Frogs and Snails and Puppy Dog Tails

Daddy Armstrong

2009-09-27T19:37:00.004-04:00

Joe finished his 157 mile bike ride this weekend! Blake and I are so proud!

Saturday morning Blake and I went to a cheering station in Shelbyville to wave at Daddy as he rode by and to give him some water. Below you can see Blake holding Daddy's water looking down the road for Joe.

He finally came along. He had called us from the last watering station to let us know he was close and we only live a mile away - so we kind of cheated.

Blake wanted Dad to stay!

Joe finished in good time. We picked him up in Lexington around 3:00 in the afternoon. Who wants to stay in a tent when you can sleep in your own bed?

Daddy finished strong again on Sunday at 3:00!
Blake, Joe's parents, and I were there to greet him at the finish line.

It is an awesome thing you did today Joe!

Thank you, everyone, for your donations and your support!

8 Months!

2009-09-08T22:05:00.004-04:00

He got his first Build-a-Bear - a monkey. I had to take it's shoes off because he likes the shoe laces too much.

8 months has gone by so fast! I didn't think Blake was ever going to show interest in toys and other kids. All of a sudden he is interested in everything and everyone. He loved watching Jackson play this weekend!

Anything that rolls or flashes is amazing.

He tackles this fish like he's wrestling an alligator.

Ah....the car. I thought he was still too little. Not so. He loves taking walks around the nieghborhood riding in his car. Thank you Ryan & Jamie! He likes biting the steering wheel. I think the vibrations feel good on his gums.

Grass!

2009-08-08T21:58:00.003-04:00

Blake had never really spent anytime in grass. Sad, no?

He had been on a blanket in the grass and on his back maybe once or twice, but never had he sat in the grass or better yet tried to crawl in grass.

These were taken with my phone so they aren't great but it was fun watching him stare at the grass and rip apart my flowers.

Bath Time!

2009-07-27T19:46:00.003-04:00

What a Hiatus!

2009-07-25T08:24:00.004-04:00

I just realized it has been two weeks since I posted anything on here! Oops.

In the last two weeks I started my new job, the boys survived a week without me, and Blake has said "dada" and "ogg".

My six days away was pretty rough, for me, but the boys did really well with some help from Grandma Debbie. The great news is that Blake will take a bottle, and anything else you put near his face, with no problem now. When we go out to eat he slaps the table until we find something to give him a bite of. I guess I'll have to order carrots and mashed potatoes for a while.

Mama's new toy

2009-07-09T10:03:00.002-04:00

Now I have a phone that takes good pictures...

He just can't escape my flash bulb!

Going Green

2009-07-07T20:06:00.004-04:00

Joe tried to convince Blake that the fireworks were fun Saturday but Blake didn't buy it.

Big boy Blake with his apple juice.

Today Blake went to the babysitter for a half day in prep for the rest of the week when I have home based training going on all day. He did really well. Our big guy is drinking formula out of a bottle!

While Blake was gone I preoccupied myself by painting the kitchen and dining room. With the exception of Blake's room we have not painted anywhere in our house. It's beige, beige everywhere. I like the green -the name was "Jalapeno Jelly." Next I'm doing a butter yellow in the living room - eventually.

Let me just saying the kitchen has got to be the worst room in the house to paint with all the cabinets and appliances. At least now I know it's clean behind my refrigerator and stove!

Mirror, Mirror

2009-07-01T21:55:00.002-04:00

Jolly Green Giant

2009-06-30T16:15:00.001-04:00

At Blake's six month check up this morning I learned I actually gave birth to the Jolly Green Giant. I knew Blake was pretty big, but this little guy is off the growth chart! Joe's Mom said he was the same way so maybe he'll slow down. He is already bigger than I was at a year old!

Height - 29in - above 97th percentile
Weight - 19.25lbs - 80th percentile
Head Circ - off chart

Daddy and I are going to remeasure him tonight, but I watched her do it and it had to be close. Joe is convinced it's impossible!

Developmentally he is doing great. He is rolling all over and trying his best to crawl. I love watching him try to get to a toy (or dog) he sees nearby and using both hands to hold things. When we read books he has to hold them and usually turns the page before we're finished. He loves to stand and it holding his own weight longer and longer.

This guy is an eater. He loves veggies. So far he has done well with Carrots, Squash, Green Beans and Bananas. He's not a fan of tangy fruits like Peaches and Apples. This weekend I was able to get him sucking on a bottle (for the first time) that had Half Water/Half Apple Juice. Hopefully we can sneak some milk in there and he'll do okay.

I keep thinking about how fast these last 6 months have gone by - I know it will be his first Birthday before we know it!

I'm going to go research car seats now...2.5 more lbs and we have to retire the one he is in now. Crazy.

6 months tomorrow!

2009-06-29T11:35:00.004-04:00

This stud muffin will be 6 months old tomorrow!

And this is my last week at home with him.

I'll update you after his doctor's appointment tomorrow.

I'm going to go give those cheeks lots of kisses now!

**sigh**

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-22T12:13:00.002-04:00

It arrived earlier this week, but Joe got a bike for Father's Day. He was training for his big bike ride in September on a bike borrowed from his boss. His boss is about 5 inches taller than him and the bike was way too tall. Blake and I supervised while Joe put the bike together in the garage.

Blake learned from his dad that boys don't read directions. I think it made Blake a little nervous.

This is the only picture I took on Father's Day. Joe was trying to get all of Blake's burps out before we went to church. Aren't Blake's overalls cute?

Happy Father's Day, Joe! Thank you for being such a great Dad. We love you!

Prep for Boys Week and a Photo Shoot

2009-06-16T06:16:00.003-04:00

I might be slightly prejudice, but isn't he the cutest thing? Really, he's baby model material. I guess every parent thinks that though.

I learned yesterday that trying to take pictures of a baby who likes to roll around is not exactly easy. If I rolled him on to his belly to take some pictures he threw that big head of his back and rolled over. If I put him somewhere specific on his back he decided to move my rolling on to his belly and "swimming" on the carpet. We got some good ones eventually. There are more and they'll be in the 5mo-1wk album when it posts on here.

In other news - well it qualifies as news in our house - Blake is eating solids twice a day and drinking from a sippy cup once a day in preparation for having a week sans mama. His first try with Peaches with Cereal didn't go so well yesterday but the kid loves his carrots. He did better than ever with a sippy cup - he held it but so did dad. Maybe it was because the milk was fresh or maybe he just wanted to amuse us, but we were pleased with his 1.5 oz accomplishment. Either way I think we're going to give up on trying to get him to use a bottle and stick with sippies.

Enjoy the pictures of our baby model!

