One year

My sweet baby boy, Samuel James, is one year old. When I found out I was having a boy I thought, "What am I going to do with a boy?" LOL I didn't have any brothers so I felt like I wouldn't know how to be a mom to a boy. I have to say that the times that he reaches for me and I know I am the only one he wants at that moment...it melts my heart! Those moments don't come as often as I would like because this kid stays on the move from sun up to sun down! I try to keep him busy and plan things for him during the week. He absolutely loves his "Birds" class at The Little Gym! He runs and climbs and even screams with delight! He has a music class and a storytime that he doesn't enjoy as much. Playdates are always fun! He would play with his cousins all day if they could. He has the best time with the four of them.

A few days before his party he got the stomach flu. He threw up all day. It was so heartbreaking to see my normally happy and super active boy just look up at me while I was holding him. It was the first time he has ever been sick. Sam and I shed more than a few tears to be honest. It was so sad. His party had to be cancelled but we are going to try to reschedule it. We did give him some presents on his actual birthday and Erica got him a mini cake to play in.



I can't believe he is not a baby anymore. We threw away all his bottles so he is only drinking from sippy cups. We are going to start weening him off of the pacifiers for bedtime. I have thrown all his pacifiers away but one. The doctor gave us a good strategy so we are going to start that today.

His doctor appointment went really well. His new doctor seemed cool with his Spiderman scrubs. He is from California and moved to Utah about ten years ago. He said Sammy is looking good. His stats are weight 20.3lbs (15%) and height 30.2in (65%). He started Sammy on a Multivitamin and suggested we switch him to whole milk. He had to have four shots and he was screaming so loud. Bless his heart it was so sad. I really like this Pediatrics office. They have over ten doctors at this office and have four offices total. They have a 24 hour number where you can speak to a nurse and there is always a doctor on call until 10pm. So I am very happy with his new doctor and their office. Here is the poor guy getting his shots.




He loves his Giraffe, his cars, his ball pit, eating cheerios, and baths! He hates getting dressed and diaper changes. I feel so blessed to have had a whole year with him. I am so lucky to be his mom and I can't wait to see what he learns this year.

Gross!

Since getting the baby gates Sam and I feel pretty comfortable letting Sammy explore the apartment. He usually sings or talks constantly so even if he plays in the hall we know he is ok. We close all the doors and just let him cruise up and down the empty hallway. Sam and I were in the living room and all of a sudden...silence. So we both shoot up off the couch to see what Sammy was into. Someone, I won't mention any names *Cough* It was Sam *Cough* left the bathroom door open. We never use this bathroom other than when I toss the dryer lint in the trash can. Well lately Sam has been in the back room working on his resume and today he was back their going through his important doctor papers so that is why I am assuming he used the bathroom. Oh and the fact that the seat was up.

FYI He maintains that he is innocent.

So we run back there to find Sammy in the bathroom dipping one of his super hero action figures in the toilet. There was this blue fuss every where and it looked like some was in the toilet. It turns out Sammy decided to give his action figure a swirly after pulling out all the dryer lint out of the trash and throwing it in the toilet. Wet dyer lint was all over the place including his hands and a big wad in his mouth. I am hoping that Sammy did not dunk that particular wad of dryer lint into the toilet before he put it into his mouth.

We snatch him up and took him to our bathroom the clean his hands and wash out his mouth. He thinks it is play time and even tries to slurp the water I am using to clean his mouth. So as my friend Meghan would say, "There goes my Mother of the Year award."

"He's perfect!" (9 Months)

Today we took Sammy for his nine month check up. He weighs 19.2 lbs which is exactly average and he is 28 inches which is slightly above average. Dr. Ambrose said, "He's perfect!" That doctor sure knows how to make a mom feel great! He asked us if Sammy was trying to pull himself up yet and was quite surprised when we said he was already walking. When we let Sammy go Dr. Ambrose called him a "Showoff" and said he must really be a year and a half old midget. He got two shots including his first flu vaccine and a prick on his heel to test his iron. He cried less than 30 seconds but it was long enough to break Sam's heart.




Sammy took his first steps in July and we have been chasing him ever since. I always knew that the day would come when I'd be chasing him up the aisles at church but I had no idea it would come so soon. When he wiggles off my lap at church he takes off like he's been called to "COME ON DOWN" on the Price is Right! He is laughing and smiling at everyone he passes. He cheeses it up for all the ladies who reach out for him. Sam and I seriously can't wait for him to be able to go to nursery! I literally can't keep this kid still. He is all over the place and has also started climbing.



