The Morning After

Jack did wonderful in the crib last night.  He slept 9 hours!  He's been sleeping through the night (for the most part) since about 6 weeks, I guess I thought he'd have a harder time switching to the crib.  His first night went well... for him.  Not so much for mommy.  At one point Craig offered to go sleep on the floor if I was "so concerned" about Jack.  I wasn't concerned about him, I was just sad.  I missed him in the room last night, and listening to him sleep.  On a good note... his face absolutely LIT UP when I walked in this morning... so I had to take a picture.

He liked his crib so much, he hung out there for a bit while I worked.  So I snapped a few more pictures today.

 He LOVES his mobile

 He looks so long

 My handsome little man

First Night in the Crib

Tonight is Jack's first night in his crib.  I think it's harder on me then it is him... Actually, I know it is.  I laid him down in his crib and he stared at the quilt Great Aunt Lynne made him that hangs on the wall for about 30 seconds and then he was sound asleep.  I stayed and stared at him for a few minutes before dragging myself to bed.  Where I am now writing in his blog, with the monitor turned up as loud as it can go... I think I'm hoping he'll cry so I can bring him back in our room.

Memorial Day Weekend

Aunt Niki and Geoff stopped by on their way back from Florida this past weekend.  And Grandma & Grandpa Gesie came down for a visit.  Aunt Niki brought all kinds of goodies for Jack and even a present for Craig and I!

 Jack, Aunt Niki, and his SUPER soft Pluto

 Jack with his own mouse ears... he's not too excited about them yet

He was excited to go the pool for the first time.  Too bad we spent all this time getting him slathered in sunblock and ready to go, he fell asleep on the way up and slept the whole time so no frolicking for Jack.

Monster Noises

He cracks me up... When Jack eats he makes A LOT of noise.  Grunting, snorting, and what I refer to as "Monster noises" they are kind of like baby growls.  Lately he's been "fighting" his food, kicking at the air and wrestling with an imaginary friend.  I've been on the phone a couple times with my sister while feeding Jack, I didn't realize how loud he really was until she asked what was going on.  It's one of these things that I find really amusing, but can't really share with anyone (for obvious reasons).  I wish I could record the monster noises, they are my favorite.

Poop Incident

I couldn't pass up sharing this story...  Jack has become a little irregular.  He can go 4-8 days between pooping, I think this bothers me more than it bothers him.  He's really doesn't seem too upset about it, he doesn't get too fussy until about the last day.  We've been trying dark karo syrup in a bottle for 2 weeks, and that hasn't really helped.

This morning was D-Day.  And when Jack poops, he poops the 4-8 days worth.  So I don't find it acceptable to be told that breast-fed babies can go 7-10 days between bowel movements.  That's BS, if that were the case, he would have a normal poop, not a giant blow out each time.

I got up at 7 because he was fussing, and took him to his room to be changed.  As I opened the diaper he let loose.  And it came out with such force it arced over the foot of the changing table and SPLATTERED against the dresser that is probably a good 2-3 feet away.  This was the first total blow-out Craig has witnessed.  He tried to be a trooper, he really did... he held the sack open for me to throw the 2 diapers I used to try to "catch" the poop with and the 20 million wipes I used to try to clean Jack up.  Eventually he started gagging, and told me he had to leave for work.  Once again, Jack went to the bath, and I cleaned him (and myself) up, started a load of laundry and scrubbed down the changing table, wall, bin of bath toys that was sitting next to the foot of the changing table, laundry basket, and of course... the dresser.  I'm calling the Dr. today, it is unacceptable that my kid can be so backed up that he can $hit with the velocity he did this morning.

Jack's a happy guy today...

While We Were There

Great Grandpa and Grandma Holly came down to see Jack while he was back this past weekend.  Jack and Great Grandpa like to talk to each other.

Grandma Gesie's lap was a pretty good spot for a snooze.  He was out!

Jack's head has recently gotten stable enough I feel comfortable using the Baby Bjorn... it is GREAT to have 2 hands again!

She's No Kenyan...

She's my Aunt KT!

We went back to Iowa this past weekend to watch Aunt Katy run a half marathon in Marion.  Jack rocked his awesome shirt that said FRONT: "She's No Kenyan..." BACK: "She's my Aunt KT!!!"  It was a pretty awesome.

Jack also got to meet his Uncle Marty while we were back.  He loved Marty and I'm pretty sure Marty loved him some Jack.