Ummm...The Smell of Mulch in the Morning

2009-06-08T09:53:00.003-04:00

Blake did a spectacular job supervising from his shaded seat yesterday while we spruced up the landscaping. By we I mean I assisted until Blake got fussy and I had to take him inside. Joe continued to work on it for almost 2hr while I entertained Blake in the comforts of the A/C.

Orange & light pink lilies...I like it!

Thank you, Joe!

Time for an update!

2009-06-07T09:36:00.004-04:00

I don't know how it happened, but Blake has changed so much since he turned 5 months old last week. Seriously...it blows my mind. He is still rolling all over the house, as you will see in the pictures. He will eat anything you try to feed him without protest. He is using both hands together to pick up toys or hold onto things you give him. He is just so much more deliberate about what he grabs now. Before he would accidentally grab stuff or hold on to what you gave him. Now he intentionally grabs your nose or the toy he wants. Such a change!

I love watching him study things - especially his hands like they've just turned orange or something. I can't imagine what he thinks when he does that. Sitting in his Bumbo seat the other night he dropped his plastic keys (John Deere, of course) and reached down to pick them back up. In baby development that is a big deal!

When he rolls on to his belly now he swims on the carpet. The little guy wants to crawl so bad. He paws at the carpet and pushes with his feet. Then he just gets mad and rubs his face on the carpet - so don't judge me if you see my kid with carpet burn on his face! Oh, and when you pick him up he straightens out his legs and wants to stand up - which he showed no interest in before. He can do a pretty good job standing for 30 sec or so before buckling.

He's going to help us plant flowers today. We'll see how that goes. Too much too fast ya think?

I know people told me a hundred times how fast they grow, but I never could have imagined!

...and he still has the prettiest blue eyes God ever made.

Blake's First Veggies

2009-06-02T13:35:00.003-04:00

Blake finally tried some veggies. We started with carrots. He ate them really well. I didn't even end up wearing any of it.

Eventually he decided he wanted his real dinner.

Oh, and I was amazed to find the exact same carrots in Blake's diaper this morning...I know, I know TMI.

Roll, Roll, Roll

2009-06-01T20:57:00.003-04:00

Yes, our little guy has rolled over - back to front!

While folding clothes tonight I noticed Blake begin to roll onto his side - over and over.

Then came the face plants.

I don't think he was sure what he had done at first.

I scared him when I clapped for his big accomplishment!

Three Amigos

2009-06-01T11:52:00.004-04:00

Blake completed his first 5K this weekend in Florence. Blake and I walked (Blake mostly slept) and Joe ran. See, he had his track shirt on and everything. Joe made relentless fun of me for Blake's outfit. I figured I would show you so you could do the same.

Blake got his BUMBO seat this weekend too. With his torticollis I thought this might help him strengthen his muscles a little, we'll see. Apparently a lot of Physical Therapy places use these seats for babies, so at least I know it won't hurt him.

Here we have three blond headed, blue eyed little guys, all under 2 years old. I would say that they will likely be causing a lot of havoc together in a few years, but as of now Blake is too little to care or for them to play with. THIS is why we were glad to be having a boy - none of our friends have had girls for the last several years.

Here are the dads Nathan, Joe & Keith hanging out, watching baseball. It was great to get to see some of our friends this weekend.

I NEED YOUR EMAIL!

2009-05-28T10:18:00.003-04:00

From what I understand there are people who have had problems accessing the blog lately.

I have made it private, makes it sound special, huh? That way not just any crazy can browse pictures of us.

Anyway, if you send me your email address I can give you access to the blog.

ashley.arthur@hotmail.com

I have made it public for the next day or two so people can see this message.

Have a good weekend!

Fun in the Sun!

2009-05-26T08:02:00.004-04:00

I've been trying to get Blake ready for summer. I am determined to make him a lil' fish like his Mom. Joe is not a big fan of water unless it's coming out of the shower head.

We have stocked up on summer gear. Blake has Little Swimmers, swim trunks, a baby pool, SpongeBob sunglasses, some SPF 50, and hats to protect his little head.

Thursday afternoon we tried out the pool for the first time, which resulted in the purchase of the sunglasses on Thursday night.

Blake's SpongeBob Sunglasses...he likes them!

Look at my greased (SPF 50 baby) little pig napping before pool time.

By the time I got everything ready he wanted to sleep - go figure!

He liked the water. It was the direct sunlight that he hated.

We had success with the hat. The linky rings make everything fun.

I think he was afraid Sam was going to try to join him.

Next time I'll make sure to let him finish his nap first!

This is how we roll!

2009-05-14T13:25:00.004-04:00

Blake is sitting up really well. He just needs a little help still.

Last night we were doing some tummy time.

SOMEBODY started to tilt...

" WOW! What did I do?" He rolled over!

I think he was pretty proud of his front to back roll. Now that he's figured out how to get on his back tummy time may be doomed.

Mom and Dad's FIRST Night Out

2009-05-12T10:17:00.004-04:00

This is how thankful Joe is to his parents for watching Blake on Saturday night. Joe and I hadn't had a night out (with cocktails involved) since 2007. Yep. 2007. I'm not sure that Joe is still welcome at Molly Malone's or Wick's Pizza.

Little did Grandma know, this wouldn't be the last time she'd have a crying Blake in her arms. You see, our little man still refuses to take a bottle. The only thing that saved them on Saturday was a little bit of cereal...and it still wasn't pretty. Good thing grandma is a pro.

Thanks to Mark, who is on the phone with his wife as Joe booty dances with him, for staying out with us and helping me keep Joe out of trouble. It's a full time job.

The only picture of the night without Joe's tongue sticking out (must be a drunk thing).

Lucky us, this is what Blake looked like when we left and when we got home. He even slept until 7:20 the next morning. Love him so much. We all survived!

Thank you, thank you, thank you Tom & Deb!

Down in Flames

2009-05-01T15:46:00.004-04:00

Passed out after his appointment

I officially crashed and burned on the bet Joe & I had about Blake's weight today at the doctor. Though it wasn't by much, as Joe told me in typical Joe fashion, "A W is a W." They were AMAZED at the doctor how much he had grown. He is 15lbs 11oz and 26.25 inches long. That puts him about 65th percentile for weight and 90th percentile for height. Growing like a weed I tell ya! His little legs are a bit sore, but I keep rubbing them. He got the same 3 combo shots as before and one oral. I felt so bad because he was such a happy little flirt in the office and then all of a sudden he was screaming :( He just woke up and is in a great mood...he bounces back quickly! Have a great weekend.

Note the Bugs Bunny Band Aids

Blake is 4 Months Today!

