Wednesday, September 28, 2011

2 months old!

How on earth has 2 months already gone by.  Ethan has definitely stolen my heart.

I headed back to work this week.  It was very hard, but has been made easier with the fact that my mom has been here this week to ease the transition.

A lot has happened this month, so here we go!

Weight:  At his last weight check he was 13 lbs 9 oz, but that was over a week ago.  He was 14 lbs 3 oz at his dr's appointment on October 3.  This is the 92nd percentile, so his weight  gain has slowed a little, haha!

Length:  He was 22 inches at birth, 21 inches at his first dr appt, and 22 1/4 inches at his one month appt.  He grew to 24 inches at his doctor's appointment.  That is up to the 90th percentile. 

Head:  His head circumference was 38 cm at his first appt and 39.5 cm at today's appt (75th percentile).  He is getting a big head - he is up to 42 cm, which up's him to the 90th percentile!  At least he is just big all the way around!

Clothes:  We are currently in size 2 diapers - we are sticking with Pampers as I have gotten some really good deals and I love the wetness indicator line (yes I know, pathetic).  I didn't make it through my size 1's before he was having too many blowouts, so we will save those for another baby someday.  Clothes wise, he is still wearing a few 0-3 month clothes, a lot of 3-6, and some 6-9.  It is so annoying how all the brands are different.  He is definitely blessed in the clothes department! 

Sleep:  Night time sleeping is usually fantastic.  He usually goes to bed around 7:30-8:00 and sleeps a good 7 hour stretch before he wakes up to eat.  Before I went back to work he would then go back to sleep until about 7:30-8:00.  Unfortunately when he goes to daycare I have to wake him up at 6:30.  Every once in awhile he will wake up twice in the night or have a hard time going back to sleep, but that is not the norm luckily.  He did have one night where everytime we put him down (he was asleep in our arms) he would wake up and start screaming, so finally we took him on a car ride, he fell asleep, and then he stayed asleep for the night, even after I transferred him!  He is nursed and rocked to sleep.  He doesn't do well at putting himself to sleep, but that's ok.

Your napping has gotten even worse.  I am lucky if he takes a 30 minute nap at one time.  45 minutes is a miracle, haha!  I have to rock Ethan to sleep with a pacifier.  Hopefully napping will get better!

What we do every day: Before I went back to work our days were pretty much the same as last month.  He loves sitting facing out and looking at things around him.  He is smiling more and more all the time.  Now that I am back at work, our days will consist of me getting ready, waking him up at 6:30 and feeding him, dropping him off at daycare at 7:05, me heading to school while he has fun at daycare, Jed picking him up between 3:00 and 4:30, then me coming home and feeding him, hanging out for a few hours, then feeding him before he goes to bed.  We have bath time about every other day. 

Eating:  Ethan's eating has slowed down quite a bit.  He eats about every 3 hours.  Since I am nursing I don't know how much he takes, but I do know he is an incredibly efficient eater!  At daycare I am giving her 4 oz bottles to give him.  He had his first few hours at daycare today, and he only ate 2 1/2 oz.  I am pretty sure he was fairly distracted by all the activity around him!  My mom has been watching him this week and he has been eating great for her. 

Looks:  Still blonde hair (getting more and more every day) and blue eyes.  We finally got the eye infection cleared up. Ethan is absolutely adorable.

Milestones:  Ethan is smiling away!  He also reached out and grabbed on and held onto a toy this month.  He is also making all sorts of noises and loves looking at what is going on. 

Firsts: This month you were baptized, you went to your first Royals game, and you had your first few hours at daycare!  You also got to be held by many new family members as well as your 98 year old great-great grandma! 

What we are looking forward to:  Weekends when we get to spend time together.

What we are dreading:  Your shots on Monday :(


Enjoy the pictures!
Holding onto a toy for the first time!

Hanging out in his new umbrella stroller!

Sleeping through the Royals game


He found his thumb, haha!

I don't think he liked the Bumbo yet, haha!


Learning about football from Dad

Kisses from Grandpa


First Royals game


Hanging out in his jumper


The 2nd try at the Bumbo went much better!

Uncle Doug and Ethan

Sleeping away
Ethan and cousin Grace!
Ethan, Grace, and Aunt Maleia
On his way to his first day at daycare



Ethan is adorable when he wakes up, so we had to video it!

