Gas Station Run

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello sweetie pie!  I think you had a better night sleep than I did .... I woke up at 3am with a stomach ache .... then I was tired the rest of the day!  I must have eaten something weird yesterday.  :-P  Because of that, we took it easy for the rest of the day.  It wasn't until about mid afternoon that my stomach felt back to normal.  :-P

We're starting to get things together for an emergency 'Peanut Plan' in case I end up in the hospital sooner than later. I typed up all your pending december and january appointments with your doctor's addresses and phone numbers.  You have upcoming physical therapy, pediatrician, head scan, Special Infant Care Clinic, urology, and eye doctor appointments in the next two months.  In case something happens, your daddy and two grandmothers have all the information too.  I'm going to photocopy some forms at work this week for them as well to keep in the diaper bag in case they need to take you (immunization record, insurance card, etc).  Also, I typed up a contact list with important phone numbers of family members and coworkers so that other people can be alerted if something happens.  Hopefully, we'll be ok and I'll be able to take you to the appointments with no problem .... but it's better to be safe now that we're getting close to the 30 week mark when you came. 

You ended up taking a little nap in your play area right before lunch.  I made a quick sandwich and once I ate that, I actually took a nap with you .... which was much appreciated.  :-)  Once you woke up, you ate a container of apple sauce for lunch and then a bottle.  Oh, you had your usual breakfast too .... the cereal with apple juice mix followed by a bottle.

We did manage to 'get out' .... we gassed up my car around 2pm and came straight back.  I didn't think the gas station would be crowded at that time .... so there I was in pajama pants, your daddy's t-shirt, a miss-matched sweatshirt, flip-flops .... gassing up my car with you in the back seat .... who was also obviously wearing pajamas.  There were cars at all the pumps around me and the lady in front of me was all dressed up!  I'm sure I looked like the stereotypical redneck 'barefoot and pregnant with a baby on her hip' while gassing up, but oh well!  ;-)  Ha!

I did some laundry once we got back home.  Then, we relaxed until daddy got home.  We watched half of 'Finding Nemo' on the television and then made a little pizza for dinner.  

After daddy got home and we all ate, we made homemade banana bread with chocolate chips!  Yummy!  You had your bath and played around while the bread was baking.  

UNC played tonight at 9:30pm .... late!  You ended up falling asleep on me before the game started .... and then I fell asleep during the first half!  Only daddy stayed awake for the whole game.  :-P  We lost, but hopefully we'll come back stronger for the next game.  

Tomorrow I head back to work.  Penny will be here, so you'll be able to have fun with her.  Save those smiles and kisses for me!  

Sleep tight little man!

I love you!  :-)

~Mommy

Nine Holes

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello sweetie pie!

We were both up relatively early.  You had your usual cereal breakfast with apple juice.  Once you finished your bottle, I took you back upstairs to play for a little bit before we hit the road.  You had another head scan this morning, and I didn't want to be late (we were a little late the last time, remember?).

We got there right at 9am (our appointment time) and you and I played in the a chair while waiting for your scan.  You were all happy and giggling at the beginning of the appointment, but once we put you in the machine and I had to hold your hands .... oh man! .... you cried and cried!  They had the do the scan about 5 or 6 times until we got one they could read.  :-P  

Anyway, we got some good news from your head measurements and scan .... you're still showing growth in the right areas and stability in the other areas.   The diagonal between your front right and back left have remained stable .... which is what we want since we want growth from the diagonal from your front left to back right .... which is showing growth.   Plus, I can feel little bumps on the back of your head which shows it's growing out. Your orthotist (Heather) added nine holes in the back of the helmet to help with ventilation and so she could see the spacing on the back right side between your head and the helmet.  We have another appointment on december 20th (three weeks instead of four because she won't be there the week after Christmas) for another scan.  If you continue to show growth, you may wear the helmet for another month after (going into january).  If the growth slows down, you may not need to wear it after that appointment.  It'll be a little over 3 months at that next appointment, so we just have to see if you need the extra month or not.  

After your appointment, we made a quick stop at the store to look for birthday gifts .... two of my coworkers have birthdays next week, so I wanted to see if I could find something for them.  Nothing really stood out, so we came back home.  

I washed the bed sheets and towels as you played.  We also wrapped your Aunt Katie's birthday gifts.  Today she turns 29 on the 29th!  We're going out to eat tonight for dinner, so we needed to get some things done since we won't have time tonight.  

After wrapping the gifts, you took a little nap on my for about an hour.  Then, I went ahead and gave you a bath and put you in clean clothes for dinner tonight.  Daddy came home about an hour after that and watched you for a few minutes so that I could take a shower.  Then, you took a bottle for dinner and we hit the road!

You did really well at the restaurant considering it was getting late and you usually get your wiggles out at night vs being in a high chair.  :-P  You sat between me and Mimi and you kept waving and smiling at the people.  You were getting tired and fussy by about 8:30pm, but we left shortly after that and you fell asleep in the car.  

After a diaper change and outfit change, you played on the bed with daddy and I until you fell asleep.  :-)

Tomorrow we get to play together all day!  Sleep tight little precious!

I love you!  

~Mommy

Learning Poker

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello sweetie!  What a fun day we had today!

You finished your rice cereal mixed with apple juice with flying colors!  Then, you took your full bottle and ended it all with a big burp!  ;-)  Daddy fed you the cereal and you weren't fussy .... maybe we need him to feed you every morning.  :-P

After breakfast, we all got ready and went over to Gigi's house .... Lois, Charlie, and (Great) Aunt Beth were still in town .... cousin Stephanie left last night .... so we headed over there to visit with them and to eat lunch with Gigi and Grandpa Jim.  You never got your morning nap, so you were really fussy with your lunch bananas!  Gigi gave you a bottle and you ended up falling asleep on her.  You didn't stay sleeping for long though and woke up kind of grumpy.  :-P  Remember how you spilled daddy's water yesterday at the mall?  Well, I didn't learn my lesson from that and put my water too close to you after lunch and you did the same thing!  At least it was just water that was spilled!  :-P

After lunch, we came home and relaxed for the afternoon.  The three of us were in the bonus room .... you were playing in your play area .... I read a little in the play area with you, but I also had poker on the television, so we watched that together as well.  ;-)  Daddy took a little nap on the couch.  