Life is pretty exciting these days. Sam and I fought a crowd of way more experienced moms to get him into a story time. It is only 6 weeks so I will have to go through this again in a month and a half. I got in line at 9 am for registration starting at 10. I got the 8th spot. So even though I think 9am is a safe bet I am going to go even earlier next time because I won't have Sam to help me. I am still waiting to see if the other classes I signed Sammy up for will have enough people to not be cancelled. I want Sam to love books and reading. I want him to love to learn so I am going to try to get him into every thing I can. I have tried reading to him but he usually won't sit still. Of course his doctor and Erica both have told me how important it is so I am going to keep at it. Other than that Sammy went to the fair for the first time but he was totally not interested in most of what he saw. When we were in a big barn Sammy was more amazed by the ceiling fan and the fences than the animals.



Other news...Sammy has started taking to his sippy cup and we are thrilled! He always wants us to give him some of our bottle water. I was actually worried about why he drinks so much water but won't sit still long enough for a full bottle. The doctor told me it was fine so I feel better. He still yells "momma" and "da-da-da." Now he has started saying "Aah-wa" for agua (Water in Spanish)...we think. I never updated on this but his finger sucking habit didn't last very long and he started using pacifiers. Now that he is nine months he only gets them for nap and bed time.

I've started thinking about his birthday party. This year has gone faster than any other year of my life! :)

Six Flags

Six Flags Magic Mountain had a Mormon Family Fun day this past Saturday. It was announced at church and since the tickets were over half off we decided to go. Sam's sister and her husband went with us. We should have known that on a discount day that was also a Saturday that it would be packed. We were there from 10am to 8pm and rode a total of seven rides! Each ride had about an hour wait. We rode five roller coasters and two water rides.

X2 was five dimensional so we were spinning every directions and at one point went through two huge flames! It was pretty awesome and the scariest coaster I've ever been on!

Then Tatsu...the whole ride was upside down and backwards. Everything was strapped down all the way to our ankles! It was the closest to death I have ever come! In the beginning some thing was wrong so we kept getting lifted upside down then right side up again. Being upside down for that long made me really sick! When we were done everyone was chanting, "One more time" to which I screamed, "Let me off!" I thought I was going to puke!

Terminator Salvation was an old school coaster that didn't have a loop. It was scary because it was made of wood and rickety. Plus, we saw a live mouse in the scenery during the wait so I was concerned about the upkeep.

Riddler's Revenge was one that you are standing. It was ok but it really tossed your head back and forth which made me have a head ache.

Goliath has the biggest hill I have ever seen! It was fast and my favorite! I love a roller coaster that is fast and doesn't make me sick!

Roarin Rapids is one of my fav water rides. I usually don't get too wet and it is totally unpredictable. Some seats get soaked and some only splashed. I picked the wrong seat. Sam and I got so soaked that everyone else was laughing at us. The water in inside the boat was almost up to our knees! My brother in law was laughing so hard that it made me laugh so hard I may have peed a little! :)

Tidal Wave was the big boat that just goes down a big drop. You really don't get wet unless you stand on the bridge after...which I did because I was already wet so why not.

I didn't get many chances to take pictures since we were in line most of the day. I would have bought one of the shots from the rides but I seriously looked like I was in pain for each one of them. Sam and I decided we absolutely have to go on diets before we ever go back. The two of us riding together was so funny. Amusment parks are a great place to people watch. Wow, I felt like I was in the world's largest trailor park! Some of the gems I saw made me laugh and other's embarrassed me. I always get slightly emabarrassed when I see other chumby people wearing stuff they should not. I did laugh at a fat guy wearing a shirt that said "Gordos do it better." The muffin tops were in abundance! I saw a chick in heels that I wanted to punch! I saw pretty feet, ugly feet, and gross feet! I had a lot of fun and it was really nice to spend the day with Sam. If I am being honest though I just wanted the day to be over because I missed Sammy so much it was ridiculous!