2009-04-30T17:05:00.004-04:00

Blake is 4 months old today. We are both amazed every day by how much he has grown and how he continues to change and learn. He "talks" all the time - non-stop. His favorite "exercise" is to pull him knees to his chest and slam his feet on the floor. He does this a lot when he's trying to fight off sleep. He's no dummy!

He has learned that if he looks at me with a pouty face he'll get attention and then he laughs- he already has me trained!

This week he also showed some interest in some Playhouse Disney cartoons. Mickey Mouse, which to my surprise looks nothing like he used to, and Little Einsteins are his favorites. Just let me say that this is while I'm in the shower and getting ready - I don't park him in front of the TV all day.

Everything is funny to Blake right now - he's always smiling or giggling.

He continues to think I am crazy with my camera and tends to freeze in front of it now.

He really likes to sit up - though he can't do it alone just yet. And he always has his link rings in his hand.

He still isn't a big fan of tummy time, but he cooperates sometimes just to make Mommy feel better- he'll let you know when he's had enough!

He has figured out how to maneuver around his crib - this is usually how I find him in the morning.

Tomorrow is his doctor's appointment - we'll find out how much our big guy has grown and make him mad with a few shots too!

For The Record

2009-04-28T15:43:00.005-04:00

Joe has a slight betting problem. Tell him the sky is blue and he'd respond, "Wanna bet?" This led to our latest wager regarding Blake. (We didn't actually wager anything - winner just gets bragging rights - not that I would brag about it or anything.)

Blake is 17 weeks today and Thursday he will officially be 4 months old. That means another trip to the doctor and more shots. I have been amazed lately by the rate at which Blake is growing and outgrowing clothes. He is so long that one piece outfits have to be 6-9 months in order to be long enough! I know, it probably normal, but it happened overnight. Any one piece outfit he had that was 3-6 month size never left the hanger. Unbelievable!

Back to the bet. Joe wanted to bet me Blake will be less than 16lbs at the doctor's visit. HA! I had to take that one. I figure Blake will be close to 17lbs. 5 weeks ago at the doc Blake was 14lbs even with a wet diaper and clothes on. So...we'll say 13.5. The child is significantly larger than he was at 12 weeks. I think I've got this one, don't you? I'll let you know on Friday.

A Walk in the Park

2009-04-26T13:24:00.004-04:00

This was Blake's FIRST walk in the park, actually. He wasn't a fan of the carrier at first, but he warmed up.

Visiting Daddy at Work

2009-04-19T19:11:00.002-04:00

Sunny Day Pictures

2009-04-18T10:04:00.003-04:00

You should have seen his face when I laid him on the grass...our boy is very ticklish! Today is another gorgeous day and Daddy had to work so we will probably be taking some more pictures! Meme bought him this outfit he has on and it just fits so we wanted to get some pictures in it. Plus, Blake likes to have as little clothes on as possible.

Have a great weekend!

Oh my dog!

2009-04-17T09:01:00.008-04:00

Everyone wants to think that they are animal people. Who doesn't love cute little puppies with that infamous puppy breath? Nobody is going to admit that they don't just love little baby animals. They DO NOT stay little, people. Sure, they learn to pee outside and sleep through the night, but they get bigger, smellier, and dirtier. I have realized though that perhaps not everyone is made to co-habitate with animals. The problem here is I fear that I may be one of those people and my husband is NOT. Joe will tell you that he can not live without dogs.

I like dogs, don't get me wrong, but not in my house. I complained about the nasty Labrador hair tumbleweeds on the hardwood before, but now that Blake is here it is really getting to me. Our dogs stink (yes, I do have a superhuman nose). You know how when you go into someone else's house it has a unique smell? We all know that you can't tell what your own house smells like because you are there all the time. I am super paranoid that our house might smell like DOG to other people. That drives me insane. Then there's the dog hair, muddy dog paw prints that are always on the carpet, scratches on my leather furniture, pairs of shoes with teeth marks...oh it goes on. I just know that when Blake is mobile, scooting around on the floor, I am going to lose it. The kid will constantly have dog hair in his mouth - guaranteed.

In the neighborhood we live in we can't really have outside dogs (not that I am crazy about that idea anyway). We have only been here for a year we aren't going to move for the sake of the dogs. We have an invisible fence system for them right now and Lilly drives the neighborhood crazy barking at everything. She has a bark collar now...I swear the neighbors must hate us.

Friday I found out I got a new job (so excited!) that doesn't start until July. This means I will be home with Blake until he is 6 months old (so blessed!) Anyway, my new employer sent me a package of paper work on Monday via FedEx, while I was out of town with Blake. Apparently the FedEx guy left the package on the front stoop. Joe came into the house through the garage and did not see the FedEx package. He let the dogs outside when he came in and they found it immediately. Joe came outside to find my new hire paper work blown all over the yard...nicely shredded.

Point is...as cute as they are, I could live without them.

Oh, and I put Blake in the Exersaucer yesterday because he is doing so well holding his head up now. The kid hates tummy time, but he has a really strong neck. His feet just barely touch the bottom of the Exersaucer and the seat is way too roomy, but I put a folded blanket against his back. I only put him in for a few minutes, but he was thoroughly amused. It won't be long before he spends a lot of time in there I'm sure. By the way, I need to knock a layer of dog hair off of the thing before Blake uses it again.

NOT Cheerios

2009-04-11T10:49:00.005-04:00

I just wanted to share some pictures of Blake's first experience with rice cereal...and let you know that Joe thought we were going to feed him Cheerios! I guess he thought we just made them soggy like you do with puppy food - oh my! I'm not sure how Blake felt about the cereal, but the dogs sure were interested. It was not as messy a venture as I had expected.

First Bite

House is Cooler

2009-04-07T15:02:00.005-04:00

Associate director in the Office of Public Liaison...what's that? Joe and I always watch the TV show House - always. It was a shock to the system when Dr. House got his new team a couple of seasons ago. We got over it and grew to love the new docs. Last night our favorite new doctor on the show died. Dr. Kutner committed suicide. I, of course, was waiting for the punch line. I figured it had to be a mistake, a Vicodin induced hallucination from House, something...they wouldn't really kill Kutner, would they? Joe was livid. I was pretty sure he was not ever going to watch the show again. I. fixed. that.

I found out that Kal Penn a.k.a. Kutner asked to be written off the show in order to join the Obama administration. I know...now you are waiting for a punch line. He is going to be the associate director in the White House Office of Public Liaison - whatever that is. After telling Joe about Mr. Kal Penn's career change his mourning is over. He is not exactly an Obama fan. In our house, Dr. House is definitely much cooler than Pres. Obama. Bad decision Kal, bad decision.