When I was smaller, I use to watch poker with my daddy (Grandpa Jim) whenever he would grill out .... he taught me how to play poker and blackjack .... I haven't played in forever .... and I've never gambled .... but I like to watch the World Series of Poker, which is what we had on the television.  ;-)  I know .... I'm such a good mother!  Ha!  ;-)

Today your sister is 27 weeks gestation!  I feel her kick everyday, so that's a good sign.  Our next appointment is a week from tomorrow.  It was around this time with you that I started to notice a lot of swelling.  I wasn't able to wear my wedding ring and my ankles looked like elephant legs!  :-P  So far, I haven't had any swelling, and I'm still able to wear my rings .... so keep praying!  

We all watched UNC play basketball this evening.  We won!  Woo hoo!  Go Heels!  During halftime, we gave you a bath, though daddy had to hold you as I rinsed out your tub .... you peed in the water again!  We were almost done too!

We noticed that you have a little blister-like area on your lips.  We both looked inside your mouth, and we don't see any lesions to think you have anything viral .... so we're thinking you've been sucking on your lips and fingers so much with teething that you created a blister.  We'll keep an eye on it though .... if it gets larger, or if more pop up, then I'll call the doctor.  

You fell asleep on daddy during the game, but we had to wake you up to put the helmet back on and to brush your teeth.  You quickly cried but then forgave us and fell back asleep.  :-P  

Speaking of helmet, tomorrow you have another head scan!  I'm excited to see how much growth you've gotten since the last scan.  You don't have physical therapy tomorrow, so you and I will need to do your exercises together. 

Sleep tight!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Spilling Water

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello cutie pie!  How are you?

Well, I think you must have woken up on the wrong side of the bed because you were really fussy with your breakfast cereal this morning.  :-P  Daddy had to give you the cereal while holding you .... I guess you just didn't want to be in the high chair?  You also had your usual bottle afterward.

After your breakfast, we all got ready for the day.  As I took a shower, daddy read you your Bible stories from your toddler Bible.  Then, we went to Crabtree Mall.  We didn't necessarily need anything there, but we wanted to get out and stretch our legs since we stayed in the house all day yesterday.  We got there relatively early so it wasn't crowded, though as we were leaving (around 1pm) it was getting crowded and people wanted our parking spot.  :-P

You kept taking your socks off in the stroller .... we didn't have your shoes on since you weren't walking, but it was chilly outside so we put socks on you to keep you warm .... at one point I thought we had lost one of your socks, but you had apparently thrown it behind you and it was in your seat tucked away.  :-)

We ate lunch at Panera while at the mall.  I held you as I ate a salad, but you got a little fussy when you got hungry.  So, I passed you to daddy to feed you (he had finished eating) and you ended up grabbing his water and spilling it on yourself.  :-P  We had to change your pants so you wouldn't get cold with wet pants on.  ;-)

We made a quick stop at the grocery store after the mall.  I had you in the carrier on my back as we picked up a few items.  We also picked up a toilet snake .... the downstairs bathroom hasn't been flushing since people left on thursday, but daddy quickly fixed it!  Woo hoo!

You and I ended up playing upstairs in the afternoon as UNC played DOOK in football.  Daddy took a little nap on the couch since he didn't feel well.  We then watched most of the game with us .... we won!  Go Heels!   

For dinner, you finished your container of peaches .... well, most of it .... you really fussed with it!  I don't know if you just don't like peaches now because we tried holding you outside the high chair and you still won't eat them.  Oh well.  You then drank an eight ounce bottle and had an additional two ounces of whole milk after.  :-P 

You had your usual bath this evening, and then watched a movie with daddy and I.  You ended up falling asleep between us, but then woke up when the movie got loud.  You fell asleep on daddy when he picked you up.  

Sleep tight little angel!

I love you!  :-)

~Mommy

Fifty Eight Weeks

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello sweet boy!  Today you are fifty eight weeks old .... you're really getting up there buddy!  Ha!

The three of us relaxed all day long today!  You had your usual four tablespoons of cereal mixed with apple juice for breakfast.  Then, your usual eight ounce mix of toddler formula and whole milk in a bottle.  

You then played in the play area as daddy and I vacuumed the downstairs, ran your laundry, and lowered the mattress on your crib.  We went ahead and lowered it to the bottom level .... you can stand in the crib, but you can't climb out of it .... but, to be safe, we went ahead and put it on the lowest level possible. 

For lunch, you ate a container of green beans and then ate a container of sweet potatoes before taking an eight ounce bottle.  We're trying to fed you more while in the high chair so that we can eventually get you off the bottle.   

Since you didn't take a nap this morning, you started to get sleepy around 1pm.  To be honest, I was tired too, so once you fell asleep in daddy's arms, he placed you on our bed and I took a nap with you!  Daddy sat on the other side of you and read, but he eventually took a little nap with us.  :-)

Once you woke up, you listened to daddy play the guitar as you played.  We noticed that our neighbor already has Christmas lights on his front bushes and a Santa flag in his front yard!  That's a bit early .... it's not even december yet.  :-P

This evening, cousin Stephanie, Charlie, Gigi, and (Great) Aunt Beth came over to visit.  You had fun playing with Charlie in the play area.  :-)  You two were so cute together.  Charlie is about 15 months older than you.

Oh, you have tooth #F erupting!  Woo hoo!  You now have six teeth in or erupting!  You're well on your way of getting all twenty of your primary teeth in!  :-)

This evening, you sat on the couch with us and watched Charlie Brown.  You got fussy, so daddy walked you around until you fell asleep in his arms.  Before you fell asleep though, we saw a deer in our front yard!  It walked across our yard to our neighbor's house!   

Sleep tight little miracle!

I love you so much!  :-)

~Mommy

Happy Thanksgiving

Dearest Joshua David~

Happy Thanksgiving precious son!  Today we give thanks to God for everything he has blessed us with .... with is everything we have .... not just materialistic items, but for our salvation as well.  When the pilgrims first came to America, they gave thanks to God and we have carried on the tradition on the fourth thursday of November ever since.  Daddy and I are very, very thankful for you and Peanut.  We are so thankful to be parents and to have you two .... our miracles from God .... in our lives.  Words can not express how much we love you both!  

You won't remember this, but last year for Thanksgiving, you were still in the hospital.  Daddy and I went to the hospital for a few hours before meeting everyone for a Thanksgiving Day lunch that year.  You were just shy of 4 pounds at the time and the end of your hospital stay was in sight!  Now, you're almost 20 pounds and growing strong.  Again .... daddy and I have SO much to be thankful for!  Look how big you are now!