8 Months

Eight months! I can't believe how fast time is passing. Sammy is going full steam ahead! On July 19th he took his first step. Now a week later he walks all over his play fort. He walks between Sam and I. We are like kids ourselves when we watch him walking back and forth. We squeal and clap like it is the greatest thing we've ever seen. He is on his feet for most of the day. Sometimes I have to snatch him up for hugs and kisses and he wiggles away from me like a teenager would. When it is time to eat he holds still long enough to drink maybe half of the bottle I make and then he is on the move again. Church these days is basically a nightmare because he can sit still through maybe half of sacrament and then he wants down. We found a room no one uses and we just let him crawl during second hour. Then Sam takes him to Elder's Quorem but I usually get a text half way through saying they are driving around the parking lot. The "talking" is getting louder and more often. He sings and yells "Mom ma ma" all day long. He is so much fun.

7 months

What can I say about this handsome little guy?! He steals my heart over and over. He turned seven months old a few days ago. He is crawling all over the place. He is pulling himself up. He wants to stand and he wants to walk. Needless to say, I am exhausted! I have set up a play fort in our living room that can barely hold him in. I so wish I had a padded room he could go wild in. This kid is fearless!

He took his first plane ride! That was an adventure! Travelling without Sam was so tough. So many people helped me and offered to help but I still wish Sam had come with us. We are here at Erica's and are having so much fun. Erica has way more room for him to play so he has rug burns on his knees from exploring. Bless his heart, I had to go buy him pants to protect his little knees. He is having so much fun playing with his Aunt Erica and chasing Mickey around. She is giving him daily "Too Soons" to keep him from growing. Tomorrow his Aunt Ivy will be baby sitting him while Erica and I see Eclipse. On Wednesday, we are going to visit Aunt Nancy and Uncle Felipe. We have a play date scheduled with his cousin. I am so excited because he loves being around other kids. Last time he saw his cousins he was only a week old.

On a kind of personal/spiritual note...I had a moment a few weeks ago that brought me to tears. I was playing with Sammy. He was laughing so hard that it was making me laugh. I was crawling after him and he was squealing with delight as he crawled as fast as he could. He doesn't understand this chase game quite yet. Sometimes he crawls towards me and just screams. LOL Sometimes he sits up and flaps his arms and just laughs. Anyway, this time he had gotten it right and was crawling away from me. I crawled to him and scooped him up. He was laughing so hard his face was red. I was looking at him and trying to memorize everything. I got this warm feeling and the thought came to my mind that Sammy felt safe and that all of Heavenly Father's children deserved that. All children deserve to have a mother and father who love each other and are committed to their family. It was such a special moment and I had to write it so I won't ever forget.

By the time he is eight months old he will have at least two more teeth. They are about to poke through any day now. :)

Six months

I missed posting his five month update. Time is flying! Here is how Sammy's day begins. He wakes up between 5 and 6 in the morning. He has a 4oz bottle and goes back to sleep until 7 or 8. I don't put him back in his room but I put him in the pack-n-play we keep in our room. When he wakes up he rolls around and laughs, squeals, and sings until Sam and I start laughing. Once we laugh he knows we are awake and wants to be taken somewhere else to play.



The rest of the day is pretty intense rolling and scooting around with his toys. He sleeps every two hours and eats every three to four hours. He has such a fun personality and he is a really good baby. He cut his first tooth on May 8th and the second one has just started poking out within the last two days. Today we let him try a bit of rice cereal. He also tried a little avocado and banana. Those are the things the doctor suggested we start with. The first time he ate it all but the second time he seemed to get very aggrivated and didn't eat too much.



I was carrying him into our room this morning and just thought to myself that he is growing too fast. I am so excited for every new thing that he learns but I just want him to stay my baby forever.

Two years

This is Sam and I on November 17th, 2007...the day we met. I was so nervous this day and really didn't think any thing would come from this. As a matter of fact the next day I text my friend Carrie how much I liked him, scale of 1 to 10, and I said 4! Sam and I had been doing the whole email/chat thing online for a few months before, as Sam says, I finally started paying attention to him. Now we were finally going on our first date. Our second date was at a dentist office when he held my hand through an emergency root canal. Honestly, I didn't want it to work out. He had a major strike against him, he lived in California. I am not like most people I guess because I have never had even the slightest desire to even visit the state of California let alone live here. It is one of my top three states I would never want to live, the other two being New York and Florida. Some of you are thinking I am nuts right now, like my friend Jess who loves NY and my step sister Natascha who loves FL!

