Shake, rattle, and ROLL!

Voting for Jackson ended soon after I sent out my mass emailing. He came in 15th, which is pretty decent considering there were thousands entered! He's still #1 in my book though.

Jackson accomplished a major feat today--he rolled from his tummy to his back for the first time! It was so exciting! It was a real roll, too...not just one aided by the mommy. He didn't seem as excited as I did. I got him to roll again later in his crib after a nap. I'm kind of hoping Daddy will agree to let him sleep on his stomach from here on out.

I've been feeling a little unappreciated lately. This stay-at-home mom business is great but exhausting. I mean, I'm at home all day...can't be that bad, right? I do love it, but it can really be fatiguing at times. I really like when Paul's home and can take over (after work and on weekends), however he needs time, too, to get things done (pay bills, do paperwork, etc). When he takes a weekend day to do it, it really throws me off. I love Jackson with all my heart and soul, but sometimes, the mommy just needs a little break. Thank goodness Grandma comes once a week to watch him so I can run errands!!

More soon!

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My baby's growing up!

I can't believe it's been 3 months since I gave birth to the most wonderful little boy in the world! He's really growing up and I love that I get to watch him grow everyday. These days, Jackson's getting more and more on a decent sleeping routine. He gets up, eats, plays, and goes back to sleep about 90 minutes after waking up the last time. He's also sleeping longer at night--this has only been going on for about a week now, but it looks like this is becoming the "norm" around here. VERY exciting!

I'm still pumping (I've decided to go another month) so he's getting about 3 oz. breast milk and 2-3 oz. formula in each bottle (right now, he's getting about 5.5 oz. total). I've been sneaking in an occasional tablespoon of rice cereal in a few bottles (only 2 per day, usually morning and afternoon, and never 2 in a row--I skip one in between...don't ask me why...). He still eats about every 3 hours and occasionally, he needs a boost--an extra 2-3 oz. at a feeding, if he shows he's still hungry.

His personality is incredible!! He's a funny kid who loves to scream (with delight!) and talk and jabber like crazy. He still talks to the ceiling fan. Mornings are the best time--he's usually in a really good mood when he wakes up and after he eats. He talks non-stop when on the changing table and loves to talk LOUD. It's so funny! I love watching his little tongue when he's at his loudest--it's the funniest sight!

He's able to see and respond more and more. He's starting to enjoy sitting in the bouncy seat, and will even spend a little time in his exploration tunnel. He's not yet able to reach out and grab things, but he's getting close! He's also getting closer to rolling from his stomach to back. Not quite there yet, but he'll be there soon.

I'm not exactly sure what he weighs, but I'd guess around 17 pounds. He's wearing 3-6 month clothes but I'm guessing in the next couple of weeks, he'll be in 6-9 months. I'm banking on him being in 12 month clothing by summer. I've had to return a lot of things people have given us so I have return credit at a bunch of stores. This will come in handy when stocking up on clothes later! He's still wearing size 2 diapers, but he's going to be on his way out of those in the next few weeks. I've got a package of size 3 and they look so big!!

I'll be taking pictures of him this afternoon so watch for those!!

2 months old!

Jackson turned 2 months old yesterday. I can't believe it's been TWO MONTHS since he arrived--it still seems like yesterday! He had a doctor's appointment yesterday morning and weighed in at a hefty 15 lbs., measuring 23.6 inches long. He had several vaccinations which did NOT sit well with him (nor with me...it's hard to see my little man cry so hard!). Overall, he's doing very well physically and developmentally.

Jackson has become more and more aware of his surroundings this past month. It's obvious that he can focus in more on things that are further and further away. He smiles and coos when he's in a good mood (usually right after a bottle). And oh, those conversations with the ceiling fan!! I've tried to capture it on video but all I get are bursts of talking around a whole lot of staring, which doesn't make for an interesting video (to anyone but us). In the past week or so, his fist has found its way to his mouth, and not just when he's hungry. Other than that, he doesn't seem to have much control over his arms (they still flail about and he occasionally bonks himself in the head). He likes Pat-A-Cake, the Itsy-Bitsy Spider, and the Wheels on the Bus, which we do everyday--guaranteed smiles!

