5 and 19month Updates

No weight or height updates this month since no doctor appointments this month.  However, Maggie is doing great with tummy time and will roll to her back from her stomach and will even scootch around her tummy. She doesn't really roll from back to front yet but I'm sure it'll happen in time. She is really close to sitting up and will occassionally sit for like 5seconds. She is still really interested in Max and thinks he is hilarious, but who doesn't? She is still wearing 0-3month clothes but I am pretty sure she is going through a growth spurt since my little 12hour a night sleeper has been waking the last few nights. Maxim is doing well. I am pretty sure I solved the diaper rash mystery by getting rid of acidic foods such as citrus and tomatoes. He loves tomato sauce so that's sad. He still just babbles and doesn't have clear words. Though he says "no" alot and then laughs. He has become even more of a climber. However, sometimes he climbs and then doesn't know how to get down such as his rocking horse. He also has started climbing into Maggie's entertainer seat and then of course can't get out. They have both seen Santa twice and both hated him. Oh well, everyone needs to a crying Santa picture and I get a 2 for 1 this year. Hopefully they are better next year. 9 days until Christmas and I'm sure Max will enjoy unwrapping gifts. Maggie of course could care less.

Love and Miss you Matthew
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Assembly Required

Today we got one Maxim's last gift. A chair for him. It was actually something we were planning on getting him for his birthday but never got around to. I assumed it would come all together afterall it is a plush chair with a slip cover. The package was delivered today and the box was smaller than I expected but I thought maybe like our memory foam mattress it is vacuumed packed. However, the chair came in 5 pieces: 4 foam pieces and the slip cover. It took about 5minutes to assemble so that wasn't bad. I am glad Max isn't old enough that I have to wait until the night before christmas to assemble things. Just makes me think that there is a guy who looks at a product and says ' you know we could make it in one piece or for the fun it make it in multiple and have the consumer assemble it.'

421 We love and miss you Matthew, stay safe

Thanksgiving

We had Thanksgiving without Matthew but it was good. We went over to another wife on the boat's house. Max and Maggie wore their matching shirts. Max did well though he was a little young to play with the other kids but he is used to playing alone. He mostly just messed with magnets on the fridge. He did make a friend who he could convince to pick him up and get him another crescent roll. He probably had like 5 rolls and 16oz of milk while we were there. The next day while we were eating leftovers he enjoyed the carrots I made and the ham. I'll post the carrot recipe below.  I generally try to pick things to bring to potlucks that I know will be forgotten. For instance at Thanksgiving we had I believe 4 stuffings. I think that is over kill.  T

This Thursday I have another Thanksgiving potluck which is for the FRG. I am slowly liking this FRG better. I didn't really care for them at first. I think spending Thanksgiving with a few of the wives helped me get to know some of them better and I had a good time. I forced myself to go to the Thanksgiving so I wouldn't be alone when I had a good offer. It is making me rethink my decision not to go to the Halfway Night or Final Fling which are only a few weeks apart.

This brings up an issue I have. Being on a fast attack boat deployments are 6months long and you plan all these events to try to pass the time and it helps to some extent. Now we are on a boomer and "deployments" as they like to call patrols are 6weeks to 3months long generally and so they try to cram everything into this shorter period. It is just funny to me. So far I haven't heard any complaining which is good. This is the first patrol for most of the wives and sailors on the boat. I guess technically ours too. I just keep thinking back to Matthew's first deployment on the Columbus where he had I think 7weeks without communication. I remember during those 7 weeks watching the news and wondering. It  was 7 weeks of worry but I also remember how happy I was when my email downloaded those 30+ emails. It was exhilerating. However, I was out of town on a quilt retreat and had to wait a few more days to read and respond to them. On this boat there will be none of that.

