Catching up with London

London will be 4 months at the end of this week and has changed and grown so much in the past month. He is totally a real baby now...haha. He giggles and squeals and coos all day. He stands up on our laps and holds his head up almost completely. He can sit on his own for a few seconds before tipping over. We woke up today to him talking and laughing to himself in his bed. It was so adorable. The best alarm clock ever.

He is obsessed with watching the channel, "sprout" but we only let him watch it a few minutes when he gets really fussy. He has been drinking breastmilk exclusively lately because he really isn't eating much and I am actually able to keep up with him even though I am only pumping once at work. He still only poops once a week. I have been so incredibly busy so this post will be brief...I feel like my life is a rat race lately. I need a break!!!

1 year ago today.....

Exactly one year ago today my life changed forever. After 11 months of trying for a baby I finally got a positive pregnancy test. I can remember that moment like it was yesterday. I remember the overwhelming feeling of,"Hell yeah...finally!!" and how excited we were to tell everyone the news. We couldn't wait and called all our family within 30 minutes of me taking the test. I remember the feeling of having a tiny life inside me and how important I felt. It was amazing...
I remember the day before we were eating at our favorite pizza place and I was oddly putting hot peppers and ranch on my pizza which I was never a fan of before. We didn't think much of it then because we were so used to the constant disappointment...little did we know a tiny London had sprouted ;-)
Today I look back at this whole experience and feel nothing but joy...I was very lucky to get pregnant and to have a (mostly) healthy pregnancy and an amazing healthy baby. I feel pain for those women who are still wishing and hoping for their day when they see that magnificent double pink line. My heart aches for them and I wish I could give them this amazing gift I was lucky enough to receive.
My love for London is more than I ever thought I could feel. It's like a new part of my heart has opened and taken over...I look forward to the next year and documenting all the amazing things my baby boy gives me.



twinkle twinkle little star, I wished for you and here you are...♥

My Baby's Eating My Brain!!!

Ever since becoming a mommy my brain has been insane! I have always been stuck in my head and a busy person but it has gotten out of control lately. My mom has always said I was a busy girl and she even jokes that I was born within 45 mins because I had things to do. I am always thinking and worrying about everything and now being back to work I sometimes feel like I'm losing my mind. I put things in places and don't remember and sometimes words just seem to fall out of my mouth or I start mumbling incoherently. I have only been back for about 3 weeks (one week was only 2 days) and I am noticing things are getting easier. I am figuring out how to filter out certain parts of my life at certain times. I try not to worry about London at work and try not to worry about work when home. I still prefer to be home with him but I am doing ok. I still cry every night when I put him to bed and I sing to him about how I don't want to go to work...haha.
London is almost 4 months and is learning so many new things. Now he is standing amazingly on his legs and holding his head up. He is cooing and smiling like crazy and even belly laughs. He can grab toys and let go of them now. He is doing much better at tummy time and is drooling like crazy. He only poops once a week and we're thinking about changing his formula to fix that problem. He mostly has breastmilk but we've had to supplement since I don't produce enough milk now that I am back at work and can't pump as much as I should. He is scheduled for his next pediatrician appointment Feb. 10th and I think she might tell us he can start on rice cereal...That will be fun!
London had his first day at the babysitter Tuesday. He was only there about 3 1/2 hours and did awesome. That was the first time he was with someone other than a family member and the first time we left him somewhere. Luckily, I wasn't the one who had to drop him off.. Kary said he got teary-eyed when he dropped him off because he was looking at him like, "Daddy, where are you going?" But he did great and was smiling at the other kids and even took a nice nap.
Kary has been doing great being a stay-at-home dad. He does dishes, laundry and vacuums. Of course, this was after lots of nagging but he did it! Today London got his first bump on the head. Kary was changing his diaper in the car and he jerked his body in a pissy rage and bonked his head. It was just a tiny red spot...hopefully no damage ;-) haha.

Snow Days!

The past few days I have felt like I'm back where I belong~ with my baby! Charlotte got hit suddenly with lots of snow and ice and school has been canceled for the past few days. Kary's salon has also been closed so we have been together as a family (sort of on lockdown..haha) for the past few days. It was so weird because I was sure there would be school Monday after getting up with London at 2:45am and there was not a flake of snow. Oddly, 2 hours later I got the call that school was closed and there was about 3 inches of snow on the ground! I instantly started screaming and jumping so excited to have a week day with my baby again. :-)
We took London out to "play" in the snow for the first time yesterday. He saw it in PA but only for a brief moment as we took him in and out of the car. The dogs love to run in the snow so we took them to their favorite spot to run. We carried London along. He was kind of cranky when we left the house because he hates wearing his snowsuit. He also pooped right when we got out which made him even more uncomfortable. He did ok. He seemed interested in it but really didn't care for it when daddy put some snow on his lip. We wiped it off quickly after we snapped the photo.
We have really been showering London with stimuli the past few days. We make sure to stop if he gets overwhelmed but our living room has definitely looked like a toy box threw up. I attached a ton of loops to his playmat and we have been singing and reading tons of books. He thinks daddy and I are pretty funny. Today he has been in a great mood...except when he had a huge poop explosion and we had to put him in the tub. He did not enjoy that poop and did a lot of screaming. He has been not pooping for days and then exploding...poor little guy :-(
The roads are still caked in ice and we are unable to leave the house. That means tomorrow we may be home again...haha. I definitely love the time with London but it is getting stuffy in here. Perhaps we'll do some ice skating out in front of the house later (London will be inside with one of us of course...haha) Oh yeah and Seseame Street rocks! I watched it for the first time in like 10 years today.










