Monday, January 28, 2013

Quitting

One of the greatest lessons my parents taught me growing up was to never quit.  Growing up I had many moments in my life where I wanted to quit.  Yet I always heard my parents in the back of my head reminding me "we don't quit!"  Life's realities certainly make this easier said than done!
As a parent now myself I naturally revert back to lessons I learned as a child.  This past week has especially put those lessons to the test.
I came home Saturday night to find Reece in tears telling me that "I just don't think Boy Scouts is for me Mommy"  It was then reiterated by Gregg.  The back story....
We signed Reece up for Boy Scouts back in September.  We knew it was going to be a big commitment especially on Gregg's behalf because he has both of the boys alone Monday nights when the den meetings take place.   It is up to Gregg to get both boys there and then they do not get home until after Reece's usual bed time of 8 pm.  Not to mention the "work" and responsibilities which go along with being a Boy Scout.  Gregg and I have had multiple conversations about the importance of raising the boys to well rounded boys, in Reece's case not just involved in sports related activities.  Boy Scouts is a great opportunity for him to be with his best buddies and gosh focusing on "becoming a better person".  It all sounds great and Gregg got it but wow another commitment?  So they jumped in and have managed to work it out, until Saturday.  Within minutes of walking in the door, I heard both Gregg and Reece tell me that they think "we should quit , it really is just too much!"  The statement was made in regards to the fact that Tuesday Reece's Pinewood Derby car was to be transformed  from a block of wood into a 5 ounce car.  We have had the box for more than a month and as of Saturday night it was simply that, a box with piece of wood and 4 tires.  How in the world were "we" going to get this made and ready for impoundment on Tuesday night?
It was a quick conversation actually, I told Reece "No way buddy, we are not quitting.  We committed to Boy Scouts for the year and we are going to see it through".  

Thank goodness for our amazing and handy neighbor who helped pull off this task in two days


Tuesday night impoundment - Gregg was out of town so I brought both boys up to school to what I planned as a quick weight check and impoundment of "Speedracer".  Yeah that didn't happen.  An hour in a half in and way past both boys bed time and still no dinner, I began to second guess my statement, I was ready to quit.  I was beside myself trying to figure out a way to get this car cleared.  I certainly had some choice texts for Gregg and "this commitment" the two of them made.  After several deep breaths, some very helpful other dads, and some self talk about being an example to these boys we are molding, "Speedracer" was impounded and ready for the race. While Reece didn't win the race, he did win for the best looking car voted on by the parents.  Just when we thought we were teaching him an important lesson, it is fair to say that Gregg and I gained the greatest lesson.
I really got it, clearly we are stretched very thin as a family right now, we are trying to offer both boys experiences which will be rewarding and help shape them into amazing little men but gosh sometimes too much is too much!  With that said, we need to follow through on the commitment that we made.


At the same time, I have been coming to the realization that in three weeks Gregg and I will be going out of town for 5 days.  I have known for a while that at that point I would need to give Graham formula for the first time.  Maybe it is just the reality creeping in but I honestly found myself face to face with feeling like a quitter, a failure.  I am a firm believer in nursing, yet my reality has been that it is very hard work.  While I am never one to be frightened of working hard, this commitment is needing some adjustments.  I am not, nor ever have been a good pumper ( meaning I don't pump as much as I need to supplement a single bottle).  It makes it very hard especially with my school schedule because I have to give Graham multiple bottles a day.  As a result, my back up supply is quickly dwindling.  Then Thursday, we had Graham's six month checkup.  While he has always been a skinny guy, this check up showed that he had dropped down below the tenth percentile for his weight.  The doctor said what I knew in my heart, my supply has diminished and is not substantial enough for him.  What?  I felt my body failing for what I was always told would be a supply meets the demand.  As I welled up with tears there in the office, and my heart sunk, I knew it was time.  I have felt so conflicted because as the doctor told me, I could pump after each nursing to try and increase my supply.  Yet at the same time I knew that all this is slightly irrational.  There are plenty of perfectly healthy children who have only ever had formula.   However, my internal struggle was more about following through.  
After a good cry in the gym parking lot, I realized that this is not at all about quitting, it is about making adjustments to help ensure I am able to continue to give Graham all he needs.
As Gregg reminds me often, it is abut the journey.  There are definitely times when quitting makes sense.  I hate to admit it but shoot sometimes I want to take the easier road.  However, as I promised my parents many many years ago, we are not a family of quitters.  We will finish what we start but we will also be flexible enough to know that adjustments and change build character!  This was definitely a character building week!


