Three Months

Well, Jack has been in day care a week and he was sent home yesterday with a cough and a fever.  I knew he wasn't feeling well when I dropped him off yesterday, but figured it was just a little cold and he'd get over it.  Well, his day care called about three hours after I left and told me he had a fever and needed to go to the doctor. 

So, I was able to get an appointment for him yesterday afternoon.  He was diagnosed with RSV, which is really just a bad baby cold.  The amazing thing is that he seems to remain in really good spirits.  The doctor said yesterday that, if she didn't know better, she would have thought that Jack was conning the system because he was so happy.  He's still really happy, smiles and talks, but I can tell he doesn't really feel well.  His cheeks are flushed and he looks a little glassy-eyed.  So, he stayed home from school today.  As an added bonus, both Jeff and I are home today as well as we got a lot of snow/sleet/rain between last night and this morning.  It seems to be a snow day for our school district, because there are a ton of kids outside, playing in the snow all around our neighborhood.  I'm planning on leaving later this morning, hopefully avoiding most of the nasty commute that was reported in the news this morning.  Even if it's dangerous, I still think it's really pretty.  I've posted a picture of the view from our back porch and backyard. 

 

Yesterday, at the doctor, Jack weighed in at 13lbs. 4.5oz.  I have no stats for you, but the doctor did comment that he seems to be an exceptionally long baby.  The Guiness Book of World Records noted yesterday that the shortest man was 21.5" so at least Jack has that beat by miles. 

And today, Jack is three months old.  He actually gets to celebrate his three month birthday, as it is, of course, Leap Day!  I tried to take a picture of the little man with his stuffed dog this morning, but he really wasn't having it.  He discovered that he can slip and slide all over in his track pants, so he kept trying to move off the chair the minute I tried to take a picture. 

 

The little man is growing!  Plus, he's got all kinds of new skills.  He can grab onto things, hold them in his hands, stick them in his mouth...and he can roll over.  He loves his bathtime and loves kicking AT something.  He can be occupied for about an hour by just sitting in your lap and kicking your hands.  He really likes interacting with people now, which is so much fun. 

I'm hoping he's well enough tomorrow to go to day care, but he needs to be fever-free, and he wasn't this morning.  I've got a funeral tomorrow and Friday in Wisconsin, so I'd like to know he was feeling better by then.  Luckily, Jeff and my parents are going to be able to manage baby care without me, in the event that Jack still can't go to school.   

Workin' Hard for the Money...

What a difference a year can make!

I keep thinking about the changes that Jeff and I have gone through this past year.  A little more than a year ago, we found out that we were going to have a baby.  In September, we bought and sold a house.  In November, we welcomed our little man, and in February, I went back to work.  And it all seems to have gone by in the blink of an eye.  Although, reading through my previous blog, it definitely didn't seem to be the case at the time! 

Life now is shockingly different than it was on February 27, 2011.  There are a whole new set of challenges upon us, life has gotten considerably more hectic, and yet, somehow, time marches on.  Reading back a few posts, I couldn't imagine that Jack would ever grow up, and now I find myself waiting for him to get a little bigger, understand a little bit more of this world, and of course, I hold my breath, waiting for his next big milestone. 

It seems yesterday, we really reached a new peak.  The little man is mobile.  He had rolled over from stomach to back a few months back, and I caught him once, flipping from back to stomach.  But, he hadn't done it for quite some time, so I figured it was just a fluke.  Now, he seems to want to barrel roll.  Well, I may be exaggerating that a little bit, but he had no problem rolling himself around yesterday.  He also moves himself around in a circle when laying on his back, kind of like the hands on a clock.  When I go and get him out of his crib, half the time he's laying in the opposite direction of the way I put him down. 

I also think we're in the midst of a growth spurt.  When I picked him up from school on Friday, the ladies told me that they could barely hold him off for two hours between feedings.  He seemed to do pretty well over the weekend, but last night, he was up three times, which hasn't happened since...well, ever.  I got up to feed him at 4:30 this morning, and Jeff brought him into our bedroom at 5:15 this morning, and he was as happy as a baby could ever be.  Hungry, but happy and smiling. 

