Open Letter to Sean

Dear Sean,
Hello, it's Mommy. I just wanted to take this time to asked you to please stop growing so fast.
I am very proud of you for for learning how to unzip and take off your footie jammies and then take them to your gate and through them out for the laundry; that helps Mommy out a little by letting her rest an extra five minutes so her back will feel well enough to get up. But I miss those little fuzzy sleepy sacks that your noodle legs would kick in and we would snuggle.
You amazed us the other day at lunch, when Granddad leaned across the table at Chicago Speekeasy and asked how old you were. You looked down at your little hand, heaqld up two fingers and exclamed "dwo!" All I can ask is "When did you learn how to talk, let alone figure out how old you are?" Wasn't it yesterday you just found you hands?
You and Daddy have played "So Big" forever, but when did you start saying "Soooo big!" with Daddy?
So I guess what I'm saying is; while I'm very happy and proud of you for learning how to count to five, sing, dance, color, get un-dresses, put your shirt on partway by yourself, and God only knows all the other things that I don't have the time to post here in your two years of life, would you please slow down? I don't think that I can keep up with you and I am missing my baby boy. However, I am having such a good time being your Mommy right now, as this very moment.
Please keep all of these points in mind as you continue to grow.

Love and kisses,
Mommy

Oh, Dear GOD!

I almost lost Sean today.
We were at story time at the library (temporarily located in the mall) and Sean was just having fun digging through the balls they brought out for all the kidlets to play with. I could see him and kept one eye on him while I asked a first time mom about the necklace she was waring.
Five seconds. FIVE! That's how long I must have talked to here before I looked over and saw Sean wasn't at the ball bucket... He wasn't in the room either. I was standing by the frickin' entryway! How could he get out?
I fun to the corridor to see if he's there, as a tight panic gripped my chest. He's not there either. I look back quick to make suer he wasn't hiding in a corner, which he wasn't, and ran into the main library, screaming his name with two other moms following suite. All the while, the panic grips tighter.
As I got close to the front desk, I could see one of the libarieans at the entrance, blocking the exit of a little boy dressed in brown, walking away from her. Sean just looked up at me and smiled as if to say "Hi Mommy! Look how far I walked!" At that point I was too relieved to be mad.
I did tell him how naughty that was and how scared he made Mommy and "just wait 'till your father hears about this!"

The day got better after that. My friend, Danni (a.k.a. Danni the Nanny) and Sean's triplet friends, Audry, Katherine, and Maison, went to lunch at the Old Chicago. Thanks again Danni!
It was so nice to be able to talk to someone your own age and knows the ins-and-outs of kids (she doesn't have any that belong to her, but she's always around them!) - to just shoot the breeze and not have to worry about what they will think if Sean starts smearing applesauce in his hair (he didn't, thank God).
I really do like Danni; she's a good egg and when she has the three kids, I know that she appreciates it when I got her back to chase a baby or two. I know she's got mine and Sean's. Besides, sometimes the nanny needs a nanny! :) Love 'ya, Danni!

So now here at my folks. Sean was put in his crib around one and just now is starting to quiet down -not asleep, but not as talkative- and not talking to his 'pet tiger', Ty. I didn't go get him out of the crib, he's resting at least. And I'd rather him take rest then nothing.
We converted his crib at home to the toddler bed (just getting too tall!) and he hasn't been sleeping as well. So rest is rest at the moment.

All of you, take care and give all the people you love a hug!

I'm a bad, bad girl....

How long has it been since I posted?
Let's think....
Sean had his first birthday
Sean started walking on his birthday!
Sean had a wonderful first birthday party and crammed cake in his face
I hate winter
Thanksgiving at Grandma and Grandpa Mumm's
We crashed our car in a snow storm
Got car fixed
Sean's grabby stage
Sean got out of his grabby stage after taking him to the play area in the mall once a week
Christmas
SARAH'S HAVING A BABY!
Grandma and Grandpa come over for Christmas
Nate and I weren't able to preform in the Christmas eve service due to snowstorms
Christmas at Grandma and Granddad Davisons.
Davison Christmas.
New Years Eve
Sean likes to eat paper
Sean likes story time at the library
I HATE VALENTINES DAY
Sean's started waving

Wow. That's a lot. Not having internet stinks.