Do Brunettes Have More Fun?

2009-04-03T15:06:00.006-04:00

Before I tell you about my current hair situation I think I should explain the history of my hair. Well, maybe not the total history of my hair, Blake probably won't be asleep long enough for that. I have had my hair a lot of different colors and have worn it at various lengths. My hair was indeed blond when I was younger and would turn very blond in the summer time. This, of course led to an unfortunate dark roots situation in the winter and to me getting highlights in junior high. Oh my, if only I had know what a viscous cycle that is!

My hair has been everything to very blond to medium brown and even red once, but that was an accident. Most of my adult life I have been a blond and that's what most people are used to seeing on my head. During this whole bed rest/maternity leave/laid off period I have had much more visible roots than I can usually stand. I guess I just figured that when you're living in your pajamas and hanging out with the dogs (and Blake now too of course) all day nobody expects your hair to be perfect, right? This time my roots were very visible and I realized just how dark my natural hair color has become.

I went to the salon and paid to have it done, which I hadn't done in about 10 months. I was sadly disappointed. I am not someone who goes back and insists that the salon fix my hair when I don't like it. Maybe I'm too nice or perhaps just too chicken, but I just don't do that. After a week or so of hating my hair I decided to bite the bullet and color it myself, which I've done dozens of times before. I stared really hard at the box of light/med brown like I always do, but I came home with a Dark Ash Blond as usual.

Long story short - my hair is brown. Don't know what I did, but I think I like it even though it doesn't match the box. I think it is pretty close to the color my hair should be, minus the grey I found lately, and it's going to be easier to maintain. I don't know how long this new brunette me will last, but for now I'm good with it. I must say though - now Blake really looks nothing like me. Oh well.

Chuckles and a Little Bit of OCD

2009-04-01T14:24:00.007-04:00

I can't tell you how excited I was when I managed to get the first real laugh out of my little man. Okay, so the first one was an accident, but it really does warm the heart to hear a baby chuckle even if the baby isn't your own. I decided later to try to pull out the camera and capture some chuckles (please ignore the fact that I sound like a moron). Apparently Blake is getting to be a wee bit ticklish.

Oh, and as for my hoping that I wouldn't feel the need to do and redo every page of Blake's scrapbook - I already failed. I have now redone every page I had already completed and am much more pleased with the product, though it's not nearly finished. Yesterday after looking at the pages I had finished I didn't like that I had just made cute pages at random and there was no method to the madness. I knew it would happen - if I don't hurry and get it finished and printed OCD will get the best of me again I'm afraid.

I also have to say the Jillian Micheals kicked my butt today. I had been really lazy this week and was dreading that first workout back at it. Thirty Day Shred is no joke - just pray I can pick up a 14lb baby when morning comes! The first time I did the DVD I wasn't sure I was going to make it out of the bed the next day (and I might have taken a few unauthorized water breaks that time).

Scrap Obsession

2009-03-31T10:43:00.003-04:00

Let me just start by saying that I have a love-hate relationship with scrapbooking. I love the idea of having a cute little book with Blake's pictures in it. However, scrapbooking is expensive and messy. I put together a book of his ultrasound pictures and I am pleased with it, but I did it twice before I was happy with the result - not a cheap decision.

I have taken a ton of pictures of my little man and have them all organized on my computer. This weekend I discovered digital scrapbooking but I didn't know how to use any appropriate software nor did I want to pay for digital kits. I got a couple of calls this week about moving on in the hiring process for jobs I had applied for. This made me realize that I am potentially about to have a lot less time on my hands. This got a little bit of a fire under my butt regarding getting Blake's scrapbook going. I can see myself now back to work and planning on scrapbooking on the weekend but wanting to instead spend time with my boys. In short - the baby book would never get finished.

So...I taught myself to use Photoshop 7 and found some free digital scrapbooking kits (which you can waste a whole day searching for). Now I am obsessed! I am only on week 3 of little Blake's life, but it totally consumed my Monday. No, I didn't have the Labrador watching Blake all day, he slept a lot yesterday. I guess that explains our still trying to get him to sleep at midnight last night. The scrapbook is on the blog to the right of this post. It is a work in progress, but hopefully I won't feel the need to do every page twice! Any suggestions on where to have this printed when I'm finished?

Dinner, Flowers & Silk...Not What You Think

2009-03-27T12:53:00.008-04:00

So I hear it spring...I don't feel it, but being only a few days shy of April I know it's technically here. The last few days (and apparently the next several as well) have been so wet and dreary here I feel like we'll never get that 70 degree sunny weather. The hubby planted some trees in the yard and we have our first bloom! Pay no attention to the dying sod in the background - this bloom is on a pear tree he planted. This is the only sign of spring I see around here.

The other night I threw together a dinner concoction that was very colorful and I thought I would tell you about it because it was really yummy. Joe was a big fan - taking it to work the next day for lunch. It's kind of hard to get that one to eat left overs.

I had some shrimp in the freezer and some squash and zucchini in the fridge, so I sauteed those up in some light butter (whatever that is). I also seasoned it with some garlic powder, paprika and salt. Truth be told, this combination can make anything taste better and I use it A LOT. I boiled some thin spaghetti and tossed all of it together. I'm not gonna lie - I was really proud of myself.

Blake has discovered that he likes to cuddle with a little silkie. Anytime I leave his burp cloth in his lap he seems to grasp it tightly and hold it to his face.
I thought maybe he'd like to cuddle with something that didn't smell like spoiled milk, so I offered the Winnie the Pooh silkie (thanks Jess). It was certainly a winner!

So we maybe might have taken a few pictures today ;)

2009-03-25T17:25:00.001-04:00

Happy 12 Weeks!

2009-03-24T21:22:00.006-04:00

I don't know why 12 weeks seems like such a milestone, but it does. Blake is 12 weeks today. I think maybe it seems so special because people tend to count in months after 12 weeks. I now will say he is 3 months. Wow!

We went to the doctor at 1 week, 4 weeks and 8 weeks. This was supposed to be a month we could skip, but we just couldn't stay away. Blake was having some continuing reflux issues (hello Zantac) and I wanted Dr. White to take another look at his torticollis (she is much less concerned than I am), so we went today. My little man was 14lbs with his clothes and a wet diaper on - we'll call it 13lbs 8oz. That diaper made quite a thud when it hit the bottom of that garbage can! Blake is officially twice as heavy as when he was born - isn't that amazing? Oh, and he slept 7.5 hours last night, also amazing!

