Super Bowl XLIV

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello precious! Today was a big football day, but I'll get to that later! :-)

This morning daddy and I gave you a bath and then we did all your laundry. Since today is a big football game, we put you in a football jersey onesie that your Uncle Brennan and Aunt Katie gave you. It's a Carolina onesie, though the football game was against other teams. :-)

The game was against the New Orleans Saints and the Indianapolis Colts .... Super Bowl XLIV! I didn't really care who won, though I routed for the Saints since they've never won a Super Bowl. I really just like the commercials and the half-time show. This year, The Who (your Grandpa Mike's favorite band) sang during half-time .... though we didn't get to hear about half of it because you were getting fussy and cried. :-P Oh .... the Saints won, though you and I fell asleep during the fourth quarter! :-)

We went over to Grandpa Jim and Gigi's house for the game. They both got to hold you and you slept for a little bit. Earlier in the day, daddy and I met up with Uncle Brennan, Aunt Katie, Grandpa Mike, Mimi, and others to celebrate a late birthday party for your Uncle Brennan. You didn't go .... you stayed with Gigi. We're still going to wait a little longer (for warmer weather and the end of flu season) to really take you out.

Tomorrow's another monday, so I wonder what the evening will have in store for us .... will you be fussy for hours like the previous mondays or calm down? Hummm .... only time will tell. :-)

Sleep tight little man!

I love you so much!

~Mommy

Small Amount of Snow

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello sweet thing!

Today we had a little bit of snow come down! Nothing stuck .... we just had some flurries here and there. The north has been hit pretty hard with snow .... one of the biggest storms they've seen! Virginia to Maryland is covered with the white stuff! We won't be traveling up there for a while. :-P

Today daddy and I ran an errand to the mall and grocery store. While out, your Gigi and Grandpa Jim watched you. You apparently were so comfortable with them that you slept the whole time and didn't want to leave! So, we stayed there too, gave your next bottle, ate dinner, and then went home.

This evening, daddy and I played with you again on the bed. You kept grabbing my pinky finger with your hand whenever I played with your pacifier. I thought it was cute so daddy took a picture. :-)

The other day, your Great-Grandma reminded me of a Bible passage that your Gigi had given me right after you were born. It's from the Book of Joshua:

"As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord."
Joshua 24:15

I keep this verse on your little binder here in the nursery so I can see it everyday! It reminds me of God's miracles .... bringing you from 2 lbs 4 ozs to almost 9 lbs now (we're estimating)! What a gift you are to daddy and I, and we thank God everyday for you in our lives! :-)

Sleep tight little man!

I love you!

~Mommy

Sixteen Weeks

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little fellow! Today you are sixteen weeks old! Wow! You sure are getting old! ;-)

Today you had a really good day! You had some daddy time this morning when I went to the dermatologist for a routine check up. You may have some of those appointments in the future when you're older .... your daddy and I are fair skinned .... so are you! ;-)

This was the first day that daddy and I can remember that you weren't fussy during dinner while we're trying to eat. Actually, you were pretty tame all day. You had a nice nap in the morning and afternooon.

Guess what we tried out today? Your new carrier! Daddy and I put you in the carrier after your early afternoon bottle, and you fell asleep next to my chest as I walked around. I folded laundry and played the Wii with your daddy as you sleep! Then, I gently took you out and placed you in the bassinet for daddy and I to eat .... you kept on sleeping until your next bottle! That hasn't happened before .... usually you're awake and fussy as we're cooking and eating dinner. Maybe it was the carrier?

After dinner, your Grandpa Mike and Mimi came over. They both held you and you got more gifts from friends .... you got some books, a teddy bear, and a "Mr. Potato Head." When I was pregnant with you, we called you "Spud" because I ate a lot of potatoes. :-)

Late tonight, after your last bottle, daddy put you in the bassinet and played your TarHeel mobile. You were following it with your eyes. It was cute!

Sleep tight!

I love you so much little man!

~Mommy

Back From Work

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello little angel! I'm back from work and now we have 5 whole days until I have to go back! I missed you so much!

You had a good night last night! You fell asleep around midnight this morning, and didn't really wake up until 6am. I gave you a bottle at 6:30am and got to hold and play with you for a little bit before I had to get ready for work. After I got ready, and it was just the two of us again, I whispered to you some more. I told you that I loved you and when I got home from work, we would play together. :-)

Penny said you all had a good time today. She said that you all had music time from 10:45am-11:30am. Then you had a nap at noon. You apparently were a little fussy due to gas at 1pm, but then took another nap at 2pm. :-)

Thursday afternoon, at work, we have "kids day" where we try to see a lot of children for hygiene check ups and restorations. This afternoon was sad for us .... between Dr. Rickert and myself we saw three children with extensive decay on their primary (baby) teeth. :-( We generally see children with a few cavities, but we always hate to see this much decay on patients who are so young (a 3, 4, and 5 year old)! We felt so bad for these children (only one reported pain)! I kept thinking of you .... my own child .... praying that you will always remain healthy for us! I promise, to the best of my ability, to try to keep you safe and healthy as much as I can .... and I know daddy will too! I held you tight tonight after seeing those children!

