6 Month Check-Up

Jack had his sixth month check-up at the pediatrician today and I'd say it went well overall.  We started the visit out with a nice poop that stunk up the entire little room that we were waiting in minutes before the doctor came in.  Got him changed and then he just about fell asleep waiting since he refused to take a nap this morning.  After apologizing to the doctor for the awful lingering stench we were finally able to get started.  Jack flirted up a storm which I hope distracted her from the smell!!!
Shots are never fun but at least he doesn't get them again until nine months.  Well not true, we go back in a month to get the follow up flu shot.  Apparently there are two since he doesn't get such a big dosage all at once.  I didn't realize that he would be getting one at such a young age and the doctor acted as though it was routine and didn't even really ask me about it.  Of course I had a zillion questions and the nurse told me it was my choice as to whether he gets one or not.  I HATE having to make hasty decisions especially ones like this that regard my baby's health.  My concerns are 1. I've never had one nor my husband and neither one of us has had the flu since we were little.  Plus a doctor friend of ours who has been practicing for many years told me if I've never gotten one then why start now if I've been in good health.  He never gets one either.  2.  I worry that he will get sick in result of getting the flu shot.  My Ped reassured me that he may get the sniffles and a mild fever (IF AT ALL) but that would be it and nothing more.  She said that most people getting sick is really not a result of the actual shot and is sometimes just bad timing or they have a cold and just say they have the flu because they feel so rotten - which I totally can see since I'm pretty sure I scream flu every time I feel an ache or pain!  Also the nurse said there is a mean case of a stomach bug going around right now which people just automatically call the flu when its really not.  In response to my first concern I was told that there are a LOT of different types of flu virus' going around and little children are dieing as a result in some cases so it really is best to take all precautions. 
So all in all who am I not to follow the doctor's recommendation so Jack got the flu shot today.  He was such a trooper, all together he had to get four shots - poor little guy, and he didn't shed a single tear!!!

They did however tell me that he isn't weighing as much as they would like (and here I was thinking this kid is getting chunkier and chunkier!!!).  So I am to increase his solid food intake to three times a day from the two he's been getting.  Well he should be happy - kid LOVES to eat.  Have I mentioned how he starts screaming for food as soon as he sees me start to mix his cereal??!!  He's CRAZY!!!!  It's so hilarious!  As soon as I put a spoonful in his mouth he calms right down.  So this is the real reason we need to go back in a month - for a weight check.  If they have the flu vaccination in at that time we will also get that while we are there.

sleepy waiting for the doctor

Ok so this is how I found him napping the other day!!!  Despite being adorable he is on his STOMACH which freaks me out because he doesn't know how to roll back onto his back yet.  I knew this would happen.  It actually started happening first during the night just this past week and when I notice it I go in and roll him over and hope he doesn't flip again.  I'm terrified that something is going to happen and he's not going to move his head in time and he won't be able to breathe.  I'm sure I'm over worrying but I just can't help it.  I know of now two incidents where a child was lost due to SIDS and I just can't help myself.  I'm PRAYING he is just old enough and big enough now to move his head or adjust himself when necessary.
LUCKILY last  night I did see him flip himself back over onto his back but he's yet to do it outside of the crib so I'm not 100% convinced yet.  

I think this is going to be a big month for growth and development, it's going to be a lot of fun for everyone :)

6 MONTHS

Happy half birthday my sweet baby, I can't believe you've been in our lives for six whole months already!
CRAZY how time flies!!! 
Last night he slept from 8pm to about 8:30am!!!!  I knew he could do it, now my fingers are crossed that our good luck has continued and this bliss continues!!
So I've had about a month of not always having to be at work every day because one of the girls has been on winter break from college, so I've popped in here and there, helped out where and when I could but mainly I've hung out with Jack at home and really enjoyed the time together.  This however ends next week and me and my little sidekick are back at Scripts 3 days a week.  Because of this I decided to go out and buy a Baby Einstein jumper thingy to keep in my brother's office (which is directly above the restaurant) so that Jack can hang out and play while I work for a few hours.  Right now he starts crying hysterically as soon as I walk out the door.....well at least he did.  I think that now that he gets distracted more easily I'm hoping this wont be as much of an issue.

Chicken Cacciatore for dinner tonight, I haven't had it in FOREVER!  We've been really trying to cook more meals at home.  For a long time (too long) it was just easier for us to eat out.  Now that we have Jack its still easier to grab something and bring it home or get delivery....BUT then our dinner options get pretty limited and we are SO sick of fast food/pizza/wings/chinese....you get the picture.  Both the hubs and I like to cook so why not get back into it again.....AND since I'm on Pinterest a million times a day anyway, why not get some great dinner ideas.  Actually everything I've made off of Pinterest so far has been really good!!!

