Sunday, September 26, 2010

0 years 2 months 1 week 0 days


Dear Austen,

You've been eating beetles!!!
There was a Similac recall on Thursday, stating that there was the possibility of beetles, beetle parts, and larvae in the formula. Of course as luck would have it, that's what you've been eating! The liquid is okay, which is a good thing, because I bought you Enfamil, and you absolutely HATE it. I can't believe we have been giving you beetles though! So disgusting. We've been making jokes all week...everytime you sneeze- "Beetle in your nose?" or when you fuss "Beetle in your tummy?"!! haha....ugh. I'm so so sorry, son!

I ordered you a bouncer/activity center this morning! You're just so antsy to be upright, you no longer are happy laying down or in your swing. You really need something to hold you up and entertain you..so after looking at a ton of them I finally picked one. It should be here by the end of the week! You're still too small according to the specifications, but a couple of reviews parents said that they bought it for their advanced little ones, so I'm confident that with a little propping you will be okay. Mommy is just so tired of trying to hold you in a standing position all the time!
I tried putting your swing facing the kitchen last night when I made dinner, and it helped because you didn't cry, but you frowned at me the whole time! lol! You just need something more. And you already have used the Johnny Jump Up, but you get bored, so this activity bouncer has lots of toys all over it,. as well as some hooks to add whatever toys we want to. I'm excited!

In other news, this is mommy's last week at home with you! :( I go back to work next week. The time has gone so fast, I can't believe how old you are! Feels like I was just pregnant yesterday! But you will have a lot of fun home with daddy, and Grandma is super excited for the days you will spend with her! I don't have to worry about you while I'm at work, but gosh, I'm still gonna miss you something terrible! I don't even like thinking about it.

Well, perhaps unrelated or not to the beetles, you've been really fussy the past week. Very unhappy and tearful in ways that are unlike you. It might still be the thrush meds, hard to tell, or maybe it's just a phase. Harder to get you to eat from a bottle, and you want to be held all the time. Safe to say, I'm getting less accomplished! haha! But that's okay. Babies will be babies! You've been stuffy lately too, so daddy set up the humidifier in your room. It helped the first night, but you've been in bed with us the last few nights so I may have to move it in there. We will see. It's a nice humidifier though, makes it really nice and moist in the room.

Your two month appointment is Tuesday! Ack! Daddy has to work so I will be taking you all by myself to get your shots! I'm so sad, nothing is harder than watching your baby in pain! But you'll be a good boy I'm sure. I'll just nurse you afterward and I'm sure you will recover. I still feel bad though! The pediatricians office is so nice, I'm sure they'll let me stay and calm you down for as long as I need.

Anyway, you're napping right now so I'm going to get ready, we have to run to Walmart for some more liquid formula since the Enfamil just won't work! It's rainy, and I want to beat the rush. Love you son!

Love Always,
Mommy

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

0 years 2 months 0 weeks 4 days


Dear Austen,

You're becoming so much fun! You laugh a lot more now, your awareness is just amazing! On Saturday I had a senior portrait shoot in Yamhill, so Grandma Biggs watched you- we were going to take you with us and at the last minute decided to ask her, and I'm glad we did! It was so wet and rainy it would have been really hard to keep you dry and happy! The shoot went well though, and we're going out again next month when the leaves change. In the meantime, trying to find time to edit the pictures with you is no easy task!

On Monday daddy got to practice what it will be like when I go back to work in two weeks and he watched you as much as possible so I could get some photo editing done. He did great! He took you for a walk, and changed most of your diapers...you seemed pretty content to have that much Daddy Time!

You've been feeling a little off, needing a lot more cuddles and not sleeping as well, I can only imagine it's the thrush meds we are on. Mine give me an awful headache, so I'm sure yours do something to you too....
On Sunday my eye was infected, probably because mommy is TERRIBLE at remembering to wash her contacts weekly, so you and I stayed home while daddy went and watched football with Grandpa Biggs. My eye watered allllll day, so you and I just laid around and rested, which was okay with you!

Yesterday I got almost nothing done because you were clearly having a bad day, and didn't want to nap without me. Worse of all, when I put you down for your morning nap you started screaming after ten minutes because you scratched your face below your left eye! Oh it was awful you poor thing! I feel so bad, it's mommy's fault for not trimming your nails better...though you just HATE it! So the rest of the day you wouldn't nap without me, so we had a nice afternoon nap together and you were all happy and sleepy again when daddy got home! You slept well for the first part of the night, but after about 5am you were very fussy, so you're napping already and it's barely after 9am now!

Mommy got up early today and daddy watched you for me while I ran to Walmart for diapers and formula, and then hit Starbucks on the way home. Daddy said you were laughing so hard at him in the mirror when he was doing his hair! You looked at yourself in the mirror for the first time this morning!!! You didn't care much for yourself...you just stared...hahaha!
But now we have diapers and formula! yay! Yesterday you practically breastfed all day since we were low....you didn't mind, what with being cuddly as you don't feel well.

