Brooke has been cramped up in the house since our little holiday hospital trip. She is better, but we are being cautious (and probably overly nervous). The doctors indicated that she likely reacts different to common viruses than other kids, and that future viruses can bring about similar outcomes. As she seems to pick up one virus after another, this is a very real situation to face.
This morning a couple of her friends were going to check out a new playplace only a few blocks from home. Despite the fact that a playplace with tons of kids is probably the most germy place I could take her, the poor kid had to get out ... and so did I. Both Ryan and Brooke slept in this morning, which was a great start to the day. I got both of them ready and we made it to meet our friends a bit before 10. I put Ryan in a carrier and Brooke and I head off to explore our new surroundings. She loved it. I'm not sure if the place was that great/special, but since she has been been pretty restricted lately it was a dream come true. She jumped in a bounce house, wrote with a glowpen in a glow in the dark room (which she referred to a a circus, for some reason), climbed into an activity center and dressed up as Cinderella. She was fine doing everything but jumping in the bounce house ... which caused her to cough. Of course, she jumped in there about 10 times. I think the parents around us were a bit concerned about the kid hacking in there, but I knew she was ok (and took a step back so nobody realized I was the parent who brought the sick kid out to play).
Ryan was pretty cooperative during the whole experience and that gave me the courage to extend our trip. We went out to lunch with one of Brookes friends (and her Mommy, of course). The girls were nutty at lunch, and Ryan slept through it. It turned out to be a pretty great morning, and to thank Brooke for being so good (and giving us both the opportunity to get out for a bit) we went next door to the bakery and got a "special cookie". Brooke had to choose between a penguin, snowman, and snowflake cookie. She picked the snowflake one right away.
Since it took her half-an-hour to eat the cookie, she ended up going down for nap really late. At (almost) 5:30 she is just waking up. Our morning pretty much screwed up our whole day, and will likely impact tomorrow as well ... but it was worth it!
Thursday, December 30, 2010
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Daddy Is Funny
Ryan has been smiling a bit here and there. He doesn't smile a whole lot, and I think its because he is a pretty serious guy ;) He is all business ... eat, sleep, poop, repeat.
But Daddy got quite a few smiles out of him today, enough that I got to snap a pic of one too!
He also made a really funny noise while smiling, which we interpreted as a possible laugh. Babies laugh at different ages and laughing at two months is not unheard of, but until we hear it again I'm not going to confirm the laugh. The smiling was legit though ;)
But Daddy got quite a few smiles out of him today, enough that I got to snap a pic of one too!
He also made a really funny noise while smiling, which we interpreted as a possible laugh. Babies laugh at different ages and laughing at two months is not unheard of, but until we hear it again I'm not going to confirm the laugh. The smiling was legit though ;)
Sunday, December 26, 2010
The Silver Lining
While spending time in the hospital was not exactly the ideal situation, there was a positive outcome from the whole ordeal. Brooke stayed in a regular bed (versus a crib) and thought it was pretty cool.
It just so happens we recently purchased a "big girl" bed for her but had yet to set it up. We weren't too sure what the right timing would be, or how to introduce a change like that into her world. While in the hospital we took advantage of the situation and talked to her about how cool it was to sleep in a big girl bed. We also told her that we could get her one for her room, and she seemed interested. So, we gave her a couple of days to recuperate and get settled back in ... and then we set up the bed. We put it in her room, but also left her crib in there too. At naptime we asked where she wanted to sleep, and she said she wanted to sleep in the bed. When she went to bed tonight she chose the bed too!
Our little girl is growing up so fast. Not only is she a big sister, but now she is sleeping in a big girl bed. In addition, her interest in the potty has ramped up recently. We dont want to push her because she has a lot going on in her life at this point. Lately she has been telling us when she goes (in her diaper) and then claps and congratulates herself ("Yay! Good job Brooke!"). Tonight I was putting her pj's on and she told me she had to go, so we grabbed a monkey (yes, we had to bring a furry friend with us) and ran into bathroom. She sat on her potty and insisted that monkey sit on the big potty. I sat down and held monkey on my lap. We sang a few songs and before you know it ... she went in the potty. I think she surprised herself, and ended up jumping up and dancing around to celebrate. We ran out of the bathroom to tell Daddy that she went "pee pee in the potty". She also informed Daddy that the monkey also went.
Its been a crazy couple of days, and even crazier couple of weeks. We never know what to expect with her and she never ceases to amaze.
It just so happens we recently purchased a "big girl" bed for her but had yet to set it up. We weren't too sure what the right timing would be, or how to introduce a change like that into her world. While in the hospital we took advantage of the situation and talked to her about how cool it was to sleep in a big girl bed. We also told her that we could get her one for her room, and she seemed interested. So, we gave her a couple of days to recuperate and get settled back in ... and then we set up the bed. We put it in her room, but also left her crib in there too. At naptime we asked where she wanted to sleep, and she said she wanted to sleep in the bed. When she went to bed tonight she chose the bed too!
Our little girl is growing up so fast. Not only is she a big sister, but now she is sleeping in a big girl bed. In addition, her interest in the potty has ramped up recently. We dont want to push her because she has a lot going on in her life at this point. Lately she has been telling us when she goes (in her diaper) and then claps and congratulates herself ("Yay! Good job Brooke!"). Tonight I was putting her pj's on and she told me she had to go, so we grabbed a monkey (yes, we had to bring a furry friend with us) and ran into bathroom. She sat on her potty and insisted that monkey sit on the big potty. I sat down and held monkey on my lap. We sang a few songs and before you know it ... she went in the potty. I think she surprised herself, and ended up jumping up and dancing around to celebrate. We ran out of the bathroom to tell Daddy that she went "pee pee in the potty". She also informed Daddy that the monkey also went.