Today, Jack is at "Grammy Camp."  Meaning, my parents are watching Jack one day a week, which is a nice peace of mind for me.  Not that he doesn't do well at school, but he hasn't quite figured things out there yet.  He's always happy when I pick him up, but the napping situation leaves a lot to be desired.  I think there's so much for him to look at and to do, that his brain can't seem to shut off so he can go to sleep.  Plus, it's about ten times louder there than it is at our house.  I'm sure his crib doesn't smell like his own, and there are no sound machines to lull him to sleep, save for the other babies wailing in the background.  I think that's the most frustrating thing about the whole transition.  When I get home, I am so excited to play with him and spend time with him, but he's just plain ol' cranky.  I just got off the phone with my mom, and Jack napped for a little less than three hours at her house, so it's a big difference.  I'm hoping he'll be happy and alert when he comes home tonight.  

Jeff's trial also finished on Thursday afternoon, and I am pleased to report that he jumped into the daddy pool with both feet.  He took Jack to day care on Friday morning, which made the day infinitely better for me.  He was also around the entire weekend, and it almost felt weird having him there, since he's been working so hard for so long.  However, I am still relishing the entire weekend home with my boys.  He dropped Jack off with my parents this morning, and even remembered to tell them all the necessary details about Jack's routine. 

And, I guess that's the biggest change in my life from a year ago...there's a whole shift in our priorities.  I think about Jack all the time.  Whether he's with me or not, he's never out of my mind.  I seem to focus more on work now than I ever have because every extra minute I have to spend at the office is a minute that I don't get to spend with him.  So, appreciate this blog! 

Finally, last night, we were watching the Oscars.  Jack really seemed to enjoy all the high fashion when this commercial came on:

Those Johnson & Johnson people really know how to kick those emotions into high gear, don't they? 

Jack's First Day of "School."

So, yesterday, I went back to work.  Jack went to school.  It was a big day in our house.  A lot of tears were shed by me, of course.  Not Jack.  I always wonder what he's thinking.  We had finally settled down into a really great routine, and now I up and change it all because I have to go to work.  Jeff started a four day trial yesterday, so he was up and out of the house before we even woke up. 

I had spent most of Sunday and Monday getting our things ready for the week.  I prepped all our dinner meals, packed our lunches, and got our bags ready.  Yes, Jack needs to take stuff to school too!  On Monday night, I set out our outfits that we'd wear the next day so I didn't have to go searching for a clean onesie.  I got up early and started crying.  I then proceeded to cry in the shower.  I cried while getting Jack dressed and it continued all the way to day care.  I wore my sunglasses the entire time.  It's hard not being able to explain things to him so he can understand them.  And then I cried all the way to my mediation. 

Jack, of course, did great at day care and had a really good day.  When I went to pick him up, he was sitting in a swing.  When he saw me, he kicked his little legs, waved his chubby arms, and gave me the biggest smile and giggle.  That was the best part of my day.  However, Jack didn't really nap well during the day, so he morphed into a mini-monster when we got home.  He was tired and hungry, he just wanted to be held and to fall asleep.  Which is not something I had the time for!  As any working mom knows, there are a million little things to do when you get home from work.  Get the kid settled, start dinner, do the laundry, if you have time...pack things up and get organized for the next day.  I was so busy whipping around the house that when I looked at the clock, it was 6:30!  So, I slowed down and took some time to talk to Jack about his day.  He had quite a bit to say about the whole experience...

Today, things were a little better.  I would say that I was only misty-eyed this morning.  It helps that I have a mountain of work on my desk, because the day really does go by so much quicker.  I will also say that it helps to have amazing parents as well, who come up and arrange your furniture for you and shovel your driveway!  I also got a ton of calls, texts, messages, and emails yesterday with words of encouragement, so that helped make the day a little easier.  I am anxious for Jeff's trial to be done with.  Not only do I miss my husband, but I could use a little help!  Day one of being a working mother, and I'm already calling in reserves.  I know it will get easier as time goes on and I'll get into a routine.  I know all these things.  But can we just skip to that point now, please? 

Finally, Jack's day care just emailed me this picture.  Needless to say, I think he's in good hands and having WAY more fun there than I am at the office.  Seriously, I don't think this kid could get any cuter. 