Mom (that's me) got some good news unrelated to baby today. I heard back from one of my interviews that I am moving on in the hiring process. They called and said they wanted me to fill out some papers and they also wanted to check my references. As excited as I am to get back to paying off those student loans, I get sad when I think about leaving Blake. I just can't help but think about what I will miss. I keep reminding myself that I have gotten to be home with him longer than I ever imagined I would and I have been here to see him do so much. Pray that I can remember this and not freak out when it comes time for me to go to work!

Oh, and I finally met some neighbors yesterday. Yes, we have almost lived here for one year now. While walking Blake I came upon two ladies outside in a driveway with a whole mess of kids (yep, I said "mess"). I could see one of them was TINY. Turns out he was 10 days old - a little boy named Jackson - Blake's future playmate. My neighbors were very nice, a nurse practitioner and a stay at home nurse. One of them even invited me to the Mom's group at her church once a month. The church just so happens to be the one that I've been trying to talk Joe into going to. Now if he is ever off of work on a Sunday morning we are bound for Shelby Christian Church. Anyway, I was very excited to meet some neighborhood Moms! All I had to tell them was that I was the house on the right with the obnoxious dogs and they knew right where I lived - how embarassing! Lilly's bark collar shipped today ;)

Mom is Getting Lazy

2009-03-23T14:17:00.003-04:00

We had a great weekend in Northern Kentucky visiting family and friends. Blake met a lot of new people! This was the first time we had ventured up there since Blake arrived. I realized last night that I had taken my camera on our little trip and didn't use it once...Mom is getting lazy I'm afraid. Before I was snapping pictures of every little thing Blake did - lately I completely forget.

Even though I failed to document it with any pictures, Blake did have an eventful weekend. Our little guy met great aunts and uncles for the first time and a few second cousins too. He also got to see some of our friend's kids that he'll be playing with soon! He met (mostly slept through meeting) Jackson who is 19 months, Preston and Dylan who are almost 3, Olivia who is 4, Max is 4 months. He even got to meet another little boy named Blake who is almost 2. All of this and he was only there for one day! Blake also got to spend his Grandma's birthday with her - entertaining her with lots of smiles and baby babble. See...another picture I didn't take :(

A Story To Warm Your Heart

2009-03-15T07:36:00.006-04:00

These are our dogs, Sam (White English Pointer) and Lilly (Chocolate Lab). As you can see they have become really close since Blake came into the world. I suppose they don't get as much attention from us now so they decided they may as well be good friends. Sam is supposed to be Joe's "bird dog" - whatever that really means. Sure, Sam is bred to hunt and Joe says he seems to love it, but he sleeps underneath covers and generally doesn't even like being outside most of the time.

Last Sunday Joe was working on some training with Sam in the back of our neighborhood. Our neighborhood still has several open lots in the back and behind them is nothing but farm land. Sam must have smelled something and ran off. For those who haven't been around this kind of dog before - they are like canine cheetahs. Joe spent all Sunday looking for Sam on the surrounding farms with no luck. Our major concern was the fact that Sam had a rope attached to his collar that would make it easy for him to get caught on something and we all know coyotes like to snack on puppy dogs. All week we called animal shelters, posted ads online and left dog food by the back door. By Friday we both really thought that Sam probably had found a new home or a coyote had found him.

I must tell you how Lilly acted the first few days Sam was missing. Normally we could leave Lil out in the house all day long and she would sleep and never touch anything. However, we had one incident with the garbage can strewn across the dining room - no good. Also, she went into the nursery one night and found two boxes of Blake's outgrown baby clothes and threw them all over the room and shredded a box. As mad as we were (because she knew it was wrong) we felt really sorry for her - her furry brother was missing. I suppose a dogs attention span is not as lengthy as ours - by Wednesday she was over it.

Friday night on the way home from dinner we were kind of reminiscing about Sammy and talking about how we just hoped he was somewhere safe. As we pulled into the driveway that night we didn't see anything unusual. We pulled up the driveway, garage door already opening, and we both froze. Having to always state the obvious I blurted out, "It's Sam, oh my God, it's Sam!" He must have been waiting in the front yard and when he heard the garage door start to open (yes, I like to push the button as soon as we pull on our street) he darted inside.

He was skinny but he was home!!! The rope that had been attached to his collar was now only a foot long. He must have gotten stuck somewhere and chewed through it. Sam was actually clean, but he smelled like straw. I suppose he took shelter in someone's barn. He went right back to being Sam - sleeping on the love seat and trying to steal covers when he gets the chance. I had always heard stories about pets that were missing and after days, weeks or months found their way home, but I didn't think Sam would last out in the world on his own for nearly a week.

Welcome Home Sammy!

Before Elmo Was Cool

2009-03-10T10:02:00.003-04:00

Before Elmo was cool....there was Burt & Ernie. Apparently I was a big fan of the duo and they were the theme for my first birthday. That was 25 years ago today. Yep, I'm 26! That sounds a lot younger than it used to.

Are Burt & Ernie even still on Sesame Street? I guess I'll find out in time when Blake starts watching. If so, I feel sorry for these guys. Elmo completely stole the show.

Back to the birthday...Joe & I are going to go to dinner and leave Blake with our friends for a few hours. I am super nervous, but I know he'll be fine. I am not sure where I am going to have Joe take me just yet. I kind of want to go somewhere that I wouldn't go if we had to take Blake. There is a little restaurant around here that is supposed to be good that we haven't been to yet. Or...we could go to Louisville. Cheesecake factory maybe? If you have any suggestions feel free to throw them out there.

Oh, and wish me luck at my interview tomorrow!

Just Sayin'

2009-03-06T15:19:00.003-05:00

You've been warned.

~Sabotage~

2009-03-05T10:53:00.006-05:00

Yes, I know baking cupcakes is no way to win a weight loss challenge. I have no idea why but I REALLY wanted to bake cupcakes. I am going to blame it on my failed attempt to win the cupcake giveaway from Sweet Tea Diaries this week. No worries, I sent them to work with Joe!

I really like to try new things with recipes - even if they turn out so bad Joe won't let me feed it to the dogs - it's fun. I had a regular Chocolate Fudge cake mix and thought I'd try some things that I had heard make cake mix more moist and more healthy. The box called for 1/2 cup of oil - I substituted that with 1/2 cup of apple sauce. I was supposed to add 1 1/3 cup of water and I instead added 1 cup of water and 1/3 cup of low fat sour cream. Of course I also added the 3 eggs that were called for. I did not tell Joe of my tweaks until he ate one. Joe has never been accused of being an adventurous eater. He does not like sour cream (I don't know if he's actually ever tried it) and so he wouldn't eat anything that contained sour cream. Anyway, I could dedicate a whole post to the odd food preferences and dislikes of my husband. The cake was good, not significantly more moist than normal, but lower in calories anyway.

