5 months (another one :) )

So I totally forgot that I wanted to do these stats each month so I am posting another 5 month blog :)
Age: 5 months 4 days old (September 28, 2011)
Size (clothes, diapers, etc):  He's still in size 3 diapers.  He'll probably be in this size for quite a while since they are for up to 28 pounds!  He's fitting snuggly into 6-9 month clothes.  The 6-12 month clothes are a little loose on him but they still fit.  I didn't want to really buy any 6-9 month winter stuff because I thought it was a waste of money since he'd only be in them for about a month...this way, he can wear the 6-12 month stuff all winter long :)  I'm sure I'll still buy him more clothes because I'm crazy like that, but for the most part, I've already bought the bulk of his wardrobe for the winter.  I just need to find a fall jacket. 
Sleeping:  He has always been an amazing sleeper and he still is.  He goes to bed around 8-8:30pm and doesn't wake up until 6:30-7am every day. (Definitely gets his sleeping habits from his father!!) ...This still has not changed.
Eating: Still just getting the boob.  One more month before we'll start solids!  I'll continue to BF him in addition to the solids though.
Milestones:  I noticed for his 4 month stats that he wasn't rolling back to front yet but I can now say that he has mastered this!  He'll be on his back for literally 2 seconds and he's already flipping himself onto his stomach.  He's so cute :)  He LOVES his toes.  I'm finding it harder to change his diaper because he just wants to eat his toes all the time!
New Adventures: We had our first "overnight without Dylan" a week ago. He stayed with my parents Thursday morning through Sunday evening while we went to Vegas for Andrea and Freddie's wedding.  We had a blast, Dylan had a blast but I definitely missed my little guy while we were away!! 
Favorite Toys and Activities: He loves his jumparoo (baby einstein thing).
Funny Happenings:  Nothing really.  He just puts smiles on our faces 24/7...it's pretty awesome!!
What I'm looking forward to: We are getting family pictures done on October 15th and also getting some of Dylan since he'll be 6 months. So excited!!!!

5 months (and a couple days)

It's really hard to try and find time to write a blog. I wish I had more time to update on a weekly basis, but that's just not gonna happen, so monthly it will be for a while.

Dylan is growing like crazy.  I don't have exact stats because he doesn't have a well check until he's 6 months old.  I weighed him on our scale at home the other night and he's up to 16 pounds :)

Dylan went to his first Thresherman's Parade in Pontiac over Labor Day weekend.  He loved it (and so did Parker).

We spent the day out at Grandma and Grandpa Rambo's house.  It was a nice and relaxing Sunday!  So glad that Parker got to make the trip with us!

Sunday, September 11th we all went to Bussey Woods in Schaumburg.  We hung out and walked around until I had my softball games that night.  Parker went nuts because of all the new smells!  He loved it!! Dylan loved hanging out in his stroller and just looked around the whole time! 

Love this kid to pieces!!!

It was a nice day to be outside and I am so thankful to have some amazing men in my life to share it with!

Jason and I went to Vegas Sept 15 -18...I'll put that in a whole other post since this one is about Dylan!  I will say that those were the hardest days because we left him with my parents!

Dylan is changing every single day.  His little personality is so awesome.  He's so laid back all the time but the second he's hungry, he's like, I need food NOW!!!  He loves his baby einstein bouncy chair now that his feet can touch the ground.  It's so funny to watch him bounce up and down in it!  He loves twirling himself around to all the different play areas on it.  He's rolling front to back and back to front with ease now.  If he's on his back, within seconds he flips himself over to his belly and looks up at you with the biggest "look what I just did" smile on his face!  So precious

We've been battling a cough for almost 2 weeks now.  I finally took him to the pedi yesterday and they told me that coughs could linger up to 3 weeks so we shouldn't be worried.  Just wanted to make sure it wasn't anything worse...which it wasn't!

I have to admit, I am a milk machine and proud of it!  I haven't had any issues with my supply and I am so thankful that I have been able to continue to nurse him and pump during work to provide him with what he needs!  We still haven't started him on solids yet, so he's still strictly on breastmilk.  We'll start solids at 6 months so be prepared for a food update for his 6 month blog! 

It's so awesome to watch him interact with Parker. he's really reaching for him now when he goes to give him a big slobbery kiss on the face.  He reaches his arms out and basically hugs his face.  Those two are going to get into some major trouble when they're older...I just know it!