Since everyone was coming to our house for Thanksgiving this year, we were in charge of the turkey!  Daddy and I got up at 6am so we could have the turkey in the oven by 6:30am.  We've affectionately named the turkey 'Henrietta' just for fun.  ;-)

You woke up at 7:30am and had your usual big boy breakfast of four tablespoons of cereal mixed with apple juice.  Then, four ounces of toddler formula with four ounces of whole milk.  Once you were all settled, you continued to play downstairs as daddy and I cleaned the kitchen, swept the floor, and started to prepare for company.  

The annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade came on at 9am, so we all went upstairs then to watch it.  You saw all the floats and performances .... until falling asleep on me at 11am for a nap.  You slept until noon and missed Santa Claus at the end .... but you've seen him in the mall already.  :-P

Uncle Brennan came early and watched some of the parade with us.  Then, people starting coming to our house around noon.  We had turkey, ham, pies, cakes, potatoes, veggies, stuffing, biscuits .... everything was really good .... including our first turkey together!  Yippie!  We put half an apple, half an onion, and some fresh rosemary inside the turkey cavity for some extra flavor, besides all the butter and spices we put on the outside. 

You got a little fussy in the afternoon, so Mimi rocked you to sleep and you took a nap. 

Once people left, daddy and I cleaned a few things .... daddy cleaned the majority of the things and put away all the food.  We weren't that hungry for dinner .... you, on the other hand finished your turkey with rice and veggie mix.  Then, you ate one container of apple sauce and one container of bananas!  After that, you had 2 ounces of whole milk and 2 ounces of toddler formula!  Whoa buddy! 

We relaxed the rest of the evening.  Daddy and I started a movie as you played.  We had to keep pausing the movie though since your toys were loud.  ;-)  You had your evening bath, we brushed your teeth, and you eventually fell asleep on daddy.  

Sleep tight little treasure!

I love you very much!

~Mommy

First Pair Of Shoes

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little man!  Today I, unfortunately, had to go into work .... I say 'unfortunately' because I hate leaving you .... but, the good news is you got to spend the whole day with daddy!  He was able to work from home, so you two had daddy day together.  :-)

You were wide awake when I was getting ready for work this morning.  I got to play with you before I left.  Luckily, my last patient came early, so I was still able to leave early.  I got home around 6pm, and you and daddy had just walked in the door about 30 minutes prior.

Daddy gave you your breakfast and you helped him do his work at the kitchen table until about 9am, when daddy figured there would be less traffic.  He loaded you up in his car and you all went over to Mimi's for awhile.  Grandpa Mike had taken the day off from work and was busy blowing leaves when you all arrived.  You really enjoyed watching all the leaves just fly around the yard as he worked!  Mimi took you out to the screened-in porch to watch as daddy worked inside.  Mimi was so excited she could finally lift you!  You eventually fell asleep on her. After you had a lunch bottle at Mimi's house, Mimi took you and daddy out for lunch.  Grandpa Mike kept working, but he later wished he joined when he found out you all went to 'Wildflower Pizza' .... you've been there before.  Then, Mimi took you a few shops down to get a pair of shoes .... you have a few pairs that we got used from friends .... but daddy and I guessed on your size.  You got your feet measured and now own your own first pair of shoes!  They're white and size 4.  Everyone in the store thought you were so cute with your new shoes!  It would be easier if they were velco (we have to tie them and you've already figured out how to pull on the strings), but they have special support for your feet and are going to help you when you start to walk more.  You walk around now .... assisted .... if you're holding onto the baby gates or furniture .... so I'm guessing you'll start to take a few steps on your own soon.  :-)  The rest of the afternoon, you played with Grandpa Mike and Mimi ... you even chased the cat up and down a couple of steps in their house!  Everyone was really impressed ... you must have really wanted to catch that cat! :-)

When I got home, we all ate dinner together at the kitchen table.  You ate some turkey and rice with veggies mix from daddy and then took a bottle.  After dinner, daddy and I did one more coating of butter all around the turkey and placed it back in the fridge for tomorrow morning.  Our plan is to get up at 6am so we can place the turkey in the oven at 6:30am.  Woo hoo!

You then had your usual bath and we watched some television up in the bonus room.  You played around, but eventually fell asleep next to us.  

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving so get some rest!  Lots of people are coming over and we have so much to be thankful for!  

Sleep tight little precious!

I love you very much!

~Mommy

Cleaned And Seasoned The Turkey

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little precious! 

This morning you had your usual 4 tablespoons of cereal mixed with apple juice.  Then, you had an eight ounce bottle with four ounces being whole milk and four ounces being toddler formula.  This tends to fill you up pretty well in the mornings.  :-)

We had an early start to the day .... you had a pediatrician appointment at 9am but we had to swing by my OB office first to pick up some Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) forms.  I wanted to make sure I got the forms filled out early since I don't know if Peanut will come early.  :-P  The pediatrician's appointment didn't take long because you were just getting a quick flu shot.  So, once you were done, we headed over to our MOPS meeting.

We got to MOPS around 10am, so we missed the beginning.  I kept you with me in the big room since you cried in the nursery with the other MOPPETS last time.  :-P  So, we snuck in a little late and sat in the back.  Once the speakers were done, we went to our small group table and the other mommies got to meet you.  ;-)

The meeting was really good .... they had a chef there talking about preparing a Thanksgiving Day meal including the turkey and the sides.  Daddy and I are cooking our first turkey this thursday!  After that, we had a devotional about being thankful.  Daddy and I are thankful for you and Peanut in our lives!  They gave us Bible verses to look at about being thankful and everything that the Lord has done to bless us.  It was a really good meeting!  Since we came late, we stayed a little late to help clean up.


You and I were home around noon for lunch.  Since daddy was working from home today, we got to see him!  Daddy made lunch while I fed you.  You finished your chicken noodle and veggie mix and then had another bottle.  After lunch, we ran over to Target for some quick things .... I didn't want you to run out of formula or whole milk over thursday or friday since I didn't want to get caught will all the holiday shoppers!  Daddy came with us.  :-)

You fell asleep in the car coming home and stayed sleeping as I washed and cleaned the turkey (I disinfected the sink last night).  Daddy melted some butter and added rosemary, brown sugar, salt, paprika, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  We placed that all over the turkey and in between the skin and breast meat.  We'll add a little more tomorrow evening after work and then cook the turkey thursday morning .... keep your fingers crossed!  ;-)  We weren't going to use the neck and gizzards, so we gave them to the wood creatures in our backyard.  :-)

The rest of the evening we played upstairs in the bonus room .... we watched UNC play and we won!  Woo hoo!  Also, daddy got to feel Peanut kick some more!  :-)

Tomorrow I head to work, but daddy will be working from home again.  Plus, Mimi and Grandpa Mike took off .... so you'll be spending the day with all of them!   I'm going to try to leave as soon as I can! 