 Daddy, Aunt Katy, and Jack before the race

Jack, Uncle Marty, and Daddy

Happy Happy Happy

Jack loves to smile, this is just such a sweet picture, I couldn't resist posting it.

2 Months

Jack is 2 months old today, and we had our 2 month appointment.  It did not go well for Jack or I...

Stats:
Height: 24 1/4" (90%)
Weight: 11lbs 7.5oz (50%)
Head: 39.4cm (25-50%)


Good news, he's healthy, happy, growing, and scored well on his Denver test.  Although I think the scoring on that might be a bit skewed by a proud momma.  They had me answer the questions on a sheet and he scored remarkably well, but I realized the pediatrician asks the same questions while examining Jack and she seemed impressed with his neck and head support and the ability to bear weight on his legs.  So he's advanced in his development (by like a month, but I'll take it!)

The bad news... Jack had to get his first round of vaccinations.  Not that I'm against vaccinations, I couldn't be any less against it, I just thought they happened at 3 months, not 2...  I had every intention of having Craig come to the first round of vaccinations, since I had been warned by friends that they are horrible and I cried every time they stuck Jack's heel for a blood draw for the bilirubin levels.

I just wish I had been able to prepare myself a bit more.  The doctor finished up Jack's exam and brightly tells me not to dress him yet, that the nurse will be in shortly to give Jack his shots and to watch for a fever of 103 that persists for more than 24-48 hours.  Um, 103???  Sorry, neurotic mom here, if my kid's temp hits 100 I'll be calling you, but ok, whatever you say...  The nurse comes in explains the 3 shots and oral vaccines Jack will get, and gives me some papers and then starts doing her devil work.  Jack SCREAMED, I mean bloody murder screamed.  There was blood running down his legs from the injection sights.  I'm bawling, Jack's bawling, we're holding on to each other for dear life (ok, I'm holding onto Jack for dear life) while the nurse tries to console me and tell me "She PROMISES it's worse for me then it is for him, and while he's crying its really not as bad as it seems."  At which point I ask her how she could possibly know this and inform her I've never heard Jack cry.  I mean sure, he's given me a couple whimpers, but no crocodile tears, inconsolable screaming, crying.  I've never felt so helpless.  The nurse told me to take as much time as I needed and pretty much ran out the door.

Jack has spent the afternoon sleeping.  Hasn't been fussy, doesn't even seem like any different then any other day... go figure.

Here are some of the pictures from his 2 month "photo shoot" again... be jealous of my photography skills

Mother's Day

My first Mother's Day as a Mother... I don't know that I felt any different.  Not that I expected to "feel" different.  It's definitely weird to think of myself as a MOM now.  Mom's are supposed to be "old and wise" and I don't mean old in a bad way.  I just know that I expect my mom to have the answer to every question I ask her... and these days I ask her A LOT of questions.  Sometimes I call her just to ask if I'm a good mom, like yesterday.  I was swaddling Jack in his crib, and I still don't know how I managed to do it, but I cracked his head on the crib.  I say cracked, like I split his head open... in reality, I bumped it.  He cried, I cried, he didn't even have a bump from where I bumped his head.  I called her in the middle of it.  She asked me how long he cried, (it was like 30 seconds) and proceeded to reassure me he was fine.  And then imparted some of her wisdom on me, that I seem more apt to listen to these days (since becoming a mom, and maybe realizing she knows more than I gave her credit for all those years).  She told me "He's a boy, he's going to get bumps, and bruises, and probably stitches... if you get upset every time he gets the smallest 'ouchie' you are in for a long ride as the mom of a boy."  I thought this was good advice, and as always, she made me feel better.  I hope I can be as reassuring for Jack as my mom is for me.

So Happy Mother's Day to my mom, I think you have been a great mom, seeing how well Niki and I turned out.  We've had our "ouchies" along the way, and you've been strong, level-headed, and loved us through all of it, I hope I can be as great of a mom to Jack as you've been to me.

"Jack" made some Mother's Day cards this year...  I HONESTLY thought it would be easier than it was.  I mean, paint his hand while he's asleep and slap it on some paper, piece of cake, right?  WRONG.  The second I put the purple paint on Jack's open hand, he closed it in a fist I couldn't have pried open with a crow-bar.  It was a DISASTER.  He finally opened his fist and promptly smeared it through his hair and all over his face.  He looked like he had a giant bruise on his head/face.  But the end result was cute.  I think we might do this every year, it will be fun to be able to put them together when he's older and see the progression of his hand-print.  I still don't see me digging the finger paints out anytime before next year though.  What a freaking mess.