In the next month or so, he'll be transitioning to all formula in the bottle, a decision that was not easy to come by for this mom. He's been at 2 oz. breast milk and 2+ oz. formula for about 10 days and it's working well. Hell, he'll eat anything when offered! Mommy just made a startling discovery late last week--we've been using slow and fast nipples for weeks now. This explains why some bottles have been scarfed down and others have taken a while. ☺ We've experimented with both and are now using both at specific times (i.e. fast ones at night when we want him to finish sooner), but most likely we'll be going to all fast soon. The packaging says that they're for ages 3-6 months, but he's bigger than the average 2 month old so it may be our time.

He still naps several times a day and gets up in the middle of the night to eat, but we are getting him on some semblance of a schedule. He can get a little beastly in the evening--the "witching hour" is alive and well at our house! But we love him so much, it's impossible to describe in words. I know every parent feels this way about their child, but Paul and I both thought we'd never have the chance to experience this in our lives, so it's extra sweet for us!

More soon! Check out all the photos of him on my photo site!

Almost 8 weeks!

I can't believe Jackson is almost 8 weeks old! It's been an amazing 8 weeks...probably no different than for any other new parent. Paul and I are both so taken by this little guy! He can be a BEAST at times, mostly between 8pm and 1am. We struggled with feedings and had a week of trials--first, all formula, then all breast milk, finally ending up where we started: a mix of both. He's been getting a consistant 3 oz. of breast milk, and the amount of formula has increased steadily over time (he's now getting 1.5 oz. of formula mixed with the breast milk).

My issue is now about stopping the breast milk. I've been pumping 4-6 times a day for the past 2 months. I realize most women nurse a lot more than that in a day so I shouldn't complain about my measily 4-6 times. It's been torturous at times for me, having gone through 2 bouts of mastitis (infection in the breast that causes pain, fevers, etc). Luckily, with antibiotics, the infection subsides within a few days but the "best" thing for mastitis is to continue pumping, even at a more frequent rate. When that infection hits, the last thing I want is to have anything anywhere near the boobs! Aside from that, pumping is just plain awful....

...however, thinking about stopping brings on strong guilt in me. I've read and been told that anything Jackson will get nutritionally is in the first 2 months of life, so we're almost at that point. I can tell myself that I don't have to feel bad about this--lots of babies are raised on formula and do just fine--but I feel horrible about stopping! This is the hardest part for me--the GUILT.

My thought has been to stop at the 2 month point (in about a week or so). I really need to figure out how to be confident with that decision and not cave in about renting the pump for another month. Stopping now or in a month, I don't know that that extra month will really truly benefit him. I just don't know.

I'll have another update in a week or so when Jackson hits the 2 month mark! It'll be about HIM, my little prince, and not all about me. ☺

One month later...

WOW! I can't believe how fast this past month has flown. Jackson is growing like a weed! He saw his doctor yesterday for a wellness check-up, and he now weighs 12 lbs. 2 oz. and is 23.2 inches long. He's full of so much personality! I think we're spoiling him by holding him so much, but we can't help it. We're still in that "honeymoon phase." I look at him and still can't believe he's mine!

I've been pumping breastmilk for the past 5 weeks, and supplementing with formula (we just switched to a sensitive formula because he's been so gassy and fussy at times). He now eats 3 oz. breastmilk and 1 oz. formula about every 2.5 to 3 hours. I pump about 4-5 times a day, which is really no fun, but at least I feel he's getting what he needs. Plus, it gives Paul the chance to be a part of feeding him, and it allows me to get sleep when Paul's home. We sleep in shifts--Paul goes to bed later (around midnight) while I go to bed early and am up for the middle-of-the-night feedings. It works out pretty well, provided I can get in a nap at some point!