Sleep tight little miracle!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Every Other Week

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello cutie!  Today was a relatively busy day.  First off, you started the day with your usual hearty breakfast of four tablespoons of cereal mixed with apple juice.  Then, you had an 8 ounce bottle with four of those ounces being whole milk and the other four were toddler formula.  

We woke up early because we were expecting the television delivery people to be here at 8am.  Even daddy stayed here to help move the television inside, but by 8:45am he had to leave for work.  The delivery guys finally showed up at 9:15am.  There were two guys, so they brought the television into the house right when you walk in.  I pushed in on the floor (it glided on the hardwood in its box) into the dining room and we left it there until daddy got home.  :-)

Then, we played for the rest of the morning.  You took a little hour nap, so I did some chores.  I washed all your bottles and then did three loads of laundry.  You had two poopy diapers right in a row but no crying.  :-)  Yippie!

You had a really good physical therapy appointment with Eliza.  You showed her some nice left side neck rotations and she commented that your gross motor skills were improving and doing well.  She recommends cutting you back to every other week for appointments, so your next physical therapy appointment is on December 6th .... which is also my next OB appointment .... so I think you and I will be on the same schedule for our appointments now.  That means that every other monday will be busy with appointments.  :-P

After Eliza left, Grandpa Jim came by for a few minutes to pick something up at our house.  He couldn't stay long since he had to get back to the office.

Then, you and I took a walk.  :-)  We walked up to the local grocery store right outside our subdivision .... a little over a mile away.  The weather was beautiful!  We saw all the leaves falling.  We picked up some turkey meat, veggies, and potatoes for dinner tonight.  Uncle Brennan came over after work to help daddy move and hook up the new television, so we wanted to cook him dinner as a 'thank you.'  We made turkey burgers with a veggie and potato side.  We prepared everything once we got home, then rested for about an hour and a half .... you played and I watched .... until we had to start cooking.

You had some chicken noodle and veggie mix for dinner and then another bottle.  Then, you got to watch daddy and Uncle Brennan move and hook up the new television.  As they were working, I gave you a quick bath.  :-)  This evening, we noodled around on the television before you fell asleep in daddy's arms.  :-)

Tomorrow you head to the pediatrician's office for your second flu shot.  Then, we have another MOPS meeting.  Daddy is working from home the rest of the week since it's a holiday week and people are out of town, so we'll be able to see him when we get home.  :-)

Sleep tight little one!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Both Cars

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little man!  How are you?  :-)

You had your usual 4 tablespoons of cereal this morning mixed with apple juice for breakfast.  :-)  Then, you had an 8 ounce bottle .... four ounces were whole milk and four ounces were toddler formula.  I'm toying with the idea of giving you five tablespoons one morning since you appear to gobble it down pretty well .... but I'll hold off a few more days to make sure you're still ok with the four.  

After daddy and I ate, we all got ready and headed to church.  Gigi was playing in the praise team this morning, so we wanted to see her.  :-)  We sat in the back with you though, since you tend to babble once the sermon starts.  ;-)  Grandpa Jim and Gigi sat with us.  You got more active as the sermon went on, so Grandpa Jim ended up walking you out of church for a little so you could get your wiggles out.  :-)

After church, we visited with Grandpa Jim and Gigi for a little bit at lunch.  You had a bottle, but you were getting cranky since you didn't have a morning nap.  :-P  From lunch, we walked over to a pet store to grab some things for the cat.  While there, you saw and waved at some puppies.  :-)

You fell asleep in the car very briefly as we drove home, but woke up pretty soon once we got home.  Daddy and I put your 'pack and play' on the front porch and you got to play outside as we did chores.  :-)  Daddy raked the front yard since all the leaves have come down.  The other trees in the cul-de-sac still have leaves on them .... red, orange, yellow, brown .... it's really pretty .... but the big tree on our front yard has already lost it's leaves.  So, before people come over on thursday, we wanted to clean up some areas.  I also cleaned the downstairs bathroom and took out all the trash from every room of the house.  Daddy also swept the kitchen floor.  I also vacuumed out my car since the back has gotten dirty with the stroller. 

But .... here's the big news .... we closed on this house July 2nd .... today was the first time we were able to put BOTH cars in our two car garage!!  Daddy and I were so excited!  Once we finished clearing out and organizing the other side of the garage, you and I hopped in my car and pulled it in!  Woo hoo!  This will also be helpful on thursday when people come over since our cars won't be in the way.  Plus, no more cold mornings going to work or appointments!  :-)

Since we did a lot of chores this afternoon, we took it easy this evening.  We put the UNC basketball game on .... we lost again which was disheartening.  I'm hoping the Heels can turn this season around, or it'll be a long season for us.  You had your bath and then we played in the bonus room.  Again, since you really had no nap today, you got cranky as the evening progressed, but then you fell asleep in daddy's arms, which was completely adorable.  :-)  

Oh, we are now 26 weeks gestation with your sister Peanut.  I have marked on the calendar the date December 20th .... on that date, we'll be 30 weeks and 1 day .... one day longer than I made it with you due to the pre-eclampsia and HELLP syndrome.  So, when people ask me what I want for Christmas, I tell them that I just want to still be pregnant .... there's nothing tangible that I need but to have a healthy Joshua and a healthy Peanut.  So, keep praying that mommy is still pregnant for Christmas and that will be a wonderful gift! 

Tomorrow our new television should arrive.  Also, you have your physical therapy appointment.  If that goes well, maybe you'll be able to have them just twice a month?  We'll see.  Also, we'll check on the turkey .... it's been in the fridge since yesterday thawing .... I'm hoping tomorrow I can disinfect the sink really well and go ahead and wash the turkey inside and out.  :-P  I may disinfect during the day, and then wait for daddy to get home to actually wash the turkey .... in case you get fussy and my hands are stuck in a raw turkey.  ;-)

Sleep tight little angel!

I love you!

