps, eating, and some playtime. Jon and I also did Jared's first real bath this week and he did not enjoy it at all. Anyone have some tips on ways to make bath time more fun? He doesn't really like diaper changes either, which means lots of crying at our house.
Here's some recent pics:

Sleeping sprawled out on the couch

Jon was reading Jared some Dr. Seuss

A close up. What a wide eyed boy!


Sitting up like a big boy


Jon reads Jared whatever he happens to be reading


Whenever Jared gets fussy bouncing on the yoga ball will settle him down

Reflections on the Week

Well, my little guy is now 1 week old. It's crazy to think that a week has passed already. Some of you may have heard that you had a bit of a rough start here. Jared was admitted to the hospital for 2 days this week. He is fine now and all the tests came back negative, but it was definitely a scary experience. My poor heart felt so heavy during that time, especially as they tried to get an IV started (they poked him about 20 times before they got one in). Because of all that I think that I'm even more appreciative of our time at home. He is such a great baby. At night he's been sleeping for at least 3 hours, but sometimes 4! He's also feeding great and spending more time active and awake. He is quite the sleeper though. I guess he takes after me. We've also noticed that he's quite the strong man. In the hospital he was fighting off the nurses. It took 3 of them to hold him down to give him the IV. He also likes to hold his head up when he resting on my chest or shoulder.
Jon's mom has been staying with us and she's been such a great help. I've been able to rest and spend time with Jared without worrying about stuff around the house. I don't know what I'd do without the help. My mom was here too, but she spent most of her time here with us in the hospital, so I'm sure she'll be back to spend some good quality grandma time with the little guy.
We gave Jared his first sponge bath on Wednesday. He didn't like it one bit. He did enjoy his time with Daddy beforehand though. Isn't he such a cute little man?
All in all, life is good.

Jared Has Arrived!

Our little man has arrived and it was quite the ordeal to get him here. For those of you are not interested in hearing about the birth (Mark) skip ahead below under the bold headline and you'll miss all the details. =) For those of you that are here it goes:
I woke up on Tuesday (4/21/09) at about 2am with contractions that were pretty strong and about 6-7 minutes apart. Since I couldn't go back to bed I headed to the living room and watched some tv while Jon slept and I waited for the contractions to get closer together and stronger. I called in to work telling them that I wouldn't be in sometime around 8 or so and then after 9 I gave my midwife a call. She encouraged me to continue laboring at home and call her later to check in. Jon and I sat around for most of the day waiting for something to happen. Late in the afternoon I spoke to the midwife again and she asked me to come to the office to be checked. Bad news...only slightly more dilated than the day before. Oh well, back home again we went. As the night progressed the contractions got stronger and some were pretty close together, but they were definitely irregular. The midwife told me to go the hospital and get checked. By this time I was feeling pretty miserable. We headed to the hospital about 10pm (I think) and they hooked me up to a monitor and started watching my contractions. They also had me walk around for about a half hour to see if that would help anything. By the time I laid down again my contractions were strong, but weren't doing much of anything. I spoke to my midwife and she gave me 3 options. The first was that I could go home and take some Tylenol PM, soak in a hot bath, and sleep until things started progressing more. The second was that I could stay in the hospital and they would hook me up to an IV and give me meds to help me sleep. The final step was that we could try to augment labor (breaking my water, pitocin, etc.) Well, Jon and I talked about it and I really wanted to go home and try to sleep. Back to the house we headed. Jon dropped me off while he went to pick up the Tylenol PM. I laid in the bath for a bit, but it was doing nothing for me. I took the Tylenol PM, but my contractions just got worse. They would often come one right after the other with maybe 15 seconds break in between. They were also lasting for like 2 minutes. I tried to lay down, but the contractions hurt so much that I couldn't. So, I walked around the house for awhile. Jon put in a movie to try to distract me and continued to try to make me eat (poor guy was trying all day, but I just couldn't eat much of anything). Sometime around 2 or 3am I decided that I couldn't take it anymore and I needed to go back to the hospital. We arrived and they hooked me up to the monitors again and told me that my little guy was sleeping and they needed him more active before they could give me the medicine. So I worked real hard to drink cranberry juice and sprite to perk up the little guy. After at least an hour, but maybe closer to 2 they have me some kind of medicine that starts with a "s" or a "c" to help me sleep. My midwife explained that I would probably still feel the strong contractions, but that the medication should help me get some rest. It worked wonders. I only slept about 3 or 4 hours, but it felt like much more. My midwife came to check on me in the morning and there had been some progress, but definitely not much. We once again discussed options and my midwife explained that my labor so far had been very unusual. She explained that the contractions I was having were not effectively moving me along and that they were stronger than they should be at this point and closer together. After Jon and I discussed the options with the midwife we decided to have them break my bag of waters. At this point, we finally called the family members and let them know what was going on. I was checked a few hours later and I was at 5 cm so I was half way there (yep, 31 hours and only at 5 cm). After awhile the contractions started getting much stronger again and closer together. I was worried that my labor was going back to how it was previously. A few hours later I called my midwife to talk to her and explain that I was trying to relax through the contractions, but I felt the urge to push on some of them. She had a nurse check me and the nurse explained that I was about ready to push. The midwife made her way over and everyone got the room ready for delivery. I ended up pushing for 1 and a half to 2 hours and we decided about half way through to use a small bit of pitocin to regulate my contractions because they were becoming irregular again. Our little man was finally born 36 hours after labor started, but he was face up! The little stinker didn't turn the right way to come out, but he sure came out screaming his little head off. So, I didn't end up with an epidural, but I did need a little help along the way.
After the Birth Info (Otherwise Known as the Non-Gross Stuff):
Jon was super cute when Jared was born. Some dads cry, not this guy he laughed. He was such a trooper through the whole thing. He was getting very frustrated by my unusual labor and seeing me in pain so I know he was glad that it was all over. So, little Jared was born on 4/22/09 (Earth Day) at 2:19pm weighing 8 lbs 1 oz and measuring 20.5 inches. Good thing he didn't wait any longer to join us, he might have gotten too big. =)
He was and is absolutely perfect. I got to hold him as much as I wanted before the nurse got him all cleaned up and Jon got to hold him too. It was a great moment.
We had lots of visitors after that and came home the next day. My labor was not quite what I had anticipated, but what is? =)

