Friday, June 26, 2009

Twelve Weeks Old

Today Nick is twelve weeks old! Almost three months - we can hardly believe it! He's been in daycare now for four weeks and he seems to be doing great. Pumping is still going ok too - I am nervous that I have at least nine more months of this though. I hope my body can keep it up!

Saturday was a fun day. Mom and Nick went to law school for the "Lawyers in Transition" seminar - as volunteers, not as participants, of course. Nick got to meet some of mom's colleagues from the LAA and everyone thought he was adorable. He did great just hanging out in the lobby of the Law School for four hours! Sunday was Father's Day. In the morning, Nick gave dad a card, some comfy lounge pants, and a project Nick made for dad at daycare (with Miss Melissa's help) - so cute!! Mom, dad and Nick went to Grammie and Grandpa Lundberg's for brunch. Everyone except dad fell asleep until almost 5, so Father's Day dinner was delayed. Mom made chicken kebabs (with dad's assistance when Nick got hungry!). Then it was another work week! Monday and Tuesday Nick had a hard time falling asleep until much later than usual, so mom and dad were busy playing with him until late and didn't eat dinner until around 9 or 10. Wednesday was bath night - Nick likes taking a bath now but still doesn't enjoy the getting out part!

Thursday night was very exciting - Nick's new friend Emily was born a little early, so we all went to the hospital to visit Lisa and Donnie and to meet Emily! She is pictured above - we decided to take a "family" picture to see what it'll be like when Nick's little brother or sister is born in 2011 (hopefully!). Then it was time to go home and pack to go up to Ludington for Tim and Stephanie's wedding. Mom and dad chose to sleep instead though, so today they were running late. Finally we got on the road around 12:30 pm. Luckily we only had to stop for Nick once on the way up, so we still arrived in plenty of time for the rehearsal.

Tomorrow is Tim and Stephanie's wedding, and Sunday we'll head home. Tuesday night mom has a digital scrapbooking party at daycare. Thursday night we are all going to Lisa and Donnie's for dinner and to spend more time with Nick's new friend, Emily. And Friday Aunt Krystyn's best friend is coming to meet Nick!

Some of Nick's contemporaries have already rolled over for the first time, so we are anxiously awaiting Nick's first attempt. He is a huge wiggle worm lately, moving his arms and legs a lot, especially during diaper changes! He smiles all the time and is generally a very happy baby.

I started reading a book called "Connection Parenting." The book suggests you start/join a "tribe" of like-minded parents, to discuss the different lessons of the book and how to apply them. It's no secret that I didn't have an idyllic childhood, and while I love Nick and raising an infant seems pretty instinctual, I am very nervous about my ability to properly parent him as he gets older. I have already connected significantly with the lessons of this book, and we are joining a tribe in Ann Arbor. Our first meeting will be sometime in mid- to late July. I'll write about what we discuss each week in a separate entry from my regular Nick entry. It's very exciting!

Friday, June 19, 2009

Eleven Weeks

Today Nick is eleven weeks old! The weeks are just flying by. He is smiling all the time! Mom and dad like to act and talk silly to get him to smile and try to get him to laugh. He squeals and coos, and is not afraid to show his displeasure if he's uncomfortable or hungry :)

Last weekend Aunt Krystyn and Uncle Zack were here. Saturday during the day they spent time with friends while mom and dad hung out at home with Nick. In the afternoon everyone went to Brandon's graduation party, where Nick was able to meet more of mom's family. Sunday morning mom and Aunt Krystyn made waffles and bacon, then mom and dad went to see Star Trek while Nick stayed with Aunt Krystyn and Uncle Zack. Sunday night we all celebrated dad and Aunt Krystyn's birthdays, and Uncle Zack grilled some delicious steaks and mom made garlic mashed potatoes. After cake and ice cream it was time for presents!

