Everyone!
Big Birthday Wishes to Momma and Hannah! Hannah celebrates the big 2-1, and Momma continues to be....young :)
An early birthday wish to Kim! Hope you have a great day....
And yes, my birthday is Thursday, but I am not ready to talk about it :) LOL
Love
Elizabeth
August 25, 2008
August 11, 2008
Feeling Wicked anyone?
Ok, you all know my insane addiction, obsession, cult following, whatever term you choose to use, of Wicked...which means all Oz type related things.
The best news is that Wicked is leaving LA and moving to....San Francisco's Orpheum Theatre! Whoot! How completely awesome is that? At least for me...Sorry to all of you down in LA who will no longer have the luxury of seeing it as often as you would like.
So....all I want for Christmas is several pairs of tickets and a babysitter. Hint, hint....
I also watched Tin Man while Jay was in Chicago last week, and that was much better than I had expected. I thought I would enjoy it for the "other side of the story" aspect, but I thought for the most part it was well-acted. The ending was a bit fast, and after a how drawn out the story was, I thought maybe that could have been done a better. But Alan Cumming, who played Glitch, the scarecrow-like character, was awesome. He definitely held up the "comic relief" piece without a problem. It was fun looking for and finding the "inside" jokes related to the Wizard of Oz, though I am sure I missed some. If you get a chance, add it to the Netflix queue.
Life was not been so wicked, as I am still running, and attempting to lose this Charlie weight. I am making progress, but these last 10-15 pounds are not so easy to get rid of. I guess the most enjoyable thing that I am doing right now, is sleeping through the night. I am hoping within the next month, I will really enjoy it, as I think my body is still struggling to deal with not getting up multiple times a night. So I often wake more exhausted than I used when I was feeding Charlie in the middle of the night. I am looking forward to more normal sleep at some point. Though I hear that when that happens, you get pregnant and/or have another baby. :)
My brain cells are still a bit slow and stunted, so pardon the mess of words and phrases. I hope that over time, this will improve, but see earlier point about pregnancy/baby, as I am afraid that by the time things start looking up, my belly will start poking out!
Elizabeth
June 24, 2008
A dedication to 6 hours of sleep....
For those of you who don't have kids...when you do, you will understand. Obviously before I had Charlie, I "understood" that I sleep would not longer be calm and uninterrupted. I knew I would be up multiple times a night, even well into the middle of his first year of life.
What I didn't realize was to the extent that sleep became a luxury, and a privilege. For so long, I have been getting up 1-2x a night...At least since Charlie was 3 months old. Usually only one time, anywhere between 2 and 4, and I sleep walk through the routine. Hear Charlie cry. Look at the clock. Register the time. If between 2 and 4, get up. Go to the bathroom. If still crying by the time I get out, go get him. Pick Charlie up. Find paci and giraffe in the dark. Take Charlie to the chair. Attempt to finagle clothing, Charlie, paci, and giraffe, in order to get Charlie to nurse. Attempt to adjust Charlie in order to angle body in order to attempt to snooze for 10-15 minutes while he eats. Be unsuccessful. Drop paci at least once. Attempt to retrieve with feet, 50% of time successfully. Realize Charlie is finished and napping. Pop in paci and gently move him to the upright position, to attempt to burp. Burping usually unsuccessful. Gain sense of peace having him sleep on my chest for a few minute. Move him to the crib. Stumble back to bed. Lay in bed for 5-10 minutes listening for his cries. Curse the fact that I am now more awake than I was 15 minutes ago. Finally fall asleep in 30 minutes.
Needless to say, anything more than 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep is amazing. So imagine my surprise when Charlie slept through the night, not one, but two nights in a row. I have not felt so refreshed in the morning in so long. It was an amazing feeling. To sleep til 8am would be almost sinful, but sleeping from 11pm to 6am is blissful.
I know parents tell parents to be and people without children, "enjoy your sleep now," etc. But it is true. I guess I just thought I would get it back sooner. Jason has, but not me. And so I am reveling in this new sleeping through the night. Even if it only happens a couple times a week.
Elizabeth
What I didn't realize was to the extent that sleep became a luxury, and a privilege. For so long, I have been getting up 1-2x a night...At least since Charlie was 3 months old. Usually only one time, anywhere between 2 and 4, and I sleep walk through the routine. Hear Charlie cry. Look at the clock. Register the time. If between 2 and 4, get up. Go to the bathroom. If still crying by the time I get out, go get him. Pick Charlie up. Find paci and giraffe in the dark. Take Charlie to the chair. Attempt to finagle clothing, Charlie, paci, and giraffe, in order to get Charlie to nurse. Attempt to adjust Charlie in order to angle body in order to attempt to snooze for 10-15 minutes while he eats. Be unsuccessful. Drop paci at least once. Attempt to retrieve with feet, 50% of time successfully. Realize Charlie is finished and napping. Pop in paci and gently move him to the upright position, to attempt to burp. Burping usually unsuccessful. Gain sense of peace having him sleep on my chest for a few minute. Move him to the crib. Stumble back to bed. Lay in bed for 5-10 minutes listening for his cries. Curse the fact that I am now more awake than I was 15 minutes ago. Finally fall asleep in 30 minutes.
Needless to say, anything more than 4 hours of uninterrupted sleep is amazing. So imagine my surprise when Charlie slept through the night, not one, but two nights in a row. I have not felt so refreshed in the morning in so long. It was an amazing feeling. To sleep til 8am would be almost sinful, but sleeping from 11pm to 6am is blissful.
I know parents tell parents to be and people without children, "enjoy your sleep now," etc. But it is true. I guess I just thought I would get it back sooner. Jason has, but not me. And so I am reveling in this new sleeping through the night. Even if it only happens a couple times a week.
Elizabeth
June 19, 2008
One More Week Almost Done...
Just popping in to say hi! I am doing pretty well, as are Charlie and Jason. Jason is still in limbo about France...which is a royal pain in the rear for him. I am walking/running 4x a week, and losing some inches, which is awesome. And Charlie is beginning to sleep better in general. So Jason and I are happy about that.
Work is going pretty well...I have my evaluation next week. Finally. And I am looking forward to discussing what is going well and what I need to work on, as well as my concerns about my position and things happening at the company.
Jason and I are going to Sacramento this weekend to visit some friends and Jason will be playing golf, while I do something else, I suppose :) No definite plans, but it will be nice to see our friends. And then Sunday we will visit Charlie's "surrogate" grandparents (LOL) at Les Chenes Winery. They have a new release on Saturday, as does the winery we are member of, Tamas, but as we will be out of town, Sunday will be wine tasting day.
On a sad note, I heard a program on NPR yesterday about military men (women were not mentioned) that come back from Iraq and basically are not given any support. They are trained to fight in Iraq, but not "trained" to come back into the "real world." They have no support, no structure, and do not know how to handle being thrown back into this life. I don't have to agree with the war, to be 100% supportive of our military. And I am. And I think these guys (and gals) should be treated better than this. I guess what makes this more sad is that I knew a guy like this. He couldn't talk about what he saw and dealt with while he was gone, and gave into drinking, being violent, and it ended up destroying his marriage. The whole situation just bothers me. Anyway, if you want to listen to the story...Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91587715
Elizabeth
Work is going pretty well...I have my evaluation next week. Finally. And I am looking forward to discussing what is going well and what I need to work on, as well as my concerns about my position and things happening at the company.