Tuesday, September 13, 2011

6 weeks old, baptism, and almost 7 weeks old!

Well, I missed Ethan's 6 week post as we were in Western KS and I didn't take the time to update.  Since the last update he has also been baptized!  I am going to go ahead and post now instead of waiting until Thurs for his 7 week post as I will be having company!  Ethan's Aunt Maleia and cousin Grace are coming to visit and we can't wait!!

Ethan's first long car ride went wonderfully.  He slept from Topeka to almost Hays (almost 3 hours), we stopped for him and us to eat in Hays and for him to stretch, then he slept another hour, we stopped again for him to eat and stretch, and then he slept the final hour!  He was a breeze to travel with on this trip! 

We had so much fun in Western KS.  When we got to my grandparents house on Friday night we had a huge surprise waiting for us, my parents had surprised me by flying my brother out for the week and for the baptism.  We hadn't seen him in almost 2 years so the time with him was awesome!  I was so glad he got to meet his nephew! 

Saturday some of our family friends threw Ethan and I a shower at my home church.  We had a wonderful time with great cookies and fellowship.  Ethan got a lot of cute clothes in bigger sizes, which is great! 

Jed's parents even drove out to Sharon Springs for the weekend's festivities.  We all stayed in the B&B in Sharon Springs Saturday night, which is in the building that used to be my church (huge renovations, very cool!).  Unfortunately his brother and sister-in-law and niece weren't able to make it due to sickness, but they were there with us in spirit! 

Sunday morning we went out to the Dinas Church to have Ethan baptized.  This is my Grandparents church and is where I was baptized.  The minister that baptized Ethan also baptized me, my dad, my grandparents, and my great-grandparents.  That's 5 generations!  It was very special.  What made it even more special was Ethan was able to wear the baptismal gown that Jed, his dad, and his grandma wore.  Needless to say, Ethan did have a diaper leak, but ivory soap did the trick and the gown is just like before he wore it!  After the baptism, we headed to my grandparents house for a wonderful lunch and time together.  Jed and his parents then headed back to Topeka and Ethan and I were without Jed for the first time in Ethan's short life.

On Monday we went down to the nursing home in Tribune where my Great-Grandma lives.  My great-grandma's health is failing and is not usually mentally with us.  But, on this day, she was with us mentally most of the time, knew who we all were and was even able to hold Ethan!  We got a wonderful 5 generation picture.  It was a blessing from God to have this time with her. 

On Tuesday, Lester, Ethan and I headed up to Bird City to spend the rest of the week.  We got to show Ethan off at the school in Sharon Springs before we headed north and then at the school in Bird City when we got there.  He was definitely a hit!  Friday, Lester, my parents, Ethan, and I headed back to Topeka.  Ethan didn't do as great on this trip, but he still did really well.  We were both really glad to see Jed when we got back.  We took my brother to the airport in KC on Sunday and my parents headed home.  We had a great week and a half together and it was a time I will never forget!  We love our family!!

Ethan has made lots of progress lately.  I had him weighed today and he weighed in at 13 lbs 5 oz.  17 oz in 14 days which is just a little over the average gain! I have officially stopped using size 1 diapers and will just save the ones I have left for another baby (we were having way too many blowouts).  He loves to "stand" on his legs, with the help of someone of course and is still doing great at holding his head up.  He is starting to scoot himself around when he is laying down.  He loves to stretch out, especially after being swaddled all night!  He is so fun to watch.  Yesterday he had a first - he grabbed on to a ring that was hanging from his play mat and held onto it!  He makes such funny noises!  He is doing better at napping during the day, which is wonderful.

Only 1 1/2 more weeks until I head back to work :(.  I am not ready for it, but I know we will both be fine. 

Here are tons of pictures!
Uncle Lester and Grandpa time on the floor

Taking a bath in Granny's kitchen sink

All swaddled up

Hanging out on the school bus with Grandpa

Having a bottle with Aunt B

Getting dressed for the baptism



Us and Rev Paul McNall who baptized Ethan





Reading about Corey the Combine


5 generations




Ethan and his second cousin Abby who is 6 days older than him but was 6 weeks premature.

Ethan looks like a giant!

Shower hostesses





Ethan and his grandma's

All dressed up for his baptism



Great-grandma Bolen

Great-grandpa Bolen

Great-granny Smith

Mom's second graders

Before Lester flew out

Go Chiefs!