Wave on Wave

Sam was gone all week to England, which made figuring out and making him a Valentine's gift was super easy. I knew I didn't want to spend any money, especially since Valentine's isn't really considered a major holiday in this house. Not that we ignore it - but we don't do the big gestures. Our favorites were in college and included pizza and champagne (the cheap kind).

And then I ran across this on Young House Love. Wonderfully sweet, subtle and perfect. And even more surprisingly - I hadn't done it yet - which I find a little strange but y'know...

Even though it was amazingly simple, I know I did good, because my husband, who is not really outwardly sentimental, said it "aww - that's sweet" when he opened it. (If I remember correctly, I didn't get that when I made him an entire book of 101 reasons I loved him for our First Anniversary...so, yeah, I'm pretty darn proud of myself)

Wave on Wave by Pat Green is our song and was our first dance at our wedding. Unfortunately there's not a wonderfully romantic story about it - it was at the top of his itunes playlist in college and we listened to it every day, multiple times a day and something about it obviously just struck a chord with us. Maybe we danced to it - I can't remember - but I bet Sam does. Anyhow. There you have it.

in true Sam & Meghan fashion - we had fun and laughed during our entire "first dance"

And funny - no one knew the song or anything about it at our wedding. Everybody was asking "whahuh?" Well, I find it amusing that it was obscure to other people. And y'know - I think one Valentine's Day I gifted Sam tickets to see Pat Green in concert in college - awesome show. I was so proud of myself. I have a picture somewhere but I think it was lost in one of our many computer crashes and now only lives on in the scrapbook...

Wave on Wave my love. Forever.

Loves.

Sweet Valentine's

Lucky for William and I, Sam returned to us unharmed and a whole half hour earlier than expected on Saturday night. Just in time to go to bed and wake up for Valentine's Day. We never have big plans for Valentine's Day but that's how we like it. Sam got up with William, which might have been the highlight of the day for me, but then he woke me up at 7:30 saying he wanted to go to Hardee's for breakfast - so the sleep in was shortlived at best. No big deal - Hardee's has THE BEST biscuits and it USED to be our Sunday morning thing - so I was happy to revive the tradition, after showers of course! Then we went to Target to get dogfood - aren't we romantic?! ha!

This is the picture I used on Sam's card from William.

When we got home - we put William in his Valentine's Day outfit that I made for him and did cards & presents. William mostly enjoyed the taste of his card...haha. Oh well - when it makes to a scrapbook it will be fun to remember when everything went in his mouth!

I love Sam's face in this one - so sweet.

William also ate his card from Bebe & Grandaddy - it was apparently yummier than the first - he ate it in two!

It was a perfect low key day with my perfect two Valentine's. I might post Sam's love inspired gift - we'll see - I'll have to remember where I found my inspiration...

Loves.

Nothing more magical

I love snow. Like a little kid loves snow. I get all excited and could watch it fall all day. Love. This is the second year in a row that it has snowed in Columbus. Last year it snowed when I was around 12 weeks pregnant and I had to build a snowman by myself because we couldn't find Sam's gloves. It was lovely spending the day with him sitting by the fire and chatting pretending we were out of power. (that part probably only lasted about maybe 60 minutes but it was still nice)

February Last Year with my Masterpiece

This time Sam is in England and for the first time this week I REALLY wish he was here to see the snow and be with our little family. (I wish he was here more today than at the the random wake up calls in the middle of the night by pepito...) William didn't think too much of the snow - but considering he's only six months old that's to be expected. But I did manage to bundle him up, plop him in the bumpo and prove that he saw it.

so cute all bundled up

Funny all that has changed since the last snow. Wouldn't trade it for anything.

Loves.

London Bridge is Falling Down

Sam has been in England all week for business - so it goes without saying that I am exhausted and ever grateful to my daddy for coming down Tuesday & Wednesday so I could study for my quiz. When my brain is functional and I don't have cookie dough icecream calling my name - I will update properly.

In the meantime - the first picture that actually captured his excited face. Such a cutie.

Loves.

