yuck

Reese has been out of school with a stomach bug and now Lofton is sick as well. Evidently it is MUCH worse in adults. I'm sure I'll be next.

work in progress

As I mentioned yesterday, Bunky and I hung out while Lofton worked on putting up columns outside. They look UNBELIEVABLE. He never ceases to amaze me with what he can do:) Here are a few pictures of the before and after- keep in mind the columns still need to be painted.

Before: Iron columns

After: Round columns

And because I can't resist... I bought Bunky a new pair of PJ's at Target. They were on clearance for four dollars. The only problem- they don't have feet. This is how I found him this morning:

blunder

I try really hard to be a good mom. Reese looks cute when we go out in public, even if Lofton and I don't. He bathes everyday, even if we don't. And with one exception* I haven't had any major blunders in parenthood yet- until today.

This afternoon, while Lofton was outside with a friend putting up columns on the house, Reese and I were hanging out. He took a great nap in his swing while I made some delicious "Whoopie Pies" (for the recipe click below on the link to the Stickler Family blog). I woke him up at 2:15 to feed him and we played for a little while before he decided to have a blow out. Once I was sure the damage was complete, I carted him down the hall to change his diaper.

Changing Reese's diaper is a little tricky. Sometimes he's happy and smiley and you can take your time-- other times he is not so happy and you feel like you're on a NASCAR pit crew trying to get one diaper off and the next one one. Today was a NASCAR day. I was moving fast-- getting his pants off and wiping him down. I moved so fast, in fact, that when I got back to the living room to put him on his Baby Einstein mat I realized I forgot to put a new diaper on him. Yes, that's right. I took his diaper off, cleaned him up, snapped his onesie, and put back on his pants. I actually forgot to put a diaper on him. Thankfully I realized the error QUICKLY or we could have had a serious situation on our hands!

*Exception- I am ashamed to admit that for the first seven weeks of Reese's life I neglected to clean behind his ears. I know, it's gross.

It's a bird, it's a plane.... it's a super cute picture that has absolutely nothing to do with what I just wrote about :)

holiday

Happy MLK day. Lofton had to work, so Bunky and I spent the whole day together. It was fabulous. I love days like this!

i love this boy

Thanks for helping Mama clean the house this morning. I love you, Bunky.

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sniffles

Lofton and I took Reese to the doctor on Tuesday afternoon. He was a little congested when I picked him up from school on Monday and it only worsened as the night progressed.

Dr. Greer was really great, as usual. He tested Reese for RSV and listened to his chest to make sure that he didn't have any congestion in his lungs. We just have a regular cold though. And we have a son that weighs a healthy 16 pounds, 6 ounces! Lofton says instead of watching Baby Einstein, Reese needs to watch old football game film of Ray Lewis. Evidently I'm raising a linebacker.

Because of our stuffy nose, my love/hate relationship with the nasal bulb has continued. Having to tilt your infant's head back, squirt saline up his nose, and then suction it out while he flails his arms and screams hysterically is not so much fun. Lofton even went to school on Wednesday and Thursday to suck it out during the day. Wednesday, Reese was VERY upset. Lofton said he tried his best to calm Reese back down, but it wasn't working. Finally he just gave Reese to Ms. Tracy and ducked out. Thursday's episode was much more successful. Ms. Maureene said Reese is turning into an old pro.

I was worried the stuffy nose would disrupt his sleeping though the night, but it really hasn't. He has been waking up around 4:30-5:00ish, but I think he would go back to sleep if not for his stuffy nose. He is definitely a pacifier baby and it's super hard to suck a pacifier when you can't breathe through your nose.

There are two things that have gotten us through this week.

The first is this: This stuff is AMAZING. It's like Vick's in a bottle. I just mix a capful into his bath water and he "vaporizes."

The second thing is this:

No this is not our house. However we do have this exact penguin humidifier and YES it does blow smoke/vapors out of it's beak. A little creepy, but very effective.

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Cold

It's been cold in our house. And no, not your usual cold because it's cold outside cold. Our house has been bitter cold because on Wednesday our furnace finally kicked the bucket. We knew the time was soon coming-- it really didn't work very well last year either-- we just didn't want to have to buy a new one. Alas, with the addition of an adorable three month old to our family this winter, the time to buy the furnace was upon us.

Furnaces are much MUCH more expensive than Lofton and I ever anticipated. It took two margaritas on Thursday night for me to digest the cost. Yes, we went to dinner Thursday night. No we did not need to spend the money, BUT we also didn't have heat and Durango's did.

