Ahhh its been too long!! Isaac, Kevin and I have been having such a great time I haven't had time to stop and update the Totsite!

I can't believe our little guy is 5 months old today!!

In addition to breast milk, we have started rice cereal and he has also had Gerber squash and bananas. He loves to eat as you can tell by looking at him...

He plays in his excersaucer a lot and loves music (he "sings" along). Kevin is psyched that Isaac enjoys being outside so much. We take him hiking and fishing as much as we can. He never fusses when we are outside and its so funny to hear him yelling to the birds and stuff.

He has started sleeping in his OWN room. We finally moved him out of our bed and into his crib. He actually does really good too. He gets up once or twice but only for about 10 minutes. I sit in our new recliner and by the light of the street lamp I rock him while he nurses. He is so sweet and snuggly and the night is so peaceful. I think its my favorite times to be with him.

Everyday it gets easier and easier. Being a parent is actually pretty cool once you get the hang of it!

I realized its been since Easter that I've updated this page...

Isaac turned 4 months on Sunday! We head to the pediatrician on Wednesday (May 6th) for a check-up and probably more shots

Things have been going really good! He's been great. He laughs out loud now and is all smiles. I'm still breastfeeding him and obviously make good milk because he is a big boy! We had our 1st Easter and it went over without a hitch.

Isaac went to visit his grandparents in Maine recently to celebrate Easter. The Easter Bunny brought us a webcam so Isaac can see Grammy Carmen and Grampy Jeff whenever he wants!!

He has also had some time with his Auntie Kelly when she was home a few weeks ago.

He's been outside ALOT and really seems to like the fresh air. We've taken him hiking, to the playground and even fishing...

Isaac and I met another boy in Ashburnham named Peyton same age as Isaac ( I think they are 4 days apart) so Peyton's mom and I plan to meet now and then for a walk or a play date.

I still get looks of disbelief and shock when I tell people how old he is and Grammy Lana thinks her arm is going to fall off every time she holds him, lol...

I'll add new pictures soon (probably tomorrow) and will post again after his visit with the doc next week.

Bye Ya'll!

I am having such a hard time believing Easter is this Sunday!! I have been in such a mommy fog, time seems to be whizzing past me. There is just not enough time...We are settling into some patterns and creating routines where we can but my brain has turned to mush. Lol, the funny thing is people warned me this would happen!

I can't even focus making a to do list; take something out for dinner, laundry (ugh I think that I forgot to put washed load in the dryer...hope it doesn't smell...), shower (hopefully I can get Izzy to sleep 1st), pack diaper bag, go to the bank (should I check out the new credit union in town?), go to the post office (I've been meaning to do this since last week), take Chestah to the vet for annual exam and shots (don't forget to bring poop and get records for new veterinary office), buy picture frames and bed pillows (Wal-Mart?), clean house and cat box, and whatever else I'm forgetting. People say sleep when the baby sleeps but I really can't find the time...

We were going to start putting Isaac in his own crib at night but we decided that all of us (with the exception of the dog) sleep better if we're all in the bed together (called co-sleeping) so we're gonna keep it that way for a while.

We are due to return to the pediatrician in May and I'm looking forward to it. I suspect that they will tell us to start rice cereal at that time.

Isaac is getting so big! He's rolling now and doing "push-ups". He gets into crawl position but isn't able to go anywhere yet. He's wearing 6-9 months clothes and I would guess is about 18 lbs.

Easter dinner this year with Gram Lana then next weekend we're off to Maine to visit Grammy Carmen and Grampy. Before we know it May will be here!

Hope you all have a wonderful Easter and be sure to check out Isaac's pictures for updates. I had more to load but can't find my camera...

xo

Hi everyone!!

I managed to get myself up before Isaac today and since Kevin cleaned the house (yes the WHOLE house!!) I decided to add some new pictures and a quick update.

Things are going well (I think). We are all happy and seem to be adjusting to my return to work. I was so nervous about going back but now that things are settling down I am appreciative for the adult interaction. Kevin and his mom seems to be getting the hang things when they have Isaac in their care. He has definitely given them a hard time though. Kevin found that walking him in his stroller (even if its just in circles in the kitchen...) does wonders!!

