Playdate

Ian's buddy Jacob from the nicu came over today. He was born two weeks before me and is a couple weeks older gestationally anyway. We are almost the same size now though in the hospital Jacob was much bigger. I've caught up! I slept most of the time Jacob and his mommy were over but woke up while Jacob took a nap and talked to my toys. We had fun playing and posed on the couch - I am a good poser - Jacob cried... I know what to do for the camera though- drool...

Christmas wrap up

Ian enjoyed his first Christmas - it was eventful - after Daddy changed the oil and went to the dump on Saturday morning we took off with a full car. Ian's new trick that morning was sucking his fingers which he has worked on all week long.

When we got to Charlton plaza on the Mass Pike the car had a little problem with overheating. Daddy turned the heat up high and we made it the last hour to Grammy and Grampy's before turning around to go to cousin Lucas' house. You can see pictures on his blog from our night there. The car sat in the garage at Grampy's until Monday morning (Christmas Eve) when his mechanic looked at it and replaced the fan relay. While it was being fixed I played with Daddy under my gym - not a Christmas present but something I've started to enjoy.
Oh- and did you see what Mommy wanted for Christmas? I've been giving it to her too - sleeping from about 9:30 to 3 or 4 and then up at 7 ish. And- my newest thing on Sat night was to roll - I rolled right off my matt at Grammy's and showed off my streching after being cooped up in the car seat all afternoon. We think it was an accident that Ian rolled but try telling him that..After some hard playing I had to relax with Grampy. Daddy is in the background playing with the computer to find out things about our new computer that he got for Christmas. Its great - it can store all my pictures and videos so you can see what I have been up to.
Oh- and in between I had to take a break to give Mr. Ducky's cousin, Little Ducky, some kisses. OK - I was trying to eat him - but he WAS attached to my wrist!

After Mummy changed me and stuffed me in a stocking... we posed for the family picutre in front of the tree. Then they stuck me next to this stuffed Santa - they think I don't understand about the big guy in red but I do and I was telling him exactly what I wanted (naps, tummy time, snacks, more naps...)While waiting for Auntie Colleen and Uncle Kenny I made sure to guard the presents. Didn't I do a good job?Oh - and I helped the Big Guy celebrate his birthday but didn't have the heart to tell him that his hat was a little strange... but then again this family is into strange headgear as you can tell below...
Then Daddy helped put me to bed as my jammies told everyone in the room that it was my first Christmas (as if they didn't know already) - Christmas Day I was up early and opened my presents - not too many pictures on Mummy's camera of that... then we went to church where the pastor blessed me and I met some of Grammy's friends. I wore my lumberjack outfit since it was cold out and there was a lot of snow on the ground. Then I waited for Uncle Greg and Aunt Kasia to arrive. We ate pretty early since Mummy and Daddy had to get back to CT - plus I wanted to sleep in my own crib...

Christmas happenings

The St Germains are heading to Methuen for Christmas tomorrow morning. Ian doesn't even realize that his Santa presents are already under the tree in Bethel - next year will be a different story! He's 17 weeks old already - and we are getting ready to celebrate his four month birthday tomorrow. I can't believe that he was born on Aug 22nd - it feels like forever ago! Things Ian likes - Mummy and nursing - seriously last night I was on a conference call and Steven tried to give him a bottle and he does an ounce to an ounce and a half no problem but when he realized that it wasn't his Mommy he started screaming and wouldn't stop. I had the phone on mute so I nursed him while on the call - and it didn't help that the call was during Ian's prime "bulk up time" when he eats non-stop before going to bed. He is getting really good at having a conversation with someone - catch him at the right time and he stares right at you and goes "huh huh" and smiles up a storm. Talk to him like you are having a conversation and he actually talks back when you pause to let him say something. We had to take the infant insert out of the car seat - he's reached the 11 pound limit for it. Its just amazing to think that he wouldn't have even fit in the seat when he was born. Ian also likes it when Daddy plays with his feet and legs - he would rather sit or stand and look around than lay down sometimes. We come back Christmas night - so we will post pictures later. Its bound to be interesting...

Four month appointment

Ian's four month appointment was today with the doctor. He was in a great mood thing morning - playing under his gym before taking another nap until about 9 am when we started getting ready. He weighed in at 11 pounds 1 and a half ounces and was 22 1/2 inches long. That was up from his two month appointment when he was 7 pounds 12 1/2 ounces and was 19 inches long. He is finally on the growth charts - in the 5% for height and weight without adjusting for his age. If you adjust he's about 50%. Clothes wise he is outgrowing three month clothes-once you wash them they shrink so I don't think they are true to size. He's a bit small for six month clothes but we roll up the sleeve or the legs on pants and he's good to go. And at night in the pj's he is swaddled anyway in a blanket so it doesn't matter that his legs get caught up in the there. He got his shots today too - he did well with them but is starting to get a bit fussy tonight. Oh - and the pooping - last night he had a major poopy - lucky again for us we got him in time. Then today at the mom's group I thought I smelled something and hoorray - he had a normal poopy! then five minutes later he pooped again. Uncle Kenny will have his work cut out for him in the diaper department next weekend! The other new development is that Ian is trying to suck his thumb, fingers, and even his whole fist. Everyone says this is fine - that he is self soothing - but I don't want him to be like me and be sucking his thumb when he is 13 years old! And I don't want to have to pay for braces... maybe we should stick to the pacifier!

