Happy 13 Weeks/ 3 Months!!!

Chase- thank you for the gift to mommy of sleeping through the night! We've had nearly a week now of sleeping through the night- at least until about 5-6am- which is awesome. I can even say he's slept in his bed all night for the past couple nights too... definitely a huge change of pace- which as exciting as it is, is a little sad- I miss snuggling and our every 2 hour zombie-fest. :) Nah... I just have to manage my time better during the day now to make sure I get downtime for just us. We still have another month before his next appointment to get official weight/growth measurements, but after stepping on the scale at Publix- with and without him-he's about 10 1/2 pounds now, 22 1/2" length, and 38 cm head circumference.... awesome growth! Everyday we celebrate bigger accomplishments- his cousin may be bigger still (and holy cow-that kid has some crazy head and leg strength- it's nuts!) - but we still have our victories over expression, play, and everything else we've tackled :) Still hates tummy time- but man can he book it across the floor when he's mad! haha...

Happy Friday!

Dog Days of... March?

With temperatures pushing upper 80's, it makes you think twice about what time of day you step outside... we learned that the hard way with our 4 mile walk with the boys today. At least we did it! In the meantime, our "pups" Belle & Bea had fun with the babies... my sister put Nathan on Belle, and I almost had forgotten how much Kaely used to torture her when she was a baby too. She's such a trooper :) Chase must've felt left out, so we had to include him too (LOL)... what's a boy without Snips & Snails, and Puppy Dog Tails?

Leavin' on a Jet Plane...

Well, we have officially survived the roundtrip flight with Chase. I was pretty nervous both flights, but honestly- the loud hum of the jet lulled him to sleep. Nice! Trick is to use the baby carrier and try to keep all those nosy people away. This morning was a hassle- the airport was packed, everyone was stressed and cranky, and pushing the time limits. But... traveling with only his diaper bag (Dave will drive back with our suitcase), made life simple. Paying extra to sit in the very front seat, which was bigger too- to avoid all the people sitting on top of each other- even better. I lucked out this flight back too, no one sat next to us, so we had the whole "row" to ourselves! Great thing about breastfeeding is that there is always a supply ready- at the point where we had finally made it onto the plane this morning, he was crying pretty loudly- so out went modesty- and in went necessity. Sure, we utilized the blankets for a shield, but still weird to have everyone look at you as they are boarding- oh well-whatever! He was hungry! :)

Great to be home in a way- but really sucks to leave Dave behind... BLAH! Friday will be here soon! Happy Tuesday everyone- photos have just been posted for the past several days- enjoy!

The Best Things Are Found Right in Your Backyard...

Monday, March 26th, 2012

We are officially boring now. We had the entire day to do whatever we wanted to- and honestly- the idea of just sitting on the balcony, reading a book, and grabbing a coffee at Starbucks was all we needed... but with a view like this, it's almost worthwhile :) It's kind of funny how we could travel to the same location and call it a vacation, but since it wasn't one, we had no motivation to do anything. But it was really nice! The best parts were just laying around playing with Chase, watching all the expressions he makes, how he "talks" to us now, and all the difference reactions we can get. Complete with a night of cooking and just relaxing, I couldn't ask for more. 

Happy Anniversary!

We have to joke about Chase wanting to be a honeymoon baby considering the timing of his birth... hard to believe its only been/already been a year. So much has happened! We did get a chance to make it out to Coconut Grove for lunch, only had to stop in one parking lot and stand in one bathroom stall to feed him in order to enjoy our afternoon ;) Quite a beautiful day...what a ride its been...thanks to all for the well-wishes! Pics to come soon

The yummy gift for our anniversary...

Our wedding cake top that we had to eat for tradition :)

The day out in Coconut Grove :) 

and our day in to enjoy the evening :)  

We Plan - Chase Laughs

First i'll say that I'll update this eventually with pics, just hard doing it from the phone, and I left the laptop at home...

We had a lazy morning sleeping in and tentative plans to get out and enjoy the weather today. That turned into me leaving Dave with a bottle as I went to play at the grocery store. Everytime we attempted to go out for the games or just spend a minute with each other, Mr Super sensitive would start crying the and demanding our undivided attention, making it clear we were spending another weekend in. Complete with bouts of spit-up and a million diapers, well, we'e exhausted. Finally had to improvise on a bath which helped calm him down. Now I'm surrounded by my boys snoozing... so glad we didn't pay for a hotel this weekend! Oh well, happy Saturday everyone is ;)

Happy 12 Weeks!