Here are a few pictures of an adorable outfit daddy put him in...the same outfit he exploded poop in about an hour later.

3 Months and Hypospadias Update

London turned 3 months on January 5th. The "hell phase" is over!! YAY!!! London is now babbling and laughing and holding his head up with little support. He is so active. We just started having to use the straps on his changing table. He also loves books and tv. He can sit through a whole book and is mesmerized by everything on the tv, especially cartoons and sesame street. We don't really want him watching tv too much but let him watch a few minutes a day. It is crazy how fast he is growing. He is almost growing out of clothes daily. It's hard to keep up! He is at such a fun age.
Friday London had his consultation with the urologist about his condition. We had to wait until he was 3 months to go. We saw the same doctor that diagnosed London with hypospadias in the hospital. The office was in the city and we had a hell of a time finding it. We barely had to wait and the doctor came in very quickly. He explained that London's penis is attached to his scrotum (I made up a song about this and London thought it was hilarious!) Also, he has a sac of skin engulfing his penis and his pee hole is lower than it should be. So, on April 18th (when he's 6 months) he will go in for surgery at 5:30am for an hour and 45 minute procedure where the doctor will detach his penis from his scrotum, straighten his penis, move his pee hole up and circumcise him. He won't need to stay overnight~yay! He will have a catheter for about 5 days where he'll need to wear 2 diapers and have the tube in the outer diaper. I know I am going to be a wreck but I also know it is very necessary. I scheduled the surgery for the week of my spring break. That way I can be home with him as he heals. While my co-workers are off at key west, I'll be at the hospital waiting for my sweet baby to wake up from anesthesia :-( We just want to get it over with and for him to be healed.
Besides the condition he is incredibly healthy. He now weighs 15lbs and is 26 inches long! He is such a little chunky monkey. People always ask, "Is daddy a big guy?" and I laugh and say "no, we are 2 skinny people with a giant baby." haha. LOVE him!

Working Mommy

Monday, January 3rd was my first day back to work since September 30th. I was dreading the day so much, mostly because I could not imagine being separated from London. He has been attached to me every second for almost a year and the thought of the separation was killing me! I cried Saturday night and really lost it Sunday night. I just wanted to get it over with. I woke up at 5am Monday and nursed London. He was smiling at me and it broke my heart that he didn't realize mommy was going to have to leave him today. I reluctantly put him back to bed and started to get ready. I was doing ok. I went into his room to say goodbye. As I leaned over his crib to kiss him he opened his eyes slightly and looked up at me. I instantly started sobbing. Kary, still sleeping, asked me if I was ok and I answered, "no" as I walked down the stairs sniffling. I had to pack my pump, make sure bottles were ready, etc so it took me like 15 mins to just get out the door. I cried in the car but for the sake of my mascara I composed myself.
When I got to work I was bitter. I just wanted to get home and cuddle my baby! The kids were very happy to see me so that cheered me up a little. Then suddenly I was being observed and all kinds of crazy busy stuff was going on. I managed to have a pretty good day. After school I literally ran to my car and it seemed like everyone was driving soooo slow! All I could think was, "GET HOME TO LONDON!!!!!" It was like a crazy need my baby anxiety attack.
London did awesome with grandma. He laughed, read books, watched sesame street and drank lots of bottles :-) No major crying fits! I was so happy to see him but by the time I got home he was cranky and ready for a nap. We napped together and for most of the night he was a grump. This made me super sad because I missed his best time of day :-( Kary worked late that night and I waited up. When he came home I buried my head into his shoulder and sobbed about how I can't do this! He told me it would be ok.
The next day was MUCH better. Grandma made sure he got a good nap and I was greeted with tons of smiles and laughs. He was even grabbing his feet and squealing. so adorable!
He continued to do great with grandma and Thursday and Friday were daddy days. Kary did great despite the giant poop explosion where both boys were covered in poo and Kary even still had it on his clothes when I came home. Then on Friday Kary packed a great diaper bag and left it at home when he went to Statesville to get his car fixed and he had to go to the grocery store to get diapers, formula and a bottle. I told Kary he'd get the hang of it quickly. They had lots of fun playing and he sent me pictures and a video at work. Made me so happy :-)
Next week London will start going to a babysitter on Tuesdays for a few hours. I am hoping he does just as great for her.
I am doing so much better and every day this week was easier. I almost starting feeling guilty because I wasn't having as hard of a time. I think I am just realizing that I am super lucky to have him watched at home and 5 hours with him each night and weekends and summers. I am the last person he sees when he goes to bed and the first person he sees when he wakes up (5am) and I get to keep him forever! :-)