Jason and I are going to Sacramento this weekend to visit some friends and Jason will be playing golf, while I do something else, I suppose :) No definite plans, but it will be nice to see our friends. And then Sunday we will visit Charlie's "surrogate" grandparents (LOL) at Les Chenes Winery. They have a new release on Saturday, as does the winery we are member of, Tamas, but as we will be out of town, Sunday will be wine tasting day.
On a sad note, I heard a program on NPR yesterday about military men (women were not mentioned) that come back from Iraq and basically are not given any support. They are trained to fight in Iraq, but not "trained" to come back into the "real world." They have no support, no structure, and do not know how to handle being thrown back into this life. I don't have to agree with the war, to be 100% supportive of our military. And I am. And I think these guys (and gals) should be treated better than this. I guess what makes this more sad is that I knew a guy like this. He couldn't talk about what he saw and dealt with while he was gone, and gave into drinking, being violent, and it ended up destroying his marriage. The whole situation just bothers me. Anyway, if you want to listen to the story...Here's the link: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91587715
Elizabeth
June 11, 2008
A New Me...Maybe?
So, I have joined Sparkpeople.com to help me organize and complete my goals for being more healthy and losing my "charlie" weight. This website is awesome. First of all, it's free, and it really leads you into the whole "dieting" thing instead of making you jump in the deep end with no swimmies. I start in the shallow end with an intertube, and gradually lose my help.
I have a team consisting of women who had a baby in 2007. We are really supportive of each other, and motivate each other to exercise, eat healthy and drink our water. So, I have been drinking my water, organizing my meals, and walking on a regular basis. Although I think I have a long way to go, and I am not thrilled with the way I look, I do feel that I am on the right track!
On to other news...Jason and I are just watching the finale of Top Chef, and are on the edge of our seat (or bed) about who is going to win....We think Richard is not going to win. We are so sad.
Well, it's tomorrow (Thursday), and Steph won! Whoot! Charlie's faux hawk was not adquate enough to steer Richard to the win (you can thank Jason for that)...but we are thrilled that Stephanie won and not Lisa. What a relief.
So, as part of the "new me," I got a new haircut today, and I love it. Once I get it colored in a few weeks, and get some major waxing done, I will feel 100% better!
It is hot as heck here..I think about 95 today, and supposed to be over 100 tomorrow. The pool sounds mighty good right about now. We are heading up to Davis on Saturday though for Jenna's graduation from UC Davis, and it will be great to see Aunt Donna and Uncle John, and Lauren and Jenna. I know that Donna is spoiling to hold Charlie.
Well, that's enough from me...
Elizabeth
By the way, I was irked to no end to find out that with the rising cost of grain, which in turn means a rising cost of beer, bars are trying (and succeeding) at cheating patrons out of 2 oz of a pint of beer (16 oz), by serving it in 14 oz glasses with thick bottoms so dumb consumers THINK they are getting 16 oz. It's time to move to England where it's a government STANDARD to serve an Imperial Pint (19 oz). And has been for centuries. Those Brits GET IT!
Check out the story at NPR: Beer Scandal
I have a team consisting of women who had a baby in 2007. We are really supportive of each other, and motivate each other to exercise, eat healthy and drink our water. So, I have been drinking my water, organizing my meals, and walking on a regular basis. Although I think I have a long way to go, and I am not thrilled with the way I look, I do feel that I am on the right track!
On to other news...Jason and I are just watching the finale of Top Chef, and are on the edge of our seat (or bed) about who is going to win....We think Richard is not going to win. We are so sad.
Well, it's tomorrow (Thursday), and Steph won! Whoot! Charlie's faux hawk was not adquate enough to steer Richard to the win (you can thank Jason for that)...but we are thrilled that Stephanie won and not Lisa. What a relief.
So, as part of the "new me," I got a new haircut today, and I love it. Once I get it colored in a few weeks, and get some major waxing done, I will feel 100% better!
It is hot as heck here..I think about 95 today, and supposed to be over 100 tomorrow. The pool sounds mighty good right about now. We are heading up to Davis on Saturday though for Jenna's graduation from UC Davis, and it will be great to see Aunt Donna and Uncle John, and Lauren and Jenna. I know that Donna is spoiling to hold Charlie.
Well, that's enough from me...
Elizabeth
By the way, I was irked to no end to find out that with the rising cost of grain, which in turn means a rising cost of beer, bars are trying (and succeeding) at cheating patrons out of 2 oz of a pint of beer (16 oz), by serving it in 14 oz glasses with thick bottoms so dumb consumers THINK they are getting 16 oz. It's time to move to England where it's a government STANDARD to serve an Imperial Pint (19 oz). And has been for centuries. Those Brits GET IT!
Check out the story at NPR: Beer Scandal
June 3, 2008
Back from San Diego
Whoosh! That was quite the trip. Very busy, and great to see so many people, but I am happy to be home. Sharing a room with an infant is NOT easy. I remember why I moved Charlie from our room to his nursery so quickly. Charlie did really well considering he slept in several different places, and was shuttled around, poked at, and held by so many people. He was normally a happy, smiley guy, but by yesterday afternoon, he was done! Needless to say, we had a tough night last night. But again, he did pretty well on the drive back, and it was over 7 hours!
Although these long trips are draining, there is one thing I savor about them. Driving in the car with Jason. We really get an opportunity to just talk. Not that we don't get to do that anyway. After all, I am from the loud family, and can't shut up. But, it's good to have a significant period of time to vent, bounce ideas off of each other, and plan. We usually do this every day...it's just the abbreviated version. We sing songs together, laugh about silliness we see while driving, and discuss stories we are listening to on NPR. It's relaxing and comfortable. Some may see that as a downfall of an "old" relationship, but I definitely see it as a perk :)
Elizabeth
Although these long trips are draining, there is one thing I savor about them. Driving in the car with Jason. We really get an opportunity to just talk. Not that we don't get to do that anyway. After all, I am from the loud family, and can't shut up. But, it's good to have a significant period of time to vent, bounce ideas off of each other, and plan. We usually do this every day...it's just the abbreviated version. We sing songs together, laugh about silliness we see while driving, and discuss stories we are listening to on NPR. It's relaxing and comfortable. Some may see that as a downfall of an "old" relationship, but I definitely see it as a perk :)
Elizabeth
May 24, 2008
Good opinion once lost, is lost forever.
I just finished watching the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice with Kiera Knightly. And my opinion of it, while never anything but slightly negative, is now most definitely not a good one.
Whilst trying not to be prejudiced, I cannot help but compare it to the book. As far as I am concerned, there are certain things you must do in order to remain true to Miss Austen and her beloved manuscript.