Friday, March 323rd

I really can't seem to keep up with time anymore. In some ways I'm reminded how small and young he still is. Yet knowing all we've accomplished and how many milestones we've reached- adjusted age or the not... We survived our first flight together. While the hour before we boarded was a little sketchy, he slept peacefully the entire flight. Then, scarily, slept a solid 7 hours through the night. Clearly a one time fluke, but appreciated nonetheless. Dad had to work all day so we putzed around the apartment and relaxed. Nothing like takeout chinese food to cap off the night.

;)

On the Move

Another job of mine now has to be to make sure I'm providing enough exercise and playtime. It's fun when my sister and her baby come over since we think about playtime more. Chase was having a blast until it came to tummy time, but hey! Look at how he moves :) We've got a big day ahead trying to fly for the first time, so we'll see how this goes! Our anniversary this weekend- so may take a while to update the blog- but I'm sure we'll have some gorgeous pics...

Getting Back to Work

Okay- not really "work" that pays like I need to- but the little things that need to be accomplished around the house. I managed to do some yard work last week, and have been trying to keep up with the house- but more than that, I need to get back to those projects- like the quilts- that I had begun several months ago and have yet to finish. So- that's what I'm trying to do today, but Chase is not having anything to do with it. Playtime? No thanks. Naptime? Not a chance. Food? Sure- but don't put me down! Ahhhh... so far I've accomplished pulling out fabric and cutting a few squares- but beyond that- nadda. I finally gave up, ate lunch, and held him for 30 seconds before he passed back out on me. Sigh... I guess for now I'll just snuggle- he's not used to the idea of me slowly putting him down longer to try to accomplish things :) So, Ju-lee, I promise I will get that darn quilt done eventually! and Raeshel? well, I'm getting there too! Kaely's scrapbooks need work badly- which is what has made me switch over to photobooks- I LOVE them! Fortunately this blog has been serving as Chase's own scrapbook of sorts- with more than he'll ever want to read about I'm sure- LOL. But, time is what it is- fast and fleeting- so I'll embrace what works!

I just need a rainy day to make me do these things :) (not today though please!) Happy Wednesday!

and.... just for laughs...

Spring!

What a beautiful day! We haven't done a whole lot, but as usual, in order to get my shower I put Chase into the bouncy seat so I can watch him while showering. This time though- he apparently discovered the toys on the bar above the seat- and seemed to be intrigued by the cause & effect of hitting the toy. This is the first time I've seen him intentionally play with toys- aside from cooing at the monkeys & mirror all the time, I was pretty entertained! He continued to play for a good 20-30 minutes, so I have to make sure to keep toys handy now- so awesome!

Enjoy the video of silliness :)

Last Day of Winter

The impish looks begin...

Haha- kind of a joke over here- it's a high of 83 today, and has been for months... but we can pretend we know what winter really is, and put away all the long sleeved things that we had sitting around "just in case" it got cold again... hmmm. Now I'm scrambling trying to find outfits for the little man that fit and are short- I know I have a bunch of things- just have to sort them all again according to size. I'm slowly putting away "Newborn" size and moving him into 0-3 months... just trying to keep up!

This also makes me think of Spring! and days at the beach or BBQ outside (okay, this is what other people in the country do in the summer- but here it's way too hot)... so I have to let in on a little secret that I didn't want to share until I won my own auction-lol- but there's an amazing website that I used last year for our honeymoon, and just used again for our anniversary trip- called www.FloridaVacationAuction.com - seriously great deals, and completely legitimate. Fortunately not a whole lot of people know about it, so you get really fantastic steals. Mostly hotels- really nice boutique or resort ones, along with the main Hiltons and Marriotts, put up the packages with really low opening bids and all that. So, for instance our honeymoon (leg #2) we had the "Be Still & Chill" package at the Mayfair Hotel & Spa down in Coconut Grove (Miami), including an in-room hot tub and 2 massages (we did a couple's massage), etc (plus we had an outrageous upgrade to a full out suite)- anyhow, 2 nights/3 days worth over $900, and won it for $300. This year same package and got it for $250. Sure you have to have flexible days and all- but a great way to get a fantastic deal and explore some places outside of your norm... I'm all about the treasure hunt- and I figured I'd share :)

Hope everyone's having a great week and enjoying the weather (if applicable)! 

Holy Ravioli!

