Landon's weekend

This weekend was pretty much dedicated entirely to Landon. We tried to play catch up and stock up. Saturday we went out to the outlet mall which supposedly was having a huge Memorial Day sale. The one store that we really wanted to go to, a new large baby Gap wasn't opening until Monday. We did manage to find some essentials for Landon at Carter's and Osh Kosh B'Gosh. He is just growing so fast it almost blows my mind! We think he is somewhere around 16 pounds, but we'll find out for sure at his pediatrician appt next week. He is able to wear 6-12 month sizes now! If I don't get new clothes washed and on him in time, I'm lucky if he can wear them once or twice before they are too small.

Sunday we stayed home and I tried to get caught up on laundry and cleaning. Ira took care of Landon and got caught up on TiVo.

Monday we reluctantly made a trip down to Babies r Us to get the other items that we can't find at stores around home...we needed our special hospital recommended Dr. Brown's bottles in 8 oz size, plain white onesies in the correct size, preemie formula, diapers, a special bottle warmer for the car, etc. And the main reason, to look for a stroller........oh boy! No, we still don't have a stroller for Landon. This has been the hardest purchase to date. I'm really adamant about having a stroller that has a reversible seat or handle, so that he will face me and I will be able to keep my eye on him at all times. I can't tell you how many times I have seen children in strollers that have grabbed something they weren't supposed to have (a piece of a plant and they were starting to eat it...that one really put me over the edge and I intervened), have slumped down in their seat, lost socks or toys, have runny noses or vomited, etc.,...and their parents are just oblivious pushing them from behind. Ira doesn't have the same strong desire for the reversible seat as me but he supports my decision and sees the merits. He thinks Landon will have much more fun facing out to the world. I say, "He can look around me and to the sides!" If there's something we'd like him to see, I have no problem stepping to the side, and letting him look away. I'd also like some good wheels and other extras. It is so hard to find a stroller with those requirements. The one that meets all of the criteria, is the Bugaboo Frog which of course is $800. Can't exactly justify a purchase of that amount. I think we may have settled on the Zooper Zydeco, and wouldn't you know it's sold out everywhere. We did end up buying Landon an exersaucer, as evidenced below.

Landon is also doing better tolerating his car seat. He definitely likes the ride better when the car is moving. Yesterday he had such an annoyed look on his face. Ira kept calling him "Winston," because he thought he looked like Winston Churchill. It's also a calmer ride for us since we can see him more easily, since Ira installed the Easy View Baby Car Mirror.

Landon had a much more fun time in the exersaucer this morning than last night. He had a good case of "the cranks" last night and he found the whole thing to be overwhelming. I know I posted a lot of pictures but I just thought his expressions were so cute. He's a little young to be in it for very long at a time, but he was so enthralled by it today. Colby is especially fond of the exersaucer. A little jealous too. Apparently he has never had a toy so nice. If you know us, you're laughing because you've seen the baskets of "nice" toys Colby has!

Murphy's Law

Your son will have his first "poop-splosion"...
a. After he's just had a bath
b. While wearing a brand new outfit
c. "It" will ooze out the legs of his diaper down the legs of his pants and onto his socks

At least we were home. Good times!

First Encounters

Landon had his very first playdate this weekend. (If you don't count seeing our friends Dave and Lynette this past week where we tried to get Landon to coax his friend baby Dylan out of his tired Mom's overdue belly..."I know it's scary but you'll really like it out here, Dylan." We tried to get Landon to tell him) Our friends Kyle and Jamie and their daughter Avery came to visit on Saturday. Avery is about five weeks older than Landon (gestationally about 11 weeks). Landon prepared by getting dressed in his new cute summer outfit and we tried to work on remembering manners (trying not to pass gas, cry, and burp in front of a lady - he failed at all three by the way). It was really cute to see them each notice their first baby. Landon was a little hesitant but Avery was just too charming to ignore. He managed to respond to her smiles and squeals with his own. She had much wisdom to pass on and wowed him with some of her physical abilities including; standing and bouncing on her Mom's lap, rolling over both ways, sitting up unassisted, and of course our most sought after and craved-for "laughing." It was interesting comparing stories with Kyle and Jamie about how these little ones have so completely changed our lives. It's also nice knowing that we're not alone with our worries and concerns, and that they are probably the only ones that can also find hilarity in babies that store lint in between the creases of their thumb and finger!

So Proud!

Ira got a promotion at work! If you know him, you know that it is VERY well deserved and long overdue. He is so consciencious and dilligent and does well at everything he attempts, of course including being a father and husband! And if you know me, you know that that's just what I was waiting for and why I was practically an old maid when we found each other and got married! I was waiting for exactly "you." You are our whole life and we are so happy that you were recognized for what we have known all along! We love you so much sweetheart and we are so proud of you!

4 Months

This month has brought rolling over, although it’s only been a few times and I’m not convinced that they weren’t all accidental. Maybe that’s how they start?

One new discovery is his tongue. And boy is it a favorite! He loves to stick it out and wag it and will mimic you if you stick out your tongue at him.

