Summer of Hats

When we found out that bug was going to be a little boy named Collin, 

I had a moment of sadness when I thought of all the pretty dresses and bows that I would not be able to accessorize with....

But thank god for the baby boy hats.

We started out with the Iplay sunhats.

Collin hates these because he hates anything tied around his neck, so he will wear them only for a very short time or if we do not tie it but it comes off if not tied.... urrrr

Then we actually found this hat that someone left in the yard.  

So I washed it and now it is ours- it has become our favorite pool hat because it stays on and is reversible.  I have no idea who makes it... 

Ahhh then the straw target hat.
I was in the store to get diapers and saw this.

I had a "I have to have that moment!"
something that has not happened with me that much at all because lets face it boy stuff well it leaves much to be desired.

So I picked it up and use a gift card to purchase it.  

It is still a little big so we serve us well in to the fall.

 Then the old daddy gold hat- 

Joe bought this for Collin - again one of the few things we have actually picked out because we had so many generous friends with gifts.  

Totally love it!

Such a cutie...

It also helps cover his white boy bald head!

Happy Summer of Hats!

Happy 4 Months!

Bug...

It is still amazing to me how much you have grown in 4 months.

I sat down this morning and placed A LOT of your three month clothing away because you are so big.

I look back at your new born pictures and wonder where the last 4 months have gone.

You need to stop growing- mostly because you are becoming so heavy for me to pick you up.

I can't even carry you in your carrier anymore- BIG BOY!

You have been amazing!

I will refer to this month as the month that everything goes in the mouth!!!

Hence the pictures...

Your eyes are still blue- please please stay blue!

Your hair is coming in more and I think it is going to be a strawberry blond which I still totally love.

You are a white boy!  Yes white like your daddy!  No Oliveria olive skin color for you!

You are pretty much sleeping thru the night consistently, going down at 7- 8 pm and sleeping until 4-6 am, and then waking up to feed and going back till 8-9 am.  You are starting to fight going down and the witching hour between 6-7pm has become great fun- NOT.  Basically you are tired and want to nap but we will not let you.   We basically fill this time with bath time, activity time- really anything that keeps you happy.

You were sleeping in your sleep swaddles, until 2 nights after you turning 4 months you starting rolling all over in your crib.  We were going to wait another week or two to move you to the sleep sack but we had to with you flipping.  Since moving you to the sleep sacks we have had some rough nights because you wake yourself up because you are moving so much, but it is getting better slowly.  This to be honest has been the hardest we have had it with you sleeping- so please improve!!!!

  Goodbye sleep swaddle

You are only taking 2-3 naps now and they are getting longer and more consistent- THANK GOD!

You are becoming better at napping in your crib but we still have our days.

You are starting to take longer naps and only napping twice a day- you thankfully are putting yourself on your schedule!!!

You are still a crazy eater- eating about 42 ounces a day.

Seriously dude!  This is something that I have every intention of talking to the peditrican about.

In someways I am looking forward to starting solids in the next couple months and in some way I am dreading it because we kind of have a routine now.

You are loving your activity centers and are getting better and better with tummy time.  You are rolling everywhere now!

You are starting to sit by yourself for like 15 seconds....

Your hands are you new favorite thing- so much that it has replaced the wubba so I think in another month the wubba will go into hiding and I will not have to break you of a pacifier.  This was something that I was worried about.

You are really a happy boy and have started to love playing peak-a-boo!  You laugh all the time and are so mello! You have started to stick out your tongue- seriously your mother's son.

You are so awesome!

You have done well with me going back to work as I knew you would, and I should say I have done well going back to work.  I think because I knew you were going to be with different people- Joe, my mom, Joe's emergency day care, I just took the attitude of go with the flow which you have done great with.  Yes this can be a little hard because I like schedules but it is what it is and as long as your are happy and healthy then that is all that matters.

We survived your first day care day with flying colors.  

Your daycare does not start till August but daddy's work offers 25 days of emergency day care which we are using.  Daddy dropped you off the first day, I checked in on you, they sent me a picture of you smiling, and I picked you up and you were happy and slept amazing that night- so I was happy and so was your daddy.  Yes it is hard because I know no one will take as good of care of you as us but I am finding that working makes me appreciate my time more with you and also makes me happier!

You love being around people and seeing new things.

Weight  16 pounds 14 ounces-  75%

Length  26 7/8 inches-  90%

Things you did this month

Starting bring your toys to your mouth

Holding on to your Wubba

Sticking your tongue out

Sucking on your thumb and hand

Rolling all over the place.....

Your month was packed with visiting friends and family!

We had a couple of weekends of down time which we mostly spent at the pool... 

More of that on Month 5...

Goodbye...Well Kind Of...

I started this blog two and half years ago as something to challenge me 

but also after being encouraged by my husband to do so for personal reasons.  

Well it has been a crazy 2 1/2 years and this is something that I am glad that I have done, 

and I am glad that I will have the opportunity to look back on.  

That being said, I decided that I wanted to stop blogging.  

When I told this to my husband, Joe, he because very upset- 

 "But I love your Blog- How else am I suppose to keep up with you and Collin?"