I love Sundays, I hate Sundays... a little bit of both. Either way,  I'm up with the sun and my son, and it's still a good day. Today my goal was to make homemade ravioli- which I have decided is like a "team-building" project. It takes so much time and coordination/team-work to make if you have two people doing it. Takes some patience and letting go of OCD tendencies- all in good fun. We took it easy today overall, got a new carseat so I can fly without having to lug everything around- having the spare seat- it's nice. Other than that, several hours of our day has been spent working on our pasta- and in doing so- giving Daddy & Chase plenty of time together. Time flies too fast, and before you know it, it's already sunset coming... Happy Sunday!

Happy St. Patrick's!

Ahhhh... one of our favorite holidays- I swear one year we will go back to Dublin to celebrate... until then- we'll do it up at the house with Chase complete with green (zucchini) bread, Irish soda bread, and all the other traditional (American) goodies... Chase helped me bake this morning (I love the baby carrier), and is now content talking to the monkeys and bee toys, along with his reflection. He's changing so much everyday, hard to keep up! 

Happy St. Paddy's!

Happy 11 Weeks!

Ahhhh... things are so much easier now- granted we have our moments, but all-in-all we've gotten a pretty nice routine down. I'm conquering my 4 miles a day of walking- although the scale does not agree with my progress- UGH. It's beautiful outside, and sitting here next to my sister and her baby, it's nice to just enjoy the quiet moments.

Chase has been full-on scooting around - getting ready for the big day when he crawls, and his head control is improving daily. He's up more and for longer periods daily, staying up during most of our walks and to check everything out :) I would guess he's nearing 9 lbs now, and around 21." Hard telling- the next appointment isn't until his 4 month- I need to find a scale!

Things are pretty good... taking it one day at a time :)

Playtime with Nathan!

Tummy Time

What is it about tummy time that babies hate? I remember Kaely hating it just as much... irony is that they love to sleep on their tummy, rather than their backs, but when it comes to "playtime" they'd rather be on their backs looking around, and vice versa. So, I attempt to start when he's in a good mood, and just accept that he's going to scream for a while. I've also just accepted that sometimes when he's cranky, I take that opportunity to suction his nose or put him down for tummy time- hey, he's mad anyway. Figure at least it gets his anger out by working out (haha- kinda like daddy).
Oh well - it's good for entertainment later down the road :)

On the other hand- he's perfectly happy just checking things out and interacting with us- he's becoming more and more aware of his surroundings each day...

and Kaely? LOL- she's busy trying to torture me... 

First Timers Take on Parenting: Parenting requires a cohesive team

I had to share this since I love reading this blog, and can relate as well. The thing is that it's hard to butt heads and try to walk on eggshells with just about everyone in your life when it comes to being overprotective about your new baby- especially in the beginning. Things like picking the baby up without express permission first or ignoring recommended ways to hold them, etc- even if you have been a parent/aunt/uncle/brother/sister/etc already- needing to remember every baby is different, as is every parent. Even with my sister's baby I have to realize that what works for Chase, Dave & I, does not mean it will work for her and Nathan. Anyhow- just click on the link below for the read :)

First Timers Take on Parenting: Parenting requires a cohesive team: “… Husbands and partners need to understand and support you no matter what. They need to understand that whilst they may not understand, yo...

Dr. Alexander on "Arnie's March"

The special  (can be seen at http://www.clickorlando.com/news/Arnie-s-March-The-Tournament-The-Hospitals-The-Legend/-/1637132/9296810/-/eviktb/-/index.html) aired Tuesday night about Arnold Palmer's contributions to golf, hospitals, etc- and I realized now why there were all the film crews there when we were camping out (at least I think that was the reason). To see Dr. Gregor Alexander- who the unit was named after- on television brought back all sorts of memories. Largely the one memory being one of the first days, he was the one who came to tell us that Chase had to go on both caffeine and forced air to help stimulate his breathing. This was after Dave and I had been able to hold Chase all morning kangarooing- he kept having his "brady" episodes, so the nurse made us put him back in his isolet saying we overstimulated him...I believe that was Monday, January 2nd- which was the worst 24 hours of our stay- including the night of the "Dragon." -I digress. What I do remember though, was that I had no clue who the doctor was, only that he was giving me news about our son, and he had green eyes and was extremely compassionate and warm when explaining what was happening. All I knew was that he shared our son's middle name, and that I was absolutely terrified. I walked away because I was crying and couldn't talk. That began the day or two of not being able to hold Chase as he was confined to his isolet to avoid any stimulation. I didn't understand how to cope with not being able to hold him-restricted to touching his head through the windows of the isolet. I would sit there on a chair with my forehead against the glass, almost hugging the isolet- simply watching him- trying to get a grip on my emotions. I say this now while he is peacefully asleep on my chest- but the memory and emotion is so vivid. At least I now know Chase was in the best hands possible.

