Reflection

Today is Drew's official five month birthday. Five months ago, delivering Drew was the last thing on my mind. I figured I still had six weeks to go before he'd be here and there was so much to still do. I started feeling really sick around Christmas Eve. I barely remember the holiday events with our families over that week. I do remember being so thirsty I couldn't drink enough water, but food was the last thing on my mind. I spent much of that week in between Christmas and New Years in bed. I called the doctor on Dec. 26 and told him I felt sick. He gave me some medicine in an attempt to keep some food down...it didn't work. By Saturday Dec. 29 I felt like I was dying. I told Mike I needed to go to the ER. At that time I really just thought I'd spend a few hours in the hospital on an IV and then be on my way. But that wasn't the case. I was transferred to St. John's Mercy Medical Center and then hooked up to a monitor to keep an eye on my blood pressure and Drew's heart rate. After what seemed like a lifetime, we had to do an emergency C-section. Drew was in danger because my blood pressure was dropping too low and waiting could have been deadly for both of us. Before I knew it, my little man was here...and rushed to the NICU before I even had a chance to see him. After a day or two on very heavy drugs...I honestly can't remember much of what happened those two days...I was finally able to see him. He was just this little tiny thing, only 4 pounds 4 ounces and he had a feeding tube in his nose and monitor wires all over his body. He looked helpless, but then when I held him for the first time, he had my heart from that first moment. It was amazing and everyday since has been wonderful. I truly am blessed and he's done so great. From the scary beginning of being a preemie, he has come a long way. His growth and development is outstanding and he amazes me everyday. Happy five month birthday, little man!

Smiling

Drew is smiling and laughing now all the time. He's so funny because he laughs and talks at anything. You can be changing him and he smiles and laughs, he thinks messy diapers are funny, I guess! He's really starting to get his own little personality and it's really cute. He thinks it's funny when his daddy tries to dance...and I do mean TRIES....he thinks it's funny when the phone rings or when mommy washes dishes....everything is funny to him.

I'm working on moving him into his own room. It's more me than him that's the hold up. He's sleeping through the night and doing great, but I'm still worried about not being able to see him at night. I know he'll do fine, but it still freaks me out not knowing if he's awake or if he spit up in his sleep.....I guess the move should happen. I mean he's five months old now and ready for his own space. I think I'm just not ready to let go.

A minute in the life of Drew

Drew is so funny lately. He use to just lay there and do nothing...now you can't get the kid to stay still and he's always making sounds. Here's a minute in the life of Drew...enjoy!

I didn't do it....

I just had to post this photo taken of Drew this weekend. The look on his face is priceless....it makes me think he's telling me...I didn't do it mom! I'm thinking if he's anything like his dad, I'll see that look a lot over the next 18 years!

Surfboard....

Drew has been upgraded from the kitchen sink tub to the real bath tub and now he's got this cool little sponge/surfboard thing to hang out on....he loves splashing around in the tub now...this is the greatest thing ever and it's only $5 at Target!!!!!

Sweater vest.....

Drew's ready to hit the golf course with grandpa in his new sweater vest.....not so sure what's going on with his "comb-over" though.

Rolling.....

Drew rolling over...with a little help....

peaches, fingers and moving.....

Drew has successfully made it through all the vegetables and fruits in the Stage 1 foods. Veggies were easy, but he had a small reaction to peaches (it made his face red and blotchy) so we are not going back to peaches for a while. He did however love the bananas, applesauce and pears. Honestly, he love the peaches too. I don't think there's a food out there this kid doesn't like and you can tell by the little fat rolls that he's starting to get on his legs. You'd never know this little guy was a preemie by the way he eats and looks now.

Drew is in a stage were he won't take his pacifier at all but he can't keep his hands out of his mouth. He tries to put his entire fist in his mouth and when he can't he'll just suck on three fingers. It's cute but very wet. He's a drooling mess and I hope this stage doesn't last forever.