Three months later we were engaged and three months after that we were married. It is always tough for me to learn to live with another person and this time a boy. Learning how to live together and communicate. We only dated for six months and were only in person together 3 times before we got married. We communicate in totally different ways. Also, I consider myself a difficult person to be around so I try to tone down the drama that is me. LOL Anyway, there are those silly things you don't think about before your married like how we fold our shirts differently. I am not saying that we are pros at being married now at the two year mark. We still work at it every day. Even when he makes me so mad I could spit fire I know in my heart there is no one else I would want driving me as crazy mad as he does. :) Most of our days we are just like two kids playing house. He is so much fun and makes me so happy that I forget that I am a grown up. I love it! I love him! It has been a blast!



This is us today on our two year anniversary. Sam thought it would be nice for us to get out of town. I consider this our first family vacation! We drove six hours north to Monterey, California to go to the aquarium. I really had no idea how much fun it would be. The aquarium was amazing! The ocean was so beautiful! The day was just absolutely perfect. After the aquarium we went down to the beach and walked around this little town. They had so many little shops and I found two great lighthouses to add to my collection. We even went to this mirror maze that was a lot of fun. Then our last stop was the Dennis the Menace playground. I know that Sam and I had more fun than Sammy did and the other adults started following our example. After we went down the slides we saw other parents start to do it. They knew they wanted to anyway.





Now I look to my left and my little Sammy is all tuckered out in his pack-n-play and to my right big Sammy has fallen asleep watching Animal Planet. Like I said, it was a perfect day. :)

Four months

Today Sammy had his four month check up. He is weighing in at a whopping 13.10 lbs and is 24 inches long which are both close to 50%. Dr. Ambrose said Sammy is growing beautifully and we of course completely agree. After all my questions it was time for his vaccines. Sam had to leave the room. LOL What a wuss! The nurse said it was the first time she's seen a Dad leave the room. One was given orally and he was not a big fan. He likes the taste of formula so this vaccine must have been super gross! Then two quick shots. He only cried a few minutes and we were all done.



We have decided that tonight is going to be his first night in his room. He has been sleeping through the night for two months now so there is really no reason why he shouldn't. He is a rolling over machine and my days are spent turning him back on his back after he tries unsuccessfully to scoot around on his belly. Diaper changes have turned into diaper chases! If I so much as look away to grab the butt cream when I turn back I'll see a nacked heiny trying to wiggle away!



He is such a happy little guy and he loves talking to his Auntie Erica on Skype and on the phone. When I put the phone to his ear and she talks his face lights up and he gets the biggest grin. On Skype he smiles and coos at the screen. Erica even watched Sammy on his playmat so I could do the dishes without checking on him every minute. Babysitting over skype, it was fun. I was just a few feet away though. My Dad watches Sammy on his playmat over Skype and got to see him roll over a few times.



This month Sammy has tried a jumper and a play saucer and he loves both of them. He has decided he needs to be up on his feet. When this kid learns to crawl...we are in trouble!

Battle of the Bottle

As you can see from the picture we have several bottles. When I clean them I line them up in the same order each time. The bottles each have a matching nipple. Sam has this habit of taking a bottle from one side of the racks and a nipple from the completely opposite side.

Sam says, "It doesn't matter babe, they are all the same."

I say, "Yes it does! It helps me when I look at them to know they are all there or which one is missing. You're fired babe!"

I know this is a silly thing to be irritated about but I think Sam is secretly trying to drive me crazy! LOL

Dilemma

I had it all figured out. Armed with my Parents magazines and What to Expect the First Year I knew exactly when I was going to start weening Sammy off of his pacifiers. Everything by the book. LOL At six months he only gets it when he naps and at bed time and then gone completely at one year. I bought such cute little pacifiers and I bought some of each kind. Things were going well. Then Sammy found his fingers. Now I cannot keep them out of his mouth and he hates pacifiers. My pediatrician said to get him hooked on pacifers because they are better and you can take them away. If he keeps sucking his fingers you can't take them away. So for a good two weeks I spent all day taking his fingers out of his mouth and putting in a pacifier only to watch him spit them out.

I started reading a ton of articles online. I read everything I could find. Most said there won't be any permanent damage unless he continues past age 4. I also read a lot that said if we try to stop him from sucking his fingers he may do it longer than he normally would if we just let it be. Sam and I have decided to just let him suck his fingers and hope he stops at about a year like we read. If he doesn't we will worry about it then.