Jackson has smiled at us and I think he's even laughed a couple times. Not a belly laugh, but a slight giggle. He loves to look at lights and ceiling fans. So far, he's fine with anyone holding him, which works out well since everyone wants a piece of him! He's getting used to baths and doesn't seem to mind them anymore. He's been on several car trips, the first being Christmas eve to see the Baumann's (only an hour away, but still quite a trip!). On his one month birthday, we made the trip to Springfield for my grandma's funeral. We stopped once on the way down and didn't have to stop on the way back, so he does really well in the car!

Jackson will be baptized on January 17th. We had to rush the process because of the 100+ year old dress he'll be wearing (at least we hope he'll wear it!). The dress is fragile and quite small, so there's a small window in which a baby can wear it. It's been worn by most babies in the family for generations, and I'd like to continue that tradition!

There are cute pictures of Jackson on my photo website, so check 'em out! Enjoy!

Jackson

I've been trying for 2 weeks to update this blog, but so many things have gotten in the way! It's been an interesting 2 weeks, so here's the rundown:
The little man has arrived! He came into the world at exactly 8am on December 3rd. He weighed a whopping 10 lbs 1 oz. and measured 20.5 inches long (someone laughed that he's a "short Italian"). He's beautiful. YES, I know I'm his mother, but I really think that. I can't stop looking at him!
Our days are spent eating, sleeping, and pooping--well, that's Jackson, not so much Mommy. He's a good baby but he does have his moments where he wants nothing more than to be held and comforted, sometimes for hours at a time. While normally I wouldn't mind this sort of thing, I do have one obstacle to deal with: pumping. Jackson had a hard time at the beginning with latching onto the boobs, so I made the decision to exclusively PUMP. While I made this decision early on (in the hospital), I didn't make it lightly. Pumping is HARD WORK. It's a horrible kind of torture, but I do it to give my son what he needs. Despite this, I've had to defend my decision to way too many people--nurses in the hospital, the lactation consultant, even Jack's pediatrician. Apparently, they think I'd rather have my nipples ripped apart 5+ times a day, rather than get him to latch on (which was frustrating for both of us--it just simply didn't work). Anyway, that's been the hardest part to deal with--defending my decision, as well as finding the time and space to pump during the day. Not easy to do with a crying baby!
Despite the few issues we have, we are so dearly in love with this little guy! I just can't believe he's here, and that I have the pleasure of staying home to take care of him. I honestly thought it would be tougher than it is. I'm definitely lacking sleep most days, but I don't think I'd have it any other way right now. I know the sleeplessness is only temporary.
We always welcome visitors, if you're ever in the area! We don't get out much, except to the doctor's office, but this weekend we'll have a bunch of places to go. Christmas eve will be at my brother's, Christmas day will be at our house (with Paul's family), and the 27th will be at my dad's. It's a lot of travel back and forth, since my brother and dad live quite a distance away. I'll likely have to haul the pump around with me, which will really suck, but again, it's the choice I've made and I hope to stick with it for at least a few months.
Merry Christmas!

TWO DAYS!!

Holy cow!! 2 days from now, I will be someone's mother. YIKES! I'm flipping out, but thankfully, Paul is very calm about all this. I think I'm more anxious about the c-section itself than I am the 18 years that follow. I've never had a major operation before, and the only stitches I've ever gotten were in my big toe while I was in college. I did have a minor booby operation 3 years ago, and the removal of some polyps on my cervix, both of which required anesthesia (I love versed!). This seems a lot more serious, but like so many others, I'm sure I'll recover just fine.

I'm finishing up my Christmas shopping and trying to get things in order before being out of commission for a while. I have grocery shopping to do, laundry, and all sorts of things to do in the next couple of days. Oh, and my high-priority pedicure tomorrow morning! ☺ Can't be hospitalized with ugly feet.