Its been a crazy couple of days, and even crazier couple of weeks. We never know what to expect with her and she never ceases to amaze.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas!
Due to some unforeseen events, Christmas plans changed a bit :) We didnt get home until about 5PM Christmas Eve. After getting Brooke settled in, we spent the rest of the evening wrapping and assembling presents. It was about 2 in the morning when we were finally ready, and we were exhausted.
In the morning we went to get Brooke and tell her Santa had come. She was really excited. But, as we walked down the stairs and she looked around the living room, her excitement seemed to wane. We asked her if Santa had come (indicating the presents) and she said no. She seemed confused as she looked around. We then realized that she fully expected to see Santa standing there. While she understood he was coming, and knew he was bringing presents, I guess we werent clear with his deliver-and-dash philosophy!
Brooke was very excited to be opening presents, and dressed for the occasion
Ryan was slightly less than thrilled
We decided we wouldnt heading out and about with two sick kids in tow (Ryan also has Brooke's most recent cold/virus) and were lucky enough that our families were understanding and came to see us. So we spent the day hanging out, opening presents, and playing with new toys. Though not the typical Christmas, I think we were all happy to be home and just enjoyed each others company. Everyone got to enjoy a special meal (or two) prepared by Brooke in her very own kitchen. While her meals seem to be pretty basic (think fake banana on a plate), she is at least a very clean cook. She spends a good five minutes "washing her hands" in the kitchen sink, and makes everyone else do the same.
In the morning we went to get Brooke and tell her Santa had come. She was really excited. But, as we walked down the stairs and she looked around the living room, her excitement seemed to wane. We asked her if Santa had come (indicating the presents) and she said no. She seemed confused as she looked around. We then realized that she fully expected to see Santa standing there. While she understood he was coming, and knew he was bringing presents, I guess we werent clear with his deliver-and-dash philosophy!
Ryan was slightly less than thrilled
Friday, December 24, 2010
A Christmas Patient
Jeff has a few days off work with the holiday and we decided to try and be proactive and get a few things done. One of them was to bring Brooke into the doctor to get a stubborn diaper rash checked out. We packed up the kids and head over to the doctor, who has walk-in hours every weekday morning. The doctor checked her rash and gave us some tips, and then stood and looked at her for a while.
"How long has she been breathing like this?"
blink. blink. blank stare.
Um, like what?
The doctor points out that Brooke's breathing is very labored. She is struggling with each breath. She has another cold that just started a few days prior and apparently this one is a bit different than the last one. The doctor checked some of Brookes stats and listened to her lungs and decided that we needed to to take her to the local children's hospital to get checked out.
So a diaper rash turned into a visit to the ER.
At the hospital they did the same checks, and werent too thrilled with what they were seeing. A couple of attempts were made to get her oxygen levels up and wheezing down, but the triage people didnt feel that enough of an impact was made.
So an ER visit turned into a hospital stay.
Luckily, our stay was only about 24 hours and we were released today, on Christmas Eve. Brooke wasnt a big fan of all of the poking, prodding, or treatments ... but seemed to accept it. I have a feeling that the fact that she was the center of attention of numerous people made up for some of the negatives. When we were getting admitted she was given a holiday teddy bear. After some chest x-rays the tech gave her another teddy bear. While we were there, some "elves" came and gave her some Christmas presents. She got to sit in bed and watch Shrek (THREE TIMES). Food was delivered to her as she commanded. Everyone jumped to her call. When it was time to leave, Brooke refused to put on her coat or shoes. She told me she wanted to stay.
I sincerely want to thank all of those wonderful people for giving her that kind of experience. Knowing that she actually was willing to stay in the hospital even after she was feeling better gives you a little glimpse of the level of service we received.
Here she is after we were discharged, while waiting for Daddy to come pick us up. She was a pretty sick kid, but you can tell from the smile on her face that life was still pretty good!
"How long has she been breathing like this?"
blink. blink. blank stare.
Um, like what?
The doctor points out that Brooke's breathing is very labored. She is struggling with each breath. She has another cold that just started a few days prior and apparently this one is a bit different than the last one. The doctor checked some of Brookes stats and listened to her lungs and decided that we needed to to take her to the local children's hospital to get checked out.
So a diaper rash turned into a visit to the ER.
At the hospital they did the same checks, and werent too thrilled with what they were seeing. A couple of attempts were made to get her oxygen levels up and wheezing down, but the triage people didnt feel that enough of an impact was made.
So an ER visit turned into a hospital stay.
Luckily, our stay was only about 24 hours and we were released today, on Christmas Eve. Brooke wasnt a big fan of all of the poking, prodding, or treatments ... but seemed to accept it. I have a feeling that the fact that she was the center of attention of numerous people made up for some of the negatives. When we were getting admitted she was given a holiday teddy bear. After some chest x-rays the tech gave her another teddy bear. While we were there, some "elves" came and gave her some Christmas presents. She got to sit in bed and watch Shrek (THREE TIMES). Food was delivered to her as she commanded. Everyone jumped to her call. When it was time to leave, Brooke refused to put on her coat or shoes. She told me she wanted to stay.
I sincerely want to thank all of those wonderful people for giving her that kind of experience. Knowing that she actually was willing to stay in the hospital even after she was feeling better gives you a little glimpse of the level of service we received.
Here she is after we were discharged, while waiting for Daddy to come pick us up. She was a pretty sick kid, but you can tell from the smile on her face that life was still pretty good!
Tuesday, December 21, 2010
A Christmas Present For Mommy
I saw something that sparked my interest... and at the price I found it at, I just couldnt resist. I got myself a kemby Sidekick. Its a diaper bag / baby carrier combo!