I am not writing this so that I can get everyone's advice or opinions although you are free to give it. I am writing it to acknowledge and remind myself that parenting is not always going to go by the book. I get these updates from these parenting websites and also the book that I am reading all tell me what Sammy should be doing. I found myself worrying about it. I am trying to relax a bit. I just want to be a good mom...not like anyone wants to be a bad mom. I have worried for most of my life that I didn't have those motherly instincts because my mom was not really motherly. I wish I could say that I would stop obsessing over the things I read but I probably still will. I am just going to try to remind myself that people have been raising children for thousands of years without the information that is available today. Here's to taking it one day at a time. :)

Viva Las Vegas!

There are times when Sam gets really frustrated with the big corporate company he works for. All I can say is they sure know how to treat their doctors! I remember before Sam graduated some big wig from Banfield headquarters took us to dinner along with the others who were going to start at Banfield after graduating. We went to the nicest restaurant I have ever been to and the big wig knew my name when he stood up to greet me. I was really impressed. This past weekend they paid for us to take a family trip to Vegas!





Banfield has an Education Symposium a couple of times a year so that all doctors can attend. This one was in Vegas so Sam asked Sammy and I to come along. They set them up in a super nice hotel and feed them catered meals three times a day. They have lectures, town hall meetings, prizes, free products, and even have labs set up to practice surgeries. Sam did the optometry and dentistry ones.





They had all kinds of activities for the families to do. They took a Hoover Dam tour. Toured the chocolate factory. (Banfield is owned by Mars Candy) They also had a tour of the Botanical Gardens and Mandalay Bay Shark exhibit. I really wanted to go but I was nervous to do something like that alone with Sammy so we just hung out at the hotel while Sam was busy and enjoyed the cable tv.




We met up for lunch and dinner. There was always so much food! Lucky for me and my diet there wasn't much I would actually eat. However...there was usually a pretty good dessert and because Mars Candy owns Banfield there was free candy. I didn't go overboard but I definitely ate more than I wanted to.

Sam saw several of his classmates and they were really nice. The conversations were always flowing even though I would get a little lost when they'd start geeking out about the labs. One girl asked me if I was getting grossed out after someone said, "Make sure you get one that is pretty warm. So and so could barely cut hers it was still so frozen." They were talking about practicing surgeries on cadavers during dinner. I was enjoying my potato too much to let it bother me.

When Sam is at home he is goofy and playful. Sometimes I forget how smart he is, how hard he studied to become a doctor, and how much he loves to learn. When I hear him talk to other doctors I quickly remember. There was usually a general session at the end of breakfast and lunch that the families were welcome to stay for. There were words up on that screen that I couldn't even sound out! It was crazy but when I would see Sam listening so intently I was really proud of him. He cares about animals and wants them to have the best quality of life possible. There were times when the "at home" Sam would pop back up. During the town hall meeting the microphone was in front of our table. When someone came to ask a question our table was put on the big screen. Sam put bunny ears on the speaker, made faces, and even pretended he was discussing something very seriously. LOL He looked like a muppet!!

I am really glad we got to go because I would have really missed him. He said he enjoyed it more with us there because he doesn't go out to drink like his colleagues do. We survived our first trip with Sammy. It was tough! I packed all his toys but we didn't bring a stroller...we should have but it wouldn't have fit in the car. I hated changing him in gas stations because they are so filthy! It was fun being together and seeing Sam so excited to learn. Good times!

Tagged

What was I doing 10 years ago:
February 2000. I was in school at UNCP. My roommate was my dear friend Amanda.

Five snacks I enjoy:
1. Wheat Thins with squeeze cheese
2. Nachos
3. Monkey Munch
4. Chilli Cheese Fries
5. Warm chocolate cookies

In the real world: (Not sure what this means)
1. Figuring out how to be a Mom
2. Missing my sister
3. Homesick for the South
4. Walking and counting my calories...on a diet.
5. Trying to learn Spanish

Things I would do if I were a billionaire:
1. Pay for all my siblings education and families debt.
2. Buy all my family their own house in Utah and furnish them.
3. Set up a trust for Sammy and our neices and nephew. Mission and college funds!
4. Build an amazing clinic where Sam could practice with all his favorite medical equipement.
5. Take Erica to every place she has ever wanted to go!

