'Twas the Night Before Christmas

But I heard him exclaim ere he drove out of site,

"Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night!"

Call in Sick

This weekend has been a lot of fun. Daddy got sick on Wednesday, and then Joey and I started with the congestion Friday night. Daddy and I took turns Friday and Saturday holding Joey so that he was somewhat upright, keeping the mucus from draining into his throat. Otherwise, we'd put him down and in less than a half hour he'd been wheezing and coughing and it was horrible. But we suctioned a lot, used some saline solution for irrigation, and he's doing much better. (So are Mommy and Daddy.) In the meantime, we're using a pillow to prop up his head. Oh yeah, and I don't think it got above zero today, so we needed extra blankets to keep warm.

On a happier note ... only 5 more days until we're in Easton!!

Surfin' Safari

Joey usually looks a little more happy than this in his chair, but today was a long day. He didn't sleep much after lunch, until Daddy came home. He always, ALWAYS falls asleep on Daddy. And the second Daddy put him down, he started crying. Time to go tend to the baby.

It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

Realizing that it's already December 16th, I figured it was about time I got on top of our Christmas cards for this year. I knew I wanted to send out a picture of Joey, but I thought I'd get a more recent one than the professional ones from the hospital. So I dressed him up, and took some pictures on our bed. (You'll notice that I use our bed a lot, since the light sheets usually offer a nice contrast to whatever he's wearing.) Anyway, I haven't decided which picture to use yet, but I thought Joey looks especially happy in this one, so I'd post it.

I can't believe we'll all be in Easton in just under two weeks!!

Kung Fu Fighting

When we woke up yesterday morning, I realized I must have left swords on the ends of Joey's fingers, as he had scratched himself on both sides of his nose, drawing blood. Makes him look a little like he got into a scrap at the bar after someone insulted him mama. He's been wearing his little mittens ever since.

And doesn't he look just like Pop-Pop when he wears his winter hat? He had to have his hat on today; it was only 6 degrees this morning when we left for my doctor's appointment, and I didn't want him getting sick. (It was my 6-week check-up and all is good.)

Shiny Happy People

Sorry for the long break in postings ... nothing exciting going on, and I've been pretty busy taking care of the baby. But Babcia and Grandpa came to visit (while Daddy is working), so I left them to do the feeding. Which gives me a few minutes to post.

I'll see what I can do about a picture in the snow tomorrow, before it all melts on Sunday. (Yes, we're finally supposed to have a decently warm day, but it's going to rain all day.)

Let's Never Go to Sleep

So I have absolutely no problem posting pictures, but I'm very quickly running out of things to blog about. I mean, it's not like a 5 week old really does too much - except eat, sleep, and poop. We have been playing a bit more, and he's really been trying to roll over. I think he actually might have rolled over this morning, but I can't be sure how much he was helped because we were on the bed. (If I'm lying next to him, he does get a downhill advantage). The last couple nights he hasn't slept as well as he was before, but I keep telling myself it's because of the Hep B vaccine and not because he's not really a good sleeper. Although Lord help me if he inherited his sleeping habits from his father!

I know it's only December 5th, but I'm already looking forward to spring ... or at least temperatures above 40 degrees!! Maybe I'll get lucky when I'm in Pennsylvania after Christmas and we'll have a warm spell. A girl's got to dream.

Bigger Brighter Better

We had our 5-week checkup today, and everyone can stop asking me how big Joey is. He weighed in at 10 lbs 5 oz. Which means he's still 50th percentile, so you can stop worrying. (Although I'm sure you were more just wondering how much  you were going to have to lug around when we come home for Christmas.) Everything else checked out OK. We have vitamins to take now, and got our round 2 of the Hepatitis B shot. And then Joey took a 2 hour nap while Mommy visited Daddy's office and finished Christmas shopping at Kohl's. Which means we'll be up the rest of tonight, but oh well. At least shopping is done.

We Are Family

This is the whole family, sans the photographer.