I got it with Ryan in mind, thinking about how I'm going to have to be a bit more agile with a 2.5 year old and 6 month old in the spring. He wont even be crawling, but she will continue to advance in her keep-away-from-mommy skills. I dont always want to pull out a double stroller, and sometimes feel the need to be a little more on the go. It just seemed as though it would be pretty handy.
It came in the mail today and I couldnt resist testing out the 35 lb weight limit with my 34 lb 2 year old. I put her in it, really easily, and walked around the house. Sure, I didnt have her in it for a long time, but in those few moments it felt pretty great. Brooke really liked it and has continued to hound me to put it back on and carry her around. And I quote "Mommy pick you up. RIGHT NOW!". I've distracted her with food and hid the bag. Lets hope that works!
*We weighed Ryan just to see where he was at 6 weeks old ... he is now 13.4 lbs. That's about 1 lb gained over the past two weeks.
I got it with Ryan in mind, thinking about how I'm going to have to be a bit more agile with a 2.5 year old and 6 month old in the spring. He wont even be crawling, but she will continue to advance in her keep-away-from-mommy skills. I dont always want to pull out a double stroller, and sometimes feel the need to be a little more on the go. It just seemed as though it would be pretty handy.
It came in the mail today and I couldnt resist testing out the 35 lb weight limit with my 34 lb 2 year old. I put her in it, really easily, and walked around the house. Sure, I didnt have her in it for a long time, but in those few moments it felt pretty great. Brooke really liked it and has continued to hound me to put it back on and carry her around. And I quote "Mommy pick you up. RIGHT NOW!". I've distracted her with food and hid the bag. Lets hope that works!
*We weighed Ryan just to see where he was at 6 weeks old ... he is now 13.4 lbs. That's about 1 lb gained over the past two weeks.
Saturday, December 18, 2010
Santa Is Boring: Round 2
When we saw Santa a few weeks ago, Ryan was passed out. We knew there would be another opportunity so we let the little guy sleep.
Today was the big day!
Déjà vu
Ryan wasnt gonna wake up so we just handed him over to Santa for a few pics. He didn't move an inch! Not during the hand-off (either way), shopping around in the store, or being put back into his carseat.
What I want to understand is how he keeps me up all night and cant sleep longer than an hour or or at a stretch, but during the day he can sleep through something like that. Seems to me like he is playing some games with me ;)
Today was the big day!
Ryan wasnt gonna wake up so we just handed him over to Santa for a few pics. He didn't move an inch! Not during the hand-off (either way), shopping around in the store, or being put back into his carseat.
What I want to understand is how he keeps me up all night and cant sleep longer than an hour or or at a stretch, but during the day he can sleep through something like that. Seems to me like he is playing some games with me ;)
Friday, December 17, 2010
Better To Give Than Receive?
Today was Brooke's last day of school before winter break. We brought a present for each of her teachers. I handed her each box and told her to bring it to the appropriate teacher. She did that part quite well. She easily took the gifts to the teacher and handed them over, but instead of saying "Merry Christmas" as instructed, she said "Frosty The Snowman!". (She is already a big fan of Frosty, but this particular wrapping paper had snowmen on it, so there was some logic to her statement)
The teachers then put the gifts over on a table that had a pile of other gifts. Brooke went over to the table and started sifting through it. She picked up one and tried to carry it away, but was told that it wasnt for her. She then went to the present we had just given the teacher and began to open it :)
She definitely understands the idea of "presents", but up until that point had no clue that you can actually GIVE a present, not just RECEIVE one. Guess we will have to work on that a bit over the next week! Luckily, I have a planned trip next week for her and I to go shopping to pick out a gift for baby Ryan. Perhaps that will help her understand giving, but I am not so sure. Daddy had her pick out a present for Ryan at the hospital, which she did a great job of doing. She also gave it to him at the hospital. But, when it was time for Daddy and Brooke to leave, she brought the present with her instead of leaving it for Ryan. And since we have been home she has claimed it as her own. She is 6 weeks older than she was back then, so maybe the spirit of giving will catch on a bit better this time around ;)
Wednesday, December 15, 2010
Monday, December 13, 2010
It's freezing out...
Wednesday, December 08, 2010
Her Moment Of Fame ... Must Wait A Bit
Looks like Brooke's (maybe) big television appearance got bumped last weekend for other stuff. How could they displace her over dumb news like tax cuts? I just dont know ...
Anyway, the Lil Kickers spot should air this weekend on CBS news, but they didnt say if its Sat or Sun. When (if?) it ever airs, if she is on it, I'll make sure to post a link!
Anyway, the Lil Kickers spot should air this weekend on CBS news, but they didnt say if its Sat or Sun. When (if?) it ever airs, if she is on it, I'll make sure to post a link!
Sunday, December 05, 2010
A Month Old & Holiday Fun
Today Ryan is one month old. Time sure does fly! We attempted to do a height and weight check, but its awfully hard to measure a little one. Though we can assume the weight is accurate, the height is give or take about 1/2 an inch (we took our longest measure).
Height: 23 inches
Weight: 12 lbs 3 oz
To celebrate, Ryan took a nap all bundled up in the stroller while we took Brooke to our neighborhood "Winter Wonderfest".
First we bumped into Rudolph!
Then we saw Santa!
Brooke told Santa she wanted a "bear" for Christmas. We have been reading a lot of books about bears lately, so this is probably just the first thing she thought of. I also assume she meant a real bear and not a teddy bear ... so I hope he doesn't actually grant her request :) After seeing Santa, Ryan was still sleeping. We couldnt look a gift horse in the mouth, so we took advantage of his long nap and went out for a nice dinner :) Overall, it was a pretty festive day!