38 Weeks

Well, what an interesting and busy week we've had here at the Boggs house. Sunday Luke and Jill came to visit before they headed off to Wheaton. Then on Monday I had an appointment with my midwife and it sounds as if things are moving right along. I was a little bit dilated, but nothing to get excited about. My midwife is very happy with my progress though. She reminded me that just because I'm a little dilated now doesn't mean that things are going to happen quickly. Then Monday night I had dinner with Emily and Kelsey. I miss those girls. =) Brad also spent the night on Monday (I told you it was a busy week). Tuesday my parents came up for their birthday dinners and then they spent the night. Jon and I had fun taking them to the Key Wester which is a Key West themed restaurant out here. They didn't get to go to Florida this year because they didn't want to be too far away in case Limer decided to arrive, so we did what we could to give them a little taste of Florida. After Tuesday we didn't have any more visitors, but were still plenty busy.
I finally got my bag packed, except for those last minute items. It's sitting on the floor in the living room ready to go whenever it's needed. =) It's so crazy to think that Little Limer could be here soon. I also finished buying all the last minute things that we need for his arrival (at least I think I got it all). I also spent the week at work getting everything organized in all of my files so that I could hand them off to the other coordinators. It felt really good to get all of that done and be at a point where someone could easily take care of the few things that I have left if I go into labor and don't come in the next day. Now, I'll spend my time at work helping everyone else with their work. =)
Besides that, I've been having some contractions on and off throughout the week. Friday night I had at least an hour and a half of consistent contractions about 6 minutes apart. They definitely didn't hurt, but were a little uncomfortable. I was able to go to sleep though and I slept through the night except for the occasional waking to go to the bathroom. So no real outward progress, he's still in there. The contractions continue, but not consistent although they do seem to be getting stronger. We'll see on Monday at my appointment if there's been any progress. I'm wondering when the little guy will make his debut. Jon and I are getting anxious to meet him!

Officially Full Term

Well, here I am, full term. It's so crazy to think about. I feel so totally unprepared. My bag is not yet packed for the hospital, but I did manage to make a list of things that need to go in the bag. =) Normally I am so organized and on top of things, but I think the fact that I have no idea when Limer is going to come is throwing me off. Plus, I've convinced myself that he's going to come late so that I'm not too frustrated when he does. I realized this week though that if I'm prepared for him to come late then he'll probably come early, so I need to get in gear.
I'm also feeling really overwhelmed at work. I'm planning on working right up until I go into labor, but I don't want to leave things unfinished for the people who are going to get my files. Unfortunately, it looks like I probably won't be able to get everything finished. At this point I just need to make sure that everything is together in case I don't come in the next day. Here's hoping I'm able to get enough done that I don't make too many people angry. =)
I had an appointment with my midwife this week, but there's no real news. She was at a delivery so the nurse did everything for the appointment and said that they would wait to start doing internal checks until next week. So, we'll see if I made any progress. I have been having some contractions, but nothing painful. In fact, most of the time I feel a little different and then have to feel my belly in order to see if it's hard or not. I've also had some pressure, so we'll see if anything is happening or not.
I just can't believe that Limer could be here any day now. I know some people feel like their pregnancy lasts forever, but it seems like the time has just flown by for me. I finally got all of the baby clothes washed and organized. The older clothes are put away in a tote for later use. Our little guy has almost 2 whole drawers full of clothes that are for 0-3 months. It's absolutely crazy! Jon and I spent one evening putting together our new dresser/changing table. Yay for baby furniture! I also spent more time prepping the cloth diapers. Our pocket diapers are easy, just wash and put away. The prefolds need to be washed several times though before they reach their full absorbancy. I'm still working on that.
So, this week I'm going to try to get more organized here at home and at work so that I'm ready whenever the little guy is. My bag will be packed and ready to go. =)