Five jobs I've had:
1. Taco Bell
2. Winn Dixie
3. Total Billings
4. MyFamily (TGN)
5. Acension Management

Three of my habits:
1. Gossip. (Working on that)
2. Facebook (Keeping in touch)
3. TV

Five places I've lived:
1. Sulphur, Louisiana
2. Fayetteville, North Carolina
3. Salt Lake City, UT
4. Hope Mills, North Carolina
5. Rancho Cucamonga, California

What do you want others to get from your blog: A good laugh now and then.

Now I'm passing this tag along to:
If you are like me and like filling these things out, go for it! Tag - you're it!

Two months

Sammy is two months old now. I have a bag of clothes that don't fit him anymore. He is almost too big for the bassinet that he once looked so small in. He is starting to have such a personality! In the morning when I peek into his bassinet he smiles and says, "Oooh Aah Ooh." Which I assume means, "Good morning Mommy." lol He "talks" so much and is starting to play with things. When I say play I mean smack the things that hang over his play mat.

His doctor appointment was today. He weighs 11.2 oz which is the 50% and is he is 22.5 in long which is also 50%. I had lots of questions for the doctor like how to get him to stop sucking his fingers. The doctor said try different pacifiers but I have four different kinds and his still prefers his fingers. He had to get three vaccines today. One by mouth that I am sure tasted nasty. Then two shots in his leg. He screamed so loud and all the way until we got to the car. He slept for awhile but every time he wakes up he starts screaming again. He stops crying as soon as I hold him close. Poor thing, he is so upset.



Life is good. I love him more and more every day! I am with him all day every day but I still start to miss him when someone else is holding him. Sunday, Sam decided to take him to priesthood and I couldn't stand it. I was about to go steal him when I got a text from Sam saying to come get him because he has a poopy diaper. Normally, I get a little annoy with Sam always passing the dirty work over to me but not this time. I was so happy to come and take him back. :) I am still trying to figure things out but I feel closer to Sammy. It just keeps getting better.

One Month

This month has been one exhausting blurr. I didn't think it would be this difficult. I was always told you sleep when the baby does and newborns sleep for most of the day so I had no idea I would still be so tired. I really can't sleep everytime he does. I can only sleep until around 11am but he doesn't sleep much past 5am. In the afternoon is when he starts to settle down but by that time I cannot go back to sleep. Everything is piling up on me! Bills, laundry, and housework. It is driving me crazy. Even with all the "help" I have I cannot stay on top of things. I have found with few exceptions that when people say they want to help what they mean is they want to take your baby and do the only thing you want to do. They want to feed him, and change him, and hold him and they want you to go away. Taking care of him is the only thing I want to do so it has been a little frustrating.

Sammy has officially met all his grandparents and all of his cousins. He has met all of his aunts and all of his uncles except Nano who is on a mission. Sam's brother who lives in Utah and his family were here for Thanksgiving. My Dad and Kathy came for the first week of December. Kathy actually made all the meals and did the dishes. That was really nice. It was so good to see my Dad and it warmed my heart to see him with Sammy. Then I had Erica here for almost two weeks! She did whatever I asked. If I wanted her to feed him, she did. If I wanted her to just make the bottle so I could feed him, she did. Sammy would always just stare at her and smile. It was so tender. Then my Mom, Ray, Natascha, and Rusty came for Christmas. That was a bit stressful because my Mom would get offended or be sarcastic when I would give her instructions for Sammy. Erica left this morning and Sam has his two days off. After that I will be on my own. I have no idea how I am going to get my wife stuff done when I am so tired.



On Christmas day Sammy was one month old. Our pediatrician, whom we love, said, "At about six weeks they turn into humans and you figure you might as well keep em." He is so funny and is such a great doctor! He is retirement age and only practices because he wants to. Like I said, we love him! He talks medical talk since he knows Sam understands so I always feel like I really know what is going on. He was really supportive when I was trying to breastfeed and understanding when everything I tried to increase my milk supply didn't work. We have called twice with concerns and he has seen us within half an hour of our call. His office is two blocks from our appartment so that is great! His one month check up went well. Sammy lost 11oz within the first week because of not getting enough to eat. The doctor put him on formula for premature babies and infants of low birth weight because it has extra calories. He now weighs 8lbs 4oz. He has chubby cheeks and his legs aren't so bony. This is a picture of him getting his Hep B shot. I wasn't holding him because the nurse told me to lay him down. When she gave him the shot his eyes got big and his arms and legs all went flailing! It scared him so bad the poor little guy.