Height: 23 inches
Weight: 12 lbs 3 oz
To celebrate, Ryan took a nap all bundled up in the stroller while we took Brooke to our neighborhood "Winter Wonderfest".
Brooke told Santa she wanted a "bear" for Christmas. We have been reading a lot of books about bears lately, so this is probably just the first thing she thought of. I also assume she meant a real bear and not a teddy bear ... so I hope he doesn't actually grant her request :) After seeing Santa, Ryan was still sleeping. We couldnt look a gift horse in the mouth, so we took advantage of his long nap and went out for a nice dinner :) Overall, it was a pretty festive day!
Saturday, December 04, 2010
Snow Accumulation
If Brooke was excited at seeing a few flurries, imagine her excitement when she woke up this morning to see real snow on the ground! She was thrilled. She wanted to put boots on and get out there right away ;)
We got her dressed and out there as fast as we could. And as soon as she was out there the excitement seemed to disappear as she realized she was experiencing something a little bit unfamiliar. She clammed up. Daddy tried to hand her some snow and she wouldnt take it. She didnt want to touch it or walk in it. It took her a while to warm up, but after Daddy showed her the art of making snowballs and throwing them at the window she seemed to regain her interest.
We got her dressed and out there as fast as we could. And as soon as she was out there the excitement seemed to disappear as she realized she was experiencing something a little bit unfamiliar. She clammed up. Daddy tried to hand her some snow and she wouldnt take it. She didnt want to touch it or walk in it. It took her a while to warm up, but after Daddy showed her the art of making snowballs and throwing them at the window she seemed to regain her interest.
Friday, December 03, 2010
4 Weeks Old
It's been quite an interesting couple if weeks. And though we are all tired and still living in a bit if a fog, we know it's all just going to keep getting better with each day.
Till then, all we can do is hope Ryan's cold finally runs it's course and gives the little guy a break!
Wednesday, December 01, 2010
15 Minutes of Fame?
An article was posted in the New York Times the other day, "Sports Training Has Begun for Babies and Toddlers". It is primarily a negative slant on enrolling toddlers into sports programs, and both My Gym and Little Kickers are mentioned. Brooke spent many months enrolled at My Gym, and took a class at Little Kickers over this summer. She also is starting the next session of Little Kickers tomorrow morning, and it turns out CBS news is going to be there filming a follow-up to the NY Times article!
It sounds like the segment will be aired this weekend ...
We know that Brooke is a bit of an actress, and I think the concept of her ending up in the public eye at some point seems to be a believable one. But Brooke might get her first television appearance way before expected! We will see if her mad soccer skills catch the eye of a camera man tomorrow morning ... if so, you might be able to see her on television in just a couple of days ;)
It sounds like the segment will be aired this weekend ...
We know that Brooke is a bit of an actress, and I think the concept of her ending up in the public eye at some point seems to be a believable one. But Brooke might get her first television appearance way before expected! We will see if her mad soccer skills catch the eye of a camera man tomorrow morning ... if so, you might be able to see her on television in just a couple of days ;)
First Snow!
Brooke had school this AM, and she decided to try and sleep in. I went in to wake her up, and gave her a few moments to sort herself out. She must have thought it was a special occasion since I woke her (we usually let her do her own thing).
"turkey time?" she said to me.
I explained that turkey day had passed and that today was actually a school day.
"no school. Santa?".
We have been talking up the holidays by order - Halloween ended, we told her Turkey Day was next. Since Thanksgiving we have been talking about Christmas. I told her Santa would be coming pretty soon.
"presents. One Mommy. One Daddy. One Baby Ryan..."
You can tell she has been listening to us, and picking out the stuff that's most appealing ;)
We have breakfast and get ready for school. On our way out I open the door and ask her what she sees outside. She looks around. I ask what is falling from the sky.
"snow!"
We have also been gearing her up for the snow. She obviously doesn't personally remember it, but we show her a video of her in the snow from last year. She also points out the snow in commercials, books, pictures, etc.
She takes a step outside, blows a kiss into the air, and says
"I love you snow"
Needless to say, she is pretty excited about the snow. And from the rate it is falling right now, I better hurry up and get her some boots!
It's Ryan's first snow ever, but so far he is sleeping through the whole experience. He sleeps through a lot of stuff though ;)
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Future Pastry Chef
After dinner we each got to eat one for dessert. She was far less impressed with the eating part than she was with making them ;)
Outsmarted
I've been handling both kids ok, except for certain circumstances. Brooke's naptime is one of them...
Today I fed Ryan a few minutes before her nap and he fell asleep. I placed him in a bassinet in the family room so I could head upstairs with Brooke. He started to stir as soon as I placed him down, and by the time I walked away his eyes were open. I knew I had a short window, so I rushed Brooke up the stairs (literally, carried her). We got into her room and I read her three of the shortest books I could find, then she insisted on a fourth. Meanwhile, I can hear Ryan crying downstairs. She is pretty stubborn and it would have taken more time to argue with her instead of just read it, so I decided to suck it up and read it.
Her choice is Frosty the Snowman. The book is just the song put to pictures, and its got all of the verses. I figured I'd cheat a bit and skip a few pages. I got all the way to the end and was pretty proud of myself, until she said
Uh oh. One more page
She then started flipping back through the book. One page at a time. She went back 1/2 way through the book...
This page
This page
This page
She counted off as she flipped each page.
Mommy read this. Missed a page.
She went to the first page I had skipped and insisted I read the rest of the book. So, in the end, I only cheated myself. Ryan continued to scream downstairs as I sang Frosty the Snowman, and then "Wheels On The Bus" while she settled into her crib. I walked out on her crying (which is typical when I put her down for a nap) and rushed downstairs.