I wish I had thought to take a picture of our bunker Thursday night. The three of us huddled in our bedroom with ALL of Reese's supplies (including his crib) and two space heaters. Our room was actually quite comfortable. However, when I left the bedroom Friday morning to BOLT to the refrigerator and get Reese his breakfast, I glanced at the thermostat. It read a crisp 48 degrees. BRRRRR!!

I'm sorry

I'm so sorry I have been gone for so long. Last week was a rollercoaster of emotion for me because of Reese starting daycare and I just couldn't find the words to blog! He is doing great though-- of course! And I am doing much better myself.

I've been keeping a little secret from y'all! Reese started sleeping through the night last week. Woo-Hoo! We have to fight very hard from six to eight to keep him awake, but after I bathe him at eight, Lofton feeds him his bottle and he goes right to sleep. Most mornings I have been WAKING HIM UP at 6:15 so I can feed him before I go to work. It is wonderful. Of course now that I've written about it on the blog he'll be up all night!

His teachers at school have been fighting the same fight I fought during Christmas break-- no long naps. He did nap in his swing yesterday for two hours, but that is rare these days. Usually he naps in 45 minutes spurts. One short nap in the morning when he gets to school, a bottle at ten, a nap around 12 or so, a bottle at two, a short nap around three, and then I'm there to scoop him up a little before four. Once we get home we play and talk for a while before I force him to sleep around 4:45. Usually I can get him to nap (on me) for an hour before he takes his dinner bottle.

Every age is my favorite age so far, but this sweet baby is becoming so joyful! He laughs and talks to us when we talk to him. He has started noticing Jake and Raleigh more as they move around. He holds his head up so well-- and spends most of our time at home following his Daddy with his eyes.

Lofton and I had a party in Montgomery Saturday night so we left him in capable grandparent hands! We were only gone for a few hours or so, but he had lots of fun with his Gran and his G (Lofton's Dad and Step Mom). One of these days I'm going to remember to take a picture of them when they are here!

We are headed to the doctor tomorrow afternoon. Reese is a little raspy. No fever-- just a little congested. Really, going to the doctor is probably silly, but I'd rather be safe than sorry AND we haven't seen Dr. Greer in about six weeks. I kinda miss him.

First Day of School

So really it's the second day :) BUT, everything is going well. Reese is adjusting great and I am as well. Yesterday was a little rough on me (as was Sunday), but staying at home is not an option-- so I put on my big girl panties and left him at home for Lofton to take on his way to work. You didn't think I would take him did you? Absolutely NOT! I pick him up-- that's the fun part. Today when I walked in and made eye contact with him he got a huge grin on his face. It lasted until we got in the car!

His teachers love him and they have lots of things he is familiar with in the room. Namely, a playmat with a blinking star and a swing.

Bonus points for Lofton! He remembered to take the camera with him to school so he could capture the first big day.

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Man Noises

This baby is getting some legs... I took picture of him playing with Lofton tonight. It's really funny-- Lofton makes what he calls "man noises and Reese imitates. It's a game I can't participate in. Lofton says my grunt is too feminine.

Three months!

Reese is three months old today. I can hardly believe it. He grows and chages so much everyday. This past months has been such a great month for him, and for us. Here are some things I want to remember about Reese's third month of life:

* We finally had a full month of no tummy issues! This new formula has fixed all of problems with fussiness, gas, constipation, and general discomfort. Yay! It has brought an end to his nightly screaming fits. I remember reading in one of my books that most babies outgrow their screaming fits around three months. At the time, Reese was only five weeks old-- I thought, Oh no!, three months seems so far away. My how it has snuck up on us!

* Reese smiles at us a lot. His happiest time is defintely in the morning after he has eaten. When I'm home, I like to feed him in our bed and then we talk and play for awhile.

* Reese is his most happiest (I know that isn't gramamtically correct) when he is lying on his activity mat and looking at his star. It lights up and plays music. Seriously, the star/mat is the one of the best gifts we have gotten so far. Thanks Gran and G! I told my mom (Nonna) that people who read the blog are going to think we leave him on his mat all day. That's where I take most of his happy pictures. Whatever works!

* He is finally sleeping for long stretches at night. Sometimes six hours at a time. He still wakes for a early morning snack, but he almost always goes right back to sleep for another hour or two.

*He rolled over. At first, it was only in his bed-- when he was pitching a fit-- and when we weren't watching. Finally on my birthday, he rolled over on his mat, from his front to his back.

* He has started laughing! He cackles at Lofton and I when we blow raspberries on his belly and nibble his neck. It is such sweet music to my ears! This is only a recent thing that he has started this past week.

*He makes us very, VERY happy. Happier than we ever imagined he could. I'm so conflicted. Part of me wishes he would stay frozen at this age forever, and the other half of me longs for him to crawl, walk, talk, and continue to grow. Such is motherhood I guess!

Three months old!