Women with sleeveless gowns, while not completely unheard of, was not the norm.
Men coming into unmarried women's rooms, while unchaperoned, and at night...the horror.
Hair being let down and unbound, by a grown woman in public....
All the family ALWAYS listening at the doors....
Collins learned how to dance??
Georgiana appearing excited and hyper, instead of reserved and shy....
A bust of Darcy instead of a painting...
Mr. Bingley coming to see Jane in her room while she was sick...
Collins appearing somewhat sweet with that darn flower....
Lady Catherine arriving in the middle of the night....
And the Gardiner's did not seem all that gentile to me....
Collins announcing his "meeting" with Elizabeth in front of everyone....
Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth out of doors...I suppose I can allow for some "artistic license" if only they had not screwed up the actual proposal.
And did I miss a big part of the movie, or was Wickham abundantly absent? Last I read, George Wickham was a very important and key part of the plot.
Perhaps Deborah Moggach and Emma Thompson were writing a screenplay based on what they thought Jane Austen SHOULD have written. Make Charlotte a bit more openly hostile with Elizabeth about her engagement to Collins. Most people with large families are rude and therefore will be eavesdropping busybodies by nature, even ones portrayed by Miss Austen as kind and sweet (i.e. Jane Bennet). Didn't Miss Austen know that the outdoors, rain, and early morning dew make for excellent shots of "will you be my...?"
I understand that they tried to turn a novel into a 2 hour movie, and it was necessary to skip some parts or merge some together. But just outright screwing them up is a completely different story. Do I really think Mr. Darcy would have approached Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner whom he had not been introduced to, and invited them to dinner, without Elizabeth present? No...I do not. His manners, while frosty and reserved, were impeccable. Look how upset he became with Mr. Collins when Collins had the audacity to introduce himself to Darcy.
I have to say I was fine with skipping a wedding scene, and just making up their own ending. Fine. That's perfectly all right. Just don't mess with the original. And stick to what would have occurred due to propriety, etiquette, and form in the Regency period.
Whilst trying not to be prejudiced, I cannot help but compare it to the book. As far as I am concerned, there are certain things you must do in order to remain true to Miss Austen and her beloved manuscript.
Women with sleeveless gowns, while not completely unheard of, was not the norm.
Men coming into unmarried women's rooms, while unchaperoned, and at night...the horror.
Hair being let down and unbound, by a grown woman in public....
All the family ALWAYS listening at the doors....
Collins learned how to dance??
Georgiana appearing excited and hyper, instead of reserved and shy....
A bust of Darcy instead of a painting...
Mr. Bingley coming to see Jane in her room while she was sick...
Collins appearing somewhat sweet with that darn flower....
Lady Catherine arriving in the middle of the night....
And the Gardiner's did not seem all that gentile to me....
Collins announcing his "meeting" with Elizabeth in front of everyone....
Darcy's first proposal to Elizabeth out of doors...I suppose I can allow for some "artistic license" if only they had not screwed up the actual proposal.
And did I miss a big part of the movie, or was Wickham abundantly absent? Last I read, George Wickham was a very important and key part of the plot.
Perhaps Deborah Moggach and Emma Thompson were writing a screenplay based on what they thought Jane Austen SHOULD have written. Make Charlotte a bit more openly hostile with Elizabeth about her engagement to Collins. Most people with large families are rude and therefore will be eavesdropping busybodies by nature, even ones portrayed by Miss Austen as kind and sweet (i.e. Jane Bennet). Didn't Miss Austen know that the outdoors, rain, and early morning dew make for excellent shots of "will you be my...?"
I understand that they tried to turn a novel into a 2 hour movie, and it was necessary to skip some parts or merge some together. But just outright screwing them up is a completely different story. Do I really think Mr. Darcy would have approached Mr. and Mrs. Gardiner whom he had not been introduced to, and invited them to dinner, without Elizabeth present? No...I do not. His manners, while frosty and reserved, were impeccable. Look how upset he became with Mr. Collins when Collins had the audacity to introduce himself to Darcy.
I have to say I was fine with skipping a wedding scene, and just making up their own ending. Fine. That's perfectly all right. Just don't mess with the original. And stick to what would have occurred due to propriety, etiquette, and form in the Regency period.
In Sickness and In Health
I suppose this goes for children as well as spouses. For no matter how sick my husband gets OR my little one gets, I am there to hold, to care for. And poor little Charlie is sick. He has finally stopped the diarrhea, but the mucusy cough is still present. Poor baby. It's bad enough as an adult to have that grossness in your throat, because at least WE can cough it up. He doesn't know what to do with it.
But, I suppose the biggest indicator that Charlie is sick is his sleeping. Amazingly, he is sleeping for an hour at a time or longer during the day. Today, one nap was over 2 hours! This from the little boy who only needs 30-45 minutes at a time.
However, now that Charlie has learned to roll over from his back to his tummy, his night sleeping has been less than stellar, since he thinks that the first thing to do when you lay him down is to flip over. I would have no problem with that, but Charlie does not then flip himself back over once he realizes that he is quite unhappy on his tummy. If he exerted as much energy to trying to get back to his back, as he did to crying, he would be back over in no time. Alas, as is the nature of our spirited child, that is not the case, and we listen to him cry for long periods at night.
And speaking of sleep, Jason and I just remarked to each other today, that we found it amusing how now the idea of getting to sleep to 7am is something we wish for. How different our lives are. We feel it's important that Charlie fit into our schedule, while giving him what he needs. He needs his naps and his early bedtime, but we need to still run errands, and we like to go out to eat. So we work around his schedule, without being a slave to it. It's demanding, and tough, but necessary. After all, he's our child and therefore, our life.
The "our" now is three, and despite contrary belief, three does not make a third wheel, and instead completes our circle.
But, I suppose the biggest indicator that Charlie is sick is his sleeping. Amazingly, he is sleeping for an hour at a time or longer during the day. Today, one nap was over 2 hours! This from the little boy who only needs 30-45 minutes at a time.
However, now that Charlie has learned to roll over from his back to his tummy, his night sleeping has been less than stellar, since he thinks that the first thing to do when you lay him down is to flip over. I would have no problem with that, but Charlie does not then flip himself back over once he realizes that he is quite unhappy on his tummy. If he exerted as much energy to trying to get back to his back, as he did to crying, he would be back over in no time. Alas, as is the nature of our spirited child, that is not the case, and we listen to him cry for long periods at night.
And speaking of sleep, Jason and I just remarked to each other today, that we found it amusing how now the idea of getting to sleep to 7am is something we wish for. How different our lives are. We feel it's important that Charlie fit into our schedule, while giving him what he needs. He needs his naps and his early bedtime, but we need to still run errands, and we like to go out to eat. So we work around his schedule, without being a slave to it. It's demanding, and tough, but necessary. After all, he's our child and therefore, our life.
The "our" now is three, and despite contrary belief, three does not make a third wheel, and instead completes our circle.