This post ended up being very long. However,  I still need some kids updates. Max is 18months and I don't think there is really anything new except he is better at climbing. For example he climbs on the ottoman and toy chest well but to get on the couch he pushes a cushion off part of the way and uses the base as a step to the cushion. It is cute. Maggie is doing better with tummy time. She loves to laugh at this app that makes noises of animals and objects when you touch the picture of the object or animal. She is also sitting up really well in her entertainer. She also has been interacting more with Maxim such as reaching for him. She has held her bottle, when I give her one, and has tried to take her playmat with her when I take her off of it just like Max used to do. I think that's it for now.

Roasted Carrots

2lbs of baby carrots in a single layer on a cookie tray drizzle with olive oil, s&p, and veggie seasoning. Roast on 400 for 20minutes then drizzle with honey and balsamic vinegar and a little more olive oil and roast another 5minutes. Super easy and delicious. 

421 We love and miss you Matthew. Stay Safe

The Adventures in Taking Christmas Photos

It took us two tries but we got some awesome photos thanks to our awesome photographer Bri Westfall. Check her out at HERE. If you remember she did our maternity and newborn photos. She was offering Christmas mini sessions where it was 20minutes sessions with 15photos at a discounted price so we jumped on the chance. Matthew is out protecting our country so it was just me and the kids.

We went bright and early to the location and the kids were dressed in their christmas outfits and looked so cute. Maggie even had a great big bow. However, Maxim was not having it. Luckily I planned for this and dressed so I could be in pictures. Bri did manage to get some photos of him though she got quite of few of him eating graham crackers because other wise he bawled. He eventually warmed up to climb in and out of her multiple chairs though never long enough to pose Maggie with him. She kindly offered us the opportunity to come back the following weekend so we did.

The second time I put them in their christmas pjs in hopes that Max would be more comfortable and not cry. I also dressed so I could be in pictures once again. Max wouldn't let us pose him with Maggie but we did get some cute shots of Maggie sitting in a chair and Max handing her ornaments.

Also we got way more than 15photos. I can't stress enough how awesome this photographer is. If you'd like to see the photos go to her website and type the password lippertchristmas.  We have already booked Maggie's 1 yr photos with her and plan on booking a family christmas session with the 4 of us.

I love and miss you Matthew. 421

Double Well Baby Visits

So I took both kids for their well baby visits today. Maggie for her 4month and Maxim for his 18month.

Maxim is now 22lb and 1.5oz. Sorry I forget how long. What a bad mom! He got two shots: Flu and Hep A.  He started crying as soon as we went into the vitals room. I don't know what is with him lately. We went for pictures and he wouldn't take pictures and he loves the camera. Anyway take 2 for pictures is next weekend. His rash was looked at and since taking out acidic foods like tomatoes it has cleared up. However, she said the remaining spots are probably scaring which makes me sad that he is scared from his rash. Hopefully it fades in time.

Maggie was a big trooper she is 10lbs 6.5 oz and 23" long. To compare Max was 10lbs 5oz and 24" long at his 4month well baby. Maggie had 3 shots and an oral vaccine. She was a trooper for all of this. She even had to get reweighed after we went to pharmacy because when the Pediatrician was looking over her chart again something seemed off. However, when she was reweighed and remeasured it turned out everything was fine. Developmentally she is doing great and should start solids at 6months. Though she has a flat spot on the left side of her head which is weird because she sleeps on her right side so I can't explain that one.

We had a great day with Daddy yesterday and will miss him dearly. We love him and are proud of him.