It kind of made me laugh, because while this was something I did for myself, it turned into something that my husband love's especially lately because I am home with Collin while he is at work.  

After some thinking and debating, Joe talked me in to continuing to blog but it will only be occassionally and mostly about Collin.

So stay tuned for Collin updates...

Thank you...

It is crazy to think this time last year- I was waiting to find out if I was pregnant!  

Actually, I was tell Joe that there was no way I was pregnant =0)

What a difference a year has made- especially for me. 

Yes our lives have changed but I too also have changed!

I went thru ZPL, and really have tried to continue embracing this new more relaxed me! 

That being said- I need to send out a very very big THANK YOU!

Last week I went back to work.  

I am working 2-3 days until August when Bug will start daycare at which point I will be working 3 days a week.  As I got into my car last week to drive to work I was excited.  Yes, I was leaving Collin but it was with Joe and then on Friday it was with my mom.  Over the next month and a half when I go to work I will be leaving Collin with people I love and trust and that to me makes a huge difference.  

So my first days back were not spent worrying about Collin because I knew he would be just fine. 

Instead I could dive right into patient care and dealing with unlocking all my accounts.  

I went in last Wednesday morning, with it in my head that the day was going to suck- therefore I should just go with the flow.  I basically use 3-4 different systems a day and figured all of them would be locked because I was gone so long.  I gave myself extra time to get to work, part, get to my office, unlock my computer and get up to Labor and Delivery.  To my surprise only one system would not let me in, something that took me all of two minutes to fix- seriously am I this lucky!  My day just continued to get better as seeing all faces and recieving emails from patients welcoming me back.  

Friday I was in the clinic and it was booked- but booked with patients that I had missed and seen for their other pregnancies, it was good to see them and catch up and of course show baby pictures.  

It is funny how excited my patient's were for me to be pregnant and to see pictures- I think it because we kind of share a closer bond now.  

My co-workers are amazing, especially Jen who covered for me in my absense and basically made sure that I came back to nothing!  YOU ROCK! 

They have supported me in working part time and even gave me the schedule back!

Love just jumping right back into it. 

My husband is amazing and has stepped up to the plate.

Though he has learned a little bit in his times alone with Collin- like when you use the extra outfit in the diaper bag- you need to replace it- it doesn't magically happen itself.  

He has totally made me laugh out loud a couple times at work and I know has enjoyed his one on one time with Collin.  

My parents are so supportive and I could not have asked for anything more.

They are there when we need them and also so respectful of Joe's and my wishes when it comes to Collin.  It has been so fun to see them with Collin.  

Our friends and family are crazy!  

I got so many texts last week from friends and family members just to check to see how I was doing

and wish me luck on my first week back!

And then there is this little guy-

Seriously, sometimes I do think I am the luckies girl in the world!

Thank you everyone for everything!

Changes - Part 2

Part 2 of Changes- LAUNDRY

With Collin I have realized how much more difficult it is to do laundry during the day.

I use to do laundry on my day off before Collin because it was easy to throw a load in here and there, but now it is hard with me trying to keep an eye on him and have to lug the laundry up and down.

We are only doing laundry once a week right now- 

I HATE LAUNDRY.

When I lived by myself I would only do it every 2 weeks and I did it once a week maybe every two before Collin just because Joe had so many clothes.  

But now I need to do it once a week with Collin and us.

So I put it in the hallway upstairs the night before- Joe takes it downstairs in the morning and I work during the day to get the loads done.  

At night Joe brings it up

and we fold it together after Collin goes down.  

Why- because it takes us no more than 10 minutes to fold if we are doing it together.  

Yes there are some weeks I have to fold it myself if Joe is doing homework or various other things, 

but have two sets of hands is amazing!

Then Joe bring it upstairs, we put ours away before we go to bed and I leave Collin's outside his room and I put it away the next day.  

How does life change- Part 1

While I have commented that our life on a whole has not drastically changed-
things have changed.  

More so the day to day stuff.  

So over the next couple days I am going to go over the small changes.

First up......
Dishes

Now that I have been home for extended periods of time I have changed the way I do dishes.  

I use to wash every bottle after I fed Collin and about 4 weeks ago I decided to stop doing all dishes during the day.  

I just placed everything in the sink and decided to wash them when I did dinner dishes.  

This includes any dishes I use during the day so my coffee mug, my lunch plate, etc.  

Yes this was hard at first but it saved me a lot of time- you figure 2-3 minutes a bottle at least 6 times a day so 18 + minutes but also saves a lot of water and soap.  

This way I can just wash everything together with our dinner dishes which I have to do anyways.  

I know this is totally a non Laura thing to leave all dishes in the sink but it works and saves me time during the day which is more time I can spend with Collin or doing other things I need to get done.

My many faces....

On a day that I am feeling a little down about something,

I just take a quick second to scroll thru these because

1) They sum up feelings pretty quickly

2) They just make me laugh... because he made these expression in a matter of minutes

So here is to laughter

 No I am not smiling- I am cranky and need a nap!

Maybe you also need a nap!

 Ha ha ha- 

ok maybe I will smile for you

 This is my "grandfather face" because I look exactly like my grampy when I make it

which makes mommy laugh

 I think I just passed some gas face...

Happy Monday