A Time of Thanksgiving

We had a great Thanksgiving Holiday despite one hospital emergency that kept me occupied most of Friday afternoon/night. Everyone made it in safely from their long drives and Josh was thrilled to have a house full of new people. He spent so much time laughing that it took some convincing to get him to take a break to eat or sleep.





After everyone left on Saturday, we settled into our gear for The Game. There wasn't a lot of cheering going on but Josh seemed to like the fight song.



Yesterday we hopefully started a new family tradition of going to cut down our Christmas tree. This year, Josh wasn't quite feeling up to traipsing through the fields to find the right one so we settled on a precut tree from the farm but next year we know exactly where to go to find the good ones.






Good thing we bought the bigger car.




Josh was a great supervisor while Scott put the lights on.




Then (with a little help) he hung our family ornament and his heart ornament commemorating his big event of this year






Overall, it was a great start to the holiday season and we stopped to take a few moments to appreciate how blessed we've been this year despite all of the stressors. Our thoughts are going out to all those other "heart parents" who don't have their babies to hold this Christmas as we snuggle our little one even closer and we're sending special prayers to Josh's friend Colton and his parents as they prepare for his second heart surgery later this week.

Month Five

Nicknames: munchkin, little bit, droolie
Temperament: It's starting to sound a bit like a broken record but he's still happy, social and easy going. We're not sure how we were so blessed to have such an easy baby but we stop to appreciate it each and every day. He does start to get a little fussy at night now when he's over tired. He start with lots of eye rubbing and work himself up to a few crocodile tears. We're trying for an earlier bedtime but thus far all we're getting is a little longer evening nap around 7pm.
Stats: 15 lbs, 24 inches
Looks: Evidently Josh is a little on the small size but at least he's proportionate. When we saw his pediatrician two weeks ago for his delayed four month shots he only measured in the 25% for height and 13% for weight. He still seems chunky to us and we're happy that at least now he's on the charts. Before his heart surgery he was in the less than 5% for both. His head circumfrence has always been high and was in the 97th percentile this month. His Nana says he has to have a big head to support those cheeks. His cheeks are often quite rosy these days now that winter is here and we have to work constantly to keep him moisturized. We keep meaning to get a vaporizer for his room but we haven't quite made it to check them out yet. We've been working too on softening up his scars. It's hard to believe that we've been home for three months but his sternotomy scar is starting to flatten and whiten out. Hopefully soon it will be less noticable. The scar from his chest tube has always been a little bit retracted but now that his belly sticks out more it's a little more noticeable like a big dimple.


Accomplishments: It's been a busy month. Most important to mom and dad, he's started sleeping mostly through the night. Occasionally he still wakes up once around 3 or 4 but most nights he's down from 11 until 7 and it is heaven. He's been the most excited about finding his feet. His toes can provide an endless amount of entertainment and he loves to grab them and roll back and forth. It's fun to watch but certainly makes diaper changes more challenging. Speaking of rolling, we're on our way to a mobile baby because he can roll front to back or back to front this month. Each time he does it he still seems surprised about how he got there and he hasn't figured out yet that if he just reverses the direction he'll go back to how he was so hopefully he won't get too mobile anytime soon. He's also able to sit unassisted for a few minutes and can stand for short times if he can hold onto something.