Sleep Sleep Sleepy

The theme of our house had been "I'm tired" for the past several days.

Tobey, well, Tobey is always lounging around. It's just part of his temperament, but also he's getting old (almost 8). And while he is lounging, he demands tummy rubs... and I am a sucker for an exposed tummy.
I really need to get him together with his dog cousins; they always give his a good burst of energy, since one is a terrier and the other a puppy. Plus, he really enjoys playing with them.

Nate has been tired form allergies. If it's green and grows, he's allergic to it; the main reason I haven't gotten flowers in over two-and-a-half years. He's feeling better now; the sinus infection has been killed with antibiotics and grapefruit juice.

I have conic insomnia, which always gets worse a week to week-and-a-half before.... um, 'that time' and I'll be up till sometimes 2:30am. It's not like I want to do it or I'm trying to stay up on purpose! I just can't shut off my mind and go to sleep. You think that I should see a doctor?

Last is Sean. Sean slept form 9:45pm to 7am and is now back to sleep at 8am. I don't blame him and I am not worried in the least.
1) Sean had a very busy weekend. Friends came in town Friday, Daddy and Sean ran all over town on Saturday, and Sunday, Sean went to his friend, Tommy's, first birthday party.
2) Sean got his flu shot yesterday. Yes, I vaccinate my child. Look at some of my older post on what I think about it. But tiredness is a very common side effect of the flu shot. I'm keeping an eye on him though, just to make sure nothing new shows up. (A slight fever is also common with the flu shot, but I know how to handle a low grade temp. ^_^)

I wish that I had some more newer photos of Sean... well, I do, but their on my phone and I have yet to figure how to get them onto my computer. But I do have this next one of Sean and Nate and my new nephew dog, Cooper.
~Say good-bye, boys!

Mini Monet!

Hi there.
First thing and it's real weird; I was up at 6am, on my own, and feeling totally refreshed. I NEVER do that!

So, Sean was done with breakfast, but was still a little hungry. I needed to work on emptying the dishes (still need to re-load, though. Nate.... ). Did I give him Cheerios? No. Did I give him some puffs? No Did I give him the yogurt melts that he loves oh so very much? No! What did I give him? Baby finger paint.
Yes, baby finger paint. Just a simple mixture of fruit and cereal watered down some so it's nice and semi-runny like paint. Not only is it real fun to smear around, squish through fingers and make a huge mess, but it also helps get those finger muscles working so maybe one day he'll point (he has the concept of pointing seeing he'll look in the direction you're pointing at, but he has still to point).
Did we have fun Sean?

(Yes, he also ate some...)

And I guess that I should just bite the bullet and explain yesterday’s Wordless Wednesday photograph (Lord, help me…)
Sean figured out how to take is diaper off, again. I honestly think the first time was a happy accident for him caused by flipping a rolling around in his crib trying to find his corner (he likes to sleep with his head in the corner…). But this was a true, honest-to-God, he took the diapie off all by himself event……… and then proceeded to discover his boy parts.

He also saw the camera and decided to pose for the latest new installment of “Babies Gone Wild.”

It’s really not a big deal. I mean, he found his little baby boy parts; it’s just like finding his fingers or toes. It’s a part of his body and he should be entitled to explore it and figure out what it does, just like any other part of his body. It’s not a big deal, so I’m not going to treat it like one… until he starts undressing in public…

Other than dealing with a nude baby, how an I doing. Well, I have contracted Tiny Chicken Disease so my nose feels like a leaky faucet. Nate also had Tiny Chicken Disease,only his tiny chickens laid rotten eggs and thus has a sinus infection! Great.... He is feeling better, though. Sean also had this chicken disease, but only because those two front teeth are cutting in but don't want to poke through!
The inverters of Puffs tissues are my best friend right now....

If it's not one thing....