Well, now that you're napping I'm going to have some mommy-time and clean up the bedroom and finish my coffee! I hope you feel better soon! I love you dearly!

Love Always,
mommy

Friday, September 17, 2010

0 years 1 month 4 weeks 2 days


Dear Austen,

It's hard to believe that it will have been two whole months as of tomorrow since you have been born!
It feels like only yesterday that I was staring at the positive pregnancy test in disbelief! I remember that day so well. It was a weekend right after Halloween, November 8th I believe? Your daddy was working and I was home alone, watching Desperate Housewives and doing laundry. I was making banana bread and taco soup in the crock pot, I remember because I sent your daddy a text saying that the house smelled like a "mexican banana". Then I took a shower and when I got out I took the pregnancy test. It was positive...and after I stared at it for about 5 minutes I texted your daddy a picture of it...and right after I got a text back saying "lol..that's funny". Funny??!!! I wrote him back "Which part..the mexican banana or the positive test???!!" and he said "call you in a bit". He hadn't seen the picture at first! SO we called and made an appointment right away at the doctor's office for that week. We went in and they said everything sounded fine and that I was to come back in a few weeks for an ultrasound at what they figured to be 8 weeks...but we knew it was only 6 weeks! They gave us an EDD of July 9th at the first appointment. At the ultrasound, on NOvember 25th, Deanna dated you at 6 weeks and 2 days! You were sooo tiny! But you looked great! Right then and there daddy and I thought you were a boy! I don't know why, we just did. And we were right! Then they said that the EDD was July 19th!

And the nine months began!

I love remembering your story...we wanted you so badly, and were so thrilled to have you! Even when you were the tiniest little speck in my tummy we started talking names and nursery colors!

Love Always,
mommy

Thursday, September 16, 2010

0 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day


Dear little Austen,

Well, the first Fall rain started yesterday! You didn't like it one bit, either! We were leaving Grandma's house after a quick visit, and it was coming down pretty hard so a few drops hit your face....and you wrinkled up like someone was doing something on purpose! So cute!

Well, I finally got you down for a nap this afternoon, you just were SO tired, but refused to sleep! Ugh! You little dork...you kept falling asleep on mine and Daddy's shoulder, but jerking awake as soon as you realized! Finally, after daddy left to get his car serviced, I was able to rock you for a bit in your room and then you just rolled about a bit and gave up when I put you in your crib.

We went to Mommy's doctor today, getting some stronger medication for treating our thrush. Yes, we still have it....you've had it for 6 out of your 8 weeks of life, you poor thing! You won't know what to think when your tongue feels better!! You got your prescription the other day but I had to make an appointment to get mine. So, we are both starting new meds today that should fully kick the yeast imbalance from our system. Yay! I'm so excited for it to be gone completely!

Yesterday we went grocery shopping and Daddy wore you in the Eddie Bauer front sling while we shopped. You two looked so cute! You fell asleep shortly after we got there and woke up right before we left. And we had our first poopy diaper blowout!!! Haha! All up your back! and OF COURSE as luck would have it, Mommy didn't have any more diapers with her so you had to sit in it all the way home! Oops.

Well, according to the monitor you are stirring....gotta go!

Love Always,
Mommy

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

0 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days


Dearest Austen,

Having you has reinstated my previous belief that a big family is what I want. Every day with you is more beautiful than the last, watching you change and grow. For years, people with children have always laughed at me when I said I want as many kids as I can! But now I have what I didn't have then: Experience. While I understand that there is sooo many more obstacles to overcome, and so much more that will 'not' be easy, I know that I enjoy being a mother more than anything else I have even enjoyed. I truly love entering every day knowing that you will laugh more, smile more, and do more! I have been blessed with a fantastic child, who is either a very easy baby, or I"m just enjoying it too much to notice! I don't know what people were warning me about, but this "baby thing" is just wonderful. Who needs sleep??! You are worth it. I truly cannot wait to give you brothers and/or sisters....this is a wonderful journey, being a mother. And YOU have given me that! You will always be my first, my oldest, my son. So thank you.