Nothing really new to blog about, but I wanted to make sure my mom got her daily dose of Joey. He's still up most of the day, and I'm trying to figure out how to be more mobile after feedings. We've been dealing with some bad bouts of spit-up, so I really try to keep him vertical, or at least with his head relatively elevated, which means I usually just stay in the glider watching tv. Not that it's horrible, but I could be email-ing or pogo-ing or something other than watching another episode of What Not to Wear. My baby sling is supposed to arrive via UPS tomorrow, so we'll see how that goes. Hopefully I'll at least be able to keep the floors cleaner. (Yeah, that's my logic. If I can "wear" Joey around the house, I will at least be able to Swiffer and vacuum.)

Hello, I Love You

I just thought this picture was absolutely adorable. I think he was actually opening up, hoping I'd give him his pacifier. But doesn't it look like he's shouting a big "hi!" to everyone?

I can't believe he's a month old already. It really doesn't seem like he's been with us that long. And it unfortunately also means I'm one month closer to having to leave him behind and go back to work. But I'm not going to think about that right now. I'm just going to enjoy being home with him. Dirty diapers and all. 

Witchcraft

I figured out that if there are two adults in the room (Mommy and Daddy) and it's daylight, it's a lot easier to get good pictures of Joey. Daddy can play with Joey while Mommy's taking the picture, which means it's a better chance of their being a smile. And the natural light means less fooling around with the red eye reduction flashes, so the picture actually takes a little faster. That doesn't mean there weren't a ton of bad pictures, but it did mean we got this cutie.

Hope everyone is recovering from Thanksgiving! Four more weeks 'til we'll all be in Pennsylvania!!

The Thanksgiving Song

Happy Thanksgiving from our Little Turkey!!

Sleeping Beauty(ies)

Happy Thanksgiving! Daddy and Joey decided to sleep in a little ... well, Daddy did, anyway. Joey slept extremely well last night. He fed at 7:30 and then once I put him down, slept until 12:30!! (OK, so he got up at 9:00 and was fussy, but he went right back to sleep after I picked him up to calm him down for a few minutes.) Then he slept until 4:00, and then until 7:00. So Mommy got some good sleep, too. All his other functions were also working extremely well, evidenced by the fact that we must've gone through about four different pajamas over that same twelve hours. At least I know he's getting enough food ;-)

Here Come the 'Hawks

Joey's "uncle" Paul and "aunt" Laura gave him this most excellent onesie, which Joey wore in honor of the 'Hawks win over Toronto in overtime after being down 3-0. (If the Flyers were broadcast on local TV, I'd know just as much about their season as I do the Blackhawks.)

We've been doing just fine, although for some reason Joey hasn't liked sleeping in his bassinet/pack 'n play the last few days. We're working on that now. As in right now. As in I just changed his diaper, tried to soothe him, and then put him back in the bassinet. We'll see how long it lasts. Last night I ended up holding him from about 2:30 to 4:00 on the couch (so we could both sleep), and I don't want to get him in the habit of either Daddy or I holding him while he sleeps. That's not going to work once he's bigger.

Family

On Saturday we finally got a picture of Joey with the "other" grandparents ;-) Grandpa still won't hold him, but at least he was willing to pose for this picture. And can you believe it - look at the smile on Joey's face!!! Not sure how that happened, but it just proves that anybody can get lucky when taking pictures.

Friends 'til the End

Our friends Joe and Angie stopped by today with their little girl Annabel. It was awesome. They brought beef for sandwiches and this fabulous hashbrown casserole - and then they left us the leftovers!! It was kind of weird because how often do people come over and do everything for you? But it was also really nice to not have to worry about food or prep or clean up.

Annabel was so cute once we brought Joey down. (He was sleeping for most of the time they came to visit, since he was up for about five hours this morning.) She wanted to check him out, and when Joe took him up for a diaper change, she kept standing at the bottom of the steps saying "Baby Joey, Baby Joey". We also got to see how Ginny would do with a toddler in the house. I have to say, aside from constantly trying to lick Annabel's fingers clean of the Goldfish residue (see Mom - there was a reason I told you not to let her lick your fingers!!), she did pretty well. She was extremely curious, and kept smelling everything, but that's all to be expected.