Ryan calmed down as soon as he heard my voice and I felt a little bit less guilty. I picked him up and he regurgitated his entire lunch directly down my shirt.
Payback :(
He is pretty content with himself right now.
Today I fed Ryan a few minutes before her nap and he fell asleep. I placed him in a bassinet in the family room so I could head upstairs with Brooke. He started to stir as soon as I placed him down, and by the time I walked away his eyes were open. I knew I had a short window, so I rushed Brooke up the stairs (literally, carried her). We got into her room and I read her three of the shortest books I could find, then she insisted on a fourth. Meanwhile, I can hear Ryan crying downstairs. She is pretty stubborn and it would have taken more time to argue with her instead of just read it, so I decided to suck it up and read it.
Her choice is Frosty the Snowman. The book is just the song put to pictures, and its got all of the verses. I figured I'd cheat a bit and skip a few pages. I got all the way to the end and was pretty proud of myself, until she said
This page
This page
She counted off as she flipped each page.
She went to the first page I had skipped and insisted I read the rest of the book. So, in the end, I only cheated myself. Ryan continued to scream downstairs as I sang Frosty the Snowman, and then "Wheels On The Bus" while she settled into her crib. I walked out on her crying (which is typical when I put her down for a nap) and rushed downstairs.
Ryan calmed down as soon as he heard my voice and I felt a little bit less guilty. I picked him up and he regurgitated his entire lunch directly down my shirt.
He is pretty content with himself right now.
Monday, November 29, 2010
It's All Worth It
These past few weeks have been hard. I am not going to lie :)
Brooke has been extra emotional and demanding, and on top of typical newborn stuff ... Ryan has had a cold. That means he needs to sleep in an upright position (has been in carseat and swing) and is generally miserable due to the fact he cant breathe.
Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into. Both kids cry at the same time. Brooke wants me to pick her up when I'm holding Ryan. She wants me to sit on the floor and play with her while Ryan is in the middle of a screaming fit. How do I manage all of it?
I'm sure we will all figure it out as the weeks go by. I know it will get easier, but when I am in a moment (like those described above) I just simply cannot see how I will get through it all. Then, there are the little things that make it all better.
Ryan was laying on my lap sleeping and Brooke was next to me watching a video on the laptop. She leaned over, kissed the top of his head and said
"I love you Ryan"
Brooke has been extra emotional and demanding, and on top of typical newborn stuff ... Ryan has had a cold. That means he needs to sleep in an upright position (has been in carseat and swing) and is generally miserable due to the fact he cant breathe.
Sometimes I wonder what I have gotten myself into. Both kids cry at the same time. Brooke wants me to pick her up when I'm holding Ryan. She wants me to sit on the floor and play with her while Ryan is in the middle of a screaming fit. How do I manage all of it?
I'm sure we will all figure it out as the weeks go by. I know it will get easier, but when I am in a moment (like those described above) I just simply cannot see how I will get through it all. Then, there are the little things that make it all better.
Ryan was laying on my lap sleeping and Brooke was next to me watching a video on the laptop. She leaned over, kissed the top of his head and said
Sunday, November 28, 2010
Swinging In The Cold...
We went out to breakfast (a meal Ryan happily slept through) and decided to take Brooke to the park too. Ryan tagged along, but continued his nap in the stroller while his big sister got rid of some extra energy.
Brooke spent most of her time on the swings. It was too cold to take off her mittens to do some climbing, so the swings were really her only option :) Daddy had to push ... because he is obviously much better at it than Mommy is.
After getting lots of pushes from Daddy, Brooke decided to go on the big swings all by herself. Here is supergirl in action...
Brooke spent most of her time on the swings. It was too cold to take off her mittens to do some climbing, so the swings were really her only option :) Daddy had to push ... because he is obviously much better at it than Mommy is.
After getting lots of pushes from Daddy, Brooke decided to go on the big swings all by herself. Here is supergirl in action...
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Big Sister Loves To Share ...
Her cooties with her little brother.
Brooke made it a whole 6 weeks of her life until she got her first cold (and has had about 30 since that point). We know with siblings it's impossible to protect them from germs ... But we were hoping we could make it past 6 weeks this time around.
Brooke has grabbed his hands, sneezed and coughed in his face repeatedly, and put his paci into her mouth.
We made it two whopping weeks.
Looks like Ryan officially has his first cold :(
Friday, November 19, 2010
Ryan's 2 Week Visit
Ryan had his 2 week doctor visit. This one is a good visit ... because the shots don't start yet ;) He got weighed and measured, and the doctor did a general well-being check. Everything is looking good for our little guy.
When we first got there, we were told to strip him down to a "dry diaper" for his weight check. Of course, the diaper we brought him in was wet so we needed to do a diaper change. Mid diaper change he started peeing. This is an interesting change from Brooke, as Ryan (like all baby boys) provides a bit more of a surprise factor when he pees sans diaper. In this particular circumstance, his aim was straight up - all over his shirt and his own face. He was actually in a pretty good mood until that point, and seemed slightly peeved as he showered himself. Luckily I brought an outfit change and we went about with the visit without any other incidents!
Height: 22.5 inches
Weight: 10lbs 7oz
Note: Ryan was born off the charts ("greater than 95th percentile for both height and weight"), so after adding on an additional inch in length and 1/2 a lb, I can safely assume he is still considered to be a pretty big guy ;)
When we first got there, we were told to strip him down to a "dry diaper" for his weight check. Of course, the diaper we brought him in was wet so we needed to do a diaper change. Mid diaper change he started peeing. This is an interesting change from Brooke, as Ryan (like all baby boys) provides a bit more of a surprise factor when he pees sans diaper. In this particular circumstance, his aim was straight up - all over his shirt and his own face. He was actually in a pretty good mood until that point, and seemed slightly peeved as he showered himself. Luckily I brought an outfit change and we went about with the visit without any other incidents!
