I'm a huge advocate of letting my son learn how to be on his own. But sometimes a boy needs his mommy and sometimes a mommy needs her boy. Today was just one of those days. I'll take all the snuggles I can get :-) 
Thursday, August 22, 2013
Sunday, July 28, 2013
Take Me out to the ball game!
Took little man to his first baseball game the other day! He did really well until the 7th inning stretch. After a walk around the ballpark he fell asleep. he didn't miss anything- the Nats lost pretty hard to the Mets! 
Sunday, June 16, 2013
Two Month Checkup!
Weighing in at a whopping 11.8lbs and measuring 24.4in long, little B isn't quite so little! His head measures in at 15in around! So big that the tech thought she measured wrong and had to do it twice !
Major accomplishments this month:
Started Daycare- not a smooth transition, and we're still working at it
Has rolled over (albeit unintentionally) three or four times now. He's such a squirmer that when he wiggles during tummy time he flips himself onto his back !
Much to his parents delight, B had started smiling! Legit, happy to see you, smiles. It's the best way to start a day and the best way to end it :-) 
Saturday, May 18, 2013
Mommy-mobile!
Bringing home Ben from the hospital was an awesome day! For starters, we honestly didn't think we'd get to leave until the next day. We were thrilled to come home a little early, if only to get even a few minutes of sleep extra without a nurse coming in to check on me or Ben!
Once we'd been discharged and were loading up the car in the parking garage I took my traditional mommy seat in the back next to the carseat with Ben. It was then, in that moment that our Focus suddenly became A LOT smaller. Sitting in the backseat I suddenly realized just how little space there was. And we didn't even have all of the stuff in there!
A few days later as Alex loaded up the stroller for our checkup the car got even smaller. The stroller took up the entire trunk of the car. I know, I know "he's not going to be in it forever" but we're planning more kids in the future, at some point there would be two kids, in carseats, and the need for a double stroller possibly. And all that wasn't going to fit in the back of the Focus!
So we started researching and online shopping and finally last night we went to a dealer to "look." Needless to say we stopped looking and started buying once we'd found the right one, and although I didn't really want a red car, this gal was too good to pass up!
2013 Ford Edge :-)
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
The plans I didn't keep...
I get six weeks of maternity leave and I had all these plans about what I would do with all the non work time I'd have. I'd read the books I have on my iPad, I'd straiten up the house, finish Ben's room ( or organize it), start researching for my final masters class.
So far I've done none of the above. I have however become quite good at putting on makeup one handed and making coffee while nursing a ten pound munchkin. I've caught the first twenty minutes of "Live with Kelly and Michael" almost every morning and got suckered in to watching "Pitbulls and Parolees" so much that I'm now a devoted fan and am one episode away from adopting one if Tia's brood from Vialobos (they're just misunderstood pups after all). I've changed God only knows how many diapers, sang every TV theme song I can think of to calm my son down (Community and Gilmore Girls are particular faves) and I've gone to a bunch of doctor appointments.
I do get to the grocery, I've gotten this kid to Mass every Sunday so far, and I don't feel as tired as I used too. My body is already getting me up before the baby does.
I've learned that making plans now revolves around B, the cutest little guy in town, and I'm ok with that :-)
Thursday, April 25, 2013
Parenting 101- they'll let anyone do this!
So the day the hospital told us we would be going home was the day Alex and I realized we have basically no idea what we're doing. One night in the hospital with Ben in our room and basically one full day and the hospital peeps are like "you're good to go!"
What?! All of a sudden we go from being somewhat supervised to alone with a three day old. As we were walking out of the hospital I kept thinking "surely there's got to be something they're not telling us?!" I don't think it really set in until we got home that this was really happening. Even with our parents there, we were ultimately responsible for this little Gus whole world. He was completely helpless and needed us to give him food, and keep him warm, and clean and happy. And it was a little scary.
Things I learned in my first week of being a mom:
- I have a boy, therefore I must change diapers at lightning speed or I will get peed on. Or he will, or there will be pee on the carpet, or the cat.
- My son does not like being changed into or out of clothing or diapers.
- Ben makes the most adorable an yet kinda freaky noises when he sleeps.