~Mommy

5.16

Dearest Joshua David~

You had another big boy breakfast this morning .... you ate 4 tablespoons of cereal mixed with apple juice and then 8 ounces in a bottle .... four ounces of toddler formula and four ounces of whole milk.  :-)  

This morning we ran errands.  Daddy had to pick up some things for a "secret project" .... I think it has something to do with my upcoming birthday .... so we tagged along.   :-)  We didn't see what he had to get though .... we wanted everything to be a surprise!  ;-)

We also made a quick trip to the recycling center and got all our boxes off our front porch!  The house is slowly getting cleaned up for company for Thanksgiving.  :-) 

Speaking of Thanksgiving .... before we went home, we stopped at the grocery store and picked up a turkey!  It's a little over 16 pounds and it's in the fridge right now to thaw.  Daddy and I are cooking our first turkey this year, so we're excited .... and nervous.  ;-)  I think it'll be fine, though it'll be a little tricky since we're both working wednesday .... we'll have to get up really early on thursday to get the turkey in the oven and make sure the house is clean.  You'll help, right?  ;-)

I walked around the grocery store with you on my back in the carrier.  You ended up falling asleep on the drive back home, and stayed sleeping long enough for daddy and I to eat lunch.  Then, we fed you before going back out again.  You finished your turkey and veggie mix for lunch before you had a bottle. 

Once you finished, we drove over to Uncle Brennan's house.  We put you in the stroller and then had a nice walk with Uncle Brennan.  We walked from his house to the Greenway and then around Shelley Lake.  The loop around the lake is 2 miles, but with the added distance to get there and back, we ended up walking 5.16 miles!  Go us!  I have to be honest, since being pregnant with Peanut, I haven't done a ton of exercising, since I'm scared to elevate my blood pressure too much.  So, I was tired once we got back home.  :-P  But, we just relaxed for the rest of the evening.  ;-)

We played upstairs in the bonus room and watched the Charlie Brown Thanksgiving special on television.  You like Snoopy and Woodstock.  :-)

Then, we went downstairs and had dinner.  You had, for the first time, speghetti in tomato sauce with beef .... the pasta pieces were small balls.  You are 1/3 of the container and then some baby cheerios.  I had to place most of them in your mouth since you still throw them around.  Then, you had another 8 ounce bottle. 

After dinner, you had your usual bath.  You were so cute in your fluffy hair without your helmet on!  Daddy and I always give you extra kisses on your head when your helmet is off.  :-)  You played and then fell asleep next to us on the couch as we watched some television.  

Sleep tight little treasure!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Fifty Seven Weeks

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello cute, little man!  Today you are fifty seven weeks old!  Whoa!  Slow down there partner .... don't grow up too fast .... mommy and daddy like you small and cute!  ;-)

This morning, since you've been gobbling up your cereal for breakfast, I increased your amount to 4 tablespoons!  I mixed it with apple juice, as usual, and you ate it all up in no time!  Then, you washed it down with an 8 ounce bottle.  You were a hungry, hungry man!  ;-)

After breakfast, I washed and ran your bottles.  Then, we did your laundry.  You were running out of towels and bibs, so we needed to go ahead and do a load. 

We played until lunch time .... for lunch you finished your banana and strawberry mixture.  Then, you ate a little bit of your turkey and veggie mix.  You got bored with that though so I had to give you a bottle also. 

You still have a runny nose, but no fever.  I wonder how long you're going to have that congestion and runny nose?  Hopefully you'll clear up soon, but people are coming here for Thanksgiving, so I pray you don't get sick again afterward.

You had a hard poopy, but did ok with only a small amount of crying.  Once that was over, I rocked you in the rocking chair in the bonus room and you fell asleep on me for about an hour and a half.  :-)  I held you the whole time, though my stomach starting growling after a while .... so Peanut was getting hungry!  :-)

I called the bank this afternoon and got all the information we needed to set up an online autodraft for my school loan repayment.  I still can't believe we were blessed with this after four years of not qualifying!  And the timing is a blessing too since we're expecting Peanut!  God is good and he continues to look out for our family!  :-)  Daddy and I thank God everyday for you and Peanut .... you two are blessings in our lives!  We also thank God for our marriage, since daddy is a blessing in mommy's life and vice versa.  :-)

Oh, we saw a deer today in the backyard!  He was far off in the woods, so I almost missed him!  It was chilly outside today, so we stayed in .... I wonder where the deer will go once it gets colder.

Daddy picked up sub sandwiches on his way home for dinner.  That was a nice treat.  We all ate together .... you had a little more of your turkey with veggie mixture and then a bottle.  Then, you had your bath and we played in the bonus room until the UNC basketball game .... unfortunately, we lost.  :-(  You and I actually started to doze during the second half since it was late.  Daddy and I put you on a pillow and you slept next to us in the play room until the game was over.  Then, we put you in your bed.  

Sleep tight little fellow!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Out Of Milk

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little angel!  How are you?  :-)

You and Penny had fun today, as usual.  You two had your normal morning floor time.  You two read some Bible stories and worked on 'stacking' toys.  Also, you worked on placing toys into a box .... you're good at taking toys out of a box, so now you're practicing putting them back.  :-P  Also, if you're playing with a toy, and daddy and I put our hand out and say 'thank you,' you some times place the toy in our hands .... or at least hold your hand out that has the toy for us to take it.  ;-)  You also played with your colored stacking cups.

Penny said that you giggled a lot when trying to chase the cat (Pumpkin) around the room to pull his tail.  I think you get that from daddy .... I've heard him tell you to 'grab that tail' .... be careful though .... he might try to get you back!  :-P

You took a little nap this morning and in the afternoon.  You were fussy in the morning after your nap, but then you all took a walk outside to the park.  

You finished your beef and veggie mixture .... now, you're on a turkey and veggie mixture and a container of bananas with strawberries.  I gave you three tablespoons of cereal with apple juice this morning before I left for work.

You ran out of whole milk today, so most of the day you were on formula in your bottles.  We'll have to run by the store to pick some more milk up for you. Oh, you did drink 2 ounces of apple juice from a sippy cup, but Penny had to hold the cup for you.

Penny said you had a large poopy diaper this morning .... but it was softer and you didn't cry!  Yippie! 

This evening, daddy washed your bottles and I gave you a bath.  While the water was running into your little tub, you were standing on the side with daddy hold you .... and you peed on the floor next to the tub.  :-P  I guess that's better than peeing in the tub!  