Charlie Laughing
So Jason and I have heard Charlie "chuckle" a few things, but never an outright giggle. But yesterday evening, when Jason got home from work, he played peek-a-boo with Charlie using the burp cloth, and Charlie laughed. I quickly got the camera, and the video is on Charlie's blog. It's so precious. We hope to compile more "giggle" clips, and make one big video.
Jason was a very proud daddy to have made Charlie laugh before I could. But he says that daddy's are just funnier than momma's. I have to agree.
Elizabeth
Jason was a very proud daddy to have made Charlie laugh before I could. But he says that daddy's are just funnier than momma's. I have to agree.
Elizabeth
May 15, 2008
Fauxhawk "faux" life!
Jason and I have limited time (and energy) to watch TV. However, we do have 2 programs we watch with consistency. Lost on ABC and Top Chef on Bravo. I know, I know. It's hard to imagine Jason watching Top Chef, but I promise you, he does. And he likes it.
We have our ideas of who will be in the top two. I am a believer in Richard and Stephanie. I think Jason believes Richard and Dale. We were surprised that Lisa made it off the chopping block once again, and that Spike was such a jerk. I wanted Stephanie to win the elimination challenge, but the judges seem to really like Dale, and I think show him preference.
Regardless, we both are major fans of Richard Blais...and to show our support, we give Charlie a fauxhawk every night, just like Richard's. We are going to find some pink crocs for Charlie and maybe a white chef jacket. Charlie is going to root Richard all the way to the end!!!
We have our ideas of who will be in the top two. I am a believer in Richard and Stephanie. I think Jason believes Richard and Dale. We were surprised that Lisa made it off the chopping block once again, and that Spike was such a jerk. I wanted Stephanie to win the elimination challenge, but the judges seem to really like Dale, and I think show him preference.
Regardless, we both are major fans of Richard Blais...and to show our support, we give Charlie a fauxhawk every night, just like Richard's. We are going to find some pink crocs for Charlie and maybe a white chef jacket. Charlie is going to root Richard all the way to the end!!!
May 10, 2008
2 Sets are Better Than 1!
It really is true that 2 sets of hands are better than 1. Yesterday, Jason and I took Charlie into his pediatrician's for his 4 month well baby visit. This is one of the appointments where the nurse asks a bunch of developmental questions (can he roll over, is he grasping at items, can he track a toy, etc.), and Charlie gets weighed and measured for length and head circumference. And the big part--the SHOTS...Cue in the scary music.
At Charlie's 2 month appointment (same as 4 month, just a younger baby), I was alone. And talk about difficult. It was hard to focus on answering the nurse's questions while I was undressing Charlie, and then holding him and keeping him entertained while the doctor says, "So, do you have any questions for me?" Uhhhh...I was holding a screaming naked baby, wracking my brain for:
1) why was Charlie screaming?
2) would it be ok to ask the doctor, why is Charlie screaming?
3) how do I make Charlie stop screaming?
4) ways to feel cool, composed, and a like a mom from a "Friends" episode, and not a mom from a "Super Nanny" episode
Questions? Questions? I was supposed to come armed with questions? Didn't the doctor have the answers? Wasn't he supposed to assess my child and tell me what I was doing right, wrong, and what to do better? And by the way, wasn't it obvious what my question was?
Now, I need to state, that I love Charlie's pediatrician. Dr. Flanzbaum is awesome. Truly. He's down to earth, and truthfully, he reminds me a combination of my 2 favorite pediatricians as a child, Dr. Farish and Dr. Davis. He gives recommendations, and his opinions, but does listen to what I have to say, and what I think. That is, when I can think of something to say.
Fast forward 2 months. With Jason assisting (remember, as Hannah would say "Mommy's the queen and Daddy's the helper), I felt like a cool collected mom, perhaps Miranda from Sex and the City, minus the good shoes and handbag?
We could easily tag team with Charlie...Jason undressed him while I answered the nurse's questions. I entertained him while Jason held him. I bounced him on my lap while Jason dove for flying projectile pacis.
And this time, when Dr. Flanzbaum asked if I had any questions...I knew what to say. No. And not because I was more worried about Charlie puking on my shirt than finding a moment to think of pertinent questions.
And speaking of 2 sets...2 sets of brains are better than 1 as well. When you a new addition to your family, you have to start thinking of things like whether to use cloth or disposable diapers, sleep schedules, and vaccinations. It's really scary all the decisions you have to start making.
I am putting Charlie on an alternative schedule for vaccinations, which just basically means that he gets his shots not all at the same time. So instead getting DTaP, Polio, HepB, HIB, Pneumococcal, and Rotavirus all at once, we will be spacing these out over a period of time. I am late in starting the schedule, so at 2 months, he DID get all of those, but at 4 months, I elected to only have him get the DTaP and Rotavirus. At 5 months, I will take him back in for Pneumo and HIB. And the list continues....
Don't get me wrong, I think vaccinations are necessary, and I fully believe in immunizations. However, there is nothing wrong with prudence and precaution. Dr. Sears, who wrote the book, The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, gives several good reasons about chemical exposure, aluminum exposure, and limiting to 2 vaccines at a time to limit possible side effects. He has several other good reasons, but mainly, I figure, it can't hurt to spread them out. I will most likely skip the chickenpox vaccine though.
So, our little guy got the 2 vaccinations, and screamed bloody murder throughout the shot and afterwards, but came home and slept 40 minutes in his swing. And then, he was a happy camper. That just makes everything better!
Charlie Stats @ 4 months:
Weight: 14 lb, 1 oz
Height/Length: 25 inches
Head Circumference: 42 cm
At Charlie's 2 month appointment (same as 4 month, just a younger baby), I was alone. And talk about difficult. It was hard to focus on answering the nurse's questions while I was undressing Charlie, and then holding him and keeping him entertained while the doctor says, "So, do you have any questions for me?" Uhhhh...I was holding a screaming naked baby, wracking my brain for:
1) why was Charlie screaming?
2) would it be ok to ask the doctor, why is Charlie screaming?
3) how do I make Charlie stop screaming?
4) ways to feel cool, composed, and a like a mom from a "Friends" episode, and not a mom from a "Super Nanny" episode
Questions? Questions? I was supposed to come armed with questions? Didn't the doctor have the answers? Wasn't he supposed to assess my child and tell me what I was doing right, wrong, and what to do better? And by the way, wasn't it obvious what my question was?
Now, I need to state, that I love Charlie's pediatrician. Dr. Flanzbaum is awesome. Truly. He's down to earth, and truthfully, he reminds me a combination of my 2 favorite pediatricians as a child, Dr. Farish and Dr. Davis. He gives recommendations, and his opinions, but does listen to what I have to say, and what I think. That is, when I can think of something to say.
Fast forward 2 months. With Jason assisting (remember, as Hannah would say "Mommy's the queen and Daddy's the helper), I felt like a cool collected mom, perhaps Miranda from Sex and the City, minus the good shoes and handbag?
We could easily tag team with Charlie...Jason undressed him while I answered the nurse's questions. I entertained him while Jason held him. I bounced him on my lap while Jason dove for flying projectile pacis.
