Suggestions for 1st Halloween Costume

So an update. Matt's GI tract seems to be back to normal and our sleeping habits are slowly getting back...last night we were up at 1230, a short wake-up at 330 and then major hunger call at 5 am....so not too terrible...especially when at 630 there is the cutest little smile on his face and he is just so happy to be awake and to see his mommy!

We are also having major success on the food front. Matthew is officially a bit fan of the bananas. I re-introduced it a few days ago and he eats it up...so our routine is to have rice cereal mixed in Soy formula (~2oz) and either peas, green beans or squash baby food before his morning nap so around 930-10am, then 1/2 a container of bananas along with his bottle around 230ish before his afternoon nap. I am going to try and introduce carrots to widen the food choices and I will also try (again) sweet potatoes in a few more days as well. Then if he likes those 2 flavors, he should hopefully soon like some poofs...gotta make sure he likes the banana and sweet potato flavors first since poofs come in those flavors...
Now our night feeding around 530ish is hit or miss...which is just a delight for Queenie b/c if Matthew doesn't seem interested she gets a delicious treat of baby food. Yeah, she has put on some weight recently due to this little development.

So I keep hoping that with the introduction of food and some tough love (yeah 2 nights ago I must have switched off the alarm when I went to check on him at his 1230am wake-up and didn't switch it back on when I finally got back to bed at 1:10am so at 5 when I woke up and realized my mistake and turned on the monitor, he was screaming....I hope he got some sleep between 1:10 and 5 am b/c I certainly did) I keep hoping our first full night of sleep is just around the corner.

So on to the halloween costume...so he is going to be slightly over 8 months and he can stand up so I know I need a costume that fits 9-12months size...here is the kicker...I can find costumes that are so cute for kids 0-6 months that are not standing and not really needing their legs...and there are some really cute costumes for kids walking in the 18month and 1T-2T age but what about the 9-12 month???
I would love to do a monkey suit, or a dog, or tiger....I saw these awesome costumes at Sam's club but of course nothing less than the 12 month size...so any ideas for what I should do for Halloween? Realize I am not crafty so there is no chance I am making this costume....now Aunt Leone, hmmm, I might get here to make it since we will be in Colorado Springs for Halloween so if necessary I could just get her to make his outfit...so ok, suggestions for making an outfit are ok as long as it is possible for Aunt Leone to put it together...
So yeah, ideas...I am totally up for what to do for a cute and picture taking memorable halloween for Matthew. I know next year would be probably more fun since by then he should be walking and hopefully Jay will be able to take him to a few houses...but I am looking forward to this one to take pictures and post.

oh and a huge exciting update (for me at least), Jay is going to keep Matthew for Saturday night so I can head up to DC to visit my Oki girl Alex and go to Stina and Tom's baby girl #4 Victoria's baptism. I am so excited to have my first night off and so excited for Jay and Matthew to have some guy time...of course Queenie will be here to supervise but knowing her she will just sit on the couch and watch the door, anxious for my return Sunday afternoon.

Just hope that board scores come out soon with news that Jay passed, and that Grand Rounds tomorrow for Jay go off without a hitch!
This is getting kinda long so have a great weekend and can't wait to hear and post the stories from the first (of hopefully many) guy's weekend!

Sleeping Woes Continue

So last week we battled the GI issue and with the help of Florastor, Rice water and just time, it passed through Matt's system and he seems ok...the diaper rash has even cleared up...but the responding to his every cry and changing poop every 2-3 hours has regressed our sleeping habits back a bit...ugh...so the last 3 nights we got Matt asleep around 8 pm which is normal bed time give or take 30 minutes or so....but then he is up at 12, 2 or 3, 4 and then possibly even 5-530....then up for good at 630...this is fine when he is fully of poop and to keep the diaper rash down and to keep him from rolling and spreading it around the bed, I really don't mind being up and cleaning up...but the last 3 nights, there is no poop issue so he is up b/c he is just up...so we let him cry it out around 12 and that means he is crying for 30min-to an hour....then sure enough, sleeps about an hour or so and back up again....