Picture Pages

So I think I figured it out. Either (1) I'm just not a good photographer or (2) I need a new camera. I'm going with #2. So if anyone needs any ideas about what to get me for Christmas ... seriously, I think when the red-eye reduction pre-flash goes off, that's what triggers Joey to move or make a different face. I guess I could open the curtains and turn on more lights and make it easier for the camera, but then I'd have to do even more planning. (Although admittedly this photo was staged, especially after how badly the pictures from yesterday turned out.)

And I'm pretty sure Joey's finally getting night and day straightened out. He was up from 7:30 to 12:30 with maybe two short thirty minutes naps in between. He then slept until 2:30 and was up until 5:30. I'm just praying this all means he'll sleep tonight. I'm not expecting him to sleep the night through or anything, but a couple three-hour naps would be nice.

Games People Play

This is my absolutely unsuccessful attempt to take some pictures of Joey today. I figured if I put him on his mat and got the music to play, maybe I could get a decent picture. But he, of course, takes after his dad, and would have none of it. Most of the pictures I got are of the side of his face - he even knew which side to turn to so that there was no way I could get decent pictures. I'm sure some of it had to do with the fact that we had just given him a bath and he was hungry and the last thing he wanted, I'm sure, was to be photographed. But his adoring public (Nana) requested additional photos, so I had to oblige. I'll see if I can't be more successful tomorrow.

Three Mile Smile

While we were out and about yesterday, we also stopped by to visit Grandma and Grandpa Araszewski. And let me tell you, I haven't seen a smile on Grandma's face that big in a long time. (I'm sure it's identical to the smile she has when she gets to see her other great-grandchild, Hannah.) I'm thinking once Hannah moves back from Carolina, and now that Joey's here, we're not going to get any push-back from Grandma about leaving the house on the holidays to visit with the family.

With a Little Help from My Friends

Sorry for the delinquent post; we had another busy day yesterday! Joey met his new best friends Kennedy and Kristopher Riley at their christening party yesterday. The twins are exactly five weeks older than Joey, but since they were premie, they're not much bigger than he is! Of course, the one time we don't mind if Joey's up, and he sleeps for four straight hours. But I'm sure they'll have lots of play dates in the future to get acquainted.

Quiet Warrior

Babcia (pronounced idiomatically as boo-sha) came over tonight to visit with Joey and convinced us to let him use a pacifier. The idea is that he'll get more hungry and then hopefully not go through any more two-hour feedings. We'll see how it works.

Delicious!

Today was a big day. First, Joey let Mommy sleep for almost 4 straight hours this morning. Then his umbilical cord fell off this afternoon. Then we took a bath. Then Daddy gave Joey his very first bottle! Of course Joey wanted more than the 3 ounces we had for him, so Mommy had to top him off (which, with all his fussing, took more than an hour). The bottle definitely seemed easier than the whole breast-feeding thing. And a lot less messy. Maybe something to look into on a slightly larger scale.

I can't believe it's only been 11 days with the little guy. He seems to be growing and changing so quickly! Good thing my sister got me into blogging; I'll have a record of everything.

Enter Sandman

Yes. Most of little Joey's day is spent sleeping. And eating and pooping, but mostly sleeping. For the most part I try to put him down in his bassinet/pack 'n play, but the last day my parents were here, I figured I'd just let them hold him as much as possible. So my mom was holding him, and I guess her arm got tired, or she was worried about holding his neck in a weird position, or something, so she put a pillow under his head and held his body on her lap. He looked like a little prince. It was so cute.

And I still can't get over how blonde he is. I mean, I knew both Joe and I were blonde when we were little, but you can't even see his eyebrows and eyelashes, they're so light! Nothing like his big cousin Shae, who has the longest darkest eyelashes I've ever seen. Can't wait to see his hair grow in and see if he has his daddy's curls.