This may be my last post before the baby arrives. We will hope to call everyone to let them know, so if I don't get to you on Thursday, be patient. You'll hear from us eventually, either by phone or other means. I'm planning to take my little computer to update everything...hopefully, I'll have wireless access.

Until the next time!!

6 days and counting!

Well, we survived hosting our first Thanksgiving! It would have been a bit smoother if I wasn't so damn big, but it was (not surprisingly) organized and well-thought out! Paul and my mom had everything running on time (save for the deep fryer, which kept blowing fuses) and it was all perfect! The kids played so well together, and everyone seemed to enjoy one anothers company. The only downer of the day was my mother-in-law. Those are stories for another day though.

Only 6 days until the arrival of the little man! The nursery is pretty much done and clothes are washed and put away. I have a few things to get done before he gets here--some Christmas shopping to finish, errands to run, etc. I met with the doctor for the last time on Wed, and he's still growing! I measured 41 cm, 1 over full term. I'm ready for him to be out of there, though I will miss watching and feeling him move around. That's been fascinating to me!

Happy holidays!

Two weeks!

It's official: the baby will arrive the morning Thursday, December 3rd, via C-section. I went yesterday to the doctor for another ultrasound, and the little man is still very breech, so we got his arrival scheduled. They need to do the C-section ahead of time to prevent me from actually going into labor, which would complicate things...from what I've been told. As much as I would have liked trying to do this naturally, I'm ok with it being scheduled! Additionally, he's measuring 8.5 lbs right now. If I were to go to my due date, he'd be 10 lbs or more...not exactly something I want to try to squish out my hoo-ha!

We had some GOOD news today! Paul's sister, MariaElena, is cancer-free!! This comes after a scare about 10 days ago where we thought the cancer was back. Turns out, it's not. You can read more about this on her website. It's quite confusing but answers are slowly trickling in. The main thing is that she's free of this dreaded disease!

We're slowly getting things together for the baby. Kate and I painted the nursery today (or finished what Paul started), and we made great progress! There's still stuff to get done in there, but it's exciting to be this far! My goal is to have the nursery done and Christmas decorations up by Thanksgiving. I'm mostly done with both, so that leaves cleaning the house and shopping for Thanksgiving. Insanity rules in this house!

A shout-out to the soon-to-be Dr. Linda Ryan: CONGRATULATIONS!! She's 99% done with her doctorate!

Happy Thanksgiving!

The clock is ticking...

Saw the doctor yesterday--I now go weekly--and everything is normal. I'm not one bit dilated, which is a wee disappointing to me. The last week or so, I've felt more uncomfortable than ever. The baby is still breech and sitting on organs that are now moved into places they have no business being. It's quite painful at times, especially at night--no position is comfortable anymore. I sleep on either side and my hips hurt. I sleep on my back and everything hurts. I can't win at this point. The only good thing is that there are only 3 weeks left! Presumably, I'll be having a C-section, unless he flips (and at this point, I'm really hoping he doesn't). I've accepted having this major operation and will be quite glad to have it scheduled. I'll find out for sure after my ultrasound next Wed (the 18th). If it's scheduled, we're likely looking at Wed, December 2nd. PRETTY EXCITING! Less than 3 weeks away!

I've been trying to get things done around the house, specifically putting the nursery together and getting Christmas decorations up. Late next week, I need to CLEAN THIS HOUSE!! It needs to be sparkly clean for Thanksgiving. Paul has talked about hiring someone to come in and clean, but I wouldn't feel right about that. At least not now--maybe after the baby and before Christmas.

Speaking of Christmas, his sister and brother-in-law have graciously "allowed" us to host Christmas day at our house! They claimed the holiday several years ago and we've spent the day at their house with them. However, having a newborn, they're willing to share the holiday this year. I'm soooooooo grateful, especially since I'll still be recovering from the C-section. MariaElena is an AMAZING cook and is planning to do all the cooking here. Neither Paul nor I are really that excited about hauling a newborn around for the holidays. This will make our life so much easier!