... it's twenty others. That's the reason I've been absent for over a week (bout, come to think about it, that's kind of normal...).
Well the reason is, I'm a scatter-brain. Always have been. I'm doing something and I think of something else that needs done, and that leads to another, and that leads to another, and at the end of the day I have a dozen (at least) half finished projects.
A typical week plus the two days a week I'm working now) are as followed:

• Get up at 8am to take meds and see if Sean is up. If not, go back to rest a little more.
• Wake up with Sean
• Get breakfast for Sean-realize that the dishes have been there for a while and try to get those done at the same time
• Play-and if Sean is playing nice by himself, try to round up the laundry, but get distracted
• Put Sean down for nap- do some laundry, but realize that the stuff to go is Sean's room has to wait and then totally forget about it
• Sean gets up we play
• Get lunch ready for Sean- maybe try to get some baby food made in her, too, or dished, or some more laundry in between spoonfuls (Mesh teething feeders are my HERO)
• Play 'the foot game' in Sean's room- knit/crochet/sew or some other crafty thing, then realize that the front room is a mess
• Let Sean play in play-pen and try to clean computer area- get distracted by email and Sean
• Put Sean down for a nap (hopefully he'll sleep, usually does) and pray to God Nate gets off early
• Nate gets off and I have done a lot, but nothing gets done!
  

• (Tues and Fri. Get up at 6:30am get ready for work, drop of Sean at Grammys Work till noon-ish help Grammy around the house)

(You do know that this is just a short run down, right? I mean, I do change his diaper and there are snacks and letting the dog out and other stuff. I mean, I'm not that scatter-brained, am I?)

And, have I mentioned lately that I love my husband (even thought there are some times I want to wring his neck). There's no big, special reason to say that; I just felt like I should. I really love him so much; I couldn't think of a better man to be my husband or Sean's daddy and I really really appreciate him putting up with and understanding my crazy, scatter-brainy-ness.

Well it's photo time! Here we go

Sean one day before turning nine months old! I can't believe it!


