Dear Parker - Month 4

Dear Parker,

You have to know that Mommy has tears in her eyes as she types this. I have a hard time figuring out how you got so big so fast! This month has been one of a lot of changes for us.

During the last month Mommy went back to work. It was hard for me to imagine leaving you every day and letting someone else feed you and play with you. I cried a lot in those few days leading up to my return to the office. But, you know what? We have done okay! You love your day care and you have such a good time there. They take care of you and call me whenever they're concerned about you. I have also enjoyed being back at the office. It has helped me be a better Mom to you. One day you'll understand, I hope. It's hard to explain, but when I spend the days away from you, I cherish our time at night and on the weekends. I am more patient and easy going with you.

You learned to love the jumperoo at day care and started playing in the one we have for you at home. You laugh and play in it and just have a blast. Mommy and Daddy even video taped you in it and sent it to Grandma and Grandpa so they could see you playing. We have also discovered that you like to watch football while in your jumperoo - you watched the Tennessee vs. Alabama game with Mommy in your jumperoo.

Mommy has watched your fine motor skills develop this month too. You went from just staring at the rings hanging from your carrier to seeing them and grabbing them. One week later you went from just grabbing them to being able to grab with both hands and move them toward you. One week later you were grabbing them and putting them in your mouth. This was so amazing to watch. Mommy can't believe how much you're developing and how much you can do on your own!

Speaking of putting things in your mouth, you are full on teething now and the drool is flowing! You have to wear bibs a lot of the time because of the water works. Your two little bottom teeth are slowly working their way through and you're chewing on anything you can get your hands on...including your hands! You love to grab your blankets and try to chew on those, although you are starting to learn that they aren't as good as your rings or your froggie.

You started taking some cereal in your last bottle of the day this month too. At first it really upset your belly, so we're trying again but taking it slowly - adding a little at a time until you're used to it. At our 4 month check up we'll talk to the pediatrician about adding in more cereal and when to start you on baby food. That should be fun!

You're really trying to roll over from your tummy to your back. Mommy was playing with you last weekend and you pushed off of her hand and just about rolled over. I think you'll be able to roll over in about a week or two - I can't wait!!! You really enjoy your tummy time when we put you on your Boppy pillow. I'm trying anything I can to get you to like tummy time, because you really don't like no being able to see things around you.

You really started laughing this last month. Mommy can make faces at you and you laugh! Daddy tickles your sides and you laugh! You can say something funny and you laugh! It's so cute and you usually send Mommy into fits of laughter too. You really started "talking" this month too. I call it chattering because I can't understand a word you're saying but apparently you're really telling me a story. You will "talk" to Mommy for a long time and then I'll "talk" back to you. Apparently you understand because we will have a big conversation!

This last month was Halloween! Your very first!! You dressed up like a Tootsie Roll and you were so cute. We went to your school to go to their "Trunk n Treat" but the weather turned so cold and rainy that we only got out long enough to take a few pictures of you. You also went to a pumpkin patch with Mommy, Daddy, Grandma and Grandpa. We had such a fun time and tried to take pictures of you propped up with some pumpkins. They didn't turn out so great but we got a lot of other good pictures to remember the trip.

This has been a month where you've grown and developed so much. Mommy is so proud of you and how much you're changing. I love going to your nursery in the mornings and seeing you grinning at me from your crib. When you reach out to grab my hand, you grab my heart and don't let go. You are my heart, Parker. You are the best thing I've done and my legacy in this world.

I love you,
Mommy

Where was I this time last year?

I woke up yesterday morning to the chattering sounds of my sweet little boy in his crib. I thought about how awesome life is now and wondered how we filled our days before him. As I lay there in a drowsy state kinda wishing Parker would settle back off to sleep, it hit me I was doing on that morning one year earlier.

On November 5th, 2008 - I woke up very early....around 5am-ish I think....unable to sleep because I had something very important to do that morning and I was a little worried. I tiptoed into the bathroom, closed the door and quietly went about my business. I had prepped everything the night before so all was ready for me.