We watched UNC play .... they're in a tournament in Puerto Rico.  The Heels won, so we play again tomorrow night!  Woo hoo!  :-)

Tomorrow we get to spend the whole day together!  I'm excited!  :-)

Sleep tight little man!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

National Prematurity Awareness Day

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello precious!  I survived another day at work!  :-P  I actually wasn't that late coming home this week .... yippie!  I hate not being with you.

Today is National Prematurity Awareness Day, and the March of Dimes sponsored events throughout the country to help raise awareness and support to fight premature births.  I wore my purple scrub bottoms (the color of the March of Dimes) and my Promise Walk shirt from the Pre-eclampsia Foundation to work.  Everyone liked my shirt and, of course, asked about you and Peanut when they saw me.  I said you were doing well and that we had a good OB appointment with Peanut on monday.

We had our Thanksgiving Day lunch at work today.  I brought in my chocolate chip pumpkin bread that I made on monday.  I accidentally burned a small piece, but no one seemed to care.  ;-)  All the dishes that people brought in were so good .... plus, we had so much left over that we have lunch for tomorrow too!  Yummy!

Meanwhile, you and Penny had fun today.  This morning, you had floor time, Bible stories time, music time, and even played 'soccer' on the back porch.  Penny had a little ball out there and I guess you two were passing to each other.  ;-)  You two sang "Jesus Loves Me," "Itsy Bitsy Spider," "Patty Cake," and "Zacchaeus."  I bet you sing better than daddy and I.  ;-)

You also took a morning and afternoon nap for Penny.  Later in the afternoon, you two walked outside and went to the park.  :-)

When I got home, daddy had already made a pizza for dinner.  :-)  Daddy then washed your bottles while I gave you a bath.  

This evening, we all played in the bonus room.  When you started to rub your eyes, we brushed your teeth and noticed something .... you're starting to get teeth on the top!!  I saw two little teeth poking through your gum tissue .... teeth #D and #E.  I swear, you appear to only want teeth on your right side.  ;-)  Anyway, I was really excited to see them and immediately pointed them out to daddy!  

Save more kisses and smiles for me tomorrow since I have to go back to work.  I miss you every time I leave!

Sleep tight!

I love you!  :-)

~Mommy

Welcome To Television

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little man!

Today we were off to an early start .... the cable man was at our door at 8:02am!  When the doorbell rang, I was giving you a bottle and I had a mouth full of cereal myself!  I had already given you three tablespoons of oatmeal mixed with apple juice, so we were upstairs at that point with the bottle.  I had my bowl of cereal next to me and I would eat a few pieces as you took your bottle.  I was surprised when the doorbell rang so early!  

It took the cable guy about an hour and a half to get everything done and check to make sure things were working properly.  We don't have the new television yet, so we have the cable going through a little, tiny television in the bonus room.  It looks so small and cute in that huge room!  We didn't really watch much television though, I had the Food Network on in the background since they were going over holiday dishes.  Oh, I forgot to tell you (speaking of the holidays) .... people are coming over to our house for Thanksgiving!  Yippie!  You'll be able to show off all your toys, crawling, and waving for people.  Also, you found another channel .... PBS Kids Sprout .... that was playing Sesame Street.  :-)  Though, honestly, you got bored with the television in a few minutes, so I put it on channel 931 ... a station that just plays contemporary Christian music .... so it appeared we just had a CD playing in the background.  :-)  Pretty cool.

After the cable man left, another man came to our door .... Mickey from Carpets Plus.  Mimi knows him and his company and he came to measure the bedrooms upstairs.  Daddy and I are thinking of tearing up the old carpets and placing something more durable for you and Peanut.  He didn't stay long, but you liked watching him measure the rooms because he used a laser!  ;-)  Once we get the estimate back, we'll know if we'll go ahead with that project.  Also, daddy and I were thinking of painting the two smaller bedrooms for you and Peanut too.  Whew!  So much to do!  

Oh, I have a praise!  I'm finally under loan repayment!  I didn't qualify before, but now part time employees are eligible .... so, after many months of applying and filling out forms (daddy and Grandpa Jim had to fax things for me too) .... I got loan repayment for working at a Community Health Center!  The disbursement came today so daddy's going to help me set up an automatic draft .... that way, over the next four years this disbursement will help pay down my loans.  I'll still have some loans left after the next four years, but I could always sign up for a longer contract if needed.  Now, we can use the money that we normally use each month for my school loans for something else .... of course, since we have little Peanut coming in a few months, this will certainly be a blessing to our home budget and finances!  God is looking out for us and our family little Joshua! 

You and I made a quick trip to the grocery store before lunch.  I had you in the carrier as I quickly went through the store.  We didn't exactly time our trip right though .... it was pouring down rain when we left!  So, we got rained on, but you were pretty covered in the carrier with a hood on!  :-P

You still have a runny nose, but no fever.  So, we just keep wiping your nose and you continue to play.

I tried playing the mandolin more for you, but you kept crawling over and trying to tug on the strings again.  :-P

We cooked dinner for daddy again .... chicken with veggies .... but this time I didn't burn the food!  Woo hoo!  ;-)  Daddy gave you some more of your beef with veggies container.  You don't appear to like this one as much (you kept making faces), so I'm wondering if you're not much of a beef guy.  :-P  You do like it though, when I make little 'spaceship' noises while moving the spoon around when trying to feed you.  ;-)

After your bath, we all played upstairs in the bonus room.  Daddy got to feel Peanut kick!  She's been kicking for a while, but daddy hasn't been able to feel her until now. 

Oh, I almost forgot to tell you, you were in our bed last night (between daddy and I) as we were trying to get you to fall asleep.  Apparently, as you were sleeping, you kept shuffling over closer and closer to me .... at 2am I woke up and you were right up next to me and I was barely still on the bed!  Were you trying to push me off so you could have the whole bed to yourself?  ;-)  I moved you into your own bed at that point, but I thought it was funny that you had managed to get all the way over to my side and push me so far.  :-)

Tomorrow is another day at work, so Penny will be here to watch you.  Save a huge smile and kiss for me little Joshua!

Sleep tight!

I love you!

~Mommy

A Kicker

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello cutie pie!  Today was kind of a busy day ....