We have TEETH

Baby boy popped his first two teeth out this past week!!  That's right, two sharp little chompers have broken through the gums and are making their way up.  I noticed the first one on Monday and then the second just yesterday.
Also in the news of firsts........he finally flipped over yesterday......from back to his belly!  I don't think he even knows he did it because he doesn't seem in any kind of hurry to do it again.
Sleeping was a nightmare last night, went to bed at 8pm, up at 10:30pm, back up at 12:30am......still up at 3am!!!!  WIDE awake might I add!  Well I let him cry for almost an hour then went in and picked him up, he was wide awake and wanted to play, would not settle down and get sleepy.  So I put him back down and he cried for about 45 more minutes (actually it was more like SCREAMED his brains out) and then passed out finally.  What torture for me though.  I can NOT sleep while this is happening, I'm wide awake thinking thoughts like there has got to be something wrong, I'm a terrible mother for letting him scream and be this upset for so long......but I'm just trying to follow the advice of millions of parents out there in the land of the internet who say it takes about 3 nights of hell and then they learn to sleep through the night.  Our problem isn't him falling asleep on his own, its the waking up during the night.  It just so happened that he started to teethe at the same time that we started to sleep train....so I'm not really sure what is actually a result of teething vs. his own habits.   His sixth month check-up is this Saturday so I will see what the ped. says.

Look at my big boy sitting up all on his own <3

 


 

Who needs toys when we have TOES!

Pretty sure the dog just licked him and he doesn't like it

In other news we are still fixing the house up, painting, adding chair rail, decorating....making it our own.  Which by the way feels like its NEVER going to end.  Good thing we are project people and enjoy doing stuff around the house.  This weekend was the "formal" living room which we don't intend to actually be formal at all.  Just another room to lounge and watch TV, use as a toy room, it needs to be functional.  BUT functional doesn't mean it can't be stylish and classy!  We painted, hung blinds, and Johnny put chair rail around the entire room.  It looks SO GOOD!!!!  I'm so proud of him, AND impressed at how good it turned out :)  Now we just need to furnish and decorate.  Now I'm on the hunt for something to sit the TV on top of.  I don't think I want it on the wall in this room, but you never know.  I'm thinking a fun piece of furniture like a vintage looking dresser or console table.  Maybe paint it a fun color as well.  We will see.  I'm always on the look out for pieces like that, I think they really add character to a home.

Still debating on whether its a good idea to paint the dining room set that I currently have.  I think I've talked about this before, It was given to me by friends who no longer had a need for it.  Its in great condition but just not my style at all.  SO do I take a chance and attempt to paint it??  OR just live with it for now until I can get what I really want??  I can't decide!!!



The hubby's weekend accomplishments....LOVE

Hubby hard at work

Back to Normal

Holidays are over, thank god.....its a brand new year, and things have finally quieted down in our house.  Tree and all xmas decorations are down and packed away, house is clean (although I'm still finding pine needles here and there), and for the most part we are back to what we call "normal"!
Jack was up at 5am today, which he never does.  I usually feed him and then he goes right back down until at least 8 or 9am...........but I figured since he's nice and calm right now from an early morning breakfast of oats and peaches....that I would take this time to get a quick post in.

In Jack news, he still has not rolled over and continues to dislike tummy time.  I continue to encourage tummy time and he IS getting better and better about it.  The key is to catch him in a happy mood and he will generally go along with it for a little bit.  He is trying so hard to flip over so I know its only a matter of time before it happens.
OH YES and we have a TOOTH!!!  It popped through Monday (2 days ago is when I noticed), and boy was he ugly that day, poor baby had a rough day for sure!  He was so cranky and miserable, and to top it off he was stuck at the restaurant with me all day long.  After a morning and beginning of afternoon of wondering what was going on I noticed them and sent my dad to the store for some Tylenol....which worked like a charm!  He was seriously a brand new baby once the meds kicked in.

I promised my niece and nephew a quilt for their birthdays and so that's what I've been working on in between playtime and feedings these days.  Serena's bday is in less than two weeks so I've got to get going if I want to finish and get it shipped to her in time.

Good News:  My BEST friend Monica is PREGO!!!!  I had a hunch that this might be the case but she hadn't said anything to me yet.  She came over 2 weeks ago and announced that she's 14 weeks pregnant and I CAN'T WAIT to find out what she is having.....
My other really good friend Melissa just found out that she's having a little boy!!!  YAY Boys are the best!
Jack will have a little friend in just a few months, so excited for her and her family.

Went to BuyBuy Baby yesterday in search of a variety of organic baby food.  Wegmans and Target have some but its pretty limited and I feel like I've been giving him the same small variety for a while now.  I I'm on the hunt for mainly fruits since I've yet to try making them myself.  While there I found a teething toy that finally makes sense to me.  Its a strawberry (they have grape ones as well) that vibrates when the baby chews on it.......so glad I found it to because the second I gave it to Jack he LOVED it!  He will sit with this thing vibrating on his gums perfectly content.