Monday morning Uncle Zack and Aunt Krystyn went home, and it was another busy week of daycare and work. Monday evening Grandma Audrey and Papa Norm came over to celebrate dad and Grandma Audrey's birthdays. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday were normal days. Today mom picked Nick up from daycare so dad could go buy mom and dad the new iPhones. Now mom and dad can take pictures AND video of Nick every day :) Tonight mom is going to a gallery event for the LAA while dad and Nick hang out at home.

This weekend is a busy one - Saturday mom and Nick are going to the Law School to help out with an LAA event. Sunday is dad's first Father's Day as a father! Brunch with dad's family, then dinner at home. This week is uneventful - mom and Nick have MNO on Wednesday. Then Friday Nick is taking his second trip to Pentwater for dad's cousin Tim's wedding! Very exciting to spend time with dad's family again :)

We think we're getting the hang of this parenting thing :) Nick seems like a happy, healthy baby. People will make comments like, oh he seems so alert, oh his neck is so strong! But Nick is our first baby, so we don't know any different :) We just try to keep him happy and healthy! We love our baby and we love being parents!

Friday, June 12, 2009

Ten Weeks

Today Nick is ten weeks old! He is a very smiley little guy now. He has finished two weeks of daycare and so far is doing great. We have adjusted how much milk we send with him so we aren't wasting so much, they are doing fine with the cloth diapers, and he is making "friends." :)

Last weekend was a lot of fun! Saturday mom went to a meeting in Royal Oak in the morning. On the way there she stopped at a garage sale to pick up an extra Moby :) When she came home, everyone went to the Indian Village Home & Garden Tour. The homes were stunning, and the owners very gracious to open up their homes to the public. Nick slept in the Moby almost the whole time - mom and dad had to make an early exit from the last house to get to the car to nurse Nick. Sunday Nick met mom and dad's friends, Dana and Chris, for the very first time! Dana and Chris brought Nick some great board books, and they each held him for a little while. Dana made a great salad that everyone enjoyed before dinner.

This week was a very busy week. Monday was a normal day. Tuesday mom picked Nick up from daycare and went straight to moms' night out. Nick was very good, as always, and was even good while another mom held him so mom could eat! Wednesday mom got her hair cut, so dad and Nick were on their own until almost 8 pm. Thursday was La Leche League, so mom and dad at a quick crockpot dinner before meeting Lisa and Donnie at the meeting. Aunt Krystyn and Uncle Zack also arrived Thursday, but not until about 1:30 am (so technically today). Aunt Krystyn woke up early to see Nick before mom and Nick left for daycare. Mom left work early, picked Nick up, then came home to hang out with Aunt Krystyn and Uncle Zack. After dad got home, everyone went to the Box Bar (a restaurant, not a bar) and Nick spent some time being held and in the Moby. They left in time to watch most of the hockey game at home, but mom and Nick fell asleep before the Red Wings lost.

Aunt Krystyn and Uncle Zack are here until Monday morning. We have a fun weekend planned - meeting more Pingles at Brandon's graduation party and celebrating dad's birthday (again!) and Aunt Krystyn's on Sunday. We're celebrating dad's birthday (AGAIN!) and Audrey's on Monday. After that, the week should calm down. Next weekend mom might take Nick to law school to help out with a seminar on Saturday, and Sunday is dad's first Father's Day as a father! Should be fun.

Nick is sleeping better on his own every day, especially the first stretch at night, and is only waking up to nurse once at night most nights. His 0-3 clothes still fit, but they are getting a little snug, and soon I'll have to go up to his room to get all his 3-6 months clothes out. So far what we've seen of his personality resembles his dad - pretty laid back, doesn't complain much, generally happy kind of guy :)

Saturday, June 6, 2009

Friday, June 5, 2009

Nine Weeks Old


Today Nick is nine weeks old! The big news this week is, of course, Nick started going to daycare. It was far more traumatic for me than it was for him, let me tell you. I cried the whole way there, thinking my little boy would feel abandoned. We arrived and his "teacher" was waiting for us. When I finally handed him to her, he did the OPPOSITE of cry - he gave her a huge grin! This made me a little bit sad - you mean my baby can exist without me?? - but it also made it much easier to leave.