Spoke Too Soon

The chair picture was the last time he was truly happy. Poor little guy began wailing and not eating soon there after. It was terrible. And almost non-stop. And then that evening it was just plain bad. More wailing and we could tell something hurt but no idea what. We were guessing that his congestion was ticking him off majorly or maybe he was finally going to get that top tooth his mouth has been working on. Either way - we were up all night. I threw in the towel (was relieved by Sam) at 12:15 and Sam was up until 1:00 with him. Finally get William down and then two hours later (apparently - I don't remember this but it would make sense as to why I woke up exhausted) I got up to put the paci back in and pat him to sleep. Then at 4:00 he began to cry again and cried until 5:00. Sam got up these times, bless him, and I guess he fell back asleep. Thankfully he slept until 7:15, I think, and I got up with him and tried to feed him breakfast during Curious George. He was having none of that and basically that is how our day went. Me trying to get him to eat, ANYTHING, and him wailing about it. There were a couple happy moments in the walker, but they were short lived.

At about 4:30 today, after the zillionith attempt and failure at getting him to eat, I decided that it was time to be concerned that he had only eaten 7 oz all day and we were going to the Pediatric Acute Care. (btw Columbus parents - this place rocks!) I first tried to call the pediatrician but to no success - their phone kept hanging up on me and I am none to pleased with them at the moment but whatever.

By the time we get to Acute Care, poor little guy is asleep. We have to wake him up to get weighed, etc. and he just wants to be held and sleep on our shoulders. Tell the sweet little nurse what's going on, she takes his heartbeat and oxygen levels. I had no idea you could test oxygen through his ankle - but that's a cool trick I guess. We watch Madagascar on the tv in the exam room and wait for the doctor. I think his name was Dr. Davis - but whoever he was I really wish he had a private practice. He was lovely. Much better than our doctor, anyhow.

He looks in William's ears and they are full full full. Both of them. Poor guy - no wonder he was ticked off at the world. And then, just to be on the safe side because it's making the rounds, he wanted to do an RSV test. He really thought it would be negative because William didn't have a fever and wasn't having any real difficulty breathing but I was totally fine with the test because every baby we know has had RSV and it's scary stuff.

Turns out our little pepito has RSV (which I learned is the baby version of bronchitis) but all is well and no need to rush to the hospital or put him on breathing treatments. The nurses give him a mega shot dose of antibiotics to jump start all of that, and he screams and now hates the sweet blond nurse with the cool red glasses, and we're good to go. We get home and give him some ear drops we have from the last infection (they don't expire until 2011 thank goodness), he eats more ounces of formula, and goes to sleep pretty easily.

We just need to watch him closely tomorrow to make sure that RSV doesn't go crazy bad, fill the antibiotic prescription, check in with our pediatrician on Monday if everything is looking on the up and up and we're good to go.

It's nice to know that I am in tune with my kid - I knew something was wrong. And while he probably didn't have an ear infection or RSV when we went to the doc last week - I would like to be taken a little more seriously when we do go to the doctor. From now - no more PAs - we want to see a doctor, and we would prefer the doctor to be Dr. Evangelist (not technically OUR doctor...big practice). So there you have it. William wasn't mad at me for the past 48 hours, he doesn't like having gunk in his ears. I feel slightly better.

Now what I actually spoke too soon about was - William rolled over back to tummy. Turns out that when he really wants to play with his barn animals truck he'll do just about anything to get to it. Good thing that truck doesn't live on the changing table...

Loves.

And the Magic Number Is....

SIX!!

My little pepito is six months old today and the difference between a month ago and today is seriously like magic. Two days ago he began being happy (for atleast twenty minutes!!) playing by himself. I cannot even begin to tell y'all how exciting this is for me. After months and months of trying my best to keep him entertained and, well, just shooting for relatively happy, he can now do it on his own. Case and point - right this very minute he is playing in his crib, no screaming, crying, nothing. He is talking to himself and playing with a handful of toys. It is truly amazing. There IS light at the end of this tunnel!!