- waking up a newborn to make them eat is hard
- Breastfeeding is really really hard. No matter how many classes you take, how many times the lactation consultant came to see you in the hospital, it will still take time, patience, and a few tears from both mom and baby.
- My husband became a Breastfeeding expert. Alex read up on everything he could to help me out, helping us get the right latch and positioning Ben and reminding me that we were both learning and it was going to be ok. He was absolutely amazing and supportive.
- I cannot, nor will I ever become as good at swaddling as that NICU nurse. However it wouldn't matter if I did because Ben is a Houdini with his arms and will always get them out. Even in those little swaddled baby straight jackets with the Velcro.
- I got pooped at (yes at, it came shooting out like a gun) and I didn't flinch. Laughed yes (which hurt like hell on my stitches) but went strait into "mommy mode" cleaning up the poopy butt before cleaning myself and the floor which he'd been on when he unloaded on me.
- It only takes a few days to get used to being a parent. We pretty much picked up on it right away, but it was all pretty surreal for a while. Even a few weeks later I can't believe sometimes this little guy is here.
- Baby snuggles are the best kind. Nothing compares to having your child snuggles up on your chest or in your arms.
- my entire life now revolves around this tiny piece of me and Alex that we brought into the world.
- I love my husband more now than ever after all that we've been thru in the last few weeks and seeing him become a dad. It's the most amazing thing ever.
- Being Ben's Mom and Dad is freaking awesome
That's all for now!
What?! All of a sudden we go from being somewhat supervised to alone with a three day old. As we were walking out of the hospital I kept thinking "surely there's got to be something they're not telling us?!" I don't think it really set in until we got home that this was really happening. Even with our parents there, we were ultimately responsible for this little Gus whole world. He was completely helpless and needed us to give him food, and keep him warm, and clean and happy. And it was a little scary.
Things I learned in my first week of being a mom:
- I have a boy, therefore I must change diapers at lightning speed or I will get peed on. Or he will, or there will be pee on the carpet, or the cat.
- My son does not like being changed into or out of clothing or diapers.
- Ben makes the most adorable an yet kinda freaky noises when he sleeps.
- waking up a newborn to make them eat is hard
- Breastfeeding is really really hard. No matter how many classes you take, how many times the lactation consultant came to see you in the hospital, it will still take time, patience, and a few tears from both mom and baby.
- My husband became a Breastfeeding expert. Alex read up on everything he could to help me out, helping us get the right latch and positioning Ben and reminding me that we were both learning and it was going to be ok. He was absolutely amazing and supportive.
- I cannot, nor will I ever become as good at swaddling as that NICU nurse. However it wouldn't matter if I did because Ben is a Houdini with his arms and will always get them out. Even in those little swaddled baby straight jackets with the Velcro.
- I got pooped at (yes at, it came shooting out like a gun) and I didn't flinch. Laughed yes (which hurt like hell on my stitches) but went strait into "mommy mode" cleaning up the poopy butt before cleaning myself and the floor which he'd been on when he unloaded on me.
- It only takes a few days to get used to being a parent. We pretty much picked up on it right away, but it was all pretty surreal for a while. Even a few weeks later I can't believe sometimes this little guy is here.
- Baby snuggles are the best kind. Nothing compares to having your child snuggles up on your chest or in your arms.
- my entire life now revolves around this tiny piece of me and Alex that we brought into the world.
- I love my husband more now than ever after all that we've been thru in the last few weeks and seeing him become a dad. It's the most amazing thing ever.
- Being Ben's Mom and Dad is freaking awesome
That's all for now!
Tuesday, April 16, 2013
The Longest Walk
So in my last blog I left off with our beautiful boy on his way to the NICU. Shortly after Ben and Alex left, they closed me up and moved me into a recovery room. Our nurse (Kara) who'd been with us the whole time came in and explained to me that they were doing X-rays on Ben to see how much air had gotten outside his lungs and they would probably keep him overnight.
Alex came in to confirm this a little while later, along with bringing pictures for me to look at since I hadn't gotten to see him for very long. It would be nearly eight hours before I would get to hold him for the first time. My mom came in the recovery room to stay with me, while Alex went to explain everything to his parents who were waiting in our other room. Then he went back to the NICU.