So what to do, He is acting like he is starving...and when given a bottle is taking 3-4 oz....so is he just hungry? He also has wet diapers so is he just waking up b/c he is wet? I am confused b/c by now at 7 months almost 8, shouldn't he be able to make it 6-7 hrs between meals? Can't he tolerate a wet diaper for at least 4-5 hours? Anything over this 1 hour or so and I am up....I am losing it a bit...I found the bottle of chopped garlic I used in Saturday night's dinner in the utensil drawer....I must have stuck it in there when getting a spoon or something instead of the fridge...found it this morning b/c when I was making my waffles (which are world class now thanks to my waffle iron) I smelled a strong garlic smell....

So we made arrangements to start 5 days a week 1/2 day daycare b/c they get him to take solid food there while all weekend I tried to get him to eat and I get the solid food spit on me, or just a crying fit...so Queenie was eating nice this weekend...which leads me to my second issue....just b/c Matthew is having issues with sleeping...it is rubbing off on Queenie...the last 3 nights she is going crazy 2am 2 nights and last night at 12...right as Matthew is crying or right before he starts...and she is acting like she has to go...you know breathing in the face, constantly getting up and wanting down off the bed then up again b/c I am not getting out of bed...so in addition to Matthew crying and fussing, I have to walk down 3 flights of stairs and walk Queenie....who ends up having to pee at least once and then mark over other dogs spots 2-3 times and take a poop...all the while I am hearing Matthew cry from outside...my poor down stair neighbors...her middle school and high school daughters are under Matthew so they are hearing his crying fit and having to suffer through this tough love of crying it out...Think they would be interested in babysitting??

So despite being absolutely adorable...this kid is killing me...I am going to try and nap this morning while he is at daycare...hopefully Queenie will let me sleep as well...b/w the 2 they are wearing me out. I did update some videos and pictures from this weekend...the videos are from the past few weeks but the pictures are from this weekend. I hope if this is a new tooth it gets here soon....here is to hoping tonight improves!

The Cadillac of Waffle Irons

So Matt is having 2-4 bowel movements a day instead of 6-8. They are still runny but not as bad and while 1-2 require a wardrobe change, overall it is much better.

So now to my waffle iron saga. I love waffles. Especially made with bisquick mix and Jay loves them as well when I add some chocolate chips so of course that entails keeping chips on hand for when I get in my waffle mood. So part of the medfast diet is this pancake mix which can be made into waffles. So of course I am making some waffles like a mad women lately. So a few days ago my waffle iron knob broke. This waffle iron was a wedding present and replaced an awesome waffle iron I got from my grandmother when I moved to okinawa. It was a good waffle iron, made really crispy waffles just like I love! So I was really upset about my waffle iron knob breaking and I tried for 2 days to get it fixed but in many ways the waffle iron was just ruined so I decided to get a new one. So I ran to Walmart b/c it is closer and no waffle irons are there...ugh, so I drive to Target and they have this super duper expensive Belgian waffle iron and then this cheap 10 dollar one. So I bought the 10 dollar one and what a mistake. It didn't heat up, it was too big and the little packet of pancake mix wasn't enough to fill up the iron so it didn't cook it thoroughly...and let me tell you undercooked diet waffles are not good.
So what to do...so I went on-line for target and read reviews on waffle irons and settled on this $52 splurge that had great reviews from what I could tell by the comments were Waffle loving folks like me...so it has been a few days so of course I paid for overnight shipping...so now this waffle iron is costing me $74 dollars...yep, I am paying a bundle for this iron it better be good. Now, It was due on Wednesday so of course I am so excited to get this iron and Jay through this whole ordeal I am sure if laughing at me behind my back but he starts to call this iron the cadillac of irons b/c at this point it better be good, I am spending a little fortune on a waffle iron. Now imagine my disappointment when I get an e-mail on Wednesday afternoon informing me that my overnight delivery which I paid quite a bit for is not going to happen and I have to wait an extra day to get my iron. Yep, should have just paid for the 2 day delivery b/c that is what I am getting. So finally last night my iron arrived.
Let me tell you I wanted to make waffles last night but fought the urge. So this morning I made my diet waffles and it was AWESOME! So there is a setting to make the waffles uniformly cooked and super dark...it is possible to make waffle cones on this thing that is how cooked and awesome this iron is...and to make Jay excited, there is a recipe for Browning waffles that Jay is now excited for me to try.
So there is a date tomorrow morning after our workouts to make waffles for Jay and I....so now I am in my happy place....and the Cadillac is awesome! Best purchase ever!