Isaac and I have been social butterflies!! We just joined the MOMS CLUB and are enjoying that. They have tons of stuff including field trips and moms nights out!! One of my co-workers has a baby boy (Nicholas, 1 year this April) and lives only a few minutes away in Gardner. They are going to join with us!! She has been passing along some of Nicholas' things including a BUMBO seat which I have become a big fan of. You will see Isaac in it in the new pictures.

We're still doing the cloth diaper thing and I found a great website called diaperswappers.com where you can buy or trade diapers so I was able to get some new ones in bigger sizes for Izzy's big butt for next to nothing!!! He is in 3-6  months now!!!

We are trying to decide when to start Rice cereal...All my resources say wait till 4 months or later but all the moms I know say start now...I'm getting the feeling he really doesn't need it because he seems content with nursing and I know breast milk is the best thing for him...

Lana and I were talking about how different things are now compared to when Kevin and I were babies. Our moms used to give us water in our bottles which is a BIG no no now and we were always put to sleep on our stomachs but apparently that causes SIDS now and there was lead paint and metal toys...Its amazing we survived!!

Another thing now is (all on me...) I have totally been spoiling Isaac by letting him sleep in our bed. I love having him there. He is so snuggly and all 3 of us sleep great not to mention how easy it is to feed him. Everyone keeps telling us that its the worse thing we could do but I LOVE it...it going to be really hard for me to put him in his crib...

Kevin and I are just feeling our way through and doing what we think is right and as I said earlier... so far everyone seems happy

Hopefully I'm not the only one cursing Mother Nature for all this snow!! So Isaac and I are home today and we will be very happy when Spring arrives! I decided to update everyone while he takes a nap on me. Please excuse any typos, typing one-handed is a skill I'm working on. Actually, I'm learning to do pretty much everything one handed these days!

So I've returned to work. Monday was my 1st evening back and overall I think my week went ok. It feels good to be socializing with adults and I love my patients so that definitely helped my transition. Grammy Lana watches Isaac from 2:45 in the afternoon till about 6:30pm Monday Wednesday and Friday and boy does he wear her out! Then Kevin picks Izzy up and they stop by my work so I can nurse in the parking lot or the telephone closet...I love seeing my guys in the middle of my shift and nursing directly is soooo much better than pumping...but I worry about the grossies I'm carrying with me from all the old folks. Then Kevin and Isaac head home and Isaac gets fussy and fights sleep.  Daddy has had a little trouble getting Isaac settled in for the night because lets face it...there's no one like mommy!

Isaac is getting vaccinated tomorrow and that's been a huge concern of mine for years before I ever had thought about having children. I do believe there is a link between vaccines and Autism but I guess the reasons to vaccinate outweigh the reasons not to. I know it will break my heart to see him in that situation tomorrow so I'll probably be crying right beside him.

I can't wait to see how much more he's grown! At 9 weeks he is now filling out his 3 month clothes and is wearing 3-6 months stuff. I bought him an outfit to wear for 3 month pictures at the end of March and am getting nervous he'll have outgrown it before he gets a chance to wear it!. His eczema seems to be responding to less frequent baths and Baby Aveeno and his cradle cap is soooo much better thank goodness because I was constantly picking at him! He also seems to have shaken the cold he caught with our tender loving care.

The baby is still leary of his binkys but has taking to the bottle no problem...must be the Irish in him, lol!!

We've joined a few local mommy and me groups and I recently discovered another with scheduled Mommy's Nights!! I think we are going to investigate this group VERY soon! I'm also trying to get involved with the Le Leche League. Networking with a baby is actually pretty fun and I'm enjoying meeting other moms in the area. 

A few new pictures posted and happy March!!

Soooo, its been a awhile huh??

Isaac is 7 weeks old today. And we are finally getting adjusted. Its still not easy but its getting better everyday.

I have become very good at doing most things one handed...like typing, laundry, cooking, cleaning, etc. I am no longer afraid to leave the house and am (are you all ready for this??) going to the grocery store when I'm done with the computer!! But really we are all progressing by leaps and bounds. Daddy is great at providing respite as soon as he gets home. He is a fabulous diaper changer at any hour day or night and regardless of cloth or disposable. He'll tell you he hasn't been peed on but he's lying . And Isaac, my goodness, he is changing so much every day. He is so alert. He never misses anything. He makes eye contact and his big blue eyes follow you around the room. He is smiling socially and even laughing during play. And thankfully he's sleeping better since me and Grammy Carmen "flipped" him!