Over the weekend we saw a baby two weeks older than Drew. She was rolling herself over. Drew's not to that stage yet. He's holding his head up a lot and when you put him on his tummy, he can push up on his hands, but unless you help him, he doesn't roll. I'm ready for him to start moving. I know I'll regret this later, but I want him to roll and start crawling. I just can't wait until he's on the move.

Babies and Cardinal games

Does a four or five month old need to go to a baseball game? Is that the place for a baby that age? The current drama in our household right now is that we have baseball tickets for Father's Day. Mike would like to take Drew. It would be Drew's first game and Mike wants to spend his first Father's Day with the two things he loves the most--baseball and Drew (I'll be there too.) but I think the game is no place for a little one like Drew, plus I know mommy will be on baby duty the entire game and not able to enjoy it...or the over priced beer! I've seen plenty of babies at games in my time and I know people bring them all the time, but is it really the best thing when I have a willing grandma that will babysit and that way the little guy stays comfortable in his own house and the parents (or just mommy) gets a needed break! Would you take a baby to the game?

Grandparents are a welcomed break

Mike's dad and step-mom are visiting this week from Florida. It's great that Drew is getting a chance to spend time with them and they are getting to know him. The other plus is that mom is getting a break. I love the little guy more than anything, but since he was born I've been the main caregiver for him. Although Mike will take him for a minute here and there, he's not exactly sharing the "load" of baby duty...which is normal for most dads..I guess. With that being said, my days start with feeding and changing Drew, then getting ready for work while I try to keep him entertained. Then it's off to dress him, take him to the sitters and then work. After work it's off to pick him up, get him home, feed him and spend the rest of the night juggling him and the other dozen things I have to do to get ready for the next day....it's a little overwhelming. However this week with the grandparents in town I'm getting a break and let me tell you, I could get use to this......any out of town visitors that need a place to stay come on over, I'll trade you a place to stay for baby duty....that sounds fair, right?

Post comments

I keep hearing from people that they read this blog and I'm not just babbling to myself here so post comments...let me know if the stuff I'm writing about is interesting, crazy or just stupid!

Finger nails

Am I the only one that can't seem to figure out how to cut a baby's nails? It shouldn't be this hard. It's not rocket science. I do it to myself every week so why, why is it so impossible for me to cut Drew's finger nails...and toe nails. I've tried waiting until he's asleep and that doesn't work because the kid sleeps with his eyes half open and the minute I touch him he jumps. I've tried playing music and getting him in a happy mood, I've tried right after his bath when he's relaxed and I've even tried just holding his hand and letting the little guy scream. No matter what the kid's hands never stay still. I've tried just trying to pull the nail off without using the clippers but that doesn't work either. There's got to be a better way?!?!?!

Crazy week.....

WOW...it's been a crazy week. Monday evening our dog Jordan had a seizure, during which she bit Mike. After six hours in the DePaul ER we came back home to her second seizure. A trip to the vet, lots of blood work and several hundred dollars later we still have no answers. It may never happen again or she could have one every day. Right now we are just on the "wait and see" plan. Mike's hand is healing and he'll be OK and Jordan hasn't had any problems since Monday. She did however get "grounded" to our house and backyard by the Florissant Animal Control guy. Turns out that hospitals have to report all animal bites even if it's the animal owner that is bit and then the dog must be quarantined to the property for 10 days.

The rest of the week has been busy. Mike's dad and step-mom are visiting from Florida for a few weeks. They haven't seen Drew since he first came home from the NICU and he's really grown since then. Drew's doing great on his baby food. He made it through green beans and peas and he's now on to carrots, squash and sweet potatoes...good thing he likes these now because in five years I'll never get him to eat these veggies again!

Also, Drew is becoming a pro at shopping trips and dinners out these days. We had a great long trip to Target on Friday and he was fine the entire time. Just looked around, flirted with a few ladies and watched the store lights. Then tonight he was great at dinner, he did take a cat nap during the salad but the rest of the meal he was all smiles....seems like a lifetime ago that he was stressing us out during our first shopping trip...guess he just needed to get use to the family outings.