Things he loved the most: playing in the exersaucer, dancing to the "shake your booty" song (classy we know), grabbing his feet
Things we loved the most: seeing him respond so well to people. Thus far we have no hits of stanger anxiety and he loves to smile and coo at everyone when we're out and about. We also loved seeming him all dressed up in his Halloween costume and can't wait to take him trick or treating next year.
Things he could do without: Shots. While he did great with his two month shots, the combination of the Synagis and the month four shot cocktail put him over the edge for about 48 hours. He did fine at the doctor's office but by bedtime nothing could make him happy and he seemed confused as to why he felt so sad. Unfortunately the Synagis is once a month until we get through RSV season so we'll see how that goes.
Things we could do without: Going to have to stick with the drooling again this month. It seems like he should be dehydrated with as much liquid as he loses from his mouth but thus far he's always capable of making more. He's also learned to pool it in his mouth this month and then spit it out which constantly soaks his outfits even with the bibs.
Item/toy he loved the most: His sleep sack. It keeps him warm and toasty at night and is likely part of the reason he's sleeping most of the night. We wish they made ones that covered his hands since they're always ice cold but he doesn't seem to mind.
Items/toy we loved the most: Bibs. We go through at least five or six a day since the drool-fest continues. It's the only way to keep him from soaking his clothes and everything around him in less than fifteen minutes.
Item we all hated: The oatmeal in a bottle. Our pediatrician suggested we put some cereal in his formula to thicken it up since he's had some reflux lately and to help him gain weight. Well no matter how thin we mixed it or what nipple we tried, it just clogs the bottle and makes us all pretty frustrated. For now we've given up but if he can get coordinated with swallowing from a spoon we may try that soon.
Surprises: It's not really a surprise but it's so fun to see his personality developing every day. He's starting to seem less and less like a baby and more and more like an individual.

Momentous events of this month: After four and a half months of struggling with a low supply, we've given up on breast feeding. While I was sad I couldn't make my body work it is liberating to be free of the pump and it gives me more time to sleep and play with the munchkin so overall it is a good thing. His first Halloween was also a real treat just to see him in his costume. He may not have fully appreciated the experience but it was fun for us. Also this month Scott and I both survived weekends of single parenthood - Mine while Scott backpacked in Cumberland Gap and his while I went to Texas for girls weekend. Overall each weekend went well but I think we're both glad we don't have to do it alone the majority of the time. We're also excited that our friends Tricia and Chris moved to Ohio this month. Not only does that mean a shopping buddy for mom but it will allow Josh to get to know his future bride when she's born this next month.





Other fun pictures this month

Almost ready to go backpacking


Napping with my puppies



Wow Charly that's a scary yawn



Playtime


Bathtime




Chubby Cheeks




Here's a link to some more pro pictures we had made this month

http://piankiphotography.zenfolio.com/p942823080
.
Things we're looking forward to next month: A full house for Thanksgiving! Chris, Emily, Sam and Nate are coming for a long weekend late Tuesday night and Chris's parents, Rick and Joyce, and our friends Tricia and Chris will be joining us as well. We can't wait to celebrate our first big family holiday and start some new traditions of our own. Hopefully Josh will get used to a spoon and will get to try some "solid" food over the holidays.

The night owl

Since his surgery, Josh loves being awake and taking in the world. As I mentioned in my last post, he's quite the night owl and it's tough to get him in bed before 11 because he's just not sleepy. So for trick or treating on Saturday night, he snuggled into his costume and we sat on the front porch to hand out candy together.











Luckily his outfit was warm because it was only 40 degrees outside. He seemed to be quite comfortable because he quickly fell asleep contradicting his night owl status.





But it was just a trick. His evening nap lasted through most of trick or treating but after that he was ready to party all night. Too bad mom couldn't say the same.

The Great Pumpkin - Part two

We finally carved out some time to work on our pumpkins......

Josh was a great assistant in his monster jammies.



Wow Dad, that's a big knife you have.




It's time for Mom to use some of her fancy surgical skills



A crying baby? Is that supposed to be me? But I'm a happy baby.





Mom and Dad's pumpkin only has one eye. How funny is that.



I can't wait to scare the trick or treaters this weekend. Maybe they'll give me some candy.