He did this himself, I sware to God! I put him down for a nap and he had pulled off his diaper! He even lied down on it so if he peed, it would be on the diaper!

~~~~~~~~
Wendseday, Sean cut his eye toothe; tooth number three. So we gave him his dinner still in frozen form:


Don't worry, that's not blood! He tryed beets' for the first time that night! The camera just made the juice look more red than purple.
Now that I look at it, I can see how one might think he was bleeding. This almost looks like it chould have come strait form Sweeney Todd!



I would say that at the end of the night, it was a success. Nate, Sean and I all ate at the same time, Sean liked the beets' and liked getting purple, the purple-ness washed off in the tub and Sean slept all night. But the best part for me was: I now have over a dozen new photos I can use as black mail for when he's a teen-ager!

Say good-night, Sean!

Sleepless in... Des Moines?!?

I don't know why, but I have been having very severe insomnia. I just cannot get to sleep. Once I am asleep, I stay asleep; it’s just the getting there.

It really is frustrating. I always have been a night person, but not like this. There are nights where my mind doesn’t start to slow down until 2am… or later. Then the next day, I have no energy. Usually, I need to get 9 or 10 hours of sleep to function properly, always have. Since Sean came out, I’ve been fine with 7 ½ - 9 and can get through the day. It’s just the past few weeks I’ve been averaging 5-6…3 ½ last night, since Sean didn’t sleep well. And I’m still awake and NOT BY CHOICE!

It’s not like I’m staying up on purpose! I just cannot slow my mind down; it keeps running a mile a minute! I’ve tried going to bed earlier, but my mind will race and I’ll just get frustrated and aggravated if I stay in bed… and Nate get’s frustrated, too because I’ll keep him up. I would just like it if someone would hit me over the head with a rock me to sleep!

Does anyone else have this problem?

But, hey, good news id it’s ten ‘till midnight and I’m starting to settle. I may get to sleep before 12:30! YEA!! I’m booking it!

~ ’Night

Burnt Out

I am burnt out.
I'm just going to do a quick review of the past two weeks.

• Sean decides he doesn't have enough toys out in his room.

(Full story in later post)

• Nate hates his job right now and I don't blame him.

• Sean's pink eye cleared up. (Yea!)

• My friend Lacy came to visit Sean, Tobey and me one afternoon. :)
  

• I get the stomach flu.

• Sean turns 7 months!

• Sean keeps pooping out his diapers.

• Nate and I messed the Tony's because the tape didn't record! (*cries*)

• I find out that Tobey sleeps really funny.

• Sean is fussy from his tooth.

• Sean is trying to cut a top tooth.

• I'm going crazy; nothing new.
  

• Sean gets a new toy.

(A play yard! So much fun!)

So...

Sean had a tummy ache and teething pains yesterday, wouldn't stop screaming, wouldn't take a nap, finally settles down just in time to go get his shots! He slept well last night (we were at Grandma and Grandpas from baby sitting and we were traveling with them today), but woke up at 5am with poop leaking out of his diaper, running down his legs and between his tows, all over the porta-crib and then won't go back to sleep!
We traveled to Auntie Mary Jane's today to give her her retirement gift, stayed for about two-and-a-half hours, then turned around and came home... a six hour trip both ways. Sean is not happy! At least he's asleep.
And speaking of sleep, I'm going there now. Thank you for listing to me vent! :)

Two for Tooth

Well, that other tooth of Sean's is stubborn, but it finally cut through today! Again, just the tiniest tip is sticking out and Sean is not happy about it one little bit!
On a better note, Sean's pink eye is looking a lot better today. He's had two rounds of eye drops and already a lot of the puffiness is down and the whites are less red.

On a completely different note - I have no Idea how he got into what he did!
All four of us were in the front room; Nate was half reading, half watching a movie I was on the sofa with Tobey, half watching the movie, mostly keeping an eye on Sean who was crawling around on the floor. We have some arias barricaded off with boxes, the ironing board, a suit case, things of that nature that we already have and he can't climb over.
Sean starts crawling over toward Tobey, wanting to play and just babbling up a storm. As he gets closer to the sofa, I notice that Sean is making a chewing motion and something is in the corner of his mouth. I wipe it off and pick him, and there is a big, mussy glob of blue paper stuck to the roof of his mouth! What in the world?
I have no idea where he got that! I was keeping a fairly good eye on him and I don't even remember having any blue paper! Anyway, we got it out of his mouth and in the garbage with no harm done.
I think this kid is going to like surprising him parents...

Eye See You!

*sigh* Sean has pink eye... in both eyes. It just showed up yesterday when we had some friends over with their three-year-old daughter, so now I'm worried that she may have got it.
I was suspisios of it yesterday, but my mom and Grammy kept telling me it was nothing, even though my gut kept saying it was.
On the Ravelry group At Home Mom's I posted some photos that I took to get other stay at home mothers opinions. It was a unanimous 'pink eye'.
The doctor called in a script for him over the phone. Now I know that doctors don't usually see kids with pink eye, just call in a script. Hu? Who knew?
Sean is okay otherwise; he looks worse than he feels. He is still climbing up on things to stand, still crawling all over Gods green earth, still smiling and laughing, and he still loves his carrots!
He just looks so pathetic! What with his eyes all red and puffy and watery. At least he isn't acting like he's in any pain, other than teething.
The drops were started tonight. Nate is a wonderful daddy and drops the medication in his eyes while I hold Mr. Wiggle Monkey.
Now all we have to do is watch to make sure he didn't catch my mom's bronchitis....
Pray for us!

CHOMP!

Sean has his first tooth! Wow! He must have just finished cutting it today.
I was sitting with him, glancing at some piece of literature and letting Sean gnaw on my knuckle (he loves to do that) - when all of a sudden, I felt something hard.