Halloween and general updates

Sorry no pictures of Halloween. I do have them they are just still on the camera. Maggie was a ladybug though she actually slept through trick or treating so she only wore her costume for the Scarecrow Stroll and her 3month pictures. Maxim was a shark. He thought it was fun to play with the candy. When he would see someone coming he would put his hand out with candy in it but by the time they got to the door he had put the candy back in the bucket.
So I don't know if this was discussed in my last blog post but we are keeping a food/poop diary for Max. Basically we are sick and tired of this constant diaper rash. Sometimes he poops and instant open sores. Makes no sense to us except for some kind of mild food allergy and maybe once he is potty trained we can add the food back in the diet. We have tried disposables with prescription creams and that doesn't help it is still a battle. So though we love our cloth diapers we would have stopped on him if that meant he had no more diaper rash. So far we have cut out yogurt and that does seem to help. Matthew and I can't see a pattern from the log but maybe his dr will. It would be nice if the poop came labeled.
Speaking of doctors I get to bring both kids for well baby visits in about a week. I've been lucky so far that Matthew has been able to be there for every dr's appointment since moving to GA but this time he won't be able to join but it's Maxim's 18month well baby and Maggie's 4month well baby. I will post weight and length updates when that happens.
Our calendar we use is a custom one from Shutterfly and so November has pictures of Max leaving the hospital and his Thanksgiving meal. So it is a constant reminder of  those scary 4days where we were told our happy little boy was starving and people threatened CPS on us. I am constantly worried about Maggie's weight and will until we make it to the 6month well baby without any ordeal. Though unlike Maxim, Maggie knows what she wants and isn't happy until she gets it. So I think Maggie would let us know if she wasn't satisfied whereas Maxim was more go with the flow and never really complained or cried.

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Some Updates

Thought it was time for some updates

Maxim: 17months in about a week.
He is running around constantly. He also has figured out how to climb on the ottoman and the couch if pillows are on the floor. We are still battling diaper rash since he was 12months. He likes to hug his sister and will often hold her hand and say go. We take this to mean he wants to play with her. He is now fully off bottles since the other day. It's nice to be able to put away all the bottles and the bottle drying rack (more counter space!). He likes to throw his tools and other objects from his tool bench into his laundry hamper and throwing Maggie's socks into her diaper pail. So those things along with his diaper pail are in closets now. The other day he took out her skirt(his newest clothing of choice) to throw in her diaper pail and after walking around her room and not finding the pail put it back in the drawer. He is constantly putting things back. He'll spill his cheerios and will pick up the cheerios and put them back in the bowl. Things don't always end up where we think they should go but we figure he's trying. He loves to grill with Dad and frankly do anything with Dad. He hates it when he leaves for work and gets so excited when he comes home. Matthew loves his little me. Even when Max is kinda in the way, which is usually the case. We have started going to Tumble Tots at the rec center which he loves. He can just run and get lots of her energy out. Maybe in another 18months we'll start him in gymnastics lessons to help with all his energy.

Maggie: 3months in a few days
 At her 2month well baby she was 8lbs 15oz and 22.5" long. That is about 3lbs and 2" since leaving the hospital. We think that's pretty good. She is in 0-3month clothes and is still tiny. She smiles and coos alot. She definitely has her hold me moments which is very different than Maxim. Since we want to protect her from Max she doesn't get a whole lot of floor or tummy time. Her ears are now pierced. She has really good head control. She sleeps about 8-9hours at night and she has since about 6weeks. Going to bed around 11-midnight. We figure its because she is so awake during the day. She loves to be swaddled to sleep. Without being swaddled you can't put her down she'll just wake up. Maggie likes to join me for demo night at the fabric shop every week and soon Max will get to join us too.

November 15 they have their 4month and 18month well baby visits so I'll hopefully have another update around then if not before.