Finished Product

I sent this photo out to a few friends when I/Jack first made the cards.  And was asked what the "green arrow" was.  The purple hand-print is supposed to be a tulip/flower and the green arrow is the stem.  The orange heart is Jack's thumbprints... also more difficult then I thought it would be.

I feel like I used a lot of air quotes in this post....

New Deck

Jack got a new deck!  Uncle Carl, Original Mick, Grandpa Gesie, and Dad built us a new deck over the past few weekends.  Jack helped out.

I LOVE this picture of Jack, it cracks me up.  I think he's thinking "If you take one more picture of me..."

 Jack hard at work on the deck

Jack helping build the deck

(almost) Finished Product!

Week at Grandma & Grandpa's

We spent the week at Grandma and Grandpa Gesie's.  It was an interesting trip up.  We took off at 5:30 and headed North, about 2/3 of the way there I pulled off in Mt. Pleasant because it was raining so hard I could barely see.  Just as I parked the car and picked up my phone to call and tell my parents I was stopping until the rain let up they called me.  There was a tornado 20 miles north of where I was.  So, Jack and I hung out in the Hy-Vee parking lot for an hour.  We took off again and drove for about 30 minutes... before I realized I got on the wrong highway and was half way to Ottumwa.  I was beyond furious, it's probably a good thing Jack doesn't understand anything I say.  We didn't roll into Solon until sometime around midnight... it should have been 9:30 if we'd driven straight with one stop.

The stop is for me, I need a break when I drive (sometimes multiple breaks), and how can I pass up Casey's pizza for dinner?  Jack does great on car rides.  He pretty much falls asleep before we are out of the neighborhood.

The week was pretty uneventful, we crashed Grandma and Grandpa Gesie's 30th anniversary dinner.  Except for the last day there.  Jack hadn't pooped in 5 days.  At about 6 weeks, Jack quit pooping daily to going 4-5 days between poops.  I've called the pediatrician about it and we're going to discuss it in more detail at his 2 month appointment next week.  However, he was getting a little grouchy and had been straining all morning.  Until he let loose.  I laid him out on a changing pad on the kitchen table and began to take his pants off... there was poop EVERYWHERE.  I ended up stripping him down, throwing his clothes in the kitchen sink, and started to make my way to the bathroom for a bath, as it was in his hair and hands and everywhere after I had to take his clothes off since they were LITERALLY COVERED IN POOP.  Thankfully Grandma rolled in right then.  I came to the front door and banged on it with my head... I'm sure the sight of what she walked into will stick with her for awhile... naked, poop covered baby in my arms, poop all over my shirt, poop covered clothes in the kitchen sink, poop all over the changing pad, it was a disaster, I gagged a little cleaning the poop out of his clothes.

 I managed to get a smile on camera

 Jack helping me out at work

Such a big boy!  He took his first nap in his crib

Graduation Party

Some pictures from the Graduation Party/30th Anniversary of Grandma & Grandpa Gesie/Meet Jack party at Grandma and Grandpa Gesie's house on Sunday.

 Jack with his Great Grandmas

 Jack and Daddy

 Jack and Gabby, she's 3 weeks older than Jack

 Jack with Grandma Gesie

Jack and Mommy

Graduation

Aunt Niki graduated from Iowa State University today.  While we don't support the cyclones, we do support Aunt Niki and all her hard work, so I allowed Jack to wear an ISU onesie for the day... until he peed all over it, darn the luck.

I SWEAR my graduation was not as long as ISU's was... or as hot.  We traveled up to Ames in Great Grandpa and Grandma Holly's van with Grandma and Grandpa Gesie, and Jack and I.  We sat in the auditorium for 3 hours until they called Aunt Niki's name.  Then Jack and I bolted for the car, he'd been hungry for about an hour, but we couldn't miss Niki walking across stage.

Doing what he does best

The group excited to cheer for Niki

Jack met the president of the University, he said he was always recruiting 18 years out if we were interested in a full ride... we should have gotten something signed!

Great Grandma Gesie

Jack met his Great Grandma Gesie and Great Aunt Tina this past weekend when we went to Monticello for a funeral.

He also tested out Grandma's bathroom sink for a bath tub... the kid loves his bath.