If you live long enough, you’ll make mistakes. But if you learn from them, you’ll be a better person. It’s how you handle adversity, not how it affects you. The main thing is never quit, never quit, never quit. – Bill Clinton

Friday, January 25, 2013

Professional pictures

It has been quite a week but first and foremost we wanted to share some of the professional pictures we had taken for Graham's 6 month "birthday".  While we usually prefer pictures which are more candid and not in a studio, those are difficult to accomplish with a six month old when it is -3 degrees outside.  SO we went with the traditional studio pictures.  Overall we are pretty happy with how they turned out!!  Here are some of our favorites...











Monday, January 21, 2013

Showering baby

Anyone who has been lucky enough to love a child knows how special it is to help prepare Mom and Dad.  My sister Kristen and her husband are about to embark on the amazing journey of parenthood.  We spent Saturday helping to prepare them, even if just a little ! 

The shower was a gender reveal shower.  Because of the decor in the restaurant we decided it would be best to embrace the colors which were there, orange primarily. So we went with an orange and blue decor, because Kristen and EJ are expecting a BOY!! We thought everything turned out just as we had hoped!


  

The place cards were onsies with the guest names attached


The centerpieces were highlighted with black and white photographs of Kristen as a baby.  The photo collages wrapped each centerpiece and help really add a personal touch to the special day.


Each finished place setting was accented with "It's a Boy" mints.


What baby shower would be complete without a Bloody Mary bar for the guest to enjoy;)!


The cake, a baby carriage, was a huge hit even for the people walking by!


Each guest received a candy apple to take with them!



The guests of honor


Mommy to be enjoying the moment


 For a family of three girls, we sure have our share of boys now!!


Baby Faure should be joining our family sometime in mid March.  We are beyond excited to shower another little man with love!!



Saturday, January 19, 2013

Half a year old!!

Graham,



We certainly had no idea that 6 months ago today how our lives would become so much more complete  with you being born.  You have grown and changed so much in the past 6 months.  I find myself saying how much I love the stage that you are at all the time, and now is no different.  6 months old fits you perfectly.  
We are really starting to see you personality.  You are such a laid back little man and love taking in all the sights and sounds where ever you are.  Your smile and laugh make us stop in our tracks.  Reece loves to make you laugh with his silliness and you are just as mesmerized with him as he is with you.


It has been a full week now of you sleeping through the night!!!  We lay you down for bed with Peter Rabbit and your binki and we don't here a peep out of you.  I think your great sleeping is in part why you are so happy during the day (mommy and daddy too).  
You are talking up a storm and love to blow raspberries non stop.  We are convinced that you want to also be heard in our sometimes crazy house.  It's amazing because when you talk, we all stop and listen, even Reece!!
One of the few things that makes you upset is when it comes to your food.  You let us know when you are ready for food (which you are getting twice a day, in the morning and dinnertime) , when we are not getting it in your mouth fast enough, or if you don't want the food choice.  While you love fruit, you are not as sure about any vegetables.  When we try giving you a food you don't like, look out, you gag and cough it back out all over.  Whoever is near will be wearing peas!!  This past week I started combining food for you which really helps with the vegetables.  You loved apples and butternut squash.


You are sitting up better everyday.  Your favorite toy is still the door jumper.  You start jumping before we even get you all the way in.  You even manage to get Mommy to dance to the music with you, which you think is hilarious:)
While I'm not sure how much you weigh, you are starting to be too big for your 3 to 6 month clothes.  So I sadly have been boxing them up and transitioning into your 6 to 9 month clothes.  
Graham, you have brought so much joy and love into our family.  It is hard to believe that it has only been 6 months but also can't believe how fast the 6 months have flown by.  You are changing right before our eyes.  We love watching you grow everyday, but just wish that time would slow down a little!!    You are half a year old today, little man !!
How lucky we are to have you in our lives!


Thursday, January 10, 2013

Graham is 25 weeks

It has been way to long since I have updated Graham's weekly updates, and boy he sure has been a busy guy....




