Ahhhh, Memories!

This week is a very special one for me. It was a year ago that I took the first of many pregnancy tests to find out if I was, in fact, pregnant. (Yes, I ended up taking one every day until my blood tests on the 20th!)

July '06 timeframe:

July 3rd - Blood test & ultrasound

July 17th - First positive home pregnancy test







July 17-19th - Many more positive pregnancy tests

July 19th - Told Dan I was pregnant at the Cheescake Factory in Boston after the Red Sox game

July 20th - Blood test with a confirmed positive from the doctor

July 21st - Told Alyson I was pregnant

July 22nd - We told our parents after our annual cookout by brining them upstairs and giving each of them a frame with a little note inside.

Fun with new toys...

Last week we put together Alexander's jumperoo. He seemed a bit too small but we knew that once he fit into it, he'd like it. We also found out that he went into his first exersaucer at school on Wednesday and Miss Dannielle said he loved it.

I decided to bring out the jumperoo today just to see if he would like it. He actually did a lot better in it today that last Sunday. He played with the toys and actually spun the toys around a couple times.

And then, when Auntie Alyson came over we had a few things to pick up at Target. While at Target, Auntie Alyson decided that he needed his own exersaucer. He was interested however it was VERY close to bedtime so he was rather fussy and didn't want to stay in long. We'll have to try again tomorrow.

Summer in the City...

Summer has finally arrived here in the NorthEast and Alexander is taking complete advantage and relaxing sans clothing. In fact, he's so relaxed that he's started to develop Daddy's pose.






Also - don't you just love the mini mohawk??

AAAAHHHH CHOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Last night Alexander continued to be congested, so much so that he kept coughing and waking himself up. He would cough pretty hard, cry, wake himself up, go back to sleep...only to repeat that 30 minutes later. He was coughing hard and wasn't getting anything up, and he seemed so frustrated. At one point, when he was coughing I picked him up and rocked him only to find that the coughing would subside when he was upright. It doesn't take a genius to know that being upright would help, but when you're trying to help the little guy to sleep, you don't think to do that.

He was congested thru the night and it was starting to creep into his chest, which was a bit worrisome but nothing urgent. This morning, I thought that I'd see how he was sounding before making any decisions. He kept coughing and it was evident that he was still rather congested in the nose. Decision made. I was calling in sick to work to take Alexander to the doctor to err on the side of caution.

Dr. M had an opening at 12:40pm so Alexander was able to take his morning nap. He took a small one at 9a, and then after a bottle he went down at 10am. Unfortunately, I had to wake him up to leave for the doctor because he was still sleeping.

He was well behaved at the doctor's. However he did fuss & cry a little when Dr. M listened to his chest and back. He also didn't like to have him looking in his ears. I explained to Dr. M his symptoms (the coughing, the congestion, the Squirt & suck, and his chest) and after he examined him he said that it's just a minor cold which will pass. He said that we're doing the correct things with the saline, suction, and propping the mattress up. He said although his chest has a little congestion, it's truly nothing to worry about. I asked if having AC on at daycare all day was a concern or something that would prolong the congestion and he told me absolutely not. He also said that although he's not a big supporter of sleeping in a car seat, it wouldn't be a bad idea if he'll stay in it to help keep him upright. Just to make sure he's buckled in... as if I wouldn't buckle him in.

He also weighed him to make sure he wasn't loosing weight from the cold. Alexander is now a whopping 11 lbs 13 oz. He gained a pound and 10 oz in just 2 days shy of a month. Dr. M is very happy with his weight gain - he's right on track from his birth weight and not gaining too much or too little.

So all in all he's fine he just has a crappy cold that is more of a frustration than anything else.

Sunday Fun

Alexander trying out his jumperoo. He's still too small for it because he kept getting swallowed up by the seat. Hopefully soon he'll be able to jump around in it, at least he seems a bit interested.


Mommy, Daddy & Alexander taking a moment together in Daddy's hammock. Alexander is enthralled with leaves. Anytime he's outside, he'll stare at them whether they're moving around or not.


Alexander enjoying a moment, swinging, in the hammock by himself. At one point, he was giggling and smiling and then the wind came and blew the blanket over on him. But he still loved it.

Week Fifteen: At a Glance

Week Fifteen Glance (Monday, July 2nd - Sunday, July 8th)

• Rolled over and Mommy was able to get it on camera
• Celebrated our first 4th of July in Boston with Mommy, Daddy & Alyson
• Wore my American Flag shorts like Daddy
• Walked around Boston to the point of exhaustion but seemed to really enjoy myself and liked waving at the people (Ok Daddy made me wave, but they seemed to like it)
• Went to another restaurant and behaved extremely well
• Got sick for the first time - really congested in the nose and had to use Saline in his nose and then suction it out ("Squirt & Suck")
• Propped up his mattress with pillows to help with drainage
• Daddy had pick-up duty at school on Tuesday
• Completed the third week of school and have yet to duplicate outfits (Alexander is very lucky & blessed)
• Rolled over 3x times in a row - the first time Daddy's been able to see it
• Still loves bath time, and loves to swim & splash
• Used the umbrella stroller for the first time and Alexander wasn't as small as Mommy thought
• Did very well on Saturday and took 3 naps and even woke up late
• Alyson, Grammie & Grampie came for a visit on Sunday
• Everything is truly all set/ordered for his Christening except for the RSVPs
• We set up the jumperoo but Alexander still is a bit too small. He didn't seem all that interested in it.
• Barely napped on Sunday which made it very easy for him to become fussy or upset.