Height: 22.5 inches
Weight: 10lbs 7oz
Note: Ryan was born off the charts ("greater than 95th percentile for both height and weight"), so after adding on an additional inch in length and 1/2 a lb, I can safely assume he is still considered to be a pretty big guy ;)
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
Chillin At Starbucks
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Big Outing
Monday, November 08, 2010
Halloween Pictures!
Halloween was a few weeks ago, but we just got a link to some fun pictures. Each year we go to a local photo shop that does pictures of your kids in their Halloween costumes in exchange for a donation to a local charity.
Here (once again) is our little ladybug!
And lets not forget her friends! We have Paige (the bunny) and Evan (the spider)
And Daniel (Shrek), Olivia (the witch) and Edward (a super scary three eyed monster)
And lets not forget her friends! We have Paige (the bunny) and Evan (the spider)
And Daniel (Shrek), Olivia (the witch) and Edward (a super scary three eyed monster)
Friday, November 05, 2010
The Arrival of Ryan
It was a long 39.5 weeks. Around 34 weeks I started having regular braxton hicks contractions. Regular enough that we were sure I was in labor several times leading up to the main event. Luckily, instead of rushing into L&D we waited them out each time ... and each time passed.
At my 39 week appointment (on Monday) my OB talked to me about scheduling an induction for the next week, as it looked like this baby was pretty content and not gonna come any time soon. I agreed. I was tired of being pregnant, and even more tired of all of the false labor.
Thursday I had contractions all day. They were regular intervals and some were pretty strong. All day long I wondered if this was another fake labor. They never got stronger, and often they would stop for a bit and come back. Its pretty classic braxton hicks stuff. But, with a due date approaching and constant contractions, we called my sister over to be safe. She came over Thursday night and everyone stared at me waiting for a baby to come ;)
We told her that we might be leaving in the middle of the night to head to the hospital and all of us tried to get some sleep. I got about zero hours of sleep. The contractions were enough to be irritating (and keep me awake), but I wasnt in labor. In the morning I woke up and apologized to my sister for wasting her time (yet again, as we had gone through this in the past). We went to Starbucks with Brooke for some breakfast and hung out ... all the while the contractions still happening.
I called my OB's nurse just to make sure what I should do. She told me it didnt sound like labor and to rest and drink some water. I asked about signs of my water breaking ... what if I had a leak? I thought maybe I did. The nurse told me to go into L&D to get checked out. But, all of our conversation sounded like she thought I wasnt in labor and it wasnt serious ... so I decided to keep waiting out the contractions. I misunderstood that she was calling L&D to tell them I was on my way ;)
So, a few hours later I get a call from her again, asking why I hadnt arrived at L&D. I told her the truth - I didnt think it was the real thing and I didnt want to get sent home. I was waiting it out. She told me to go to L&D (and I'm sure thought I was an idiot) so I called Jeff and told him he had to come home so we can head to the hospital. I was irritated. Mad at myself for calling the OB's office and having to go into L&D when I knew it was going to be a several hour trip followed by a return home to continue waiting.
And basically, I was right. Sort of.
We get to L&D and they hook me up to all the machines. Check to see if my water was leaking and it wasnt. Once you are on the machines they have to monitor you for an hour - we were stuck. The triage nurse told me I would likely be sent home after the hour, but they just had to monitor the baby to make sure there were no issues. We hung out for about 20 minutes and my contractions started picking up. They got stronger and much worse. After the hour the nurse came in and said that due to the frequency of my contractions now I had to walk around for another hour while drinking water, and then come back to get re-checked. They needed to know if these contractions were progressing my labor or if they were just more braxton hicks.
So, we walked in a small circle around triage for an hour. My contractions stayed the same. They hurt, but I wasnt crippled in pain. Now its been over 2 hours since our arrival and we go back in to get checked again. I was told there was no progress and they were sending me home, but the nurse had to call the OB to confirm and she left the room. At this point the pain became unbearable. By the time she came back to tell me I was being discharged, I was in tears. She checked again and this time there HAD been some progress. Back for another call to the OB as I sat crying in the triage room ;)
She came back again and told me I was being admitted. We arrived at 12:30 and it was about 4PM when I was admitted. As I had clearly not been in labor when we walked in, we werent quite prepared. We had our stuff with, but it was in the car. We hadnt arranged childcare for Brooke. Honestly, we were a bit stunned. (Silly, since it was 2 days from my due date, but yet we werent expecting a baby just quite yet).
I get up into L&D and (of course) the anesthesiologists were changing shifts, so I had to wait for the drugs! By this point I was getting a little bit tired of the pain and dreading the next few hours to come. I finally got the epidural, and all was great for about 2 hours. Then the pain started again and I had the guy come back to give me a boost. Suddenly, things were better and I was ready to settle in and wait. Unfortunately, I didnt really have that option. Not long after the boost I was informed it was push time, baby was coming whether or not I was ready. I thought I was ready, since I was heavily medicated and Brooke's delivery was so easy. I was wrong again. Why?
Because this "little guy", was a 10 pound baby.
Ryan Jeffrey
11/5/2010
11:26PM
9lbs 15oz
21.5 inches
At my 39 week appointment (on Monday) my OB talked to me about scheduling an induction for the next week, as it looked like this baby was pretty content and not gonna come any time soon. I agreed. I was tired of being pregnant, and even more tired of all of the false labor.