36 Weeks and the Shower

Wow! I'm now 36 weeks and have about a month or so left. Our little guy is going to be here soon. =) I'm still doing well, but I have noticed that I'm getting tired a little more quickly than before.
I had my baby shower this weekend and I am totally overwhelmed by the generosity of my friends and family. Our Little Limer has so much stuff already. What a spoiled little boy! Both moms put in a ton of work and were sick the week of, but it turned out absolutely wonderful. It was so great to see all the family and friends that could make it. I haven't seen so many of them in such a long time. So, Saturday was spent at the shower and then recovering (or trying to). Even though I've been more tired, I've also noticed that I have a harder time taking a nap or when I have the opportunity I just don't fall asleep. I also went through all the presents again when I got to my parents' house because I had some great little helpers at the shower that wanted to plow through the presents. I had to make sure that they didn't take off with anything and I felt like I didn't really get to look at all the great stuff I got.
Sunday was Krystle's bridal shower, so more time with friends. I was feeling pretty worn out though, so I wasn't quite the life of the party that I'd like to be. Oh well! I can't do it all. Then I drove home in the rain, sleet, and snow! Can you believe that it snowed in April? I hope that it's done for the spring. I don't want Little Limer coming home in the snow. =(
So, I had a great week and felt blessed by all the generosity and love that was shared with me. Thank you so much for everyone that was able to make it this weekend. Now, Jon and I just need to get the dresser/changing table put together so all the clothes and other stuff can be put away. Yay! Limer is joining our family soon! =)

35 Weeks

I had another appointment with my midwife this week. My weight gain, blood pressure, and everything else seem to be doing great. My midwife and I had a great discussion about my birth plan. She is just so great and you can tell she wants me to be able to do this naturally in the way that I need/want to. I also had her tell me how Little Limer was laying. I knew that he was head down and I thought I knew where his back was, but I just wanted to be sure. I was right. He's currently laying with his back on my left side, so I get kicks (really they're just pushes at this point) on my right. I've begun pushing him back when he starts sticking out a foot. It's like we're playing our own little game. He hasn't dropped yet according to the midwife. I told her how uncomfortable I was one night this week and she said she thinks it's more uncomfortable before he drops because of where his head is resting.
This week I also had my baby shower with everyone at work. It was lots of fun. I really enjoyed being with everyone outside of working and sharing the fun day with Sara (my supervisor who's also pregnant). I also feel totally overwhelmed by their generosity. What a great group of women! Now Jon and I have to get things organized so that everything is ready for the little guy.
Speaking of getting organized, Jon and I spend most of the day on Saturday getting things ready for Limer. We cleaned out the closet in the office (which will one day be the nursery) and put all of our stuff in bins down in the basement. I also wiped everything down. We also got rid of the desk in the bedroom that had the computer I used for Pampered Chef and moved a bookcase into the bedroom. Then I decided to tackle the gifts that we've been given so far. Since I don't have the dresser/changing table yet (my aunts are getting it for me...yay for the shower next week) I organized a lot of stuff in one of those plastic bins with drawers. At least most thing are out of the packaging and ready to use. I also did his laundry which was a whole load and this was just from the work shower! This kiddo is going to be so spoiled. Around 7 or so I decided that I needed to go out and buy some blinds that I had seen at Target for Limer's room. Well, we measured the window and I went to the first Target and only found 2 blinds (I needed 4). Then I drove to another Target to find another 2. Unfortunately it was also pouring rain (crazy nesting). I get home and then Jon holds the blind up to the window and of course it's too big. So I sit on the couch for 20 minutes and decide that I can't stand it. I remembered that it was supposed to snow and I know we are not venturing out in that, so I get back in the car and exchange the blinds. It's crazy how I feel like I need to do these things right now.
We spent Sunday putting up the blinds and the curtains, which are shown in the picture above. =) Jon was so great going all with all my craziness. What a great guy!