He is starting to focus and follow things with his eyes. When I talk and smile he is starting to smile back. He sometimes laughs while he is a sleep and it is the cutest thing. I haven't learned all of his cues but sometimes I guess right the first time and that feels good. I think I have his "I'm starving cry" down pat. That cry and the needing to be changed cry are so similar. I love his other cry. The cry I hear most is for his physical needs, hungry, wet, or tired. I love the cry when he just wants to be held. It let's me know there is really a soul or a person there not just a pooping, eating, energy sucking machine. :)

Redneck Roots

My Dad called his brother to let the family know that Sammy had finally come. He called my Uncle Earl. He told him that we had named him Samuel James. My Uncle had a little too much to drink that day and said, "Samuel Adams...I know that." My Dad knew he was too drunk to argue so he decided to call him in a few days and make sure he got the name right. He spoke to his other brother on Sunday and found out my Uncle Earl had already spread the word. My Uncle Jason said, "So the baby's name is not Samuel Adams??" LOL So embarrasing but all I can do is laugh.

A Baby Story...the details

When I was in college I lived in the dorms of Belk Hall. Meghan was on the same floor as me. She watched TLC's A Baby Story every chance she got! lol Thus my title and here we go!

Tuesday, November 24, still no baby. I had a doctor appointment at 8:50am. I was going to go in there...scream...cry...who are we kidding I was gonna do both until someone agreed to induce me! I told my doctor how awful I felt and expressed my desire to be induced as soon as possible. He agreed to Friday November 26th. I was thrilled! So I had to have an ultrasound and a NST then the nurse would set everything up. Ultrasound showed that my fluid was a 7.7 but she said they were looking for it to be between 8 and 25. While I am waiting for the NST the doctor comes up to me. "Elizabeth, we want you to head over to the hospital." WHAT?! He began again, "Yes, go home and get your bag and go to the Hospital. They are expecting you." He repeated himself but it was like he wasn't speaking English. I was reaching for my phone so I could catch Sam before he started his surgeries. The doctor explained that my fluids were too low and he wanted to monitor me over night and induce me early Wednesday morning.

I called Sam and in as calm a voice as I could muster I said, "Sweetheart, the doctor wants me to go to the hospital." He sounded like someone had smacked him in the face! After I explained that I was not in labor we agreed to meet at the apartment and head over together. When Sam got home he ran around in a panic asking me a zillion question even though I had already explained that I had packed my bag weeks ago and wasn't forgetting anything. At last we were ready...well after Sam jumped out of the already moving car to double check that he had locked the door we were ready. When I got to the hospital they were expecting me but didn't know why. The doctor that was there was the one that did not want to induce me so I thought she was going to send me home. They gave me another ultrasound, this time the fluid levels read at a 5. So they gave me some medicine to start dialation and mild contractions. They were mild too, Sam and I watched TV and were very excited to watch the contractions on the monitor. "Ooh, that was a big one!" (Little did I know that it was NOT a big one!) After 10 hours they checked me. I had not dialated at all, not even a little. They would have to start again. I started to cry and my whole body ached! I had never had cramps for that long without taking medicine to stop the pain. They gave me another and said they'd check it in 8 hours. It fell out after 5 and they checked but there still wasn't the slightest change. They decided to give me the whopper drugs! These contractions felt like I had been kicked in the stomach. The nurse told me to take deep slow breaths but the pain was so bad I felt like I could not breath! After a few hours on that medcine they checked me and yet again...no change. I was too drained to even cry. I was immediately falling asleep after each contraction only to be ripped from sleep a minute later. The contractions were back to back. They had given me something to take the edge off of it but I finally heard those glorious words...epidural! The anesthesiologist came in and Sam held me while I got it because I had two contractions while he was giving it to me and wasn't supposed to move.

After it kicked in everyone around me started moving fast and talking even faster. The baby's heart rate and my heart rate both dropped after the epidural and before I could even ask I was being wheeled in for a c section. Everyone was in such a rush that it made me ask if I was going to be ok. As soon as I spoke someone would get calm and reassure me but with everyone else scrambling around them I didn't know what to think. I kept asking for Sam and they told me he was changing. When he got to my side he looked upset. I asked if he was ok and he shook his head no. I saw a couple of tears so I knew he was worried. "Ok we have a hand." Then I heard him cry which made me cry. Finally, he was here. It was the sweetest sound I have ever heard.