The icing was an interesting process too. I made buttercream icing and decided that it was yummy but that the plain white stuff was too boring. This is no problem if you have food coloring on hand, which I thought I did. I was wrong. I happened to still have the jar of peanut butter, from my morning apple and PB, laying on the counter. Light bulb moment! I took half of the icing and added some peanut butter. I used this to top half of the cupcakes. I still had half of the cupcakes to decorate and went rifling through the cabinets to try to find something else to flavor/color the icing. I found a box of strawberry Jello. I figured it was worth a try...especially since that is my favorite flavor. It didn't take much and I had some very pink, very strawberry icing for my other cupcakes.

Now that the cupcake thing is out of my system I feel much better. Oh, and I must explain the "Sabotage" title of this post. Yes, baking in a house on a diet is potential sabotage. However, peanut butter is my husband's Kryptonite. Even worse - chocolate and peanut butter together. This IS a competition :)

Little Accomplishment

2009-03-04T14:08:00.006-05:00

During dinner last night I looked over to see Mr. Blake rolled on to his side! I am not sure when that is supposed to happen, but it took me by suprise. He was looking into the mirror on the play gym. I think it may have to do with him not liking to turn his head to the right - the direction to which to mirror was. I suppose he decided that rolling was easier for him. Maybe it was a fluke - the boy has some strong legs - but I thought it was pretty neat!

Should Arrive Today!

2009-03-04T11:31:00.004-05:00

I told you yesterday that Joe's workout DVD that he is using is boring. Any of you who have tried to find something to watch on television on a Saturday or Sunday have seen the infomercial for "10 minute Trainer". Not only is this DVD boring - it is pretty darn cheesy. Not being able to stomach the cheese I decided to look for my own DVD. I found one by the female Biggest Loser trainer. It boasts a possible 20lb loss in 30 days...we'll see. I'll let ya know how it is, but for $8.00 on eBay I won't be able to complain too much!

Small Scale Success

2009-03-02T10:52:00.005-05:00

So the hubby and I started a little weight loss challenge just between the two of us last week. We have both gained in excess of 50lbs since we met for various reasons. I'm not going to lie, we single handedly kept Dairy Queen busy making Blizzards at one point...but that's not the point. I suppose other than the Mexican food Monday and the Pizza Hut yesterday I behaved myself this week. My total exercise was a walk with Blake and some serious laundry folding. I was convinced that I had gained weight this week and went to weigh myself this morning thinking I would start better this week....isn't that how diets always go? I stepped on the scale not wanting to look down, but there was no point in just standing there. HA! I lost 3lbs! Of course you are only hearing about this friendly little challenge because I wanted to brag. You'll know how it went if you don't hear anything of it next week. Don't tell Joe that breastfeeding burns ~500 cal a day, ok?

I am off to search for a new workout DVD - Joe's is boring!

Two Month Turkey

2009-03-01T12:57:00.002-05:00

Joe says it's too close to turkey season to be calling Blake "my little Turkey." I don't know why I started calling him that, but it's beginning to stick.

Our little man went to the doctor for his two month check up on Friday which included his first series of shots. He was 12lbs 3oz. Daddy won the bet on that one. He guessed he'd be 12lbs - I said 13...oops. He seems really long to me too. We measured him the night before the appointment and thought he was 23.5" long. They said 22.5" at the doctor...I'm pretty sure he didn't shrink over night. He has met all of the developmental milestones that he should have. Blake is cooing, smiling back at us, and trying really hard to hold up his head longer and longer. He was not excited about the shots, but we gave him Tylenol every 4 hours and it wasn't too bad. He slept for hours after the shots and when he woke up his leg was really sore. Everytime he moved his leg he screamed. He slept on Mommy most of Friday night and between us strapped into his Boppy the rest of the night. The next morning he was a new man....smiling and talking up a storm!

Cute As A Cupcake

2009-03-01T12:41:00.003-05:00

I am pretty new to the world of bloggers and began this blog with the sole intention of keeping our friends & family informed about our little guy. However, being at home and continuing to grow my blog I have discovered how much fun it is to read the blogs of others. I only knew a few people who had blogs when I began and I would look at the blogs that they read on occasion. I must say..it's kind of a black hole. You go from one blog to another and then you don't remember who's blog you started on, but it's entertaining anyway.

I haven't quite figured out the blogger giveaway phenomenon yet, but I like it. The only thing I can figure is that it is a tool for bringing more attention to the blog - and that it does. I entered in my first giveaway today - it is super cute! The prize is a bunch of cupcake making goodies. And - I love the name of her blog. http://sweetteadiaries.blogspot.com/ Deadline is tomorrow...better hurry!

While my baking habit is not very good for the waistline it is a lot of fun! If I could make any money doing it I would quit my day job...you know, if I had one.

Like a Weed!

2009-02-24T16:27:00.004-05:00

I now fully understand the saying "Growing like a weed." I decided that while Blake was napping today (he doesn't do as much of that lately) I would go through his clothes and pull out things he had outgrown. Oh my! I am going to be honest - it was a painful process. There were some things that Blake had not worn and a lot that had only been worn once or twice. I have no idea why I was suprised. My friends had warned me that their kids never wore some of their baby clothes. I guess it just reminds me how fast he is growing. All of his newborn clothes are, of course, too small and so are a lot of his 0-3 months clothes.

Speaking of clothing sizes, I think baby clothes are less uniformly sized than adult clothes. Blake had on a outfit the other day that was a 3-6 month onsie, 0-3 months pants, and newborn shoes. That is saying a lot because my kid has big feet!

Hopefully someone we know will have a baby boy so that we can let them make use of these clothes. Even after giving back the clothes loaned to us we will have enough to outfit a little one. Even IF we have another baby I imagine that a lot of these clothes may be out of style (yes, I said that) by then.

Mama Tried

2009-02-19T10:25:00.004-05:00

What do you think? This is a picture of me & of Blake. Maybe he does have a couple of my genes, but I think they must be hiding!

Like His Daddy?

2009-02-19T08:16:00.003-05:00

I finally have proof...like we needed any...that Blake looks like his daddy, even as a baby. There is still something that looks like me, I'm sure of it. Here are pictures of Joe and Blake. Judge for yourself.

New News, New Tricks

2009-02-17T11:15:00.008-05:00

We got calls from two couples very close to us with the good news that babies are coming in October! (names withheld...just in case) It will be wonderful having the kids so close in age - maybe this means I won't have to have another one :) Blake is going to have plenty of playmates. In the last couple of years all of our friends who have had babies have had boys. We almost have a complete team at this point!

