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

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

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)