Maggie Is Born

On Monday afternoon Maggie Suzanne Lippert was born. That morning Alexandra had an appointment and an ultrasound. They were pretty sure she was having the baby SOON! They estimated he weight at 7lbs 8 oz. She actually weighed 6 lbs 8 oz. Monday was supposed to be my first day back to work and I was working nights. So I was worried that Alexandra would go into labor shortly after I arrived at work, where it is harder to get a hold of me and I can't have my cell phone. She had been having contractions since the middle of the night. They were getting worse and worse through the morning. Then at lunch time Alexandra was ready to goto the hospital. She called her doctors office and they asked her to come there first so they could check her. When we parked at the hospital her contractions were bad enough she couldn't walk during them. They had us wait a few minutes in the waiting room. When one of the receptionists noticed how much pain Alex was in she ran and got the midwife and was like you need to get her checked and over to the hospital I do not want a baby born in the waiting room! It was pretty funny. So we checked into the Hospital at 2:30 and Maggie was born just over an hour later. Everything happened so fast. It is a good thing I wasn't at work. We might have had a baby in the truck or just without me. Also because this all happened so fast there wasn't enough time for an epidural so Alexandra delivered Maggie completely natural without any pain medication. I am very proud of her, she is a strong woman! Now we are happy and settling in at home. Danielle was here to take care of Maxim while we were at the hospital which was a big help. While in the hospital Maggie wouldn't sleep in the bassinet, only in our arms. So we both got very little sleep. We took turns sleeping and holding her. Now that we are home she sleeps pretty well in her bassinet. Its a little cozier! Except last night, we don't know why but Maggie wouldn't sleep for more than an hour. She wanted to eat eat eat. On Friday we had her newborn photos taken. They turned out great. We had round 2 of newborn photos today because on Friday Maggie wouldn't sleep and cooperate that well, but both days we got amazing photos and are very happy. I feel very blessed to have the family that I do. I do my best to never take them for granted.

Maternity Photos

So on June 3rd at 8am we went to the beach and took some maternity photos. I am 34 weeks in the pictures. Thanks to pinterest, I made my dress. If I had my sewing machine I would have altered it since I made it months ago I guessed on sizing. The following is the link to the whole shoot.
maternity photos

the password is lippert

I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.

Matthew is currently underway so we are praying Miss Maggie stays put until at July if not July 3rd. But if not we have a sitter in place to watch Maxim. Since I'm currently 37weeks pregnant I probably should get that hospital bag packed.

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Disposable Diapers :(

I'm sure this is going to be a shock, but Max is wearing disposable diapers temporarily. He developed a diaper rash/small infection when he was wearing the diaper liners with the cloth. The liners were something we only used when we don't have the diaper sprayer available. They are a think disposable liner so that the poo can be easily flushed. Well we noticed that the liners also seemed to really stick to his bottom and so that probably was the initial cause of this. At his 12 month well baby check the doctor prescribed us some cream to help. Also said to make sure he is able to "breathe" down there. We continued using the cloth diapers, and it seemed to be improving somewhat but then it also seemed like new spots were appearing. It's possible that the diapers need to be "super washed" to make sure whatever might be causing this is washed out fully. Also maybe his diapers just aren't letting him "breathe" enough. So we made the decision to switch to disposable diapers temporarily, until this is all cleared up. Hopefully it won't be too long. We don't like the disposables, they're expensive and not nearly as cute. Hopefully we will be back in cloth diapers as soon as possible.

Starting to Settle In

We are coming up on 3 weeks in Georgia. We arrived on May 3rd and Max did wonderfully on the trip. He slept the majority of both flights. We got to the hotel and ate dinner then drove around looking at the houses we were going to tour the next day. We wanted to get a feel for the neighborhoods to see if maybe we could cross off some of the houses. There was some that we decided to cross off. That night I actually feel asleep before Max. Matthew actually went back online and found some more houses to visit that night.

The morning of the 4th we got up and spent all morning going from house to house. Many of the houses were pretty disgusting inside with cobwebs, piles of trash and dead bugs. We did manage to find the house right for us and on a .75acre lot that made Matthew pretty happy. We were glad to sign the lease that afternoon. We could now focus on other things like a new vehicle.

We were anxious to get out of our rental car but first Matthew needed to find his new truck. We gave ourselves a week and hoped not to have to need the rental car longer. But since this was something Matthew was very on top of  and very excited about we returned the rental early. He now is the very proud owner of a GMC Sierra 1500.