Last Saturday was a big day for Nick. We had our first family photo shoot, which went ok. As any of you readers who are parents probably already know, it is incredibly difficult to "schedule" something with an infant! You never know when he'll be sleeping, hungry, or just plain not in the mood. We did get some cute pictures though! Then it was off to mom's friend Lauren's house - Nick's very first time away from both mom and dad. He did great! Mom and dad, however, were counting the minutes. Then it was off to grammie's surprise birthday party, where Nick was oohed and aaahed over by everyone. Everyone thought he was adorable, and getting big already, and of course he slept the whole time, which amazed everyone. Some future grandmas were able to practice being enamored, and he didn't seem to mind being passed around so much :) Sunday Nick went shopping with mom while dad worked on his website project. And Sunday night mom and dad were busy preparing for mom's return to work and Nick's first day at daycare.

Monday night after daycare mom did not put Nick down - in fact, we didn't even eat dinner! Nothing special happened Tuesday or Wednesday - mom drops Nick off at daycare and calls once or twice (sometimes three times!) a day to check on him, and dad picks him up between 5 and 5:30. Thursday was dad's 30th birthday, so mom and Nick gave him cards and a gift from nick, and they made pizza and cheese bread for dinner at dad's request.

Today Nick had another great day at daycare, and ate a lot! Mom just learned that breastfed babies eat an average of an ounce an hour, so she should be sending 9-10 ounces to daycare - but she has been sending 20 ounces, and wondering why Nick isn't eating it all! Ha! No worries about her milk supply :) After work and daycare, mom and Nick hung out with Lisa. They went to the Livonia La Leche League garage sale, and then out to dinner. Lisa is due with Nick's friend Emily four weeks from Sunday - our little family can't wait to meet Emily!!

Tomorrow I have a Law Alumni Association meeting in Royal Oak in the morning, so Jeff and Nick are on their own for a little while. After that we are either going to a birthday party, the Indian Village home and garden tour, or hanging out at home - we'll see how we all feel. Sunday Nick finally gets to meet Dana and Chris!! This coming week is actually a very busy week for us - Tuesday I am taking Nick to another mom's night out, Wednesday I have a haircut so Nick and Jeff will be on their own in the evening, and Thursday is couple's night at my La Leche League meeting, so Jeff is coming too, and Lisa and Donnie are joining us - Lisa's first meeting :) Friday cannot get here fast enough - Aunt Krystyn and Uncle Zack are coming to visit again!! Saturday Nick gets to meet some more of my family at Brandon's graduation party. And Sunday we'll be hanging out at home, with mostly Aunt Krystyn holding Nick :)

Nick smiles quite often now. He holds his head steadier and steadier every day. He makes a lot of different noises now. He can tolerate more tummy time, and generally can tolerate more time not being held. We are anxiously awaiting his first laugh and hope it happens next weekend when Krystyn and Zack are here! There are some things we are monitoring as well - the cross-eyed thing and also Nick's tear ducts are block a little, so he gets a lot of mucous in his eyes. We have to massage his tear ducts 10 times three times a day - but it should clear up before he's 9 months old.

Today I went to Carter's and bought Nick a bunch of clothes. I bought him some 9 months pajamas and I cannot believe how big he'll be by Christmas!! I also saw some newborn clothes, and when I remembered how well those fit him when he was first born, and saw how tiny they look to me now, I got a little teary - they aren't kidding when they say "they grow up so fast!" I have already moved Nick's headrest to its highest position in his car seat. Just yesterday Jeff was holding Nick in bed in front of him and exclaimed that he remembered when Nick easily fit in that position, and now he's cramped! Our baby is growing up :)