The GI issues continue but we might be turning a corner

So Matthew does not like Soy Formula...yep, despite all my efforts that kid turns his nose up to the soy formula....where does he get this pickyness??? I know from me...it is scary how much a-like we are....
Now as for the rice water, he took 2 oz at hiss 130 am and 4 am wake-up this morning...didn't want it this afternoon but I am thinking I can get it in tonight during his wake-ups again.
So what does that leave us, I made his rice cereal in the soy formula and he ate quite a bit of that at day care and again with me around 1pm today. So at least I have a use for this soy formula. As for the formula he will drink, he is taking his normal formula but I am putting the florastor in it so at least that is getting into his system also.

So the corner is maybe turning b/c he appears to be in a better mood...oh no, spoke to too soon, he is now crying...
ok, so he is somewhat better. So back to why I think it is getting better, so we had an issues at 430am, and yeah I took the diaper off too soon so had to do the mad dash with wipes to keep it from getting everyone and then he started to pee...yeah it was funny but of course hubby is sleeping so I am laughing all by myself....so he then had another issue at 7 or so this morning but he made it to 330pm after his nap before another movement. So that is something to celebrate right? He did a long stint without any issue and he didn't require a wardrobe change today...at least not yet.

so hopefully with some more rice water tonight, formula spiced with florastor I am hopeful that we are on the mend. Ok, there is that smile...maybe this "witching hour" will be a better one. Yep, 430-530 everyday is Matt's rough hour where I just never know what I am going to get...today so far not too bad...another reason to be hopefully he is feeling better.

Wednesday, Matthew got GI issues

So got some e-mails about "Your baby is 7 months 2 weeks" Milestones: your baby is crawling...yep, check, your baby can start to return kisses with really wet, open mouth attempts...um not yet....24 changes to your life since your baby arrived...hmm like I have time to read this???
So what is up with us? It is a day like today that I am hating that we live so far away from Family who could take an hour or 2 shift on fussy Matthew and give mommy a break. So Matthew is having some GI issues...it started with a runny nose 4-5 days ago, then Monday it was runny bowels...every 3-4 hrs....so today I finally called the nurse line and her concern is the dehydration issue so I brought him in and like I thought it is probably some virus going through his system but possible things to try to help fix his bowel issues, switch to soy based formula and put some florastor in his formula...so ok, I get the soy based formula and the florastar...he hates the "tropical taste" that the florastor adds to his normal formula but really seems to despise the soy based formula....UGH.

So since this is one of those days, I call hubby and I am tell him, GET HOME NOW, do not pass go, do not collect 200 dollars...really I need you home now b/c he is hungry and not wanting to eat, he is happy one minute then crying and fussing...ugh.

So any he is in the pack-n-play and quiet so maybe the little bit of food I have managed to get him to eat is having an effect...he is happy for now...It doesn't help that he is on his last pair of 6 month pants so I have to laundry tonight so he some thing to wear in this Chilly weather tomorrow at daycare...just add it to my list of to-do things that just never seem to get done like before I had a baby...wonder if that is in the article...everything takes longer to do and things pile up....hmmmm

Tomorrow will be a better day...oh, just heard the bowels....squishy again it sounds like. Gotta go.