By 5:15am I had taken two pregnancy tests and both read "PREGNANT". I remember being flabbergasted. Shocked. I sat down on the bathroom floor and couldn't believe it.

One year ago, yesterday morning, I found out Parker was on his way. It was surreal to realize that and hear my little boy chattering in his crib on the other side of our house. Surreal and awesome at the same time.

November 5th was a day that my life changed forever...in the best way possible!

L.

Sleep Disorder Central

Oh lord help us! Our house was once a place of quiet nights and peaceful sleep....about 4 weeks ago anyway. Right before I went back to work Parker decided he wanted to stop sleeping through the night and start waking up repeatedly. Sometimes it would be to eat...sometimes simply to play. That got old REALLY fast!

Yesterday, I had to take Parker to the pediatrician because the day care called to say they were concerned because he hadn't been taking his bottles well. I added it up and he'd only taken 9 ounces of formula in a 12 hour period....very unlike him! I called the pediatrician's office and the nurse said that sometimes they'll quit taking a bottle when their ears are hurting them and he could be getting an ear infection without running a fever. So of course I immediately make an appointment for that afternoon because I'm not going to get caught with a little one and an ear infection over the weekend!

Turns our Parker's as healthy as a horse. Ears? Clear. Nose? Clear. Chest? Clear. Throat? Fine. He was playing on the examination table, chattering and laughing and squealing. Oh well...call me the neurotic first time Mom. As I was talking to the doctor...I mention how his sleep habits had changed and we discussed how I was putting him to bed. As it turns out I had changed up his routine at night and this probably changed how he was sleeping. Before I went to work I had established a good evening routine and put him down before he was fully asleep so he would work to pacify and soothe himself to sleep. Once I started working our nighttime routine started changing and I, wanting to spend more time with him, would rock him until he was fully asleep and then put him down. The doctor said this wasn't a good routine to be in and that I needed to get back into putting him down when he was drowsy but not fully asleep so that he could put himself to sleep. He said we'd be better off down the road if I did this now.

So last night I did as he said...went back to our routine before I went to work and what do you know....he went to bed around 8:30pm and slept until 4am and then took a bottle and slept until 7:40am. Pretty darn good for a 4 month old. Now...if I can work on him taking his bottle a little later and hold him off until about 5:30pm or so...we'll be cooking with Crisco! :-)

I'm pretty glad that he and I both have managed to deal with this disruption in our schedule/sleep routine and not gotten sick. **knock on wood** Here's to hoping that the next few days get us back in a good sleeping routine....and we'll add some cereal into his nighttime bottle in a few days to see if that helps too. :-)

L.

Halloween Fun!!

Well, Halloween at our house wasn't exactly what I'd planned for my lil munchkin. The weather turned for the worse and we ended up not being able to do the Trunk or Treat at Parker's school like we'd hoped. It was just too drizzly and cold.

We did get there and took some pictures of him in his costume. Isn't he the sweetest lil Tootsie Roll you've ever seen???

After our morning excursions we went home and took some pictures of him in the Halloween outfit that his Grandma got him. Okay...he's too stinking cute for words.

And look at those chubber thighs....I can't stand it....I have to give 'em kisses every chance I get.

Oh...and this hat...it slays me....everyone at his day care loved it and his outfit.

The socks....geez...I can't stand this cuteness anymore....

L.

Teething sucks....

Okay...so my boy is not quite 4 months old yet...we have a week to go....and he's teething like a maniac. He's actually had these two teeth since he was about 12 weeks old but now they're really working their way through. He's drooling like a madman and a cranky-potamous. Don't get me wrong, he's an incredibly happy boy but his nighttime sleep habits are killing us. I think what's happening is that he's drooling so much that he's causing himself to gag a little when he lays on his back - therefore he wakes up about every 20 min or so. He sleeps well when he is laying on our chest or in his swing....so swing sleeping it will be until these teeth come in.

Pray for us....sleep deprivation is setting in....we're walking zombies....I'm not sure I'm safe to operate heavy machinery....

L.