Please send as many prayers out to MariaElena, who was just re-diagnosed with cancer. She just last week finished treatment for Hodgkin's and breast cancer, after 20+ months, but found another lump on her side. After having an aspirate done, it revealed cancer cells. She's having a PET scan done today and will probably have results in the next day or two. This is all so distressing for them. Her caringbridge site is here, if you'd like to leave her a message in the guestbook. She'd love to know people are thinking of her!

Pregnancy superlatives

The most interesting thing about being pregnant:
The kicking and rolling around going on in there! I sometimes sit and watch my stomach area move around. Just fascinating!

The worst thing about being pregnant:
The uncomfortableness of it all, especially in this last month. I feel sometimes like my insides are smashed against one another and nothing is where it's supposed to be.

The most surprising thing about being pregnant:
I'm a hot box! I can't believe it's November and I'm still sleeping in a tank top with just a sheet over me. Usually by now, my toes and fingers turn blue at night, and I'm wrapped in blankets all the time. There are times when I'm cold, but more often than not, I'm quite warm.

The biggest craving I've had:
Besides meat, I could eat Taco Bell Black Jack Tacos everyday, if given the opportunity. Oh wait...I have the opportunity. ☺ I don't indulge everyday, but at least once a week. I mash them up in a bowl and make a taco salad.

The hardest thing to get used to:
Wearing low-rider pants. I have ALWAYS worn pants (and underwear, for that matter) at my waist. I have a pair of maternity jeans that have a panel that pull up over the baby bump, which is about as close as I get to having something at my waist, otherwise everything sits below the bump.

5 things I miss the most:
1) Milk in the first trimester. I LOVE LOVE LOVE drinking milk all the time, but for those first 3 months, it did horrid things to my digestive track. Thankfully, that cleared up and all is well in the world.
2) Riding my scooter. YES, I know I did that for a lot longer than most people felt comfortable (despite the fact it was ok'd by my doctor!), however on a weekend like the one we're having right now (70's today and tomorrow!!), it would have been reeeeally nice to jump on it and go for a ride.
3) BEER. I've never been a heavy drinker of beer, but for some reason, I have craved it!! Especially at bowling, where one always bowls a little better with beer in ones system. I've been told by some that it's ok to drink beer while pregnant, however it took me a LONG time to get knocked up, so it's just not worth it to me. I have been known to practically sniff the flavor out of beer whenever I get the chance.
4) Sleep. I realize this is something I'm not going to have for quite a while, I just didn't expect to lose the ability as quickly as I did. I don't think I've had a decent nights sleep since WAY early on in the pregnancy.
5) Of course, along with this, I could say I miss the occasional Melatonin, Tylenol PM, and other helpful sleep aids. Drugs in general have been missed by me, especially a few weeks back when I had a cold. When I was having horrible back pain over the summer, there wasn't much I could do about it--I have a TENS unit (electrical stimulation) that I couldn't even use.

When it rains...

My living room looks like an explosion from Babies R Us!! We had 2 beautiful showers in 2 weekends, and the generosity of everyone was overwhelming. I don't think there's a thing that needs to be returned. We got gift cards galore, enough to stock up on plenty of diapers for the little man. I still have thank you notes to write, which is always the hardest part for me--I like them to be personalized, not generic, and each one has to be different. Not always easy.

I've entered the world of the non-working!! Well, I'm tutoring still, but that's only 1.5 hours once a week. I ended my job at the vet clinic last week. It was a little sad to me, but Paul is convinced I'll end up working there again one day. I doubt it, but if they wanted me back, I would try. Frankly, I didn't make enough to justify dropping the baby off at a daycare or babysitter's, though if they wanted me on weekends, I could do that. But they don't. Anyway, I'm getting easily used to not having to go to work!