Also new this week - Blake's tongue! Our baby boy is totally amused by the fact that he has something in his mouth that he can move, roll, stick out, etc. If he is awake he is figuring out all of the things he can do with his tongue. He licks his headrest on his swing, licks his hand, licks anything that gets close enough. I guess I should keep the dogs away until he gets over the licking thing.

Also, he is making so many new noises. "Hooo!" is his favorite, but he is talking to his birds on his swing and has just been so much more vocal this week. It seems impossible that it is going to be several months before any of those noises sound like real words.

Blake has slept in his crib now for one full week. He is doing really well. I think he has figured out the difference between day and night. Usually he will sleep for 4-5 hours the first time I put him down and then 3 after that. I am not complaining at all. Four hours of sleep feels like a lot right now. I say that he can tell day from night because he still wants to eat every 2-3 hours during the day. Hopefully that gets better soon. We really do have a wonderful baby though. He is so well tempered and happy. We are blessed!

Crib Notes

2009-02-10T14:36:00.005-05:00

After learning yesterday that Blake's crib was not recalled I didn't have an excuse anymore not to give the crib a try. While I don't intentionally wake Joe up at night when Blake cries, it is inevitable when he's in our room in the bassinet. After working 12 hours a day I guess the guy deserves some decent sleep on occasion. I was also getting a little concerned with how much Blake ended up just sleeping in our bed at night. Yes, I know, don't judge! It's much easier than getting wildly frustrated when he is sound asleep and immediately wakes up when put back in the bassinet. Honestly, I also didn't have much confidence in my will power not to run back and forth to the nursery every time he made a sound.

Last night I got Blake's crib all ready with the sleep positioner and sheet protector (our boy is a spit up machine) and tried to get his belly full. Please note his last nap of the day was 4.5 hours, a record for us. Long nap aside, last night still went pretty well. Just like when I put him in the bassinet, he woke up every time like it was a tub of ice water. I quickly learned that I do not have to be staring at him when he falls asleep. Yes, I walked away (monitor in hand) and let him go to sleep on his own. Between feedings I heard him stretching and do other things that babies do loudly, like fill his diaper, but restrained myself. When I heard his, "I'm hungry" cry I went and got him up. Unfortunately the first time around that was only 1.5 hours after I had put him down, but that got better. The second time we went 3 hours!

I am very proud of my little boy and a little proud of myself too.

No Recall

2009-02-09T17:17:00.002-05:00

I had been all worked up thinking Blake's crib had been recalled. I'm sure most ofyou heard of the expanded crib recalls. For those of you with little ones: http://www.jardinecribrecall.com/press_release.php. I knew the model number matched but hadn't filed for the recall yet. I guess I was pretending I was busy, yeah, right. Blake hasn't slept in his crib yet, so I guess I wasn't in a hurry. Last night I spoke with my friend Kristen and her son's crib was recalled (now that he's grown out of it). With this reminder I got online today to fill out the form for a replacement voucher. SUPRISE! The form asked me when the crib was produced. I hadn't paid attention to that. I crawled under the crib again to check - NOT RECALLED! What a relief. Not that I was opposed to getting a free crib, but I really didn't want to have to tell Joe he had to take it apart.

That's the good news for today. Check out the press release if you think you might be affected!

Sweet n' Sour

2009-02-05T16:33:00.009-05:00

We've all seen babies sleeping in a car seat or swing with their necks looking amazingly uncomfortable. It seems impossible that they can get their ear that close to their belly button! I had never noticed before, but Blake always assumes this position with his chin turned to the left (like he is above). I did notice, however, that he had a rather sizable knot in his neck on the right side that I was convinced was too large to be a lymph node. At his one month check up I did mention this to his doctor and she said it was probably a lymph node I was feeling. I took Blake back to the doctor today and she told me today she actually didn't feel it last time when she looked. Apparently parents freak out over slightly swollen nodes all the time. Good thing I poke and prod at the poor guy all the time! It turns out Blake has something called torticollis.

According to the one hundred websites I've read, torticollis is also called congenital muscular torticollis. It is a condition that causes a baby's head and neck to tilt to one side. It affects about 2 percent of newborns. The cause is unknown, but doctors suspect that when a baby is positioned in the uterus so that her head is tilted to the side and her neck is down, the blood supply to the neck is cut off. This results in some tightness in one of the two strap (or sternocleidomastoid) muscles that connect the breastbone, head, and neck, and allow a baby to turn their neck. The pediatrician thought that maybe it was caused by my carrying Blake so low in my belly for such a long time. Though the baby may look uncomfortable, this condition causes no pain. Blake can look to both sides really well and his neck is already very strong. Some kids with torticollis can't look to one side at all. Because his case seems so mild, the doctor is having us do some stretching and massage of the muscle at home rather than sending us to physical therapy right away. Honestly I am relieved that Blake's knot is muscular, the other explanations for such a knot are much more scary. If this is the only medical issue we have to deal with we are still very blessed. This was the SWEET part of our day.

The SOUR part of our day was an email that I received today from my boss...umm ex-boss. I had emailed her on Monday telling her I would like to try to return on Friday the 13th so Blake's first day in daycare would be a half day. Today she replied by telling me:

"Unfortunately, we have re-allocated job responsibilities here and your position no longer exists at the present time."

So...my first thought was, "Is that even legal?!?" Unfortunately for a small business with under 50 employees you do not have to adhere to FMLA (and I had not been there for one year until this month) so it is just a lousy thing to do and not illegal. No matter how much I hated my job I would have liked to have known this weeks or even months ago. She had previously sent me emails just before I had Blake underhandedly pushing me to quit, but I didn't know this was coming. One would have thought even a heartless person wouldn't have waited until the week before I was supposed to return. So, yeah, that's my SOUR afternoon.

I'm off to search careerbuilder and file for unemployment. Wish me a SWEET job search!

At least I get to stay home a little longer with my precious boy!

And the winner is...

2009-02-04T13:49:00.000-05:00

For all of you who knew about our struggle to find childcare for Blake - the search is over! I was a nervous wreck, not wanting to send him to a daycare at 6 weeks old. I still struggle with the thought of leaving him at all, but I wanted to make sure he was going to be held and loved while we are away. Not being from this area we had a really hard time finding out what daycare facilities were good or bad and who provided childcare in their home.