First, Princess Peanut and I had an OB appointment this morning and everything is going fine.  My blood pressure was 108/60 and there was no protein in my urine (a sign of pre-eclampsia which I had with you).  My weight was 140.6 lbs, which the doctor liked since I started at 129 lbs (a healthy pregnancy weight gain should be around 25 lbs with the majority of that being in the third trimester).  The 'fundal height' (main body of the uterus) was 25cm .... which is great since we're 25 weeks and one day (the measurement should roughly mimic the weeks pregnant you are), so Peanut appears to be growing well.  :-)  Once he measured me, the doctor said, "Getting on up there!" with a smile .... which I'm guessing is the only time a man can 'politely' tell a woman that she's gotten bigger!  ;-)  Peanut's heart rate was 150, and as he was listening, Peanut gave the doctor (and myself) a nice kick .... at which point the doctor then stated, "Got yourself a kicker!" and smiled.  So, I think we've found another female for daddy's soccer team! 

I am no longer on 4 week check ups .... my next appointment is in 3 weeks (december 6th) for my 28 week glucose screening, and the appointment following that will be my 30 week appointment with ultrasound to check the two vessel umbilical cord.  I'm sure Mimi, Gigi, and daddy will want to go to that appointment too.  It's always fun to see an ultrasound.  :-)  I will continue to be on two week (or weekly) visits after that.  So, continue to pray for your little sister!  :-)

You, Prince Joshua, had your usual physical therapy appointment today .... you had some nice neck rotations for Eliza and she said your gross motor skills are on track for your age.  She wants to see you again next week, but will likely cut your appointments after that to two times a month vs weekly.  If things look good next week, she may just see you twice in december and then once a month after that .... so that was encouraging!  I told her that your next head scan is november 29th (which continues to show improvement).   We practiced your two finger grabs some more.  We can tell your fine motor skills are improving as well.  But, after a few pieces of cheerios, you got bored and just started to throw them.  :-P

This afternoon, you took a very tiny nap.  You also fell asleep in the car this morning after we left the OB office and swung by the bank.  But other than that, you really didn't nap today.

We made dinner for daddy, but I accidentally burned a few things.  :-P  It was still usable and daddy didn't mind.  We also made a loaf of chocolate chip pumpkin bread for work.  We're having a little Thanksgiving lunch on wednesday, so I'm going to bring it for them to try.  I made two loaves, but one will stay here for you, me, and daddy (plus I burned a little piece of that too .... I wasn't having a great cooking evening!).  :-P

Daddy gave you a nice bath tonight as I washed your bottles and took a shower.  We played with you in the bonus room and took videos of you clapping with daddy and you playing with your belly .... it was so cute!  :-)

Tomorrow is the big day .... we're suppose to get cable .... so now people can come to our house and watch the ACC season!  ;-)  Go Heels! 

Sleep tight little one!

I love you!  :-)

~Mommy

Big Boy Breakfast

Dearest Joshua David~

How little precious!  What a fun day we all had today.  :-)

First, we all had a hearty breakfast!  I woke up to lots of kicks from Peanut, so I went downstairs and started making pancakes for breakfast .... I put some chocolate chips in them for fun.  ;-)  You didn't have any pancakes, but you did have a big boy breakfast of your own .... three tablespoons of cereal mixed with apple juice .... you finished your jar of sweet potatoes from yesterday .... four ounces of whole milk .... and four ounces of toddler formula!  Whoa!  You played afterward.  :-)

You had another hard poop today.  I rubbed your back and then daddy changed you.  You did really well with it, even though you cried a little.  You're still congested, but no fever.  So, we just watched you during the day to make sure you were feeling well.  

We all spent time this afternoon together in the bonus room .... daddy played the Wii and I practiced the mandolin for a little .... I think you liked watching daddy play Wii bowling and basketball because you appeared to clap for him.  :-)

I tried something new last night .... I had a humidifier on all night in our room.  I went to bed a little congested, but I didn't wake up sneezing like normal.  I usually wake up between 2am and 4am in a sneezing fit trying to get back to sleep.  I still woke up, but I didn't have a sneeze attack.  I'm hoping it helped you too.  

We had a family afternoon nap from 2pm to 4pm!  We didn't intend to sleep too, but you were so peaceful in our bed that daddy and I closed our eyes too.  We were on either side of you, though you never tried to roll.  The nap was refreshing!  :-)

After the nap, we all had an early dinner.  You ate some baby cheerios and a veggie with beef mix.  This was your first time eating beef!  You grabbed the cheerios with two fingers from my two fingers .... the pointer finger and thumb .... and not just in a 'rake grasp' .... and you put some (not all) of them in your mouth my yourself!  Good job little man!  

You had your usual evening bath and playtime with daddy and I.  However, while crawling around afterward, you hit your forehead on corner of my laptop and got a big welt there (since you still didn't have your helmet on).  We gave you Tylenol and put ice on your forehead.  :-(  Poor little guy.  You appeared fine after a while though.  :-)

Oh, when standing up against the play gates, you're getting better at getting down by yourself .... by bending your legs!  Woo hoo!  You still fall a lot, but I see improvement!

Tomorrow you have your physical therapy appointment and Peanut has an OB appointment.  Keep praying for your little sister and a healthy pregnancy!  

Sleep tight little man!

I love you!  :-)

~Mommy

Almost An Entire Jar

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little precious!  Today you had more oatmeal for breakfast.  We gave you two tablespoons mixed with some apple juice and you gobbled it down!  I only made two tablespoons because I didn't know if you'd like the apple juice in it, but I guess you did!  Afterward, you also had a bottle.

You played this morning as daddy and I did chores around the house.  We vacuumed, swept, and cleaned the kitchen and downstairs.  You had another harder poop when we were finishing, so daddy held you and rubbed your little back until it was over.  

You're still congested today with a runny nose.  But, you have no fever and aren't complaining.  Your little nose is red though and kind of crusty from being wiped so much.  :-P

We met at the mall to see cousin Stephanie, Charlie, (Great) Aunt Beth, Lois, and Gigi.  You took a bottle there and Charlie had some fruit.  You and Charlie are a little over a year apart, so you liked watching him walk around and you kept waving at Lois and (Great) Aunt Beth.  

When we left the mall, you, me, and daddy went to Target for some groceries and supplies.  I walked around with you on my back in the carrier.  At first, you were pretty active, but then you fell asleep on me.  :-)  We got you some more whole milk (which you had tonight) and apple juice.

We came home and continued to clean.  We tried to organize the bonus room while you played.  We moved your play over over a few feet to prepare for the cable man coming next week.  He'll need to get to one of the walls that you were blocking.  Also, the new television should be coming next week too!