Anywho...I know I'm just starting to ramble now :)  I really hope that Dylan one day is able to look back on these blogs and understand just how much his parents love him.  It's such an incredible feeling to have inside, knowing we are the ones creating/molding this little guy into the person that he'll one day become.  I hope all of his wishes and dreams come true and that he never gives up hope.  We will support him in whatever he wants to do and become because he is our son and our love is unconditional.  We love you, Dylan!!!

Ugh...such a little man!!!

Finally some pictures

So this past weekend we went downtown.  We loaded up Dylan and Parker and went to Lincoln Park Zoo (okay, we walked on the outside bc Parker wasn't allowed in).  We met up with one of Jason's co-workers so our dogs could meet, but they couldn't play bc her dog had pink eye :(

They both did an amazing job and were big troopers!

Dylan really has a very laid back personality and he pretty much just goes with the flow.

Dylan and Parker got to hang out with the cows.  Parker didn't know what to think of them...we scurried right along before we caused a stampede!

I really can't believe Dylan is already 4 months old!  Time sure is flying and we are enjoying every waking minute we have with him!

4 months

Can you believe it?  Little man is 4 months old already!  Time is seriously flying by and before we know it, he'll be one! When they say to cherish every single minute when they're this tiny, they're not kidding because it will be over in a blink of an eye.  I've been meaning to write this post for a week now but just haven't found the time (wonder why).  Dylan had his 4 month well check on August 18th.  Here are his stats:
WeightBirth: 7 pounds 10 ounces
2 weeks: 9 pounds 6.5 ounces
2 months: 12 pounds 3.1 ounces (73%)
4 months: 13 pounds 3.3 ounces (63%)

Height
Birth: 20.5 inches
2 weeks: 22 1/4 inches
2 months: 24 inches (91%)
4 months: 26 inches (88%)

The pedi is very happy with Dylan's progress and said that we have an amazing baby (yeah, doc, I know).  He also had his next set of shots and he took them like a champ.  He downed the liquid (only spit out a little) and then cried after the second shot for a total of maybe 30 seconds.  I grabbed him the second she was done and was able to soothe him pretty fast.  I didn't even need to nurse him because he calmed down right away.  This was an interesting appointment because I did it alone.  Jason and I went to Red Robin the night before for dinner and we somehow got food poisoning.  He was up alllll night, every hour, on the hour.  I thought I was in the clear but around the time I took Dylan to the pedi, i started to feel like crap.  Needless to say, all three of us slept the day away on Saturday.

I saw this on someone else's blog and thought it was the coolest idea (here are some stats):
Age: 4 months 5 days old (August 30, 2011)
Size (clothes, diapers, etc):  He's in size 3 diapers now.  I was trying to keep him in 2's as long as possible but with a blowout basically every time he was in his carseat, it was time to move up.  He's in 3-6 month clothing but they're starting to get a little snug on him.  I put him in a 6-12 month outfit yesterday and it fit him perfectly.  Can't believe all the little outfits I bought him are starting to not fit.  I had a bit of a sad moment yesterday because once he grows out of them, he'll never, ever, wear them again :(  For us, if we don't wear something it's because we no longer like that article of clothing.  To think he'll never wear those outfits again made me a little teary eyed.  Ugh...here I go again.
Sleeping:  He has always been an amazing sleeper and he still is.  He goes to bed around 8-8:30pm and doesn't wake up until 6:30-7am every day. (Definitely gets his sleeping habits from his father!!)
Eating: He is still BF.  He only gets bottles of BM when he is at daycare.  Other than that, he's still getting it straight from the tap :)  The pedi gave us the okay to start solids but he is perfectly fine with our decision to not start him until he's 6 months old.  Also, I've made the decision that he won't be getting rice cereal (there's no nutritional value whatsoever in that stuff).  We'll jump right into avacado, sweet potatoes, squash, etc.  I'm super excited for him to start eating solids but I'm in no rush for him to grow up!  I did try and feed him BM from a spoon this past weekend and I don't think he actually drank any of it that went into his mouth...definitely too soon to start solids :)
Milestones:  He has found his feet and it's only a matter of days until he may realize he can stick them in his mouth. He has mastered rolling from belly to back and can roll to his side but he still hasn't rolled from back to belly.  I feel it coming any day now :)  He is grabbing everything and putting it directly into his mouth.  It's so cute to watch him grab a toy from my hand!  I love putting my face really close to his because he reaches out his hands and puts them on my cheeks, like he's going to give me a big smooch!  He's so alert all the time and loves watching Parker play with his toys.
New Adventures: We went downtown Chicago this past weekend with Parker and Dylan and just hung out in the city.  Dylan (and Parker) loved it! 
Favorite Toys and Activities: His favorite toy (in my opinion) is a little brightstart bumblebee looking thing.  The wings click when turned, the handle is rubbery so he loves to chew on it.  He loves his tummy time play mat too.  When he does tummy time he just looks around and tries to watch everything that's going on.
Funny Happenings:  He is a giggling machine now.  I make farting noises in the crease of his neck and he giggles like crazy. It's so awesome to hear him laugh!
What I'm looking forward to: Halloween!  I can't wait to dress him in a costume!!  And of course to watch his personality become even more amazing.  He's already laid back and I'm wondering if that will continue as he gets older or if he'll be a little firecracker!! :)

I will have to post pictures later...stay tuned!!