Thursday I had contractions all day. They were regular intervals and some were pretty strong. All day long I wondered if this was another fake labor. They never got stronger, and often they would stop for a bit and come back. Its pretty classic braxton hicks stuff. But, with a due date approaching and constant contractions, we called my sister over to be safe. She came over Thursday night and everyone stared at me waiting for a baby to come ;)
We told her that we might be leaving in the middle of the night to head to the hospital and all of us tried to get some sleep. I got about zero hours of sleep. The contractions were enough to be irritating (and keep me awake), but I wasnt in labor. In the morning I woke up and apologized to my sister for wasting her time (yet again, as we had gone through this in the past). We went to Starbucks with Brooke for some breakfast and hung out ... all the while the contractions still happening.
I called my OB's nurse just to make sure what I should do. She told me it didnt sound like labor and to rest and drink some water. I asked about signs of my water breaking ... what if I had a leak? I thought maybe I did. The nurse told me to go into L&D to get checked out. But, all of our conversation sounded like she thought I wasnt in labor and it wasnt serious ... so I decided to keep waiting out the contractions. I misunderstood that she was calling L&D to tell them I was on my way ;)
So, a few hours later I get a call from her again, asking why I hadnt arrived at L&D. I told her the truth - I didnt think it was the real thing and I didnt want to get sent home. I was waiting it out. She told me to go to L&D (and I'm sure thought I was an idiot) so I called Jeff and told him he had to come home so we can head to the hospital. I was irritated. Mad at myself for calling the OB's office and having to go into L&D when I knew it was going to be a several hour trip followed by a return home to continue waiting.
And basically, I was right. Sort of.
We get to L&D and they hook me up to all the machines. Check to see if my water was leaking and it wasnt. Once you are on the machines they have to monitor you for an hour - we were stuck. The triage nurse told me I would likely be sent home after the hour, but they just had to monitor the baby to make sure there were no issues. We hung out for about 20 minutes and my contractions started picking up. They got stronger and much worse. After the hour the nurse came in and said that due to the frequency of my contractions now I had to walk around for another hour while drinking water, and then come back to get re-checked. They needed to know if these contractions were progressing my labor or if they were just more braxton hicks.
So, we walked in a small circle around triage for an hour. My contractions stayed the same. They hurt, but I wasnt crippled in pain. Now its been over 2 hours since our arrival and we go back in to get checked again. I was told there was no progress and they were sending me home, but the nurse had to call the OB to confirm and she left the room. At this point the pain became unbearable. By the time she came back to tell me I was being discharged, I was in tears. She checked again and this time there HAD been some progress. Back for another call to the OB as I sat crying in the triage room ;)
She came back again and told me I was being admitted. We arrived at 12:30 and it was about 4PM when I was admitted. As I had clearly not been in labor when we walked in, we werent quite prepared. We had our stuff with, but it was in the car. We hadnt arranged childcare for Brooke. Honestly, we were a bit stunned. (Silly, since it was 2 days from my due date, but yet we werent expecting a baby just quite yet).
I get up into L&D and (of course) the anesthesiologists were changing shifts, so I had to wait for the drugs! By this point I was getting a little bit tired of the pain and dreading the next few hours to come. I finally got the epidural, and all was great for about 2 hours. Then the pain started again and I had the guy come back to give me a boost. Suddenly, things were better and I was ready to settle in and wait. Unfortunately, I didnt really have that option. Not long after the boost I was informed it was push time, baby was coming whether or not I was ready. I thought I was ready, since I was heavily medicated and Brooke's delivery was so easy. I was wrong again. Why?
Ryan Jeffrey
11/5/2010
11:26PM
9lbs 15oz
21.5 inches
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Trick Or Treat
For the fourth (and final!) time in a few days, Brooke got to wear her Halloween costume ... this time for the real deal. We had swimming lessons in the AM, followed by lunch and nap, and then trick-or-treating time. Once again, Brooke was thrilled to put on her costume. It's a bit cool around here today, so we put a sweatshirt on under her costume and were ready to go!
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She got the hang of it pretty quickly, even picking out her own candy from neighbor's bowls. Pretty funny since she has never had any candy and had no clue what she was picking :) Her biggest issue was getting around (and up and down stairs) while simultaneously keeping her antenna on and pumpkin on her arm. She did her best and ended up with a pretty good stash.
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We had a pretty successful Halloween experience. Four uses out of one costume in addition to some yummy treats. Next year I can guarantee she is gonna be a real trick-or-treating pro!
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She got the hang of it pretty quickly, even picking out her own candy from neighbor's bowls. Pretty funny since she has never had any candy and had no clue what she was picking :) Her biggest issue was getting around (and up and down stairs) while simultaneously keeping her antenna on and pumpkin on her arm. She did her best and ended up with a pretty good stash.
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We had a pretty successful Halloween experience. Four uses out of one costume in addition to some yummy treats. Next year I can guarantee she is gonna be a real trick-or-treating pro!
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Community Halloween Event!
Our local community had a parade and trick-or-treating at some local businesses. Brooke got to wear her costume, which she was very excited about. Wrigley wore her costume for a few pics too (she was slightly less excited than Brooke was).
We had a wonderful time, and Brooke is definitely a big fan of Halloween! She still has a few more opportunities to wear her costume over the next week and hopefully she has as much fun as she did today..JPG)
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We had a wonderful time, and Brooke is definitely a big fan of Halloween! She still has a few more opportunities to wear her costume over the next week and hopefully she has as much fun as she did today.
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Sunday, October 17, 2010
Pumpkin Patch!
We went to a pumpkin patch to pick out some pumpkins. Daddy, Mommy & Brooke each got their own!