Point is- seeing all this brought it all back, and made me wake up a bit to remember never to take it for granted. Listening to the dings and chimes of the alarms in the background of the broadcast sent chills up my spine and brought tears to my eyes. We overcame 24 days of uncertainty and fear (not including the months prior and following)- but the recent weeks have done a wonderful job of erasing and replacing that fear with adoration and a sprinkling of healthy annoyances :) So what if he is a little spoiled- these are days and hours that can never be replaced- and knowing all we've been through together, I say it's well deserved.

(I walked away to make breakfast and apparently he decided to attack the monkey since he was mad)

That's why the little moments every morning may look the same to some, but I will never tire of being a part of:

Laughter Cures All

I know I've spent some time joking and venting along the way of the challenges faced- especially regarding bodily fluids and sleep deprivation the past couple months... haha... but tonight making dinner while he was fussing and crying- he then abruptly stopped- and almost as if he was laughing at me gave me a big gummy smile- and all the frustrations were forgotten. Moments like those make the world go 'round, and give me the energy to simple look at the next hurdle and laugh along with him... at the end of the night, life is pretty good :)

Irony

This reminds me of the stories of people finding disgusting things in food, they complain, and the manufacturer sends more of the same product- as if you're actually going to eat it again???

So after my frustrations with the diapers, I had mentioned I wrote the company just because their claims that they were the best drove me batty at 4am when changing Chase out of yet another outfit... so I open the mailbox Friday, and what is in there? A letter with a voucher for a free Jumbo pack of diapers, plus a few $1 off coupons. Okay- normally this would be awesome- but I really don't want to use that brand again! Can't I just use it for the brand I prefer??? UGH! LOL.

Oh well... made me laugh at least...

Also- an interesting comparison of size I noticed... 10 weeks vs 3 weeks... crazy!

Mother's Voice May Help Premature Babies Breathe Easier

My friend Ju-Lee shared this link with me, and I found it really intriguing. I can completely relate and back up the effects of this study... I believe that the mother and father being there with the baby makes a world of difference in the rate and success of development and growth. Although those 24 days felt like an eternity, knowing we could've been there for closer to 44+ days (as is their generic estimated response to when you can go home- the original estimated due date) puts it in perspective...

Mother's Voice May Help Premature Babies Breathe Easier

FRIDAY, March 9 (HealthDay News) -- Premature babies are less likely to stop breathing or have their heart rate slow dangerously when listening to recordings of their mother's heartbeat and voice, a small new study finds.

Because they're not fully developed when born, premature babies have high rates of lung and heart problems (cardiorespiratory events) such as apnea (a pause in breathing that lasts more than 20 seconds) and bradycardia (periods of significantly lower heart rate).

The study, conducted in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH) in Boston, included 14 extremely premature infants, born between 26 and 32 weeks gestation. Four times a day throughout their stay in the intensive care unit, each infant heard an audio recording of his or her mother's voice and heartbeat.

The recordings were played into the infants' incubators through a specialized micro audio system developed at BWH.

The infants were far less likely to experience cardiorespiratory events when they heard these maternal sound stimulation (MSS) recordings, compared to routine hospital sounds and noises.

"Our findings are promising in showing that exposure to MSS could help preterm infants in the short term by reducing cardiorespiratory events," study author Amir Lahav, director of BWH's Neonatal Research Lab, said in a hospital news release. "The results also suggest that there is a period of time when the infant's auditory development is most intact that this intervention of MSS could be most impactful."

"However, given our small sample size of 14 infants, further research is needed to determine if this intervention could have an impact on the care and health of preterm infants," Lahav added. The study showed an association between MSS and a reduction in cardiorespiratory events, but it did not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study was published online in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal and Neonatal Medicine.

Showing Off My Nephew & Talented Friend

Since we are so fortunate to have Jen in our lives, and since she has been gracious enough to play around with the baby boys- I have to brag on her talent! If anyone is in Florida and wants to book a photo shoot with her, check out her page at:

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jen-Phillips-Photography/377243955620105

So my poor nephew had to go to his doctor's appointment after the photo shoot for some... ummm... male procedure... so the time was limited to get any photos, but they were still adorable!

He is just now 2 weeks old-hard to believe :)