I had some sad news today. The father of my friend Michelle passed away last night. He was diagnosed late last year with ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). I worked for Joe's hot dog business for many years and he was, by far, the BEST boss I ever had! I was in awe of his devotion to his family, and everything he did for Michelle--driving her to all her doctor appointments, going with her to New York for treatment, standing by her and helping her in her fight against cancer (more than 7 years now). He was married to Barb for more than 45 years (not exactly sure how many). He'll be sorely missed.

I had a doctor's appointment today. I'm now on weekly visits to the doctor. Nothing's really new or different, except for the occasional contractions I've been having. They're few and far between, but pretty distinct, however nothing to be concerned about...yet. As far as the doctor could tell, the little man is still breech. He moves around a lot, but had yet to flip. I have a feeling we'll be scheduling a c-section in early December!

Only 3 weeks until Thanksgiving! Happy November!

On the mend

Slowly but surely, we're both recovering here at the Iaco house. Paul caught whatever I had, so it's been a rough week or so. I was put on Tamiflu while he was put on an inhaler for bronchitis. We should both be in tip-top shape for Sunday's shower!

Speaking of showers, we had one this past weekend at his sister's (attended by his side of the family and friends). It was such a nice time!! We received so many nice gifts, and now it's time for me to sit down and write thank you notes. That's the hardest part for me--getting the motivation to do that task.

This weekend's shower will be a HUGE crowd! It'll be my family and friends gathering for a brunch at Kate's house. I'll be excited to see Robert acting as waiter for the day. ☺ It hit me at last week's shower that we're really having a baby! I think I got teary-eyed opening the first gift. It really was incredible to realize that!

I have a regular OB appt in one week, then another ultrasound 2 weeks after that (to see what position the little man has put himself in). He's moving a LOT these days, and I'm definitely getting more and more uncomfortable. This is my last week of work at the vet clinic, and while a part of me is sad to be leaving there, it'll be nice to spend some time relaxing and catching up on the sleep I've been lacking lately.

Photos from last week are on my photo site, and I'll get this weekend's up there afterwards. Enjoy!

Uh oh.

Looks like someone may have caught something in da house. Ok, it's me and yes, it appears to be a flu. Or a cold, but yesterday at the doctor's office, they treated me like I had the plague. It started Tuesday with a scratchy throat that got progressively worse all afternoon (I was at work). By that night, I knew it was ugly. Nothing I tried was helping--cough drops, hot tea, gargling with salt water (most of which turned into gagging on salt water)...nothing.

I called my regular doctor's office yesterday to ask about the flu vaccine (to see if I could get it if I wasn't feeling well). Paul and I had planned to go get the H1N1 vaccine on Monday at the local high school, where it's being given. It's damned near impossible to find it anywhere else, but there are places that are offering it in Kane county. So I'm talking to a nurse and it's revealed that I don't feel well and I'm 7.5 months pregnant. She tells me to get into their office NOW. I wasn't sure why--frankly, it's just my throat that hurts, so I didn't think it was a big deal. I'd had no fever, almost no cough, very little runny nose, and didn't see what the big deal was. But I went in and after a quick check, I was sent on my way with a Tamiflu prescription.

I stopped at the pharmacy and filled it, then went home and started on my 5 day course. I hardly slept last night (after purposefully NOT napping yesterday, in the hopes of getting a beautiful night's sleep) and woke up this morning with more of a runny nose and my still-sore throat. I still have no cough, which I think is the main culprit in the H1N1 virus, so I'm banking on this just being a cold. It's not the worst cold I've ever had and frankly, I don't feel the most horrible I've ever felt, but I know with the little man baking inside, I need to be more cautious.

Looks like I'll be skipping out on work today, and I feel bad because I think there was a little baby-related something planned during our scheduled staff meeting this afternoon. I feel bad for missing it, but I don't want to risk infecting everyone else there. It's just not worth it.

So here I sit on this rainy, crappy day. Maybe I'll get something productive done here at home?? We'll see!