I was moved back to my room on the recovery hall about two hours later. Kara explained to me that I would need to get up as soon as I felt able to (no problem there I had a baby to see) and I would need to do it twice before I could go down there. As soon as I felt my legs return to normal I was pushing the call button. By 6pm I was moving around my room, 6:30 I was doing laps back and forth between the bathroom and my bed. At 7:30 we asked the night nurse if we could go down to the NICU. She didn't want me to make that long of a walk without a wheel chair so the first trip down I had help from Alex.
The NICU is located on the complete opposite side of the labor and delivery floor. Thru a few doors and a check in room. Once we got down there we had to wash our hands thoroughly at this hand washing room before we could go in the room. Then Alex led me to where our little boy was. There really is nothing like seeing your child hooked up to a bunch of machines. Luckily for us, Ben was doing really well: they had taken him off the breathing device and were going to let me try and feed him since I was there.
I'll never forget the moment I got to hold my son for the first time. It's one of the best feelings in the world. I can't event begin to describe it. We stayed for about an hour or two but then we had to go back so I could get my medicine and a few other things taken care of. Throughout the night we would go back every couple of hours to attempt to breastfeed Ben and spend some time snuggling. Every time I had to walk away from him broke my heart. I would have just slept in that room if they'd have let me.
Ben was doing really well by early morning, and after walking back and forth down the hallway all night so was I. I was still in pain, but it was manageable, and I was finally allowed to start eating food again! Around 9am on Monday morning the NICU nurse told us there was a really good chance that Ben would be coming back to our room for the rest of our stay! Alex and I were ecstatic! We couldn't wait to have our little man in the same room with us.
By lunchtime little Ben was wheeled into our room free from all the monitors and tubes! To say we were all excited was an understatement. Ben would spend
the rest of the afternoon being passed from grandparent to grandparent and having his picture taken what seems like a billion times. It was the best Monday Alex and I had had in ages :-)
Alex came in to confirm this a little while later, along with bringing pictures for me to look at since I hadn't gotten to see him for very long. It would be nearly eight hours before I would get to hold him for the first time. My mom came in the recovery room to stay with me, while Alex went to explain everything to his parents who were waiting in our other room. Then he went back to the NICU.
I was moved back to my room on the recovery hall about two hours later. Kara explained to me that I would need to get up as soon as I felt able to (no problem there I had a baby to see) and I would need to do it twice before I could go down there. As soon as I felt my legs return to normal I was pushing the call button. By 6pm I was moving around my room, 6:30 I was doing laps back and forth between the bathroom and my bed. At 7:30 we asked the night nurse if we could go down to the NICU. She didn't want me to make that long of a walk without a wheel chair so the first trip down I had help from Alex.
The NICU is located on the complete opposite side of the labor and delivery floor. Thru a few doors and a check in room. Once we got down there we had to wash our hands thoroughly at this hand washing room before we could go in the room. Then Alex led me to where our little boy was. There really is nothing like seeing your child hooked up to a bunch of machines. Luckily for us, Ben was doing really well: they had taken him off the breathing device and were going to let me try and feed him since I was there.
I'll never forget the moment I got to hold my son for the first time. It's one of the best feelings in the world. I can't event begin to describe it. We stayed for about an hour or two but then we had to go back so I could get my medicine and a few other things taken care of. Throughout the night we would go back every couple of hours to attempt to breastfeed Ben and spend some time snuggling. Every time I had to walk away from him broke my heart. I would have just slept in that room if they'd have let me.
Ben was doing really well by early morning, and after walking back and forth down the hallway all night so was I. I was still in pain, but it was manageable, and I was finally allowed to start eating food again! Around 9am on Monday morning the NICU nurse told us there was a really good chance that Ben would be coming back to our room for the rest of our stay! Alex and I were ecstatic! We couldn't wait to have our little man in the same room with us.
By lunchtime little Ben was wheeled into our room free from all the monitors and tubes! To say we were all excited was an understatement. Ben would spend
the rest of the afternoon being passed from grandparent to grandparent and having his picture taken what seems like a billion times. It was the best Monday Alex and I had had in ages :-)
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