The Six Month Rundown:

*Has found and loves his feet

*Is now on medicine for reflux and it seems to be helping - though we won't truly know for two weeks

*Wears 6-9 month clothes

*Weighed 16lbs 12ozs at the doctor last week

*Only likes his bottles warm

*Love all baby food EXCEPT peas

*Everything goes in his mouth

*Has noticed Burnie the cat, and she has acknowledged him

*Hasn't screamed while in the car in a very long time

*Really enjoys taking walks in the jogging stroller

*Hilbert the blue elephant is his new favorite buddy

*Likes to sleep with his head in the corner of the crib and will move there if you put him down anywhere else

*Can't wait for warmer weather so he can be naked all the time

*Splashing in the bathtub is the MOST fun

*Likes to help cook (eat wooden spoons and sit on the countertop in the bumpo)

*Squeals in delight

*Laughs when tickled on the changing table

*Checks to make sure Daddy is watching him play

*Horrible teething has taken a backseat for the moment

*There is a top tooth about to break through

*Loves to chew on Mommy's chin

*Prefers to be standing

*Still rocking the size 3 diapers

*Really enjoys pulling his socks off

*Still too skinny (and short) for many of his pants

*Has been mistaken for a girl recently, but I think that's because I was buying pink fabric to make a dress for a friend's baby...

*Moved up to the bigger and better 6 month MAM pacis

*Grabbing things with two hands, holding on to them, and putting them in his mouth

*Is mesmerized by both his mobiles and really upset that Mommy won't let him pull on the feather balls

*Loves his walker and has been able to "jump" thresholds

*Knows the PBS commercial song

*Enjoys Curious George in the morning

*Bedtime is not as easy as it used to be because he would rather play

*Two hours awake, One-ish hour nap is our general schedule still

*Prefers to be rocked to sleep

*Does not travel well without music, specifically Baby Einstein Mozart

*Is really close to sitting up by himself

*Still shows no interest in flipping back to tummy

*Does all the right moves for crawling - just not simultaneously

Those are the highlights but mainly the being happy part is what is changing our life, my life. I'm glad I held on (not that I had a choice - ha!) the past six months to get to this and I'm convinced it can only get better and more fun. He's a darling little boy and I am happy to say that I am looking forward to the next six months!

Loves.

End of January already?

Seriously - this year is flying - almost as fast as the year before! I can't believe January is over already but I can't wait to see what the new month brings! (hopefully sitting and playing contently by himself...)

Anyhow - the new medicine has been a trip. Apparently, and I'm just guessing, there's some kind of stimulant in it because if we give it to him too close to bedtime - good luck on getting him to sleep. What is usually a 30-45(tops) ordeal turns into 2 hours atleast. It has been exhausting!! Luckily after only three days we figured this out and last night went a little bit better. He's waking up a little too early for our tastes, starting at about 5 and on the good days we can hold him off until 6:30.

I think the whole reflux thing is made worse because his teeth are starting to hurt again. So I never know what crying means what and we just end up in the stroller walking around the neighborhood. Which is fine with me and also with him. One of his top teeth is THIS close to coming in though and hopefully that will bring him (and us) some relief. We'll see.

Good & Bad news - he's back to being a show-off baby again. Which means when we go to the in-laws he is a pleasure and a joy. That's the good news. The bad news - nobody believes me when I say he's been a crying teething reflux monster all day. And how could you when he's all smiley and happy but it's frustrating. I wish he would be smiley for me. And I guess he is - but not as often as I would like. Oh well. One day.

He can now sit with very little support and sometimes no support (thought that doesn't last very long). He absolutely likes to be in the middle of things and can sense when you aren't paying attention to him even if you're in the same room. This is when he pulls out the "I'm so upset and possibly in pain" cry that he knows gets our attention and we will pick him up/give him what he wants. He knows how to work us. Oops.

I think he has given up on rolling over back to tummy. No big deal. More time on the changing table. Unfortunately, with all the snot sucking I've been doing on the changing table it is no longer our happy place. He starts crying the minute I put him down there. Wish it had occurred to me to do that on the sofa or ANYWHERE else and not ruin the happy place, but it's too late now. Good news - I am getting snot out of his head. The things I consider successes now are a little unsettling. haha!

Loves.