Heaven Isn't Too Far Away

Joey was up from 1 until 5, or at least that's what it felt like. So when he finally fell asleep at 5:30, I didn't want to put him down, afraid he'd just wake up 10 minutes later. After holding him for almost two and a half hours, I finally made (or should I say let?) Joe get in on the action. I hope the little one wakes up eventually. He is sleeping on one of my favorite pillows, though, so I can't blame him if he doesn't.

Dr. Feelgood

Joey had his first doctor's appointment today, and was such a good boy! He's a healthy baby, and put back on all the weight he lost those first couple days in the hospital. (He's now 7 lbs 15 oz, so even put on a couple extra ounces.) And he hardly cried at all, thanks to daddy's nervous twitch, which rocked the car seat at the perfect frequency to keep him happy. OK, so a little cry came out when he got his Hepatitis B shot, but even big boys cry when they get shots. Mom and Dad are very relieved that so far everything looks good!

Night and Day

Since I always YELL at my sister that she doesn't post enough pictures of Cupcake, I figured I'd better get on the ball posting pictures of Joey. Here he is, 5 days old, enjoying the sound of Nana's voice. (I'm sure I'll lose count of days soon enough, but until then, you'll just have to deal.) This was during his 4-hour "I'm awake" episode, which fortunately started at 5pm yesterday, and not his normal 1am. Which meant he slept in four 3-hour shifts last night, giving Mommy lots of rest. YIPPEE! 

Happily Ever After (Now and Then)

My parents flew in on Friday, hoping that they'd be able to get to spend some time with the little guy. Little did they know they'd get in before I went into labor, so they'd get to see everything. (OK, not everything, but they didn't miss a minute with Joey.) Here they are holding the little guy at the house. Day 5 of this crazy ride they call parenthood.

And yes, that is a Jimmy Buffet title. Could I use anything else for the blog title about my parents?

Daddy

My husband will kill me for posting his picture, but I can't help it. Look at that smile. It's been glued to his face since I started pushing. I had to actually tell him to shut up at one point. I mean, how many times does someone need to be told they're doing a good job when they can tell the baby's just not coming out? OK, so it was only about 45 minutes of pushing, but seriously, you can feel the fact that you are pushing something out of you that just doesn't seem like it should fit. But he was just trying to be supportive. And he was great the whole time.

He's been fabulous since, too. Changing the poopie diapers, putting up with my parents, bringing me water and tissues and clean onesies. And realizing the world isn't big enough for all the love he has for his son.

The Sweetest Thing

Joseph Michael was born October 31st at 10:45 pm. He was 7 lbs 13 oz and 21 inches long. He is the sweetest thing.

Critical Mass

OK. So apparently blogger just doesn't want me to upload a "small" version of this picture. After two days of trying, I guess I'll let you all see me in a medium size. (Lord knows how large it will be if you click on it.) Anyway, for those who have been anxiously waiting, here is the much-longed-for picture of my belly. You can see the wonderful stretch marks that started appearing about a month ago. And believe it or not, that's still an inny you see; it's not an optical illusion.

Enjoy it while you can, because this will most likely be the last image of me you see. 37 weeks, 6 days and counting ... there will be pictures of Boba before you know it! Maybe you'll see a corner of my face or my hands or something, but I can almost promise no more pics of me. I think we'll all be the better for it.

Party People

So it's not a much-hoped-for belly shot, but at least it's an update. This picture is from the baby shower Gloria and Danielle threw for me. It was absolutely fabulous. Pictured are great friends (front) Nicole, Jayne and Teresa and (back) Laura, Cara, me and Joe. The favors were the best - Baby Burger M&M's!! (Don't worry, Mom, we saved you some.) We received tons of wonderful presents and can't thank everyone enough for their generosity and support.