Landon is also really in love with his hands. He is constantly trying to suck on his fists and loves bringing his hands together and folding them. He sucked his thumb once also, but didn’t understand that curling his other fingers under would prevent them from poking him in the nose and eye!

We are still waiting for real laughs, although we do get a lot of really happy squeals and twice I've heard a few funny deep belly laughs as he's falling asleep (the same thing happened before he smiled at us for the first time). We are just starting to see glimpses of his personality now and he's much more interested in really looking at us.

He has also started noticing Colby and he doesn’t seem too thrilled if Colby manages to get past us and lick him on the hand or head. (Don't worry I'm on the ready to clean him off with baby wipes!) Ironically, he too, is not fond of Colby’s “clam chowder breath.” (Hmm, maybe I really do need to brush his teeth every day like the Vet suggests) Or maybe it’s just the giant tongue coming at him! (Such a large tongue for a small dog) We are careful enough to never leave them alone together so that Colby might give Landon one of his famous hugs!

The sleeping through the night has been so great. It would be nice if he didn’t take so long to go to sleep at night after his last feeding – but I am lucky in that Ira ALWAYS puts him to sleep at night. I guess I’m just selfish and would like some time together before my head hits the pillow. Last night he slept for a record 10-1/2 hours - which completely freaked me out! The average is usually seven to eight. I kept checking on him, but of course he was fine.

Stages I am ready to be done with include; “floppy head and back” and “screaming bloody murder if he has to wait too long for the bottle to warm.”

I know everyone says cherish this time while they are little because it goes so fast, and I can understand how it will probably seem that way in retrospect….however, those extra six weeks of the hard newborn stage, because of his prematurity have really worn us out...and I can say for certain that I have felt every minute of every day of these past four months, but our love for him continues to grow in leaps and bounds. We are really looking forward to the fun discoveries and changes ahead and I’m sure all of the challenges will make us appreciate them all the more.

Our next hurdle will be overcoming our fears and letting someone babysit for the first time while we go out on a date! When you add his four months of life to two weeks in the hospital when my water broke prematurely and the busy holidays before that...I believe it's been about six months since Ira and I have been out on a date together. Welcome to "Parenthood" right?

My First Mother's Day

I had a really nice first mother's day. I got to spend the entire day with all my guys, including a homemade breakfast! I also have the promise of a pedicure and back massage (to be redeemed later as we ran out of time today). Colby and Landon got me a book about "Busy Doggies" to read to them :) and Ira got me a really cute Helen Ficalora white gold "L" initial pendant. "Happy Mother's Day" to all the Moms. A special "Happy Mother's Day" to our friends Jamie, Elim and Lynette that are also first time Moms this year! We hope you ALL had a great day!

Landon's Nursery

Say "Goodbye" to Bessie

I’m hanging up the pump. I have made the very difficult decision to stop expressing milk for Landon. Before all of you get on my case about how much better breastmilk is for him, let me say, “I know!” Don’t make me start crying about it again! If there was anyway I could continue, I would. I know all of the benefits it brings. He’ll be smarter, healthier, less likely to be overweight…suffice it to say; a nuclear physicist who paid his way through college modeling and also trains for triathlons on the weekends - if you believe what’s in my breastfeeding books. Although I know that he will probably be just fine with only four months worth, it breaks my heart that I can’t be the best mother that I can be. Any of you that know me very well or read all of the blog, know what a terrible struggle it was to make me come to the decision to pump exclusively in the first place. Gentlemen and the squeamish may stop reading now…I’m usually very private but even I have my moments. And as a woman, I reserve the right to vent and share my pain…
Pumping brought many challenges of it’s own and made me question whether or not my body was made to breastfeed in the first place. I have dealt with pain every day for four months, the reoccurrence of clogged ducts, apparently the SLOWEST let downs in history at 30-40 minutes per session, six times per day, and very delicate “extremely fair blonde girl skin” which my lactation consultants and midwife expressed concern with, one of them noting…"women with big brown *ipples have a much easier time nursing!” Well, that’s not really advice now is it! I’ve also dealt with the early return of my period, which has continued to visit at the rate of every two weeks that has messed with my supply. I also had to have surgery four weeks ago because I didn’t heal properly after I had Landon. Apparently that discomfort and stress caused my pumping sessions to increase to a whopping 45-50 minutes with only several ounces at each session. Add all of that together with taking care of a baby, dog, house, husband and my chronic illness (which rears it’s ugly head at the most inopportune times) and you’ve got a very overwhelmed Momma. Something had to give. The good news is that I had such a large supply in the beginning; the freezer is still stocked with milk, so he will continue to have my milk for at least the next month or two. So Landon, when you read this when you are grown, just know that your Mother loves you with all of her heart and she did the best she could! I know you’ll be fine with formula now. And who’s to say that you won’t be a nuclear physicist/model/athlete anyway! You’ve got your Daddy’s genes after all!


Did any of you feel so absent-minded and tongue tied while nursing? I felt like all my brain cells must have been coming out my breastmilk.

On the Move

Landon rolled over for the first time this weekend. Of course he didn't do it anymore after we got the camera out! It was pretty exciting, needless to say. :)