Monday I struck gold! I was desperately searching Google for a list of in home providers or reviews of the local daycares. Having Blake's daycare here in Shelbyville has always been a priority. I had performed the same search a hundred times over the last several months. This time I happened upon a site that provided a list of state certified providers. Everyone I called was, of course, completely full. The last lady that I called said she was full until August, but her daughter-in-law might be interested. She put me in contact with her daughter-in-law and I took Blake to her house to meet with her yesterday. The fact that I was immediately impressed that her house was clean and had heat tells you something about the other providers I have interviewed.

Katie is very sweet. She is just a couple of years older than me and is married (hoping to have one of her own soon). She does not smoke or have any pets. After being a live in nanny she decided to stay home and watch kids when she got married. She and Blake have already bonded...he spit up on her. I feel very comfortable leaving Blake with her and I think he will be well cared for while we are at work. Speaking of, I plan to go back to work next Friday the 13th. Those who know how I feel about my job will find that fitting.

We all know she is lucky to get to spend her days with Blake, but I feel blessed to have found her as well.

Yes, I know, I will still be a mess when I go back to work no matter how I feel about Katie.

Great News!

2009-01-29T15:16:00.000-05:00

I got a call from Blake's pediatrician this morning. She finally received the results from his repeated newborn screening. Everything was completely normal!

Another Good Check-up

2009-01-26T16:47:00.000-05:00

Blake went for his one month check up today. I must say, I love his pediatrician. While she practiced in Louisville for 12 years, Dr. White just moved her practice to Shelbyville in April. Because the practice is so new it is super easy to get an appointment and she answers the phone half of the time when I call. It is great to be a first time mom in a practice like that.

They checked all of his measurements again today. He was 9lb 2.5oz and 21.5 in! His head circumference has gone from 36cm to 39.5cm. His head puts him around the 80th percentile! However, his length is a little above the 50th percentile and his weight is a little below. He is pretty much perfect, except he has a big head like his daddy.

The doctor still hasn't gotten his repeated newborn screening results. She seems to think from our visit that he is a very healthy little boy.

For all of those that hated me for bragging about what a great sleeper Blake was the first couple of weeks -- things have certainly changed. Blake is a great sleeper during the day and a really entertaining little booger after 10:00pm. Oh, and any advice on this matter is much appreciated.

Healthy Boy!

2009-01-09T13:08:00.001-05:00

Blake is back up to his birth weight! They want babies to be back at their birth weight within two weeks. Blake managed to pack on the ounces in 9 days! He is 6lbs 14oz. His umbilical cord has fallen off rather early too. He is doing really well other than an eye infection. The doctor said this is not uncommon for an infant, as their tear ducts are not open yet. This makes them more prone to eye infection. He doesn't seem to mind the antibiotic ointment, thank goodness!

Just Like His Daddy

2009-01-06T13:35:00.001-05:00

The last few days have been a blur, a lot of firsts for us as a family. Blake has had his first bath, first doctors appointment, first lick in the face from Lil'. Joe has even changed his first poopy diaper. Blake is a good sleeper, though that is relative. He wakes every 2-3 hours at night for a clean diaper and a feeding. That is generally his schedule all day long. I have learned that we have to put him down sometimes when he sleeps or we will regret it. I am not worried about spoiling him, but rather realizing at 3:00pm that I haven't eaten or gone to the bathroom all day! Other than his frequent bouts of the hiccups Blake is a happy, healthy baby. Oh, by the way, Gripe Water is wonderful! A few drops and Blake's hiccups are gone.

Our first appointment at the pediatrician went really well. Blake has gained 4 oz. since we left the hospital, he is a whopping 6lbs 11oz. That means he is getting plenty of milk. He is still a little bit orange. I kept saying he looked like he had jaundice and the nurses in the hospital said he was fine. Come to find out, he does have a little jaundice, but not enough to worry about and he is getting better pretty fast. The doctor said he is perfect and we go back Friday to make sure he is still gaining weight and getting his normal color back. What a blessing - he is 100% healthy!

There is no denying that Blake looks like his Daddy, but his eyes are already turning dark like Mom. Hopefully he got the best parts of both of us!

What a Blessing!

2009-01-02T17:44:00.000-05:00

William "Blake" Arthur arrived 12/30/2008 at 7:35am. He weighed 6lbs 14oz and was 20 inches long. Mom & baby were happy and healthy. I promise to update everyone after we catch up on some sleep.

I have just posted 3 albums with pictures of the last few days...enjoy.

Oh So Close...

2008-12-23T17:27:00.000-05:00

We went to the doctor today and they got us all nervous and excited for nothing. At my last visit my blood pressure had been elevated and they started to worry about preeclampsia. Today we were supposed to find out some test results that would tell us for sure. It turned out that the lab had run the wrong test - go figure. They decided to let us go home and call us when they got the results, letting us know that if the test came back positive they would want me to come back and be induced. Induced! I think both of our eyes lit up when they said that. I know that sounds awful, but it wouldn't be so bad to have a Christmas Eve baby. We were told someone would call us in about an hour - of course they finally called about 4 hours later! I was losing my mind by that time. The number that would have made my test positive was 300 - mine came back at 267. So close! I was relieved to know that things were okay, but had gotten really excited that we might get to meet Blake so soon. Maybe next week...but for now it looks like he's staying put.

Can's Christmas Program

2008-12-12T14:11:00.000-05:00

Today was Candace's Christmas Program at work. It seems like there is always something every year that keeps me from being able to attend. Obviously no traveling for me right now.

She gets so excited about this every year...and she knows everyone's lines! She is sitting beside her best buddy David and wearing her festive santa hat. I am attaching some pictures our Dad sent from the program.

Christmas is almost here!

Hurry Up and Wait

2008-12-10T21:00:00.000-05:00

Yes, I am THAT big!
After weeks of worry, bed rest and medicines Blake has made it to 36 weeks (as of 12/12) and can come whenever he pleases. The doctor has told me that I can start to go off of my medicine and return to work Monday...if I am still pregnant on Monday! If born right now they would expect him (on average) to be 21 inches and 6 pounds...big enough to come home with Mom & Dad. His lungs should be developed enough to not need help breathing, especially since he did receive a steroid shot to mature his lungs at 30 weeks just in case he decided to show up really early.

Being off of the medicine I was taking to control contractions should move little Blake right along. He has dropped really low at this point and seem really anxious to meet everyone...or maybe he thinks I like having to pee every 15 minutes. I have heard people say that when they were taken off of this medicine they only lasted another few days and some people go to 40 weeks. Odds are Blake will be with us for Christmas.

No matter when our little addition arrives I will keep everyone updated on here, and by phone, of course. I promise to leave out the graphic details about dilation, effacement and all of those other things that make Joe cringe. It seems that it should be smooth sailing for the pregnancy from here, but thoughts and prayers are certainly always welcome!