Everything is going well. We're in week 37, with an induction scheduled for sometime in week 39, so only 2 weeks left! I can't believe how quickly the past eight months have flown by. And no, I'm not ready for it to be over. Because right now, when I eat, the baby eats. (S)he can go to sleep whenever (s)he wants. I don't have to worry about crying or changing diapers or midnight feedings. Really, the pregnancy is easy. OK, so I can't wait to sleep on my stomach or back for a whole night. But at least I'm sleeping!

But don't get me wrong. We're incredibly excited. And scared to death. But I'm pretty sure that's what everybody goes through. At least that's what I keep telling myself.

Visions of Utopia

So no belly pictures yet. But for those of you who weren't sure ... yes, it's for real. Here's what the nursery looks like. The "good" side. Where I've actually actually managed some semblance of organization. The desk is still in the room, as is the futon. But when I got back from Easton and the room was painted and the crib was put together, there was just this reality that sunk in. It sounds silly that carrying Boba in my belly for 7 months wasn't enough to make things real. But it's true. And now reality is really setting in. And it's absolutely wonderful.

Belly of the Beast

I know, I know. I promised belly pics. Well too damn bad. I haven't taken any yet. I really did mean to take them along the way, but it just never materialized. But have no fear - I'll be in Easton in a few weeks, and I'm sure there will be lots of pictures. And belly rubbing. Which I honestly don't love, but I'm getting used to it. At least strangers don't just come up and touch me. That was something people warned me about that I was not looking forward to.

Anyway, all is going well here. Just slowly getting bigger and kicked harder everyday.

Special note to the Geeks among us ... bonus points if you can name the artists for any of my blog titles. The first few have been a little easy, but now that my wonderful husband is in the middle of loading his entire cd collection in iTunes, I have a lot more reference material to work with.

Doo Be Doo Be Do

A couple months ago, we were shopping at Target, looking for a water dish for Ginny, and we found this cute microphone squeak toy. She absolutely loves it. She'll carry it around the house, or chase it around our backyard. Of course she forgets to bring it in sometimes, and it gets all wet from the dew or rain, but afterall, she's just a dog. One who knows exactly how to turn on the "I didn't do it" look.

Doggy Dogg World

This weekend the gardeners (aka my parents) came to visit. Was Ginny ever a happy puppy. Nana let her lick her fingers every time she ate White Cheddar Cheez-Its, and even Pop-pop tried to let her get away with things. (Mom and Dad had to put our feet down multiple times to remind them not to feed her table food.) And she was outside almost all day everyday, playing in the new dirt piles created when all the weeds were pulled and hydrangeas moved, and then chasing after all the squirrels and birds who came to eat the newly uncovered bugs and mulberries. Did I mention we even had a hawk siting? But now it's back to the normal rain (and humidity) we've had almost every other day this summer. You guys got out just in time.

You Say Goodbye and I Say Hello

Without further ado ... Boba is already waving "hi" to all of his or her adoring fans. 21 weeks, 15 ounces. Don't know how long yet. (Boba kept moving throughout the whole ultrasound, so we at least know there are two legs and two arms, but pretty hard to measure length when the baby keeps curling up or punching Mommy.) And I promise, there will be belly pictures posted in the not-too-distant future, but I haven't had a chance to take any.

What a Wonderful World

So for those who haven't had a chance to rub my belly, here's the first picture of our little Boba. Actually, it's the second picture, but the baby's only a jelly bean in the first one, so I figured I'd save that one for the scrapbook. This is Boba at 12 weeks, and you can see the giant head and little hand.

Note: Yes, Boba, as in Boba Fett, the cloned bounty hunter who captures Han Solo. Joe nicknamed the baby this weekend, and it just makes me laugh everytime I say it, so we're sticking with it.

The Way We Were

OK. My very first post. I have no idea what to write. But this is really more a blog for the future. I just didn't want the page to look completely blank. I mean, what's the point of creating a blog if you're not actually going to blog. We'll see how this works. Don't be surprised if you have to nag a bit to get me to post more often. If I can dish it out, I can take it.