I'm at my folks today, do I asked Grammy to hang onto him while I checked it out. Sure enough, he has the tippy-top of his left bottom front toother sticking out! And, if that isn't enough to make your head spin, I can see the other tooth coming up under his thinning gum! So I had to call Nate, my mom and my dad (who had just walked out the door) to let them know.
This really explains his icky cough now. My brother-in-law said that when their toddler was teething, he acted like he was sick; coughing, diarrhea, ear infections, and just plan-old fussiness. Except for the ear infection, Sean has been having all of these symptoms, plus some congestion that the teething may be causing (I also think that he is congested because he has his dad's allergies).
Wow... just... WOW! I'm was having a hard time believing that on Monday he's going to be six months, but this was a bit of a wake-up call.
Good thing I just finished knitting up his teething bib a.k.a. slobber catcher!

Wow...

I'm having a hard time believing that it is taking me so long between posts! Then at the same time, I don't have a hard time believing it, because my life is crazy!
Sean is five months old now! What the F....!?! When did he get so old?! He's doing all of these new things everyday that just amaze me!

First off, he's sitting up by himself. We'll just set him on the floor in a sitting position, and he takes it from there.
Second, he's starting to crawl. He isn't doing a full out hands-and-knees, cruisin' around the house crawl; it's more along the lines of a slow, sloppy army crawl. He'll kick with his legs and push himself along with his elbows. My brother and his fiancee, who are both military, think it's the cutest thing! And let me tell you, he can get around!

Sean also had his first ER visit a few weeks back. Nate and I were getting him ready for his night time bath in his room; I was getting a sleepy sack and Nate was undressing Sean, My back was turned and all of a sudden I hear "Oh, sh*t!", a thud! and Sean scream: Sean had quite literally jumped out of his dads arms (around a four foot fall)! I turn around to see Sean face down on his floor (which is a blessing he fell there, because it has new carpet and carpet pad, so it was the softest break for his fall) and Nate with a deer-in-the-headlights look on his face.
So we run him to the ER and he screamed the whole way, but started to doze off right as we were turning into the lot... then got mad we moved him and screamed even harder.
We got in, got admitted, got checked out, x-rayed, diagnosed and released all under two hours! Everything was fine: no head trauma, no broken bones, no major injuries at all, thank God. They still told us to wake him every three hours to check him for any symptoms that may be new. So I did at 12:30...... and he screamed till 7:45!
My mom rocks for coming to drive us around at 3am! Nate had an obligation at church (the very first thing) and was thinking of staying the whole service... but at 5 I called him and said if he didn't come right after the opening that "I swear to God, I'll make your life a living hell!" That got his attention. He came. I love him. Sean didn't want to nurse for a week!

Sean is all better now and nursing again, but was run back to the ER again last week with a fever of 101F. That came down very quick, just a cold bug. He still has a little congestion and a wee bit of a cough left, but he gave it to both his dad and me. All last week, we all were whining for death. Thank God for my Grammy for helping with Sean so I could recoup!

Easter was wonderful! We went to Ill to Nate’s folks and then further to Wiss to see his grandparents and extended family. Sean was very well behaved during Dad’s services (FIL is a pastor) and his grandma and grandpa ate him up… so did their Husky!

But, it’s late, so I’m going to get this rounds photos up and hit the hay!
~Night!



Baseball with Grandpa

Grandma Loves me!

I love to sleep on Daddy

Doggy Kisses!

SOOOOO Big!!

Daddy and Me Lookin' sharp

I can Sit... And Crawl!

Two Weeks

Today is Sean's two week birthday; he is growing like a weed!
I can't believe how much he has changed in just this short amount of time! It's crazy! I can already tell he's longer and chubbier and half of his cloths don't fit him anymore!
He's starting to recognize day and night now. He gets up early (like his daddy) and is up most of the morning. He'll have a feeding around 9:00 then take a nap till the noon-ish hour and eat again. After that he'll be awake for a tiny bit, then nap right about till Nate comes home (between 3:30-4:30), eat, play with Dad some and then crash till evening. We'll eat and all watch CSI, Law & Order or Criminal Minds or something of that like, eat when the news comes on and head to bed. He get's up about twice a night now to eat; I take one shift, Nate takes one, so it's all good. (This account does not include all of the diaper changes that happen through out the day)
His 'schedule' may be a little off today. Yesterday, he was really fussy. I had some of my mom’s lasagna the night before last and she used Italian sausage instead of hamburger like she normally does. The seasoning must have gotten into my milk and upset his tummy. The only times he was comfortable yesterday afternoon was if he was held somewhat upright. He slept really well last night, though from all of the fussing.
His stub fell off this morning! It was right after a diaper change and I picked him up to pull his rubber pants over his bottom and when I put him down, his stub was gone! I was all excited (I don’t know why) and put it in a baggy to save with his other baby mementos. And, of course, I had to tell Nate right when I got back to bed. (Should I have mentioned it was a 5am diaper change?)

Right now, he's playing very nice and quiet on his blanky at my folk’s house. We're going to a 'Mommy and Me Breastfeeding' support group today and my dad is taking us. Sean and Granddad had some nice play time a little earlier while Sean was awake and all alert (he still is and is looking at the dogs toys and cooing up a storm). I’m so proud of my baby.

He and Nate and I are also going to his two week check-up this afternoon. I’m sure that he’ll pass with flying colours!

Happy Birthday, Sean! Mommy and Daddy love you!