Aunt Jean comes to town

My sister Jean flew in for a visit to see her nephew and godson for the first time.

It was so great to see how well they bonded and how much she loved taking care of him. By the end of the weekend, she even changed a diaper. Now I know I can send Ethan out west for summer camp and someone will know how to take care of him. After all, Uncle Russ is great for wakeboarding, surfing, camping, and snowboarding but I think his diaper changing skills are a bit rusty. :-) Do you think I should get Ethan hazard insurance before he flies to Seattle?

All 4 generations enjoying a day with Ethan.

We survived a month

Not sure who deserves the award...Ethan or me. I am going on no sleep a lot but he is dealing with a first time Mom. He screams through every diaper change and of course, I am not so quick so he gets himself quite upset. I need to take classes. To be fair though, he doesn't ever cry though unless something is wrong. He is either in need of a meal, a burp, or a diaper change. Aside from that, he is very happy and content. So what did we do to celebrate our month? We took a trip into work to visit and went to the mall for lunch with some friends. Then we headed to the airport to pick up my sister.

Hot date!

No, not me. :-)

Diane and David had their daughter Rachel just 3 days after I had Ethan. We each visited each other in the hospital but today we got the grandmothers and the babies together for play time. Now, that was my idea. They seemed to have an entirely different one. They both slept. I have no control. I am slave to diaper changing, warming bottles and pumping. And I wouldn't trade it for anything else in the world.

A day of firsts

So we got to go in our swing and have a bath today. Very exciting stuff. We are still gaining weight and our amount of awake time seems to be growing. I am still not liking that we are nocturnal but I am starting to adjust. Going back to work is going to be heck though. Only 3 weeks left of maternity leave..sigh. It is so strange. I was so worried about being gone from work for so long. I actually thought I would be bored and miss everything there. Let me tell you that by the time one feeding ends, the laundry is done and the bottles are sterilized, it all starts all over again. Whoever said sleep when they sleep didn't have a child who takes an hour to eat 3 ounces and managed to dirty 4 outfits each day. I am sending the fashion police after him. I must say that I do miss the challenges of work and the people but I bet the first day back will be quite an adjustment for us both.

Family time

So did I mention that aside from doing the baby thing, I decided to build a house while I was pregnant? Yes. All I have to say on that, is thank goodness for my builder and his wife. They must have the patience of saints. Of course, I put my house on the market and found myself homeless. It sold in 5 days when I was nine months pregnant. Movers can pack for you as well for a very large fee, did you know that? :-)

The best part of selling my house so quick is that I got to move in with my parents. I know, I know, that sounds crazy. My new house isn't done yet and I get to spend my maternity leave with my family. I have round the clock help and they have made it much easier on me than it could have been. We have 4 generations living under one roof and the amount of time we spend together is precious. My grandparents live in an attached apartment and Ethan and I are staying with Mom and Dad. And to top it off, my cousin and aunt and uncle live in Cary so my support network is even broader. My cousin, Michael, is Ethan's godfather (as long as he doesn't turn him into a young republican). And my aunt and uncle are my godparents so it means so much to have them be a part of Ethan's life. The picture above is my Aunt Marie and below is Michael and Grandpa with Ethan.
















Uncle Teo and Ethan

Lunch date in our new digs

So we went to lunch today with friends....I even managed to get out of the house on time and forgot nothing. This is getting easier...sorta. I did have to spend a while last night packing the diaper bag and laying out both of our clothes. And...by the time I got home, I still felt tired! Ethan wore his new outfit from Auntie Darla. Ethan looked so cute and it is nice to be out and about in real clothes instead of home in onesies. And we even managed to keep ourselves clean for the entire excursion! Bibs are a wonderful invention.


Of course, our lunch dates were probably not as thrilled by our little victories and we were less than social. Ethan slept through the entire drive there, lunch, and the drive home. Sigh. Of course, once we were home, all bets were off and we were wide awake and in search of entertainment. Toys....another wonderful invention. Target.com here I come. We need more of these before he gets bored. :-)

Doctor's visit for 2 week appt

Here is the latest pic...seems Ethan loves his "tummy time" after baths and diaper changes.

Never thought I would be thankful for scales and pudgy cheeks. Ethan weighed in at a hefty 6 pounds 15 ounces....4 over his birth weight. The formula supplements are paying off and my state of mind has improved greatly. I even managed to pack up me and the kid and make it to the doctor's and back with a minimum of apprehension. I must say though that my driving has improved dramatically. I'm sure that Ethan and others are grateful for that!

Weight check number 3

So back to the pediatrician we go.....we are getting quicker at getting out of the house. The first time I left with a "packed" diaper bag was a fiasco. I didn't have half of what I needed. Babies just need so much stuff. It is amazing how cluttered my world is now and I wouldn't change any of it.

We gained 3 ounces today. I am so relieved I can hardly stand it. Of course, if I were a cow, the farmer would take me out back and shoot me. Since I can't make him gain weight and formula can, I am going to be facing some decisions here very soon. In the meantime though, I am just too happy with his gain to let much bother me.

One week old

We made it through one week. Seems like a lifetime ago that he was born. I am still recovering from sleep deprivation and constant worry over his skin color and weight. Our last weigh in showed him holding at 6 pounds 2 ounces. I was so hoping he would gain. We go back on Thursday for another weight check and we are now plying him with formula in a bottle to supplement. He still wants to sleep all the time and is especially prone to it if we take him out in the sun to get some vitamin D. He stretches out and sunbathes. He is taking after my mother on that one.

On brighter notes, we had tons of visitors today for his "we survived one week" b-day party. Becca and Trey, Daimar and Astrid, and Mary all came over. To toast the momentous occasion, I put an extra ice cube in my water. I could really use a drink about now. Mom made shrimp Creole for dinner which was pretty awesome and I am finally getting an appetite as I learn to worry less.

Trey and Ethan....notice that Trey's thumb wrap is as big as Ethan is! Ethan seems to think Trey is entertaining as I finally catch a smile with the camera.

Daimar, Ethan and Astrid. If only he could actually stay awake when we have company!

Trey, Becca, and Ethan. The newlyweds look ready to take on one of their own!

Mary and Ethan.

Independence Day

Rebecca, Joe and Jared came to visit me and Ethan. We had a nice visit although Ethan slept through most of it.

One day at a time

Things are getting better today. We have been struggling with feeding issues and found ourselves in quite a cycle....with me in tears at times. He is a lazy eater (not like me) and is very stubborn (very much like me) and was losing way too much weight. And the more he lost, the more lethargic and lazy he got. Breaking that cycle nearly broke my heart. Gili's wife Michelle came over to help me and we rounded a corner. Yesterday and today we are finally getting enough food in him that he sleeps for 2.5 - 3 hours at a time and is on a set feeding schedule. Well, make that mostly. Seems he is nocturnal and likes to be up every 30 minutes when everyone else wants to sleep. If this keeps up, we are relocating to Japan. Hey, you can't have everything!

Grandparents and Ethan on the porch

The latest pics