Get Me Out Of Here!

Alexander playing with Chicita

Daddy & Alexander in front of the Boston Public Library on the 4th of July

A stuffy Alexander sits in Daddy's chair

The poor little guy all upset after having his nose cleaned out

How freakin' cute is he in this vest!!

Daddy & Alexander chillin' in daddy's hammock

Alexander was trying out a new set of wheels Saturday afternoon. I thought he was going to be too small for the umbrella stroller but I was pleasantly surprised. Although he doesn't fit in it perfectly, he fits in and seemed to like sitting upright to see what was going on. We went for a quick walk around the high school and he thoroughly enjoyed himself and babbled on the whole time.

Plus, his outfit matches the stroller. What's cuter than that?

Not much!

Another First...

Alexander has experienced yet another 'first', yet this one is not so glamorous nor is it enjoyable. Warning - if you're about to eat a meal, this may not be the time to read this entry.

At first it was just a little congestion in his nose. Then it turned into gunk. Now it's full fledge snot.

The poor little guy is filled with plegm. We've been trying to suction it out but it's too far back.

Last night we put saline drops into his nose to help flush it out and then used the suction. We were able to get some out before he had enough.

At one point last night, he was having such a hard time sleeping that we decided we had to try to get some of it out. We picked him up and a nice stream of snot was hanging from his nose. Poor guy!

He was still congested this morning so I told Miss Linda at school to keep an eye on him. When I went to pick him up he was just as congested as when I dropped him off if not worse. His eyes were all red & watery. The gunk was visable in his nose. And he sounded scratchy & phlegmy.

He must feel crappy because he slept the entire car ride home without a peep.

We came home, took a nice warm bath, and tried to clean out the nose again. He let me do it a bit more than last night but he still let me know when he was done.

Right now he's asleep in his crib with the humidifier going. I put pillows underneath the mattress to allow the stuff to not go into this throat. He's definitely having issues sleeping so we'll see how it goes.

Fifteen Weeks

I know I probably say this each week, but time flies! I can't believe our little guy turned Fifteen Weeks old today.

It's amazing how fast he's growing yet there are moments where I catch myself saying "Oh I can't wait until..." I need to stop looking forward and continue to enjoy the little moments each day now.

Developmental:
-He does very well with reaching for toys around him now.

-He can grasp his clippy toys & his binky

-He still loves the color red, especially his Chicita monkey

-He loves to watch Mommy blow dry her hair and then he laughs when we put lotion on my arms & hands

-He loves the water and loves to splash

-He loves bouncing up & down (that makes him laugh)

-He can hold up his head very well when on his tummy and getting used to tummy-time

-He can scoot forward on the floor by pushing off on my hands

-He holds his head up when sitting up for long periods of time but not quite ready to sit up by himself
-He has very strong legs and can hold himself up in a standing position while someone holds him for a bit and then he collapses down and tries to stand back up

Sleeping:
-He goes down very easy for bed and goes down in his crib.

-He may wake up once (around 1 or 2am) but will go back to sleep in his crib

-His internal alarm clock is around 4:30/5am

-At school, He usually takes 2/3 naps during the day with one of those being a solid 2-3 hours

-At home, he may nap once or twice and they usually last 45 mins

Clothes:

-Has the coolest, cutest clothes around

-He's pretty much in 3 months now. NB is too small yet 3/6 is still a bit big, especially pants.

-He could wear NB pants for the waist but then they would be too short.

-He has Auntie Alyson's problem where sleeves are too short

Feeding:

-We still feed him in the morning. Good thing, I know. I'll nurse him when he wakes up and depending on what time I nursed, I may give him a bottle before we leave the house for school

-He will have 3 5-oz bottles at school and for his 4th bottle it varies between the 5-oz bottle or the 3-oz small one depending on his mood

-He'll nurse at bedtime and depending on how tired he is or when he had his last bottle at school, I'll give him another which he rarely eats more than 3-oz

-He rarely wakes up at night for a feeding, but when he does it's around 2am and I nurse him and put him back in his crib

Misc:

-Still not sure what color his eyes will be because they tend to go back & forth between hazel, blue, or gray

-Smallest baby at school and he's not even the youngest

-Got to wear American Flag shorts just like Daddy

-Got his first cold, complete with snot

-I'm pumping at work and I absolutely hate it. It's not easy to get relaxed, nor is it easy to block off the time, but I've made sure to do it every day.

How We Celebrated the 4th...

How we celebrated Alexander's First 4th of July...