For the last 3 weeks we have been living off of things we were able to get at the loan closet on base. We were able to get a high chair, a couple of baby gates (though our openings are bigger than standard doorways so they don't really work like planned), kitchen supplies, and 3 mats(their last air mattress popped), and we bought a folding table and chairs.

Matthew being anxious about getting the car and hhg shipment has been calling to get updates weekly. We are happy to be making a trip this weekend to Charleston to pick up the car. Last night we got a call from the movers saying that they could deliver our hhg on Friday. Though we were excited we asked if it could be delayed until Tuesday. It will be very nice to have furniture again and my vehicle. Though I'm sure Max will miss his freedom to roam the house.

Matthew this week is checking in to the boat but on this boat there is about a week worth of training to complete before going to the boat. Luckily we were able to get Max an appointment before he went back to work so he could go and meet the new doctor. My first doctor's appointment is next Wednesday. I am amazed at how quickly things happen here. I don't have to call 4 weeks ahead to get an appointment and so far visiting city offices has taken forever.

Last Hawaiian Night

Tonight is my last night in Hawaii, and it is a little bitter sweet. I am very excited to get back to the mainland, closer to family and all. But at the same time we have made some pretty good friends here in Hawaii. Also this is the first place we have lived as a family. The first house we lived in together is here, next door to possibly the greatest neighbors we will ever have. In some ways I hate to be leaving. But this is apart of the military life. If we stayed eventually all of our friends would be moving away from us, it is simply unavoidable. So the best thing we can do is keep in touch, hope we meet again someday and keep on moving. The most important thing is that we arede together as a family. Tomorrow we start the next chapter,
Which will start with a very. Exciting plane ride with a teething 11 month old!

Returned From Deployment

I am back from Deployment. It was wonderful seeing Alexandra and Max at the airport waiting for me. My biggest fear was Max not knowing who I am when I returned. I left the sub after 1/3 of the deployment due to transferring from Hawaii to Georgia, so I was gone for 2 months vice 6. But it was the longest I had been apart from my son so far. I was happy when he didn't cry when I held him. He was somewhat hesitant at first. He had a little bit of a puzzled look on his face, like hmm, I know you but I haven't seen you in a long time other than pictures. Later on using the video monitor I tried talking to him through the monitor when he woke up from a nap. My voice through the monitor did not even make him look around for me. Before I left for deployment I would talk to him through the monitor when he woke up and he would jump up and look to the door waiting to see me. Alex thinks what happened was he has gotten used to my voice from the recorded books I made and now doesn't associate my voice with the physical me. This is already changing, he is back to being my little buddy when I come in from work he crawls to my feet and and pulls on my leg to pick him up! It is awesome! It is also so hard to leave to goto work or to even just leave the room because if he sees me walking out he whines and fusses and crawl to me. We had his birthday party early so he could celebrate with people he knew. And then a few days later the movers came and packed up our things. He seemed very concerned whenever he was watching them pack his things. Now we are living in a hotel and so far so good. The next big hurdle will be the airplane. Oh and he is teething now. He has 2 bottom front teeth coming in. He is doing a great job, for the most part he is still being his normal happy smiling self. However car rides are now filled with tears and screaming. We think it is a combination of his teething and also being in a new vehicle (rental car) without the car seat base unit (he is lower and can't see out the window) and he doesn't have his mirror. Wish us luck for the flight. I am going to miss somethings about Hawaii. Mostly the friends we have made. You can never replace good friends and we hope we stay in touch with them all!