Love Always,
mommy

Monday, September 13, 2010

0 years 1 month 3 weeks 5 days


Dear Austen,

Well, mommy had a birthday! I am now twenty seven. Where does the time go....
To celebrate, daddy took me to a ridiculously expensive dinner the night before while you hung out with Grandma and Grandpa Brunette. I also got a beautiful gold and diamond necklace with a tiny mommy and baby in the center....so awesome I will treasure it forever!
That night, the night before/and of my birthday- well, you just didn't wanna sleep! Ugh! You kept mommy up from about 3am on! But that's okay, you napped with me on the couch for a good portion on the day so it's alright.
Grandma and Grandpa gave me a furry bathrobe, it's bright green and oh-so-warm and fuzzy! You love it for breastfeeding and naps. It's like wearing a fuzzy blanket! I love it!
Yesterday you and I went to Grandma and Grandpa Biggs for the afternoon. Daddy had to work. But we had fun! Your Aunts Cori and Katy both got to hold you for a while, and you were just so darn tired by the time we left! I tried to put you down for a nap but I think there were just too many different loud sounds of kids running wild for you! But you slept well last night, so I suppose it worked out well.
You're awfully tired this morning too! But sort of restless, since daddy put you in your crib and woke up less than an hour later and were still tired, so now you're napping on the couch. Of course, you went to bed at 9pm last night and slept almost through the night.....so how you are tired, beats me! haha!

Regardless, another day in the life! In a little while we will be waking you to run some errands, so I'm glad you will at least be in a happy mood! We love you son!

Love always and more each day,
Mommy

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

0 years 1 month 3weeks 0 days



Dear Austen,

We got up early today! Daddy has a meeting at work so had to be in early, so you and I ventured out into the living room at 6:30 today. You were awake anyway, and wanted to eat, so it was not a big deal that the alarm went off so early. You've been breastfeeding so much better in the mornings! You're in a great mood so far today (though it is early!) and you just sat in your bouncer and watched Shaun the Sheep and smiled while I made coffee. Then you nursed and now you're back to sleep for a little while I imagine. You're so cute!

I'm starting to be sad that our morning rituals will change once I go back to work soon. We usually get up and I have coffee while you sit in your bouncer and then you nurse again, and then you have a morning nap usually around 10am so I can make the bed and do some cleaning. When I go back to work you will either be home with Daddy doing these things (well...minus the nursing part) or I will be getting you up extra early so we can go to Grandma's and you will stay with her while Daddy and I both work. Grandma is super excited though! I've been collecting "Grandma stuff" all month...like extra bottles and some necessities for Grandma's house while you are there. I'll have to get some baby toys and a fuzzy blanket to leave there too. You love your fuzzy blankets! We have four of them! I will be so sad to leave you in the mornings, but for now I guess that's how it has to be. Daddy and I are hoping that in a few years I will be able to stay home, perhaps after he finishes school. But in the meantime, it's great that Grandma has offered to watch you twice a week! I worry so much less!

Well, today I hope to get some more organizing done around the house. Yesterday you were so awesome and happy I was able to get a lot done! And you've begun napping in your room so well! We just bought a baby monitor, so now I can put you in there and shut the door and wander about the house and outside without worrying if you're fussing! So often when you wake up you don't cry right away, just stir, and if I can catch you quickly enough I can coax you back to sleep. SO the monitor is working well! Plus, you're getting more used to your room, so when you wake up you're not as frightened because you don't recognize your surroundings. A few days ago Daddy went to check on you while you were making noise in a nap, and you were just talking away to Rex the dinosaur! Haha! It was so cute!

Love you son! You're such a joy!

Love always,
Mommy

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

0 years 1 month 2 weeks 6 days



I've not written in so long!

So much has changed in you! You're getting so huge, you're growing out of some of your clothes now! Mommy and Daddy went on a date while Grandma and Grandpa Brunette watched you. They said you were great! You napped and ate well, and then there's a funny story about how your diaper leaked up your back and Grandma and Grandpa didn't notice while they were burping you and just kept rubbing it into your back! So funny!

Yesterday was Labor Day and you refused to nap! You got so cranky! You were soooo tired too! We went looking at new mattresses because we still only have a full and it's really old, plus, with YOU we need a little more room! You cried so much, it was so unusual for you, but we left and went back later after we fed you and you eventually fell asleep, after 8pm! We didn't end up getting a bed yet, but we are planning to save up the next few months and getting a California king....lotsa room for all of us!

Today, probably because of your lack of sleep yesterday, you've been a total doll! You've napped on cue, and stayed down for a good nap each time. You let me shower, and then after your bath you even let me make and EAT dinner! Amazing! haha! Now I'm just waiting for daddy to get home. He worked late because they were busy. It's warm in the living room but I don't want to open the back door because you fell asleep nursing and I've left you on the couch now, so I don't want you to be cold.

Anyways, things are still going great. You're a joy everyday, and I've started photographing you more and you are incredibly photogenic! It's a little harder to get the time to edit the photos, but I guess taking them is the important part, isn't it. You laugh so often now too, it's simply adorable! Your eyesight has grown so much it's so much fun to see just how well you see...you respond to so much now. You still LOVE windows, but now you look and laugh at toys too!

You're snoozing away right now, so I guess I'll relax and watch some tv now. The house is clean, and all that is left is laundry...but there's always tomorrow! ha!

Love Always,
Mommy