Just one of those da

So today started off with so much potential. I got up to meet some gals for a bike ride, we rode, it was cold and drizzly....not too terrible b/c I was dressed and just so excited to be out riding on a Sunday morning.
Then it was time to get off the bike and I did a total rookie mistake, I unclipt my left leg and leaned right, with wet pavement next thing I know I am on the ground...I am ok, nothing broken just a little sore wrist, shoulder and bottom...nothing terrible

The rest of the day spent it with Matt, he was pretty good today considering he still has this runny nose and I am constantly trying to wipe the snot so he doesn't swallow it and he is constantly avoiding me and then crying/fussing when I manage to wipe his nose.
So I was going to do this power yoga...was slightly worried about my fall and how much I would be able to do with the push-ups that are required etc, so packed the diaper bag for Matt and my stuff...I grabbed my phone and wallet and threw them in the bag as well. Got to the gym and oh-no my water bottle leaked the entire contents of my bag are under water. Yes, my phone is lost. UGH!!! So left it in pieces to dry out...the entire time I am working out I am just livid at myself, why didn't I double check the water bottle? so I didn't have the great workout...but was hopeful it would all be ok.

got home, tried the hair dryer, and no, those water markers are red and it is definitely done for. So I take out the sim card and put it in a phone that Grandpa Joe provides for Jay and it works but not really, all my numbers and info from the past year are gone. So if you gave me your number in the last 12 months, that's right I no longer have it...

So I go online, find the ATT webpage b/c I think I must be do a free phone or something, yeah, there are not good upgrades and it requires a 2 yr contract...ugh, so I have the insurance so I go ahead and do the claim...they are totally going to drop me after this claim b/c this is my 2nd claim in 12 months....really??? Oh well, hopefully this phone and sim card will make it through next summer and to our next destination where I can hopefully get a new local number for that location and by then maybe sup'd up phone.

So to other news on why this day is still kinda a downer, Matthew is fussy they tell me the entire time at yoga at the gym, we come home, he doesn't really want to eat, he is happy one minute and fussy the next....so right now, yeah he is sleeping...don't get this kid, usually right now is attention-demanding Matthew. Now most of you with no kids are probably like, yeah he is sleeping...but my fear is oh-no he is sleeping 2 hrs early, does this mean his usually 330 am wake-up is coming at 130 am and his 7 am wake-up is going to now be 5am?

So to wrap this up, Happy Birthday Aunt Jamee, wish we could have gotten in-touch with you before the phone death, but hopefully this will suffice. Tomorrow is a day-care day so hopefully they will help me get Matthew back on schedule, and I do have plans to bike-ride with my new gal pals so hopefully its a good do-over for this morning with no rain and no falls!

7 Months!

Its Sept 14th, and we are officially at 7 months!

Took some pictures that I will post on facebook later with Matt's Seven sticker.

So 7 months, Matt is ~17 lbs, have to guess somewhat b/c my scale is not all that accurate.
Matt is wearing size 3 infant shoes and for the most part in 6-9 month clothes but still wearing 3-6 month pants, yep that little waste of his prevents him wearing most pants.

As for sleeping, we are getting him asleep around 8-9pm every night and having a wake-up around 12-1am. I am changing his diaper and letting him have 1-2 ounces of formula, then it is cry-it-out time...last night it was about 30 minutes before he settled down. Then it is up again around 5 am.

But having somewhat a schedule is helping, it appears that he will go back to sleep around 530 and sleep to 7am. Then he is napping around 9-930am and taking an hour or so nap.
His next nap is around 2pm.

For baby-food, we are still fighting it some, but with time and patience we usually get him to eat some rice cereal. As for the baby food that Matt appears to like, peas and squash are a hit, bananas and sweat potatoes are not so much a hit. But will try again later to see it that changes.

So that is an update on 7 months. It's amazing , can't believe how much Matthew has grown and changed, he is definitely getting a little personality!

Weekend in Greenville NC

Well, I have an excuse for not keeping the blog updated, first off, not much is happening other than Matthew is crawling, still up at least once at night and well starting to eat baby food but really not so interested. He did start Daycare and last week he went 2 days. They are going to help me feed him some baby food during the day so hopefully he will start to get the hang of it and not just want the spoon to play with and munch on.