11month update

Max is now a whopping 11months! I got an email from Matthew saying when he saw that on the calendar he thought there had to be a mistake. Maxim is now 15lbs 8oz and 26" long. He gained an average of 20grams per day since his last weight check 3 weeks ago. The average 11month old gains 12-15grams per day. He is slowly weaning off purees. Basically the purees he gets is to diminish the supply we have in the freezer. He loves cheeses and breads doesn't matter what kind. He really likes veggie burgers and will eat about half a patty or a quarter of a tortilla with cheese on it or a quarter cup of spaghetti os. According to the nutritionist this is a great appetite for a guy his age. We didn't get to see our pediatrician Dr. Garee for our last appointment in Hawaii which was a little frustrating having to explain everything to someone new. She also made Max cry during a routine exam and our awesome Dr. Garee never did. Makes me more anxious to find Maxim a new pediatrician in Georgia that we like and is good with him.

In less than 2 weeks all our stuff will be packed and in less than 3 weeks at least Max and I will be in Georgia.

Getting Ready

Matthew and I tend to like to be prepared and have lists and organization. This is definitely true when getting ready for a new baby. It drives me a little crazy that best case scenario we have 6 weeks to put together a nursery. With Max we made little goals around Matthew's underway schedule so that 3 weeks before the due date his room was complete we obviously can't do that this time. We do have a stash of newborn clothes but unlike with Max we don't have random other sizes we picked up for fun. Maggie's bumpers for her crib or done and though we have a crib, changing table and mattress they can't be put together yet. I've also started making bows and that's fun to match her outfits or holidays. Without knowing her room I can't figure out the organization and decoration. Though I know she'll spend at least the 1st 6 weeks in the bassinet of the pack and play I'd still like to have sheets to put on the crib and a changing pad with covers in her room. I know this will all come in time. I have also started and halfway completed Maggie's stocking because just like with Max I'd like to have it finished by the end of summer to allow plenty of time for finishing.

The cats get shipped off tonight, weather permitting, which will be one less thing for me to worry about. As far as moving, I am organizing what I can because I can't pack anything. Now that it's april I'm trying to put things in suitcases. But at least hotels and car rentals are booked. I still need to find a company to clean the carpets and figure out when I want them to come in. I know it will all come together especially since I'm not waiting until the last minute. Still praying Matthew is home for the move but if not we'll be happy to see him in Georgia.

10 month update

A bit delayed updatevbut both the Pediatrician and Nutritionist are happy with his progress. He is creating his own curve but it is parallel to the normal growth curves so that's good. No height taken but his weight was 14lbs 10oz. We go back to both for a 11month check up and then our 12 month well baby we'll be in Georgia!

Hello From South Korea

This was the day before leaving for deployment, I love that little guy so much!


Hello From South Korea,
I am at my first port call on deployment. Hopefully I don't have many more because I should be coming back to move with my family. So far I have spent the majority of my time talking/skyping with Alexandra and Max. I almost got to see Max stand for the first time. I was on skype but not turned in the right direction. Oh well. Hopefully he'll wait for me to take his first steps. I did go out last night and saw the town a little bit, and tried the local beer and liquor in moderation of course. I have noticed that many Koreans speak English somewhat, a few of them speak it very well and all of them can say beer and whiskey. I do not have any pictures to show yet because I took them with a disposable. My deployment camera broke before I left. I miss my family very much and can't wait to get home to them! I hate being apart. I don't know how i ever ended up in a job that makes me leave them so much. One day though, I will be home all the time. I love you and miss you and can't wait to get home!

Miss M's Ultrasound Photos

Movin' on up to the ... next size

For almost a week now Max has been wearing 6-9 months clothes. It is very exciting. He had been in 3-6month clothes since the end of August. I thought he had a ton of clothes for 3-6months with over 30 outfits and now with this size he has over 40! Some clothes have carried over. People have been so generous with gifts. Don't think we went crazy. 0-3months I think was the only time I actually went out and had to buy things when he switched to that size.

We are stocking up our newborn stash for Miss M. We are about half way there and its fun to grab one or two things when I'm at a store that sells baby clothes. We didn't want to have to worry about getting clothes for her when we moved since we'll have plenty of other things to get like sheets, changing pad w/covers, stroller, new carseats for max, a truck etc.