Daddy and I played with you until you fell asleep on the bed. Then, daddy fed you and placed you in the bassinet. Daddy has off tomorrow, so we have another "Family Friday!" I know you can't wait! :-)

Sleep well little angel!

I love you so very much!

~Mommy

Bundled Baby

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello precious! I missed you so much at work today! Before I left for work, when it was just the two of us in the house, I talked to you while you were in the bassinet sleeping. I told you that I loved you and said a little prayer that you would be safe today while I was gone.

While Penny was here with you, she wrote down different things that you all did today! Here's what your day looked like:

9:45am-10:45am .... playtime with music
11am-12pm .... nap
12:30pm .... pull ups, patty cake, and jump ups
1:30pm-4pm .... nap

Then, she wrote down something cute that you did .... "able to fix his gaze on his hand (did it twice today). He stares at his hand and then his hand involuntarily comes to his face, and his eyes cross while he is keeping site of his hand .... so funny!" :-) You're such a cute little boy!

I also noticed something else about you. Sometimes, when you get a little fussy, I can rub between your eyes and forehead (while giving you a pacifier) and you calm down. I've tried it a few times and you generally calm down easier than when I don't rub your head.

Tonight we bundled you up in a little blanket that your (Great) Aunt Pops gave you. You were all snug in there a gave us a few smiles! Then, we played on the bed again with daddy. :-)

Tomorrow I'll be leaving you again for work, but then we'll have another 5 days together!

Sleep tight!

I love you little precious!

~Mommy

Groundhog Day

Dearest Joshua David~

Hello sweetie!

Today is Groundhog Day! On this day (every February 2nd), we all wait in anticipation to see whether or not Punxsutawney Phil (the national weather groundhog) sees his shadow. Historically, it's the day the groundhog comes out of his hole, after sleeping all winter, to look for his shadow. If he sees the shadow, he hops back into his hole for another 6 weeks of winter. If he doesn't see his shadow, he takes it as a sign of spring and stays above ground. According to Phil's website: "At 7:25 AM EST on Tuesday, February 2, 2010 the world discovered that Punxsutawney Phil saw his shadow - predicting six more weeks of winter!" So, I guess that means more winter weather for us!

This morning, you were unusually fussy for a bit. Then, you fell asleep early in the afternoon. So, I took nap too!

We danced this morning. I put on another CD and we danced around the nursery room for a little while. I sang a bit, but again, the singing gets mixed reviews from you! ;-)

I ordered something for the two of us and it came in the mail today! I got a baby carrier .... one that you sit in so I can carry you around the house (or where ever) and you stay right next to my chest. It came late in the day (dinner time) so I didn't have time to really open it and play with it. We'll have to experiment with it later.

Also, Grandpa Jim brought over a stroller for you to use. It's our cousin Charlie's, but we're borrowing until you get bigger. Of course we'll have to wait for the weather to clear a little before we take you out, but I'm hopeful it'll get warmer in the next week or so.

Daddy and I played with you on the bed this evening. You actually fell asleep on the bed really late, and we didn't want to wake you! So, we curled up with you and all three of us took a nap until you woke up around 11:30ish. Then, I fed you and put you in the bassinet. :-)

Well, tomorrow's another work day for me. :-( I hate to leave you! I wish I could pack you up and take you with me. :-) I'm sure you'll have fun tomorrow with Penny, but it's still hard for mommy to go!

Sleep tight little one!

I love you very much! :-)

~Mommy

Long Morning .... And Evening

Dearest Joshua David~

Well, today we all had a long morning .... and evening!

You didn't go to sleep until about midnight this morning, and when you woke back up, it was around 4:30am. Since my last pumping was over 12 hours ago, at this point, my body was still adjusting to the milk pressure and your crying was making me hurt. :-( So, I tried to see if you would just nurse. You still couldn't latch on, so I had to use the nipple shield again. You could only take a little over an ounce of milk (I estimated), so I had to give the rest to you in a bottle. But, you alleviated just enough pressure to help me out. :-P While you were trying to nurse, too much milk was coming out, so both your sleeves were completely wet! Daddy had to change you!

Different places were running on a delay this morning because of the snow. Daddy went into work later than normal, to give the snow and ice some time to melt. After daddy left for work, I gave you a bottle and changed you. Gigi was off from work today, so we drove down the road (about 2 miles) to her house to spent the afternoon. Gigi was able to watch you as I put gas in the car and took a shower.

This evening was another crying fest for you. You started around 8pm again, like last monday. Daddy and I walked, swayed, jiggled, talked, danced, changed, and fed you to try to calm you. We finally put you in the bassinet around 10pm(ish). I kept playing with you and the pacifier to see when you would fall asleep. The last time I looked at my watch, it was 11:36pm (you were still awake), so I don't know what time you actually fell asleep. Daddy and I have come to the conclusion that you just don't like mondays! This is the second monday in a row where you had a crying fit in the evening (which will make for two tiring tuesdays in a row).

I did notice a cute thing though .... sometimes, after I give you a bottle, I'll tickle your chest and under your arms to get you to smile. You've given me several cute smiles and a few "coos." :-)

Sleep tight little Joshua!

I love you very much!

~Mommy