Mr. Fire Cracker early this morning











Happy 4th Everyone!

















Daddy & Alexander have matching pair of shorts














Mommy & Alexander in front of the Prudential Building











Daddy, Alexander & Mommy after our annual Vinny T's lunch












Taking in some culture at the Library - hey that guy has a cool name.





















The happy family in front of the Boston Public Library (look at his tongue!)













It sure is windy!













I can't tell who had more fun going round & round - Daddy or Alexander.











oooh who's that handsome guy?

Man, I'm pooped! All this walking wears you out...

Happy 4th of July!

Alexander wants to wish everyone a very Happy 4th of July!

Here he is showing off his 4th of July Fire Cracker pj's he wore last night

And the famous family boxers ... we couldn't let Daddy have all of the fun now could we?

One...Two... and Action...

I think I'm going to play with my friends













Look at me, I'm pretending to surf!











On second thought, I think I'm going to go for a roll. Here I go.












Look Ma, no hands!











I did it! Now what??

Clothes Swap...

It happened - the moment I was dreading at daycare - "Clothes Swap"!! Or at least I thought it did.

(Step back for a moment) February 21: We were at dinner on my birthday discussing daycare and Alyson was telling a story about her friend Holly and how her daughter came home one day in someone else's clothes. This freaked me out! I didn't want to hear it and the thought of it truly freaked me out. Didn't want to think that this could potentially happen to Alexander.

(Present time) Yesterday: I arrived to pick up Alexander at school around 5:10pm and it was quiet. I walk towards the infant room to see Miss Linda walking out with the Sesame Street toy but no Alexander in sight. She must have sense my moment of panic because she told me that he was in the next room with the older infants since he was the last baby to be picked up today. She brought him over to the older infant room so he could play in there and she could help Miss Lizzie with the other babies. He was lying on a boppy pillow looking at an aquarium type toy.

She picked him up to bring over to me and I had an internal freak out. I had the following conversation in my head: "That was NOT the outfit we put him in that morning. Okay, he could have needed to be changed, but THOSE WERE NOT the clothes I put in his basket. Those aren't his! He does not have flowers on his pants! My god not only is he not in his own clothes, but he's wearing flowers and they're too small!"

What was I going to do? Say something? Look like a crazy person? She told me that they had to change him because he did a big poop. "Ok". I took him from Miss Linda and walked into the infant room so I could put him in his car seat. I did a quick check of his tags to see if his initials were there because Auntie Alyson put his initials in the extra set of clothes. I couldn't find his initials. AHHHH. Who's clothes were these? Oh wait, are those initials? A.C.C.
Whew!! Mommy was starting to relax. And at a closer look at his clothes they weren't flowers but little animals. But the pants are definitely too short. He was wearing his own clothes and his other outfit was in a plastic bag in his school bag. All is well. Mommy's freak out was over but what a fast rollercoaster ride! And I didn't even have to pay for the ride.

Oh wait - yes I did - July's tuition! :)

I did notice that he had what appeared to be oatmeal in his hair (ick) so he got a quick scrub down when we got home. Then we did some playing up in his room. I put him on his tummy and he did very well. He didn't grunt for it to be over like he normally does. He actually would scoot forward and he seemed to have learned to pull the blanket towards him to get the toys to be closer. CLEVER. While he was on his tummy, he rolled over and I got it with the camera, so I'll have to upload the 'action shots' tonight.

Chicita - the red jittery monkey

Alexander & his girlfriend, Chicita. Here he is talking to her and then a moment later, he planted a giant, wet, kiss on her nose. They make a cute couple, don't you agree?

Week Fourteen: At A Glance

Here's a look back at Week Fourteen (Monday, June 25th - Sunday, July 1st)

• Spent the day with Grammie who took Alexander to his first Fair & won his first Carnival prize (Shamu)


• Had our best day ever on Saturday - two great naps, ate right on schedule, excellent mood all day, didn't cry once, went right to bed at bedtime


• Went to Castle Island for the first time with Auntie Alyson


• Went to our first restaurant (Kelly's Landing in Southie) with Auntie Alyson


• Auntie Alyson gave us our Christening outfit - ADORABLE. It's a shame he'll only wear this once


• Second week of daycare complete which he does very well (napping & feeding well)


• Everyone at daycare loves him, especially Miss Linda who comments on how handsome he is and his gorgeous wardrobe


• Daddy picked up from daycare for the first time by himself


• Noticed Grover and wanted to eat his nose


• Got his first girlfriend, Chicita, the red jittery monkey toy who he loves


• Did very well sleeping at night in his crib this week - either slept til 4:30am/5am or would only get up once


• Fell asleep in his swing while Mommy played her music and it didn't phase him (Yah!)


• Still loves taking baths and will kick & splash for a very long time


• Holds his head up very well whether on his tummy or when being held upright


• Loves to be bounced up & down


• Eyes are less blue and more hazel


• Loves to watch Mommy blowdry her hair and now gets a kick out of watching me put lotion on my arms