And this time, when Dr. Flanzbaum asked if I had any questions...I knew what to say. No. And not because I was more worried about Charlie puking on my shirt than finding a moment to think of pertinent questions.
And speaking of 2 sets...2 sets of brains are better than 1 as well. When you a new addition to your family, you have to start thinking of things like whether to use cloth or disposable diapers, sleep schedules, and vaccinations. It's really scary all the decisions you have to start making.
I am putting Charlie on an alternative schedule for vaccinations, which just basically means that he gets his shots not all at the same time. So instead getting DTaP, Polio, HepB, HIB, Pneumococcal, and Rotavirus all at once, we will be spacing these out over a period of time. I am late in starting the schedule, so at 2 months, he DID get all of those, but at 4 months, I elected to only have him get the DTaP and Rotavirus. At 5 months, I will take him back in for Pneumo and HIB. And the list continues....
Don't get me wrong, I think vaccinations are necessary, and I fully believe in immunizations. However, there is nothing wrong with prudence and precaution. Dr. Sears, who wrote the book, The Vaccine Book: Making the Right Decision for Your Child, gives several good reasons about chemical exposure, aluminum exposure, and limiting to 2 vaccines at a time to limit possible side effects. He has several other good reasons, but mainly, I figure, it can't hurt to spread them out. I will most likely skip the chickenpox vaccine though.
So, our little guy got the 2 vaccinations, and screamed bloody murder throughout the shot and afterwards, but came home and slept 40 minutes in his swing. And then, he was a happy camper. That just makes everything better!
Charlie Stats @ 4 months:
Weight: 14 lb, 1 oz
Height/Length: 25 inches
Head Circumference: 42 cm
May 9, 2008
Let there be no swaddle...
Well tonight was the night. With much anticipation and fear, Jason and I removed the Miracle Blanket from Charlie's crib, and put him to bed tonight in just his jammies.
As parents of a child who was colicky, it is very scary to give up something that provided calmness to our child, and sanity for ourselves. Even if it was only for a few hours. The bouncy seat was an item I loathed with a passion, yet would have probably murdered someone if they had tried to take it from me. I had a love-hate relationship with an inanimate object because it could provide comfort to my child...something I could not do. How depressing to be a mother who could not calm her own child, yet so thankful to find something that could.
Charlie would not sleep...until we started swaddling him. Then he would break out of regular receiving blankets, even when Jason double wrapped him. Jason scoffed at me buying a special swaddling blanket, and then became close to tears when he saw how Charlie could not break out of it, and how Charlie would actually sleep when he was in the MB. Eventually the blanket did not wrap around Charlie as many times as it used to, and we had to leave his feet and legs out of the pocket because he was too long for it...but still, we plowed on, determined to "not fix what ain't broken."
So after almost 3 months of miracle blanket heaven, bliss has run it's course. Charlie has completely deteriorated this past week, and Jason and I believed it was time to give up our security blanket. Almost fearing putting Charlie to bed, I believe Jason read Charlie an extra book, and then began rocking him. After gently laying him down, Charlie opened his eyes wide, smiled at his Daddy, and began talking. Talking was good, right? Better than crying...But would he actually go to sleep?
After 1o minutes, what we expected to happen, did--Charlie started crying. And for the next 15 minutes it continued. Resigned that this would continue for hours, Jason and I were surprised when it stopped. And he has stayed quiet for the past 2 hours.
We say a small prayer for good sleep for our little man, and for us as well.
As parents of a child who was colicky, it is very scary to give up something that provided calmness to our child, and sanity for ourselves. Even if it was only for a few hours. The bouncy seat was an item I loathed with a passion, yet would have probably murdered someone if they had tried to take it from me. I had a love-hate relationship with an inanimate object because it could provide comfort to my child...something I could not do. How depressing to be a mother who could not calm her own child, yet so thankful to find something that could.
Charlie would not sleep...until we started swaddling him. Then he would break out of regular receiving blankets, even when Jason double wrapped him. Jason scoffed at me buying a special swaddling blanket, and then became close to tears when he saw how Charlie could not break out of it, and how Charlie would actually sleep when he was in the MB. Eventually the blanket did not wrap around Charlie as many times as it used to, and we had to leave his feet and legs out of the pocket because he was too long for it...but still, we plowed on, determined to "not fix what ain't broken."
So after almost 3 months of miracle blanket heaven, bliss has run it's course. Charlie has completely deteriorated this past week, and Jason and I believed it was time to give up our security blanket. Almost fearing putting Charlie to bed, I believe Jason read Charlie an extra book, and then began rocking him. After gently laying him down, Charlie opened his eyes wide, smiled at his Daddy, and began talking. Talking was good, right? Better than crying...But would he actually go to sleep?
After 1o minutes, what we expected to happen, did--Charlie started crying. And for the next 15 minutes it continued. Resigned that this would continue for hours, Jason and I were surprised when it stopped. And he has stayed quiet for the past 2 hours.
We say a small prayer for good sleep for our little man, and for us as well.
One of the last pics taken of Charlie in his miracle blanket, on 4/28/08
Charlie napping today...
Charlie napping today...
May 5, 2008
Keeping up is hard!
Sometimes I feel like I cannot keep up. I know that I have been remiss in my blogging and Charlie's blogging, but I will have both posted by the end of the evening. :)
Work is going well, and I am working with another director on a parent training curriculum/series that I am very excited about. I also will be giving a talk to a group of parents with children with autism at the Livermore National Lab in a few weeks. Hopefully it will be a good resource for the families and a good place to get our name out as well. My kids are great, although I have a couple that are pretty difficult right now. But, you have to keep your chin up, and figure out something!
Charlie is being really good, and has completely changed from the little monster he was a few months ago. He's still my monster, but he is just a happier baby overall. It is like a huge weight off my shoulders. Right now we are struggling with naps, but each day gets better, and I carry around my sleep bible, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and use it to ward off people who think I am crazy for a 6:30-7pm bedtime, and strict nap schedules. Sleep begets sleep...I keep telling them!
Jason and I are still in limbo about the house, and what will happen, as we know it will be foreclosed, and then we have to decide if we will make another offer to the bank for it, or just try to buy something else, or start over looking to rent again. I just try not to think about it, until we really have to. I don't know if that's a poor attitude or not. But it's a survival attitude.
Ok, I am setting a new poll. I want people's opinions on which christening outfit to get Charlie. Outfit A, B, or C. Pictures will be below!!
I guess that's about it for me. Jason is still not sure if he will be going to France this summer or not...Apparently the French are being very "french," as Jason says, about it, and they were supposed to let him know on April 15th. Well, it's May 5th, and he still knows nothing. So, we have no idea.
We are gearing up to have Jason's mom come visit in a few weeks, and then my mom comes out at the end of June, then my sister, then my dad. And then we are planning to go back to SC at the end of September for a week. Tickets have been super cheap, so we are making lots of plans way in advance.
Alrighty everyone!
Take care, and lots of love to each of you!