34 Weeks

Everything seems to be happening so quickly. Jon and I can hardly believe that Little Limer could be joining our family in 4-8 weeks. I'm thinking it's going to be closer to 8, but it doesn't hurt to be prepared in case it's 4. I'm continuing to feel pretty good. I can't really complain, especially when I've heard what other people are going through at this point. It may be possible that Limer has dropped, but I have a hard time telling because he was a bit low to start with. He seems to be pressing on my bladder a little more than usual though. The bathroom has become a dear friend of mine. At least I'm getting exercise by walking to the bathroom every 30 minutes or so (if I'm lucky). I'm sure I could help myself out by not drinking so much water, but I can't help it.
My nesting instinct continues to rear its head every once in a while, but I'm having a hard time figuring out what to do with everything. Jon and I still need to clean out the closet in the office and figure out where all that stuff will go. Luckily we got an estimate on fixing the basement this week, so hopefully we will be able to get that done soon and safely store some stuff down there.
Jon and I also got rid of the Scion this week. My dad found us a new (used) car so that payments are much less. It's pretty nice and it's great that we'll be paying so much less a month. Way to go Dad! We also spent that evening (or one soon after) going through all the payments we have to make each month and deciding how we're going to cut everything down so that I can stay home. I'll still have some income from helping my dad and one of the therapists that I've met through my current job, but it definitely won't be the same. We managed to cut everything down quite a bit and we still have some things we can adjust if needed. I'm holding onto tv for now, but that may have to go soon. I'm feeling really good about staying home now and our financial position. It'll definitely be tough, but I think it'll be worth it.

33 weeks

This week was quite eventful, in a good way. We're still finishing up our Bradley classes. Yes, they are 12 weeks long! At this point everything is pretty much review and practice, but it still seems like it will help in the long run. I'm fully convinced that I can do it without medication. =)
I had a hard time staying motivated at work this week, but that's bound to happen when you know that you're leaving. I have to remember that there's a ton of work now, but then I'll be able to stay home with the little guy. Yes, I realize that will be work too, but I'm expecting it to be a whole different kind, one that I'm really looking forward to.
I've also been having more dreams about bringing him home. Most of them are weird and not so realistic, but it's funny to see how my mind changes how he looks in each dream. Every time I wake up from one of these dreams I'm just so excited about getting to meet him. He's gonna be such a cool kid.
Back to the week. I had an appointment with my midwife on Thursday. They did another draw to test for gestational diabetes, but I didn't have to drink the glucose this time. Debbie (one of the midwives) apologized for being so overly cautious with the gestational diabetes tests, but she just wants to make sure everything is alright. I'm pretty okay with it, especially this one because I didn't have to do anything except get stuck with a needle again. I'm continuing to gain weight like I should. My blood pressure looks great. She actually said that my diastolic blood pressure is actually lower than it was when I originally came in. Whoo hoo! No blood pressure concerns here. They also measured by belly and said that I'm right where I should be. Looks like Little Limer is growing just right. She also felt for his position and said that he's definitely head down, but I noticed that his back had switched sides since that last time I was there. I think he moved a couple weeks ago while I was cleaning. =) I also asked if he was pretty low because people have told me that I'm carrying low and she seemed pretty low when she was feeling for his head. She said I was low, but he's not engaged yet. He's just using all the space he's got in there. So everything continues to go great!
On Friday the gang at IVP (Jon's work) threw us a baby shower. The picture is from that day. I was tired of looking all bummy and gross in my pictures. It was fun and we were super blessed by their generosity. Jon was very excited because we received his favorite gift on the registry. Here it is in action:

Jon is playing with Karlheinz Stockhausen's Mikrophonie I (He wanted to make sure that I included that info).

Here he is playing his song "Sri Aurobindo" with some improvisation. My favorite part is when the legs start wiggling around seemingly on their own. =)

Jon saw it in Babies R Us and just had to add it to the registry. I can already imagine the day with Little Limer comes to ask me where his octopus is and I have to tell him that he needs to go ask Dad (because he's been playing with it). It's very fun though. I also forgot to mention that it smells like vanilla, so it's making me more hungry all day. Isn't he cute though?
We also had some friends pass along some baby clothes so Little Limer's closet is growing. I'm so grateful so all the friends and family that have helped us by passing along baby items. Again, it's just making me so excited to meet him.
On Saturday Jon and I attend a class on breastfeeding. The woman was very knowledgeable and made the class mostly interesting. Afterwards we went and toured the Family Birthing Center (their name for the maternity floor). The rooms are pretty nice. They still look like hospital rooms, but I'm really glad that I won't have to change rooms at all. Everything takes place in one room there. Also, they have a few huge rooms, so I'm hoping at least one of those is open while I'm there. =) The nurse we met was also very nice and happens to live right down the street from Jon and I. We also learned that we can bring in our our food and other fun stuff like that. Pizza party after Limer's born! We'll have to find someone to put in charge of bringing the food. =)