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Brooke tried to pick up a lot of the big pumpkins in the patch, and got very frustrated by her inability to do so. She is actually pretty strong, and had a few of them pretty close to being off the ground before we had to intervene. Finally we guided her to an area that was a bit more appropriate for a 2-year-old. She was pretty happy to get a little pumpkin all of her own, but I'm pretty sure she doesnt know what its for or what to do with it ;) Either way, getting to pick out anything on her own is usually a pretty big deal to her.
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Brooke tried to pick up a lot of the big pumpkins in the patch, and got very frustrated by her inability to do so. She is actually pretty strong, and had a few of them pretty close to being off the ground before we had to intervene. Finally we guided her to an area that was a bit more appropriate for a 2-year-old. She was pretty happy to get a little pumpkin all of her own, but I'm pretty sure she doesnt know what its for or what to do with it ;) Either way, getting to pick out anything on her own is usually a pretty big deal to her.
Friday, October 15, 2010
Another Absence
actually sick AGAIN instead of it being from last week, because she
has different symptoms with this cold than the one I think she had
last week.
So that makes cold #2, and I'm not even sure cold & flu season has
started yet :)
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Car Nap (2 Year Checkup)
was 2pm. She naps from 130-330 ... So obviously this was not ideal :)
She did great, and made it 3/4 of the way home ... But passed out at
330. So, I'm leaving her sleep while I sit in a parking lot. If I go
home and try to transfer her she will either 1) wake up and not go
back to sleep, making one cranky toddler or 2) go to sleep in her bed
for a full nap, not waking up until 530 or 6. That will mess up the
rest of the evening, her bedtime, and likely all of tomorrow.
Oh well, thankfully I have the Internet in my iPhone so I can surf the
web while she dozes!
Height: 36 inches
Weight: 32lbs 8oz
95th percentile for weight, 93rd percentile for height
Saturday, October 09, 2010
Friday, October 08, 2010
Wednesday, October 06, 2010
Calling in Sick to School
Today was supposed to be Brooke's second day of school ... And I
already had to call her in sick. She tends to be sick quite a lot,
but she was sick just the week BEFORE school so I thought we would
have a few days of her going before the next cold set in. I was wrong!
already had to call her in sick. She tends to be sick quite a lot,
but she was sick just the week BEFORE school so I thought we would
have a few days of her going before the next cold set in. I was wrong!
She started with a tiny cold over the weekend, it got worse on Monday,
and seemed a bit better today. I was gonna try to medicate her and
drop her off anyway, but checked at the last minute and she has a
fever. So there goes school today!
I'm counting on a stellar day today and tomorrow so that she can go to
school on Friday. Here is to a quick recovery ;)
Sunday, October 03, 2010
2nd Birthday Party
Brooke was a little sniffly and coughy yesterday and woke up the same way this morning. Not a big surprise since she tends to be sick all the time, but we were hoping it wouldnt be an issue for the birthday party. It wasnt - she was a trooper!
We started off the morning with a special trip to Starbucks. Ok, it wasnt special. We go every Saturday and Sunday morning. But, she asks to go and was very excited about our trip this morning. After we got home, Daddy ran some errands while Brooke and Mommy got ready for the party. Our family came over and we had lunch, followed by the official unwrapping of presents. I think she has gotten the hang of it - she was pretty excited to open each gift and got better at tearing off the paper with each consecutive item. In addition, she was genuinely thrilled to see each item she unwrapped.
Of course, we also had some cake!
Unfortunately, Brooke woke up from her after party nap with a full blown cold. She has a runny/stuff nose, her nose is all red, and she just feels miserable. We are glad we made it through the birthday weekend without incident, but its hard to see our (big) girl sick again!
We started off the morning with a special trip to Starbucks. Ok, it wasnt special. We go every Saturday and Sunday morning. But, she asks to go and was very excited about our trip this morning. After we got home, Daddy ran some errands while Brooke and Mommy got ready for the party. Our family came over and we had lunch, followed by the official unwrapping of presents. I think she has gotten the hang of it - she was pretty excited to open each gift and got better at tearing off the paper with each consecutive item. In addition, she was genuinely thrilled to see each item she unwrapped.
Of course, we also had some cake!
Unfortunately, Brooke woke up from her after party nap with a full blown cold. She has a runny/stuff nose, her nose is all red, and she just feels miserable. We are glad we made it through the birthday weekend without incident, but its hard to see our (big) girl sick again!
Saturday, October 02, 2010
The Birthday Weekend Begins
Brooke had a fairly low-key birthday due to the whole first-day-of-school thing. After school she took a nap, then when she woke up she opened presents from Mommy & Daddy and we all went to dinner. That night, Uncle Brad came over to see her and give her a present. It was a good day, but only the beginning of a whole weekend dedicated to Brooke's birthday!
Today we woke up and got an early morning haircut. Then it was time for 2-year-old-pictures. She was in a pretty good mood and looking cute (as always), but insisted on having her tongue sticking out in about 1/2 of the shots. Here are a few we didnt order :)
After pictures, Brooke and Daddy took a special train ride!
We went out to lunch and came home for nap. After nap Brooke got to enjoy a special treat ... a cookie from a cookie bouquet that Uncle Brad sent!
We took it easy for the rest of the evening, in anticipation of her birthday party tomorrow!
Today we woke up and got an early morning haircut. Then it was time for 2-year-old-pictures. She was in a pretty good mood and looking cute (as always), but insisted on having her tongue sticking out in about 1/2 of the shots. Here are a few we didnt order :)
After pictures, Brooke and Daddy took a special train ride!
We went out to lunch and came home for nap. After nap Brooke got to enjoy a special treat ... a cookie from a cookie bouquet that Uncle Brad sent!
We took it easy for the rest of the evening, in anticipation of her birthday party tomorrow!
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