Elizabeth
Work is going well, and I am working with another director on a parent training curriculum/series that I am very excited about. I also will be giving a talk to a group of parents with children with autism at the Livermore National Lab in a few weeks. Hopefully it will be a good resource for the families and a good place to get our name out as well. My kids are great, although I have a couple that are pretty difficult right now. But, you have to keep your chin up, and figure out something!
Charlie is being really good, and has completely changed from the little monster he was a few months ago. He's still my monster, but he is just a happier baby overall. It is like a huge weight off my shoulders. Right now we are struggling with naps, but each day gets better, and I carry around my sleep bible, Healthy Sleep Habits, Happy Child, and use it to ward off people who think I am crazy for a 6:30-7pm bedtime, and strict nap schedules. Sleep begets sleep...I keep telling them!
Jason and I are still in limbo about the house, and what will happen, as we know it will be foreclosed, and then we have to decide if we will make another offer to the bank for it, or just try to buy something else, or start over looking to rent again. I just try not to think about it, until we really have to. I don't know if that's a poor attitude or not. But it's a survival attitude.
Ok, I am setting a new poll. I want people's opinions on which christening outfit to get Charlie. Outfit A, B, or C. Pictures will be below!!
I guess that's about it for me. Jason is still not sure if he will be going to France this summer or not...Apparently the French are being very "french," as Jason says, about it, and they were supposed to let him know on April 15th. Well, it's May 5th, and he still knows nothing. So, we have no idea.
We are gearing up to have Jason's mom come visit in a few weeks, and then my mom comes out at the end of June, then my sister, then my dad. And then we are planning to go back to SC at the end of September for a week. Tickets have been super cheap, so we are making lots of plans way in advance.
Alrighty everyone!
Take care, and lots of love to each of you!
Elizabeth
April 2, 2008
Going back to work....
So this is my last week home with Charlie. I am very sad that I have to leave him at daycare, and go back to work, but such is life. That being said, I am excited about starting new kids, and getting back into the swing of what I do best (besides love Charlie and Jason!) :) I have a meeting on Friday with the other director that is in East Bay (there will be 2 of us), and we will be reviewing my cases and hours and the such.
Matthew just left this afternoon to head back to Florida. We had a great time with him, and he was so cute with Charlie. He will be a great dad someday! We went wine tasting on Saturday, out for fondue on Sunday, and just ran errands and the such on Monday. Last night we went to dinner in downtown Livermore...In general, we just had a good time with each other. I will miss having him around!
We had Nick and Beth stay with us last week, and it was nice to have them visit. Charlie was not on his best behavior, but they tolerated him well! :)
Charlie has received his passport, and is ready for world travels...His picture is so funny, and let me tell you, getting a 2 month old's picture for a passport is DIFFICULT! Apparently, I am not allowed to be in the picture, but at that time, he was not holding his head up very well, and Charlie had to be looking at the camera, not waving his hands in front of his face, and not me in the picture. That was a feat...But we accomplished it, and Charlie is now ready to get stamps and travel to exotic places....
The first place we will travel is Tahoe, no passport required, for my work retreat. Jason will be coming with us, and hopefully Charlie will do well. We were going to go to France, but tickets are so expensive, so I don't think that will be happening. I think Momma and Daddy will be coming to visit while Jason is gone for a few weeks. It will be nice to have the help.
We are also planning to go to San Diego for Nick's thesis defense at the end of the May. We look forward to seeing all our friends down south :)
So I am trying to get organized with work, and commuting, and Charlie's daycare, pick-up/drop off, pumping during the day! It's all crazy. I hope I get it all figured out...
We have started not swaddling Charlie during the day for naps, and it isn't going so great...I am having to let him cry, and boy is that hard....Parenting is so tough, and so much easier to give advice than take your own. Every day is a challenge, but Charlie and I muddle through. Hopefully will we turn out ok! :)
Here are some pics for your enjoyment :)
Elizabeth
Charlie @ 2 months
Charlie with Granddaddy Peace
Laughing during tummy time!
Bath Time with Grandmommy
Charlie with Great Grandmommy
Charlie with Great Granddaddy
Charlie with Cousin Collin
Charlie with Grandmommy
Charlie with Auntie Hannah
Charlie and Momma (in love)
Happy Easter!!!
Playing with his rattle AND burp cloth
Charlie and Daddy in San Francisco
Posing @ 12 weeks old!
Uncle Matthew and Charlie on 4-2-08
Matthew just left this afternoon to head back to Florida. We had a great time with him, and he was so cute with Charlie. He will be a great dad someday! We went wine tasting on Saturday, out for fondue on Sunday, and just ran errands and the such on Monday. Last night we went to dinner in downtown Livermore...In general, we just had a good time with each other. I will miss having him around!
We had Nick and Beth stay with us last week, and it was nice to have them visit. Charlie was not on his best behavior, but they tolerated him well! :)
Charlie has received his passport, and is ready for world travels...His picture is so funny, and let me tell you, getting a 2 month old's picture for a passport is DIFFICULT! Apparently, I am not allowed to be in the picture, but at that time, he was not holding his head up very well, and Charlie had to be looking at the camera, not waving his hands in front of his face, and not me in the picture. That was a feat...But we accomplished it, and Charlie is now ready to get stamps and travel to exotic places....
The first place we will travel is Tahoe, no passport required, for my work retreat. Jason will be coming with us, and hopefully Charlie will do well. We were going to go to France, but tickets are so expensive, so I don't think that will be happening. I think Momma and Daddy will be coming to visit while Jason is gone for a few weeks. It will be nice to have the help.
We are also planning to go to San Diego for Nick's thesis defense at the end of the May. We look forward to seeing all our friends down south :)
So I am trying to get organized with work, and commuting, and Charlie's daycare, pick-up/drop off, pumping during the day! It's all crazy. I hope I get it all figured out...
We have started not swaddling Charlie during the day for naps, and it isn't going so great...I am having to let him cry, and boy is that hard....Parenting is so tough, and so much easier to give advice than take your own. Every day is a challenge, but Charlie and I muddle through. Hopefully will we turn out ok! :)
Here are some pics for your enjoyment :)
Elizabeth
Charlie @ 2 months
Charlie with Granddaddy Peace
Laughing during tummy time!
Bath Time with Grandmommy
Charlie with Great Grandmommy
Charlie with Great Granddaddy
Charlie with Cousin Collin
Charlie with Grandmommy
Charlie with Auntie Hannah
Charlie and Momma (in love)
Happy Easter!!!
Playing with his rattle AND burp cloth
Charlie and Daddy in San Francisco
Posing @ 12 weeks old!
Uncle Matthew and Charlie on 4-2-08February 28, 2008
Let It Snow, Let It Snow for the big 3-0!
Happy 30th Birthday Jason!
We had a nice day yesterday for Jason's birthday. Charlie demanded that he get Daddy a birthday present so we had to run to the mall to pick something up. Unfortunately, the purple dress shirt that Charlie picked out did not fit, so we have to go back to the mall and find something different. That is for another day!