Totally unrelated....The wind is RIDICULOUS today, gotta love toting a baby around in the already annoying infant car seat in 500 mile an hour winds!!!!  NOT FUN!  Poor kid probably  has whiplash :(

This is what happens at 5am when Jack decides to be up for the day!

New funny face we make while blowing in and out of nose really hard....kid cracks me up!

Good Morning :)

poor baby fell asleep watching me blog....ha!

sending pics to daddy throughout the day of course :)

Giving me the Stink Eye

Xmas pics

I finally got around to uploading all of my xmas pics from my camera to computer.  So here are a few from Jack's first Christmas!!

jack & great grandma

jack & grandma

Left over trifle!!!

Yup that's right, I'm sitting here eating last nights left over trifle and snuggling by the fire with the hubby :)
My little peanut is in bed early tonight (even after 2 naps today!!!). Poor thing is so worn out from the past couple day's festivities. It's snowing like crazy right now and not going to stop anytime soon either. Johnny keeps saying he "should" go out and shovel so it's not so heavy tomorrow but never actually gets up to do it. It's so cold out, can't blame him.

So all in all I'd have to say this has been another great Christmas! Family, friends, lots of yummy holiday food, AND of course presents. My tree is still hanging in there pretty well which makes me want to leave it up a bit longer but on the other hand I really kinda just want to get my house back to pre-Christmas status.

Jack made out like a bandit as expected, I'm pretty sure that's just how it's going to be from now on.....hahaha
Next year is going to be even more fun with him since he will be able to open his own presents and stuff.

Down side of this year is that I got sick on Christmas. Just a cold but aches and pains and a pretty bad sore throat is not what you want to be dealing with on Xmas and on top of things have to take care of a 5 month old! Luckily I didn't have to work today and my mom came to the house to play with Jack.

Here are some pics from Xmas and one of what's happening outside right now....

Xmas Day

Monkey fun on Xmas Eve

pic of my front yard - can't even tell what is driveway and what is yard!!!

Just opened the back door to let the dog out and found this wall of snow!!!  This is about 6 inches within a couple hours....Buffalo winter!!!

 I have a ton more pictures but haven't uploaded them from my camera yet.  These are just a few I had on my phone.  So once I get everything uploaded I'll post more

My bad !

So I got in bed tonight with every intention of posting and then totally fell asleep! I'm up feeding the baby right now and figured its not too late even though its not "technically" the same day anymore.

Ummm let's see, baked a couple pies, wrapped presents, did some laundry, and had dinner at a friend's house.....pretty much sums up our day today.

Baby boy was a crank pot for most of the night unless I was holding him. I secretly (not so secret anymore) love that he's such a momma's boy, but at the same time I feel bad for Those who love him so much and just want to hold him.

Ok I'm exhausted......sweet dreams everyone!

Over the river.....

......and through the woods to a Christmas party we go! Tis the season for good food, good drinks, and good friends.....who like to party of course :)
The little guy is bundled up and in tow, bottle is packed so momma can have a cocktail, and off we go.
Nothing crazy happened today other than a surprisingly busy Saturday at the shop!
I guess people have company in from out of town and want to go out to eat.
Ok by me!

Here's a pic of me and the munchkin before we left tonight.....YES I'm blogging in the car on our way (but I'm not driving!!)

Santa came early!

As promised here are a few pics from our visit from Santa Clause last night....

 

 

So all in all I'd say first visit with Santa was a SUCCESS!  Can't wait for next year, I'm kinda hoping for one of those screaming pics while sitting on Santa's lap, I think they are SOOO funny and adorable.

So four days left until Christmas and as expected I thought of something else I need to get before Tuesday.  Can't say though just in case a few specific people decide to check my blog before then.  

I just have to rant a bit, I was so annoyed this afternoon after leaving work, I stopped to get gas and I guess everyone else in town had the same thought because it was a MAD HOUSE!  Maybe they are gassing up before the "big storm" that we're supposed to get.  Anyway, I pulled into an empty spot and quickly have to back up because a guy in a big pick-up is backing into the spot that I'm in.  So I back up in fear of getting hit and he stops and then DOESN'T move!!!!  He just sat there and wasn't going to let me pull up so I can pump.  I couldn't believe someone could be such an ass especially so close to the holidays.......GRINCH!  So me, being the mature adult in the situation, had to find another pump to fill up at.  

Just let the dog in from outside and to my surprise there is at least 2-3 inches of snow on the ground!  Kept hearing it was coming but I wasn't actually expecting to get anything.  I'm SUPER excited though that we are expected to have a white Christmas this year.  There is just something about having the ground covered in light, fluffy, beautiful snow on Christmas, I just LOVE IT!!

pic of front porch!

Here are a few others of us just hangin out by the christmas tree

 

LOVE this guy!