 Weight:
I am not exactly sure on Graham's weight but I am guessing he is around 15 pounds.  He is still rather skinny but very long.  In fact some of his 3 to 6 month pants are almost too short on him:(

Diet:
We have a serious eater on our hands.  The boy loves food, especially his fruits.  We just moved him up to three meals a day.  He cries for food, and cries (or whines I should say) when it is gone.  He usually eats a fruit with oatmeal in the morning, a vegetable with cereal around lunch, and a fruit and vegetable with cereal for dinner.  He is not really able to handle any texture so I simply boil and puree each food, then add breast milk to make it nice and thin.  So far Graham loves apples, pears, bananas, mango, peaches, peas, potatoes, avocado, and sweet potatoes.  The only food he does not like has been carrots, and honestly I think it is because I haven't quite figured out how to make them so they puree enough.  Also we try to make sure that he gets a bottle or nurses first then about 45 minutes later he has food.  Although I think he would prefer it the other way around:) 
Graham knows the minute we put him in the high chair that he is going to eat.  We have to be prepared and sometimes can't even get a bib on him because he is already kicking and crying for food!  Look out rolls should be coming soon:))


Health:
Graham was sick for the first time over the holidays, for almost a week.  While he never had a fever he was so congested. It is such a helpless feeling because he didn't want to eat much and just plain didn't feel good.  (This may also explain why he is now on an eating rampage) Each night before bed we gave him tylenol and ran the heck out of the humidifier.  He seems to be back to 100% now, thank goodness.

Sleep:
Well sleep has been a major challenge.  Before Christmas he was sleeping great but then he got sick, wasn't eating much and ugh his sleep was a mess.  Some nights we were up 10 times with him,  I felt like we were back to newborn status.  I am happy to say that while some nights are still not great, his sleep has really improved.  Graham goes to bed between 6 and 7 pm.  He wakes up for a late night feeding between 9 and 10, and then wakes one time around 3 am.  I'll take this for now considering were we were a few weeks ago.  
Daytime naps have remained pretty good.  He naps anywhere from an hour to two in half hours, once in the morning and once in the afternoon.  Sometimes our schedule doesn't allow for G to be home and nap in his crib, then he will cat nap a few times throughout the day in the car:(  This is one of our goals to be more conscience of Graham's schedule.  The days he is able to nap in his bed, he sleeps so much better at night.  This is definitely a struggle for us because of having two as well as not allowing us much freedom to even just go over to a friends house for dinner, so we are trying to find the balance.  As we learned last weekend, dinner with friends was certainly not worth a crying baby until 3 am!  Guess we will need to start inviting friends over to our house for dinner and drinks.

Likes;
Overall Graham is a really laid back and happy boy. Reece is convinced Graham is going to be a soccer player because he loves to kick his legs, when he is happy, when he is frustrated, or even just to make himself laugh!   He loves the bath, especially some of his new bath toys he got for Christmas.  Graham loves to be sung to.  The Itsy Bitsy Spider and Old MacDonald always get us giggles and huge smiles. His newest favorite toy is the the Graco door jumper we borrowed from a friend.  It is so fun to see him jump and laugh when he is in there.  Graham also wants to put everything in his mouth.  While he is struggling with always finding his mouth, he certainly spends a lot of time trying!!


Milestones:
So much has happened since I last posted on Graham.  He officially rolled over from his belly to his back a few weeks ago.  Graham is now also sitting up.  He still leans forward supporting himself with his hands.  Sitting up has completely opened up G's world and he is now able to really enjoy so many of the new toys Santa brought!  Graham also took his first road trip to the same place Reece first took his- Lexington, KY.  While Graham was just really getting over being sick, he made the trip like a champ!!



It is hard to believe in a week in a half our little man is going to be 6 months old.  He has brought so much joy and happiness to our lives.  Graham's smile and laughter make our days so much brighter!!

L.O.V.E


Thursday, January 3, 2013

Holiday Recap

I can't believe that the holidays are over.  Our house starts talking about Christmas right after Reece's birthday.  "Mommy for Christmas I want..." What can I say the boy is motivated by presents!!  But we do try to spend a lot of time talking about what Christmas is all about and how blessed we are.  Christmas Eve this year was no exception.  Mass was as beautiful as ever and really helps get us in the spirit.

Graham is ready for Mass


Twas the night before Christmas

 Christmas morning...nothing better than experiencing Christmas through the eyes of a child.  It was such a magical morning!

Santa certainly thought we have two very good boys!


My parents come over to watch the boys open presents.  It has become such a special tradition!


We then head over to my parents house to open MORE presents and celebrate with my whole family!!


Finishing up our amazing day....


For the New Year we headed to visit one of my best friends in Lexington, KY.  While it was a short visit we had such a great time.  Who doesn't love a road trip?  


For New Years Eve we went over to some of their friends home.  We celebrated with a kids mock New Years at 10 pm and wow they certainly hit it out of the park.  It was a blast!!




We rung in the New Year feeling incredibly blessed for our best year yet but looking forward to what 2013 has in store for us!!