Two Month Visit

So, Jack and I went to the doctor last week for his two month check-up.  I was both looking forward to this appointment and dreading it.  I was anxious to see how much he'd grown but I was terrified of the shots that inevitably accompany this visit.  Well, I'm pleased to report that Jack is a very healthy little man.  He is TALL, which is something that surprised me, and he's in the 99th percentile for height.  Equally surprising, given the size of his cheeks and belly, he was only in the 61st percentile for weight.  So, we have a tall, slender baby.  I don't know what part of the gene pool that came from, since both Jeff and I are fairly short and stout in stature.

He also had four shots, and I don't know who cried harder - me or Jack.  The worst part about the whole experience was that I had to hold his little arms down so they could give him the shots.  I stood as far away as I possibly could, and hopefully out of his line of sight so he wouldn't associate me with the pain of the injections.  Anyways, he made a noise I'd never heard before and then started shrieking, which in turn caused me to sob hysterically.  So, the poor nurse left us in the room, crying together. 

Developmentally, Jack is becoming so much fun.  He can smile and coo at you, he is starting to get interested in his toys, and he can also reach and grasp things.  I know that may not sound like a big deal, but in terms of baby progress, he's right on track.  He still likes his mama best, but he's getting really interested in his daddy and all the funny voices he makes. 

Yesterday was, of course, Valentine's Day, and Jack was feeling the love.  He got a book from Grammy Sue, and an outfit and card from Grandma T.  Here he is showing off his grasping skills while wearing said outfit...if you can't tell what it says, the shirt reads, "Heart Breaker" which he is, of course... 

We went downtown yesterday and met Jeff for lunch at the Oak Grille.  He was such a good little boy and sat on my lap during the entire meal, watching and flirting with everyone in the restaurant.  Afterwards, we ran a few errands and then came home to cook dinner.  His latest, most favorite thing to do is to cook with me.  So, I put him in his Bumbo, set it on the counter, and we sing, dance, chop and saute, as evidenced below...

Finally, just because there's nothing cuter than a smiling baby, especially MY smiling baby, here he is after discovering that the Giants won the Superbowl, much to the pleasure of all his relatives out in New Jersey! 



Two Months and Growing...

I can't believe how fast time goes...I think that I say that just about every post, but it's true.  Jack passed the two month mark on Sunday.  The outfit is courtesey of Grandma T., and the pants are still a bit big, but I just couldn't resist the whole package!  But, I think we're definitely going through some growing pains.  He seems to be constantly hungry, and his napping schedule is way off, mostly because I think he wakes up all the time to eat!  I posted a picture at two months with his stuffed dog, so you can really see how big he's getting.  I laugh all the time because his cheeks are so big that they rest on his chest.  He gets more interactive every day.  He really enjoys his play mat, and is starting to develop an affinity for his swing.  I think it has more to do with the elephants hanging overhead than anything else though.  He really likes sitting in my lap and watching television.  I'm not kidding.  He likes it when I take his socks off and put him in my lap.  Jack happens to be a huge fan of The West Wing.  We also discovered a few weeks ago that he really likes reggae music, although I'm of the opinion that he actually likes the goofy faces we make when Jeff and I sing it to him.   

It's not all roses though.  Like I said, his nap schedule is way off, mostly because he's growing.  Yesterday he wouldn't go down for his morning nap, and screamed for the better part of an hour while I tried to put him to sleep.  Eventually, I gave up and decided to go and run our errands.  He fell asleep in his car seat and slept for almost three hours.  However, when he woke up, he was not a happy camper.  We tried to go out to dinner last night with Grammy and a few friends, but he ended up wailing through most of dinner and I walked around the restaurant with him.  So, it was off to bed almost immediately when we got home.  And this morning, he woke up at 7:00, we had our music education (listening to Bob Marley) and then he went down for a nap at 9:00 a.m. and has been sleeping ever since!  So yes, I think my little man is in the middle of a growth spurt. 

Finally, I'll leave you all with this picture...he's wearing a shirt his daddy got him.  As one of my girlfriends said, I better not let him loose with his daddy in a shopping mall!