I'm trying to figure out his routine as I am going to be heading back to work soon and will be leaving Izzy with Grammy Lana and Daddy on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays 3-11...

I'm still breastfeeding and obviously doing a great job making milk because this guy is already weighing 13 lbs 10 oz (as of his 2 month check up today)!! Can you believe he's gained almost 5 lbs since he was born 7 weeks ago?!?! The rest of his visit with the pediatrician went well. They think he may have eczema and asked me to cut back on his tub baths to once a week. I'm not surprised since I have it but I was hoping it was just a heat rash...

Anyway...I've joined a mother's group at the library and a breastfeeding support group at the hospital AND we've been invited to join a local playgroup so we are becoming very popular... the days we are busy are the nights he sleeps best so whatever it is...sign us up (as long as its free)!

Check out the newest pictures of Isaac and I'll try to write again soon

PS. the turtle has made no progress...

I am putting myself on a diet!!

Adding 50 pounds during my pregnancy was fun but I think I took "eating for 2" a little too literally...so now...I want it gone. I weigh myself everyday and although I quickly lost 25 lbs following delivery its been a month and the numbers on the scale just don't want to budge. The experts (whoever the hell they are) tell me that breastfeeding moms lose weight faster but I'm not seeing a whole lot of that.

I'm digging out my trusty weight watchers stuff and away I go!!

Notice my choice of a turtle and a long road...I don't expect this to be easy but its necessary!! Wish us all luck. Between lack of sleep, denial about needing to return to work and now a diet I should be a whole bunch of fun!!

Hey everyone! Hope you got through the weekend okay. Believe it or not we had more snow...

Kevin is looking forward to the days when Isaac is out there helping him clear the driveway! I tell him he's gonna have to wait a while for that.

Friday the dreaded belly button stump fell off!! I was so excited. It was by far the grossest thing ever (ok that may be a little dramatic but honestly it was really gross and it smelled). I have been wanting very badly to switch Isaac from disposable to cloth diapers (yes I know you all think I'm crazy) but I'd been hesitant to do so because of the belly button stump. The cloth diaper covers have a thick Velcro fasten which lands right around the belly button area so I was worried about things getting caught and pulled but by Friday I had had enough of the cord stump and my desire to use the cloth diapers was overwhelming so I went ahead and fastened one on. Mush to my dismay (and delight) at the first post-cloth diaper change, there was the gross stump sitting on his belly!! The cloth diaper cover did exactly what I was afraid it would do and THANK GOD!!

So with the loss of the stump Isaac can have tub time now!! We were able to actually sit him in water in his little tub and give him a proper bath!! I think I loved it more then he did but he's just so stinkin' cute!! And of course it was a photo op!!

Speaking of photos...we picked up Isaac's pictures from his Walmart session. They came out AWESOME! I'll try to scan some in in my free time (insert laughter here) so ya'll (shout out to the fam in Virginia!) can see 'em.

So you may have noticed I've not been updating as much lately...self explanatory I assume...

The other good news is this seems to be getting easier (maybe I'm just getting used to the insanity and lack of sleep). Isaac is sleeping in his pack and play in our room at night making night time feedings much easier for me and Kevin has become a champion diaper changer!! 

My next hurdle is trying to do grocery. I am fine going to Wal-mart or Target where if Isaac has a breakdown I can leave the carriage or head to the bathroom/fitting room/ my car and feed and soothe him but what do you do at the grocery store?? I can't very well leave a full carriage of food in the isle...You may think its funny but this is what my life has become...Of course Kevin has suggested I leave Isaac with him and go but I'm having separation issues (and dreading the idea of returning to work). Audrey has offered to go with (or for) me and I may take her up on the offer.

Ok...baby is crying so I'm gonna check the situation out and hopefully I haven't caused him too much distress by letting him cry for a few minutes without running to his aid.

Oh did I mention he has real tears now?? That is a heart breaker...