I wish I could say that everything was perfect from then on...it wasn't! I held Sammy for less than a minute and they took him. I told Sam to stay with him. So my baby and my husband were both gone. I was all alone. Then they moved me into a dark room where I sat for two hours. It was depressing. When I finally got back to my room I was so angry. Three different nurses were talking to me but none telling me what I wanted to hear. I just kept asking, "Where is my husband?! Can someone bring me my baby?!" Three hours after he was born sammy was finally in my arms. I only know of one friend that had a c section and I don't know how it compares to a normal delivery but I hated it. I could barely move. I couldn't get up on my own and couldn't even change Sammy's diapers for the first day. I just sat there as everyone walked around happy and pain free. It was really hard for me. They usually release you 3 days after a c section. The first thing I told my doctor was I wanted to go home. I got to go home a day earlier than usual. Now I am happy! Now I can change his diapers and now I can give him a bath. Every nurse and family member has an opinion but now that we are home I can do things the way I want. So I know I look like total crap because I sure as heck felt that way but this is our first picture together.

Dear Sammy

Dear Sammy,

I want to meet you already! I feel like I have been waiting forever! I asked Heavenly Father to please bring you to us safely as soon as you were ready. Are you as excited to meet us as we are to meet you? It isn't just your Daddy and I that are excited to meet you. All your Grandparents are calling non stop to see if you are on your way. Your Auntie Erica and I talk about you everyday. Your cousin Gracie points to my tummy and says, "Primo Pammy," which is cousin Sammy in Spanish but she isn't too good with her s sounds yet. Today the doctor put the monitor on my tummy and said, "Would you listen to that, it is just perfect!" He was talking about your heartbeat. I smiled so big my cheeks hurt for almost an hour afterwards. He doesn't want me to rush you because he said he wants everything to be safe and easy on you when you come. So no more pressure from me, I promise. Just know that as soon as you are ready, your Daddy and I will be here waiting.

Love, Mommy

Final Inning!

Well, I never thought November would get here! Here it is the last week of October. I am 36 weeks pregnant and ready for to meet this little guy. I have the car seat installed, the hospital bag packed, and his room is all ready for him to come home. My insurance problems have basically been a nightmare so here I am at nine months switching to a new doctor who cannot see me until November 3rd. I haven't been to the doctor in 3 weeks but I am keeping track of all the times I feel the baby move. According to my book he should be turned by now and in position. I really want to go to the doctor just to make sure that he is ready to come or to figure out what can be done to get him ready. I hope y'all will keep me in your prayers during these last few weeks. I hope all my questions haven't driven you guys too crazy. Hopefully, one day I will have someone asking me so I can return the favor. Sam and I are so excited and nervous. Everyone asks us if we are ready and I guess we are as ready as you can be when you are on your first. Sam is terrified one of the nurses will run in during surgery and tell him I am in labor and he will mess up while he is trying to finish. I am hoping I go into labor while he is home. Anyway, I will keep you posted!

Prenatal Peek

I have been looking forward to getting one of these 3D ultrasounds since I first heard about them. It felt like I would never make it this far into my pregnancy but it is finally here! Sam and I went to Prenatal Peek for a 3D ultrasound. These are just a few of the pictures. We didn't tell them that we knew it was a boy. We wanted to see if they would confirm. As you can see his little twig and berries are easy to make out. :) It was actually they first thing the technician saw because Sammy was sitting straight up. He was in a bad position for pictures and asleep. So she told me to walk around and go eat some ice cream and come back. When we walked out side there was a 711 next to a Del Taco. So I went and got a delicious Blue Rasberry Icee and ate some french fries. When we got back he had changed positions and was awake. At first he was tucked too high then he was tucked too low. It was so crazy to see his little face. He has chubby cheeks and a bunch of hair! The technician commented on his cute little nose and then said it looked like my nose. So she continued to make the dvd as the soundtrack of tear jerking songs played. We got a good shot of his heart and we heard it as well. He was sucking his thumb a lot and at one point we saw him holding onto his foot. The one shot of him sticking his hand to his mouth made the technician and I both go, "Aww!" Sam had to laugh at us. It was so awesome! I can't wait to meet him.