Month Four

Nicknames: munchkin, little bit, squirmy, droolie
Temperament: So happy. He smiles and laughs all the time for all sorts of reasons. The best is when you get this deep hoarse sounding belly chuckle that he just can't control. He sounds like a twenty pack year smoker, but in the small package it's adorable. He is still a huge flirt and will flash his gummy smile at anyone who stops to talk with us. He's been a big hit with all the church ladies at the congregations we've been trying and the nurses in my office. We also get comments from everyone on how alert he is. He loves sitting up and taking it all in. We've starting carrying him face out in his baby carrier and he loves people watching. He's sleeping better at night but naps during the day are hit or miss and he's a definite night owl. I've heard from other people that their little ones are in bed by 7:30 or 8 but our little man is going strong every night until at least 10 or 11. Since I don't make it home from work often until 6:30 or later, this is working for us for now because then we get to spend some awake time together but it doesn't leave much time for catching up on anything else.
Stats: 14.5 pounds, 23.5 inches
Looks: Plump and rosy cheeked. He's definitely filled out now and you'd never know that he started off a bit scrawny. Evidently he must also have big feet because they don't fit into the footed jammmies that fit him everywhere else. He's also starting to have hair that isn't just peach fuzz. The fair skin and deep blue eyes are still here too. We have no idea who he looks like......




Accomplishments: better head control, grabbing and transfering toys, using the baby exersaucer, lifting his chest up off the floor during tummy time
Things he loved the most: riding around in the baby carrier. Scott has been taking him on hikes through the local metro parks and the fall colors have him mesmorized. He still loves it too when we "wrestle" with him by shaking his head, tummy or legs. He cracks up almost every time especially in the morning.
Things we loved the most: The giggling. We have a whole new hobby centered around trying to find things that will make him laugh.
Things he could do without: Middle of the night diaper changes. The wet diaper may have been why he woke up but once he's awake heaven help you if you try to fix the diaper problem when he has an empty stomach. The crying is heart wrenching.
Things we could do without: The drooling. No signs of teeth yet but he's constantly soaked with drool and you've got to be careful or you'll get an unexpected shower.
Item/toy he loved the most: Fingers - yours or his. He constantly has his hand in his mouth or in front of his face where he can inspect things and if your hand gets close it is fair game.
Items/toy we loved the most: The baby carrier. It's made getting out with him so easy for the places where a stroller just doesn't work well like at parks, festivals and the pumpkin patch. I had a sling that we had tried out before but without the back support it wasn't comfortable to use it for long periods of time.
Item we all hated: The fingernail clippers. Turns out being a surgeon doesn't prevent unfortunate accidents with the nail clippers. Luckily things seem to be healing well.
Surprises: I don't want to jinx it because it's a recent development but we're finally getting close to him sleeping through the night. He'll wake up once between 2 and 3 for a quick feeding and diaper change and then he'll go back to bed until 6:30 or 7.

Momentous events of this month: We all went on our first airplane ride together when we went to Texas in early October. It went surprisingly well. Josh was awake for most of both flights but since he loves people watching so much he found it quite entertaining. The gentleman sitting next to Scott had a huge handlebar mustache that was fascinating. We also went to the Sauerkraut festival and pumpkin picking to get a little local fall flavor.

Two months versus 4 months (He's gained 5 pounds since then)















Things we're looking forward to next month: Dressing up for Halloween. He has an owl costume that is so cute I can't wait to dress him up in it. We're going to sit on the front porch together to hand out candy to the trick or treaters so the neighborhood moms can Oh and aw over him. While I will definitely miss my boys I'm also looking forward to our girl's weekend in Austin to celebrate my mom's birthday. I am counting the days until my hot stone massage.

It's the Great Pumpkin

It is definitely fall here in Ohio - the trees are all different colors, the wind is brisk and the nights are made for sleeping with the windows open. To prepare for our first major family holiday, a trip to the pumpkin patch to find the "Great Pumpkin" was in order.

Josh got all dressed up in his flannel shirt to head out to the farm



I wonder if mom will ever be ready so that we can go



Finally, we're all set



Wow the sun is bright. Good thing we have the farm hat.



Josh got to go on his first hayride out to the pumpkin patch. Hand sucking however took priority over admiring the countryside.



There were lots of pumpkins to pick from. Josh wanted one that was just his size.





It was hard work and a rest stop was required.





Mom and Dad got to eat warm apple fritters but all they had for me was the same old stuff.


Finally we found a good one.


So we got to hop back on the hay wagon with our "mom" pumpkin and our "baby" pumpkin





It was all very hard work and Josh was definitely in need of a nap. I guess carving the great pumpkin will have to wait for another day.