3 Months

Seriously?  Dylan is 3 months old already?  He's no longer considered a newborn.  He is now an infant!  Time sure is flying!  We are enjoying every second though.  He's really starting to develop his own little personality.  He gives pretty much anyone a big gummy smile almost every time.  He's giggling now which is absolutely heart-melting.  His little laugh always brightens up my day when I get home from work.  I cherish the weekends because during the week I only see him first thing in the morning and then for about 3 hours at night.  And by the end of the night, he is pooped and all out of giggles.  I look forward to the weekends so I can sit and "talk" with him during the days which are so much more entertaining :)  He loves to watch your mouth move while you talk to him.  He really focuses on the way your mouth moves and the sounds that are coming out.  He also loves to just hang out and watch everything that's going on around him (which is usually the TV when we're at home).  We were at the mall yesterday and he was contently just sitting in his carseat watching all the objects that were passing him by.  He LOVES being outside.  They really are right when they say babies tend to be more calm when they're outside.  He could be Mr. Crabby Patty in the house and the second you step outside it's like someone turned a switch!
Breastfeeding is still going awesome.  I was worried about my supply possibly changing once I went back to work but so far so good.  I plan on nursing him for the first year and then switching him to cow's milk after that so he doesn't have to have any formula whatsoever.  I am still amazed by my body and the fact that I am Dylan's sole provider.  He's such a little chub now compared to when he was born.  Pretty sure he is double his birth weight now.  Don't know how tall he is.  We have his 4 month well check August 18th so I'm looking forward to getting his measurements...not looking forward to his shots :(
Dylan, every day I wake up happy because I know that I have you!  Thank you for being my son and bringing so much joy and happiness to your father and I! We love you!!
Here are some "unedited" shots from Jason taking his 3 month pictures:

I Could Cry...

Okay, so I'll admit it, I have cried...a lot...at the mere thought that my maternity leave is coming to an end in a short three weeks.  I can't believe that it has been 9 1/2 weeks since I had my precious little boy.  These weeks have flown by!  I have watched him grow and he is starting to develop a little bit of a personality.  He is a very calm and easy-going baby (unless he's hungry!).  He has been sleeping through the night for about 4 weeks now and by sleeping through the night, I'm talking 9pm-6am.  He doesn't make a peep when we swaddle him and put him in his crib.  I am suprised at how easy the transition was to move him from the bassinet in our room to his crib.  We have a video monitor and I sometimes just lay in bed and watch him sleep.  He is so precious :)

This time that I have spent at home has been truly amazing and an experience.  Yes, our house is a disaster but I could care less.  There have been days where I haven't left the couch except to use the bathroom, eat or change Dylan's diaper.  And for those who judge...who cares!  I only get 12 weeks to soak up every single second with my son and if that means the house doesn't get cleaned, then so be it!  I am never going to get these moments back and I am so happy I choose to stare into his precious blue eyes instead of cleaning.  I am starting to balance being a mother and cleaning though.  Since I am able to put him in his crib upstairs for naps (and watch him on the monitor), I can now focus on getting some housework done while he sleeps. 

I had this vision when I was pregnant that because I was going to be off during the summer (and not the crazy hot months), we would spend every day outside at the pool.  Well...we haven't made it to the pool and yesterday was the first day we actually sat outside (Dylan and Parker in the shade, of course).  I really haven't had the desire to go outside much (Parker does get walked every day in the mornings though) but now that I only have 2 1/2 weeks left, I'm starting to feel like we should be spending every waking moment outside.  I'm thinking we'll  be going to the community pool today!!

I know this post is kind of all over the place, but it's nice to kind of just get my thoughts out right now.