Allison's Ramblings

I realized today when I was re-reading old posts that I haven't posted a funny story like I had in the past. I guess lately its all been about Ian and posting pictures and videos about him. But that is what life is pretty much revolving around right now. Let's see - how things have changed around the Stgermain household since Mr. Ian arrived - I used to sleep until 7:30 or 8 AM - now I am lucky to sleep until 6 AM! And that is after waking up at least once between 11 pm and 6 AM. But - its not that different from when I was pregnant and woke up between 2 and 3 AM - now it just involves changing a diaper, singing a silly song, and feeding a sleepy boy before heading back to bed. I used to play tennis for exercise - I've only played three times this fall since Ian's come home - now I exercise by running up and down the stairs at home either to go do laundry in the basement or upstairs to change a diaper. Steven and I used to eat out a few times a week - now we eat every night at home and I've gotten better at organizing meals and planning ahead with our shopping. Steven and I used to be able to watch a DVD from start to finish without stopping - now it takes all afternoon to watch a movie (we finally saw Harry Potter last night - I'd been waiting since August to see it!). My house used to be really organized and tidy - now there are burp cloths, bibs, toys, and assorted baby things all over... but I think it will only get worse. Of course we'd never change a thing - Ian is the best thing in the world to happen to us - and we just can't wait to see what kind of little boy he will grow up to be!

Getting really big.... well to us!

Ian is getting to be a big boy! He is sixteen weeks old as of yesterday and as you can see from the picture below - he is filling out his Patriots outfit that was really big on him on October 14th. This week is also filled with doctor's appointments. We went to Dr. Cruz on Tuesday and he is the pedatric rehab doctor. He said Ian is ahead of the two month milestones which puts him on track for his adjusted age. He technically turns four months on the 22nd and the 23rd would be his two month adjusted birthday. He is cooing up a storm. Last night he cooed and smiled at Debi our neighbor and made her night. He likes to sleep! Ian typically takes a long morning into afternoon nap and wakes up once to eat. Last night he slept from 10 pm to 4 am and probably would have kept going but he rustled himself a bit and Mummy went in and figured she'd feed him. Belly time is getting good - he held himself up really well last night and we got it on video - but it takes a while for me to upload it and we are heading to PT this morning before the snow hits. Ian is also realizing that when he hits things with his hands they move - cause and effect. When people see him at Christmas you won't recognize him - he's gotten so chubby and alert (well when he's awake!).

Weekend update

It was a long week for many different reasons. Probably one of the biggest was Ian's lack of pooping. Wednesday the doctor got a bit out of him but it was back there on Friday for another look-see. He was full of poop - literally. They sent him for an x-ray and it showed lots of poop and gas in there. No blockage though and so we were sent home with instructions to do karo syrup and more prune juice. So we did and on Friday night Steven and I witnessed the most disgusting thing ever as the poop flowed freely! He literally filled three diapers in a row as we stood there watching. I've never been so horrified. And now since then - NOTHING! Today it was back to the prune juice and karo but still nothing. At least he's not as gassy today but we can tell he's holding it in. If he doesn't start going on his own the doctor said we will have to try more agressive measures.. what fun... Anyway last night was his first party - Steven's boss had a get together for the people who work at the club for the holidays. Ian was a big hit - he slept most of the time and there was only one incident when he peed himself while daddy was changing him - so no cute outfits for him - but pj's instead. Today he was quite smiley in his chair. And we finally have Mummy in pictures and not just Daddy!

Poop scoop

So it took a visit to the doctor to get Ian to poop - but now there should be no problems. On another note - at least his appetite hasn't decreased with this lack of pooping - he's now 10 pounds 8.5 ounces!

My Tuesday in review

Ian was all dressed up to go to work - it was cold out - and he didn't even realize we made the transfer to his car seat. Then when we got home he had a little prune juice to get things flowing - which hasn't happened - and relaxed in his swing looking at the little bears. He only lasts about 5 minutes before he starts screaming - I think he thinks that the bears are attacking him. Oh well!

Update from here

Sorry for the lack of pictures - I've taken some but between returning to work and trying to figure out life in general there hasn't been time to post them. Its stressful around here - but we are making it through little by little. Ian is the best though. He's a strong little boy - he picks his legs up really well when on his back and is making amazing progress with tummy time. This week though has been marked by his lack of pooping - he hasn't had one since Thursday! The doctor's office said this is normal in breastfed infants - they might go up to a week without pooping. We've found a bottle that he likes to take but need to get a faster nipple for it since he gets frustrated with the slower one. Ian likes to be naked too - in only a diaper - and screams when you put clothes on him. But - its cold out and he can't be going sans clothes! he still prefers his Mummy to any other people - and I feel bad for Steven - but he likes playing with his Daddy and then wants to return to Mummy to relax. That is about it from here - between trying to figure out daycare and work both of us are a little overwhelmed - but we keep telling ourselves it will work out!