In 2 months we should be ready to get on a plane! That is crazy. It is so close yet so far.

Also as many of you may know Matthew is currently deployed. Feel free to email him at lippermm@columbus.navy.mil No pictures, plain text only.

Baby Name Scramble

Alright, since everyone is itching to know whether Max's sibling is a brother or sister and want to know our chosen name for him or her, we have decided to give a clue. Following are the letters of the name in alphabetical order, if you can figure out the correct order we will tell you.

AAEEEGGIILMNNPPRSTUZ

Good Luck.

Boy or Girl?

Last night Matthew and I found out the sex of the baby. It was important to Matthew that he see the baby before he deployed since he'll miss the hospital ultrasound. When we initially saw the baby its spine was towards us so after a minute of trying to jiggle the baby the tech asked if I could use the bathroom that might help flip baby. So I did and low and behold when we checked again baby's front was towards us! Now our next challenge was baby was in a ball. The upside to this was that the tech kept flipping to 3D to get a better look. Eventually with enough jiggling baby opened up. We got two views of the sex a profile and the traditional legs open approach. We are excited about the arrival of our newest addition in July. Sorry this was just a teaser.

9 month well baby

Maxim had his 9 month well baby check up a week early which doesn't matter because there are no shots or anything with a time restraint. Everything checked out and he is healthy. He is now 13lbs 11oz and 25.5" long. So to recap from the last weight check he gained 10oz and grew half an inch in 3 weeks. The doctor was pretty happy with that so we go back in 6 weeks. We even got a book as part of some Hawaii reading program at our visit. It was really nice. Apparently we were supposed to get one at 6months but we all know they were a little too busy threatening to call CPS on us. I really like Dr. Garee and am sad we are moving. In Max's short life she is our 3rd pediatrician. We agreed at Max's 12month check up Matthew and I both need to be there especially if they don't have his file yet. The last thing we need is another freakout.
We go back in 4 weeks for the Nutritionist. She said that he is getting enough calories for a guy his age with the formula so that's the good news and so the fact that he has a good appetite after that is a super plus.
Max's 9 month pictures are next week and I have a really cute valentine's theme planned. Hopefully he is in a good mood since I accidently scheduled it for the beginning of his naptime. Oops!

Family of 3

This is one of my favorites from our family photo shoot. Max looks so grown up in his little outfit. It was important to us to get these photos done. We wanted to get them done before I started showing my pregnancy as a reminder that for 14months we were a family of 3. We are almost 9months into this journey of a family of 3. I cherish every moment I have alone with Max because I know before we know it we'll be a family of 4 and I won't have as much one on one time with him.

8.5month weight check

So Max now weighs a whopping 13lbs 1.8oz and is 25" long. That means in 2 weeks he basically gained a lb which is great. However this shows me a trend. He had a steep gain coming out of the hospital then he slowed, resulting in a 2week weight check, and now a steep gain again. I think he'll slow again this month and they'll get upset and want to see him in 2 weeks. I think my little man is just perfect. He walks along furniture and pulls himself up now on things like walls and glass not just items where he has a handle. The best part is he has a huge smile everytime he does it. It never gets old.

On another note we are now at the 16week point of my pregnancy and the baby has a heartbeat of about 150. The next update we'll know the sex! The last couple weeks I've been getting migraines so thankfully my Dr. gave me something because tylenol just wasn't cutting it when Matthew isn't around. When Matthew is around he just lets me rest and takes care of Max though I feel guilty since it is his time off.

Max's 8month weight check

Max had his weight check yesterday and he now weighs 12lbs 4 oz which is up from the end of November of 11.7lbs. He didn't have the weight increase that they were hoping for. His formula was upped to a 22cal concentration. Also they talked about running more tests for GI problems. We see the nutritionist and developmental therapist next week and he goes back for another weight check in two weeks. Though he may not be gaining as much as they want at least he is gaining. I don't want to see any more dips, because that was too scary.