Tahoe was beautiful, and it snowed the entire time. We were lucky to actually make it off the mountain on Sunday, as they ended up closing Hwy 50 do to snow slides, so to speak. Charlie did very well, and slept the entire ride back, with one brief stop to eat while Jason and Mike took the chains off the truck.
Jason had a great time snowboarding and the cabin we stayed in was great. Charlie and I did not get out much, and I think Charlie was a bit overwhelmed by all the new sounds, smells, and people. He spent alot of the time crying. Thank the Lord for the bouncy seat. :)
Charlie turned 8 weeks old today. It is really hard to believe that this time 8 weeks ago, I was having mad contractions, and still 5 hours away from giving birth. It has been a wild ride, but Charlie is starting to come into his own, and actually is a bit more ready for the world. He is sleeping better, at night and during the day, and becoming stronger every day.
We do tummy time after each meal, and that seems to really tire him out so he is sleeping better during the day. Hurray! The spitting up is so much better, and he is sleeping longer during the night. And he gives me and Jason the most beautiful smiles. That really makes my day.
I am completely stressing about my flight back to SC with Charlie that will happen a week from tomorrow, but I am hoping he does ok. I am so looking forward to seeing Momma and Daddy, and Hannah, and Jason's parents, and my grandparents, and Bec and Rubygail! Apparently Charlie needs a social secretary just for this trip as so many people want to see him. :)
We are going over to Berkeley for lunch on Saturday to see a friend of Jason's from UCSD...so it will be Charlie's first experience in the hippy town :) And Charlie had his passport pictures taken on Tuesday and we are getting the passport forms taken care of tonight and sent off. It's funny that he will have a passport and not even know it :)
Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Love
Elizabeth
Charlie napping in his crib on 2/20/08
Hanging out after getting back from Tahoe (2/24/08)
Elizabeth and Charlie on our first day in Tahoe (2/21/08)
Charlie, Elizabeth, and Jason on our first day in Tahoe (2/21/08)
Elizabeth and Charlie next to the snowman (2/23/08)
Charlie posing for the camera and Momma
View from the upper cabin windows
We had a nice day yesterday for Jason's birthday. Charlie demanded that he get Daddy a birthday present so we had to run to the mall to pick something up. Unfortunately, the purple dress shirt that Charlie picked out did not fit, so we have to go back to the mall and find something different. That is for another day!
Tahoe was beautiful, and it snowed the entire time. We were lucky to actually make it off the mountain on Sunday, as they ended up closing Hwy 50 do to snow slides, so to speak. Charlie did very well, and slept the entire ride back, with one brief stop to eat while Jason and Mike took the chains off the truck.
Jason had a great time snowboarding and the cabin we stayed in was great. Charlie and I did not get out much, and I think Charlie was a bit overwhelmed by all the new sounds, smells, and people. He spent alot of the time crying. Thank the Lord for the bouncy seat. :)
Charlie turned 8 weeks old today. It is really hard to believe that this time 8 weeks ago, I was having mad contractions, and still 5 hours away from giving birth. It has been a wild ride, but Charlie is starting to come into his own, and actually is a bit more ready for the world. He is sleeping better, at night and during the day, and becoming stronger every day.
We do tummy time after each meal, and that seems to really tire him out so he is sleeping better during the day. Hurray! The spitting up is so much better, and he is sleeping longer during the night. And he gives me and Jason the most beautiful smiles. That really makes my day.
I am completely stressing about my flight back to SC with Charlie that will happen a week from tomorrow, but I am hoping he does ok. I am so looking forward to seeing Momma and Daddy, and Hannah, and Jason's parents, and my grandparents, and Bec and Rubygail! Apparently Charlie needs a social secretary just for this trip as so many people want to see him. :)
We are going over to Berkeley for lunch on Saturday to see a friend of Jason's from UCSD...so it will be Charlie's first experience in the hippy town :) And Charlie had his passport pictures taken on Tuesday and we are getting the passport forms taken care of tonight and sent off. It's funny that he will have a passport and not even know it :)
Well, I hope everyone has a great weekend!
Love
Elizabeth
Charlie napping in his crib on 2/20/08
Hanging out after getting back from Tahoe (2/24/08)
Elizabeth and Charlie on our first day in Tahoe (2/21/08)
Charlie, Elizabeth, and Jason on our first day in Tahoe (2/21/08)
Elizabeth and Charlie next to the snowman (2/23/08)
Charlie posing for the camera and Momma
View from the upper cabin windowsFebruary 15, 2008
Happy Valentines Day
Our Valloween was fairly uneventful. Charlie had a rough day as I continued to try to transition him to sleeping in his crib during the day. He has alot of difficulty with this! Charlie and I did spend some time making valentines and emailing them out to family. And Charlie was gracious enough to pose in his Valentines outfit....When he smiles, he is pretty irresistible :)
Charlie's reflux does appear to be getting better, and his spit-ups are alot less frequent and violent. Now we are just dealing with the bloody snot that is always stopping his nose up. I think he dreads seeing the changing table cause that means saline drops and the blue bulb...But it is amazing how after I get the gross gunk out of his nose, he will almost fall asleep in my arms cause he can finally breathe. And I have cut milk and ice cream out of my diet. And most cheeses. I want to see if the dairy I am consuming is what is making him so cranky...We will see. Probably by the time I get it out of my system, he will be close to 12 weeks, and hopefully out of the colicky phase anyway. Go figure.
Finding daycare is a bit frightening, and I have to start calling the few places that take infants.
I am doing pretty good. I have been cleared by Dr. Z do exercise, etc. And she said I am healing superbly :) She also gave me a recommendation for a massage therapist for infant massage that supposedly helps with colic. Well, I will give them a shot. It is the same people who she gave me a gift certificate to go to when I was pregnant for a massage.
I am finally getting the hang of not sleeping for more than about 2 hours at a time. It's amazing. I never thought I would get used to it, and although it hasn't changed a whole lot since we came home from the hospital with Charlie, I guess I am just more confident and comfortable with the whole process. Jason is a godsend, and helps out all the time. Even when I know he is tired and will have to get up to go to work in the morning. What a great support system I have in him.
I just put Charlie down about 40 minutes ago, and he was awake when I left him in his crib, and although I have heard some mutterings and little fussings, he is quiet now, and I never had to go in to calm him down. Cross your fingers...this is a good start!!!
Well, here are some updated pictures of my little beast at 5-6 weeks...Take care everyone!
Love
Elizabeth and Charlie
Charlie's reflux does appear to be getting better, and his spit-ups are alot less frequent and violent. Now we are just dealing with the bloody snot that is always stopping his nose up. I think he dreads seeing the changing table cause that means saline drops and the blue bulb...But it is amazing how after I get the gross gunk out of his nose, he will almost fall asleep in my arms cause he can finally breathe. And I have cut milk and ice cream out of my diet. And most cheeses. I want to see if the dairy I am consuming is what is making him so cranky...We will see. Probably by the time I get it out of my system, he will be close to 12 weeks, and hopefully out of the colicky phase anyway. Go figure.
