Happy Holidays!

I've been busy with Cole, work, and preparing for the holidays and totally wore myself out, making myself susceptible to a nasty bug (maybe the flu?). But in brighter news, Cole played elf as I delivered goodies to a few clients last week. He was of course of huge hit and a master salesman. On Friday he had his 2-month checkup. Chubbster is now 14 lbs. 2 oz. (95th percentile) and 22.5 inches tall (only 35th percentile). He handled the 4 vaccinations pretty well...probably better than I would handle 2 shots in each leg. He was sore afterwards and we took extra care to treat his legs tenderly at the changing table. There are some new photos here.

I'm also happy to report that I had my FINAL neurologist appointment last Friday. The doctor told me that my recovery from the palsy is basically complete which was a wonderful Christmas gift.

I want to wish all of you the happiest of holidays. Bean of Hope will be taking a short hiatus, but will be back January 1st. Until next year...

I am tired, but...

Lately, I've been staying up after Cole goes to sleep for the night in order to catch up on everyday life. He's a good sleeper, often sleeping for 4-5 hours and it's my only chance to work uninterrupted. So, I've been staying up until 1 or 2 in the morning on a fairly regular basis. It bothers Tony because he worries I'm not getting enough rest...and he's probably right...but I've always been a better night owl than an early bird, and I've realized that I really enjoy the little bit of quiet time. I may not be as well rested in the morning, but I'm in a better frame of mind because I've had a chance to unwind and collect my thoughts.

First Christmas

Cole met Santa today for the first time, and he was even kind enough to pose for a photo. I keep preparing myself for Cole to fuss, scream, and cry in public, but so far, he has been absolutely fine. The apartment office had a small party for the kids tonight and we decided to bring Cole. We figured if he got upset we were just a quick walk from home. Instead, he handled it with more grace than some of the older kids who froze and cried as soon as it was their turn to sit on Santa's lap.

The Wolf

I've been told more than once that women become disgusting once they have children...that is, normally modest women will blurt out gross things without hesitation. I've also been told that this has happened to me. My response to that is I was never squeamish before...and some people are too easily grossed out.

Lucky for everyone in my household I have a high gross-out tolerance. Cole has had some truly amazing diapers lately, and yesterday his Daddy found out just how talented our little boy is. Remember Harvey Keitel's character, the Wolf, in Pulp Fiction? Well, that's me. I'm the one they call when there's a dirty job that needs cleaning.

funny ha ha

An excerpt from a recent email forwarded to me:

PREGNANCY Q & A

Q: Should I have a baby after 35?  
A No, 35 children is enough.

Q: I'm two months pregnant now.  When will my baby move?  
A: With any luck, right after he/she finishes college.
 
Q: What is the most reliable method to determine a baby's sex?  
A: Childbirth.  

Q: My childbirth instructor says it's not pain I'll feel during labor, but pressure.  Is she right?  
A: Yes, in the same way that a tornado might be called an air current.
 
Q: When is the best time to get an epidural?  
A: Right after you find out you're pregnant.

visits, baptism, Cole's first cold, and turkey day

Life has been a bit hectic here in Virginia, but the dust is beginning to settle once more. Cole handled his adoring public very well. He cried and cooed and ate and slept and peed and pooped just enough to prove that we're capable, if not perfect, parents. As exciting as it was to show the little guy off, it's been nice to get back to "normal" life and our own pace.

During all the excitement, Cole was baptized along with 6 other babies at our church. For the morning, I planned a feeding frenzy in hopes of putting Cole in a "milk coma." My plan worked perfectly. He was an angel during brunch, letting me eat my entire meal. He was the first baby to cry at the baptism, but he was quickly consoled. Of course he cried during the holy soaking, but who could blame him. The deacon was especially generous with the water.

Sunday night, angel baby turned into a miserable, sniffling bundle. He caught his daddy's cold, and lacking the ability to blow his nose, the congestion built up quickly. Poor Cole would cough so violently, he would wake himself up. To complicate matters, at this point in his young life, he is mainly a nose breather, and with that option gone, he was struggling to adjust to breathing through his mouth. It was a rough night. I held him so he could sleep upright most of the night and called the pediatrician in the morning.

The pediatrician confirmed Cole's head cold and suggested using saline nose drops and a gentler aspirator than the one provided by the hospital. I was already running a humidifier in the house for everyone's benefit because our heat is very dry. CVS didn't carry the Little Noses Brand drops and aspirator, but I did find the kit at Babies R Us. They were worth the effort. They've really been helping Cole break up the congestion, and I'm getting better with the aspirator. For some odd reason, sometimes Cole enjoys the aspirator...maybe it tickles.


Last Tuesday (11/25) I had my 6-week postpartum check up. Ironically, one year ago, the same exact date, I had my first ob/gyn appt. Expecting my 8 week ultrasound, I learned instead that I had miscarried my first pregnancy. My heart was shattered. Thanksgiving was spent in VA instead of visiting family for the first time, and I had a D&C the following week. I never would've imagined that one year later, Tony and I would again spend turkey day in VA, but this time with a beautiful baby boy. There was so much to be thankful for this year. And while thoughts of that lost child will always be with me, the tears of mourning now mix with tears of joy for the treasure that is my dear sweet Cole.