Okay...so back to this whole crying thing.  I've found that lately I am crying every time I think about leaving Dylan at daycare.  So many thoughts go through my head. "Is he going to get enough attention?" "because he's an easy baby, are they just going to stick him on the floor and tend to the other babies?" "Will they know what he wants when he gets upset?" "What if something happens?  Will they tell me?"  Ugh...and the dreaded first day...every mother has told me that I will cry all the way to work on the first day...ummm...I'll have a two hour commute that first day and will be riding the train with thousands of other people.  I am going to be a mess!!  I always thought that when I had kids that I would easily go back to work because I could never imagine myself being a stay at home mom but now that Dylan is here, I can't think of anything else I would want to do except stay at home and raise my son.  I don't want someone else watching him and potentially seeing him roll over for the first time or take his first step or say his first word.  It breaks my heart to think that someone else might experience that...I am the one that's supposed to experience that!  I guess what's helping me get through this is someone on the forum that I'm a part of said to tell the daycare provider to not tell you if he does any of those things so then when you see or hear it for the first time, I will actually think it's the first time and I can then experience it. 

Dylan, please understand that I have chosen to go back to work so that I can provide you with a life we feel you deserve.  I am sacrafising time with you.  Know that I will regret every moment I don't spend with you but the time I do spend with you, I will make the most of it.  It makes my heart melt as I listen to you "talking" back to me and when you give me the biggest gummiest smile ever!  It is so cute how you can now follow me and you look for me when I start to walk away.  Yesterday while you were laying on the mat, Parker was walking by you and you followed him...it was awesome!  You are standing up on our laps like crazy.  You have to be facing outward with your back not touching our stomachs and if you are touching our stomachs, you definitely let us know that you hate that!  You are starting to drool a little but I'm sure it's nothing compared to what will come.  You love to hang out on my shoulder looking behind me while I walk around.  It is definitely your "spot".  We took you for your very first walk in the carrier yesterday and you absolutely loved it.  It was awesome watching you take in the world around you and just sitting there so content.

As I sit here typing this, staring at you sleep on the video monitor, I can truly say that I am blessed with the most precious gift in the world...a son!  Your grandmother loved your father more than anyone can ever understand and their bond was so amazing.  I hope that we have a relationship that reflects theirs.  I love you with all of my heart, little boy!!!

2 months old!

Okay, so he won't be 2 months until the 24th but he'll be 8 weeks old tomorrow and we had his 2 month well check today.  Dylan is a growing little boy!  Here are his stats:

Weight
Birth: 7 pounds 10 ounces
2 weeks: 9 pounds 6.5 ounces
2 months: 12 pounds 3.1 ounces (73%)

Height
Birth: 20.5 inches
2 weeks: 22 1/4 inches
2 months: 24 inches (91%)

Dylan loves tummy time!  He's getting soooo good at it!  Thursday, June 16th, 2011, Dylan rolled over for the first time!  He was on flat surface and he rolled to his left.  It seriously brought tears to my eyes!!  He did it again yesterday too!

These past 8 weeks have flown by so quickly.  You never truely understand how fast it goes but until you have your own child and experience it.  I'm pretty much going to ramble now because there's so much to talk about and I'm no good at writing :)
-#1:  I love breastfeeding.  It's an amazing feeling to know that I am the one providing nutrients to help him grow.  It also is a special time that only Dylan and I can share.  I never really thought I would ever love BF but I do.  It's become something very natural.
-#2: Since day one, there has not been a single day where Dylan has woken me up to eat in the middle of the night.  I have always had to wake him.  Until about 2 weeks ago, I was still waking him up every 4-5 hours in the middle of the night to feed him.  I finally realized that he was barely eating anything and was super sleepy during the whole feeding.  So we decided to just let him sleep through the night and HE DID!  He's been consistently sleeping 9-10 hours every night.  It would be amazing expect for the fact that I still have to get up and pump in the middle of the night!  I'm hoping that I'll cut out that middle of the night feeding a week before I go back to work just so I'm well rested when I go back. 
-#3: He is ALL smiles!  No matter what kind of day I have, I just look at him and he gives me the biggest smile!  It just melts my heart!
-#4:  Parker and Dylan are already the best of friends!  Any time I get the tummy time mat out and put Dylan down, Parker is right there by his side, watching him with his loving eyes!
-#5: He did a really good job today getting his shots.  I think I might have cried longer and harder than he did.  Him and Daddy are now napping on the couch :)

I have never had so much love in my heart for someone so little.  With every day that passes, there is a new smile, a new "coo" and I am so happy that I am getting to experience them.  It is going to be very hard when I go back to work in exactly a month, but I know if I want to give him everything in life, it is something that has to be done.  I have so many years to enjoy this little boy and I am so ready to soak up as much as I possibly can.

Dylan, you are so little, yet you take up a large part of my heart.  I will love you forever and ever little man ;)