We went to visit Greenville, part of our 3 weekends of busy-busy days. I had to sign paperwork for the closing and inspection plus clean out our stuff so this week all the fixes should occur and painting and cleaning early the following week which should lead to closing on the 23rd. It really looks good, fat lady is warming up in the aisle as my mom likes to say so she should be singing in 12 or so days!

While in Greenville, I got to visit some great friends and old co-workers at Pitt CC. Congrats to Jaysen for taking my office and old job...it was so wonderful to see everyone and hopefully I can swing by again next trip and maybe do lunch with folks...
We also got to see some great pals of Marybeth, Missy, Rachel and Amy. Matthew is really exhausting so note to everyone, you have to come see us at Aunt Lara's house. Not knowing when Naps will occur b/c yeah I don't have him on a hard schedule, not knowing if he is going to be cranky or happy makes it difficult plus it is easier to let him crawl and roll around at Lara's rather than at a restaurant or somewhere else. So sorry to everyone I missed but hopefully we can meet-up next time.

Now for Sept 11th, it is crazy how much my life has changed from 10 yrs ago, I was a Lt, heading to Okinawa Japan at Brooks AFB in San Antonio TX. I was bright eyed and so motivated....now I am out of hte AF, have a PhD, husband, child, and of course Queenie...living in a 3bedroom 3rd floor apartment in Richmond VA. Okinawa was the best assignment of my life despite the Threatcon Delta and Charlie then Bravo + conditions for a year or so. I met some amazing people, both AF and civilian...but the anger I felt at terrorists and middle eastern Radicals remains. I wish I could have done more while active duty, even now.  One day I would like to visit the memorials, haven't had time to do that, but it is on my list of things I would like to do one of these vacations.

Well, it is feeling like fall, the weather is beginning to cool off, football is a staple come Thursday-Saturday nights and once the temperatures drop a bit more it will be "gumbo weather" I think fall is my favorite time of year. Time to go work on school stuff, yeah on-line classes are up and running! Week 1 is almost done!

Happy Labor Day!

I know it is a few days late but Happy Labor Day. At USAFA that was Parent's weekend and always a fun time ...it also makes me think of Fall as I associate Labor Day as the end of summer and start of football season.

We made it to Louisiana. Yep, we leave VA and the aftermath of Hurricane Irene to fly to Louisiana only to find ourselves right in the middle of Tropical Storm Lee which is this slow moving extremely wet storm sitting right over Louisiana. So our labor day was very wet.

It was great to see our family...Matthew got to hang out with his god-mother Aunt Paige and Grandpa Joe. We got to Ville Platte and Matthew met his Great Aunt Karen, Cousin Clayton and Monica, and spent some quality time with his Great Grandma Winnie. Granny Winnie was feeling pretty good on Saturday so maybe she is finally getting over her chemo slump. It was so great to watch tennis with Aunt Karen and of course we watched the LSU tigers smash Oregon on Saturday night as well. Matthew of course sported his LSU gear and appeared to enjoy the clapping and cheers that everyone was making when LSU did all those great plays. Too bad AF was not on TV b/c I seriously need to balance out the exposure to LSU.

Now of course we are back in VA and it is raining...go figure and another hurricane is blowing our way from the Atlantic...if we had floods and droughts to go along with all the other natural disasters I would think Matthew is sporting some bad karma...

The best news is that in about an hour I get to go pick up Queenie from the pet resort. She is getting a grooming session this morning to hopefully get rid of the funk that accompanies a dog kennel.
Other than that, I have got to lay off the fried food. It was so good to eat fried fish, fried shrimp po-boys but boy it is wrecking havoc on my digestive system so back to diet food and hopefully this last 10lbs will melt right off.

We are heading to Greenville this weekend, almost Sept 12th and almost our closing day of the 23rd!! Goal is to clean out the rest of our stuff at the duplex so it is ready for a professional cleaning and some paint. Keeping the fingers crossed that our sale goes through!