For dinner, you almost ate an entire jar of sweet potatoes ....  6 oz! .... before your bottle!  You were a hungry man!  This evening, you were a little fussy as you fought sleep, until you fell asleep in daddy's arms.  We had the laptop on watching some shows.  

I felt Peanut kick a lot this evening.  Maybe she heard you crying and wanted to make sure you were ok.  :-)

Sleep tight little miracle!

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Fifty Six Weeks

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello precious!  Today you are fifty six weeks old!  Whoa!  Old man!  ;-)

So, last night was kind of miserable .... no one slept.  :-(  Remember how you had a stuffy nose last night and wouldn't get comfortable unless you were next to us in bed?  Well, you continued to be congested all night and I don't think any of us really got any sleep.  I took your temperature, and you were in the normal range with no fever.  So, I watched you during the day to see how you were.  You 'slept' between us all night .... tossing and turning .... and then I would wake up sneezing too from my allergies.  :-P  Also, I woke up with another calve cramp around 3am(ish) .... this time it was my left leg .... and my leg continued to be sore all day even after I rested it.  We're not doing too well today!  :-P

I ran your laundry first thing this morning.  You were running out of clean bibs and pajamas, so before you woke up, I started your clothes in the washing machine.  Once your clothes were dry, I gave you a nice bath around mid-morning to see if that would help you feel better.  Then, I put you in some clean pajamas to rest in. 

Daddy went into work early and is getting his hair cut this afternoon.  So, we saw him earlier than normal (around 4:30pm).  He did a little bit of work once he got home, but he got to play with you too in the bonus room.  

You had an afternoon nap that pushed your lunch bottle to later .... you didn't eat until 2pm.  But, I let you sleep since you didn't sleep well last night and I know your body needed the rest.  

I tried to play some mandolin for you .... just some simple exercises .... but you kept crawling over and tried to tug on the strings.  :-P

You finished your jar of fruit this evening and had some apple juice.

For dinner, we picked up some sandwiches and headed over to Mimi's house.  Today is the season opener for the UNC basketball season.  Since we won't have cable until next week, we went to Mimi's house to watch the game.  Grandpa Mike was there and Uncle Brennan came over too.  You showed them how you can wave now.  They all played with you, but you were getting fussy towards the end of the game since it was late.  You fell asleep in the car and stayed sleeping even after we got home and put you in your bed.  Oh, UNC won!  :-)

I hope you feel better tomorrow and aren't so congested.  Rest well tonight!

I love you!  :-)

~Mommy

Veteran's Day

Dearest Joshua David~

Happy Veteran's Day!  This is an annual holiday in the United States to honor veterans who have served in the armed forces.  It's always celebrated on the 11th of November.  Lots of people had off for this holiday .... but not daddy and I!  We both had to go into work.  :-P  So, you and Penny got to play together!  ;-)

You were wide awake again before we had to leave for work.  So, we got to play with you for a little and start your bottle before Penny got here.  When Penny got here, she also made you a little bit of oatmeal for breakfast.  :-)  You finished your veggie and chicken container and continued with your fruit container.  By the end of the day, you had finished all your whole milk, so we'll need to grab some more of that for you.  Daddy and I ran out of our milk too, so we'll do a grocery run in the next day or two.  :-)  Oh, Penny said you ate 5 little cheerios.  Good job little man!  :-)

You and Penny also had some floor time together.  She read you more Bible stories from your little Bible book .... you all listened to music .... you apparently like the 'Itsy Bitsy Spider', 'Head and Shoulders, Knees and Toes', and 'Patty Cake' .... you also took a nap and then had a nice walk outside to the park.  It was cool and breezy, but you were bundled and you all didn't stay out for long.  :-)

So, I got to leave work a little early so I could go home to help clean bottles and get you ready for Gigi and Grandpa Jim .... it took me 1 hour and 15 minutes to get home because of a wreck!  So, I only got to spend a few minutes with you before I had to leave again for my Provider's Meeting.  :-(  Daddy was already here and getting ready for his soccer board meeting.  Both of us had meetings at 7pm, so Gigi and Grandpa Jim got here around 6:30pm to watch you.  I got back home from my meeting at 8:30pm, so I got to visit with the three of you all until Gigi and Grandpa Jim had to leave.

You had fun with them while daddy and I were gone.  You showed them all your toys and and you walked all around the play area for them .... holding onto the gates, of course!  ;-)  Gigi said she tried to organize all your toys for you, but every time she cleaned up something you would crawl over and throw the toys around again!  Ha!  :-)

You and I rocked until daddy got home.  You fell asleep on me, but when I put you in your bed, you started crying .... then, we noticed you were sniffling.  :-(  Poor little guy .... you have another cold.  You continued to cry and sound more and more congested until we put you in bed with us. 

I hope you sleep ok tonight and that you feel better in the morning. 

I love you very much!  :-)

~Mommy

Bible Stories

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little man!  We got some good reports from Penny today!  You two always have fun together!  :-)

You were wide awake before she came over, so I got to give you your first bottle and change your diaper before heading to work.  :-)  Unfortunately, I got home late (again), but daddy had already given you a bath and you two were playing when I got home.  

Here's what Penny said about your time together today:

"During floor time, we did Bible Stories .... he's really learning and does well at pulling things out of containers.  The next step will be putting things back in.  I've noticed that he'll do this, but not let go of the object .... that will come next.  He is ready .... then we will work on stacking!  Also, I held out my hand and said 'thank you' and he handed me a block!"

Wow!  Good job little man!  You are such a smart guy!  You get that from me!  ;-)  Also, Penny started you on a new fruit container and a veggie and chicken container. 

This evening, you fell asleep on me in the bonus room after I rocked you.  You even stayed sleeping when daddy put your helmet back on!  But, you woke up when I brushed your teeth.  We used toothpaste again (we'll use that everyday for now on, so I hope you get use to it) and I brought some flouride varnish home from work.  So, daddy and I can put that on your teeth this weekend (maybe we can catch you when you're sleepy.  ;-)

You fell back asleep on daddy as I took a shower.  Both of us have meetings tomorrow after work.  I tried to get out of mine, but it's a quarterly organizational meeting that I have to attend.  :-(  So, Gigi and Grandpa Jim are going to watch you for about 2 hours tomorrow evening until I get back home.  I'll come home as fast as I can!  

Sleep tight little one!

I love you so much!  :-)

~Mommy