Finding daycare is a bit frightening, and I have to start calling the few places that take infants.
I am doing pretty good. I have been cleared by Dr. Z do exercise, etc. And she said I am healing superbly :) She also gave me a recommendation for a massage therapist for infant massage that supposedly helps with colic. Well, I will give them a shot. It is the same people who she gave me a gift certificate to go to when I was pregnant for a massage.
I am finally getting the hang of not sleeping for more than about 2 hours at a time. It's amazing. I never thought I would get used to it, and although it hasn't changed a whole lot since we came home from the hospital with Charlie, I guess I am just more confident and comfortable with the whole process. Jason is a godsend, and helps out all the time. Even when I know he is tired and will have to get up to go to work in the morning. What a great support system I have in him.
I just put Charlie down about 40 minutes ago, and he was awake when I left him in his crib, and although I have heard some mutterings and little fussings, he is quiet now, and I never had to go in to calm him down. Cross your fingers...this is a good start!!!
Well, here are some updated pictures of my little beast at 5-6 weeks...Take care everyone!
Love
Elizabeth and Charlie
February 1, 2008
4 weeks old!
Charlie turned 4 weeks old yesterday! We had an appt at the pediatrician's office, and Charlie now weighs 9 lbs, 7 ozs. I am going to have to change his nickname from Piglet to Chunky Monkey!
The ped said he thinks Charlie has reflux, so we are now on Axid, an antacid. We started yesterday, and we'll see what it brings...Hopefully more sleep for him, and less screaming. The doc said there is usually less spit-up, but sometimes not. I can deal with the spit-up, if he was just happier.
We have also started Charlie on a bottle once a day with breast milk, and Jason gets to feed him then. I think they both like it.
And we are putting Charlie in his crib now. The ped recommended because Charlie makes so much noise (grunting, etc.) and it was keeping me up at night, that we move him into his own room. So we started that last night, and we have stopped waking him up to eat at night. Last night he had two 4 hour periods between eating! Yeah!
Tomorrow night we go to a work party/dinner for my company, so Charlie will get to meet alot of new people and take his first trip into the city...How exciting! :)
Well, here are a couple of pictures. Til next time...Love, Elizabeth and Charlie
Daddy feeding Charlie!! He did great!
In my new outfit from Auntie Hannah (1-29-08)
In a new outfit from Grandmommy Peace(1-31-08) @ 4 weeks old
Happy to be posing (1-31-08)
Not happy to be posing...let the screaming begin (1-31-08)
The ped said he thinks Charlie has reflux, so we are now on Axid, an antacid. We started yesterday, and we'll see what it brings...Hopefully more sleep for him, and less screaming. The doc said there is usually less spit-up, but sometimes not. I can deal with the spit-up, if he was just happier.
We have also started Charlie on a bottle once a day with breast milk, and Jason gets to feed him then. I think they both like it.
And we are putting Charlie in his crib now. The ped recommended because Charlie makes so much noise (grunting, etc.) and it was keeping me up at night, that we move him into his own room. So we started that last night, and we have stopped waking him up to eat at night. Last night he had two 4 hour periods between eating! Yeah!
Tomorrow night we go to a work party/dinner for my company, so Charlie will get to meet alot of new people and take his first trip into the city...How exciting! :)
Well, here are a couple of pictures. Til next time...Love, Elizabeth and Charlie
Daddy feeding Charlie!! He did great!
In my new outfit from Auntie Hannah (1-29-08)
In a new outfit from Grandmommy Peace(1-31-08) @ 4 weeks old
Happy to be posing (1-31-08)
Not happy to be posing...let the screaming begin (1-31-08)January 25, 2008
Wet, rainy, and tired...
It is terrible weather here, which makes for a crabby momma and a crabby Charlie. Actually, Charlie has been good today, and it is hard to believe he is 3 weeks old!
I took him to the doctor on Wednesday because of the frequent throwing up and spitting up. It is possible he has some sort of reflux issue, but the ped didn't think he was under eating, because Charlie had gained 11 oz in 6 days. He is 8 lbs, 10 oz as of Wednesday. Wowsers! He is becoming quite the little piggy. We will go back next Thursday to see how his weight is doing, and if the throwing/spitting up is getting better or worse.
Latching has become difficult again, but we bear through it. Charlie is so precious, but he definitely tries my patience at times. Everyone says that I must have the patience of a saint to work with children with autism, but now I say that patience is severely tested right now :)
Here are a couple of pictures, and you can check out Charlie's blog for videos, pictures, and Charlie's view on the great big world!!
Charlie @ 3 weeks (1-24-08)
Charlie getting ready to go out for a walk (1-20-08)
Charlie enjoying the view from Daddy's side of the bed (1-21-08)
I took him to the doctor on Wednesday because of the frequent throwing up and spitting up. It is possible he has some sort of reflux issue, but the ped didn't think he was under eating, because Charlie had gained 11 oz in 6 days. He is 8 lbs, 10 oz as of Wednesday. Wowsers! He is becoming quite the little piggy. We will go back next Thursday to see how his weight is doing, and if the throwing/spitting up is getting better or worse.
Latching has become difficult again, but we bear through it. Charlie is so precious, but he definitely tries my patience at times. Everyone says that I must have the patience of a saint to work with children with autism, but now I say that patience is severely tested right now :)
Here are a couple of pictures, and you can check out Charlie's blog for videos, pictures, and Charlie's view on the great big world!!
Charlie @ 3 weeks (1-24-08)
Charlie getting ready to go out for a walk (1-20-08)
Charlie enjoying the view from Daddy's side of the bed (1-21-08)January 19, 2008
Charlie's 2 week appt
Charlie turned 2 weeks old on Thursday 1/17/08! He had his 2 week appt at the pediatrician, and he had gained 1 pound, making him 7 lbs, 15 oz!! He has also grown a 1/2 inch to 20.75 inches :)
Charlie is beginning to get adjusted to Jason and I, and is more easily able to be settled and soothed, though he is still stubborn as ever, and as Jason has said, Charlie is his own worst enemy.
This was my first week home alone with Charlie, and the two of us did well together, but it is nice to have Jason home this weekend for a long weekend.
I am back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, hurray! And back in some of my pre-preggo jeans...whoot! My incision is healing well, though it itches like crazy.
Well, the beast is crying. Time to eat! :)
Elizabeth and Charlie on 1/19/08
Elizabeth and Charlie on 1/19/08
Charlie is beginning to get adjusted to Jason and I, and is more easily able to be settled and soothed, though he is still stubborn as ever, and as Jason has said, Charlie is his own worst enemy.
This was my first week home alone with Charlie, and the two of us did well together, but it is nice to have Jason home this weekend for a long weekend.
I am back down to my pre-pregnancy weight, hurray! And back in some of my pre-preggo jeans...whoot! My incision is healing well, though it itches like crazy.
Well, the beast is crying. Time to eat! :)
Elizabeth and Charlie on 1/19/08
Elizabeth and Charlie on 1/19/08
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